Under Creature Chapter 10.4

“You’ll get a hunched back if you do that.”

“Nagging.”

Yigeom, about to snap back with another word, held it in and drank the milk in front of him.

Doa’s eyes rolled around until she spotted a photo on the small side table next to Yigeom’s bed.

“Oppa, what’s this?”

“A family photo.”

“But why from the middle….”

Why did the adults next to him change? Seo Doa couldn’t bring herself to ask and watched Yigeom’s expression. Yigeom, fiddling with his phone, said nonchalantly.

“They passed away when I was in middle school. I was raised by my uncle.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“What did you do?”

“For asking for no reason.”

There’s no need to be sorry. Yigeom kept his mouth shut.

“Oppa, but were your parents famous? Like celebrities… that kind of thing?”

“No? They were ordinary office workers.”

Seo Doa stared intently at Yigeom’s family photo.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

At Yigeom’s question, she quickly lost interest.

“No. I thought they looked familiar. I guess I was mistaken.”

“Right. If you’re done talking, I’ll take you home.”

Yigeom got up, grabbing his coat. Seo Doa must have vented her pent-up feelings by talking today. The rest was up to the siblings to resolve on their own.

“Don’t come out. I’ll take a taxi by myself.”

“No need for that. Seo Dohyun is here out front.”

“…What?”

He showed his phone screen to the bewildered Seo Doa.

Son of a bitch [I’m in front of your house]

“I sent a message to that son of a bitch.”

“…That’s so mean.”

Yigeom’s expression was noticeably relieved. If he didn’t create an opportunity like this, would they do anything other than procrastinate, saying they’d make up later? One had to strike while the iron was hot.

“Then hurry up and make up. We’re the only ones walking on eggshells because of you two.”

“As if you weren’t chatting away just fine.”

“We were being careful when you two weren’t around.”

“No, that’s what you call being careful? You’re supposed to be careful when people are actually here!”

Steadfastly ignoring the shouting Doa, he swung the front door wide open and went out to see her off. Seo Dohyun’s car was visible outside the window.

“There’s Seo Dohyun’s car. Let’s go, I’ll walk you down.”

Doa reluctantly followed behind Yigeom, grumbling.

“It’s okay. I can go down the stairs by myself.”

“Alright, then get home safe.”

“Yes, I’ll be going now.”

He watched Doa open the door and go down the stairs, then shifted his gaze to the window.

Seo Dohyun, who had gotten out of his car in the meantime, was looking up and waving.

Just as he was thinking of waving back, he heard a voice calling him from the stairs.

“Gyeom oppa!”

Seo Doa came up in a hurry.

“Why are you back? Did you leave something behind?”

“That’s not it, I didn’t fight with that oppa.”

“Yeah, right.”

“It’s just…. we had a difference of opinion and were worried about it. I’ll sort it out myself!”

It was clearly her way of telling him not to blame Seo Dohyun too much.

I thought she only ever evaluated him objectively, but I guess she still looks out for him since he’s her one and only brother.

“I’ll get going then! See you tomorrow for real!”

Seo Doa left with a bright farewell.

🦅࿐

And the next day, the two were back to their usual selves, seemingly having resolved things with a conversation.

Namgoong Sanha asked with a brightened face.

“Did you two make up?”

“Yes.”

Jewoo pried as if interrogating them.

“Really?”

“I’m telling you we did.”

Doa answered honestly, though she seemed annoyed.

“That’s a relief.”

The one who uttered the words of relief was neither Namgoong Sanha nor Cha Jewoo, but Jin Geonwoo, who was standing next to Yigeom. When Yigeom glanced up, Jin Geonwoo was sighing in relief, clutching his chest.

It made sense. It was a hell of a sight to see his workplace superiors fighting like cats and dogs since he first joined the company.

“Geonwoo hyung.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry for showing you such an ugly side of us since you started. We don’t usually fight, but there was a significant difference of opinion…. It won’t happen again, so please don’t worry.”

“Ah, uh. Okay!”

Jin Geonwoo nodded awkwardly.

“That’s right. Those two normally fight a lot, but this time was a bit special.”

Jewoo chimed in, lumping Yigeom and Dohyun together.

‘Why me.’

Feeling it wasn’t even worth a response, Yigeom shifted his gaze back to the book he was reading. It was a book he started reading out of curiosity, wondering what Seo Dohyun was reading so intently at the office all the time.

“Really? The two of you don’t seem like you’d fight at all.”

Jin Geonwoo scratched his cheek.

“Don’t even get me started. You should have seen how much they fought at the beginning. We used to watch them fight while eating popcorn every day.”

“But you seem totally close….”

Even with Doa’s testimony, Jin Geonwoo muttered in disbelief. Is it my turn to step up now?

“We’re not that close.”

“But weren’t you two always sticking together?”

“We’re together because of work.”

Yigeom systematically refuted Jin Geonwoo’s words.

“You two stick together even when there’s no work. I heard you two slept over together the day before yesterday.”

“Who did you hear that from…! Seo Doa, you get over here.”

Doa shook her head from side to side.

“It wasn’t me! It was Cha Jewoo.”

“I-I only knew because Seo Doa told me.”

Great, the whole neighborhood knows. Yigeom covered his face with his book and suppressed his anger.

“Gyeom-ah, are you okay? I heard about it too, but I, uh, I just happened to overhear it.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

Seeing Namgoong Sanha fidgeting and trying to comfort him somehow made him feel a bit calmer. Maybe the real healer isn’t Jin Geonwoo, but Namgoong Sanha. A sense of peace washed over his heart.

“Huh? Geonwoo hyung. Your phone is ringing. I think you got a text.”

“Ah, ahhh! I’ll be right back, I just need to send a text!”

Jin Geonwoo hurriedly took the phone Jewoo handed him and rushed outside.

What’s he in such a hurry about?

Yigeom watched Jin Geonwoo’s flustered departure before turning his gaze back to his book. Seo Dohyun, on the other hand, silently stared at the door Jin Geonwoo had exited through.

‘I wasn’t found out, was I?’

Having gone outside, Jin Geonwoo cautiously checked the message.

Status report

He hurriedly sent a reply to the brief message.

No issues