Under Creature Chapter 2.7

“But still…”

“Are you hungry? Here, here. Eat up. So, how was the spar with Yeho?”

Sanha handed the others their chopsticks and asked them in detail about what had happened. With gloomy faces, worried that they might have said something to upset Yigeom, they forced down the meat that wouldn’t go down easily, recounting everything that had happened with Yeho.

“Yoon Yigeom. Let’s talk for a minute.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“How are you getting home? I’ll give you a ride.”

“I can take a taxi.”

Yigeom shook off Dohyun’s arm. Dohyun fiddled with his piercing and spoke with a crooked smile. It was a habit he had when he was troubled or annoyed.

“What’s the problem? The cheating you mentioned earlier? Is that why you’re like this? Feeling guilty?”

“Isn’t that natural? The opponent was considerate enough to not use abilities…”

“Do you really think they were being considerate?”

“…What?”

Yigeom frowned.

“If they were truly being considerate, they would have sent out a rookie too.”

“…….”

“It was just a superficial gesture of courtesy. They would have looked bad if they won against a rookie who couldn’t even use his abilities properly without any handicap.”

“…….”

“Didn’t you know that?”

Dohyun continued.

“That’s why the others don’t understand why you’re angry. Apologize to them later.”

Yigeom chewed on his lip. He understood Dohyun’s explanation. But he still felt a lingering sense of displeasure. He understood, but he didn’t empathize.

“If we get looked down on here, it’s over. We’ll lose the CA Area, our income will decrease, and we’ll end up cleaning up other guilds’ messes, like dismantling byproducts or doing odd jobs.”

“…….”

“I can’t stand that. I’d do even worse things to prevent that.”

Seo Dohyun looked down at Yigeom, who seemed calmer than before. The tip of his nose and his cheeks were bright red from the cold.

“You must be cold. Let’s talk in the car. I’ll take you home.”

He tried to lead him gently, but Yigeom shook him off forcefully.

“Why me? I still don’t understand how things work around here, and I don’t want to use these kinds of cheap tricks. Why should I get hurt doing this?”

“You weren’t hurt.”

Yigeom sighed. He felt dizzy. Yes, he wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t hurt. He didn’t have a single scratch on him now. But…

“I was hurt, and it was painful. Everyone just forgot.”

“…….”

“Why should I endure that pain? Just because the wounds disappear in five minutes, does that mean my memories disappear too? Unlike you, I’m not good at enduring pain. I’m the kind of person who whines about a paper cut until it heals.”

I can’t do that. Why me? Why do I have to bear and endure this? Yigeom glared at Dohyun. His eyes questioned why he had to be the one to sacrifice.

Dohyun exhaled slowly into the cold night air. Just like Yigeom, he couldn’t understand Yigeom’s way of thinking. His breath formed a white cloud as he spoke in a flat voice.

“You’re Latter.”

“…What?”

Yigeom’s eyes widened. Dohyun tilted his head slightly and continued.

“Do you still not have a sense of belonging? You’re Latter. If Latter is looked down on, you’re looked down on. If Latter wins, you win.”

“I’m still…”

“The other way around.”

He murmured with a cold expression.

“If you’re looked down on, Latter is looked down on. If you win, it’s Latter’s victory. How many times do I have to tell you this before it sinks in? Latter is family. Don’t you know about a community of fate?”

“…I don’t know what kind of guild you’re trying to create, but I don’t have strong feelings for Latter yet, and I don’t understand why I have to sacrifice myself for it.”

“Sacrifice? When did you sacrifice anything?”

Yigeom was speechless. He lost his words at Dohyun’s genuinely questioning gaze.

“I…. Sigh, never mind.”

Dohyun stopped Yigeom as he tried to leave.

“Are you calling it a sacrifice because you, of all people, fought in the spar with Yeho? Or are you angry because no one acknowledged that you barely won after repeated attempts? Because you didn’t get praised?”

“That’s not what I…!”

“You were the most suitable member for that situation.”

Yigeom’s lips parted slightly.

“If Jewoo was suitable, I would have sent Jewoo out. The same goes for Doa and Sanha hyung. It’s just that you were the best fit for that situation.”

“…….”

“Everyone has their role. You simply performed your role, so why do you expect praise? Or is it…”

Dohyun paused. After a moment of contemplation, he said something that was sure to provoke Yigeom.

“Do you want special treatment?”

🦅࿐

The next day, Yigeom didn’t come to the office.

He said he couldn’t come because he was sick, but it was obviously an excuse.

“Is Kyeom hyung avoiding us?”

“He’ll come next week. Or… should we visit him? We know his address, right?”

At Seo Doa’s suggestion, Jewoo’s eyes sparkled as he made flowers bloom in both hands.

“Wow, good idea. Then what should we bring as a gift? Ah, flowers first. Hey, Seo Doa! Is this flower prettier, or this one? This flower’s meaning is happiness, and this one’s is immortality!”

“That one next to it isn’t a flower, it’s a tree, you know?”

“Yeah, a Japanese cedar! I like the flower language of immortality. Isn’t it suitable for a get-well visit?”

Although people’s eyes were drawn to the colorful and beautiful flowers, Jewoo’s ability wasn’t actually making flowers bloom, but rather cultivating and manipulating plants at will. The ability to manipulate various plants was quite useful in various situations.

“Any flower will do. Oppa’s claim of being sick is obviously an excuse.”

“I know. But let’s at least make it look good.”

“Um…”

Namgoong Sanha, seemingly having something to say, interrupted Doa and Jewoo’s conversation and cautiously raised his hand.

“Do we all have to go?”

“…….”

“…….”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Seo Dohyun, who was lying on the sofa with his feet up. His swollen cheek clearly indicated that yesterday’s conversation hadn’t gone well.

“Master… will stay at the office.”

“Okay, oppa. We’ll go and talk things out with Kyeom oppa.”

Dohyun opened and closed his tired eyes.

‘Do you want special treatment?’

The fist was cold. He saw it coming towards his cheek, but he didn’t bother dodging. He tasted blood in his mouth. Dohyun ran his tongue over his injured gums, lost in thought.

Was he angry because of that? But wasn’t it true? Everyone does their part in their respective positions. At that time, it was most appropriate for Yigeom to step up, nothing more, nothing less.

Do people get praised for waking up in the morning? For brushing their teeth after a meal? For washing their hands after going out? For eating three meals a day?

He just did what was natural. And that was Yoon Yigeom’s job.

Seo Dohyun still couldn’t understand why Yoon Yigeom was angry. He didn’t think he was wrong.

Recently, we’d gotten a little closer, but now we’re drifting apart again. I just can’t seem to get along with Yigeom.

‘Is it a personality clash?’

“I’ll stay here. You take the others.”

“That’s a good idea, but wouldn’t it be better to go one by one?”

Sanha suggested, and Jewoo asked,

“Why?”

“What if we all go together and get turned away?”

“Uh… I don’t think Yigeom is the type of person to turn someone away who came for a get-well visit with presents.”

“You never know. It’s always good to be cautious.”

Namgoong Sanha’s plan was this:

“Jewoo will go today, and if that doesn’t work, Doa will go tomorrow, and then I’ll go the day after.”

“Do we really need to go to such lengths? Let’s all go today! Ah, except for Master.”

Jewoo argued, planting a carefully nurtured Japanese red pine in a pot. But Namgoong Sanha rejected the idea.

Even the great strategist Zhuge Liang was swayed by Liu Bei’s three visits to his thatched cottage. To win over a valuable person, one must invest time, effort, and sincerity.

“I agree. Visiting one by one and having individual conversations is a good method. There are things you can only say when it’s just the two of you.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case….”

As Doa supported Namgoong Sanha’s plan, Jewoo reluctantly nodded.

“Then shall we go? I’ll drive!”

Grabbing the car keys, Namgoong Sanha jumped up.

“Do me a favor. Dohyun.”

He then exclaimed, clenching his fist at Dohyun.

“Yeah! Before my military leave ends, I’ll talk to Yigeom a lot! I’ll ask him what’s going on!”

“Now even Sanha is calling him Yigeom, not ‘Yigeom hyung’!”

“Oops…! I didn’t even realize. He’ll probably be mad if I shorten his name without permission, right? I should be careful.”

“It’s okay. We call him that without permission too. He doesn’t mind those things.”

“He doesn’t mind those things! Don’t act like a favor is a right! Maybe Yigeom actually finds the shortened name awkward, but just hasn’t said anything.”

Jewoo stared blankly at Namgoong Sanha, who spoke triumphantly with a snort.

“…Really? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“Anyway! Let’s hurry up and leave before it gets late, Jewoo. This ambiguous time between lunch and dinner is perfect.”

“Okay. I’ve finished planting it! I’ll just add some nutrients so it doesn’t die.”

Between 2 and 4 PM. Jewoo finished the pot he had been hurriedly planting. Growing things was within his ability, but that was it; reviving something dead was beyond his powers.

Jewoo added soil and fertilizer, which he always kept in the storage room as part of his hobby, to the pot, covering the roots of the Japanese red pine. He patted the soil gently, as if soothing a baby, and added nutrients, completing the preparations. Standing up with the pot carefully held in both hands, Jewoo declared resolutely,

“Let’s go!”

🦅࿐

“Stay seated. I’ll clean up.”

“Okay.”

“I said sit, don’t lie down. You’ll get indigestion if you lie down right after eating.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Yigeom, who had been stealthily trying to climb into bed and lie down, maintained a proper posture at Kang Taeha’s nagging.

Then he shifted his gaze to Kang Taeha, who was cleaning up the leftover takeout food. Having been close since childhood, he knew Taeha’s personality better than anyone. He liked to take care of others, he was kind, and he was considerate.

Because their parents were friends, they had been hanging out since they were toddlers. Back then, Yigeom used to follow Kang Taeha around everywhere. Despite being the same age, he seemed to idolize Taeha’s unchildlike, mature gaze, the way he would wipe Yigeom’s runny nose with his tiny hand, and how generously he shared his toys.

He especially remembered the feeling of having the world at his fingertips when Kang Taeha placed his toy car on the floor and put the remote control in young Yigeom’s hand, telling him to try controlling it. That was the reason he kept pestering his mother to go to Kang Taeha’s house almost every day.

And compared to then, their current relationship hadn’t changed at all.

Kang Taeha had grown up exactly the same as he was as a child, still busy taking care of Yigeom, and Yigeom, who acted decisively outside, would readily entrust Taeha with both tasks he could and couldn’t do.

Having grown up together like brothers, it wasn’t an exaggeration to call them family. Kang Taeha was like an older brother and a second father to Yigeom.

“Seungtae was asking what you’ve been up to lately.”

“Jooseungtae?”

“Yeah.”

Taeha, who was tightly tying up the food containers in a plastic bag, relayed his friend’s regards.

It was their daily routine to always be together, and their other friends knew it. Therefore, if their friends didn’t hear from Yoon Yigeom, they would contact Kang Taeha, and if they didn’t hear from Kang Taeha, they would contact Yoon Yigeom.

“Why didn’t he contact me directly?”

Yigeom grumbled and picked up his phone, intending to contact Jooseungtae.

“He said he texted you to meet up last time, but you ignored him?”

“Yeah, I’ve been a bit busy lately.”

“What are you busy doing?”

“Just… this and that.”

Kang Taeha hesitated and then asked,

“Can’t you tell me?”

Their eyes met in the air. Could he possibly tell him he was busy hunting monsters? He wouldn’t believe it, and he might even be dragged off to a mental hospital. Of course, he knew Kang Taeha wasn’t that kind of person. He would probably worry about the danger and try to get involved somehow to protect him. That’s why he didn’t want to involve him even more.

“No. Sorry.”

“That’s surprising. Yoon Yigeom keeping secrets from me. You’re all grown up now, making secrets.”

“…It’s not like that.”

If Seo Dohyun had said something like this, Yigeom would have cursed him for his nonsense, but he was always soft with Kang Taeha. Since childhood, he had become accustomed to relying on Kang Taeha, who always took good care of him, seeking him out first whenever something happened, and being more concerned about Taeha’s reaction than his parents’ when he did something wrong.

“Then what is it?”

“I’ll explain later.”

Later, when you also come over to the creature world.

Yigeom made an empty promise inwardly and fiddled with his phone.

From time to time, Kang Taeha would also disappear and reappear without a word. He never told Yigeom where he went, no matter how much he asked, yet he was interrogating Yigeom for having one secret. Considering that, Kang Taeha’s attitude could be considered selfish.

Yigeom suddenly thought of Latter. He hadn’t gone to the office, using his illness as an excuse. There was a CA Area occurring today… They’ll manage without him. He quickly dismissed thoughts of Latter from his mind. They were people who could take care of themselves without him. Especially Seo Dohyun.

He thought they had gotten a little closer after the association attack. From the moment he joined Latter, Seo Dohyun had constantly approached him, and it was Yigeom who rejected him. They could have easily become close if Yigeom had just changed his attitude, but just as the door to his heart began to open slightly towards Dohyun, it was firmly sealed shut again.

The reason for their fight was trivial. He had simply said something that provoked Yigeom, and Yigeom had gotten angry.

‘Are you asking for special treatment?’

What? Special treatment? As if. Crazy bastard. How can his thoughts go in that direction?

He could somehow understand the use of a shortcut in the sparring match with Yeho. It just so happened that he had to face that opponent, and it didn’t matter if he got hurt or coughed up blood because he would heal after 5 minutes, right? It was annoying, but he could understand it even if he had to concede a hundred, a thousand times.

The problem was his attitude.

‘Everyone’s worried. It’s a day to celebrate, why do you keep ruining the mood? The others are walking on eggshells around you.’

They were supposed to be Latter. Partners in fate. Family.

Now he realized. They were just empty words. Seo Dohyun was the type of person who thought only of himself.

What? Don’t ruin the mood because it’s a good day? The others are walking on eggshells around me? That’s ridiculous. Then what about my feelings? Does that mean I have to suppress my feelings, whether good or bad, according to the majority rule?

If Seo Dohyun truly considered Yoon Yigeom a part of Latter, he should have considered Yigeom’s feelings too.

Seo Dohyun was infinitely generous to his own people. Even Yigeom, who had only observed him for a short period, clearly recognized the difference between how he treated Latter and how he treated others.

And the way Seo Dohyun treated Yigeom was somewhere in between.

And the way he talked about special treatment was truly laughable. He wouldn’t have said anything if he had actually treated him specially.

‘Thinking about it makes me even angrier.’

The anger that had subsided somewhat while eating spicy rice cakes and watching a comedy movie with Kang Taeha began to rise again.

Buzz.

Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a text from Jewoo.

“Yigeom hyung! You’re home, right? Since you’re sick, you must be home, right? I’m here for a get-well visit! Open the door!”

…What?

Just as he was about to text back telling him not to come,

Ding-dong—.

“Who is it?”

At the sound of the doorbell, Kang Taeha checked the intercom. Cha Jewoo, holding a potted plant, was smiling brightly on the screen.

“Do you know him? Should I open the door?”

At Kang Taeha’s question, Yigeom covered his face with both hands. He was dumbfounded by Jewoo’s meticulousness in sending the text after arriving, giving him no time to escape.

In hindsight, it might have been a better choice to go to Kang Taeha’s place instead of inviting him over. Yigeom’s laziness, his reluctance to go outside in the cold winter, had cornered him.

‘I don’t want to see anyone right now.’

Especially after yesterday’s incident, he wanted to avoid anyone related to Latter for the time being.

“A middle schooler? Yigeom-ah, who is it? A younger friend?”

“…A high schooler. A younger friend.”

Despite being a second-year high school student, Cha Jewoo was shorter than other boys his age and about the same height as Doa. Because of this, he was often mistaken for a middle school student. Yigeom had also made the same mistake when they first met.

“If he’s a younger friend, I’ll open the door. I can’t leave him standing out in the cold.”

I’ve made a younger friend without even knowing it. Muttering to himself, Kang Taeha opened the front door. Jewoo’s flustered voice could be heard.

“Uh… Isn’t this Yoon Yigeom’s house?”

“Yigeom is my friend. Come in.”

“Ah, thank you. I heard Yigeom hyung was sick, so I came for a get-well visit.”

“…Yigeom is?”

Jewoo became even more certain that Yigeom’s claim of being sick today was a lie at Kang Taeha’s questioning expression. Nevertheless, he calmly took off his shoes and offered the porridge he had brought. This was thanks to Sanha’s argument that nothing works better than money and gifts to sway someone’s heart.

“Yes. I brought this porridge. But it looks like you’ve already had lunch?”

The smell of tteokbokki filled Yigeom’s studio apartment.

“Yigeom hyung!”

“Why are you here?”

“I came to take care of you, hyung. I brought this porridge. Eat it for dinner.”

“…I’m not that sick. What’s with the potted plant?”

Perhaps Namgoong Sanha’s plan had worked, as Yigeom didn’t immediately kick Jewoo out and asked in a much softer tone.

“It’s a Japanese red pine! The flower language is immortality, so I chose it to wish for your long and healthy life. You’ll have to repot it when it gets bigger, but if you bring it to the office, I’ll do it for you.”

“…Okay. Thanks.”

Immortality. It somehow didn’t feel like someone else’s business. As long as Seo Dohyun’s ability existed, Yoon Yigeom might as well be immortal.

“Did you eat?”

Seo Dohyun and Namgoong Sanha wouldn’t have let the others go hungry.

“I just ate, but the smell of tteokbokki is making me hungry again.”

Jewoo, placing the pot on the table, rubbed his hungry stomach.

“Let’s go. I’ll buy you some.”

Yigeom stood up.

“We’ll be back soon.”

He put on his shoes without hesitation, leaving his house in Kang Taeha’s care. They were that close. Jewoo glanced at Kang Taeha, his face questioning whether it was okay to leave the house to someone else.

“I should probably go instead.”

Kang Taeha, also seemingly concerned, tried to stop Yigeom, but Yigeom had a plan.

“No. We’ll be back soon, so stay here.”

He figured it might be faster to feed Jewoo at the snack bar and send him off rather than leaving him at home, unsure when he would leave.

And so, leaving Kang Taeha behind, they headed to the snack bar in front of the house. It was Yigeom’s second time eating tteokbokki that day, but he didn’t particularly mind.

After ordering, Cha Jewoo asked directly,

“Hyung, you weren’t really sick, were you?”

“You’re right, I wasn’t, but… is that something someone who brought porridge for a get-well visit should say?”

“Hehe. That was just an excuse to see you, hyung.”

Yigeom chuckled and asked,

“So why did you come?”

“Um, well, I wanted to apologize if you were angry at us because of what happened yesterday. I’m sorry. I was being insensitive.”

“Do you even know what you did wrong?”

“Um… Ummm! Ahem!”

Jewoo avoided the question, rolling his beady eyes around. Yigeom placed a spoon in front of him, poured him some water, and said,

“Don’t apologize if you don’t know what you did wrong.”

“Then tell me what I did wrong. I want to reflect and apologize.”

Yigeom stared intently at Jewoo. Jewoo also met Yigeom’s gaze without flinching. However, when the food arrived, Jewoo immediately looked away and hurriedly picked up his spoon. As soon as food was in sight, Jewoo couldn’t control himself, as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

“Eat slowly.”

“So what did I do wrong? I’ve been thinking about it, but I can’t figure it out…”

“Why wouldn’t you be able to figure it out?”

“Huh?”

“You can’t figure it out because you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Jewoo chewed on the rice cake with an anxious look on his face.

“Are you thinking that I’m beyond redemption, so even if you told me what I did wrong, it would be pointless…”

“It’s not like that. I’m just angry at Seo Dohyun.”

“At Master?”

He asked, widening his eyes.

“Yes. So don’t apologize.”

“…Okay.”

Hearing who Yigeom was angry at, Jewoo relaxed and started devouring the tteokbokki!

Without asking any further questions, he wrapped the stretched-out cheese around the rice cake and popped it into his mouth.

‘…He eats well.’

Yigeom only occasionally reached out with his chopsticks to pick up a piece or two; Jewoo, who had claimed to have just eaten lunch, ate most of the 2-3 person serving by himself. Jewoo patted his protruding belly, paid, and said goodbye to Yigeom as they left.

“Ah, I’m full. Hyung, that was delicious!”

“…Okay.”

Yigeom nodded reluctantly.

“Then make up with Dohyun hyung!”

I don’t think I’ll ever get along with that guy….

“When are you coming back to the office?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay. Then since it’s almost dinner time, I’ll be going now. I’ll text you when I get home!”

He’s going to eat dinner with that belly? Was the tteokbokki just a snack? For the amount he ate, Jewoo was remarkably slender.

“…Be careful.”

Yigeom waved at Jewoo as he disappeared into the distance. He had expected Jewoo to persistently question him about why he was angry at Seo Dohyun and what the reason was.

Did he come all the way here just to say that?

He walked away with a light heart, feeling relieved by the unexpectedly simple encounter with Jewoo.

🦅࿐

“Yeah! I talked to him, and Yigeom hyung is angry at Dohyun hyung, not us.”

“So?”

Jewoo blinked his innocent eyes.

“Huh?”

“So? Why is he angry?”

“Huh? That’s all I know?”

“Cha Jewoo!”

Doa erupted in anger. After their conversation yesterday, Dohyun’s cheek had swollen up, so it was only natural that Yigeom was angry with him.

“That’s all you found out!?”

“I… I also ate tteokbokki! Yigeom hyung bought it for me.”

“Tteokbokki? What a great accomplishment! Truly remarkable!”

“D, Doa… Don’t be so harsh. Jewoo must have had a plan.”

“Oppa, does he look like he had a plan!?”

“…Well.”

Sanha closed his mouth. Jewoo shouted in frustration.

“Why! I found out important information! He’s not angry at us, he’s angry at Dohyun hyung!”

“So why is he angry!?”

“Why is he angry?”

“Yes!”

Jewoo’s eyes turned to Dohyun, who was sitting on the sofa observing the situation.

“Wouldn’t Dohyun hyung know best?”

“…….”

“Now you two just need to talk and work things out.”

At Jewoo’s naive answer, Doa let out another thunderous yell.

“If talking worked, they would have done it already! With my brother’s personality, does it even make sense that he’d work things out with someone? Look at his cheek! That’s the mark from getting hit while talking to Yigeom oppa yesterday!”

“Oh… Is it?”

“It’s okay, Doa can go tomorrow and ask why he’s angry. Both of you, calm down.”

Sanha stepped in to mediate.

“I think I know why he’s angry.”

Dohyun muttered softly. Jewoo, who hadn’t missed it, brightened up.

“What is it? Why is he angry?”

“It seems like he’s asking for special treatment.”

He couldn’t think of anything else.

“…Yigeom hyung? He’s not like that.”

Beyond Jewoo and Sanha, who were questioning whether it was another issue, insisting that Yigeom would never do such a thing, Doa’s clear answer came.

“This is it.”

“What is?”

“My brother started the fight and misunderstood Yigeom oppa, accusing him of asking for special treatment and treating him like someone who expects that kind of thing, so Yigeom oppa is probably angry.”

“Hmm, that could be it.”

Sanha rubbed his chin in agreement.

The reason why Doa was able to arrive at the answer more quickly was obvious and simple. She judged the situation objectively.

Seo Dohyun started the fight.

This was the premise she based her judgment on.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Dohyun quietly muttered to himself, fiddling with his piercing. Certainly, yesterday Yoon Yigeom had never asked for special treatment. Dohyun had made an assumption on his own and confidently believed it to be true.

‘Still, it was the most plausible guess in that situation…’

He couldn’t easily admit he was wrong. He had rarely apologized to anyone first, and this was the first time he had a problem with interpersonal relationships because of Yigeom. Even if he heard bad things about himself, he tended to ignore them, thinking, “You do your thing, I’ll do mine.” Such people weren’t worth Dohyun’s time.

His younger sister, Doa, as well as Jewoo and Namgoong Sanha, who were like family, had trusted and followed him without complaint from the beginning. They had never gotten on his nerves. In other words, Yigeom was a new type of person for Dohyun.

It was clear from their first meeting that Yigeom disliked him, yet they had to get along. It was a struggle for both of them. He couldn’t figure out how to treat or approach him.

Even though it was obvious that Yigeom disliked him, Dohyun tried his best to be kind and treat him well, considering him a member of Latter and a comrade sharing the virtual world. He diligently answered Yigeom’s questions and tried to reason with him when he was angry.

But it was difficult. That’s how Dohyun felt every time he saw Yigeom.

Thinking about it now, going creature hunting with Yigeom seemed much, much easier than talking to him. During hunts, they only needed to coordinate their combat, which was simpler. That might be why he enjoyed fighting alongside Yoon Yigeom.

“Then I’ll go meet him tomorrow.”

It wasn’t as if they were clearing a stage-by-stage quest, but seeing Doa bravely declare it was her turn the next day made him feel like he should do something too.

He definitely needed to meet with Yoon Yigeom separately.

🦅࿐

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—.

Yigeom rubbed his sleepy eyes and checked the face on the intercom screen.

Is it Doa today? It’s like they’re taking turns coming over, completing some daily quest.

He grumbled and opened the door.

“Oppa! This! Take it quickly! It’s heavy!”

Doa shouted abruptly. She was struggling with a large cushion, almost as tall as herself.

“…You carried this all the way here?”

“Oppa gave me a ride.”

“Seo Dohyun?”

“Yes. And then he went to work.”

“…Come in, then.”

He took the large cushion and led Doa inside. She asked, her eyes crinkling slightly,

“Why? Are you disappointed my brother didn’t come?”

“What kind of nonsense…?”

Yigeom recoiled in horror and placed the cushion on his bed.

“But why a cushion?”

“It’s a present. You like lying in bed, oppa. I thought you’d be attached to your bed even more if you’re sick, so I bought it for you.”

“You know being sick was just an excuse.”

“I’m just playing along.”

He was at a loss whether to be grateful or perplexed.

“So? Why are you here?”

“Oppa.”

Doa looked seriously at Yigeom, ready to get straight to the point.

It seemed like they had some kind of meeting after sending Jewoo yesterday. It was obvious they would ask him why he was angry at Seo Dohyun and how to resolve it.

Finally, Doa opened her lips.

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“…Over there.”

As if she couldn’t hold it any longer, Doa dashed to the bathroom. Yigeom deliberately turned up the TV volume to the maximum.

Soon, Doa came out with a relieved expression.

“Sorry. I showed you an unflattering side on my first housewarming visit.”

“It’s okay if you’re in a hurry. Don’t worry about it.”

“Then, oppa, I have a question.”

Ah, here it comes. Yigeom had no intention of telling the truth. Especially not to his sister, Doa.

Explaining why he was angry at Seo Dohyun would take forever. He would have to start from their very first meeting, and telling Doa that Seo Dohyun had killed him multiple times was definitely not something he could say.

If Seo Dohyun had a reverse scale, he thought it would be Doa. And Latter, in a broader sense. He would want to hide the fact that he had been killing someone Doa didn’t even remember.

While Yigeom was annoyed with him, he also thought, what was Doa’s fault for not knowing anything? He didn’t want to stir things up unnecessarily and make Doa feel responsible for her brother’s actions, looking at him with guilt-ridden eyes.

He didn’t want anyone’s pity over that matter.

He had no intention of answering anyway. He responded to Doa casually,

“Okay. What are you curious about?”

Doa bit her nails and asked seriously,

“Is there a cafe near here?”

“…What did you really come here for?”

Yigeom ended up taking Doa to a nearby cafe and bought her a brown sugar bubble tea, her favorite.

“Tteokbokki yesterday, a drink today. Are you two students determined to empty my wallet?”

Doa took a sip of her bubble tea and mumbled,

“Hey, I just came to see you, oppa. And this is much cheaper than tteokbokki, right? Did he add cheese to that too?”

Is she a ghost? How did she know?

“Cha Jewoo is so predictable. He can’t resist food. It’s a wonder he didn’t order rice balls. Shall we walk a bit?”

“It’s cold. Can’t we go somewhere inside?”

“When you have a lot on your mind, you need a walk to clear your head!”

There was a reason he insisted on takeout even though they could have sat inside the cafe.

This feels familiar… Yigeom suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. It was just like the time he had dinner with Seo Dohyun at a barbecue restaurant, got takeout drinks from a cafe, and walked aimlessly.

Except for the meal, the siblings were acting exactly the same. And the way they walked in silence, looking straight ahead.

Suddenly, Doa turned around and asked,

“Feeling a bit healed?”

“With Seo Dohyun gone, how could I not feel healed?”

He spoke without thinking and then checked Doa’s reaction, realizing he might have spoken ill of her brother too much. However, Doa’s reaction was nonchalant.

“That’s true. Wouldn’t even a passing weed look beautiful without my brother around?”

Her words were surprisingly cold for a younger sister.

“Oh, of course, I’m speaking from the perspective of others, not myself. I understand. My brother can be a bit of a jerk.”

When Doa went to the association with Seo Dohyun for business, people would glance at them and whisper. If he listened closely to their conversations, more than half of them were badmouthing Seo Dohyun.

“My brother gets cursed at so much, he’ll probably live until he’s senile.”

Therefore, the insults Yigeom had hurled didn’t even register as insults to Doa. Yigeom murmured with a relieved look,

“It’s a good thing you didn’t inherit his personality.”

Their appearance, speech, and habits were all similar, but it was fortunate that Doa was more flexible, patient, and considerate than Seo Dohyun. If she weren’t… Yigeom couldn’t finish his sentence and shook his head.

“Of course. I learned by watching him grow up. I thought, if I act like that, I’ll get cursed at too.”

“…….”

“If I do the opposite of everything my brother does, I won’t get cursed at.”

“That’s… a good thing?”

Unsure how to respond, he ended his sentence with a question mark. Just then, Doa shivered.

“Brr, it’s cold. Eating cold food in this weather makes it even colder.”

“We could have talked inside.”

Yigeom offered her a hand warmer, an essential item he always carried during winter outings.

“Whoa, you had this precious thing in your pocket all along? How could you be so selfish and use it all by yourself?”

“You didn’t ask for it.”

“I didn’t know you had one!”

Doa warmed her hands for a moment and then placed the hand warmer near her neck.

“Ah, warm.”

“Are you using it as a compress? Give it back quickly.”

“Can’t you give this to your little sister?”

“No. If you want one, ask Seo Dohyun to buy you one. And I’m more sensitive to cold than you are.”

Doa pouted and returned the hand warmer. Yigeom quickly slipped it back into his pocket, as if afraid she might snatch it back.

“Wow, you’re really taking it back.”

“Why not? It’s mine. I’ll give you a mini fan in the summer, though.”

“You must be more sensitive to cold than heat? Just like my brother.”

Yigeom’s face crumpled like a piece of paper.

“What kind of insult is that…?”

Doa laughed it off.

“Yigeom oppa. But…”

“What now?”

“Why are you angry at my brother?”

“…….”

He had expected another trivial question or request, like needing to use the bathroom again or asking where another cafe was, but this time she asked directly without avoiding the topic.

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“I heard roughly what happened. Something about wanting special treatment?”

“Did that bastard really say that?”

Yigeom’s eyes became bloodshot. Doa hurriedly added,

“Of course, none of us believe it. Obviously, my brother jumped to conclusions.”

“…….”

“If that’s what you’re angry about, my brother is reflecting a lot. Actually, the cushion wasn’t my choice, it was my brother’s.”

“I should throw it away then.”

He said without a moment’s hesitation. The Seo Dohyun Yigeom knew wasn’t the type to reflect on such things. He could clearly see that Doa was trying to paint a nice picture of her brother.

“Hey! You’re doing it again. Don’t disregard someone’s sincerity.”

“Does he even have sincerity?”

“He’s surprisingly soft, unlike how he appears.”

“…Are you talking about Seo Dohyun? Does he have a triplet or something?”

Doa nudged Yigeom, saying he was being too much.

“There are only two of us.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

Yigeom placed his palm on her head, along with the hand warmer, and stroked her hair.

“Static electricity!”

“Isn’t it warm and nice?”

“I’m not that sensitive to the cold, so I’m fine.”

Yigeom put the hand warmer back in his pocket and said,

“Anyway, it’s nice that you and Jewoo came for Seo Dohyun today and yesterday, but from tomorrow…”

“What are you talking about! We didn’t come because of my brother, we came because we want you two to make up.”

Doa mumbled shyly.

“We want you two to make up because we like Yigeom oppa too.”

Ah, was that it?

“Um, thanks. But go home now. It’s cold, I’ll give you cab fare. Take a cab…”

“Oppa!”

She cut off Yigeom as he rummaged through his wallet and shouted.

“Do you hate us, oppa? Are we annoying? Are we too immature?”

Yigeom lightly flicked Doa’s forehead.

“If I hated you or found you annoying, I wouldn’t have met you. I wouldn’t have bought you tteokbokki or a drink.”

“You’re not saying we’re mature.”

“That’s too much to ask of a student who skips class.”

“I’ve been going regularly these days. …Ahem! Anyway, I hope you two make up.”

A chuckle escaped his lips.

“Even if we do make up, I won’t be the one to apologize first.”

Because I didn’t do anything wrong. Unless Seo Dohyun apologized, he would never contact him first.

He didn’t think Seo Dohyun, who acted like he was the best in the world, would ever lower himself to apologize first. Knowing his personality, he probably wouldn’t even realize what he did wrong.

The type who thought they were the best in the world was predictable.

Even if they fought with others, it wasn’t their fault. The other person was wrong, and they were always right. Therefore, they tried to persuade others rather than apologize. They acted very reasonable and pretended to understand, but they didn’t understand or empathize with the other person at all.

“That’s okay. I’ll talk to him. I want you guys to be close again like before.”

“…Like before?”

Yigeom asked dumbly. It was Korean, but he couldn’t understand what she meant. Doa smiled brightly.

“Yes. Like before.”

“…Us? Close? Like before? What are you talking about?”

“Why? You two were close. You were always together, whispering, hunting creatures together, sometimes eating dinner just the two of you, and after your university lectures, you often rode in my brother’s car to the office together.”

If that wasn’t close, what was? Doa grumbled, explaining.

Yigeom truly couldn’t understand. That was being close?

He admitted that they had gotten a little closer after the association incident. But Seo Dohyun was always the one following him around, the whispering was because he had questions about Seo Dohyun’s Esper simulation, the creature hunting was something he reluctantly joined, and the meals were because he didn’t want to stop by the office after hunting and just wanted to eat dinner and part ways. And he only rode in his car because he couldn’t ignore him when he came to pick him up after class.

This… was being close? Did Jewoo and Sanha hyung also see us this way? As just friends having a quarrel?

Yigeom carefully recalled everything that had happened with Dohyun. They had been together often recently. He furrowed his brow.

‘Indeed.’

That’s how it looked from other people’s perspective.

He suddenly realized.