Magic on the Dead Chapter 100

[That kiss mark on Do Hajin’s neck, you’re the one who did that, right?]

Eden’s movements came to a halt. His brow furrowed in displeasure at his childhood friend, who was making rather sharp deductions today. His skewed gaze turned back to Jeffrey.

[What if I am?]

It was a reply thick with annoyance. Jeffrey’s face momentarily contorted in shock, as if he had suspected it, but had not truly believed it.

[…Are you out of your mind?]

Eden looked at Jeffrey’s thick, bandit-like beard and replied nonchalantly.

[I am in my right mind.]

[You crazy son of a bitch. What are you thinking…!]

Jeffrey, with his fists clenched, strode toward him like an angry bull.

[Do you have any sense? What were you thinking, messing with Do Hajin? Have you forgotten we’re supposed to go to the maintenance depot?]

[I haven’t forgotten, so stop overreacting.]

Jeffrey stared at Eden’s casual attitude, which was no different from usual, and let out heavy, excited breaths.

[Then what is it? Are we just having a little fun, and I’m just overreacting?]

Eden wrinkled his nose as if Jeffrey’s words were unpleasant. Jeffrey, who was keenly observing his reaction by rolling his large eyes, slapped his own forehead hard with his palm as if he was going crazy.

[Looking at this bastard’s face, he’s definitely thinking about it seriously.]

[I know what you’re worried about, but I’m trying to sort out my thoughts too, so you don’t need to add to the noise.]

[What thoughts are you sorting out? What is there to sort out? The answer is already there. Do Hajin is staying here, and you’re going to America. There’s no other answer.]

[…….]

[Or did Do Hajin say he’d abandon his sister and go to America with you? You haven’t had that kind of talk already, have you?]

Jeffrey, with his eyes fiercely narrowed, tapped the air with his finger as if pointing at someone.

[Eden, don’t you even think about it.]

[…….]

[If you say some bullshit about staying here to follow Do Hajin, you’re dead.]

After finishing his bloody warning, he pushed the bathroom door open with a thump! and went outside. Eden watched Jeffrey’s retreating back and let out the breath he had been holding. Hoo—

[That dirty bastard. He left without washing his hands to the end.]

🃏

While Eden and Jeffrey were having a dispute in the bathroom, Hajin, who had woken up late, looked around. In the distance, he could see the back of Miso, who was busy organizing something.

“Yoon Miso, what are you doing?”

When he asked in a raspy voice, she turned her head toward Hajin. In Miso’s hands were several pieces of clothing. It seemed she was organizing the new clothes they were going to take.

“Ah, you’re up? You should have slept a little longer. It’s not even 6 o’clock yet.”

Due to the early sunrise, the light streaming into the store was quite bright. Hajin, frowning, let out a big yawn.

“Haaawm— But where is everyone?”

“Mr. Jung Taegeon and Jeffrey went to the bathroom as soon as they woke up. They said they were going to wash their faces.”

Hajin casually glanced toward the front of the fitting room. There, Byeol was fast asleep with a peaceful face. The child was hugging Pie’s head and snoring softly, sniffle, sniffle. A smile naturally escaped his lips at the harmless sight he had not seen in a long time.

“What’s so great that you’re grinning from ear to ear in the morning?”

“Just. I woke up and you’re here, and Byeol is here. It’s like a dream.”

“Ugh. That’s cheesy, Do Hajin.”

“You were muttering that it felt like a dream right before you fell asleep yesterday too. I thought I was going to die from the cringiness.”

When he retorted chidingly, she let out a dry laugh. But for some reason, Miso was busy looking elsewhere even while talking to Hajin. He thought it might be a misunderstanding and tried to persistently meet her eyes, but the slight misalignment of her focus was very suspicious. Moreover, she was hesitating uncharacteristically, as if she had something else to say.

Puzzled by her subtle reaction, Hajin tilted his head to the side.

“What’s wrong, Yoon Miso? Do you have something to say?”

“Huh?”

“Why do you seem so restless since a while ago?”

Wondering if he had drool on his face, he tried to wipe the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, but he heard a small cough. Ahem! Miso raised her hand and pointed to a certain spot.

Hajin turned his head in the direction her finger was pointing. In the full-length mirror diagonally across from him, he came face to face with himself, with his hair sticking up in a messy bedhead.

“……”

“…Your neck is a complete mess.”

At her quiet statement of fact, Hajin’s face hardened as he belatedly grasped the situation. Miso, who was in the middle of slipping on her hiking shoes, let out a sigh, hoo, and turned her head toward him.

“Do Hajin. I’m asking because I’m wondering if I’m mistaken, but.”

Gulp. Hajin, who had swallowed dryly, turned his gaze back to Miso.

“That thing on your neck, that’s a hickey or something, right?”

Jung Taegeon, I’m really going to kill this bastard. He barely swallowed the curse rising up from inside and clenched his fists tightly.

“It’s a bug bite.”

“Try to fool someone who’ll be fooled, Do Hajin.”

“……”

How much does she know? Does she know that the one who left this kiss mark is Jung Taegeon? Or maybe…

“It was hard to see yesterday because it was dark, but when I woke up in the morning, it really stood out.”

Miso, who let out another big sigh, got up and came over to Hajin’s side. She squatted down and finally made eye contact with him. Hajin’s heart pounded with anxiety.

“Tell me honestly.”

“……”

“Who was it, Mr. Chunbeom or Mr. Jung Taegeon?”

Silence followed.

As he just stared with a hardened expression, unable to say anything, Miso narrowed her eyes and stroked her chin.

“No matter how much I think about it, I’m not sure. The only people you’ve been with are Mr. Jung Taegeon and Mr. Park Chunbeom, right? It’s not like you could have met someone new in between.”

“…Huh?”

“Then could it be him? It can’t be him, can it?”

Far in the distance where she pointed, Pie was sleeping while drooling. Hajin, who had been tense, felt his tension suddenly dissipate. Pfft.

“Hey. Even if you don’t have any prejudices… how far do they not go?”

At Miso’s absurd joke, which seemed intended to lighten the mood, he reflexively let out a hollow laugh, but he could only blink his eyes, feeling pathetic for not being able to correct the misunderstanding about the deceased Chunbeom.

Just then, the entrance door of the store swung wide open. There stood Jeffrey, with a flushed expression for some reason.

“Jeffrey. Are you all washed up?”

He did not answer Miso’s question and strode into the store. The way he charged straight toward Hajin was no different from an angry bull.

“Hajin.”

A low, sunken voice called Hajin’s name. Hajin, whose shoulders were suddenly grabbed, did not even think to cover his red and blotchy neck and awkwardly met Jeffrey’s gaze.

Jeffrey said, as if making a declaration.

“Me, not hate Hajin.”

“…Pardon?”

“But, Eden no good, Eden is friend.”

When he tilted his head at the completely out-of-place words that he could not understand, Jeffrey shook Hajin’s shoulders hard as if frustrated.

[If it weren’t for this damn situation, I would have supported your love as much as you wanted. I wouldn’t have cared if you had sex or fell in love. Just as I care for Eden, I care for you, Hajin, no less. But Hajin? Look at the situation now.]

Because he was speaking English quickly, mixing in slang, Hajin could barely understand him. It was at a speed that resembled rapping. However, his face turned white at the words ‘love,’ ‘sex,’ and ‘Eden’ that caught his ear in between.

[I don’t want either of you to make a choice that you’ll regret. Or am I overreacting, like Eden said? Is that it?]

Miso, who had been watching with a puzzled face, went behind the excited Jeffrey and asked Hajin.

“Hey, Do Hajin. What’s wrong with Jeffrey? What is he saying? He’s too fast, I couldn’t understand a thing.”

“…Uh, well, I couldn’t understand either.”

Jeffrey, who had been mumbling and rapping like a madman for a while, finally got up only after being grabbed by the hand of Eden, who had just entered the store.

[Let go, Eden!]

Eden, dragging Jeffrey outside, explained to the dazed Hajin and Miso.

“Jeffrey didn’t wash his hands after doing his business. I’ll take him to wash up again.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Miso reproachfully threw the clothes at her feet at Jeffrey.

“Ugh, you human, go wash up!!”

🃏

The group, having left the outlet, set out on the road again. Thanks to Hajin’s lead, who knew the map inside and out, they began to pick up speed noticeably, and smiles bloomed on everyone’s faces. The group walked in step, boasting a stronger camaraderie than before.

In the middle of their journey, they even had the good fortune of finding a car with the keys still in the ignition on the road, and they drove for about 40km until the battery died. They had gained a whole extra day.

However, even in the midst of bright laughter, the secret glances observing each other were endlessly entangled like a spider’s web.

Hajin, who had a navy blue handkerchief from the store tied around his neck, glanced back at the stinging gaze on the back of his head. Four pairs of eyes, who had been walking amicably, were all looking at him. It seemed they had a lot of questions they wanted to ask. The questions were most likely directed at the kiss mark on his neck.

He eventually turned his gaze to Eden, the culprit of the incident. When their eyes met, he, who was holding Byeol, gave a lazy smile.

‘…This is annoying.’

Hajin felt a slight annoyance at both Jung Taegeon, who had arbitrarily left a kiss mark on his neck, and at himself for thinking that Jung Taegeon was handsome even as he looked at him.