ANTITOXIN Chapter 20

Poke, poke. The man lightly tapped his temple with his index finger. In a word, it meant that you look extremely stupid.

“…”

Rather than being displeased, Seolwon remained silent because he was confused. For a start, he had never heard that he was naive, nor that he looked stupid. Leaving aside the fact that there was no one around him who would even say such things.

‘But why do I look stupid?’

Before long, Seolwon grew full of doubt. As if noticing that doubt, the man soon added with a serious expression.

“No, I just mean, to think you actually believed this.”

…So.

…It meant it was a lie.

Though he didn’t know from where to where.

Seolwon let out an empty breath, “Ha.” Futility? Dejection? Absurdity? A complex emotion that could not be defined as a single thing rushed in. Whether he knew that heart or not, the man grinned.

“Well, teasing you is definitely a treat.”

Seeing how joyful he looked… Seolwon tightly clenched his two fists without realizing it. It seemed like the first time in his life seeing such a spiteful expression. For the first time in his life, he even felt a desire to strike someone a blow.

This won’t do.

Though they had only conversed for a short while, a high intensity of fatigue rushed in more than at any other time. It was when he resolved to flee, as he could no longer handle it.

Bzzzz—

Just in time, the sound of a cellphone rang out with perfect timing.

Since he didn’t feel the vibration through his body, Seolwon thought it wasn’t his and stayed still without looking for his cellphone. The man’s reaction was no different. Even while blankly watching such a man, the vibration continuously carried on.

“Ah.”

Belatedly realizing that the vibrating sound was coming from near him, Seolwon fumbled around his back pocket. However, there was nothing caught in his hand. Even though he had definitely put it in here.

“Uh? Where did it go?”

Seolwon urgently looked around his surroundings, searching for the cellphone.

However.

“…!”

Abruptly, the man’s upper body approaches close. At the same time, an unfamiliar body scent stimulated his sense of smell. Startled by the distance that narrowed all of a sudden, Seolwon shrank his body completely.

It was close.

It was too close.

To the extent that the man’s breathing sound was heard by his ear.

To the extent that the man’s lips almost touched his earlobe.

To the extent that the man’s arm brushed against his shoulder.

Because he was too startled, Seolwon could not even think to fathom the purpose of this sudden approach. He was merely frozen stiffly like ice.

Toward such a Seolwon, the man extended something.

“Here.”

It was a cellphone. Seolwon’s own.

Only then did Seolwon realize that the man had approached to pick up his cellphone, which had fallen on the ground, for him.

“Ah, th, thank you.”

Seolwon took the cellphone as if snatching it and sprang up from his seat. At any rate, an excuse to leave the place had arisen. It seemed he shouldn’t miss this.

“I am going to receive a call… then, goodbye, yes…”

After throwing a rambling, incoherent greeting randomly, Seolwon left the man behind and moved his steps blindly.

However, before he could go a few steps,

“Mr. Han Seolwon.”

He ended up being held back again.

Seolwon, who faltered at the man’s calling, slowly turned his head. The man, who was still sitting with his knees bent, playfully wagged his finger back and forth again just like earlier. Successively, a greeting laced with laughter flew in.

“See you again.”

— Haha!

“…!”

In an instant, Seolwon’s eyes flew wide. It was because of the cheerful sound of laughter that was heard overlapping with the man’s voice. Heard at the same time, it wasn’t certain, but judging by the fact that a chill was felt from the trailing echo left inside his ear, it was unmistakably a sound made by a wandering spirit.

He quickly looked around his surroundings. But nothing is visible. It wasn’t an auditory hallucination. It is certain that a wandering spirit is nearby. Yet it isn’t visible? It meant it had no form or was hiding somewhere. Just like back then at that art museum… come to think of it, it also seemed similar to the voice he heard at the art museum.

It was when Seolwon was engrossed in the identity of the sound.

“Ah, right, watch out for traffic accidents.”

The man added the words.

At the man’s remarks, which gave a subtle impression for a greeting, Seolwon knitted his brows.

He was still smiling.

As if he were joyful, as if it were interesting, as if he were excited.

The person who made the call was none other than Park Moonhyuk.

[No, I came to the workshop but you weren’t visible, so. Are you at home?]

“No, I’m outside.”

[Outside? Why?]

Park Moonhyuk, who knew well that Seolwon did not like going out, wondered.

“Just… because of work.”

Seolwon glossed over it. Because it was a bit much to disclose the miserable circumstance that he was tempted by money and came to a drinking party to read someone’s divination.

[Work? …Ah, by any chance, that work where you said you needed a necktie?]

“Yes.”

[Right… you still have no intention of letting me know in detail what kind of work it is, right?]

He was like that when lending the necktie too, and this time he is prying implicitly again. It seemed he was exceptionally curious. Though it wasn’t work he had to hide with effort, because it was also ambiguous to explain in detail, Seolwon hedged in a vague manner.

“I’ll tell you later.”

[Understood. Finish the work well and see you tomorrow.]

“Yes, please head in.”

Seolwon, who ended the short call, put the cellphone back into his pocket and entered the main building.

The internal scenery of the room he returned to was not much different from earlier. If there was something that changed, it was just to the extent that the rigid atmosphere was a layer more relaxed than earlier? Especially, Executive Director Hwang’s expression had turned noticeably bright. It seemed the talk had proceeded not badly in the meantime.

“So regarding that, by any chance, would it not be possible for you to make a step to our company once afterward? Rather than explaining with just words like this, I want to show you directly.”

In the midst of Executive Director Hwang implicitly urging the broker for the next meeting, Seolwon quietly approached and sat at his original seat. The broker glanced at such a Seolwon briefly.

“That is…”

It was the very moment he was about to answer Executive Director Hwang’s request.

Out of nowhere, a single short noise broke in. It was a cellphone notification sound. In the midst of each person looking around searching for their own cellphone just in case, only Seolwon, who had it set to vibration, did nothing and stayed blank.

The identity of the notification sound was soon revealed.

“Excuse me.”

The broker, who checked his cellphone, begged leave. As if reading a message, he looked into the screen for a short while. Seolwon closely scrutinized his pupils. Judging by the fact that the movement wasn’t large, the content of the message also didn’t seem all that long. The interesting point is that for the first time, tension is felt from the broker. Though he couldn’t possibly know who the sender was, it was certain that at least it wouldn’t be a comfortable opponent.

A moment later, the broker, who took his gaze off the cellphone, begged leave toward Executive Director Hwang.

“I must tell you a regretful word. It seems I must rise from my seat now.”

The expression of Executive Director Hwang, who failed to receive a firm answer regarding the next meeting, clouded over.

“Ah, yes. An urgent matter must have arisen. This is truly…”

Executive Director Hwang could not bring himself to detain him and merely expressed his disappointment implicitly. Team Leader Go and Manager Kim also only read their boss’s reaction and could not add words.

“It is a seat after a long time, so it’s a pity that it breaks up quickly. Still, it was a pleasure to meet you today. Surely, having a conversation directly, I could more clearly grasp the directionality and merits your esteemed company pursues. In that aspect, I think it is a fruitful time.”

At the positive sign added by the broker, the expressions of the K-Defense employees, including Executive Director Hwang, once again filled with hope.

“To think you would speak like that, it’s an honor. At all events, starting with today’s meeting, I will look forward to a good connection continuing.”

Team Leader Go responded in a bright voice, and Executive Director Hwang also nodded his head containing the meaning of concurrence. The broker rose from his seat after showing a formal smile. Seolwon’s eyes moved unconsciously following such a broker. At that moment, the broker’s gaze drove down accurately to Seolwon.

What is it?

At the gaze that entangled all of a sudden, Seolwon flinched. Whether it was a trick of his mind, somehow a feeling arose exactly like he was taking careful note of his face.

Fortunately, the meaningless gaze did not stay long and fell away quickly.

“Then, I will take my leave first.”

The broker, who observed politeness with a light bow, soon exited from the inner room.

By the time about 5 minutes passed from then and the presence of people completely vanished, Executive Director Hwang loosened and pulled apart his necktie, letting out a long sigh.

“Oh my, fuck…”