Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus Chapter 138

It wasn’t an illusion.

 

‘What… who is it?’

 

Someone was following right on my heels.

 

‘Who could it be?’

 

I only caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye, but I could definitely feel them tailing me.

I wasn’t imagining things. Normally, I would have thought our paths just happened to cross or that it was a fan following me, but remembering what Joo Wooyoung had just said, I had to struggle to hide my anxiety.

 

‘Is something really happening?’

 

“…….”

 

‘Why… why, why, why… was he so flustered?’

 

“…….”

 

‘Why did he tell me to go in first?’

 

Was something like an urban legend actually taking place here?

 

‘Are there ability users in the modern world too? Are dimensions or rifts opening up like in a novel… are battles or anomalies I don’t know about happening in the shadows?’

 

“…….”

 

‘If not that, are there monsters here too?’

 

“…….”

 

‘Is Joo Wooyoung dealing with the supernatural incidents happening on Earth in exchange for… something? Is there some kind of deal going on?’

 

“…….”

 

‘No.’

 

That was far too ridiculous. Even thinking about it again, it felt impossible. The probability was too low.

 

There was no way Joo Wooyoung, who was currently handling an absurdly busy schedule, had time to save the world.

 

‘No. That’s not it either.’

 

In the first place, did Joo Wooyoung…

 

‘Even sleep?’

 

Does a Hero even need sleep? Was he already moving back and forth on his own while we were sleeping?

 

I already recognized these were nonsensical thoughts, but I had already experienced too many nonsensical things.

 

The fact that Joo Wooyoung and I had already traveled through dimensions and returned was unrealistic enough.

 

Furthermore, there was a high probability that the person presumed to be the Archmage had returned with him.

 

Hadn’t I even briefly considered the hypothesis that my Master—no, that mad Dark Mage—might have returned as well?

 

There was no guarantee that there weren’t more returnees, or that similar things weren’t happening in the modern world. Even if Joo Wooyoung had already made contact with some kind of Supernatural Management Association, and they were debating what to do with me, I couldn’t dismiss the idea as complete nonsense anymore.

 

Yes, besides Joo Wooyoung and the Archmage, others might have returned too.

 

“…….”

 

‘Joo Wooyoung’s comrades? Or… his political enemies?’

 

“…….”

 

‘What… on earth is going on?’

 

I couldn’t tell the identity of the figure following me, but my footsteps began to quicken due to my anxiety.

 

And, as if to confirm they were indeed following me, the steps of the person behind me quickened as well.

 

It was obvious they were tailing me that I quietly murmured an incantation. I felt I had to prepare for any potential situation.

 

<Conversation with the Dead: C rank>

 

I didn’t know if this alone would be enough to resist whatever was coming, but it was better than being unprepared.

 

“Bahara Belahama.”

 

Immediately after.

 

An image of a dark river was drawn over the path I was walking. It felt as if the sound of splashing water matched the sound of my footsteps.

 

Since my body was defenseless while chanting the spell, I judged that I had to fish out any soul as quickly as possible.

 

Whether I was lucky or not, it didn’t take long before a loud noise was heard.

 

— Hehe… hehehehe… hehehehehe!!!

— Come here… come here… come here! Come here! Come here!!!!

— Child… come this way… come to me… help me… with my revenge….

— Hehe… hehehehehe! Hehehe!

— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!

— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!

— Child… child… child….

 

It was a malevolent spirit I didn’t know if I could control, but I wasn’t in a position to be picky.

I looked at the woman who stood out the most, wearing a white sobok (mourning dress) or perhaps a ritual robe. She was staring at me quietly, shedding tears of blood.

Dangerous. Instinctively, I felt that soul was dangerous. But I had no other choice.

 

— Yes. Come here, child. This way… take my hand.

 

Involuntarily, I reached out my hand. The woman was smiling, her lips pulled back all the way to her ears.

 

Just as I was about to pull her from the river.

 

I felt a sudden jolt as someone grabbed my body.

 

For some reason I couldn’t fathom, my vision returned to normal. The River of the Dead was nowhere to be seen, and the path I had been walking on earlier was reflected in my eyes.

Naturally, I flinched in surprise. Someone had their hand on my shoulder. And the one who grabbed my shoulder was likely the black figure….

 

“He… help!”

 

“What exactly are you doing?”

 

“Uh…?”

 

“Lee Unha.”

 

“Huh?”

 

No, it was Jegal Hwi.

 

I quietly turned my head. I could see Jegal Hwi’s face, etched with irritation. I couldn’t understand why he was even here.

 

His presence was so completely unexpected that my brain simply stopped working.

 

I examined Jegal Hwi once more. Dressed in a gray tracksuit, his hair hung loose instead of being tied back as usual while he stared directly at Lee Unha.

 

Just like earlier in the dorm, there was an unnaturally sharp edge to him. It made me realize that what I’d felt before hadn’t been my imagination after all.

 

‘This guy… seriously… something is off about him.’

 

I couldn’t explain exactly what was strange, but something was definitely bothering me.

 

‘Why… are you here? Were you the black figure?’

 

Being here at this hour, and the way Joo Wooyoung had been subtly keeping an eye on him… I had tried to ignore several possibilities, telling myself it couldn’t be true, but the thought occurred to me that Jegal Hwi might be the reason Joo Wooyoung told me to hurry back.

 

‘Are you… from the other world too?’

 

“…….”

 

‘Those evil spirits I just saw… were they clinging to you?’

 

I didn’t have time to weigh and deliberate on various things. First, I had to communicate with Jegal Hwi. I had to act normal, with a perfectly casual expression.

 

“Uh… Jegal hyung?”

 

“…….”

 

“What are you doing here? You can’t just come up behind me without a word like that! You… you scared the life out of me!”

 

“You….”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What was that just now?”

 

“Huh? What do you mean?”

 

“I mean… what you were doing just now.”

 

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

Did you… see Conversation with the Dead?

 

Or are you feeling something?

 

Since he wasn’t specifying a subject, I couldn’t tell what he was talking about. I couldn’t even read his expression.

 

Unlike Joo Wooyoung, whose thoughts or attitudes I could roughly predict, Jegal Hwi’s face revealed absolutely nothing.

 

‘Am I cursed or something today?’

 

I’d just been peacefully enjoying watching Kingdom get beaten up, and suddenly one problem after another had exploded all at once.

 

My head was already aching because of the Joo Wooyoung matter, and now an unexpected irregular had barged in.

 

On the outside, I maintained my composure with my usual face, but on the inside, I was on the verge of rotting away.

 

“Come on! What are you talking about all of a sudden? More importantly, why are you out here? Don’t tell me you came looking for me?”

 

“…….”

 

“Hyung?”

 

“Yeah. It seemed like you were taking too long… so I came out to see if something happened.”

 

“Ah… what, it’s not like I’m a child….”

 

“But Lee Unha, what were you actually doing all the way out here? Didn’t you say you were taking a call?”

 

“The call took longer than expected. I just kept walking without realizing it. Before I knew it, I was here. Why? Did you think I was a lost child or something?”

 

“Who were you talking to?”

 

“Huh? Why do you want to know that?”

 

‘Seriously, why are you prying so much? Geez.’

’

It was right then that a voice was heard from right next to us.

 

“He was talking with me for a bit.”

 

Jegal Hwi turned his head toward the voice and mentioned the uninvited guest’s name.

 

“Joo Wooyoung.”

 

Once again, it was Joo Wooyoung. The man who had told me to return to the dorm first was standing there with a perfectly casual expression.

 

“I had something to say to Unha.”

 

“The two of you?”

 

“Yeah. I needed a consultation. I know it’s late… but I thought it was an important issue. I told him not to tell the other members because I thought it might cause unnecessary worry.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“I’m sorry for keeping it from you. Sorry, Hwi.”

 

“…….”

 

“I wasn’t trying to leave you out or secretly discuss group matters among ourselves. It’s a sensitive issue… and since Unha is the leader of <Fantasia>, I thought it was appropriate to speak to him first. Right, Unha?”

 

“Ah… yes. Right.”

 

“What did you talk about?”

 

“Well….”

 

“Is it something you can’t say?”

 

“That’s….”

 

Seeing Joo Wooyoung looking as though his brain had stopped working, I spoke first. A perfectly good excuse had just occurred to me.

 

“It was about Taeyeol hyung.”

 

“What?”

 

“Taeyeol hyung. After our music show last time, he seemed pretty down, didn’t he? I think he believes I doubled his part because I thought his part wasn’t good enough. That wasn’t it at all, though….”

 

“…….”

 

“And he looks really gloomy, like something personal is going on… and he won’t answer even when I ask what’s wrong…. I heard he doesn’t even talk to Taehee in their room lately. Don’t you remember he was a bit quiet while we were doing our schedule after the show?”

 

“Well, now that you mention it.”

 

“I thought maybe I was the only one who felt that way, but it seemed like Wooyoung hyung had been worried about Taeyeol hyung too. I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about it, so I’d been worrying all by myself and then Wooyoung hyung brought it up first….”

 

“Hmm….”

 

“And during the Mi-Fan, it seemed like not many people who picked Taeyeol hyung as their bias showed up… so I figured he’d been quietly worried about that too.”

 

I wasn’t sure whether my explanation was convincing, but anyway, t least it seemed I’d managed to smooth things over.

 

Joo Wooyoung looked a bit surprised by the lies pouring out of Lee Unha’s mouth, but I didn’t have the luxury to manage my image in this situation.

 

For now, I just wanted to end this moment as quickly as possible. I wanted to escape this subtle tension and awkward atmosphere.

 

I stared intently at Jegal Hwi.

 

The guy nodded. It seemed he was willing to let it slide for now, but I could still feel the dissatisfaction in his gaze. Even so, he probably couldn’t think of anything to refute.

 

The fact that Kim Taeyeol had been acting differently lately was a problem everyone had sensed, even if they hadn’t voiced it.

 

‘It’s that whole ‘popular member vs. unpopular member’ thing, after all.’

 

It felt as though I’d somehow managed to patch everything together.

 

“Th-then, shall we head back?”

 

“No. You go ahead, Lee Unha.”

 

“Huh?”

 

I would have definitely thought so, if it weren’t for Jegal Hwi’s final words.

 

“I think I have things to discuss with Joo Wooyoung. Right?”

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

“Yeah… that’s right. Unha, why don’t you head back first?”

 

Faced with such an unexpected turn of events, I couldn’t quite keep my expression under control.