Chapter 38

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“It’s an expensive face.”

 

Seong San-ha winked one eye. I was staring blankly at the shining, picturesque movement even in the dark, and belatedly realized that Seong San-ha winked and jumped up and down with goosebumps all over my body.

 

“you, you crazy!”

 

“Puppy, you should use nice words.”

 

“Blimey! No…, It’s not that……. I mean, why are you following me when you’re following me in the first place?”

 

Fearing of him giving another strange order, I backed away and turned around. Seong San-ha shrugged his shoulders with a calm look.

 

“……Okay. Let’s not talk.”

 

At the thought of seeing Shin Yeon-hyung despair, my swollen heart was pushed out.

 

Let’s put up with this once. Just this once……. I shook my head and approached Shin Yeon-hyung.

 

What kind of skill did Shin Yeon-hyung use to fall asleep with a smile on his face?

 

Squeezing the cheek tightly to open the mouth, the potion was turned upside down and stuffed in. Shin Yeon-hyung’s body wriggled greatly, and soon the bottle containing the potion became transparent as if it had been empty.

 

All of the potion was absorbed, but he was unconscious, so it was unclear which of the three effects would have been affected. Leaving behind the regret, I let go of the face I held, when Seong San-ha called my name from behind.

 

“Puppy.”

 

Don’t call me, you punk. Don’t call me.

 

I looked back slowly, despite the annoyance. As expected, the question came up.

 

“Where did you get the potion?”

 

“I bought it.”

 

“You bought… it?”

 

I knew that there was doubt mixed in Seong San-ha’s voice, but I answered with a wave of my hand.

 

“Oh. I won’t tell you where I bought it, so never mind.”

 

“…….”

 

Seong San-ha, who was briefly lost in thought while looking at the empty potion bottle, quickly discarded his expression and put on a relaxed mask again.

 

“If you’re done, let’s go out. We don’t have much time now.”

 

Seong San-ha didn’t talk much until he left the hospital room and came up to the first floor. With the bar right in front of us, we stopped almost at the same time. It was a place where many people walked around just around the corner in front of it.

 

It was Seong San-ha who opened his mouth first. Seong San-ha, who looked back at me, asked kindly.

 

“Should I tell you to watch your mouth?”

 

“Get lost.”

 

“I’m glad my puppy is smarter than I thought.”

 

I frowned at his uselessly beautiful smile. Such appearance was too much for Seong San-ha. I shook my head imagining spraying Seong San-ha with a potion that causes skin diseases.

 

“That’s what I want to say. You gave you a stupid leash, so don’t pretend to know me and erase it from your head.”

 

“…….”

 

“Here we go. Let’s not see each other again.”

 

I raised my middle finger and turned my back.

 

***

 

Lee Cho came to Seong San-ha’s side looking at the back of Joo Ho-hyun, who was leaving.

 

“Can you really send him like this?”

 

“I can’t kidnap or detain him right away, can I? I’ve got Lyraffs leash on him, so he’ll be fine for a while.”

 

“It really does look like…….”

 

“There was no other item reaction when I scanned the face. Though it takes a little while for Tort’s eyes to be destroyed.”

 

“But it’s very uncomfortable. I wish it was a coincidence, but…… maybe it’s plastic surgery?”

 

“How are you going to explain the size of the chest and waist then? I saw his lower body and hip today…….”

 

“Ack, San-ha nim. I was wrong.”

 

Seong San-ha looked at Joo Ho-hyun’s disappearance with a calm face over frightened Lee Cho.

 

Yes, I couldn’t deny that he looked so similar for a moment. It was intrusive and unpleasant. Every time I saw him acting like Kang Eui-jin, who has a similar face to him, I would find myself hesitating.

 

– What are you doing here? Are you crying?

 

He’s the only one in the world. There could not have been another such person.

 

‘If it was really intentional and made up…….’

 

The corners of Seong San-ha’s mouth rose sharply. I shouldn’t have put a leash on him for nothing.

 

“It would be better not to see it again.”

 

Just in time, a status window popped up in front of him.

 

「The subordinate dog (Joo Ho-hyun) is out of cognitive range. The effect of the leash disappears.」

 

***

 

When my shuttle was somewhat away from the center headquarters, a system window came up in front of me.

 

「The master is n longer visible. The effect of the leash disappears.」

 

“Get out of here, you wretch. Go to hell. Try to make me look at you again. You little……!”

 

When I punched at the system window, some of the employees on the shuttle looked at me strangely. I had no choice but to shut up and chill.

 

I said, “I’m not losing anything,” but he didn’t even listen to it. If you believe in a crazy man who has already appeared in front of me twice, you’ll be a ghost. There was something else I believed in.

 

‘I should solve the quest and disappear right away. If I run away from the center, no matter how much he calls himself a guild leader, there’s nothing he can do about it. What about the 1km radius? Well, Tae Je-heon will come out in the meantime so….. Where is the studio located? Wolgye Ferry is the best place for smooth supply of materials and sales. Joo Ho-hyun’s bank account could be tracked, so I’ll have to cash it out in advance…..’

 

Like that, I went home with a happy imagination of setting up my own studio.

 

Arriving on the top floor, I opened the door of Han Seo-jin’s house, and the interior was bright unlike usual.

 

“Han Seo-jin?”

 

There was no return answer, but I felt a presence inside. As I entered the house, I heard two voices.

 

“I’ve already left your seat empty.”

 

“There’s no rush. I’m still trying to get into the labyrinth.”

 

“It’s almost over. Besides, it’s all over the place these days…….”

 

Was there someone else with him? He must be very busy.

 

I approached the door and tried to close it again, but the frame hanging next to me hit my shoulder and rattled.

 

“……who is it!”

 

“Wait a minute.”

 

An unknown man shouted, followed by Han Seo-jin, who grabbed him by the shoulder and stood up. The door was completely opened and Han Seo-jin appeared.

 

“When did you get here?”

 

“Just now. Finish your work if you’re busy.”

 

As I poked my head out from behind Han Seo-jin, I made eye contact with the person inside. Han Seo-jin’s firm touch dragged me back as I looked at the man with his mouth open with a surprised face.

 

“No. It’s all over. He’ll be gone now.”

 

“Really?”

 

“What are you talking about! I’m not leaving yet…”

 

Han Seo-jin ignored the sound from behind and closed the door.

 

“You didn’t eat, did you? Let’s go down to the restaurant downstairs and eat today.”

 

“I’m not that hungry.”

 

“But You’ll have to eat it. You will be hungry again at night…….”

 

Han Seo-jin interrupted and the door opened with a bang. The man who came out urgently from inside smiled and held out his hand.

 

“Hello, I’m Park Moo-il, Seo-jin’s friend.”

 

“Hi. I’m Ka……. Joo Ho-hyun.”

 

Han Seo-jin stared at Park Moo-il with cool eyes, but Park Moo-il came one step closer to us with a smiling face.

 

“I am guessing you’re going to dinner. It’s just the right time for dinner. It’s fate that we met like this, so can I come with you?”

 

“Hey. Park Moo….”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Hyung!”

 

Park Moo-il’s laughter split between the two of us as I was about to ask why Han Seo-jin’s eyes were glaring at me.

 

“Ha ha! As expected, you’re cool. I was surprised when I first saw you because you were so handsome. Isn’t it cheating if you have a good personality?”

 

“I hear that a lot.”

 

“Of course. You’ll hear less than you really do. You don’t have to bring out the obvious into words.”

 

The corners of my mouth twitched. Han Seo-jin seemed to have a pretty good friend. I looked back while talking to Park Moo-il, who only said the right things next to me. I tilted my head and flapped my hands at Han Seo-jin’s absurd look.

 

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

 

“…….”

 

***

 

“Wow, Here I was wondering what kind of house he put honey on because whenever I asked me where he was going after work, he would always reply: home, home, home…”

 

“Han Seo-jin has become busy these days.”

 

“Well, still. He’s working with me. That’s right, but Hyung nim. More than I thought…….”

 

Park Moo-il, who secretly noticed Han Seo-jin, smiled and said.

 

“You look familiar. I’m actually a little surprised.”

 

“Familiar?”

 

“Haha, I’m not saying this for any other purpose. It’s just so natural. Should I say you don’t act like a Low-Grade Guide? You must have grown up beautifully, like sitting in the upper seat…….”

 

That’s when I realized that Park Moo-il’s gaze fell on my hand holding the wine glass.

 

“Ah.”

 

Are you talking about table manners? To go around with Tae Je-heon, who is unnecessarily sensitive about things like this, I became used to it. I felt dirty because it seemed to be a trace of Tae Je-heon’s natural movement without being conscious.

 

Unknowingly, I tapped my glass with a wrinkled expression, and Han Seo-jin criticized Park Moo-il in a cool voice in front of him.

 

“Park Moo-il. If you’re going to talk nonsense like that, go back.”

 

“Oh, that’s not what I…….”

 

What? Why are you two fighting all of a sudden?

 

Park Moo-il, who had been restless with a look of frustration, bowed his head deeply when he looked up curiously.

 

“I’m sorry, hyung nim. I made a slip of the tongue.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

I glanced back and forth between the two, wondering at the sudden change in atmosphere. Han Seo-jin said without hiding his T-shirt that he should go away.

“Isn’t it time to go? Unless you’re going to sleep in the center.”

 

“You have a lot of rooms……. wait. Oh, I see.”

 

Even though Han Seo-jin did not say any word, Park Moo-il, who had been talking there by himself, eventually got up from his seat and bowed his head.

 

“I’ll be on my way, hyung nim. See you next time!”

 

“Uh. I don’t know when I’ll see you. Take care.”

 

“No way. I have a feeling that we’ll see each other often.”

 

Park Moo-il, who smiled and got up with what kind of confidence he had, turned his back with a good smile until the end. I opened my mouth watching him disappear.

 

“It’s hard to find an honest and hardworking man like him in this day and age.”

 

“……are you serious?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Han Seo-jin shook his head with tired eyes.