By Zephyria Fatigue rapidly washed over Jung-bin’s face. He looked like he had so much to say, but he did his best to find a moderate response.
“A secret rendezvous? Someone might misunderstand if they heard you.”
“If it’s not a secret rendezvous, then what is it?”
The hand around Eui-jae’s shoulder tightened slightly.
“At this late hour.”
“……”
“What reason would you have to meet alone…”
“……”
“Ah, did you perhaps badmouth me?”
Through numerous experiences, Eui-jae knew. If he left Sa-young like this, he would definitely flip his eyes. No, Jung-bin still had things to tell him! Eui-jae urgently grabbed Sa-young’s hand that was around his shoulder. The black fingers flinched slightly. Eui-jae called his name with difficulty.
“Lee…Sa-young?”
‘Fucking hell.’
His voice came out more creaky than he thought. Eui-jae bit his tongue inside his mouth. Now that he realized that Lee Sa-young was the boy he had been looking for, and that he had kept his selfish promise even after coming back from the dead, it was difficult to treat him as usual. All the experience he had accumulated so far was useless in front of Lee Sa-young.
However, Lee Sa-young, who had been called, moved slightly as if he had been waiting. He raised the corners of his lips like a contented cat and nodded his head.
“Hmm… What is it?”
When Eui-jae remained silent, the gloved fingers tapped his shoulder playfully.
“If you called me, you should say something, J.”
“I contacted you first because I had something to ask. So cut the bullshit… No.”
As he was about to say something rough as usual, the image of the young Sa-young lying wrapped in bandages flickered in his mind, and Eui-jae vaguely trailed off. Instead, he unnecessarily adjusted the mask that had been slightly lifted by the fingers that had come under the mask.
“Aha…”
Sa-young, who drew out the end of his words, asked in a voice mixed with laughter.
“Is it something you can’t ask me?”
Eui-jae had a lot to say about this. Who was it that always evaded and escaped like a loach whenever he tried to say something? Eui-jae pinched Sa-young’s fingers tightly.
“You, you fucking never answer even if I ask. Do you think I don’t know you always avoid answering and change the subject?”
“Because it’s something you don’t need to know. And do you think Jung-bin will answer you well? He’s even better at dodging words than I am.”
“He answers well? We used to be close. There was camaraderie. Right?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. That’s right. Yes, we were comrades.”
Jung-bin, who had been watching the two’s conversation with a blank look, answered in a fluster. Sa-young’s voice was ominously low.
“Oh… Is that so?”
Jung-bin hurriedly changed the subject.
“Anyway, Lee Sa-young, you came much faster than expected. Were you nearby?”
“……”
Instead of answering, Sa-young narrowed his eyes. He looked like he was saying, ‘Do you think I’ll fall for your cheap tricks?’ At that moment, Eui-jae quickly helped Jung-bin.
“I’m curious about that too.”
“……”
“Are you not going to answer this either?”
“…No.”
Only then did Lee Sa-young, who answered briefly, point behind him with a nod. Near the entrance of the playground, the now familiar wooden door was visible. He hadn’t noticed it because it was buried by Sa-young’s presence.
The Master of the door, Romantic Opener, was sprawled out like waterlogged cotton on the seesaw. His fingers twitched intermittently, as if he was reporting his survival. And next to him, there was a creepy sound of creak, creak.
“……”
The source of the sound was a pig-shaped spring rocking horse. The ominously flickering streetlight reflected off the rocking horse and the person riding on it. The sunglasses lenses sparkled.
Very Small Miracle Mingi Seo, who was managing to balance himself on the small and narrow rocking horse, bowed his head.
“Hello, customer.”
“……”
“Hmm, it seems the spring is rusted. I need to remove the rust and apply slick. The streetlight is also flickering. It’s not a suitable environment for the children who are the future of the country.”
Mingi Seo, who lightly jumped off the rocking horse, took out some nitrile gloves and turned on the flashlight on his phone to check the spring. Creak, creak… The rocking horse moved diligently.
Eui-jae looked sullenly at his feet. It overlapped with Lee Sa-young’s shadow, but it was still. Originally, shadows do not move on their own. However, when Min-gi Seo was in the shadow, it would move little by little, unlike the Master’s movements. Jung-bin muttered.
“I knew you were in the shadow, but I didn’t know you would bring them all here.”
Jung-bin and Eui-jae were aware of it, but they had pretended not to know. Min-gi Seo replied diligently.
“I only reported it. It was the Guild Master who dragged them all here.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Lee Sa-young chimed in with a nonchalant attitude.
“Not only did J and Jung-bin secretly meet… but I heard they were talking about me.”
‘So you knew everything and asked as if you didn’t know.’
“I got curious and came… at this early hour.”
Lee Sa-young emphasized ‘early hour’. Eui-jae looked pitifully at Romantic Opener, who was sprawled out on the seesaw and creaking. The playground where they had gathered was not far from the Wave Guild building. It was a distance that not only Hunters but also ordinary people could walk. But to knock someone out to get here quickly.
‘Isn’t that a fucking waste of manpower…’
“Keok.”
At that moment, Romantic Opener let out a death rattle and slumped down even more. The brown wooden door disappeared with a rustle. With the sound of the rusty spring as background music, Sa-young leaned his head against Eui-jae’s head. He whispered lowly.
“So… did you hear everything you were curious about?”
“……”
Eui-jae did not answer. Sa-young did not seem to expect an answer either, and turned his arrow to Jung-bin.
“You too.”
“Yes, Lee Sa-young.”
“Wasn’t the incident when I Awakened treated as confidential…? Since when have you been so light with your words?”
“It is confidential. However, I judged that it was okay to tell J.”
Jung-bin, who straightened his back, met Lee Sa-young’s gaze without avoiding it. Jung-bin spoke gently but firmly.
“I am in a position where that level of arbitrary judgment is possible.”
“……”
Lee Sa-young tilted his head crookedly. Jung-bin smiled softly as he gazed at the two of them. Soon, his long eyes curved into a smile.
“Looking at the distance between the two of you… it seems my judgment was not wrong. You seem quite close. I don’t know when, where, or how you became close.”
“……”
The black hand around Eui-jae’s shoulder tightened. Jung-bin continued leisurely.
“Well, there must be something between the two of you that I don’t know. Like the many secrets that Lee Sa-young hasn’t told J.”
“That’s enough.”
Sa-young growled lowly. Jung-bin shrugged his shoulders.
“However, living life, I’ve found that having too many secrets is not good. I recommend opening up appropriately.”
“Why don’t you just get lost.”
“I was planning to leave anyway. Then… I believe the questions are over.”
Ziiing, a long vibration rang out. Jung-bin, who took out his phone from his pocket and checked the screen, sighed softly.
“…You’ve created another job for me? Lee Sa-young.”
Sa-young retorted coldly.
“You should work diligently. You’re a public official.”
“It’s an agenda I was going to handle anyway… Should I say thank you?”
Jung-bin ran a hand over his face once, then raised his head to gaze at J. Sa-young took a step forward and stood in front of him, as if to shield J. Jung-bin smiled bitterly. But steadily, and in a friendly voice, he called Eui-jae.
“J.”
“……”
“I think I should say it now.”
Ahem, Jung-bin cleared his throat for a moment and said with emphasis.
“I’m really glad you’re back…”
“……”
“If you need anything, please contact me anytime. I will cooperate with all my heart.”
It was the moment when the former comrade became the current comrade. It was the moment when Eui-jae was about to say something. Sa-young preempted him in a cold voice.
“Enough, get lost.”
“Yes, yes. I have to handle the work that Lee Sa-young created. Then I’ll be on my way.”
Jung-bin bowed politely, then greeted the slumped Romantic Opener and Very Small Miracle Mingi Seo, who was still repairing the rocking horse. The back view of him leaving the playground was very different from the exhausted appearance in Eui-jae’s memory. His back looked much more solid.
Only after Jung-bin’s figure and presence had completely disappeared did Sa-young open his mouth with a sulky face.
“Hyung…”
“Yeah?”
“He seems to like me more than I thought.”
“What?”
Eui-jae looked at Sa-young with wide eyes. Lee Sa-young raised the corners of his lips and smiled, then reached out and stroked the black mask.
“I never thought he would contact Jung-bin right away…”