By Zephyria 
“I’m thinking of establishing a Department of Grievance Resolution.”
At those words, Yoon Tae-hee paused and locked eyes with Seok Ju-ryeon.
“…….”
Yoon Tae-hee’s relaxed gaze tightened in an instant, like a drawn bowstring.
The Department of Grievance Resolution. He didn’t need to ask what kind of work the department did; he knew the moment he heard the name. Taken literally, it would be a department dedicated to resolving the sorrow or grudges held by ghosts. He could also easily guess why Seok Ju-ryeon had shared this plan with him.
Becoming the Head of the Narye Bureau was merely a superficial topic; Yoon Tae-hee realized immediately that Seok Ju-ryeon had called him here specifically to bring this up.
“And?”
Despite this, Yoon Tae-hee had no choice but to ask.
“Why are you telling me this?”
His voice remained flat, but there was an edge to his tone. Seok Ju-ryeon remained silent for a moment, affected by the sudden shift in atmosphere. He lingered, staring down at the tea in his cup. Yoon Tae-hee noticed that Seok Ju-ryeon was slightly nervous.
“Isn’t that kind of information usually confidential? I know you’re about to become the Head, but is it okay to tell such things to a civilian who isn’t even a naja? Surely you aren’t buying me an expensive meal just to scout me, right?”
Yoon Tae-hee spoke with a hint of a laugh in his voice. It was his usual manner, skillfully seizing control of the conversation. Seok Ju-ryeon let out a small sigh inwardly. As expected, Yoon Tae-hee was a difficult person to deal with. One always needed to be prepared when facing him. In the end, Seok Ju-ryeon decided to be honest rather than beating around the bush.
“I’m not asking you to come back right this second.”
“Then what?”
“However….”
Seok Ju-ryeon paused, fiddling with his teacup before finally speaking.
“If you ever wish to return, I can make a place for you at any time.”
At those words, Yoon Tae-hee looked down and gave a short, dry laugh. He picked up his chopsticks again. For a while, he continued eating nonchalantly, the only sound being the movement of his chopsticks, until he finally spoke.
“Do you know what it would mean for me to become a naja again?”
Naturally, there was no way Seok Ju-ryeon didn’t know.
He had lost his grandfather before his eyes. He had lost the water ghost. He had lost his childhood. He had established the Exorcist Order and devoted his body and soul to seek revenge against the Exorcism Bureau. He had spent a full ten years working as a naja within the Bureau.
Even if he had reconciled with all of that, Yoon Tae-hee did not want to be a naja again.
“Head of Department.”
Yoon Tae-hee murmured as he continued his meal quietly.
“I am perfectly satisfied with my life right now. It’s peaceful, and I cherish these kinds of days. But… sometimes I get angry. The problem is, I don’t even know why I’m angry….”
Was it about the past ten years? Or about the fact that the water ghost and his grandfather were no longer in this world? Or was it about the fact that he was sitting across from the man he claimed he would never forgive, yet in reality, it was as if he had already forgiven him…?
Yoon Tae-hee himself didn’t know which of the three it was, or if it was something else entirely.
“Anyway, I’ll take it that you’ll handle the librarian position for me.”
Yoon Tae-hee spoke as he pushed the food in front of him closer to Seok Ju-ryeon so he could reach it easily.
“So, let’s just enjoy the meal for today.”
It was a clear rejection.
It was late afternoon when Yoon Tae-hee returned home.
“Welcome back. How did it go?”
Jae-gyeom asked Yoon Tae-hee what he had discussed with Seok Ju-ryeon. However, Yoon Tae-hee did not mention the Department of Grievance Resolution. The proposal to return as a naja was not a pleasant topic for him. He only relayed the fact that Seok Ju-ryeon had arranged for him to quit the librarian job.
“Really?”
Upon hearing the news, Jeong-ju and Jae-gyeom clapped their hands in delight. Yu Nam-saeng also fluttered his feet in celebration. They had thought they would be separated for two months, so the news that they could stay together in Seoul was wonderful.
“Then we don’t have to go down to the countryside house anymore, right?”
In response to Jae-gyeom’s question, Jeong-ju answered instead of Yoon Tae-hee.
“Not immediately, but we’ll have to go down a few times.”
“Why?”
“We have to move the rest of the luggage, and we need to get quotes since we’re building a new house.”
They decided to demolish the countryside house as planned once the spirit ghosts finished moving out all the luggage and furniture. Yoon Tae-hee and Jeong-ju decided to put their heads together and design the new house themselves, piece by piece. Since they were tearing it down and rebuilding anyway, they had agreed to create a home that suited everyone’s tastes. It was going to be a massive project.
Thus, in the evening, they all shared a meal and had a cozy conversation about the new house.
“First, I think it would be great to have a pond in the yard. So Kkaeng-al-i can swim.”
“And how about making gardens in the front and back of the yard? The young master will like it.”
“It would be good to make ramps so Mesan and Kkaeng-al-i can move around easily.”
“I’d like a two-story house like before. How about adding more rooms and bathrooms?”
They had been talking for a while at the dining table. Suddenly, Yu Nam-saeng, who had been munching away, stretched his neck and looked toward the entrance. After staring intently for a moment as if focusing on something, Yu Nam-saeng spoke.
“I think someone has come to the door.”
The three people talking stopped and exchanged glances.
“I didn’t hear the doorbell?”
Jeong-ju tilted his head and stood up. Just in case, Yoon Tae-hee and Jae-gyeom stood up as well. Yu Nam-saeng also hopped off the table and followed the three toward the entrance on his skateboard.
“Is someone out there?”
Upon reaching the front door, Jeong-ju called out. However, no matter how long he waited, he felt no presence beyond the door, and no answer came. Jeong-ju looked down at Yu Nam-saeng and asked, “Kkaeng-al-i. Did you hear wrong?” Yu Nam-saeng shook his head and replied.
“There is definitely someone outside. They are likely not an ordinary person.”
At those words, a sudden tension began to swirl among the three.
Not an ordinary person? Who on earth could it be….
Jeong-ju hesitantly looked toward Yoon Tae-hee and Jae-gyeom. Yoon Tae-hee and Jae-gyeom exchanged a look and nodded. Jeong-ju slowly reached for the doorknob.
Right, Tae-hee is here and Jae-gyeom is here, so it’ll be okay, right?
It was then that Jeong-ju swallowed hard and opened the front door. In an instant, Jeong-ju felt the tension vanish. Because there was nothing outside the door. Jeong-ju looked back at Yu Nam-saeng in disbelief.
“Hey, Kkaeng-al-i! See! There’s no one—”
Just then, Jae-gyeom pointed somewhere with a surprised voice.
“Huh? Hey, Ju! Over there!”
Jeong-ju whipped his head around to where Jae-gyeom was pointing.
“What is this? A frog?”
What Jae-gyeom was pointing at was the ground—or rather, a very, very tiny green tree frog sitting solitary on the ground. It was so small it was barely the size of a finger joint. It was almost impossible to notice if one didn’t look closely. The strange thing was that despite its tiny size, it was carrying an even smaller bundle on its back.
“Wak-wak.”
At the sudden sound of a croak, a startled Jeong-ju flinched and stepped back.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
The four family members looked at each other in silence.
“Wak-wak?”
A frog? While Jeong-ju looked bewildered:
“Wak-wak. Young Master Jeong-ju, I hope you have been in good health. It is a pleasure to meet you wak-wak. I am a messenger sent by the Clan Head, and I bring a message wak-wak to the Young Master. Here is the Clan Head’s message: ‘Your younger sister’s wedding will be held soon, so you must attend and uphold the honor of the Tiger Clan before I skin you alive.’ Wak-wak.”
“Whaaaaaat?”
Only then did Jeong-ju’s eyes widen to the size of lanterns.
The identity of the green tree frog was a messenger sent from the fortress inside the Tiger Gate.
After the messenger left and they returned to the dining table, Jeong-ju shuddered and vented his frustration.
“Skin me alive? How can they say something so horrible? Are they actually insane?”
Having completed its mission, the green tree frog turned around without hesitation and hopped away, disappearing into the grass. There had been a few times the Tiger Gate had sent messengers before, but this was the first time a frog had come.
“By the way, are you going to the wedding?”
At Jae-gyeom’s question, Jeong-ju frowned deeply and said,
“I don’t know. I’d rather die than go.”
Yoon Tae-hee asked curiously,
“Why don’t you want to go?”
“I don’t get along with her family.”
“Ah….”
Yoon Tae-hee nodded as if he fully understood.
“They made such a fuss about me not being their child or whatever, so why the hell are they calling me now?”
As Jeong-ju grumbled, Yoon Tae-hee said with a smile,
“Still, it’s your sister’s wedding, so you should go.”
“My sister is sixteen! How can I go to a wedding like that!”
“Sixteen? The Tiger Clan must be quite prolific….”
Then, Jae-gyeom shrugged and said,
“Still, they treated you like a complete outcast, but seeing as they’re calling you to come, maybe it’s not entirely like that.”
“Do you think those people are thinking of me? They’re probably doing it because of Mesan.”
Before leaving, the green tree frog had added one last point with emphasis.
‘And the Clan Head also said to make sure to bring Young Master Mesan along. Wak-wak.’
A long time ago, when Jeong-ju had fled the human world from the Tiger Clan’s fortress, Jeong-ju’s older brother had chased after him. During the pursuit, the brother had been severely injured in a hunter’s trap, and Mesan had healed him at the time. Afterward, the brother returned to the fortress and reported this, and Jeong-ju’s parents expressed their gratitude to Mesan. Since then, they had occasionally sent gifts through messengers.
At this, Jeong-ju snorted and said,
“You know how it is. My mom and dad absolutely love Mesan.”
“That’s true.”
“Telling me to come to the wedding isn’t because of me; it’s definitely because they want to see Mesan.”
At those words, Jae-gyeom let out a sigh inwardly without realizing it.
You idiot.
They probably want to use this as an opportunity to reconnect with you.
He felt that he finally understood what that feeling was.