By Zephyria 
Only now, in this moment, could Jae-gyeom truly understand.
Joy and sorrow are two sides of the same coin. This is my joy, and this is my sorrow.
Jae-gyeom stood in one place, gazing at the painting for a long time. Looking at Myo-jeong and Hwirim standing side by side, he realized that Hwirim’s frame was indeed small. Back then, he had seemed as tall as Myo-jeong. Moreover, now that he looked closely, Tae-hee’s smile resembled Hwirim’s. How had he not noticed? Such a spitting image…
“Tae-hee.”
Jae-gyeom turned to Yoon Tae-hee and smiled softly.
“Thank you.”
However, that smile clouded over in an instant.
Cracks began to form on Jae-gyeom’s face. His lips pressed tight as if trying to hold back tears, and his chin began to tremble violently before his face finally crumpled, sobbing like a heartbroken child.
As Jae-gyeom began to cry silently, his face distorted with grief, Yoon Tae-hee reached out and pulled him into an embrace. Held in those arms, Jae-gyeom buried his forehead against Yoon Tae-hee’s chest, gripping the fabric of his clothes tightly. Yoon Tae-hee silently held him, cupping the back of Jae-gyeom’s head with his palm as Jae-gyeom sobbed with hitching breaths.
“Thank you, Tae-hee…”
To think that ‘thank you’ were the only words he could manage. He wished there were a way to express this feeling beyond just saying thank you. He was more grateful than those words could convey, but he had nothing else to say. And so, Jae-gyeom wept uncontrollably.
To be so incredibly happy is to be so incredibly sad.
Something as beautiful and sorrowful as shimmering tears.
With the help of the peach blossom ghost, Yoon Tae-hee had created the only family portrait in the world. To Jae-gyeom, it was a precious treasure that could not be replaced by anything. Myo-jeong and Hwirim, Jeong-ju, Mesani, and Yu Nam-saeng, and Yoon Tae-hee. It was a painting that had kept Jae-gyeom alive until now, and one that would keep him going in the future.
The remaining week flew by like an arrow.
And so, finally, on the day marking one month since the family members had left for the Tiger gate.
“Jae-gyeom, Tae-hee, I’m back!”
Jeong-ju and his party returned.
Wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, with Yu Nam-saeng perched on his head, Jeong-ju carried a flowerpot in one hand and a suitcase in the other. To any observer, he looked as if he had just returned from an overseas vacation.
During their stay at the Citadel of the Tiger Clan, Jeong-ju’s party had received exquisite treatment. This was thanks to Jeong-ju’s status as a descendant of the highly esteemed young masters of the Tiger Clan. He had eaten and rested so well that he had put on a bit of weight, serving as proof of the past month. Yu Nam-saeng’s cheeks were plump, and his shell gleamed with a healthy luster.
“The doctor says Mesani is growing well. He told me not to worry,” Jeong-ju said, handing the flowerpot and Yu Nam-saeng over to Jae-gyeom.
“That’s a relief.”
After checking the flowerpot, Jae-gyeom let out a sigh of relief while gently petting Yu Nam-saeng.
“My Lord, Young Master, have you been well?”
“I have.”
“Nothing happened, right?”
“Yeah. Nothing happened.”
In truth, many things (?) had happened, but he decided to let Jeong-ju and Yu Nam-saeng believe that nothing had.
“Right, come over here. I have something to show you.”
First, Jae-gyeom showed off the painting he had received from Yoon Tae-hee. He had hung it on the wall of the living room hallway where it was clearly visible. The emotional Jeong-ju lifted his sunglasses the moment he saw the painting and wiped away a tear. Yu Nam-saeng’s eyes also grew moist, seemingly moved by the fact that he was included in the family portrait.
“See that man in the black robe? He’s my teacher.”
“He looks very distinguished.”
“Right? And he’s Tae-hee’s father.”
“Oh, now that I look, they do seem to resemble each other.”
“And the person with short hair standing next to him is called Hwirim…”
Jae-gyeom spent a long time chattering away to the two of them about Myo-jeong and Hwirim. Afterward, the family gathered around the dining table, drinking tea and chatting about their recent lives. When Jae-gyeom revealed that he had been attending an English academy and had even started a part-time job, Jeong-ju looked utterly shocked, as if he couldn’t believe it.
It felt as if Jae-gyeom had grown up significantly in the mere month they had been away.
“But why a part-time job all of a sudden?”
“Just… you know… I thought it would be a good experience.”
After glancing at Yoon Tae-hee and giving a vague excuse with a forced cough, Jeong-ju reacted as if he were incredibly proud. “You’re all grown up, all grown up!” As Jeong-ju’s eyes reddened, a bashful Jae-gyeom snorted.
“What are you talking about, you brat. I’m still wet behind the ears.”
“Anyway, isn’t the exam only a few days away?”
When Jeong-ju asked with a sniffle, Jae-gyeom nodded.
“It’s the week after next.”
“Wow. That’s really soon. How’s the studying going?”
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass if things go normally.”
English had been the biggest hurdle, but with the help of the academy, his English scores were rising noticeably. Thanks to that, a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Based on a few mock exams, he was well within the passing range.
“Then what are you going to do after you pass? Are you thinking about the middle school equivalency exam?”
At those words, Yoon Tae-hee, who had been quietly drinking tea, rested his chin on his hand and looked at Jae-gyeom. He had been curious about Jae-gyeom’s future plans and intentions. However, Jae-gyeom shook his head without hesitation.
“I’m not thinking about it right now.”
The middle school equivalency exam would take much longer to study for than the elementary process. Of course, there was no harm in studying, but since he didn’t need the academic credentials immediately, he wondered if he really needed to get it right now.
“Right, you’ve spent months doing nothing but studying. Once you pass, just play around without thinking for a while. Take your time to rest, think about what you want to do in the future, ponder it, and when you get bored of playing, you can think about it then!”
Jeong-ju continued, clapping his hands.
“Or how about attending an academy? A cooking school, or one for musical instruments… I heard there are one-day pottery classes too. Go with Tae-hee when you have time. You might find it suits your aptitude unexpectedly.”
“Yeah. That sounds fun too.”
“Or how about renting a camper van and traveling the whole country for a month? What do you think of that?”
With a slightly flushed face, Jeong-ju began listing ideas with excitement.
“Or you could try exercising…”
Listening to Jeong-ju’s enthusiastic rambling, Jae-gyeom nodded, but he seemed unable to focus on the conversation, as if his mind were elsewhere. It was then that Yoon Tae-hee, noticing this, gazed at Jae-gyeom.
Suddenly, Jae-gyeom threw a question toward Yoon Tae-hee.
“How about you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Isn’t there anything you want to do in the future?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Yoon Tae-hee’s eyes flickered.
“I don’t know…”
While Yoon Tae-hee was choosing his answer, Jae-gyeom spoke first.
“I want to go back to the Exorcism Bureau and become an exorcist.”
At those words, Yoon Tae-hee seemed to freeze instantly, then paused and looked at Jae-gyeom.
“…What?”
Jeong-ju, who had been drinking tea, also froze like a stone, his teacup still held to his lips.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
The atmosphere turned cold instantly, as if cold water had been thrown over them.
A heavy silence flowed. Yoon Tae-hee narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at Jae-gyeom without blinking once. Jae-gyeom gave Yoon Tae-hee a brief look and then spoke nonchalantly.
“Well, if they won’t take me back, there’s nothing I can do.”
“No… Jae-gyeom, wait, wait a second.”
Jeong-ju, who had been frozen in a daze, seemed to snap back to his senses and spoke urgently.
“You’re not joking right now, are you?”
“Would I joke about this?”
“Then why do you want to be an exorcist?”
Suddenly, it felt like a situation he had seen before. He felt a sense of déjà vu; it seemed Jeong-ju’s reaction now was similar to when he had first dropped the bombshell that he wanted to be an exorcist. Jae-gyeom shrugged and said,
“Just because. I want to.”
Just as Jeong-ju frowned as if asking what on earth that meant.
“Working a job was actually quite fun. And the work of an exorcist suits my aptitude. That’s all.”
Looking back, he had enjoyed socializing with people, he felt a sense of achievement in his own way, and above all, he could be himself. At that time, because he had infiltrated to bring down the Exorcism Bureau, he had tried not to grow fond of people and struggled to keep only his primary goal in mind. Nevertheless, good memories remained.
“Could it be…”
Jeong-ju glanced at Yoon Tae-hee for a moment, then cautiously broached the subject.
“Are you doing this because of your teacher?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Jae-gyeom shook his head without hesitation.
“It’s not that I have any particular feelings for the Exorcism Bureau now. It’s not because of Myo-jeong either.”
If anything, he felt almost no emotion toward the Exorcism Bureau. He neither liked nor disliked it. That was why he felt a simple desire to return without overthinking it.
“Then why do you want to be an exorcist?”
At Jeong-ju’s question, Jae-gyeom unconsciously let out a faint smile.
It was because he recalled a conversation he had once had with someone.
‘Hey, why did you become an exorcist?’
‘Well…’
“It’s a secure job. They give you a pension when you’re old.”
At that moment, Yoon Tae-hee set down his teacup and spoke coldly.
“I don’t want you to be an exorcist.”
“…”
“…If I say that? Then what will you do?”
Jae-gyeom gazed steadily at Yoon Tae-hee.
“If you hate it, I won’t do it.”
“…”
Yoon Tae-hee frowned deeply as he looked at Jae-gyeom.
“…For me? Are you saying you’ll just give in now?”
Jae-gyeom spoke without wavering.
“Yes.”
“…”
“I don’t want to make things hard for you.”
Just as he had a desire to be an exorcist, he had a desire for Yoon Tae-hee not to be heartbroken. He knew what becoming an exorcist meant to Yoon Tae-hee. And Jae-gyeom knew well that he was the only person who could fully understand Yoon Tae-hee’s feelings. Yoon Tae-hee had the right to oppose or stop him.
“…”
Yoon Tae-hee was silent for a while. In the frozen atmosphere, like walking on thin ice, Jeong-ju and Yu Nam-saeng quietly read the room. Yoon Tae-hee, who had been staring into the distance with his chin resting on his hand like a statue lost in thought, eventually brushed back his bangs with a somewhat irritable gesture and stood up.
“I’ll think about it. I’d like to leave this conversation here for today.”
Yoon Tae-hee thought that if Jae-gyeom had refused to bend his will or had taken a firm stance, his heart might not have felt this complicated. Jae-gyeom, who never broke his stubbornness once he had decided on something, had backed down far too easily. That, ironically, made Yoon Tae-hee’s heart ache.
“I’m leaving first.”
Adding those brief words, Yoon Tae-hee left the room without looking back.