LFG 98

“Wow~!”

“Oppa, thank you!”

“Awesome!”

With Jo Eun-ha as the last one, the distribution of souvenirs was over. The children lined up and hugged the souvenirs they received tightly. Their faces were full of smiles. Some of them looked dazed, as if they couldn’t believe they had received them. That was because they were filled with quite expensive items. The items ranged from shoes to clothes.

“He really bought them……”

“I’m scared, I won’t ask for anything anymore.”

“It seems like he would even buy a house in Japan if we asked.”

In fact, they had said it half as a joke, but they didn’t expect Ki Jae-eon to actually buy everything.

“Hyungnim… But that Cudem is too much to just receive.”

“It, it was cheap because of the duty-free.”

“Even so, this is a luxury brand.” Ki Jae-eon waved his hand at Lee Gyeong-hak, who was trembling, saying it was nothing. Lee Gyeong-hak was moved, seeing a true alpha male in his relaxed attitude.

“I will be loyal for life!”

“Okay.”

Kim Ju-won, who had approached unnoticed, smirked and interrupted the greeting.

“I wasn’t doing that to Kim Ju-won, though? What, did you contribute even ten won? Why are you freeloading on the thank you?”

“I carried it, you bastard. Yours was the heaviest, you know?”

“You’re so good at freeloading……”

“Say that again.”

“I missed you.”

Besides the two bickering, the living room quickly became noisy as everyone boasted about the gifts they had received. He hadn’t given them big gifts, but they were so happy that he felt embarrassed. Still, their giggling was a bit… cute.

‘I should have bought them better things.’

He was a little disappointed that he had just bought what they had written down because time was tight.

‘Now that it’s like this, should I take a day and go to the department store with everyone?’

From the start, his sense of money was shattered, and after experiencing the disaster where everything went to nothing, the value of money was no longer special to him. Rather, if he could make the children happy by spending all his money, he would gladly do it.

‘When would be a good time? Or should I just get them Mystical Instruments instead……’

He was making happy plans alone when he felt someone next to him. A familiar scent tickled his nose. He didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.

“Hyung.”

It was as expected.

The owner of the cute action of gently grabbing his sleeve was Ahn Seo-myeong.

“Thanks to you, it was fun.”

He added that it was his first time abroad and it had become a good memory.

A sense of pride welled up, thinking that he had made the right decision to bring him along. He was about to return the answer, ‘I was happy to be with you too,’ with that joyful feeling.

Chu-.

“……!”

Something warm and soft touched his ear and fell away.

“It was my first experience, and it was fantastic.”

The voice, as clear and direct as if he were listening with earphones, was ticklish and gentle enough to make him flinch.

“Hiss-.”

Ki Jae-eon instinctively trembled and quickly moved away from him. What was that just now? His heart beat wildly at the unexpected attack.

“Wh, what……”

Ki Jae-eon’s face turned red, and he rubbed his ear hard where the voice had touched. You, just now- His lips opened and closed several times, but in the end, he couldn’t say anything and closed them tightly.

But he knew.

The imp in front of him, smiling with his eyes crinkled even after seeing his flustered expression… was definitely doing it on purpose.

‘I’ve been thinking about it since before… I need to fix his way of speaking.’

Ki Jae-eon resolved to scold Ahn Seo-myeong a little.

But unfortunately, there was one fact he had overlooked. The imp he was determined to punish was a fox who was several steps ahead of him when it came to tricks.

“Why? Did I do something wrong?”

He lowered the tiptoes he had slightly raised and tilted his head slightly.

“Am I going to get scolded?”

Hyung, you look upset. Ki Jae-eon stretched his lips into a straight line, looking unfairly at the harmless gaze that looked up at him with wide, moist eyes that appealed to ‘I don’t know anything.’ It was a little pretentious, but it was true that it was cute.

‘As if you don’t know anything, you did it on purpose.’

But…….

“Huh? Hyeong.”

It was as if a young puppy was looking up at him, panting with floppy ears like sujebi. How can I scold such a small thing?

Of course, while he hesitated, Kim Ju-won’s absurd voice echoed in his head, ‘He’s got all his pubes grown-’ but it was too late to set the mood now.

“……No, it’s nothing.”

In the end, he lost again.

“Really? I was worried.”

Ahn Seo-myeong, who had sensed that Ki Jae-eon’s momentum had weakened, immediately hugged him as if he had been waiting for it. He knew exactly where to lie down, so much so that if Kim Ju-won had seen it, he would have clicked his tongue and said, ‘That bastard is really cunning, pretending not to be!’ But Ki Jae-eon, who believed in Ahn Seo-myeong’s innocence, had already fallen helplessly for his cute charm. Hyung, in Japan- Takoyaki and-. Also-. He was too busy chiming in, “Was it that fun?” whether he knew he was babbling in a deliberately foolish tone or not. He had already shaken off the thought of getting things in order. He was just a pushover.

“It was the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Th, that much……”

“Really. It’s the best.”

“The, the best……?”

“Hyung is the best Hyung.”

“The best……?”

Ahn Seo-myeong had skillfully manipulated Ki Jae-eon with his smooth flattery, to the point of stripping him bare. Yeah, yeah. It was fun- Yep. Ki Jae-eon, who was in a good mood, stroked his head, and Ahn Seo-myeong made a thrilling expression.

They were completely immersed in their own world for a long time.

Suddenly, Ki Jae-eon, who remembered the Cursed Womb Cave, gently pulled Ahn Seo-myeong away and asked.

“Th, than that, have you decided how you’re going to u, use the Cursed Womb Cave?”

“Ah.”

Ahn Seo-myeong tilted his head as if he had just remembered.

[Cursed Womb Cave]

The one-time opportunity to make anything a familiar spirit.

“I wonder……”

Ahn Seo-myeong quietly watched Ki Jae-eon.

Up and down, left and right. His eyes scanned him thoroughly, as if he were examining something.

Then, he raised the corners of his lips with a “Ah-.”

“It’s not clear yet-.”

“……?”

“But if I had to choose, I want to tame the strongest and most lovable being in the world.”

His black eyes sparkled.

But Ki Jae-eon didn’t notice the desire contained within them.

“So, please think about it with me.”

You will, right? The way his eyes crinkled as he smiled was a little uneasy, but Ki Jae-eon couldn’t help but nod as if he were possessed.

But what is the strongest and most lovable familiar spirit in the world?

‘Could he be talking about the Four Guardian Gods……’

They’re strong, but they’re not lovable.

Ki Jae-eon tilted his head, wondering.

[“Your mother is doing well too.”]

“Yeah, I ta, talked to her yesterday. Hyung, she was very worried.”

[“I’m already dying from eating eel soup and stuff these days.”]

“……I sent one too. De, deer antler.”

[“Oh……. Can I return it?”]

[“Just kidding, just kidding. Ah-! That’s right. Come to think of it, Hyung also heard from Mother. Jae-eon, I heard you went to Japan and caused a ruckus?”]

“Just……”

[“Hahaha. I heard you even took the little ones? Why didn’t you just stay a few more days? What? Are you short on money? Should Hyung give you some allowance?”]

“No, it’s no, not that. And I like Korea better……”

[“Hmm- okay, okay. Good job. Doing what you want is the best. But don’t overdo it. You can come home whenever you want. Got it?”]

“Yeah.”

[“Good boy. Oh, Hyung has to go now. I’ll contact you again.”]

“Yeah, Hyung, take care of yourself too.” Ki Jae-eon hung up the phone and flopped onto the bed. He could feel his heart pounding through his hand placed on his chest.

‘It feels strange because everything is being prepared so thoroughly.’

The growth of the main office children.

His father’s Four Heavenly Guardians Barrier.

And the cooperation of the Japanese Exorcists.

Perfect preparation for ‘that’ which will come soon.

In other words, something that didn’t exist before…….

‘A sense of oneness.’

Family, friends, and colleagues who can stand back-to-back with him, not just people he has to protect.

‘I had that too.’

He wiggled his toes and rolled around on the blanket for no reason, feeling strange. Then, he finally broke his expressionless face and let out a silly laugh. Woong-! Woong-! His phone rang loudly once again.

“……!!”

Surprised, he hurriedly checked the screen and saw a message.

And it was welcome news that Ki Jae-eon had been waiting for quite a while.

The content of the message was as follows: [Hello. Jae-eon-nim^^ It’s been a while. This is Suzuki Ryo. How have you been? I have received a report that the delivery of the Mystical Instrument you entrusted to us has been completed. The receipt number is 6788(A)-.]

That’s right. The notification that the [Jade Relic Trace] sent from Japan had finally arrived in Korea.