By Zephyria Sun Guild
Yoon Seung-ryong raised his beer glass with a cheerful voice and shouted.
“To the new beginning of the Sun Guild~!”
Six glasses clinked together with a cheerful sound. Yoon Seung-ryong, after downing his beer in one gulp, took a few crunchy bites of freshly fried chicken and smiled happily.
“Chan-ha Hyung, if this is an illusion, please don’t wake me up. Okay?”
Lee Chan-ha smiled wryly at Yoon Seung-ryong’s pointed joke and emptied her beer glass. Despite the words, there didn’t seem to be any deep animosity between them. Even Yoon Seung-ryong and Seo Yakrin, who had often glared at each other as if they wanted to kill one another not too long ago, seemed to have rapidly recovered their camaraderie after escaping the Abyss. Though they bickered frequently, there was no trace of malice.
They were currently having the celebratory dinner they couldn’t hold after being discharged from the Rift Management Agency’s Special Isolation Unit for Corrupted Individuals, due to the swarm of reporters that had descended upon them like ants.
That was about an hour ago, when Yohan was completing his discharge procedures at the hospital where he was staying, as a courtesy, to show Park Seung-min proof that he had intentionally injured his head to lose his memory.
“Are you sure it’s okay to be discharged now? You said you hit your head, shouldn’t you stay a bit longer?”
“Are you not experiencing any headaches or dizziness?”
“I’m really fine. There’s no pain anywhere, I’m perfectly healthy.”
With the two of them expressing their concern, Yohan completed the discharge procedures and headed down to the parking lot. Since his identity as an Abyssal returnee had not yet been revealed, no reporters from any media outlets were in sight. It was at that moment, as Yohan resolved to question his Hyung about what had happened as soon as he got home, that he heard a voice.
“Yohan-ah~!”
At the familiar voice, Yohan quickly turned his head to see Lee Hyun-muk and the other team members walking towards him. Yoon Seung-ryong waved his hands with excessive enthusiasm, acting overly familiar. Yohan, who hadn’t expected them due to their busy schedules preparing for the Sun Guild’s establishment and handling media interviews, exclaimed with joy.
“Seungryong Hyung!”
Only then did Yohan realize and turn back to the two people accompanying him. Yang Hwa-pyeong and Kim Ye-ju, who had suddenly encountered the most famous people in Korea at that moment, stood frozen in surprise. Kim Ye-ju covered her mouth with her hand and exclaimed.
“Oh my! Goodness… Yohan, I think they came to see you.”
Yang Hwa-pyeong’s eyes widened. He had heard that his son had returned safely from the Abyss with the help of Lee Hyun-muk and others, but the story was so surreal that he had been half-believing it. It wasn’t until Lee Hyun-muk walked over with heavy steps and bowed to greet them that Yang Hwa-pyeong snapped back to reality.
“Hello. I am Lee Hyun-muk. These are my team members.”
“…Ah! Yes, yes. I am Yang Hwa-pyeong. It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Lee Hyun-muk.”
Kim Ye-ju, who belatedly remembered that these people were not just celebrities but her son’s saviors, also bowed deeply and politely.
“I am Kim Ye-ju. Thank you so much for saving our Yohan, and for bringing him back safely.”
Yohan, feeling awkward and embarrassed by the situation, blushed crimson. Lee Hyun-muk smiled and waved away their thanks.
“Not at all. The person who deserves thanks is mistaken. Rather, we are the ones who received a great favor.”
“What? Our… Yohan?”
The couple looked bewildered. Because Yohan’s identity as a Purifier had been kept strictly secret, his parents believed their son was merely a Low-rank Awakened with some strength and resilience. They couldn’t quite imagine how their son, a mere Low-rank Awakened, could have helped someone like Lee Hyun-muk. So, they assumed it was all just polite words spoken to make them feel good. At that moment, Lee Chan-ha also stepped in to support Lee Hyun-muk.
“Yohan is a kind, determined, and more than anyone else, a brave and warm person. Thanks to him, I received tremendous help.”
Kim Ye-ju and Yang Hwa-pyeong found these sincere words confusing yet pleasant. It was heartwarming to hear that Lee Hyun-muk and Lee Chan-ha acknowledged their son, even if it were just empty words. Before Yohan, whose face grew even redder from the sudden praise, could say anything, Seo Yakrin quickly stepped forward.
“So, we were planning to have a dinner party today for the Abyssal returnees! Is it okay if we take Yohan with us?”
“Don’t worry about his return! We’ll take good care of him, feed him well, and send him back safely.”
Yoon Seung-ryong quickly added, and Joo Ho-young nodded enthusiastically beside him with a wide smile. Yang Hwa-pyeong, seizing the opportunity, nudged Yohan forward. It was Lee Hyun-muk, after all! Moreover, a dinner party for returnees seemed like a good omen for future connections. Kim Ye-ju felt the same.
“Mom and Dad will head home first. Have fun.”
“Yes, you can stay out a bit late, so there’s no need to rush home early.”
As they said this, Yang Hwa-pyeong secretly slipped his card into Yohan’s pocket. Yohan, also intrigued by the dinner party, nodded obediently. As soon as his parents’ car drove out of the parking lot, Yohan chided them with a smile.
“You surprised me! You should have told me.”
“You can’t have a surprise if you tell people beforehand.”
Joo Ho-young grinned and led Yohan to the car. A large van was parked there, and its model looked familiar. It was the same model as the van the Sunrise Team always used. The only difference from the previous van was that instead of the logo of the sun rising over the sea, it had a logo resembling a sheep with a halo behind its head. Staring intently at the shimmering holographic print logo, Yohan asked.
“Can’t this… be changed?”
“Of course not! It’s already been announced to the press!”
Seo Yakrin replied with a wide smile, stroking the particularly fluffy sheep logo. He seemed very pleased and satisfied with the new logo.
“Ah…”
Yohan, already embarrassed by the thought of everything being revealed later, covered his face and got into the car. Lee Chan-ha was behind the wheel. The cost of this vehicle was said to be billions, and as expected of its reputation, it was spacious and comfortable even for several people. The car’s movement, reinforced to withstand monster attacks to some extent, felt heavy yet stable.
Since it was rush hour, the roads were somewhat congested, and by the time they arrived at the dinner venue, the sun had completely set, plunging everything into darkness. They descended into the building’s underground parking lot and secretly climbed two flights of stairs. When they opened the emergency stairwell door, a middle-aged woman, who had been waiting with a tense expression, broke into a wide smile.
“My goodness, the Sunrise Team, or rather, the Team Sun now? How wonderful it is to see you all again. Congratulations on your safe return. I’m so relieved.”
The owner, who had apparently hosted their dinners frequently before, greeted them warmly, tears welling up in her eyes. The owner was particularly happy to see Yoon Seung-ryong.
“Come in, please. I’ve cleared out the entire restaurant for today.”
The owner quickly ushered them inside. Entering through the back door of the restaurant, they walked down a long corridor.
The door to the innermost room was wide open. Inside, a grill, typical of Korean barbecue restaurants, sizzled, and the table was already laden with raw meat and various side dishes before they even ordered. The owner seemed very curious about Yohan but didn’t voice her questions. She simply said they could call her if needed and quietly closed the door.
“Don’t worry. She’s very discreet.”
Lee Hyun-muk’s words reassured Yohan, who had been slightly concerned, and he nodded. After all, they had been the center of the nation’s attention before. How many times had they held dinners while avoiding public eyes? They must have had their ways, so Yohan relaxed and picked up his chopsticks.
“A dinner party means meat, of course!”
Yoon Seung-ryong gleefully grabbed the tongs and started grilling the meat, while Seo Yakrin enthusiastically poured drinks. The mountain of raw meat sizzled deliciously as it was placed on the grill. After Yoon Seung-ryong finished grilling and Seo Yakrin had passed around the drinks, a toast followed.
Yohan, experiencing a dinner party for the first time, bounced with excitement. Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, jokes and sometimes serious conversations were exchanged. Since their Awakening, their bodies barely reacted to alcohol, making drinks merely a mood enhancer, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves as if drunk.
“Speaking of which, I have some good news, Yohan.”
“Good news?”