By Zephyria 
So…… where should he start explaining?
From the part where the kids suddenly called and screamed [“Something terrible has happened!”]? Or from the part where the owner of the ‘Sea God’ they had been commissioned to deal with was dragged in half-naked with his hands and feet tied? Or from Ki Jae-eon saying unbelievable things like, “Are you the Teacher of these morons?”
There were many other problems as well.
Whether it was Ju-won, who had a driver’s license in name only, stealing the Sea God’s car in a panic to bring Shin Yoon…….
Or the fact that many of the kids had half their souls missing and were crying, saying, “The wounds to my heart can’t be healed”…….
It was a complete mess in every way.
No, wasn’t there a saying that it was a dog’s breakfast?
Of course, the worst of all was Ki Jae-eon, who was threatening to sue.
His temper was no joke.
He naturally didn’t believe their claim that he had amnesia, and he wouldn’t let them touch the scar on his neck, so there was no way to do anything about it.
For reference, he scoffed the loudest at the fact that their affiliation was the [main office].
“He won’t even talk to us……. So I contacted Teacher Ryu.”
“Were there any other injuries?”
“Not outwardly. But I think he needs a thorough examination. Amnesia is a problem with the head. Ugh, if it was a problem caused by a curse, I could handle it, but even a rough look shows that’s not the case. His energy is clear and pure.”
Ryu Seong-hee walked down the hallway as if she was on patrol. She arrived at the door of the dormitory where Ki Jae-eon was. From here, I’ll take over—. At her words, Kim Young bowed deeply, asking her to take care of him. Teacher Ryu, I’m truly sorry about your son. I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths. A brief apology was a bonus.
Creak-.
As she opened the door, she saw a familiar face.
“Jae-eon.”
Ryu Seong-hee called out her son’s name, finally able to breathe. Then, a bewildered voice followed.
“……Mother?”
He looked very surprised.
“Hah……. Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
At least he hadn’t forgotten his mother. As she looked at him with relief, Ki Jae-eon made a strange expression. It was then. Jae-eon-. Ryu Seong-hee hugged Ki Jae-eon tightly, ‘as she had always done.’ Naturally, as she had vowed to give him the affection she had been unable to give him.
But.
—Thud!
“Yes?”
“……Huh?”
Ki Jae-eon wrapped his arms around Ryu Seong-hee’s shoulders and then hurriedly pulled away.
As if rejecting her.
“Mo, ……Mother.”
“No. Ah……. That’s.”
The two stared at each other with shocked eyes.
Especially Ryu Seong-hee, who had been rejected by her son, froze in place, barely breathing.
The air grew cold, and an awkward silence followed.
“I’m sorry for startling you. …I was clumsy.”
Ki Jae-eon hesitantly offered an apology. He was as polite as a stranger.
“I didn’t expect my mother to hug me…….”
His voice was helpless.
His head was lowered, and his hands were naturally behind his back, as if he was about to be scolded.
In other words, a sign that he was ready to be reprimanded.
“……!”
Ryu Seong-hee finally realized.
What Ki Jae-eon had lost was not just his memories.
He had lost all the bonds he had built up until now!
Parents and children.
Older and younger siblings.
The friends he had made for the first time.
Everything.
The emotions she had barely managed to unravel had returned to their original form.
Ah, she understood now that she had been rejected.
What kind of heart Jae-eon had been living with all along.
How distant they had been.
The interest that had been directed solely at Exorcist Ki Jae-eon, not as a parent but as a Teacher.
With such parents, it was awkward and uncomfortable to be close.
It was natural to draw a line.
“No, Mom…….”
But even so, her selfish heart was tinged with resentment.
Yes, the feeling of becoming strangers again with her son, whom she had grown closer to, was truly the worst.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…….”
“Mother.”
“Let’s talk for a bit. Sit down…….”
“…….”
“Where should I start?”
Ryu Seong-hee gave a bitter smile to her son, who was confused and unable to accept reality.
What should Mom do so that you won’t be hurt? Jae-eon.
“He’s like a completely different person.”
“He was scary.”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen him more rude than Ju-won hyung.”
“Gyeong-hak, shut up.”
Meanwhile, the kids at the main office were still unable to recover from the shock.
They were all sitting side by side with their mouths open, blinking their tiny eyes.
“My angel looked at me like I was a bug…….”
“I gave him water, and he asked if I knew what was in it…….”
“He told me not to call him oppa……. He scolded me for saying the main office has no hierarchy.”
“He just told me I have no talent? He told me to quickly find another job…….”
“He told me not to act friendly…….”
“I feel like I’ve been disqualified as a human being…….”
A series of gloomy murmurs followed.
In short, they had all been thoroughly roasted.
“Haaa~ What is really going on.”
“Amnesia, crazy.”
“Ha, I don’t know. It’s complicated…….”
“At this point, shouldn’t we perform an exorcism for Jae-eon?”
“But what about Seo-myeong? He was the closest to him, after all.”
“Seo-myeong did follow him well.”
“Hey, Ahn Seo-myeong-! Huh? Where is he?”
“Huh! Where’s Ju-won oppa too.”
Jo Eun-ha stretched her neck out and looked around. In fact, only Kim Ju-won and Ahn Seo-myeong were missing from the living room.
“Still, Seo-myeong is usually calm…… so wouldn’t he be okay?”
“I told you to wait!”
Who said this kid was calm!
“Hey, Ahn Seo-myeong! Hey!”
Kim Ju-won was chasing after Ahn Seo-myeong, who was moving forward at a terrifying speed without a single reply. He grabbed his arm several times, but he couldn’t stop him because he shook him off with great force.
“Just wait a bit!”
Before he knew it, they had arrived at the basement of the main office.
It was originally a space used as a detention room, but now that its meaning had faded, it was simply left as a warehouse. But as if it had regained its original purpose after a long time, a man with his eyes covered and his limbs bound was sitting inside. Talismans were attached to various parts of his body.
That’s right. It was Shin Yoon, the owner of the Sea God.
Creak-!
“Hey, it’s dangerous……! Haa, never mind.”
Do you ever listen to me? While Kim Ju-won sighed and rubbed his forehead, Ahn Seo-myeong opened the door without hesitation. The damp smell unique to the basement stung his nose. Ahn Seo-myeong stared silently at the bound Shin Yoon with an indifferent expression that was difficult to read.
“Hey.”
“…….”
“Don’t ignore me.”
Ahn Seo-myeong slowly bent his legs. Then, Kim Ju-won, who was standing behind him, called out to him.
“Ahn Seo-myeong.”
“Why do you keep calling me? There’s someone else I want to talk to.”
“…….”
“Why. Are you afraid I’ll stab this bastard to death?”
“Hey, you.”
“That’s why I came empty-handed.”
“You know you’re not allowed to come in without the Teachers’ permission.”
“Really? I didn’t know.”
He said ‘Really? I didn’t know’ without changing his expression.
Kim Ju-won frowned in annoyance.
“……I’m going crazy, really.”
Kim Ju-won looked back and forth between the two and then quietly turned his head. In fact, he was also holding back a lot. If Ahn Seo-myeong hadn’t been the one to lash out, he would have been the one grabbing Shin Yoon by the collar inside.
“Okay, I got it. Just do whatever you’re going to do quickly and come out. It’ll get complicated if the Teachers come.”
Kim Ju-won crossed his arms and guarded the front door.
“What did you do?”
Ahn Seo-myeong immediately got to the point.
“Tell me. Before I tear your mouth apart.”
“……Haha.”
“You’re laughing.”
In an instant, thud-! The sound of something being hit hard echoed through the space. However, neither Kim Ju-won, who was watching, nor Ahn Seo-myeong, who had punched him, showed any change in expression.
Kim Ju-won remained motionless, pretending not to know and only staring at the outside entrance. That was a sign that he would pretend not to see and condone Ahn Seo-myeong’s violence.
Knowing that it’s a cowardly act, he’s willingly becoming an accomplice to the one-sided assault on the bound man.
“Ptooey!”
Shin Yoon spat out blood-tinged saliva onto the floor, muttering, “Your hands are awfully spicy.”
“You know what?”
“……”
“If you don’t kill me here, I swear I’ll catch Ki Jae-eon and kill him.”
If something comes, something must go; that’s only right. His torn lips twisted into a crooked, mocking smile. Even knowing his own predicament, he was provoking the other party.
“Sounds like a joke, right?”
But he picked the wrong opponent.
Usually, someone who quietly harbors anger is several times scarier than someone who shouts at the top of their lungs. Ahn Seo-myeong was a prime example.
“No, it sounds like you mean it.”
Ahn Seo-myeong shrugged once, then added,
“But I think you need to worry about yourself first.”
Without hesitation, his hand shot out and ruthlessly grabbed Shin Yoon’s hair.
“Hey, let’s bet on who gets tired first.”
Ahn Seo-myeong raised his other hand high. It was clear that every joint in his hand was tense with power.
“This guy’s a total psycho.”
“Just so you know, this is just me venting.”
“……Wow, you’re gonna go crazy.”
“Yeah. So just take it.”
Ahn Seo-myeong smiled brightly for the first time.
If something comes, something must go, huh?
“You took something precious from me.”