By Zephyria The dormitory was in an uproar when the sun rose.
Everyone was excited about Ahn Seo-myeong’s surprise appearance.
The children hugged Ahn Seo-myeong and started jumping around. The dormitory shook greatly at the great cheers. Even the Aunt who helped with the housework was happy and made meat dishes for every meal.
It was truly a festive atmosphere.
Heavenly Land and Sea God.
‘Jeong’ that couldn’t be found in those two places existed in the main office. That’s how a day or two passed, and it was about three days later. Ki Jae-eon, who had tossed and turned all night and barely fallen asleep, noticed the unusually quiet outside.
He carefully opened the door.
Hoo- cold air swept past his skin. At this point, it seemed like the heating had been turned off for quite some time.
Does that mean everyone went out?
Ki Jae-eon carefully stepped on the stairs while looking around. There was no one on the first floor he arrived at.
The dormitory, which was as scary as it was deserted, didn’t even have a sign of life. It was the first time it had been so empty.
‘Isn’t today Saturday?’
He wasn’t sure because his sense of time had become quite blurred. Of course, the job of an Exorcist was to move when a request came in, regardless of weekdays or weekends…… But even so, it was extremely rare for them to disappear in a group like this.
Did they go to purify the village again? That couldn’t be. Ki Jae-eon expressed his doubts and headed to the kitchen. His stomach, which had been empty all day yesterday and today, was rumbling- urging him to give it food.
Ki Jae-eon picked up the black lunch box that was placed alone on the second shelf of the refrigerator, as always. A short note that said [Warm it up when you eat it^^] was attached to the cold container.
It was the Aunt’s consideration for Ki Jae-eon, who ate irregularly.
Dal-geulak- He opened the container, and it was filled to the brim with ribs. A savory and sweet smell wafted out. However, Ki Jae-eon didn’t look too pleased. Rather, he seemed a bit embarrassed.
‘This is too much.’
Ki Jae-eon sweated at the generous amount, enough for at least two people. He already felt full just looking at it. What’s more, the other side dishes were also packed tightly… Um, it was too much.
‘I’ll have to share it until tomorrow.’
Just as he was about to approach the microwave to heat up the lunchbox, thinking there was no other way.
“Are you going to eat that?”
Flustered!
He was startled by the sudden voice. Ki Jae-eon gripped the lunchbox he almost dropped even tighter and slowly turned around. He thought no one was there, but he was wrong. Ahn Seo-myeong was seen tapping his shoulder with a massage stick that grandfathers would use. He bowed his head with his usual indifferent expression.
“Hello.”
He was polite even in the midst of this.
Ki Jae-eon also said, “Ah, h-hello,” in a daze, returning the greeting.
“Are you eating?”
His eyes went straight to the ribs. It was unexpected. He didn’t seem to have any appetite at all. Is it because he’s at his peak?
‘That’s a relief. There was too much anyway.’
“…Huh? Ah, d-do you, w-wan, wa-want to eat some?”
However, Ahn Seo-myeong rejected Ki Jae-eon’s offer outright, as if the ribs weren’t his purpose.
“No.”
Ahn Seo-myeong glanced at the wall clock and continued slowly.
“It’s already 3 o’clock. Wouldn’t it be awkward to eat dinner if you eat now?”
‘It’s okay because I’m not going to eat dinner.’
Instead of answering, Ki Jae-eon fiddled with the innocent lunchbox.
“Um…”
Ahn Seo-myeong rolled his eyes from the wall clock to Ki Jae-eon’s thin stomach.
His gaze was quite intense.
“Your stomach doesn’t look big either.”
Who… who are you talking to?
Ki Jae-eon briefly considered whether he should inform him that he was much bigger and taller. However, when he thought of Ahn Seo-myeong, who would grow up to be much taller in the future, his mouth naturally closed.
“They’re going to have a samgyeopsal party outside later.”
Ahn Seo-myeong threw out a random remark.
Then, uncharacteristically, he rattled off a string of words. To put it simply, they had decided to gather together and grill samgyeopsal from six o’clock in the evening.
“They said it was a surprise… but they announced it in the group chat I’m in, so I found out.”
Ahn Seo-myeong muttered, “Idiots,” in an indifferent tone. However, he didn’t seem to dislike it.
‘Ah, so that’s why the dormitory was so quiet?’
They were planning to throw a formal discharge party for him.
It was good that his small question was resolved, but the problem was what came next.
“Let’s go together.”
It was a difficult invitation.
“Huh?”
“Not cold meat.”
Ahn Seo-myeong gestured with his chin towards the lunchbox Ki Jae-eon was holding.
“Freshly grilled is delicious. I’ll grill it for you.”
I’m good at grilling meat. Ahn Seo-myeong’s black eyes sparkled as he mimed cutting meat. He seemed to have a great pride in grilling meat. I feel sorry for him, he seems like he wants to brag.
“Ah, I…”
Suddenly, something that happened a few days ago came to mind.
The child soaked in the rain, pouring out his resentment. His heart sank heavily at the voice that questioned why he wasn’t working hard enough.
“I…”
Ki Jae-eon hesitated and then stammered his refusal.
“I-I’m okay… I, I don’t r-really li-like samgyeopsal.”
Then, fearing that Ahn Seo-myeong would stop him, he hurriedly turned around with the lunchbox. He was so flustered that he even forgot that he had to heat up the lunchbox. He had just left the kitchen and was halfway up the stairs when he heard a loud voice from afar, “Hyung!”
H-hyung?
Ki Jae-eon turned around in bewilderment and saw Ahn Seo-myeong looking at him with one hand raised. His expression was still indifferent.
“This-!”
When he looked closely, he saw that he was holding something in his hand. It looked like a cheap doll that could be pulled from any gacha machine.
“It’s my talisman. I have bad luck all day without it.”
He had never seen him carry it around. But Ahn Seo-myeong was persistent.
“I haven’t been discharged for long. I’m just worried! I’ll take good care of it, but if you happen to! See it! Please bring it to me!”
Promise! He shouted so loudly in the dormitory where only the two of them were. Ki Jae-eon had no choice but to respond with an uh-huh to the continued coercion.
Well… I don’t think there’s any need to deliver it?
Talismans are usually carried around preciously.
However, at exactly 7 p.m.
The cursed doll was placed right in front of Ki Jae-eon’s door, who was thinking of enjoying an early bath while no one was around.
…No, the cheap doll that Ahn Seo-myeong stubbornly insisted was a ‘talisman’.
“……?”
Why is this here?
“Hey, why Donggwan of all places? You said we’re eating outside.”
Donggwan was an annex that the main office had neglected for a long time and no longer used.
Kim Ju-won frowned as he dusted off the accumulated dust in various places. However, it was difficult to find a new place now, so he suppressed his annoyance by watching his excited younger siblings.
“In case the Teachers find out.”
Lee Gyeong-hak grinned and rummaged through his bag. Soon after, he lifted up a bottle of clear dew.
Is he crazy?
Drinking and dancing are strictly prohibited in the main office, and alcohol is only used for rituals. Of course, on days off, some people would pair up and go out to the city to drink… Kim Ju-won was different. Since becoming an Exorcist, he had resolutely cut off unnecessary pleasures.
“You’re gonna die.”
“Just a tiiiiny bit.”
“I feel like I’m going to die young because of you, Gyeong-hak.”
“Don’t worry. You’re going to live a long life because you have a bad personality.”
“Want me to show you what a bad personality is?”
“Please have mercy.”
Kim Ju-won, who had finished a long argument, shook his head and took out his cell phone, which was vibrating in his back pocket.
-[Donggwan?]
It was Ahn Seo-myeong.
Kim Ju-won sent a curt reply.
The reply came back in 1 minute.
-[Going]
[Don’t get confused between the main gate and the back gate]
-[ㅇ]
[ㅇㅇ]
After giving some rough instructions, he put his phone back in.
Let’s just grill meat.
“Oppa! I think we’re going to run out of ssamjang!”
Kim Ju-won, who had just picked up the tongs, put them down, replying “Okay” to the voice he heard from afar. Of course, if we run out, we have to buy more. He muttered like a sigh and took only his wallet from the coat he had taken off.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Buy me a melon bar when you come back!”
“I want a pigeon cone!”
“Okay.”
He went down to the first floor, stepping on the creaking floorboards. The boisterous noise faded away, and only the sound of the rustling bushes could be heard faintly. He was just about to grab the doorknob and turn it when.
“Ju-won, is that you?”
A voice was heard from outside the front door.
“Teacher?”
It was Kim Yeong.