By Zephyria “…You were planning this from the beginning.”
“Did you think I would take Jae-eon away? Surely not. It would be better for him to stay at the main office and go to the hospital for the time being. Going back to Incheon would only repeat the vicious cycle.”
“I agree, but… the Head of the family…”
“Yes, he won’t be convinced. He won’t admit that there’s a problem with Exorcist Ki Jae-eon himself. No matter what the main office uses as an excuse… now that he’s summoned the Vermilion Bird God, he’ll try to bring him back by any means. And then he’ll push the child around again. Teacher Kim Yeong, I can’t stand to see my son break down any more.”
“But…”
“That’s why I came, isn’t it?”
Ryu Seong-hee smiled.
“Yes?”
“My tongue is above the Gi Clan.”
It was the moment when the slender fingers that had been tapping the table slowly stopped.
“Exorcist Ki Jae-eon will summon a sacred animal one more time at the main office.”
She predicted a groundbreaking future.
“……!!”
However, the reason why Kim Yeong was surprised was not because of her divination. It was because of her fingers, which were slowly twisted as she spoke.
The act of crossing the index and middle fingers like a cross.
[Crossed fingers]
Something whose meaning varied depending on how it was done.
Usually, if you did it in front, it would mean ‘good luck’… but if you made it secretly, it could be interpreted as ‘a lie’. Of course, she openly crossed her fingers.
But if you look at all the contexts up to now…!
[Lie]
Yes, she was currently telling a lie.
Kim Yeong belatedly grasped her intention.
Well, even the Head of the Gi Clan wouldn’t dare to object to her words. Because it was an absolute prophecy. He would try to keep Ki Jae-eon at the main office in order to see the Four Guardian Deities one more time.
In other words, with just one word from her, the main office would be able to avoid unnecessary conflict with Heavenly Land, and even gain sufficient justification.
But as much as that… if the lie was exposed…
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
Kim Yeong asked worriedly.
It was only natural. It was a very shameful thing for a fortune teller to tell a lie.
Moreover, the subject of the divination was Ki Jae-eon and the Four Guardian Deities, who were perfect for attracting attention. When it was revealed that she was wrong in the future, perhaps a shoe would fall… or perhaps a very humiliating situation would unfold for her. In the worst case, the career she had built up could be shaken.
“The lighter the tongue, the more the truth loses its weight. That’s what my teacher and mother, Im Suk-hyun, told me.”
She chuckled as if she knew Kim Yeong’s worries. Her gaze was fixed on the hospital catalog.
“But is that more important than my child?”
Ryu Seong-hee, who had gotten up from her seat, smiled softly. Her gaze was fixed on the hospital catalog.
“If I become lighter as a fortune teller, I will become heavier as a parent.”
“Teacher Ryu…”
“I prefer to hear Jae-eon’s mother.”
Kim Yeong hurriedly bowed his head towards her as she quietly walked towards the door. Thank you for helping me. Ryu Seong-hee covered her mouth and laughed at that kind heart. He was such a stubbornly kind person. What kind of person would take the lead and show courage in something that even the parents didn’t dare to do…? Rather, she should be the one giving the thanks.
“Ah, wait! Don’t just leave, see Jae-eon’s face before you go. Jae-eon will definitely be happy too.”
Before Ryu Seong-hee could say anything, Kim Yeong opened the door and grabbed a child who was passing by.
“I’m sorry. If you’re not busy, can you go and call Exorcist Ki Jae-eon? The Teacher can’t go in person because he has a guest.”
The child replied, sweating profusely.
“Ah, well, he, he went on an errand?”
…….
…What?
Kim Yeong’s eyes turned into beans.
Oh my, Ryu Seong-hee also covered her mouth.
“An errand that I’ve never even asked him to do…?”
It seems that my son is receiving precious treatment that I didn’t expect. Kim Yeong awkwardly pulled up the corners of his mouth at Ryu Seong-hee’s meaningful words.
“Ha… haha.”
No, who on earth would be so bold as to send Exorcist Ki Jae-eon on an errand…!
By the time she was about to leave the main office, the sun was already setting.
“Thank you for your hard work in coming such a long way.”
“Please take good care of our Jae-eon.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
It was after they exchanged their last words of advice and greetings and were about to turn around.
From afar, she heard a loud voice, “You idiot!”
“How many times do I have to explain it? You have to use your ultimate skill here-!”
“Ah, s-sorry… I don’t really know the game…”
She saw two young men walking towards them, bickering with each other, with the sunset, a mix of vermilion and yellow, behind them. Both of them were so tall that they quickly caught her eye.
The one who was energetic and fierce-looking was shouting at the gloomy-faced young man, who was carrying heavy bags in both hands.
Twitch, twitch. The gloomy-faced young man, trembling, was holding his cell phone with awkward movements and walking slowly. His eyes were busily wandering over the screen.
“Skill! Skill!”
“Ah, uh…”
“Ugh… no! Ah! You id… Ah! Are you doing this on purpose?!”
“T-The screen is too s-small…”
“Your hands must be too big!!”
Just listening to the voices, it sounded like he was being bullied, but in fact, the fierce-looking one was carrying all the luggage. Ryu Seong-hee listened carefully.
As the two people got closer, she heard loud sound effects.
Ah. They’re playing a game. …A game.
Ryu Seong-hee, who had been nervous, chuckled.
It was just funny. That they were running errands with a friend, bickering as they walked.
‘Looking at him like that, he’s just one of the ordinary kids.’
It was the happiness that Jae-eon should have enjoyed enough of in the first place. No, it was the freedom that I should have given you.
Another regret was piling up like this.
Ryu Seong-hee quietly moved her feet, taking in her son’s clumsy appearance, which she had never seen before. Since they weren’t the kind of mother and son who affectionately exchanged greetings and touched each other’s cheeks and said they loved each other, she was just trying to pass by…
“M-Mother?”
At her son’s call, her steps instinctively stopped.
When she turned around, she saw her son looking slightly surprised. The eyes that had been doubtful soon became filled with certainty, and his expression changed in an instant. Yes, it was as if he was asking, ‘Why are you here?’
His flustered face made her feel a sudden surge of emotion.
‘A mother coming to see her child…!’
But that was not anger towards Ki Jae-eon, but towards herself.
Why, why didn’t you give him love until he showed such a reaction?
The price of neglect under the guise of trust was more bitter than expected.
The one who spoke first was the child standing next to him.
“Mother? Hello. I’m Kim Ju-won. Uh, yes… Hey, you go say hello.”
With those clumsy but considerate words, the child who introduced himself as Kim Ju-won disappeared inside with Teacher Kim Yeong.
Only the two mothers and sons were left in the alley.
An awkward atmosphere flowed. It was even more so because they were looking at each other.
Ryu Seong-hee looked at her son hesitantly.
After a long period of contemplation, she was about to offer even a small greeting, but her son’s stiff appearance caught her eye.
His eyes were cast down, his lips were tightly closed, and his hands were behind his back.
…Ah, it was the look he had when he was being scolded by that person.
She felt suffocated. No, Mom… her smooth lips moved several times.
The relaxed appearance she had in front of Teacher Kim Yeong was long gone. She looked painfully at her son, who had stiffened his shoulders.
It was then.
“I’m… sorry.”
She heard a sudden apology.
Her heart sank at that dejected appearance.
I’m sorry? What did you do wrong?
Her thoughts stopped there. The face veil that had been covering her face flew away, and hurried footsteps echoed in the alley where only silence had fallen.
When she came to her senses, she was already holding her son tightly in her arms.
Thump.
Thump, thump.
The sound of her son’s startled heartbeat was transmitted beyond her skin. Ryu Seong-hee hugged Ki Jae-eon even tighter as if to protect him. He was already too big in size and height, but still, you are still my…
“Are you… eating well?”
“M-Mother…?”
“Is your bed comfortable? Aren’t the clothes you brought cold? Are you short on money?”
Pat, pat. Her voice, asking as she gently patted his back as if singing a lullaby to a young child, seemed strangely wet.
“Jae-eon.”
Ryu Seong-hee hugged the warm body even more and thought.
…Yes, this warmth.
What I have to protect is not the Gi Clan, Heavenly Land, or the future of the Exorcists, but this. It was this warmth.
“It’s not your fault.”
I’m sorry for understanding too late.
“You can rest for a while if it’s hard.”
Don’t worry now, Jae-eon.
Mom will protect you.
Mom is very strong.