2.1 The First Leap (2)

Of course, it was true that he had helped more diligently because Lee Hee-jung said he had to go to his parents, but even if that weren't the case—even if he had simply said he wanted to leave—he would have helped.

He had helped other friends living on the second floor in the past. If they told Park Gil-pyeong they wanted to leave, they were either put up for the next auction unless they were a Gemstone of a particularly coveted grade, or they became free after paying a certain price. However, those who found neither option satisfying chose to run away.

In those times, Seoul did what he could. He would distract Park Gil-pyeong or arrange a way out. There were too many empty houses in the neighborhood, and for Seoul, who ran through those alleys every day, the hiding spots were etched into his mind. There had already been three or four instances where he pretended to search under Park Gil-pyeong's orders while hiding them, eventually slipping them out among the departing guests.