Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Always the Same Christmas
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If I had to express how I felt right now—
"Ah, this egg bread is so sweet!"
That was it exactly.
Not that egg bread is actually sweet, of course.
But watching the Omega Devils collapse so miserably was putting me in a foul mood.
And to top it off, the guys who'd bet on the opposing team were taunting us from the stands across the way, doubling my discomfort.
"Puhahaha!"
"They picked that spot 'cause they don't know shit about baseball."
"This is skill, this is!"
Did I really have to simulate the scenario where our catcher suddenly got arrested for drug charges?
"This game's a total shitshow."
I grumbled about how it wasn't just unfair—it was outright unreasonable—but Ryu Seram stayed quiet, just staring at the field.
Anyone who saw her would think she was reading the flow of the game.
Even in this situation, she wasn't giving up.
If anything, she looked too accustomed to it.
The air of a battle-hardened veteran.
'Ah, yeah, she is used to it.'
She cheers for the league-bottom Daeheung Bear Force every single day, after all.
Watching Ryu Seram stay calmly focused made me feel oddly reassured, like my own tension was easing up.
"J-Juseon."
"Yeah?"
"Th-that."
Kim Yang, munching on popcorn, nodded toward something.
I turned to look, and there was Ryu Seram's leg shaking like a vibration motor.
"……."
"……."
Yeah, if she'd reached enlightenment, she would've quit being a baseball fan by now.
"Hey, Seram. Can we actually win this?"
"You never know till the bottom of the ninth. That's baseball."
She said it convincingly enough, but I wasn't really expecting—
Crack!
"She hit it! She hit it!"
Ryu Seram shot up like a spring.
The ball soared straight out.
It sailed right over the outfield wall of the team that had been mocking us, fireworks exploding in celebration.
[HOME RUN!]
It was a home run by the Omega Devils' cleanup hitter.
"R-Reverse! It's reversed! We reversed it!"
"Waaaaaah!"
Cheers and screams mingled together.
A thrilling shiver ran through me, while on the other side, people wailed, smashing chairs and ripping railings apart, naturally escalating into fights.
Like the two sides of a coin, joy and sorrow flipped in an instant.
I felt like I'd truly seen the real face hidden behind the glamour, and my lips slowly curved downward.
"J-Juseon."
Kim Yang tugged at my sleeve.
Not just me—she'd seen more than met the eye, too.
"D-Did we... m-mess up?"
"No, it's not our fault. But you know how people instinctively blame others for life's unfairness, right?"
It's common among our clients, too.
Signing up with a marriage agency means taking a hard look at your life.
The sad part is, we only judge the results.
Even if someone studied till they coughed blood for over five years on the civil service exam and still failed—
We brand them unemployed.
It's a tragic story, but since the world is tragic, judging from the world's perspective makes it 'right.'
Anyway, back on track.
They'd been cruising along fine in the game until that sudden home run flipped everything, driving them out of their minds.
"You fucking cheaters!"
"Investigate them! Overturn it! That's invalid!"
"I bet my mom's hospital bills! You even human?!"
As the game ended, shouts flew back and forth.
Even as casino guards approached with non-lethal pistols drawn, the yelling continued.
Bang! Bang bang! Baaang!
With those indifferent, cleanup-like noises, the casino returned to normal.
"……Shall we go?"
"Y-Yeah."
We'd won money anyway, so we tried to leave, but Ryu Seram stood rooted to the spot.
"Hey, Ryu Seram. What're you doing? Let's go."
"No."
"Huh?"
"Baseball's a sport where you can win."
"……."
What kind of team is the Daeheung Bear Force to ruin a girl like that?
We'd only played one game, but I'd lost all affection for the casino and couldn't continue.
They weren't people deserving pity, but seeing desperate folks was as off-putting as a corpse, even if it was their own fault for stepping into gambling.
So we headed to the wine bar attached to the casino.
The vibe was similar here, too.
Under dim blue lighting, some bragged about their winnings while downing expensive whiskey nonstop.
Extreme contrasts.
We settled at the counter, right in that ambiguous boundary between them.
"Hey, my treat."
Ryu Seram made the bold offer—not just for picking the winner, but nailing the cleanup hitter's home run for double the payout.
"Kim Yang, order something pricey. You handle your liquor okay?"
"N-No, I can't."
"Figured. Get something sweet then."
"Y-Yeah."
"Where else does the boss not force drinks and even accommodate like this?"
"Ch-Christmas. W-Work."
"……."
"Y-You jerk."
Pretending not to hear, I ordered drinks casually, then noticed the LED screen behind the bartender.
It was packed with text—I thought it was a menu at first, but no.
…….
Each one a massive event.
Even stuff that sounded like urban legends was up for betting.
"Interested?"
The bartender, noticing my gaze while serving drinks, smiled.
"People bet on that? Isn't it prophecy-level?"
"Exactly. We added it for casino atmosphere, but not many bet seriously."
Putting death wagers so casually—Cyber City style, I guess.
I shook my head, not interested, and the bartender promptly moved on to mix other drinks.
Three glasses set before us.
"Cheers."
I smiled to lighten the mood, and the other two clinked their glasses against mine from either side.
'Nice atmosphere.'
One glass, two glasses.
As the glasses emptied, Ryu Seram's eyelids drooped.
Her head soon nodded forward repeatedly.
Kim Juseon let out a hollow chuckle at the sight.
"Hey, Ryu Seram. She's already wasted. She always passes out like this once booze hits."
"I'm not drunk—!"
She slurred it with her face flushed red, but it wasn't convincing.
"Hey, Juseon—."
A lazy smile on her lips.
Propping her chin, Ryu Seram asked Juseon.
"Work with me, huh? Yeah? I'll pay you fat stacks."
"Here she goes again. No thanks. Besides, I can't even get a hunter license, so your company's out."
"Silly— Just quit and we open our own office or something."
"Go independent?"
For the first time, Kim Juseon showed interest in Ryu Seram's words. That way, no license needed to work together.
Impossible as a hunter, but office work or combat support?
"J-Juseon? Y-You're ditching me?"
Then Kim Yang, lips pouting, cut in from the side. She'd had a low-proof drink, but seemed a bit tipsy too.
She grumbled jealously, and Ryu Seram burst out laughing.
"Puhahat! Hey, you got an employee—gonna fold that easy? Why would I quit? Look at the salary here."
"Ah, Ryu Seram, seriously. Stop lying. Things haven't changed from back then."
"Heh... Whatever. Go console your employee."
Watching Kim Juseon soothe pouty Kim Yang, Ryu Seram tilted her glass for a sip.
Old memories bubbled up.
'Ah, this happened before.'
It was like this back then, too.
Around hunter academy graduation.
Everyone was talking about which company they'd join post-grad.
'Join a big corp together? We're good enough.'
'Think so? Probably.'
'Yeah. Hey, their pay's insane.'
Right.
It was Christmas then, too.
'……Join a company?'
Yoo Ye-na's question from across was half-grumble.
She had to follow her dad to the association, so a big corp meant splitting up.
'Ahem, well, not set in stone.'
'Puhah! Right! Juseon's going to the association with Ye-na! Love over money. Cool, Kim Juseon!'
'Ah, damn. You set me up.'
We drank like this while he soothed pouty Yoo Ye-na.
"Heh... Memories."
When was it?
The last time you didn't turn your back on me.
Further back, to hazy days.
Christmas, but broke aspiring hunters sharing a single 500ml beer in a gositel.
Back then, it felt like you were looking at me.
Whatever. It's past.
Unlike baseball.
Definitely not like clinging to a perennial loser team.
Human bonds don't get ninth-inning miracle homers.
"Ah, sleepy."
I yawned and leaned lightly on his shoulder. I felt his gaze but just closed my eyes.
"Told you to drink in moderation. Weakling at booze—"
"Sorry......"
A soft apology.
The truth is, holding my liquor...
Is a secret I've kept from Kim Juseon.
I'm a liar, so this much is just our little joke, right?
For their good vibe, the side character sleeping is the smart play.
I've done it once before.
I'll do better this time.
"J-Juseon. A-Annoying."
"No, Kim Yang. I wasn't ditching you. Meracle's my company."
"M-Me too, job change."
"Huh? Why's my employee acting up again?"
Using their voices as a lullaby, I forced sleep.
I'm not shameless enough to reclaim lost turns.
This Christmas, I'm by your side too.
Not the lead, but in the same scene.
Quietly, still.
Doing nothing.
So Juseon.
Just let me stay here.
"A-Annoying. Juseon. P-Pay back money."
"Good promo'll bring clients quick. We can catch Wedding Company."
"I-Idiot? Th-They're huge."
"......Don't call the boss idiot."
"I-Idiot. Juseon. I-Idiot."
Breathing shallower to not break the fluffy air.
'This winter too, Merry Christmas.'
My Christmases always end the same.
But still, I want to stay in this spot.