Chapter 132: Growing More Mature
Chapter 132: Growing More Mature
It was about Yoojung. Since I had already been expecting it, I nodded with a calm expression. My nod was a signal for him to go on, but Ahn Hyun kept hesitating, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly. I waited patiently for him to speak.
After a moment, Ahn Hyun swallowed hard and finally spoke.
“Hyung. I don’t mean to tattle, but Yoojung’s behavior lately… I think it’s getting a little extreme.”
“Didn’t you say before to just leave her be?”
When I replied with a slight smile, Ahn Hyun scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
“Well, yes… but to be honest, I only said that because I wanted to agree with Ko Yeonju-nim. Of course, I still don’t think what Yoojung did back then was right. But watching her for the past day or two, her actions seem to be crossing a line… The atmosphere has gotten really strange, too.”
Ko Yeonju-nim, huh? Has she already tamed him? I clicked my tongue inwardly and asked, “What actions are extreme and crossing the line? Tell me in more detail.”
Seeing that I was willing to listen, Ahn Hyun seemed to have made up his mind. With a resolute look in his eyes, he began to vent the frustrations he had been holding back.
“As you know, Hyung, she barely talks to anyone else in the group these days. It got so bad that Sol tried to force a conversation with her yesterday, but did you see how she completely ignored her and just went upstairs? That’s not all. Yesterday and today, she hasn’t even come down to the first floor. Ah, of course, she might have come down when I wasn’t around, but I don’t think I’ve seen her training at all recently.”
“Hmm.”
As I hummed in thought, Ahn Hyun glanced at me before continuing in a cautious voice.
“I know I said to just get rid of her before… but we’ve been through a lot together. I thought it might not be a bad idea for you to give her a stern talking-to before things get any worse.”
I let a small smile grace my lips at Ahn Hyun’s words. Time had certainly changed his personality. The sharp edge he’d had during the Rite of Passage had softened considerably. His disposition, now shifted to Amity · Moderation, proved my thoughts. It seemed he, too, felt uneasy about leaving Yoojung as she was. After all, they had bickered so much that they must have developed some kind of attachment, however begrudging.
I nodded once at Ahn Hyun’s request and spoke quietly.
“You’re right… We’ve spent so much time together. It would be absurd to just leave her like this.”
“Right?”
Ahn Hyun’s face lit up as he chimed in at my positive response. I let a knowing smile spread across my face and continued in a cold voice.
“Yes. Throwing her away… hmm. It seems right to give her at least one chance. Now that it’s come up, we might as well do it right away. Ahn Hyun, go tell Yoojung to come to my room.”
A flicker of confusion crossed Ahn Hyun’s eyes. I, too, felt it was a bit much to say it so bluntly, so I had corrected myself, changing “Even if I have to throw her away” to “At least.” That one chance could be seen as a kind of ‘line’ I had drawn.
As long as she didn’t cross that line, I intended to continue leading her. Though her current behavior was wrong, I knew the feelings she had for me and could sympathize with her current state of mind. However, if she continued with this attitude, my stance on her would have to change, no matter how much potential she showed or how much she followed me. Because this was the Hall Plain.
For now, I would proceed according to my own judgment, but if things didn’t work out, I would more strongly consider Ko Yeonju’s opinion. Ahn Hyun seemed to read the strange mood I was giving off and hesitated for a moment, his lips parting, but he eventually answered with a reluctant expression.
“She might be sleeping right now…”
“Then wake her up and bring her here.”
“Ye-yes? Ah… Yes, Hyung. I’ll go get her now.”
I watched him scurry out of the room without even waiting for my reply and took out a cigarette, placing it between my lips. Then, I retrieved the demonic sword Skurepf, which I had been keeping safe. As I looked at its rust-red blade, Skurepf unleashed a surge of chilling killing intent. I immediately gave the flat of the blade a sharp flick.
Tang!
“Where do you think you’re leaking all that killing intent?”
Vmmmmm!
“What’s this?”
Tang! Tang! Tang!
Vmmm…
After three sharp flicks in a row, Skurepf stealthily withdrew its killing intent. Seeing the demonic sword finally resting quietly in my hand, I spoke to it softly.
“Stay still. The child who might become your master could be here soon.”
Vmm. Vmmmm.
“I’m not lying. It’s true. Anyway, that’s all fine, but… you need to behave.”
Vmm?
Seeing it vibrate as if playing innocent, I continued in a growl.
“I said, behave. Being a little aggressive is fine… but the moment you make her go mad for blood, I’ll take you away and shove you in a latrine. Or maybe I’ll place you on a temple’s purification altar. You get me?”
Vmm…! Vooo~m. Vooo~m. Vooo~m.
I pressed down firmly on Skurepf as it squirmed in my hand and waited for Ahn Hyun. Skurepf was resisting in every way it could. The sword seemed to want me to wield it instead, but I had absolutely no intention of using this thing. After emitting a series of mournful vibrations for a while, the demonic sword seemed to give up, its blade(?) drooping lifelessly.
As I passed the time by tapping Skurepf (though it no longer responded), I heard the sound of someone stomping up the stairs. I nudged the sword, which was playing dead, and stubbed out my finished cigarette.
“Hey. Wake up. I think your master is here.”
Vmm!
At that moment, Skurepf responded to my words with a single vibration. It had been pretending not to care, but it seemed happy at the prospect of meeting a new master.
However, the moment I saw the user who opened the door and entered alone, my prediction was splendidly shattered. The one who burst through the door was not Lee Yoojung, but Ahn Hyun. Something bad must have happened, as his face was flushed red and he was huffing and puffing, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
“Hyung!”
Ahn Hyun shouted as soon as he saw me, his voice filled with indignation.
“You… What’s wrong? And where’s Yoojung?”
“Ah…! Don’t even ask. I’m the crazy bastard for worrying, even for a moment, about that crazy bitch. Agh, seriously. That girl, I oughta… Ugh! I’m so pissed.”
“What is it? What on earth happened?”
“Don’t get me started. She said she’s not coming. I knocked and knocked, but there was no answer, so I forced the door open, and her hysterics were no joke. She scratched, hit, and cursed me out. I was practically kicked out. Look at this.”
Ahn Hyun shoved his arm toward me, repeatedly pleading his case. Indeed, long nail marks and the imprint of a palm were clearly visible on the skin of his hand and arm. They were incredibly distinct.
After staring at his arm for a moment with a blank expression, I quietly stood up. Seeing me walk toward the door, Ahn Hyun grabbed my arm, his voice urgent.
“Hy-Hyung. Don’t go now. Lee Yoojung is completely furious. She might do the same to you.”
Lee Yoojung cursing at me and raising a hand to me? I couldn’t help but snort at Ahn Hyun’s words. The Yoojung I knew would never do such a thing. And if, by some chance, something like that did happen…
Before leaving the room, I asked Ahn Hyun in a low voice.
“Is Yoojung on the third floor right now?”
“No. She packed her things and went down to the second floor alone. But Hyung, really…”
“If she doesn’t want to come, it’s better that I go to her. Anyway, you went through a lot. Leave Yoojung’s matter to me now and go get some rest.”
I cut Ahn Hyun off firmly as he kept trying to stop me. He seemed worried by my earlier demeanor, fidgeting anxiously and just moving his lips without a word. But I simply turned and left the room.
“Hyung…”
I heard Ahn Hyun’s unsteady voice from behind me, but I didn’t answer.
*
Just as Ahn Hyun had said, I couldn’t sense Yoojung’s presence on the third floor. So, I went straight down to the second floor, gathered my magic to its fullest, and used wide-range Sensing. A massive flow of mana swept through the second floor, and I immediately headed for the last room on the left side of the hallway.
I paused for a moment in front of the door where I sensed Yoojung, then knocked lightly a couple of times.
Knock, knock.
I wondered if she wouldn’t answer, but thankfully (?), Yoojung responded immediately.
“Fuck off.”
“……”
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
“Ah… Fucking hell, seriously. Hey. I said fuck off. Are you deaf? You crazy bastard?”
Yoojung probably thought I was Ahn Hyun. It had been a while since I’d heard her rough language, and it felt strangely refreshing. A playful urge came over me, and I decided to knock one more time. This time, with a rhythm.
Knock-knock. Knock-knock-knock. Knock-knock-knock-knock. Knock-knock.
After the rhythmic knocking, an even more irritated voice came from inside.
“Just fuck off, you goddamn son of a bitch! Stop spouting bullshit here and go tell that woman to give you a handjob with a spear. Ah, seriously… Some fucking psycho is bothering me.”
I let out a small laugh at her explosive cursing and turned the handle, opening the door. As I stepped inside, I saw Yoojung lying on the bed with the blanket pulled all the way over her head. She couldn’t see me through the blanket, but she seemed to know someone had entered, as the blanket covering her body fluttered once. It looked like she had kicked out hard from underneath.
As I slowly closed the distance to the bed where she lay, a sharp voice, muffled by the blanket, echoed through the room.
“I’m warning you. If you want to get your ass beat like before, touch my body again. The moment you touch a single hair on my head, it’s you and me to the death.”
“……”
“I told you not to come. If you’re just going to spout more bullshit, then get out.”
Bullshit, huh? I wondered what on earth Ahn Hyun had said to her for her to call it bullshit. I guessed he must have spoken quite harshly when he went to get her. A strong curiosity about their exchange arose in me, but since it was a mystery that would unravel in time, I continued to approach her side.
Once I was right next to the bed, I reached out to where I presumed her head was. My hand plunged under the blanket without a hint of hesitation.
“……!”
Soon, the soft texture of her hair met my palm. The moment my hand touched her, I felt her body flinch violently. I continued to gently stroke Yoojung’s hair. Once, twice, three times, four, five…
“Ugh……”
After I had stroked her head more than ten times, I felt the trembling in her body gradually subside. By now, she must have realized that the person who had entered was not Ahn Hyun. No, it seemed she had realized it was me. Honestly, I found it a little amazing. To think she could recognize me just from the touch of a hand stroking her hair.
“…O…ppa…?”
An awkward silence hung in the air for a while, but it was Yoojung who finally broke it. As a sign of affirmation, I gave her head a gentle squeeze before pulling my hand away.
When I gently tried to lift the blanket hiding her, a faint resistance kept it from moving. It seemed Yoojung was holding it tightly from inside. With a soft smile, I spoke in a gentle voice.
“Yoojung-ah. Lift the blanket. Let me see your face for a moment.”
In response, Yoojung shook her head. The lump on the blanket where her head was moved from side to side. When I tried to lift the blanket again, she pressed down on it once more. I wasn’t using much force, and neither was she. I could have forced it open if I used a little more strength, but I didn’t want to.
About a minute into our meaningless tug-of-war, I saw the entire blanket begin to quiver faintly again. At the same time, the force with which Yoojung was holding it down vanished. I sighed inwardly and, with the resistance gone, whisked the blanket away.
And there, I saw Yoojung, her face buried in the bed, her shoulders trembling intermittently. She was crying, muffling her sobs.
“Yoojung-ah. Talk to Oppa for a moment.”
I spoke in a gentle voice and tried to softly turn her head, but I felt a weak resistance. She tried her best not to lift her face, but my persistent hand eventually made her reveal it slightly.
When her face was finally visible, Yoojung’s eyes were squeezed shut, and she was biting her lip hard. Seeing the clear streams of tears flowing from between her closed eyelids, I sat down lightly on the edge of the bed.
“Aaaahng…”
The moment her head was fully turned, Yoojung burst into the sobs she had been holding back. Watching her shed tears as if her heart was breaking, I spoke in a calm voice.