Nubyeok (1)
Creak.
Choi Yeon stood up from his chair.
He tried to rise quietly, hoping not to draw attention, but it was no use. The office was barely the size of a studio apartment, and far too still — even the smallest sound shattered the silence.
Beyond the blue partition, four eyes turned toward him.
The pair on the left dropped away. It looked as though they'd lost interest in Choi Yeon, but that wasn't the case at all.
A sharp voice carried over from that side.
"Where d'you think you're goin'?"
"It's Friday, Chief."
"…So you're tellin' me you're gonna clock out half an hour early under the pretense of patrol? Have you lost your mind?"
The eyes lifted again. Along with them came a surge of raw emotion, crumpling that broad forehead into helpless furrows.
Flick, flick.
Facing Kim Jaesang's glaring eyes, Choi Yeon patted the air with his palms — up and down, as if trying to smooth those wrinkled brows back out.
He pretended not to notice that every gesture only carved the creases deeper.
"Come on, clock out? I was just heading out on field duty."
"Field duty?"
"Yes."
"And where exactly d'you think you're goin' without anyone tellin' you to?"
"Jungangno Station."
"Jungangno… Nubyeok?"
Chief Kim Jaesang's head snapped down. Only after checking the date on the smartphone in his hand did he realize that next week would mark the end of the month.
A flustered voice spilled from his mouth.
"What, a whole month's already gone by?"
"Time flies, doesn't it?"
"It sure does. Well… this month was packed with work, that's for sure."
Muttering to himself, Kim Jaesang sank into thought.
Incidents that usually cropped up once a month at most had been exploding at a rate of about one a week. And the Yongdu-dong case Choi Yeon had handled last weekend was still ongoing — the young man who'd acquired the Ignition skill still hadn't recognized it five days later.
They'd given him time, figuring he'd been too shocked to process it, but Kim Jaesang was starting to think it was time to haul the kid down to City Hall for an evaluation. They couldn't drag out something this minor forever, could they?
"Chief."
"…Huh?"
"I'll be going, then? To pick up the report."
"Ah — yeah. Yeah, go ahead."
Kim Jaesang readily approved Choi Yeon's field outing. It was time for the Nubyeok run anyway; there was no reason to stop him. If Choi Yeon hadn't volunteered, Kim Jaesang would have ordered him out the moment he checked the calendar.
Except…
"Choi Yeon."
Kim Jaesang called him back as he tore open a health juice pouch.
Choi Yeon turned with a bright, sunny smile.
"Yes?"
"Why'd you say you were headin' out on field duty?"
"…Excuse me? What else would I say?"
"You say you're goin' out and comin' back. To the Dongdae."
"……"
Choi Yeon's lips twisted. The smile vanished before he could stop it.
How had he figured it out? Choi Yeon had fully intended to leave — and then go home. Not back to the Dongdae.
"……"
"Choi Yeon?"
Choi Yeon decided speed was the answer. This was not a man you could talk around.
"I'll bring the report Monday!"
He opened the door, stepped out, and shut it again. Three motions so fluid they might as well have been one — not a single hitch between them.
Anyone else watching would have gasped in admiration without meaning to. But Kim Jaesang had seen this routine more times than he could count.
"Don't you dare, you little bastard! You come back here! Choi Yeon! Hey, you punk!"
Naturally, no answer came from Choi Yeon.
"Haha!"
Only Choi Heeseok's laughter drifted over from where he'd been watching in silence.
Kim Jaesang rounded on him with a murderous glare.
Choi Yeon's scooter stopped at the intersection in front of Jung-gu Office.
Any farther in, and he'd be inside the territory of Nubyeok — the vigilante group whose self-policing Seonhwa Dongdae had officially recognized. Recognition of their patrols was one thing, though; the Dongdae had never handed over administrative authority. Choi Yeon could have ridden straight through without a problem.
Wasn't that why he'd come today in the first place — to collect various reports from Nubyeok?
The reason he didn't go in was simpler: his head was stuffed full of shortcuts. Grab what he needed, get home fast. That was the whole scheme.
Choi Yeon climbed off the scooter and started into the intersection — and that was when nearby Nubyeok members spotted him and came over first.
"The leader called it."
The young man at the front of the group spoke up. His hair was neatly styled, and though his eyes had a slightly sharp cast, the smile at the corners of his mouth kept him from looking cold.
"He said you'd probably show up around today, sunbae."
"Kim In-beom? What are you doing out here?"
"Huh? Am I not supposed to be here?"
"It's not that you can't be, but it's weird, isn't it? Nubyeok's second-in-command coming out in person just to hand over a report?"
"Second-in-command, nothing… You know perfectly well I'm just the guy who's been around the longest."
"……"
Just the guy who'd been around the longest?
Choi Yeon looked past Kim In-beom at the members behind him. Their eyes held a deep, unmistakable trust directed at the man in front.
So what was that, then?
If he really were nothing more than the old-timer of the group, they wouldn't look at him like that. A half-lidded, lukewarm glance, maybe. Not this.
"…Anyway, you didn't come out just to deliver a report, did you?"
Choi Yeon changed the subject. Whether Kim In-beom was Nubyeok's second-in-command or not was none of his business. All that mattered was getting off work early.
"You're right. I came to see you, Yeon-sunbae."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Choi Yeon's brow furrowed. I came to see you sounded an awful lot like I brought a case with me — which also sounded an awful lot like I'm here to ruin your evening commute.
"Hmm. I must've misheard. What did you just say?"
"I said I came out to see you, sunbae."
"Haa…"
The sigh escaped on its own. He'd asked on the off chance, and gotten the exact same answer back.
So Kim Jaesang wasn't the only enemy of an early clock-out…
"What's this about?"
"The leader wants to see you."
"Why me?"
"I'm sure he'll tell you himself."
"You don't know what it's about either, In-beom-ssi?"
"Oh, I know."
"……"
Meaning the members behind him didn't. And the ones who weren't here probably weren't any better informed.
Sharing information one-on-one with the leader and still claiming he wasn't the second-in-command? Even a stray dog wouldn't buy that.
"I'll come by Monday instead. That's fine, right?"
"Haha."
Kim In-beom gave a short laugh at Choi Yeon's words — the kind of laugh that said, You really think that's happening?
Shuffle.
Kim In-beom took a step closer.
"Jeong-a noona said she'll set some bread aside for you. You know how it is, right? Ever since Modni recommended it on social media, waiting an hour just to buy Byeokondang bread is the bare minimum these days."
"You're trying to bribe me with bread?"
"Of course not. But isn't Hunter Choi Heeseok's absolute favorite the Ondang Honey Chestnut Red Bean Bread? Well — you'd know better than I would."
"…That's a dirty move."
Choi Yeon's lips twisted.
Going home early versus the look on his hyung's face when he received his favorite bread. He didn't even need to weigh them in his head — the scale tipped on its own.
Fine. This worked out better, actually. Going back would also mean dodging Kim Jaesang's nagging as a bonus.
"So I just head to Byeokondang?"
"Yes. There are a lot of people waiting out front, so the back door'll be easier."
"Got it."
Choi Yeon nodded and walked past Kim In-beom. One of the members watched him stroll off at a leisurely, almost park-like pace, then turned to Kim In-beom with a careful question — voice low, just in case it reached Choi Yeon's ears.
"Beom-hyung. Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Why are you being so friendly with him?"
"Huh? What, you want me to act hostile instead?"
"I mean… wouldn't that make more sense…?"
The member tilted his head as he asked. The others did the same.
As far as they knew, Seonhwa Dongdae had tried to dismantle Nubyeok about six years ago — and failed. And the hunter who'd been the Dongdae's blade that day was none other than Choi Yeon.
The Dongdae hunter who'd come to crush them, and the vigilantes who'd stood in his way. Oil and water. Weren't they supposed to feel some mutual hostility?
Kim In-beom gave a faint snort of a laugh.
"We just buttoned the first button wrong, that's all. You undo it and start over — problem solved."
"……"
"Besides, there's nothing to gain from picking a fight with Dongdae hunters."
"Ah."
"We're in a symbiotic relationship with Seonhwa Dongdae. So if friction ever comes up, you yield. Got it?"
"Yes, understood."
The members answered without protest. A new question rose immediately after — why did Kim In-beom, who wasn't even a hunter, call Choi Yeon sunbae? — but none of them could ask it.
Kim In-beom's eyes were fixed on something far away.
Those were the eyes of a man looking at an old memory.
"You Nubyeok?"
A cold voice brushed through his mind. Chained to it came the two eyes that had glared at him with lethal intensity.
Six years already — and still the memory was driven so deep into his brain he couldn't scrub it out.
"…And one more thing. Consider this a warning."
"Yes."
"Don't ever make Choi Yeon open his eyes. Absolutely never."
The members who'd heard the warning looked at each other.
Don't make him open his eyes? Was that a joke? Be careful because the squinty-eyed guy gets stronger when he opens them?
That conversation passed silently between their glances.
But Kim In-beom wasn't joking. The tremor running through his body said as much — though the members didn't catch it, and asked with laughter still in their voices:
"What happens if we do?"
"I said don't."
"Things could go sideways and it might happen anyway. Then what?"
"I have no idea what kind of sideways would lead to that, but if we're talking hypothetically…"
Kim In-beom scratched his head.
What do you do when Choi Yeon opens both eyes right in front of you?
Only one solution came to mind.
"…You run for your life all the way to Byeokondang, where the leader is."
That day, six years ago.
The only person who'd stopped Choi Yeon — as he cut through Kim In-beom and every one of his comrades — had been their leader.
The street, fragrant with the warm scent of fresh bread, bustled with people. Soft conversations drifted between those waiting in line, excitement they couldn't quite hide written across their faces. The ones watching Byeokondang's staff carefully bake through the glass window wore smiles full of anticipation for their approaching turn.
"……"
Choi Yeon slipped quietly past them.
Creak. He opened Byeokondang's back door and stepped inside — and found himself face-to-face with the owner, Park Jeong-a, who happened to be transferring a tray of freshly baked bread.
Recognition lit both their faces at once.
"Hello, ma'am."
"It's been a while, Yeon-ah! You've been well?"
"No. I never am. The chief won't give me any vacation days."
"What? Ahaha! You haven't changed a bit."
"That guy's upstairs, right?"
"Yep! Go on up — I'll bring some bread in a minute."
"Thank you."
After the greeting, Choi Yeon climbed the stairs. Reaching the second floor in no time, his gaze locked onto the young man seated by the window.
The young man had his eyes fixed on a book no bigger than his palm, his posture calm and unhurried. His slightly curled black hair looked as light as leaves, but the faintly upturned eyes and quiet smile added a composed charm that was anything but frivolous. A black shirt embroidered with floral patterns and a white outer layer draped halfway over his shoulders made a harmonious pair; the necklace, bracelets, and other accessories caught the eye without ever tipping into excess.
Tap.
The young man closed his book. He lifted his head with easy grace and offered a greeting.
"It's been a while, Yeon-ah."
The leader of Nubyeok — Cha Jae-hyeok.