The Hole
“Sleeping, right?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe my eyes were open, maybe closed….”
“Mm. No, I think he’s sleeping.”
A boy crossed his arms and spoke, adding his own reasoning.
“So even if we talk right in front of him, he won’t move!”
“Really?”
“Totally!”
“Umm…”
But the girl beside him didn’t believe it. She was too suspicious and kept imagining the opposite.
Plus, the man’s slight smile at the corner of his mouth felt playful.
“Exactly, he doesn’t look asleep…”
“Then what about asking the teacher? The teacher might know!”
“Should we?”
At the other boy’s suggestion, the children looked at each other. They shook their heads up and down, then glanced back at the babysitter who had been watching from a short distance.
“Teacher!”
“What do you think, teacher?”
“You think he’s sleeping, right?”
“Umm…”
The babysitter looked at Choi Yeon in response to the children’s questions.
She wanted to answer right away with the bright eyes of the children, but she wasn’t actually sure either.
She had never seen Choi Yeon’s squinty eyes before, so she couldn’t tell if they were open or closed.
She had only heard the information from her morning shift, so she had guessed he was asleep.
The fact that the children had gathered and were chatting while he sat quietly was another reason. If he had been awake, he probably would have told the children off for staring.
“Teacher is…”
She was about to finish her judgment and answer.
The door to the living quarters creaked open lazily, and Kim In-beom walked in carrying a bag of bread and warm coffee.
“…Huh?”
He looked at Choi Yeon surrounded by the children like an actor on stage and was startled.
Curiosity mixed with his confusion.
The babysitter explained briefly as she walked over to him.
“I’m wondering if Mr. Hunter Choi Yeon is awake or sleeping.”
“Ah. That’s it.”
“What do you think, In-beom?”
“Me? I think he’s awake.”
“Oh my.”
The babysitter stared at Kim In-beom. She wanted to know his reasoning for thinking differently from her.
Could he really tell if those squinty eyes were open or closed?
Kim In-beom read her thoughts and shook his head vigorously.
“No, I can’t tell either.”
“Really? Then why did you think that?”
“Because of the smile. There’s a smile on his lips.”
“Smile? Mr. Hunter’s face is smiling?”
“No. Originally, Senior Yeon’s expression is dirty—no, wait. What… face? Yeah, expressionless.”
“…?”
Expressionless?
The babysitter looked at Choi Yeon.
He sat with his face slightly smiling, as if enjoying a pleasant dream, looking relaxed.
That smiling face had once seemed so expressionless it felt dirty? It didn’t make sense….
While she muttered to herself in suspicion, Kim In-beom walked over to Choi Yeon.
The children surrounding him had disappeared. They had suddenly lost interest and, without even listening to the babysitter’s reply, ran off to play elsewhere.
“Senior Yeon.”
“You’re here?”
Indeed, Choi Yeon greeted Kim In-beom with a gentle voice. His completely unfrozen tone showed he had stayed awake the whole time.
He nodded at the babysitter with the smiling face. He had clearly heard every word of the conversation.
The babysitter smiled awkwardly and said her goodbyes before leaving. Even a fox-like human acted like a fox….
“Here’s your morning snack.”
“I’ll eat it well. By the way, In-beom, you figured it out immediately?”
“I couldn’t not figure it out. I’ve seen Senior Yeon’s face from when he skipped class back in high school so many times.”
“His dirty face.”
“…….”
The corners of his lips, which had been smiling quietly, trembled slightly.
Ah, I changed the word halfway through, but you heard it. I was going to say ‘much dirtier’ instead of ‘dirty.’
I thought of the late joke but didn’t have the courage to say it. It didn’t seem that good anyway, so I swallowed it.
Watching Kim In-beom swallow a gulp, Choi Yeon let out a light laugh. He picked up the bag and coffee he had been given and stood up.
“How about talking in the backyard garden gazebo?”
“In the gazebo?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
Kim In-beom’s face stiffened as Choi Yeon left the living quarters behind him.
His strange misunderstanding was hilarious.
Was he seriously going to give orders in a place where the children were watching?
He had never done anything like that when he was a student either, so he couldn’t understand why the misunderstanding had happened this time.
“…….”
“…….”
Behind the living quarters stretched a quiet garden.
Azaleas and pampas grass mixed softly, and in the center a pond breathed calmly.
Near the pond where water scales sparkled on the surface stood a small gazebo. Tiny lotus patterns adorned the ceiling, and the pillars bore inscriptions from the Bible.
Under the long sunlight of the gazebo, Choi Yeon and Kim In-beom entered. Two children who had been looking at the pond spotted them and burst into laughter. Apparently Choi Yeon’s squinty eyes had been fascinating.
Clank.
The moment the two sat down in the gazebo, a stone tower beneath the pillar made a sound.
A cool breeze blew from somewhere.
“Cha Jae-hyeok sent In-beom on purpose because he wanted to hear about yesterday’s incident, right?”
“…Did it show?”
“I didn’t say it showed, but…”
While continuing his words, Choi Yeon reached into the bag and took out one sandwich.
Seeing this, Kim In-beom visibly relaxed.
It was a misunderstanding, he thought.
“I told you before—Nubyeok doesn’t move for just errands.”
“…Even if they’re not like two people.”
Thunk.
Choi Yeon didn’t even listen to Kim In-beom’s words.
“Even if you come yourself, he always makes someone else do it.”
“Ah, I had no choice because the leader is busy.”
“What do you mean? What is that?”
“There’s another reason I can’t say, yo… Yeah…”
“…….”
“Really.”
Crunch—Choi Yeon took a big bite of the sandwich. Actually, he already knew the truth.
He didn’t know the exact reason, but Cha Jae-hyeok had stopped trying to leave the area he had claimed from some point onward.
The number of times he had come out was countable.
From what he knew, he only came out on important occasions, like when his girlfriend Park Jeong-a was going far away or when they were saving the children. Even during the Bihak Mountain incident, he hadn’t been stopped by Kim In-beom.
In addition, Nubyeok had shown their intention to expand their territory several times, but Chief Kim Jaesang had personally refused each time. He had accepted it calmly, saying he understood.
Why he had asked…
Choi Yeon quickly finished the remaining sandwich.
He was genuinely curious, but if he asked, it would only make him say to enter Nubyeok.
“About what I’ll tell you.”
“Oh. Is it okay?”
“Everyone will find out anyway.”
“It seems the result is good.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
Choi Yeon chose the next loaf.
At the same time as a mark appeared on the sand dune baked in sunlight, a rich flavor filled his mouth. A subtle sweetness followed gently.
His stomach was full.
“We captured three out of five Jeokryeohui executives and caught dozens of members.”
“Amazing! That’s basically the end of them, right?”
“Not quite. Only the lord and the executives and their underlings who are under thirty.”
“Oh…”
He didn’t add that they had wanted it themselves as he watched Kim In-beom sigh in admiration.
The police station didn’t want this information to be known, and Choi Yeon didn’t either.
It would only increase anxiety if it was spread.
Kim In-beom thought the same, so he wouldn’t tell Cha Jae-hyeok.
It would have been better not to say it from the beginning.
“Today, Chief will give a briefing directly. He’ll end by saying he’ll chase and uproot them to the last root.”
“Oh-oh, even the Jeokryeohui that survived the Amhyanghoe is collapsing like this.”
“…….”
“Hm? By the way, one of the five executives was caught by the senior?”
“…Thanks to the barrier.”
There was also the fact that it had been a fluke, but Choi Yeon decided not to say it.
The respectful gaze made it awkward to reveal the truth.
“What about the other two?”
“Yes. Mr. Minseok’s party took Moon Ki-seop, and Hyesok hyung…”
＊＊＊
Maebangsan spewed thick smoke as if it were a volcano.
Below, the charred skeletons of buildings tangled with black ash, and the trees that had once been dense were all bent.
Among the leaves drifting in the air wrapped in flames, Choi Heeseok watched Yoo Seo-jin.
Between them, five Jeokryeohui executives and ten subordinates stood like obstacles.
“You’re seeing me again, Yoo Seo-jin.”
“…Yes. I didn’t want to see you.”
“I didn’t either.”
“Then, shall we each go our own way…?”
“Everyone here knows it’s impossible.”
Step—Choi Heeseok took a step forward.
The Jeokryeohui stepped back to create that distance. But Yoo Seo-jin standing at the back remained still.
“Yoo Seo-jin. Where is the lord?”
“…I don’t know. He’s very busy with work. He occasionally pops in and gives orders before leaving.”
“…I see. So today, it won’t all be over.”
Then he took another step.
This time, instead of retreating, the Jeokryeohui raised their mana.
Yoo Seo-jin behind them remained the same.
“Why children, of all people?”
“Ah. I already told Mr. Choi Yeon. Go back and listen.”
“Then, the cure?”
“We really match each other’s hearts? Go back and listen to that too.”
“…I won’t.”
“Any more questions? Tell me quickly. I’m busy.”
“Don’t worry, it’s the last question.”
“Good. Ask.”
“Do you all want to live?”
Gurgle.
Choi Heeseok’s pupils flowed and headed toward the Jeokryeohui.
Mana erupted from his body like the explosion that destroyed Maebangsan. It was about to swallow all the mana the Jeokryeohui had raised.
“This is a B-class hunter…!”
The executive at the front was shocked. When his emotions spread around, Choi Heeseok leaped.
It was a wave.
A raging sea that turned the Jeokryeohui’s barrier into a mere sandcastle.
“Mr. Choi Heeseok Hunter…!”
As the Jeokryeohui was swept away, a murky fog shot up from under Yoo Seo-jin’s feet.
It was the reason he had been standing quietly in place. As he had said at Jangtaesan’s hideout, he had always prepared it.
“Then, goodbye…!”
Through a hole.
＊＊＊
“…So, the executive caught by Hyesok hyung is Nam Taegun.”
“Ah.”
Kim In-beom nodded.
Then he stared strangely at the silent Choi Yeon.
To talk about Choi Heeseok’s achievement with such a calm attitude, it was strange.
Was he that indifferent?
“Senior?”
“…In-beom.”
“Yes. I’m listening.”
“Actually, I wished that guy had a hole in his pocket, you know?”
“What?”
“But there really was one, right? This… isn’t because of me, is it?”
“Ah, um…”
Kim In-beom’s mouth froze for a moment.
He had thought it was pure coincidence in his head. But while living this life, he had felt it so painfully that he had always been careful with his words.
If he hadn’t wished for a hole in the pocket, maybe it just wouldn’t have been there?
It had been nothing but nonsense, but people were often fools.
For that reason, Kim In-beom could only say it sadly.
“Be careful…”
“Exactly, right? Huh…”
Choi Yeon exhaled a sigh instead of scolding the children. Then he finished the remaining soboro bread.
As expected, his throat was clogged.
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