The Twins' Counterattack
In the car heading out toward the outskirts of Seoul.
Every window was tinted, so I couldn’t even begin to guess where we were going.
So this was how you got to the former NIS Director’s mansion.
“My heart’s racing. Feels like I’m inside a spy movie.”
“You calling modern movies out for not even doing it like this anymore?”
“No, why would you take it that way? I’ve just never been in a car like this before. It’s cool.”
“I know. I’m kidding.”
Garam, sitting across from me, laughed.
The reason he could sit across from me at all was because this was a limousine. Six of us—me, the Director, Nayeon, Garam, Keira, and Elena—were packed into the back seats, and there was still room to spare.
“How did things get sorted out inside the Eternal Gate?”
“The big corporations carved it up among themselves. Nothing’s come out of it yet, so no major noise.”
If Ttanttani had turned up in the Eternal Gate, all hell would have broken loose, but apparently nothing like that had happened yet.
Or maybe it had, and someone just wasn’t talking.
“Still, it would’ve been nice if we had some stake in it… I’m sorry. It’s because of me.”
I bowed my head to the Director.
GGC had pulled out of the Eternal Gate because of the mess surrounding me.
“It’s fine. We managed to secure the tourism permit, after all. If we use Jungmin as a guide, the reservations will never stop coming.”
“Ah, if it’s that, use me as much as you like.”
Once we left the Eternal Gate, the whole world had gone crazy over the tourism issue.
Only after the demon incident died down did people finally realize it: the Eternal Gate was open to non-Keepers.
Not just Korea—people all over the planet were clamoring to visit. Foreign governments had even started pressuring Korea to develop tourism routes as fast as possible.
In the middle of all that, Suyeon—known as the first ordinary person to enter the Eternal Gate—had become famous overnight. She’d already been a hot topic after the press conference; this time she truly blew up.
Suyeon herself hated the attention and wanted to stay quietly in Shinyongsan, but with that face and that background… was it even possible?
The Director of GGC—granddaughter of the former NIS Director, armed with that charisma and those looks—had somehow never become a celebrity, so maybe it was doable.
But I had a reasonable suspicion that the former Director’s influence was the only reason her information hadn’t spread. Otherwise it made no sense that a woman with the Director’s presence didn’t already have a legion of fangirls.
Just from this latest press conference, a fan club calling itself “Kim Nari’s Self-Appointed Handmaidens” had already formed.
If they ever found out that same Kim Nari made love with me two or three times a week… the fan club would probably try to kill me.
Honestly, even this visit was dangerous.
There was a ninety-percent chance he’d called us here to check whether his precious granddaughter had been bewitched by some weird punk and was now asking for help.
Her parents might even be there.
I could already picture them fretting like characters in a pure-love comic: “Our daughter finally mentioned a boy!”
…Nah. No way.
“By the way, the Director’s parents aren’t going to be there, right?”
“Huh? Mom and Dad are coming too? For real?”
Nayeon brightened and asked the Director, but she shook her head.
“They’re not coming. They’re still in Iceland. Said they’ll stay there this year too.”
“…Tch. Don’t they care at all how their daughters are living?”
“They’re free spirits. And you’re the one who never picks up the phone every day.”
“That’s… whatever.”
The picture of Nayeon sulking and the Director soothing her with practiced ease was genuinely heartwarming.
Except for the part where I was hearing all of this for the first time.
“They’re in Iceland? Why?”
“They love traveling. From around the time we were in high school, they haven’t been in Korea.”
“So… more than ten years?”
“Yes. This year makes eleven, I think.”
Impressive.
And enviable.
Not that I wanted to do it myself—I just wanted the money that let them do it… ah, wait. I had that now too.
Anyway, it was still an incredible thing.
Even if it was just a long vacation, travel was travel. What kind of motivation let someone keep traveling for ten whole years?
“It was their dream since they were young. They met in a travel club, and Father spent his childhood abroad because of Grandfather, so he already had a lot of experience.”
“Living your dream is amazing. It’s not as easy as it sounds.”
“Didn’t you say becoming a Keeper was your dream, Jungmin? You’re amazing too.”
“Me? I just got lucky.”
At least her parents not being there was a relief. I had too many guilty secrets; I wanted to avoid them if at all possible.
Meeting the Director’s grandfather or meeting her parents would be roughly the same level of pressure, but the “former NIS Director” title made me feel like we might actually be able to talk.
“We’re here. Get out.”
At Garam’s words the limousine stopped and the door opened.
“Whoa…”
The admiration slipped out on its own.
It felt like we’d stepped into a Gate.
Like another world.
First came the blue mountains. At the tail end of summer the leaves were still green, radiating life.
In front of us, clear blue water. The stream ran so clean you could see every stone on the bottom. Fat fish swam lazily through it.
And nestled between them stood a traditional tile-roofed house.
Baesan-imsu—mountains at the back, water in front. A textbook feng-shui auspicious site, occupied by an elegant old-style hanok.
It felt less like modern Korea and more like Joseon.
“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”
The person who came out to greet us was wearing a hanbok.
Suddenly I felt embarrassed for arriving in a limousine and modern clothes. In a place like this I should have come by carriage in a hanbok.
I was already being overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
The former NIS Director really was on another level.
I wondered if the Director had learned her own charisma by watching this.
Then someone extremely welcome appeared.
“Why are you only coming now, you idiot oppa!”
It was Jimin.
My little sister flew at me like a bee and delivered a perfect body blow. Footwork and weight transfer textbook-perfect.
Thud.
“…Huh?”
Jimin stared at me with a “that wasn’t supposed to happen” expression.
Heh. Things were different now.
In the old days even tensing my abs wouldn’t have stopped the pain, but now it didn’t hurt at all. Muscle was part of it, but the bigger reason was that I could read her weight transfer. A tiny shift at the right timing was enough to nullify a punch of that level.
“Sorry, sorry. It’s all my fault. Can you let me off just this once?”
I instinctively put on the smile that had melted Suyeon—then flinched when I saw Jimin start to gag.
Ah… I’d forgotten that particular sensation.
“Let you off? Get hit more. Get hit until you die. Two whole months without a single call, then the second Woongchan Grandfather says he wants to see you, you come running? And you still call yourself Mom and Dad’s son?”
Thud, thud, thud.
Jimin used me like a punching bag. She’d clearly felt my growth too; she wasn’t holding back like she used to when she treated me as a non-expert. Full swings only.
She’d grown up well.
A seven-year age gap usually didn’t produce this kind of relationship… how had my little sister turned out like this? Had I spoiled her too much?
“Jimin, stop. Hitting him doesn’t do anything anymore. I’ll take revenge for you.”
Nayeon wrapped her arms around Jimin from behind and pulled her off me.
“…Tch. Only because of Unnie. Seriously… augh…”
“Calm down, Jimin. You’ll ruin your skin.”
“Unnie! You’re the only one I have!”
Jimin hugged Nayeon tightly.
When exactly had they gotten this close?
At the GGC Crew House?
How?
“This way, please. The master is waiting.”
The guide led us onward again.
Past the long servants’ quarters, into the sarangchae—the men’s quarters.
“I’ll wait outside. I’ll see Grandfather later separately.”
“I’ll stay out here too. I’ll report to the Director later.”
Nayeon and Garam remained outside.
Garam had worked for the NIS before joining GGC, apparently.
The sarangchae was as large as the main house itself; a stranger would have mistaken it for the main building.
Two people were waiting for us inside.
A black-haired man and a white-haired woman.
The deep black that had clearly been dyed and the pure white of age formed a strangely harmonious pair.
Former NIS Director Kim Woongchan.
His wife, Seol Hwayeon.
I’d heard both were in their seventies, but looking at their posture, eyes, and appearance, I would have believed they were in their fifties.
Suddenly I wanted to age that well.
“Hello. I’m Lee Jungmin.”
“Hello. Kim Woongchan.”
After the introductions we all took our seats.
The room was large enough that there was plenty of space.
Elena’s white armor clashed with the interior of the hanok yet somehow created a strangely fitting harmony.
“Thank you so much for your help, Elder…”
“Grandfather is fine.”
Grandfather?
Was that okay?
Jimin had called him Grandfather earlier too… wouldn’t it be rude?
It’s fine. He’s not one to stand on ceremony much.
She must have sensed my hesitation; the Director’s message magic arrived.
It had only been a split-second of doubt—how had she caught it?
“Yes. Without Grandfather’s help I would have been socially branded.”
“The brand was lifted by your own strength and that girl Suyeon’s. What did I even do?”
He knew about Suyeon too?
Well, it would have been stranger if he didn’t… this… I was going to need to steel myself today.
“Even so, without Grandfather’s help that stage itself wouldn’t have existed. I’m truly grateful.”
“True enough. You’re not stupid, at least.”
“I… still have a long way to go. I was just lucky.”
“You sound humble, but your eyes are full of confidence.”
“…?”
I barely stopped myself from blurting “What?”
I was flustered, but looking flustered meant losing in this atmosphere.
I had to keep the poker face until the end.
The very next second, my poker face crumbled.
“Of course. A man who’s managed to snare four women already can’t exactly lack confidence. So tell me—how many more do you plan to reel in?”
“…Excuse me?”
My face burned.
Against an attack like this, no amount of mental preparation mattered!