deuteug.
I open the door and a rush of unwelcome air blows in.
The smell of grilling meat.
The smell of alcohol.
The sound of loud voices.
But it was no longer repulsive.
They say every place holds memories.
Maybe itâs because itâs overlaid with bad memories.
Kim Hyunmin swallowed a small laugh.
âThanks to you.â
Kim Hyunmin closed the door and found a seat.
It was visible from afar.
They hadnât changed in years, but they still looked the same.
As he approached the group.
â¦They expressed their position that there was no need to be afraid.
A reporterâs voice came from the TV.
I turned my head to see a video playing. A video footage reported by a citizen showed an Akshan Wolf running through a forest of buildings in Seoul.
The restaurant was abuzz with excitement.
âLest anyone say itâs not Lee Hoyeolâs summoner. Itâs just different color. Look at that. The way he moves, the way he looks, the way heâs looking for demon is not normal!â
âDidnât you watch the Today Arcana? That thing stuck its head like a puppy in front of Lee Hoyeol? Anyway, itâs amazing.â
âDidnât you say that the dark spirit also made an appearance there?â
Kim Hyunmin couldnât help but laugh.
âYou have no idea how hard my fingers were working, Hoyeol.â
The breaking news was constantly being updated even during work hours.
If it werenât for a special request from his manager, he would have watched Todayâs Arcana in real time.
âEven if it means hiding in the bathroom like that time.â
Kim Hyunmin shrugged and started walking again.
From inside, someone raised a hand.
It was a familiar face, but one that didnât look too happy.
âUh, Hyunmin, over here!â
As Hyunmin approaches, they each say something.
âHey, itâs hard to see your face these days, isnât it?â
âSurely the same slave is better than a slave in the Great Superintendentâs house? Maybe itâs because you like your job, or maybe your face looks brighter, Hyunmin-ah?â
âIf youâre doing well, buy me a meal once in a while.â
Hyunmin replied modestly.
âThatâs because Iâm busy living. Nice to meet you, everyone.â
They offered me a drink before I even took off my top.
I didnât want to, but I guess I learned something a while ago.
Gulp, when Kim Hyunmin accepted the soju and drank it, they exchanged unexpected glances.
âOh, whatâs up with you, Kim Hyunmin? You donât usually do that.â
âIf you didnât want to come, you didnât attend.â
âOh, well, weâre good.â
The drinking session was jovial.
It had to be.
No one brought up the past.
Kim Hyunmin focused on a sudden sound.
âAlso, Lee Hoyeol said. Barbatosâ¦â¦.â
I was convinced. The owner must be a big fan of Hoyeolâs, because every time there was news about him, he got louder and louder.
On the contrary.
â¦
There was an awkward silence at the table.
Itâs only natural.
The people gathered here werenât that close to each other, and they didnât have the qualifications to have a friendly conversation about the news about Hoyeol. They wanted to break the awkward silence.
Someone speaks up.
ââ¦â¦By the way, donât you see the bastard who was supposed to get together on such a nice day? Anyway, itâs the same as it was then. Has anyone heard from Choi Changwoo?â
âNot me, at least.â
âMe neither.â
They checked, just in case, but Kim Hyunmin shook his head.
âItâs been 40 minutes since the appointment.â
âBy the way, have you guys been in touch with Changwoo?â
âChangwoo? Werenât Jinsoo and he close?â
âWell, we havenât spoken in at least three years.â
ââ¦â¦Really?â
It wasnât high school, it was middle school.
They werenât even close enough to look at each other with a smile.
Tak, someone mutters, setting down his drink.
âThen why did you ask to see that bastard?â
âDoes anyone know what Changwoo is doingâ¦â¦?â
âI donât know. Probably got a job somewhere.â
Kim Hyunmin didnât say anything. He didnât have any good feelings for Changwoo, but he also didnât have any good feelings for the guys at the bar who were chewing him up and passing him soju.
âThen why did I come here?â
The answer is simple.
Maybe I want to check.
A ghost from the past, perhaps.
âChoi Changwoo.â
I wonder if Iâve completely gotten over him.
Maybe it was the soju I poured down my throat as soon as I sat down.
I donât know, but I didnât feel too bad.
âHyunmin, youâve really come a long way, havenât you?â
âYou used to be really good at studying.â
âIs it true that a well-behaved cat goes up to the stove first?â
Until a ghost from the past shows up.
âHey, everyone, itâs been a while.ââ
Choi Changwoo appeared.
âIâm sorry Iâm late, but I had some humans to deal with. What humans? What kind of humans? I donât know, the boss. Not even a manager. The assistant manager is going to be so scary? Iâm so annoyed. Well, that wonât happen from tomorrow onwards.â
Choi Chanwooâs reappearance in society was just as Kim Hyunmin had imagined.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Not a trace of the intimidation he felt in the classroom remained.
But why?
âHuh? Hyunmin is here too?â
My heart sank as soon as I saw Choi Changwoo.
âThereâs news about Hoyeol coming out right now, so thatâs good.â
His words, to be precise.
The way he casually mentioned Hoyeol.
Kim Hyunmin tried to suppress his heart.
His efforts were futile.
Choi Changwoo raised the corner of his mouth and continued.
âSince weâre here, letâs talk about old times.â
âWhat old stories?â
âWhat can I say, this is a story about our proud Hoyeol.â
ââ¦..!!!â
In a âgentleâ way, as if there was no trace of evil.