Chapter 12: Are you getting a job? is it ??

Yoon Sihyun arrived at the Dawnlight Guild, following Gaeun.

He hadn’t paid much attention to guilds, but now that he was here, it felt like a government agency.

A massive lobby with glittering marble floors.

State-of-the-art lighting and security systems were installed on the ceiling.

‘Did I come here for nothing?’

He felt a bit intimidated.

‘Such grandeur is a bit much for an ordinary commoner like me!’

But unlike him, Gaeun confidently walked inside.

“Welcome, Dawnlight!”

“……Did you prepare a welcome speech or something?”

“Hehe. I just felt like it.”

Gaeun turned around and smiled sweetly.

She was probably aware of it herself, but she seemed a little excited at the thought of working with Yoon Sihyun.

As they entered the lobby, staff members greeted Gaeun warmly.

“Ms. Gaeun! You’re early!”

“And who is this person next to you?”

At that moment, Yoon Sihyun offered a quick prayer.

‘Please, introduce me normally.’

He was anxious that Gaeun, who excelled at making situations troublesome, might cause another incident.

However, if she acted as expected, she wouldn’t be Han Gaeun.

“A truly amazing new recruit I brought!”

Gaeun’s confident voice shattered his prayer.

“Haa… Of course. What was I even expecting?”

The staff’s reaction upon hearing that was, naturally,

“……!!!”

Their expressions showed they thought some incredible person had joined.

‘Ah, the atmosphere is getting weird.’

Given that Gaeun was called the guild’s ace, it was natural for them to think that someone she personally recommended would be special.

“Are you perhaps a newly recruited Awakened one?”

“Joining right away without a guild test, how exciting!”

“No. I’m really just a completely ordinary office worker……”

Just as he was about to quickly clear up the misunderstanding—

“Come on, let’s go say hello to Dad first!”

Gaeun grabbed Yoon Sihyun’s arm and dragged him along.

“I’m not going to run away, so please let me walk on my own.”

“No. Do you know how many times you’ve run away when you’re with me, Oppa? I’m absolutely not letting you go today.”

‘That’s because I always get caught up in incidents and accidents when I’m with you!’

Without any chance to escape, Yoon Sihyun was once again dragged away.

****

Guild Headquarters, top floor.

Gaeun and Yoon Sihyun stood in front of the room at the very end of the top floor.

A massive golden nameplate was attached to the door.

[Guild Master’s Office]

When they opened the door, a man was sitting behind a desk.

Guild Master, Han Dojin.

His hair was neatly styled in a half-updo, and he possessed a sturdy physique.

Though middle-aged, his presence was like a colossal mountain.

He had recently been injured by the Calamity-grade 괴담, the Collector, but perhaps because he was inherently robust, he appeared to have fully recovered.

Dojin was furrowing one eyebrow, as if he wasn’t particularly pleased with the situation.

As soon as he saw Yoon Sihyun, he threw out a short, sharp remark.

“……So, you’re the new recruit, Sihyun?”

“Yes. It just ended up that way, Uncle Dojin.”

Since Yoon Sihyun had known Gaeun since they were children, Dojin naturally knew him from way back.

And, of course, that his daughter thought of Yoon Sihyun as special.

Dojin glanced at Gaeun and then asked in a low voice.

“Why him, of all people?”

“Dad, this Oppa is surprisingly useful.”

“No, why are you introducing me like that?”

Sighing, Dojin extended some documents.

“First, sign the contract.”

Yoon Sihyun took the documents and quickly skimmed through them.

“Hmm…… well, the terms are decent, but—”

He quickly raised his hand again, as if something bothered him.

“Excuse me, Uncle Dojin… no, Master.”

“What? Is there something you don’t like?”

“Please add a clause to this contract: ‘Guaranteed departure before sunset’.”

“……What?”

Even if he was a recommended recruit, was a complete newbie talking back?

“Why such a condition?”

“I’m afraid 괴담s will appear once the sun sets.”

‘It’s partly because I’m scared, but more importantly, I change strangely once night falls.’

Since my appearance changes at night, I absolutely cannot work overtime!

“And I also have a younger sibling to look after.

So, I’d be grateful if you could include a clause: ‘Guaranteed departure before nightfall’.”

Gaeun, who was listening nearby, nodded with a completely serious expression.

“Dad, you have to include this.”

“What?”

“Ordinary people are really in danger at night, you know.

And Oppa also has to take care of Ru— no, his younger sibling.”

“……”

Dojin tapped the table with his finger, organizing his thoughts.

‘She’s been following him around, saying she likes him since they were kids, and now she even wants to work with him.’

But what could he do?

No parent could ever win against their child.

Though outwardly gruff, Dojin often found himself yielding when his daughter was involved.

“……Alright, I understand.

I’ll include it.”

Thus, an unprecedented clause in guild history, ‘Guaranteed departure before sunset,’ was added.

****

The contract was signed, and his office assignment was complete.

Yoon Sihyun stretched slightly as he headed towards the guild lobby.

“Whew, it’s finally over.”

“Oppa, you’re not bored already, are you?”

“No, I haven’t even started working yet.”

To be honest, there was nothing to get bored of.

Because,

‘I just have to do paperwork, right?

I finally got myself a super easy job!’

At his previous company, he handled all sorts of odd jobs, but there was no such thing here.

Because apart from paperwork, most positions were field jobs, and ordinary people were absolutely never sent there!

He wouldn’t be going into combat, nor would he be in dangerous situations.

He just had to clock in on time and leave before sunset, and that was it.

He had a premonition that a stable work life was about to begin.

“I should go home quickly.

I’m worried about Luna.”

As he left the guild, bright sunlight enveloped him.

‘The heavens are blessing my escape from unemployment, hehe.’

He took a deep breath under the sunlight.

“Haa, outside air really is the best.”

“Oppa, why don’t you seem like someone who works at a company?”

“I was unemployed for half a year, you know.”

“……Oh, right?

Congratulations on your new job, Oppa.”

“Yeah, thanks.

Thanks to you, I now have a life of commuting.”

“Then, while you’re at it, clean up your house a bit.”

“Suddenly?”

“When I went earlier, it looked like a mess, didn’t it?”

“Hey, that’s—”

Just as he was about to make an excuse, Gaeun asked naturally.

“Should I walk you home?”

“No, thanks.

The sun’s still up.”

“It’ll be night soon, are you sure?”

“I’ll be home before then, so don’t worry.

I’m not going to catch 괴담s, what’s there to be dangerous about?”

Though the most dangerous 괴담 in the world awaited him at home,

‘Still, compared to other 괴담s that look bizarre, Luna is cute, so she’s a little less scary.’

“But Oppa, you’re just an ordinary person…”

“I said I’m fine.

So don’t worry and—”

Yoon Sihyun waved lightly, bidding her farewell.

“Ace-nim, go back and get to work quickly!”

“……Ace-nim?”

“Isn’t that right?

You’re the most shining presence in Dawnlight these days.”

“Something feels off.”

“What?”

“It’s a compliment, but it feels bad.”

“Haha, it’s just your imagination.

Well, I’m off!”

“Always glossing things over… Alright.

Well, goodbye.”

“Yeah.

See you later.”

His retreating figure, shambling away, looked as carefree as ever.

But—

Gaeun’s gaze, which had been steadily watching him, changed.

Her sunset-colored eyes gradually transformed, like a fox’s pupils.

The eyes of a predator, as if watching prey in a dark forest.

That gaze held sharp desire and deep affection.

“……”

Gaeun, from whom the power of the Fox Gentleman leaked out unknowingly.

A blue aura slowly spread across her body, and faint fox ears and a tail appeared.

‘I know, Oppa.’

‘That you always say you’re fine, but you’re actually not.’

She had watched Yoon Sihyun since they were children.

Yoon Sihyun always pretended to be nonchalant and seemed sly,

but she knew that he was actually someone who took care of others first and swallowed his own emotions.

Someone who always tried to shoulder everything alone.

Someone who always said he was fine alone.

He denied it himself, but he was actually a kind and warm person.

Gaeun believed that only she knew that.

‘Oppa… Haa… I’ll keep protecting you by your side from now on too.’

No 괴담, no one——

‘Can take Oppa away from me.’

She gained power for that reason.

The power of a formidable 괴담.

She very slowly formed a faint smile, then slipped her finger between her pink lips.

“Haa… *chup*…”

The sight of a maiden secretly indulging her desires while longing for Yoon Sihyun.

“……Hoo-hoot.”

The fox’s laughter spread deeply.

A smile both tender and eerie.

With a gaze that was both loving and dangerous, she watched Yoon Sihyun’s retreating figure until he was out of sight.