episode_0025

A luxury hotel near Itaewon.

“… … .”

While I was quietly looking at the luxuriously packaged 50 million won Dark Dragon’s Gauntlets, I shifted my gaze to look at Hye-ri Lee across from me.

She was leisurely drinking coffee with her legs crossed, showing off her smooth thighs. Although she was pretending not to do so, a playful expression was evident on her face.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

When I asked with my arms crossed and a disapproving expression on my face, Hyeri Lee answered calmly, carefully setting down her glass.

“Bribe.”

“… What?”

She smiled as if she was amused by my reaction, crossed her legs in the opposite direction, and spoke while tapping the armrest with the tips of her delicate fingers.

“Your team. I have no intention of being tied down to Seoul City forever. Isn’t that right?”

I didn’t bother to refute what she said.

In fact, I have no intention of staying with Seoul City forever.

Team Seoul City Hall is currently affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Although they talked at City Hall as if they would continue to be together, it is inevitable that they will separate if their size increases.

“I’m giving this as a gift to say I’ll take good care of you later. I don’t want to miss out on a talented person like you twice.”

I could fully understand what she was saying.

Just like I offered 100 million to Jin Seo-won, it can be seen as her own investment.

however… .

I didn’t really like the idea of interfering with the bidding, raising the price, and being unreasonable.

“You paid 10 times more than what you would have bought for 2 million won, but you called it a bribe? Aren’t you such a bitch?”

Anyway, I was able to save my money, and it wasn’t like I wouldn’t sign a contract with the Sejin Guild, so I didn’t have any intention of turning down her bribe.

but.

“Just 2 million won worth. I can’t play any more than that.”

It was decided not to recognize the remaining difference.

“Hmm… . Yes, consider that as an opportunity cost.”

She nodded obediently as if she understood, then handed me some documents with a profuse apology.

“Anyway, I’m sorry if you felt bad. This is a gift of apology.”

I took the document she handed me and read it… .

‘Partnership proposal?’

I glanced at her, wondering about the unexpected content.

“It’s exactly as written. Actually, I was planning to send an official letter sometime next week… . Since we just happened to meet, I’ll give it to you in advance.”

Partnerships between guilds themselves are not that rare.

They share each other’s training methods, data, and infrastructure, and engage in various activities together to induce positive effects.

However, this was the first partnership between a team and a guild.

“… I know what you’re talking about… . As you know, we have nothing to give.”

Partnerships inherently require mutual exchange.

We have nothing and have a lot to gain from Sejin Guild, but there is no benefit to Sejin Guild at all.

What is the point of this partnership?

“Well… .”

However, Hye-ri Lee seemed to have other thoughts, tilted her head, and gave me a gentle look.

“You are there.”

I was speechless at her confident words, so I took the proposal, saying that I would take my time and think about it.

*

next day.

“Seowon. Wouldn’t it be better to just eat outside today? There’s a really good eel restaurant in front of me… .”

“… I don’t like it.”

After training as usual, I went shopping with Jin Seo-won and was trying my best to persuade her.

“If you don’t like eel… . Then, shall we go eat a steak before that? You like steak!”

“… Steak?”

“Yes. It’s a very famous place, and it’s really delicious! how is it? Shall we go?”

Today was the day I was supposed to take Jin Seo-won to her parents’ house for the weekend, but we couldn’t even leave yet because Jin Seo-won insisted that she wanted to eat home-cooked food.

“… … .”

Meanwhile, Jin Seo-won, shaken by the one-pick menu item, steak, rolled her eyes here and there and fell into trouble for a moment… .

“… I want to eat at home.”

In the end, not even the steak could surpass her adamant taste.

“… Okay, let’s eat at home. If you want to eat that much, you should eat it.”

If you come out this decisively, I can’t help it.

That was when I calmly gave up my thoughts and tried to push the shopping cart forward.

Kuuk─

Jin Seo-won gently grabbed my sleeve, hesitated for a while and asked me carefully.

“… Is it bothersome?”

She looks anxious, like a downcast child.

To be honest, preparing your own meal is a tedious task.

still… .

It is something that can be tolerated for the sake of her, who will become an S-rank in the future.

“It doesn’t bother me at all to prepare it for you, so don’t worry.”

“… Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

Seowon Jin seemed satisfied with my answer and quietly let go of his sleeves, and walked ahead with strangely light steps.

‘cute.’

While I was walking around the supermarket, trying to understand the feelings of fathers who are such idiots to their daughters.

“… !”

Jin Seo-won suddenly stopped walking and started talking to me, pointing somewhere.

“… Over there.”

“Huh?”

Without thinking, I looked at the direction she pointed,

“!”

I was startled to see a familiar face pushing a shopping cart alone.

It was Bang Hanna.

“… Hannah Eon… ! Ugh… !”

“Now, wait a minute, Seowon!”

“… ?”

I quickly overpowered Jin Seo-won, who was trying to call Bang Han-na, and quickly took her with me and ran away to avoid Bang Han-na.

“… Why are you running away?”

“What would Hannah think if she saw you and me together!”

“… How?”

Jin Seo-won gave a naive look as if he really didn’t know anything,

I was momentarily speechless at her innocent remark, but quickly came to my senses and explained the situation.

“What would other people think of a producer meeting a team member personally?”

“… Are you close?”

“No! No, that’s true, but… . Anyway, you may have some unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“… Are you mistaken?”

“You and I meeting, or something… . Anyway, as I said before, I prefer not to be caught coming and going to your house. Got it?”

Jin Seo-won looked like he didn’t understand something, but nodded silently.

We quickly finished shopping and headed straight to Jin Seowon’s house.

“… eww… .”

“Seowon. I have to wash and lie down.”

As soon as I entered the house, I caught Jin Seo-won rushing to the bed and brought her into the bathroom. With a familiar movement, I took out the clothes she needed to change into and handed them inside the bathroom.

‘You never know what happens in a real person’s life.’

At first, it was just awkward taking care of Jinseowon, but now I really feel like I have become a parent.

No, rather than Dad… . Wouldn’t he be closer to an uncle?

Shootaaa

I immediately put away the things I bought, ignoring the sound of running water in the bathroom.

“Where should I put this… .”

The accommodation I found at Jinseowon was quite nice.

It was a high-end residence with a bathroom and toilet attached to the kitchen and a living room, and a separate bedroom inside.

It wasn’t as luxurious as a typical hotel suite, but it was equipped with all the household appliances, the space was quite spacious, and even the ventilation system was perfect, so it was literally a place you could live in just by yourself.

“Rice… . … Let’s just turn it.”

I didn’t have the confidence to even cook the rice, so I microwaved the instant rice I bought at the supermarket and started boiling the soybean paste stew that Jin Seo-won had requested.

Tong─ Tong─ Tong─ bubbling… …

At that time, I was wearing an apron, chopping vegetables, and making soybean paste stew.

Suddenly─

Jin Seo-won came out of the bathroom after taking a shower.

I turned around without thinking to have her prepare a side dish… .

“Seowon. As for the side dishes… .”

I ended up running into her who was barely covering herself with a towel.

“Yay!”

I was startled and quickly turned my head. I felt my face getting hot and started nagging.

“I told you not to take off your clothes and come out! Do you want to keep walking around so carelessly!?”

OK.

“… My clothes are wet.”

Jin Seo-won spoke back as if he had no choice.

“… But you seemed busy so I just left.”

Then he passed right behind me, squatted down in front of the closet, and started taking out clothes.

Should I scold this or not?

“… ha… .”

After contemplating for a while about childcare issues that were not even in my mind, I quietly started chopping vegetables, trying to erase the image of her body that was clearly etched in my mind.

however… .

Instead of disappearing, her moist, pale skin only stirred my thoughts.

“… … .”

After finishing preparing the meal after many twists and turns.

“Is it delicious?”

Nod─nod─

“Eat slowly. I will pretend.”

After feeding Jin Seo-won the home-cooked meal she so desperately wanted, I washed the dishes while she packed.

“Seowon. Did you pack everything?”

But after I finished washing the dishes, Jin Seo-won was fast asleep with his head resting on the bed.

Suuu… Suuu…

I guess I was pretty tired.

‘I have to send it home as is.’

The moment I had no choice but to gently reach out to wake her up.

Uuuu…

Just then, the cell phone placed on the table started ringing.

[Yoon In-kyung]

It was a call from Jin Seo-won’s guardian, Yoon In-kyung.

“Hello?”

[Ah, Mr. Jihyuk. Have you set off yet? ]

“I haven’t done it yet. I was just about to leave… . Seowon just fell asleep.”

[ Oh really? ]

In-kyung Yoon said that it would be okay to come tomorrow, and that I would be tired too, so I told her to come slowly.

I replied that it was okay and that I would leave right away… .

[That’s because I want to at least treat them to a meal. ]

She said she would like to treat me to a meal and suggested that I come tomorrow instead.

‘… It’s better to accept this.’

About a week until the incident occurs.

In order to prevent Yoon In-kyung’s death, we need her information, so it would be okay to meet up and get the necessary information.

“I understand. Well then, we will leave tomorrow morning.”

*

The next day, on the way to Chuncheon.

[ … … Hyeon Ha-yeon’s Soon-ae, which you applied for! What a good song… ]

While driving quietly while listening to the radio.

“… Over there.”

Jin Seo-won, who was sitting next to me, spoke up.

“Huh?”

She hesitated for a while, as if she was having a hard time saying something, but then she mustered up the courage to ask carefully.

“… sister… . … How do you feel?”

“… Huh?”

I glanced at Jin Seowon, puzzled by the unexpected question… .

She had a rare serious look in her eyes through her disheveled bangs.

“In-kyung… , are you talking about it?”

“… Yes.”

“… well… .”

I withdrew my gaze and looked at the road for a moment. I thought about the best answer from Jinseowon’s perspective and slowly opened my mouth.

“He’s a good person. He takes good care of you.”

OK.

“… Is that all?”

Jin Seo-won has shown a strangely persistent side.

‘Why is he like this?’

I was a little puzzled by her appearance, so I calmly answered, changing lanes as if nothing had happened.

“That’s it. Is there anything else?”

Then, I glanced at the seat next to me to see what she was thinking.

She was looking at me with her cute lips pursed as if she had something to say.

“… ?”

How long had it been since I drove away, wondering about Jin Seowon’s inexplicable reaction?

“Is it going to rain?”

As we approached Chuncheon, dark clouds began to appear surrounding the sky.