episode_0086

27. Finally met my family. (1)

A mid-May night when you can feel summer approaching.

Unlike the hot day, it was a slightly cool night with a breeze shaking the leaves of the trees and gently caressing my hair.

As I was leaving the banquet at Seoul Station and heading to the tent, I let go of Hyunseok’s hand and slowly looked at the moon here, where I had come alone.

Thinking that I would be able to meet my family soon.

But will they really recognize me? I wonder that.

If a woman suddenly appeared and said she was your younger brother, honestly, how many people would believe it?

Now, she has fully realized that she is a woman, and while accepting the protection of the evil spirit, her memories have also disappeared.

Just the fragments of memories that remained and the fact that he was a man. That’s all.

I tried to let them go, thinking to myself that they were meaningless anyway, but I couldn’t.

If that happens… I… Am I right?

As I was thinking that, a sudden gust of wind blew and I felt a little chilled, so I got up from my seat and looked back, and Hyunseok was there.

” Why are you… here? ”

” Why? Of course I’m worried about you. ”

Slowly, he approaches me, stepping over the broken, protruding pavement blocks.

I started to take steps back without realizing it, perhaps because of the identity of ‘me’ that I had been struggling with until just a moment ago.

As he approached, I was pushed back and blocked by the wall, and I could only watch him approach.

” Charlotte. ”

I couldn’t help but notice him coming towards me and slamming his hand hard against the wall.

” Yes! ”

” Why are you running away like this? ”

” That… That’s… That’s right… ”

” Well, it doesn’t matter. ”

As he said that, he grabbed my chin with his other hand and kissed me.

The kiss with him was brief, but it felt long.

As his lips leave my heart, regret begins to fill me.

” Charlotte, just remember this one thing. You are mine. ”

” Yes…! ”

The way he suddenly declared it to be his was something I had never seen before.

After that, he pulled my body closer and started kissing me while touching my butt.

The feeling of that hand slowly touching me went up and the moment it passed my waist, a slight ‘tingling’ sensation spread throughout my whole body.

Finally… the feeling that came to my chest… caused a strong stimulation.

As if to say that the worry I was thinking about just a moment ago was a really stupid worry.

I buried my face in his chest until the tremors in my body subsided.

I think he was a little surprised by my sudden reaction…

‘Tongue… Hyunseok… is bad…’

I stayed in his arms until the tremors in my body subsided, then returned to the tent and went straight to shower.

Judging from the expression on Yeonseo’s face as she looked at me when I went in, I think I got caught…

*****

After the night passed, an old man from Seoul Station came to the tent we were in and said he would be heading to the Blue House later.

We decided to go with him and bought some supplies on the way from a store in Seoul Station and quickly started packing up.

” What on earth happened yesterday? ”

While Hyunseok was out shopping, Yeonseo asked me a question as I was slowly unpacking my luggage.

” Nothing happened… ”

When I thought about what happened with him last night in response to Yeonseo’s question, my body started to… react a little.

” Huh~ Really? It didn’t seem like that. Well, that’s okay. It’s not like I’m going to get involved in what’s going on between you two anyway. ”

” Haha… ”

” So did you get anything out of talking to that kid? ”

Probably, you are talking about Choi Young-wol.

” Yeah, it looks like they got the clue before us. ”

” Really? But the Blue House has been quiet until now? That’s ridiculous. ”

” There was a bit of an accident there. I got a clue, but it looks like it was broken on the spot. ”

” What? What does that mean? ”

Yeonseo started shouting and talking nonsense as if she was speechless, so I gave her a brief explanation.

Choi Young-wol is one of the team leaders in the management department, and he tells the story of Yu Ji-seong, who was there first when he got the clue.

After hearing that story, Yeonseo calmed down and asked me.

” Then… That person named Yu Ji-seong is now… ”

” Isn’t this a dangerous… situation…? I might have become a demon… ”

What should I do if the family I thought I would finally meet is no longer human but has become a demon?

Should I kill him… his brother…?

As I was thinking about that, tears came to my eyes without me realizing it, and Yeonseo handed me a tissue.

” Why are you crying all of a sudden? What’s wrong? ”

” Oh, no. Umm… Just, yeah. I’ll tell you later. ”

” Okay. Okay, let’s go now. ”

As we left the tent with her, Hyunseok had already arrived.

With Mr. Doosik and Choi Youngwol next to him.

When Yeonseo saw Choi Youngwol, her expression immediately turned sour.

” This guy… Ahem, why is this guy here? ”

Hyun-seok put down his luggage after glancing at him and asking himself a question.

” Calm down. Mr. Doosik and Ms. Choi Youngwol were both on their way back to the Blue House anyway, so we decided to go together. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance. ”

” Haha! Our first meeting wasn’t that great, but whatever, forgive me. ”

When he smiled slyly and extended his hand for a handshake, Yeonseo pushed his hand away and headed down the road without saying a word.

” Oh, you still seem angry. ”

” I’m sorry. ”

” It’s okay. Are you okay now, Miss? Oh, can I just call you Charlotte? I heard Hyunseok and I are the same age. ”

When I looked at Hyunseok at those words, he hesitated for a moment and then slowly nodded.

” Hoo, yes. Just call me comfortably. Are you two ready? ”

” Yes, Yeongwol and I were originally planning to leave today. I’m sorry for making you guys leave so hastily. ”

” No, we were planning to leave soon anyway, just like you, sir. Right? ”

” Yes, Charlotte and Yeonseo have already decided to leave today. So it’s okay. ”

” If that’s the case for you, then that’s good. Rather than doing that, let’s move quickly. Since the weather is hot, it would be better to use the shade of a large building to go. ”

As he said that, he headed towards the road that Yeonseo was heading towards. Yeonseo was waiting for us as if she had already taken out her summons.

” Oh, Yeonseo… you said? A summoner? ”

” Ha, but? ”

” It’s a summon made of ice, so it should be a pretty long way. Right, sir? ”

” Yes, thank you. Yeonseo. ”

” No, let’s go quickly. ”

We rode on Yeonseo’s summons and ran, avoiding the sunlight using the shadow of the large building that still remained, as Mr. Dusik had said.

As if to tell us that summer is approaching, a lukewarm wind surrounds us even as we ride the summoner and run quickly.

The remains of buildings that were hollowed out or collapsed by towers, as there were many towers there.

And the withered trees and deserted streets.

The atmosphere reminded me of the Namsan Tower, which would soon bring about a great crisis.

‘It’s a desolate landscape like this now… but if I fail to conquer Namsan Tower… I won’t be able to see this landscape either.’

A cityscape that has collapsed due to the influence of the tower. However, people inside are making great efforts to survive.

As a result, the tower was conquered, and the landscape was no longer devastated, but rather slowly returning to nature.

In order to protect this scenery, we must conquer Namsan Tower. And… the people needed to conquer the tower.

I need to meet my older brother, Yu Ji-seong, and check on his condition.

Even if it seemed like it would lead to him being killed.

*****

The Blue House settlement located at the Seoul Metropolitan Government Building, which is quite close to Seoul Station.

When asked why he specifically named it Cheong Wa Dae, Choi Young-wol answered.

” Ah, usually city halls and such are settlements created by the government. But the reason the name is different here is because the place where the Blue House used to be was turned into a tower.

So, you know, the high-ranking government officials who are still there told us to name it the Blue House. ”

” Oh…I see. ”

To be honest, I wanted to say now, what’s the big deal about the name? But when I think about the settlements that the government has created for the people, centered around each city hall or district office, I think the name of the central place might be important.

Choi Young-wol asked him about this and that, and asked him indirectly about Yu Ji-seong, but he thoroughly avoided answering.

The more I avoided answering like that, the more negative thoughts came to me, so I stopped talking to him about my brother.

Asked about the management and support of settlements.

He proudly said that many people are working to ensure that it is managed and supported as well as possible.

” Of course, it’s true that management and support aren’t being done properly these days. But it’s not that I didn’t try to do it. You know? Namsan Tower. ”

” Yes, I heard it will be finished soon. ”

” Yeah, that’s why the detectorist ‘Yujia’ in our settlement said that a demon was coming from the tower in Namsan. ”

” You… Ji-ah? ”

” Oh, I don’t know. She’s Yoo Ji-seong’s younger sister. I heard that there’s another brother between them… ”

” So management and support have become a little difficult? ”

I quickly changed the subject so that it wouldn’t come up again.

” Huh? That’s right. If it weren’t for that, the calls coming in from all over the place would have decreased. ”

After that conversation, the Seoul Metropolitan Government Building and the Blue House settlement began to appear.

At that sight, we started running faster.

‘More than that, I… had a younger sister too… ‘

I didn’t know I had a younger sister, because the only fragments of my remaining memories were those related to Yuji.

Yoo Ji-seong, Yoo Ji-ah. I slowly muttered the names of the two to myself, and soon, I would meet them again… I was looking forward to it, but at the same time, I was also afraid.