CH 233

At Yoo Sanghoon’s house.

Jang Namwook politely greeted Sanghoon’s family on his way home.

“I’ll be heading home now.”

“Alright, come visit again.”

All public transportation systems were cut off yesterday due to the typhoon, so Jang Namwook had to stay at Yoo Sanghoon’s house.

Yoo Sanghoon’s family urged Jang Namwook to eat lunch with them before heading home, but the sincere Namwook expressed his intention to return to the military academy before lunch so he could participate in the afternoon training.

Sanghoon also prepared to go out of the house, saying that he would walk Namwook to the airbus.

“Come with Euishin next time.”

“…Alright. I’ll see you next time, Sanghee noona.”

Namwook and Sanghoon gave an ambiguous answer to what Sanghee said just before they went out.

They both recalled the voice of Jo Euishin over the phone.

— …You don’t have to worry about that dream. You guys won’t have that nightmare again.

— I’ll explain later. I’m sorry.

After that, Euishin still hasn’t contacted them.

And just like what Euishin said, the two didn’t have the nightmare last night.

There’s still very little evidence to conclude, but the two had a hunch that Jo Euishin is involved in why they were having those dreams.

‘The dream that Sanghoon and I had is probably what would’ve happened during the entrance exam if Euishin wasn’t there. But what does Euishin have to do with it…?’

Jang Namwook didn’t think that Jo Euishin intended to harm them.

He’s actually worried about Euishin.

It’s a known fact that the ability to interfere with someone else’s mind has some effects on the skill’s user. 

If Euishin did obtain such skill and unconsciously used it, it’s expected that it would have an effect on Euishin in some way too.

“He said he’ll explain, so I’m sure he’d tell us.”

As Namwook was walking with a dark expression, Sanghoon suddenly spoke.

“If anything goes wrong, we can ask Sanghee-ssi for help.”

The power of the light skill from Akea, although difficult, could heal mental damage.

Sanghoon knows this, but he decided to not speak about it.

He asked Namwook if he was worried about anything to change the subject. 

“Ah, it’s about Sanghee noona… Does she have a lot of patients lately?”

“I’m not really sure.”

“Okay…”

“Why?”

Wearing his glasses to hide the Eye of the Star Maiden, Jang Namwook spoke again.

“Just asking. I can see a lot of debris in her. That happens when someone meets and interacts with a lot of different people.”

“Is that so?”

Yoo Sanghoon frowned and tried to say something, but he closed his mouth when he saw the airbus stop.

Something bothers him, but he still hasn’t completely grasped what it is. 

* * *

Just what did the two sisters talk about for Oh Hyejung to say that he’s coming to kill Joo Soogyeom…

Of course, I understand what Oh Hyejung must be feeling right now.

Well, I guess it doesn’t matter what the two talked about.

The problem was elsewhere.

‘Should I get involved with this?’

Considering the power difference, Oh Hyejung would lose to Joo Soogyeom.

Disregarding Joo Soogyeom’s personal bodyguards, Oh Hyejung would still lose to him in a 1 on 1 fight.

“Euishin, what’s wrong?”

Joo Soohyuk’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

Even if it was just for a moment, I was considering helping in the assassination of a relative of this title hero.

‘I should be the one stopping them.’ 

If Oh Hyejung is too reckless and gets caught, not only Oh Hyejung but also Saeum of April would be devastated.

“I got a message…”

I showed Joo Soohyuk the message that I received from Oh Hyejung.

Soohyuk’s face turned blue when he saw the message.

Soohyuk knows what happened during the engagement ceremony, so it’s natural for him to react this way.

“I’m going to go to Soogyeom hyung. Sorry. Let’s go to Hongcheon tomorrow.”

The thoughtful Soohyuk wanted to personally help clean up this mess.

I tightly grabbed his arm.

“I’m going with you.”

“It could be dangerous…”

I’m aware that I’ll be interfering in someone else’s family matters, but I spoke shamelessly.

“I’m the one that she contacted, right? If things get out of hand, I’m responsible too. If anything happens, I should be there to help to stop her.”

But to be honest, I’m still hesitating on whether or not I should stop her.

Fortunately, Soohyuk nodded after much consideration.

* * *

The place where Soohyuk and I were headed was the so-called “Joo-Oh Town’.

It’s where the headquarters of the Joo-Oh Group and key affiliates were concentrated.

At first glance, it seemed to be a regular street, but only the logo of Joo-Oh Group could be seen around this area.

Even a coffee chain specializing in take-outs belongs to a brand owned by Joo-Oh Group.

The CCTV installation notice attached to each building also bore the logo of Joo-Oh Group.

‘…Will Oh Hyejung even be able to come here?’

However, seeing Joo Soohyuk’s urgent footsteps, it seems like he knows that it’s possible.

Soohyuk seemed convinced that Oh Hyejung would come this far.

‘Oh Hyejung was also a major figure in the group, so she must be aware of how the security works in here. The security must’ve been tight at the engagement hall on that day, but she still managed to escape. Oh Hyejung is someone who makes sure things go her way once she set her mind to it.’

Following Soohyuk, we arrived at the Joo-Oh headquarters building at the center of the Joo-Oh Town.

“Hello.”

“Greetings, young master. I heard you were coming.”

When Soohyuk greeted the man at the first-floor desk, he passed a tray containing a temporary pass ID.

The worker seemed to hesitate at first, but thanks to Sooyhuk, I was able to obtain the temporary pass.

As expected of the title hero, he was able to prepare thoroughly even with the short amount of time that we had while traveling.

Joo Soohyuk muttered something as we stood in front of the elevator for executives.

“The elevator… It’s stopped on the floor where Soogyeom hyung’s office is.”

Don’t tell me Oh Hyejung’s already here?

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“Can you contact him?”

“No. I tried sending him a message but he didn’t read it. Sugyeom hyung doesn’t check his personal messages during office hours…”

My question made Soohyuk’s mind go everywhere.

“I just told his secretariat team that I wanted to have lunch with him… Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to have a schedule for his lunch today.”

Wouldn’t it be kind of awkward to have me with them for lunch?

I thought so, but Soohyuk smiled at me and spoke.

“Euishin, you’ve fought with me at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium before. Think of this as you making it up to me. It wouldn’t be strange to have you for a meal.”

As we were talking, the elevator stopped.

We selected the floor where Joo Soogyeom’s office was located.

The elevator opened and we immediately went out to the hallway, but we didn’t see anyone.

“This is strange. Security guards and secretaries usually walk around here…”

The executive conference room and the lounge were both empty.

Soohyuk hurried to the opaque automatic door.

Beside the keypad with an iris recognizer and a card reader was a plaque reading “Executive Director Joo Soogyeom.”

When Soohyuk pressed the button on the keypad…

Whi-ing…

The door opened.

“…Soogyeom hyung?”

Clash! Shiiing! Clash!

Joo Soohyuk’s voice was buried by the sound of metal colliding.

Soohyuk and I rushed to the office.

Screeeeech!

The moment the door opened, there was a flash in front of us.

The office was in shambles.

Joo Soogyeom was there, smoking with a blank expression.

Semin of April was there too, looking flustered.

And Oh Hyejung, who was running towards Joo Soogyeom with a knife.

I don’t know exactly what was happening, but it’s obvious that Soohyuk and I were a step late.

“Soogyeom hyung! Hyejung noona!”

“You’re here, Soohyuk? Joo Soogyeom, you’re such a hopeless jerk. Soohyuk is here so why don’t you put out that annoying cigarette of yours!”

Oh Hyejung gave a scary smile as she dissed Soogyeom, but the man put the cigarette filter to his lips once again.

He spoke dryly.

“It’s a gold tobacco.”

Swish!

Oh Hyejung swung her knife again, but her attack was blocked effortlessly.

At first glance, Soogyeom seemed to have blocked the attack with his bare hands, but looking closely, he was holding a lighter in his hand.

‘Don’t tell me he’s been blocking all her attacks with that small lighter!?’

He’s smoking with one hand and blocking Hyejung’s attack with a lighter with his other hand.

Seeing Soogyeom being so at ease, Oh Hyejung couldn’t help but feel emotional.

And with her, I felt emotional too.

The image of Oh Hyeji working hard back at the student council office intensified my emotions.

‘His face really resembles Joo Soohyuk’s.’

Seeing him up close made me think so.

He had a very dry expression contrary to Soohyuk so the impression was different, but the facial features themselves were almost like exact replicas.

‘If Soohyuk wasn’t raised in good conditions, or if he hadn’t met Ahn Dain, I wonder if Joo Soohyuk would’ve ended up like him too.’

I felt a little bit of empathy toward Joo Soogyeom.

“Soohyuk, you must be here because of Hyeji too.”

Soogyeom spoke to Soohyuk.

This filthy man, who made Oh Hyejung cry, is calling my playable character by his name!

Every ounce of affinity I had for him completely disappeared.

“Hahaha, that’s half right. I can’t just stay put knowing that Hyejung noona wanted to come here to kill you, hyung.”

“Do you want to attack too, Soohyuk?”

“…Can’t we settle this by conversation?”

Clash!

Soohyuk’s failed attempt at solving the situation was quickly followed by the sound of metals clashing once again.

Oh Hyejung swung the knife quickly enough for it to leave an afterimage in the air, but she was blocked again by Soogyeom’s lighter.

She launched consecutive strikes toward him, but not even the tip of the knife could graze Joo Soogyeom.

With every collision of the blade and the metal lighter, shock waves exploded throughout the office.

‘It’s not that Oh Hyejung is weak; Joo Soogyeom is just too strong!’

The children of Joo-Oh Group all study to be swordsmen.

The Joo Family uses double swords.

The Oh Family uses a single sword.

Although each art has its own pros and cons, the Joo Family’s children in the current generation were too strong.

Although talents would spring from the Oh Family in the next year, it’s still too early.

“You can’t beat me, Oh Hyejung. If you keep persisting like this, the secretariat team will come soon and know of your whereabouts. Tell me what you want.”

With Joo Soogyeom’s blunt words, Oh Hyejung still chose to strike the knife at him.

“I know you went crazy when you figured out Hyeji’s feelings and drew the line. Hyeji still hasn’t given up.”

“…”

Joo Soogyeom didn’t answer.

“So you two go out for a day – no an hour… No, just exactly 30 seconds and then break up with Hyeji.”

…That’s genius?

That actually sounds like a decent idea.

As expected, the sister of my playable character is wise.

But isn’t 30 seconds a bit too long?

Maybe three seconds or even one second would do.

Joo Soogyeom inhaled from his tobacco and spoke.

“If Hyeji wants it.”

I felt even more anger for him with that overly plain answer.

It’s like he doesn’t feel an ounce of guilt.

Oh Hyejung opened her mouth, looking like she wants to spit the nastiest curse towards Soogyeom, but we heard people flocking outside the door.

The secretariat and the security team that Hyejung took care of earlier seem to have returned.

Semin of April grabbed Oh Hyejung’s shoulder.

Hyejung spoke again with a low voice.

“Cut that stupid line first. It’s ridiculous that you even led Hyeji on when you didn’t want her to marry her anyway.”

“…Stop this and go. If you get caught, you’ll be the one on the other side of the line.”

What Soogyeom had said may just be what could make Oh Hyejung give up.

Still, I grew to hate him even more.

Just before the door opened, the two stood in front of the glass window.

“Let’s go, Semin-ssi.”

Oh Hyejung stuck to Semin and they both jumped out the window.

Semin used his flight skill to get out of the building.

Unlike earlier when they used the elevator to infiltrate, they used a bolder approach to escaping.

On the other hand, the jerk still had his cigarette in his mouth even as the two left.

When Oh Hyejung and Semin of April became completely out of sight, Joo Soogyeom spoke.

“Let’s go get lunch, Soohyuk.