CH 82

Late at night when darkness fell, I, alone in the room, lifted the mattress of the bed after a long time.

I took out my hidden cell phone and dialled the only saved number without hesitation. The call was barely connected when the long ringing tone was almost cut off.

“It’s me, Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

[…right.]

Ha Tae-heon answered calmly, wondered if he expected me to contact him. I was thinking about how to have a conversation, but surprisingly, Ha Tae-heon opened his mouth first.

[That day.]

“Yes?”

[Did you go back and get treatment well?]

“Um… yes.”

I answered with an awkward smile. I guess my condition wasn’t good. Ha Tae-heon asked me all these things. I brought out the main point with a smile on my lips.

“Are you very busy these days?”

[To some extent.]

“Well, I’d like to meet you once.”

Ha Tae-heon wasn’t even in front of me, but somehow I felt uncomfortable. As I gently stroked the nape of my neck and spoke carefully, Ha Tae-heon spoke in a somewhat teasing tone.

[Date?]

“Pardon?”

Suddenly, I wondered what he was talking about, but I remembered that I had called him out while talking about a date before. You’re making fun of me. Damn it.

“Yeah, well… date. Yes.”

When I answered with a dismal way, Ha Tae-heon returned to his usual voice, as if he didn’t tease me.

[Then I’ll see you now.]

“Now?”

[Come out.]

“It’s late… Are you okay?”

[As far as I remember, we met later last time.]

That’s right. I checked the time on the clock hanging on the wall. 12:23 am. It was just past midnight.

“That’s better for me. Aren’t you tired?”

[You are worried about unnecessary things.]

“……”

Yeah, you are good. You were saying that because you’re SS-rank, right? I sighed and nodded my head.

“I understand. Where should I go?”

[Let’s meet where we met last time.]

“Last time… Is it near the hotel?”

[Right. It would be better to go to a place where we can meet and talk first.]

“All right.”

After finishing the call, I hid my cell phone again under the bed mattress and prepared to leave right away.

I opened the window of the room, draped in a white T-shirt and a slightly thick cardigan. My breath was shattered white in the cool morning air. Just like last time, I stepped on the window sill and jumped out with my ability.

‘If you are going to a place where you can have a conversation… Maybe we’ll go to the Roheon Guild?’

I tilted my head, pulling the cardigan fluttering in the wind. If that’s the case, you could just ask me to come to the guild from the beginning.

The alley next to the hotel appeared after 20 minutes to the east. Finding Ha Tae-heon’s car parked in the same location as before, I went down to the ground and opened the passenger door.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

I smiled as I looked at Ha Tae-heon, who was sitting in the driver’s seat with his back bent. He was not in a suit for some reason but was wearing a black turtleneck and cotton pants.

“Are you going to rest?”

As I sat in the passenger seat and got closer, his slightly wet hair caught my eye. Ha Tae-heon nodded his head and started the car.

“Where are you going? Guild?”

When I asked while wearing a seat belt, Ha Tae-heon turned his steering wheel and answered indifferently.

“House.”

“Pardon?”

House? Whose house?

“…is it Ha Tae-heon-ssi’s house?”

“Right.”

Surprised, Ha Tae-heon threw a bombshell and drove in a polite manner.

“Are you going to take me to your house? Now?”

“What can’t be done?”

“……”

What can’t be… there’s nothing impossible. I smiled and looked out the window.

‘However. Our relationship isn’t normal. I don’t think there’s a good place to talk.’

In the novel, Ha Tae-heon did not let anyone in the house, including Lee Joo-ha, who he trusted the most, or Min Ah-rin.

Is it okay for me to go to such a great place to talk about uncomfortable things? Is it because I’m not a girl like Lee Joo-han and Min Ah-rin?

No matter how much the landlord invited me, it’s too much for a guy like me to go…

‘…let’s stop.’

I thought deeply about the subject that I didn’t even have the courage to tell Ha Tae-heon that it was a burden. I glanced at Ha Tae-heon’s profile reflected in the window and covered my mouth with my hand.

‘Still.’

I felt pretty good. Covering the corners of my lips that kept rising, I coughed in vain. I could feel Ha Tae-heon looking at me for a moment while driving, but I tried to ignore it.

* * *

Beep, beep. Beep.

Ha Tae-heon pressed the door lock password and opened the front door. I followed him in and looked around.

“Are you living alone?”

I asked while looking around the spacious living room with the grey sofa and black table, Ha Tae-heon nodded his head and held out his hand. I took off my cardigan and handed it to him, smiling broadly.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

I put down my butt on the couch and looked around intently. A book that appeared to have been left behind by Ha Tae-heon, a wall-mounted TV seen above the cabinet, and two small cactus flower pots. Overall, the atmosphere was simple and clean.

The fact that only the necessary furniture and things were placed firmly seemed to show Ha Tae-heon’s personality. After looking around the living room for a while, Ha Tae-heon, who had left the cardigan and went into the kitchen, returned.

“That… is that wine?”

In each of his large hands was a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. I was surprised to see the label as I took the bottle of wine that Ha Tae-heon gave me.

“Château Lafite Rothschild… This is a very expensive wine, is that okay to open it?”

“I got it as a gift after all.”

Ha Tae-heon used the opener to remove the cork bottle cap with a look of no interest in wine.

I couldn’t believe I was drinking expensive wine, which I prepared only when they came to play while running the bar for years, at Ha Tae-heon’s house. Ha Tae-heon asked me as I smelled the scent in the wine glass.

“I don’t have any food prepared to go with it.”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

With this level of wine, adding something to it might harm the taste. It was a little disappointing that I didn’t use the decanter, huh.

Looking at the red wine in the wine glass with a satisfied smile, I came to my senses later.

‘…wait. Why did I naturally drink wine?’

I didn’t come here for this, right? I put down his wine glass and opened my mouth at the reason I suddenly came.

“That, Ha Tae-heon-ssi. I have something to tell you.”

“Is the wine bad?”

“No. Wine isn’t the problem…”

“There is no other drink.”

So… what is wine and why are we drinking now…

I struggled to open my mouth to Ha Tae-heon, who was sitting opposite me.

“Actually, the reason I asked to see you today.”

“I know.”

He cut me off and took a sip of wine with a blunt expression on his face.

“It must be because of the SS-class coat.”

Even though I was prepared, my heart sank low with a thump at the word. I let out a sigh and rubbed the back of my neck.

“…yes. I think I acted a bit hasty. I didn’t expect that the SS-class coat would hold Ha Tae-heon-ssi. I’m sorry…”

“Han Yi-gyeol.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t look away, look at me.”

Hearing those words, I slightly lifted my head, who was bowing in anxiety, and looked at Ha Tae-heon. Fortunately, he didn’t look as unpleasant as I thought.

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing.”

“I heard from Master Lee Joo-ha. Cheon Sa-yeon threatened you with a coat.”

“Yeah. Just like you said, Master Cheon Sa-yeon threatened to disclose it to the media.”

Suddenly, the image of Cheon Sa-yeon, who forced me to tell him what had happened on the island, flashed through my mind. I unconsciously pressed my index finger on the middle of the forehead, which was about to be strengthened.

“But is that something you should apologize for?”

“That…”

“You said it when we got the coat in the D8 Area. Whatever the reason you approached me, the result was an SS-class item.”

An awkward feeling flooded into Ha Tae-heon’s appearance as he recited what I said. Did I say that so rudely?

“The thing that Cheon Sa-yeon threatened is a matter between me and Cheon Sa-yeon. There’s no need for your apology. I’m trying to find a way to disclose the coat without any problems.”

“Still…”

“Or, are the two of you close enough for you to apologize for what Cheon Sa-yeon did?”

There was something sharp in the question. I hastily denied it.

“No.”

“Okay then. Don’t apologize.”

At Ha Tae-heon’s words, I bit my lip and gave strength to the hand that was on my lap. Many complex emotions flooded in.

That wasn’t all I had to explain to him. After hesitating a few times, I finally opened my mouth.

“It may sound like an excuse, but Cheon Sa-yeon knew the coat… I really didn’t know. I understand you doubted me. There are many things to hide…”

“No. It’s my fault that I doubted it just for the thought that it was uncomfortable without any evidence.”

But this time, he didn’t blame me. Ha Tae-heon, who spoke firmly, added a word.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll trust you completely. That’s a different matter.”

“Yes. I know.”

I nodded my head at the added word. That’s natural. I had never had such a strong wind.

“Let’s stop talking about this.”

Ha Tae-heon leaned his body on the back of the sofa and nodded his chin towards the wine glass in front of me.

“Drink.”

“Um…”

Is it really the end? Is this an important conversation?

In the worst case, I was prepared to get several beatings, so I lifted the wine glass with a puzzle mind.

‘Is… Ha Tae-heon doing this because he’s sorry to me?’

Anyway, there was no reason to refuse. I sat in front of him and took a sip of wine while watching Ha Tae-heon looking at me.

“……!”

Oh, it’s good. As my expression brightened, only then Ha Tae-heon raised the glass of wine again.

The silence that came whenever I was with Ha Tae-heon settled in the living room, but it wasn’t as awkward as before. As the time spent with him gradually increased, I might have gotten used to this quiet atmosphere to some extent.

“At that time.”

About the time the wine glasses were emptied, Ha Tae-heon spoke first, which was rare. After drinking the remaining wine, I put the empty wine glass down on the table and looked at him.

“Yes?”

“Inside the gate on the Gulupdo Island.”

I turned my head to the sudden topic of conversation. Looking at Ha Tae-heon blankly and waiting for the next word, he hesitated for a moment and then continued.

“Cheon Sa-yeon, he was doing something.”

“Cheon Sa-yeon?”

He did so many dog-like things that I had no idea what he was talking about. When I didn’t understand and just rolled my eyes, Ha Tae-heon put down the wine glass he drank and added an explanation.

“After I rescued Master Lee Joo-ha and Master Hong Si-ah from the underground, I went to you right away.”

“Ah. Did you? Then…”

As I recalled the situation at that time, I felt something strange.

‘Thanks to Ha Tae-heon cutting off its tentacles, I didn’t die and dealt with the monster. After that, Cheon Sa-yeon, who arrived late, gave me energy…’

Thinking that far, an ominous sensation passed through the nape of my neck. Wait a minute. No way.

“With you, who passed out, Master Cheon Sa-yeon.”

“Wa, wait a minute!”

I couldn’t hear any more, so I hurriedly cut off Ha Tae-heon’s words.

“It’s absolutely not what Ha Tae-heon-ssi thinks!”

“Is that so?”

“It’s just that I got a debuff and was trying to release it. His posture is a bit strange, but…”

“How could you release it?”

“……”

I didn’t want to answer that much, so I averted my gaze. However, Ha Tae-heon was persistent.

“I asked how you could release it.”

His hot gaze seemed to pierce my side face. Don’t look at me like that. How can I beat you? After holding on for a while, I finally spit out an answer with a sigh.

“…I don’t really know either. According to Cheon Sa-yeon, SS-ranks can pass on their energy to the other person.”

“Hmm.”

As expected, Ha Tae-heon looked at me with a lot of interest. There was a certain ominous feeling in his eyes, so I shook my head resolutely.

“No, I don’t want.”

“Why?”

“Why do you suddenly get energy while drinking wine? And it hurts so much… It’s not painful, but it’s uncomfortable. I really don’t want to take it under any circumstances. I told Cheon Sa-yeon not to do it, too, but he did it his own way.”

Fortunately, Ha Tae-heon didn’t force it when I refused with disgust. However, the strangely regrettable thing, it was clear to me that he would try to do it if he had a chance.

‘I shouldn’t have told him…’

Swallowing the tears, I regretted what I had done to answer honestly. I just hope that I am not the person who will receive Ha Tae-heon’s energy.