CH 104

Before realizing it, the day was getting warmer, new shoots were sprouting from the branches outside the window. After taking a sip of steaming young crimson tea, the woman put down the finely crafted teacup and opened her mouth.

“My opinion hasn’t changed.”

“Chloe.” (클로에)

“I don’t have anything to do right now anyway.”

The man with a neat impression who was sitting in front of the calm remark broke into a cold sweat, not knowing what to do.

“Bu, but I can’t believe it’s Korea. It’s too sudden.”

“I think I have told you about my plan to go to Korea more than a month ago, though?”

“You even contacted the Requiem Guild without explaining it to me…”

“Just in time, Master Cheon Sa-yeon looked for me. Since I’m going to Korea, I want to see Master Cheon Sa-yeon’s face after a long time.”

Cheon Sa-yeon. The man’s forehead wrinkled harshly at that name. Unlike a man who thought Cheon Sa-yeon was an unlucky guy, Chloe had been close friends with Cheon Sa-yeon for quite some time. He couldn’t forcefully stop her from going to see her close friend.

Eventually, the man nodded his head with a sigh and made a tired face.

“You can’t be alone. I’ll attach bodyguards, Team 1, so take them.”

“I don’t like Team 1 because there are too many people. One or two are enough. Korea has good security.”

“What do you mean ‘good security’? There is no other place as chaotic as Korea recently! A few days ago, I heard that an S-rank was under mental control and destroyed the road!”

Chloe shook her head slightly. Curly blonde hair down to her waist slid over her shoulders, and the green eyes beneath her long lashes glistened as if thinking of something.

“I know. I saw it, too. A video that went viral on the Internet.”

“Right. It’s a pretty dangerous country in the current situation. So, you should accept the guard team—”

“That’s why I want to go.”

“What?”

“Originally, I was going to enjoy a vacation in Korea, but… the purpose has changed.”

Chloe, who said something unexpected, raised her eyes and looked at the man, smiling.

“If I had gone a month ago, I would have never been able to see him. I’m so glad.”

“What… who do you want to meet?”

The man scratched his head and recalled a video of the Gangnam incident in South Korea. There was a scene that might interest Chloe… After thinking for a while, the man remembered the end of the video.

“An A-rank wind magician? Are you talking about that talented person?” (그바람술사, not sure how to translate it, wind magician or wind man?)

“That’s right.”

Perhaps it was the correct answer, Chloe responded with a bright voice. Even so, the man didn’t erase his uncomfortable expression.

“No, what. It’s pretty cool though. If it’s a hero, there are more here, though? You don’t even like it that much.”

“It’s different from people who set up a hero here. Childish and frivolous… There is no serious feeling like that wind magician.”

Really? He didn’t know. Chloe, who looked at the man who tilted his head as if frustrated, took another sip of her tea.

“I contacted Eddie and he said he is currently in Japan. He’s coming to Korea according to my schedule, so I’ll meet my younger brother and get some rest. Don’t wait.”

As she spoke resolutely, the man clung to her with a tearful face.

“Ch, Chloe! Wait a minute. Will you contact me? Like a video call! And what about the guard team?”

“You must be busy, so what do you keep in touch with me? You can just go and watch afterwards.”

“How can you say such harsh words! Did you forget that we’re newlyweds less than a year ago?”

“And we dated for 7 years. Don’t worry. It won’t be long.”

“Chloe!”

On a sunny early spring day when the sunlight came in, the mournful cry of a man living in love resounded.

* * *

Kwon Jeong-han became my bodyguard, but that said, there wasn’t really anything to protect. That would be it.

“This is my first time making hotcakes, how about it? Is it okay?”

“Ung. The best. Delicious.”

Because I didn’t go out at all. While eating the meal and desserts that Kim Woo-jin made in the room, all I did was pour out praises.

“Re, really? Eat a lot…”

In response to my answer, Kim Woo-jin dyed his cheeks red and smiled shyly. Dude. I heard that men who could cook were very popular these days, so he didn’t have to worry about dating.

When I cut the hotcakes sprinkled with maple syrup into bite-size pieces and put them in my mouth, the sweetness spread. There was a smile of satisfaction.

“Um?”

While enjoying dessert in the midst of that, someone knocked on the door. In place of Kim Woo-jin, who was washing the dishes, the clone sitting next to me got up.

Who was it? Min Ah-rin must be busy today. There was no one to come, so I tilted my head and the clone who went out to open the door shouted with a sharp voice.

“Go away!”

“……?”

Who was it that our innocent clone reacted like that? Curious, I went out and saw Kwon Jeong-han standing in front of the clone.

“Kwon Jeong-han-ssi?”

“Good afternoon, Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”

“Good afternoon, aren’t you off?”

The clone clung to me and revealed it. Did he talk so well? I always thought it was the limit because he spoke briefly in front of me. With the meaning of calming down, I patted him on the back and apologized to Kwon Jeong-han instead.

“I’m sorry. This is Kim Woo-jin’s clone, but his behaviour is a bit…”

“It’s okay.”

“Thank you for your understanding. Come on in.”

“Yes.”

Kim Woo-jin, who had just finished washing the dishes, crumpled his face as I entered the living room with a smiling Kwon Jeong-han behind me.

“What?”

“What is it?”

“Why did you bring him in?”

Kim Woo-jin pointed his finger at Kwon Jeong-han, showing his dislike. Well, this was worse than his clone. I grabbed Kim Woo-jin’s hand and forced it down, lowering my voice.

“I have a visitor, so are you going to kick him out? And what is your attitude?”

“…what about me.”

“No matter how much your opponent is younger than you, how can you treat him like that? We’ll keep seeing each other in the future, but are you going to be like this?”

“……”

Kim Woo-jin, who heard the nagging, became very sullen. Still, I couldn’t afford to ignore this incident. If I left it like this, it was obvious that the two of them would have a big fight someday.

“Don’t speak informally and don’t glare. Got it?”

“…got it.”

Kim Woo-jin answered with a droopy voice. I glanced at Kwon Jeong-han, who was looking around the living room from behind, and continued.

“Have a good time. We can get close. It seems like you have a good personality.”

Like when we first met and it was like that today. Even though Kim Woo-jin acted harshly several times, Kwon Jeong-han didn’t frown once, so he seemed to have a lot of understanding.

‘It seems like he’s slightly underestimating Kim Woo-jin.’

It wasn’t serious and Kim Woo-jin, the person involved, didn’t notice it, so it was okay to leave it alone for now. I patted Kim Woo-jin on the shoulder once and looked back at Kwon Jeong-han.

“Kim Woo-jin baked some hotcakes, would you like to eat it?”

“It would be nice if you could give it to me.”

Kwon Jeong-han nodded his head with a smile that looked like a unique person. When Kwon Jeong-han was brought to the table, Kim Woo-jin placed a plate of freshly made warm hotcakes in front of him.

“Wa. You’re good at cooking.”

Kwon Jeong-han, who took a bite of the hotcake, said in a bright voice. It was closer to a feeling of surprise than a compliment, but Kim Woo-jin turned his back on Kwon Jeong-han with an expression that he wasn’t interested in anything.

“Han Yi-gyeol.”

As if to warn Kwon Jeong-han, a clone that had been far away coming to me again. I said as I pushed the remaining hotcakes to the clone sitting next to me, just in case.

“Want to eat?”

“You don’t have to give it to him. The clone can’t eat food. Only liquid is possible.”

At the same time as the clone shook his head, Kim Woo-jin took off his apron and answered instead. No wonder. I said I didn’t see him eating.

Kwon Jeong-han, who was sitting opposite, looked at Kim Woo-jin’s clone with interest.

“I’ve heard of Kim Woo-jin seonbaenim’s ability to clone himself, but it’s amazing to see it in person. He looks more like a twin than a clone.”

At those words, this time the clone snorted and turned his head away. He looked like a twin. I immediately understood what he meant. It would be nice to change the topic of conversation.

“Ahem. So, what’s going on?”

“Um. I don’t have anything to do.”

Kwon Jeong-han, who ate the hotcake neatly in that short time, put down his fork and hesitated for a moment.

“I was in charge of bodyguard, but I don’t feel like I’m doing anything. I thought it would be okay to do this, so I came here to show my face.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s because I don’t go out.”

“My salary is much higher than when I practised, but I feel a little uncomfortable just playing.”

At that, I tilted my head. Wouldn’t it be nice to get more money to play and eat? If it were me, I would have danced with joy.

‘Is it that? The enthusiasm that newcomers have?’

After all, the first thing in his life was becoming my bodyguard… Suddenly, I felt a little sorry for Kwon Jeong-han in front of me. Whether I look sad or not, Kwon Jeong-han said with a face that didn’t care about it.

“So when you don’t go out in the future, I think I’ll stop by for a little while, what do you think?”

“What?”

Before I could react, Kim Woo-jin intervened like a master (득달). Kim Woo-jin, who reflexively spoke informally, glanced at me and opened his mouth, trying not to wrinkle his brow.

“You don’t have to, you don’t. Next to Han Yi-gyeol, I, no. I’m going to stay beside him.”

“Still, I’m his ‘official bodyguard’, isn’t it right that I have to protect him? Kim Woo-jin seonbaenim’s ability is good, but right now, we need people with mental ability.”

“……”

Kim Woo-jin’s eyes shook wildly. Looking at Kim Woo-jin, who was pushed back in the argument at once, I only sighed. As I was about to intervene, I heard another knock on the door.

“I’ll go out and see.”

There were many guests today. I didn’t know what else the clone would do, so I’d rather go. I got up from my seat and walked to the door, and behind me, Kim Woo-jin, a clone, and Kwon Jeong-han followed one after another. Why were you chasing me? I clicked my tongue and opened the door first.

“Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi?”

“Are you resting well?”

The second guest who came to the room was Woo Seo-hyuk. Woo Seo-hyuk, who had a blunt expression as usual, brought up the main topic immediately with a short greeting.

“Master has called you.”

“……”

I couldn’t hide my expression at the unexpected uncomfortable words. The atmosphere around me became cold in an instant because of my hardened face.

“Han Yi-gyeol?”

From behind, Kim Woo-jin called out my name in a worried voice. I shook my head at Kim Woo-jin in the sense that it was okay, and I answered Woo Seo-hyuk.

“…I understand. I will go right away.”