CH 131

When I put the item in the hood zip-up pocket I was wearing and left the drawing-room, Chloe, who was talking with Min Ah-rin while looking at the piano-shaped music box, turned around.

“Did the conversation finish well?”

Chloe immediately turned to look at Edward who was next to me.

“Eddy. Seeing the bright expression on your face, it must have worked out as you wanted.”

“Yes.”

Whether she already knew Edward’s opinion that he wanted to give me the item, Chloe asked a playful question. Edward nodded his head shyly.

“Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”

Chloe walked gracefully and stood in front of me, holding my hand with her fine, soft hand.

“Just as Eddy gave you the item, I will repay you. From this moment on, with the honour of the Athena Guild Deputy Master, I will grant you one request. Whatever it is.”

“Hold on. I…”

“You don’t mean to say no, are you?”

As if she knew what I was trying to say, Chloe covered my mouth and grinned.

“And I owe Eddy and the man who kidnapped you. To catch him, I really want to help. Please don’t worry about this as it’s my personal feeling rather than a request.”

Chloe continued, in a slightly low voice.

“When I return to the guild, I will find out about the culprit. If we have any good information, we will pass it on to you.”

“…thank you, Deputy Master Chloe.”

Understanding Chloe’s feelings, I accepted her proposal. Above all, the number of places where information could be obtained was increasing, so I had no reason to refuse.

Satisfied with my answer, Chloe let go of my hand and told us.

“Since you’re here, would you like to have dinner? The hotel chef here is pretty good. How is it?”

“Um, no. I’m fine, but Min Ah-rin and Kim Woo-jin came out without a word. I think we should go back soon.”

“Oh, no. What a shame.”

“……”

Unlike Chloe, who had a light attitude, Edward made a gloomy face by lowering the tip of his eyebrows as if he was really regretful. I bowed down and shook hands with Edward.

“I’ll stay a little longer next time, Edward-ssi.”

“Yes, yes.”

Edward smiled broadly and quickly nodded his head several times. It was so cute that I unknowingly stroked Edward’s soft blonde hair. Fortunately, Edward was just shy, but he didn’t seem particularly offended.

“Come on, Min Ah-rin-ssi. Kim Woo-jin. Come closer.”

I took my shoes in hand and opened the window. Min Ah-rin and Kim Woo-jin, who each shook hands with Chloe, approached me.

“Flying through the window. The wind ability is so romantic.”

Romantic? It was the first time I had such an impression, so I just rolled my eyes and raised my energy. The hair fluttered as the wind gently wrapped around the body.

I went out the window, put on my shoes while floating in the air, reached out and grabbed Min Ah-rin and Kim Woo-jin.

“Then we should get going… Deputy Master Chloe?”

As I was about to say goodbye to Chloe and Edward, I stopped speaking. Chloe’s eyes, with a look of bewildered wherever they looked, were sparkling with a light powder.

“Talented Han Yi-gyeol, that…”

“Yes?”

“……”

Chloe blinked several times with a stiff expression on her face soon bowed her head and avoided my gaze.

“…no, never mind. I’m sorry. I was mistaken.”

“Mistake?”

“Bye, Talented Han Yi-gyeol. See you next time.”

I wanted to ask more, but I just kept my mouth shut at Chloe’s rather coercive attitude. Min Ah-rin and Kim Woo-jin felt her sudden change, Min Ah-rin asked with a puzzled expression as the distance from the hotel widened.

“Why did she suddenly react like that?”

“Neither do I know.”

As I headed to the Requiem Guild, I thought why Chloe had suddenly changed. The light in Chloe’s eyes. Did she use her ability to detect the difference in energy?

‘It’s strange that she suddenly used her ability, but she was so flustered right after that. There must have been something wrong.’

And it seemed that the problem was laid on me.

“…Han Yi-gyeol. That woman, something’s suspicious.”

The bedroom room on the 23rd floor of Requiem. Kim Woo-jin, who followed Min Ah-rin into the room, released my hand and opened his mouth with a worried expression.

“Be careful.”

Kim Woo-jin, who briefly glanced at Min Ah-rin, who took off her coat that she was wearing, lowered the volume of his voice.

“I said I would help, but there’s someone else closer than you.” (너보다 친한 사람은 따로 있잖아, not sure)

“I know.”

I agreed with Kim Woo-jin and nodded my head slightly.

“I’ll be careful. Thank you, Kim Woo-jin.”

Kim Woo-jin’s reddish-brown eyes staring at me were full of warm trust. He lifted the corners of his mouth up in response to my answer, smiled slightly, and whispered.

“By tomorrow, Hyde will contact you with Kang Seung-geon’s information. At that time, let’s deal with the information about Samael we found out this time.”

“Yeah. Nothing great, but… I’d rather do as you say. I’ll give you a summary. You tell him.”

“Okay.”

“Yi-gyeol-ssi, Woo-jin-ssi!”

As soon as the conversation between me and Kim Woo-jin was over, Min Ah-rin’s call came from the living room. Min Ah-rin, who was standing in the hallway, gently waved her hand as she was going to leave the room.

“I have work left, so I’ll go down first.”

“Okay. Be careful, Min Ah-rin-ssi.”

Facing her with a smile and waving my hand, Min Ah-rin left the room with a giggle.

“Kim Woo-jin. Don’t you have any training?”

“I said I was going to rest today. Because I was going to take care of you.”

You were still a trainee, was that okay? Well, he wasn’t a child, so I was sure he would do well on his own. Scratching my nose and thinking about it, I opened my mouth honestly.

“I’ll go to the representative office for a moment.”

“Representative? Are you going to see Master?”

“Oh.”

Thanks to the accessory box inside, I said as I touched the hood zip-up pocket that protrude slightly.

“I have something to tell him.”

* * *

When I got off the elevator that reached the top floor, the bodyguard greeted me and moved to the side of the door.

“Please come in.”

“……”

In the same situation as last time, I once again doubted that Cheon Sa-yeon had said something to the bodyguards.

Feeling uncomfortable and cautiously entering the representative office, Cheon Sa-yeon, sitting at the desk, looking at the documents, was seen in front of me.

“Hmm.”

Closing the door and leaning my back to stand there, Cheon Sa-yeon, who raised his head belatedly, smiled as if he was very surprised.

“What’s going on again this time? My precious partner.”

“…stop saying that.”

Just like last time, I sighed and moved to the sofa at the sight of my collabolator making fun of me. Cheon Sa-yeon, who turned a high-quality leather chair with a light movement, also got up.

Once I did come, but I didn’t know how to talk. I couldn’t just bring in the item. I hesitated as I touched my neck for nothing, but Cheon Sa-yeon opened his mouth first.

“It’s a good thing you’re here. I had something to give you.”

“Oh, what?”

Cheon Sa-yeon pulled something out of the desk drawer, waving his hand once, indicating that I could sit down.

I didn’t know what it was, but Cheon Sa-yeon brought up the same topic earlier, so it was good for me. I rested my butt on the sofa and touched the hooded zip-up pocket.

“I have something to give you…”

“Here.”

Before I could finish speaking, Cheon Sa-yeon suddenly pushed the bright red box in front of my nose. Upon receiving it, Cheon Sa-yeon, who was standing next to me, bowed his upper body and whispered in a soft voice.

“I got it as a gift, but my taste is not like this one, so I didn’t what to do.”

At Cheon Sa-yeon’s action of clenching his chin as if asking me to open it, I unwrapped the ribbon and opened the box, revealing luxurious looking chocolate.

“You said you got a present?”

“Do you have any problem?”

I bit his lip in a tone that I really didn’t know. The weight of the faltering heart was greatly tilted to one side. I closed the chocolate lid somewhat roughly.

“Why are you closing it?”

“I’m not going to eat.”

Cheon Sa-yeon asked, slowly closing his eyes and opening them.

“Therefore why?”

I had a lot of questions today. I said sharply, unable to hide my rising annoyance.

“How do you eat something you don’t even know who gave it to you? And I don’t really like chocolate.”

“Are you worried about what might be in the chocolate? It’s not a bad attitude, but it’s safe.”

“Stop being so mean to me.”

As expected, I shouldn’t have come. I had something to talk about other than giving the item, but it would be better to come back later.

As I was about to get up, his large, cold hand grabbed the nape of my neck and pressed me down with great force.

“What are you doing?”

“I thought you liked sweet snacks.”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who muttered in a low voice, sat down next to me and tapped the chocolate box on the table with the back of his hand, pushing it away.

“So, what brought you here?”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was immediately displeased, asked with a sour expression. It was me who was shocked by the changed attitude. Why were you doing this again? Who was going to feel bad now?

“I don’t need anything.”

“Did you say you had something to give me?”

“……”

Shameless bastard. You knew it but you still asked. Cheon Sa-yeon reached out his hand towards me, twisting his face.

“I’m really curious to see how great that thing is.”

“Haa…”

Swallowing the curse that reached the end of my throat, I sighed instead. Even if I came here and walked away, there was no way Cheon Sa-yeon would let me go.

‘Ah, I don’t know.’

Desperately, I glared at Cheon Sa-yeon and pulled the item out of my pocket. Cheon Sa-yeon, who was handed the accessory box wrapped in green velvet, turned it around with one hand as if playing with it.

“It’s something Eddy made.”

“Right.”

“I expected him to give you something. It was entirely thanks to you that we were able to get out of that hell.”

“It’s not mine.”

Cheon Sa-yeon’s black eyes turned to me. I didn’t know how to explain it. Sweeping the back of my head awkwardly, I continued the explanation.

“No, it’s true that I received it, but… I don’t know. Just open it.”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who raised one eyebrow at my dog-like words, opened the accessory box. The red earrings I saw when I received them from Edward gleamed in the light of the lamp.

“With this much energy… is it an S-class item?”

“That’s right. It’s an S-class recovery item.”

“Therefore?”

Click.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who closed the accessory box again, asked me with a smile.

“It’s not like you’re showing it to me to brag.”

“No, what…”

“Han Yi-gyeol.”

Cheon Sa-yeon grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

“You know my ability.”

I knew right away what he meant. Cheon Sa-yeon’s ability, blood. Due to the nature of his ability that got stronger the more blood was shed, the recovery item was rather opposite.

“To be honest, I think it’s a more useful item for you, who gets hurt every day, not me.”

I didn’t bother to refute it. Because I also didn’t think Cheon Sa-yeon need this item.

‘But…’

Even if I could turn back time and go back to the moment I met Edward, my choice remained the same.

“If you don’t like it, say so. Because I understand.”

If he wished for an item that would help his ability rather than a recovery item, he would have been able to get enough of that kind. An item that would help the ability to make the blood stronger as the amount of bloodshed increased.

“I just wanted to give you this.”

Anyway, it was true that Cheon Sa-yeon came to rescue me and Edward, and it was also true that he got hurt a lot in the process. Seeing it like that, I wished he had at least some kind of safety equipment.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who had listened to me with an expressionless face, immediately let go of my chin. As I touched my slightly tingling chin, Cheon Sa-yeon’s arm that came down quickly grabbed my waist and pulled me back.

“Gasp…!”

“Great.”

When I took a breath in the face of Cheon Sa-yeon, who came close to me without even having time to prepare my heart, he smiled brightly like a flower.

“I’ll accept it in a special way.”

“Oh, thank you so much for accepting it. But it would be nice if you let go of my waist.”

Cheon Sa-yeon didn’t hide his satisfaction and gently stroked my waist.

“But as you know, I don’t have my earlobes pierced, can I wear it even if I want to?”

The moment I heard those words, goosebumps erupted all over my body. This felt bad. I quickly looked into Cheon Sa-yeon’s eyes.

“Well. That’s not something I should care about… isn’t it?”

“That’s not something you should care about you said. How sad.”

Sensing the ominous feeling, I twisted my body to get away from Cheon Sa-yeon in a hurry, but the more I did it, the stronger the power that drew me in. Cheon Sa-yeon whispered as he looked down at me, who hated it.

“You do it for me. Ung? Yi-gyeol-ah.”