CH 223

“It’s been a while, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi. Nice to meet you.”

“Haha…”

I smiled awkwardly and accepted the other person’s handshake.

Do Ha-seok, a man with curly brown hair and silver-rimmed glasses, followed me and smiled.

“You look much healthier than when we first met. That’s a relief.”

“I was grateful for what happened back then. Thank you again for your cooperation this time.”

I shifted my gaze to Luzel and Luke behind Do Ha-seok and said it again.

“Thank you for your hard work as well.”

“Ey, don’t be so formal! It’s nothing else but helping others.”

Luzel sent me a wink in response to my greeting. I lightly grabbed Luke’s hand, who was hesitating next to her.

“I’m sorry for asking for your help, even though you’re an independent, Luke-ssi.”

“Ye, yes? Ah, no… it’s, it’s okay.”

Luke, startled, slowly flushed his face and shook his head strongly.

What would it be like now without these two. Just imagined it, I was at loss. I thought it was fortunate that I got to know the siblings Luzel and Luke again.

‘It’s all thanks to Ha Tae-heon.’

After the phone call, Ha Tae-heon, who returned to the hospital room, opened his mouth.

“Master said you two can leave work right after work here, so please feel free to finish it.”

He talked to Lee Joo-ha on the phone. Do Ha-seok was delighted with Ha Tae-heon’s words.

“Oh, what’s wrong with our strict master? Luzel, would you like a beer after work is over?”

“Beer? That’s good!”

“What about Luke-ssi? Luke-ssi should come, too. There’s a pretty good beer house near our guild.”

“Yes? Ah, no, I…”

“How about Han Yi-gyeol-ssi? Ha Tae-heon-ssi is also coming, so feel free to join in.”

“Pardon? Me?”

As expected, Roheon had a harmonious and good atmosphere, but I blinked at Do Ha-seok’s sudden suggestion.

Rather, Ha Tae-heon was also going to drink beer? When did he say that?

Ha Tae-heon pulled my shoulder, who was bewildered, and growled in a low voice.

“Don’t talk nonsense. When did I say I was going?”

“What fun do we have together without Ha Tae-heon-ssi?”

“I’m not going.”

It was a joke, too. It seemed that Do Ha-seok was also quite sly.

While I was listening to Do Ha-seok chatting with Ha Tae-heon, who hugged my shoulder from behind, Min Ah-rin and Choi Ga-young, who had gone for a simple examination, returned to the hospital room.

“Everyone is here.”

Min Ah-rin, who found Do Ha-seok, approached with a friendly face.

“It’s been a while, Ha-seok-ssi.”

“I know, right. It’s great to see you again.”

When I saw the scene where the two smiled and shook hands, I was overcome with strange emotions. In Abyss, Min Ah-rin left Requiem and moved to Roheon, making her very close with Do Ha-seok.

‘But now… this is the second time they have met at this time.’

Once again, I asked Choi Ga-young while feeling the reality that was different from the contents of Abyss.

“Choi Ga-young-ssi, how are you? Would you mind having surgery?”

“Ah, yes. As you said, I rested for five days and recovered a lot.”

In response to Choi Ga-young’s answer, Min Ah-rin added her words.

“The test results are very good, too. The surgery will probably take about four hours, but it will be well longer.”

“Can I see the test paper? We’ll see before we go into surgery.”

“Of course.”

At Do Ha-seok’s request, Min Ah-rin handed over the test paper she was holding.

The word was said to be surgery, but in fact, the strength of the experts in synthesis and extraction, Luzel and Luke, was important. Do Ha-seok and Min Ah-rin were close to helping the wounds not get bigger.

Luzel, who watched our conversation with her arms crossed, tapped me lightly on the shoulder.

“Can I give you the antidote later after surgery? It seems like everyone involved hasn’t gathered yet.”

“Yes. I’ve scheduled the meeting for later so that doesn’t bother you. You can come to the conference room after the surgery is over.”

“That’s good. See you later then.”

I left Luzel, waving her hand slowly, and left the hospital room with Ha Tae-heon. At Cheon Sa-yeon’s order, this floor was completely emptied, so Choi Ga-young would be moved to the operating room a little later and have her wings removed.

Now all I could do was wait.

* * *

Five hours after the operation started, Luzel and Luke came out of the operating room looking a little tired. I was waiting in front of it and Luzel came up to me and said.

“You waited long?”

“How is it? It took a long time.”

“The fusion rate was higher than I expected. It took a long time just to take it off.”

“Then…”

“Don’t worry. Her wings were safely removed and sutures are now underway. It doesn’t affect her life.”

“That’s a relief.”

“The rest is up to the healers. It may take a little longer to finish.”

After a long yawn, Luzel placed her arm on Luke’s shoulder, who looked tired.

“Then, Luke and I will take a break before the meeting.”

“All right. Go ahead.”

Luke, who bent his upper body to Luzel’s height, hesitated then bowed his head to me and followed her. Cheon Sa-yeon lent two empty hospital rooms to Luzel and Luke, so they could rest there.

“Han Yi-gyeol.”

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

During the operation, Ha Tae-heon returned to Roheon and came back for the meeting.

As I said, Cheon Sa-yeon sent a formal visit request to the Athena Guild in America.

However, unlike the other members of Requiem and me, who was an independent, Ha Tae-heon was affiliated with Roheon, so he had to schedule a separate visit to go together.

“How is it?”

It was clear that the Praus Cult was doing something in America. It was too precious for Roheon to miss the clues they finally caught, so she would probably want to send someone to America somehow.

“It was decided that I am the only one going. Master can’t be absent for a while.”

Is that so. That was the expected result. From Lee Joo-ha’s point of view, there was no one more trustworthy than Ha Tae-heon.

“It’s fine though. Without Ha Tae-heon-ssi, it would have been empty.”

Anyway, it was very nice to be able to go to America with Ha Tae-heon. It made me feel very comfortable when he was by my side.

Ha Tae-heon followed me with a small smile and stroked my hair with his big hand. It seemed he was doing this often these days.

“Don’t worry about anything. If possible, I will never leave your side.”

He cautiously grabbed my hand. At the same time as I felt a warm body temperature, an embarrassment rushed over me like a wave.

‘Wait…’

Why did the atmosphere suddenly become like this? Suddenly, the grabbed hand and Ha Tae-heon, who was standing in front of me, began to make me extremely conscious.

“That… you don’t have to…”

When I answered, barely raising the corners of my mouth, which had been hardened by the tension, Ha Tae-heon put on a determined expression.

“No. This drug incident made me realize for sure. You know, before or now, that if I take my eyes off you, you will have an accident.”

“……”

When he said that, I had nothing to say. I averted my gaze.

“I’m sorry, for bothering you. I will be more careful in the future.”

I never thought that Lee Soo-jin would be a telekinesis talented person. In such an important situation, I didn’t think I would run into a telekinesis person…

‘No, maybe that’s why the Praus Cult approached her in the first place.’

Even if her power was weak, they must have thought that as a telekinesis person, there must be a place to use it. As expected, there was no good match other than that. (역시 그들은 만만한 상대가 아니었다)

“Han Yi-gyeol, don’t leave my side even if you go to America.”

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

“I will protect you no matter what. Yes, That kind of image… I don’t want to see it again.”

Ha Tae-heon frowned and whispered in a low voice. I couldn’t easily respond to those words that were filled with pain.

“…I understand.”

I smiled bitterly because I felt Ha Tae-heon’s sincerity. I was wrong about this.

I looked at Ha Tae-heon’s big hand that completely covered my hand and raised my head. Then I saw someone standing over Ha Tae-heon’s shoulder, looking at us.

‘Cheon Sa-yeon?’

It was definitely Cheon Sa-yeon who was staring at me and Ha Tae-heon with an unknown expression. Since when have you been there? I didn’t notice it because I was talking to Ha Tae-heon.

Ha Tae-heon, who saw my surprised face, also noticed Cheon Sa-yeon’s energy belatedly and looked back.

“……”

“……”

Ha Tae-heon and Cheon Sa-yeon, who faced each other, were silent. The cold air in the hallway filled with great anxiety.

‘What? What is this creepy feeling?’

I was shaking my head as I looked at Ha Tae-heon and Cheon Sa-yeon and it was only then that I realized.

These days, it was a little less so I forgot about it, but in the beginning, it was normal for these two to fight if they only made eye contact. As soon as the drug case was resolved, don’t tell me they wanted to fight again as they did before?

I couldn’t let that happen. I quickly pulled out my hand and asked Cheon Sa-yeon.

“Ahem, Master Cheon Sa-yeon. What’s going on?”

Cheon Sa-yeon turned to me and opened his mouth with a stiff voice.

“Before the sibling producers come, let’s talk a little about the trip to America. Everyone else has already gathered in the meeting room, so follow me now.”

“Yes? About the trip to America… wait a minute.”

Cheon Sa-yeon didn’t listen to my answer and turned his body around. I was very concerned about the appearance of something firmly unsettling.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi, let’s go together. Since you’ve decided to go to America, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you go too.”

Ha Tae-heon, who was glaring at Cheon Sa-yeon’s back leading ahead with an unpleasant look, nodded his head at my words.

When we hurriedly followed Cheon Sa-yeon to the conference room, everyone was seated except for me, Ha Tae-heon, and Min Ah–rin, just as he said.

“Oh, Han Yi-gyeol. And Deputy Master Ha Tae-heon. Is Healer Min Ah-rin still there?”

Park Geon-ho, who saw me as I opened the door of the conference room, blew a short whistle and asked.

“Choi Ga-young-ssi’s surgery isn’t over yet. It’s still in the final stages, so she will come to the antidote meeting.”

“Is that so. Then, I think you should listen carefully to this case and pass it on to her.”

“Yes.”

First, I went to Kim Woo-jin and sat down. Kim Woo-jin, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off me since I entered the conference room, lit up his eyes. On my right was Ha Tae-heon.

Cheon Sa-yeon opened his mouth after confirming that Ha Tae-heon and I were seated.

“I heard the news from Roheon. Deputy Master Ha Tae-heon also went to America, so the total number of people going was eight.”

“If there are eight people…”

The meeting attendees, including Min Ah-rin. I carefully looked around the conference room and understood Cheon Sa-yeon’s intention.

‘You don’t want to make other people more involved in the matter of the Praus Cult?’

Those who were involved in the drug case went to America were certain. I listened to what Cheon Sa-yeon said, leading to a complicated mind.

“We have received a positive response from the Athena Guild, so our trip to America is confirmed. In order to depart as quickly as possible, we are making adjustments in various ways, so make sure to complete the preparations in advance.”