The Night Of The Untraced

Between the shadowy underbrush, only the darkening sunset remained. An eerie wind rustled the leaves, and an unknown rustling sound kept echoing. If one held their breath, they could even hear faint voices, but they were too distant to be understood.“……”“……”In that thicket, only Seungjoo and Gwangsik were staring at each other. Gwangsik leaned against a tree while Seungjoo stood in front of him. The tension between their gazes was palpable.“So…”It was Seungjoo who slowly opened his mouth. His voice was so quiet that a normal person wouldn’t have heard it. Seungjoo leaned over to peer beyond the tree and let out a shallow sigh.“That sparrow, it’s a gwimae, right?”The gwimae in the distance was still darting around the underbrush. Though it moved like a sparrow, its bright red eyes made it look anything but ordinary. Given its size—bigger than a human head—it seemed inappropriate to even call it “ordinary.”“Yeah, it’s a gwimae.”Gwangsik nodded readily and peeked around the tree, following Seungjoo’s lead. Thanks to hiding behind the tree, the gwimae seemed unaware of their presence. Its response was oddly dull, but Seungjoo was more struck by its strange movements.‘Why is it acting like that…?’The gwimae in the form of a sparrow would move a few steps, then suddenly flap its wings in a struggle, repeating the cycle. It shook its head or occasionally bashed it against the ground in strange behavior.‘Is it hurt?’Seungjoo couldn’t help but feel uneasy watching the gwimae. Perhaps it was because it took the form of an animal, but he kept feeling sorry for it, as if they were tormenting it. It felt much like when Muheun set fire to the lake—like they were committing a cruel act against an innocent creature.‘It does look a bit pitiful…’Being an exorcist is a selfless job, but having too much sympathy can make it difficult, or so Seungjoo had heard. He used to find that hard to understand, but after encountering gwimae a few times, it began to make sense. If even he, who wasn’t particularly soft-hearted, felt this way, what must people like Muheun experience?“…How do you kill that thing?”It must be difficult to even touch it, let alone kill it. Perhaps that was why Muheun had sternly told him not to have emotions. Just as Seungjoo was thinking that, Gwangsik, who had been listening beside him, suddenly spoke up.“You can’t kill a gwimae.”“What?”Seungjoo’s gaze shifted from the sparrow to Gwangsik. Gwangsik nodded with a serious expression.“It’s against Association rules.”“There’s such a rule?”“Yes. And even if you tried, you wouldn’t be able to kill it.”It was a rule in name only. Seungjoo had been about to ask why it couldn’t be killed, but Gwangsik answered first.“How can humans kill nature?”Since gwimae was the grudge of nature, Gwangsik’s words weren’t a metaphor but a fact. And he followed it up with a resolute statement.“There’s no exorcist strong enough to do that.”“……”Then, not even Muheun could do it. As this thought crossed Seungjoo’s mind, he fell silent. It annoyed him that he had unconsciously thought of Muheun, and it also reminded him that he needed to contact him. He had been on his way to find his phone, but had completely forgotten after being mesmerized by the gwimae.“Seungjoo.”“What.”Seungjoo responded curtly, frowning. Once he thought about it, standing here made him feel quite anxious. He even started to consider whether it might be better to just leave everything to Gwangsik, another exorcist, and quietly slip away.Whether Gwangsik knew what Seungjoo was thinking or not, he quietly stared at Seungjoo before asking,“How did you find that?”It was the same question Gwangsik had asked while covering Seungjoo’s mouth earlier. His tone was so serious that it almost sounded like a threat rather than a question.“What do you mean, how did I find it…?”“The aura from that gwimae is faint. It was probably sealed once and then released.”His shadowed eyes gazed steadily at the gwimae. Though his face wasn’t particularly scary, the lack of expression sometimes made him seem eerie. Especially in the dark like this, he felt more like a ghost.“Even a team leader couldn’t find something like that.”“……”Gwangsik’s eyes returned to Seungjoo again, fixing on him with the same unyielding intensity. His light-colored eyes seemed to silently say, ‘But you found it.’“…I didn’t find it. I just happened to run into it by chance.”“By chance?”Gwangsik blinked and tilted his head. It was clear he didn’t believe Seungjoo’s words.“After walking straight to it without hesitation?”“……”“What reason did you have to enter a thicket like this?”“……”“And you call that chance?”The guy who usually talked like a robot was suddenly talkative at times like this. Once he started asking questions, he wouldn’t stop until he got the answer he wanted.“Did we really run into each other by chance?”“……”He couldn’t make up his mind. The guy didn’t seem dangerous, but that didn’t mean he could reveal the truth about his constitution. Wasn’t the last thing he heard from him a declaration to destroy the association and a request to persuade Muheun?“……So, what are you doing here?”Seungjoo naturally shifted the focus elsewhere. He thought he could avoid suspicion since the guy was pretty simple. He didn’t forget to attach a plausible reason, just in case Gwangsik accused him of asking first.“I was just walking absentmindedly and ended up here. Forget about me; what about you? What reason do you have to come to a place like this? What could bring you into the bushes, as you said?”Gwangsik flinched when Seungjoo returned his words. Then he awkwardly looked away. The excuse that followed sounded like nothing but an excuse.“……I just wandered in by accident.”“……”Ah, that was a ridiculous excuse. Seungjoo maintained a blank expression, scolding himself internally. Being flustered now would only give him something to argue about.“Then how did you see me walking without hesitation?”This time, Gwangsik couldn’t answer. He just turned his head at an angle with a guilty expression. His furtive glance at Seungjoo was similar to the reaction Seolgi had when he got into trouble.“……Were you following me?”The question was the correct answer. Gwangsik’s tight-lipped silence confirmed it. Crazy stalker. Seungjoo thought and bluntly voiced it.“Crazy stalker…….”“……”Gwangsik’s brow slightly furrowed, as if he didn’t like the term ‘stalker,’ but had no proper rebuttal. Still, feeling wronged, he spoke with force in his eyes.“I didn’t follow you on purpose.”“Sure, you didn’t.”“……Why don’t you believe me?”His candid reaction made him seem like a child. They were surely the same age, but Seungjoo felt he had to treat him like a younger brother.“I heard there was an unleashed evil spirit around here. I came to investigate and found you.”“So you did follow me once you found me.”“……”“Aren’t you tired of it…….”Exorcists are supposed to be busy with barely enough time to sleep. Isn’t this guy too leisurely, especially since he claims to want to destroy the association? It was annoying to have him follow me on campus, but now we even meet here.“Anyway, whatever, just do something about that. Aren’t you a spirit hunter?”Seungjoo whispered, still indicating the sparrow. He wanted to run away immediately but felt that stepping out of the tree would expose him. Plus, he feared he might be bewitched again if he wasn’t careful.“……I can’t do it right now.”“Why?”“I didn’t set up a barrier.”Gwangsik hesitated, offering a less confident answer. Seungjoo wondered how that mattered, but Gwangsik pointed in the direction where voices were coming from.“There are too many people around. If we cause a commotion, we’ll get caught.”“……Ah.”Although there was a decent distance, there were indeed people not too far away. If the evil spirit was provoked and went outside the park, that would be another problem.“There shouldn’t be an evil spirit in a place like this…….”Gwangsik seemed quite taken aback by the appearance of the evil spirit in the middle of the city. Now that Seungjoo thought about it, Gwangsik had confidently said that such spirits didn’t appear in crowded places like when Seungjoo talked about the goldfish.“Can’t you set up a barrier now?”“It’s not something that can be done quickly.”Gwangsik shook his head, frowning slightly. It was more like squinting as he glanced at the evil spirit, seemingly calculating something, before mumbling to himself.“Usually, you prepare a barrier during the day and activate it at night. To block sound, you need to create a new formula, and even if you try to set it up now, it’ll take a long time. There’s only one person in the association who can do it quickly.”Though he didn’t mention a name directly, Seungjoo understood exactly who he meant. A spirit hunter skilled in setting up barriers. Moreover, he had seen him set up a barrier up close.Fortunately, he was likely waiting for Seungjoo’s call.“Muheun hyung is nearby.”“……?”A look of curiosity crossed Gwangsik’s face. Seungjoo thought he was surprised by the mention of Muheun’s name, but Gwangsik asked with an utterly confused expression.“Weren’t you on a date today?”“……”“Then why is Kim Muheun nearby?”Didn’t he just say he didn’t follow on purpose? Did he follow since Seohyun and I were together?He held back the words at the tip of his tongue and responded calmly.“There was just a reason. And it wasn’t a date.”“……Not a date?”But Gwangsik didn’t seem to believe Seungjoo. He stared at Seungjoo with a suspicious look. Seungjoo, unknowingly provoked, retorted bluntly.“It’s not like that, it’s because of an assignment… No, why do I have to explain this?”Why should it matter to anyone if I’m on a date or working on an assignment? Talking to this guy made Seungjoo feel like he was becoming strange too. Was a date the important thing right now? Thinking that, Seungjoo waved his hand dismissively.“Anyway, try contacting him. He didn’t answer earlier, but he should now.”Whatever the reason, it would be a problem if he didn’t pick up now. Once it gets dark, Muheun would be puzzled by the lack of contact from Seungjoo. He might already be feeling uneasy seeing the missed call records by now.“If he doesn’t answer, keep calling until he does.”“……”Though Seungjoo spoke firmly, Gwangsik hesitated instead of taking out his phone. He wondered if Gwangsik didn’t have a phone, but then remembered he had once asked for Seungjoo’s number.Just as Seungjoo was about to urge him again, the silent Gwangsik spoke with a determined tone.“……No.”“……”This guy.“So what are you going to do?”You said it’s impossible to catch the spirit bird or set up a barrier right now. If that’s the case, there’s no other way, but you’re being unnecessarily stubborn.“We need to catch it.”“……”Gwangsik silently glared at the sparrow in the distance. Though he looked expressionless, Seungjoo thought he was deep in thought. His shadowed eyes didn’t move, and his tightly shut lips stayed still.So Seungjoo chose to wait quietly rather than urging him. He couldn’t catch the spirit bird himself, nor did he have a way to contact Muheun.After a long while, Gwangsik straightened up from leaning against the tree and spoke.“……I’ll try it.”Then he seemed to be heading straight for the spirit bird. Seungjoo didn’t intend to stop him, but he grabbed Gwangsik’s arm.“Hey, hey.”Gwangsik paused. He didn’t get pulled along, just turned back with an inscrutable look. Though his expression was slightly surprised, Seungjoo continued to dissuade him without concern.“You said it wouldn’t work without the barrier.”You said it wouldn’t work earlier, so what changed in such a short time? There are still people around. How will you manage without a barrier?“If I’m as quiet as possible, it’ll be fine.”“Is that even possible?”“I have to try.”Though his voice was more confident than before, he still didn’t seem sure. Seungjoo let go of Gwangsik’s arm with a small sigh.“……Why don’t you want to contact Muheun?”Didn’t you say you didn’t dislike him? Despite the way you tried to cause trouble, you two weren’t on bad terms. Could it be that you still think Muheun is the one who broke the spirit seal?That thought vanished when Seungjoo heard Gwangsik’s answer.“He’s a busy person.”“……”“I shouldn’t rely on him.”Even though that busy person is nearby now. Seungjoo didn’t want to rely on him either, but he knew not contacting him would cause more trouble. Besides, Muheun actually wanted Seungjoo to rely on him.“I can handle this alone.”“……”But Seungjoo couldn’t voice a single thought that popped into his head. Gwangsik murmured to himself with a determined expression similar to before. On top of that, he pulled his arm away from Seungjoo’s grasp and spoke firmly.“You hide here.”This time, Seungjoo didn’t stop him. He just hid behind the tree and slid down to the ground. He looked up at Gwangsik with a reluctant expression, but Gwangsik didn’t spare him a glance and walked toward the spirit bird.“……”His footsteps sounded like those of a warrior heading into battle. It was a serious situation, but an outsider might have found it amusing. The sparrow was at most the size of a basketball, and Gwangsik was even larger than Seungjoo.‘But I’m still anxious…’Seungjoo peeked out to watch the whole scene unfold. If it had been Muheun, he would have confidently closed his eyes and ears. But he couldn’t trust Gwangsik, so he couldn’t be at ease. It felt like something serious would happen if he looked away even for a moment. Even though watching wouldn’t change anything, he couldn’t ignore it either.Meanwhile, Gwangsik took out a talisman from his pocket and placed it between his fingers. He waved his other hand through the air and clenched it, releasing a spiritual energy that spread from his fingertips. The energy lengthened and quickly formed into a sword infused with spiritual power.‘Muheun mostly uses a sword.’That’s what Ki Hwanyoung had once said. Seungjoo thought that Gwangsik was just like Muheun. He lowered his posture further. This was the second time he’d seen someone catch a spirit, but he still couldn’t understand how it was sealed.‘Is it done with the talisman?’The distance made it hard to see clearly, but Seungjoo could sense Gwangsik’s spiritual energy from the talisman in his hand. It felt slightly different from Muheun’s, and weaker than what Seungjoo knew. It was probably a talisman made with chicken blood rather than the exorcist’s blood.Unlike the tense Seungjoo, the spirit bird was oblivious to Gwangsik’s approach and just flapped its wings. Hopping around, its body dripped with sticky black soot.The bird, circling in the same spot, suddenly sensed someone and jerked its head up.“……”“……”It was a tense moment. The spirit bird, having noticed Gwangsik, and Seungjoo, hiding behind the tree, both froze. In the precarious atmosphere that seemed about to shatter at any moment, Gwangsik raised his sword high.The moment he thrust his sword down, the spirit bird swelled its body. The soot puffed up like raised feathers, instantly doubling its size. Although it looked more threatening, it seemed powerless before the sword made of spiritual energy.Thunk! The shimmering sword pierced through the spirit bird from above. The bird had no time to resist, and Seungjoo had no time to close his eyes. As the dim spiritual energy spread white, a piercing scream rang in Seungjoo’s ears.Screeeech!“Ugh…”Sound or perhaps a vibration. Seungjoo instinctively covered his ears and frowned deeply. The sound was loud enough to shake his brain, yet Gwangsik didn’t blink as he raised the sword again.However, this time his sword only grazed the wing instead of the body. The spirit bird had flapped its wings and taken flight. But just for a moment—the sparrow, having lost balance after its wing was attacked, wobbled and crashed to the ground.‘This is just…’The creature kept repeating the same motion, plunging its head down and flapping its other wing like before. The screeching noise, like nails on a chalkboard, continued to torment Seungjoo.Once more, Gwangsik’s sword pierced through the spirit bird’s neck.“……”Should I say it feels uncomfortable? Although I wasn’t the one pierced by the sword, it felt as if I was in pain as well. It felt like something was stabbing at my chest, and my stomach was turning.The hardest thing to endure was the intense pressure, as if someone was squeezing my heart.“Ugh…”My breath was stuck, and I inadvertently squeezed my eyes shut. Knees up, resting my forehead on them, I tried to steady my breathing and calm the turmoil within.Still, the pain wouldn’t go away, and I could only clutch my head with both hands and bite down hard on my lips.Seungjoo.“……”Oh, it wasn’t just my imagination.Thump, my heart sank. The shrill scream morphed into a voice. Along with the sound of something piercing, a slightly clearer voice was heard.Seo Seungjoo.“……”Please…“……”Help me.“……Cough!”Seungjoo collapsed, coughing dryly. Lying on the ground, he coughed for a long time and then took in the surrounding air with his shrunken lungs. Even after panting several times, the pain, as if his solar plexus had been pierced, showed no sign of subsiding.“Ugh… Hic…”Desperately, he lifted his head, but Gwangsik seemed not to hear Seungjoo’s sobs. Or rather, he was too focused on gathering spiritual energy and injecting it into the spirit bird.“Huff, huff…”I’m in pain.“……”It hurts too much.“Ah……”His head was ringing, and his eyelids trembled incessantly. I’m in pain too, so stop already. The urge to scream was overwhelming. Although nausea surged up to his chin, only a thin whimper escaped his lips.“Hu…”Through his blurry vision, Seungjoo saw the sparrow sprawled on the ground. Now larger than before, the sparrow was staring directly at him. A long sword was embedded in its body, and a crumpled talisman was attached to the sword.The moment his eyes met the bright red gaze, the noisy chaos in his head went blank.“……”He wasn’t sure how he managed to move. Almost crawling, Seungjoo got up and ran toward them as if he might fall over. Fixating on the spirit bird lying like a corpse, he unhesitatingly hurled himself at it.“Wait, what is this…”Gwangsik shouted in confusion, but Seungjoo couldn’t hear him well. He didn’t realize that the sword embedded in the sparrow’s body dispersed the moment his hand touched it. While Gwangsik faltered in bewilderment, Seungjoo hugged the sprawled sparrow tightly.“……Seo Seungjoo!”A blinding light burst forth where they touched. It felt as if his mind was being sucked in, yet at the same time, it felt as if something was being drawn in. The black energy churned and flowed into him, causing a painful sensation as if it were forcibly filling a cramped space.‘If I cut down all the trees here…’‘……The nest above……’‘This place will be razed anyway……’‘……To check, I must……’Seungjoo, Seo Seungjoo.Seungjoo…………Who is that?“……!”Whoosh, his vision flipped. A rough hand grasped Seungjoo’s shoulder and yanked him backward. Falling to the ground as if he were sitting, Seungjoo groaned, furrowing his brow in pain.“Ah, it hurts…”He hadn’t realized tears were welling up, but as soon as he blinked, tears streamed down his cheeks. The blurry vision gradually cleared. The scenes that had flowed into his mind were no longer visible, replaced by the darkening dusk and the landscape of grass filling his view.“……”“……”It was then that the black sparrow flapped into the sky. Once larger than his head, the sparrow had now shrunk to no bigger than the palm of his hand.“……Ah.”Missed it.No matter how far he reached out his hand, there was no way he could touch it. Staring blankly at the sky, Seungjoo heard a cold, harsh voice fall upon him.“What are you?”“…….”Only then did Seungjoo realize what he had done. He had abruptly interfered with the process, accidentally releasing the spirit bird that had been properly sealed. He hadn’t even realized what he touched with his own hands, yet the chaotic memories and pain remained vivid.“This is just…”“…Well.”He didn’t even have time to apologize. Gwangsik, with a hardened expression, abruptly grabbed Seungjoo’s wrist and pulled him up. Although there wasn’t a significant difference in their builds, he lifted Seungjoo effortlessly with tremendous strength.“Ugh…”“Who are you?”It felt as though his captured wrist was about to shatter. Already in pain all over, Seungjoo found it impossible to withstand the overpowering grip of the psychic. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he ended up with bruises on his wrist, just like last time.“Hey, let go of this…”“What exactly did you do?”Gwangsik didn’t listen and even brought his face closer. The way he pulled and held Seungjoo’s arm firmly suggested he had no intention of letting go. In Gwangsik’s eyes, visible at close range, there was an intense anxiety that Seungjoo had never seen before.“You just released the spirit bird…!”“Gwangsik.”A familiar voice cut between them. Both Seungjoo, who had been frowning, and Gwangsik, who was about to shout, froze as if they were turned to stone. The slow, soft voice, unusually cold, commanded.“Let go.”“…….”Seungjoo, as if entranced, turned his head. With each step, the sound of rustling grass could be heard beneath the figure’s feet. In the precarious silence, the person who had approached spoke softly.“Seungjoo is in pain.”He couldn’t call him “hyung.” The eyes that met his were far too cold. The emotions on the face that was always gentle were undoubtedly filled with anger.“I said let go.”At those words, Gwangsik flinched and released Seungjoo. Not only that, he even took a step back. Muheun glanced at him and ran his hand through his hair.‘…Why is he so angry?’For some reason, the way he walked slowly seemed to indicate that he was trying to calm his anger. When he got close, he looked Seungjoo up and down, from head to toe. Seungjoo expected him to check his wrist, but unexpectedly, Muheun reached for Seungjoo’s face first.“……”“……”There was no need to avoid the approaching hand. Though he might have flinched reflexively, Seungjoo just stared blankly at those fingertips. He was certain that, no matter how angry Muheun was, he wouldn’t pose any threat to him.Sure enough, Muheun gently cupped Seungjoo’s cheek with an astonishingly careful touch.“Did you cry?”His thumb brushed the faint traces of tears near Seungjoo’s eyes. Despite his sunken eyes, they showed a deeply serious light. Before Seungjoo could say no, Muheun pressed on his lower lip.“Because it hurts?”“…?”What was he talking about? It seemed his lips had been slightly cut. Muheun couldn’t even touch the wound, but his expression showed more pain than Seungjoo’s. It must have happened when he bit his lip while enduring the overwhelming pain earlier.“No… I wouldn’t cry over something like this. It doesn’t even hurt, to begin with.”It stung a bit but would heal within a day. He hadn’t even noticed it until now. So he answered casually, but Muheun kept his gaze fixed on the wound and spoke slowly.“Then what about your wrist?”“…”This time, he couldn’t say it didn’t hurt. Even now, a dull pain was throbbing. He might end up with a bruise, at least. Unlike last time, there was no hiding it from Muheun.“It does hurt.”At Seungjoo’s honest answer, Muheun closed his eyes tightly and opened them. He thought of making an excuse if Muheun blamed Gwangsik, but fortunately, Muheun asked one more question instead.“Anywhere else?”“I’m not sure about that…”There was some aching here and there, but nothing seemed particularly wrong. He was sturdier than Muheun worried about, meaning that he wouldn’t have any serious problems from just falling or rolling a bit.“I’m really okay.”Seungjoo replied, gently pushing Muheun’s hand away. He had suddenly become aware of Gwangsik standing awkwardly nearby. It might have been a familiar distance for him, but to others, it probably looked too close.“By the way, hyung, why…”He was about to ask why he hadn’t answered his calls, but he stopped himself. It would sound like he was blaming Muheun. Instead, he wanted to ask if Muheun was angry because he got hurt, but Muheun spoke first.“I’ll give you some coordinates, so go there.”Although he was looking at Seungjoo, the words were directed at Gwangsik. Muheun then recited a long string of numbers that Seungjoo couldn’t memorize. Turning his head, he spoke directly to Gwangsik.“When you get there…”He paused for a moment, as if about to say “corpse,” and furrowed his brow before changing his words naturally.“There will be a person.”“…”Wasn’t he about to say “corpse”? It might have been an overstatement, but there was nothing else that started with “corpse” that came to mind. Besides, there was Muheun’s attitude toward that “person.”“Contact the association and clean it up.”His tone was devoid of emotion. Undoubtedly, Seungjoo had never seen Muheun speak like this before. The unfamiliarity of it all made him wary, but Gwangsik, who had also been silent, spoke up.“Uh…”“Gwangsik.”However, he didn’t get to finish. Muheun interrupted him with a firm tone.“I’m not going to ask why you’re here, so just go.”To Seungjoo, it sounded like a threat. If he didn’t leave now, Muheun would demand to know what happened. Even so, Gwangsik stubbornly continued.“I lost the spirit bird.”This time, it was Seungjoo who flinched. Whether intentional or not, it was his fault. In contrast, Muheun replied in an indifferent voice.“Looks like it.”Did he already know the spirit bird had appeared? With his good eyesight, he might have seen the sparrow flying away.“…I’m sorry.”Gwangsik spoke in an unconfident voice, head hanging low. Unlike before, when he called Muheun “Team Leader,” he now treated him like a real superior. Seeing this, Seungjoo hurriedly interjected.“No, hyung. It’s not his fault.”“…”Muheun’s expression changed subtly. He blinked slowly at Seungjoo, who raised his cheek awkwardly.“I interrupted while he was working. When I touched the spirit bird, he was startled and grabbed me.”There was no need to explain why he touched the spirit bird. Muheun probably realized that Seungjoo had been captivated by it. Instead, Seungjoo turned to Gwangsik and offered the apology he couldn’t give earlier.“Sorry, it was my fault.”Regardless of the reason, it was true that he had disrupted things. If he had left it alone, the spirit bird in the form of a sparrow would have been sealed by Gwangsik. The method was a bit rough, so it might have been different if Muheun had been called, but they were handling it well without him.Even though he could have made excuses, Gwangsik admitted his mistake without hesitation. Was he foolish or just lacking in tact? It wasn’t a situation Seungjoo found very pleasing.“……”Gwangsik, who had been bowing his head, finally looked at Seungjoo. There was an unreadable light in his eyes as he blinked silently.While he remained silent for a long time, Muheun was the first to speak.“…It’s okay, I’ll find it.”Muheun softened his voice with that familiar gentle tone. It was a completely different attitude from when he was dealing with Gwangsik earlier. Then Muheun nodded toward Gwangsik, who was still standing there.“Leave this to me and go.”“……”Only then did Gwangsik nod compliantly. He even bowed to Muheun, looking like a well-disciplined subordinate.‘What kind of relationship is this?’So they really did know each other. Along with surprise, curiosity arose. Although they had talked about each other, being in the same space felt different. Moreover, Gwangsik’s attitude was peculiar, not just treating Muheun like a fellow exorcist.As soon as Gwangsik straightened his back, he turned without hesitation. He glanced briefly at Seungjoo, but it was so quick that Seungjoo didn’t notice. Only Muheun, standing beside him, flinched slightly.“……”“……”The dusk had already begun to fall in the sky. As it was getting darker, Seungjoo squinted and looked around. In such darkness, an ordinary person like him found it hard to see clearly.“Hyung.”When he felt Gwangsik was far enough away, Seungjoo casually called Muheun. He was curious about how Muheun found him here, but there was something more important at the moment.It was about the spirit bird that had slipped away because of him, now reduced to the size of a palm.“Can you find a spirit bird once you’ve lost it?”The spirit bird, resembling a sparrow, had already flown away. When he looked for the goldfish, he set fire to the lake, but even the great Kim Muheun couldn’t set fire to the sky. So how could he find and seal it?“It’s probably still around here. Spirit birds usually can’t go far from where they were born.”Muheun replied nonchalantly and reached out for Seungjoo. He gently held Seungjoo’s forearm and slowly moved his hand down to his left arm. Although the touch was slow and careful, for some reason, Seungjoo couldn’t push it away.“If Gwangsik was in the process of sealing it, there would still be spiritual energy left, and tracking that isn’t difficult.”Through the rolled-up sleeve, a bruised wrist was visible. He hoped it wasn’t too noticeable in the dark, but it probably didn’t matter to Muheun. Feeling embarrassed, Seungjoo tried to pull his hand back, and Muheun let out a barely audible sigh.“……”“……”For a while, silence filled the brush. Seungjoo lowered his rolled-up sleeve and put his hand in his pocket. Yet Muheun said nothing, making Seungjoo feel awkward, prompting him to ask.“Which team is he on?”He must be on an odd-numbered team since he’s a spirit bird catcher, but Seungjoo wondered if he was on the same team as Muheun. Muheun’s commanding demeanor seemed natural, and Gwangsik followed his words obediently. It wasn’t particularly important, but there was definitely something off about their relationship.“Why do you want to know?”Instead of answering directly, Muheun asked Seungjoo back. With a crooked smile, he added softly.“Are you sorry for losing the spirit bird?”Though it seemed like a joke, Seungjoo noticed the dissatisfaction hidden beneath. His lips were smiling, but his eyes weren’t, making it impossible not to notice.“Isn’t it natural to be curious?”“You usually don’t care about such things.”That was true. The only curiosity Seungjoo had about Gwangsik was wondering, ‘What kind of guy is this?’ It wasn’t interest or curiosity, but rather annoyance.“Since when have you been so interested in him?”This question sounded almost sarcastic. This time, Seungjoo couldn’t hide his disbelief and raised his eyebrows.“Are you jealous or something?”It was so ridiculous that he laughed. He didn’t mean the jealousy comment seriously. It was just that Muheun was avoiding the question, and it was frustrating.“You know it’s funny when you act like this, right?”If he said he wanted to keep his distance, he shouldn’t do things that could be misunderstood. If he claimed to be a guardian, he should maintain the proper boundaries.“If you don’t want to tell me, forget it. I’ll ask him myself later.”In fact, even if Seungjoo asked Gwangsik, he probably wouldn’t answer, but in a fit of irritation, he just said whatever came to mind. He wasn’t really that curious in the first place.“……”Muheun quickly fell silent, saying nothing more. Seeing him avert his gaze without even offering an excuse, it seemed he had no intention of revealing which team Gwangsik was on. It was frustrating for Seungjoo, but seeing Muheun’s face, other concerns arose.‘…Something’s off.’He was always a bit sly, but now it was particularly strange. It felt like he lacked his usual composure, missing his characteristic calmness. It was less intense than during the full moon, but there was an oddly tense atmosphere.“Why have you been acting like this since earlier?”So Seungjoo suppressed his irritation and softened his voice. At first, he thought Muheun was angry because he was injured, but now it seemed like there was something more. In hindsight, the unusual atmosphere had been apparent since Muheun first appeared.“Did something happen?”Did something happen while he was waiting for me? He’s not usually emotional, and he certainly wouldn’t act up without a reason. But now he seemed persistently upset.“If there’s something bothering you, say it. You look really angry right now.”“No, I’m not angry.”It sounded more like he wasn’t angry at ‘you’ rather than not being angry at all. Instead of pointing that out, Seungjoo silently observed Muheun, wondering if something had happened with the person at the coordinates he mentioned.But Muheun spoke calmly, as if he had interpreted Seungjoo’s gaze.“It’s just that I’m not happy with this situation.”“What situation?”“Everything overall.”Although the answer was vague, it didn’t seem evasive. Muheun covered his eyes with his left hand and let out a long sigh. As if trying to calm himself, he lingered in that position before speaking, carefully choosing each word.“Missing your call, you being put in danger because of it, and all the unnecessary time wasted—everything.”Seungjoo understood some parts and not others. Especially the part about wasting time unnecessarily. He was about to say it wasn’t Muheun’s fault he was in danger when Muheun asked in a subdued tone after rubbing his face.“Whose phone did you use to call me?”“……Ah.”It seemed Muheun also realized that the missed call was from Seungjoo. Given the circumstances, there was no one else who would have called.“Just someone passing by. I borrowed it for a moment to contact you.”Worried he might not have explained enough, Seungjoo shrugged and added,“I left my phone at the restaurant.”“…Your phone?”Though he looked puzzled, Muheun nodded understandingly. He seemed surprised that Seungjoo had left something behind, as he was known for being meticulous even as a child.“You should hurry and get it back.”Muheun murmured as he lightly scanned the brush. It seemed like he was about to set off to find the spirit bird, prompting Seungjoo to reflexively grab his collar.“Hyung.”He hadn’t been able to tell Gwangsik, but he needed to tell Muheun. About the sensation he felt when he touched the spirit bird, the overwhelming memories, and the pain that he fully experienced. That he felt like he absorbed the spirit bird, and after that, its size shrank.“When I touched the spirit bird earlier…”But Muheun didn’t let Seungjoo finish. He abruptly cut him off and changed the subject unnaturally. As Seungjoo blinked blankly, Muheun winked awkwardly.“I need to know the direction to find it.”Quickly understanding, Seungjoo swallowed his words. Having spent years together, he could read this kind of signal just by looking at his expression. Whatever it was, it was clear that now was not the time to talk about it.“…I think it went that way.”“Really?”Muheun turned his head in the direction Seungjoo pointed. He squinted at the air as if trying to gauge something.“I need to block out the sound first.”“…”It could simply mean setting up a barrier, but for some reason, it sounded more ominous. Seungjoo stopped himself from reflexively looking around and stiffened his neck. The comment about blocking out sound made it feel like someone was eavesdropping on their conversation.“Wait a moment, I need to pinpoint its location first.”While Seungjoo remained silent, Muheun knelt on one knee without hesitation. He placed his hand on the ground, closed his eyes, and focused all his senses there. As Seungjoo watched him intently, a light breeze began to blow around Muheun.“…”The cold sensation brushed past Seungjoo’s feet. By now, he couldn’t help but recognize it as spiritual energy.The slowly flickering blue energy spread all around in the blink of an eye. It was a sight he wouldn’t have seen if his spiritual eyes hadn’t been opened. In the pitch-black darkness, a faint light emanated from Muheun. The sight of the dimly spreading spiritual energy looked almost like smoke rising.He vaguely understood. This might be how Muheun found him too. Kim Muryeong once said that tracking spiritual energy wasn’t very difficult. Although Seungjoo didn’t have spiritual energy himself, if Muheun had tracked the energy contained within him, it wouldn’t have been impossible.“…Found it.”Before long, Muheun said that and withdrew his energy. The energy that had spread along the ground lost its light and vanished as soon as he lifted his hand. Standing up, Muheun brushed the dirt off his hands and nodded at Seungjoo, who was still dazed.“Let’s go set up the barrier now.”* * *They walked for quite a while through the dark thicket. Unlike Seungjoo, who was silently walking, Muheun occasionally stuck talismans on nearby trees. The yellow paper adhered to the trees instantly with the infusion of spiritual energy, even without tape or glue.To outsiders, it would have been an astonishing sight, but for Seungjoo, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Every year, exorcists sent by the association would regularly put talismans on the walls of his house. So, the act itself wasn’t impressive, but setting up a barrier was somewhat unfamiliar.According to Gwangsik, setting up a barrier wasn’t supposed to be easy, yet Muheun seemed to be haphazardly sticking them. Seungjoo had heard that it took a long time, but Muheun was doing it without hesitation.“Only one person in the association can do it that quickly.”“……”He never realized it because he had no basis for comparison, but it was suddenly apparent how remarkable Muheun was. Muheun was undoubtedly a talented exorcist who knew how to utilize his talent properly. Even though Seungjoo hadn’t seen many exorcists at work, he knew this wasn’t typical.“What’s up?”“Oh, it’s just…”Seungjoo slowly started and examined the newly attached talisman. The yellowish hanji was inscribed with red characters, but it was difficult to decipher because it was scribbled randomly.“I heard setting up a barrier takes a long time. But you do it so quickly, it’s amazing.”“Gwangsik said that?”That probably wasn’t his real name, yet he called him Gwangsik so naturally. Come to think of it, he consistently called him that even in serious situations.“It does take some time. It’s the most troublesome part.”Muheun said that while setting up a barrier wasn’t difficult, creating the formula was. Because the situation and terrain varied, different methods had to be used each time. The process of creating the formula was similar to math, so there were limits to what could be done mentally.“Then isn’t Kim Muryeong unable to do it? He had a level 9 in math.”It was half a joke. In high school, Kim Muryeong had such poor grades that he was at the bottom of the class. He wasn’t stupid, but he never studied, so there was no helping it. He slept through all the classes, so it would have been more surprising if he had good grades.“…Muryeong had a level 9 in math?”Muheun blinked in surprise and asked with a shocked expression. He chuckled softly and muttered in a pitying tone.“I didn’t know that.”“……”Seungjoo’s cheeks twitched as he awkwardly averted his gaze. Sorry, Kim Muryeong. He offered a silent apology in his heart. He wouldn’t get scolded for it after graduation (his family wasn’t one to punish for grades anyway), but he still felt guilty for talking without permission.“Who did our youngest take after…?”His level 9 wasn’t just in math; his other grades were similarly low. But Seungjoo swallowed those words. Instead, he didn’t forget to defend his friend carefully.“…He would’ve done well if he had studied.”“Seungjoo, that kind of thinking spoils the child.”Muheun replied firmly, as if he were dealing with an overly indulgent parent. It was frustrating for Seungjoo, who had once been called Kim Muryeong’s dad. Everyone in the neighboring family was smart, and Muryeong was no exception.“Aren’t you too harsh on your younger brother?”“Muyeon would say the same thing.”“Well…that’s true.”Seungjoo nodded, at a loss for words. Well, Muryeong himself probably wouldn’t care much. He’d just laugh it off with a carefree smile.“Just one more to go.”They had walked quite a bit. Muheun, striding ahead, stopped in front of a large tree. He gave Seungjoo a once-over, then expressed the same concern as last time.“Don’t be too startled.”There was no need to say he was fine. His expression already gave him the answer as he immediately placed the talisman on the tree. As soon as the talisman adhered, thin threads of light began to envelop them like a spider’s web.“Done.”A ringing sound echoed in his ears. Though it was a sensation he had felt before, Seungjoo flinched and frowned. The air had become still, with not even a breeze, and the heavy silence was so unfamiliar that it was unnerving.“Seungjoo.”“…Yes?”Without giving him time to adjust to the silence, Muheun called Seungjoo in a low voice. As Seungjoo touched his ears and looked up, he saw Muheun, who now wore a serious expression without a hint of a smile.“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”It was an introduction that made him tense for some reason. As Seungjoo furrowed his brow, annoyance flashed in his dark eyes. Before he realized it, a cold voice slipped from Muheun’s lips.“You’re being watched right now.”The chapters have been revised, edited, and compressed, and the complete main story has been released for free, as I’m concerned it might be taken down or worse. I didn’t want to disappoint the readers, so I apologize for any inconvenience, and I hope you enjoy reading the complete story! The side stories will be coming soon, so don't worry~