The Night Of The Untraced

“How much have you not slept?”“Since Friday… about three days?”“…Three days?”Three days was a long enough time that even a physically strong psychic like him would be exhausted. Back in high school, Kim Muryeong would barely be able to stay awake after pulling all-nighters, like a sick chicken, nodding off.“Is it really that urgent?”“A bit. There’s a Gwimae whose seal was broken, and I need to catch it before the yin energy gets too strong. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find it.”Muheun was a professional, and together with his mother, was considered one of the top five in capturing Gwimae. Even so, for him to be searching for three days meant this mission was no ordinary one.“Then you should get some sleep first… No, you’re not working today, right?”At Seungjoo’s startled question, Muheun simply smiled silently. The meaning behind that smile was all too clear, and Seungjoo, taken aback, asked again.“Then when will you sleep, Hyung?”“After I catch the Gwimae and seal it?”He probably thought it would take several days. A person who had been injured, who hadn’t slept, was still pushing himself like this. Seungjoo didn’t even know how to respond to that, it was too absurd.Somehow, Muheun seemed to read Seungjoo’s thoughts as he came up with a ghostly reply.“My left hand is enough.”Who had said they couldn’t even eat because they were a patient? It was so ridiculous that Seungjoo didn’t even feel like arguing.After that, Seungjoo didn’t say a word until they reached the house. On the other hand, his mind was in turmoil, and when they reached the two identical gates in the distance, his thoughts became even more complicated. The events of that morning when he hadn’t realized Muheun was hurt, Muheun now heading out to work without sleep, and the current situation where he was being brought to his house.“…Is there anything I can do to help?”When Seungjoo asked, Muheun looked at him as though he had said something strange. It was an almost deflating look, but Seungjoo, feeling awkward, avoided his gaze and slowly began to speak.“No… you said it last time, right? That I could sense things you couldn’t.”Muheun had said that. Seungjoo was like an empty vessel, able to sense the presence of Gwimae. In fact, the Gwimae they had encountered back then would have taken at least three days to be discovered by the professionals. Since Seungjoo had found it, it was probably the same situation now.“I was thinking maybe I could sense the Gwimae you’re looking for the same way.”“…You want to use yourself as bait?”“No, that’s not what I meant…”Seungjoo quickly backed off after mentioning “bait.” He had only just realized what he had said. Still, his thoughts hadn’t changed.“Well… I guess it doesn’t really matter.”It was probably something he would never say on a normal day, but today, Muheun looked especially tired. Seeing him like this made Seungjoo think of the uncle who had passed away under similar circumstances. The family knew more than anyone how terrifying overwork could be.“It’d be nice if you could catch it quickly and rest.”“…”Muheun remained silent for a long time, his mouth closed. At some point, his steps stopped, and he stared blankly into space with hazy eyes. Seungjoo, noticing this strange behavior, also stopped walking.When their eyes met, Muheun suddenly reached out with his left hand toward Seungjoo.“Why are you…?”At first, his forearm was grabbed, and as Muheun stepped forward, his face drew closer. The hand that had grabbed Seungjoo’s forearm moved upward, firmly holding the back of his head. Seungjoo widened his eyes in surprise, but Muheun was faster.“…!”In the blink of an eye, their lips met.The warmth conveyed through his soft lips was beyond unreal. The sensation was so intense it made his hair stand on end, but even more shocking was what happened next.‘Crazy…’Through the gap between their lips, Muheun’s soft tongue slipped in. Seungjoo couldn’t even think of pushing him away or pulling back. The hand that had been holding his neck moved to his ear, and Muheun pressed his jaw down as he pushed his tongue deeper.It was different from the innocent kiss they had shared on New Year’s Day. This was something Seungjoo had never done before, something he couldn’t even imagine. The breathlessness he felt when his eyes had opened wide that day was nothing compared to the wild breath now.Muheun moved slowly, but even so, Seungjoo felt like his mind was spinning, as though struck by an electric shock. Following Muheun’s breath, he felt something build up inside him, starting from his stomach. His senses were heightened, and even the brush of fingers on his earlobe felt unbearably hot.“…”“…”It was sudden when their lips touched, but when they parted, it was so slow it almost felt like torture. The soft sound of their lips parting drew a lingering line in the air.Muheun gently wiped Seungjoo’s lower lip with his thumb and whispered in a soft, gentle voice.“I appreciate your feelings, but… if you want to help me, Seungjoo, you’ll have to do this kind of thing every time.”“…”Was he saying that they had shared a kiss like this on the day Seungjoo lost his memory? Was that why his lips had swollen up, from something like this?The cold sensation from Muheun’s fingertips on his lips reminded Seungjoo of the sensation he had felt before, when Yeongi had been absent. Whether he was in shock or simply dazed, Seungjoo couldn’t bring himself to speak. His eyelids fluttered uncontrollably.“Look.”“…”“And you’re trying to help me.”Muheun’s casual tone wasn’t annoying at all, probably because Seungjoo thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ As he became aware of the situation, heat rushed to the back of his neck, and before he knew it, they had arrived at the gate, Muheun pulling him along.“Go inside.”Muheun opened the gate and gently pushed Seungjoo inside. As Seungjoo walked in, his face red, he glanced back at Muheun. With his trembling eyes, Muheun simply said:“See you tomorrow.”The gate slammed shut. Seungjoo slumped to the ground, pressing his lips together. His legs felt like they were giving out, and even moving one step felt difficult.“Ah, Kim Muheun…!”Whether his voice, filled with frustration, reached Muheun, Seungjoo couldn’t tell. But one thing was for sure, if it did, Muheun probably didn’t care.If anything, Seungjoo thought, there was no chance he’d get any sleep that night.***That night, Seungjoo had a dream. The place was the familiar officetel, and the person in front of him was none other than Kim Muheun. Strangely, the distance between them was close, and Muheun was looking down at Seungjoo, who was lying on the bed. One hand was on the bed, while the other supported the back of Seungjoo’s head.‘…’Why was he doing this? Seungjoo wondered, when he suddenly realized something caught in his hand. It was Muheun’s collar, and it was awkwardly placed in the middle of his grip. It seemed that he had grabbed Muheun’s collar without thinking as he tried to get up.‘Hey, Kim Muheun.’The words came out instinctively, not as Seungjoo’s will. They slipped out as naturally as if it were supposed to happen. The nickname was rough, but Muheun didn’t scold him. Instead, he closed his eyes and let out a faint smile, murmuring as if he found it amusing.“So, you call me that inside your head, huh?”Seungjoo couldn’t deny it, so he just kept silent. Muheun kindly corrected him.“You should call me Hyung.”It wasn’t a difficult request. Seungjoo immediately called him by the more familiar title.“Hyung.”“Yeah, Seungjoo.”“Muheun is Hyung.”“Yeah, go on.”It seemed like it would be annoying to keep saying it, but Muheun’s gaze from above remained affectionate. It felt so warm that Seungjoo, for some reason, furrowed his brows and asked.“Why are you pretending you don’t know?”“What?”‘At that time, with me…’What was the rest of it? The image of Muheun smiling appeared in his blurry, feverish eyes. And even the sluggish words that followed.‘…That wasn’t a kiss.’He figured Muheun was probably talking about what had happened on New Year’s Day. But the tone of his voice, mixed with laughter, stirred up a competitive spirit in him. It was all because of how lightly Kim Muheun dismissed even the contact full of selfishness, as if it was just child’s play.‘You’re funny. If that wasn’t a kiss, then what was it?’‘Something we can’t do with Seungjoo.’Muheun answered lightly, as if it was completely unreasonable. It sounded like he was saying you can’t date a puppy. Normally, Seungjoo would’ve let it go without a second thought, but someone drunk is always braver than anyone else.‘What do you mean you can’t?’Without any warning, he grabbed Muheun’s collar and pulled him toward him, just like he had done before, and pressed his lips against his. He placed his lips on Muheun’s smooth ones, biting gently on his lower lip as if he were nibbling. Muheun, who had stopped for a moment, let out a soft laugh and pulled back from the kiss.‘Can you remember this tomorrow?’A light breath escaped Muheun’s lips, tickling Seungjoo’s skin. He furrowed his brow and slowly replied.‘I won’t remember stuff like this.’It was an answer following Muheun’s words from earlier. Muheun, too, only laughed teasingly again.‘Ah… You can’t?’Maybe he was a little perplexed. Muheun, who asked again, stared blankly into the air. His dark eyes lost focus, and they narrowed as if he were looking far off into the distance.‘…Seungjoo, memory is really a chain of events.’When his focus returned to his eyes, Muheun curled up the corners of his mouth and began to speak in a soothing tone. He slowly lowered his gaze and gently swept Seungjoo’s bangs aside.‘When one thing comes to mind, other things naturally follow. You know, like when you memorize things using associations.’‘…’It was a strange thing for a drunk person to say. So? Seungjoo looked at him with his eyes, and Muheun casually responded.‘Someday, you might remember today.’He wondered if there was anything worth remembering like that.The second kiss was half an impulse. It felt good, and he wanted to keep biting that soft lower lip. Crunch, crunch, crunch. As he sucked on the flesh that entered his mouth, he eventually started licking the smooth surface with his tongue.What was this feeling?Back in middle school, when the boys would pass around videos, he was running around playing ball with Kim Muryeong. Though he had some curiosity, he wasn’t so passionate about finding those things to watch.But now, there was a desire rising that he hadn’t felt back then. He wanted to be closer, feel deeper, and do more while they were in such close contact.‘…Your drinking habits are terrible.’Muheun stopped offering his lips and suddenly pulled his head back. With a soft pop, his lips slipped away, and Seungjoo, who had lost his target, glared at him sulkily. From Muheun’s mouth came a voice that sounded strangely subdued.‘Are you like this even outside?’The anxious question, not like him at all, was enough to make Seungjoo feel excited. It was an inappropriate laugh, but Seungjoo couldn’t help but chuckle and murmur.‘Wow… You’re mad.’‘…’‘Now you’re even mad at me.’He couldn’t help but laugh at how good it felt. Muheun, who had been watching him silently, climbed onto the bed without warning.And the moment his breath was consumed, everything changed.‘…Ugh.’It was completely different from how it had been, awkwardly kissing before. It was hot, wet, and above all, overwhelming. Heat accumulated from deep inside, and before he knew it, he was hanging on to Muheun’s neck, his throat vibrating, not being able to do anything but that.He thought he was suffocating. Instinctively, he pulled Muheun closer, jerking his waist and pressing his lower body against his.Then, the moment Muheun’s hand moved lower,‘…’His eyelids shot open. The sunlight coming through the window gradually pushed away the remaining sleepiness. The familiar scenery of the room unfolded where Kim Muheun had been.‘…Hah.’Damn, what kind of dream was this?Seungjoo, feeling overwhelming self-loathing, covered his eyes with one hand. The embarrassment of what he’d done wasn’t as shameful as the wetness he felt down below.It would have been better if he didn’t remember at all; it was a dream he never wanted to recall.***Why does a memory that sank beneath the surface suddenly come back? As Muheun said, memory is like a chain, and even a tiny hint can make it flood back all at once. Even memories Seungjoo wants to forget can suddenly flash into his mind. What if it’s a strong enough experience that he can’t forget?After waking up, Seungjoo moved mechanically. The first thing he did was head straight to the bathroom, and the second was hide his washed underwear in a pile of laundry. He felt absurd doing something he would’ve done in middle school.When he returned to his room, he couldn’t fall back asleep. He didn’t usually sleep in much, but even after cleaning up, a question kept spinning in his mind.Damn it, if he was going to sleep, he should’ve just stayed asleep. So what happened next?If Kim Muheun’s lips were the only thing that had been pressed, things wouldn’t have been like this. But there, on Muheun’s pale neck, wasn’t there a clear bite mark? How did he even bite that spot? And why didn’t Seungjoo stop him? These thoughts kept nagging at him.Usually, it’s more curious when you know something halfway than when you don’t know it at all. Even Seungjoo, who usually wasn’t this thoughtful, couldn’t ignore it this time. He wasn’t one to overthink, but if he stayed idle, the sensations from the dream would keep coming back to him.So, even though it was early, Seungjoo barely finished his school preparations and left the house.As he crossed the yard toward the gate, he aimlessly wandered near the side house, which he usually ignored. He had to run outside when the gardener asked what he was doing.“Did you sleep well?”And there, in front of his house, was Muheun. Wearing a black t-shirt and flashing his usual gentle smile.Seungjoo had spent a restless time, staying up half the night (he had slept soundly before he woke up early), but Muheun looked as if he’d forgotten about everything from last night.“You didn’t sleep well, huh?”“…”Seungjoo didn’t really think Muheun believed he had slept well. The pitying look in his eyes was so annoying that it almost made him laugh.“Thanks to you.”So, Seungjoo answered without hesitation. After saying it, he felt a bit awkward and ruffled his bangs with one hand. Of course, since it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t plan on being self-conscious about it.“Hyung, did you catch that Gwimae?”“No, not yet.”“…I see.”Muttering softly, Seungjoo put his hands in his jumper pockets. On the left was a talisman, and on the right was his phone, so he instinctively gripped them both. Then, the words he spoke didn’t exactly sound like encouragement.“Well, good luck.”“……”A small puff of air escaped Muheun’s lips. Even though his tone was blunt, there didn’t seem to be any ill feelings. If anything, he smiled lightly, as if he understood exactly what Seungjoo meant: “I won’t worry about it, so handle things however you want.”“You’re nice. You even support Hyung.”Instead of responding, Seungjoo started walking toward the school. At just the right moment, Muheun tried to grab his bag, so Seungjoo clung to the strap tightly, not wanting to lose it. Muheun let out a thin laugh and said in an unnecessarily sweet voice.“I’m not going to be away for a week this time.”“…That’s a relief.”It almost felt like “giving medicine with poison,” but Seungjoo didn’t say it aloud. He thought that no matter how much he complained, it wouldn’t change anything.“Aren’t you mad?”Later, Muheun asked, following Seungjoo. It wasn’t that he was trying to read the mood, but more like he was just checking. This, too, felt like “giving medicine with poison,” but Seungjoo calmly responded.“Do I look mad?”“No, you don’t look mad.”“……”It was a shameless answer. He was so confident that Seungjoo couldn’t help but chuckle. What was the point of asking questions like this? Seungjoo casually replied.“That’s right. I’m not mad.”In fact, Seungjoo wasn’t entirely unaware. He knew he wasn’t mad—what made him upset was what happened last night with Muheun. That kiss from last night had been a clearer rejection than ten words could ever be.‘I’ll walk you home.’Even that short distance from the gate to the front door, Muheun had insisted on walking him. He wasn’t a child, nor a woman, yet Muheun wouldn’t let him walk alone at night, claiming it was too dangerous. In truth, Muheun always seemed uneasy, day or night.‘…Can I help?’Seungjoo had said something he shouldn’t have. He had suggested using himself as bait to find the Gwimae. He could guess how that must have sounded without needing to hear it from Muheun.But Seungjoo hadn’t said it out of complacency. He wasn’t the type to think only of others, and he didn’t like taking risks. He didn’t want to get hurt, didn’t want to be in pain, and most of all, he hated dangerous situations.Still, he trusted Muheun. He trusted the man who had been his protector since childhood, the one who was capable of hunting Gwimae.“Hyung, you’re really good at this. Solve it quickly and get some rest.”Muheun was a renowned exorcist, and his innate spiritual abilities were among the best. When Seungjoo had encountered a wild boar, Muheun had effortlessly handled the situation while carrying him, even after Seungjoo had fainted.Seungjoo was certain that Muheun would be there, and that he would be safe. As long as they found the Gwimae’s location, Seungjoo thought he could just hide somewhere and wait for Muheun to solve it.‘…You want me to be bait?’Seungjoo hadn’t meant to give off the ominous tone of using himself as bait, but now that he thought about it, that’s what he had said.‘Thank you, but… if Hyung needs my help, I’ll have to do this all the time, Seungjoo.’Seungjoo understood why Muheun had kissed him. He had made the decision that it was a better risk to help Seungjoo gain some spiritual insight for a few days than have him help long-term. In the end, it seemed like all of this had to happen, but Seungjoo couldn’t understand what Muheun was really thinking.Muheun didn’t mind if Seungjoo had felt some anger, but his way of showing it wasn’t the most comfortable one.“Yeah, it’ll be solved soon.”Muheun said, his voice light and pleasant. Despite the lack of sleep, there was something unusually languid about him.“……”Seungjoo swallowed his thoughts and sighed. It wasn’t him who had been suffering from the lack of sleep—it was Muheun. If Muheun was determined to keep doing this, Seungjoo had no way to stop him.***Tuesday afternoon lectures end later in the day. Since his earlier class had finished early, Seungjoo stopped by a cafe with Jinwoo to grab a coffee. He had planned to head straight to the lecture hall, but Jinwoo slowed him down, saying he wanted to smoke.“Go ahead, I’ll head there first.”“What? No loyalty!”“There’s no loyalty in you smoking.”Though Seungjoo didn’t have any smokers around him, he knew Jinwoo smoked a lot. Seungjoo decided firmly to leave Jinwoo behind and went on to the lecture hall. Jinwoo grumbled about the lack of loyalty but ended up heading for the designated smoking area near the engineering building.It was at that moment, when Seungjoo was completely alone.“Seungjoo.”“……”Seungjoo was startled and spat out the straw he had been holding. A person appeared in front of him without warning. Ah, déjà vu. Seungjoo frowned, then the man, who was blocking his path, greeted him.“Hello.”“……”It was him—the guy who had worn a hat and asked for Seungjoo’s number without any preamble. The guy who had such an emotionless face he could almost be mistaken for a ghost.‘…Did he wait for me?’Seungjoo concluded that he wasn’t a ghost, but seeing him again made him question his initial conclusion. How could someone look so lifeless, so detached from the world? And why was he so quiet, standing so close but giving off no presence?‘Now that I can see more clearly…’“Didn’t I say hello?”As Seungjoo was beginning to doubt, the man spoke again. Seungjoo, dragging the soles of his sneakers across the ground, muttered to himself with an incredulous expression.“What is he even trying to say…?”“Hello” and all that, but there’s nothing ‘hello’ about it. How could he just walk past and say, “Oh, yeah. Hello,” to some stranger he didn’t even know?“You should respond when someone greets you.”“…”The man added, as if completely unaware of Seungjoo’s confusion. It was an obvious thing to say, but hearing it from a stranger was utterly absurd. Moreover, when had he ever acted in such an ‘obvious’ way himself? Now he was suddenly saying such things. To top it off, he even tilted his head seriously.“I heard you’re supposed to greet someone when you meet them.”“And you’re not supposed to greet strangers.”Seungjoo corrected him without thinking, glancing at the man. Earlier, he had seemed frightening, but now he appeared somewhat off. Even though his face remained expressionless, it was different from the cold, distant atmosphere that Gi Hwanyeong emitted.“I know you.”“…”And that was the problem. In this harsh 21st century, there’s nothing more terrifying than a stranger claiming to know you. Well, maybe it would be a bit better if he was a human, but still…“Hey.”Suddenly, Seungjoo found himself acting on instinct. Without thinking, he grabbed the man’s wrist with the hand that wasn’t holding the coffee. If it was a ghost, it would pass through, and if not, it would be caught.But the moment his skin touched the bare skin under the sleeve, a familiar sensation transmitted through his palm.“…”It was a person. He barely had time to feel relieved. The cold body temperature wasn’t exactly a temperature; it was something else entirely. It was the same strange energy he’d felt from the talisman and from Muheun—a sensation so intense it sent chills down his spine, something he’d recently felt on his skin.“…Are you a exorcist?”The words, muttered in a daze, caused a flicker of embarrassment to pass over the man’s face. It was undoubtedly the right answer.***“…”“…”A heavy silence settled between them. The man, who had been greeting him just fine a moment ago, now closed his mouth at the mention of being an exorcist. His face remained expressionless, but for some reason, he seemed flustered.“Ah… I was being too cautious.”Seungjoo clicked his tongue and let go of the man’s wrist. It was as if everything had suddenly clicked. Now he understood why the man knew him, why he had asked for his number, and why he had insisted on becoming close so suddenly.“He must be looking into my family.”The Seo family had long been known for using their accumulated wealth to back the Exorcist Association, essentially offering support to ensure the association’s survival and growth. Externally, they appeared to be just a normal business family, but underneath, this was what was really going on.Well, it wasn’t exactly a bad arrangement. The family funded the association, and in return, the association protected the family. Most of the support came from the family next door, but the charms that surrounded the gate and walls could not have been made by just one or two exorcists.That was probably why many exorcists tried to get on Seungjoo’s good side or even sought a closer relationship with him. In reality, it wasn’t Seungjoo they were after, but his family. To do so, they had to get into Seungjoo’s good graces, the only remaining heir.Seungjoo summed it up with one phrase:“I’m not a sponsor.”A sponsor. Was there a more precise term? It was essentially just paying to support someone.“So don’t come looking for me. You’re not even a student at our school, are you?”Seungjoo sighed, his heart racing. There was no real reason to be scared of a living person. Besides, exorcists affiliated with the association couldn’t actually touch living people.“Go get some sleep instead of wasting your time here. Don’t be busy from the middle of the day.”It wasn’t quite the middle of the day, but he said it anyway. The man’s pale skin was probably due to the fact he rarely saw sunlight. That was a common trait among exorcists who worked mainly at night.“Got it? Now go.”With that, Seungjoo tried to walk past the man, but the moment he took a step, the man blocked his path.“I didn’t mean it like that.”“What do you mean ‘not like that’?”Now that everything was out in the open, what kind of excuse could he possibly make? Seungjoo replied indifferently, but the man didn’t move. Eventually, Seungjoo pulled out his phone and spoke again.“Move. I’m going to be late for class.”“…”At the mention of being late, the man’s eyes shifted noticeably. Maybe he’d become more used to it, but Seungjoo could clearly see the change behind his expressionless face. At least he seemed to have a conscience.Thinking that, Seungjoo tried to move again, but the man grabbed his hand and pulled it toward him.“I have something to say. Come here at midnight tonight.”“What? No, hey…”The man handed him a neatly folded note. Seungjoo didn’t want to take it, but because the man forced his fingers to close around it, he couldn’t refuse. Unfortunately, the man was so strong that Seungjoo couldn’t even pull his hand free.“You have to come. It’s important.”After leaving those words, the man released Seungjoo without hesitation. He adjusted his hat and quickly turned away. Not wanting to prolong the conversation, Seungjoo didn’t stop him.Instead, as he watched the man’s shrinking figure, he thought to himself:“He’s walking normally.”It felt like watching an NPC exit the screen. Last time, the man disappeared in the blink of an eye, but this time, he walked quickly across the campus. Seungjoo had thought he might be using some sort of magic, but now he realized he was just an ordinary person.Seungjoo, a bit late in realizing, put the straw in his mouth and opened the note the man had given him. Since his excuse about being late was a lie, he still had time.It had said to come here, so it should have the location written on it. He thought that as he looked over the note, only to find some strange numbers written on it.[37.5491147, 127.0413447]“What’s this…? Coordinates?”He’d never imagined someone would give him location coordinates like this. He knew the guy was strange, but not this strange.“…He’s crazy.”Without hesitation, Seungjoo crumpled the note and stuffed it in his pocket. He would’ve thrown it away immediately if he had seen a trash can nearby, but there wasn’t one.Seungjoo decided to throw it away later in the lecture room. With that thought in mind, he started walking again.***The lecture ended as evening approached. Since Jinwoo and Seohyun were taking the same class, the three of them naturally headed toward the main gate together. As they walked, their conversation drifted to casual topics like going for dinner or drinking on Friday.Then, when the topic of the upcoming MT (membership training) next month came up, Seohyun suddenly said, “Oh right, Seungjoo, you got a guy’s number earlier.”“….”Seungjoo, who had been walking just fine, suddenly stumbled. Jinwoo also widened his eyes and asked, “What? When?”“Just earlier, over there on the hill, he was handing you a note,” Seohyun said, pointing toward the spot. It was the place where Seungjoo had received the note from the strange exorcist. Apparently, Seohyun had been there without Seungjoo noticing. If that was the case, she could’ve at least said something. If she had, the guy would’ve probably run off on his own.“Wow… Why are you attracting so many guys lately?”“….”Seungjoo couldn’t answer Jinwoo’s question. After all, it was obvious that Jinwoo had already connected the dots, starting with Muheun, then Gi Hwanyeong, and now the guy from earlier. Seohyun was looking at him with a strange expression, and Seungjoo furrowed his brows, quickly coming up with a plausible excuse.“It’s a cult. He gave me his number because he said I should come to church. So I threw it away.”“Ah, really?”“That’s what happened?”It was just a casual lie, but fortunately, it worked. After all, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter people from cults handing out surveys on campus.“Which cult would come all the way into the school?”“Be careful too. They’re persistent.”Seungjoo casually agreed and put his hands in his pockets. Then he realized he’d forgotten to throw away the note from earlier. In his left pocket was the talisman, and in his right were his phone and the crumpled note. While fiddling with them, he saw the main gate in the distance.“…But why does that Hyung always show up, if he’s not from a cult?”“….”For some reason, Seungjoo was at a loss for words today. As he stood in front of the gate, looking at Muheun, he kept quiet. This time, there was no excuse to make, so it was better to just remain silent.“How long are you going to keep coming to pick me up?”“Hmm… I don’t know.”He had said he wouldn’t be coming for a week, so it would probably only be a couple of days at most. Today was already over, and at most, it would probably be Friday. Seungjoo didn’t plan to explain everything, so he shrugged his shoulders and quickened his pace.“I’m going ahead.”Humans are creatures of adaptation. At first, Seungjoo had been self-conscious about the stares around him, but now walking with Muheun after school felt perfectly normal.It was annoying that the students were staring, but since no one was asking for introductions, it didn’t bother him much. There had been some rumors (about the handsome guy standing at the main gate every day), but he didn’t care what others said.The only thing that piqued his curiosity was what Muheun thought while waiting for him to come out every time.“Don’t you get asked for your number when you stand there?”“My number?”Muheun, who had been about to pick up Seungjoo’s bag, tilted his head at the question. Seungjoo grabbed the bag strap firmly, and Muheun naturally closed his eyes in a half-squint.“Yeah, no one has asked.”“….”Why hadn’t anyone asked? With how noticeable he was, you’d think at least one person would try.“No one came up to talk?”“Nope, no one.”Muheun answered simply with a wink. It didn’t seem like he was lying, and he didn’t have a reason to lie about something like this. Seungjoo, glancing at Muheun’s profile, thought to himself.“Is it because he looks scary?”Unlike Muryeong, who had a completely gentle look, Muheun had a cold presence, as if a chill would blow if he stood still. Even without piercings or tattoos, it was clear that Muheun had an aura that made it hard for anyone to approach. Muryeong’s sister and Muheun’s younger sibling, Muyeon, was a perfect mix of the two.“Why, did you get caught by a cult today?”“No, not really.”Seungjoo shook his head and raised his left hand above his head. He paused for a moment, gauging the distance between him and Muheun, and then casually asked, “Do you happen to know an exorcist about this height?”“…Exorcist?”Muheun squinted his eyes. His expression seemed to be wondering why Seungjoo was asking such a thing. Seungjoo slowly continued, thinking about the man from earlier.“Yeah, he had really pale skin… and he was really handsome.”It would have been nice to give more details, but this was the best Seungjoo could do. There was nothing particularly distinctive about the man to describe. Well, handsome people weren’t exactly common, so perhaps this was enough to convey what he meant.But Muheun narrowed his eyes and asked with a small smile, “Me?”“No, this is crazy…”Seungjoo reflexively muttered and let out a hollow laugh. A pale, handsome exorcist. It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t something he should be saying either.“I told you, he’s shorter than Hyung.”“The pale and handsome part isn’t the issue?”With a playful smile, Muheun teased him, his face full of mischief. Whether Seungjoo was irritated or not, Muheun shrugged his shoulders and asked again.“Anything else? That’s too vague.”“He was wearing a hat.”“Hmm, lots of people wear hats.”It wasn’t a rule, but most exorcists tended to cover their faces. They had to work discreetly, and their identities were kept secret from the general public. Sunglasses, masks, hats, or even masks were common among higher-level exorcists.“There aren’t many good-looking people though.”“Not that many good-looking ones…”Seungjoo could tell that Muheun was hesitating. It seemed like he really couldn’t think of anyone. Was he not able to recognize good-looking people because he was too handsome himself? Seungjoo started to feel a little annoyed, but just as he thought that, Muheun turned to look at him.“Why the sudden interest in exorcists?”“Ah.”Seungjoo let out a light exclamation and rummaged through his pockets. Without even realizing it, he stopped walking, and Muheun stopped too.“That guy came looking for me earlier. He said he had something to tell me and asked me to come here.”He pulled out a crumpled note. Muheun, who had stiffened at the word “came looking,” blinked when he saw the note Seungjoo handed him. He looked a little surprised.“Why?”“…I thought it’d be fine, so I wasn’t worried.”The sigh that escaped seemed like a sigh of relief. Muheun took the note and smiled contentedly.“Guess you weren’t planning to meet him anyway.”“Of course not.”Seungjoo had no sense of adventure. Even if someone he knew asked him to go somewhere, he wouldn’t, so what reason would he have to go out with a stranger? He was certain that, in his life, curiosity had never once overcome his reason.“But that crazy guy wrote coordinates instead of a place.”“…”At that, Muheun raised the corner of his mouth slightly. His eyes narrowed, and although he was smiling, he didn’t seem pleased. He silently looked down at the note and responded in a low voice.“It’s a Gwimae hunt.”“A Gwimae hunt?”“Yeah.”Although the paper was crumpled, there was no problem reading it. Muheun traced the coordinates with his finger, writing them slowly.“We share information using directions or coordinates when we’re talking among ourselves. It’s the most accurate and easiest way to find things.”Because Gwimae come from places like mountains, fields, rivers, or seas, it’s hard to communicate just by mentioning the name of a place. For exorcists, who have a sense of direction like wild animals, it’s easier to pinpoint coordinates.“Based on this, it should be a park near home.”“…Do you memorize this stuff?”“The places we go often.”Muheun casually responded, then put the note in his pocket. He hadn’t really planned to give it back, but since Seungjoo had planned to throw it away anyway, he didn’t ask for it back.“I’ll have Hyung look it up.”“No, there’s no need to go that far…”Seungjoo hadn’t asked for help. He was just wondering if Muheun knew the person. It’d be nice if he didn’t find out, but if he did, Seungjoo would prefer it be taken care of.“If he comes again, contact Hyung. Don’t follow him, even if he offers to buy you something good, okay?”“I didn’t follow anyone when I was five, either.”That kind of naïve behavior, like following someone for candy, was something only Kim Muryeong would do. Seungjoo had grown up cautious, just like he was overprotected. Muheun seemed pleased with Seungjoo’s response and smiled.“Good boy.”“…”Don’t treat me like a kid. The touch on the back of his head was annoyingly gentle. When Muheun brushed his ear lightly, the part that had been touched felt both cold and warm as he pulled away.“I’m not a kid…”Seungjoo rubbed his ear irritably and resumed walking. Muheun didn’t seem bothered, so it didn’t look like anything troublesome would come of it. If it had been dangerous, his animal-like instincts would have sensed it right away.And anyway, even if the sky fell, Seungjoo had no intention of going to meet that man.***“Why?”“…”The light-colored eyes gazed steadily at Seungjoo. Despite being light, they looked a bit eerie because of the hat pulled low. When Seungjoo didn’t answer, the man asked again, without any inflection in his voice.“Why aren’t you coming to meet me?”It was Wednesday, right after the first class ended. Seungjoo had followed Jinwoo out for a cigarette and had just bought a coffee at a café. While waiting on the bench for Jinwoo, the man from yesterday, not Jinwoo, appeared before Seungjoo.“I waited for you all day yesterday.”“……For who?”Seungjoo couldn’t hide his dumbfounded expression and let it show. How does he always time it so well? Normally, he wouldn’t be seen at all, but as soon as Seungjoo was alone, he appeared right in front of him. Fortunately, he didn’t spit out his straw this time.“I told you to come out because I have something to say.”“Then would you go if it were you?”“I would.”“Uh, but I’m not going.”“Why?”“……”Is he crazy? He kept asking ‘why’ as if he were four years old. At this point, Seungjoo really felt like this person wasn’t just your average weirdo. Should he just not respond at all? As he thought that, his frustration finally made him speak up.“You expect me to meet you at that time knowing who you are? All I know about you is your face and that you’re after Gwimae.”“……How did you know about the Gwimae thing?”He was acting all familiar, calling him by name. Apparently, just knowing that surprised him a lot. His expression was still stiff like a mannequin, but his eyes widened just slightly at the mention. There was no need to reveal the truth, so Seungjoo just spat out something vague.“It’s in your face.”He expected that the guy would just dismiss it as nonsense, but the man nodded seriously, without changing his expression.“You can read faces.”“……”Was it just his imagination? The more he looked, the dumber the guy seemed. Actually, ‘trivial’ was more accurate. If Kim Muheun had been here, Seungjoo would’ve teased him and probably ruined his mood by now.“Well, that makes things easy. You can see that I’m not a weird person, right?”“No, you’re definitely weird.”“……Why?”It was almost funny how the guy asked again as if he truly didn’t understand. This time, he looked genuinely confused. It seemed like he didn’t like hearing that he was strange after doing something strange. Swallowing his astonishment, Seungjoo furrowed his brows.“By the way, what’s your name?”He hadn’t planned to ask, but since this was happening, it would be better to know. It would be useful later when talking to Muheun if he knew exactly who this was.But instead of answering directly, the man turned the question back to him with a tone of irritation.“Why?”“……If you ask ‘why’ one more time, I swear I won’t leave you alone.”“……”He saw the man almost open his mouth to ask again but quickly close it. Clearly, he felt some threat from Seungjoo’s ominous tone. Seungjoo, grinding his straw between his teeth, let out a deep sigh.“If you have business, just say it here. Don’t pull me out here to ask me questions. You’ve already said everything you needed to by asking ‘why.’”When would Jinwoo show up? He felt he should stop being alone from now on. As far as he’d seen, the guy seemed to run off whenever someone approached.“Talking here is too much. Too many people around.”“Too many people? What do you mean……”What did he mean by “too many people”? There was no one around in the quiet area. If the students walking far away were the ones he was referring to, he shouldn’t have approached him in the first place. At this point, Seungjoo almost wished there were some eyes around, to give him a reason to be cautious.“No matter what you say, I’m not coming to listen. Like I told you before, I’m not interested in being a patron, and if it’s family business, it’s faster to talk to my parents.”Getting annoyed, Seungjoo squinted his eyes in frustration. Many people from the association had approached him before, but none had gone as far as showing up at his school. Most of them were careful not to offend him, trying to stay on his good side.“Fine, if you understand, then go. Otherwise, I’ll leave.”When the man didn’t move, Seungjoo grabbed his coffee and stood up. If he was held up again, there wouldn’t be any good words coming out of his mouth this time.“Are you really not going to come?”Fortunately, the man didn’t block his path. He just stood there and asked the question casually. Seungjoo answered with a “Yeah” and started walking away, but then, a name that couldn’t be ignored came up.“Even if it’s about Kim Muheun, the team leader?”“……”Seungjoo knew he shouldn’t react, but for a moment, he stopped in his tracks. How the man had interpreted his hesitation, Seungjoo didn’t know, but the man tilted his hat and looked at him. In his usual monotonous voice, he said one more thing, almost like a warning.“12 o’clock. Come to that place from yesterday.”Seungjoo didn’t have time to respond. The man passed him quickly, walking away before he could even blink. Seungjoo muttered softly as he watched the man’s figure vanish in the distance.“……What the hell is that about?”He could understand it being about something related to Kim Muheun. The fact that their families were close was well-known throughout the association, so using that as bait to summon him wasn’t surprising.But what he couldn’t understand was not the man’s name but the title he used for Muheun.As far as Seungjoo knew, Kim Muheun wasn’t a team leader.As school was ending, Seungjoo received a message from Muryeong. He was at the main house and suggested they have dinner together. Seungjoo replied that he understood, then ignored a message asking him to head home with Hwanyeong and put his phone away. Gi Hwanyeong probably had no intention of going together either.At the front gate, Muheun was waiting as usual. Staring absentmindedly at the sky, Muheun finally glanced over, squinting his eyes in a familiar way when Seungjoo approached. Though he seemed the same as always, it was clear that he was weary.Seungjoo mentioned that Kim Muryeong was at the main house, but Muheun just dropped Seungjoo off and immediately headed to the association. It seemed he didn’t even have a moment to spare. It was hard to fathom why someone who already looked so exhausted was working so tirelessly. People might think he was the only exorcist around.Seungjoo went home to drop off his bag and headed to the neighbor’s house. He’d showered and changed into matching workout clothes with the brand’s logo on both top and bottom.As he shuffled in slippers and opened the gate, a fluffy white ball came dashing over from a distance.“Baek Seolgi!”With a loud bark, the fluffy ball was Seolgi, a dog the neighbor had taken in when Seungjoo was young. At fourteen years old, he was still sturdy and lively despite his age. As a puppy, he was pure white and fluffy, but over time his fur had taken on a dingier hue.“Good boy.”Seungjoo crouched down and embraced Seolgi as he bounded toward him. Though large, he was used to the weight and held him with ease. As Seungjoo patted the fluffy fur, Seolgi wagged his tail furiously and licked Seungjoo’s chin.“Seolgi, don’t bother oppa.”The gentle words came from a man with a soft expression, who was approaching them. With round eyes and a youthful face, it was Muryeong, Seungjoo’s longtime friend.“Where’s your mom?”“She’s in the annex.”When Seungjoo asked while hugging Seolgi, Muryeong pointed to the annex. Muryeong’s house was structured identically to Seungjoo’s, with the main house to the right in an L-shape and the annex standing alone to the left. The neighbors usually used the annex as a training space.“She’s working with some talismans, so she said we should eat on our own.”“Ah, I see.”Seungjoo thought he’d greet her later and turned back to Muryeong. Although it had only been about a month since they last met, it felt like a reunion because they used to see each other every day. His friend even looked healthier than before.“Considering how busy you’ve been, you look pretty good.”“Really? Maybe because I’ve been eating well.”Though usually quick to show fatigue, Muryeong’s face looked full and vibrant. Having just seen the tired Muheun, the difference was even more obvious.“Hwanyeong’s a good cook, you know.”“Oh…not exactly something I was curious about.”Responding indifferently, Seungjoo released Seolgi and stood up. It was shedding season, so his T-shirt and pants were covered in fur. Meanwhile, Seolgi just grinned as if oblivious to the mess he’d made.“Hwanyeong will be here soon, too. What do you want to eat for dinner?”“Anything’s fine.”The two headed to the main house. Seolgi followed obediently but began hovering around Seungjoo’s feet as if asking to be picked up. Now that he was older, he’d grown more clingy, demanding attention even with his large size.“Oh, you’re heavy.”Seungjoo hoisted Seolgi up, cradling him securely. Delighted, Seolgi tried to lick him again. Muryeong laughed, countering Seungjoo’s quip that Seolgi was more pig than dog.“It’s just fur, not weight…”It was the same excuse Muryeong had used for years—even when Seolgi gained weight from eating sweet potatoes during the winter in high school, he’d brushed it off as just the fluff.Inside, after wiping Seolgi’s paws, they lounged in the living room until Gi Hwanyeong arrived. The moment Hwanyeong opened the door, Seolgi, who had been comfortably nestled in Seungjoo’s arms, darted over to the security door.“That traitor…”Watching Seolgi’s tail wag like a propeller, Seungjoo muttered in disbelief. He’d spent so much time playing with him, yet Seolgi abandoned him without a second glance. Sure, Hwanyeong had lived there just a month ago, but Seungjoo had known him for fourteen years.“Baek Seolgi, that’s not right.”Seolgi returned and nestled into Seungjoo’s arms, tilting his head as if innocent. Already pampered by Hwanyeong’s petting, he managed to be both irritating and adorable, and Seungjoo couldn’t resist scratching him all over again.As the sun set, they prepared dinner as they were accustomed. Hwanyeong took charge, cooking while Muryeong hovered nearby, proving entirely unhelpful. Having realized it was better to leave him alone, Seungjoo entertained Seolgi by tossing a ball to keep him out of the way.“Oh, right. I was assigned to Team 4.”During dinner, Muryeong abruptly shared the news. He had been inducted into the association right after graduation, and now he’d completed the training phase and received a team assignment. Team 4 was led by his sister, Muyeon.“Good for you. I heard you’re in for a rough time if you get a bad team leader.”The association had twelve teams in total—odd-numbered teams for exorcists, even-numbered for general spiritualists. The lower the team number, the higher their rank, and a team leader was essentially at the junior executive level.“I heard things have been especially busy lately. But with Muyeon as your leader, you probably won’t get overworked.”“Yeah, but now that training’s over, it shouldn’t be too bad.”Seungjoo was commenting on the association’s overall busy state, but Muryeong responded as if it wasn’t a big deal. He really seemed unbothered by it all. Kim Muheun seemed super busy, though—perhaps it was just the exorcists who had their hands full.“What team is Muheun hyung on?”“Our hyung? Team 1.”Seungjoo nodded, unsurprised by the answer he already knew, while Muryeong gave him a look as if to ask why he’d even brought it up. Trying to appear casual, Seungjoo picked up some side dishes with his chopsticks and asked the question calmly.“He’s not a team leader yet, is he”“No, there’s already a team leader.”“…Really?”But why did he say he was a team leader? That voice telling him it was related to Team Leader Kim Muheun still echoed in his mind.“That’s surprising. Hasn’t Hyung reached the point where he should be a team leader by now?”“Yeah, but even if he’s eligible, they can’t make him do it if he turns it down.”Muryeong bit the tip of his spoon and winked. It was a habit shared by both Muheun and his sister Muyon.“Hyung hates troublesome things, so he might’ve refused on purpose.”“True, he wouldn’t like the hassle of having a title like that.”Though Muheun naturally tended to end up in leadership roles, he wasn’t fond of managing people. Even back in school, if he was nominated for class president, he’d suddenly seem less enthusiastic. He was the opposite of his sister Seunghee, who embraced responsibility.“Then, no one calls Muheun Hyung the team leader, right?”“Yeah, no one does.”The straightforward answer somehow left Seungjoo feeling uneasy. Perhaps his conflicted expression showed, as both Muryeong and Hwanyeong gave him puzzled looks.“Why?”“…No reason, it’s nothing.”He should have asked Muheun earlier, but he’d looked so tired that Seungjoo hadn’t brought it up. And now, telling these two about it felt oddly unsettling, as if he’d be revealing someone else’s secret.“If you’re curious, want me to ask? Why he’s not the team leader, I mean.”“No, I’m not really that curious.”Seungjoo quickly dismissed the topic and focused on his meal. Thankfully, Muryeong dropped the subject and exchanged a glance with Hwanyeong. It was a relief that neither of them were the type to pry.***After dinner, Hwanyeong pulled out a pile of fruit-flavored lollipops from his bag. They looked exactly like the ones their high school class president used to hand out. According to Hwanyeong, a friend working on a group project with him had given them to their group members (Seungjoo was surprised to hear that Hwanyeong had friends). Hwanyeong chose a grape-flavored one for Muryeong and handed Seungjoo a few random flavors. Though he looked like he was doing them a favor, it was nice enough that he bothered to share. In the past, Hwanyeong would have just ignored or discarded things like candy.Late at night, Muryeong and Hwanyeong finally stood to leave for their apartment. Even by then, the lady of the house hadn’t returned from the detached building. Having spent the evening half-asleep on Seolgi’s belly, Seungjoo followed them to the gate as they left.“Take care.”“Yeah, good night, Seungjoo.”While Muryeong warmly bid him goodnight, Hwanyeong simply nodded in his usual, low-key way. Even so, that was quite the improvement. In the past, he would’ve just left without a word.Under the bright moonlight, their shadows stretched out long. Seungjoo stood for a while, watching the two of them walk away. Seeing them chatting together as they walked felt oddly nostalgic.“You really can’t predict human relationships…”Who would have guessed they’d get along so well? Back in school, social butterfly Muryeong had barely exchanged a word with Gi Hwanyeong.Well, he hadn’t expected himself to grow fond of his neighbor Hyung either, so maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised.…It was almost midnight, yet Seungjoo hesitated outside instead of going straight home. Normally, he would’ve already prepared for bed; Seungjoo prided himself on his consistent eight hours of sleep. But tonight, he couldn’t bring himself to go in, not with that note from earlier still playing on his mind.‘Midnight. Same place as yesterday.’So… what should he do now?…“So?”A raised eyebrow hinted at irritation. Despite the disgruntled gaze, Seungjoo ignored it and took a sip from his straw. Only after he’d taken a few sips of his iced vanilla latte did he reply with an indifferent tone.“Midnight’s when I go to bed.”“…”The man’s lips pressed into a thin line. Seungjoo glanced at him and added another remark.“And besides, I wouldn’t know where that place is from just coordinates.”Thursday at lunchtime. After finishing his meal, Seungjoo had bought a coffee in the cafeteria. Despite the chilly weather, he ordered it iced, with a hint of vanilla sweetness. Just after he sent Jinwoo off to the smoking area, right on cue, the man appeared in front of him.“…So, you didn’t come out last night?”“Nope.”The man blinked at the frank response. Concerned the man might misunderstand, Seungjoo kindly clarified one more thing.“Even if I’d known where it was, I wouldn’t have gone.”Last night, Seungjoo ultimately decided not to meet with the man, despite wanting to hear him out. Too many things bothered him about it.First, it was far too late at night. Second, his spiritual sight was currently active. And third, images of Kim Muheun, exhausted and struggling with sleepless nights, kept flashing before him.“I don’t do reckless things.”Ignoring warnings and getting hurt—once in high school was enough for him. Though he wanted to believe that ghosts and the like didn’t exist, if he were to get hurt, it wouldn’t end with him alone. Seungjoo understood well that even if he got injured because of his own carelessness, someone would inevitably feel guilty over it.“You’re Kim Muryeong’s friend, right?”It must have been back in his second year of high school. Hwanyeong, who had come to Muryeong with a request, once left Seungjoo with a cryptic warning as he gripped his shoulder. He told Seungjoo to go home with Muryeong, to be careful on the roads and alleys, and to look out for anything that might fall from above—a chilling warning.“And don’t touch me.”He later found out that Gi Hwanyeong had a malicious spirit attached to him at that time. People who came into contact with him kept getting hurt, so he sought out Muryeong to resolve it.It would have been nice to know that sooner, but unfortunately, Seungjoo dismissed Hwanyeong’s warning with a shrug.“…Weird guy.”He couldn’t help it. Even though he knew supernatural phenomena existed, he didn’t know that Gi Hwanyeong was a spiritual medium. While he intended to be cautious because it unsettled him, he couldn’t avoid going home alone due to unforeseen circumstances.And that’s when he hurt his wrist—the very same right hand he had used to grab Hwanyeong’s shoulder. His bag strap had gotten caught on a car mirror, leading to the accident. At the time, he chalked it up to bad luck, but it was definitely the spirit’s doing.“What’s this?”“A talisman.”The talisman he carried was something Muryeong had made for him back then. Although the accident was due to his own carelessness, the one feeling guilty turned out to be Kim Muryeong, who went 48 hours without food to make it. Not solely because of Seungjoo, of course, but still.“So if you have something to say, do it in the daylight in a public place. Why would I risk meeting you?”This was why Seungjoo had no intention of wandering around at night with his spiritual sight active. He knew that if he got hurt, it wouldn’t just be physical pain; it would also weigh heavily on Muheun’s conscience. He hadn’t been the same after the loss of his sister and older brother, despite it not being his fault at all.“…”For the first time, the man looked at Seungjoo with an expression that seemed genuinely at a loss for words. Not out of frustration, but rather because he had run out of ways to persuade him. If he was desperate, he could speak here; if not, it was the perfect time to give up.“…Why don’t you trust me?”Only after a while did the man finally speak. By then, Seungjoo had switched his coffee to the other hand, pocketing his now-cold hand.“I don’t harm living people.”A statement that felt obvious. In truth, Seungjoo didn’t think the man would cause him any harm.“I know—you’re an exorcist.”The Exorcist Association prioritizes the safety of the living above all else. Even if minor sacrifices are sometimes involved, preserving life is their ultimate goal. The man wouldn’t threaten Seungjoo’s life.“Being an exorcist, I doubt you’d do anything reckless.”“Not every exorcist is like that.”The man retorted, sounding uncharacteristically indignant. And although Seungjoo agreed, he simply shrugged in response. He didn’t want to waste time arguing over trivialities.“Anyway, if you understand, stop coming around. If I were you, I’d be too annoyed to keep trying.”He thought the man would get it by now. Just as Seungjoo turned his gaze away, anticipating Choi Jinwoo’s return and hoping to wrap up this conversation soon—“…”The man stayed silent, looking down as if deep in thought. His long, thin eyelashes cast a faintly sorrowful impression.This makes it feel like I’m the bad guy. Just as Seungjoo was beginning to feel a pang of guilt, the man spoke in a calm voice.“The Exorcist Association plays a vital role in protecting lives from unseen threats and maintaining bonds between the living.”An association principle that every exorcist knew by heart. Although Seungjoo wasn’t an exorcist, he’d heard it several times growing up in a family like his. His brows furrowed at the out-of-nowhere comment as the man looked up, meeting Seungjoo’s gaze.“Yet recently, a few high-ranking officials driven by a lust for power have started disregarding this very principle and committing indiscriminate atrocities.”“…What?”It was a topic he hadn’t anticipated. He thought the man would simply ask for help, but this—This was something he didn’t want to know. Power struggles are one thing, but it was hard to believe that actual atrocities were taking place.“Small incidents so far—letting lost souls turn into malicious spirits or even releasing already sealed Gwimae.”“There’s an unsealed Gwimae that we need to catch before its energy strengthens.”Could it have been because of this? Muheun’s words from earlier flashed through his mind. Despite Seungjoo’s serious expression, the man continued in his calm tone.“There hasn’t been major harm yet, but it will soon become a big problem. And since it’s being done in such a subtle way, regular members are unaware.”How would you even know that? Seungjoo wanted to ask, but the man didn’t give him a chance as he continued.“In the past month, a total of five Gwimae have had their seals broken. Given that the success rate of capturing Gwimae is over 90%, this is an unusually high number.”“…So what do you expect me to do with this?”That was Seungjoo’s honest reaction. He didn’t care for or have any interest in this information. After all, he wasn’t an exorcist, nor did he have a strong understanding of matters relating to it. He really couldn’t care less about the association’s internal affairs.“I’m just an ordinary person. Let the association handle its own issues.”Although he was firm, the man’s expression remained unchanged as he fixed his gaze on Seungjoo and spoke again.“I.”Seungjoo sensed intuitively that what followed would be the main point. Just as he narrowed his eyes in apprehension, the man delivered a statement impossible to ignore.“I believe Kim Muheun is behind this.”***“…Me?”A soft voice repeated in utter disbelief, the speaker even pointing to his own face in shock. Those eyes, which usually curved into crescent moons when he smiled, were wide open, showing his rare astonishment.“Yes.”In response, Seungjoo answered Muheun with a casual expression. With one hand fiddling with the talisman in his pocket, he nodded toward Muheun, who was walking beside him.“They said it seems like you’re the culprit, Hyung.”‘…They think the culprit is Kim Muheun?’When Seungjoo heard the man’s words earlier, only three thoughts crossed his mind. First was a certainty that it couldn’t be true; second, he wondered what Muheun could be doing to make people say such things; and third, a resolve to let Muheun know about this as soon as school was over.“What are you doing to make people say that?”If he was going to say something like that, he should have chosen his target more carefully. What could he possibly hope to achieve with such groundless suspicion? Even if he had proof, Seungjoo would have verified things with Muheun first. He despised getting caught up in baseless conjectures.“So, are you the culprit?”“Culprit…”Muheun trailed off, chuckling softly. His eyes squinted with a hint of amusement, suggesting that even in the awkwardness, he found it somewhat funny.“Of course not.”Though Seungjoo hadn’t doubted him, he felt reassured hearing it aloud. The Kim Muheun he knew wasn’t someone who would engage in shady backdoor schemes for power. Even if he wasn’t exactly a paragon of justice, he didn’t have any particular ambitions that would drive him to commit evil acts.Naturally, Muheun was the eldest son of a well-known exorcist family. His mother, the head of the family, was a renowned Gwimae hunter, and his late father had risen to a high-ranking position as an exorcist. Given his lineage, there was no reason for Kim Muheun to stray from the righteous path.“Why does he think I’m the culprit?”“Well, I did hear his reasons…”Seungjoo thought back on the man’s face, which had remained unchangingly serious as he delivered his words without the slightest alteration.‘He was always present at the places where the seals were broken.’“Apparently, Hyung was at the scene every time a Gwimae seal broke.”“…Hmm.”Muheun let out a low hum, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. Slowly, he looked around as if trying to piece things together. After blinking once or twice, he spoke in a calm tone.“It’s true that strange things have been happening frequently lately.”He acknowledged that most of what the man said wasn’t wrong. As Seungjoo looked at him, Muheun’s gentle voice reached out.“Do you remember that Gwimae we saw the other day? The one that looked like a wild boar?”“Yes.”The memory of that massive boar-like Gwimae from the other day on the mountainside was vivid. It had been the first time he’d encountered such a terrifying creature, dripping with soot and large as a small house.“That’s a Gwimae my mother sealed a while ago when there was a forest fire in that area.”“…Your mom did?”Seungjoo recalled Muheun’s mother, who looked so much like him, widening his eyes. She had always seemed like a gentle and kind figure, but she was, in reality, a highly skilled Gwimae hunter. It was hard to imagine someone as meticulous as her being careless enough to let a seal break.“As you know, Seungjoo, sealing a Gwimae is like putting it to sleep temporarily until nature can heal itself. Once its home is restored, it will naturally vanish without intervention.”Because a Gwimae was born from nature’s resentment, it would eventually disappear on its own once its habitat was restored, following the natural order. However, since this took a long time, they were put to sleep to minimize the damage and suffering.“Normally, the seal shouldn’t break unless someone intentionally disrupts it. While it’s possible for a spirit to turn into a malevolent entity on its own, this case definitely seems like someone’s doing.”Except for the part about Muheun being the culprit, most of what the man had said turned out to be true. Muheun paused briefly before wrinkling his nose in a faintly troubled expression.“And this is confidential, but… Hyung has indeed been investigating it.”“By yourself?”“Not exactly alone.”From his vague response, it seemed he didn’t plan to give more details. Seungjoo had many questions—why Muheun, not even a senior, was on such an investigation, or if this mission was the reason he had been losing sleep. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask.“Actually, I’m more curious about why that friend was at those places…”Seungjoo agreed. If Muheun had been present at the scene where the seals broke, what about the man who had seen Muheun there each time? Even Muheun was investigating this under confidentiality, so what could that guy have been doing at those places?‘I think the culprit behind these incidents is Team Leader Kim Muheun.’“…Hyung.”At that moment, Seungjoo tentatively called out to Muheun, who had been lost in thought. Muheun slowly turned to look at him.“You’re not a team leader, right?”“…Huh?”His dark eyes filled with confusion. The expression on his face clearly showed he was wondering what Seungjoo was talking about. Watching him furrow his brows, Seungjoo deliberately continued in a nonchalant tone.“He called you ‘Team Leader Kim Muheun.’”“…”At that, Muheun stopped dead in his tracks. His lips, which had been tightly pressed together, stretched into a long line, as he wore a strangely suspicious expression.“He called me team leader?”“Yes, he claimed it was a slip of the tongue…”‘Just let me ask one thing.’After hearing everything, Seungjoo had only one question for the man. He had been wondering since their last conversation about the man’s choice of address for Muheun.‘Why do you call Kim Muheun team leader?’‘…’He distinctly recalled the man flinching in response. Though the man claimed it was a mistake, Seungjoo found his reaction unconvincing. Once might have been an accident, but twice was unlikely. In fact, after that, calling him simply “Kim Muheun” seemed even more awkward.“I see…”Muheun repeated, looking down at Seungjoo. With a slight movement of his lips, he thoughtfully repeated what Seungjoo had described.“A tall, pale, handsome Gwimae hunter with a hat.” 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~