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While Doun went out saying he would handle beauty salon and bank business, Samin had visited the tower intending to loosen up his stiff body by going around the lower floors. But there, he encountered an unexpected person. It was Timer Choi Jeongwook, who wouldn’t be satisfying even if torn to pieces and killed.
He had even directly witnessed him looking Kim Chansol up and down creepily while rolling his eyes. Combining the information whispered by people around him like tattletales, it seemed he had cursed loudly enough for others to hear while mentioning Yeoun’s guild name.
As guild master, this was something he couldn’t just stand by and watch. When he took a step forward with a hardened expression, people automatically made way for him. Onlookers who only showed unity at times like this.
“You fucking bastard, what are you again?”
At the sound men full of bluster make when they’re being arrogant, Samin let out a hollow laugh. He thought this guy was even more pathetic and worthless than expected.
He didn’t even feel the need to mention his nickname to let him know he knew who he was. Samin looked down at Choi Jeongwook and raised the corner of his mouth.
“Mister.”
At the address that scratched his pride to the fullest, Choi Jeongwook’s face contorted greatly.
“Did our guild cause you any harm, mister?”
When he asked with a crooked posture, one hand stuck in his pocket, Choi Jeongwook couldn’t answer easily. When he tried to mention specific harm he’d suffered, nothing particularly came to mind.
“This mister apparently cursed at our guild members who were minding their own business. Chansol, right?”
Samin looked at Kim Chansol and asked.
“Yes! He started the trouble first, saying loudly enough for us to hear, ‘Ah, fuck. It’s those Yeoun bastards.'”
“Right. Loud enough for everyone here to hear.”
When Jang Hyeonseong also chimed in, Samin’s gaze turned back to Choi Jeongwook. When he slightly lowered his upper body and looked down as if urging an answer, the face that was clearly overwhelmed by his presence kept flinching.
“That’s what they’re saying. What makes you so confident to raise your voice like that, mister? Do you have something to rely on to act like this?”
The gaze that seemed to say ‘try saying something with that open mouth’ was so eerie. Choi Jeongwook couldn’t even open his mouth and just rolled his eyes around. He was already overwhelmed by the size difference. He had always looked down on him internally for being young. But such thoughts completely evaporated—up close, Slope gave off a threatening atmosphere.
“Hey, mister. Try answering.”
At the urging mixed with plenty of irritation, Choi Jeongwook slightly raised his eyes. He briefly considered whether he could extort some settlement money using assault as an excuse if he got beaten up in a place with many people, but quickly gave up on the idea.
‘Fuck. If more troublesome things happen here… it might be disadvantageous for the lawsuit too.’
It was only a few days ago that he had sold the Grade 2 stamina recovery potion Doun had thrown to him to put out the urgent fire. Even if he tried to maintain his pride, there didn’t seem to be anyone here who would take his side. Those who used to watch for opportunities to exchange a word with him in the past were now busy looking at him with contemptuous gazes.
He knew he should back down at this point, but he grumbled trying to salvage some pride anyway.
“You guys play well together among yourselves. Disgusting, really.”
The sight of them ganging up and bullying one person while sticking together calling themselves the same guild was annoying. Weren’t they the guild members of Magnetic, who had beaten him mercilessly? Thinking it was birds of a feather flocking together, he sneered and tried to leave the scene, but a large palm blocked his way.
“Hey. Where are you trying to run after spouting only what you want to say?”
The rough, sarcastic tone was similar to Doun’s way of speaking he had heard a few days ago. To be precise, it felt like Doun had imitated this guy’s way of speaking. Living together, their speech patterns had definitely rubbed off on each other.
‘Fuck.’
He should have realized when this guy, who obviously knew who he was, called him mister to get on his nerves. It seemed like Slope, this bastard, had no intention of letting him go easily.
“Are you threatening me right now?”
Since he had figured out the intention, he felt like he should say what he had to say to feel relieved. When Choi Jeongwook snapped, the sound of an obvious snort could be heard right in front of his face. The owner of the sound was naturally Slope standing before him.
“Did you think only mister could act tough by speaking rudely to strangers?”
“…Ha!”
“It’s mister’s freedom to live so disgracefully at your age, but…”
Samin took his hand out of his pocket. Then he pressed Choi Jeongwook’s chest with his index finger and continued speaking.
“At least live without causing harm to others. Isn’t this basic common sense everyone learns and graduates with from school? Mister, do you understand what I’m saying right now?”
It was an openly dismissive tone. A blatant attitude with no intention of hiding his inner thoughts. Though heat rose enough to make veins stand out on his forehead, all Choi Jeongwook could do right now, at this moment, was shut his mouth and get out of this place.
The moment of fleeing while clenching his trembling fists with rage and pushing through people who wouldn’t easily make way was simply miserable. But there was no choice but to endure it since there was nothing else he could do.
‘How did it come to this?’
Grind, his teeth gnashed.
Samin snorted as he watched the back of the person hurriedly leaving without looking back.
He thought there was something reliable about him since he still walked around with his head held high, but it seemed it was just bluster from being unable to abandon useless pride.
“What kind of appearance is that when coming outside? He should at least wash himself before living.”
At Samin’s sincere words, Kim Chansol burst into laughter. It felt like ten years of built-up frustration was going away. He had been thinking of fighting it out even if it caused controversy, but it was fun to see Timer unable to even make proper eye contact after Samin appeared.
“If the guild master hadn’t intervened, I was going to stab his eyeballs.”
Kim Chansol muttered in a tone dripping with regret. He still felt irritated when he thought of those eyes that had looked him up and down unpleasantly. He was just holding back because he knew it was inappropriate behavior for an intellectual adult who had successfully completed higher education.
“Why didn’t you stab them? No wait, would you have just dirtied your hands if you stabbed?”
Samin, who knew Kim Chansol’s personality well, giggled while playing along.
“But did you come to the tower alone?”
Jang Hyeonseong, who had been looking around, asked Samin with a puzzled face. Wasn’t he the guy who always stuck to Doun like gum after Doun joined the guild? Where there was Magnetic, there was Slope. This had become widely rumored not only in Yeoun Guild but also among hunters.
It was puzzling to see the guy who used to act cute and charming in front of Doun now revealing his true nature and wandering around alone after a long time.
“I just came to loosen up my body a bit because I felt stiff, and I ran into that bastard. What did you two come to do?”
“We came to duel each other.”
“Ah. The points are pretty decent. It would be nice if matching was easier.”
“That’s what I’m saying. We’ll try a few times until we get matched, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll move around on the training floor. Want to join us, guild master?”
“No. It seems like you two will team up and gang up on me, so I’ll preserve my body.”
“Busted. How did you know?”
While joking around with the two, Samin walked to avoid the people gathered around. Then he took out his phone from his back pocket and started grinning like an idiot.
‘Doun called.’
It was when Jang Hyeonseong made a guess close to certainty in his mind. Samin, who had quickly pressed the call button, looked for a quiet place and walked quickly with his long legs.
“Yes, hyung.”
At the voice mixed with inappropriate aegyo, Kim Chansol and Jang Hyeonseong’s expressions became sour. There was no sign of curiosity about who the other person was. There was only one person Kyung Samin would act cute for while drawing out his words and affectionately mumble “hyung” to.
-Where are you? Are you still practicing on the training floor?
“No. I just came to the tower front to practice and met Chansol and Hyeonseong hyung.”
-Really? Can you come before dinner?
“Where are you, hyung? Did you finish all your business? The bank?”
-I went and came home, but you weren’t there so I called.
“Ah, really? I was just thinking of going home because I suddenly lost the desire to practice. I met an ugly guy on the way.”
-Ugly guy…?
“I’ll tell you when I get home. I’m going home now.”
-Okay. See you later then.
The call ended with a click. Watching Samin put his phone in his pocket and walk over, Jang Hyeonseong shook his head. The guy who had been grinning brightly while talking to Doun was now frowning as if annoyed by the people loitering around as soon as the call ended.
If Doun had been here, he would have been amazed and widened his eyes seeing this guy’s dramatic expression change.
“Are you going in to practice?”
“No. Timer ran away faster than I expected and ruined my mood. I’m just going home again. If Timer, that bastard, keeps picking fights next time, please contact me. It’s fine to just beat him up anyway, but include me too. Kim Chansol, you got it too, right?”
“Crazy. You want to be included? Not that you’ll stop us if we contact you?”
At the request to be included, Kim Chansol’s face crinkled as he burst into laughter.
“Yeah. What are you talking about, why would I stop you? I originally wanted to use my designation right to beat that bastard, but I held back because Doun hyung stopped me. There’s no excuse to openly beat him up, but if he picks fights like today, I have an excuse to step in as guild master.”
It was hard to tell whether this should be called reliable or crazy. But Kim Chansol grinned and answered.
“First, it seems like it’ll be fun if the guild master joins, so I got it. If he picks fights again when we meet, I’ll contact you first. Come right away when I call.”
“Of course.”
Samin’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Kim Chansol giving a reliable answer. Jang Hyeonseong looked at such a Samin with an incredulous face, but also gave the answer that he would contact him first if he encountered Timer. Either way, Jang Hyeonseong also found Timer disagreeable, and it was better to have more people on their side.
Today too, the bond among Yeoun Guild members was becoming stronger through hatred for Timer.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
