“Are you seriously telling me to go on business trips to other realms?”
Jae-ha stared in disbelief. At twenty-five, he should have been worrying about finding a job, but he had never once imagined he’d be offered something this outrageous—practically a one-of-a-kind job in the entire world. Even faced with his incredulity, the Commissioner only grinned.
“All you’d have to do is wander around, chat a little. If you like the place, stay and enjoy yourself. Each realm has its own theme, so it’ll be plenty of eye candy. And once you show up, they’ll be dying to entertain you—lavish meals, endless drinks. It’s basically free international travel.”
“…What’s the salary?”
Come to think of it, maybe this wasn’t such a bad deal. When Jae-ha cautiously asked, Hae-hyun—who had been zoning out until then—suddenly cut in.
“Hold on. Why are you even asking that, sunbae? Are you actually considering it?”
“They made me the offer. I can at least think about it.”
“So what, you just accept anything offered? What if someone offered you a role in porn—would you take that too?”
“…Depends on the pay?”
“Sunbae!”
Because of Hae-hyun’s outburst, Jae-ha lost the chance to clarify that he’d only been half-joking. The Commissioner looked puzzled.
“What’s the problem? Wouldn’t it be nice to work at the same place as your favorite sunbae?”
“That’s not the point. It’s too dangerous.”
“Dangerous? Dangerous how? Worst case, someone might like you so much they won’t want to send you back to the human realm. But that’s what the Guardian Talisman is for—it’ll bring you back instantly. Actually, if you take this job, I’ll let you borrow Seong-won’s talisman as long as you’re working. Just return it when you resign. Not a bad deal, right?”
“Commissioner!”
At last, Hae-hyun even stepped in front of Jae-ha, blocking him as if the Commissioner were a threat instead of a boss.
“Sunbae doesn’t need a talisman. I’ll be with him.”
The Commissioner remained unbothered.
“Well, think about it. We’ll welcome you anytime.”
Lounging against the sofa, he waved lazily with the air of a carefree playboy.
By the time they stepped outside the Guardian Agency, the sky had already darkened. They hadn’t even done much, but it was already evening.
“Should we head back to your place first?”
Since he’d been dragged out by Hae-hyun’s parents without warning, Jae-ha hadn’t even grabbed his bag. With only his phone and wallet, he couldn’t exactly go home, so the two of them headed back to Hae-hyun’s house.
Even at night, the yard felt endless. When they stepped into the front hall, the corridor lights were blazing. From a nearby room, a tall figure wandered out at the sound of the door.
“Well, well—if it isn’t Jae-ha and Ju Hae-hyun. And Jae-ha, you look especially handsome today. What brings you here?”
It was Hae-ryeong. She looked freshly woken, face clear and fresh, dressed in loungewear as she ambled toward them.
“We said we’d meet Mom and Dad, remember?”
At Hae-hyun’s answer, Hae-ryeong let out a small “Ah, right,” as if just remembering. …She’d clearly forgotten. Jae-ha shot her a skeptical look but didn’t press it.
“Then why are you only here now? Where are Mom and Dad?”
“We already saw them. They said they’re heading to Seo-cheon.”
“Again? Ugh, Hallakung-nim and his tantrums.”
Hae-ryeong blurted what the Commissioner hadn’t dared say, yawning as she complained.
“I wish they’d just handle that flower field themselves. At this point, shouldn’t the Underworld step in? He’s always yanking the Guardian Agency around. Remember when he had us chasing some thief? How the hell are we supposed to catch someone who stole something decades ago?”
“You didn’t do the chasing, noona—I did.”
When Hae-hyun snapped back, Hae-ryeong answered shamelessly.
“So what? When you transform into Haetae, you’re basically top-tier manpower. Gotta use resources efficiently.”
“Even so, you could’ve at least stayed after it was done. Just ditching me and going home? I was already exhausted, and using the transformation only makes people swarm me with attention. It’s annoying.”
“Oh please. So that’s why you ran away? Hm?”
Clicking her tongue, Hae-ryeong suddenly turned to Jae-ha, eyes glinting mischievously.
“What do you think, Jae-ha? Turns out, he’d have followed anyone, not just you.”
“How can you twist it like that?”
“…Me?”
Jae-ha blinked, caught off guard. He thought it was just sibling banter, but suddenly he was dragged into it.
“Yeah. You met Ju Hae-hyun for the first time in Haetae form, right? I was helping out that night. But then he came home at dawn, and two days later he packed up and ran away. Always rebelling.”
Hae-ryeong shook her head with exaggerated despair. So that’s what happened…. Jae-ha nodded, relieved that the misunderstanding about Hae-hyun being some naked vagrant had finally cleared.
Still, it worried him how one-sidedly Hae-hyun seemed to be treated at home. Judging by the way he spoke, he probably got scolded constantly… No wonder he’d bolted without hesitation.
“He’s not even officially with the Guardian Agency yet. Are you really allowed to drag him around like that?”
“Oh, don’t worry.”
Waving off the concern, Hae-ryeong nodded toward Hae-hyun.
“He can handle it. With the kind of energy he’s built up, there’s hardly anyone like him—not just in our family, but even in the Agency’s history. He’s a total pig, a pig.”
“Don’t call me a pig.”
“Why do you think I dragged around a rookie instead of a trained exorcist? He’s not even official yet, but he’s useful. I just hope our little piglet graduates soon and joins the Agency. Lighten my load a bit.”
“Don’t call me a piglet either.”
Instead of telling the overly eager Hae-ryeong that her brother was already a fifth-year barely hanging on, Jae-ha tugged at Hae-hyun’s arm. Despite his size, he followed easily with just a light pull.
“We’ll be going, then. I only came to pick up my bag.”
“Huh?”
Hae-ryeong widened her eyes.
“You came all the way here—why not have dinner and stay the night? Isn’t it a bit late to go home now?”
“No, that’s not really…”
But she barely heard Jae-ha’s refusal, turning to Hae-hyun instead.
“So what? Who’s home tonight? You, me, the youngest? If Mom and Dad are in Seo-cheon, they won’t be back.”
“What about our brother?”
“That bastard never comes home. After everything, he still won’t show his face. If he does, he’s dead.”
“Maybe that’s why he doesn’t come?”
“If he doesn’t show up by the end of this week, I’m ratting him out to the team leader. Ju Hae-yoon needs a taste of how bitter life can be.”
Grinding her teeth, Hae-ryeong turned and walked off. Hae-hyun naturally followed, but Jae-ha tapped his arm.
“What is it?”
“Are we seriously staying over?”
Given how stubborn he usually was, his lack of objection made it seem like he actually wanted to. At Jae-ha’s question, Hae-hyun blinked in surprise.
“Do you not want to?”
“Well, it’s not that I don’t want to, but…”
He just hadn’t planned on staying so long.
“So what? Tomorrow’s the weekend.”
Shrugging, Hae-hyun tilted his chin. Fair enough…. If the homeowner was fine with it, there was no reason to refuse. After a moment of hesitation, Jae-ha gave in with a shrug and followed. Whether he stayed here or at his own place made little difference—and truthfully, he was hungry.
In a house this big, the kitchen was practically a palace. The sprawling counters and island looked like something from a billionaire’s reality show, and three industrial-sized refrigerators stood side by side. It felt more like a set than a home. Looking around curiously, Jae-ha asked Hae-ryeong:
“So what’s for dinner?”
“How should I know? What are you making?”
She tossed the question straight to Hae-hyun, who was already rummaging in the pantry. He held up a pack of noodles.
“Let’s make noodles. Call Hae-hee.”
No sooner had he called than Hae-hee appeared, her face lighting up at the sight of Hae-hyun at the counter.
“No way! Ju Hae-hyun’s cooking tonight?”
“You’re a little too excited, don’t you think?”
“Aww, but noona, your cooking is just too full of love—it’s overwhelming.”
Clearly closer to Hae-ryeong, Hae-hee spoke with playful affection. Hae-ryeong smirked, amused, while poor Hae-hyun scowled like the sight offended him.
“God, you’re insufferable.”
“Yup, that’s you~.”
Completely unfazed, Hae-hee then spotted Jae-ha and gasped.
“Oh, Oppa! Are you eating with us too?”
“Is that okay?”
“Of course it is!”
Beaming, she pulled out a chair for him with exaggerated hospitality. She really was the baby of the family—her warmth and energy were disarming, and Jae-ha couldn’t help smiling faintly in return.
