Chapter 39
“…Jung Isaac?”
Eunseong turned his head sharply toward the source of the sound in surprise. He couldn’t see Joo Hyeonwoo’s face because of his safety glasses, but he recognized the voice.
“How can you make Hyeonwoo-ssi’s words so misleading? To be precise, he was reported missing.”
“Reported missing?”
Eunseong was completely out of it. When Baek Mujin had brought up Jeongso Guild, his voice had been calm.
“That’s what it is. Since we’re talking about it, Eunseong hyung should ask about it later. Ask if he really buried him somewhere. I’m really curious. Mujin hyung-nim neither confirms nor denies it.”
“After Eunseong-ssi’s death was confirmed… don’t frown. Everyone believed it then except Mujin. Anyway, the Rift Control Agency held meetings for days and days about the disposal of Yuseong Guild…”
It was called disposal, but it was no different from division negotiations.
When guild dissolution was decided, the Rift Control Agency meeting hall was filled with guild representatives who had swarmed in with beastly momentum. Under the name of restructuring, everything Yuseong had left behind—land and assets, guild members, unorganized rare items and research data, technical materials—had all become a matter of ‘who would claim it first.’
For days and days, the meeting hall was filled with loud voices and complex documents. People condensed the ‘fall of the Yoo family’—the tragedy of several years from the plane crash to the death of the last remaining son Yoo Eunseong—into a single line and tore apart their legacy to divide it.
Finally, when the last negotiation ended, Jung Moonil, the guild leader of Jeongso Guild, muttered with an expression of having his long-standing indigestion completely relieved.
‘Yes, this is right. How much money have we lost all this time? Adding some exaggeration, even breathing depended entirely on Yuseong’s technology, really…’
‘Of course. I think becoming public property is the right direction. Isn’t public opinion favorable too? We don’t need to worry about it anymore.’
‘Who are the people who sweat blood to build a place to live? Everyone should straighten their faces.’
The guild leaders were together shaking off the uncomfortable feelings that weighed on one corner of their hearts. Just then, the door at the back of the meeting hall opened and one hunter from Jeongso Guild rushed in. He went straight to Jung Moonil and made a secret report. Jung Moonil, whose face had turned pale, rushed out of the meeting hall with the Rift Control Agency director.
“Exactly one week later, Jeongso Guild accused Huiseon Guild. They said there was circumstantial evidence that Baek Mujin had murdered and abandoned Jung Isaac on the day of the meeting.”
Finding Lee Haesu’s long explanation boring, Joo Hyeonwoo cut in.
“What was the result? Insufficient evidence regardless of motive. With Huiseon Guild’s influence, it was a natural result.”
“Hyeonwoo-ssi, I think the accusation itself took courage. Looking at how Jeongso Guild was completely buried afterward. How dare they challenge Baek Sangyeon…”
“But we know. That something happened between Jung Isaac and Eunseong hyung at the auction house. Still, we didn’t want to testify.”
While listening to Joo Hyeonwoo’s words, Eunseong unconsciously fingered Seorin hanging around his neck. Feeling the familiar texture with his fingertips, he tried hard to recall something important he was forgetting. His chest felt stuffy and unknown images and emotions flashed through his mind.
“Does Hunter Joo Hyeonwoo think Hunter Baek Mujin killed him?”
“I saw Mujin hyung-nim’s expression at the auction house. Jung Isaac said something to Eunseong hyung, I don’t know what, but… Mujin hyung-nim seemed to think that bastard had clues.”
“Even so…”
The words ‘Mujin wouldn’t kill anyone’ circled in Eunseong’s mouth. Now the friendly address ‘Mujin’ didn’t feel awkward anymore.
“Even so?”
Haha, Joo Hyeonwoo laughed loudly.
“If it was Mujin hyung-nim back then, he could have killed several people and had some left over, hyung. Now that I think about it, it’s strange that he didn’t kill anyone? That hyung-nim was completely out of his mind for 3 years.”
The strongest guy in this area had gone completely crazy, and there was nothing he couldn’t see. Joo Hyeonwoo raised his voice. He chattered about how scary it was and that he’d like to show video records if they existed.
Eunseong, who had been quietly listening for a long time, felt a strange premonition and unbuckled his safety glasses. When he rubbed his covered eyes open and looked ahead, he saw Mujin walking toward the open treatment room door.
He had been crossing the bright, well-lit corridor when he spotted Eunseong. He casually brushed back his black hair and smiled a picture-perfect smile with his well-shaped lips. It seemed like all the surrounding sunlight was being sucked into Mujin.
“…”
So it was an angelic appearance that didn’t match Joo Hyeonwoo’s description at all.
Suddenly Eunseong was confused about whether he had felt this way only ‘now.’ The feeling of hot cheeks and a dizzy heartbeat, even a bit breathless, was very familiar. He probably always felt this overwhelmed whenever he saw Mujin.
Just then, Joo Hyeonwoo, who had been chattering, snatched the safety glasses from Eunseong’s hands.
“Oh, right! I almost forgot why I was looking for hyung.”
“Huh? Why?”
Eunseong, who had been staring blankly at Mujin, finally came to his senses.
“This thing.”
“Oh, ah… I forgot to say thank you for making it.”
“It’s not that I want to hear such words, it’s because of item tuning issues. But hyung, why do you keep using formal speech? It makes people uncomfortable.”
Eunseong was about to respond but gave up because Joo Hyeonwoo had turned his gaze away. He took out a small tool from the tool belt around his waist and began fiddling with Eunseong’s safety glasses. Golden thread-like energy flowed from Joo Hyeonwoo’s fingertips.
“It’s good enough as it is.”
“If you say that, it hurts my pride. Come on, lift your head up a little.”
Joo Hyeonwoo lightly touched Eunseong’s chin. Making eye contact with Eunseong, he brought the safety glasses near his nose bridge. The distance was uncomfortably close, but Joo Hyeonwoo’s gaze was so serious that he quietly offered his face.
“Wow… hyung, your eyes…”
What kind of pretty color is this? Joo Hyeonwoo’s whisper brushed his cheek. The moment Eunseong blinked, the safety glasses covered over them. It felt like being embraced, then there was a click as the back buckle fastened.
“How is it? It fits perfectly, right? Nothing loose.”
Unmistakable pride was evident in Joo Hyeonwoo’s voice.
They said he was a renowned item creator, and it was indeed as they said. It wasn’t that you could have an item he made just by offering money and materials—Yeon Seokchun had said he only accepted commissions that stimulated creativity, so he actually wasn’t helpful for guild management.
But just looking at the safety glasses, he could tell. Yeon Seokchun’s words were just expressions of affection. Eunseong nodded repeatedly while touching his face, feeling the much more comfortable fit.
It was the moment Joo Hyeonwoo’s touch reached his cheek again.
“The function I mentioned? Have you thought about it?”
Mujin’s voice echoed by his ear. Having approached close at some point, he pushed away Joo Hyeonwoo’s hand and smoothly slipped between the two of them.
“Oh, hyung-nim, you’re here?”
Eunseong didn’t even have time to react to Mujin’s suddenly close voice. Hands with a distinctly different temperature from Joo Hyeonwoo’s cupped both of Eunseong’s cheeks.
“Is it just a distance detection sensor for now?”
“Yes, for now. But I did some adjustments so it follows the direction of gaze well. So you can feel subtle distance. Here in this part…”
Joo Hyeonwoo approached in front of Eunseong to explain but gave up. Mujin, who had naturally taken position, didn’t give him space.
“I think it could be upgraded to be a bit thinner. Without giving up functionality. And I’m thinking of making something that can be worn like glasses.”
“Good idea.”
Along with the simple praise, the two continued their conversation. Mujin kept Eunseong’s face cupped firmly in both hands while throwing various upgrade ideas to Joo Hyeonwoo. Eunseong could only listen quietly.
‘Did Hunter Baek Mujin, did Mujin really kill Jung Isaac…’
About the curvature of the surface, whether there was a way for Eunseong’s eyes to see while avoiding light, whether defensive functions could be added… Throughout the conversation, Eunseong could fully feel that Mujin’s gaze was directed at his face. Only when he caressed his lips with his fingertips did he realize he had been biting his lips.
“Oh? That would really work!”
As if Mujin’s words had become a hint for realization, Joo Hyeonwoo exclaimed and rushed out of his seat. Eunseong lightly grabbed Mujin’s wrist, meaning for him to let go now. But the hand that had been moving away as if to leave changed direction and slid smoothly downward. It caressed and stroked his earlobe, jawline, and neck.
It was at that moment. Mujin’s face suddenly popped into Eunseong’s mind. It was a much more youthful appearance than now.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
