There were two reasons Dojin was sulking.
The first reason: on May 5th, Children’s Day, Iri gave him a present.
When Dojin graduated elementary school, he’d laid down an ultimatum—“From now on, Immortal, don’t give me Children’s Day presents anymore!”—and so Iri hadn’t given him one for quite some time. Yet suddenly, on the morning of Children’s Day, Iri handed him a neatly wrapped gift.
Inside was a wristwatch. For a Children’s Day present, it was quite expensive… a very adult item. Still, Dojin got worked up over the mere fact that he’d received a Children’s Day gift.
‘Even if Master keeps seeing me as a kid, we’re destined to become lovers anyway! This is a meaningless struggle! Stop wasting time on futile hope and just admit it already!’
For the record, the watch was now securely fastened around Dojin’s wrist. He was upset, but he couldn’t bring himself to throw away something Iri had given him.
The second reason Dojin was sulking was that ever since he had used the ‘Prophecy Sheet’, Iri had continued to make Dojin sleep at his apartment. Using absolute Taoist arts that Dojin had no way of resisting, Iri sent him home every time—sometimes as early as 8 p.m.
‘Master, please—even if you won’t let me sleep here, 8 p.m. is way too early! I promise I won’t be stubborn anymore, so just one more hour—please let me stay until at least 11! It’s not like I want to mess around, I just want to work. I really want to work!’
No matter how much Dojin begged, Iri sent him home without mercy.
This was the result.
The thoroughly sulking disciple was now even ignoring the rental shop’s phone calls.
We have to go to ‘that place’ together tomorrow, and at this rate….
The phone kept ringing—beeeep—but Dojin only glared at Iri, showing no intention of answering. Left with no choice, Iri stood up. Having crouched for too long, and with the smoke from the brazier, his body swayed and a cough escaped him.
“Master!”
Dojin rushed over and supported Iri.
“Are you okay? Ah, shit. Go inside. I’ll watch the brazier.”
“Mm……. Thank you.”
“Go drink some water.”
“Alright.”
If he was going to rush over like that out of concern anyway, he could’ve just answered the phone….
Iri smiled bitterly as he went inside. The phone was still ringing.
“Yes, this is Iri’s Curio Rental Shop.”
—Immortal, have you been well?
“Ah, Jeon Woochi.”
The caller was none other than Jeon Woochi, Captain of the Podo Office.
Iri let a smile rise to his lips, then quickly erased it when he noticed Dojin watching.
“What is it?”
—Straight to business, are we? I was just checking how you’ve been. If the shop’s still busy, how things have been lately—some casual back and forth.
“Oh, right. I warned the exorcists, so things should stay quiet for a while, but if the Evil God Maninsa or Berimos makes any moves, contact me immediately.”
—That’s hardly casual. You weren’t injured fighting the exorcists, were you?
“If I had been, I’d have had to close the shop temporarily.”
—Is the rental shop still busy?
“Well. Busy enough that if you don’t get to the point soon, I’ll need to hang up.”
Jeon Woochi chuckled softly.
—Understood. You seem busy, so I’ll get right to it. The Podo Office has a request for you, Immortal.
“What is it? Curio rental?”
—Curio rental, and… we’d like you to safely transport an ‘illegal resident.’
“An illegal resident?”
—Yes. Gisudo went all the way to Romania to retrieve them, but they missed each other. When we checked the location afterward, they’d become an illegal resident.
“…Hmm. Explain in more detail.”
Lowering his voice, Jeon Woochi moved on to the main point.
As Iri listened, a peculiar light flickered in his eyes.
Since they had to go to ‘that place’ anyway, it seemed like a good opportunity to give his disciple some valuable experience.
***
“Hehehe. Master, I’m all washed up!”
“Alright……. Put some clothes on.”
“I’ll show you a bit more before I do.”
“…….”
“Hehehe.”
Dojin’s mood had lifted. That was because Iri had said it was fine for him to sleep at the rental shop tonight. Dojin’s reasons for sulking were simple—and so were his reasons for cheering up.
After flexing his muscles to his heart’s content in front of Iri, Dojin got dressed when it was time for the ‘illegal resident’ to arrive. Jeon Woochi had apologized, saying the ‘illegal resident’ wouldn’t reach the shop until late at night, but Dojin felt like sending him a thank-you letter instead. Thanks to that delay, he got to stay the night.
“What kind of kid grows sideways instead of taller? You’re like a pig’s shadow. Stop eating so much.”
Dojin lifted the Dark One—who was clinging to the yakgwa—and shook him vigorously under the lamp.
When shaken or subjected to impact like this, the Dark One would cough up the shadows he’d eaten.
Kkiwoong, kkiwoong. Kkiwoooong.
“Dojin, don’t bully him.”
“What do you mean bully? I’m worried about his health.”
Despite his words, Dojin stopped immediately and sat down next to Iri. The Dark One wailed pitifully and scurried over to Iri. Stroking the Dark One, Iri asked,
“Did you give your parents a Parents’ Day gift?”
Dojin flinched hard.
“Ah—I sent them a gift this morning.”
“And did you call them?”
“Do you think I’m a kid or something?”
“If you don’t call your parents on Parents’ Day, you are a kid.”
“They’re probably asleep right now anyway.”
“Your parents are awake at 10 p.m.”
“…….”
Since Iri was right, Dojin reluctantly pulled out his phone.
He called [Blood Relative 2], and it connected after just two rings.
—Yeah, Dojin?
“Yes. I’m calling to wish you a happy Parents’ Day.”
—You’re early. Is the Immortal doing well?
“He’s right next to me. I’m not handing the phone over.”
—Treat the Immortal well. And call your mother more often.
“Is Mom there?”
—She is. I’ll put her on.
The call with his father ended plainly. After some rustling, his mother picked up.
—Dojin. It’s been so long since I heard my son’s voice. Are you doing well?
“Well, yeah, but you make it sound like we haven’t seen each other in years. We saw each other on Lunar New Year.”
—That was already months ago. It’s May 8th today.
“It hasn’t been that long….”
—Even if you’re distant with us, at least you’re good to Dohui. You met her recently, didn’t you?
“What, did she go tattling about every little thing?”
—Did you give Dohui a Children’s Day present?
“She’s a high schooler. She’s practically grown—why would she get a Children’s Day present?”
—The Immortal gave her one.
“…….”
Dojin’s expression turned strange. He wanted to be jealous and say, You didn’t give me one when I was in high school!—but he clearly remembered threatening Iri himself not to give him Children’s Day presents anymore.
“From Master’s perspective, Dohui’s still a kid. Honestly, Mom and Dad are kids too. Totally eligible for Children’s Day presents.”
—Do you talk like that in front of the Immortal too?
“…….”
—Try to act a bit more grown-up. You’re already twenty. What kind of grown man says ‘totally eligible’? You say you’re going to become a Taoist—can you really keep talking like that? Hm?
His mother’s nagging continued. Dojin wanted to hold the phone far away, but with Iri beside him, he couldn’t.
After listening to the lecture for over ten minutes, Dojin hung up. Iri smiled and said,
“Your parents are remarkable people. Very few in history had the courage not to abandon a strange child with monstrous strength. Be good to them.”
“…Yeah. I know.”
Dojin muttered. He remembered everything from when he was a baby.
Even when their fingers broke from a newborn’s kicks and their bodies were covered in bruises, they fed him diligently, insisting that a child must never be starved. He always thought he had to repay that debt. But… their lifespans were different from his. They were people who would eventually live in a different world.
‘I always think about the day these children will die. Humans disappear far too easily.’
‘Don’t waste time on thoughts like that, on moments you’ll never get back. Enjoy the present. The farewell you’ll face someday won’t be as sad as you imagine.’
The conversation between the divine spirit and Iri came back to him. To Dojin, it was obvious that Iri’s advice had been meant for him—to gently tell a disciple who imagined his family’s deaths, like a divine spirit would, to stay rooted in the present.
“Master. You didn’t have parents… right. Sorry.”
Dojin pouted and scooted a bit closer to Iri.
“What did you give Dohui?”
“An eye massager.”
“Huh? Why that?”
“She asked for it.”
“She asked for it? An eye massager—for a Children’s Day present? Dohui herself?”
“Yes. She’s a cute child.”
“This is ridiculous. Seriously. Who does she think she is, asking my master for that?”
Granted, Iri had changed Dohui’s diapers too. But still—she didn’t even remember that and had the nerve…. But I got a present too. I got a wristwatch. Mine’s way more expensive and better!
Just moments ago he’d been sulking over the watch, but now Dojin felt downright triumphant.
Time passed, and at last, the one they’d been waiting for arrived. Short, curly blond hair. Pale skin. A slender body. Narrow eyes and vividly red lips. The illegal resident was none other than a divine spirit rooted in beasts—a vampire.
