Chapter Text
Chapter 53
Sunday passed without any issues. The suit stayed in its packet, carefully folded with the invitation card. Sung Hyunjae is a weird man, why would he invite me of all people? Won't there be other s-classes? Is that a place where an f-class should be hovering around??
Hyuna Moon or Yerim or even Soyoung wasn't surprised to hear he invited me. They all seem to collectively agree it was very normal behaviour. Well, considering it's Hyunjae, it probably is.
Yerim was excited for the upcoming party. She seemed to be thinking hard about what to get her guild leader. Kang Soyoung expressed her sadness that her birthday being 31 August always gets shunned due to the incidents s-classes stir up on 30 August. I mentally noted to get her a gift too.
On Monday, I waited for the lunch break to reach out to Chief Song. When I got up to the floor I saw Taewon-ssi getting out. Going to lunch? What an improvement!
He looked surprised to see me.
“Hello, Taewon-ssi. Where are you going?” I asked politely.
“Hello,” he said rather awkwardly, “I have to go, there's some work-”
Oh, great he was going to more work, not lunch.
“Did you eat?” I asked without thinking. He looked taken aback by the question.
“Er.. No,” he quickly added, “I'll pick something up on the way.”
I mentally sighed with disappointment.
“Oh, ok. I- I wanted to talk about er… somethings… I guess I have to come back later.”
Taewon-ssi looked at me with a new look, “I think it'll be late…”
“I can wait,” I offered, “Perhaps we can grab dinner together?”
Taewon-ssi looked conflicted for a moment then nodded, “Okay.”
I smiled, “Thanks. I'll be waiting then,” I said before going back. I guess I have a dinner appointment with Chief Song now. I did contemplate if I should be offering that, but, well, you should build a good relationship with your boss. And might as well make sure he eats something healthy while we're at that.
People began clocking out around 5, but there were still overworkers, especially in the Awakened People Management Department. Chief's habit seemed to have infected all of them. I watched them as I waited for Taewon-ssi to come back, checking my watch every now and then. I had already texted Myeongwoo, informing him I'll be eating out. So, there was nothing to worry about.
Taewon-ssi came back around 7 p.m. and the association was empty by then. I was sitting beside the APM Department, on my phone. I heard his heavy footsteps, it already sounded tired.
“Hello, Taewon-ssi,” I greeted him as he seemed to be distracted. He stopped dead and stared at me for a second. I saw a surprise flash over his eyes.
“Yoojin-ssi,” he only said my name and stopped.
“You're still here?” he asked almost too quietly to hear, as if he feared it was an illusion and would shatter if he spoke out loud.
“Of course,” I smiled, “I told you, I'll be waiting.”
He seemed to be at a loss of words.
“You didn't have to, it's so late,” he finally blurted out.
“Er… I didn't have your number, so I guessed it'd be rude to just leave,” I replied. He stayed quiet for a moment before speaking up again.
“You really didn't have to.”
“Don’t worry about it. Since I am, is the plan up?” I said in a lighter tone.
“Oh, yeah, right. I'll get my things,” Taewon-ssi said and passed me to get to his room.
We went to a nearby good restaurant. Well, we had to search up which ones are good on internet cause both of us, being who we are, had no fucking clue. Anyway, we sat down in a quiet corner and ordered our food.
“So, what was it you wanted to discuss?” Taewon-ssi asked once the waiter went away with our orders.
“Oh, right. It's about, well… Sung Hyunjae.”
Taewon-ssi's lips pressed on each other as he heard the name. A sigh also left him quietly. Yeah, I guess hearing his name is tiring for him.
“He invited me to his birthday party,” I informed him.
“Eh??” he looked genuinely surprised, but composed himself quickly.
“What is he thinking?” he mumbled to himself.
“Yeah, well, with a-”
“-perfectly fitting suit, right?” he finished my sentence with a flat voice. I nodded.
“Does he send you that too?” I asked, though I already knew he did.
“Yeah, he does,” he sighed showing his disapproval.
“What do you do with it?”
“I usually send it back after the party.”
“After?” I repeated.
“Yes, or else he sends it back,” Taewon-ssi disappointedly shook his head.
“I see”, I said thoughtfully, “ Perhaps I should do the same… Do you attend his party?” I added curiously.
“Well, technically yes. But I go so the s-classes around the world don't get ahead of themselves, you know how they are,” He shrugged.
“Right,” I nodded understandingly, “S-class gathering is chaotic enough, how does the place survive?”
“It doesn't,” Taewon-ssi said flatly.
“Eh??”
“Yeah- the venue gets absolutely demolished every year.”
“And he wants me to go there??” I said confusedly.
“Doesn't make sense, right?” he said tiredly, “Nothing about him makes sense.”
I thought about it for a few seconds, I probably should not go then. The waiter brought our meal in the meantime.
“Will he get mad if I don't go?” I questioned hesitantly.
“Erm..” he looked troubled, “I mean, it's hard to say what goes through that man's head,” he said truthfully.
“Does everyone go??”
Taewon-ssi looked thoughtful, “No, not really. Taehyung-ssi doesn't go. Hayeon's guild leader doesn't either, but he sends Kim Sunghan as his proxy… not everyone goes, I think it'd be alright if you don't. That isn't a place where an F-class should be.”
“That’s good… lower class hunters aren't usually invited, are they?”
“It's usually A-class or higher, but-” he stopped for a second and gulped, “-Taehyung-ssi is a D-class, that's quite low in comparison.”
“Did Taehyung-sunbae ever go?” I asked doubtfully.
“He did,” Taewon-ssi replied, “Once.”
“Why only once?” I wondered, tilting my head a bit. Taewon-ssi looked down, his eyes hovered on his plate. Silence fell for a few moments.
“Were any other lower class hunters ever invited or went?” I finally asked as it looked like there was no answer to the previous question.
“Oh, yeah,” he seemed relieved that the topic changed, but only for a moment, “Mike-ssi-” his face turned grieve, “I mean, the previous Dungeon Management Department Head used to go to the party as well as the ex-assistant head of Awakened People's Crime Management. And some other old association employees.”
Keyword- ‘old’.
“Previous Dungeon Management Department Head? Isn't that… er… Ha Minjun?”
I saw Taewon-ssi flinch ever so slightly at the mention of his name.
“Yea-yeah, how did you know?” he asked, looking at me for an answer.
“I saw the news of the outbreak,” I lied perfectly well.
“I see…” he said quietly, looking away, “It was an unfortunate incident.”
Incident. I noticed he called it an ‘incident’, not an ‘accident’.
“Anyway,” he changed the subject, “Please, get him a present at least.”
His eyes winced as if he remembered an unpleasant memory.
“Hmm?” I raised an eyebrow, “Is he that petty?”
“You don't want to give him a reason, Yoojin-ssi.” he said with a huffed breath, “He's already difficult enough.”
I had to agree. None of us need that man being more difficult than he already is.
“I guess… Anyway, everything's getting cold! We better start digging in!”
Taewon-ssi looked a bit surprised at my sudden enthusiasm but nodded. We finished our meals while chatting about lighter topics like the s-class gathering and Sung Hyunjae being a difficult bastard year round and how the other s-classes are acting out every now and then, that's when I remembered about the s-classes’ therapy sessions.
“Did you go to therapy too, Taewon-ssi? I heard it was mandatory for all s-classes?” I asked curiously. Taewon-ssi almost choked on his food and coughed.
“Ehem, yes, I did,” He said, gulping down a glass of water.
“How was it? And Kim Minsoo? How's she? Yerim's been having sessions with her, so it got me thinking…”
“Minsoo-ssi's an experienced therapist,” He said after thinking about it, “She’ll be okay.”
I had a thought to ask whether he was indicating Kim Minsoo will be okay or Yerim.
“That's good to hear. Sunbae recommended her to me the other day too.”
Taewon-ssi blinked in confusion.
“Yeah, for me,” I said, pressing my lips in a thin line.
“...”
“Don't take offense, but if Taehyung-ssi did then perhaps you should go see her,” he said.
I gaped at him. Hello? The utter betrayal?? You didn't go until it was mandatory either???
“I mean, he has an eye for that sorta thing,” he added as he caught me staring.
“Perhaps,” I closed my mouth and said.
“He always had a good eye in reading people,” he seemed to be recalling old memories, for a moment a fondness washed over his face. He almost looked relaxed.
“How do you think he's doing?” he suddenly asked me.
“Er… I think… kind of good? He's hard to get a read on,” I said hesitantly.
“Right,” he sighed. He sighs a lot. I guess that's his stresses showing.
“Does he send a present to Hyunjae every year?” I wondered.
“I guess?” Taewon-ssi shrugged.
“You do, right? What should I get him? Any suggestions?"
He looked troubled, “I don't know, I just bought… er… something? I don't think he actually cares though.”
“Okay…”
Maybe I should not be thinking too hard about it. But…
Uh, whatever. We finished eating without much talking. Taewon-ssi insisted to pay for keeping me waiting so long. I tried to oppose but he eventually paid for both of us.
“Thank you for today, Taewon-ssi,” I said brightly as we stepped out.
“It’s okay. Sorry for making you wait so long,” he said apologetically. Unlike a certain someone he looked genuinely sorry.
“Don't worry about it,” I assured him, “It wasn't too much.”
He pulled a case from his pocket and brought a card out before offering it to me.
“My card,” he said as I stared at it, “So something like this doesn't repeat.”
“Oh, thank you!” I exclaimed as I took the card. It was a simple one, no extra design, straight to the point, just like him. I smiled at him as I pocketed it.
“Okay… so, good night, Yoojin-ssi.”
“Good night, Taewon-ssi! Take some good rest.”
He nodded lightly before walking on his own way.
“Taewon-ssi,” I suddenly called him back. He looked at me with questioning eyes. I wasn't sure what I was going to say but Sujin's words were etched to my brain.
S-classes seem to think nobody cares about them, but people who care are very close to them, they don't see it or can't see it.
It had immediately made me think of Taewon-ssi. How he doesn't see his department's people do care about him and get genuinely worried for him…
“You know… most of the association's employees look up to you, Taewon-ssi. And people of your deaprtment care about you a lot.” I said pushing away the doubt, “So let them help you, okay?”
He looked surprised. He seemed to get a lot of surprise today. But he didn't reply. He looked down, seemingly deep in thoughts.
“You don't have to push yourself to do everything on your own.” I added. He looked at me in the eyes. Unlike Hyunjae's sharp gaze or Yerim's playful one or Hyuna Moon's confident one, his gaze was somewhat soft but tensed. There was conflict behind those eyes and an edge of guilt and regret. For that moment alone his dark eyes showed more emotions than I had seen on his ever passive face. It surprised me. Suddenly the man standing in front of me looked like a stranger. A stranger with a weight over their shoulders that I can never comprehend.
I gulped dryly, suddenly feeling a sense of dread. The atmosphere had tensed. The distence between us felt too long and too little at the same time. The silence felt like eternal. The wind was blowing lightly. Whatever was around us seized to exist for that moment. It was just me and Taewon-ssi and the dark look on his eyes.
Had I gone too far? Did I cross a line? I could feel my heart beating like a drum against my chest. Could Taewon-ssi hear it too? He had enhanced hearing… I wished he couldn't.
After what felt like an eternity Taewon-ssi dropped his gaze and sighed, “I’m just doing my duty.”
“You're pushing yourself too far,” I said after a few attempts, “How much sleep did you lose to have such prominent dark circles under your eyes despite being an s-class?”
He avoided my gaze and didn't answer.
“Why not try to lean on others sometimes, Taewon-ssi?” I added lightly. The atmosphere was still tense but it was somewhat lighter.
There it was, the conflict back in his eyes. Perhaps he didn't think he needed help. Or perhaps his s-class pride stood in the way, though I hadn't seen him ever showing any pride. Or perhaps he thought it'd be a burden on everyone else. Or perhaps he didn't think he deserved it. Or maybe all of these, who knows? I can't jump into conclusion.
“I'll think about it,” he said tensely, “Good night, Yoojin-ssi.” he turned and walked away. I stared at his broad back for a moment, then sighed, sincerely hoping whatever reason keeps him from help, goes away.