Chapter 128.

When I opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling . Rather than unfamiliar, it was more luxurious than anything else . Catholic frescoes adorned the walls and ceilings, and when I focused, the murals’ colors became clearer through resonance of mana .

It was quite a mysterious mechanism .

“You’re up?”

While I was staring at the frescoes in a daze, a voice rang out . Turning around, I saw Boss sitting on a chair .

She sipped on her tea and looked at me .

“You slept for two days . ”

“…!”

Hearing these words, I quickly raised my upper body . Many things could have happened in two days .

However, Boss was calm .

“Don’t worry, the cover up was perfect . ”

There were many things I wanted to ask her but couldn’t . After looking at me for a while, Boss smiled lightly .

“The funeral is starting today . ”

“Ah… . ”

A dazed voice came out of my mouth . At the same time, memories of the moment I pulled the trigger resurfaced .

Chae Jinyoon’s funeral .

Did I have the right to go there?

I clenched my teeth . Suddenly, a strong urge overwhelmed me . I rummaged through my pocket, but I couldn’t find my pack of cigarettes .

“Your weapon is here . ”

Misunderstanding my motion, Boss pointed at the shelf . My Desert Eagle was sitting on it . I carefully grabbed it . Likely because it was clad in Aether, it wasn’t broken anywhere .

“…So where are we?”

As I said that, I put the Desert Eagle into Stigma’s magic power . Seeing the handgun transform into a current of mana and seep into my arm, Boss widened her eyes .

“That’s quite an interesting storage method . ”

“It’s nothing much . ”

I shrugged . Boss grinned and continued her explanation proudly .

“This is my mansion built on an island in the East Sea . Ah, just in case you’re misunderstanding, this entire island is my home . ”

“…Wow, that’s amazing . ”

Since Boss liked being praised, I exaggerated a bit .

“Huhu, why don’t we open the windows?”

Boss opened the windows proudly . I looked outside at the gem-like ocean, clear sky, and salty breeze .

It was indeed a scenery worth bragging about .

“…Wait, then how do we get back?”

“Hm? You don’t have a Personal Portal?”

Boss was clearly bragging .

Personal Portal .

It was a system for the rich . If I remembered correctly, there was one in Busan .

“Then I’d like to head home . ”

“…You can stay a bit longer . ”

“There’s someone waiting for me . ”

“I see . ”

Boss reluctantly led me outside .

The unknown island I was on had many attendants running about . However, none of them were humans . They were puppets created by Boss’ magic power that could only perform set tasks .

Boss was living amidst puppets she created herself .

“It’s a lonely place . ”

“Sometimes, you need to get used to loneliness . ”

“… . ”

I walked through the garden towards Boss’ Personal Portal .

After walking for about 10 minutes, enjoying the island’s beautiful scenery, I could see the so-called Personal Portal in the distance .

Although it was smaller than what Portal Stations had, it was still a high-tech magical tool that could perform as well as other Portals .

“I just have to go in?”

“Yes, it should be connected to Busan . I’ll come with you . There’s something I need to take care of in England . ”

Boss made a call . Soon, the Portal was activated, and we stepped inside .

Once we arrived in Busan’s Portal Station, we went through the VIP-only path and stopped at a crossroad .

Boss’ destination was England, and mine was Seoul .

“Then I’ll see you later . ”

“Yes . ”

After exchanging a light goodbye, I walked away .

Closing my eyes, I felt the magic power of the Portal engulfing my body .

Shooong—

When I opened my eyes, I could see the now familiar sight of Seoul Portal Station .

I left the station without much thought, then bought three packs of cigarettes at a nearby convenience store .

Chae Jinyoon’s funeral should be held in Daehyun’s funeral home . I located it using the Book of Truth and walked there .

“… . ”

I could see the silent and somber funeral home .

But I couldn’t bring myself to go in .

I also didn’t think I could break through the guards standing outside .

So, I just decided to watch from the distance . I told myself that I’d go back once my heart calmed down .

Standing under a nearby tree, I took out a cigarette . After lighting it without a lighter, I took a deep breath . A puff of smoke entered my lungs .

One, then two… I subconsciously began to smoke again and again .

“Hm?”

Then suddenly, a fourth visitor came to pay respect to the deceased .

I saw Yoo Yeonha walking into the funeral home .

Although I didn’t meet her eyes, I felt an unknown sense of foreboding . I felt like I had to leave before it was too late .

However, it already was too late .

“…Ah . ”

A dazed voice came out of my mouth .

Chae Nayun walked out of the entrance . Looking around the funeral home, our eyes met .

Her eyes were filled with tears .

When I saw her face, my feet refused to move .

Tap, tap .

Chae Nayun walked towards me, wearing a mourning dress .

Her movements felt slow, and the sound of her footsteps were all too clear .

“…Kim Hajin . ”

She arrived in front of me before I noticed and called my name .

Not knowing what to do, I maintained my silence .

“How did you find out? Did Yoo Yeonha tell you?”

Chae Nayun smiled forcibly . She was trying hard to pretend like she was fine .

“By the way, are you a delinquent? Why are you smoking?”

However, her forced smile made her face look all the more contorted .

“Why aren’t you answering… hey, let me have that . ”

Suddenly, Chae Nayun reached out to take my cigarette .

“What? Are you crazy?”

I blurted out subconsciously . I threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it . Chae Nayun didn’t look down at the cigarette . Her gaze was fixated on me .

“Does smoking make it better?”

Chae Nayun suddenly asked .

Her voice was shaking, and a stream of tears flowed down from her eyes .

Immediately, my vision turned hazy .

“…Why are you crying?”

Only when she told me did I realized I was crying .

“… . ”

I wiped my tears with one hand .

Chae Nayun walked up to me one step at a time .

Soon, she was only a single step away from me . Our bodies were practically touching .

I had to push her away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so .

My heart couldn’t follow what my brain was telling me to do .

Chae Nayun was crying . In front of her tears, my body was frozen and unable to move .

“What… what should I do now?”

Sobbing quietly, she lowered her head to hide her flowing tears .

Then, her forehead touched my chest .

I couldn’t breathe .

Suddenly, I remembered what I thought about before .

That as long as I wasn’t found out, I could maintain this relationship .

“I, I… . ”

But seeing Chae Nayun crying like a child, I realized that that was impossible in the first place .

“Huaaang… . ”

Chae Nayun put her arms around me . Our bodies touched, and she cried in my embrace .

I was in pain . It felt like my heart was going to burst . I tried to push her away, but she didn’t let go . In fact, she drew even closer . The pain I felt only grew stronger by the second .

“What, what do I do about Oppa?”

She finally burst into tears . Unable to hold herself back any longer, she trembled uncontrollably .

“Oppa, Oppa, Oppa… . ”

Her grief-stricken sobbing became poison that seeped into my body .

“Poor Oppa… what am I supposed to do… uaang… . ”

“… . ”

I couldn’t bear to watch her sorrowful trembling .

Her body weighed down on me .

I knew all too well that I had no right to comfort her . I was someone who didn’t belong here… However, before I even realized what I was doing, my arms were tightened around her . Chae Nayun dug into my body, as though she was trying to fill the emptiness in her heart with me .

“If I, if I… Huaaang—”

Chae Nayun’s tears wet my chest .

My tears flowed down to her shoulders .

The cold winter breeze blew against us, and the bitterness of the cigarette smoke engulfed us .

“Ah, aaah… . ”

Chae Nayun wasn’t able to withstand her sadness . Her legs gave out, and soon, she crumbled down from the depths of her heart .

It was then that I finally found what I could say .

“…Sorry . ”

That was the only thing I could tell her .

“I’m… sorry… . ”

**

Yoo Yeonha watched the two from a distance .

The situation was too melancholic and somber to be called a touching reunion .

“… . ”

All sorts of complicated thoughts flashed through Yoo Yeonha’s head .

If one day, Chae Nayun found out the truth .

If one day, Kim Hajin found out the truth .

Would their story come to a sad ending?

Or would they overcome all odds and achieve happiness?

Yoo Yeonha didn’t try to come up with an answer .

She put the matter of the future to rest .

“…Eh?”

When she was about to go back to the funeral home, Chae Nayun suddenly lost strength and collapsed .

She had undoubtedly fainted .

Yoo Yeonha quickly ran up to them .

“Is she okay?!”

The moment she yelled out, her eyes met Kim Hajin’s .

Yoo Yeonha shuddered inadvertently .

His eyes were frighteningly hollow .

**

Leaving Chae Nayun to Yoo Yeonha, I came back home .

An apartment in Seoul’s Seocho District, the home where Evandel and Hayang were waiting .

Standing in front of the door, I pressed the password .

Beebeebeep—

Before the door even opened, I could hear a bustling sound inside .

I didn’t go inside on purpose .

—Who is it?

Hearing the password go through but the door remaining closed, Evandel murmured quizzically . I grinned and opened the door .

“I’m home . ”

From my perspective, not even half a day had passed since I last saw them, but from Evandel’s perspective, she was seeing me for the first time in two days .

Evandel smiled brightly and ran into my embrace .

“Hajin~!”

I got on my knees and hugged her .

Evandel was light and warm .

Then, I suddenly wondered .

Did I hug Evandel? Or did Evandel hug me?

I felt something rising up from the bottom of my heart .

I shuddered at the constraining pain .

“Hajin, why were you so late? I was waiting . ”

“…Sorry, something came up . ”

As Evandel tried to get out of my embrace, I held her tighter .

“Ak . ”

“Did you eat well?”

“Un, we ordered food . By the way, it’s getting stuffy . ”

“…I’m glad . And you went out on a walk?”

I continued to ask . I loosened my arms a bit to not hurt Evandel .

“I went with Hayang . Oh right, I even built a sand castle with a new friend!”

“Really?”

I couldn’t say anything more .

Because of the lump in my throat, my voice didn’t come out .

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