I saw an unfamiliar ceiling when I opened my eyes. It looked luxurious with Catholic frescoes that became clearer through mana resonance when I focused on them. The change in color was quite a mysterious mechanism.

“You’re up?”

A voice spoke as I stared at the frescoes. I turned and saw Boss sipping tea in a chair.

“You slept for 2 days.”

“…!”

I quickly raised my upper body. Many things could’ve happened in 2 days. However, Boss seemed calm.

“Don’t worry. The cover-up was perfect.”

I wanted to ask many things, but couldn’t. Boss lightly smiled and looked at me for a while.

“The funeral is starting today.”

“Ah…”

Memories of when I pulled the trigger returned. Chae Jinyoon’s funeral. Did I have the right to be there? I clenched my teeth. Suddenly, a strong urge overwhelmed me. I rummaged through my pockets, but I couldn’t find my pack of cigarettes.

“Your weapon is here.”

Boss misunderstood and pointed to the shelf with my Desert Eagle. I carefully grabbed it. It didn’t seem damaged anywhere since aether had reinforced it.

“Where are we?”

I asked as I stored the Desert Eagle into stigma. Boss widened her eyes as the handgun transformed into a current of mana and seeped into my arm.

“That’s quite an interesting storage method.”

“It’s nothing much.”

I shrugged. Boss grinned and proudly explained, “This is my mansion on an island in the East Sea. Ah, just in case you misunderstand, this entire island is my home.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

I exaggerated since Boss liked being praised.

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

I looked outside at the gem-like ocean, the clear sky, and felt the salty breeze. Indeed, it was worth bragging about.

“Wait, how do we get back?”

“Hm? You don’t have a personal portal?”

Boss was clearly bragging. Only the rich could afford personal portals. It could connect to Busan if I recalled correctly.

“I’d like to head home.”

“You can stay a bit longer.”

“Someone is waiting for me.”

“I see.”

Boss reluctantly led me outside. Many attendants ran about on the unknown island. However, none of them were humans. Boss created these puppets from her magic power to perform set tasks. She lived among them.

“It’s a lonely place.”

“Sometimes you need to get used to loneliness.”

“…”

I walked through the garden to Boss’ personal portal while taking in the beautiful scenery. The portal was smaller than usual, but it still performed just as well.

“I just have to go in?”

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

Boss made a call. Then the portal activated and we stepped inside. We walked through the Busan portal station’s VIP area until we reached a crossroad. Boss planned on going to England while I headed to Seoul.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

“Yes.”

We went our separate ways after exchanging goodbyes. I closed my eyes and felt the portal’s magic power around me. Shooong— I could see the familiar sight of Seoul’s portal station once I opened my eyes again. I left and bought 3 packs of cigarettes at a nearby convenience store. Chae Jinyoon’s funeral should be held at the Daehyun’s funeral home. I located it using the Book of Truth and walked there.

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to enter the somber funeral home. I also didn’t think I could pass the guards outside, so I decided to watch from a distance and told myself I’d go back once my heart calmed down.

I took out a cigarette and lit it under a nearby tree. A puff of smoke entered my lungs. One, then two… I subconsciously began to smoke again.

“Hm?”

A fourth visitor came to pay their respects. I saw Yoo Yeonha walking into the funeral home. We didn’t make eye contact, but I felt an unknown sense of foreboding. I felt like I should leave, but it was already too late.

“Ah.”

Chae Nayun walked out and our eyes met as she looked around the funeral home. My feet refused to move when I saw her tearful expression.

Tap, tap. She walked towards me in a black mourning dress. She slowly drew closer.

“Kim Hajin.”

And arrived in front of me before I noticed. I didn’t know what to do, so I just remained silent.

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

Chae Nayun forced a smile. She tried to pretend like she was fine.

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

Her forced smile made her look even more pitiful.

“Why aren’t you answering? Hey, let me have that.”

Chae Nayun reached out for my cigarette.

“What? Are you crazy?”

I subconsciously blurted and threw the cigarette on the ground. Then stepped on it. Chae Nayun didn’t look down. Her gaze remained fixed on me.

“Does smoking make it better?” she suddenly asked. Her voice shook and a stream of tears flowed down her face. Immediately, my vision turned hazy.

“Why are you crying?”

Only then did I realize I was crying.

“…”

I wiped my tears with one hand as she walked up to me. Soon, she was only a single step away. Our bodies practically touched. I had to push her away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so. My heart couldn’t follow my brain and I froze in front of her tears.

“What… what should I do now?”

She quietly sobbed and lowered her head to hide her tears. Then her forehead touched my chest and I couldn’t breathe. I suddenly remembered what I thought about before. That I could maintain this relationship as long as I wasn’t found out.

“I, I…”

I realized that was impossible after seeing her like this.

“Huaaang…”

She put her arms around me and cried in my embrace. It felt like my heart would burst. I tried to push her away, but she wouldn’t let go. She only drew closer as the pain inside me grew worse.

“What, what do I do about oppa?”

She couldn’t hold back anymore and trembled uncontrollably.

“Oppa, oppa, oppa…”

Her sobbing seeped into me like poison.

“Poor oppa… what am I supposed to do… uaang…”

“…”

I couldn’t bear to watch her. I knew all too well that I had no right to comfort her. I didn’t belong here. However, my arms tightened around her before I realized it. She dug into my body, as though to fill the emptiness in her heart.

“If I, if I… Huaaang—”

Her tears fell on my chest as mine fell on her shoulders. The cold winter breeze blew against us, but the bitter cigarette smoke lingered.

“Ah, aaah…”

Chae Nayun couldn’t withstand her grief anymore. Her legs gave out as she crumbled. I finally managed to say something.

“Sorry.”

I could only tell her that.

“I’m… sorry…”

***

Yoo Yeonha watched the two of them from a distance. This depressing situation couldn’t be called a reunion.

“…”

All sorts of complicated thoughts flashed across her mind. If Chae Nayun found out the truth one day. If Kim Hajin found out the truth one day. Would their story come to a sad end? Or would they overcome all odds and achieve happiness?

Yoo Yeonha didn’t try to come up with an answer. She simply set the future aside.

“Eh?”

Chae Nayun suddenly lost all strength and collapsed. She had undoubtedly fainted. Yoo Yeonha ran up to them.

“Is she okay?”

Her eyes met Kim Hajin’s when she yelled out. Yoo Yeonha instinctively shuddered at his frighteningly hollow eyes.

***

I left Chae Nayun to Yoo Yeonha and returned to the Seoul apartment where Evandel and Hayang waited. I stood in front of the door and pressed the password. Beebeebeep— I could hear rustling inside, but I didn’t enter on purpose.

— Who is it?

Evandel quizzically murmured after hearing the password, but the door remained closed. I grinned and opened the door.

“I’m home.”

Not even half a day had passed since I last saw them, but they had waited for 2 days. Evandel smiled brightly and ran into my embrace.

“Hajin!”

I got on my knees and hugged her. She felt light and warm. Then I wondered if I hugged her first or if she hugged me first? Something rose from the depths of my heart as I shuddered from all the exhaustion.

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

“Sorry, something came up.”

I held her tighter as Evandel tried to squeeze out.

“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 as I loosened my arms to avoid hurting her.

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

“Really?”

I couldn’t say anything else. My voice wouldn’t come out from the lump in my throat.