Side Story 16. Reunion

Seol Jihus relations.h.i.+p with his family had improved tremendously. However, that did not mean there werent parts that could be bettered further.

Seol Jihu had tormented his family with his gambling addiction for years. Such deeply etched wounds generally took a period that was several times longer to heal.

Seol Jihu knew this better than anyone else. So for the past several months, he made constant efforts to visit his family. He went back at least twice a week, no matter how busy he was, and thanks to his efforts, the way his family treated him had changed significantly.

At the very least, they now had no problem talking to him normally.

Ive gotten far from having the door closed on my face when I first went.

Today, Seol Jihu was coming back from seeing his family as always. His destination was SY Apartments. After getting an apartment in the residential complex by chance, he had been staying there since.

Not only were the apartments located in the center of Seoul, but they also had an excellent infrastructure, boasting flawless security and in-complex amenities.

Most intruders wouldnt even be able to get past the guard post.

Seol Jihu chuckled as he looked at the burly guard inside.

After parking his car, he went up the elevator and opened the front door. A large living room came into view. He had yet to get used to the loneliness and solitude he felt whenever he found himself alone in this large room.

I dont really care who. Itd be nice to have someone at home.

He first thought of his family. Of course, he wasnt so careless as to tell his family about his new home just because he got a nice place. Given his father and older brothers personalities, they were sure to ask how he could afford a place that cost over a billion won.

He decided to get Kim Hannahs help with this matter. The company Seol Jihu was employed with on Earth was steadily growing. Kim Hannah boldly declared that she would turn it into a world-renowned conglomerate within the next 5 to 10 years. With Paradise behind the company, it should not be too difficult.

Since Seol Jihu had a position as one of its founders, he would be able to tell his family then.

It should be all good since Kim Hannah said she made sure that the owner of my old apartment room would stay quiet.

It was then.

Bzz, bzz!

He heard a vibration as he was hanging his coat on the coatrack while thinking about various things.

Seol Jihu took out his cell phone from the coat pocket.

The caller was his mother.

Yes, mother.

Jihu.

Seol Jihus heart sank. He had seen her less than half an hour ago, but she did not sound good.

Whats wrong? Did something happen?

No, its not that.

Seol Jihu could feel that she was hesitating.

I was thinking hard about whether I should tell you or not, and.

Its fine. Please tell me.

Seol Jihu pretended to be calm, but his heart was pounding. He was beginning to doubt whether his mother picked up on something.

Ive been having strange dreams recently.

Dreams?

Seol Jihu let out an empty chuckle. His legs went a little limp.

Dont laugh.

Eii, mother, I thought something serious happened.

No, no, listen, I think they mean something.

Just what kind of dreams did you have?

Well I dont remember them all too well. Theyre different every night. You always appear in them. One time, you were really drunk, and another time, you were in a panic. There was also a long-haired woman in white clothes crying next to you.

Seol Jihu was taken aback. The last part especially gave him the chills.

Dreams are just that. Dreams. Some people even say theyre the opposite of what happens in real life.

But still.

Dont worry. I havent had any problems recently. Ive been busy with work, but thats better than being out of work.

Thats good to hear.

His mother sighed.

Anyway, be careful. Make sure you stay safe.

Okay, I will.

Oh yeah, didnt Wooseok give you something last time? Are you still holding onto it? Or did you finish it already?

Seol Jihus eyes widened at his mothers words.

[Mother consulted a famous fortune-teller regarding you. She said you should be careful when drinking for the next three years and that youd have a women problem if you didnt. Have this with you just in case.]

[Our company chairman developed it himself. Apparently, it has immediate effects. I brought a few as samples.]

Looking back, he did recall getting something like that.

Ah, the pills to sober up.

Seol Jihu rummaged through his pockets, but there was no way it would be there. He did a double-take, remembering that he had given it to a drunk driver on his way to meet Seo Yuhui.

Of course, I have them. I havent been drinking all that much.

Seol Jihu lied. Pills to sober up could easily be found at any pharmacy, and he did not want his mother to worry.

I see. Thats good to hear.

His mother let out a sigh of relief.

Youd have a hard time finding something like it in the market. Even Wooseok could only bring a couple of bottles with him.

Oh, really?

Yep. Not only do the pills clear your mind instantly, but they also detoxify your body and increase its tolerance.

...Huh?

Its been lab-tested and everything, but the chairman of Wooseoks company suddenly had a change of heart.

Seol Jihu blinked just as he was about to say, How can there be a medicine like that?

Hold on, the name of the lab Hyung goes to is.

If there was one thing Seol Jihu recently learned while carrying out Gabriels request, it was that the world was much smaller than he thought.

For example, Han Soyoung happened to be the president of his alma mater. It was the same for Jegal Haesol.

Shes an origin-piercing magician, which is a realm that even Lady Roselle only barely touched upon in her final days.

For someone like her, perhaps making such medicine wasnt all that difficult. In that case, she must have pulled back on the decision to release the pills thinking that it was too early for the stage that modern medicine currently was at.

Maybe I should have taken them after all.

Seol Jihu regretted belatedly, but the water had already been spilled.

Jihu?

Yes?

Seol Jihu snapped out of his thoughts at his mothers calling.

Whats wrong? Did you not take them? Should I tell Wooseok to give you another one?

As expected, his mother was rather quick-witted.

No, no, its fine.

Seol Jihu shook his head even though he wasnt on a video call.

It wasnt until he endured a long worried speech from his mother that he was finally freed.

Mothers too much of a worrywart.

Seol Jihu sighed, took out a paper slip from his coat pocket, and ripped it in half.

*

Nothing much happened afterward.

Well, there was one thing. Yi Seol-Ah had officially challenged Seol Jihu to a duel.

The content of the duel was running with 5,000 wishes on the line. She even went so far as to write a contract and get it approved by the temple.

Yi Seol-Ah finished getting ready. Putting her fingers at the starting line, she put her left foot forward and her right foot back. Leaning forward a little with her upper body, she turned and looked back at Seol Jihu.

Orabeo-nim.

Hmm?

I can win today, right?

The corners of Yi Seol-Ahs lips curled up.

Fufufu, today is the day I get my revenge!

....

I can finally wash away those humiliating moments from the Neutral Zone!

....

Ah! I can see it! I can see you squirming in shame and frustration after losing to me today!

Seol Jihu chuckled. It seemed Yi Seol-Ah still remembered him overtaking her on the Neutral Zones track.

Come to think of it, I heard she played a big role recently in allowing an expedition to be successful.

It seemed her self-confidence was at an all-time high thanks to that expedition.

I know what that feels like, Seol Jihu mumbled inwardly. After all, he had been the same.

Thinking about the past, laughter escaped Seol Jihus lips. But taking this laughter as a sneer, Yi Seol-Ah yelled angrily.

Hmph! Lets see if you can laugh when were done!

I just think youre cute.

Of course. Of course. Im sure Im nothing more than a laughable kid to you. I understand. But you should know this, Orabeo-nim.

Yi Seol-Ahs voice suddenly sank.

While you were living in seclusion after stepping down from the front line, I was toiling through all kinds of life-and-death situations!

Okay, okay. So youre confident?

Seol Jihu chuckled while cracking his neck left and right.

...Orabeo-nim.

Flames burned in Yi Seol-Ahs eyes. She looked greatly offended.

Im not the Yi Seol-Ah that used to light up your cigarette.

She spoke more seriously than ever before.

Seol Jihu whistled.

I get it. Why dont we start? I have to go get ready to open my restaurant soon.

Im waiting for you to get in the starting position.

Its fine.

Seol Jihu shrugged.

An expert cant go all out against a junior. You can get a head start. Were making a round around Eva and coming back to the starting line, right? I can catch up easily.

...Youll regret it.

Yi Seol-Ah gritted her teeth and turned her head forward.

On your mark!

Shouting on her own, she began to slowly raise her b.u.t.t.

Three, two, one. After counting down...

Start! She shot forward like the wind.

Perfect!

Yi Seol-Ah was confident. Starting from the beginning, the angle of her ankles, torso, arms, and knees were perfect. Her strides were also optimized for acceleration.

Hows Orabeo-nim?

Yi Seol-Ah glanced back, her eyes immediately widening. Seol Jihu was running right beside her. No, it was hard to say he was running. Seol Jihu was walking with big strides. He even had his hands behind his back. He looked like someone who was going out to get a drink at a convenience store.

As expected!

Yi Seol-Ah wasnt taken aback. Seol Jihu was still Paradises legend, no matter how much he was stuck in a rut. She did not expect him to be defeated so easily.

Aura!

Yi Seol-Ah shouted. Kyahaha. Along with the laughter of a Spirit, a fierce wind stormed out.

Yi Seol-Ah bit her lower lip.

Not yet.

Though a storm was pus.h.i.+ng her forward, Yi Seol-Ah did not think this was enough. She knew her orabeo-nim would surely catch up to her.

Ill settle the winner in a single breath!

Yi Seol-Ah gathered the mana that was flowing in her circuit and compressed it multiple times.

Hah!

Letting out a spirited shout, she detonated the gathered mana in an instant. Kw.a.n.g! Along with an explosive boom, Yi Seol-Ahs body shot forward.

Using the mana explosion to gain an explosive momentum, she accelerated even further with the power of her Spirit. Though this act put a significant burden on her legs, it was fine if it was for a little bit.

With this!

Yi Seol-Ah, who was running until her sweat was flying everywhere, jumped in a startle. Seol Jihu was still walking right next to her.

What was important was that he was walking while merrily eating a bowl of ramen that he made G.o.d-knows-when.

You!

Yi Seol-Ah clenched her teeth.

He was walking while eating ramen in the middle of a sacred match?

As a track runner, she could not accept such a thing.

Of course, Seol Jihus G.o.dly skills were surprising, but it wasnt as if she had used all her cards yet either.

But its too early to use it.

She hesitated for a moment but soon came to a decision.

Though they were running a lap around the city, to Seol Jihu and her, the distance was no different than minuscule. She had to pull out all her cards while she still could.

Limit Breaaaaaak!

Yi Seol-Ah unleashed her own independent realm, Limit Break.

Immediately, her body began to s.h.i.+ne with light.

Chweeeek!

She began to cut through the streets faster than a bullet, moving at a supersonic speed.

Its fine even if my ankles break. Its fine even if I cant use my legs again. As long as I can beat Orabeo-nim now! Yi Seol-Ahs strong will propelled her forward while controlling her acceleration perfectly.

Just like this!

Yi Seol-Ah, who was just about to reach the finish line, suddenly became lost for words. Seol Jihu was still running next to her.

Eh~! Macarena~!

All the while doing the Macarena dance.

No, no.

Yi Seol-Ah stammered.

I gave you more than enough time, so Ill start now.

Seol Jihu grinned. He finally got into a proper running posture and roused his mana.

Pang, pang, pang! He even activated the Festina Earring three times.

Then, using Spear G.o.d, he kicked off the ground.

Flas.h.!.+

Lightning flashed. At least, that was what Yi Seol-Ah felt.

A beam of yellow light stormed forward and disappeared, coming back around in less than a second.

Seol Jihu slowed down significantly when going past Yi Seol-Ah, and then

Cheese~!

He hopped into the air and made a V-sign with his fingers before storming forward again.

When he came back around for the second time

Go! Go!

He used the Spear of Purity as a cheering stick to cheer on Yi Seol-Ah.

And when he pa.s.sed her for the third time, he did a triple axel in the air like a figure skater.

By now, Yi Seol-Ah had noticed that Seol Jihu did three laps around the city before she could even finish one.

Yi Seol-Ah did not stop running. She kept going forward in a daze. It was only when the finish line came into view that her legs stopped.

Seol Jihu was hovering his leg before the finish line, going in and out. He was clearly making fun of her.

Yi Seol-Ahs eyelids shook. Soon, she fell to her knees at the finish line. It wasnt just because of exhaustion. A great sense of loss played a bigger role.

Huh? Why did you stop? I might not have crossed the finish line.

Seol Jihu giggled as he wiggled his foot back and forth.

Uuu.

Yi Seol-Ahs lips trembled. In the end

Uuuaaaaaaang!

Yi Seol-Ah burst into tears.

*

Abubububububu!

Kkiiing! Kkiiing!

Phi Sora, who had captured a yellow rice cake and was blowing into its stomach, suddenly turned her head. It was because the main entrance was noisy.

Looking back, she saw a man and a woman walking in.

Yi Seol-Ah was sucking on a straw, drinking from a juice cup.

Hic, hic hic.

She was crying endlessly. Her eyes were tinged red, and snot continued to run down her nose. It was obvious that she had bawled her eyes out not too long ago.

Sorry. Im sorry. I got you some juice. Forgive me, okay?

Seol Jihu was consoling Yi Seol-Ah with a troubled expression.

What happened?

Sensing that something serious happened, Phi Sora let go of the squirming, yellow rice cake in her arms and got up.

Oabeouu-nim!

Yi Seol-Ah shouted in a teary voice.

We had a running compet.i.tion! And he made fun of me! And didnt fight me properly! He ate ramen and danced!

Phi Sora couldnt understand her well with all the teary whimpers, but it seemed like Seol Jihu had made a fool of Yi Seol-Ah.

Whyd you make the kid cry!?

When Phi Sora raised a complaint, Seol Jihu scratched his head.

I didnt mean to.

A grown-up adult making fun of a kid. Couldnt you have pulled a punch or two? You know how much stronger you are compared to her.

I couldnt help it. There were 5,000 wishes on the line.

Wishes?

Phi Sora glanced at Yi Seol-Ah.

I had a wish I wanted to make!

Yi Seol-Ah murmured with a pout.

Phi Sora sighed and then looked back at Seol Jihu.

Seol Jihu hurriedly nodded.

Whats the wish? Tell me.

Its fine. I lost.

You can at least tell me. If it isnt anything too difficult, I can help you out.

...Really?

Yi Seol-Ah glanced at Seol Jihu.

Then can you meet me on Earth?

Hmm?

The people from the Neutral Zone we promised to meet on Earth.

Ah, so you want him to partic.i.p.ate in a Neutral Zone reunion.

Phi Sora organized Yi Seol-Ahs wish.

Seol Jihu made a dumbfounded face.

Thats it? You should have just told me. I thought you were going to ask for something big!

...But!

Yi Seol-Ah shouted.

But if I dont do something like this Orabeo-nim doesnt care about me at all!

Hearing this, Phi Soras expression contorted immediately.

Of course not, stupid!

Seol Jihu also shouted back.

Seol-Ah, youre my one and only cute little sister.

Eh really?

Ill come, so dont worry about it.

...Yes! Orabeo-nim!

Yi Seol-Ahs complexion brightened up. She stopped crying and ran into Seol Jihus arms with a beaming smile. The rice cakes in the area applauded them.

Yi Seol-Ah then left, saying she needed to tell everyone else.

...Excuse me.

Phi Sora did not look all that happy. Looking at the two, she suddenly found herself in a foul mood for some reason. To be frank, she felt s.h.i.+tty.

How are you coming up with all these corny lines?

Corny?

Yeah, tell me so I can use them to provoke people too.

I dont know what youre talking about. I was completely serious.

Phi Sora shook her head. No matter what, she did not want to witness such a scene a second time.

That reunion, are you going?

Of course, I promised. Its been a while since Ive seen them anyway.

Good. Dont just make ramen all day and go out a bit. I was getting tired of seeing you sell ramen all day long.

Youre getting tired of my ramen?

No, not your ramen. You.

Phi Sora sighed and then put her hand on her hip.

Anyway, it sounds fun. Let me know when the date and place are decided. I wanna join in.

Why would you join in on our reunion?

Ei, dont be like that. Arent you guys just going to eat and drink?

Thats true, but.

Perfect. Youve been there once before, so you should know how good it is. Its not too expensive and tastes great. There really isnt a better place.

Phi Sora nodded her head.

You know where I work part-time, right?