Chapter 92

"As I said, don't like me too much. There's no need for that, and I think it's better not to."

"..."

Tae-un stopped walking. And he asked, facing Soram's back as he tried to pass by him and go up.

"Why do you talk as if there's no reason for you to be loved?"

"I'm not sure about that, but I think I'm someone who has a hard time being happy."

As soon as he tries to be a little happy, something comes along as if to mock it. Even he, who had seen the future, couldn't gauge how much more time he had left.

* * *

"Wahhh, Soram oppa..."

"What, what's wrong?!"

A tearful voice flowed from the other side of the speaker. Soram was flustered while holding the phone, and Tae-un, who had dragged him here while he was being lazy, also approached, wondering what was going on.

"It's a call from Ayoung. Why?"

"I, I don't know. It sounds like she's crying. Ayoung-ah, what's the matter?"

At that moment, the training room door opened with a resounding sound. The one who forcefully pushed the door open was Aila's round head. Ayoung, riding on top of Aila, had a damp face just like the voice on the phone. Soram hardened his expression and strode forward.

"Who did what to you? Which bastard was it!"

"No, that's, not it."

Sniff, Ayoung, who sniffled, carefully put down the laptop she had brought as if cradling it.

"Look at this..."

When the lock was released, a white screen appeared.

Acceptance Notice

Recruitment Unit: College of Veterinary Medicine, Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Name: Lee Ayoung

Acceptance Status: Initial Acceptance

The above person is hereby notified of acceptance as stated above in the early admission (school records comprehensive) process.

"Ah."

Tae-un was the first to let out a short exclamation. And Soram stopped, holding his breath. Ayoung's arms hugged the waists of the two. The sound of her sobbing chokingly came from her chest. Tae-un stroked the sniffling back of her head.

"Why are you crying on a good day? You should have told us in advance that it was the announcement day. So we could be with you."

"Hoo, uh, I was afraid, I would fail, sob..."

"Congratulations. You worked hard."

On the other hand, Soram still couldn't say anything. Even while being hugged by Ayoung, he couldn't take his eyes off the laptop screen on the floor for a long time, and only after a while could he finally lower his wide-open eyes. Soon, a bright smile that made his whole face crumple followed.

"That's, great."

Soram's hand came up as if dropping on Ayoung's shoulder. With an expression more unfamiliar than the person herself, Ayoung, he patted her shoulder.

"Congratulations, Ayoung-ah."

"Mmm. Both of you, sniff, thank you."

As autumn deepened completely, the happiest news came to the team. It was around the time when the thin summer clothing began to gradually thicken, like the season when the three first met.

Today is a team dinner!

The team leader declared, raising his fist high. Even if they had to take turns going on dispatch while eating, it was a day they absolutely couldn't stay only in the office.

The three headed to a nearby meat restaurant. It was a place frequently used by hunters from the Field Operations Bureau, as it had several separate rooms prepared. Since they usually finished more than 10 servings even when two or three people came, the restaurant had no reason to be stingy in providing a room.

"8 servings of this for now. We'll order more after eating. And give us cider and Fanta."

They ordered the most expensive Hanwoo (Korean beef) at the top of the menu, and it wasn't long before the charcoal arrived. As the meat was placed on the grill, the sound of sizzling oil spread.

The restaurant owner, who was directly placing the meat, asked, seeing the beaming atmosphere.

"You three seem to have something good happening."

"Ahaha, it showed a lot, right? Actually,"

Just as Ayoung was about to open her mouth, feeling embarrassed but proud, Soram, who was sitting in front, spread his shoulders and chest wide first.

"Our kid got accepted to college today. We came to celebrate that today."

"Really? Oh my, that's great. Congratulations."

"Ehehe. Thank you! So we're going to eat a lot before leaving."

"I was used to seeing you in a school uniform, but now you're an adult. Are you going to balance college life with your hunter work?"

"Yes, I have to. I'll work hard on both."

The owner's congratulations and praise sufficiently lifted Ayoung's shoulders, but it wasn't enough for Soram's taste. The itchy mouth couldn't exercise restraint for long.

"Hmm, hmm. Our Ayoung, I secretly hoped she would go to a school not far from work and home, but fortunately, she's going near Gwanaksan. I think it will be convenient for Aila to commute that distance."

"Oh my, oh my. Wow! She studied well too. How did you do it while working at the headquarters?"

"Well, from what I saw next to her, she studied hard focusing on Korean, English, and Math. Do you have a pet? Then, in a few years, Ayoung will become the director of an animal hospital, so make sure to visit."

"Animal hospital? Don't tell me, it's even the College of Veterinary Medicine?"

"Oh, I don't think I directly mentioned it, but you guessed it right because it's such an amazing school. Yes. That school's College of Veterinary Medicine."

"That's, that's enough..."

Even Ayoung, who had been proud, now covered her face with both hands. The owner made Soram's mood even more delightful than the smoke flying around, and he got a promise to leave a photo and autograph in front of the restaurant later.

With the well-cooked meat, the three filled their glasses with drinks.

"Cheers―"

The three glasses clinked together. Since two out of the three shouldn't drink alcohol, Tae-un was also forced to have a wholesome team dinner.

The two adults kept pushing meat in front of Ayoung. Especially Soram kept chiming in with "Eat quickly. You should eat more. Eat a lot, a lot." In the end, Ayoung burst into laughter with her cheeks full of meat.

"It's a bit embarrassing, but it's touching. It seems like you guys are much happier than me."

Soram, who had been busily moving the tongs, looked at Ayoung with a grin.

"I'm indeed very happy, but I'm not sure if I'm happier than the person who burst into the training room crying."

"Forget about that! When else would I cry so much if not for such a good thing?"

"Hmm. It probably wasn't the only time you cried a lot for a good thing, right?"

Soram raised his two eyebrows like mountains. Ayoung tilted her head, thinking, 'Huh? Did I cry again? In front of oppa?' Then Soram made a sniffling gesture and brought his fist to his eyes.

"Actually... Oppa is the best team leader... At that time, I was really angry and said such stupid things..."

"Aah! Aah! Why are you suddenly bringing that up again!"

"Aha..."

Tae-un could also immediately guess when it was. That day seemed to have left a sense of guilt not only for Tae-un but also for Ayoung.

Soram heard harsh words from his two cherished team members on the same day. It must have been hurtful, but as soon as he came out of the guard floor, he acted as if nothing had happened. Otherwise, the guilt and awkwardness would have lasted quite a while, which they could see now that time had passed.

Now they had learned that Soram was not someone who didn't get hurt at all, but someone who didn't take care of his own pain. Tae-un's gaze suddenly went to the side of his face, smiling and teasing Ayoung.

And he also pushed meat towards Soram's plate, which had almost no meat stains.

"By the way, Soram oppa. I only need to take morning classes now, so can I adjust my work hours? Like changing from 4 pm to 10 pm to 12 pm to 6 pm."

"Ah, of course you can. I'll let them know."

It's rather fortunate. Soram added in a small voice. The two thought it was a comment added to the exam results.

When three 1st-grade hunters decided to eat in earnest, countless check marks were drawn on the order sheet. During the ongoing meal, Ga-eul, who had finished work, and Team 1 members came to see Ayoung.

"Oh my, cutie. Oh my, pretty. How is our Ayoung so good at everything?"

"Unnie."

Ga-eul hugged Ayoung tightly and poured out praises no less than Soram's for a long time, and then made a plan to have a meal with her tomorrow. And leaving Soram, who was very wary of that meeting, she said goodbye only to Ayoung and Tae-un and left.

Next, a few more hunters from the Field Operations Bureau came, some bringing cake and others bringing bouquets.

Most of the previously awakened hunters, including Ga-eul and Soram, had to give up their studies or jobs to work at the headquarters. So while cheering for Ayoung, who was managing both, they seemed to feel the joy of vicarious satisfaction.

Those who couldn't drop by also sent congratulatory messages.

"Ayoung is popular. Looking at it now, she's the top star of the Field Operations Bureau."

Before long, gifts were piled up on one side of the long chair. Ayoung put her arm on top of it and made a villainous expression.

"With this, all the preparations are done."

"What preparations?"

"I'll be the team leader starting next year!"

"...Suddenly?"

A sudden declaration of a coup burst out. However, Soram smiled as if he knew something.

"I recorded everything Soram oppa said when I first joined. Oppa told me to take the team leader position when I turn twenty."

Tae-un turned to look at Soram.

"Okay. I'll hand it over."

He acknowledged it clearly without denying it at all. Indeed, no accident occurred without Jin Soram.

"But if oppa steps down from the team leader position, won't they make Tae-un oppa the team leader instead of me?"

Although Ayoung awakened earlier, she had never officially received a position, and Tae-un had been in the chief position for nearly a year. Also, even if it was next year, Ayoung would be a minor until her birthday passed. Soram, who had been pondering, said,

"Yeah, if a young kid takes over the team leader position as soon as she joins, the old-timers might nag. It's rather fortunate. Here, we'll first establish Han Tae-un as the team leader, and then you can expose his corruption and rise to the team leader position."

"Oho. That's accurate consulting."

"..."

"Great. Did you hear that? Tae-un oppa, try committing some appropriate corruption by March next year."

"...Ayoung-ah. You shouldn't take after him in this."

At that moment, there was a knock on the sliding door of the room.

"Are you inside?"

"Oh."

All three got up from their seats upon hearing the voice. On this night, when it was long past quitting time and the visits from other hunters had ended, the last ones who came to celebrate were Director Park Jae-seon and Deputy Director Kwon Jung-oh.

"Ayoung-ah, I heard the news. Congratulations."

"Wow, thank you, Director-nim."

"Thanks for doing well so far. I didn't know what to get as a gift for the kids, so I brought something based on my thoughts, but will you accept it?"

"Gasp, no, uh, ah, you don't have to give me anything... Wow, thank you...!"

What the director handed over was the smallest white envelope among the received gifts in appearance. However, the envelope, which contained only one unknown item, felt even heavier than the thick ones.

"Buy what you need when you enter college, have fun, and don't come back too late. If it gets late, ask these adults here to take you."

"Yes!"

The deputy director also conveyed his congratulations and immediately tapped Soram's shoulder, who was sitting by the door.

"Jin Soram, come out for a moment."

"Yes."

"I'll return him soon, so let me borrow the chief for a bit."

"Take your time."

Soram waved to his team members and followed them out.

The closed door opened again about 5 minutes later. The director and deputy director had left, and only Soram returned.

"What did you talk about?"

"Ta-da!"

Soram stretched out his hand forward. What he presented was a card with someone else's name on it.

"I got Deputy Director-nim's card! Let's clear out this restaurant's inventory today!"

"Woohoo!"

"Let's send the owner on a vacation starting tomorrow!"

"Woohoo!"

In front of the overflowing tension of the two, Tae-un barely kept up by clapping his hands.

The three diligently stacked empty plates as they had declared, and thoroughly enjoyed cold noodles as a finishing touch. Team 7, with full stomachs, didn't go home but flew to the office. And they gathered around the table in their usual seating arrangement and lit candles on the cake they had received as a gift.

Last season, the three of them often stayed together in the office until it was dark outside the window, just like now. Among the many days, there were days when they all went out to eat snacks after work, and days when they secretly received delivery food through the window.

If it weren't for the special situation of having a student among the team members, those days would no longer be able to become a daily routine again.

Although there was a sense of regret, Ayoung also had expectations for what would happen here in the future as she made a wish in front of the candles as if it were a birthday.

"I'm so, so, so happy today. It feels like the best day of my life."

Soram, who had been looking at the flickering candles, also spoke as if answering.

"Me too. I feel really good."

The light flickered on his face. His cheeks flushed as if he was tipsy.

"...Everything was really good."

Tae-un's gaze shifted to the face smiling at the candles. What stopped him from reaching out his hand without realizing it was Ayoung's voice beside them.

"What's this, Soram oppa is really sentimental today."

Soram raised his eyebrows and said with a straight face.

"Han Tae-un also adapted well for a year, Ayoung achieved what she wanted, everyone became close, and no one got seriously hurt. I have no regrets now."

"Oppa sometimes says things like an old man."

"I may be old, but calling me an old man is a bit too much."

After a light conversation that wouldn't be deeply remembered, Ayoung blew out the candles with a hoo. The light that had been floating in the dark window also disappeared.

It was time to wrap up. Ayoung refused to be driven, saying she wanted to ride Aila and fly away.

Soram, who had been standing by the window with Tae-un to see Ayoung off, opened his smiling lips.

"Take care, everyone."

The chilly wind ruffled Soram's hair as he stood by the window. Soram took in both Tae-un standing next to him and Ayoung riding Aila outside the window.

"Okay, see you tomorrow!"

Ayoung said brightly. Tae-un told him to go in carefully, and Soram only waved his hand without answering.

The next day, Jin Soram, the team leader of Team 7, was dispatched to the Busan Branch, changing his affiliation.