Chapter 47

The two of them usually spent too much time together, including at the office. It had become their daily routine to go to work together in the morning, see Ayoung off, and return together late. So, even though they were right next door, they never entered each other's dormitories.

"Han Tae-un ssi, you keep your place really neat. It's been quite a while since someone lived here, but I can't tell the difference."

Tae-un went to the kitchen connected to the living room, took out juice from the refrigerator, poured it, and placed it on the island table. Then he went in, put on a white t-shirt, and came out.

When he came back to the living room, Soram was rummaging through the living room table instead of drinking the juice. From there, a first-aid kit that the owner didn't even know existed appeared.

"Since I'm here, let's take a look at the places I scratched."

The wounds scratched by Soram's airplanes were already stopping bleeding and healing, befitting a 1st-grade body. The only visible major wounds were a slightly deep sword cut on his left forearm and a dark bruise on his shin.

However, that could be considered even with Soram's black bruise caused by Tae-un's kick.

"Give me your arm."

Han Tae-un obediently held out his arm, and Soram opened the lid of the brick-colored disinfectant and rubbed a cotton swab with the medicine on the wound.

"How was your first training?"

Tae-un, who had been watching the hand moving along the dense wounds, answered.

"A 4-month-old got cocky and got stomped on nicely."

Soram glanced up at Tae-un.

"Is your pride hurt? I didn't think you were that type."

"That's not it, but... there were things that could damage my reputation, so I had the desire to show a good side. I wanted to do better."

"What could possibly damage your reputation, Han Tae-un ssi? Even when they begged you to please say something in front of the camera, you kept your mouth shut."

"Here, the other side," Soram said, releasing the arm he had finished treating. The arm, roughly smeared with red disinfectant, looked more severely injured now than a moment ago. However, Tae-un obediently gave his other arm as instructed.

Soram's fingers were slightly chubby, unlike his slender body. Tae-un thought the fingers holding his arm looked exactly like lined-up banana cookies. They also closely resembled the rough, densely packed small wounds.

"So, is that why you pushed yourself like this, even stabbing your palm with a sword?"

Soram opened Tae-un's overturned left hand, which he had grabbed, while applying new disinfectant. It was the part where he had gripped the blade to block the attack earlier. A long, horizontal cut appeared on his palm. Blood was still seeping from that wound. Soram applied disinfectant and sprinkled hemostatic powder on it.

"That might be the case."

"You were really strong and impressive, so you don't have to worry, Han Tae-un ssi."

He attached a large moist bandage over the palm wound and wrapped the edges with medical tape to secure it. It would probably be uncomfortable to use his hand for a while.

"Ah, right. I heard. After I came out of the guard floor, Kim Jae-hyeok told me that Tae-un ssi did something."

"How did you know?"

"When I came out, I tried to secretly cut off one of his legs, but I was told he had already resigned."

"...I see."

"No, I'm kidding. Why do you believe that? Ayoung noticed it first and told me. She said she knew right away that it was your doing when she saw him come to the office, kneel down, and beg. When I investigated, it turned out he tried to sue me but couldn't, so he went around pleading to stay at the headquarters. But the director wouldn't let it slide."

"It could have been Chief Kim. Or the director."

"If it were Ga-eul, he wouldn't have come in one piece, and with Ga-eul's way of talking, she couldn't have made that complete bastard turn pale. If it were the director..."

Soram lowered his voice and raised his hand next to his lips.

"Only his head would be hanging at the main gate of the headquarters. Remember that it was the director who has taught me until now."

"..."

"Anyway."

Soram's hand tapped the top of the bandaged palm after finishing the treatment. Although it didn't touch the wound due to the thick gauze covering it, a slight sting remained.

"Don't do that in the future. I'm the only one who needs to do such things. Even if I actually get sued."

"..."

"I've been working since I was young, and to some extent, an atmosphere has been created where it's okay for me to cause trouble once in a while. But that's not the case for you, Han Tae-un ssi, and it's not good for you to create an image like me with your personality. This is advice from a superior."

Soram crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. Even so, the seriousness was halved as he said those words without a suit, with wet hair dripping water. Come to think of it, it was the first time the two same-aged people were facing each other wearing comfortable t-shirts and training pants.

"To be more honest, I don't like it when someone else tries to do something for me, who has more years of experience and higher recognition. I'll take care of such things on my own."

"Jin Soram ssi talks as if he's invincible."

"That's right. You just saw how strong I was a moment ago."

He thought Tae-un would say something to refute, but he just quietly looked at Soram.

Then he took Soram's arm. As he rolled up the sweatshirt, the bruise on the arm that had been hidden by the sleeve appeared. He had treated everyone else's wounds but left his own untouched.

Tae-un got up from his seat and went to the kitchen. Then he brought back a plastic bag filled with ice, tying the opening. He placed it on Soram's bruised arm.

"Is this much okay even though I have less experience and recognition?"

"You're really good at nitpicking."

Soram pouted his lips. Tae-un spoke softly a moment later.

"Don't try to shoulder everything alone."

I don't know. Soram shrugged his shoulders.

"It's probably impossible. It's a nature that unintentionally developed even though I didn't intend to."

Because of whom. The words he most wanted to say were swallowed inwardly.

* * *

"Where on earth did you two go? Right now, the internet is going crazy with the video of your training!"

Ayoung, who had been waiting for the two in the office, abruptly stood up and asked. Soram walked over and plopped down on his seat at the head of the table.

"What was the official announcement about our disappearance?"

"The battle was arbitrarily suspended to calm down because it became too overheated. Is that true?"

"It's the opposite. I felt like I couldn't fight nobly in front of the camera because I was pissed off, so I went to the back, grabbed his collar, and fought."

"...Who won?"

"Well. For now, Han Tae-un ssi ran away, and I chased after him and apologized."

There was a tiny bit of truth mixed in with the answer he gave while smiling smoothly. Ayoung seemed to take it more as "You have no intention of telling me" rather than believing those words.

"After Soram oppa left holding Tae-un oppa's hand, I thought my phone would explode from my friends' messages. They all asked what kind of relationship you two have."

"The kind of relationship where we get to know each other without being careful?"

"Well, it's not wrong to say that since it's been almost three months since you met..."

Hmm, the sound of Tae-un's small fake cough was heard. Although he had put on the stiff suit provided in the dormitory again and tidied up his disheveled hair, the tips of his ears and various parts of his face were still red.

"Tae-un oppa doesn't look well. The match must have been really tough."

"Ah... uh... I'm fine."

Come to think of it, while Ayoung was just surprised to see Jin Soram, who had been hiding his strength, Tae-un had directly experienced it. Looking at him closely, he also showed a slightly more tired appearance than usual.

Having been on the same team for this long, Ayoung had also gradually learned to read his expressionless face. He didn't look this exhausted even on the day he had cleared 8 rifts, so she was a bit worried.

On the other hand, Soram, who she thought would lie down and make a fuss about not working because he had worked hard today, was sitting in his seat and looking at his cell phone.

"What's with you not sleeping? I thought you'd fall asleep right away."

"I'm not sleepy. It was fun."

The sleepiness that came at any time was a result of escapism from reality as the future he knew approached.

And the confrontation with Han Tae-un today was something that had never happened in his previous lives. Soram also pulled out and used his long-held strength, and it was fun to fight against someone like Han Tae-un. The feeling of physical exhaustion wasn't bad for now.

"..."

"..."

However, there were two people who could interpret those words as "Are you tired because you did something great?"

"Soram oppa was always hiding his strength in front of us..."

"When did I hide it? I'm being falsely accused."

"I'm not the only one saying that. Everyone is asking if all your goofiness until now was just acting."

"I haven't really acted though, right?"

"That's... true. You were always excessively truthful."

However, as Ayoung said, the internet's reaction was ablaze, asking if Jin Soram was that strong. Some replied that Jin Soram was originally at that level, but he hadn't had a chance to be active recently and had caused a lot of accidents, so it was buried. On YouTube, videos of Soram from his high school days and his past appearances clearing high-level dungeons rapidly rose in the rankings.

And Soram still chuckled at Ayoung, who was staring at him intently.

"What's so amazing that you keep looking?"

"It's strange. It doesn't seem like the person I knew. Tae-un oppa is strong too, but shouldn't Soram oppa be classified as something above 1st-grade... like 1++ grade?"

"That sounds a lot like grading a cow..."

"It's fine since you actually live like a cow."

"A cow is a symbol of diligence. A cow works hard and sweats every day."

"That was only true for the cows plowing fields in the old days. Nowadays, cows just eat and sleep."

"How do you know that, Han Tae-un ssi?"

"I know because there's a cowshed in my backyard at home."

"..."

"Really? ...Then, did you feed the calves and clean up cow dung, oppa?"

"Yeah."

"It doesn't suit your appearance at all!"

"I know, that's exactly what I thought when I first saw him!"

Ayoung and Soram looked at the rural youth from Eulgil-eup, Guncheon-gun [TL: Eulgil Township, Guncheon City] with the same expression, then turned their heads at his words, "Come and see when a calf is born." It was interesting, but they didn't particularly want to go in person.

"Anyway... seeing you two, I wondered if it was right for me to be classified as the same 1st-grade. Honestly, I don't think I'd be a match for Tae-un oppa, let alone Soram oppa."

Faced with her gloomy voice and drooping expression, the two adults exchanged glances without hesitation.

Han Tae-un ssi, our kid is feeling down. ...I see that. Say something cool and adult-like. What can I say here? She's upset that she wouldn't be a match for you, Han Tae-un ssi. Jin Soram ssi, who started the conversation, should finish it. Han Tae-un ssi, you do it. Their gazes exchanged, and their toes quietly bumped under the desk.

In the end, Tae-un lost.

"No. You'll win. I have no confidence in dealing with Aila at all."

"You don't have to say that. I know you're not the type to make such calculations."

However, the words squeezed out by someone who originally had no way with words were even less effective.