Chapter 93

3. Lazy man

'Is your mind still unchanged?'

'Yes. It's good that I don't have to wait until the CSAT day. Quite admirable.'

The reason Soram didn't go straight to Busan was because of Ayoung's approaching exam. Just in case the familiar environment changed drastically during the finishing period, it might hinder her.

Hearing the resolute answer, it seemed like he had already made up his mind. The director had also given permission in the direction Soram wanted. However,

'You still have no intention of telling me the reason other than the lie that you're tired of staying at the headquarters?'

With his hands behind his back, Soram lowered his head. A bitter smile was hidden under his lowered chin.

'Ayoung naturally won't know, but did you tell Tae-un?'

'No. He doesn't know either.'

It wasn't that he deliberately didn't want to say it, but he kept putting it off, thinking there was still time until the CSAT, and in the end, the time came first.

After the Chuseok holiday, Ayoung became busier, and the time he spent alone with Tae-un increased. Perhaps he didn't want to break the peace of the little time left.

Soram spoke as if throwing the words at himself.

'Nothing will change, so I just left it. Since he adapted well to the headquarters, it won't matter where I am.'

Even after saying this much, his slightly parted lips didn't close. As if he didn't want to end the conversation like this.

In the end, one more word came out from inside.

'...Probably.'

* * *

2Ay0: [What! What the hell!!!!!]

Kim Ga-eul: [You're in Busan, you punk;]

On his first day of work at the unfamiliar office, Soram was quite popular from the morning.

Han Tae-un: [Jin Soram.]

Han Tae-un: [Let's have a call during lunch.]

It was worth overcoming sleep and taking the early morning train, as everyone was shocked by his move. Soram, wearing the same suit as in Seoul and standing in front of the unfamiliar door, sent one last reply.

Jin Soram: [It's my first day at work, so I have to be mindful.]

When he held up the newly issued shiny card, the entrance door opened.

Unlike the headquarters, where each team had a separate room, the Field Operations Bureau of the Busan Branch had one large office where each team had their desks and used it together. There were a total of 4 teams, and the total number of hunters was about half of the headquarters. The gazes of all those sitting at their desks were focused on the entrance door.

Amidst the considerable surprise, only the chief of Team 2 stood up from his seat with an expression of "Was it real...?" It was Seo Min-ki, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Nice to see you. Hello."

Soram stood there like an actor on stage.

"I'm Jin Soram, the new old rookie."

The Busan Branch was a 5-story building located in Haeundae-gu. The large and spacious marble building had a much stronger feeling of a government institution than the headquarters, which was a tall building rising high.

It was also the place where the most elite forces were gathered after the headquarters. Currently, the only branches that could resolve a 1st-grade dungeon on their own without external help when it occurred were the headquarters and the Busan Branch.

Unlike other places where personnel dispatched from the headquarters were mixed in, the Busan Branch, located in the second largest city, Busan, had all its members either from here or scouted internally. As a result, their solidarity was even stronger.

Even after entering the office and sitting at his desk, the unfamiliar gazes pouring on Soram continued.

Soram's seat was right in front of the Team 1 leader. Team 1 was led by Director Shin Gi-hyeon, who also served as the chief of the Busan Branch hunters. The reason he was given the seat next to him was obvious.

The director approached closely with his arms crossed as Soram sat down.

"Chief Jin."

"Ah, I said I'm not a chief. I don't really want to be a chief in Director-nim's team either."

"Nonsense. What were you thinking coming down here?"

The director was suspicious of his intentions, but he also had a strong sense of absurdity.

"When they said they were sending one person from Seoul, I wondered what they were thinking, but it's you, the headquarters' chief?"

Although he thought his constant slacking off was a problem, the director clearly acknowledged Soram's abilities. Among the experienced hunters, there would be no one who didn't know that he was the closest to becoming the next director in terms of skills. That's why this personnel transfer was even more incomprehensible.

"I can come too. If I'm such an amazing person, throw me a welcome party."

"Welcome party, my foot. If you came as a rookie, you need to work your butt off."

"Ugh, old-timer."

Soram mumbled. The people on the same team looked back in astonishment, and Director Shin Gi-hyeon laughed and placed his palm on top of Soram's head.

"You came all alone, so this isn't the place to be cheeky. Chief Jin."

Soram's title, which still didn't apply here, was "Chief Jin." It meant that they thought of Soram as someone who came here due to a temporary whim and had no intention of accepting him as an official member. It seemed they considered Soram as someone who came to the Busan Branch for a field trip.

If Director Park Jae-seon was a gentle and strong leader, Director Shin Gi-hyeon was a leader who exuded an intimidating aura that no one dared to challenge. He turned Soram's hair into a bird's nest and returned to his seat. Soram looked up at his hair, which was sticking out like a weed, and fiddled with the desktop placed on his desk.

A little while later, Director Shin Gi-hyeon called Soram.

"8-year-old new old rookie."

"Me?"

"Did you already forget what you said earlier?"

Director Shin Gi-hyeon gestured to Soram. Soram went closer to him, feeling like a real "rookie."

A navy-blue card was held out in front of Soram.

"...A bonus? Did I already do a good job?"

"Wake up from your dream. You don't know the geography around here, so I can't dispatch you today. Go across the street and buy some coffee."

"..."

"You've never seen what a real old-timer is like, have you?"

Soram received the card in a daze. Looking down at the card, he smiled brightly.

"Yes. What should I buy for you?"

"10 black coffees, 5 lattes, 5 caffeine-free ones. If you mix hot and cold ones appropriately, they'll pick them up and drink them on their own. Get some bread too, since it's pretty good."

My goodness, it was an order that Soram could barely carry even if he had four arms.

"If our rookie had a fellow newcomer, I would send them together, but you came in as a special recruit without us even posting a job opening, so you're alone."

There was a clear intention to give him a hard time in his words.

"Hmm, a fellow newcomer..."

Soram turned around with the card and walked straight ahead. Walking from the Team 1 chief's seat to the side, what he naturally faced was the Team 2 chief's seat.

"Fellow newcomer."

"..."

"Let's go together."

The fact that Ga-eul, Min-ki, and Soram awakened together as 1st-grades at the same time as "fellow newcomers" was known not only to the hunters but also to the entire nation. It was also common for the three same-aged people to be involved in various ways.

Min-ki looked at Soram with the expression he had made countless times in front of him for 8 years, "What should I do with this crazy bastard?" and finally got up from his seat, grabbing his jacket.

"I'll be away for a moment."

A large order came in at the cafe that was trying to catch its breath after the rush hour.

"Hmm, five hot and five iced Americanos, three hot and three iced cafe lattes. And three strawberry smoothies, two grapefruit ades, and two green grape ades. Also, pack ten of the best-selling bread and ten of the most expensive ones."

Usually, when receiving a superior's card, people hesitate even if they are told to buy as much as they want, but Soram ordered without holding back.

Beep, beep.

The longer the order, the more urgent the hand pressing the POS became. Still, he couldn't help but glance forward with his eyes.

"I'll, I'll confirm your order..."

This cafe was located right behind the Rift Phenomenon Management Busan Branch building, and it was a place where there were already many sightings of hunters. The part-timer had also reached a level where he could end his impressions with something like, "You look really tired today," even when Director Shin Gi-hyeon or other famous hunters came.

However, even he couldn't help but have slightly trembling hands today. Jin Soram, who should be in Seoul, and the person accompanying him was Seo Min-ki. Other part-timers also stuck their heads out and watched the two people who had made a surprise appearance.

After finishing the order, Soram received only one iced Americano for himself in advance, sipping it through the straw while waiting for the rest of the drinks to come out. Seo Min-ki stood next to him.

"Sigh... Why the hell did you come here?"

"Are you kicking out someone who just arrived today? That's too much."

"There's no way the headquarters really sent you..."

If it were another 1st-grade, they might have accepted it, thinking that there must be some reason for coming down to Busan. However, Jin Soram was the person he knew best, at least within this branch. That's why he could speak with confidence.

"Did something happen there by any chance?"

"Huh?"

"If you made enemies... half of it would be your own fault, but did you come down here because of a bad situation there?"

"Not really? I just came because I wanted to work in Busan."

"So how long do you think you'll stay?"

"Don't you think I might settle down?"

"Would you..."

Soram nodded his head.

"I wouldn't either."

"Ayoung and Ga-eul asked if there was a serious issue at the Busan Branch."

Soram's duck-like protruding lips sucked in the coffee without answering.

"Ah, I think our order is ready."

Although there were many cups, the preparation was relatively quick as the types were unified. Exactly 4 sets of 6-cup carriers came out. Soram and Min-ki hung the bread bags on their wrists and carried a carrier in each hand as they left the cafe.

Stopping at the crosswalk, Soram looked around and then gazed far across the road.

"It's interesting. In Seoul, I always saw mountains when I looked far, but here, I see the ocean."

"You can see mountains on the opposite side here too."

"Right. It's peaceful and nice."

Min-ki glanced in the direction Soram was looking and then turned his head back. Contrary to his words, it seemed that the peace at the branch would be quite disrupted for the time being.