Vol 2 Chapter 9

"If you're tired, you can sit down and rest here beside me."

"...Was it that obvious that I'm struggling?"

"Well... Um..."

As the girl hesitated for a moment because he hadn't introduced himself yet, Kapros quickly answered.

"Kang Mu-heon."

"Yes, Mr. Kang Mu-heon, when you came in, your breathing was very rapid... and since you're dragging your foot due to an injury, I thought you might want to rest. It seems you came here in quite a hurry. Isn't that right?"

"...That's correct."

She was a child with exceptional observational skills and deep consideration for others. Feeling a smile form involuntarily, Kapros nodded and leaned slightly against the bed where she was lying. Even that small action made his aching leg feel a bit better.

As he let out a sigh, the girl tilted her head and spoke again.

"But why did you come all the way here to meet oppa?"

At her tone that sounded almost naive, Kapros chuckled and replied.

"To catch a disobedient kid and bring him back to the kendo dojo."

"Does our oppa not listen?"

The girl seemed happy when her brother was mentioned.

"Yeah."

Kapros answered, thinking of the stubborn Un-o who would continuously strike with his wooden sword no matter what anyone said.

"Oppa is usually kind... but after dad passed away, he stopped smiling much. Even though grandma and I told him he wouldn't be popular that way... But our oppa is handsome, isn't he?"

The girl's affection for her brother was palpable as she spoke of sad things in a bright voice as if they were nothing.

"Well..."

As Kapros trailed off in his response, the girl, who had seemingly let down all her guards towards him, spoke with a pout.

"Even if I can't see, I can tell everything by touch. Our oppa is as handsome as model Kan!"

"Kan?"

"You don't know Kan? He's a very popular model these days. When he came to the hospital for a charity photo shoot last time, I got permission to touch his face."

"Hmm..."

Kapros had never been interested in celebrities, so he wouldn't know even if he heard the name. Just as the chattering girl was about to say something else, suddenly the door burst open with a tremendous noise, and Un-o, whom Kapros hadn't seen in a long time, rushed in.

"Un-yeon! You bastard, what are you doing to Un-yeon!"

Before Kapros could even greet him, his shoulder was roughly grabbed. He turned to Un-o with a frown.

"It's not what you think, so I'd appreciate it if you'd calm down and let go..."

Only then did Un-o's eyes widen as he realized who Kapros was.

"Master?"

"Let go."

As Kapros grabbed his hand and removed it, Un-o quickly recovered from his momentary confusion and returned to a guarded stance.

"...Why did you come here?"

"Oppa, this person came looking for you. He's resting now because he's tired..."

Before Kapros could answer, the girl - no, Un-o's sister Un-yeon - spoke in a thin voice. Seeing Un-o's eyes waver at his sister's words, Kapros stood up.

"Let's talk outside."

They went out into the corridor. Kapros explained how he had come here and apologized for not meaning to surprise him.

"The reason I came here is to tell you to come back to the kendo dojo."

"I refuse."

Un-o, who had been silent all along, flatly refused.

"Why?"

"Please go back."

"Don't be like that and keep coming."

Kapros ignored Un-o's words and spoke calmly.

"If someone like you quits exercising, it'll actually put more strain on your body."

When someone who has been intensely exercising as a way of life suddenly stops doing anything, their body can actually break down more severely than before they started. But now Kapros could clearly understand why Un-o had quit kendo.

Un-o, who had been obsessed with money. And his sister, hospitalized in the long-term ward.

Looking at him with eyes that seemed far more tired than others his age, Kapros felt an uncharacteristic sigh escape. He knew those eyes. When he was Un-o's age, he had been in the hospital like Un-o's sister Un-yeon. The same long-term ward. His own eyes in the mirror he saw every day, and the eyes of everyone passing by, all had that same look.

To be honest, there was no need to make this offer after being rejected several times. He knew well that it wasn't his business. But looking at that guy kept making his chest feel tight.

"Why are you saying such things... Who told you to come here..."

As if sensing something in Kapros's face, Un-o's voice, which had been consistently filled with hostility until now, slowly trailed off, slightly different from before. He finally lowered his head. Kapros was curious about the expression beneath, but he couldn't see anything.

"...Anyway, feel free to come to the dojo when you have time. That's what I came to say. Don't quit."

Kapros said only that much and turned around. He knew that if he added any unnecessary words here, he couldn't predict how that proud guy would react.

Un-o didn't give an answer until the end.

After fully recovering from the injuries sustained in the underground cave dungeon, Kapros asked Lucrecian if they shouldn't go find Sio. However, Lucrecian's response was lukewarm at best.

"Well... It's bothersome to go look for him..."

"..."

Lucrecian, who had been lounging around as if he were naturally part of their group, turned his head to meet the glaring gaze and asked quizzically.

"Hyung?"

"Is that all the sense of responsibility you have as someone who was in charge of a guild?"

Kapros had achieved all his objectives in finding the underground cave, so now it didn't matter whether Lucrecian went to Sio or not. But he didn't like Lucrecian's attitude of nonchalantly disregarding people who were desperately looking for him. Even if it was bothersome, shouldn't someone who had been responsible for an organization at least meet them one last time and inform them of what had happened?

"Are you angry? Hmm. Well, my sense of responsibility is rather thin... But if you insist that much, I'll go."

Lucrecian pulled his mask back up to cover below his eyes and smiled brightly.

"In return for being so obedient, grant me one wish later when I come back."

"What?"

"What are you talking about? Wait a moment!"

Kran jumped up and shouted after Lucrecian, who had quickly spoken and disappeared. Yu-wan also tightly gripped the handle of the sword hanging at his waist, but Lucrecian had long since vanished.