RE: Player again

327

[Chapter 102] [The Storm Will Eventually Pass (2)]

"Ah, I'm hungry. Aren't you hungry?"

"...Come to think of it, I didn't eat lunch either. But there's no suitable place to eat lunch here..."

Yoo Dojun spoke up.

Eunha, who had been quietly getting some air, only then realized he was hungry. He had been in such a hurry since morning that he had only eaten half a sandwich.

It should have been digested by now.

The people who would still be crying in the joint memorial altar now probably wouldn't have time to be hungry.

"I think they're serving yukgaejang in the basement cafeteria, eat that at least."

"Aren't you going to eat?"

The one who first said he was hungry was Yoo Dojun.

But from the way he was talking, it seemed he had no intention of eating yukgaejang.

When Eunha questioned this, feeling puzzled, he shrugged and replied.

"Food from funeral homes is always tasteless, right? I'll pass. Not appealing."

"Even so, isn't it strange to look for tasty food at a funeral home? There doesn't seem to be anywhere else to eat, so why don't you just come along and eat together?"

"No. I'll just go back like this. Even though the reporters gathered outside bother me, staying here is just a waste of time. I'll slip out through the back door."

"Then should I go with you?"

Dojun seemed to be itching to move right away.

It was understandable to feel like time here was wasted, given that the earlier one moves, the more advantageous the situation.

There was nothing to do here anyway.

The same was true for Eunha.

So he was going to follow along since Dojun was leaving anyway.

"No. Eunha, you stay here."

"Why?"

But he shook his head and stopped him.

"If you and I disappear together, what will people think? Although we're known to have somehow become close externally, they don't know about our relationship. There's no need for us to appear too close in a place where the media and all sectors are paying attention, right?"

"That's true, but..."

"So you stay here. Your friends are here too, so you can spend time with them, right? While you're staying, stay for a long time and erase the bad rumors about you floating around the academy."

"I don't care about rumors though."

"There's nothing good about standing out unnecessarily in this situation. Besides, your alibi for when the incident occurred is vague, right?"

"......"

"Just in case, it's better not to invite any unnecessary misunderstandings. At least until the funeral is over."

Eunha narrowed his eyes.

Yoo Dojun was grinning.

With a face whose emotions couldn't be grasped.

Nevertheless, the words he had just uttered carried a nuance as if he knew.

He's not suspecting that I did it, he's certain that I did it.

Eunha sighed.

He had no intention of denying it anyway.

He probably didn't want to know either.

What Yoo Dojun wanted was simply the fact that he had joined hands with him.

"...Alright. I'll stay here a little longer."

"Yes, that would be good. It's good for the image if you, considered the most promising rookie in the 031 class, stay, right? How nice, really. I want to be a promising rookie too."

"Stop joking around and just go if you're going."

"Are you upset? Alright. Enjoy your yukgaejang. I'm going outside to eat some delicious yukgaejang."

Yoo Dojun waved his hand and turned back.

Eunha didn't miss the words Yoo Dojun quietly muttered as he went down from the rooftop.

"Being here just keeps reminding me of my mother. And that disgustingly tasteless yukgaejang too."

Even in his previous life, he couldn't forget his mother's death even after becoming chairman.

Even after completing his revenge on those related to his mother's death, he kept...

To think that guy was thinking of opening a funeral home?

Eunha laughed softly.

The reason he came up to the rooftop was probably because being in the funeral home reminded him of his mother's death.

The reason he wanted to escape from here might have actually been to shake off his mother's death.

I should go eat.

Eunha, who detached himself from the railing, decided to go eat.

Although many people had come to the joint memorial altar and it was bustling, there weren't many people in the basement cafeteria.

It seemed everyone had just offered flowers and left.

"─Eunha?"

"Huh?"

He entered the cafeteria and looked around, discovering someone he knew.

It was Cha Eunwoo.

She, with her back hair tied with a snow-white hair tie, was serving food to those sitting at tables.

When she spotted him, she approached with a bright smile.

"Are you hungry? There's an empty seat over there. I'll bring it to you right away."

"Eunwoo, why are you here?"

"Just... Staying upstairs kept making me cry. So Seona told me to rest downstairs..."

"But why are you working?"

"It felt awkward to just sit still..."

Cha Eunwoo laughed sheepishly, eheheh.

Looking closely, her eyes were already swollen.

Her eyelids were red too.

Her face, which looked sad even when not crying, became a face with doubled sadness when her eyes were swollen.

In the end, he clicked his tongue and asked her to guide him to a seat.

"This works out well. I was a bit concerned about Minho eating alone."

"...Hello."

The seat Cha Eunwoo guided him to was where Mok Minho was sitting.

Eunwoo had already set the table, with various dishes on it.

Minho was in the middle of eating alone.

He was sipping yukgaejang broth and soon spoke to Eunha.

☆

You need to eat to have strength.

Just because someone died doesn't mean you can't eat.

Perhaps that's why people were eating food to live.

Such food couldn't possibly taste good.

"How long are you going to stay here?"

"...I'm planning to stay until the funeral procession."

Eunha, who had just satisfied his hunger with yukgaejang, asked Minho, who had been silent throughout the meal.

He broke his silence and answered in a heavy voice.

He seems very troubled.

Minho's face was infinitely dark.

Mok Minho, who had been sighing deeply one after another, again gripped his spoon and ate rice.

It looked like he was forcing himself to eat.

Minho, who shoved rice into his mouth with difficulty, opened a carbonated drink with a pop and drank it in one gulp.

"...Do you know what was written in the wills of the kids who died because of me?"

Minho, who had gulped down the carbonated drink, said while letting out a burp.

Eunha mixed rice into his yukgaejang without urging an answer.

The r****h kimchi was wilted, and the rice cakes were just dry.

"They said they enjoyed being together all this time, and not to blame myself needlessly. Those crazy bastards."

"Really?"

Mok Minho spat out as if dumbfounded.

Words that seemed uncharacteristically excited for him hit Eunha's ears.

Eunha calmly asked back.

Then he spoke indifferently.

"Then become stronger. I'll make you stronger."

"......"

Mok Minho probably wanted to hear that it wasn't because of him.

Feeling his own fault, he would have unconsciously wanted words that wouldn't hurt him, but.

Unfortunately, Eunha had no intention of saying such words.

Comforting Mok Minho in that way wouldn't be of any help to him.

Just as the living must live.

Like people eating yukgaejang, Mok Minho had to overcome his sorrow and stand up, no matter how he felt now.

What if you break here?

You need to become stronger.

Above all, Mok Minho had to overcome his sorrow for himself.

He wouldn't forgive himself for breaking down like this.

He had given him the artifact to somehow save him in a whole state and make him a party member.

"...Alright."

After a long silence.

Eventually, Mok Minho opened his mouth while clenching his trembling hands on the table.

Gritting his teeth and putting strength in his eyes, he asked to be made even stronger than this.

Next time, he wanted to become strong enough not to drive people following him to their deaths.

It was the answer Eunha had been hoping for.

Eunha nodded with satisfaction and soon told him that grueling training would be waiting for him as soon as the funeral procession was over.

"Then I'll go back up now. A lot of people just came in, and Eunwoo looks like she's struggling, so help her out a bit."

"...Alright."

Eunha was about to get up from his seat.

He was curious about what his other friends were doing.

That's when it happened.

"─Noh Eunha."

Minho called out to him as he stood up from his seat.

Eunha, who had put on his shoes and turned his head, opened his mouth seeing him kneeling and bowing to him.

He couldn't understand why he was doing this.

Fortunately, the question was soon resolved.

"If you hadn't given me that, I might not have been able to save Eunwoo. Actually, the reason I blamed myself was not only because kids died because of me... but also because I was angry that I couldn't properly protect the kids, Eunwoo, as you said."

"......"

"So thank you, really. Even if I couldn't protect the other kids, for helping me protect at least Eunwoo."

In fact, Eunha had received a separate thank you from Eunwoo after this incident ended.

Saying that thanks to him giving the artifact to Minho, both she and Minho were able to survive safely.

At that time, he heard the details of the incident.

That Choi Gain had abandoned Eunwoo and ran away, and Minho had prioritized saving her over protecting Choi Gain and jumped at the monsters.

At first, he was very surprised that Mok Minho had made such a choice.

The Mok Minho he remembered had a strong sense of responsibility, so he would have tried to protect Choi Gain before Cha Eunwoo.

But Minho broke the priority and saved Cha Eunwoo.

'Then you should do the same, Eunwoo.'

'Huh? What?'

'Minho prioritized saving you over protecting Choi Gain, right? Then if something like that happens to Minho, shouldn't you do the same?'

At that time, he could realize.

That Mok Minho had changed.

And it wasn't just Minho who had changed.

'─Yes. I know too.'

In fact, at that time, Eunha deliberately provoked Cha Eunwoo.

So that she could color the memory of being abandoned by Choi Gain with a sense of betrayal.

But Cha Eunwoo didn't deny it and promised without hesitation that she would save Mok Minho rather than Choi Gain.

Mok Minho must be really grateful to me.

This guy isn't the type to kneel like this...

One year had changed the hearts of the two people somewhat.

Eunha, who had awakened from what had happened recently, looked down at Mok Minho who had raised his head.

Just like a vassal and lord.

Mok Minho's straight posture on his knees looked as if he was saying he would submit to him.

"─I will definitely repay this favor someday."

"You know this isn't the only debt you owe me, right? Receiving teachings from me is also a debt, a debt."

"I thought I was paying that off with coffee money..."

"Was that something that could be paid off with coffee money?"

"Well..."

Eunha teasing playfully.

Mok Minho didn't take it at face value and chuckled.

"─I understand."

Soon Mok Minho nodded.

Eunha realized that he had changed again.

His personality had become a bit more mellow.

[How nice it would be if you comforted Eunhyeok like that too?]

At that moment, telepathy struck in.

He, who was about to leave the cafeteria, turned his head in the direction the telepathy came from.

Seona was standing near the entrance, swishing her fox tail.

Golden hair richly dyed in bright color contrasting with her black blazer.

Seona, perking up her triangular ears, showed him a cold face.

"Eunhyeok is also upstairs now, unable to leave his seat and grieving. It's the same for Minji and Hayang."

"What about stupid hyung and Bae Subin?"

"Are those two people who would grieve?"

"Right?"

Seona retorted coldly.

Eunha burst into laughter, finding it cute how Seona defended some friends while saying others were fine.

On the other hand, Seona glared at him with red eyes, seemingly displeased with his laughter.

"Is this funny? People have died..."

"Why should I cry for kids who weren't even my friends? I was about to go see the kids anyway."

"...Alright. Go comfort the kids a bit. I'm getting tired of constantly comforting them alone."

Seona whined.

She seemed quite exhausted from staying by the three people's side.

She tapped his shoulder with her small fist and said she came down because she was hungry.

"And speak well to Hayang."

"About what?"

"Stop pretending not to know."

"......"

Eunha closed his mouth.

Red eyes were taking in his face.

The fox clicked her tongue as if seeing through everything.

"The reason Hayang is struggling now isn't just because people died. How strong do you think Hayang is, unlike her appearance?"

"...You're right. Hayang is strong. She used to cry at the drop of a hat in the past, but now she's leading factions..."

"Such a person is struggling. Because you, Noh Eunha, always keep hiding things."

"......"

Seona seemed to be tired.

Usually, she didn't try to step forward unnecessarily and only tried to mediate.

"You know that although Hayang has a strong will, she's weak to you, Eunha. Don't make Hayang struggle."

"...I know too."

"If you know, then take care of her. Take care of Minji too, and Eunhyeok too..."

"I don't need to take care of Eunhyeok."

"...Why?"

Seona asked, raising the topic.

The fox asking with a prim face.

He wasn't unaware of her heart trying to take care of Eunhyeok subtly while acting like she wasn't usually.

That's why he answered honestly.

Even if it might sound a bit cold.

"From what I've seen, Eunhyeok is someone who will overcome well on his own without me comforting him."

Eunha recalled the Choi Eunhyeok he had taught so far.

Choi Eunhyeok didn't give up.

He, who tried to cover his lack of talent with effort, had aspects similar to On Taeyang.

An indomitable aspect that never gives up to protect precious people.

Trials will make him stronger.

That's why Eunha intended to leave Eunhyeok to struggle with his feelings.

"...You're really mean."

Seona blurted out.

Eunha didn't refute.

If it's mean, then it's mean.

But the reason she didn't say anything more to him was probably because she knew what kind of person Eunhyeok was.

"Anyway, I'll go up. Seona,

"Alright. See you later."

Eunha was about to go up to the joint memorial altar.

Then he suddenly became curious about something and called out to Seona.

"Ah, right. Seona."

"What?"

"No, just..."

"Just what?"

"Seona, don't you... have any thoughts about this incident?"

Eunha continued with difficulty.

He knew.

The reason his friends were sad was not simply because people they knew had died, but because they thought he was involved in this incident.

Although Jin Parang, Bae Subin, and Yoo Dojun seemed like oddballs.

Anyway, Eunha asked.

Overcoming his fear, trying to appear calm.

"─I don't care about such things."

"...I see."

Eunha thought Seona's smile wasn't fake.

Jin Seona's face only held worry for her friends.

There was no mourning for anyone.

"I'm fine as long as you guys are okay. Honestly, no matter what happens to other people, I decided long ago not to care about such things."

Hearing those words, Eunha realized.

That Seona had changed too.

Time makes children change.

"...I see."

Inwardly, he envied her.

No matter how much time passed.

Even if he had regressed.

Because the life created over a long time remained sticky.

The life as a "Sword Saint", as a "Player" was still lodged in his heart.