But the kids didn’t easily believe it.
A lie. The elders? Those very people who were so hard to even see?
“Eh… no matter what…”
“Uh-uh, it’s no lie. I saw it myself. He even gave a soft eye-smile and called out, ‘Jae-eon~’ like that.”
“Crazy.”
“No way.”
“Wow— That jerk really was something else, really something else…”
“That’s why he could get so full of himself.”
The kids whispered among themselves.
“So, even though the elders asked him, he still refuses like that? Doesn’t make sense.”
“Probably means he’s not at a level to do purification work.”
“So classy, so high and mighty.”
“Whoa~ Then why did he come? Does he think he’s our supervisor or something?”
“This is seriously too much. Knowing it takes so long… wouldn’t it hurt to just help a bit? Honestly, Jae-eon can purify the village by himself. He could just help out a little.”
“That’s not something Jae-eon does. That’s for the servants.”
“Servants my ass.”
Then.
“Hey hey, enough. Stop talking and get to work.”
A kid who hadn’t been part of the conversation waved his hand to break up the group. If this keeps up, dawn will come. The others agreed and returned to their original spots. They didn’t have much time, and all this gossiping about Jae-eon was pointless. It only stirred needless jealousy.
“I’m heading over there.”
He waved lightly and headed toward the clearing near the restroom.
But someone was already there. Jae-eon himself.
He wouldn’t budge when asked earlier?
Looking closely, he was just standing awkwardly here too, lurking about uselessly. Seeing that, irritation flared up immediately.
‘If this was before…’
The kid, watching his clueless stance, suddenly turned his head sharply.
‘Forget it. Let’s just ignore him.’
His steps passing by Jae-eon were noticeably sharp.
Step step.
Tall.
The kid stopped walking. Not even a few seconds after deciding to ignore him.
“......”
His hesitant legs paused briefly, then moved again.
A tightly clenched fist, footsteps pressing down on emotions, stopped right in front of the ghostlike man. The clear sky darkened with rumbles, and small raindrops began to fall.
“Hey.”
Once his lips parted, the next words came easily.
“Cut it out.”
He looked straight at Jae-eon’s pale, rain-soaked face and spat out harsh words.
“Jae-eon, I guess you played king in Incheon, but this place is different. This isn’t a place to come for fun or a change of mood.”
His tone grew rougher.
At that moment, inside the kid’s head, Jae-eon shed his wet, shabby skin.
Casting off that pitiful husk soaked in rain, he regained his old self. His shadowed eyes shone as if holding the sun, and his gaunt body had become sturdy.
It was Jae-eon from those days.
The first time he was seen—fifteen years old.
Wearing his school uniform, sealing yokai, he looked like an absolute god descended to earth.
Yeah, that was Jae-eon.
The kid blinked. The shimmering illusion was truly romantic.
With just one gesture from him, an indescribable exhilaration filled the air!
‘Why I became an exorcist.’
It was only because of Jae-eon.
‘I want to be like that.’
A dream born for the first time in his life.
It was a goal worth not reaching.
He already knew he couldn’t catch up with effort.
Still, it was fine. Just engraving the name ‘exorcist’ in his heart together was enough.
But what the hell was this?
“Why don’t you try harder?”
Could one disappoint people so deeply?
‘You ruined my dream!’
The kid poured out his anger, glaring fiercely at Jae-eon. The more words piled up, the thicker the sense of betrayal became.
“Why did you change?”
His chest heaved heavily.
Yes, the ‘real’ reason he was angry at Jae-eon.
Maybe it wasn’t because Jae-eon ignored them, Bonryeong. That actually didn’t matter at all.
From the very start to the present, the one who made him walk the path of an exorcist wasn’t Bonryeong but Jae-eon. That’s why it was unforgivable.
‘Even laziness is a sin.’
The kid looked at the idol committing sins with a sharp gaze.
Yeah, let’s be honest.
Why he truly hated Jae-eon.
“Are you tired of this job?”
He knew because he liked it so much. He had always been watching.
He despises it and wants to run away. With that rotten attitude.
Just then.
Jae-eon suddenly frowned and brushed past the kid.
No excuses, no words. Coldly, as if it wasn’t worth talking about.
“......ha.”
The kid, curious about Jae-eon’s true feelings, let out a bitter, painful laugh as if shocked. Yeah, that’s your answer.
‘Jae-eon, you’re no hero anymore.’
“Ugh- whek, hek!”
Jae-eon ran to the back of the empty clearing and vomited thickly what he’d been holding back. His bent back heaved for a long time until yellow bile came out. Ha, ha. Saliva mixed with the rain sparkled as it dripped down his chapped lower lip. Hoo, his lips trembled, pale white. Cold. The rain pressing down on his shoulders was unbearably cold.
“Ha, ha…”
Jae-eon wiped the corners of his mouth with a weary face.
Even his angular shoulders sagged helplessly.
‘I was talking…’
He couldn’t hold it anymore.
‘Should I go back…’
But what for?
Jae-eon gave up soon after. Even if he went, there was no role he could play.
Not only would he fail to help with the purification, but it was obvious he wouldn’t even soothe the kid’s feelings.
He slammed his forehead hard against the knobby bark of a tree.
Thud.
<Why don’t you try harder?>
Thud.
<Why did you change?>
Thud.
<Tired?>
Whether it was rain or tears, a lot of liquid gathered and slid down his chin. Boom—crack! Thunder and lightning flashed in the already darkened sky. The noisy sound of rain struck his eardrums fiercely. The restless spirits climbing up his wet pants whispered curses in childish voices, ‘Die—die—.’
His wet lips silently moved.
Actually, there was much he wanted to say. But all that came out was a cold sigh.
Jae-eon slowly closed his eyes.
He dragged his wet body into the dorm room at 10 p.m.
His limbs trembled with chill.
He wanted to immediately soak in warm water, but he couldn’t. The kids had already filled the place.
Worried, Jae-eon gave up on bathing and grabbed a dry towel instead. The best choice for now was just to dry off and change clothes.
‘Did I have any cold medicine?’
His gaze fell on the suitcase in the corner. When would he open it to find some? Jae-eon quietly crawled into the blankets, feeling listless. Yet oddly, the chill didn’t go away. Curling his cold toes, he huddled up as much as possible. His round shape was oddly similar to an armadillo.
‘…Getting a fever just from a bit of rain.’
If his past self saw him, he’d probably click his tongue at how weak he’d become.
Jae-eon smirked and set his phone alarm for 3 a.m. By then, the bathhouse would be quiet. He’d probably be able to relax and warm up properly.
Until then, just sleep a little. His eyelids ached hotly.
Luckily, sleep came quickly. He had always struggled with insomnia… lucky this time.
Jae-eon blinked a few times and let out a soft, uneven breath.
“Mm.”
The rustling of the blanket at his feet was comforting. The warmth wrapping his body was comforting too.
The gentle hand stroking his hair was also very nice.
……
……?
‘A head?’
“!!”
Jae-eon startled awake.
The person whose eyes met his was equally surprised, eyes wide open. Their gazes locked. But after a moment’s shock, the other calmly greeted him.
“Hi.”
That usual calm expression and tone.
It was An Seo-myeong.
What… is this?
‘Am I still dreaming?’
The situation was so unexpected that he lost words. Why was a kid who should be at the hospital here?
An Seo-myeong carefully observed Jae-eon’s dazed face, then suddenly seemed to realize something. He raised his eyebrows and made a faint sound. Then slowly raised his hand, pointing at the door. Jae-eon followed the neatly directed fingertip with his eyes.
“I got discharged.”
An Seo-myeong continued in his flat tone.
“The door wasn’t locked.”
Then he lightly tapped Jae-eon’s forehead again.
“You had a slight fever.”
Much was left unsaid.
But because of his calm voice, Jae-eon simply understood and accepted it. Looking at An Seo-myeong’s peaceful face, he even felt a strange sense of relief.
‘Good. Looks like you got out safely.’
Then a sudden question arose.
‘…Do they really do discharges at dawn?’
Jae-eon instinctively glanced at the window. The faint darkness of early morning was still quietly spread.
Noticing his glance, An Seo-myeong unhesitatingly explained a personal matter without needing to be asked.
“I got discharged yesterday. I just went to see my grandmother, and I just got back.”
This meant he came straight to Jae-eon’s dorm room first thing after arriving. Whether Jae-eon thought that far was unclear.
“Aren’t you curious about anything else? For example… this.”
Tap.
A finger lightly tapped near his forehead. This? Jae-eon instinctively touched his forehead. Something caught on the awkward touch. He glanced around cautiously and carefully peeled it off, revealing a cute children’s cooling patch with a playful character drawn on it.
Why on me…? Doesn’t it look totally out of place?
Jae-eon stared at the cool patch silently, when a faint chuckle came from beside him.
“Still the same after all this time. Still slow…”
An Seo-myeong put his lost finger back on Jae-eon’s forehead. His delicate finger lightly ran through Jae-eon’s wavy hair playfully, like a curious cat.
“And also…”
Their eyes met, round and gentle.
“Not a bit guarded.”
An Seo-myeong tilted his head softly.
“Do you like being pampered?”
A faint mischievousness rose on his pale face.
“Haven’t learned how to scratch, huh?”
Gentle. It was more of a muttered monologue.