“Hmm… that wouldn’t be a good idea.”

A calm and gentle voice slowly penetrated between Sa-yoon and Geon-joo. The man who had spoken while stroking the white-furred animal gave a slight smile as he received the gazes of both people. His head turned toward Geon-joo. The hand that had been stroking the fur suddenly lowered to grasp the giant Fenrir’s tail.

Yip!

Fenrir stood up in surprise. That single bark changed the heavy atmosphere to a cheerful one, and the man, laughing “haha,” looked at Geon-joo with the corners of his eyes curved. It was a smile so soft it was almost warm. It seemed like a smile that could melt even a snow field, but Geon-joo didn’t appear to feel that way, as he leaned his body back on the bed and cast a suspicious glance. Regardless, Jaehee continued unconcerned and spoke his mind.

“It might be better to speak somewhat honestly. What do you think?”

It was a tone of suggestion. At the voice that even sounded somewhat benevolent, Geon-joo raised the corners of his eyes sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

The wary voice and gentle tone contrasted. Sa-yoon, sitting in his chair, watched the scene and let out a deflated laugh.

Look at these two.

He wondered what they were trying to achieve. As a conversation that excluded him was taking place in his own room, Sa-yoon, with an uncomfortable expression, wiggled his finger resting on his forearm. His fingertip touched his skin and then lifted repeatedly. He didn’t like their conversation but left it alone for one reason.

It seemed like he had seen something.

His drifting gaze touched Jaehee. The irritation settled in his black pupils receded one step, and interest took its place.

How far could the secrets of heaven that Jaehee could penetrate go? How far could he see and read?

Suddenly, his disposition came to mind again.

One who beats the flow.

It was a perfect fit for Jaehee, no matter how much he thought about it. Whenever he got involved, the situation changed in some way.

What a strange guy, anyway.

Sa-yoon muttered inwardly and observed the man’s reaction. Judging by the exploration, interest, and compassion filling his pupils, it seemed clear that he had read something from Han Geon-joo, but he appeared hesitant to say what he had read. The way he opened his mouth as if he had something to say, then hesitated and caressed his chin, confirmed this speculation.

Is this too ambiguous to use destiny revelation? Or is he feeling that he doesn’t have much life left?

Sa-yoon frowned at the speculation that arose. The more Jaehee interfered in their affairs, the more Sa-yoon couldn’t shake the feeling that he was like a moth. A moth that rushes toward a huge fire without thinking of its own life.

It seemed better to handle the situation before he did something reckless.

If he left their confrontation as it was, Jaehee, unable to bear the frustration or unable to resist the urge to speak, might reveal secrets of heaven while coughing up blood.

Sa-yoon turned his head again to look at his kid who had run away. He felt like dropping all the “pretty boy” nonsense and giving him a good beating, but that face, bristling and wary like a cat encountering a stranger, was disgustingly pretty.

Hadn’t he asked if it would be better to speak honestly?

It was clearly a proposal directed at Geon-joo, but he too had received a similar proposal from him.

The fact that he received the same proposal as me means he had the same thought.

What is he thinking of hiding?

Sa-yoon briefly lowered his gaze and sifted through memories of the past. The memory of when Jaehee had given him advice.

“Just a difference in disposition…”

Muttering quietly to himself, Sa-yoon opened his mouth toward the two who were staring at each other in a strange eye battle.

“Han Geon-joo.”

At the call, the man who had been watching Jaehee jumped slightly, then turned to look at him. His gaze, as if asking why he was calling, was tangled with various emotions. For some reason, a bit of elation was visible, as well as anxiety. Even a little fear seemed to be nestled there—I guess breaking his wrist had been quite a shock to him.

If that was a shock and is strongly imprinted in your mind, I should take advantage of it.

Sa-yoon looked at Geon-joo’s other wrist, which he hadn’t broken, then slowly rolled his pupils to stare at his ankle. The movement of his gaze was slow. So that the man in front of him could follow his gaze without missing it. Raising his head again, Sa-yoon exhaled and opened his mouth.

“If you want to walk out of this room on two feet, don’t play any useless tricks and speak straight. Whatever trick you try won’t work anyway. That guy’s like a lie detector, so if you lie, he’ll catch it.”

“I’m not a lie detector. Hmm, wouldn’t ‘identifier’ be better?”

“Is that important to you even at a time like this?”

I don’t know if I should call this guts or shamelessness.

Just until a moment ago, I was talking about taking out one of his ankles, and this is the response that comes out?

Sa-yoon stared at him with incredulous eyes. Receiving the gaze of everyone in the room, Jaehee shrugged and stopped stroking Rai. Then Fenrir, rising, shifted his weight backward and stretched his stiff body by extending his spine. What the beast did next was unexpected.

As if he had just washed and was shaking off water, the beast shook his body left and right. White fur scattered around the room like snow.

Woof!

Fenrir barked refreshingly, as if feeling good.

“……”

In stark contrast to the serious tone he had just taken, an awkward silence fell over the room. Right after, Jaehee burst into laughter, unable to hold it back, and brushed off the fur on his pants. The man, who even hummed as if enjoying himself, slowly opened his mouth.

“A coercive atmosphere isn’t good for conversation, Mr. Sa-yoon.”

The man, speaking as if admonishing, patted Geon-joo’s shoulder. When he was crying, he didn’t care whether his shoulder was patted or not, but now that he’s back to his senses, he twists his body as if rejecting the touch. Jaehee made an expression as if finding it amusing.

“Threatening to break a part of someone’s body is also not the right means for proper conversation.”

Sa-yoon’s eyebrow twitched at the additional remark. It was true, and being right made it more annoying.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

When he responded irritably, the man smiled brightly and stood up, dusting off his clothes.

“You know you haven’t done anything right either, Mr. Sa-yoon.”

“Lee Jaehee.”

“But you haven’t done anything too wrong either. Ah, as I said before, the kidnapping and the violence you just committed are exceptions.”

He’s unbelievably composed. As if he’s determined to do what he wants regardless of whether others get angry or not, he laughed cheerfully and patted Rai’s back. Rai. A small whisper scattered around the room. Fenrir pondered for a moment, spinning around in place once, then headed toward Geon-joo.

Thud.

Rai climbed onto the bed and sat down, placing his chin on Geon-joo’s knee. Swish, swish. Fenrir’s tail wagged as if asking to be touched.

“It feels quite good to touch him. It will help you calm down.”

Jaehee, who advised Geon-joo as he looked at Rai with a wry expression, headed for the door. Sa-yoon’s gaze narrowed. He was acting exactly like someone about to leave the room.

After meddling and mediating this and that, where is he suddenly going?

“Where are you going?”

“I thought you two might need time to talk alone, so the third party will step out for a while. I’ll be with Jongsik.”

Jongsik was technically the second-in-command of Night Rats, yet he so casually said he would go to his room. Well, that’s probably why he was so casually sitting in Sa-yoon’s room too.

Time for the two of them to talk.

It was a reasonable point. Also, if only the two of them remained, there would be no interference or mediation from Jaehee at important moments, so after contemplating, Sa-yoon jerked his chin toward the door. It meant do as you please, whether you go or not.

The man laughed audibly and grabbed the doorknob.

“Mr. Sa-yoon and Mr. Geon-joo, was it?”

At that call, Sa-yoon’s and Geon-joo’s gazes moved simultaneously.

“The identifier will be out, so talk honestly as much as your hearts allow. It’s been a while since you’ve met, right?”

You both must have things you want to say…

The man, who added in a low voice with his eyes narrowed, bowed his head slightly, then raised it and opened the closed door.

“See you later then.”

With the gentle voice, the door closed again. Sa-yoon, who had been staring around the door as if tracing Jaehee’s vanishing presence, let out a hollow laugh. He was clearly human, but he gave off an air like an immortal.

Do all those who read the divine secrets become like that?

“Meddling till the end.”

As he muttered, glancing at the closed door, Geon-joo stared at the door with an expression hard to describe, then let out a voice revealing complex and subtle emotions.

“What exactly is that person’s identity?”

It was a reaction as if he was genuinely curious.

That’s always the case.

When smiling, Jaehee seemed normal, but when actually conversing with him, he was nothing short of a madman. Suspicious and kind. It was even more so because suspicious yet kind people are usually the most significant.

But since it was certain he wasn’t a bad person, Sa-yoon, who had been contemplating his answer, opened his mouth nonchalantly.

“A Jebi guild member.”

“……”

An incredulous gaze came back. Seeing a face he hadn’t seen in a very long time, Sa-yoon almost inadvertently chuckled. He hardened his expression. It was an expression he had seen so often during their time in the field that he almost laughed unconsciously.

His focus, which had momentarily gone astray, returned to Geon-joo. There were two people in the room. There were two breaths, and the very faint heartbeats heard were also two. In front of him was a person he hadn’t seen in a long time. The anger that had surged subsided, and only after the unsettling Jaehee had left the room did he finally realize it.

That Han Geon-joo had returned.

Only after they were left alone did he fully realize this fact.

As he remained dazed for a moment, Geon-joo, who had been frowning while alternately looking at the door and Sa-yoon, opened his mouth.

“Is he your lover?”

“…What?”

Sa-yoon was awakened from his thoughts at those words.