Chapter 130: A Crack in the Familiar

“No matter how I think about it, things have felt a little strange lately….”

In the noisy bar, we were seated together in a corner with the team.

While everyone was busy gossiping about a famous esper’s scandal, Jaeyul’s voice cut in, drawing all their attention.

“What kind of strange?”

They called it a team dinner, but really, it was just a casual drinking session among people who got along.

Of course, not everyone was close.

“The team leader’s vibe is the strangest of all, obviously.”

Jaeyul and Song Jihan were still at each other’s throats, but lately, maybe because Jaeyul no longer bothered to respond, Song Jihan seemed to be gradually losing interest in picking fights.

This time as well, Jaeyul ignored Song Jihan as if he couldn’t even hear him and continued speaking.

“Recent subjugations have been way too easy.”

“Couldn’t that just mean our team’s teamwork has gotten really good?”

I couldn’t say for sure since I didn’t enter the gates myself, but just watching the four of them mess around, it was obvious how well they worked together.

If that was the case, the difficulty of subjugations dropping was only natural.

“Even taking that into account, it’s still too easy.

It feels like the number of monsters coming out of the gates has noticeably decreased too….”

“I agree with that.

Honestly, there’ve been strangely few monsters.”

For once, Song Jihan agreed with Jaeyul.

Seeing Park Bomyeong and Yoo Eden nod silently, it seemed they’d noticed it too.

“It’s not just subjugations.

We haven’t been dispatched for a single gate break either.

That means either there haven’t been any dangerous gate breaks, or gate breaks just haven’t been happening at all.

Ever since that large gate appeared.”

At Jaeyul’s words, I swept my gaze around the bar.

Maybe because it was near the company, but a large number of the customers were center employees.

So many, it almost looked like they’d all taken a group vacation.

Suddenly fewer monsters, gate breaks coming to a halt….

It wasn’t that there was nothing suspicious, but the assumption was too absurd, so I pushed the thought out of my head.

It had to be a coincidence.

“Hmm… maybe they’re forming more frequently overseas than here.

They tend to appear more in densely populated areas, so they’re probably still popping up somewhere.”

It had only been a few days.

Things could stay quiet for a few days.

When coincidences piled up just right, there were times when it almost felt as if gates and monsters had vanished entirely from the world.

This was probably one of those moments.

“Yeah, that’s probably it.

Guess I was worrying over nothing.”

“Ah, whatever.

If there are fewer monsters, that’s a good thing.

Let’s just drink.

This stuff can’t even be broken down with mana control, so everyone should drink in moderation.

Sehyun, you too, pick up your glass.”

It was a newly released alcohol made specifically for special ability users.

Apparently, it contained a special herb from a gate that prevented alcohol from being broken down inside the body.

True to being a nation of drinkers, they always found a way to get drunk.

I was about to lift my glass when Jaeyul took mine first and filled it.

Thinking he might have mistaken it since two glasses were side by side, I simply picked up Jaeyul’s glass instead.

Either way, mine or his didn’t really make a difference.

As if on cue, everyone downed their drinks in one go after the toast.

I wasn’t bad with alcohol, so I drained the glass as well.

But… what was this?

Was I already drunk?

Or was my condition so good today that the alcohol felt like water…?

It slid down my throat without any sensation at all, just like plain water.

Just in case, I sniffed the empty glass, but there was no smell.

Confused, I looked at Jaeyul, and he leaned close to my ear and whispered.

“Don’t drink this.

It doesn’t seem good for your body.”

My body…?

Come to think of it, why had Jaeyul been taking such care of my health lately?

Every meal was a health-conscious one, and he made sure I took all kinds of supplements.

He wouldn’t even let me touch anything that might be even slightly bad for me.

Could it be that he was already planning to manage my health for me…?

In a way, it was unnecessary worry, but it didn’t feel bad.

I nodded slightly to say I understood.

“What is this.

The vibe between the youngest and the traitor is weird.”

That little punk, Park Bomyeong.

Does he spend all his time watching just me and Jaeyul?

It was only a brief, private exchange, but he’d caught it instantly.

He looked back and forth between Jaeyul and me with suspicion.

Because of that, Song Jihan and Yoo Eden also stopped talking and turned to look at us.

How was I supposed to explain this…?

It wasn’t like there was a reason we had to hide it, but somehow, it felt awkward.

We’d always said we were practically brothers, family, so suddenly saying we were dating felt… conspicuous.

And besides, we weren’t exactly officially dating yet either.

“Don’t tell me you two are—ack!”

It wasn’t that I wanted to lie.

We hadn’t done anything wrong, so why should we lie about it?

I was still thinking about how to respond when Bomyeong failed to finish his sentence.

He suddenly let out a groan, his face flushing red.

“What the hell!

Why’d you hit my side like that!

I thought my ribs were going to break!”

Judging by how he complained tearfully toward Yoo Eden, that must’ve been the culprit.

He was grimacing, rubbing his side, looking like he’d been hit pretty hard.

“When did I ever.

You look drunk.

Why don’t you step outside and get some air?”

“I’m not drunk yet—mph!”

“I’ll take him out for a bit.

Bomyeong’s weaker to alcohol than he looks.”

At Yoo Eden’s words, Song Jihan immediately covered Bomyeong’s mouth and dragged him out as if he’d been waiting for this chance.

What was that about?

Since when did Yoo Eden and Song Jihan work together that smoothly…?

In terms of strength, Bomyeong should’ve been able to overpower Song Jihan, so why was he being dragged along so easily?

Was he really that drunk?

Well, at least they seemed to be getting along, so that was a relief.

“I’m going to the restroom for a bit too.”

Since it had turned into a sort of break, I headed to the restroom as well.

Feeling some heat on my face, I washed my hands with cold water and pressed them to my cheeks to cool down.

I hadn’t even been drinking, so I didn’t know why this was happening.

Maybe it was just because the place was crowded….

Once the heat had mostly subsided, I stepped out of the restroom.

As I opened the door to leave, I bumped into someone coming in.

“I’m sorry.”

It was a common, minor collision, so I offered a perfunctory apology and passed by.

They did the same.

But the moment I passed them, a familiar sensation swept over my entire body.

A familiar scent, a familiar feeling.

Even their build felt oddly familiar.

Thinking about it, there was no way it wouldn’t be.

The person who’d just passed me was Jaeyul.

“Seon Jaeyul, why are you walking past me like I’m a stranger?”

I opened the door again and said it, my tone tinged with hurt.

I might’ve been too distracted to recognize him right away, but he’d passed me like I was no one.

He was tall enough that he definitely would’ve seen my face.

“…….”

Huh… what was this…?

No voice came back from behind the closed stall door.

Maybe he’d rushed in because it was urgent?

No matter how close we were, standing around while someone was doing their business wasn’t exactly appropriate.

I suddenly felt a bit bad.

“I’ll head back first.

Take your time.”

I closed the restroom door and left, figuring I’d let him finish comfortably.

Was going to the bathroom really that embarrassing?

So much so that he couldn’t even answer me?

He’d grown bigger, but he was still just a kid at heart.

Sometimes, he had these oddly cute sides.

“Why did you take so long?

I was about to go check on you because I was worried.”

“…Huh?

Why are you here?”

The moment I returned to the table, I locked eyes with Jaeyul.

“What do you mean?

If I’m not here, where would I be?”

Jaeyul asked, clearly not understanding me.

Just a moment ago, he’d been in the restroom.

So how had he gotten back to the table before me?

Ah… could it be….

“You’re messing with me together with Song Jihan, right?

You really startled me.”

Song Jihan’s wind-type ability would make that possible.

While I was walking back from the restroom, Song Jihan could’ve brought Jaeyul back ahead of me.

Trying to fool me like that.

As if I’d fall for something so simple.

I sat down and took a sip of ice water.

“Why is Song Jihan suddenly coming up?

And what prank are you even talking about?”

“Come on, stop joking.

You were just in the restroom, and then Song Jihan used his ability to get you back here before me.”

I said it confidently, but more and more question marks appeared on Jaeyul’s face.

He looked genuinely unable to believe it was a joke.

Even Yoo Eden was staring at me like I was talking nonsense.

“The restroom?

I didn’t go anywhere.

And Song Jihan went out with Bomyeong and hasn’t come back yet.

What did you see to make you say that?”

“…Really…?

That can’t be….”

Something was off.

I hadn’t seen his face clearly, but I was sure it was Jaeyul.

Was my body really in that bad of shape?

Mistaking someone else for Jaeyul…?

“No, I must’ve been mistaken.”

How strange.

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