Chapter 24

Given his past actions, it was hard to believe he would ever do something like that.

"Father... He hated you, didn't he?"

Trying to lie made the last bit of alcohol in his system evaporate.

In high school, they did everything together. But when Chahaya got a girlfriend, something felt off. At first, he thought it was just jealousy, but when Chahaya got a second girlfriend, he realized it.

He didn't like sharing Chahaya's time with his girlfriends. Of course, even with a girlfriend, Chahaya always put him first. But every time, the words that came out were the same.

"Hey, take care of your girlfriend."

"Just go have dinner with your girlfriend. Go home with her today."

He had to act like a considerate friend, yielding to Chahaya. The inferiority complex he felt towards Chahaya, combined with jealousy, made him gradually distance himself.

Chahaya was more addictive than any drug, and it took a long time to put some distance between them. Once he did, he felt more at ease.

The elevator doors opened, and Chahaya stepped out first. There were only two households per floor, and one of them was Seo-un's.

"Which one?"

Chahaya pointed to the left and right doors.

"Sorry."

"You came all this way to kick me out?"

Chahaya held up the plastic bag containing alcohol.

"Passing you by at our university... I'm sorry."

"Oh, I didn't even think about it."

Chahaya laughed it off, pretending it didn't hurt.

Chahaya always did that.

You get swayed by my every word and action, but you don't care about the pain you cause me. That day, when I saw Chahaya coming to find me, I almost ran to him, but I held myself back, even getting angry. "Bastard, don't make me misunderstand. Who the hell waits for a friend at school? What's so great about a guy who cuts off contact unilaterally...?"

"Left."

Chahaya was already closer to the left door.

"Password?"

"Even my mom doesn't know it. Why would I tell you?"

"You're not getting in."

"Who do you think I'm fooling?"

Seo-un pushed Chahaya away. When did touching him start making his heart race? He even deliberately bumped into him roughly, acting like a dirty opportunist.

Every time he pushed Chahaya away, saying "Get lost," he actually wanted to pull him closer. Luckily, Chahaya wasn't a mind reader. If he could read minds, Seo-un would have been stuck in the netherworld forever.

Seo-un was aware of Chahaya standing a step behind him.

He became the deputy guild leader to leave the netherworld, but he also wanted to see Chahaya again. However, he pushed Chahaya away, pretending to be someone else. The effort to keep Chahaya out of his home...

Just a friend visiting, yet it felt so significant.

"It's nothing," Seo-un said, grabbing the doorknob.

<Quest Interrupted! The Gate misses 'Elephant Shrew Cha Seo-un'.>

A wave of dizziness, like being drunk, washed over him.

The tingling sensation in the back of his head was the same pain he felt when he crossed the Gate. Chahaya said something, but Seo-un couldn't focus. The pain of his body breaking down at the cellular level made him grab the Matarahari by the door.

His universe seemed to disintegrate as all his cells scattered, and darkness enveloped him. The pain was so intense, it felt like a blessing to faint. But he couldn't even hit his head to knock himself out; he just felt like his essence was scattered in an endless void.

The stars, which had been moving away, started to contract into a point. The sudden contraction made Seo-un grip the point tightly.

Ha...!

He took a deep breath, like a person returning to Earth from space, savoring the oxygen. As the oxygen flowed, his vision gradually regained color. He saw his hand gripping his chest, and below it, a dark shadow. On closer inspection, it was a black circle, like the Gate.

The circle was large enough for ten people to lie down. Seo-un lifted his head, still holding the Matarahari. Bright lights shone from above, but the circle didn't reflect them.

"April 19, Seoul time 10:35. Confirmed the return of 'Deputy Guild Leader Cha Seo-un'."

A man in a suit with a pad outside the circle spoke.

"Mr. Seo-un, please come out and sign."

Looking around, Seo-un saw no sign of Chahaya. Realizing he was the only one who returned, he covered his forehead with the Matarahari.

...Damn, I didn't leave anything strange at home, did I?

The only thing he could think of was the Gate information sheet he received when leaving the netherworld, which he left on the living room table.

"Mr. Seo-un, it's your first return, right? Have you read the information sheet?"

"Not yet..."

Seo-un slowly lowered his hand.

"You might experience vomiting or fever after returning. Would you like to rest before signing?"

The man pointed to a tent made of cloth.

"I'm fine."

Seo-un walked out of the circle and signed the pad the man held out.

"Top-tier species are different, indeed."

The man spoke warmly.

"Excuse me?"

"Even top-tier species often faint or vomit on their first return."

The man winked when talking about the first experience, making Seo-un's grip on the Matarahari tighten.

He cared for Chahaya more than just a friend, but he never imagined a deeper relationship. Every time they touched, his heart raced, but he couldn't picture anything more. Maybe he deliberately avoided thinking about it, fearing it would be a point of no return.

Sighing deeply, Seo-un walked away.

The Gate he used to enter Seoul was about 30 meters to the left. Seo-un headed that way, adding an excuse when the staff member looked at him questioningly.

"I'll take the information sheet."

Seo-un picked up the information sheet from the Gate checkpoint. On his way back to the office, he hoped nothing strange was at home.

"...Damn!"

As he turned into a side street in the Nam-dong area, Seo-un shouted. He remembered something Chahaya shouldn't know.

Would Chahaya use an unoccupied bedroom?

Flap, flap, the Gate information sheet fluttered in the wind, reflecting Seo-un's state of mind.

[Gate Information and Precautions

-Produced by Oseong Guild-]

The following information is based on a 3rd-grade U-gemstone.

1. 7 ounces (oz) of U-gemstone allow for about 1 day of stay on Earth.

2. You must carry the U-gemstone when using the Gate.

3. After returning to Korea through the Gate, you can discard or dispose of the U-gemstone.

4. Any weapons taken must be returned together.

5. On your first use of the Gate, you may experience vomiting, fever, chills, or fainting. If you wish, you can receive treatment from a healer of the 'Oseong' guild, which costs 7 ounces (oz) of U-gemstone.

...

...

***

Strange.

Chahaya looked down at his hand, still standing at the entrance. It wasn't strange that Seo-un disappeared into the darkness; it was similar to the process of returning to the netherworld.

What was strange was the duration.

The U-gemstone he gave Seo-un was about 20 ounces, enough for about 3 days. He was sure of this because he intended to give him exactly 3 days' worth.

Chahaya used the same amount of ounces to cross to this place.

The timing should have been similar for the return...

Chahaya took off his shoes and put on the slippers in front. There were three pairs, and two of them showed signs of frequent use, suggesting someone visited often. Why was he curious about who that person was?

"Cha Seo-un, you're the best at making people feel hurt."

Chahaya knew it was an excuse to say he stayed away because of his father. If that were true, they should have become close again after joining the Tachun guild. There must be another reason he couldn't easily express. But now, it didn't matter. The inexplicable distance was gone, and their relationship was back to how it used to be.