RG 159

Ryu Seonghyeon and Song Ji-un got out of the car that had been following us. Both of them wore stiff expressions—it seemed like the ride had been awkward the entire way. It looked like they were still shy around each other, probably because neither of them was very sociable. Honestly, I might need to secretly set up some kind of opportunity for them to bond.

“This is the Circle Guild.”

Since Ryu Seonghyeon was just standing there blankly staring at me after getting out of the car, I introduced the guild building to Song Ji-un instead. I was worried he might be disappointed by how small it was, but Song Ji-un didn’t seem to mind at all.

“My twin brother… he’s here, right?”

Surprised by the cautious question, I nodded slightly.

When I thought about it, for Song Ji-un, this place was where he could meet a blood relative he hadn’t even known existed.

Even though it was all a lie fabricated by a fake, for Song Ji-un, who had lived believing his grandmother was his only remaining family, this must have been a very emotional moment. I hadn’t thought about it properly.

‘I’ve been too indifferent.’

As an orphan, I don’t really understand the concept of family bonds or their importance. I never felt they were significant. No, maybe it’s because I was just born this way, rather than simply being an orphan. Either way, the emotions Song Ji-un was feeling now were beyond my understanding.

“Yes. The guildmaster should be waiting for you in the representative’s office. The vicemaster will accompany you, but if you feel uncomfortable, I can go with you as well.”

Originally, I had planned to leave Song Ji-un with Ryu Seonghyeon and wait in the reception room. After all, the Circle’s guildmaster had only asked me to bring Song Ji-un here, nothing more. Since I belonged to another guild, it wasn’t my place to step into the office and listen to discussions about the Circle Guild’s future. But seeing how awkward Song Ji-un was around Ryu Seonghyeon, and how uneasy he looked, I had no choice but to thicken my skin and go in with him.

‘I’m just caring about Seonghyeon and the Circle Guild members in my own way.’

I didn’t care about the fake—he wasn’t someone I needed to mind anyway. Plus, I had some things to discuss later, too.

Just as I expected, Song Ji-un, who had been hesitating, lowered his lashes and said, “If Hunter Cha Seohu doesn’t mind…”

“Of course, I don’t mind,” I answered breezily, and Song Ji-un’s pale cheeks turned slightly red. He must have felt embarrassed asking someone younger than him for help so timidly.

“Vicemaster, is that alright?”

Assuming he would easily agree, I glanced lightly over—but unexpectedly, Ryu Seonghyeon didn’t look pleased.

His bright brown eyes were much colder than usual. At first, I thought he was mad at me for deciding to go along without asking, but his gaze was fixed on Song Ji-un instead.

“Ha.”

From below, I heard someone scoff. It was Cha Sahyeon, who had been holding my hand while watching the situation unfold.

‘What’s his problem now?’

I looked at Cha Sahyeon with a frown, but Ryu Seonghyeon reluctantly opened his mouth. “Well, in my opinion…”

“Hunter Cha Seohu.”

Ryu Seonghyeon’s words were cut off. From another car that had just arrived, a familiar figure stepped out. 

“Have you returned safely?”

Kwon Taehyeok, dressed sharply in a suit as always, walked straight toward me. A line of bodyguards dressed similarly stood behind him. They looked like a mob gang.

“Yeah, not bad,” I replied indifferently, but then felt a bit guilty since he had helped me in various ways, so I added a word of thanks. “Thank you for sending the driver and car. It made getting to Seoul much easier.”

“I’m glad to hear you made it back without any trouble.” After exchanging some very formal small talk, Kwon Taehyeok looked around me. He exchanged a nod with Ryu Seonghyeon, then glanced over Song Ji-un, Cha Sahyeon, and even Eunbok, who was nestled in my arms, before saying, “So you’ve gained more company. When you set off for the mountain, there were only two of you.”

“Ah, this person is a guest of the Circle Guild. And this here is, as you well know, my little brother.”

Kwon Taehyeok shot a glance at Cha Sahyeon and narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t you say Hunter Cover took your brother away?”

Why was he interrogating me like this?

“We met again in the mountain. If you want to talk more, let’s move somewhere else. Let’s not stand here in the middle of the road.” I deliberately stroked Eunbok, who was in my arms, as if to make a point. “The cat gets anxious.”

Eunbok, far from being anxious, simply yawned widely as if he was bored, but it still made for a good excuse.

“…Understood. I’ll come along as well.”

At Kwon Taehyeok’s bold declaration that he intended to follow us into the Circle Guild, Ryu Seonghyeon let out a short sigh. Since we had borrowed his car, there wasn’t much ground to refuse.

‘Did he lend the car just to do this?’

Realizing Kwon Taehyeok’s intention, I couldn’t help but be impressed. That stiff, uptight guy had actually used his head for once.

“Let’s go inside.”

Just as I was about to follow Ryu Seonghyeon, who was leading the way toward the Circle Guild—

Screeeech! A sharp screech of tires suddenly tore through the air. Startled, I looked toward the road and saw a taxi that had come to an abrupt stop.

“Ah, screw it! Bro, pay it!”

The taxi, which had stopped somewhat roughly, shook a few times before the door flung open and a man scrambled out in a hurry. Wavy, brown hair and bright scarlet eyes. As soon as our eyes met, my mouth opened on its own.

Finding me, Kwon Seoyul broke into a wide grin and ran toward me. “Big Bro! Big Broooo!”

Startled by Kwon Seoyul charging at me like a bull that had seen a red flag, I involuntarily took a step back.

‘How the hell did that bastard get here?’

If my guess was right, he should have been stuck back in the district, unable to leave. Could it be that man gave Kwon Seoyul new orders again? Was that why they had tracked me down…?

“Big Bro, I missed you so much!”

My mind whirled with confusion, and I couldn’t react in time. As I stood there frozen, Kwon Seoyul quickly closed the distance, arms outstretched, ready to hug me—but then a broad back suddenly stepped between us, blocking him.

“What the hell? Get lost.”

“And why are you here?” Looking down at the bristling Kwon Seoyul, Kwon Taehyeok furrowed his brows. “Did you follow me? Were you trying to chase after Hunter Cha Seohu?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Get lost unless you want to die.”

“…Please stop, guildmaster.”

Thanks to Kwon Taehyeok stepping in, I snapped back to my senses. I quickly cut in before their childish bickering escalated any further.

“I’m sorry, Hunter Cha Seohu. Actually, I ran into him at the shopping center earlier—”

“Bro! Where have you been all this time? I couldn’t even contact you!”

“Even so, I didn’t leave myself open enough for him to tail me. He must have used another tracking item…”

“This isn’t the time for that. Big Bro, we need to go back. Father—!”

“…”

My head throbbed thanks to Kwon Seoyul, who was tearfully pleading about something, and Kwon Taehyeok, who kept blocking Kwon Seoyul and offering useless excuses.

I checked on Song Ji-un, who looked flustered, and Ryu Seonghyeon, who was glaring at Kwon Seoyul with a displeased expression, and let out a sigh. “Fine, but for now, let’s just go insi—”

“Cha Seohu!”

“…”

Now what.

‘If they’re going to show up, they might as well all come at once.’

Annoyance flared up inside me, but the voice was too familiar to ignore. It was also a voice I hadn’t expected to hear in a place like this. Turning my head toward the shout, I saw an old friend, storming over, clearly furious to the point of boiling over.

I let go of Cha Sahyeon’s hand and took a few steps forward, making sure Kwon Taehyeok couldn’t block me this time. As soon as I passed the flustered Kwon Taehyeok, Hyeon Dowun lunged at me.

“Cha Seohu, you crazy bastard!”

“Hey there,” I greeted him lazily, and Hyeon Dowun, his face twisted in anger, quickly scanned me up and down. Not satisfied with just looking, he started patting and pressing various parts of my body.

It felt like he was checking the quality of meat at a butcher shop. With Eunbok still in my arms, leaving me defenseless, I said to Hyeon Dowun, “If you start groping me the moment we reunite, it’s kind of embarrassing, babe.”

“Cut the crap. What happened to your phone? Where’d you sell it off that you couldn’t answer any calls?”

“It broke. I had some stuff going on.”

“Shit, what kind of crazy shit are you up to that you end up breaking your phone? And if it broke, you should’ve gotten a new one right away!”

“I was too busy to deal with it. Anyway, that’s not important.”

Supporting Eunbok with one arm, I reached out with my free hand. I plucked the black horn-rimmed glasses from Hyeon Dowun’s nose, and a strong, dark aura still lingering in his blue-tinged eyes immediately hit me.

My mouth curled into a quiet smirk. “You used a tracking skill, huh?”

“…Why are you even asking when you already know?” Snapping back irritably, Hyeon Dowun snatched his glasses out of my hand and put them back on.

Hyeon Dowun. One of the ‘brothers’ I grew up with in the district from a very young age. The only person I genuinely considered both family and friend. He almost never left the district. Partly because he didn’t want to, but mostly because permission was rarely granted. For him to come here, dragging Kwon Seoyul along, meant only one thing.

“If I’m gone, you can’t just run away too, you idiot.”