The Night Of The Untraced

When the full moon came, Muheun would shut himself away in his home and disappear. He didn’t know why before, but now he understood it was because his spiritual energy went out of control. Not that knowing changed much.Anyway, because of this, Muheun was unusually quiet from the moment he got on the bus. He was clearly exhausted, his eyes lazily opening and closing more sluggishly than usual. Eventually, he fell completely silent and dozed off, resting his head on Seungjoo’s shoulder.“……”There was no need to push him away. More accurately, it would be wrong to say that he wanted to push him away. Seungjoo didn’t want to bother his tired brother, and the small decrease in the distance between them wasn’t so unpleasant.There are moments when, even though a feeling is familiar, you realize its intensity anew. Like when you run into him unexpectedly, or when he suddenly reaches out his hand, or in those moments when your guard is suddenly lowered.Like now, when just having him lean on his shoulder makes this moment feel precious.‘…Is he uncomfortable?’Seungjoo glanced at Muheun and straightened his posture unnecessarily. He was worried that the weight of someone bigger than him leaning on his shoulder might cause a crick in his neck. Muheun’s curled-up figure looked a little pitiful too.How could someone with such light sleep doze off like this? Muheun, who was usually picky about his sleeping environment, rarely fell asleep unless everything was just right. According to his sister, Seunghui, he never once dozed off or slept at school. He was the complete opposite of Kim Muryung, who was always dozing off.Seungjoo looked out the window and swallowed dryly several times. He nervously adjusted the bouquet on his lap and glanced at Muheun again several times. Even while being acutely aware of Muheun’s presence close by, the underlying sense of discomfort wouldn’t go away.‘We’re supposed to find Gwimae today…’According to the plan, they were supposed to go into the mountains to find the unsealed Gwimae and read its memories. Whether Seungjoo purified it or Muheun sealed it, the fact that they would face the Gwimae together was certain.But no matter how much he thought about it, something felt off. What felt off was that Muheun, who told him to try purifying Gwimae, didn’t seem like himself. Despite all the reasons he gave, the Muheun Seungjoo knew would have found another way “despite” those reasons.But even if it felt strange, he couldn’t just criticize based on a hunch. When he had asked before, Muheun had made a complicated expression, saying he didn’t want to assign such tasks. The reasons he gave were logical enough, so this discomfort might just be a matter of mood.‘It’s still bothersome, though.’In fact, there were other strange parts too. Like the day he fell into the water because of that black goldfish, the day they went to the ER and got X-rays. On that day, Muheun had asked a particular question.‘How many times do you think your spiritual sight has opened and led to such incidents?’Muheun had asked if he knew how many times he’d almost died. When Seungjoo couldn’t answer, Muheun firmly gave him the number.‘Seven times.’“……”Why seven times?Even counting generously, it was only five times. When he almost got hit by a truck, when he encountered the Gwimae that resembled a wild boar, when he faced the vengeful spirit, and when he almost fell into the lake and actually did fall in.At the time, he had let it pass without much thought, but once he became aware of it, the sense of curiosity wouldn’t go away. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out what the other two instances were. He wanted to ask Muheun, but since it was “that” Kim Muheun, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.How could he ask? It’s not like he’s asking Kim Muryung. If he asked what the other two were, Muheun would undoubtedly give him a downcast expression, upset at the thought of him almost dying.‘He’s strangely fragile in certain ways.’Even if he seemed relaxed, he was always on edge. He pretended not to be, but he had a strong sense of responsibility, and sometimes he overthought things in unexpected ways. The problem was that most of those thoughts revolved around “Seo Seungjoo.”Lost in thought, Seungjoo realized the bus had entered familiar territory. As soon as they passed a bus stop, Seungjoo gently tapped Muheun’s thigh.“Hyung.”“……”Muheun’s peacefully closed eyes furrowed slightly. But he still didn’t seem to be waking up, so Seungjoo grabbed his leg and shook it lightly.“Hyung, wake up. We’re almost there.”“Mm… I’m awake.”Finally, Muheun slowly opened his eyelids. His long eyelashes fluttered in a way that left even Seungjoo, who had watched him for a long time, momentarily speechless. Then, forcing himself to clear his throat, Seungjoo tried to speak in as natural a tone as possible.“We’re getting off at the next stop.”They arrived at the entrance of the path leading to private property. From here, only designated vehicles could enter, and without permission, no one else could pass through.Seungjoo was one of the few people who could access this private land without permission. After all, the entire area belonged to his family. Not only Seungjoo but also the neighboring families could come and go without any special procedures.After greeting the guard at the entrance, the two of them started climbing the mountain, each carrying a bouquet of flowers. To visit Seunghui and Seungtae, they had to walk quite a distance up the mountain, as the family grave was located deep inside.Halfway up the mountain, Seungjoo took off his outerwear and fanned himself with the front of his shirt. With July approaching, it quickly became hot after some physical activity. Even though he was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and a light windbreaker, he could feel the heat radiating from his back.“Are you very hot?”Muheun naturally took Seungjoo’s coat and asked. Seungjoo reflexively reached out, but the coat was already in Muheun’s hands. He’ll carry anything, won’t he? Seungjoo thought, twitching his cheek.“I’m okay now that I’ve taken it off, but….”Seungjoo looked Muheun up and down. He was wearing short sleeves, so it was understandable, but Muheun wore a black long-sleeved T-shirt all year round. Even if the material was thin, it didn’t change the fact that it seemed to absorb all the sunlight.“Hyung, you’re hot, right?”“…Hmm.”As expected, he couldn’t bring himself to deny it. He just squinted his eyes and smiled softly.“It is pretty hot.”It made sense. Most spiritual beings don’t feel the cold, so they tend to get particularly hot in the summer. Muryung was like that, Muyeon too, and even the Kim Muheun standing in front of him. Back in school, Muryung used to be so exhausted in the summer that he would collapse on his desk like a soaked sponge, unable to move.“If it gets hotter, it’ll be tough… Wouldn’t it be better to just wear short sleeves?”At the very least, wearing something white would help. But he probably wore similar outfits because his tattoos showed through. Even in long sleeves, he stood out, so Seungjoo thought he might as well dress cooler.“People usually get curious when this much shows.”Muheun said this while brushing the back of his neck with his left hand. A disjointed orchid tattoo, starting behind his ear, was visible where his large hand had covered. As Seungjoo followed his gaze, Muheun showed his wrist this time.“But when it shows up to here, they get scared.”A tattoo peeked out from beneath his sleeve, near his wrist. It was positioned exactly where a watch would sit.“Ah…”Seungjoo nodded lightly, as if understanding. A tattoo just on the neck might be one thing, but if it covered an entire arm, it would definitely look suspicious. The former made you look like a thug, while the latter made you look like a gangster.“Then at least roll up your sleeves. It’s just us here, anyway.”He suggested this because just watching made him feel hotter. Muheun wasn’t sweating, but in his already tired state, he’d only get more exhausted.“It’s not like I’m scared of you…”If the problem was that other people were scared, Seungjoo wasn’t one of them. He wouldn’t be afraid even if Muheun covered himself entirely in tattoos (though he’d prefer it if he didn’t). He had already seen his upper body with the naked eye and, even after seeing the tattoos covering Muheun’s left arm, all he had thought was, “Doesn’t that hurt?”“Do you want me to roll up your sleeves?”Seungjoo asked while glancing at the bouquet and coat Muheun was holding. Worried that Muheun might not have enough hands free, Seungjoo offered, but Muheun just stared at him for a while.“…No.”Muheun finally answered softly, curling the corners of his mouth into a smile. There was something inexplicably ticklish in the laugh that escaped his lips.“It’s okay. I’m not that hot.”“Well… that’s a relief, then.”Why is he laughing like that? Seungjoo didn’t think he said anything particularly strange, but his neck felt warm. Meanwhile, Muheun quickly switched to a playful expression, squinting his eyes.“Seungjoo, do you remember the snakes here?”“Wow, of course I remember. How could I forget?”Back when they were kids, Muryung had actually caught a snake. It happened during one of their family visits. As soon as he saw a large snake slithering by, he grabbed it with his bare hands without hesitation. The adults later released the snake nearby, and Muryung was scolded for grabbing things so recklessly.“That scared me so much because of Muryung.”He was quite something. Fearless, but despite not looking like it, he was incredibly bold. At the time, Seungjoo had been frozen in place, unable to do anything.Muheun looked at Seungjoo and spoke in a gentle, kind voice.“We’re going to catch a snake today too.”In a lush, green mountain, the vast cemetery clearly showed signs of careful maintenance. The evenly planted grass was seasonally green, and the graves were laid out in an orderly fashion, with a solemn atmosphere that was ironically quite picturesque.Seungjoo, along with Muheun, headed towards one of the graves near the entrance. The grave, bordered with granite and marked with a headstone, was closer to the other than the rest. The Chinese characters neatly inscribed on the black stone were similar in content for both.Seo Seunghee and Seo Seungtae.This was the resting place of his sister and brother, who had passed away early. Though they had died young, it wasn’t particularly unusual in the Seo family. That didn’t mean their deaths were any less tragic.“I’ll give this to hyung.”As Seungjoo said this, he placed the bouquet he was holding on Seungtae’s memorial stone. Originally, it was meant to be used for a simple ritual offering, but they had never brought food. They didn’t hold ancestral rites, and these graves were more of a formality.In the end, mourning the dead was no different from comforting the living. In some ways, it was the only solace, and in another sense, it meant that they hadn’t yet moved on. Like visiting every year and offering bouquets, even knowing their spirits had crossed into the afterlife.“…It’s been a while.”Muheun, standing beside him, let out a soft chuckle as he placed his bouquet down as well. The bouquets, made up of baby’s breath and various other flowers, had been with them throughout their bus ride. They had removed any strongly scented flowers and had brought only the ones Seunghee and Seungtae liked.“Hyung, has it been a while since you last came here too?”Seungjoo asked lightly. As they neared the cemetery, Muheun had become noticeably quieter. Knowing why, Seungjoo tried to lighten the mood himself.“I’ve been too busy lately to come.”Muheun shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. Seungjoo’s coat was still draped over one of his arms. His eyes, cast downward, momentarily reflected a hint of guilt.“I also felt too ashamed to come…”“…”What’s there to feel sorry about now?“You haven’t felt good about it for years.”It had been quite a while since Seunghee and Seungtae passed away. Seungjoo had been nine years old, and Muheun was nineteen—ten years had passed, plus another year. Yet, during all that time, Muheun still seemed consumed by their deaths.“It wasn’t even your fault, hyung.”It was an accident. Young Seungjoo hadn’t heard the details, but they said it was the work of an evil spirit targeting their spiritual energy. It happened in an instant, and no one had time to react. Despite being always cautious, it wasn’t easy to escape their fated end.Muheun probably knew that. That it wasn’t his fault, and that no one blamed him. But still, he couldn’t find a way to cope with the overwhelming guilt.Perhaps that’s why, whenever he had time, Muheun would regularly visit their graves. Seungjoo, a family member, only visited once a year on the anniversary, but Muheun would drive for hours to come here, even from distant regions. Seungjoo also knew that Muyeon, despite being busy, always made sure to bring flowers too.“Hyung, you’re being disrespectful to my sister by doing that.”Seungjoo had said the same to Muyeon occasionally. That their sister wouldn’t want their brother to be in pain. If the situation were reversed, Seunghee wouldn’t want Seungtae to be upset either. When Seungjoo said this, Muyeon would grin and ruffle Seungjoo’s hair.“I know, hyung, it wasn’t your fault.”Unlike Muyeon, Muheun smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly. But his eyes narrowed, changing his expression noticeably, even though it wasn’t a broad smile. As Seungjoo thought to himself how fox-like his smile was, Muheun spoke in a calm, subdued tone.“I might’ve thought that way when I was younger, but not now.”“But you do.”“…Not much, just a little.”Muheun added sheepishly when Seungjoo sharply pointed it out. He still did it, but it wasn’t the main reason for his guilt.“Then why do you feel guilty?”“Hmm…”The low hum he let out was somehow significant. His gaze as he looked steadily at Seungjoo was no different. When Seungjoo met his gaze without looking away, Muheun exhaled a soft breath and reached out his left hand to him.“There’s just something about it.”His hand gently patted Seungjoo’s head. It wasn’t a ticklish type of touch, but more like the affection one might show to someone younger. Though it wasn’t entirely unpleasant, Seungjoo frowned and quickly turned his head to the side.“I probably won’t be able to come for a while again.”Seungjoo only half-listened to what Muheun was saying. Well, if he gets busier, he’ll just get busier—he certainly won’t have any more free time. In Seungjoo’s opinion, Muheun needed to visit here less frequently.“By the way, how did you know what flowers my sister and brother liked?”Before they boarded the bus, they had stopped at a flower shop, where Muheun had chosen the flowers they liked without hesitation and informed the staff. He seemed so confident, while Seungjoo had been unsure.“I heard about it before. Seunghee once got a bouquet from her boyfriend.”Muheun explained that when Seunghee received that bouquet, Seungtae had been quite disgusted by it. He didn’t want to know about his sister’s love life, but that reaction only made Seunghee tease him more.“At that time, she kept pestering Seungtae with all sorts of stories…”Talking about baby’s breath, roses, and how she mentioned she liked them in passing, so her boyfriend bought them for her right away. She said these things on purpose to annoy him, and it was information that Muheun hadn’t wanted to know either.Eventually, Muyeon, who was listening nearby, started giggling and joined in, prompting Seungtae to abruptly change the subject.“He suddenly asked me what kind of flowers I liked.”“…Hyung asked you?”“Yeah, it was so random.”Muheun chuckled lightly, adding that it must have been something he really didn’t want to hear. Suddenly, they found themselves discussing their favorite flowers, and as is typical with such idle conversations, the topic quickly shifted. He mentioned that it was during that time he learned not only Seunghee’s and Muyeon’s preferences but also Seungtae’s.“It was just a passing conversation… but even after they died, I kept thinking about it. I’m sure Muyeon remembers it too.”Memory can be funny like that, with the most trivial details often leaving the deepest impressions. Just as Seungjoo remembered insignificant stories about Muyeon from his childhood, it seemed Muheun experienced something similar.“I didn’t even know my sister had a boyfriend.”“Really? She had quite a few.”Around that time, Seungjoo, who was still in elementary school, was probably busy playing with Muyeon at the playground. He wasn’t old enough to be interested in romantic stories, and even if he had known, he likely would have forgotten about them quickly.“Sometimes, when she went on dates, Seunghee took you along.”“Took me?”This was something Seungjoo was hearing for the first time. He frowned slightly, trying to recall. He remembered going out with his sister often, but there was no one he could distinctly remember as being her boyfriend.“You don’t remember?”“Not at all.”“Wow.”“…What’s with that reaction?”Feeling perplexed, Seungjoo let out a small laugh, to which Muheun responded with an amused expression. His pitch-black eyes sparkled with amusement.“No, it’s just that the guys who dated Seunghee used to go out of their way to impress you.”“Why would they try to impress me if they were dating my sister…?”It was a completely baffling idea. Impressing him wouldn’t benefit them, and trying to make an impression on a clueless kid didn’t make sense either.“When people date someone, they often want to make a good impression on those around them too.”“So, did they try to impress you too?”“Seungtae?”“No, you, Muheun hyung.”If anyone could be considered close, it would be Muheun, so Seungjoo pointed at him. Muheun smiled crookedly, a charming grin that, for some reason, struck Seungjoo as a bit annoying.“They were jealous of me.”“…”Ah, now he understood why he found that grin so irritating. The slow, relaxed tone of his voice was the culprit.“They probably broke up with her because of me a lot.”Muheun didn’t elaborate, but it was easy enough to figure out. Having someone like him around as a childhood friend would certainly make any romantic partner feel uneasy. Even if there weren’t any romantic feelings involved, his mere presence could have been threatening enough.“That… would be your fault, hyung.”“My fault?”At Seungjoo’s reluctant reply, Muheun burst out laughing. He covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes crinkling. The fact that he didn’t even bother denying it showed he was fully aware of his own charm.“Of course, if I had a friend like you, my girlfriend wouldn’t like it either.”Seungjoo said it casually, but as soon as he did, Muheun’s expression turned slightly odd. Without noticing Muheun’s reaction, Seungjoo added nonchalantly.“Not to mention, my exes used to say they wouldn’t like it if Kim Muyeon were a girl.”Because he was so close to Muryeong, Seungjoo once heard someone say that if Muryeong were a girl, they would be insanely jealous. It was just a passing comment, but it stuck with him after hearing similar remarks a few more times.“You should be more careful about that, hyung…”“…”“…What is it?”As Seungjoo spoke absentmindedly, he felt a lingering gaze. When he looked up, he saw Muheun staring at him intently. Feeling uncomfortable, Seungjoo asked why, but Muheun remained silent.“Why are you looking at me like that?”It was hard to describe, but Muheun’s gaze seemed filled with some kind of dissatisfaction. His eyes narrowed, and his lips moved slightly as if he were about to say something. Just as Seungjoo was about to ask again, Muheun gave a faint smile.“Your exes were jealous of Muryeong?”Muheun’s tone was so casual that it made the earlier tension feel like a mere figment of Seungjoo’s imagination. Before Seungjoo could even nod, Muheun’s smile deepened as he asked another question.“So, it wasn’t just one of them?”“Just… you know…”It was a difficult question to answer. Giving an exact number felt strange, and simply agreeing seemed like he was admitting to something more than he was comfortable with.“It happened a few times.”“A few times?”Muheun murmured softly in response, not really asking, but more like confirming it to himself. Curious about why he was acting this way, Seungjoo stared at him, only to see Muheun suddenly furrow his brows.“Ah…”At the same time, Muheun sighed and covered his face with one hand. His hand was so large that Seungjoo couldn’t see his expression. Muheun let out a mix of sighs and chuckles, leaving Seungjoo to ask again.“What’s wrong this time?”“…This time, I really don’t know how I’ll face Seunghee.”There it was again—the same line about having no face to show. Although Muheun didn’t explain, Seungjoo could guess what he was thinking. He was probably recalling how his sister’s relationships ended because of him.“Come on, if they broke up because they were jealous of you, they couldn’t have dated my sister anyway.”Although Seungjoo said it was Muheun’s fault, he knew that Muheun wasn’t really to blame. Knowing Muheun, he would have been careful not to cause any misunderstandings. Similarly, Seunghee had no romantic interest in Muheun whatsoever.“Besides, that was ages ago. Why are you only now feeling bad about it? You really hold onto the strangest things, hyung.”The more Seungjoo thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Muheun wasn’t the type to be petty, yet here he was, hung up on something so trivial. Seungjoo was about to suggest they stop overthinking and just focus on catching the Gwimae, but Muheun looked at him through his fingers.“…”“…”This time, Seungjoo couldn’t even muster a “What is it?” as their eyes met, leaving him speechless. Without knowing why, he clamped his mouth shut, and after a brief pause, Muheun spoke slowly.“…Yeah, I guess I do hold onto things.”It sounded like an admission and a bit like resignation. Even the chuckle that followed felt more complex than Seungjoo had expected. Muheun brushed his bangs back with a sigh and finally, as if it were nothing, echoed Seungjoo’s thoughts.“Let’s go finish the job.”* * *The place where the seal on the Gwimae had been broken was close to the ancestral burial grounds owned by the Seo family. Although it was within walking distance, the constant uphill and downhill made it feel much farther. It wasn’t exhausting, just mildly annoying.Before they began searching for the Gwimae, Muheun insisted on setting up a barrier around the area. He told Seungjoo to wait since it would be difficult for him to follow around, but Seungjoo confidently replied that he would accompany him. Having decided to join him, Seungjoo wanted to see the process through to the end.To cut to the chase, Seungjoo regretted his bravado by the time they were halfway through placing the talismans. No matter how fit Seungjoo was, following an exorcist around was tough for an ordinary person. Wandering through the mountains drained his energy three times faster than walking on flat ground.He couldn’t help but think that no one could avoid gaining stamina with such a lifestyle. It reminded him of the time he took Ser-gi for a walk instead of Muryeong and realized why Muryeong never seemed to gain weight. Seungjoo started to admire the life of an exorcist.Unlike Seungjoo, Muheun showed no signs of fatigue. He wasn’t sweating or panting, nor did he occasionally stop to rest like Seungjoo, who would sometimes lean on his thighs to catch his breath. At one point, Muheun even asked Seungjoo in a relaxed tone if he wanted to be carried.“…Do all exorcists have this much stamina?”No matter how you looked at it, this seemed beyond human capabilities. Seungjoo had always felt the difference in their stamina, but experiencing it firsthand was something else. It was on a different level from when he used to wonder why Muryeong never seemed to tire while they played soccer.“That’s why I offered to carry you.”Instead of answering, Muheun gave Seungjoo a sympathetic look, even flashing an awkward smile, as if he believed Seungjoo was really struggling. Maybe that’s why he initially suggested Seungjoo wait while he finished the job alone.“Is it really that tough?”“Ah… I kind of regret not just waiting like you said.”Seungjoo admitted his limits, flapping his shirt to cool down as he bent over and took deep breaths. Muheun chuckled, repeating Seungjoo’s words as he let out a soft, tickled laugh.“Showing off, huh…”Muheun’s face was filled with amusement, though he wasn’t openly smiling. The way he squinted his eyes to hide his expression only made it look like he was smiling even more.Regardless, as Seungjoo caught his breath, Muheun pulled out another talisman.“But once we stick this on, we’re done.”The talisman dangled from Muheun’s long fingers, swaying lightly. To Seungjoo, it was like a lifeline in a drought. After wandering around for over an hour, it wasn’t surprising that they were finally wrapping things up.“I’m closing the barrier.”With those words, Muheun placed the talisman on a nearby tree. This was the final talisman, the one that would serve as the core of the barrier. Though it looked like he was sticking it on carelessly, it was clear he was positioning it precisely.“And… it’s done.”As soon as he pulled his hand away, there was a sharp ringing in the air. Even though Seungjoo had experienced this several times before, it still felt strange every time. It was probably why Muheun always warned him before closing the barrier, to prevent Seungjoo from being startled.“Now we just have to find the Gwimae, right?”Seungjoo, pressing his palms to his ears, asked with a frown. He swallowed dryly, and the pressure in his ears finally began to ease. Muheun, watching Seungjoo’s actions, shifted his gaze over Seungjoo’s shoulder.“Yeah, but I don’t think we need to go looking.”“Why…”He didn’t even have time to ask why before he heard a rustling sound nearby. Muheun quickly pulled Seungjoo towards him, hiding behind a tree. He then raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.“Shh.”“…”Muheun’s soft whisper tickled like a breath against Seungjoo’s ear. He involuntarily flinched and hunched his shoulders. He had been grabbed like this by Kwangsik before, but the warmth he felt from behind was entirely different this time.Muheun, as if trying to calm him down, gently patted Seungjoo’s shoulder and brought his lips close to Seungjoo’s ear again.“Look over there.”His voice was sweet, almost like he was casting a spell. As if entranced, Seungjoo did as Muheun instructed and cautiously peeked out from behind the tree. Just beyond it, not far away, he saw something strange.‘What… is that?’It was a huge, jet-black serpent. It moved slowly like a snake, but its thickness and length were anything but ordinary. Even as it slithered along the ground, it exuded an overwhelming presence. If it were to rise up, it would undoubtedly seem monstrous.“…Why is that here?”Seungjoo asked in a whisper so low it was barely audible. But even at that volume, Muheun could hear him clearly. Without pulling away, Muheun softly murmured back into Seungjoo’s ear.“Must’ve sensed the barrier being set up.”Unlike the frozen-in-place Seungjoo, Muheun’s voice was perfectly calm. He explained in the same nonchalant tone that some Gwimae were bold enough to approach like this. Maybe it was the effect of Muheun’s composure, but the tension in Seungjoo’s shoulders eased just a bit.“Seungjoo.”During this, Muheun gently called Seungjoo’s name. Though his tone was soft, the next words struck like a sharp blade.“Do you think you can handle that?”“…”There was no way Seungjoo could confidently say yes. At that moment, he couldn’t even imagine laying a hand on it.“If you don’t think you can, you don’t have to force yourself.”“…Hah.”Hearing Muheun’s generous permission, Seungjoo let out a small, helpless laugh. So this was Muheun’s plan all along. He had probably figured that Seungjoo would back down once he faced the creature and felt fear.“Hyung, really…”Seungjoo wanted to protest, but no words came out. Muheun had given him a chance, and even now, he was offering him a choice. If Seungjoo couldn’t muster the courage, it wasn’t really Muheun’s fault.“So, what will you do?”The gently posed question was, in a way, as good as a certainty. It was Muheun’s way of expressing his conviction that Seungjoo wouldn’t be able to do it—his way of showing how well he knew Seungjoo. In some sense, it was a kind warning to listen to him.Seungjoo wasn’t a fool, so by this point, he understood. He knew that if he refused now, he wouldn’t get another chance like this. His spiritual sight would soon close, and Muheun would never again ask him to do something so dangerous.“I’m not forcing you.”The voice that whispered in his ear was truly kind. The embrace around his back was so warm it bordered on hot, making his nape feel flushed. Normally, this would be something he’d be acutely aware of, but all Seungjoo could manage was a sigh.“…Ah.”With a soft sigh, Seungjoo relaxed his tense body. When he leaned back into Muheun’s embrace, he felt Muheun flinch slightly. Resting the back of his head against Muheun’s neck, Seungjoo spoke in a flat tone.“Hyung, you really know how to be annoying, don’t you?”“Am I annoying?”“Do you even need to ask…?”It was a problem because, despite the annoyance, he couldn’t bring himself to dislike Muheun. Even now, Muheun was holding him close, trying to soothe his startled nerves. Knowing that it all stemmed from concern, Seungjoo couldn’t entirely fault his actions.“But I can handle that.”However, Seungjoo had no intention of doing what Muheun wanted. It was a bit scary, but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle. If he were alone, he wouldn’t even attempt it, but Muheun would be right there with him.“I have to keep my promise.”“…”Muheun kept silent, studying Seungjoo’s face. He was likely ready to try and persuade him if Seungjoo showed even a hint of hesitation, but Seungjoo looked back at him without blinking. At the same time, Muheun’s voice, now subdued, flowed out.“Right… You should keep your promise.”Should Seungjoo be relieved that Muheun wasn’t the type to go back on his word? Or should he be amused at the hint of disappointment in Muheun’s reluctant agreement?There was no need to mention that purifying the Gwimae would be painful. If he said that now, it would only give Muheun a convenient excuse to stop him.Instead, Seungjoo added with a final sense of duty.“If you think it’s too dangerous… then stop me. I’ll back off right away.”“Okay.”Muheun answered without the slightest hesitation, pressing down on Seungjoo’s head with his chin and adding in a firm voice.“That’s the plan.”“….”It felt like he was using his chin to take out his frustration. Though it was more of a gentle poke than anything painful.“For now, just wait a moment.”With those words, Muheun released Seungjoo from his embrace. It hadn’t felt hot while they were pressed together, but now that he was cooling down, Seungjoo wondered if it might have been too warm after all. Still, that comforting embrace had felt good, so it didn’t really matter.“Come out when I call you.”“What are you going to do?”“I need to restrain it so it can’t move, given its current state.”Maybe he was planning to subdue it with a sword, like before. Nodding at the thought, Seungjoo watched as Muheun approached the Gwimae, but instead of drawing his sword, Muheun walked towards it barehanded. As Seungjoo peeked out from behind the tree, he watched Muheun steadily advance toward the Gwimae.‘What’s he planning to do?’The Gwimae, noticing Muheun, raised its head high. The hissing sound it made was a clear sign that it was wary of him. Seungjoo had thought it was big before, but now, seeing it partially raised, it was as large as Muheun. Even from a distance, the sight was intimidating, but Muheun didn’t slow down as he approached the Gwimae.Blue spiritual energy began to emanate from Muheun’s body. The energy flowed out like smoke, affecting not only the Gwimae but also Seungjoo. As Seungjoo swallowed dryly, he narrowed his eyes.‘It feels…’Should he call it a thirst? The energy that Muheun exuded felt sweet, similar to when one was mesmerized by the Gwimae. It wasn’t enough to make him lose his senses, but it did make him want to experience it more vividly.As Seungjoo blinked in a daze, the energy flowing from Muheun’s fingertips stretched thinly along the ground. Muheun had condensed his spiritual power into a thread. With a frown, Seungjoo watched Muheun’s back.‘Why isn’t he using his sword…?’The question that suddenly popped into his head didn’t require much thought to answer. Muheun had seen Seungjoo cough up blood the last time he stabbed the Gwimae, so he wouldn’t dare act aggressively with Seungjoo there. He was probably trying to subdue the Gwimae without hurting it too much.“…”Maybe I shouldn’t have been so stubborn. It was too late for regrets, but he couldn’t help feeling sorry. Even though they had discussed it rationally, he still felt like he had caused unnecessary trouble.But knowing Muheun, he probably didn’t see it as trouble at all.“…!”Thud! A loud noise startled Seungjoo out of his thoughts. When he looked up, Muheun had somehow gotten close to the Gwimae, and with his right hand, he clenched the air tightly. Then, as if reeling in a fishing line, he pulled it sharply towards him.Thud! Another loud noise echoed as the Gwimae’s head crashed to the ground. The thread of spiritual energy, wrapped tightly around the Gwimae’s long body, forcibly pinned it down. Though the thread was so thin it was barely visible, its strength was beyond description.“Seungjoo.”Muheun’s soft voice called out to him. Just as the Gwimae hissed and tried to glance at Seungjoo, he quickly looked away and focused on Muheun. Without turning around, Muheun spoke again.“You can come closer now.”“……”Seungjoo, who had tightly shut his mouth, finally moved his tense body. He thought he wasn’t nervous, but he must have been on edge without realizing it. To be precise, the moment the Gwimae hit its head, a sudden discomfort settled in his heart.“…Is it over already?”“Yeah. The seal wasn’t fully broken yet.”It ended much quicker than expected, indicating that the Gwimae was weaker than they had anticipated. In reality, the energy emanating from the Gwimae was nothing compared to the boar they had encountered in the mountains earlier.“It probably won’t be able to move much.”True to Muheun’s words, the Gwimae only twitched occasionally and couldn’t crawl along the ground as it did before. The thread of spiritual energy extending from Muheun’s hand was securely holding it in place. It certainly looked safe, but Seungjoo couldn’t fully relax or feel at ease.‘It feels like we’re tormenting it…’Every time the Gwimae flicked its tongue, a hissing sound escaped it. Its bright red eyes were still menacing, but there was a hint of fear mixed within them. Seungjoo felt a pang of discomfort as he looked at the Gwimae, a feeling that others might not understand.Without realizing it, he muttered under his breath.“…Does it hurt?”Muheun glanced at Seungjoo in response to the unexpected question. Only then did Seungjoo meet the Gwimae’s gaze directly. The way soot dripped down from its eyes made it look as if it were crying tears of blood.“No… It must hurt because it keeps struggling.”Every time the Gwimae squirmed and twisted its body, the thin thread tightened even more around it. Clicking his tongue in sympathy, Seungjoo watched as the Gwimae suddenly froze. It could have been a coincidence, but Seungjoo felt as though the creature understood him.“Stay still.”The words slipped out as naturally as a breath, not something he consciously intended to say. He hadn’t planned on whispering like that or speaking to the Gwimae at all. But the moment their gazes locked, it felt as if something connected between them, as if they were communicating.“Shhh…”Seungjoo mimicked the gesture Muheun often used to soothe him, lowering his posture and slowly reaching out his hand as if calming a child or a frightened puppy.To his surprise, the Gwimae watched his movements quietly. Not only that, but it even stretched its head forward as if trying to meet his hand. The thread that had been wrapped around the Gwimae had loosened, and the ferocious energy it had been radiating had calmed down.“…Good.”An inexplicable certainty settled over him. It was the same unfounded confidence he always felt when dealing with the Gwimae—an unshakable trust that it wouldn’t harm him.“It’s okay.”As his fingertips reached the creature, Seungjoo could sense how weakened it had become. Its feeble tongue flicking out seemed to indicate it was in so much pain that even breathing was difficult. Like the other Gwimae that had sought his help, this one was too weak to even ask for it.A belated curiosity arose. If this Gwimae was so weak that it couldn’t even be tracked, how had they known its seal had broken? Who was the one who discovered the broken seal and reported its location to the Association?‘That person was always at the site where the seal was broken.’He couldn’t understand why Gwangsik’s words suddenly came to mind. Words he had dismissed as nonsense, where Gwangsik had accused Muheun of being behind all the incidents. And then there was the strange thing Muheun had said today.‘We’re going to catch a snake today.’How did he know that the Gwimae looked like a snake?The fleeting question that crossed his mind was something he couldn’t bring himself to ask Muheun. As Seungjoo felt the cold sensation in his palm, he slowly closed his eyes. The pitch-black energy began to swirl around him, as if it were drawing him in.The chapters have been revised, edited, and compressed, and the complete main story has been released for free, as I’m concerned it might be taken down or worse. I didn’t want to disappoint the readers, so I apologize for any inconvenience, and I hope you enjoy reading the complete story! The side stories will be coming soon, so don't worry~