Episode 228
The bar in Belldan is on the first floor of the tower.
It was in a corner where people rarely visited, not in the bustling center. but.
“I don’t know how many years I’ve had a place like this with you.”
“20 years? No… it must have been longer. Unlike Aden and you, I still have a hard time drinking.”
Kwon Wang Yoo Won-hak.
Witch Aris.
The legend of all the hunters who conquered the 60th floor of the tower for the first time in mankind. But now, the two have chosen the life of teachers raising disciples.
As Yu Won-
Hak pours the drink with his huge hand, Aris accepts the glass with a grin.
“…But today, I want to have a sincere talk with you. You should drink too.”
“You are so eccentric, too.”
If Aris put her mouth to the glass and moistened her lips, Yoo Won-hak grabbed the entire bottle and drank it in.
“So what do you want to say?”
“…the main topic as soon as you sit down.”
Aris sighed, but she had already become accustomed to the straight-forward way of speaking.
“Hmm just. It’s like rubbish to you. For example, I… I was already at my limit when I conquered the 50th floor of the tower.”
After all the adventures and all the challenges, Yu Won-hak lifted the bottle again at the story of Aris, which can only be heard now.
“From the outside, it looked fine. I guess not.”
“don’t worry. I didn’t even want that kind of attention from you. But I really felt it when I conquered the 60th floor. That this is the limit for today’s humankind.”
Aris stopped talking and raised her glass again. Perhaps he wanted to borrow even this kind of power, but the alcohol he had been using only tasted particularly sweet today.
“So… when the swordsman turned into that kind of body, I was really grateful inside.”
Alice was expressionless.
The end of his voice trembled. An 8th grade hunter that few exist in this world. It was very rare for her, whom all mankind admired, to show emotional fluctuations.
“I’m sorry. you wouldn’t have stopped If only one person hadn’t died… I’m sure I would have challenged it to the end.”
“…okay. It must have been.”
Beep-Beep-When Yoo Won-hak emptied all the bottles, the owner of the bar silently brought another bottle.
Amusement Department Aris.
Even though the two of them had been together as colleagues from the moment they became new hunters, it was the first time they had a place like this.
“Even though at that moment our era stopped. I’m still grateful that you guys didn’t die…”
Huu-
After stopping to breathe, Aris looked at the empty glass and grabbed the bottle with the bottle like Yuwonhak.
And then, suddenly –
Aris, who wiped her mouth with her sleeve, seemed to have gained courage and stability in exchange for her blushing cheeks.
“In a way, unlike you, I must have a small bowl. … I never had the courage to lay down what was precious to me, no matter how lofty the purpose.”
Yoo Won-hak looked at Aris and recited in a solemn voice.
“Aris, you have a lot of affection, so it’s Tal.”
“No, I swear you are the most affectionate person in our party.”
Aris, her cheeks flushed, gulped down her drink again and looked at Yoo Won-hak with a pitiful face.
“Think carefully. You, who wanted to see the end of the tower more than anyone else… gave up on the challenge. What was it for?”
Yu Won-Hak didn’t answer Aris’ question anymore. But no answer was needed. Aris already knew the answer.
“Isn’t that also because of the swordsman? Become that kind of body and that guy. Because all swordsmanship is broken. If I climbed the tower in that state…”
“Someone must have died.”
When Yoo Won-hak opened her closed mouth, Aris’s voice was also broken.
“…I know you. If you could climb to the 61st floor by yourself, you would never have stopped. It was fortunate that there was a limit on the number of people in the tower.”
Putting
her head on the table, Aris tilted her head and looked up at Yuwonhak.
“People, you know… Everyone yearns for what they don’t have. Even if I were to raise an apprentice, for example… What is that swordsman craving right now?”
Until now, the swordsman only used his own swordsmanship. He sharpened and polished his sword. It was to reach the ultimate level of swordsmanship that he had hoped for from the moment he first held the sword.
He tried to become a complete sword himself.
“You really don’t know?”
Aris, who was looking up at Yuwonhak with hazy eyes, suddenly changed her mood. What dwells in her eyes now is a keenness of unknown origin.
“Then… I mean. What did Wonhak want from you?”
Alice knew the truth.
“Why didn’t you try to start a family until now? like that child But now… why did you take the child and claim yourself as a teacher?”
“Aris. You look drunk.”
“Are you avoiding it again?”
Suug- Aris lifted her head weakly like a zombie and raised her bottle again.
Beep beep- percussion! Clink!
As Aris missed the bottle she was drinking, the bottle hit the table and fell to the floor. Yoo Won-hak just watches the scene.
“You just… didn’t want to make anything more valuable. Doesn’t that make your feet feel heavy?”
Aris, who laughed out loud, staggered to her feet and asked if she still didn’t know.
“I told you. you have a lot of affection What you really need… I’m not a disciple who will connect you to your dreams and challenges… just…”
Let Aris stumble and try to fall without even being able to speak. Yoo Won-hak supported the falling Aris with his thick hands.
“…I had a lot of idle thoughts. Do you call this comforting? You ate too much.”
Struggling-
A drunken Aris rubbed Yoo Won-hak’s arm and said with a happy face.
“…Oh, you’ve got a bit of notice?”
“As you get older, things change. You’re still spoiled even at that age.”
Yu Won-hak pondered on what he had heard earlier, willingly carrying Aris on his back, as if he was accepting the foolishness of the day.
[You just… didn’t want to make anything precious anymore. Doesn’t that make your feet feel heavy?]
‘It’s a precious thing…’ Even
for the strongest hunter of mankind.
There were still difficult things.
* * *
Yoo Min-seo.
Shin Kang-yoon
Shin Ha-yoon.
Yoosung Shin.
This isn’t the first time the four of them have been together. Even before Shin Yuseong was 5 years old, there were quite a few occasions when he had a place like this.
But now that was 12 years ago.
“Hehe, welcome back!”
Yoo Min-seo’s appearance did not change at all, but Shin Yoo-seong felt a sense of incongruity when he saw Yoo Min-seo’s behavior welcoming him from the entrance.
What is the difference between who you were 12 years ago and who you are now? What on earth was it that made her mother so different?
Bubbly.
However, Yoo Min-seo did not care about Shin Yoo-seong, who was engrossed in complicated thoughts, and approached with a sad expression.
“My child… from the moment I heard about you… I’ve been waiting for you all along.”
Then, while lightly ignoring Sumire next to her, she tried to hug Hwa-ak Shin Yoo-seong.
but.
Shin Yoo-seong lightly restrained such Yoo Min-seo by taking a step back.
“I visited the Shin-O family today to tell a story.”
Shin Yoo-seong’s actions still feel a sense of distance. Yoo Min-seo sat down with a shy smile, probably thinking that there was nothing she could do about it.
“Isn’t it a touching reunion?”
Having said that, Shin Ha-yoon smiled at Sumire and waved her hand as if she was happy to see her.
Shin Ha-yoon’s changed attitude, who acted like he was going to kill him until just before.
Shin Kang-yoon, the father, asked Shin Yoo-seong in a serious voice.
“…There are things you want to apologize for, so if you don’t mind, give us a chance to talk first.”
“We also felt a lot when we saw your empty seat.”
Let’s help Shin Ha-yoon beside him. Shin Kang-yoon floated the number he had prepared.
“To restore our relationship. I have something prepared.”
Pod- What
Shin Kang-yoon floated in front of Shin Yoo-seong as a hologram was a contract.
“…This?”
“These are the things you will get if you return to the Shin-O family. Like Hayoon, you own a stake in Yusu Company. In the future, you will even get a stake in the Shinno Guild.”
Along with Shin Kang-yoon’s brief explanation, Yoo Min-seo looked at Shin Yoo-seong with earnest eyes.
“It’s to show our sincerity, so please think positively…”
“That’s right, I’ll gladly concede, even if it means reducing my share. especially. Yoosung, you’re on good terms with Shinsung Group’s successor. If you have Yusu Company, there must be a lot of good opportunities.”
Let Shin Ha-yoon mention Kim Eun-ah. Shin Yoo-seong rather hardened his expression. There was no future thought to use the favor of Kim Eun-ah, who believed in her as a precious person, in such a way.
“It’s just a mistake that everyone makes. If you forget this just once, we can go back. … as a happy family.”
Yoo Min-seo opened her mouth with a sad face, probably thinking of touching Shin Yoo-seong’s sensibility.
“…Think about it. There must have been good moments for us too.”
4 years old.
Before awakening the characteristics yet.
Yoo Min-seo once took great care of Shin Yoo-seong who had a cold.
[Don’t worry. To humans, pain is like medicine to make you stronger. All of these trials… in order to become a stronger human being.]
Although.
All of Yoo Min-seo’s actions were to raise a doll to replace her dream, but Shin Yoo-seong felt a little relief from that action.
‘If…’
If you weren’t born with F-class traits. If the standards of mother Yoo Min-seo and father Shin Kang-yoon were met, what kind of relationship would Shin Yoo-seong and his family have now?
but.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t picture himself with the members of the Shin-O family.
On the other hand…
Kwak-
Shin Yuseong looked at Sumire, who was holding his hand.
‘…Yoosung!’
Seeing Sumire earnestly cheering her on with just her eyes, she seemed to be laughing.
A relationship where you can know what they are thinking even if you don’t say anything. It wasn’t too difficult to picture myself having a happy time with Sumire.
‘Family to me…’
Shin Yoo-seong recalled his teacher Yoo Won-hak. His expressions were always rough, but he had a sincere heart for himself.
“I came here…”
Shin Yoo-seong opened his mouth.
“You two and your sister. And to face myself 12 years ago.”
This was Shin Yoosung’s honest heart. Shin Yoo-sung came to the Shin-oh family to face his abandoned past.
“…Thank you for your words. I wanted to politely ask you two at this place.”
Kwak- Shin Yoosung stood up while holding Sumire’s hand. Yoo Min-seo and Shin Kang-yoon’s expressions hardened at the embarrassing behavior, but Shin Yoo-seong didn’t care.
“I spent 12 years, which is longer than 5 years.”
Shin Yuseong bowed his head briefly.
“…During that time. The vacancy I had was filled by people who were more important to me than the people I shared my blood with.”
Even though Yoo Min-seo and Shin Kang-yoon, the mothers who gave birth to him, are a real family. It wasn’t the family Shin Yoo-seong wanted.
“Like you two said. I am not from the Shin-O family.”
Shin Yoo-seong’s family was not like this.
okay. what is family
Just like what Sumire said…
“Let’s go back. Sumire.”
“yes? yes!”
Shin Yoo-seong got up from his seat and turned around. Sumire followed Shin Yoo-seong with a happy face.
“You really won’t regret it, will you?”
The moment you walk out the door.
Yoo Min-seo’s voice, which had been kind to her just before, had turned so cold.
However, Shin Yoo-seong left the Shin-oh family without answering.
As Yoo Min-seo said, she did not feel any regret even after leaving the mansion.
Rather, as if released from an old bondage, his steps were light and his mood was free.
“Yoosung! let’s go together!”
Yooseong Shin thought to himself as he saw Sumire, who often walked up to her and held her hand.
‘okay. Family is…’
The absolute side of me that can always be trusted.
