# Chapter 207
“Oh my, Iyeon-ssi. Who’s this little one? How old are you, sweetheart?”
“Eight years old!”
“She’s my daughter.”
“Deokseon unnie!”
Sua, who had been waving at Mirae, spotted D.S entering behind Iyeon and shouted cheerfully. D.S remained unfazed by the high decibel greeting and nonchalantly walked over to take a seat. Sua naturally looked at Iyeon and asked.
“What brings you here? Deokseon unnie doesn’t live in this neighborhood, does she?”
“Today I’m treating everyone, that’s why.”
Iyeon tapped his chest proudly and grinned. Night Skewer was quiet today as usual. At most, there were only about two people sitting at the bar…
“…Hyegang and Jaekyung-ssi?”
“Iyeon-ssi.”
“Oh, hyung. Did you get your goggles fixed?”
Even that table was full of familiar faces. Iyeon muttered in bewilderment.
“Wait, what are you two doing here together…”
As far as he remembered, there wasn’t much connection between Hyegang and Jaekyung. Jaekyung usually kept in contact with Iyeon, and Hyegang wasn’t particularly sociable either. It was surprising that they even had a way to contact each other. To Iyeon’s dumbfounded question, Hyegang simply shrugged his shoulders.
“I just had something to ask him.”
Come to think of it, since Jaekyung was a variant specialist, he would be perfect for answering questions that might come up during missions. It sounded plausible, but something still felt off, so Iyeon just nodded vaguely. He planned to ask Hyegang about it later.
“But who are the people behind Iyeon-ssi?”
“Ah, this is D.S-ssi. She’s the engineer who makes my equipment. And this is Seo Young-ssi and Shin Jaei-ssi. They’re D.S-ssi’s… housemates. And here are Lee Hyegang and Dang Jaekyung-ssi. Hyegang is my colleague, and Jaekyung-ssi is my friend.”
Iyeon kindly introduced everyone who might be meeting for the first time. The five exchanged brief nods of greeting. Iyeon gestured toward Jaekyung and Hyegang.
“You two can come over here if you’re done talking. It’s better to eat together. It’s my treat.”
“Sounds good to me. You buying drinks too?”
“Of course.”
Hyegang promptly stood up with his beer glass. Jaekyung also awkwardly approached them. Pushing two tables together created enough space for seven people to sit comfortably.
“Wow~ So you’re unnie’s daughter. You’re so adorably cute.”
Even Sua, the restaurant owner, sat down, filling the table to capacity. Mirae replied resolutely.
“I hear that a lot.”
“And bold too. Blood really doesn’t lie.”
“No, wait a minute. Owner, you shouldn’t sit here.”
What’s with this natural flow? When Iyeon belatedly objected, Sua opened her eyes wide.
“Huh? Why not?”
“Why? …You need to take our orders.”
The ends of her neat eyebrows instantly drooped. Sua muttered with a forlorn expression.
“I see. So I’m being excluded…”
“Pardon?”
How did the conversation turn this way? Her lonely gaze into the distance was enough to create a melancholic atmosphere around the gentle-featured beauty. Iyeon, suddenly caught up in this, stammered, but Sua pretended not to notice.
“Making me work while everyone else has fun. Iyeon-ssi, you’re colder than I thought.”
“But, this is your workplace.”
“So your plan is to watch me labor while everyone enjoys delicious food and drinks…”
“No, nobody’s going to watch…”
“Now you’re saying you’re not even interested?”
“Isn’t it you who’s not interested in what I’m saying?”
Their verbal sparring was so much like a comedy routine that it didn’t attract much attention. For instance, right beside them, Hyegang and Young were having a casual conversation.
“Ah, I thought your face looked familiar. You’re the one who teamed up with Iyeon hyung at Cho Jeonryeok, right?”
“…You were watching?”
“Yes. I saw the betrayal very clearly too.”
“……”
Young’s face had become so gloomy that Jaekyung, who had been glancing around nervously, tried to comfort her.
“C’mon, why dwell on the past? That’s how Cho Jeonryeok is. It’s not like you really got hurt, it was just a game. Right?”
“……”
Young, who had actually attacked Iyeon in reality, had a face that could now be described as black. Jaekyung, who belatedly realized her state, was startled.
“Huh? Why? Did I say something wrong?”
“Unnie, want to go home?”
Jaei finally whispered. Young barely resisted Jaei’s temptation of an extreme avoidance method and clutched her water glass with trembling fingertips.
“I am reflecting on that matter.”
“…Hey, wait. Why are you agreeing? Doesn’t it sound weird if you agree here? Did you really attack Iyeon-ssi?”
“Fortunately, Jung Iyeon wasn’t hurt. Because I was weaker.”
“…I’ll just drink my beer.”
Unable to handle the provocative story, Jaekyung took a sip of beer with a deflated expression. Next to him, Hyegang went “hmm” and stroked his chin.
“Ah, I heard about that from Iyeon hyung too. The ‘factory’ incident, right?”
His gaze, seemingly indifferent yet sharp, moved from Young to Jaei.
“I don’t think it’s good to be overprotective about something you did yourself.”
Jaei responded with an expressionless face.
“There are things in this world that can be overlooked.”
“Is now really one of those times?”
Suddenly, sparks flew between their gazes. Watching this, Iyeon looked pleased and whispered to D.S.
“Looks like they’re getting along already. I guess it’s because they’re all about the same age, they’re becoming friends quickly.”
“Are your eyes crossed?”
D.S answered with an incredulous face and waved the menu at Sua.
“Han Sua, what’s your recommended menu?”
“Hmm… Iyeon-ssi said he’s treating today, right? Then I’ll show off my skills with a special menu.”
Sua winked and stood up confidently. Her light footsteps in flat shoes gracefully faded away. In the empty space Sua left, Mirae suddenly poked her head out.
“Uncle. Mirae wants cola.”
“Cola?”
Iyeon subtly glanced at D.S. When she nonchalantly nodded, Mirae’s face brightened, and she ran off with pattering footsteps to open the commercial refrigerator. Fortunately, the cola was placed low enough for Mirae’s hands to reach, allowing her to return with a happy face, hugging the chubby can.
“So you’re Mirae. This is the first time seeing you like this, right?”
Hyegang spoke to Mirae as he watched her curiously, padding back to sit properly in her chair. Unlike his usual tone, which could seem not just indifferent but even blunt, his voice was quite gentle.
Come to think of it, they had never actually met in person. Even on the day Mirae was rescued, she was immediately taken to Heesu’s office, so this was the first time Hyegang was seeing Mirae in reality rather than through a monitor. When the delicately featured pretty boy smiled nicely, Mirae opened her eyes wide.
“You look like a fairy…”
As she said that, Hyegang glanced at Young and Jaei. He looked somewhat triumphant.
“Do I look like a fairy?”
“Uh-huh! You’re so pretty.”
“A fairy recognizes another fairy, I see.”
Hyegang naturally took the can Mirae was holding and opened it for her. Mirae watched the cola being poured into a plastic cup with sparkling eyes, then tilted her head curiously.
“Mirae is not a fairy though.”
“Oh, you’re not a fairy even though you’re this cute?”
“Oh my! No I’m not~.”
Mirae giggled. In an instant, the atmosphere between them warmed up. Young and Jaei were watching this with envious gazes. D.S, unconcerned about people fighting over her daughter, downed the draft beer that had arrived first. She seemed to be getting tired of interfering.
“Iyeon-ssi knows a lot of people…”
Jaekyung, who had been keeping his mouth shut and just listening to everyone’s conversations for a while, muttered quietly. Not originally sociable, Jaekyung seemed to find it difficult to join in this lively atmosphere and was just fiddling with his glass.
“Ah, well, that’s…”
Iyeon, who had been answering casually, paused. There were enough people that they needed to push tables together to seat everyone.
The people filling the surrounding seats were diverse. How they met and their relationships were all different. Iyeon’s gaze swept over everyone. Hyegang and Jaei pretending to be nonchalant while engaged in a battle of wills, and Young stuck between them, unable to get a word in edgewise. Mirae sipping cola, following D.S who was sipping beer. Sua busily working in the clearly visible kitchen. And Jaekyung, sitting quietly despite feeling awkward.
When had they become so many?
“…You’re right. There are a lot.”
His muttering voice sounded somewhat bland. Jaekyung made a deflating sound.
“What, are you bragging?”
“No, it’s not that… I’m just amazed. I thought I had no one.”
When Iyeon first came to Chohosi, he was alone. He thought that was better.
Having something meant you could lose it. So it was okay not to hold onto anything at all. Knowing that loss would eventually come, what was the point of having something? It wouldn’t be that good anyway. He tried to think like the fox in front of the vineyard that it couldn’t enter.
But when he came to his senses, things had turned out like this.
“Honestly, of all the people I know, Iyeon-ssi has the widest network.”
“That’s… probably because the scale of people you know is small, Jaekyung-ssi?”
“Iyeon-ssi!”
“I’m joking.”
Iyeon smiled faintly as the corners of his mouth crumbled. His resolve was strengthened.
Tomorrow, he would go see Heesu.
“I’m going to advance to a higher tier.”
