POSSESSED 5

I can’t just keep standing around here like this either. I have to go play with the children who will be outdoors. However, contrary to my intentions, instead of getting up immediately, I looked at Baek Joomyeong’s face once more. The words I heard earlier from the teacher in charge of drop-offs and pick-ups flashed through my mind.

She said he looked tired.

She was right. Once you looked past the handsomeness, the face right in front of me looked exhausted. The vitality usually observed in those blue eyes had somehow grown quite dull.

Even this man can get tired. Is it because I’ve only seen him when his complexion was fresh? I hadn’t even considered that he’d be fatigued.

“I won’t believe everything reported. But still, you worked very hard all night, didn’t you? You look truly exhausted.”

“I always live soaked in fatigue due to the nature of my job. I’m fine.”

“You’re fine? Hunter, I know because I used to be tired every single day. That is absolutely not being fine.”

I shook my head firmly.

I’m reminded of my life before the possession. I was tired when I opened my eyes, and I was tired when I closed them. Since it was to the point of dying from overwork, I can’t even begin to guess how much fatigue had accumulated. I just feel sorry for myself for living while carrying that exhaustion.

“The more tired you are, the better you have to look after your body. Sleeping whenever you have a spare moment is good, but it’s better to get a full night’s deep sleep if possible. And you have to make sure to eat your meals regularly. Stick to things that aren’t too heavy.”

“…”

“It’s also okay to pick a day once in a while to eat some stamina-boosting food. Meditating or getting a massage is good too. Or… do Hunters operate without weekends? Is there no annual leave or vacation?”

“If it’s vacation, it exists.”

“Then use it when you can. If you worked hard, you should rest. Rest as much as you can rest. Someone of your level, Hunter, is allowed to do that! Of course, it won’t be easy, but…”

You might wonder who I think I am to say this, but seeing my pre-possession self in Baek Joomyeong made me nag him a bit. Since I nagged out of a place of pity, I hope he doesn’t feel offended. Having already let the words fly, I scanned his mood.

While I was prattling on, Baek Joomyeong, who had been listening quietly, soon broke into a faint smile. A sigh that didn’t feel half bad escaped from between his smoothly curved lips.

“If only all guild leaders… and the General Headquarters Chief were people like you, Teacher, it would have been nice.”

No. If a person like me were the General Headquarters Chief, this world wouldn’t have survived. Moreover, if it were Jang Taeyeon, it would have been completely ruined.

I stood up following Baek Joomyeong, who said he should be going. Watching him put on his shoes while holding both the first aid kit and the doll, I hurriedly asked.

“Would you like to see Yeonji’s face before you go?”

“No. I think it’s better to just go for now. Yeonji is very angry with me.”

“Yeonji is?”

“It seems… I tied her hair a bit strangely today. Yeonji hates it when her hair isn’t tied prettily.”

I’ve failed at being loved by Yeonji. Baek Joomyeong brushed the back of his neck.

Yeonji’s hair was indeed very asymmetrical today, but her mood hadn’t seemed all that bad. Even when she was touching her hair while looking in the mirror, I couldn’t read any dissatisfaction regarding her hair. If it was something I just failed to notice, then I have nothing more to say.

In any case, I couldn’t stop Baek Joomyeong when he said he would just leave.

“Today, another Hunter will come to pick her up instead of me. It’s a Hunter named Ji Wonhee.”

“Ah, I’ll keep that in mind. Get home safely.”

After informing me about the pick-up, I watched Baek Joomyeong’s back as he left the center, then I went into the teachers’ room.

So Yeonji hates being tied asymmetrically. Storing this new information tightly in my mind, I put the first aid kit back in its original place. Then I went into the classroom and put the doll into Yeonji’s bag.

Coming back out to the outdoor playground, I only just now suddenly realized.

I just held a conversation with Baek Joomyeong quite Taeyeon-ly, didn’t I? My heart was even doing pretty well?

It was now Friday, right before the weekend. I was running a “happiness circuit” all day, thinking about what I’d do for the evening if I left work early and how I’d rest over the weekend—but as the time for the kids to go home approached, the circuit began to creak.

The shuttle bus for dismissal had already departed, and the children whose guardians were coming personally were leaving the center one by one. The children in the full-day class would leave by 8:00 PM anyway, and since I wasn’t in charge of that, it was fine. So why was it creaking? It was because of Yeonji.

Yeonji, who should have left long ago, was still inside the center. No one had come to pick the child up.

Just in case, I tried calling Baek Joomyeong’s cell phone, but he didn’t pick up. Why? When I called the Wolhwa Guild number registered in the daycare’s contacts, I was able to find the answer. It seemed the Guild Leader and Vice Guild Leader were attending a regular meeting at the Hunter General Headquarters today.

When I asked if there was a Hunter there who had been told about the pick-up, they said they didn’t know. Right, they wouldn’t know that much.

“Is there no other way to contact Hunter Baek Joomyeong?”

— We will try to leave a message from our side.

At the business-like response, I said I understood and hung up, then looked back at Yeonji. Yeonji was among the kids, focusing intently on an educational cartoon.

What to do. This is the first time this has happened. Just in case, should I at least tell the full-day class teacher? Or maybe the vice principal…

Ah, a message came.

[010-1324-XXXX] [I received word regarding Yeonji. It seems there was a misunderstanding during the process of relaying the pick-up. I am sorry.]

[I heard before that if circumstances arise, I could leave her in the full-day class. If it’s alright, could I leave the child there for today only?]

[I will come to get Yeonji as early as possible.]

Just looking at it, I can feel it was written in a hurry, making me read it at a fast tempo. But the person who sent this message…

[010-1324-XXXX]

[I haven’t introduced myself.]

[This is Baek Joomyeong.]

Wow, I’m even receiving a message from Baek Joomyeong.

I took my eyes off the phone and looked at Yeonji again. At some point, she had completely let her hair down and was still watching the cartoon.

Mmm. For now, I’ll send a reply saying I understand, but… Ah, what to do. I’m torn.

If it’s the full-day class, there’s no reason for me to stay. There’s nothing in particular to prepare and no tasks to handle. More than anything, since it’s Friday, I want to go home quickly. But Yeonji weighs on my mind. I’ve never missed Yeonji’s dismissal until now.

Well, there are times like this. Let’s just pass the word and leave work.

However, my feet wouldn’t move. The moment I felt frustrated with myself, someone approached my side. It was Yeonji. The child called me in a small voice, saying, “Teacheeer…”

“When is Uncooole coming…?”

“Uncle? That’s… he decided to come a little late so Yeonji can play more with teacher. What shall we play?”

Yeonji’s eyes widened at my words, and then they softened into a smile. Then she went to the bookshelf and picked out a book.

Yeonji, I don’t know why I’m so weak when it comes to you.

All children are equally cute and lovely, but I become exceptionally weak toward Yeonji. It felt like I had become a doting father who grants everything before the child can even throw a tantrum.

Is it because the influence of reading the novel is so great? The saying that “ignorance is bliss and knowledge is a sickness” doesn’t exist for nothing.

However, it’s a fact that Yeonji can be exposed to danger more often than other children simply because she is Baek Joomyeong’s niece. That’s why if Baek Joomyeong can’t come, he sends other Hunters.