INV 90

There are all sorts of people in the world, and people are always changing.

Having the capacity for change is perhaps the greatest characteristic of a human being.

Immortals, being enlightened ones, cannot change easily. However, humans are sentient beings who have not yet reached enlightenment and are submerged in delusion; thus, they can change quite nimbly.

For that reason, it is said they fall into depravity easily and corrupt easily… regardless, the possibility of changing in a good direction was clearly a positive strength.

Yet, here is an immovable human being. It seems that even if time flows on and on and every human being in the world changes, this man alone will not.

‘Looking at him like this, it’s quite impressive.’

If a stubborn fool were to attain the way and become a person, would he look like this?

If you were to ask who that person is,

His name is Gwak Deukcheon.

‘The problem is that this guy is my boss…’

Whenever one faces Gwak Deukcheon, that was always the problem.

A formidable issue-maker who overwhelms the crowd with his mere presence, sweeping away all the noisy internal anguish one managed to harbor, making one feel that the three syllables of the name Gwak Deukcheon are the single greatest problem in the world… that is Gwak Deukcheon.

“Death from overwork? That’s no big deal. Don’t worry. If you really want to kick the bucket, just say the word whenever you want. I’ll call your name three times.”

Perhaps because the words came through Gwak Deukcheon’s “mouth-filter,” every single sentence is a real gem.

To think that the advice to please not overdo it because he looks like he’s going to die of overwork is being expressed as an offer to personally kill him! It is admirable in its own way. Compared to his warm-hearted nature, his incredibly foul temper stands out brilliantly.

However, now that everything has changed, Kwon Yihyeon might actually find himself missing even that eternal, immortal rudeness.

Kwon Yihyeon smiled faintly at the sight of his boss, who looked no different than he did three years ago.

“Are you saying you will perform the Chohon for me? But doesn’t the Chohon ritual require more than just calling a name three times for someone to die?”

“At the same time, my hands will be around your neck! Happy now?”

“Wow, that’s truly a magnificent service. If it becomes necessary, I will be sure to visit you, Team Leader.”

“…”

While Kwon Yihyeon laughed brightly with a satisfied heart, Gwak Deukcheon, who had dragged his overworked subordinate over, suddenly felt his blood pressure rise and began to wither away.

Of course, since Gwak Deukcheon is a Reaper of the Underworld, his lifespan isn’t actually under threat.

His face turning beet-red and his staggering were likely a stress response.

Having made that judgment, Kwon Yihyeon stood composed and watched his boss, who was reeling while clutching the back of his neck.

“Aigo! Team Leader! Calm down! You’re really going to drop dead like this!”

The team members rushed to cling to Gwak Deukcheon, trying to calm him. Thanks to their compassionate devotion, Gwak Deukcheon quickly gathered his wits, lifted his head, and, while leaning halfway on the team members, panted as he snapped at Kwon Yihyeon.

“Huff. Huff. You unfilial bastard. You piece of shit. What the hell is wrong with you? Was it fun watching your Team Leader die?”

“Because Reapers don’t die easily. I believed you would pull through. Fighting!”

“…What did I ever see in that brat to keep him alive this long? His attitude is even more dead than before, so why bother?”

“I am always filled with gratitude that you look upon me so kindly.”

When he responded with a polite smile, Gwak Deukcheon, who had been holding on well, let out a groan and truly collapsed.

‘Oh. Was the joke too much?’

Kwon Yihyeon’s eyes went wide, and he blinked slowly.

To manage the Team Leader, who was now sprawled out with his limbs extended, the team members all lent a hand to create a makeshift bed. It was nothing more than three chairs pushed together, but once they laid the Team Leader down and placed a towel soaked in cold water on his forehead, the first aid was complete. It was an attitude very similar to treating a heatstroke patient. Since a fit of rage causes a fever, did they just apply a similar treatment?

Well, it’s doubtful a fit of rage would be cured by that, but he would certainly need a minimum of stability…

Once the skit-like first aid was over, Gwak Deukcheon, seemingly deciding it was time to dismiss Kwon Yihyeon, signaled the team’s number two, Manager Kang. Kang Taerim responded to the call, leaning toward Gwak Deukcheon and putting his ear close. If he set his mind to it, Kwon Yihyeon could have expanded his spiritual sense to eavesdrop, but he decided not to be a subordinate so rude as to go that far.

‘I should let the higher-ups have their talk in private.’

Assuming they would filter out and relay only what they felt needed to be told to a subordinate, Kwon Yihyeon stood politely, prepared to be scolded.

With his head bowed, quietly in a formal posture.

However, Kang Taerim, who tapped Kwon Yihyeon’s shoulder on Gwak Deukcheon’s behalf, did not scold him.

Instead, he only looked at him with eyes full of concern.

“Are you okay?”

Kwon Yihyeon closes his eyes, finding it hard to meet his gaze. There are some people who can only survive by not expecting anything.

As usual, having coolly replied that he would follow the kind request not to overwork, Kwon Yihyeon left the Afterlife.

However, the team members knew, and Kwon Yihyeon knew, that he would be dragged back in due to overwork in a few days. People do not change easily, but Kwon Yihyeon, who used to claim to be the guardian of leaving work on time, had already changed and was fixed in that state.

Fitting a distorted image, he had been repeating the same thing for three years, so there was no way not to know.

Yes, three years had already passed.

‘Since Chacha left.’

Since Kwon Yihyeon was left all alone like that.

Kwon Yihyeon, having been forced to leave work, used his horse medal to pass through the passage and emerge into the Middle Realm.

Actually, he could have set the end of the passage connecting the Afterlife to the Middle Realm right in front of his house. Many Reapers who had settled in the Middle Realm reduced their commute time that way.

But Kwon Yihyeon, then and now, chose to get off at a quiet park and walk the path himself.

As if to ruminate on the times he spent with someone, as if to commemorate or miss someone who is no longer by his side.

his path home always overlapped with the trails he used to stroll with someone.

But strangely, something happened that hadn’t occurred before. The temperature dropped rapidly. It was absurd, but only a few days ago when he went to work, it was warm enough to wear a short-sleeved shirt under a light cardigan, yet everyone on the street was now wearing padded jackets. Like Alice in Wonderland falling suddenly into a frozen kingdom, Kwon Yihyeon, dressed in short sleeves and a cardigan, realized anew.

‘Well, I suppose 78 hours of work was a bit much…’

These are days when, on top of occult phenomena being revealed in reality, abnormal climates are also exhausting the Earth.

The fact that the temperature between 78 hours ago and now is completely different might be nothing compared to a reality where ghosts and yōkai run rampant.

Even so, it wasn’t that it wasn’t baffling…

Though there was nothing that could be undone just because it was baffling.

Kwon Yihyeon stood still for a moment, looking around vacantly, before feeling a chill from the cold wind brushing his neck and letting out a sigh. It seemed walking home today was out of the question.

‘I’ve walked every day on my way home for three years.’

It seemed that long-standing routine was finally about to break.

Kwon Yihyeon turned his body and headed toward the bus stop.

To be honest, he almost froze to death just getting to the bus stop. It probably hadn’t been this cold during the day, but Kwon Yihyeon was leaving work late at night. Since the temperature had suddenly plummeted, it was undoubtedly weather that was hard to endure in a combination of short sleeves and a thin cardigan.

‘Because I wear a uniform during work… I didn’t notice.’

He was going to catch a cold at this rate.

Absurdly, while he was in the middle of overworking and overexerting himself, he was fine, but now that the team members had considerately forced him to leave work, signs of declining health were appearing. Kwon Yihyeon thought to himself that he shouldn’t have left work.

If the team members had heard that, would they have slapped the back of his head? But it won’t matter because he won’t say it.

Arriving at the bus stop at last, Kwon Yihyeon exhaled slowly. The stop was quite crowded with people, so there were no spare seats. However, Kwon Yihyeon, who had no particular intention of sitting, was too busy reading the route map to see which bus he needed to take to get off at the stop in front of his house to notice people glancing at his attire.

In fact, he had long since become accustomed to being criticized by the public, so even if he noticed someone whispering about him, he was closer to the type who avoided it by trying not to recognize it.

Then, some person suddenly tugged on Kwon Yihyeon’s sleeve.

“Young man. You wanna sit here?”

“…”

“The chair is nice and toasty. Technology’s gotten real good lately.”

Kwon Yihyeon’s lips parted slightly for a moment. It was an unexpected kindness.

The elderly person stood up from the seat entirely and pulled Kwon Yihyeon down into the empty spot. He could have resisted with strength all he wanted, but for some reason, he felt powerless, and Kwon Yihyeon had no choice but to move according to the elder’s wishes.

The chair was warm. Because in the winter, the heating function on bus stop chairs is occasionally turned on.

And because, when a person is extremely cold, they don’t even realize they are cold.

“It’s warm, isn’t it?”

In the gaze of the elder facing him, only then did Kwon Yihyeon realize he had been terribly cold.

“The weather went haywire all of a sudden, must’ve surprised ya. Go on home quick.”

“…”

It was a funny thing. He couldn’t tell where his tongue, which used to run as if well-oiled, had gone, or what he should say. After a difficult struggle with his thoughts, Kwon Yihyeon finally managed to offer a blunt thanks, and the elder smiled casually before boarding the bus.

The bus Kwon Yihyeon needed to take had not yet arrived.

A cold wind scratched the bridge of his nose.

His hands felt like they would freeze, but thanks to the heating function of the stop’s seat, he wasn’t that cold.

‘…That’s strange.’

The cold wind brushed against the dry air, and when he happened to look up…

The first snow was falling.

The following day, Kwon Yihyeon went to work without fail. Even though Gwak Deukcheon and Kang Taerim had combined their voices to persuade him to rest.

Of course, Gwak Deukcheon’s wasn’t persuasion but a threat, yet Kwon Yihyeon unhesitatingly disobeyed his boss’s orders and continued his non-violent protest.

Because of this rebellious behavior of Kwon Yihyeon’s, it had been quite a while since a joke circulated within the Afterlife that Gwak Deukcheon might need to start taking blood pressure medication.

Since Gwak Deukcheon was a possessor of a “great” personality, the majority of the Afterlife disliked him, wanted to belittle him, and wished to see his downfall. There was no lack of curses wishing he’d meet a subordinate just like himself and see how it feels.

Therefore, since the curse had become reality, quite a few people were delighted.

But some people could not be mindlessly happy.

To summarize their psychology, it was roughly like this:

‘No matter how much I love seeing that crazy idiot Gwak Deukcheon get screwed over, I didn’t actually want someone to die from overwork!’

But because Kwon Yihyeon acted as if he were hoping for death by overwork to anyone’s eyes…

It resulted only in a series of events where no one was happy.

Even the factions that still guarded against Kwon Yihyeon because he had been the contractor of the Calamity God were at a point of getting angry at him, saying, “Don’t you know that the more you act like this, the more suspicious you look?”

Overwork without demand was being supplied incessantly.

Kwon Yihyeon’s mere existence was excessive stress for the people of the Afterlife, who were already suffering from stomach problems due to the Calamity God’s sudden actions.

Taking on tasks that others should be doing was something to be grateful for, but for some conscientious types, it was plain to see that Kwon Yihyeon was destroying himself out of guilt for the victims of the Calamity God.

‘This is why the more conscientious a person is, the lower their survival rate.’

Kwon Yihyeon, being a representative of the unscrupulous human types, only thought this way.

Even after hearing the pleas of many people to rest.

It’s hard enough for coworkers to say “You’re working enough, so please rest,” yet he seemed to feel no joy despite having achieved that difficult feat.

However, from Kwon Yihyeon’s perspective, it was understandable.

‘Self-destructive sacrifice.’

People must not know him very well.

Kwon Yihyeon thought that and laughed shallowly.

There is something people were mistaken about; Kwon Yihyeon was not romantic enough to commit self-destruction out of guilt.

He had a purpose.

A single purpose that he would tell no one.