Knock knock.

Click.

This time, the knock on the door came before it opened, allowing Ju-eon to greet the two visitors without being caught off guard like before. Kang No-hun had likely stopped by the café in the hospital basement, as he held a coffee holder in both hands. Seo Yun-jin took a cup of coffee and handed it to Ju-eon.

“Ju-eon, I hope your taste hasn’t changed since before.”

“It hasn’t. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

Ju-eon accepted the coffee and smiled awkwardly. Suddenly, he recalled how he had been a tearful, snotty mess when he reunited with them.

‘I think I might’ve even drooled while screaming.’

At the time, his mind wasn’t clear, so it didn’t bother him. But the more he thought about it, the more his ears burned with embarrassment. Blood had smeared his face, and while it was an emergency situation where no one paid attention to his state, the shame remained unavoidable.

Though Seo Yun-jin couldn’t guess the exact reason for Ju-eon’s discomfort, she noticed his awkwardness. She gave a subtle signal to Kang No-hun, who was about to sit on a folding chair.

“Here’s one for Myung-hwon too.”

Kang No-hun handed over the coffee to Myung-hwon with a smile. Ever since they returned to the hospital room, Yeo Myung-hwon had been glaring at them with a frosty gaze, making No-hun sweat bullets.

“We’re not here just for personal reasons. We’re here for an investigation. Could you cooperate with us?”

“What?”

“Myung-hwon, you’ll be able to clock in about an hour later, right?”

“I just regained consciousness.”

Myung-hwon muttered, lowering his gaze slightly. Ju-eon shot No-hun a look, suggesting, “How could you bring up work in front of someone sick?”

“Hey, phrasing it like that makes us look bad.”

When Ju-eon wasn’t around, Myung-hwon wouldn’t rest no matter how much they told him to. But now, without anyone saying anything, No-hun had become the villain who brought up work to a sick person. Before coming to the hospital room, No-hun had already assessed Myung-hwon’s condition. The doctor mentioned that the delayed consciousness likely resulted from mental strain rather than physical injuries, and that he could move around as long as he didn’t overexert himself. Though No-hun wanted to beat his chest in frustration at the unfairness, he knew doing so would only backfire.

How could someone change so drastically in an instant? Feeling his blood pressure rise, No-hun clenched his fists and cast a sidelong glance at Seo Yun-jin.

“It’s not that we’re asking you to start working right away. We just need to hear what happened. A lot of high-ranking individuals are involved, so we need your understanding.”

“Do I really have to go to work?”

“Well, Myung-hwon recovers quickly compared to others, so…”

Before No-hun could finish, Seo Yun-jin, who had already figured out why Myung-hwon pretended to be more unwell than he actually was, interrupted.

“If Myung-hwon says he’s really struggling, we can do it here. Right, Team Leader?”

“…Uh, yeah.”

Among those caught up in the dungeon outbreak, only Ju-eon and Myung-hwon had remained conscious throughout. They had rushed to the hospital immediately after being rescued from the dungeon, so there hadn’t been time to properly hear what had happened inside.

Many of the unconscious victims, prominent figures in the political and business worlds, used their influence to demand a full account of what had happened, putting pressure on the First Attack Team. However, the team had prioritized clearing the dungeon and its surroundings, citing Myung-hwon’s unconscious state.

Now that Myung-hwon was awake, they couldn’t delay any longer. Though Ju-eon didn’t know all the details, he could tell that the two faced a difficult position. He nodded.

“Isn’t this kind of thing outside the First Attack Team’s jurisdiction?”

“If the higher-ups tell us to roll, we roll.”

“We’re just really busy. I’ll handle Ju-eon’s account, and the Team Leader will take care of Myung-hwon’s.”

Not wanting to prolong the conversation and risk saying something unnecessary, Seo Yun-jin quickly stepped in to wrap things up. No-hun tried to signal her with his eyes to switch roles, but she ignored him.

“Ju-eon, shall we step outside for a bit?”

Yun-jin gestured toward the door with her chin as she opened it.

“I’ll be back in a bit.”

“You’ll come back soon, right?”

Myung-hwon’s gaze, while clutching Ju-eon’s sleeve and looking up, resembled that of a pitiful puppy. Anyone else might have scoffed at the idea of him looking like a puppy, but fortunately—or unfortunately—Ju-eon kept his thoughts to himself, and no one corrected his mistaken impression.

“Yeah. Are you hungry? Should I bring you something? Can you eat now? I’ll check with the doctor.”

“No, just come back quickly.”

“Alright.”

Kang No-hun and Seo Yun-jin were astounded by Myung-hwon’s behavior, which bordered on shameless. Having witnessed him at his lowest, they should have been congratulating Ju-eon’s return, but the stark contrast between the old and current Myung-hwon left them speechless.

Clack.

With only Myung-hwon and No-hun left in the room, an awkward silence filled the air. No-hun glanced at Myung-hwon’s profile. Though his expression had returned to its usual impassive state, the atmosphere around him had undeniably changed. Sitting on the folding chair next to the bed, No-hun stared at the tightly shut door alongside Myung-hwon and murmured.

“It still doesn’t feel real that Ju-eon is back.”

“Yeah.”

Woo Ju-eon was alive. A bombshell of a fact. They had even confirmed his death certificate. When had they known? How had the two ended up in the same hotel? Countless questions remained. Moreover, Ju-eon had found Myung-hwon unconscious at the venue of his engagement ceremony.

“Are you okay?”

No-hun didn’t bombard him with questions. If anyone had Myung-hwon’s trust besides Ju-eon, it was undoubtedly Kang No-hun. That’s why Myung-hwon confessed a rare fragment of raw emotion.

“I’m not sure yet.”

Was he okay? The emotions burning within him were anything but light. They were dark and intense, hidden even from Ju-eon. Having lost him once, he wouldn’t let it happen again. He wanted to keep him within reach, by any means necessary. And he wanted to place Ju-eon’s favorite things outside the fence, so he wouldn’t even realize his confinement.

Myung-hwon’s deeply sunken gaze gleamed dangerously. No-hun, meanwhile, stretched his arms upward after downing the drink he had brought.

“I’ll ask the reasons later. For now, I need to hear what happened. The higher-ups are in an uproar.”

“How much do you already know?”

“That it was a nightmare-type monster. Right?”

“Yes.”

“The magic level measured as A-class, but what was it like inside? The other civilians don’t remember collapsing at all.”

“There was only the boss monster.”

“What?”

This highlighted a flaw in how dungeon ranks were determined by magic levels. If energy inside was obscured or if there were no other monsters but the boss, the difficulty could effectively be considered one rank higher.

“So, it was an S-class dungeon?”

“…….”

“Why did an S-class dungeon suddenly appear in the middle of the city?”

This dungeon was beyond A-class. Myung-hwon rubbed his face with a roughened expression and sighed. Being in the middle of a bustling city, the situation would become more complicated and troublesome than usual. And now, it was an S-class dungeon.

“For a while, you’re going to have a tough time, Myung-hwon. Since there weren’t any fatalities, you’ll be in the spotlight at the upcoming Allied Conference.”

The real problem began here. Myung-hwon furrowed his brow.

“I didn’t kill the monster.”

“What? Then who?”

“…….”

No-hun, who had been relieved that there were no fatalities and that Myung-hwon hadn’t gone berserk, froze at the prolonged silence.

“Don’t tell me it was Ju-eon…?”

“Right now, Woo Ju-eon lives under the name Woo Ju-won. He’s also undergoing retraining as a Guide.”

Though brief, the statement carried significant implications. Ju-eon’s official death and new identity implied that someone had been backing him.

“I was worried about him going berserk, but he came out injured. If he cleared the dungeon alone despite being that severely hurt, that’s incredible. And you’re saying Ju-eon cleared it?”

“That’s why I need help.”

No-hun shot up from his seat and began pacing nervously.

“Every time you sound like you’re weak, it freaks me out.”

Myung-hwon waited calmly as No-hun scratched his head and sorted his thoughts. Having worked together for a long time, he could predict what decision No-hun would make. Once his thoughts were in order, No-hun looked up at Myung-hwon.

“It’s better if we don’t reveal this. Let’s say you handled it. And we’ll register Ju-eon as a civilian under the identity protection system. That’s what you want, right?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Once Yun-jin comes back, I’ll compile what Ju-eon told her and handle it on my end.”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“What? Something else?”

“I’m taking a month’s leave.”

“…What? Are you joking?”

No-hun couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Myung-hwon, with his impassive expression, calmly announced his intention to take a leave of absence. No-hun’s voice wavered as he asked again, hoping for a different answer, but Myung-hwon remained resolute.

“Not joking?”

Despite his repeated questioning, Myung-hwon didn’t retract his statement.

**

Seo Yun-jin and Ju-eon, having left the hospital room, entered a vacant room next door instead of going far. Following her inside, Ju-eon sat across from Yun-jin, who had taken a seat on the sofa.

“Are we allowed to be here?”

“Yes. I got permission to use any empty VIP room if needed.”

Ju-eon had asked the question just to fill the silence, but Yun-jin’s practical response left him tapping the floor with his toes and lowering his head awkwardly.