The Night Of The Untraced

“Wouldn’t it be fine to just refuse?” Seungjoo thought, then sighed inwardly. If it were Kim Muheun, even if Seungjoo said he didn’t want it, Muheun would somehow find a way to force him to take the bear. Maybe he’d wake up to find it placed by his bedside, like some sort of Santa Claus act.‘The chances of not winning it…’“Okay, here’s the bow. You just slot the arrow here and shoot it toward the target over there.”As the club member explained how to use the bow, Seungjoo looked at the target set up inside the booth. The target was painted with black, blue, red, and yellow rings, starting from the outside. The prize would depend on how many times the arrow hit the central yellow spot after five shots. The distance wasn’t very far, but since the target was small, hitting the center seemed almost impossible.‘So that’s why they reduced it to three hits.’

In fact, the couple in front of them had just tried all five shots, leaving with a consolation prize of a lollipop. From the looks of the remaining fifth-place prize, a single hit would get you something, so it was clear that no one had succeeded yet. It seemed like they made the target smaller to compensate for the short distance but ended up making it too hard.‘…But the problem is, I think Kim Muheun could actually hit it.’Seungjoo glanced anxiously at Muheun. Meanwhile, Muheun, having paid the fee, was learning how to hold the bow from the club member. He was being shown how to grip it with his left hand, which finger to pull the string with, and how to aim. He listened attentively, even though he likely already knew all of this, and followed the instructions to take a proper stance.“Wow, you look like a pro.”“Really?”The grin on Muheun’s face was as shameless as could be. He wasn’t just pretending to be a pro; he was probably the real deal, but he acted as if he was innocent and clueless.“Hyung… You’re not seriously going to win that bear, right?”Seungjoo whispered urgently, trying to keep the conversation private, though the club member was busy elsewhere. If Muheun did win it, Seungjoo had already decided he wouldn’t accept it, but Muheun looked down at Seungjoo with a pleasant smile.“Wouldn’t it be cute to hug that bear?”“…”Why is it that bad feelings never seem to be wrong? Even without a subject, it was obvious who Muheun was talking about. Seungjoo, imagining the gross and creepy scene rather than a cute one, shivered. Muheun then asked, with a reassuring smile:“Hyung, do you trust me?”If he didn’t trust him, he wouldn’t have been worried in the first place. Seungjoo briefly entertained that thought before Muheun drew the bowstring back. With perfect form, it was a stance even Seungjoo couldn’t help but admire for a second as he watched Muheun’s profile. At the same time, the arrow flew with a sharp sound toward the target.“…”The first arrow landed just inside the red ring. While Seungjoo visibly relaxed in relief, those watching around them let out a collective sigh. On the other hand, the club members looked astonished; it seemed like no one had ever gotten that close to the center on their first try.“Hm… This is harder than I thought.”The quiet muttering was enough to give Seungjoo a glimmer of hope. Maybe aiming with a bow was a little different from using his powers. He thought, but Muheun’s face showed no sign of worry, despite his words. Before Seungjoo could feel any more uneasy, Muheun pulled back the bowstring once more.“…Ha.”Whoosh—the arrow flew again, landing in almost the same spot as the first one. It was so close that the two arrows might as well have collided. Seungjoo thought to himself, Is he purposely shooting there? Just as that doubt crossed his mind, Muheun drew the bow again.This time, the arrow flew with a sharp whoosh and pierced the exact center of the target.“Wow…”“Whoa, amazing.”Exclamations of awe echoed from the onlookers. Even the club members inside the booth were clapping and staring, their mouths agape. Muheun grinned confidently, his smile full of satisfaction.The only one who didn’t express amazement was Seungjoo.“Hyung! Wait!”“Hmm? What is it?”Seungjoo called out frantically, but Muheun didn’t stop. The motion of drawing the arrow and pulling the string was smooth, like a well-rehearsed routine. He aimed at the target once more, speaking softly.“Tell me.”Whoosh—again, the arrow flew and landed right in the center of the target. Seungjoo realized with a start that there was now quite a crowd gathered around, all commenting excitedly about the stunning display. It made sense—here was a handsome guy shooting a bow, and even more so, he was really good at it.‘Wow, this can’t be happening.’Flustered, Seungjoo looked around for the archery club member who had been promoting the game. He quickly approached the round target headband and, in a rare moment of desperation, asked in a hushed tone.“Are you really sure that three hits is enough to win the grand prize? Isn’t there some fairness issue…?”“Huh, no, no! Actually, it’s a secret, but… no one has hit it yet. So three hits will definitely get you the grand prize, you don’t have to worry. I’m not one to lie.”Seungjoo would have preferred if they had lied a little bit more. He had no more words to add as the club member whispered this with a determined look on their face. Another club member nearby nodded in agreement.“Of course. I’m the club president, so just trust me. If you hit it three times, I’ll give you that bear!”“…”Despair flashed across Seungjoo’s face, but behind him, Muheun’s smile widened. He seemed to be enjoying the situation, chuckling to himself.To make matters worse, the other archery club members cheered enthusiastically.“Fighting!”“I can do it!”Are all the people in the archery club so positive? The festival had just started, and they were already talking about how to handle the 1st place prize if it disappeared. Honestly, it would have been better if Muheun had made a mistake just to take the pressure off, but unfortunately, he calmly notched an arrow and pulled the bowstring.And soon enough, the final arrow flew from his hand.***As the sun began to set, the festival atmosphere deepened. The number of passersby slowly dwindled, but the crowd around the booths continued to grow. Students with signs were shouting to attract attention, while others in front of booths were busy pulling people in.“Hyung, why are people like this?”Seungjoo grumbled as he passed through the crowd, scolding Muheun. He complained about his terrible personality, asking why a thirty-year-old was acting like this, and he fumed, making an exaggerated face.“Did you do it on purpose?”What Seungjoo was holding in his hand was a small bundle of paper. It wasn’t the cute bear doll with a pink ribbon that had caught Seungjoo’s eye, but something he hadn’t even noticed—the 2nd place prize, neatly arranged next to the 1st place prize that Muheun had been eyeing.“Did I do it on purpose? Hyung, you just didn’t have the skill.”Muheun grinned and said something totally unreliable. He clearly made fun of Seungjoo, as his skill was more than enough to hit the target with precision. Then, tilting his head playfully, he teasingly asked.“Did you really want the bear doll that much?”“No way.”Seungjoo answered curtly, sighing heavily. He couldn’t believe how nervous he’d been. When Muheun shot the last arrow earlier, his throat had dried up. He honestly thought about just running away if it didn’t work out.‘…Damn.’Fortunately, the last arrow didn’t land on the target. It hit an already lodged arrow and bounced off. The staff tried to give Muheun the 1st place prize, but he declined with a casual “It’s fine” and winked at Seungjoo.‘That would be too heavy for our Seungjoo to hold, huh?’Thus, what Seungjoo received was the 2nd place prize, one he could carry easily: 20 meal tickets for the school cafeteria. It wasn’t romantic, but it was practical and, while not cute, it was the kind of thing Seungjoo would appreciate.***“I thought I was going to get the bear doll… That was a close call.”If Muheun had shot just a bit harder, Robin Hood’s arrow might have been born. It was essentially a direct hit, and Muheun probably expected that to happen. By now, Seungjoo was sure that the previous two arrows were intentionally missed.“Hyung, you really should’ve been an actor.”“Because I’m handsome?”“No, because you’re shameless.”Muheun’s answer was just as shameless, and Seungjoo, without realizing it, let out a hollow laugh and asked:“Why say it’s hard when it wasn’t?”Didn’t he say it was harder than expected? Seungjoo still found it ridiculous. A person like him, without hesitation, had pulled the bowstring with such ease.“It was really hard.”But Muheun insisted, without changing his expression, that it had indeed been hard. Of course, his reasoning wasn’t what Seungjoo had expected.“I couldn’t control my strength. If I wasn’t careful, I might have pierced the target.”If not for that, the string might have snapped, he added with a casual smile. It was a radiant smile, but to Seungjoo, it seemed absurd. If Muheun had only had that much strength, he could have easily snapped the string.“If you’re bored later, join the archery club. Those guys are fun.”Muheun pulled a lollipop from his pocket and unwrapped it, holding it out to Seungjoo’s mouth. The fruity-flavored lollipop was the one the club president had handed out earlier. After Muheun had shot the arrow, a crowd had gathered, and the president had given out a handful.“At least you liked the meal tickets.”“Meal tickets are… whatever.”Seungjoo opened his mouth to accept the candy, silently deciding he should never bring Muheun to the sociology department. He rolled the candy on his tongue and, once he bit down, Muheun chuckled softly.“This must hurt…”“Wow, Hyung, you sound just like Kim Muryeong.”Seungjoo, who had the habit of biting into anything, ate the hard candy right away. Muryeong, who was always amazed by Seungjoo’s ability to chew through anything, would often ask if his teeth didn’t hurt. Meanwhile, Muryeong himself could chew on rocks, so it wasn’t that surprising to him.“Want another one?”“It’s fine.”“Then, do you want cotton candy?”Muheun pointed to a booth with a large cotton candy machine. The club members, wearing animal ear headbands and pink T-shirts, were making cotton candy. One of them was making a bear-shaped cotton candy.“Ugh… No more bears for me.”Seungjoo shook his head with a disgusted expression. He was afraid that the huge bear doll from earlier would appear in his dreams, since he was so nervous. He was glad he didn’t usually dream, though. It was amazing how something that could be romantic for someone else could feel so burdensome to him.After that, Muheun pointed to various booths and asked if Seungjoo wanted anything. Seungjoo mostly shook his head, but because Muheun seemed so disappointed, he agreed to eat some chicken skewers, cube steak, and dumplings.Even after all that, he was already full, but Muheun still brought over a plate of French fries drenched in sauce.“Hyung, I’m full.”“Already…?”Muheun looked shocked at Seungjoo’s statement, even though he had only eaten one or two things himself. Every time Muheun bought something, he put it directly into Seungjoo’s mouth, so Seungjoo ended up eating a lot. On top of that, Muheun had brought extra large portions, as if he were trying to get more for Seungjoo with his charming face.“Just eat one more, please.”Unable to resist Muheun’s eager gaze, Seungjoo reluctantly opened his mouth again. Every time he accepted something, Muheun would beam with pride, making it awkward to continue rejecting him. After blowing on the fries to cool them down, Muheun popped one into Seungjoo’s mouth and asked,“Is it good?”“Yeah, well, it’s fine…”The taste was exactly what you’d expect from street food—salty and intense, and it was delicious.“Do you want a slushie?”“…Yeah.”Seungjoo nodded obediently, since he was actually a bit thirsty. Muheun, smiling happily, quickly went to the booth nearby and came back with a slushie. Although he seemed to buy a small cup, for some reason, he returned with a large cup filled to the brim. Seungjoo chose to ignore it.“They’re selling puffed rice with ice cream over there.”“Hyung, you wouldn’t be able to eat that.”Seeing the chocolate syrup being poured generously on it, Seungjoo could already tell that Muheun would frown as soon as he took a bite. Muheun was the type who didn’t enjoy overly strong flavors, even a little too much.“Should I get one for you?”“No, I’m really full now.”If they weren’t going to go on a food marathon, it was time to stop eating. Seungjoo didn’t usually eat small portions, but the amount of food Muheun brought was too much even for him. Still, Muheun seemed disappointed and said,“You’ve got to eat a lot to grow.”“How much more do you think I’ll grow here?”Seungjoo, who rarely heard anyone say he was small, couldn’t help but question that. Muheun often treated him like a growing kid, especially now, when he was looking down at Seungjoo with half-lidded eyes.“Hyung, you haven’t grown up yet, have you?”“…”Seungjoo felt an unexpected surge of irritation. Even though he knew Muheun didn’t mean it offensively, it still stung his pride, something he hadn’t realized was there.“…I haven’t stopped growing, but you’re just getting old, Hyung.”“You think I’m old?”Muheun, smiling without a hint of offense, handed him another piece of fried food and gently wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth. The sauce he wiped off his finger was quickly licked up by Muheun.‘This is definitely…’Suddenly, Seungjoo had a thought, but he couldn’t finish it. The moment he tried to make it concrete, it felt like he would be overly self-conscious. Oddly enough, the thought he couldn’t articulate was spoken by Muheun instead.“It’s like a date.”“…”Seungjoo swallowed the fried food in his mouth, almost choking on it. He awkwardly cleared his throat. It wasn’t because he was thinking the same thing as Muheun, but the word “date” coming from his mouth felt too embarrassing.“Are you really full?”It didn’t seem like Muheun had any particular intention behind the question, as he casually changed the topic. Seungjoo answered vaguely and then, for no particular reason, looked up at the sky. A lot of time had passed, and the sunset was beginning to paint the sky with a reddish hue.“…Aren’t we supposed to go to the lake now?”He asked, thinking the sun would set soon. Though they had enjoyed the festival, the original goal was to catch Gwimae. With the time now passing, it seemed like the right moment to get back to their task.“Right, it’ll be dark soon.”Muheun glanced up in the same direction as Seungjoo, blinking. The faint glow of the sunset reflected in his dark eyes. With a slightly wistful expression, Muheun quickly returned to his usual self, looking down at Seungjoo.“Let’s start walking.”With that, the two of them turned toward the direction of the lake. It was quite a distance, and it was the opposite direction from where they had been walking.However, as soon as they started moving, a familiar voice came from the side.“…Hyung?”It was just one syllable, but Seungjoo immediately knew who it was. It was someone he had seen almost every day since birth. The owner of a calm and gentle voice, one that was still almost childlike despite having passed through puberty.It was Kim Muryeong.“…”“…”An awkward silence fell between the two. No words were exchanged, and the silence was so heavy that it felt like you could hear their breathing. They were just sitting together on a bench by the lake, yet the tension felt so palpable.Actually, it might be that only Seungjoo felt awkward. Muryeong, sitting next to him, was simply staring at him quietly. That blank stare was so overwhelming that Seungjoo had to ask bluntly.“…Why are you staring at me like that?”“It’s not…”Only then did Muryeong avert his gaze and drag out his words. His face seemed like it had a lot to say, but nothing came out easily. That was just like Muryeong, though—kind-hearted. Seungjoo let out a silent sigh, neither happy nor sad.“Did… you come to the festival with Hyung?”Muryeong asked this, tilting his head. It was clear he thought it might be possible, but at the same time, he seemed unsure: ‘Can that really be?’ After all, seeing the two of them together wasn’t weird, but the fact that they were in school, not at home, made it a little strange.“Hyung said he had work to do here, so I was with him for a bit. It’s easier to work when the sun goes down.”Seungjoo tried not to show how flustered he was as he replied in a calm tone. His voice didn’t waver, and his explanation sounded reasonably plausible. Muryeong nodded, but still, he asked again, as though it didn’t quite make sense.“Then shouldn’t you go home now?”It was a question that, though it sounded cold, was a very reasonable one. Seungjoo wasn’t helping at all with Muheun’s work. Moreover, it didn’t make sense for Muheun to bring Seungjoo to where Gwimae was appearing.“If Hyung finishes the barrier, I won’t be able to take you home…”At that, Muryeong turned to look in the direction Muheun had gone. After arriving at the lake together, Muheun had disappeared somewhere. He had said to wait for a moment, so it seemed he went to set up a barrier before starting work.“Should I take you home?”“…”Seungjoo didn’t know how to answer that. He felt at a loss for words about where to start explaining.He would have to explain that they were going to watch Gwimae together… no, that he might be able to understand Gwimae’s words, or maybe the new faction was after that ability. To explain everything, he would have to start by telling Muryeong that he had opened his third eye.“…For now, let’s wait for Hyung to come back.”So Seungjoo decided to leave everything to Muheun. He was embarrassed to say it again, and explaining everything seemed too tiresome and complicated.The more mature person would explain things better, Seungjoo thought, and waved his hand dismissively. Muryeong squinted his eyes.“Hmm… I guess that’s fine.”Muryeong seemed to be saying it didn’t matter. He lightly cleared his throat and gave Seungjoo a playful wink. It reminded Seungjoo of how the three siblings from the house next door always did the same thing, and for some reason, Muryeong resembled Muheun in that moment.Well, they certainly looked different… Just as Seungjoo thought that, Muryeong suddenly spoke.“By the way, why do I feel like Hyung’s energy in you?”“…”This time, Seungjoo was truly at a loss for words. He parted his lips slightly and awkwardly averted his gaze. Unlike earlier, when he had so much to say, now he couldn’t say anything at all.“…Then why are you here?”Seungjoo asked another question, trying to break the silence. It was an obvious attempt to avoid answering, and Muryeong had likely caught on. But Muryeong just smiled and pointed behind him.“Me? I watched the festival with Hwanyeong.”Seungjoo casually turned his head, startled by the towering figure of Inyeong. The large figure was none other than Gi Hwanyeong, who had been with Muryeong earlier. Even when they exchanged greetings or had a conversation, Hwanyeong had stood quietly beside Muryeong, listening without saying much.“…Why are you standing there like a ghost?”Despite his impressive size, Hwanyeong didn’t make any noticeable sound, so Seungjoo hadn’t even realized he was there. After taking a moment to calm down, Seungjoo scolded him for startling him, to which Hwanyeong responded with his usual expressionless face.“Why are you saying that when you were the one who got startled?”“Our Seungjoo gets scared easily.”Seungjoo flinched once again at the sudden voice and turned around. Muheun had approached from behind and was now looking down at Seungjoo, who was sitting on a bench, with a slight smile on his face.“See? He got startled again.”“……”Though he wasn’t especially timid, Seungjoo couldn’t help but feel unsettled. These exorcists were far too silent, and he was certain that anyone else would have been startled too. However, since exorcists didn’t react to each other, it made him feel like a coward.“Hyung, are you ready?”“Yeah, just need to finish up.”Muheun answered Muryeong, then lightly patted the back of Seungjoo’s head. The brief touch, barely noticeable, felt strangely intimate when his fingers grazed the nape of Seungjoo’s neck. As Seungjoo gently rubbed the spot where Muheun had touched, Muheun spoke to the other two.“Muryeong and Hwanyeong, you two should head that way.”Once the barrier was completed, they couldn’t go outside, so it was necessary to move away in advance. Fortunately, there weren’t many people around, and Muheun seemed to have taken a round to do a final check.Muryeong glanced at Seungjoo, who was still sitting on the bench, and asked.“By the way, is there something we need to do here?”If Muheun was handling things, it must have been Gwimae, but Muryeong knew that Gwimae didn’t appear in places like this. It would be hard to summon him, especially in such a busy urban area.“Not sure, I hope not.”With a vague response, Muheun pulled out another talisman. As they were about to wrap things up, Muryeong exchanged a glance with Hwanyeong before nodding.“Hm… then we’ll go ahead.”They didn’t even ask Seungjoo about what he had been wondering. It was clear they intended to move on, since Seungjoo had shown he was uncomfortable. Plus, the sun was starting to set, and they probably didn’t have much time left.“Seungjoo, are we going?”“Yeah, be careful.”The two of them quickly left the lake and disappeared. Seungjoo absentmindedly watched their backs before turning his gaze to Muheun. Muheun had a talisman between his fingers, gently shaking it as he squinted.“Didn’t Muryeong say anything?”“Say what?”“Yeongi, you must have felt it.”“……”So they knew and had left at this moment. Well, it couldn’t be helped, but still.“I don’t know… Hyung can explain it.”Muheun just smiled silently at Seungjoo’s grumbling response. He seemed to have an idea of what the conversation had been about. Seungjoo noticed him clench his fist and cover his mouth, then winked lightly.“Don’t be too surprised when the barrier closes.”It wasn’t something to be startled by, he thought. But then, as Muheun bent down and placed a talisman under the bench, an overwhelming sense of discomfort washed over Seungjoo. In an instant, the world seemed to ripple before everything grew eerily quiet.“……”He could almost hear a ringing in his ears. The air that had been on his skin felt heavy, and even the breeze that had occasionally blown was now absent. Seungjoo, feeling confused, looked around the lake, but outwardly, nothing seemed to have changed.“What… what just happened? Did you set up the barrier?”“Yeah, it’s all sealed now.”Muheun responded nonchalantly to Seungjoo’s stammering question. Seungjoo glanced around once more, then crouched down to look under the bench. A faint light was emanating from the talisman Muheun had placed earlier.“……Wow.”Instinctively, Seungjoo knew it was Yeongi. The faint light radiated an energy similar to the coldness he’d felt from Muheun earlier. It reminded him of the sensation he felt deep in his stomach when he woke up that morning.The light spilling from the talisman stretched upward like a spider’s web, and following the thread with his eyes, Seungjoo finally noticed the transparent barrier surrounding them. It formed a dome-like shape, extending from the lake and enclosing them in a semi-spherical barrier.“Crazy… what is this?”Seungjoo couldn’t help but stare at the sky, now darkened, his voice full of awe. The barrier was much more expansive than he had expected, and its overwhelming size made him take a few cautious steps back.“Don’t go too far.”Muheun grabbed Seungjoo, who was about to collide with the invisible barrier. Pulling Seungjoo towards him with one step, Muheun quickly warned him.“Don’t bump into it, or it’ll hurt.”“……”His tone was like that of an adult speaking to a child, which made it even more effective. Seungjoo immediately adjusted his posture and stepped further into the barrier. For a moment, he wondered if he could just pass through it as before, but the situation was different this time.‘This time, I have Kim Muheun’s energy with me…’Even inanimate objects, like a stone, had bounced off the barrier when containing Yeongi. So perhaps he had become like that as well. Moreover, since the wall was visible, he didn’t feel like getting any closer.“Is no one able to enter once we’re inside?”“Yeah, no one can get in until the sun rises.”The barrier created by a shaman’s Yeongi only remains effective until sunrise. After that, spiritual energies lose their strength due to the bright light of the sun.“You won’t know what’s happening inside. You can’t hear anything, and you won’t be able to see anything.”“So, are we staying here all night?”“No, we’ll remove the talisman when we leave.”Muheun smiled faintly and nodded towards the bench. With a calm tone, he added a bit of explanation.“The talisman here is the core. Once we remove the core, the barrier will be lifted.”“What about the other talismans? Hyung used a few, right?”“About ten or twelve… I’m not sure exactly.”His response was vague, as if he wasn’t sure of the exact number. Then, as if it didn’t matter, he shrugged casually.“The rest will burn up and disappear on their own.”Seungjoo had heard that some shamans used self-igniting talismans that disappeared on their own. He knew it in theory, but hearing it from Muheun, someone he’d known since birth, made it feel different.“Can Kim Muryeong do this too?”“Muryeong?”Muheun tilted his head at the unexpected name. Instead of answering, Seungjoo just looked up at him. After a short pause, Muheun squinted his eyes.“If Muryeong learns, he could do the simple ones, but there’s no need.”“……”“There’s almost never a need to set up a barrier unless we’re catching a Gwimae.”Not only Muheun but even Kim Muryeong, whom Seungjoo had known since birth, could do this. He had always been a bit unusual, but realizing just how extraordinary he was made Seungjoo pause in awe.“Anything else you’re curious about?”“……Ah.”That’s when Seungjoo realized he had been acting like a child who just found a new toy. At some point, Muheun’s lips had curled into a deep smile, and it seemed almost like he thought Seungjoo was cute. Embarrassed, Seungjoo turned away and frowned.Still, there were questions that lingered.“Won’t someone walking by bump into it? You said regular people can’t see it.”“That’s why I made sure they can’t get too close. If anyone comes near, they’ll just feel something is off and turn around.”It was like a hallucination, just like when Seohyun had experienced something similar and walked off the path.“Isn’t that kind of like using magic?”“Magic?”Muheun laughed out loud, clearly amused by the word. He parted his lips to say something but just smiled, his eyes narrowing with a playful glint. The way his eyes crinkled made him look unusually gentle.“It’s just a small trick.”Seungjoo thought that was a bit of an understatement. Well, if everyone around him was like this, maybe it wouldn’t seem so impressive.“Still, not just anyone can do this. Hyung is especially good at it.”Muheun’s tone wasn’t boastful; he simply stated a fact. Still, his eyes gleamed with expectation, as if he was curious about Seungjoo’s reaction.Seungjoo, this time, nodded with a neutral expression.“Of course. Hyung is good at everything.”It seemed impressive, but at the same time, it felt natural. Muheun was the eldest son of an extraordinary family, a top-notch Gwimae hunter, and a natural talent among shamans. If Muheun was the only one who could do it, Seungjoo would just accept it.“So, how do you find the goldfish?”“……”At Seungjoo’s question, Muheun silently stared at him for a moment. His gaze seemed blank, and after a short pause, a breath escaped from his lips. Muheun’s face softened, and he sighed as if giving up.“Well, finding it isn’t the hard part…”Maybe it was because it was late at night, but his voice was unusually soft. Perhaps it was because everything around them was so still. As Seungjoo felt the urge to scratch his ears, Muheun slowly reached out and grabbed Seungjoo’s wrist.“Shall we walk for a bit?”***The scattered lights shimmered on the surface of the lake. The large moon that rose in a circle, the streetlights lined up side by side, and the decorations for the festival all contributed to the sparkling view. The lights that dotted the gentle waves were a pleasant sight as the two of them walked around the lake.“Are you drinking with your friends tomorrow?”“Yeah, I think I’ll have a drink for a bit…”In the midst of this scenery, Muheun kept asking Seungjoo about various things—what he planned to do tomorrow, if it was okay to not hang out with his friends, and how he felt about the festival, which was his first. They were not particularly important questions, and naturally, Seungjoo responded casually.“I don’t plan to stay too late. You’ll have to go to work too, right, Hyung?”Though he had promised to drink with Jinwoo, Seungjoo planned to leave early if possible. Since it wouldn’t just be the two of them, Jinwoo likely wouldn’t mind much. Even if he showed a little regret, it wasn’t a sincere reaction.“Are your drinking buddies Jinwoo and Seohyun?”“Maybe… Wait, how do you know their names?”“You told me last time.”“Good memory…”While exchanging such trivial conversation, Muheun still held onto Seungjoo’s wrist. As they walked naturally towards the lake, Seungjoo was aware of the wrist he was holding and adjusted his pace.“Of course I remember my friend Seungjoo.”If that was the case, he might as well hold hands. Despite thinking this, Seungjoo didn’t pull away. He didn’t ask him to let go, as the warmth around his wrist wasn’t unpleasant. The Yeongi he felt now wasn’t cold, but rather felt refreshingly cool.‘But… should we be taking it so easy?’Seungjoo glanced once at the barrier outside and then at Muheun, who was walking ahead. Finding the goldfish wasn’t their official task, so Muheun would likely have to go to work once this task was done. Therefore, they should find it quickly, but Seungjoo wasn’t sure if they had the luxury of time to waste like this.“Why?”Feeling Seungjoo’s gaze, Muheun turned slightly to look at him. Under the dark night sky, the colorful lights reflected on his face. Seungjoo squinted and met his gaze.“No, it’s just… shouldn’t we be finding the goldfish quickly?”“Yeah, I suppose so.”Muheun casually responded and looked around the lake. Though his expression wasn’t clear, Seungjoo thought he saw a sharp glint in his eyes.“I am looking for it, though…”Muheun trailed off as he slowed his pace, stopping. When Seungjoo stopped beside him, he tilted his head as if to speak.“I can’t see it.”“……”Is looking the right way to describe it? The darkness wasn’t an issue since his night vision was clear, but “looking for it” seemed to mean something different than the casual glances he had thrown outside the fence. Even when looking for a lost wallet, he’d be more meticulous.But Muheun spoke with an expression that had no trace of playfulness.“Finding a Gwimae is really nothing special.”His dark eyes gazed blankly at the lake. Whether it was just Seungjoo’s feeling, there seemed to be a weary look in his expression, which he had occasionally seen when Muheun was alone.“Either you track its energy, follow the sound, or see it with your eyes—those are the three ways.”While saying “see it with your eyes,” Muheun pointed to his own eyes with the hand that wasn’t holding Seungjoo’s wrist. His eyes blinked slowly, glistening in the moonlight. The bluish aura was what he now recognized as Yeongi, and it had only now become clear after walking for some time.“But when we set up the barrier, I didn’t feel any energy, and since it’s probably submerged in the water, I can’t hear any sounds, so that leaves just walking around looking for it.”“So you’ve been looking for the Gwimae all this time?”Seungjoo had thought they were just taking a meaningless walk, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. He wondered why Muheun hadn’t mentioned that beforehand. Thinking this, Seungjoo heard Muheun respond with an unashamed face.“No, I just wanted to walk for a bit.”“……What?”Seungjoo muttered in disbelief, and Muheun grinned mischievously. The weariness he had shown earlier vanished without a trace. Seeing Seungjoo’s expression, Muheun laughed lightly and released his wrist.“Of course, I’ve been looking for the Gwimae too. Just haven’t found it yet.”The warmth left his wrist, and Seungjoo felt an unexpected emptiness. He instinctively touched the area before awkwardly slipping his hand into his pocket when he noticed Muheun looking at him intently. After a clearing of his throat, Muheun spoke softly.“Normally, by this point, we would assume it’s not here…”“……”“Wouldn’t that make you feel uneasy?”Seungjoo couldn’t deny it. While he usually took things in stride, for some reason, the goldfish was something he couldn’t ignore.The message the goldfish had sent was simply, “Help me.” Why it wanted help, how to help—it didn’t explain any of that, and Seungjoo only understood that part. But he couldn’t just dismiss it, because a sense of unease lingered in the back of his mind.“Hyung, I feel uneasy going along with this too.”Muheun saw right through Seungjoo’s inner thoughts. When Seungjoo flinched and looked up at him, Muheun smiled reassuringly.“Of course, our Seungjoo should be safe at school.”“……Hyung, you sound like a parent.”It was said half-jokingly, half-seriously. Muheun shrugged, saying it wasn’t entirely wrong.“Anyway… there’s another way to do this.”“What’s the method?”An alternative to seeing, hearing, and feeling to find the Gwimae. Muheun spoke calmly, without hesitation.“Start a fire.”“……Fire?”It sounded like something a criminal would say. Whether Seungjoo looked dumbfounded or not, Muheun turned his body toward the fence. Then, he pulled out another talisman from his pocket and held it toward the lake.“Like this…”At that moment, the talisman ignited in flames. It looked like the scene Seungjoo had seen in front of a crosswalk before or when he peeked through the gap in his fingers at a wild boar. The blue flames flickered threateningly.“You set fire to the lake.”At those words, Muheun dropped the talisman into the lake. The talisman fell quietly onto the calm waves, sinking slowly. The chapters have been revised, edited, and compressed, and the complete main story has been released for free, as I’m concerned it might be taken down or worse. I didn’t want to disappoint the readers, so I apologize for any inconvenience, and I hope you enjoy reading the complete story! The side stories will be coming soon, so don't worry~