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Annex of the tiger mansion.
Yong Jegun’s ecstatic smile disappeared when he fell asleep.
He’s probably experiencing Kim Shinrok’s funeral.
Hwang Jiho, who was checking Yong Jegun’s energy waves, spoke.
“It’s similar to Jeokho’s. His energy waves are normal. His body seems to be normal too.”
It was the first time Replay was used on my playable character, so I was worried that something else would happen that we hadn’t encountered before.
The news gave me great relief.
Though I wasn’t settled yet knowing what Yong Jegun was going through.
‘What if we don’t get any information after this.’
There are two things I want to get from using Replay on Yong Jegun.
First is the situation of Eungwang High during the First Christmas Scenario.
Just as Jeokho found clues about Pungbaek and Usa, Yong Jegun was likely to notice something too.
Eungwang High was transformed into something unrecognizable during that scenario thanks to the Black Screen’s plot.
Yong Jegun has survived longer than Jeokho, and he may have detected something.
‘Though it’s a different information I’m looking forward to.’
Second, the internal circumstances within the Dragon Clan.
The Dragon Clan takes the spotlight of the PMH storyline after the Dragon King Shaman scenario, which will take place next year.
It was arranged in preparation for the selection of the shaman at the Dragon Palace, but it was clear that the Black Screen was embroidered in some way.
If Yong Jegun has a clue about what the Black Screen has planned, we could reduce the damage even further.
Hwang Jiho talked while looking down at the sleeping Yong Jegun.
“You have a place to sleep in the annex, Jo Euishin. I’ll watch over him. You can go rest.”
How can I fall asleep while my playable character is living a nightmare?
I shook my head, and as if he knew in advance that I’d refuse, Hwang Jiho took the teacup in front of me and replaced it with fresh hot tea.
I haven’t taken a sip of that old cup, but it must’ve gone cold.
“If you don’t want to, then drink some tea at least.”
Hwang Jiho’s brewed tea was good even when it was cold, so there wasn’t really a need to throw it away.
Thinking that he’d throw it away again if the tea gets cold, I decided to drink it.
Hwang Jiho brewed some Longjing Tea.
Even with the deep-scented tea in front of my eyes, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Yong Jegun.
When I took a sip though, I was impressed by the taste.
After a few more sips, Hwang Jiho talked to me.
“I rarely appeared in Jeokho’s report.”
Hwang Jiho was mentioned in Jeokho’s report of what happened in his replay.
That was when Jeokho cut his ties with Hwang Jiho.
They never met after that.
Jeokho didn’t explain anything, just that he was certain to push Hwang Jiho out of his life until he completed avenging his son.
“Is there a possibility that I will appear in Yong Jegun’s dream?”
In PMH, there was no scene where Yong Jegun and Hwang Jiho met.
Yong Jegun died in the First Christmas scenario, and Hwang Jiho only appears formally after Joo Soogyuk gets moved to Year Two Class Zero.
However, the two may have met outside of the scenes shown in PMH.
“There’s a possibility.”
“I see. The scene where Yong Jegun and I weren’t shown in the game.”
Hwang Jiho understood what I meant.
He must be very curious about what he’s like in that world.
His name can’t be selected in the function yet, so there’s no way to check it at this time.
And then, a question suddenly popped up in my head.
“If you were in that situation, would you go see Professor Yong Jegun?”
“…”
Somehow, it felt like Yong Jegun wouldn’t go to Hwang Jiho.
I don’t know about their territory though.
Hwang Jiho didn’t answer immediately.
He stared at Yong Jegun’s sleeping face.
“…Maybe I’ll see him at least once.”
Hwang Jiho’s voice had a strange sense of solemnity.
It sounded as if he was prepared to be stabbed.
***
Silver Hall, Chairman’s office.
Accepting Hwang Jiho’s proposal in the alter ego of Hwang Myeongho, Yong Jegun headed to the Silver Hall.
After the secretary went out, Yong Jegun was the first to speak.
“Chairman Hwangho, long time no see.”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you since Shinrok’s funeral.”
The last time Yong Jegun saw Hwangho was at the funeral home.
Hwangho came as the chairman of Eungwang High who was visiting a faculty member who died on campus, not as the head of the Tiger Clan who lost a descendant.
Hwangho’s attitude, who was accompanied by his secretary and a few members of the board, was quite business-like.
It was a huge contrast with Cheongryong who struggled to maintain his dignity as he twisted his face to stop his tears from falling.
Cheongryong managed to hold back, but several dragons openly cried.
Many of the dragons found the young Jeho, who came to play at the Dragon Clan’s territory with Yong Jegun in the past, very cute.
“Shinrok would’ve liked it if you came as his family, not as the chairman of the board, Hwangho-ssi.”
Yong Jegun’s friend would never have verbalized it or made it obvious, but he would’ve waited for his family to visit.
It wasn’t like there weren’t people from the Tiger Clan who came, of course.
Cheongho’s students came and went.
Baekho sat down for a few hours at a time when there were no people.
Jeokho, who couldn’t accept his son’s death until the end, came to the funeral hall a day before his burial.
In the eyes of Yong Jegun, he saw their sadness and condolences.
Except for Hwangho.
At least Hwangho came, something better than those who didn’t attend at all, but it was clear that Yong Jegun’s friend would’ve felt sad at Hwangho’s appearance at his funeral.
“…”
Hwangho listened to Yong Jegun, not daring to make any excuses.
Silent, Hwangho gave Yong Jegun some tea.
It happened to be Longjing tea, and Yong Jegun almost threw the jade teacup and left.
However, Yong Jegun’s reason narrowly prevented that impulse.
The contract that he signed can be destroyed as much as Hwangho changes his mind.
Yong Jegun reeled himself in by reflecting on the facts in his head.
‘I want to stay in Eungwang High until Shinrok comes back.’
Yong Jegun took his eyes off the cup and stared at Hwangho.
He restrained himself from being rude, but a sharp dagger of words came out of him.
“I’ve seen Jeokho-ssi more than a few times, but it’s my first time seeing you in a while, Mr. Chairman. You must be very busy.”
“…I had some things to deal with.”
Yong Jegun almost scoffed at Hwangho’s answer.
He was well aware of how negligent Hwangho was.
He said he did what had to be done, but he let a lot of things happen.
He worked hard on searching for Shinin and Cheongho.
They were the reason why Hwangho, who had been incredibly negligent, set up the Hwangmyeong Group and worked hard to operate Eungwang High.
Hwangho’s theory was that to find them and welcome them safely in the chaotic world of otherworld occurrences, he must maintain the Tiger Clan’s wealth, power, and position on the Korean Peninsula.
Whether his affection for Shinin and Cheongho was a direct reason that he neglected Kim Shinrok, Yong Jegun has no way to know.
“I see. Was it urgent enough to let Kim Shinrok be treated like that after he died?”
“…”
Hwangho didn’t intervene with Kim Shinrok at Jeokho’s request.
Jeokho wanted nothing to do with Hwangho anymore, and Hwangho only upheld his will.
However, Yong Jegun wasn’t aware of that.
If Yong Jegun had as much insight as his usual self, he would’ve guessed it, but it was impossible for him to do so in his conditions.
Sadness and pain ruined Yong Jegun’s mind and body, and his senses were dull.
Hwangho accepted all of Yong Jegun’s words without a single rebuttal.
“So why did you call me here, Mr. Chairman?”
Hwangho looked at Yong Jegun’s full teacup.
The tea had already gone cold.
“I just wanted to serve tea to that child’s friend.”
Now that it’s come to this?
Yong Jegun almost said those words, but he chose to get up and leave without saying goodbye.
He thought that once his friend returns, it would be awkward if there was a rift between him and Hwangho.
His friend would have a harder time.
But then…
His friend never responded to his call.
Everything felt futile.
“Hahaha…”
Just before he left the chairman’s office, Yong Jegun laughed alone.
“…Yong Jegun?”
Hwangho, who was about to get up from his seat and see Yong Jegun off, called him.
Yong Jegun spoke, his back still facing the chairman.
“You and I are beings that appeared in history and mythology. It’s funny that such beings couldn’t give that child a reason to live.”
Yong Jegun left, not bothering to hear a response from Yong Jegun.
He was about to meet with the shamans, but he decided to postpone it because he didn’t feel like he had the capacity at that moment.
After delaying it for a day or two, Yong Jegun forgot the thought of meeting with the shamans.
His reckless wishing consumed his mind and body, and the various incidents in Eungwang High further disturbed his mind.
‘Would things have been okay if Shinrok were here? No, will I maybe get a sense of relief if Shinrok were here?’
A big incident occurred during the summer vacation youth retreat of freshmen students.
Students experienced hell, including the warningless otherworlds occurring, unprecedented enemy attacks, and a flood caused by a light skill of one of the freshmen Class Zero students.
The damage would’ve been somewhat reduced if Kim Shinrok were there, but the power of a single descendant isn’t enough to bring the number of casualties to zero.
The image of his friend blaming himself was vivid in Yong Jegun’s mind.
After the summer vacation, Yong Jegun paid more attention to the students.
At the request of Joo Soohyuk, Yong Jegun cooperated in solving some cases.
As a result, he and Joo Soohyuk grew close to each other.
To the point where he promised to show up at the Christmas Eve event.
“…Yong Jegun-nim.”
On Christmas Eve, at the Red Lion Team building.
When Yong Jegun stepped outside, someone caught him.
It was Hong, a shaman wearing red clothes and covering her face with cotton yarn.
The Dragon King has a total of five shamans — Nok (Green), Byeok (Blue), Hwang (Yellow), Ja (Violet), and Hong (Red).
Among them, Hong was the most difficult to talk to.
“…Uhm, I don’t think the weather’s going to be good today”
The words made Yong Jegun feel deja vu.
He thought he heard something similar last year.
Maybe it was the day Yong Jegun lost his friend.
That day, one of the Dragon King’s shamans told him about the weather.
Yong Jegun tried to recall what he heard that day, but his mind was blank.
His poor physical condition seemed to have affected his memory.
“Really? I should bring an umbrella then. I’ll be off.”
“Ah…”
The shaman seemed to want to hold on to Yong Jegun, but he headed straight to school.
Considering Yong Jegun’s condition, it wasn’t strange that there were people from the Dragon Clan who wanted to keep him home.
On the first Christmas Eve when Yong Jegun doesn’t have his friend by his side, it began to snow in Eungwang High.
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