-Ring ring. Ring ring.
The ringtone sounded consecutively.
Soon after, click- a familiar voice was heard.
[…What is it?]
A voice that might seem rough at first, easy to mistake, but it's filled with affection.
It's Cheondo.
I kept my mouth shut and stayed quiet. Then, snickering, I spoke cheerfully.
"No, just checking to see how our master is doing."
[Suddenly?]
"Well, I thought I'd call whenever I feel like it… You're not crying because I've been gone for a few days, are you? Missing me."
[…Took a vacation and hit your head? That's not like me.]
"Ha ha ha. Is Shiba doing okay? Put Shiba on the phone."
[What? Shiba is at kindergarten.]
"Ah right, it's kindergarten time now. My mistake."
My sense of time had become quite blurry.
The time I spent in the past was long. But here, it hadn't even been a few days.
No matter how much I was kicked around like a soccer ball and rolled over, nobody here would know.
I let go of the phone in my hand.
Deep breath. I calmed my trembling hands.
The people here didn't know what I had been through in the past.
"…It's nice to hear your voice after so long. I'll hang up now."
[…Uh? Okay, fine.]
-Click.
The call ended.
I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead.
"Have you finished your business?"
Sitting next to the futon, a woman dressed in a shaman's outfit asked politely on her knees.
"Yeah."
"May I quickly share the stories from when you were not here?"
"Go ahead."
The shaman took a breath and began the story.
"When you disappeared, and after a day passed, a woman came here. She had green hair."
"I see."
"As ordered by the World Tree, I told her to say that you would be unable to attend the academy's events for a while. That's how we've handled it."
So, they were going along with that as an alibi.
I didn't know if it's right to call it an alibi, but it gave me an excuse.
Going back to the past sounded too far-fetched anyway.
It's more convenient that way.
"…Now, you can return to your daily life."
One sentence that emerged from the shaman's mouth.
I looked down, my eyes empty.
"Daily life."
Words that failed to resonate.
Since arriving in this world, it had almost always been like that.
Rubbing the sweat-soaked back of my neck, the dryness in my mouth returned as the shaman handed me a cup of tea.
Iced green tea with tea leaves floating.
-Gulp.
I took a sip and paused.
"And this… It seemed important to you."
The shaman placed a ring case on the floor and gently pushed it towards me.
The ring that young Cheondo had given me.
Seeing it, a fatherly smile appeared on my face.
I pocketed the ring case.
"Thank you."
With that, I took a deep breath.
"Whew, hoo."
My magical power had doubled. Thanks to learning how to hide my strength from the elder, I could now conceal my abnormal growth.
How weak I used to be.
While adjusting my dantian, I controlled the amount of magical power leaking out of my body.
It didn't take long to return to the state I was in just a few days ago.
"Will you be going back right away?"
"Of course…"
Though I ended up speaking informally, it's just for today, so did it really matter?
As I stood up, the shaman brought me modern clothes.
"Please wear these."
I changed into the clothes as the shaman suggested.
The attire was light, suitable for early summer, not much different from what I had worn when I arrived for the training.
It had been a bit chilly in the past. The weather changed swiftly here.
-Creak.
I stepped out of the temple and took in the view outside.
There was so much to do going forward, but at this moment, I felt incredibly refreshed.
As I stepped forward, the shaman who followed spoke.
"May the blessing of the World Tree be with you."
The blessing of the World Tree… Yeah, right.
Still, it was a nice thing to say, so I nodded politely out of courtesy.
I descended the temple stairs.
There was someone I needed to meet first.
"Didn't show up today either?"
"…Yes."
"This kid really… where did they go?"
Missed calls: 32.
"They're not answering your calls either?"
Jin Dallae nodded, her expression gloomy.
Despite it being a training session that should have been enjoyable, she seemed filled with regret.
"…Alright, go inside. What about the training schedule?"
"It's over for today. Take care."
-Thunk.
It's been only a few days, but Lee Shiheon has disappeared.
Ignoring everyone's calls.
She wondered if she should reach out to Cheondo or Baekdo… but decided it was too much fuss to bother them as well.
'…Did what I say put too much pressure on him?'
The night deepened with worry, leaving her unable to do anything. Jin Dallae regretted her confession, feeling similar regrets.
Lee Seyeong sat on the dormitory bed, hugging her knees.
A silver ring she always wore on her ring finger sparkled.
-This won't do. I need to change what I said.
-I like men who are popular with the ladies.
Words said in a moment of desperation.
Why did she say that?
"Ugh, Lee Seyeong, such an idiot… really turning me off."
A slip of the tongue.
Looking back, it was a selfish remark.
Despite her tendency to speak her mind… considering everything, that remark must have been a burden to Lee Shiheon.
While it was nice to be liked that much, the fact that he hadn't contacted her at all suggested he's really upset.
'He said he had something to do….'
She got a call from the temple's shaman.
Lee Shiheon would be unable to attend the training session for a while due to personal reasons.
The academy also followed up, making his absence nearly official.
The issue wasn't the absence.
It's typical of him to be dragged somewhere or to barge into a dungeon.
The problem was his disappearance right after Jin Dallae's confession and their conversation.
'My calls… he used to wake up from sleep to answer them.'
A mix of worry and pique, a spoonful of feeling neglected.
Lee Seyeong pouted in a way that belied her age.
A thought surfaced from a corner of her heart.
'Maybe it's for the best.'
Yet, her plans were progressing smoothly.
Stepping on Flower's tail was gradually being resolved without issues.
If Lee Shiheon could detach his feelings for her through this chance, she could fully focus on rescuing him.
It's about bringing down Flower with her own strength.
"Phew…"
Her thoughts reached that far before she shook my head to clear them.
When did she become like this?
'I've become obsessed with love.'
She could easily throw away her life. In fact, she had made plans that accounted for losing her life.
To crush Flower, who was after Lee Shiheon.
It sounded good. Just the words.
…Objectively, it's just her clinging to a man she had known for only a few months.
Lee Seyeong hugged her face to her knees and closed her eyes.
Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes and headed straight for the fridge.
She took out a bottle of soju and took a sip.
-Gulp, gulp.
The soju, slightly frozen in the freezer, was refreshing.
As the slight drunkenness kicked in, the dizziness disappeared. It's been days without contact, and she was this anxious.
This wouldn't do.
She took out soju from the fridge, laid it on the table, and opened a bag of dry snacks.
Might as well get completely drunk and fall asleep.
As she was tilting the glass of liquor with an uneasy heart.
-Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking.
Perhaps Jin Dallae left something behind.
Lee Seyeong and Jin Dallae had become somewhat close recently, since Lee Shiheon disappeared.
She thoughtlessly went to the door and opened it.
-Thud.
"What did you leave beh-"
Their eyes met through the gap in the door.
"-ind."
His face was calm.
The aura he exuded was different after not seeing him for days.
Lee Shiheon looked at Lee Seyeong and for a moment, couldn't find the words to say, merely closing his mouth.
His lips trembled, hinting at regret, his gaze drifting aimlessly as if searching for something unseen.
As though a ghost lingered nearby.
-Thump.
Lee Seyeong felt her heart drop.
Should she scold him directly? Or offer an apology?
She was too harsh before. Yeah, mentioning his many women… that was overstepping on her part. Let's move at his pace.
Changing people's values wasn't easy.
She intended to say such things but instead, mustered a cheerful tone.
"…You're just now arriving? Why so late?"
At Seyeong's words, Shiheon's demeanor shifted.
Before she could inquire about what had transpired and ponder his change, he casually revealed his typical sly grin and entered, stretching his arms wide.
"Wait a minute. Uh-"
A brief kiss ensued.
A wave of happiness washed over her as his strong arms enveloped her.
It felt like ages had passed, though it had only been a few days.
Seyeong stepped back and frowned.
"What, have you been drinking? By yourself?"
"Hey, who do you think I'm drinking over… Why didn't you answer my calls, huh?"
"We used to drink a lot when we hit the barbecue spot."
"Don't dodge the question."
Like a couple freshly in love at the doorstep, they embraced each other.
Teasingly, Lee Shiheon made his way into the room.
Lee Seyeong sighed, watching Lee Shiheon barge in.
"So… what happened to you?"
"Just wrapped up some business. Wasn't it always like this before?"
"What business?"
"I lent a hand to the World Tree. Had to fulfill a request. Couldn't use my phone."
It made sense.
Even if he had once stood against the World Tree, the current Lee Shiheon lacked the means to challenge it.
"…So you just left without a word?"
At Lee Seyeong's rebuke, Shiheon settled on the sofa with a smile, seamlessly joining the drinking session.
"It was urgent."
"Still, you could have left a message… Hey, I really thought… you were mad at me."
"At you, teacher?"
Shiheon's smiling face somehow made the anger dissipate again.
Seyeong sighed deeply and sat down in front of him.
Normally, she would have clung to him, drinking together.
But not sitting next to him was a minor act of revenge.
"…So, you weren't hurt, right? Take a drink. You should drink after coming back from work."
"I'm fine."
She filled a soju glass to the brim, set it down, and then it was her turn to receive a drink.
They could have opted for some fine wine and Jamón, but cheap soju was much better for their current situation.
"…What about Jin Dallae?"
"Not yet."
-Gulp.
She took a drink.
"I was planning to see you right away."
"…What did you decide to do about the confession?"
Shiheon's gaze turned towards Seyeong.
Indecisive. A progressive person who values monogamy.
Seyeong waited for an answer while taking another sip.
By now, she was no longer angry about him ignoring her calls.
There was a reason for it.
And because it didn't seem like he was angry.
Shiheon took another drink. Now, they weren't even pouring for each other, each handling their own bottle.
"I should accept it."
"…Really?"
His tone was dismissive, as if he had made up his mind a long time ago without any torment.
Just as she had asked.
Yet, she couldn't hide a certain feeling of disappointment.
Seyeong laughed exaggeratedly.
"Keh-keh, you've grown up. What happened to wanting only me?"
"I do like you, teacher."
Seyeong was taken aback by his direct tone, her face flushing red.
"Hey… why say something like that all of a sudden?"
"I owe you a lot… I probably wouldn't have survived without you. That's why I like you."
"…Me, too. Yeah. Ah, but it's kind of hot. Should I turn on the air conditioner?"
Was he always this honest about his feelings?
Her heart fluttered for a moment at the sight of his matured face.
Seyeong hurriedly turned on the air conditioner and returned to her seat, feeling a bit cooler.
Lee Shiheon placed his soju glass down with a smile.
"But, teacher."
"Uh, yes?"
Seyeong involuntarily held her breath, waiting for his words with serious eyes.
His deep voice filled the room.
"You're not plotting some weird plan, are you?"
Seyeong swallowed nervously.
The man stared at her without blinking or moving a muscle.
In his black eyes, affection mingled with a hint of sharpness.