Chapter 94: Didn't I Say You Could Break It? (1)
Hyeon-yul naturally blinked his eyes.
After his head was damaged, he didn't dream.
If only he could dream, he might find out what happened in the past.
Beside him, a book titled ‘101 Ways for a Smooth Company Life’ was gently placed.
Even though he had read it thoroughly multiple times, there was no type like yesterday's.
Hyeon-yul shifted his gaze.
「The Art of Physiognomy: Reading People's Minds.」
「Emotional Expression Even a Passing Dog Can Do.」
「Conversation Methods That Don't End with "Yes" or "No."」
「Emotion-Reading Beam for You Who Are Awkward in Human Relationships!」
Besides these, there were many other diverse books.
It seemed he had fallen asleep while reading as soon as he arrived yesterday.
Hyeon-yul turned his body.
His long hair fell onto his shoulder.
‘No matter how much I read, I don’t understand why they waited for me.’
Jeong-min didn't give him the answer.
—Think about this yourself. You can't keep asking to be spoon-fed.
Although he had said, ‘The expression ‘spoon-fed’ isn’t used like that,’ Jeong-min had only laughed harder.
Hyeon-yul’s brow furrowed.
He used to teach him everything, calling it emotional training or whatever, but now he suddenly wouldn't.
Not knowing things wasn't to his liking.
He brought his phone out of the darkness and fiddled with it.
Another 600 messages had piled up.
‘…Should I read them?’
As soon as Hyeon-yul pressed it, messages popped up.
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Read it.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Hyeon-yul read it!]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Hyeon-yul! Are you okay?]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: Ah, just wait a bit.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: What’s the rush?]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: No matter how I look at it, it seems like Brother Hyeon-yul read it?]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: Brother! Are you up?]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: How’s your body?]
He sent an emoji of a fox smiling brightly.
Hyeon-yul saw the flood of messages and immediately put down his phone.
He was wide awake in a different sense.
‘……How did they know?’
The vibrations continued.
Hyeon-yul, looking pained, let out a sigh first.
They approached him too aggressively.
It was as if the concept of distance didn't exist.
When he was among them, he felt as if he were surrounded.
[I am fine.]
First, he replied.
After that, he hesitated.
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Baek Shin-woo! He says he’s uncomfortable because of you!]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: What are you going to do?]
She sent an emoji of a cat hissing.
As soon as Hyeon-yul saw the message, he looked around.
Was he being watched?
He had merely written that he was fine, but how could they deduce such a thing?
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: It wasn't me, you spoke first, Chu Na-yoon.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: It was you, not me!!!!]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: So, is it true that Brother Hyeon-yul is feeling somewhat uncomfortable?]
A brief silence followed Ji-hwan’s message.
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Perhaps.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: We.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: A bit.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Were we like that?]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: Hey! Does saying that make you sound cautious?]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: You should ask confidently.]
Shin-woo quickly sent an emoji of a dog holding a letter.
He followed it with an emoji of a dog tilting its head.
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: You get it, right, Hyeon-yul?]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Hahahahahahahaha!]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Nothing special, Baek Shin-woo!]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: What are you doing?]
[That is.]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: Yesyesyesyes!]
An emoji of a fox with sparkling eyes came along.
Then, cat and dog emojis followed, as if Na-yoon and Shin-woo were concentrating.
[No.]
Hyeon-yul stopped short of saying he was uncomfortable.
No messages came for a while.
[I have something to ask.]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: I’m listening!]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Ask anything! I’ll answer everything!]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: If you’re worried, it’s definitely me.]
[Yesterday.]
[Why did you wait for me yesterday?]
After sending the message, Hyeon-yul immediately closed his phone.
Was it okay to ask like this?
His eyes wandered in the air.
Why did he feel like he had made a mistake?
Hyeon-yul fiddled with his phone.
Strangely, he felt his body losing strength.
Hyeon-yul put down his phone for a moment and pulled up the blanket.
After hesitating for a long time, he looked at his phone.
Hyeon-yul’s eyes widened.
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: Because we were worried.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Right. Of course, it’s because we were worried.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: To check if you were okay, so we could sleep soundly.]
Worry.
Hyeon-yul stared blankly at that word.
It was the word he had accepted the fastest.
Because Jeong-min always looked at him that way.
He had no choice but to accept that this was worry.
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: Just in case you're wondering why???? I'm saying this.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: You're our team member.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: Anyone would naturally worry if something like that happened to them.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: Villain company? That place is weird. Abnormal. Let's deconstruct the standards of judgment one by one.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: I have to agree with this.]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: Agreed! Agreed with both arms!]
[Team Leader Oh Hae-ryeon: I agree too!]
As Hae-ryeon’s message subtly appeared, it became eerily quiet.
[Team Leader Oh Hae-ryeon: Don't disturb Hyeon-yul-ssi's rest, and you all should rest well before coming to work.]
[Senior Ye Ji-hwan: Suddenly, I feel my energy draining.]
[Senior Chu Na-yoon: Agreed.]
[Senior Baek Shin-woo: I absolutely agree too. With both arms, and both legs!]
[Team Leader Oh Hae-ryeon: Even if you agree, there's nothing I can do.]
[Team Leader Oh Hae-ryeon: Well then, rest well and see you tomorrow, Hyeon-yul-ssi.]
She sent an emoji of a squirrel waving.
No more messages came.
Hyeon-yul moved his finger and checked the messages again.
‘I see.’
There were a few things that bothered him, but now he understood.
It was something from the books.
—People worry when someone is sick.
They were putting that into practice.
The villains simply didn't even practice that.
Because they were people, and the villains were not.
‘They are people.’
Hyeon-yul looked at the ceiling and blinked.
‘So that’s why you said I’ve changed.’
Hyeon-yul roughly understood Jeong-min’s words as well.
He was mentioning that because he had lived among villains, just living among people could change him.
Hyeon-yul nodded.
No matter how many times he thought about it, and thought about it again, the answer was always one.
That he had done well to become a Black Eagle.
Hyeon-yul got out of bed.
His body was fine.
The new medicine was also gradually agreeing with his body.
There were no side effects.
There was only one place he had to go.
—Right. Those bastards. They took our workshop.
Not long ago, hadn't he obtained three drugs he had been subjected to in experiments?
At that time, he heard that Poison King's faction had taken over their workshop.
He had instructed the figurehead president, Lee Seung-yoo, that he would take care of matters related to the drugs himself, so he should just hold onto them.
It was time to confirm that.
Hyeon-yul picked up his phone.
Jiiiiiing.
He felt a vibration from his phone.
It was Hae-ryeon.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
<I’m calling to tell you something I couldn’t say earlier.>
“What information is it?”
<The company where the leader who knew Hyeon-yul-ssi’s past was, it was ‘Linda.’>
“…Linda?”
Hyeon-yul pondered the familiar name.
<Why, you said there was a villain who was getting rid of drugs not long ago, right?>
“…Ah.”
Hyeon-yul recalled the messages he had found on that phone one by one.
—Isn't Linda a place that sells cosmetics, and Prunal a place that sells milk?
Linda.
It was definitely that name.
“Is it the information I gave to you, Team Leader?”
<That’s right. It’s that. It’s very regrettable. It was Na-yoon-ssi’s favorite cosmetics company. Same for me. It was quite well-known for basic skincare.>
He heard a voice that sounded like she was gritting her teeth.
It was enough to know immediately that she was angry.
—If you don't know what to choose, I'll pick for you. There's a brand called 'Linda', and their products are really good.
‘…Ah.’
Only then did Hyeon-yul also recall what Na-yoon had said before.
At that time, he couldn't think properly due to the pressure from Na-yoon and Ji-hwan, but it was the same place.
<I’m waiting, Hyeon-yul-ssi. I’ll put it on the mission list soon.>
“Yes. I will wait.”
<Alright, then rest well and see you later.>
“Understood.”
Hyeon-yul waited until Hae-ryeon hung up the phone.
But the call didn’t disconnect.
<Rest well. Don’t wander around anywhere.>
Hyeon-yul blinked his eyes for a moment.
“…Did Teacher… tell you?”
<Of course. He said to give a warning at least twice. Though he did add that it won’t be followed even then.>
He heard Hae-ryeon chuckle.
“That’s not true.”
Hyeon-yul’s eyebrows drew inwards.
Why did Jeong-min say such a thing?
<I’m really hanging up now.>
“Yes.”
Hoping against hope, he looked at his phone, but this time it disconnected immediately.
Hyeon-yul yawned and walked to the bathroom.
He looked in the mirror to wash his face.
He raised the corners of his mouth to practice smiling.
His brow furrowed for a very brief moment, then he turned on the water.
‘As expected, it doesn’t suit me.’
Hyeon-yul briefly raised his head.
The numerous towering buildings looked as if they would pierce the sun at any moment.
There was a place where many corporations were gathered.
It was called by various names, but Poison King's real main company was located right here.
It meant that villains were also mixed among the people commuting as if nothing was wrong.
This also meant that other factions could not enter this place.
Because this place was Poison King's faction, itself.
It was the same as saying that Poison King had contributed to his inability to quickly find other villain factions.
Hyeon-yul had already blended into the crowd, wearing a rabbit mask.
Some stared, and some spoke with curiosity.
“…Mommy, Mommy. It’s a rabbit. A rabbit.”
A child grabbed her mother’s arm, shook it, and pointed at Hyeon-yul.
“It is a rabbit. You should say hello.”
“Hello.”
As the child bowed deeply, Hyeon-yul thought of Se-rin.
Hyeon-yul waved his hand.
He pretended to take out the candy he had bought for Se-rin from his pocket and offered it.
「Hello.」
「Have a happy day :D」
He held out his phone and walked away, following the changed signal.
All eyes were on him.
It would be understandable if anyone suddenly wore a rabbit mask, but there were various gazes mixed in.
He saw curiosity, awe, and wariness.
The curiosity was likely about the suddenly appearing rabbit mask, the awe was because he was from Poison King's faction, and the wariness clearly indicated they were from another faction.
He always chose caution, but today was different.
It was time to choose boldness, not caution.
‘They must be getting curious by now, so I should let them know.’
It was a time when countless rumors would have circulated, and a time when they would be paying attention to this side.
If he didn't appear at this moment, all the rumors would burst like balloons.
Hyeon-yul confidently walked towards the main entrance.
The gazes of the villains in black suits, who were standing guard yawning, changed.
No way, no way.
Their expressions seemed to say that.
Hyeon-yul held up his phone.
「Hello.」
After greeting them, Hyeon-yul walked to the information desk.
「Call Lee Seung-yoo.」
Hyeon-yul ordered them to call the figurehead president.
There would be nothing more symbolic than this.
“…Yes?”
When the employee at the information desk looked bewildered, Hyeon-yul informed them again.
He pointed upwards with his finger and then held out his phone.
「Call him.」
“J-just a moment. Could you please wait a moment?”
「Sure :)」
Hyeon-yul added an emoticon and then quietly took out a dagger.
There wasn't a single civilian here.
So, it was okay to do this.
Hyeon-yul, with his back to the information desk, looked at one of them.
His expression was not good.
Hyeon-yul calmly walked towards him.
The closer he got, the more warily the man looked at him.
He stood right in front of the man and held out his phone.
「Why the long face?」
“……Is it you?”
「What is?」
“Are you our king?”
Normally, he would have let it slide, but this wasn't the time or place for that.
It was right to consider it insolent.
Hyeon-yul let out a short breath at the overwhelming words.
「Why are you the one to judge whether it is or isn’t?」
After kindly informing him via his phone, he swung his hand.
A dagger was already in his grasp.
Blood spurted along with the dagger that pierced the man’s neck.
Hyeon-yul そのまま横に引いた(Then pulled it sideways as it was)。
「Who.」
「Told you to talk like that?」
Hyeon-yul looked at the blood staining the floor and then raised his head.
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
The gazes directed at him disappeared.
Quick-witted villains began to lower their heads.
That was the real deal.
He heard the sound of hurried footsteps.
Hyeon-yul turned his head and simultaneously grabbed Seung-yoo’s neck.
“……Keoheok.”
Hyeon-yul said nothing.
He simply squeezed his hand.
“…I’m sorry… I apologize.”
He didn't let go immediately.
“It’s… my… oversight.”
As apologies flowed out repeatedly, Hyeon-yul finally lowered his hand.
The distinction between top and bottom was clearly imprinted.
This was to show them that.
「Seung-yoo.」
Seung-yoo, his face bright red, looked at Hyeon-yul.
Even while shedding tears, Seung-yoo was smiling.
It seemed he had realized why he had come here.
「This is troublesome, you know.」
「Why don’t you know me?」
“I will… take measures.”
Seung-yoo immediately knelt.
Only then did everyone there kneel, and the door closed.
“I will immediately kill those vermin-like bastards who failed to recognize you.”
「Right. You should.」
「Seung-yoo.」
「I’m a bit off today.」
「I’m angry, you know.」
“I apologize.”
Hyeon-yul looked at Seung-yoo, who had even bowed his head, and extended his hand.
He intended to wrap things up roughly.
Being in the spotlight like this continuously wasn't very good.
Seung-yoo looked at Hyeon-yul with surprised eyes, then shifted his gaze to his hand.
“…Are you serious?”
Was it okay to do this?
Seung-yoo asked very cautiously.
Hyeon-yul waved his hand.
Everyone here was like this.
‘I’m not the strange one, you know.’
Hyeon-yul wanted to tell Jeong-min, seeing Seung-yoo trembling like this at a single hand gesture.
Seung-yoo placed his trembling hand on Hyeon-yul’s palm.
He had merely helped him up, but Seung-yoo’s gaze changed, making him uncomfortable.
「Be careful of impersonators.」
“Who… is impersonating you?”
Seung-yoo’s eyes immediately sharpened.
「They’ll show up eventually.」
「Should I make a hand signal or something?」
“No. It’s not necessary. I will resolve it. You just need to stay still.”
Seung-yoo shook his head grimly.
No matter what happened, he would never do anything to inconvenience that person.
「Really?」
Hyeon-yul was about to say more but stopped.
‘If he’s not bothering to create anything, is he planning to betray me?’
Thinking it would be best to be careful, Hyeon-yul pointed to the elevator.
「Let’s take the elevator today.」
“Yes. Let’s go. I will guide you.”
Seung-yoo walked ahead.
While everyone else was bowing their heads, Seung-yoo felt his shoulders broaden.
That person, who used to visit only him every day, had confidently come through the main entrance.
They hadn't seen that person, and having only heard of him, many considered him an illusion.
Although he was suppressing them with force all the way down, it was a situation where a backlash could occur at any time.
At that moment, he appeared.
Like a savior.
‘As expected… as expected, he’s amazing. Truly amazing.’
All the noise would disappear today.
His chest filled with various emotions.
「You… took over the drug manufacturing plant, right?」
As soon as Hyeon-yul entered the room, he asked Seung-yoo.
This was his business for today.
Would he pretend not to know?
Or would he tell the truth?
Hyeon-yul slightly shook his phone.