As Yeon-jun was putting Seo-woo to sleep, he ended up falling asleep too.

Doo-shik hadn’t been seen since the unexpected incident, and the only one left at the lodging was Park Yeon.

Suddenly, a gloomy aura was felt. It was the Demon King's.

Park Yeon rushed out to meet him.

For some reason, he had a pensive expression on his face.

“Demon King.”

“……”

He didn’t even seem to hear himself being called.

“Hey, Demon King!”

“Hm?”

“Where have you been? You suddenly disappeared and Doo-shik was really worried.”

“Something just crossed my mind for a bit.”

“Even so, you disappeared out of the blue?”

“Did you come out to greet me?”

“As if.”

“Then it’s late at night, let’s go in.”

“Um, Demon King.”

“What.”

“Could I borrow some money?”

“Money, all of a sudden?”

“Yeah.”

“How much?”

“Three hundred.”

“Three hundred won?”

“……”

“Three million won?”

(nod)

“Why such a large sum all of a sudden?”

“That.”

Park Yeon pointed to the car.

Though I-seul had pulled it from the wreck, the traces of the accident were still obvious.

“It ended up like that while I was just trying it out briefly. And the repair costs seem to be around three million won.”

“I see. Got it.”

Surprisingly, Seo-jun answered smoothly, which caught Park Yeon off guard.

“Why do you look so unaffected?”

“Then what kind of face should I make?”

“That’s not what I mean… I caused that kind of accident and even asked to borrow three million won, yet you just agreed like it was nothing.”

Park Yeon hesitated as if something came to mind.

“Are you perhaps trying to pawn my soul?”

“Pawn?”

“If that’s the case, forget it. I have no intention of pawning my soul to you.”

“I’m not planning to take your soul. I don’t even have the ability to do that.”

“Then why agree to lend me the money so easily?”

“Is it a problem if I lend it?”

“It is because you’re lending it so easily.”

“Then I guess I should make it difficult.”

“…There’s no need to go that far.”

Seo-jun let out a short laugh and glanced at the car.

“I already expected an accident of that level. Though it happened a bit sooner than I thought.”

“You know me too well.”

“You’re an open book.”

Park Yeon was about to retort, but then shut his mouth.

Seo-jun shrugged his tired shoulders and went inside the lodging first.

And at that moment—

‘Hm?’

Park Yeon furrowed his brows.

There was a feather stuck to Seo-jun’s shoulder. A somewhat familiar feather.

The next day.

Having borrowed three million won from Seo-jun, Park Yeon visited an auto repair shop with I-seul.

“Kim I-seul!”

A man covered in soot ran out to greet her.

“Long time no see?”

“Yeah. What brings you here?”

“Would I come to an auto shop to see you? I came to fix a car.”

The man’s face showed a hint of disappointment, but I-seul, who was looking at Park Yeon, didn’t notice it.

“But the guy next to you… is he your boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? No, just a friend.”

For now…

I-seul turned to Park Yeon.

“Oppa, this is my friend Seok-jun. Seok-jun, this is Park Yeon oppa.”

“…Didn’t you say he was just a friend?”

“Do you pick friends based on age? If your hearts align, you’re friends. Isn’t that right, oppa?”

“……”

“Oppa?”

Lost in thought, Park Yeon snapped out of it at her repeated calling.

“Huh? Ah! Sorry. What did you say?”

“Have you been spacing out all this time? Say hello. This is my middle school friend, Seok-jun.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Park Yeon.”

Park Yeon extended his hand for a handshake. Lee Seok-jun responded and gripped firmly.

squeeze

“I’m Lee Seok-jun. Your manner of speech is very refined.”

“Is that so?”

‘Oh, really now.’

Lee Seok-jun added more strength to his grip. He had even been in the wrestling club back then.

Even in the wrestling club, no one could match his grip strength. Yet the guy was enduring it.

Not only enduring it, but also keeping a straight face as if it was nothing.

“What’s with the long handshake?”

“Huh? Ah… nothing. What are you getting fixed?”

“The rear bumper is damaged. I think it needs to be replaced.”

Seok-jun glanced at the rear bumper and nodded.

“Yeah, it needs replacing.”

“Do you have any used parts?”

“Used?”

“Yeah. I figured new parts might be a bit much.”

“You’re lucky. One just came in the other day.”

“Ah… that’s a relief. Then how much would the estimate be?”

“Four…”

Seok-jun trailed off. There was something uneasy in I-seul’s eyes.

‘Was it I-seul who got in the accident?’

Now that he thought about it, it seemed so.

The man who appeared to be the car owner was quiet, while only I-seul seemed restless.

“…A hundred thousand won.”

“Huh? Four hundred thousand?”

“Yeah.”

“Why is it so cheap? That’s practically 10 years ago prices. No, even 10 years ago it’d be more than that.”

“Is it a problem if I give you a discount?”

“Puhuhuhu. Of course not.”

That smile that could melt hearts.

‘Still just as pretty when she smiles, even now.’

“Then how long will it take?”

Though it was a bit late, the peak vacation season still brought in plenty of walk-in customers. Naturally, there were many cars lined up for repair.

But if it was for I-seul, that changed everything.

“30 to 40 minutes.”

“That quick?”

“Replacing a bumper is something even one handy person can do alone. There’s a lounge over there, so in the meantime…”

“Oppa, you didn’t have breakfast, did you?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I didn’t.”

“I skipped breakfast too. While we wait, let’s go grab something to eat.”

“Sure thing. I’ll buy breakfast.”

“Hehe.”

As the two walked off, Seok-jun clenched his fist. Then, he looked at the car left behind with a meaningful expression.

‘That feather.’

Park Yeon couldn’t get the feather he had seen on Seo-jun’s shoulder last night out of his mind.

He had only caught a glimpse of it, but it was definitely familiar. And it was a feather that shouldn’t exist on Earth.

Because it was a feather from the wings of the Celestials.

The temple he once lived in had quite a collection of divine relics from the Celestials. Wing feathers were among them.

And Park Yeon had seen those feathers tens of thousands of times in passing. There was no way he was mistaken.

‘But then what in the world is that?’

Perhaps due to agonizing over it all night, he had a headache.

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

“Hm?”

“You’ve been deep in thought for a while now.”

“Ah... Sorry for being so rude right in front of you. I had something to think about and got lost in thought without realizing it.”

“It’s okay. It'll get cold. Please eat.”

Park Yeon picked up a piece of freshly made gimbap and ate it. Then he frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“The taste is... very profound.”

“Profound?”

Was that a roundabout way of saying it was bad?

I-seul tilted her head and picked up a piece of gimbap herself.

“It tastes good to me.”

“Does it?”

“Yes.”

Park Yeon nodded slowly.

‘She’s someone who enjoys eating anything.’

He couldn’t spit it out because the owner was there, but if the owner hadn’t been around, he would’ve definitely spat it out—it was that bad.

‘Still, the tteokbokki might be better.’

According to the Demon King, tteokbokki turns out decent no matter how you make it.

He neatly scooped some rice cakes and fish cakes with a spoon and brought it to his mouth. And once again, Park Yeon furrowed his brows.

“Oppa?”

“...The owner’s philosophy on food is fully reflected in this tteokbokki. As a gourmet, I find the philosophy too profound to understand.”

“It doesn’t suit your taste?”

Park Yeon glanced at the owner, then gave a slight nod.

“Oppa, your taste must be really fancy. But this place is quite popular—even influencers come here.”

“I’m not an influencer; I just sense profound flavors here.”

“Then shall we get going?”

“It’s okay. Since you’ve reached an understanding of profound tastes, at least you enjoy it. Go ahead and eat.”

I-seul chuckled and ate the gimbap and tteokbokki gracefully. Watching her, Park Yeon suddenly saw the image of his former comrade, Erail, overlap with her.

She also used to eat with the same cheerful appetite as I-seul now.

“You eat beautifully.”

“Be-beautifully?”

(Nod)

Her face turned red as she muttered like she was throwing the words out.

“Are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Most likely.”

“It’d be nice if you stayed longer...”

“I feel the same. Now that we’ve become friends, I want to watch movies, dramas, and ride elevators together. But the schedule is what it is...”

“M-movies?”

“Isn’t that what friends do together—watch movies?”

“Y-yes. Friends watch movies together.”

“Well, I’m sure there will be another chance someday.”

“Then… even if you go back, will we still stay in touch?”

“Of course.”

“Then promise me.”

I-seul held out her pinky.

“Ah, so this is the symbol of promise. I’ve always wanted to try this.”

Park Yeon linked his pinky with an innocent expression.

I-seul smiled brightly at that.

‘Long-distance relationships are a bit tiring… but still.’

With both harboring different thoughts, they finished their meal and headed to the auto shop upon receiving word that the repair was done.

“Thanks for the good time.”

“I hope you weren’t uncomfortable during your stay.”

“No, everything was great.”

“And our little prince?”

“I had a really great time too!”

Kim I-seul’s mother smiled warmly.

“I’m glad everyone had fun. Drive safely back to Seoul. If you get sleepy on the way, don’t push it—pull over and rest.”

“We will. Please also tell I-seul I had a fun time thanks to her.”

“I’ll do that. Though honestly, that girl is still fast asleep even though the sun is already high in the sky.”

“We went to some kind of festival last night. It makes sense she’d sleep in.”

“With you?”

“Yes. Some kind of beer festival. There’s a festival for everything these days.”

Park Yeon’s words made her expression shift slightly. But Park Yeon, carrying Seo-woo on his shoulders, didn’t notice.

“Then we’ll be off.”

With Seo-jun’s farewell, everyone got into the car. Soon, the vehicle departed.

And a little while later—

BAM—!

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

Kim I-seul, looking disheveled, appeared.

“Nice of you to finally wake up.”

“Mom, where’s Seo-jun and his family?”

“They left.”

“When?”

“Just now. You should’ve gotten up earlier.”

“Ah…”

“By the way, I heard you went to a beer festival with Seo-woo’s uncle last night?”

“How did you…?”

“I heard everything. So what?”

“……”

“Anyway, this is a great chance. Make something happen. The neighborhood ladies keep gossiping that my daughter doesn’t even have a boyfriend.”

“They do?”

“Yes. Mi-yeon’s mom acts all high and mighty… Honestly, what does she have over you? You’ve got looks, a good body, a great personality, you cook well—you’re my daughter, after all. Right?”

“Hehe. That’s true.”

“So don’t go getting all mopey over that guy last time—the tall one who only looked good on the outside.”

“Jun-seok?”

“Yes, Jun-seok. Don’t act like you were dumped by that dimwit. You should give this one a real shot. He seems like a good guy.”

“Hehe. I’ll make sure you get called ‘mother-in-law.’”

“When?”

“Hmm… soon?”

And from a distance, there was a man silently watching this mother-daughter scene unfold. It was none other than Lee Seok-jun.

He had come to I-seul’s house, feeling guilty about what he had done yesterday. But by chance, he overheard something he shouldn’t have.

Crack—!

Seok-jun clenched his fist tightly, his whole body trembling with rage.

He didn’t regret what he did yesterday.