It was an absurd comment that didn't match the seriousness of the situation. As a result, the attention that had been focused on Jaegyeom shifted en masse towards Yoon Taehee. Now, everyone was staring at him. The atmosphere in the seminar room, previously steeped in silence, became distinctly awkward.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The members of Team 1 all wore bizarre expressions, and the other exorcists also showed clear signs of bewilderment. Yoon Taehee then suddenly lifted his wrist to glance at his watch, and then pretended to look at the notice board without batting an eye.
Sexy? What is he talking about all of a sudden...?
Jaegyeom didn't know what 'sexy' meant. He had heard it once before but didn't get an explanation from Yoon Taehee at the time.
However, from the context he had gathered since then, he guessed it was meant as a compliment.
So, did that mean everything was okay between them...?
Jaegyeom glanced at Yoon Taehee with a confused expression.
"Did you say your name was Kim Jaegyeom?"
At that moment, Seok Juryeon, who had been silent, spoke up.
"You seem to know a lot about Chinese characters for your age."
Jaegyeom froze in place, caught off guard.
It was an unexpected comment. It had only been a short while since he had been caught by Yoon Taehee for reading ancient texts and demonstrating proficiency in old language in the library. Jaegyeom was at a loss for words, unable to think of what to say. Seok Juryeon's sharp eyes seemed to pierce through him.
"Ah, well, that's..."
Jaegyeom started to stutter, looking down at a loss.
"Young people these days learn things quickly, so they can pick up
Chinese characters surprisingly fast."
Just then, Yoon Taehee slowly began to speak.
Jaegyeom paused and lifted his gaze. As their eyes met, Yoon Taehee slightly raised one eyebrow then quickly returned it to its place.
"..."
Jaegyeom felt a sudden itch in his palm. Yoon Taehee had nonchalantly saved him from the predicament.
It wasn't common for a young newcomer to be proficient in Chinese characters, but it wasn't impossible either. Among those aspiring to become exorcists, some preemptively learn Chinese characters before entering the profession. so it wasn't unheard of for a newcomer to be more knowledgeable than a first-year exorcist.
"And the characters in question aren't particularly difficult."
Yoon Taehee brushed it off as if it was nothing to fuss over.
However, Seok Juryeon was still watching Jaegyeom intently, as if trying to gauge something.
"Knowing Chinese characters is one thing, but identifying the decomposition isn't something just anyone can do."
Indeed, among the exorcists proficient in Chinese characters, Jaegyeom was the only one who had guessed the hidden meanings.
Yoon Taehee remained silent for a moment at this significant remark before finally nodding easily, "Well, that's true..."
Then he added with a faint smile, "I don't have such poor judgment to pick just anyone."
With a light smile and a clever retort, Seok Juryeon turned her gaze from Jaegyeom to look at Yoon Taehee. While the man's lips were smiling, his eyes were not.
Their gazes clashed in the air.
"..."
Seok Juryeon's expression subtly changed for a moment.
It was fleeting, but there was a faint spark of a silent confrontation between the two. It was almost like a palpable tension, quick enough to be mistaken for an illusion.
"Wel... Our apprentice is quite sharp, it seems."
As if nothing had happened, Yoon Taehee resumed his usual easygoing smile.
Seok Juryeon was already aware that the newcomer Yoon Taehee had brought was quite a promising figure. The rumor about Jaegyeom seeing a deer on the day of the exam had reached her ears. It had caused quite a stir in the headquarters.
In fact, Seok Juryeon had been interested in Jaegyeom from quite early on, though she never showed it to Yoon Taehee. When she received the documents summarizing the details of the exam candidates, she had first sought out and read Jaegyeom's profile.
For Seok Juryeon, it was natural to be curious about Jaegyeom. After all, he had caught the eye of Yoon Taehee of all people. She was one of the few who knew Yoon Taehee's true nature, and from what she knew, he didn't have a concept of 'his people'.
"He laid a hand on my successor, so I'm just paying it back."
The reason Seok Juryeon was surprised when she heard that Yoon Taehee had hit a newcomer on the test day was because of this.
Yoon Taehee was blatantly protecting 'his person'. It was the same now. At first glance, he seemed no different than usual, appearing laid-back, but Seok Juryeon knew.
Since a while ago, Yoon Tae-hee had subtly shielded his subordinate while naturally drawing everyone's attention to himself.
"..."
For a while, Seok Juryeon silently observed Yoon Taehee.
For a while, Seok Juryeon silently observed Yoon Taehee.
Nevertheless, she had no objections to his words, self-assessing that his judgment was not bad. A mere apprentice had found the hidden meaning in the poster. The young boy exceeded Seok Juryeon's expectations, perhaps annoyingly so.
Finally, Seok Juryeon looked towards the poster.
'Bangsangsi will return to this land.'
Her eyes, staring at the poster, darkened. As far as she knew, that was an impossible event and one that should never happen.
Bangsangsi, the previous owner of the Naryecheong, had perished a long time ago. The proof of that was in the hands of the current Naryecheong chief- Bangsangsi's mask, the so-called Golden Four Eyes.
However, if Jaegyeom's guess was right, then the leader of the Byeoksadan was implying that Bangsangsi would return. If so, what did the leader know about Bangsangsi, and how much... Suddenly, fragments of the past flashed through Seok Juryeon's mind.
Memories from a decade ago drilled into her temples like a headache.
"No, it can't be. We avoided that prophecy back then. So, this is just... a trick by a ghost impersonating Bangsangsi to cause chaos in Naryecheongi."
Closing her eyes and pressing her temples, Seok Juryeon spoke.
"Senior Han."
At Seok Juryeon's call, Han Joyoung, who had been standing back, approached.
"Take the poster and shred it."
Startled by the sudden command, Han Joyoung hesitated for a moment but then silently followed her superior's order. As Han Jooyoung, carrying the poster, left the seminar room, the exorcist looked on with bewildered faces. Seok Juryeon spoke in a low voice.
"The poster never existed from the start. Understand?"
It was a clear gag order. Not only about the poster but also meant not to let out any discussions that happened here. Though the reason was not explained, the exorcists could only nod their heads without saying anything due to Seok Juryeon's authoritative attitude.
Meanwhile, Jaegyeom was gauging Yoon Taehee's reactions.
He felt troubled because he thought he had caused an issue by interpreting the poster, and although Yoon Taehee had somehow managed to smooth things over and somewhat mitigate the situation, he was still anxious.
If finding the hidden meaning in the poster had been of any help, he might have been less guilty. However, Seok Juryeon did not look pleased, and she did not offer any opinion on the interpretation Jaegyeom had presented. Instead, she explicitly ordered silence as if something was displeasing, leaving a quite awkward conclusion. It only made him think that it was a pointless thing he had done.
With the destruction of the poster and the gag order, today's gathering ended inconclusively without any particular resolution.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the exorcists left one by one. As the members of Team 1 headed towards the door, Jaegyeom hesitantly followed.
"Kim Jaegyeom. Stay behind for a moment."
However, Seok Juryeon called out to Jaegyeom, who was about to leave the seminar room. The moment he was called back, he was flooded with all sorts of thoughts, wondering if she had suspected something. He had thought that Yoon Taehee had managed to smooth things over earlier, but it seemed that was not the case.
What could possibly be the matter?
Suddenly feeling anxious, Jaegyeom glanced at Yoon Taehee subconsciously. He hoped he would make up an excuse and stay behind with him, like how he had saved him from the predicament earlier. However, Yoon Taehee, who was leaving the room, glanced back at Jaegyeom only for a moment and then left the seminar room without saying a word.
***
After the meeting with Seok Juryeon and stepping into the hallway, Jaegyeom stood there blankly for a moment. There was a man squatting on one side of the hallway. It was Yoon Taehee, who was looking at his phone in a relaxed posture, elbows on his knees.
When their eyes met, he waved his phone.
"Hello."
At the belated greeting, Jaegyeom silently looked down at Yoon Taehee.
"..."
Jaegyeom glanced around briefly. The hallway was completely empty, not even an ant in sight. After confirming they were alone, Jaegyeom looked back at Yoon Taehee. Because he was squatting, he had to look down to meet his eyes, as if he were looking at a young child. After a moment of hesitation, Jaegyeom spoke.
"..Didn't you leave?"
"I was waiting to go with you."
Yoon Taehee answered neatly and stood up easily.
"Shall we go?"
Jaegyeom had thought Yoon Taehee had left, but it turned out he had been waiting for him in the hallway. Yoon Taehee began to walk slowly, and Jaegyeom followed, watching his back from a step behind.
"...Why did you wait?"
Jaegyeom asked in a soft voice.
"I was worried you might get lost."
A joke-like reply came from the figure walking ahead.
"..."
Jaegyeom didn't respond, and the other person didn't add anything more. The sound of their shoes echoed in the empty hallway as they,
walked.
They walked in silence like that for a while.
Yoon Taehee stared straight ahead the entire walk. Unlike Jaegyeom, who deliberately kept his distance, he appeared calm, as if nothing had happened. However, the only difference from usual was that he was unusually silent today.
Jaegyeom also walked in silence, looking at Yoon Taehee's back. It seemed like there was a lot to say, but then again, there wasn't.
From behind, it seemed like Yoon Taehee had a habit of walking with a slightly slouched posture. The outline of his shoulder blades was faintly visible thanks to the well-fitted shirt.
Jaegyeom spoke up as they turned a corner in the hallway.
"Where are we going?"
The seminar room was on the third floor of the annex building.
When he had come here with Kang Yibin, they had taken the elevator. However, instead of heading for the elevator, Yoon Taehee was opening the door to the emergency staircase next to it.
"I don't take the elevator here."
Yoon Taehee stopped opening the door halfway and turned to look at Jaegyeom.
"You took it when we went shopping for clothes last time."
"That was a department store. I don't take it in the headquarters."
"What's the difference?"
"Here, you end up getting to know people unnecessarily."
In the hallway or lobby, there were many people passing by, each with their own destination, so everyone moved past each other indifferently. However, inside an elevator, even strangers might lightly strike up a conversation or exchange greetings. Moreover, Yoon Taehee was not wearing a mask at the moment. He didn't want more people in the main building to recognize him as "Yoon Taehee" by seeing his face. That was why he wore a mask inside the headquarters.
"..."
Jaegyeom's expression became slightly complicated as he stared at the man. "What?" asked Yoon Taehee, and Jaegyeom shook his head.
"If you want to take the elevator, you can."
It sounded as if he was saying he would go separately through the stairs. Then why wait... Jaegyeom gestured as if to say he was okay.
Yoon Taehee entered first, holding the door open until Jaegyeom came in. As he passed by him, who was holding the door, he entered the emergency exit. Briefly, the scent of perfume wafted through.
As Jaegyeom followed inside, Yoon Taehee let go of the door. With a thud, the heavy metal door closed. The inside of the emergency exit was dim. Yoon Taehee glanced at Jaegyeom and then started to slowly descend the emergency staircase.
Jaegyeom also descended, gripping the handrail and stepping down.
The sound of their heels echoed much more hollowly than when walking in the hallway. The green light from the emergency lights created a secretive and eerie atmosphere.
They descended the stairs in silence. Jaegyeom followed a few steps behind Yoon Taehee, just like in the hallway, deliberately not closing the distance. It felt like they had descended about one floor when Yoon Taehee was the first to speak up this time.
"What did you talk about inside with the Department Head?"
Jaegyeom paused in his steps. The sudden meeting had ended more quickly than expected. He thought that Seok Juryeon might interrogate him after noticing something, or bring up the topic of the poster. However, the conversation with her was entirely unrelated to what he had feared.
"..."
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Nothing much."
To his brief reply, Yoon Taehee was silent for a moment, then, "Is that so...?"
He didn't ask further and quietly nodded. Once again, only the sound of their heels was heard. Just when the silence was about to deepen, Yoon Taehee slowly spoke.
"What are you thinking?"
"Nothing much."
Yoon Taehee nodded again without much to say.
"Is that so?"
Truthfully, Jaegyeom had just lied. He had a lot on his mind. The conversation with Seok Juryeon was bothering him, and so was the matter of the poster.
Such as, what was that poster about? What was the connection between the Byeoksadan and Bangsangsi? Why did Seok Juryeon want the poster gone? What did it mean that Bangsangsi was returning?
And why wasn't Yoon Taehee saying anything at all?
"Hey."
Jaegyeom suddenly spoke up.
"Are you a sodomite?"
The impulsive question burst out like a sneeze.
"..."
Yoon Taehee, who had been walking down the stairs, came to a sudden halt. When he stopped, Jaegyeom also halted. Now, Jaegyeom was standing on a flat section connecting floors, but Yoon Taehee was a few steps below him. The interior of the emergency staircase, where even a small sound echoed loudly, became eerily silent as the footsteps stopped.
It took a while before Yoon Taehee spoke.
"Sodomite..."
Yoon Taehee chewed over the words as if talking to himself.
"Isn't that an archaic term?"
Finally, he slowly turned around. The expression on his face, seen from a few steps away, was ambiguous. His eyes were slightly squinted, but he seemed to be faintly smiling. Jaegyeom narrowed his eyes at the response, which seemed more like a joke than an answer to his question.
In fact, he had asked seriously. Even if it was an old term not used nowadays, Yoon Taehee, who had fluently interpreted the Chinese characters on the poster, couldn't possibly not know what it meant.
Jaegyeom retorted sharply.
"Don't play dumb when you understand."
Yoon Taehee looked at Jaegyeom for a moment and then suddenly put his hands behind his back. He looked around at the ceiling and walls, then started to climb up the stairs slowly. The sound of his shoes echoed.
As he approached, jaegyeom involuntarily lowered his gaze. The closer he got, the more the oppressive feeling from yesterday resurfaced. Suddenly, his heart tightened, and his hands and feet felt numb.
"..."
"..."
Finally, Yoon Taehee, who had stopped one step below, tilted his head slightly.
"You said you weren't thinking about anything... but were you thinking about me?"