Free Web Novel<8>
Sun Guild
Yoon Seungryong lifted his beer glass high with a cheerful voice.
“To the new beginning of the Sun Guild~!”
With a bright clink, six glasses collided. Yoon Seungryong /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ downed his beer in one go, then crunched into freshly fried chicken with a happy grin.
“Chanha hyung, if this is an illusion, you’d better just let it stay unbroken. Got it?”
At Seungryong’s pointed joke, Lee Chanha gave a bitter smile and emptied his glass. For all their words, there didn’t seem to be much grudge between them. Even Yoon Seungryong and Seo Yakrin—who until recently had often glared at each other as if wanting to kill—seemed to have reconciled quickly after escaping the Abyss. They still bickered often, but there was no murderous air anymore.
Now they were finally holding the celebratory dinner they had missed the last time, when swarms of reporters had descended on them like ants as they left the Rift Management Agency’s Special Contaminant Isolation Division.
That was about an hour ago, when Yohan had been formally discharged from the hospital where he had been staying as a courtesy, pretending to have lost his memory from a head injury in order to back up the cover story shown to Park Seungmin.
“Are you really okay to leave already? You hurt your head—shouldn’t you stay a bit longer?”
“No dizziness? No headaches?”
“I’m really fine. Nothing hurts, I feel completely normal.”
With the two still fussing over him, Yohan finished the discharge paperwork and headed down to the parking lot. Since no one yet knew he was a returnee from the Abyss, there were no reporters in sight. He resolved that once he got home, he would demand answers from his brother about what had happened.
“Yohan~!”
At the familiar voice, Yohan snapped his head around. Lee Hyunmook and the rest of the team were walking toward him. Yoon Seungryong was waving both hands wildly, almost clownishly. Yohan hadn’t expected them—he knew how busy they had been preparing the founding of the Sun Guild and handling interviews—so joy burst from him.
“Seungryong hyung!”
Then he suddenly realized and glanced at the two people standing with him. Yang Hwapyeong and Kim Yeju, who had been walking alongside, froze in shock at the sudden appearance of Korea’s most famous figures. Kim Yeju covered her mouth with her hand in amazement.
“Oh my goodness! Yohan, they must have come to see you.” frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Though he had heard that his son returned safely from the Abyss thanks to Lee Hyunmook and the others, Yang Hwapyeong had considered it too unreal to believe. His eyes widened. Only when Hyunmook strode forward and bowed in greeting did Hwapyeong snap back to himself.
“Hello, I’m Lee Hyunmook. These are my teammates.”
“...Ah! Yes, yes. I’m Yang Hwapyeong. It’s... it’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Hyunmook.”
Remembering belatedly that these weren’t just celebrities but his son’s saviors, Kim Yeju also bowed deeply.
“I’m Kim Yeju. Thank you so much for saving our Yohan, and for bringing him out safely.”
Flustered and embarrassed, Yohan blushed scarlet at the scene. Hyunmook smiled and raised a hand to stop their bows.
“No, no. You’re thanking the wrong people. In truth, we are the ones who owe him greatly.”
“What? Our... Yohan?”
The two looked puzzled. Because Yohan’s identity as a purifier had been completely hidden, his parents believed he was nothing more than a tough, durable low-tier Awakener. They couldn’t imagine how their son could have helped someone like Lee Hyunmook. So they assumed it was just polite words. At that moment, Lee Chanha spoke up to back Hyunmook.
“Yohan is kind, steadfast, and braver and warmer than anyone. Thanks to him, I truly received great help.”
Confused yet pleased, Kim Yeju and Yang Hwapyeong felt their hearts swell. Even if it was mere courtesy, to hear such praise from Hyunmook and Chanha about their son was deeply gratifying. Yohan flushed even redder, unable to speak, when Seo Yakrin jumped in.
“Actually, we’re gathering all the returnees tonight for a dinner! Would it be alright if Yohan comes along?”
“Don’t worry about his return—we’ll make sure he eats well and comes home safe.”
Yoon Seungryong quickly added, and Joo Hoyoung nodded vigorously beside him with a broad smile. Yang Hwapyeong, thrilled, gave Yohan a push. This was none other than Lee Hyunmook! And a dinner among returnees meant valuable ties. Kim Yeju clearly felt the same.
“Mom and Dad will go on ahead. Have fun.”
“Yes, you can stay out late tonight. No need to rush home.”
As he said it, Hwapyeong secretly slipped his own card into his son’s pocket. Tempted by the idea of the dinner, Yohan nodded obediently. The moment his parents’ car drove out of the lot, Yohan turned to the others with a mock-scolding grin.
“You scared me! You should have said something.”
“If we’d said something, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
Joo Hoyoung laughed as he ushered Yohan toward their vehicle. A large van waited—it looked familiar. It was the same model Sunrise team had always used. The difference was that instead of the sunrise-over-sea logo, this one bore the image of a sheep with a halo above its head.
Staring at the shiny holographic logo, Yohan asked,
“Shouldn’t... we change this?”
“Of course not! The media’s already seen it!”
Seo Yakrin laughed, running his hand over the unusually fluffy wool of the logo. He looked absolutely delighted with the new emblem.
“Ahh...”
Already dreading the embarrassment when everything came to light, Yohan covered his face and climbed in. Lee Chanha sat behind the wheel. The van had cost tens of billions, they said—and it showed. Spacious, comfortable, reinforced against monster ambushes, it moved with heavy, stable power even with so many aboard.
But it was rush hour, and the traffic slowed them. By the time they reached the restaurant, night had fallen completely. They parked in the basement and climbed two flights of stairs by a side entrance. At the emergency door, a middle-aged woman greeted them with a nervous face that blossomed into joy.
“My goodness, the Sunrise team—no, the Sun team now, isn’t it? How happy I am to see you all again! Congratulations on returning safely. What a blessing.”
The owner had hosted them many times before, and her eyes shone with tears. She seemed especially delighted to see Seungryong.
“Please, come in. I’ve cleared the place out just for tonight.”
She ushered them through the back entrance and down a long hallway.
The door to the innermost room stood wide open. Inside, the sizzling grill of a classic Korean barbecue restaurant filled the air. Plates of raw meat and side dishes already covered the table before anyone had even ordered. The owner glanced curiously at Yohan but kept her questions to herself, only telling them to call her if they needed anything, before slipping out and closing the door.
“Don’t worry. She’s someone who keeps secrets well.”
Reassured by Hyunmook’s words, Yohan nodded. Indeed, these people had always been the nation’s greatest celebrities. This was far from the first time they’d held a dinner in secret. Feeling at ease, Yohan picked up his chopsticks.
“Of course dinner means meat!”
Yoon Seungryong gleefully grabbed the tongs and started grilling, while Seo Yakrin happily poured drinks. Mountains of fresh meat sizzled and popped on the grill. Once Seungryong finished cooking and Yakrin had passed around the glasses, they raised their toast.
It was Yohan’s very first group dinner. He bounced slightly in excitement, listening to the mix of jokes and serious talk. Since Awakening, alcohol barely affected their bodies—drinking was more for atmosphere—but everyone seemed drunk on joy.
“Now that I think of it, Yohan, I’ve got some good news.”
“Good news?”
