"Why are you here?"
Of all tis and places... I didn’t expect to run into Eun Woojeong here.
Flabbergasted, I asked, only for him to shrug like I’d just asked the very question he was planning to throw at .
“Why else would I co to Gwanghwamun? Obviously, to attend the event happening here.”
“...You're saying you're attending this fashion show too, Mr. Eun Woojeong?”
“Yes.”
He answered without hesitation, then tilted his head with a smiling face when he saw my displeased reaction.
“Why? Does it sound like a lie?”
“No, I just...”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond, so I glanced at Kwon Taehyuk. He looked equally caught off guard, his face complicated in several ways.
The reason Eun Woojeong’s explanation was so baffling was simple—we’d already checked the list of attendees for the fashion show in advance. His na wasn’t on it.
In fact, we’d been extra thorough about it, precisely because there were rumors that several celebrities had been invited. That’s why we’d felt reassured.
“Hm.”
As Taehyuk and I exchanged glances, Eun Woojeong let out a knowing smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusent.
“I originally had sothing else scheduled, but it got canceled, so I decided to co here instead. I wanted to keep a low profile, so I waited until everyone else had gone in.”
“...Huh.”
He decided to show up last minute, and the organizers just let that happen? Even if he’s a top-tier actor, is that really how it works?
‘Wait, this isn’t what I should be focusing on right now.’
I shook off the unnecessary thoughts, forced a smile, and stepped back.
“I see. Then you should go ahead and head in. We have other matters to attend to, so we’ll be—”
Before I could finish my polite goodbye, implying we should go our separate ways, Eun Woojeong cut in.
“Those ‘other matters’ wouldn’t happen to involve sneaking into the fashion show, would they?”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I see. I just thought... since you were talking about hopping fences, maybe you were trying to sneak into the event.”
“Did I say that? Not sure what you’re talking about. Maybe you were dreaming?”
I smiled and shot back shalessly, but he didn’t let up.
“I was going to warn you that wouldn’t be a great plan, but that’s a sha.”
What?
I narrowed my eyes without aning to, and Eun Woojeong continued.
“They said fans sward the venue to catch a glimpse of an idol attending the show. Originally, security was only covering the imdiate area, but now it’s tight all the way out to the street past the wall.”
“....”
That was news to —I was left speechless.
It made sense there’d be plenty of staff and security around, since a lot of famous people were gathered here, but I hadn’t expected it to escalate because of fans.
Still... I couldn’t shake my suspicions. Him suddenly showing up like this felt off.
‘Even if the system designated him as a “Main Character,” that doesn’t an I can fully trust him...’
I glanced up at Eun Woojeong’s face as he looked down at , his lips curled in a faint smile. The more I looked at him, the less trustworthy he seed.
“We should check it out for ourselves,” Kwon Taehyuk suggested calmly, having silently watched our back-and-forth. He ant we should go to the entrance of the National Folk Museum as originally planned.
Considering how they interacted before, I’d assud they knew each other well. But Taehyuk didn’t seem to take Eun Woojeong’s words at face value either. Unexpected.
“I think so too. Mr. Eun Woojeong, let’s talk again if we get the chance.”
I quickly nodded and turned away from him.
Ryu Sunghyun, who wasn’t familiar with Woojeong, stayed quiet and followed without a word, while Kwon Taehyuk gave a curt nod to Woojeong before moving.
I’d hoped we could finally go our separate ways, but the footsteps trailing behind us were annoyingly persistent.
“...What is it now?”
Unable to take it anymore, I spun around and asked. Eun Woojeong blinked innocently.
“I need to go inside too. Can’t I go with you?”
“Gwanghwamun is literally right there. You’re seriously going all the way with us to the museum entrance?”
“Well, both of you clearly don’t believe , so I figured I’d tag along and make you admit I was right.”
His voice lifted playfully at the end. It was infuriating.
‘What’s this bastard really after? Does he have so other agenda?’
Knowing he was the leader of that cursed intel group, Spiderweb, made his persistence all the more suspicious.
How the hell do I get rid of this fox?
I was racking my brain when Kwon Taehyuk sighed and stepped in.
“Enough, both of you. Let’s go. We have too much to do to waste more ti here.”
He wasn’t wrong. The sky had already grown noticeably darker during that short exchange.
I glared at Eun Woojeong once more, then reluctantly nodded.
“...Fine.”
***
When we reached the alley across from the National Folk Museum entrance, we saw guards stationed in front of a closed iron gate. They stood spaced out just far enough to make climbing the wall impossible. Worse still, they were all Awakeners, making a stealthy approach nearly impossible.
Ryu Sunghyun looked at the guards with a grim expression, then asked quietly:
“What should we do?”
“Hm...”
With access to the event cut off, this was a serious snag.
To be honest, I’d considered several scenarios for what to do after eting Kwak Seunggyu, but I had assud sneaking in wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t really worry about it.
And it made sense. At first, I thought it would just be and Kwon Taehyuk, both S-rank. He could carry over the wall in a second. Even with Sunghyun joining us, he was also S-rank, so slipping in unnoticed would’ve been easy.
‘I didn’t expect fangirls to tighten security like this...’
What a headache.
I couldn’t think of any alternative, so I just rubbed at my lips. Then Eun Woojeong chid in again.
“Didn’t have a backup plan, huh? Stuff like this happens all the ti at events with celebrities.”
Why is this asshole so intent on sticking his nose in?
“Well, since it turns out you were telling the truth, maybe now’s the ti for you to leave?”
I swallowed my irritation and asked seriously. But the bastard ignored and addressed Kwon Taehyuk instead.
“If you really must get inside, wouldn’t it be better to reveal your identity and request access? If you do that, they won’t publicize that the Guildmaster of Yesung was present.”
“The dia isn’t the issue. I just don’t want word spreading that I was here.”
“Ahh.”
Letting out a soft sound of realization, Eun Woojeong blinked like he finally understood.
“So your target is soone inside the event, then?”
Kwon Taehyuk averted his gaze. Regardless, we all agreed on one thing: having Eun Woojeong here was uncomfortable.
‘This is bad.’
Taehyuk was right—we didn’t have much ti. The event would wrap up in four hours at most, then move to a hotel for the afterparty.
And the afterparty would be indoors. Security there would be even tighter. If we were going to catch Kwak Seunggyu, it had to be now, during the event.
I forced down my growing anxiety and tried to co up with alternate ways to sneak past the guards when—
Bzzzz!
A vibration buzzed from sowhere. I checked my coat pocket and found the phone Kwon Taehyuk had given earlier buzzing hard.
Was it Cha Sahyeon calling? Alard, I pulled it out quickly—but no, it was an unfamiliar number.
“Guildmaster Kwon. Do you recognize this number?”
I showed him the screen. He made a puzzled face, then shook his head.
“No. Answer it.”
“? Why ?”
It was his phone, not ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) mine. I only answered calls from my little sibling.
“The child may have borrowed soone’s phone to call you.”
“Ah.”
Not impossible. I nodded in thanks and answered the call.
The mont I brought the phone to my ear—
“Hyung!”
The cheery voice on the other end instantly made my face contort in horror.
“You—how the hell...”
“You want to get inside, right?”
“What?”
“Seoyul-ie will guide you~”
“What the... Wait—what—!”
Before I could process the shock, the call cut off.
The three standing near all snapped their heads toward sothing behind .
They’d sensed sothing. Sothing only S-ranks could feel.
A mont later, I too heard footsteps approaching.
A wave of dread crashed down on . I slowly turned my stiff neck toward the alley behind us...
...and from the dark shadows, a familiar figure strolled out at a leisurely pace.
“Hyuuuung~!”
ssy hair swayed with each step. Today, his piercings glittered more than usual, decked out in multicolored gems.
Kwon Seoyul was walking toward , waving both hands like we were at a happy reunion.
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