“What exactly do you want to keep secret, and why are you asking for ABC juice?”
Bi found it hard to understand Hojin’s request.
When he just stared at Hojin without saying anything, Hojin flustered and began to explain.
“Ah, no. I didn’t an you have to do it exactly like that, I just wondered if you could think about it. I’m not forcing you.”
Then he added a aningful remark.
“With this much quantity, you must have overexerted yourself... Your body probably hasn’t fully recovered yet.”
What kind of ssed-up wording is that?
Even if I’m skinny, I’m still an awakener. It’s not like I can’t carry a dozen fruit juices.
So why does he talk like this?
Bi wondered whether to let this dirty feeling slide or to lightly call him out on it.
anwhile, Hojin had gathered his thoughts and was about to wrap up the conversation.
“No, just pretend you didn’t hear what I said earlier. But please, keep it secret from Roi.”
“All right, sure.”
I wasn’t in contact with Roi anyway.
Maybe I’ll see him after school starts.
But I was curious why it had to be a secret.
“Why is it a secret?”
From what I’d seen of Roy’s lifestyle, his family seed well-off. Does he hate secondhand transactions or sothing?
Maybe he once treated soone who sold tomatoes like garbage, refused to treat them as human.
If not, Hojin wouldn’t ask to keep it secret.
I thought he was crazy, but not completely devoid of decency.
If that were the case, I’d have to be careful too, so I couldn’t help but ask.
“Ugh, huh?”
“Why must it be a secret? Does he hate tomatoes? Treat them like a beggar’s food?”
“What?! Absolutely not!”
Bang!
Hojin slamd the table and stood up in a rage.
“N-no, our Roi is never that kind of person. This... this is just my own issue. Our Roi—”
“Okay, sorry.”
Bi flinched and hurriedly apologized.
As I felt before, this guy had an abnormal attachnt to Roi.
He seed even worse after not seeing him for a while. Honestly, it was close to obsession.
Sure enough, Hojin, head lowered, muttered softly.
“If only I could beco an awakener... Then Roi will co back. If only I beco an awakener....”
What the hell is he talking about now?
That slightly unhinged line sent chills down my spine.
I thought he looked fierce but had a soft heart. Maybe his face suits him after all.
If I heard right, Roy might be in so danger.
I felt like I’d heard sothing I shouldn’t.
Cold sweat trickled down my back, and I decided to get out of here.
“Haha. Oh dear, look at . My mother sent on an errand and I totally forgot. Hyung, I think I should get going.”
“Oh, really? Okay. Hurry back.”
“All right. I’ll head ho first. I... I’ll definitely keep today’s tomato deal secret.”
“Really? Thanks.”
Before this crazed stalker could stop , Bi hurried out of the café.
Then he called Roy imdiately.
He said he’d keep the tomato deal secret, but he didn’t promise to say nothing else.
[전원이 꺼져있어 음성 사서함으로 연결되며, 삐 소리 후 통화료가 부가됩니다.]
But that bastard didn’t answer.
What on earth is he doing that he won’t pick up after three calls?
No, maybe he blocked ?
Just as Bi was getting pissed off at Roy, an app notification chid.
Tomato!
‘What now?’
[익명 : 주스 개당 5. B 이상이면 더 쳐드릴 수 있어요]
It seed soone had seen Hojin’s post looking for ABC juice and left a comnt.
Five hundred thousand won each?
Is ABC juice in short supply without knowing?
I was just going to get rid of food waste my sister had bought months ago. Sohow I’d beco the guy who’d lost six hundred thousand won.
Damn it.
‘Should I ask for my money back now? No, I’m not going to be petty.’
Nothing’s more pathetic than giving food and taking it back.
Better to go ho and check if there are any juices left in the freezer.
Then the notification rang again.
[익명 : 유통기한 3일 이내면 더 드릴게요]
By now it felt strange.
‘Shouldn’t it be the other way around...?’
Once I noticed, suspicious details started catching my eye.
With five hundred thousand won, I could buy thirty of the sa juices online.
Yet soone insisted on using a secondhand app, sending ssages, making it inconvenient.
And they wanted grade B or higher?
‘Is this really just a juice deal?’
Bi opened the Tomato app and searched for ABC juice. Just a minute ago, a new post had appeared.
[제목 : 갓 착즙한 ABC 주스 팝니다]
D interested? DM ~
‘D?’
Where does D co into ABC juice?
Feeling uneasy, Bi sent a ssage to the seller.
[케첩마스터 : 안녕하세요]
[토맛젤리 : 안녕하세요~~
★신선도 보장★ ABC 주스 누적 판매 150건 돌파!
실시간 착즙 = 10
1일 이내 = 8
3일 이내 = 5
7일 이내 = 3
가격은 개당이며, 등급 대비 가격이 높게 측정된 건 제가 원소계라 그렇습니다. 주문 시 참고 바랍니다~♡]
Reading that reply felt like being hit hard on the head with a blunt object.
This ABC juice... wasn’t ordinary juice.
If my guess is right, it’s a slang term for an awakener’s blood.
Only then did I understand Hojin’s earlier request.
‘He was asking if he could ask for juice now and then, aning blood.’
Jesus Christ. Why the hell would anyone need that...?
A chill ran down Bi’s spine.
At that mont, a group—probably students grabbing lunch—passed by loudly.
“Are you crazy? If drinking awakener blood could awaken you, everyone would be awakened ages ago. My dad’s awakened.”
“I’m telling you it’s true. Soone actually awakened after drinking blood.”
“You believe that? You’d probably die from infection before awakening.”
“Maybe... but why have they been trailing us?”
Bi, eavesdropping as they secretly followed, mustered his nerve and retorted.
“? I’m just on my way too. Did you guys block the road?”
Their audacity was absurd, but if he didn’t do it, he’d draw suspicion.
Walking past them with his head held high, Bi felt his heart pounding.
‘What did I just hear?’
Awakening? If that crude folk redy worked, everyone would be an awakener.
What shocked more was that people around believed such nonsense.
Especially Kim Hojin.
I should have guessed when he said he was close to Roi.
Now it’s proven Hojin isn’t normal either.
After a mont’s thought, Bi returned to the café. Luckily, Hojin was still there.
“Hyung!”
“Why are you back? Did you leave sothing?”
“Yes!”
Bi pointed at the insulated bag he’d given.
“I’ll take this back.”
“...Why?”
Hojin hid the bag behind him and stiffened.
Damn it, he’s scary.
Honestly, him turning serious like that almost feels illegal.
The grateful Hojin from earlier was nowhere to be found.
His eyes showed no warmth—just a strange mania. It was hard to look directly at him.
“If it’s about paynt, I can give you money—”
“No. I realized it’s probably past its expiration date.”
“Huh?”
At that, Hojin paused.
It wasn’t a difficult phrase, so if he looked ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ confused, my guess must be right.
‘He must be thinking it’s my blood, not juice.’
Damn.
Being tangled up with Roi brought nothing good.
After graduation, I planned to get into the police university’s criminal psychology departnt and beco Korea’s top awakener profiler.
If I get mixed up like this, I’ll end up in jail, not the police academy.
But now that I know, I can’t pretend I don’t.
‘Roiii!’
Swearing vengeance, Bi finally sighed and said.
“I’ll bring you fresh ones. That’s what you wanted, right?”
“Really?”
“Yes. So will you give this back?”
If Hojin took it and thought I was mocking him, what if he bore a grudge?
With those eyes, he seed fully capable of that.
“When? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
Shut up! I don’t care about your situation!
But my words ca out polite.
“Ah, you’re in a hurry...”
“Yes.”
“Haha. Then when would be good? Um... next week?”
I thought it best to buy as much ti as possible, then contact Roi in the anti.
But Hojin’s expression soured.
Damn, no...!
That obsessed lunatic must have noticed my intention and felt offended.
“How about Sunday?!”
“Sorry. I have to go to church on Sunday.”
Oh... he goes to church too?
Jesus, every damn thing.
But last ti he said he wasn’t religious, right?
Bi asked cautiously.
“Do you usually go to church, hyung?”
“I recently started. I happened to et soone nice and was chosen, I guess? If you help with your blood— I an, juice— you might awaken much sooner.”
“...”
I want to run away.
I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d stepped into sothing I shouldn’t have.
Damn you, Roi.
I swore I’d get retribution for this debt.
“Wow. Then, um... I’ll co by the church this Sunday. With the juice.”
First I need to figure out Hojin’s movents. That way, I can report it if need be— no, at least tell Roi.
But Hojin’s expression turned bad again.
Why! Why again! What now!
My heart trembled, making it hard to breathe.
“How about not in front of the church but at a nearby café? I’ll co there. Our church is sensitive to outsiders.”
Can a church really be wary of outsiders?
Isn’t it usually the opposite...?
Even without asking, I saw that Hojin’s church was abnormal.
‘He doesn’t look it, but he does every dumb thing imaginable.’
A headache throbbed in Bi’s head.
I’m cancelling the promise to keep this from Roi.
I’m going to tell him everything.
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