Money, Misunderstandings, and Moving Forward

‘Oh? Two million won?’

It was twice Shin Jiho’s entire fortune.

Jungho hyung congratulated me, saying I had earned a lot.

He had worked longer than I had, so he must have earned even more than me, yet he looked genuinely happy for me.

I quietly stared at the money before turning to him.

“Hyung, should we get some meat today? I’ll treat.”

“What? Are you sure? You should use that to pay off your debt.”

“No. I was able to earn this thanks to you. The least I can do is buy you a meal. Of course, it won’t repay everything I owe you, but still.”

“You punk….”

Hyung looked touched.

Since I was so insistent, he seemed unable to refuse and nodded.

“Alright, I’ll let Jiho treat me today.”

“How about beef?”

“Beef? What beef. Pork is enough. Let’s get samgyeopsal. There’s a good place near our studio.”

I wanted to treat him to beef, but he scolded me for not saving money.

“If you really want to treat me to beef… do it after you’ve paid off your debt.”

He added that awkwardly, as if worried he sounded too harsh.

I burst out laughing at the sight of him fumbling like that.

After stuffing ourselves with pork belly until we were about to burst, I came home and checked my phone.

There were over forty missed calls.

In Shin Jiho’s shallow social circle, there were only a few people who would be this persistent.

‘Loan sharks.’

I had been out of contact for two days, so they must have tried calling.

If an expensive mining s*ave candidate ran away, it would be a painful loss for them.

I opened the message inbox and found a text.

[Customer. Changing your phone number won’t make this go away.]

The wording was polite, but the meaning was not.

Shin Jiho had canceled his phone plan before dying, and when I reactivated it, the number changed.

They must have assumed he had changed numbers to run away.

I considered correcting their misunderstanding, but I felt no obligation to do so and ignored it.

After resting the next day, I returned to work.

Perhaps Kim Geon-gyu had spoken well of me, because the boss treated me more gently than before.

We took the company vehicle to the dungeon entrance.

As we organized the replenished supplies, the Hunters arrived one by one.

Among them was Do Jiwan.

Even today, the living sculpture glanced at me with undisguised contempt when our eyes met.

‘Sigh.’

I needed to get closer, yet I seemed to be earning only his wariness.

As I watched him with regret, Geon-gyu tapped my shoulder.

“What? What’s that look? Why are you staring at the Guild Leader like that?”

“I wasn’t staring….”

“You totally were. Very intensely.”

He wiggled his eyebrows playfully and asked what was going on between us.

I lightly swung my fist at him.

“Aigoo, the younger one hits his hyung. This is insubordination!”

“Ah, stop it.”

People began glancing at us, and embarrassed, I hit him once more.

Seeing me flustered, Geon-gyu finally stopped teasing and grinned.

“I don’t know what happened, but try to fix it. Even if we’re subcontracted, the Guild Leader is still our boss.”

“I want to….”

But he avoids me.

Seeing that I was discouraged, Geon-gyu whispered with the other assistants before turning back to me.

“I told the others. From now on, you handle the Guild Leader exclusively.”

“Hyung….”

“He may look like that, but he’s not that difficult. If you sincerely apologize, he’ll probably accept it. Maybe.”

With Geon-gyu’s help, aside from group tasks, I took charge of attending to the Guild Leader.

Do Jiwan’s opinion was not exactly consulted.

As a result, I kept running into him.

After the hunt ended and he entered the shower tent, I quickly followed with the robe and water pouch.

He frowned when he saw me.

Before he could call someone else, I spoke first.

“I’m really sorry about last time.”

“……”

“Your body was just too beautiful— I mean! That’s not what I meant!”

“……”

“It’s just that I’ve never seen someone naked before!”

The more I tried to apologize, the more it felt like I was digging my own grave.

Do Jiwan crossed his arms as if to see how far I would go.

“What I mean is… it wasn’t out of sexual desire!”

The moment I said that, his previously expressionless eyebrow twitched.

It seemed mentioning something sexual had offended him.

Before he could tell me to get out, I tried to fix it.

“I mean, I mean… damn it….”

Seeing no response from him, my heart sank.

It felt like everything was ruined.

I shut my mouth and lowered my head.

‘Should I just kill Do Jiwan at this rate….’

If Plan A of getting close and reforming him had failed, maybe it was better to execute Plan B and kill the future Demon King early.

Just then, he spoke.

“Why?”

“…Yes?”

“Why do you keep approaching me?”

“Because… Guild Leader… you’re my superior, aren’t you?”

“……”

“I made a mistake and displeased my superior. I can’t just ignore that….”

After listening to my halting explanation, he asked again.

“If the relationship with your superior has gone wrong, is there any need to fix it? Assistants are always in short supply. You could leave this company and be welcomed elsewhere.”

Why bother trying to please him when I could simply leave?

I had no answer to that.

I did not fully understand the human world, but quitting so irresponsibly did not seem right.

“Well… I joined this company through someone I know. If I leave like that, it would put the person who introduced me in an awkward position.”

“……”

“And… I need to earn… a lot of money.”

At that, something flickered in Do Jiwan’s eyes.

I wondered which word had caught his interest, but I could not ask.

‘Money?’

I could only guess.

“So I’d like to stay with the company if possible….”

As I spoke cautiously, he seemed to accept it.

He let out a deep sigh, and the suspicious edge in his gaze faded.

Instead, he looked at me as though I were slightly foolish.

“…Very well. Let’s leave it at that.”

With that, he began to undress.

I hurriedly brought over the small platform and prepared to pour water.

It was still embarrassing, but unlike last time, there were no mistakes.

There was no incident with my junior either, and Do Jiwan did not get angry.

After reconciling with Do Jiwan, things went smoothly.

I avoided offending him, and the raids proceeded in order.

Even though I had joined last, I handled attending to him, and he quickly grew accustomed to me.

‘Still, something feels lacking.’

I had not yet stepped inside his boundary.

In fact, I wondered if anyone had.

Even the guild members seemed to stand outside that line.

Perhaps only family could stand within it.

No matter how humbly I acted, Do Jiwan did not treat me lightly.

He remained polite.

As I pondered how to grow closer, we exited the dungeon.

“We rest tomorrow and re-enter the day after!”

Another day of rest was granted.

Among the dispersing people, I saw Do Jiwan heading toward his car.

My mouth moved on its own.

“Please get home safely, Guild Leader!”

When I bowed deeply toward him, he paused.

He looked at me as if slightly surprised before responding.

“…You as well, Mr. Shin Jiho.”

He entered his car and drove off.

I boarded the company vehicle.

Back at the company, the boss greeted me with a smile.

“You’re back? Here’s this round’s payment.”

He handed me an envelope.

After thanking him, I returned home in Jungho hyung’s car again.

Inside the envelope was the same amount as before.

Two million won.

‘Come to think of it, the money left from last time….’

I opened the drawer and took out the previous envelope.

After eating with Hyung and buying daily necessities, about 1.6 million won remained.

‘Four million won earned in one week. That’s impressive.’

Hunters earned double that.

And someone like Do Jiwan probably earned ten times as much.

Compared to him, it was a drop in the ocean.

Still, I could not keep storing cash in a drawer forever.

‘I should visit the bank.’

It would be easier to keep it in an account.

And I should make a debit card too.

These days, almost everywhere accepted cards.

It was more convenient than cash.

I decided to rest well today and go to the bank tomorrow on my day off.