A Side Character's Mission ↠ Solo Leveling

Chapter 41: Jeju Island 1

The big day had arrived!

[Mission progress: 95%]

Seung-Eun stared at the words on a translucent blue screen floating in the air quietly.

It was a bright day with no clouds in the sky. The breeze gently swayed his hair.

He was standing in the backyard, in a garden of sunflowers. He felt complicated as he stared at the two-story house in front of him. This was his second visit, and possibly the last as well. Hae-Seong brought him the first time, but he fled in shame and didn't get the chance to leave a good memory.

He jumped up from the ground to the second-floor balcony, leaving a vanilla-scented trail behind him as he did so.

Hae-Seong, who was standing on the balcony, thought he saw an angel come down from the sky because of the silhouette and bright sun behind him. The fallen angel was seized by him from the air, and they both fell to the ground.

Hae-Seong groaned lightly, shocking Seung-Eun and his eyes grew wide. "Hae-Seong, how did you see me?" He believed he had already ensured he was invisible.

Hae-Seong did not respond but he was stunned silly. "Why are you here?"

"That...!"

Seung-Eun turned his head aside in embarrassment.

Before the raid, he wanted to visit with his best friend because he wasn't even sure if he would return or not. He was the one who suggested that they never meet again, but he was also the one to break his own promise.

Hae-Seong's eyes grew dimmer as he noticed his expression. It appeared like Seung-Eun had no intention of approaching him. He had no idea how he had been able to see him, but he was happy that he had.

Seung-Eun pursed his lips before letting go of their awkward position-with him on top of Hae-Seong-and suddenly rising to his feet.

When Hae-Seong realized his arms were empty, he was disappointed.

"I just want to see you for a bit," Seung-Eun said awkwardly. They hadn't seen one another in a long time, and the last time they did, they had fought, so he didn't know what to say.

Hae-Seong was so overjoyed that he couldn't hide it. "Really? I thought I was the only one who missed you."

Seung-Eun felt more guilty. When has he ever intentionally hurt someone else's feelings? Because of the task, perhaps just Sung Jin-Woo, but he didn't want to hurt his own best friend, who was not part of the mission.

Hae-Seong's happiness was short-lived as he suddenly had a thought. "Is it because you're taking part in the raid?"

Seung-Eun pursed his lips.

He curled his lips, but he wasn't smiling, and let out a loud laugh when he got no response.

"So, that's how it is. You only came to say good-bye."

Perhaps fate did not allow him to 'awaken' because he would have been a dreadful entity. Hae-Seong didn't want him to leave again, therefore he sought to imprison him. No one would be able to snatch him away again.

Seung-Eun could feel the anger radiating from the person in front of him.

"Don't be angry."

"I'm not angry."

"Why do you have to join the raid? Aren't there enough people?" Hae-Seong approached him slowly, until Seung-Eun's back was against the wall. The height disparity between them made him feel oppressed, as if he were about to be swallowed whole.