SRSBO: Chapter 11

This Joo Yunwoo person.

As a low-level Esper, his abilities are estimated to be impractical attack-type.

Although I didn’t know what his actual job was, he seemed like someone who would be more successful as a model than as a low-level Awakener.

That was all I knew about the person in front of me.

“…..Come again? 80 million won?”

And I also found out the price of the coat I had just thrown over and slept in.

After finishing eating, I was the one who spoke up first, with the intention of finally finishing the story that I had been pushing off.

Regardless of what happened in between and what the intermediate process was, if you look at the outcome, it’s true that I saved him from going berserk. Thinking like that, I decided to take some money as compensation for the broken phone and the guiding fee while at it.

In order to do that, I needed to settle the payment first. I hesitated to immediately ask for the guiding fee and decided to mention it at last. Instead, I offered to pay for the coat which I ruined first.

As a result, I ended up hearing an absurd price.

“Haha….”

….. Have I finally lost my mind?

How many phones could I have for 80 million won? I had no idea about what the average guiding fee is, but I thought even if I add everything I’ve done for him, it would be less than that.

“Let’s call it even.”

I said with a deliberately stern face.

“Is life more important than money? People come first. Saving a life is the most valuable thing, isn’t it? It’s a noble act that can never be measured in money.”

“Yes? But….”

“My leg got injured while I was trying to stop you mister from going berserk, and even my phone got broken at that time.”

“…..You mister?”

“Yes, you mister. I really had a hard time carrying you around because you were unconscious, and also got soaked in rain. I couldn’t even sleep well. Judging from the fact that I’m still shivering, I’m sure this symptom is a cold and muscle pain. I’m sure I’ll probably come down with a fever soon.”

“My name. Please call me by name.”

“Yes, Mr. Yunwoo.”

I didn’t know why that was important right now, but since the person with the most money told me to call, I did it without any objections.

Even though I did as he asked, the expression of the person in question didn’t look so happy. He made a displeased expression as he quietly muttered his name.

“Then let’s call it even. We don’t owe each other anything. Alright?”

I hurriedly got up from my seat, fearing that he might say something else, but Joo Yunwoo stopped me.

He looked up at me, barely holding onto the hem of my clothes as if he were holding a snowflake that would melt and disappear at any moment.

“It’s not that… As you said, you saved me. How can you call it even? I owe you a lot, so please tell me whatever you want.”

“……Whatever I want?”

I responded in a somewhat foolish way, my voice almost trembling.

So you’re saying that you’re going to compensate me by pretending that the cost of the coat and everything else didn’t exist?

I looked down at him, unable to hide my suspicion.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for the price of the coat, I wouldn’t have ever known, but now I felt awkward asking for something. Although I usually have a thick skin, I have a tendency to be softer to people who come across as vulnerable.

To begin with, I was the one who brought it up first, thinking that since he seemed to have a lot of money, I could somehow get him to pay me. But now that he was the one who’s trying to repay the favor, I felt like I was the one being greedy and a dirty person….

“No, it’s okay.”

In this situation, I believe that sincerity, no matter what, is best expressed through money.

I hesitated to ask for everything in cash so there wouldn’t be any chance of anything coming back to me, and slightly averted my gaze.

But he shook his head. The hand that was holding my clothes tightened a little.

“…..As you said earlier, nothing is more important than life. You risked your own safety to save me with the noble spirit of saving lives, but if I send you away like this, I would feel uncomfortable. Please tell me anything you want so that we don’t end it like this.”

Although his expression was stiff as usual, I was secretly touched.

I felt ashamed of myself for judging him based only on rumors.

Every time I saw him at the café, I secretly thought he was a person with a broken personality, but seeing him in person, he seemed like a better person than I had imagined.

I tied him up like that in his own house, but he didn’t even bother to question me. Instead, he thanked me for saving him, and even took care of me. I ruined his expensive coat and made it unable to wear again, but he didn’t say a word of complaint. He even gave me food and dessert….

My expression naturally relaxed. Yeah. Let’s just consider it as doing some medical volunteer work after a long time. It doesn’t seem right to ask for anything from someone like him.

I know how to distinguish between people I should rip off and people I shouldn’t.

This time, I waved my hand without any hesitation, feeling relieved and free of any lingering thoughts.

“Really, it’s okay. If you insist, please give me some extra money for the taxi fare when I head back.”

“Taxi fare….. I have a car. I’ll drive you there myself.”

I couldn’t refuse even that, so I nodded readily. I thought I could just ask him to drop me off near the motel I had made a reservation for.

“Okay. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

* * *

I understood a little why he offered to give me a ride.

Although I don’t have extensive knowledge about cars, I could tell at a glance that this was a luxury car without even being told.

The engine noise was barely audible, and the seating comfort was different from the other means of transportation I had ridden before.

I wasn’t sure what kind of cushion they used for the seats, but it felt like a cushion that could be advertised as being free of any vibrations.

I must have looked in that direction without realizing it. Joo Yunwoo asked.

“Do you like this car?”

“Oh, yes. The cushion is very comfortable.”

“If you like it, I can give it to you.”

“Huh? No. I don’t even have a place to park.”

For someone like me, who doesn’t have a definite place and wanders around here and there, this kind of car was too much.

The car appeared to be a luxury car at first glance, so I was not confident that I could afford the maintenance costs. If it were something like a camper van, I might have been a bit tempted because I could use it as a substitute for a house if needed.

When we got close to the motel, I stopped him near a place and told him to let me off.

Maybe it’s because it was an area with a lot of accommodation buildings. I didn’t realize it when I booked online, but the area around here was darker than I expected, and there were not many streetlights either.

‘Still, it’s a relief that if I get off here, it’ll only take about 2 minutes to walk there.’

Just as I was about to get out of the car, Joo Yunwoo, who had been staring at the sign with the address written on it, stopped me.

“Do you live around here?”

“Ah, no. My home isn’t around here. I’m staying at a motel here for a few days due to some circumstances.”

“……A motel around here?”

“Yes.”

As I nodded, Joo Yunwoo’s expression hardened.

Why was that I wonder? Perhaps it was because all the buildings around here looked old. Well, he seemed to have a lot of money, so I figured he probably wouldn’t encounter places like this very often.

Joo Yunwoo narrowed his brows slightly and stared at the sign with the address written on it.

I felt like I should get out, so I grabbed the car door handle, however, an urgent voice suddenly called out to me.

“I think there will be some problems at the XX motel nearby. Just in case, please try to avoid going there.”

“…..What? XX motel?”

It was the motel I was staying at.

“Now, wait a moment. What’s the reason for the trouble? And how do you know that, Mr. Yunwoo?”

“Ah-.”

He blinked, looking slightly taken aback.

“I’m an Esper, you know. I overheard that a criminal organization made up of low-level Awakened individuals has infiltrated that place. It’s probably for illegal transactions.”

“Huh? But Mr. Yunwoo, you’re a low-level Esper, so how would you have access to such confidential information? Ah, I didn’t mean that in a bad way… no, I misspoke. Actually, I don’t know much about that area… I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

“No, it’s fine. More importantly…… low-level?”

“I saw your entry pass last time. I picked it up for you if you don’t remember.”

As if recalling that day, Joo Yunwoo slowly nodded his head.

I furrowed my brows with a feeling of discomfort.

Regardless of whether an illegal transaction or something else was going to happen or not, I couldn’t immediately know. But there was no way I could stay there after hearing that.

I borrowed Joo Yunwoo’s phone in a hurry to search for other accommodations, but they were all expensive and already booked.

It was inevitable. This area only had expensive hotels.

In the first place, I had chosen to stay at a motel because it was cheap and close, even if it meant sacrificing the quality of sleep.

“…..Couldn’t you just stay somewhere a little further away? I’m really worried.”

My heart was complicated by the cautious suggestion.

Even if I gave up the distance and found another place to stay, if I added the same-day booking fee and transportation costs, the money I earned from the remaining days of work would be spent entirely on living expenses.

After much thought, I nodded.

“Okay, I was actually planning to go to my friend’s house anyway.”

I had hoped to get through these few days quietly without relying on Han Siyoung, but I never expected things to turn out like this.

It was two hours away from my part-time job, but I couldn’t help it, given how things turned out, there was no other choice.

I was about to contact Han Siyoung using Joo Yunwoo’s phone when I suddenly realized that I didn’t have Han Siyoung’s number memorized.

The phone that had Han Siyoung’s number on it had already had its screen broken.

“Then I’ll take you to your friend’s house.”

“Ah, no. Could you just take me to the subway station? It’s faster to go by subway.”

The expression on Joo Yunwoo’s face didn’t seem to be right, as if he was feeling uncomfortable, but when I asked firmly, he reluctantly nodded.

Then, as he had said at the beginning, he offered to pay for the ride and gave me his card. When I asked if he had any cash, he said he didn’t, so I simply told him it was fine.

I arrived at the subway station, saw Joo Yunwoo’s car driving away, and then went down the stairs.

It was late at night when I arrived at Han Siyoung’s house.

Although I had come without notice, I thought she would be home at this hour. However, whether she was working late or staying out, there was no sign of anyone inside when I knocked on the door.

“Unbelievable…”

In the end, the last place I headed to was a 24-hour café near my part-time job.