TGHD Ch 18

The Tiger Clan’s mansion was bustling with commotion from the early morning.

The cause was none other than the incident involving the mermaid in the Han River. The clan had already noticed that something was off with the river’s currents the previous night, and early that morning, they received a message from Cheon Ryubeom asking for help. Cheon Hoyun received the message and reported it to the clan leader. By breakfast, the elders were informed, and soon the entire clan knew.

Naturally, the clan members assumed Cheon Ryubeom had overstepped his boundaries by trying to hunt the mermaid and had gotten hurt. They ridiculed him, saying that after successfully closing the Sagwido of Hyojomyeon, he had become overly confident and rashly took on the Han River incident. They sneered, saying he didn’t know his place. But the news that followed shocked everyone.

Cheon Ryubeom had dealt with the Han River’s mermaid.

Not only that, but he had also uncovered the entire operation behind the incident. He had destroyed a lab that illegally harvested the bodies of beastmen, sold them, and cruelly drained their spiritual powers before killing them. Ryubeom’s cousins, who were in the middle of breakfast, were left with their mouths agape, forgetting all table manners.

Though the clan leader had previously sternly declared that no one should expect help from the clan in resolving matters related to the Sagwido, they willingly sent people from the Chunho Foundation in response to Ryubeom’s message. Thanks to this, Cheon Ryubeom was now returning to the mansion in a luxurious limousine, a true homecoming.

“Welcome, young master.”

Cheon Ryubeom felt utterly bewildered. He had never received such a respectful greeting from the guards who stood at the mansion’s gate. Yet today, they bowed deeply to him.

And the title “young master”…

As he awkwardly made his way forward, Ryubeom couldn’t help but notice how often he was hearing this title now, ever since someone first started calling him that. Passing through the expansive garden and heading towards the main mansion, countless eyes were on him. It wasn’t just the clan members; even the mansion’s servants seemed to be staring at him.

Feeling burdened by the attention, Ryubeom hastened toward the back of the main mansion. Normally, he should have gone inside to greet everyone, but he had heard that the clan leader and the elders were all out dealing with the Han River incident themselves.

All he had intended was to seek help for what had become a tricky situation to handle alone. While he could easily report the lab members to the police, treating the abducted beastmen required expertise beyond his abilities, not to mention the matter of spiritual purification.

“I didn’t think things would escalate this much…”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Ryubeom muttered to himself as he looked up at the building in front of him. Instead of the main mansion, he had arrived at the ancestral shrine.

After adjusting his clothes, Ryubeom carefully entered. When a staff member from the Chunho Foundation had offered him a suit a few hours ago, it had felt very strange. It wasn’t his first time wearing a suit—he had worn one during his brief time as a guard for the clan. But today, the suit felt different in meaning. Though it had been uncomfortable earlier, now he was glad he had worn it.

Ryubeom walked quietly through the shrine’s long, tranquil interior. The faint scent of incense calmed his restless mind.

At last, he stopped in front of a rectangular memorial tablet.

天恩花

Cheon Eunhwa. Ryubeom slowly traced the strokes of the Chinese characters with his eyes before lighting the incense. Although he could have visited anytime while living with the clan, he found it difficult to come here. Seeing his mother’s memorial tablet only reinforced the reality of her death, which made it all the harder.

Even though over a decade had passed, his parents’ deaths still weighed heavily on him. Perhaps because his memories of the accident were hazy, he unconsciously kept dismissing their deaths as a bad dream.

And he still hadn’t found his father’s spirit or earned his recognition as a legitimate member of the clan. His mother’s memorial tablet stood alone, a reminder of his shortcomings, making it painful to visit.

But now, he was getting closer to his goal, little by little.

“I’ll make sure to see it through… So, please wait just a bit longer.”

Ryubeom whispered this pledge as he bowed deeply. When he lifted his head again, a single yellow flower came into view.

It was a geumyeonghwa, his mother’s favorite flower.

“…Who left this here?”

Ryubeom looked around, but of course, there was no one to be found.

His mother had been the clan’s heir but had run away and was shunned for marrying a human without the clan leader’s permission. Who would have left a flower for her?

It was rare to hear anyone in the clan speak about his mother, but he had once overheard a conversation between some of the servants.

‘Still, Lady Eunhwa was really kind…’

‘She always understood our situation…’

The conversation had ended quickly when one of the servants cautioned the others to watch their words, fearing punishment if anyone overheard them mentioning her name. After all, tiger beastmen had excellent hearing.

Perhaps one of the servants had left the flower?

After gently brushing the petals, Ryubeom stepped outside. He felt lighter than when he had arrived. Usually, after visiting the shrine, a heavy guilt settled over him. But now, perhaps because he was resolving the Sagwido and getting closer to his wish, he felt different.

But his good mood didn’t last long. Just as he turned a corner near the back of the mansion, he ran into some of his cousins.

“Hey, you…!”

“Well, well, Cheon Ryubeom!”

“What trick did you use? What kind of underhanded method did you employ to catch the mermaid?”

One cousin shouted at him, and soon others followed, pointing fingers and yelling. Cheon Yeongdo, in particular, seemed especially angry, furrowing his brow in disgust. It was Yeongdo who first mentioned the “underhanded methods.” Cheon Joomyeong snorted, laughing mockingly.

“Closing the crow’s gate at Hyojomyeon was one thing, but there’s no way a wretch like you could have caught a mermaid. You must’ve used some foul means.”

Ryubeom remained silent. Though it had been a while since he last saw his cousins, receiving insults instead of greetings was not surprising. He had learned through experience that the best response to such accusations was silence. Yet as he stood there quietly, a certain someone flashed in his mind.

Yeohwi.

In truth, it was with Yeohwi’s help that Ryubeom had managed to resolve the situation. Without Yeohwi’s assistance, Ryubeom would have likely remained trapped in the mermaid’s curse for a long time.

But that was a secret that could never be revealed. After all, it wasn’t just anyone—he had received help from the Fox Clan, the very clan his own family despised. Feeling uneasy at the thought, Ryubeom stayed quiet, which only fueled his cousins’ ridicule further.

Normally, by this point, they would have grown tired and left, but today they seemed particularly upset. It was clear that Cheon Ryubeom, the black sheep of the family, solving back-to-back Sagwido cases had bruised their pride. They might have been able to dismiss the first as a fluke, but the second?

“I’ll find out exactly what you’re up to and expose it all…”

“What’s all this commotion?”

Cheon Yeongdo’s sneering was abruptly cut off by someone’s authoritative voice. In an instant, a cold silence fell over the space. The cousins all turned pale and whipped around to see who it was, and Cheon Yeongdo, in particular, was trembling.

The clan leader, Cheon Gun, stood before them.

Beside him was Cheon Hoyun, who quietly scanned the cousins and Ryubeom before clicking his tongue in displeasure. He seemed irritated by the noisy scene he had encountered as soon as he returned to the mansion.

“Having a healthy sense of competition is good, but tearing each other down—especially among your own bloodline—isn’t.”

“But, sir! How can a half-blood like him…”

“Half-blood or not, he’s still a tiger of the Cheon family. And where did you learn to defy my words?”

“…”

Cheon Joomyeong, who had shouted to defend Cheon Yeongdo, froze under Cheon Hoyun’s icy gaze. Even though she was considered one of the most talented of the younger generation, second only to Cheon Yeongdo, in front of Cheon Hoyun, she was nothing more than a cub. Pale-faced, she bowed her head.

“…Tsk.”

With a single wave of his hand, the clan leader dismissed them all. Ryubeom briefly wondered if he should leave as well, but seeing the clan leader approach him, he quickly straightened up.

The clan leader was someone Ryubeom hadn’t even seen when he resolved the first Hyojomyeon incident. Not even when he first left the family had the clan leader shown himself. At what could have been their final moment together, he hadn’t even revealed his face. Yet now, here he was, standing in front of Ryubeom with a faint smile.

“You did well this time.”

“…Thank you.”

“The Cheon family will personally track down the remaining members involved with the lab, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

Ryubeom couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The words were so kind that he momentarily doubted his ears. He had heard from an employee of the Chunho Foundation that the Han River incident would make the news, but was the clan leader complimenting him for raising the family’s prestige? It felt surreal, but he was incredibly happy.

This was the first time he had ever received praise from the clan leader.

It was also surprising that the tiger clan would take on the task of capturing all the lab members. If the clan intervened, the human authorities would naturally comply, and it wouldn’t take long to deal with the remnants. The mere involvement of the tigers would serve as a warning to humans.

‘I’m glad I can keep my promise to the mermaid…’

Cheon Ryubeom sighed in relief. While the mermaid had cursed him, Ryubeom had accepted it as a promise.

The conversation with the clan leader ended quickly.

“Continue to strive.”

With that final remark, the clan leader walked away, leaving Ryubeom staring longingly at his retreating figure. Praise from the clan leader was exceedingly rare. Even Cheon Yeongdo, who was often mentioned as a potential successor, had only been praised a couple of times, so it was clear that the clan leader was quite pleased with Ryubeom over the mermaid incident.

Ryubeom had secretly hoped that perhaps the clan leader might help him find his father, but that seemed like too lofty a dream. From the beginning, he had been told that only after closing all the Sagwido would his wish be granted, so it was an unrealistic hope. Still, he couldn’t help but feel excited. To feel so uplifted by just one compliment.

Cheon Hoyun spoke in a monotone voice.

“Don’t get too arrogant just because you closed two Sagwido.”

“…Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

Though the words could be seen as critical or even mocking, Ryubeom simply bowed his head quietly. He felt a bit embarrassed, thinking perhaps his excitement had been too obvious.

Cheon Hoyun silently gazed down at Ryubeom for a moment before turning.

“Come with me. I’ll give you some Yeongyahua.”

The Yeongyahua was managed at the Daehogwan of the mansion. Flowers grown in Gwanak Mountain were brought to the mansion and carefully preserved to maintain their spiritual energy as if they had just been picked. With the added spiritual power of the family, the Yeongyahua became even more potent.

When brewed, the flower not only restored spiritual energy but also healed most wounds. The miraculous effects of the potion were so impressive that humans would bow their heads to the family just to receive some.

With medicine this powerful, Ryubeom thought it could expel the poison left in the bodies of the captured Suin. He was filled with anticipation and even more excited about the chance to enter the Daehogwan. He had thought he would simply be handed the Yeongyahua, but now he had the opportunity to go directly to the Daehogwan.

Ryubeom’s face brightened before he quickly schooled his expression, worried that he might be scolded if his excitement showed again. He cleared his throat and adjusted his attire while Cheon Hoyun silently continued walking.

The path to the Daehogwan was quiet.

The Daehogwan was quite a distance from the main building of the mansion. Ryubeom expected that they wouldn’t talk on the way, as he wasn’t close with any of the elders, and Cheon Hoyun was especially intimidating. Dressed in a crisp suit after returning from her morning outing, she seemed even more distant.

However, to Ryubeom’s surprise, Cheon Hoyun spoke first.

“You performed a Wiryung for the mermaids, didn’t you?”

“…How did you know?”

Ryubeom was startled. He hadn’t shown the wooden talisman this time, so how had she figured it out? His reaction earned him a strange look from Cheon Hoyun.

“There’s a curse marked on your hand. If you had simply subdued the mermaids, such a seal wouldn’t have appeared, don’t you think?”

Her tone was as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but Ryubeom was even more astonished. No one he had encountered until now had noticed. Reading the energy of a curse was no easy task, but more importantly, someone would have to pay enough attention to even look at the back of his hand.

But before Ryubeom could respond, a cold question followed.

“I don’t believe our family teaches Wiryung rituals…”

“…I learned it from my parents when I was young.”

Ryubeom had learned the ritual patterns for Wiryung from his father and how to enhance them with spiritual energy from his mother. However, as a child, he hadn’t fully understood them, and as he grew, he had pushed the knowledge aside, thinking he would never need to use it.

Yet, here he was, using the forgotten ritual to close the Sagwido. Ryubeom glanced at Cheon Hoyun nervously, wondering if he would be scolded for using something taught by his father, whom the family didn’t approve of.

But Cheon Hoyun spoke in the same monotone voice.

“Wiryung is no easy task. While Jeryeong or exorcism forcibly expels evil spirits, Wiryung helps them resolve their grudges and disappear on their own…”

“…”

“Restoring one’s self to those who have lost it and allowing them to choose their end is a difficult and laborious task.”

Cheon Hoyun’s golden eyes, which held a mysterious light under the midday sun, quietly focused on Ryubeom. The gaze alone made him tense.

Cheon Hoyun’s eyes narrowed as she looked over Ryubeom’s face, neck, and hands. His body was covered in wounds, having come straight to the mansion after receiving only emergency treatment that morning.

“Your energy is unstable, and performing Wiryung seems quite reckless. Just looking at your current state proves that.”

“…It’s just that I’m a little inexperienced, but there’s no need to worry…”

“No, I’m not worried about you.”

Cheon Hoyun shook her head.

“Learn to distinguish between compassion and foolishness.”

“…”

“You may have been lucky so far, but you’ve definitely done something dangerous. To perform Wiryung, you must ‘open’ your heart to the spirit. Did you not consider the possibility that an evil spirit could enter through that opening?”

“Ah…”

“In the first two instances, you may have read the spirits, but if the reverse happens… I doubt you’d survive. What do you think?”

Ryubeom’s face stiffened. Her words were correct. Ryubeom had thought he was walking a fine line between courage and recklessness, but there was something far more serious to worry about. When he had faced the mermaids, their pasts had been revealed to him, and he had fallen victim to their mental manipulation.

And Ryubeom had his own troubled past. If an evil spirit specifically targeted him…

“Be wary of what kind of disaster might befall the world if a tiger becomes corrupted. In the past, tigers were revered even though they were considered as dangerous as plagues. So if such a tiger were to truly become an evil spirit, what do you think would happen?”

In the past, smallpox, an almost incurable disease, was referred to as Horamma, meaning the “tiger’s plague.” People revered the disease as if it were a tiger’s attack, praying for it to leave their bodies. Even the language used showed the fear and reverence people held for tigers.

Since ancient times, those who had long been revered gained powers akin to those in myths. That was the reason the tiger clan remained the most powerful and feared.

Cheon Hoyun let out a low scoff.

“There’s nothing more terrifying than a tiger turned evil…”

For some reason, there was a faint, distant quality to her voice. It was low, like the sound of a gentle breeze, but mixed with a touch of roughness, as though grains of sand were caught in it. It felt as though she was mocking something unknown.

Soon, Cheon Hoyun looked directly at Ryubeom and spoke.

“You have many weaknesses. Many vulnerabilities.”

“…”

“That’s why I advised against presenting you as a tiger.”

She clicked her tongue briefly, and Ryubeom simply lowered his gaze. It wasn’t hard to figure out that it was she who had given him the choice to leave the family and live outside.

“Have you decided on the next location?”

“Oh, I was thinking of Mount Yuseom in the Yeongnam region.”

“…No. There’s been a recent landslide there, causing quite a commotion. Go somewhere else.”

Cheon Hoyun cast another glance at Ryubeom. It was easy to read her meaning: in your current state, it’s impossible. Ryubeom resisted the urge to shrink back. The more disheartened he looked, the harsher the reprimand would be, so he had to stay as composed as possible.

At first, when they had talked about the Wiryung ritual, he had thought she might have been showing him some approval, but now, it felt like a deluge of criticism, as if to show that had all been a mistake. He felt like he was being scolded, but there was nothing he could say because her points were valid.

Cheon Hoyun, seeing Ryubeom’s silent reaction, turned her head.

“…I doubt any other place will be much better, but since you’ve already caught your father’s attention, it can’t be helped. I’ll give you a few treasures.”

“Really…?”

“Don’t forget, I’m not giving them to you out of expectation.”

It was probably a reminder not to show disgrace as a tiger, but Ryubeom’s face lit up. He had been in a difficult situation with all his tools depleted, and now, he had an opportunity to replenish them. And if they were treasures, their effects would surely be considerable.

Cheon Hoyun glanced at his face and then silently resumed walking.

Soon, a vast bamboo forest came into view, signaling their arrival at the Daehogwan. Ryubeom had only been here once as a child by mistake, and later, right before being expelled from the family, for his final test. Today, he was here for a different reason.

Swoosh…

A cool breeze blew through the bamboo forest, carrying its scent toward Ryubeom. He took in the unfamiliar smell and suddenly noticed something between the trees.

A small stone pagoda.

It was barely visible through the thick bamboo. It was about two cheok (around 60 centimeters) tall. Strangely, the pagoda was tightly wrapped with golden ropes.

Why is there a pagoda here? Ryubeom was curious, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask Cheon Hoyun. They weren’t close enough for casual conversation. He caught a glimpse of silk inside the pagoda and vaguely thought it must be quite valuable.

The clan leader had said the spiritual energy had been well-preserved, strengthening the power of blessings. Could it be related to that? He made a mental note to investigate later, once he earned the right to enter the Daehogwan after closing all the Sagwido.

The refreshing breeze from the bamboo forest lightly tickled Ryubeom.

Cheon Ryubeom left the mansion as soon as he received the Yeongyahua. Although it had been a while since he last visited the mansion, there was no time to rest. He headed straight to the hospital but made a detour to a back alley before entering the building, where he discreetly met with someone.

“With the energy of the clan imbued, its effects should be quite strong.”

“Oh, thank you so much, young master.”

The person he met was Guil. Instead of contacting Yeohwi, Ryubeom had reached out to Guil to deliver the Yeongyahua. His phone, which had been damaged due to water exposure, was quickly repaired with the help of the Cheonho Foundation, and he was able to retain his contacts.

Since the triplets weren’t currently hospitalized, the flowers needed to be delivered separately. When Ryubeom had retrieved the Yeongyahua from the Daehogwan, he had nervously slipped three extra blooms into his hands. Fortunately, Cheon Hoyun had been inspecting other treasures and hadn’t noticed.

The fox clan likely had excellent medicine as well, so they might have already completed their treatment. The medicine Ryubeom had received from Yeohwi just a few days prior had been quite effective, after all. But Ryubeom recalled Yeohwi’s story about climbing a mountain to get Yeongyahua when the triplets were sick in the past, so he brought some for them, knowing it was considered the most powerful remedy.

However, Yeongyahua had to be consumed carefully. If one absorbed too much spiritual energy at once, it could be overwhelming. It needed to be taken slowly, and even after consumption, the patient’s condition had to be closely monitored. Ryubeom explained the precautions in detail, urging Guil to be cautious.

“I’m sure you remember from when Yeohwi gave you some on Yeonggok Peak…”

“Ah, ha ha, yes, of course! But why did you contact me instead of Yeohwi…?”

Guil awkwardly laughed at the mention of the Yeonggok Peak incident, then subtly changed the subject. It was clear that this question was what had been bothering him the most. He seemed confused about why he had been contacted instead of Yeohwi, and Ryubeom hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Well, Yeohwi is probably taking care of the triplets right now…”

Ryubeom had seen Yeohwi tending to them earlier in the morning, so he had been reluctant to call him away. Even though Yeohwi had said it was fine, Ryubeom still felt guilty about the triplets’ situation, and besides…

He couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss they had shared at the lab. Since that moment, he hadn’t been able to face Yeohwi. Even though earlier that morning he had rushed to see him, fearing it might be the last time, ever since hearing Yeohwi say “let’s meet again,” he had been feeling this way.

For some reason, it was hard to keep his expression in check. His face instinctively hardened, like it always did in front of his family, and he quickly covered his mouth with his hand, glancing around nervously. The more he tried to push the thoughts away, the more they lingered, creating an internal dilemma.

Feeling increasingly embarrassed about facing Guil, Ryubeom forced himself to shake off the thoughts and bowed to him. He needed to apologize to Guil for what had happened to the triplets. Guil, startled, waved his hands frantically, insisting there was no need for Ryubeom to bow to him, but…

After the brief exchange, Ryubeom finally headed into the hospital.

The hospital was affiliated with the Cheonho Foundation, so they were already familiar with how to administer the Yeongyahua, but Ryubeom still watched the treatment process closely. It wasn’t just because of his promise to the merfolk—he was genuinely worried about the condition of the victims after everything they had been through. Moreover, he had failed to protect the barrier properly, leading to the triplets being heavily exposed to the merfolk’s dark energy.

Even after they consumed the Yeongyahua, Ryubeom continued to monitor their condition. Most of the kidnapped victims had no family or guardians, so Ryubeom remained with them alone.

It wasn’t until the next morning that the victims started to wake up one by one.

“Ah…”

“We really got out of there…”

Even in their dazed state, they quickly realized they were in a hospital. Once they saw each other and understood the situation, they began to cry. Though they hadn’t known each other’s names before being kidnapped, they now clung to one another, finding each other precious.

After a wave of tears passed, the medical staff resumed their checkups.

All the victims had woken up, and thanks to the power of the Yeongyahua, most of their wounds were healed. However, some scars still remained. Their fur had been forcibly torn off, and their bodies had been damaged in various places. The Cheonho Foundation would cover all the costs related to their medical treatment, psychological counseling, and hospitalization.

That morning, the news broke that the remnants of the lab had been captured. Though the lab had been destroyed, clues found at the veterinary clinic had led to a pursuit. With the tiger clan directly involved, no one had dared help the remnants escape.

The Cheonho Foundation had used its vast network to swiftly apprehend them, and from their base, they had obtained a list of those who had illegally purchased fur from the lab. They had also identified the deceased victims and were contacting their families.

Upon hearing this news, the victims gathered around Ryubeom to thank him.

“Thank you for saving us.”

“Because of you, we were able to escape that place.”

The victims had fainted when they were dragged away by the merfolk, so they had no memory of what happened afterward. They only remembered seeing Ryubeom fighting three merfolk alone and thinking they were all going to die. When they woke up in the hospital, healed by the Yeongyahua, it felt like a miracle.

“If it weren’t for you, we really would have died there…”

Ryubeom was overwhelmed by the tearful expressions of gratitude. He had intended to leave the hospital quietly after confirming the victims were okay, but they had stopped him at the entrance.

He wasn’t used to being thanked like this. Instead, all he could think about was his failure to fully protect them at the lab. He didn’t know how to respond to such heartfelt gratitude. He had always been taught about the greatness of tigers, but he had never imagined he would become one of those great tigers himself.

But now, the victims were genuinely grateful to him. In that moment, he was reminded of the way Garam had looked at him back in Hyojomyeon, and the way the merfolk had spoken to him in the lab.

“So, after all, I’m the leader of these suin…”

Ryubeom felt his heart pounding, a strong, clear beat. The fact that he, as a tiger, had helped someone and was now receiving this gratitude felt surreal.

“…I’m just glad you’re all okay.”

Ryubeom responded in a trembling voice to the suin.

At that moment, he felt a tingling sensation on the back of his hand. When he glanced down, he saw the curse mark on his hand slowly fading away. It bubbled and fizzled, gradually disappearing as if the curse was being lifted.

Somehow, all of this felt like a dream. From finding the kidnapped suin while chasing the merfolk to rescuing them and fulfilling his promise with the merfolk—it all seemed surreal.

Thinking again how fortunate it was that everything had worked out, Ryubeom left the hospital.

“Haa…”

Ryubeom took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. The fluffy clouds arranged beautifully across the sky made it look like a painting. The warm, lazy breeze of late spring gently blew, and it felt pleasant. No, it felt wonderful.

What should I do now? As Ryubeom pondered absentmindedly, he felt a vibration in his pocket.

[Yeohwi]

He curiously pulled out his phone and flinched when he saw the name on the screen. Startled to the point of overreacting, Ryubeom hesitated several times before finally answering the call.

Even after pressing the receive button, he hesitated to speak, his lips moving silently, when the voice on the other end spoke first.

— Beomie! Where are you right now?

“…Gumo?”

A clear voice. Though the voices of the triplets were quite similar, by now Ryubeom could tell them apart. Oh, Gumo’s phone broke the other day, so Yeohwi must be calling on his behalf. The realization made him feel a sudden sense of relief. It seemed like he had been quite tense.

Ryubeom awkwardly scratched the back of his neck and asked a question.

“I’m outside right now… By the way, how’s Gumo feeling? You’re not sick, right?”

— Nope, I’m fine! Not a single thing hurts!

“No injuries either? I’m sorry. If I had been there with you, that wouldn’t have happened…”

He still felt bad about what the triplets had gone through. It happened because he had been too focused on the Han River search and hadn’t been able to look after the kids on their way home. Though it ultimately led him to encounter the mermaid of the Han River more quickly, there was no way to view it as a good thing. Ryubeom sincerely apologized.

But the reply that came back was bright.

— No, Beomie! You protected us!

— That’s right. You’re our hero…!

— Truly, the bad guys were someone else. You don’t need to feel sorry! Honestly, I don’t even remember much!

Gumo, Euno, and Dongo’s voices chimed in one after the other. Ryubeom bit his lip briefly at the word “hero.” Their cheerful voices made him smile, but the surge of emotion he felt was stronger. He was so glad he’d saved them before they got seriously hurt.

While he composed himself, Gumo asked another question.

— So, you’re outside right now, Beomie? Busy again today?

“…Why do you ask?”

— Come play with us! You promised we’d hang out together!

Gumo’s voice was confident, but there was a hint of hesitation. Maybe he was worried that his request would be a burden, considering how busy Cheon Ryubeom had been lately. Ryubeom, feeling he needed to do right by the kids, chuckled softly.

“No, I’ve got time. Let’s play together today.”

* * *

Cheon Ryubeom moved to the location Gumo mentioned. He thought they might meet at the villa, but to his surprise, they were near the hospital. The next place he had to visit for his work was quite far, so he decided to gladly spend some time with the kids before heading out. After all, he had promised.

When he arrived in front of the building, Ryubeom looked up at the sign. A kids’ café. It was his first time at such a place, and he felt a bit out of his element, but he thought it was fascinating that kids these days played in places like this.

“Ah, young master, welcome.”

As soon as he entered, he was greeted by Yeohwi. Ryubeom paused for a moment but nodded as casually as possible. However, his awkwardness quickly turned to confusion.

The triplets, who had been playing in the distance, spotted Ryubeom and ran toward him excitedly. They were all wearing party hats. Not only that, but there were garlands hanging on the wall and a cake on the table…

As Ryubeom looked around, bewildered, Yeohwi smiled and explained.

“Today’s the kids’ birthday. They insisted they wanted to celebrate with you.”

“…”

“Young master?”

“…Hold on. I, uh, think I forgot something.”

Ryubeom’s face stiffened. He had to go buy a birthday present immediately.