Where Beans Are Planted, Beans Grow

"Ah, so…"

Bae Won-woo, who was about to say something, saw Kang Ji-soo standing next to Cha Eui-jae and closed his mouth tightly. 'Just before awakening.' Cha Eui-jae looked down at Lee Sa-young in his arms. The irregular breathing gradually stabilized as soon as the chains were removed. The pale face was also slowly regaining color.

Finally, the stifling feeling, as if his throat was being choked, eased. Cha Eui-jae bowed his head slightly and silently regulated his breathing.

"Now that checking on Lee Sa-young-ssi's condition is urgent, I will visit the Pado Guild and Lee Sa-young-ssi later to offer a formal apology."

Jung Bin took out a bottle of purple liquid from his inventory and opened the lid. Cha Eui-jae, seeing this, immediately grabbed Lee Sa-young's neck and tilted his head back. Jung Bin, acknowledging with his eyes, poured the liquid into Lee Sa-young's mouth and asked.

"I haven't fully assessed the hall situation since I returned from dealing with another matter. Can you explain it to me?"

"The auction just ended, and, well, the hunters fought over a large spear. That's why the place looks like this… What else should I say?"

As Bae Won-woo glanced sideways awkwardly, Kang Ji-soo interrupted.

"The spear was won by the Guild Leader!"

"Should we mention that?"

"The Guild Leader is unconscious and might not receive it if we don't say anything."

"…I see. That should be enough for now. Thank you."

Whether it was due to the release of the restraints or the liquid Jung Bin gave him, Lee Sa-young's condition improved rapidly. At a glance, he seemed to be simply sleeping. Once Lee Sa-young's condition stabilized, Jung Bin quickly assessed the hall and began giving orders.

Originally, Hong Ye-seong was supposed to enjoy the world a bit more before getting to work, but for his safety, the respective national officials decided to immediately transport him to the mountains. Hong Ye-seong, trying to avoid the hands reaching for him, jumped off the platform.

"Whose decision is this!"

"It's the director's order."

"Wait, wait, I haven't finished my transaction yet…"

Hong Ye-seong's desperate eyes scanned the hall until they landed on Cha Eui-jae. Just as he was about to call out to Cha Eui-jae,

"Ugh!"

"Please cooperate, Artisan!"

"What the… Let go of me!"

The security personnel rushed in. Since Hong Ye-seong had previously scattered powder and escaped, the guards swiftly and skillfully wrapped him up in a blanket. Wrapped up like a yellow checkered roll, Hong Ye-seong struggled vigorously.

"Ah. Wait! Seriously! I can't work without it! Wait a moment!"

"Transport him."

"Yes."

After the tearfully lamenting Hong Ye-seong disappeared, the super hamsters that had fainted from fighting were taken care of by the HB Guild. While Honeybee grumbled, moving the hunters she had knocked out, Jung Bin bowed deeply to Matthew.

"Thank you for your help."

"Don't mention it. You always work hard. Here, have this."

Matthew handed over a warm squid leg and headed towards the fallen hunters with Honeybee. Jung Bin deeply bowed to the awkwardly standing Bae Won-woo.

"I'm truly sorry. This incident is entirely my fault. I will take full responsibility."

Bae Won-woo scratched his head awkwardly.

"Well, it's already happened, so nothing can be done. It wasn't intentional, right? Still, please visit Pado sometime. That will be enough. Are you going to the Seowon Guild now?"

"Yes, that's right. Nam Woo-jin-ssi knows best about Lee Sa-young-ssi's condition."

"Please take good care of Sa-young."

"Of course."

As Jung Bin left with Lee Sa-young, only Bae Won-woo, Kang Ji-soo, and Cha Eui-jae remained in the hall. Kang Ji-soo, who had been silently watching with folded arms, grumbled.

"…Is it okay to let it go like this? The Guild Leader collapsed! We almost got our heads chopped off."

"Enough. It was an accident. Lee Sa-young will handle getting compensation from the respective officials. Let's go."

"Yes."

As they headed for the exit, Bae Won-woo suddenly stopped, his eyes wide, and turned around.

"Why aren't you coming, secretary?"

"…Pardon? Me?"

Cha Eui-jae, who had been standing still, looked up. Bae Won-woo smiled broadly, pointing at the door with his thumb, a smile familiar from many visits to the hangover soup restaurant.

"Let's go together! We drove here. We'll take you to the guild front."

"No, I'm okay…"

"Hey."

Before he knew it, Kang Ji-soo, who had come behind him, pushed Cha Eui-jae's back. Finally, his feet moved. Bae Won-woo quickly put an arm around his shoulder, drawing him closer.

"Come on, let's go!"

A while later, in the car.

Until they reached a familiar road after leaving the convention center, the three sat quietly without much conversation. Then, raindrops began to dot the window. Bae Won-woo clicked his tongue.

"Ugh, it's raining."

The secretary, who had been sitting quietly in the back, spoke.

"Excuse me, could you let me off here?"

"Vice-Guild Leader, do you have an umbrella? The secretary probably doesn't have one. Lend him yours."

"No, I'm really fine…"

"Why would you think of getting wet when there's an umbrella? Here, take the umbrella first!"

Bae Won-woo forcefully handed over a black umbrella. Caught off guard, the secretary took it hesitantly, then bowed his head.

"…Thank you."

"Take care. You worked hard today, being with Sa-young."

With a pop, the secretary got out, opened the black umbrella, and stepped into the rainy street. After walking a few steps, he briefly looked back. Seeing him through the lowered window, Bae Won-woo and Kang Ji-soo simultaneously waved.

Swoosh— The rain had grown heavier. Even after the secretary had been out for quite a while, Bae Won-woo didn't seem to have any intention of leaving, instead resting his arms on the steering wheel and playing with his phone. Kang Ji-soo, chewing on a snack, spoke up.

"But, Vice-Guild Leader."

"Yeah."

"Who was that person?"

"…"

The figure in a suit had already disappeared silently, as if melted into the rain. Kang Ji-soo stretched her neck, trying to peer into the dark alley, mumbling.

"I didn't say anything because neither the Guild Leader nor you mentioned it. But I've never seen that person in the secretary team or the guild. Shouldn't we bring him back?"

"Ji-soo."

"Yes."

Bae Won-woo solemnly extended his hand. She promptly placed the snack in his hand, and he leisurely brought it to his mouth.

"Sa-young always has a reason for what he does."

"…"

"…Probably."

Kang Ji-soo looked at him skeptically, but Bae Won-woo finally started the car, the wipers working busily to clear the rain from the windshield.

"If he needed to be detained, Sa-young would have told us. But he didn't."

"Maybe he was too out of it?"

"No. Don't underestimate that guy. He probably even timed his collapse."

Indeed, if it was the Lee Sa-young Kang Ji-soo knew, that made sense. Even when collapsing, he had been giving instructions. It made one doubt whether he was genuinely ill or just pretending. Kang Ji-soo cautiously asked.

"But is the Guild Leader really sick?"

"Yeah, that's true."

"Was he very sick before awakening?"

"Well… I heard so."

Bae Won-woo gave a vague answer while steering with one hand.

"And I really don't know who that secretary is. Could be a new recruit in the combat support team… or some joint operation with another guild."

"Okay, okay. You mean don't be too curious. Got it."

"No, really, I don't know."

Kang Ji-soo shrugged indifferently and turned on the radio. A familiar commercial jingle played. Passing the National Exam with HunterOne, passing the Hunter exam with HunterOne… Listening to the familiar tune, she quietly spoke.

"Well, he didn't seem like a bad person."

"Huh? Why?"

"Didn't you see, Vice-Guild Leader?"

"See what?"

"…Never mind."

Kang Ji-soo sighed lightly and rested her head against the window. Bae Won-woo muttered something, but after running around at the Artisan Exhibition, she felt too tired to respond. After all, he hadn't told her everything either, so she had the right not to speak.

The secretary's hands, which held onto the collapsing Lee Sa-young, had bulging veins and were trembling white. He hadn't taken his eyes off Lee Sa-young until Jung Bin and Lee Sa-young disappeared. Even with the gas mask on, his face must have been pale. Kang Ji-soo was sure of it. Maybe even paler than Lee Sa-young. She pursed her lips.

'That person was more worried than I was.'

"How about dinner?"

"The hangover soup restaurant is closed today."

"…Oh, right."

"By the way, Vice-Guild Leader, stop eating so much hangover soup. You'll start bleeding hangover soup instead of blood."

"You just don't understand the real taste of hangover soup…"

Their conversation gradually faded into the sound of the rain.

***

At the end of an exceptionally long day, Cha Eui-jae was finally alone. The wind was unusually chilly that day.

Cha Eui-jae entered a deserted alley and took off the stifling gas mask. Clean shoe tips, oddly out of place, stood amidst the dirty ground littered with soggy flyers and business cards. He kicked the ground once, causing water to splash.

As he walked through the alleys where he wouldn't run into anyone, a red, glowing sign gradually came into view. A hangover soup restaurant. The place he needed to return to. Cha Eui-jae closed his umbrella and trudged toward the restaurant.

Standing at the entrance, he looked up and immediately noticed the paper he had left earlier. It was soaked with rain and the writing had smudged, but he could tell a lot had been written. Cha Eui-jae squinted to read the smeared words. The last time he saw it, there was only one reply. Now, the entire blank space was filled with different messages.

[Closed on the day of the Artisan Exhibition.]

[Reason: Taking my grandmother to the hospital.]

⤷Hope your grandmother gets well!!

⤷Wondered why it was closed. Hope it went well?

⤷If you need help with hospital bills, let us know…

⤷Let's keep this place open for a long time! Please

⤷Make sure the part-timer stays healthy too

⤷Will you be open tomorrow?

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The short vibration indicated it was a text from Park Ha-eun. Cha Eui-jae slowly took out his phone and checked the screen.

Sa-young: I'm okay

Cha Eui-jae took a deep breath. The damp air filled his lungs. Resting his head against the glass and closing his eyes, he could hear the rain softly breaking apart in the distance. The knots of tension, tangled and hardened, also crumbled away.

After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, which now had a determined gleam.