M E M O R I Z E (MEMORIZE)

111. The Dark Past

Three days after the expedition. Two days to explore the ruins of the institute. And three days to go back to Mule. We were able to complete the return at Eidle Bay. The arrival time was just over the afternoon. And similarly, the other players who were done with the exploration around here were gentle taking a look at us. Maybe, they were out of luck with their expedition, and were wondering if ours was any different.

However, this time the faces of others members of the party was gloomy except for one. We have received a lot from this expedition, and it felt like we came back after being thorough with the expedition. Soon, Yoo-Jung who still looked pale, opened her mouth with an exciting face.

“Uh…… finally, we are back. I want to sleep, eat warm food, wash myself and sleep very soundly.”

“Heay! I too…..”

Said An Sol with a bright smile, and An Hyun who listened to their conversation had a stern look. It seemed like his shoulders were stiff and so was his neck of all the excitement that he had got in the expedition. I decided to joke a little.

“An Hyun. What are you going to do since you have come back?”

An Hyun moved to the side a little and then responded with a gentle look.

“Isn’t it definite, I will start training. I think it is a bad idea to eat and play, and I’ll act well since we have come back from the exploration.”

“Quite a desirable attitude. You sure are a rare class.”

“HuHu. Isn’t it normal to do that?”

As An Hyun opened his mouth and gave out the expected answer. On the other side, Yoo-Jung and An Sol were staring at him with surprised look. Before long, Yoo-Jung who couldn’t tolerate it, started to spit out the harsh words.

“I will Play. You practice well. I will eat like pig.”

Despite the strong revolt from Yoo-Jung, An Hyun’s face didn’t change.

“Hmm.. It smells like some ordinary player is here. This smell is like an ugly version of jealousy. I think it would be nice for me to move between hyung and Vivian.”

As soon as An Hyun responded with a calm tome. I could se fire in the eyes of Yoo-Jung.

“Fuck you. You bastard.”

“From where is this crazy animal shouting from jealousy? By the way, hyung, the day looks so clear today. HaHaHa.”

“Ok Ok. You both have to stop.”

At my words, An Hyun nodded his head in a relaxed manner, while Yoo-Jung just chewed on her lip and turned her face away. I thought f slightly touching her a bit and nudged her hands. Shin Sang Yong and Vivian laughed at them.

I turned my attention towards Jung Ha Yeon for a moment. She has been in a daze from the moment that we have left from the lab of the ruins. The members of the party didn’t speak to her, and she rarely opened her mouth. Yoo-Jung who used to be so close with Jung ha Yeon, was now pretending like she didn’t even exist.

Honestly, this couldn’t be considered as a good mood. Whatever it was, we were supposed to be in the clan together. At least for the time being we needed to belike a family, the atmosphere should’ve been like the day we left from Mule to the exploration. Moreover, since I was planning to apply for the establishment of a clan after the exploration was complete, she will also become the member of the clan.

Anyway, I just want to have a good rest for a day and then I’ll think about talking. There are a lot of things that I had to do after the expedition, but I was going to postpone them and do them before I go to the next exploration. But if everybody invested their time, and then they could solve the task one after the other, then we will have smooth walk in the long way that we need to go.

I twisted my body because of the fatigue as we passed through the North Gate. After listening to the guard on the side of the gate, I decided that the next destination of mine is the Inn.

In this small town of Mule, the lodge that I always seek was the same < The Modest lady >. The facilities were not that good, and the players too, it wasn’t much crowded ( lets exclude the players who were their for Go Yeon-Ju.) but the food did taste good. Of course, these reasons weren’t much. The real reason why I went to the Inn was to kill time with Go Yeon-Ju and to recruit. So, the time to meet her was approaching.

In the worst case, I will have to deal with her alone. I hope such a thing doesn’t arise, and I started to climb the stairs of the Inn that I had arrived.

I was able to see the back of Go Yeon-Ju, who was cleaning the table as soon as I opened the front door.

“Gulp.”

This was the gulp of An Hyun. She took the table cloth and turned towards the door effortlessly, as she realized that she had company. Soon after she saw my face, she greeted me in a nice manner.

“Oh my. It been a while.”

“It had been long.”

When I walked into the door of The Modest Lady, I could only see a few of the players as they were in my way. So, I can probably get rid of the bums that were lying around here. I was still in the planning stage, but there were player who were slowly leaving the cities from the North.

Go Yeon-Ju was still wearing a high exposure clothes. A V-neck top that reveals more than half of her chest, a bottom that showed the smooth thigh on the knee, as if she was missing the bottom. She gathered both the hands to her face that which was like a gesture that she was glad to see us after a long time.

“Will you have a meal……. Or a bath? Or anything else……..”

Go Yeon-Ju spoke as if she was singing, and a little of my tiredness was gone.

“I will wash after my meals. I will leave the room after two weeks, and give me three rooms. I always start with the meals.”

“Sheeh.”

She made a sound with her tongue, and decided to do what we asked. We were seated at a nearby table, after receiving gazes from the others in the room. Soon after, the chair that we sat on made a creaking sound, and I sighed.

“Wow… however, Su-Hyun.”

“What.”

“Why did you ask 3 rooms? Two is enough.”

“One is for some other work. There is something specific that needs to be done.”

At my words Vivian, just looked at me. One of the suites was going to be used by me. we have a lot of work that needs to be done in the future, and we need a space where the more work could be done.

I could use one of the medicine that we explored. And if my thoughts were right, I could at least raise my stamina to 1 point.

I just shook my head once again to get rid of the thoughts. Today, the only thing I had to do was rest and concentrate on the recovery of the body. It looked like I hadn’t abandoned my habit of extending my body to the limit like the 1st time.

Most of the kids put their heads on the table. It seemed like the fatigue of the exploration accumulated into their bodies. And as we entered the city, I haven’t spoke anything specific to them either.

It took some time, I could see that Go Yeon-Ju was coming with the food.

“Oppa. I’ll have one drink.”

“…….. drink just a little.”

I thought it was okay to drink just a little, so I accepted the request of Yoo-Jung. As soon as she heard the words from me, Yoo-jung got up, and the members of the party asked the drinks that they would like to drink. Everyone seemed to have a strong desire to fill up their stomachs and climb up into their beds.

After the meal, the female players chose to take a bath, while the male players chose to go straight to the room. And seeing their requests, I chose to pay Go Yeon-Ju first.

After I was done washing me body, I left the 3rd room and entered the room with Shin Sang Yong and An Hyun. An Hyun was practicing, and then was kicking the bed at the same time. I set my bed quietly and lay down comfortably on the bed next to his.

*

“Huh.”

Just a little more, I told myself that it was going to be just a little more, and raised my body. when I looked out the widow, it was still dark outside. I lay back and tried to get back to sleep, but in less than a minute I got out of the bed.

Throughout the years, this habits of mine were kind of scary for me. Even though I try to correct them, but my body acts unconsciously. I’ve been asleep for an hour or two, but now my body was moving. This was a problem, and I consider that these problems of mine needed to be fixed.

I lie on the bed for three or four hours. This is a lot of sleep considering that usually much less than this. It seemed like I would be in a serious problem if I went on doing this.

Stats were not that great deal. But when it was time to rest, it was important to rest. Despite knowing that, I eventually grabbed the sword that was next to me. I needed to move my body and I need to control my mind to cure this problems of mine.

As I turned my gaze, I saw An Hyun next to my bed, who had kicked his bed sheet and was revealing his belly. I shook my head, covered his body and then put the bed spread on him, and got up once again. I thought that there was no one like my parents, and it caused me to feel bitter.

I held the knob of the door and turned it to open. The sound of the door that I opened was very loud today. After closing the door behind me, I immediately walked to the special room without anybody to accompany me.

There was nobody except my companions on this floor. The reason for this is that there was use for the players to choose this Inn, and on the other hand there weren’t enough players at current in the city of Mule.

I was holding on to the sword and was swinging it, and I opened the door of the special room. And…..

“Oh.”

“You’ve come here too?”

“…. What are you doing in here, alone?”

When I asked with a expression that showed my surprise, Jung Ha Yeon tilted her head.

In the room of suite, which was intended for the purpose of the business, was where Jung Ha Yeon was sitting. On top of the table, I saw a bowl of appetizers of roasted veggies and a bottle of liquor. When I just stared at her, Jung Ha Yeon shrugged her shoulders and opened her mouth.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Am I not supposed to be here?”

“… that is not the problem. Well, there is no work that needs to be done.”

“Huhh. Don’t get so subtle with me, come in and sit down. I just wanted to drink alone, so I did this.”

She didn’t seem the Jung Ha Yeon that I used to see daily, only her physical appearance matched. I pulled the chairs across to her, and sat on it. After she saw me sit down, she took the drink that she was holding.

“I was kicked out.”

“………”

“…. It was a joke. They aren’t such type of kids. So don’t make that kind of expression.”

The voice of Jung Ha Yeon was mixed with the snacks that she was munching on. I was shocked when she said that she was kicked out of the room, but she smiled and corrected her words. As soon as she was done playing, the next words came.

“But there was a little bit of awkwardness in the room. And I have nothing to say about it.”

Hmm. That was sure to have happened. There was bound to be an uncomfortable atmosphere. Which meant that there was a need to talk with Yoo-Jung pretty soon. But that wasn’t such a important thing now.

When I came in, Jung Ha Yeon said “ you come here too.”, which meant that she was expecting me to come to this room. The time that I’ve been with her was very little, but I could notice her behavior clearly. Even then, what I just thought could turn out to be a false hunch too.

When my lips were stuck together, Jung Ha Yeon filled a empty glass with alcohol and pushed it to my side. I received the glass of drink. And asked her with clear life before taking a sip of the drink.

“What would you have done if I didn’t come in today?”

“What. I thought of that as a definite possibility. If you wouldn’t have come, then I would’ve stayed alone. Whatever the outcome, it wasn’t so bad. This is how the Hall Plane wizards think.”

Her voice was ina seductive manner, not the usual pure voice. When I just held onto the glass, Jung Ha Yeon was glancing at me, seeing if I would drink it. I analyzed the composition of the liquid in my glass with the 3rd eye, and then drank it.

“It is strong. It isn’t a light alcohol….”

She was speaking and I cut her off with a loud voice.

“Just for reference, I don’t like people molding the words.”

“…….. I think I’ve become a little sentimental because I was a little drunk. Please understand that I’m a little drunk.”

She smiled in the most beautiful manner at my words. However, my eyes which were looking at Jung Ha Yeon were the same as before. I knew it instinctively. She herself said that she was drunk, but that was a clear cut lie. That face of hers, wasn’t a drunk one. On the other hand, she was acting for some reason.

It wasn’t me who spoke first.

“…. Kim Su-Hyun.”

“Please say what it is.”

“Are you free tonight?”

I turned as soon as Jung Ha Yeon called me. She was looking at me with dull eyes. A dark night. A room with two people. just a single table that was separating me and her. Her breath was rugged and her sweet sigh that followed the words.

She just stared at me for a lot of time and then opened her beautiful lips.

“If you are free…… will you listen to my story tonight?”