“Th-that… Mu-ryeong.”As the two exchanged glances, a sound of clearing the throat echoed. It was Ye-jun, who had been watching them from a distance. Ye-jun gave an awkward smile as he adjusted the back of his head.“If you’re busy, should I come back later?”“Oh, no. What brings you here?”This time, Hwan‑young didn’t get a chance to grab him. Mu‑ryeong turned his back on Hwan‑young and strode over to Ye‑jun. Hwan‑young appeared utterly indifferent—whether he frowned or not made no difference.“I have a favor to ask…”With a sullen expression, Hwan‑young followed Mu‑ryeong. Seung‑joo, showing not the slightest bit of interest, had already passed by and entered the classroom. As Hwan‑young drew near the two, Ye‑jun’s expression unconsciously stiffened.“What favor might that be?”Hwan‑young pressed his lips tightly shut and narrowed his eyes.“Could I possibly take on another commission?”Just like that time, an aura of negative energy emanated from Ye‑jun—a cold, eerie presence that should never be felt from a living person. Yet Mu‑ryeong grinned broadly without batting an eye.“Yes! Of course. Shall we head to the study hall?”“…….”A wry laugh escaped him. Kim Mu‑ryeong was always like this. There’s no way that fellow hadn’t sensed the energy I did—yet his expression betrayed not the slightest hint of it.“Then, could you spare a moment…”Ye‑jun, cautiously watching Hwan‑young, smiled awkwardly. His rigid stance seemed somewhat imposing. Hwan‑young alternated his gaze between the two, softly frowning.“…May I come along and listen as well?”***The complex, lined with tall apartment buildings, featured meticulously landscaped surroundings. On one side lay a playground with a cushioned floor, and in the center stood a tall clock tower and a fountain. The place, where children exuberantly played, bore a striking resemblance to the apartment complex where Hwan‑young had lived as a child.“Here we are. We’re all here.”The destination where Mu‑ryeong and Hwan‑young had arrived was none other than Ye‑jun’s house—the very place from which the commission had come. Today, the two were to share the burden here. Their primary purpose was to resolve the case, and, incidentally, the bonus was to see the cat that Ye‑jun kept.“…May I come along and listen as well?”Earlier, when it was mentioned that I could join in, Ye‑jun had surprisingly nodded without a word. In truth, he seemed a bit hesitant, but Mu‑ryeong had been siding with Hwan‑young, remarking that his friend was helping with the case these days. It was clear that he wanted to help me gain experience—after all, I had always wanted to become an exorcist.Thus, the three of them proceeded to the study hall, settling together in a secluded corner to listen to the details of the commission.“I… suffer from sleepwalking.”That introduction was likely aimed at Hwan‑young rather than Mu‑ryeong. Hwan‑young had witnessed all of Mu‑ryeong’s previous cases, yet he only nodded silently. With his composed eyes lowered, Ye‑jun began his story with a troubled expression.“These days, I keep waking up in unfamiliar neighborhoods.”It was a case of possession. Just as that spirit, which had tormented Ye‑jun a month ago, had haunted him, now a new spirit was inhabiting his body to settle some unfinished business. Both Hwan‑young and Mu‑ryeong grasped the situation immediately from his first words.“Then, this summer I’ve been out in a hat and a hooded zip‑up—sometimes sitting in front of a wall, or leaning against a streetlamp, and so on…”At first, Ye‑jun hesitated, but as his story progressed his expression turned increasingly troubled. It appeared that the stress from his persistent sleepwalking outweighed the discomfort of having to speak before the unfamiliar Hwan‑young. Besides, with Hwan‑young being so unexpressive, it almost made it seem like nothing was amiss.“Do you always wake up in the same place?”“Yeah, it’s always the same spot—near a residential area in the next neighborhood.”I wonder what unfinished business this ghost must have there.Hwan‑young listened to Ye‑jun’s story with an unenthusiastic gaze. He wasn’t interested in Ye‑jun’s tale at all—only in how Mu‑ryeong would resolve the commission.“Are you hurt at all this time?”Mu‑ryeong listened intently, meeting Ye‑jun’s gaze with courteous eyes. He slightly furrowed his fine eyebrows and let the corners of his eyes soften. Anyone could tell he was fully focused, and Ye‑jun appeared a bit embarrassed by this from time to time.“Uh… I’m not hurt at all.”“That’s a relief. I was worried you might be injured again.”The reassurance in that gentle voice did not escape Hwan‑young, nor did the warm glow of those ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) crescent-shaped eyes.“I’ll help you.”But the moment that reliable voice reached him, Hwan‑young was struck by two undeniable truths: first, that Kim Mu‑ryeong was truly selfless, and second, that he himself felt an unexpected disappointment in such kindness.“Just trust me, brother.”Why do I feel this way?It wasn’t the first time that Kim Mu‑ryeong had helped someone. He always resolved his cases, and the number of people who had benefited from his help could easily fill a truck. Even I, upon witnessing such Kim Mu‑ryeong, had thought, “I want to become an exorcist.”“…Thank you; I’ll be sure to repay you.”Ye‑jun’s manner, avoiding eye contact while smiling, didn’t seem merely a celebration of a successful commission. Rather, his ear had turned subtly red, and one side of his eyes was awkwardly furrowed.“Brother, you said you have a cat. Is it alright if I come over to your house today to see it?”“…What?”So when Mu‑ryeong asked that, Hwan‑young unexpectedly reacted with a dramatic outburst. He abruptly turned his gaze in that direction and replied in a startled tone. With both Mu‑ryeong and Ye‑jun watching him, Hwan‑young struggled to feign calmness and offered weak excuses.This translation is the intellectual property of .“No... It’s kind of awkward to just show up at someone else’s house unannounced.”It was a plausible excuse—if Ye‑jun hadn’t immediately retorted.“I’m fine. Come see the cat.”“Really? So, can I come over today?”Was there ever a time when that beaming smile had been so exasperating? It felt as if my insides were burning at the thought of this little brat nonchalantly entering any house without a care. So, I asked another question for no particular reason.“…Don’t you need to get permission from your family?”“Yeah, I live alone.”That was a bust. All the reasons for why Mu‑ryeong shouldn’t be visiting had vanished. And as if that weren’t enough, Kim Mu‑ryeong even cracked a cheeky smile as he uttered the following words:“Great. Then, just let me sleep over for one night.”A panorama of memories flashed before my eyes—of the first time Mu‑ryeong came to his place: the way he trailed behind with an utterly listless expression, how he staggered about in his oversized clothes while laughing, and how, in his matter-of-fact tone, he declared he’d take off his pants.“…I want to come too.”His lips moved faster than his thoughts could gather. Normally, he would never have said such a thing. It was just like that time we went to the junior’s house who claimed he was sleep‑paralyzed—I couldn’t let Mu‑ryeong go alone.“I want to see the cat too.”Fortunately, Ye‑jun didn’t show any particular surprise toward Hwan‑young. They both simply nodded, inviting me to come along comfortably. Although he seemed a bit flustered, judging by the fact that he didn’t openly object, it appeared to be fine.“Once you’re inside, don’t be too loud—just wait for a moment in the foyer. The cat gets extremely cautious when unfamiliar people come by.”“Wow, the cat is like that? Our Seolgi actually runs out excitedly whenever a stranger approaches.”While Ye‑jun and Mu‑ryeong chatted about this and that, they arrived at the apartment elevator. When Ye‑jun pressed the button for the 18th floor, the elevator carrying all three of them ascended with a mechanical hum.“What’s the cat’s name?”“It’s Danchu. Like the button on your clothes.”At the sound of that cute name, Mu‑ryeong’s face lit up with excitement. His hazel eyes sparkled with delight. Watching this, Hwan‑young—who had unknowingly softened his expression—couldn’t help but suddenly scowl when he saw Ye‑jun laughing teasingly beside him.“You really do love animals, don’t you?”That soft, relaxed gaze wasn’t unfamiliar. The way he looked down at Mu‑ryeong with a slight, upturned smirk was just as recognizable. His expression hadn’t changed dramatically, yet it was as if one could clearly read Ye‑jun’s thoughts in his eyes.“Animals are all angels.”Perhaps he simply thinks they’re adorable—their clear, innocent faces as pure as snow. Just watching them makes a corner of one’s heart warm up.“…….”At just the right moment, with a “ding,” the elevator doors opened. Hwan‑young secretly clenched his fist as he followed the two out of the elevator—a vague, inexplicable unease clutching at his ankles.“Just a moment.”Ye‑jun stepped to the door first and pressed the lock for Room 1802. Until then, Hwan‑young had been feeling subdued, biting his lower lip hard. But the moment he casually averted his gaze, wasn’t it that Mu‑ryeong—who had been looking straight at him—softly closed his eyes and smiled?“I’ve never been to a house that keeps a cat before.”It felt as if water would pool in the dimples on his cheeks. Because he was looking up at Hwan‑young, the faint crease of his double eyelids appeared and then vanished. That dreamlike, pleasant smile seemed to melt away the messy, wistful feeling inside him.“...It’s my first time too.”Hwan‑young replied in that manner, slightly averting his gaze. He covered his twitching lips with the back of his hand, casually clearing his throat as he tried to steady his fluttering heart. Even though it wasn’t every day that he saw Kim Mu‑ryeong’s smiling face, somehow it never grew more familiar with time—it remained endlessly new.“Don’t be too loud, alright?”Ye‑jun warned once more as he opened the front door. In a voice much kinder than usual, he said, “Danchu, your brother is here.” Through the gap in the open door, a single cat was seen standing tall in the foyer.“Ah, so cute…”Mu‑ryeong mumbled softly, and Hwan‑young silently agreed. The cat, with fur almost orange except for its white belly and paws, had a tail marked with faint brown stripes and a twitching nose of delicate pink. Watching it sway its tail and rub its face against Ye‑jun’s leg was so wondrous that it filled him with an overwhelming feeling.Come to think of it, it was the first time he had seen a cat this up close. Occasionally, he’d encountered stray cats, but he’d never made any attempt to approach them—fearing they might get hurt, he would simply avert his gaze and walk on.But now, there was no need for such worries. Even if that little creature were to touch me, it wouldn’t get hurt. That trivial fact filled me with an indescribable sense of relief.

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