Murim Login - Chapter 272

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 272
– Hello?
The voice coming through the receiver sounded unfamiliar.
The Park Ji-hoon I remembered from middle school was still in the midst of his voice changing, and since then, I’d only exchanged a few words with him a couple of months ago in passing.
Was that really him? I hesitated for a moment.
– Is this Jin Tae-kyung’s number?
“Oh, yeah, it’s me. I just thought maybe I’d dialed the wrong person.”
– What? You didn’t save my number last time?
“I did save it, but for a second I thought I’d misdailed. Your voice sounds different.”
– Well, it’s the first time we’ve talked since middle school.
“True. I didn’t recognize you back then either.”
– Of course not. Do you know how much money I spent on my face?
A low chuckle came through the line. The atmosphere felt natural and familiar, with no awkwardness at all.
I laughed along and settled into the VIP limousine provided by the Gate Management Agency. The Restaurant Manager caught my eye in the rearview mirror and smoothly pulled the car onto the road.
“So what’s going on?”
– Nothing special. I just wanted to grab a drink.
“A drink? Out of the blue?”
– Yeah, remember when you said you’d contact me about the class reunion? You never did.
Had that happened?
Thinking back, it seemed like it had. I’d been so busy since then that I’d completely forgotten about it.
– Something came up suddenly back then, so I went on a business trip overseas. Because of that, I couldn’t even attend the reunion.
“A business trip overseas?”
– There was a problem at our European branch. I only just got back.
I went to Murim, but this guy went to Europe.
I didn’t know what he did there, but for some reason I felt envious. I spoke with genuine admiration.
“Lucky bastard. Getting to see Europe and all. Must be nice.”
– You’re envious? Of me?
Park Ji-hoon laughed out loud through the receiver.
– Hearing that from you is so strange. Were you just messing with me?
“No, that’s not it.”
– Just kidding. So are you free today?
I glanced at the time and saw it was already eight in the evening.
I’d moved out of the Main Residence four days ago and into an officetel in Bucheon, so even if I went home, the only person waiting for me would be my Elder Brother Jin Ho.
I had time, but the problem was….
‘He doesn’t have some ulterior motive or anything, right?’
But my hesitation was brief.
Seven years since I became a Hunter. The close friends I’d been inseparable with during school had long since stopped contacting me, one by one.
The saying that distance in sight leads to distance in heart wasn’t limited to romantic relationships.
Yet here I was, doubting a friend who’d reached out to me after so long with no ulterior motive.
‘Have I developed a distrust of people?’
It seems the aftermath of the Won Myung-hun incident and harassment from certain tabloid journalists had left its mark. My mouth tasted bitter.
– You must be quite busy. Well, I suppose that’s understandable. Then next time….
“No, I’m fine now. Where should we meet?”
Moments later, the limousine that had been smoothly crossing the Road changed direction.
* * *
“You got here faster than I expected.”
Park Ji-hoon was already waiting outside.
The weather was gradually turning toward winter. The crisp white shirt and cashmere coat draped over his frame stood in stark contrast to my own appearance.
“What’s with the getup?”
“I have important business today. And let’s be straight—I’m not dressed up. You’re just dressed down.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with me! Jeans and a sweatshirt are fine.”
This was already somewhat dressed up for me. Ha-yeon had been nagging me relentlessly about ditching the tracksuits, given how many eyes were on me.
“All that money you earned—where did it all go… Oh, you donated it, didn’t you.”
“Don’t bring that up. It makes my stomach hurt.”
“That’s exactly why I called you. Nothing cures a sour stomach like alcohol.”
Park Ji-hoon grinned and gestured with his chin, then started walking ahead.
Only after passing security guards in uniform and numerous surveillance cameras scattered throughout could I step through the entrance.
And at the sight that unfolded before me, my jaw dropped.
‘What is this.’
The marble floor beneath gleamed as it caught the light, and the corridor walls displayed paintings that reeked of seventeenth-century aesthetics, all framed and hung with care.
‘I think I’ve seen those in an art textbook before. Surely they’re not originals. Yeah, they can’t be.’
I followed along, gawking like a country bumpkin.
Where my footsteps halted, five elevators stood in a row.
There were no buttons, so I wondered what I was supposed to do, but when Ji-hoon placed his hand on a black panel, the elevator descended in the blink of an eye with a mechanical hum.
Ding.
“What are you doing? Get in.”
“…Wow.”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“I mean, you said it was an officetel?”
“It is. An officetel.”
….
I swallowed back the words threatening to spill out. The officetel you know and the officetel I know seem to be very different things.
Perhaps because it was in Cheongdam-dong, the entrance already reeked of wealth and affluence.
“You really did make it. Buying a place like this.”
“A listing came up recently, so I bought it. I stop by occasionally to clear my head.”
Anyone listening would think he’d just bought a pair of shoes.
As I clicked my tongue, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Instead of a cold, dark corridor, a living room decorated in gray tones spread before my eyes.
I’m not sure of the exact square footage, but the living room alone rivals the Main Residence in size.
“Come in.”
Whether his claim about buying it to clear his head was true or not, it was certain that this was a place I’d never been to before.
The large reception set installed in the living room and the wine cellar looked like they’d transported a high-end bar directly into the space.
Park Ji-hoon, having removed his coat, asked me a question.
“What would you like to drink?”
“What do you have?”
“Château Cheval Blanc, Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Royale de Maria….”
What in the world was he talking about?
I blinked at the stream of incomprehensible foreign words spilling from his lips.
“Sha-toh… what?”
“Château Cheval Blanc.”
Whether it was Château or something else, every name was equally baffling.
I fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“Don’t you have soju and beer?”
Park Ji-hoon let out a snort of laughter.
* * *
We stacked crates of soju and beer beside us and drank without pause.
Since we’d lost contact in third year of middle school, eleven years ago, we had mountains of things to talk about.
“Remember Noh Jae-heon? He was in the class next to ours.”
“Who was Noh Jae-heon?”
“The tall guy who bragged about going to the gym. Anyway, when he fought with Seon Woong-je from our class, you….”
“Wait. Who’s Seon Woong-je?”
“…Did you develop amnesia or something?”
From trivial memories of middle school to stories from after we’d lost touch.
Our mouths were only silent when we were drinking.
In the midst of our endless conversation, I suddenly realized my lips had been curled upward the whole time.
‘This is fun.’
How should I put it—drinking with someone comfortable is always enjoyable, but a friend who shares the same memories as you is somehow more special.
The atmosphere was so warm and friendly that I felt foolish for the brief doubts I’d harbored during our phone call before coming here.
Through our conversation, I also learned several things I hadn’t known before.
“Were you born with a silver spoon?”
“What silver spoon? My father just runs a small business.”
“A small business in the hunter industry? That he’s been running for over thirty years?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s being born with a silver spoon, you deceiver. Guys like you who talk like that are always the real rich ones.”
I looked at him.
It wasn’t that he looked different now that he’d mentioned being born with a silver spoon—I was just curious about it.
The neighborhood we lived in back then was ordinary. If it hadn’t been, someone like me, whose grades were determined by pencil-rolling, wouldn’t have been able to attend.
Meanwhile, the hunter-related business was like a gold mine.
If you survived thirty years in such a fiercely competitive industry, it wouldn’t be strange to have gold bars rolling around your house.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s strange. Usually people born with a silver spoon go to places like Gangnam 8 School District, right?”
“Doesn’t seem like you came from money. And I transferred schools.”
“Transferred? First I’m hearing of it.”
“Yeah, second year of middle school. Didn’t really need to mention the transfer.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
He tilted his head thoughtfully before raising his glass to his lips.
Besides, what was a middle school transfer worth mentioning? It had been over a decade ago anyway.
“We first met in third year of middle school, so it makes sense you wouldn’t know about anything before that.”
“There was plenty.”
“Huh?”
“I saw you for the first time a week after I transferred, in front of the administrative office. Then in the hallway, and we ran into each other in the bathroom too.”
Memories from over a decade ago, already faded and blurred, spilled from Park Ji-hoon’s lips.
“Wow… how do you remember all that?”
A smooth smile curved across his lips without a hint of roughness.
“I happen to have a better memory than most. Unlike someone here.”
I chuckled as I refilled his empty glass.
“Hey, even with my terrible memory, I remember one thing.”
“What?”
“You never doing homework and guessing on every test, then falling asleep at your desk.”
“Ah, that.”
“So someone with such a good memory—why were your grades in memorization subjects so terrible? You did go to university… wait, is it rude to ask that?”
“Not at all. Doesn’t bother me.”
“Good then.”
“And I did go to university. Korea University, Business Administration. I just haven’t graduated yet because I suddenly awakened.”
“What, where? Korea University?”
“My parents wanted me to.”
“…You bastard. Are there really parents who don’t want their kids getting into Korea University?”
Korea University is the nation’s finest institution. Only the brightest minds in the country gain admission.
Park Ji-hoon laughed lightly at the bewilderment in my eyes.
“It worked out. Wasn’t as difficult as I thought.”
“Huh.”
The more I heard about his life, the more I thought of a wide-open highway.
A wealthy family, a sharp mind, admission to the university everyone dreams of, and then becoming a Grade-A Awakened in one fell swoop.
Unlike me, who had to shoulder the burden of supporting my family, being a Hunter was merely one option among many for him.
“What?”
“Huh?”
“You’re looking at me with a strange expression.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“Very. Tae-kyung. Could it be that you…”
Park Ji-hoon rested his chin against his palm at an angle.
His voice, tinged with alcohol, trailed off softly.
“You’re jealous of me?”
Jealous?
The unexpected question left me momentarily stunned. Then a hearty laugh burst from my lips.
“Yeah, I suppose that’s it.”
“…You’re honest.”
“Because it’s true. Longing for what I don’t have? Envy, I guess you could call it. Though I don’t regret anything—I’ve lived hard enough to earn what I have.”
Park Ji-hoon, his eyes widening slightly as if caught off guard, murmured softly.
“So you do envy someone.”
“What, am I supposed to be something special?”
“You are. Look at yourself now. A Hunter drawing attention not just domestically but from foreign media too. You could soon join the ranks of S-Rank Hunters—there are only five in the country.”
“That’s impressive. Except for the part where I’m known as the guy who trembles at parting with his donations.”
I chuckled and drained my glass. Park Ji-hoon, who had been watching me intently, was about to say something when his lips parted—at that very moment.
Buzz.
His smartphone on the table vibrated. Park Ji-hoon stared at the screen intently, then licked his lips.
“Who is it?”
“Our Guild’s Team Leader.”
“At this hour? Does Myeongdong Guild have some kind of 24-hour standby system?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s something important.”
“Then…”
“I’m sorry. I think I need to wrap this up.”
“Don’t apologize. We both know how it is.”
I set down my glass and stood. Then, with an apologetic expression, Park Ji-hoon gave my shoulder a light tap as I spoke.
“It was fun, after all this time.”
I meant it sincerely. Now that I’d become a public figure in modern society, there were few people with whom I could have such genuine, selfless conversations.
I stopped him from following me into the Elevator.
“Go on. Don’t bother seeing me off—just handle your business well.”
A faint smile crossed Park Ji-hoon’s lips.
“Yeah, let’s meet again next time. For sure.”
With that, the Elevator doors closed.
* * *
Park Ji-hoon stood before the glass window, looking down at the street below.
In the darkness of the night, a figure was emerging from the entrance of the officetel.
– Hello? Ji-hoon? Ji-hoon?
“I’m listening.”
– Oh, finally got through. You were listening the whole time—why didn’t you say anything…?
“You seem to be under a misunderstanding, Team Leader.”
His dry tone caused the other person’s breathing to falter.
Park Ji-hoon picked up a crystal glass and moistened his throat. Instead of the soju-and-beer mix from moments before, amber whiskey swirled within.
“Next time, wait until I’m done speaking. Don’t awkwardly play the role of workplace superior.”
Myeongdong Guild Team 1 Hunter Park Ji-hoon.
That was the affiliation written on Park Ji-hoon’s business card.
But Team Leader 1 of the Myeongdong Guild on the other end of the line remained silent, lips sealed.
Both men knew the truth. It was nothing more than a hollow title.
“You’re not answering.”
– …I understand.
“So what’s this important report you mentioned?”
Team Leader 1 answered carefully.
– You know Jung Hyun-woo, right? The one leading Team 8.
“I do. Skilled, but his flexibility doesn’t even reach half his skill level—that’s the problem.”
– He seems to have caught the scent of something.
“Is that so? Sharper instincts than I expected.”
– Yes. But I’m not sure how to handle this….
“What’s there to worry about? Schedule a Raid on the nearest available date. A-rank.”
– That would mean….
“Team Leader. Do you know how many Gate accidents happen in a year? I don’t. Neither does anyone else. Nobody cares.”
– ….
Park Ji-hoon clicked his tongue.
“You’re not answering again.”
– Ah, I understand.
“And regarding the Peace Guild, or rather, the Jin Tae-kyung matter….”
Park Ji-hoon trailed off.
The face of a man who had patted his shoulder while smiling came to mind.
‘It was enjoyable after a long time.’
Those words had carried genuine sincerity. Which made it all the harder to let go.
– Ji-hoon?
Park Ji-hoon drained the remaining whiskey in one gulp.
The crystal glass crumpled in his grip like tissue paper.
“I finished talking with the higher-ups today. Apparently, he finds it bothersome.”
That was all. A single phrase that had passed between them during the evening meal with ‘that person.’ With that, the matter was essentially concluded.
– What? But surely now isn’t the right time….
Park Ji-hoon’s cold voice cut through Team Leader 1’s startled words.
“A gardener pulling weeds from a lawn is only natural, isn’t it? Your Guild Master has likely already heard the news. Let’s end this.”
Click. The call disconnected.
In the quiet stillness, Park Ji-hoon gazed out through the pristine glass window at the city beyond.
Jin Tae-kyung’s figure had long since vanished from sight.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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