702

 [Chapter 179]

[12 Years of Time (3)]

Speaking of the twin sisters from the Fog Flower Party─.

─They were truly hopeless.

That's how Eunha could describe them.

Even Eunha, who had dealt with all kinds of crazy people, couldn't keep up with the twin sisters' mental state.

They had no fear.

Even when Eunha yelled at them, threatened them, and sometimes physically rolled them around, the twin sisters didn't give in.

They acted dangerously as if staking their lives to live only for today.

'Well, that's what life is originally like, right? We live like we've let loose the reins today because we might die tomorrow.'

'But because we lived like we let loose the reins, we've become people who always have loose reins! Leader, don't try to control us. It's nonsense to try to control something that can't be controlled!'

'Leader, try living while enjoying yourself too. If you want, we'll let you taste heaven. You definitely won't regret it.'

'Leader, aren't you curious what it's like to roll around in bed with sisters? We may have short book straps, but we're quite long in that area...'

The twin sisters were poison.

Colorless, tasteless, odorless poison that you don't realize is spreading until your breath suddenly stops.

If you didn't keep your mind straight, you could fall into the abyss with them before you knew it.

There were many such people among the Fog Flower Party members at that time.

Of course, Eunha didn't particularly like those mentally disturbing people.

Nevertheless, the reason he brought the two into the party was─.

─Their abilities were decent. They had personalities that didn't hesitate to take risks.

One was a navigator.

The other was a ranger.

The two's abilities were quite useful to the Fog Flower Party.

Moreover, although their personalities were like that, Eunha did like their aspect of not fearing death.

However, because they were so mentally disturbing, even <Chatterbox > Isipo would get a splitting headache when joining their chatter.

Even <Chatterbox > was hopeless.

Adding the twin sisters made it even more hopeless.

'Leader, don't hate us like this.'

'That's right, Leader. There's a very sad story behind why we're like this.'

'We grew up in a flower-selling shop since we were young, so it was hard to maintain our sanity without going crazy.'

'That's right. How could we endure without going crazy when we fell to being tools to satisfy the desires of men much older than us before even becoming adults?'

''So don't hate us.''

On the other hand, the twin sisters said that.

They said that before receiving men, they were very ordinary people too.

At that time, Eunha and Lee Yujung believed their words without doubt.

That they must have had their own story before joining the Fog Flower Party.

The two accepted that.

They accepted that, but─.

"─Your thighs are really sturdy. As expected of a hero who saved Seoul."

"And tonight you'll become the hero who saves us? Unni, this person's stomach is really firm. It seems he's not even flexing yet it's amazing. Then how much would the lower part be..."

"I told you not to touch."

"Ah, how cute. It's okay. We're not touching. We're just, tickling like this."

"Now we're slowly caressing to warm you up bit by bit. Touching, is, next. We'll teach you what touching means later."

"Younger sister, it's strange to say we'll teach. Shouldn't we be in a position to learn too?"

"Then, shall we learn together?"

"We want to know... Don't you want to know us, Hero?"

"Hah..."

The twin sisters clinging tightly to both his sides and acting coquettishly.

Eunha who briefly recalled memories from before the regression sighed.

These things lied in pairs.

What do they mean they were normal?

They seem severely crazy already even though they don't seem to have sold their bodies yet.

They were crazy from the start.

☆

"─Let's end the dinner gathering here. Everyone seems quite drunk too, and I'm very uncomfortable so I can't stay any longer."

""""..."

Grabbing the twin sisters' wrists.

Eunha spoke to the clan lords who were chattering with the women next to them.

The boisterous noise cut off abruptly.

The clan lords closed their mouths.

"P-Pandora Clan Lord. If you're uncomfortable, we can go somewhere more wholesome instead of here..."

"No, it's fine. I'm tired too, and I have work tomorrow so let's stop here. It was nice meeting you today. You'll receive separate contact soon."

The clan lords watched his reaction.

Eunha soothed them moderately.

Only then did their expressions relax.

"Changjin hyung and Namhun hyung, take the kids to the clan headquarters. It's late so have them sleep at the headquarters."

"We'll do that, but... Eunha, you're not coming with us?"

Everyone was quite drunk.

Eunha looked at the clan members and instructed Han Changjin and Yoo Namhun, who were in relatively good condition.

Then Han Changjin, who was pushing away the clinging women, asked curiously.

Soon Eunha's answer shocked the people present.

"─I'll talk with these people and come back. Go back first. And you... Prepare a quiet room where we can talk."

""""...!!""""

"Oh, so manly."

"As expected of Hero. Okay. I'll prepare a quiet room outside."

"What are you going to do in the room? The three of you?"

"Shut up, you two."

The ripples Eunha's words threw.

Except for the twin sisters, people couldn't say anything.

The first to react then were the clan lords.

They rolled their eyes looking at each other and snickered.

"This, this... We were quite inconsiderate. Obstacles should quickly leave..."

"Don't mind us and go. Don't think strange thoughts either. Do you want to go back to the old relationship to come to your senses?"

"...N-no! We'll withdraw now."

Eunha, whose nerves were on edge from enduring the twin sisters' teasing, spoke irritably to the DM Clan Lord who was rubbing his hands together.

At this, the Han River faction clans who read the atmosphere quickly stood up from their seats.

They disappeared from the place in an instant.

"Eunha, you're not... thinking what I think you are, right?"

"It's not like that, so hyung should take the kids back to the clan headquarters too. I'll be back soon."

"...Okay. I trust you."

Meanwhile, Han Changjin was flustered.

He seemed unsure how to act in this situation.

Eunha assured him there was no need to worry.

Only then did Han Changjin nod and support the drunk kids.

"Don't come back too late."

"Take the kids back safely."

While taking care of the unconscious Jin Parang.

Han Changjin said to Eunha.

Soon they left the place and.

Eunha also stood up from his seat and moved to the back room the twin sisters had gone out to earlier.

When he opened the door, the twin sisters were waiting inside the room.

They smiled seductively.

Eunha quietly looked down at them and opened his mouth.

"─Go call your owner. If they ask who called, say the Pandora Clan Lord called."

""What?""

"If they still snort at that, tell them this. If they don't want to see me calling Lee Ganghyuk, it would be better to come running with special courtesy."

""...!!""

Lee Ganghyuk, who ruled the back alleys of Gangbuk and was jokingly called the king of alleys before the regression.

In this life too, he was called that and controlled the back alleys of Gangbuk.

And he was in a state of submitting to Eunha while enjoying various privileges.

Surely this shop must also be connected to Lee Ganghyuk knowingly or unknowingly.

Sure enough.

The twins' expressions changed when they heard Lee Ganghyuk's name.

☆

Meanwhile, at that time.

Han Changjin and Yoo Namhun came out supporting the drunk clan members.

Then Yoo Namhun, who was carrying Lee Cheonsu on his back, shouted in surprise.

"Minho! Where are you going!? That's not the direction of the clan headquarters!"

"Home."

"What?"

"Going home."

Mok Minho walking far away alone with staggering steps.

Yoo Namhun ran to him panting.

When he grabbed and stopped him to ask, Mok Minho replied as if it was obvious.

"Eunha told us to go to the clan headquarters. You seem quite drunk, so let's all just go there together..."

"Going home."

"No, Minho..."

"I can go home."

"..."

Mok Minho was stubborn.

He shook off Yoo Namhun's hand.

Then he started continuing on his way while hiccuping.

Yoo Namhun seemed unsure what to do.

"Let's just let Minho go. He'll go on his own without us worrying. That's his drinking habit."

"What? What is it?"

"Going home."

"..."

At that time, Choi Eunhyuk who had sobered up after getting some fresh air smiled bitterly.

Namhun looked at Choi Eunhyuk with a dumbfounded face.

He shrugged as if it couldn't be helped.

"He'll go well. Minho, this isn't the first or second time he's done this."

"Geez..."

Yoo Namhun clicked his tongue.

Nodding at Choi Eunhyuk's words, he watched Mok Minho going down the hill alone.

Although his steps were unsteady, he was walking quite well.

And hearing Choi Eunhyuk's words, it seemed Mok Minho was definitely going in the direction of his home.

Soon Han Changjin spoke as if giving up.

"We've already come out to the main road so it should be fine not to worry too much. Let's go to the clan headquarters."

Grrrr!!

""""..."

To make matters worse.

Jin Parang became a dog.

He threw off his clothes saying it was hot and literally became a real dog.

The clan members who still had some sanity left were at a loss for words seeing Jin Parang who had turned into a wolf in the middle of the main road.

☆

Not deviating from Eunha's expectations.

The shop where the twin sisters worked was operating with investment from Lee Ganghyuk.

Eunha confirmed this by calling Isipo right after sending the twins away.

[Why is the master suddenly showing interest in those kids there? You didn't fight with the mistresses, did you? If you show interest in other women when you're not even married yet, the mistresses will...]

"It's not like that so don't say useless things. This shop isn't entangled with any other interests besides Lee Ganghyuk, right?"

[Besides us, the Itaewon kids are involved a little. They occasionally introduce and send foreigners. Hearing the names Rin and Ring, they're probably connected to that side?]

"If it's the Itaewon side that's fine. I can handle that myself. Thanks for letting me know."

[If you need my help, should I go there now? I can even forcibly wake up that bastard Lee Ganghyuk and bring him.]

"No. There's no need to go that far. I'll handle it myself for now... Then you just make a phone call to the madam here."

Eunha hung up the phone.

Then he recalled what the twins had said earlier.

They said they have no surname and are called Meiling (美齡) and Meilin (美霖) by name.

The twin sisters revealed that.

It meant they were Korean-Chinese.

They really lied to me completely.

There wasn't a single truth.

As far as Eunha remembered, the twin sisters had never revealed they were Korean-Chinese, and their names were Korean-style.

Although he couldn't remember their names, if he had heard Chinese-style names he would have remembered to some extent.

Furthermore, that wasn't the only thing they had lied to him about before the regression.

There was also their age.

"So those things lied about their age... While subtly calling me oppa and pretending to be young to me?"

They said they're turning 19 years old this year.

It seemed they were 20 years old by Korean age.

They were the same age as Eunha.

When he learned that fact, Eunha sighed in disbelief.

Before the regression, the twins had subtly called him oppa saying they were at least 2 years younger than him.

While doing that, they even appealed to their young age for no reason when it came to rough and dirty work.

It turns out that was all lies.

What should I do with these things...

Soon Eunha became lost in thought.

This could be considered a connection of sorts, so the current circumstances of the twin sisters were pitiful and.

Since he had been fooled by their lies before the regression, he also wanted to vent his anger.

Let's think about redemption first.

How to handle those things can be thought about later.

Hearing Isipo's story, it seemed they were probably sold from Itaewon and had debts to the shop.

So he needed to clear their debts first to make them free people.

In the back alleys or dark side, that was called redemption.

So Eunha kept redemption in mind while waiting to meet the shop owner, the madam.

"─She told us to go ahead first."

"She said she'll come right away after getting ready."

"...Okay."

Soon the twin sisters returned.

Eunha pointed to the opposite side.

This time the sisters sat in the seats across the table without saying anything.

And before long─.

─Seems she's here.

A presence was felt behind the door.

Eunha listened for the presence while drinking the alcohol the sisters had poured.

"─I came at the noble one's call. If you allow, may I enter?"

A voice heard from beyond the door.

It was a tone imbued with politeness.

Eunha nodded.

"Tell her to come in."

The sisters stood up from their seats.

They opened the door for her.

Eunha sipped his drink alone without even glancing at the person entering behind him.

"Please sit."

"Yes."

Without giving a single glance to the madam who entered the room.

Eunha pointed to the seat in front.

The madam who knew her position relative to him complied obediently.

She sat down.

"May I pour you a drink?"

The madam picked up the alcohol bottle.

Eunha silently held out his glass.

The madam poured the alcohol and.

Eunha drank the alcohol she poured.

Only then did Eunha put down his glass and raise his head to the madam.

""""..."

Heavy makeup, red lipstick.

She had an appearance contrasting with the twins sitting on both sides.

It was a face showing traces of age.

The makeup done to hide that looked very ugly.

Even her smiling appearance looking at Eunha.

Eunha thought that when.

She suddenly opened her mouth.

"─I really didn't expect... to meet like this."

"...?"

The madam acted like she knew him.

Eunha frowned.

He asked with his gaze.

What do you mean?

Then the madam's smile deepened.

"At first... I was very surprised. I never thought the hero who saved Seoul would be someone I knew. The news that someone I taught when I was an elementary school teacher had become a hero was very joyful, but also very sad. Because I had fallen to a rock bottom where I couldn't look up at <Crimson Wing>."

"..."

At the words elementary school teacher.

Eunha looked at her closely.

The memory seemed about to come but not quite.

As if noticing his gaze trying to grasp her identity, the madam lowered her eyes.

She continued speaking.

"So until coming to this place... I agonized quite a bit. I even thought about abandoning this place and running away. But thinking it wouldn't be proper, and also thinking it wouldn't be proper to those who made me who I am now, I came to this place."

Clearly and distinctly.

The madam spoke with emphasis.

Her determination was evident.

"..."

By that time, Eunha remembered too.

The person who was his homeroom teacher when he was in 1st grade elementary school.

"─I'll formally introduce myself. I'm Madam Jina."

"..."

12 years of time.

It turned someone who was once an elementary school teacher into a person of the red-light district and.

It turned someone who briefly received education from her into a hero praised by everyone.

☆

At that time, while the male clan members were having a meeting with the Han River faction clans.

The female clan members were having their own dinner gathering at the clan headquarters.

"It's this late but they still haven't contacted us..."

On the surface it was a dinner gathering for just the women, but in reality they were waiting for the clan members who would be drinking until late.

So they just drank moderately while chatting.

Nevertheless, even after a long time passed, the clan members didn't return and.

Cha Eunwoo checked the time and frowned.

It was already well past midnight.

"They don't know how to drink in moderation..."

Kim Minji clicked her tongue.

But she was also getting worried as time passed.

Meanwhile─.

"─I think my mana is about to run out. It's become hard to move now."

"No! Don't go!"

Little Eunha who was forcibly drinking juice instead of the alcohol he wanted.

He who had stayed at the clan headquarters with them suddenly opened his mouth.

Euna tightly hugged him who was on her lap.

""""That's right, don't go!""""

Perhaps because alcohol had entered too.

That day their sensitivity seemed quite abundant.

They clung to little Eunha and pleaded.

But little Eunha just smiled bitterly and evaded.

"We can meet again later. I'm just returning to the original anyway."

"When that happens, I'll tell you to grab Eunha and make him again."

"...Since I'm Noh Eunha too, stop bullying the original."

Jin Seona spoke aggressively.

Others strongly agreed with her words too.

Little Eunha looked uncomfortable.

At that moment─.

"─Come to think of it."

""""..."

Jeong Hayang, who had been restless because the original Eunha still hadn't returned, opened her mouth.

People's gazes turned to her.

"Couldn't little Eunha know what Eunha and the others are doing now?"

"Hmm... I can a little, though not as well as the original?"

"Can you see what they're doing now?"

"Sure, okay."

Jeong Hayang grinned.

Little Eunha readily agreed.

Since he was about to disappear soon anyway, how could he not grant her one request?

Little Eunha closed his eyes.

Then he focused on the pass connected to the original Eunha.

"Ah, it just connected now!"

"Really? What are they doing now?"

Soon the pass connected and.

Little Eunha could know what Eunha was doing now.

Little Eunha smiled slightly.

Han Seohyun asked with curiosity and.

To this, little Eunha answered nonchalantly.

"Now they're all talking with women at a bar... Oh, huh?"

""""..."

"Ah, I saw wrong. I must have seen wrong. I really saw wrong..."

He realized after speaking.

Little Eunha tried to hurriedly make excuses and gloss over it.

But it was already spilled water and.

There was no way the clan members would subtly let it slide.

"Really? Since you're connected to Eunha, how could you see wrong?"

"That's right. Anyway, that means Eunha is there now, right?"

Han Seohyun asked and.

Noh Euna picked up the words.

The two smiled slightly while looking at little Eunha.

Other people did too.

"So what are they doing now?"

"W-why are you doing this to me?"

"Because you'll know."

The clan members stood up from their seats.

They approached little Eunha and grabbed each of his limbs.

Then they leaned in close and pressed for the truth.

"N-nothing that unnies are thinking happened. They're just drinking innocently..."

"If they're just drinking innocently, why are there women there?"

"E-even if you ask me that..."

Jeong Hayang cut off his words.

Little Eunha whimpered.

Why, how.

Why did he have to receive all their anger when he hadn't done anything wrong?

Little Eunha tried to appeal.

But─.

""""─Tell us quickly.""""

"...!!"

Even though he pleaded mixing in the aegyo he hated doing so much.

The clan members didn't back down.

Little Eunha was cornered.

After being cornered like that─.

─Poof!!

With such a sound.

Little Eunha disappeared like smoke.

He disappeared after consuming his mana.

""""..."

The anger about to pour onto little Eunha.

The clan members didn't know what to do with their anger as he suddenly disappeared.

So they just stared blankly at the empty space.

But very luckily.

Or perhaps very unluckily─.

"─Euna! We're back! Were you waiting for us... Uh, Euna?"

"Whew, I thought I was going to die from Parang. Huh? Woobee, were you up until this time too?"

"...Where did Minho go?"

"Minho said he was going home drunk earlier... Eunwoo, what's wrong? S-Seona? Why is everyone's atmosphere..."

""""So Noh Eunha.""""

""""..."

Han Changjin, Yoo Namhun, Choi Eunhyuk, etc. who returned after finishing the dinner gathering.

They had to suddenly receive their lightning bolts.

And to survive, they had to spill out the truth as it was.