Sehri grimaced.
“Are you crying again?”
“Oh, just... seeing you so healthy again...”
“I know why you’re crying, so could you please stop?! I told you it’s not your fault!”
When Sehri scolded him, Siwon suddenly threw his arms around him.
Pulled into an unexpected hug, Sehri let out a long sigh, looking like his soul had half left his body.
Damn it, I really shouldn’t have started reminiscing.
Ever since waking up in the hospital, Siwon had cried so much it took two full days before they could even have a proper conversation.
Sehri, who had neither the talent to console people nor the coldness to just stand there and ignore # Nоvеlight # them, had felt like he’d been trapped in hell for an eternity.
“I’m telling you again—it was Irina who did all that. You don’t have to feel guilty.”
He’d repeated it over and over, and finally, Siwon gave a silent nod.
Sehri steadied his breath as the memories came back.
He’d left the orphanage holding Irina’s hand, sold off to different places, became a test subject. Irina eventually pulled him back and kept him by her side.
By completely breaking Jin Siwon and keeping him close.
With a chilling look in his eyes, Sehri spoke again.
“And Irina’s already dead.”
She’d been cremated and buried somewhere after they reported that her body had been burned completely. It was probably the last shred of affection left from seeing her as family.
Siwon had offered to tell Sehri where she was buried, but he had shaken his head.
It’s not like I felt relieved that she’s dead, or bitter that I didn’t get to kill her with my own hands.
Just like when he learned that Siwon was his brother—he felt no ripple of emotion. Nothing at all.
Maybe it just hasn’t sunk in yet.
He’d only watched the memories the elixir restored like scenes from a film.
Maybe the memories had been buried too deep, too long, to trigger any intense feelings.
What struck Sehri instead was a sudden thought—where had all his rage gone?
Now that I think about it, I’ve just been getting dragged around nonstop lately...
While that thought drifted in his mind, Siwon wiped his tears and grabbed the suitcase. Just as they were about to leave the hospital room, he turned and asked:
“So... where are you going to stay now? You can come to my place if you want. We have plenty of rooms.”
“You make me uncomfortable. You cry too much.”
Sehri shut him down immediately, and Siwon’s lips drooped in disappointment.
He might’ve been trying to act like a big brother now, but Sehri still hadn’t fully processed it. And it was just too much.
“Then... should we go to a hotel?”
After a brief pause, Sehri opened his mouth to answer.
Hyeonak Guildmaster’s Office.
After receiving special training from a veteran actor...
In front of the sofa where Gidan and Nayeon were sitting, Guru waved around two tree branches.
“Windy time twee!”
“The wind blows too?”
When Gidan asked, Guru stopped flapping and tilted her head.
“Mmm, it couwd bwow.”
“Right, even though it’s indoors, the wind could blow.”
Gidan bit down on his lip every time he smiled because Jurim kept glancing at him warningly.
Sitting beside him, Nayeon didn’t care about any of that—she just clapped and took pictures non-stop, totally absorbed in how cute Guru was.
“Twee Guru, sooooo kyoot! Guru-yah, wook at unnie!”
Encouraged by Nayeon’s cheers, Guru lifted her tree branches again.
Snap! Snap!
While the camera clicked away, Guru began showcasing more of the skills she learned from Woojoo—acting like a tree pained from deer eating its baby leaves, a tree dreaming of revenge, and more.
Knock knock—
After a couple of taps, the Guildmaster’s door opened.
Seeing who it was, Guru shouted:
“Oppaw!”
Guru ran over and hugged him tightly, and Sehri scooped her right up.
“Oppaw Oppaw, you not sick no more?”
“Wouldn’t be out if I was still sick. What are those branches?”
“Mmm, Gwuu is a twee.”
“So that’s why you put a sprout on your head too?”
“Dat not weally why but...”
Guru trailed off, wrapped her arms around Sehri’s neck, and rubbed her soft cheek against him.
“...Seruhi Oppaw, don’ get sick again.”
Her voice was full of concern.
Sehri gently patted her back.
“...Alright.”
“Evewyone was sooo wowwied.”
“I won’t get hurt again.”
While Sehri was comforting her, his eyes happened to meet Gidan’s.
Because he’d refused visits due to Siwon constantly bawling at his side, this was the first time he’d seen Gidan since Jeju.
Gidan pouted, glancing at the suitcase beside Sehri.
“I was gonna turn your room into a storage space.”
“Leave it alone. I might crash in your room next.”
“Pfft. Then where does Dani sleep?”
“How’s that my problem? Let him take the couch.”
“Too mean.”
Despite the words, Gidan laughed and immediately pulled both Sehri and Guru into a tight hug.
“Ah! You psycho! Get off!”
“Noooope.”
When Gidan whined like a baby, Guru hugged him too.
“Wet’s all be fwiends!”
“Yeah, we’re fwiends, fwiend.”
“Haaah...”
Sehri sighed in surrender—just as Nayeon suddenly stood up and joined in, hugging the whole lump of three tightly.
“What the hell are you—?!”
Sehri’s face flushed bright red—he’d never been hugged by a girl in his life.
“Me toooo.”
“Stop, seriously!”
Why is everyone hugging like crazy?!
Then Nayeon called out sweetly,
“Sehri.”
“Y-Yes?”ovel.com
Startled, Sehri accidentally replied formally, and Gidan burst into laughter.
“Geez, you only hang out with them. Be nice to noona too.”
Sehri looked around helplessly before muttering,
“O-okay...”
“Aahahahahahahaha!”
Gidan finally lost it, laughing like a maniac while Sehri clenched his jaw.
Damn it!
In the end, there was only one place he could turn.
Sehri shot a desperate look toward Jurim, who sat off to the side like a neutral bystander.
But Jurim just propped his chin on the armrest and smiled quietly.
“Welcome home.”
Sehri shut his mouth tight.
Right. Ask the one person you can count on.
Instead, he mumbled:
“...Thanks.”
He never did know how to handle people.
Other people’s concern and attention were just annoying and exhausting.
But somehow, the old fury and pain left behind by the past had dulled.
Arguments, light hugs, warm welcomes—those meaningless moments born from relationships stirred emotions in him he hadn’t felt in a long time.
For the first time, Sehri felt like he’d really come home.
Thud!
A soft cat paw stamp rang out.
It signaled the completion of a long-pending caregiver quest.
[Caregiver Quest: Welcome, New Caregiver!]
[Let’s welcome the new caregiver! Help them adjust to the unfamiliar environment by introducing a trusted friend.]
[Quest Complete!]
Uhehehe!
Guru beamed brightly and pulled all her caregivers into a big hug.
One week later.
The small theater where the recital would be held.
Teacher Jungyoon of the Chick Class sat beside the principal, nervously fidgeting in her seat.
Looking around at the packed house, the principal muttered:
“Should’ve rented the main theater instead.”
“Kinda seems that way, huh...?”
Jungyoon forced an awkward smile, guilt washing over her.
Meanwhile, the sound of shutters was nonstop.
Click! Click!
Journalists, parents, and guests all had their phones and cameras up—before the recital had even started—aimed at one spot.
At the front of the theater.
There sat On Suhyeong fiddling with a camcorder, next to his son On Jurim. Beside them were Woojoo and his manager, and clustered nearby were Hyeonak’s top rankers chatting with Jin Siwon.
Woojoo was that Seo Woojoo...
Jungyoon let out a helpless laugh. She hadn’t realized the “Woojoo” Guru kept talking about was the child actor Woojoo.
Thanks to the guests Guru invited, the small recital hall looked like a year-end awards show studio.
The principal gave Jungyoon a light pat on the shoulder.
“Teacher Yoon, don’t be so tense. It’s fine. I’ve never seen a student like Guru before either.”
“I’m really sorry. Her father’s done his best to keep her from getting too much attention until now...”
“Well, even if he has—this is a kindergarten play. What can you do?”
“True... it’s just a play...”
“But our little Guru sure seems well-loved at Hyeonak.”
“Does seem that way.”
The two teachers smiled at each other, heartened.
Creak-creak—
Dressed in her tree costume, Guru waddled onstage and took her place at center stage.

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