61
Though he went to bed early, Baek Woojin didn't wake up until well past morning.
"……."
Coming to his senses, Baek Woojin stared blankly at the ceiling before sluggishly sitting up.
'So just because a bed is comfortable doesn't mean sleep comes easily.'
Both the bed and pillows were softer and of better quality than what he usually used, but for some reason, he had tossed and turned for a long time.
AM 10:38
It was almost noon, a time when ordinary people would be thinking about lunch.
'It's a relief there's nothing on the schedule until evening.'
He already had plans this evening to meet with Hong Yeonha and some so-called prospects or whatever they were, so he needed to get his condition back to normal.
So the method Baek Woojin chose was to lie back down in bed.
'Waking up around 3 should be fine...'
Setting the alarm on his smartphone, he pulled the blanket up over his head and closed his eyes again.
♪♫♬~
'…….'
He was sure he had just closed his eyes, so why was the alarm already pounding annoyingly in his ears?
To resolve this incomprehensible question, Baek Woojin fumbled around the headboard with his hand to find his smartphone. No, tried to find it.
Before he could even reach his hand out from under the blanket, the alarm somehow turned off on its own. And then the weight distribution near the head of the bed shifted slightly before gradually moving outward.
This was a phenomenon indicating that someone had climbed onto the bed and then gotten off.
It couldn't be a thief.
One person came to mind, but even that he shook his head at.
Because she was a woman who, despite having a low boiling point, clear assertions, and very strong stubbornness, knew how to maintain the lines she should keep.
So to confirm the culprit himself, Baek Woojin eventually poked his head out from under the blanket.
"……."
Was it a dream?
As expected, there was no one in the bedroom.
His mental fatigue was considerable, so he had narrowed his senses to a minimum, which wasn't much help this time.
"...Should I wash up."
He was hungry too, so thinking he'd wash up briefly and at least eat something, he got out of bed and came out to the living room. And there he discovered Hong Yeonha, sitting with her butt planted on the same sofa from yesterday.
"Hong──"
"Don't misunderstand."
He was about to say that even so, they should keep what needs to be kept, but before he could even finish the first syllable, she cut him off.
"The sun was high in the sky and you weren't responding to contact, so I wanted to check if something had happened... Right. That's why I came in, to check."
Unless they were a fool, probably no one would believe those words at face value.
So Baek Woojin stared at the back of Hong Yeonha's head, who was avoiding his gaze, before opening his mouth.
"Hong Yeonha-ssi."
Flinch!
The shoulders of Hong Yeonha, who was shamelessly leaning against the back of the sofa, seemed to shrink back ever so slightly.
"I'm sorry."
Right after showing that reaction, Hong Yeonha turned to look this way and apologized. Even lowering her head ever so slightly.
"But it's not a lie. I really came because I was worried and wanted to check on you."
"...Right."
When he dropped formal speech again, Hong Yeonha's expression brightened.
It was definitely not because of any change in feelings that made him drop formalities when he should be drawing a line. He was simply doing adaptation training to avoid mistakes at the exchange meeting this evening.
'It's a good thing I got into the habit of wearing shorts to sleep because of Baek Ayeon.'
Still, Baek Woojin checked his attire once more, and fortunately, there was nothing problematic. It was very decent.
"I'm going to wash up."
"Huh? Oh, uh, you seem fine, so I'll wait outside for now. You haven't eaten, right? I haven't either. Contact me when you're done washing. Let's eat."
Contrary to looking like she would steadfastly hold her ground, Hong Yeonha fired off words like a machine gun before disappearing from sight with quick steps that looked almost like running.
**
Inside the elevator heading to the dining lounge.
"Hong Yeonha."
"Why?"
Having regained her composure in that brief moment, Hong Yeonha turned her head slightly and exchanged glances with Baek Woojin.
"Never mind. Let's talk while eating."
"Alright."
The elevator stopped at the 3rd floor lounge, and the two walked side by side in step.
No separate procedure like presenting a meal ticket was needed to use the dining lounge.
Even though lunchtime had long passed, the lounge was operating normally, and since mealtime was over, it was very empty.
"A window seat is good."
"Suit yourself."
He just needed to fill his stomach, so Baek Woojin took a window seat as Hong Yeonha wanted. And since it was a buffet, he got up, loaded his plate with food, and came back.
"Eat fruits and vegetables later too."
"Report."
"Even for Awakeners, diet management is important."
"I know that too."
"You know that and yet you only got a bunch of meat?"
"……."
With her nagging that even Madam Jang wouldn't do, he put the thick rib meat in his mouth and chewed while looking at Hong Yeonha with a sullen gaze.
"Why?"
"...Never mind."
Nagging was something that could only come out when you worried about the other person, so Baek Woojin swallowed the words he was about to say along with the rib meat he was chewing.
"This exchange meeting. Explain it in a bit more detail."
"Ah, yeah. Explanation..."
Hong Yeonha put down the fork she had been picking at her salad with and continued.
"The exchange meeting period is the same as the auction period."
"You said it starts tomorrow."
"Not the period when the auction takes place, but literally the auction period. From the preparation period when all participants and items gather, to the night when the banquet signaling the conclusion ends after the auction finishes."
It seemed a banquet was held on the evening of the day the auction ended.
Unintentionally, his knowledge had increased.
"Participation is naturally free."
"Seems like most would participate."
"Right. There's no reason not to."
People naturally gather with their own kind.
The very fact that an exchange meeting was held in a place like this meant they weren't ordinary prospects.
Given a little more time, just as Hong Yeonha would inherit the Hongryeon Guild, those self-proclaimed prospects gathering at the exchange meeting would obviously inherit guilds or companies as well.
Unless they were fools, there was absolutely no reason to pass up an opportunity to build connections with guaranteed futures.
"Well, anyway. Yesterday... ahem, my emotions were a bit intense, so I gave you distorted information."
"Which part?"
"The fighting part. No, testing our strength is correct. It is, but we don't do strength contests throughout the entire exchange meeting."
Come to think of it, even if it were just for one day, the exchange meeting was held every day during the auction period, so continuously fighting would be ridiculous.
In the end, whether they liked it or not, they would be somehow connected to each other in the future, so there was nothing to gain from leaving behind bad blood.
"Yesterday, or rather the first day, is normal. Just drinking, showing off what each person wants to show off, and chatting about recent news."
"Today?"
"A little, no. It'll sound very strange, but today is gambling."
"It wouldn't be normal gambling."
"Yeah. You know the shell game?"
"I know."
"An A-rank Awakener belonging to Golden Bank takes the role of the shell game operator. The speed increases as the stages go up, and it continues until there's no one left who gets it right."
Upon hearing that, only one thought crossed Baek Woojin's mind.
'...Seems like I could take this easy.'
"Do you have to find it purely with dynamic vision?"
"No. Only the use of magic tools and relics is prohibited. Rather, you should actively use your own skills or magic detection."
The moment he heard that answer, possibility turned into certainty.
"The third day?"
"Each person writes down the item they want on paper and submits it to a Golden Bank employee. Then when the auction ends, you check whether you won that item. If multiple people wanted the same thing, the one who won the most valuable item among them is the victor."
Baek Woojin's eyes narrowed.
It was just one of his habits when thinking deeply about something, but Hong Yeonha, who couldn't have known this, quickly added.
"Don't worry about tomorrow. You've heard the details, but it has nothing to do with individual ability."
Hong Yeonha actually thought so too. However, Baek Woojin, who was turning his thoughts with narrowed eyes, thought a bit differently.
"The fourth day?"
"This is where it gets real. There's a simulation room underground. The side that defeats the highest danger level monster there wins."
And it was from this point that Hong Yeonha's gaze looking at Baek Woojin changed.
"I believe in you."
It was a gaze mixed with various emotions like desire, trust, and shyness, but one thing was clear—all the emotions mixed in were positive.
"The last day?"
"...Combat against people."
Not human versus monster, but a battle between human and human.
"A mock battle is held in front of everyone who participated in the auction. Of course, only for those who want to."
"There'll be A-rank Hunters too, so if it's deemed dangerous, they'll stop it on their own."
"Yeah."
Baek Woojin looked at Hong Yeonha, and Hong Yeonha's red eyes clearly reflected Baek Woojin's face looking at her.
Unlike the fourth competition earlier, Hong Yeonha didn't say things like believing in him or asking him to definitely win. The way she looked at him was different too.
The anger she showed yesterday, and the desire from just a moment ago.
Neither was contained in Hong Yeonha's red eyes.
What was contained was worry. And sorry and regret.
They were truly things that didn't match the appearance she had shown so far.
"Hong Yeonha."
"Yeah."
Baek Woojin moved the fork he had stopped while focusing on the conversation and spoke.
"I believe you won't send me out empty-handed on the last day."
"...Ha."
Letting out a small laugh, Hong Yeonha picked up the fork she had set down, just like Baek Woojin, and responded.
"Just try disappointing me. Then I'll make you take responsibility with something else."