I Don’t Want This Reincarnation

While caught off guard by the sudden attack, Park Geon-ho said, smiling, “Haha, entering the gate is no joke. Wouldn’t it be better to take trustworthy members?”

“But Team Leader Park Geon-ho is not very trustworthy. On the contrary, his easily excitable self is a source of anxiety for me.”

“Easily excitable… You’re talking too rudely. If I really was like that, Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk wouldn’t be standing the way he is right now.”

“I would like to say the same to you. Appreciate my deep patience.”

I glanced at Park Geon-ho and Woo Seo-hyuk, who never backed down, and took a step back. Kim Woo-jin also came close to me and gave me a tired look.

I thought they just didn’t have a good relationship, but they really did have a hostile relationship. It was worse than I thought.

“Stop,” Cheon Sa-yeon, who was watching Park Geon-ho’s and Woo Seo-hyuk’s sullen faces, said. “There will be no change in the team. You both should know why without me having to explain. The gate would’ve normally been enough for one S-rank.”

“Tch…”

“Yessir.”

Park Geon-ho clicked his tongue as if dissatisfied, and Woo Seo-hyuk quietly nodded. I thought it was over, but Cheon Sa-yeon turned his attention to me.

“And Han Yi-gyeol.”

“……?”

What. What about me.

“Get ready to enter the gate. It’s the Area N23 gate.”

“I beg your pardon?”

What the hell was going on? Startled, I said to Cheon Sa-yeon, “Why am I suddenly going there? I’m not going!”

Park Geon-ho and Woo Seo-hyuk already fought when they made eye contact!

Whether it was because he found my reaction funny or not, Cheon Sa-yeon, who had been making an inscrutable expression the entire time, bent the corners of his eyes and smiled brightly.

“Who told you to come when called over like that?”

“What…”

“Team Leader Park Geon-ho even knows your number.”

“Well, that’s—”

“Come to think of it, there was an article saying that you’re close to Roheon’s Deputy Master.”

“That…”

“Master, are you jealous?” Park Geon-ho intervened with an interested look on his face.

Shut up! I pushed away Park Geon-ho’s strong forearm and said, “What the hell does that have to do with the gate?”

“So you’re not going?”

“Of course, I’m not…!”

I was about to reply ‘I’m not going’, but suddenly an ominous feeling ran through my heart. I slowly looked at Cheon Sa-yeon’s smiling face.

The corners of his lips rose softly. His black eyes stared straight at me. He was testing what answer I would give.

If I seriously refused, our partnership would probably be terminated.

“…I’ll go. I’m going. Are you satisfied?”

When I forcefully answered while gritting my teeth, Cheon Sa-yeon gave me a satisfied smile. That son of a bitch.

“I will go too, Master.”

While swearing at Cheon Sa-yeon inwardly, Kim Woo-jin opened his mouth behind my back. I looked back at him in surprise.

“Hmm. The S-grade gate? Will you be okay?”

“Yes.”

“Well, take care of it.”

“Wait a minute!”

Has Kim Woo-jin, this bastard, finally turned crazy? I hurriedly intervened.

“What’s the point of you going? Kim Woo-jin, take it back immediately.”

“No. I want to go too.”

“It seems he wants to go.”

I rubbed my aching forehead.

Was I the only one here who was normal? Kim Woo-jin, who said that he would follow me to the S-grade gate with his C-rank body, was a problem, but Cheon Sa-yeon, who allowed him to go, was by no means sane.

“If you give him permission, what do you think will happen? And even if it doesn’t, the gate is still unstable and a mess.”

“Two S-ranks and even you are going. It’s just adding only one C-rank.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Han Yi-gyeol. I want to go.”

I looked at Kim Woo-jin, who was pulling my arm. Kim Woo-jin trembled at my cold gaze, but he insisted on going to the end.

“Hmm.”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was watching me calmly, clapped his hands to disperse the atmosphere.

“Let’s start with tidying up. First of all, Kim Woo-jin. I don’t mind if you go to the gate, but you have to get the consent of the team members first.”

“Ugh… yessir.”

“Han Yi-gyeol. For a detailed explanation of the gate, listen to Team Leader Park Geon-ho and get ready. Because this gate may also be abnormal.”

“…I understand.”

“It would be better for Team Leader Park Geon-ho and Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk to keep their attitudes clear as others are now involved.”

“Of course.”

“Yessir.”

“Good. Everyone, leave now.”

Cheon Sa-yeon kicked us out with a smile.

I came out of the hallway and with a sigh, I called out to the person who started everything.

“Team Leader Park Geon-ho…”

“Haha. So this is how things ended up.”

Perhaps because Park Geon-ho felt sorry, he laughed awkwardly.

“I’ll go to the gate. And I will be repaid in some way. You have to listen to my request later.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll give you anything.”

Park Geon-ho raised his hands as if surrendering. Woo Seo-hyuk pushed Park Geon-ho away and held out the documents.

“This is the Area N23 gate material. I already know this, so it would be better for Han Yi-gyeol-ssi to take it.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

“No need. I’ll see you when we leave. Until then.”

Perhaps because he didn’t want to be here anymore, Woo Seo-hyuk quickly turned his back and walked away.

“…Are you going that way too?”

“Since we met, would you like to have dinner together?”

“What kind of dinner is at 3 o’clock?”

“Then lunch?”

“No thank you.”

Leaving behind Park Geon-ho, who was sad, I returned to my room on the 23rd floor. As soon as I closed the door and only Kim Woo-jin and I were left, I brought out the words I had kept back.

“You already know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”

“I…” Kim Woo-jin opened his mouth with a dejected face at my resolute eyes. “I want to go. Of course, I know I won’t be of much help…”

“Who’s saying this because you won’t be of much help? I’m against it because it’s dangerous.”

“I’ll just stay by your side. As the Master said, it’s a safe team, so it won’t be a big deal.”

“Even if there’s a chance the gate is normal, it also might not be. You know it’s dangerous, so why the hell are you going to follow me?”

It was frustrating to see Kim Woo-jin not understand my point. If an S+-grade monster appeared, there was only so much I could do to protect him.

“Does S-grade look like a joke just because you’ve been to an SS-grade gate? Will you stick by my side? Even if you go in, I can’t always protect you. You can’t predict what will happen once the monsters come.”

“……”

“I’ll never agree, so if you decide to still go, do whatever you want. Instead, I won’t care if you’re in danger or not. Okay?”

Kim Woo-jin bit his lip. It seemed that my words were extremely upsetting. I thought it was a bit too much, but I turned around without apologizing.

The most sullen guy I’ve ever seen kept looking at me. I deliberately kept a stiff expression and waited for an answer that he would not go, but Kim Woo-jin did not give up in the end.

‘Are you going to enter the gate fighting me?’

It was difficult to understand Kim Woo-jin, who was trying to go into a dangerous place on his own two feet. I forcefully swallowed back a sigh that filled my throat.

‘…still, I can’t.’

If you gave him permission with a softened heart and he got really seriously hurt… If the situation was unfavourable and treatment was delayed, and his life was jeopardized or if he was disabled afterwards—

I couldn't let that happen. I hardened my heart again.

* * *

“The atmosphere is a bit bad,” Min Ah-rin said, who came to play after work and saw Kim Woo-jin feeling depressed.

“Not only Woo-jin-ssi but also Yi-gyeol-ssi. Did something happen?”

“That’s…”

I laughed awkwardly and explained what had happened during the day. Min Ah-rin, who had been listening with interest, tilted her head at the part where Kim Woo-jin was being stubborn.

“Why? I think it’ll be fine if you go together.”

“Why are you even saying that, Min Ah-rin-ssi?”

“Ah. There was no problem with the SS-grade gate. Woo-jin-ssi is good at judging situations and moves quickly. Besides, it was convenient because he helped heal the injured team members.”

“But it’s still dangerous.”

“It’s the same for the healers and measurers who don’t have combat ability.”

“Umm.”

I frowned and retraced at her words calmly. Actually…

“That’s true.”

“I heard that Team Leader Park Geon-ho and Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk are also going. Then you will clear it more easily than any other B-grades.”

Is that so? After looking at Kim Woo-jin, who was persistent and stubborn, and listening to Min Ah-rin’s explanation, my tightly bound heart began to shake.

When I thought about it, Min Ah-rin lowered her voice slightly and opened her mouth.

“And… Please understand Woo-jin-ssi’s feelings as well. Every time Yi-gyeol-ssi chooses only dangerous gates and comes out injured, how lonely he must have been waiting alone.”

“Ah…”

Hearing those words, I suddenly felt so bad for Kim Woo-jin, who had only me as his friend. Was it like that… I guess I was too insensitive.

“If you are so worried, shall I go with you? I have to schedule a gate by tomorrow, but I’m still thinking because there’s no specific place I want to go.”

“It’s S-grade. Are you okay with that?”

“As I said before, there are two S-rank people and Yi-gyeol-ssi, so what should I worry about?”

“It would be great if Min Ah-rin-ssi could come.”

“It’s good. So Woo-jin-ssi’s problem has been solved, right?”

“Pardon?”

“Woo-jin-ssi!”

“Mi-Min Ah-rin-ssi?”

Min Ah-rin, who ran to Kim Woo-jin before I even stopped her, said with a broad smile, “Yi-gyeol-ssi allowed us to go to the gate! Good for you.”

“Re-really? Are you giving me permission?”

“……”

Kim Woo-jin looked at me with twinkling eyes.

I was going to think about it a little more. It can’t be helped… I sighed and said to Kim Woo-jin, “Don’t leave my side.”

“Mh!”

“When I go out to battle, no matter what happens, you move with the healer team.”

“I will.”

“……”

“Can I go?”

Now I couldn’t say no.

“…I don’t need to give you permission. But it’s true that it’s dangerous, so just keep your word to be careful.”

“Okay. Don’t worry.”

Kim Woo-jin, who had been withering until just now, came to life at once. Min Ah-rin, who was looking at the happy Kim Woo-jin, said, “Everything’s been resolved, so let’s order something delicious to eat! Chicken or pizza!”

It didn’t matter because it was still before dinner. I nodded and answered, “If you’re going to order something, we might as well eat both.”

“I’ll order them.” Kim Woo-jin picked up his cell phone.

“If you’re going to order both chicken and pizza, this place is good.”

“Set B?”

“Yes, yes. Set B plus extra coke…”

I sighed as I saw Kim Woo-jin and Min Ah-rin murmuring* to each other. As Min Ah-rin said, I hoped there would be no problem.