FLIA 117

Only then did Yohan realize that it was not that Yosep spoke slowly because he didn’t want to say it, but because they were words from the heart. Yohan was at a loss for words. Unlike his parents, who only vaguely thought the Abyss must have been hard, Yang Yosep, who had already raided rifts several times as an awakener, had eyes that showed that he at least had some sense of how dreadful the Abyss was. Yohan swallowed dryly and asked.

“What did you say? Can you say it once more?”

“Come here. I’ll say it close so you can hear well.”

Seeing Yosep’s fist, Yohan ran away again. Then he turned his head so Yosep could not see and grinned. In his life, he had hardly ever heard his brother say that he had suffered or that he was grateful. When the two sons who had been lost – one missing and one severely corrupted – were both at home and healthy, at last the worried look on Yang Hwapyeong and Kim Yejoo’s faces completely disappeared.

“Our son, let me check once more if you are really fine.”

“I’m really fine. I’ve never been in better condition than now.”

After soothing Kim Yejoo, who was still worried, and showing that his body was healthy, Yang Yosep sighed and spoke.

“But if I had been severely corrupted, you should have reported it to the government.”

“Nonsense. How could we trust them and hand you over!”

Yang Hwapyeong, who had been watching with pride, flared up and argued back. Yosep’s expression became stern and he slowly shook his head firmly. As the warm atmosphere suddenly froze, Yohan only watched quietly, reading the mood.

“At the very least, it would have been better than me becoming a depraved son who harms his parents.”

“But in the end you endured it! If we had handed you to the government, Yohan wouldn’t have been able to treat you.”

“That’s true. But all of this only worked out because we were lucky. If Yohan hadn’t come back, then I…”

“Why talk about such meaningless things when he already came back safe! If anything like this happens again, I’d rather take you and go live on an uninhabited island, but I’ll never do that!”

Yohan thought that Yosep’s words made sense and he also understood Hwapyeong’s feelings. Even now, cases of corrupted people harming their families or those around them were frequent. But at the same time, if they had reported it to the government and he had been put into quarantine, they would never have been able to see their son again. So he could understand why his parents had locked him in the house.

But keeping Yosep here had been dangerous. Yosep had shown patience even when half out of his mind, but how long would that have lasted? On top of that, Yosep was a mid-level awakener who was rated as excellent. A terrible tragedy could have happened.

‘If my brother had been quarantined by the government, it would have been troublesome, but someday I would have saved him.’

It might have been difficult by his strength alone, but now he had Lee Hyunmook and others. And besides, he had escaped the Abyss, what was there he couldn’t do here?

Watching his family’s quarrel as if it was a story happening far away, Yohan thought of the Taeyang Guild. Just imagining working together with them already made him excited. Whatever he did here, compared to the Abyss it would be enjoyable and good.

“Enough! Why bring up what’s already over. You too, stop. Let’s [Read on]eat. It’s been so long since we had a meal together with the kids.”

As the atmosphere grew harsher, Kim Yejoo hurriedly stopped the two. Hwapyeong and Yosep also stepped back without arguing further. In truth, they were quite hungry, so Yohan quickly went and sat at the table. The food he had eaten at the gathering already felt completely digested.

After saying the meal prayer, they picked up their spoons. With her two sons safe, the breakfast Kim Yejoo had prepared together with the housekeeper was far richer than usual. Yohan, full of anticipation, quickly scooped a big spoonful of rice and ate it with side dishes. It was so delicious.

Yohan had gotten into the habit of focusing completely on meals, because in the Abyss mealtime had been the greatest joy, so he didn’t even notice his family staring at him in surprise. Normally, Yohan always chattered on while eating, but now he was eating without a word like someone who had not eaten for days. It was also because his appetite had greatly increased after awakening. Yosep too, after awakening, could easily eat two or three bowls in one sitting.

“Is it good? Shall I give you more rice?”

Seeing her second son empty a bowl so quickly, Kim Yejoo felt so sorry for him that her eyes welled with tears as she asked. Even as she spoke, her hands were already scooping more rice. Still feeling hungry, Yohan accepted without refusing and smiled.

“As expected, home-cooked food is the best.”

Yoon Seungryong was really good at cooking, and the food he had eaten at the gathering yesterday had been delicious, but nothing tasted as good as a meal at home. Even after finishing their meal, the family did not leave the table, they instead enjoyed dessert together and the warm, peaceful atmosphere. Looking at his fingertips where unpleasant and disgusting tentacles had once grown, Yang Yosep asked.

“So how long are you planning to keep it a secret that you are a purifier?”

“Until the time is right? Maybe it will take a few months.”

Strictly speaking, it was until the government started handing over the corrupted to them as agreed in the contract. For this, Lee Hyunmook had urgently bought an island under the ownership of the Taeyang stolen content Guild and had begun construction. The island was a space where in this era the corrupted could be comparatively safely isolated. Since they had to build facilities to accommodate close to several hundred people, it was going to take time.

‘But at least I’ll be able to purify the people who have been hidden away.’

Just imagining the joy of people freed from suffering after purification already made him happy. As Yohan unconsciously smiled brightly, Yang Hwapyeong, his cheeks flushed after a few drinks, spoke.

“Yes, Yohan. How excellent it is that you are a high-level awakener. This is good. Really good. You brothers will be able to help each other well.”

“You’ll work in your brother’s guild, right? Since you suffered in the Abyss, wouldn’t it be better to rest a little more before working?”

Kim Yejoo spoke with shining eyes, looking delighted, and Yohan was at a loss for words for a moment. The joy that had filled him since returning home calmed a little. Before he could even reply, Yosep suddenly burst into laughter as if he had heard something absurd. He put down the tangerine he had been half-heartedly eating and said.

“Father. Why would he join my guild? What would he gain from it?”

“What is wrong with your guild?”

Yang Hwapyeong, who had strong pride in his eldest, frowned. Neon, the guild Yosep had founded at home right after awakening with his family’s funding, was receiving good evaluations. The guild members had thoroughly hidden Yosep’s corruption, and that was one of the reasons. Neon Guild was backed by investment from Samyeong Pharmaceutical Company. Yosep was about to say something, but after glancing at his younger brother, he closed his mouth and gave him the right to speak. Yohan calmly opened his mouth.

“I was going to tell you anyway, but I’ve decided to join the Taeyang Guild.”

“You’re going to join the Taeyang Guild? You?”

Yang Hwapyeong and Kim Yejoo were shocked. Honestly, Yohan thought they would have guessed since he had even gone out for a dinner with Lee Hyunmook and the existing Sunrise Team members. But contrary to his expectations, his parents still hadn’t grasped that he had spent a year in the Abyss before escaping, nor had they realized the real value of a purifier who was a high-level awakener.

“Y-yes. The Taeyang Guild is certainly a good place.”

Even as he said so, Yang Hwapyeong looked stunned as if his intoxication had cleared away. He straightened his posture. His son would be working together with Lee Hyunmook! Seeing that joyful expression pass across his father’s face, Yohan spoke.

“But even if I hadn’t been a high-level awakener, even if I had only been a low-level physical-enhancement awakener, I wouldn’t have joined my brother’s guild. Even if I hadn’t awakened at all.”

“Yohan….”

Yang Hwapyeong frowned and opened his mouth. Yohan already knew he would hear the same words he had countless times before, so he cut him off.

“This isn’t just words coming from inferiority or jealousy. Even before that, I never wanted to live as my brother’s shadow. My life and my brother’s life are separate. In our house, no matter what I did, my brother was always the best, so in your eyes, what I achieved never mattered….”

“Mother only thought that since you’re brothers, it would be nice if family worked together.”

“Yes, everything we said was for your good.”

Yohan lowered his eyes without agreeing with them.

He recalled their reaction when, worried about outside ears, he had said he was only a low-level awakener. Even after hearing that he had awakened, they had brushed it aside with awkward smiles, saying “It’s enough that you came back.” Normally, just awakening would be a reason for celebration at home, but with Yosep being a mid-level awakener, that wasn’t the case.

“You’re going to join the Taeyang Guild….”

As Kim Yejoo muttered blankly while looking at Yohan, she suddenly remembered something and lifted her head.

“But Yohan, the Taeyang Guild is far from here. How will you commute?”