Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 60

Han Se-yeon, with her unique charm, began to gather a following of girls, skillfully maneuvering them to build her own little faction. Kang Jin-ho watched this, a sudden chill running down his spine as he contemplated the subtle boundaries of the female world.

‘She was always like that.’

Come to think of it, even back in high school, Han Se-yeon always had three or four girls trailing after her.

After she started hanging out with Kang Jin-ho and Park Yu-min, that side of her had diminished, but in the past, Han Se-yeon was always surrounded by a group of friends.

Park Yu-min seemed uncomfortable with the approaching kids, but those who were drunk enough didn’t seem to care much about that reaction. Rather, they seemed to feel comfortable with the lack of strong rejection, constantly clinging to Park Yu-min and talking to him.

“Hey, you’re a good drinker, aren’t you?”

People also gathered around Kang Jin-ho.

The first person to speak to him was a woman with long, straight hair.

“Not really.”

“I’m Jin Mi-hee. Let’s be friends.”

“Sure.”

“Are you always this quiet?” Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

“Maybe?”

“That’s a relief. I don’t like guys who talk too much.”

Kang Jin-ho gave a wry smile. It was a relief that she liked him, but this kind of friendliness from someone he had just met was quite awkward.

“By the way… are you dating her?”

“Who?”

“Han Se-yeon.”

At that, everyone’s attention focused instantly.

Han Se-yeon also seemed to be waiting quietly for the words that would come from Kang Jin-ho’s mouth.

But Kang Jin-ho answered without hesitation.

“No.”

“Really?”

Several people stirred slightly.

Both the men and the women seemed to have received a satisfactory answer.

Jin Mi-hee turned to look at Han Se-yeon.

“Is it really not true?”

“What?”

“You guys aren’t dating, are you?”

“No, what are you talking about?”

Park Yu-min didn’t miss the fact that Han Se-yeon’s voice had risen slightly.

‘She has a reason to be pissed.’

Park Yu-min sighed.

When will that sickness of his be cured?

Could it be an incurable disease?

As the drinking party matured and the night deepened, people gradually began to tire. Then, the familiar senior with glasses stood at the front and opened his mouth.

“Okay, let’s wrap it up now. The first time should be a little disappointing, that’s the best. Everyone needs to get home before the buses stop running.”

“Let’s play more!”

“Those who are disappointed, please be sure to attend the new student orientation next time. Then, we can play all night long.”

Sounds of disappointment came from here and there.

“Okay, okay, I won’t stop you from going for a second round with people you like, but don’t cause any trouble. Got it?” People began to leave in twos and threes. Kang Jin-ho watched the scene and then got up from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Han Se-yeon got up from her seat. At that moment, a commotion was heard.

“Hey, where’s the money?”

“Gil-young collected it. Check your pockets.”

“It’s not here?”

“Hey! Gil-young, wake up!” But Gong Gil-young didn’t answer, as if he had fallen asleep.

“Ah, this is driving me crazy. Where did he put it?”

“Let’s check the bathroom and around there first.”

The senior with glasses explained the situation to the owner at the counter.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry… the guy who was in charge of our dues is drunk. Can we leave our student IDs and pay next time?”

“Don’t you have a card?”

“Huh?”

“There are people who take a leave of absence, and there are people who forge student IDs. How can I trust that and give you credit?”

“We’ve been here a few times, don’t you know us? We’re from the C class of the Business Administration Department.”

“How many customers do you think come here in a day? No way. Pay up. Last time I sent someone off on credit like that, the student ID was forged, and I couldn’t find the person, so I lost over a million won.”

“We’ll leave several student IDs. Or we’ll give you our IDs. Please, just this once.”

“What kind of world is it these days where you don’t have a card? Just swipe a card and pay it back later.”

“Sir, we don’t have anyone with a card right now…”

“What do you mean students these days don’t have a card? No way. Pay up, or you can’t leave.”

“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”

Kang Jin-ho went to the counter and took out his wallet.

“How much is it?”

“You’re going to pay?”

“How much is it?”

“One million two hundred and ninety thousand won.”

Without a word, Kang Jin-ho took out his card from his wallet and handed it over.

“How many installments?”

“It’s a debit card.”

“Hmm…”

The owner glanced at Kang Jin-ho, swiped the card, and handed him the receipt. Kang Jin-ho threw the receipt in the trash and went outside.

“Wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

The senior with glasses called out to him.

“I’m sorry. I’ll find the dues and pay you back right away.”

“It doesn’t matter, just please don’t mention that I paid.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. I will.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded and went outside. Park Yu-min and Han Se-yeon followed him outside. Outside, a group of drunk students were standing around, waiting.

The senior with glasses, who followed them out, shouted.

“Okay, those who are very drunk, send them home in a taxi, and those who are sober, please take care of the people next to you!”

“Yes!”

After a while, the commotion subsided, and the situation was roughly sorted out.

“Let’s go too.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Han Se-yeon.

“How are you going to get home?”

“I’ll get there on my own.”

“It’s late, you should be careful.”

“Why do you care whether I’m careful or not?”

Kang Jin-ho frowned at her sharp reaction.

“Does she have a drinking habit, why is she like this?”

“Drinking habit? Whatever. Goodbye.”

Han Se-yeon turned her body with a cold air and walked away.

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

“Hey, follow her.”

“Leave her alone. She said she’s going alone.”

“Are you going to let a woman go alone at this hour? Follow her.”

“It’s okay.”

“Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yeah?”

Park Yu-min said with a slightly stiff face.

“A man shouldn’t do that.”

“I’m going to take a taxi, so either give her a ride or put her in a taxi and take her home.”

“Do you really have to do that?”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

Even if it were someone else, it was hard to say anything else when Park Yu-min said it like that.

The Park Yu-min he knew was never someone who would insist on something wrong. If he was this angry, it meant that Kang Jin-ho had clearly done something wrong.

“Okay. I will.”

If someone else had spoken to Kang Jin-ho like this, he would never have heard good things.

In the past, in the Central Plains [a region in China], his head might have been cut off on the spot.

But the current Kang Jin-ho nodded obediently.

That was because Kang Jin-ho recognized Park Yu-min as a friend. A friend means an equal. Then this was advice. It was good to accept a friend’s advice.

If it was a friend he recognized.

“Then you be careful too.”

“What’s there to be careful about when I’m taking a taxi? Don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed and followed after Han Se-yeon.

She was walking so fast that he couldn’t see her anymore.

“Haa…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head and walked, tracking Han Se-yeon’s energy.

“Let go.”

Han Se-yeon shook off the hand of the man who was holding her.

“Don’t be like that, just have a drink with me.”

“I said no.”

“Hey, it looks like you’ve already had a drink? It’s not even that late, why are you trying to go home?”

“Don’t bother me and let go.”

“Don’t be like that, let’s have fun together. It’ll be fun.”

“I said let go!”

Kang Jin-ho saw the scene and walked towards Han Se-yeon.

“Is there a problem?”

“Oh, what?”

“Why did you come!”

Kang Jin-ho looked at the man who was holding Han Se-yeon’s hand and opened his mouth.

“I won’t say it twice.”

The man quietly let go of her hand and stepped back. He would have tried to argue if he could, but for some reason, he had a strong feeling that he should never pick a fight with this guy.

He hadn’t been threatened, but he felt goosebumps and his hair stood on end.

“Get lost.”

That was the end of it.

In a situation where Kang Jin-ho became serious, it was impossible for an ordinary person to withstand that pressure.

The man fled from the spot.

“I’m really having bad luck!” Kang Jin-ho replied to Han Se-yeon’s words.

“That’s why I told you to be careful.”

“Why did you come!”

“I was told to take you home.”

“Who?”

“Park Yu-min.”

“Why is he doing such unnecessary things!” Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply as Han Se-yeon got annoyed. He couldn’t understand why she was being so annoying today.

“Are you drunk?”

“Drunk? What are you talking about?”

“Then why are you so irritable?”

“I don’t know. Go away. I’ll get there on my own.” Kang Jin-ho silently followed Han Se-yeon as she walked away.

“Why are you following me?”

“I was told to take you home.”

“By Park Yu-min?”

“Yeah.”

“So if Park Yu-min told you to leave me alone, you’d just leave me and go? Forget it, go away. I don’t need it.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

How to deal with someone who was so stubborn was something he couldn’t learn even in his long life.

“Let’s go.”

“What do you mean let’s go! I said go away!”

“Okay, let’s go. I’ll watch you go inside. Or take a taxi.”

“Forget it. I’m going to walk.”

“Your house is far from here.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Kang Jin-ho was starting to get annoyed.

‘This is why I hate drunk people.’ He couldn’t communicate with her. But it was right to take her home.

“Let’s go.”

“I said forget it.”

Kang Jin-ho stopped walking.

“Then go.”

“What…?”

“Then just go. I’ll go too.”

Han Se-yeon stared at Kang Jin-ho for a moment and then let out a hollow laugh.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly watched Han Se-yeon walk away and then followed her.

It was too cumbersome to go together, but he had to take her home, so that was the method he chose.

Following her without being noticed was nothing to Kang Jin-ho.

‘But it’s the first time I’ve done this.’

He had experienced countless times running away from the pursuit of others. But following someone else while avoiding their attention was a completely new experience for him. It felt strange.

He was someone who didn’t need to track others.

He would just kill the enemies who attacked him, and he didn’t bother chasing those who ran away. So it was bound to be awkward.

‘It’s going to take a long time.’

At Han Se-yeon’s pace, it would take at least an hour to get from here to her house. At her slow pace, it might not even be enough in an hour.

Kang Jin-ho, who had ended up doing an unwanted tailing job, shook his head.

“This is a pain in the neck.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly followed Han Se-yeon.

But before long, he saw Han Se-yeon sitting down on the ground.

Han Se-yeon, who was sitting on the side of an alley, buried her face in her knees and didn’t move.

“Haa…”

Kang Jin-ho sighed and walked towards Han Se-yeon.

“Let’s go.”

Han Se-yeon raised her head. Strangely, Han Se-yeon’s eyes were half wet.

“Drink in moderation, if you can’t handle it.”

“Why did you come? You said you were leaving?”

“Forget it, let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

Han Se-yeon stared at Kang Jin-ho’s face and opened her mouth.

“I can’t walk.”

“My feet hurt too much, and I don’t have any strength in my legs.”

“I told you to take a taxi.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry…”

Kang Jin-ho helped Han Se-yeon up. But that also had its limits. Kang Jin-ho thought it wouldn’t work and turned his back to Han Se-yeon.

“Get on my back.”