Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1124

“Hello?”Kang Jin-ho answered the phone with a puzzled look.

‘Why is he calling at this hour?’

Even though every day was unnecessarily busy, Kang Jin-ho made it a point to watch Park Yu-min’s matches whenever possible. Even if he couldn’t watch them live, he made sure to check the results every day.

Today was the day of the playoff best-of-five series, so the match would have ended later than usual. Since the match had just finished, it was probably just about time for him to arrive at the dorm. But a phone call meant something was up.

[Jin-ho!]

See? His voice is urgent.

Kang Jin-ho unconsciously rose slightly from his seat.

“What’s wrong?”

[Jin-ho! I!]

Park Yu-min paused slightly.

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t paid much attention to Park Yu-min recently. It was true that he was busy with various things, but that was no excuse.

Not paying attention to what was more important for the sake of something less important was an excuse that no one could accept.

“Take it easy and tell me calmly. What’s going on?”

[Jin-ho! Can I ask you a favor?]

“What favor?”

[You have to say yes!]

“Tell me first.”

Did something happen at the orphanage?

Otherwise, there was no way Park Yu-min would say something like this to him.

Kang Jin-ho, remembering that he hadn’t been able to visit the orphanage recently, hardened his expression. He didn’t know what was going on, but Kang Jin-ho was no longer as socially inept as he used to be.

Even without using his own power, he could easily resolve most issues.

Kang Jin-ho had no qualms about using his power and wealth for his friends.

“I’ll solve anything for you.”

[Jin-ho, I’m sorry, but…]

“Yeah.”

Just say the word…

[Play a game with me.]

“Okay, a ga… huh?”

[For two days!]

[Game! Just for two days!]

“…” Uh, uh?”

Kang Jin-ho was speechless for the first time in a while.

“Hello! I’m really sorry for coming so late.”

Park Yu-min bowed ninety degrees from the entrance.

“Oh, Yu-min, you’re here?”

“Yu-min, it’s been so long! Wow, our Yu-min has become so handsome!”

And his father and mother welcomed Park Yu-min sincerely.

Not just pretending to welcome him, but truly welcoming him.

Especially his mother…

“Yu-min, why don’t you hang out with our Jin-ho these days?”

“……Yes?”

She grabbed Park Yu-min’s hand tightly and began to lament.

“These days, because his old friends don’t hang out with him, our Jin-ho keeps hanging out with strange kids and coming home late at night. When he used to hang out with you guys, he was so wholesome… Why don’t you hang out with our Jin-ho more often? Jin-ho doesn’t have any friends.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes widened slightly.

“Mother, what are you talking about…”

“Is there?”

There isn’t.

“Y-Yu-min is here.”

“That’s what I’m saying. He only has one friend, and since that friend doesn’t hang out with him, he keeps doing strange things!”

Why?

Why can’t I deny it?

Just as Kang Jin-ho was desperately trying to come up with an excuse, Kang Eun-young, who had been walking out, stretched and said,

“Yu-min oppa [older brother, a term used by younger females], it’s been a while!”

“Ah, Eun-young, it’s been a while.”

Park Yu-min smiled with a slightly dazed look and waved his hand.

“Mom, Yu-min oppa is busy. He’s way busier than our brother. Asking a busy person to hang out is rude.”

“I’m not that busy.”

“Not busy, my foot.”

Kang Eun-young chuckled.

“Well, if Yu-min is busy, there’s nothing we can do. Well, Yu-min, have you eaten? Should I make you something to eat?”

Park Yu-min was horrified and waved both hands.

“I’ve already eaten. I’m already sorry for stopping by so late at night, I can’t impose like that.”

“Impose? Why is Yu-min coming to our house an imposition? I’ll be upset if you think like that.”

“Yeah, Yu-min. Come by more often. I’m going to forget your face.”

Park Yu-min lowered his head.

“Thank you. But I really have eaten.”

“Okay. Then I’ll cut some fruit for you to eat. You can eat that much, right?”

Park Yu-min, thinking that refusing any further would be impolite, smiled and nodded.

“Then I’ll enjoy it.”

Kang Yu-hwan, not wanting to be outdone, walked towards the kitchen.

“I’ll make you a killer cup of coffee.”

“Ah, it’s really okay…”

“No, it’s not. As you know, I make a really killer cup of coffee. I even told Jin-ho to bring some to your practice room a few times, but that rascal is too stubborn to do errands now.”

“It’s not that, it’s because I thought it might be a bother…”

“See, see? Now he talks back every time he opens his mouth. Ugh, if my son was Yu-min, I’d carry him around on my back.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at the ceiling with a forlorn expression.

There was no one on Kang Jin-ho’s side in this house.

Instead, Park Yu-min shielded Kang Jin-ho.

“Jin-ho is busy too.”

But Kang Yu-hwan’s attack power was not so weak that Park Yu-min could block it.

“Being busy is a good thing. Yes, it’s a good thing. But if you can’t do what you have to do because you’re busy, then it’s no longer a good thing. Yu-min, you should keep that in mind too. There’s an order to things. You shouldn’t get caught up in what’s right in front of you and miss out on something bigger.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hmm, that…”

Just as Kang Yu-hwan was about to say something more, Kang Eun-young clapped her hands.

Clap!

“Okay, okay, that’s enough lecturing. Yu-min oppa came to see oppa, let’s let them talk.”

“Ah, that’s right. Seeing as he came at this hour, he must have something to say. Go on in.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Kang Jin-ho led the way into his room, and Park Yu-min followed behind.

“I told you we could meet outside.”

“I wanted to see your parents too. It’s been a while since I said hello. Now that I’m working, it’s hard to stop by during the day, and it’s awkward to make time to come visit.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

Usually, people in such situations just stop visiting. That’s why it’s rare for people to maintain a relationship with their friend’s parents as they get older.

But Park Yu-min was this kind of person.

The one who overcomes that awkwardness and comes to visit.

“Yeah, good job.”

It was clear that his father and mother liked it. Even Kang Eun-young seemed to like it, though she didn’t show it.

“Sit down.”

Park Yu-min sat on the bed.

“So, what were you saying earlier?”

“Ah, Jin-ho, I…”

“Ah, wait a minute.”

Kang Jin-ho raised his hand, interrupting Park Yu-min, and then got up and walked towards the door.

“Huh?”

Then he flung the door open.

Behind the quickly opened door, his mother with fruit and his father with two cups of Americano were stretching their necks and eavesdropping.

Kang Jin-ho sighed at the sight.

“Ah, no, I was just going to give you fruit.”

“I was going to give you coffee. It’s not like I’m curious about what you’re saying.”

“If you keep doing this, I’m going outside.”

“No, no. We’re going to watch TV. Here, take this coffee.”

“And the fruit.”

“……Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho, taking the coffee and fruit, sighed and went inside. The door closed quietly.

Park Yu-min smiled at the sight.

“They’re still the same.”

“They’re a bit more than before.”

“It’s a good thing.”

“…” Is it?”

“Yeah. It’s a good thing.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

Yeah, it’s a good thing.

Being able to joke around with his parents like this was a really good thing. Park Yu-min, who didn’t have parents, would know. Kang Jin-ho also knew well, having experienced losing his family.

How precious these sometimes annoying and awkward things were.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing. I forgot for a moment.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

This is why he liked Park Yu-min. Because he made him think about the things he forgot.

“So, what’s the matter?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Park Yu-min scratched his head.

“Like I said, let’s play a game for two days.”

“……Out of the blue.”

“If you’re busy, it’s okay. It’s just that if you have time, it would be nice. It’s not that important.”

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

‘Not that important?’

There’s no way.

There was no way Park Yu-min would make such a fuss over something unimportant.

To summarize, it was like this.

If he explained the reason, Kang Jin-ho would definitely try to do it. He would try to make time even if he had to force it. So, he was vaguely glossing over the reason and trying to see if he had enough time to do it casually.

Kang Jin-ho laughed in disbelief.

‘We’ve grown apart.’

The degree of friendship depends on how much you can ask of each other.

Park Yu-min didn’t know it, but he was subtly judging that Kang Jin-ho thought work was more important than him. That’s why he was checking if Kang Jin-ho had time first.

He felt a little heated.

At Park Yu-min?

No, at himself.

How could he have been so indifferent to Park Yu-min recently that Park Yu-min would think like that?

His father was right.

There’s an order to things.

Losing those around you to gain something big?

What a joke.

He had already obtained something big a long time ago.

So, was he happy? Was he enjoying it?

Joy doesn’t come from the size of what you get. It comes from the value of what you get.

“Two days?”

“Yeah.”

Hmm.

Two days, two days…

He had to attend the opening ceremony, but fortunately, he could make time for two days. What he had to do could be replaced by bringing back Lee Hyun-soo, who had been given a two-day vacation to commemorate the end of his dispatch.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Yeah. Seeing as you’re asking for two days, you must be busy. There’s no need to waste time. Let’s go right now.”

“Ah…”

Park Yu-min tried to say something.

But Kang Jin-ho interrupted Park Yu-min.

“Before that, for a moment.”

“Huh?”

“Still, it’s a two-day sleepover, so I have to get permission. My mother hates it when I sleep out.”

“Ah… I’ll tell them for you.”

“Let’s go first.”

Kang Jin-ho headed to the master bedroom with a stern face.

“Have a good time.”

Baek Hyun-jung waved her hand without turning her head from the TV.

“……Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

Her reaction was a bit different from what he expected.

He was going to sleep out for two days.

“Mother, I’ll explain…”

“It’s okay. It’s annoying, what’s there to explain?”

Baek Hyun-jung said in a nonchalant voice.

“The reason I don’t want you to sleep out is because I’m worried you’ll do something stupid. And it’s because you keep sleeping out without saying anything. If you’re going out with Yu-min, it’s okay to go for two months, not just two days. If Yu-min is with you, what could possibly go wrong?”

Mother.

It seems you trust your son’s friend more than your own son?

“Have a good time. But come home in between to change your clothes. I can’t stand seeing my son walking around smelling bad. Yu-min, you too!”

“Yes!”

“Okay, go on.”

Kang Jin-ho and Park Yu-min bowed and went outside.

“That was easier than I thought?”

Kang Jin-ho silently took out a cigarette.

Kang Jin-ho was determined to restore his trust as a son after this was over.