Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 73

“Still, winning is what makes you truly cool.” As if he heard those words, Park Yu-min’s hands began to move faster.

[Park Yu-min! Player Park Yu-min! He’s pushing hard! He’s really pushing! Uwaaa! That exquisite control! Park Yu-min! Park Yu-min! A new champion is about to be born right here! Park Yu-min! GG! GG is coming!] [GG stands for ‘Good Game’, a term used to acknowledge the end of a match]

Along with the booming broadcast echoing through the stadium, fireworks exploded in all directions.

“Kyaaaa! Yu-min won! He’s the champion!”

“He did it.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

He felt strangely proud.

Had he ever felt proud watching someone else’s accomplishments before?

As the commotion in the stadium subsided, Park Yu-min began his interview.

“Yu-min’s crying.”

“It’s going to be a video for life, don’t be a wimp.” The caster asked Park Yu-min a question.

[Player Park Yu-min! You’ve won! Who would you like to share this joy with?]

Park Yu-min answered with a slightly tearful voice.

[First, I want to thank our team members who practiced and struggled with me, our coach who went through a lot because of me, and the director of the orphanage who raised me, our kind younger siblings, thank you all, and our friends who led me to the path of a pro gamer! I want to share this joy with our friends who came here today!]

[Friends, you say?]

[Yes! Jin-ho, I kept my promise!]

Kang Jin-ho burst out laughing.

“He’s impossible.”

However, Han Se-yeon had a somewhat sulky expression.

“Why?”

“He didn’t call my name, just skipped right over it.”

“You’re dead when you get down here.”

“Cut me some slack, I won.”

“You’re half-dead.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“Yeah, half-dead is good enough for today.” Park Yu-min had finally won. Kang Jin-ho watched the scene, smiling continuously.

‘Congratulations.’ Time flows on.

Leaving behind many events and many memories.

* * *

“To our Jin-ho’s clean enlistment!”

Jeong In-gyu raised his glass and toasted.

“Cheers!”

Kang Jin-ho raised his glass, clinked it, and then placed it back on the table.

“Why aren’t you drinking?”

“It doesn’t taste good.”

“Do you drink for the taste?”

“Then what for?”

“To get drunk, of course!”

Kang Jin-ho calmly nodded.

“That’s why I’m not drinking.”

“What are you talking about?”

Park Yu-min answered clearly.

“Jin-ho can drink ten times what you guys drink and not get drunk. So, he can’t drink to get drunk.”

“…Jin-ho, are you that good at drinking?”

“He’s insane.”

“I see.”

Min-jae, who had been quietly observing the situation, opened his mouth.

“By the way, who invited In-gyu?”

“No one invited him. He just showed up on his own.”

“Hey, you guys have no loyalty! You’re trying to drink without me when Jin-ho’s going to the army?”

“You’re a student preparing for the college entrance exam.”

“Are students not people? I’m so upset.”

Laughter erupted at Jeong In-gyu’s banter.

The drinks started to go around, one round, two rounds. The main topics were stories of the past six months and army stories they had picked up from somewhere.

And while the drinking session lasted for several hours, Han Se-yeon didn’t say a single word.

“Let’s get up now.”

Park Yu-min broke the silence.

“Already?”

“There’s a student retaking the college entrance exam, and I need to take care of my body because of the tournament.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Jin-ho, let’s get up now.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho cleanly got up from his seat.

He hadn’t come to drink anyway. He had just wanted to see his friends after a long time.

“Okay, then I’ll pay the bill.”

“Ooh, a working adult!”

“The dignity of a pro!”

“No! The spirit of a champion!”

Park Yu-min’s face flushed at his friends’ cheers.

“It’s not that….”

“It’s okay, it’s good if you pay!”

Park Yu-min awkwardly headed to the cashier.

After leaving the bar and chatting for a while, the friends headed home one by one.

“Jin-ho, I’m going.”

“I’ll give you a ride.”

“It’s okay. Take Se-yeon home.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll take a taxi.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho saw Park Yu-min off and then turned his head.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

During the walk home, Han Se-yeon didn’t say a single word.

However, she didn’t act strangely like last time, so Kang Jin-ho was able to walk more comfortably.

“When did you apply?”

For the first time, Han Se-yeon spoke to Kang Jin-ho.

“Not long ago.”

“Without saying a word?”

“Well, that’s just how you are.”

Han Se-yeon’s tone was more cold than disappointed. It was closer to resignation than disappointment.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t answer Han Se-yeon’s words. He knew that she wasn’t expecting an answer.

The two walked silently along the dark night road for a long time.

Han Se-yeon glanced back at Kang Jin-ho a couple of times, but she didn’t say anything in particular.

Before they knew it, they had arrived in front of Han Se-yeon’s house.

“Go in.”

“Okay.”

“Enlist well.”

“Okay.”

“Be careful and come back safely.”

“Okay.”

Han Se-yeon stared at Kang Jin-ho for a moment before opening her mouth.

“Do you have nothing else to say besides ‘okay’?”

“You apply for enlistment without a word and then suddenly tell me you’re enlisting a few days before, and that’s it? And all you can say is ‘okay.’ ‘Okay’ this, ‘okay’ that. Okay! Okay! Okay!” Han Se-yeon’s voice grew louder.

“I’m really! I’m so sick of it now!” Kang Jin-ho was at a loss for words at Han Se-yeon’s reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? You’re asking because you don’t know? Ah, that’s right. You wouldn’t know. You wouldn’t ask if you knew! You’re not someone who would ask if you knew!”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

It was like there was a curse on this house; whenever he came here, things always went strangely.

“You’re drunk. Go in. I’m leaving.”

“I didn’t even drink.”

“I’m tired, now. Go. Goodbye. I’m going to stop now, so you do whatever you want. Enlist, immigrate, do whatever you want.”

Han Se-yeon turned around with a cold gust of wind.

Kang Jin-ho quietly watched the scene.

“Goodbye.”

Han Se-yeon left a farewell. He felt strangely bitter. Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth.

“Han Se-yeon.”

“…What?”

“I don’t know why you’re angry, but calm down. I’m sorry.”

Han Se-yeon’s face flushed.

“Why are you apologizing when you don’t know what you did wrong!”

“Because you’re angry.”

“Do you know that makes people even more angry?”

Han Se-yeon wiped her eyes and opened her mouth.

“You’re really too much. You’re really too much. How can you make a person feel so miserable?”

Han Se-yeon said forlornly.

“I like you.”

“I like you, I have liked you for a long time.”

“I do too.”

Han Se-yeon nodded.

“Yeah, you like me. You like Yu-min, In-gyu, Tae-ho, Min-jae, you like everyone. I know. That’s why I liked you. But it seems like you’re not someone I can handle.”

Kang Jin-ho closed his mouth.

He didn’t know what to say in this situation.

“I’m always just hanging around you, and you don’t even care about me—I’m tired of this now. I’m going to meet someone who likes me and live comfortably.”

“Go. To the army or wherever. I’ll disappear from your sight now. I won’t bother you anymore.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed. This wasn’t it.

“Be careful and come back safely. Stay healthy. Don’t get hurt. Don’t get sick.”

Han Se-yeon smiled faintly.

“It was still fun. So, it’s okay now. Goodbye.”

Han Se-yeon opened the gate and went inside.

Kang Jin-ho quietly watched the scene.

It was bitter.

It was strangely bitter.

‘Strangely……’

He had lost a friend.

He could tell that for sure. Maybe that was why his chest felt stuffy and bitter.

He felt like he was getting angry, and his emotions were surging.

‘What was it?’

This feeling.

It was a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time.

A long time ago….

In the past.

A feeling he seemed to have had briefly even before that.

‘I’m too late.’

He was late in realizing it.

Kang Jin-ho smiled bitterly.

“A little… no, I’m very late.” Kang Jin-ho turned around.

But it was still fortunate. He was able to know what the feeling he had was. It was a feeling he might have passed by without knowing for the rest of his life. It was fortunate that he found out now, even if it was late.

‘It’s too late, though.’

Kang Jin-ho walked slowly.

Now…….

“Hey!”

At that moment, a sharp voice came from behind him.

“Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho was surprised and shouted without realizing it.

He was so caught up in his emotions that he didn’t realize someone was coming out. It was something unimaginable in the past.

“Are you just going, you jerk!”

Han Se-yeon was walking out again, opening the gate.

“You told me to go…”

“Are you going just because I told you to go? If I did this much, shouldn’t you be holding onto the gate and begging or crying and apologizing? Don’t you know that’s how I save face?”

“Is that so?”

While Kang Jin-ho was bewildered, Han Se-yeon strode up to him.

“Stay still.”

“Huh?”

*Slap.*

Han Se-yeon’s hand struck Kang Jin-ho’s cheek.

“……You didn’t dodge?”

“You told me to stay still?”

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

“I hit you to make it hurt, though?”

Han Se-yeon sighed deeply.

“Who can I blame? I’m the fool, I’m the idiot. Why did I….”

Kang Jin-ho had nothing to say.

He didn’t know what it was, but it seemed like he had done something terribly wrong.

“Stay still.”

‘Again?’

Kang Jin-ho froze.

Then Han Se-yeon approached him and hugged him.

“Huh?”

Han Se-yeon raised her head a couple of times and then frowned slightly.

“B-bend your knees.”

“My knees?”

“Bend them!”

Kang Jin-ho bent his knees slightly without realizing it.

“A little more.”

“Why?”

“Just bend them!”

Kang Jin-ho sighed and bent his knees.

Then Han Se-yeon came closer to his face and kissed him.

What should he say…….

About this feeling.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t think. He knew that now wasn’t the time to think.

After a little while…….

Han Se-yeon stepped back slightly.

“Come back safely.”

“Okay.”

“If you contact Park Yu-min first when you get leave, I’ll follow you to the ends of hell and kill you.”

“I will.”

“You will?”

“……I’ll contact you first.”

Han Se-yeon nodded and then hugged Kang Jin-ho once more.

“Come back safely, you jerk.”

“Stay healthy.”

Han Se-yeon lightly kissed Kang Jin-ho’s lips once more and then ran into the house, her face flushed.

Kang Jin-ho reached out and touched his lips.

‘Strange.’

It was a strange feeling.

It was a feeling that was indescribably strange.

Kang Jin-ho turned his head slightly and looked inside the gate where Han Se-yeon was. He could feel Han Se-yeon leaning against the gate and crying.

“Sorry.”

Kang Jin-ho said lightly and then turned his body.

Now was the time to go.

“Hey! Kang Jin-ho!”

A loud shout came from inside the gate.

“What?”

“I’m going to wear my rubber shoes backwards, you jerk!”

Kang Jin-ho burst out laughing.

Really, until the end…….

She was a troublemaker until the end.

Kang Jin-ho walked slowly, feeling a strange feeling. He could have used his lightness skill to go quickly, but he didn’t want to.

Kang Jin-ho walked alone on the night road for the first time in a long time.

‘Have I changed?’

If he thought about when he first arrived here, Kang Jin-ho had changed. A lot.

Kang Jin-ho acknowledged that fact.

‘Am I at peace?’

Compared to the past, the world now was full of only enjoyable things.

Sometimes he got angry, and sometimes he was sad, but even so, his life was peaceful.

It was the life he had so desperately wanted.

‘Am I happy?’

He hadn’t found the answer to that yet.

What was certain was…….

He was slowly getting closer to the happiness he desired. That much was certain.

‘It’s a relief.’

That he was able to return to the modern world.

That he was able to escape from hell.

That he was able to live the life he had longed for.

It was a relief.

‘Like now.’

Like now in the future too.

Like that, like now.

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

That smile was…….

It looked a little sad, and a little full of regret.

Not yet…….

It wasn’t yet.

He needed a little more time.

But sometimes, there comes a time when you have to acknowledge it anyway.

Just like now.

“Come out.”

The reality he had been ignoring was now beginning to approach him.