Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 719

◈ 719. So You Can Miss Me Anytime

Jang Tae-ri looked at Rembrary in surprise. Shin Jo-woon’s eyes were also wider than usual as he stared at Rembrary.

Sagong Jae had safely completed the sealing and rushed over, overjoyed, when Rembrary brought Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri out, but he froze upon hearing Rembrary’s last words.

Noir wasn’t surprised, but he put on a surprised expression to mimic the humans and looked at Rembrary.

Rembrary, confused by their reactions, asked,

“Why are you all so surprised?”

Jang Tae-ri couldn’t hide the bewildered tone in his voice as he confirmed,

“You’re leaving right away?”

“I said I was going to leave.”

“You did say that. No, but I didn’t know you meant *right away*!”

“?”

Jang Tae-ri stared at Rembrary’s blank eyes and asked in greater shock,

“You don’t mean you’re leaving immediately, right now, do you?”

Rembrary smiled gently, as if wondering what he was talking about, and said,

“Of course.”

Just as Jang Tae-ri was about to feel a little relieved.

“I’m leaving this evening.”

The follow-up words crashed in, leaving no room for relief. Jang Tae-ri and Shin Jo-woon looked at each other.

Both of them were taken aback by this declaration, as they had expected Rembrary to stay for at least a week, or even a month.

Rembrary, rather bewildered by their reactions, muttered,

“I already told you. None of you listened to me.”

Shin Jo-woon said in a hollow voice,

“I didn’t know you meant you’d leave as soon as the job was done.”

“What do you mean you didn’t know? You kept telling me to leave, didn’t you?”

Sagong Jae, who had been watching, pointed with his eyes to where the Demon King had been sealed and the clear sky, and interjected.

“Do you have to leave right now? Things have barely stabilized.”

Jang Tae-ri quickly chimed in with kind words.

“Yeah, Rembrary. Stay here for a while. Let’s eat lots of delicious food and hang out together before you go. And take lots of pictures.”

Shin Jo-woon looked at Rembrary with a serious expression.

However, Rembrary, who would normally have been swayed by talk of delicious food and hanging out, was not this time.

Rembrary replied nonchalantly,

“I already have plenty of memories. And lots of pictures.”

Everyone was speechless, staring at Rembrary.

Whether he was ignoring this heavy atmosphere or not, Rembrary took out his phone, showed them his photo album, and added,

“I’m going to print all of these out and take them with me.”

Rembrary smiled brightly, but Jang Tae-ri’s eyes turned red. Shin Jo-woon, on the other hand, corrected Rembrary’s words calmly.

“Print [as in, get them printed].”

Rembrary, feeling a bit hurt by the reaction, asked,

“Anchovy, is that all you have to say to me?”

But Shin Jo-woon, after a moment of surprise, shrugged as if he really didn’t care anymore and said,

“What can I do if you’re going home? I have to tell you to have a good trip. I can’t stop you.”

Still feeling hurt, Rembrary raised his eyebrows and stared at him, but Shin Jo-woon smiled and said goodbye.

“Have a good trip, Pig. Stay healthy.”

Rembrary deliberately didn’t answer, but Shin Jo-woon just kept smiling.

Jang Tae-ri felt heavy-hearted, but understanding why Shin Jo-woon was acting that way, as a longtime friend, he forced a smile and said goodbye as well.

“Have a good trip, Mr. Pig.”

“Yeah, you two anchovies take care too.”

“I’m an anchovy too?”

“Yes.”

“Since when? Why?”

“It’s been a while. Didn’t I tell you?”

“!”

Sagong Jae watched the bickering trio with regretful eyes before smiling bitterly. *I won’t be able to see them like this anymore.*

* * *

Rembrary really asked Daeju to print out all the photos on his phone.

And while the photos were being printed, he made farewell calls and texts here and there, and laid out and ate his favorite foods.

It seemed like he was deliberately avoiding saying goodbye in person, but those who received Rembrary’s calls all gathered at Shin Jo-woon’s house in the good school district [an area known for its high-quality education], as if they had made a promise.

Woo Yeon-woo rushed over in shock, but when he saw Rembrary comfortably eating, he protested tearfully.

“You said you’d never come here again, but you’re just telling me to take care over the phone? Is that it? Why are you suddenly leaving today? Can’t you stay for a few months? It’s not like you told me to come right away!”

Woo Yeon-woo’s crying face looked so sorrowful that anyone with a heart would feel a lump in their throat.

Jong-woo had come along with Yeon-woo on a whim, and he started sniffling along with him after seeing that.

However, Rembrary remained calm and replied,

“The sooner I go, the sooner I can be of help, wouldn’t you say?”

Woo Yeon-woo bit his lip and kept wiping his eyes with his sleeve. This sudden farewell, a farewell that they would never be able to have again, was even more shocking.

Woo Yeon-woo had thought that Rembrary would keep bickering and live here forever, which made it even harder.

Jung Seo also seemed a bit shocked, staring blankly at Rembrary eating pizza, and barely opened his mouth when their eyes met.

“I haven’t even had a proper conversation with you yet. I thought we’d have plenty of time to meet in the future, so I thought it would be okay. I was waiting for you to become free.”

“As you know, Jung Seo, I like you very much.”

“!”

“Your help was a great strength to me when I couldn’t adapt. You know that, right?”

Jung Seo bit his lip and couldn’t answer. Rembrary was a benefactor to him as well.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have kept in touch. Even if I knew you were busy and annoyed, I would have texted, called, and visited.”

“I like your thoughtfulness. You’re a really good kid, Jung Seo.”

Woo Yeon-woo wanted to protest, ‘What do you mean? Are you closer to him than me?’ but he held back because it wasn’t the right atmosphere.

Mullu also had a heavy expression as he watched this atmosphere.

It was good that he could return to his original world, but it was hard to watch this farewell scene with a smile.

Rembrary then looked at Daeju and instructed,

“If anything urgent happens, ask Moroso for help as well.”

“Not Redrin?”

“Praying to Redrin is a given. I’m saying in addition to that.”

“Will he help us?”

“We made a promise. I will take care of Kamuel’s children there, and Moroso will take care of Redrin’s children here. So don’t hesitate and ask him for anything and everything.”

“Yes, I will.”

Daeju, who was speaking calmly, also had a trembling voice at the end. Jang Tae-ri couldn’t bear to watch and turned around, fanning himself with his hand.

“Tae-ri.”

At Rembrary’s call, Jang Tae-ri quickly turned around and forced a bright smile.

“Yes, Rembrary. What is it?”

Rembrary unconsciously glanced at the seat next to Jang Tae-ri.

Jang Tae-ri immediately understood what Rembrary wanted to ask. He wanted to ask why Shin Jo-woon hadn’t come.

Before coming here, Jang Tae-ri had asked Shin Jo-woon to come with him.

However, Shin Jo-woon had holed himself up in the WorldBoom office and refused to come along.

Instead, he handed over a box filled with instant food and packaged snacks, as if he had prepared it in advance, and said,

“Take it to him. Tell him it’s from me.”

“Can I take it?”

“If you can’t take it, just leave it there.”

“He’d prefer you to come in person rather than this.”

“I can’t see him.”

“You should at least say goodbye. That way, Rembrary can leave in peace.”

Shin Jo-woon hesitated for a moment, but eventually said he wouldn’t come. The detached attitude he had shown at the place where the Demon King was sealed was already gone.

Jang Tae-ri knew better than anyone that Shin Jo-woon was picky about making friends and not used to farewells, so he couldn’t persuade him any further and just brought the box he had given him.

But seeing Rembrary glancing around like that, constantly looking to see if Shin Jo-woon was coming or not, he regretted not bringing him along, even if it meant saying some harsh words.

“Should I tell him to come?”

When Jang Tae-ri finally couldn’t pretend not to notice and asked, Rembrary smiled gently and shook his head.

“No. Anchovy has a small and weak heart. I should leave him to be comfortable.”

Before Jang Tae-ri could say anything, Woo Yeon-woo, who had been sniffling, exploded and shouted,

“My heart is weak too!”

Jang Tae-ri was speechless at the sight of him crying so loudly.

Rembrary patted Woo Yeon-woo’s back perfunctorily and started eating again.

“Is food the thing you least want to say goodbye to!”

Woo Yeon-woo shouted again, unable to watch any longer, but knowing what Rembrary’s answer would be, he asked the question and then covered his ears.

Hwasaja clicked his tongue as he watched the scene and looked at Ardor.

Ardor, who he had expected to be happy, also looked surprisingly heavy-hearted now.

‘Is he a little sad to say goodbye too?’

“Why the long face?”

Hwasaja, thinking that he wasn’t the type to be like that, asked, and Ardor muttered like a possessed person,

“Is it better to be next to the High Priest? Or is it better to go to the original world with the High Priest?”

But as expected, Ardor wasn’t like this because of the farewell.

Hwasaja pondered whether he should tell Rembrary that it would be better to tie this bastard up and take him away.

However, before Hwasaja could make a decision, Daeju’s secretary came into the restaurant and shouted,

“The photos are all printed!”

At the same time, everyone fell silent. Rembrary got up without eating the last piece of pizza.

“Hey, eat that before you go!”

Woo Yeon-woo shouted in surprise when he saw that, but Rembrary shook his head and smiled.

“Wouldn’t it be better to leave a little bit to be missed?”

“You crazy bastard! If you eat everything and leave just that one piece, I’ll only miss it right before I die! Just eat it all and go!”

“I’m full now.”

Daeju’s secretary felt guilty for making the atmosphere so dark when he appeared, so he cautiously handed Rembrary the printed photos.

Rembrary took the envelope from the secretary, took out three or four photos from inside, and smiled.

Then, he handed one of them to Jang Tae-ri and said,

“Make a copy and share it with Anchovy and Tae-ri.”

After putting the other photos back in, Rembrary hugged the envelope and gestured to Ardor. Ardor quickly picked up the box of food that Shin Jo-woon had sent.

Woo Yeon-woo burst into tears again when he saw that and asked,

“Are you really going?”

“Yeah.”

“What if the Demon King rises again after you leave? What if two layers of seals aren’t enough?”

“Pray. I’ll come.”

“Something terrible could happen while you’re coming. Can’t you just stay here?”

“Something terrible could happen over there in the meantime, couldn’t it?”

“!”

Rembrary patted Woo Yeon-woo’s back with the hand that wasn’t holding the envelope. But after that, he turned around without hesitation.

“Let’s go together. I’ll see you off.”

Jang Tae-ri quickly approached and said, but Rembrary stopped in front of the door and said firmly,

“No. Don’t come. I think I’ll be sad when I leave if you guys come.”

“But…….”

Rembrary smiled brightly at Jang Tae-ri and then turned around.

“Don’t come out the door. Come out after I leave.”

Jang Tae-ri wanted to follow, but he stood rooted to the spot, clenching his fists.

He said it would be sadder if they saw each other’s faces. He couldn’t bear to follow and make it even sadder.

But when Rembrary opened the front door, Jang Tae-ri was a little upset to find Noir standing there with his bag.

*He’s the cause of this whole thing, so why is he going with him?*

Harsher words were about to come out on their own, but Rembrary didn’t seem to think much of it, so the words didn’t come out.

Hugging the envelope, Rembrary walked outside and looked back for a moment.

Then, seeing the people huddled together at the door, Rembrary smiled gently, as if he were meeting them tomorrow.

It was the last image of Rembrary that everyone remembered.

* * *

About five minutes later, a car stopped urgently in front of the house.

“Where’s Rembrary?”

Shin Jo-woon, who got out of the car, rushed into the open front door and asked Jang Tae-ri urgently. Jang Tae-ri was sitting blankly on the sofa and shook his head.

“!”

Jang Tae-ri handed Shin Jo-woon a photo, who was speechless and frozen.

“He told us to have it.”

It was a photo of the three of them together at the pizza place. A photo taken comfortably, as if they would live like this forever.

Jang Tae-ri quietly hugged Shin Jo-woon, who was staring silently at the photo.