Whether I interfered or not, Jin Harin's answer to Yoon Si-woo's confession was already set to be a rejection.
They were childhood friends, but their personalities were polar opposites.
One was passionate, the other cynical.
One overflowed with pure enthusiasm, the other was filled with a venomous ambition born of desire.
Lastly, one liked the other, while the other liked and disliked the other at the same time.
One day, when she came to me, complaining endlessly about Si-woo, I asked her:
—"So, do you dislike Si-woo?"
She replied:
—"Sometimes I dislike him, and sometimes I like him."
No one in the world could only feel dislike or only feel liking.
Jin Harin's gaze, filled with complaints towards Yoon Si-woo, didn't stem from hatred.
So, what did it stem from?
—"Every time I see him, I feel it. The fact that I'm so stained and grimy."
It was nothing other than jealousy.
She, who had lost her parents early and was raised by her childhood friend's parents.
Her childhood friend, who grew up receiving boundless love and support under strong parents.
She, who had to be mindful of others' gazes, whether at home or outside.
Her childhood friend, who was free in every aspect, never caring about anyone's opinion.
She, who had to achieve everything alone in a cold reality.
Her childhood friend, who had someone to warmly embrace them even if they failed and stumbled.
Envy, resentment, and jealousy towards a childhood friend who possessed what she lacked.
Regret that if her own parents had been alive, she might have lived as brightly as that.
That was why she sometimes looked at Yoon Si-woo with disapproval.
Pure goodwill and love.
She desperately yearned for those feelings that only parents could give, and which were so hard to accept from others.
Lately, those feelings had grown even more intense.
Her only pride had been that she possessed better talent than Yoon Si-woo and was ahead of him, but now even that was on the verge of being caught up.
She struggled desperately not to be overtaken, and that venomous determination further deepened her emotions.
And in the midst of all that, he confessed his love. How could that possibly work?
"Si-woo."
"Yes, S-sunbae-nim..."
"Why do you think Harin couldn't accept your confession?"
"That's..."
"Because she doesn't have time to date right now? Because she has too much to do? Those are all excuses."
"E-excuses...?"
"Do you think the saying 'children are born even during war' exists for no reason? If you had truly captured Harin's heart, no matter how little time she had, that wouldn't be a reason to reject you, is what I'm saying."
"..."
The guy quickly grew gloomy.
I filled his soju glass to the brim and threw a stone.
"But it's too early to despair."
A single stone of faint hope, meant to ripple across a lake filled with black despair.
"If she truly disliked you, she would have rejected you outright."
"R-right, she would have."
"But what does it mean that she pushed you away with such an ambiguous attitude?"
The guy, his mind struggling to work properly through the alcohol, finally found an answer and spoke.
"She likes me, but not enough to date me right now...?"
I grinned at his gaze, which seemed to be pleading for confirmation, and replied.
"Smart guy."
He asked again.
"T-then, I... I don't have to give up on Harin, do I?"
"Of course not, you idiot. If you give up now, you'll really be a pushover."
I still vividly remember her expression when she read Yoon Si-woo's confession in advance and asked me what she should do.
She already had a set answer, so why did she seek an answer from me?
At first, I couldn't understand, but after a while, I realized.
That Jin Harin was relying on someone for the very first time in her life.
And that person was none other than me.
Another question arose here.
Why, exactly?
How could I, who had only recently begun to interact with her seriously, open a heart that even her childhood friend of over ten years, and her childhood friend's parents who had taken her in as an orphan, couldn't?
I surmised it was perhaps due to our similar circumstances and the deep empathy that arose from them.
Anyway.
Being able to change her answer meant I could shape the situation to my liking.
Only one thought occurred to me then.
That she seemed worth using.
"T-then, what should I do now?"
"First, you need to get stronger. Both physically and mentally."
I lightly patted the slumped guy's shoulder and continued.
"I'll teach you well, so let's work hard together."
"S-sunbae-nim..."
"What 'Sunbae-nim'? Call me 'Hyung' in private, you punk."
"H-hyung!"
The guy, with a deeply moved expression, hugged me.
Hugging a man was something I hated more than death, but for now, I had to endure it.
Until I was deeply ingrained in his bones as a respectable older brother, a senior, and a Guild Master.
"I'll really work hard, Hyung! I mean, I've been working hard already, but... anyway, even harder!"
"Alright, alright."
I knew.
The duality of the name 'hope' – sometimes acting as the ultimate driving force for humans, and sometimes fitting in as the final piece that completes their ruin.
That's why I was certain.
This, precisely, would become my most powerful trump card when Yoon Si-woo eventually became an enemy.
Finally, the awaited day arrived.
The day the Twilight Guild, which had been freeloading in a university club room, would get a proper Guild Headquarters.
Spring, with its profusely blooming cherry blossoms, had passed, and the weather was just starting to get warm.
Upon hearing that the construction was finally complete, Kim Dojin immediately headed to Gangnam with his guild members.
Before their eyes stood a newly constructed building in the heart of Gangnam, so impressive it made their mouths water just looking at it.
Im Na-eun asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
"This really is our Guild Headquarters... right?"
"...Indeed."
"In the middle of Gangnam, and not just one floor, but the entire building...?"
"Y-yeah, indeed."
To think this was truly the new home for a guild that had been freeloading in a university club room.
The guild members felt their chests swell with grandeur.
Their already large chests puffed out even further with deep breaths.
As no one could easily take a step, merely gazing up at the building, Seo Jeong-hee, who had joined the guild as a non-combatant, stepped forward and asked.
"Aren't you going to go inside?"
At her words, Kim Dojin snapped out of it and took a step forward, rousing everyone else.
"...Let's go in."
With resolute hearts, they finally entered the building.
In the center of the spacious lobby.
Two beautiful women, dressed in two-piece suits, stood before the reception desk.
One was a blonde, blue-eyed foreigner, the other a Korean woman with long, straight black hair.
They politely greeted Kim Dojin and the other guild members.
"Welcome."
"We've been waiting for you."
At the appearance of the two captivating women, a nervous Shin Yujung poked Kim Dojin's side and asked.
"Hey, who are those women?"
"Who else? They're our staff who will be working at the reception desk from now on."
They were staff members selected with the Saintess's help.
Both were devout followers of the Vatican Orthodox Church, talented individuals who had recently graduated from university and were preparing for employment when they saw the recruitment notice, applied, and were chosen after overcoming fierce competition.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Rachel."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Shin Jiyeon."
The guild members, with bewildered expressions, responded to their greetings with slight bows.
From behind, Shin Yujung grumbled.
"...Do we really need two people at the reception desk?"
"Ahem, of course. Think of how many guests will be visiting our guild in the future."
Kim Dojin, trying hard to maintain a calm demeanor, spoke at length.
He was slightly stung by her comment.
As she said, only one reception desk employee was originally planned.
The first talent selected from the fierce competition was Shin Jiyeon.
Rachel was supposed to look for other employment after being edged out by her, but her fate was changed by Kim Dojin's intervention to hire her as well.
So why did he try to recruit her?
"It's a global era, you know. It's common sense to have one staff member to greet Korean guests and another to greet foreign guests, right?"
It was a lie.
Shin Jiyeon was a talent among talents, capable of speaking Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese.
No matter what kind of guest arrived, she could handle them perfectly.
Rachel was merely for his own satisfaction.
He remembered the blonde receptionist who had greeted him at the Zodiac Guild when he visited for negotiations in the past.
At that time, he had vowed.
That he would definitely hire a blonde receptionist like that for the Guild Headquarters he would one day establish.
He had simply fulfilled that vow, nothing more.
Probably.
Just as he was fending off Shin Yujung's suspicious gaze.
"I will guide you."
Shin Jiyeon, one of the receptionists, volunteered to be their guide.
The building tour soon began.
"On the first floor, along with the lobby, there's a cafe, a convenience store, and other establishments. It goes without saying, but all of these are provided free of charge to all guild members, so please feel free to use them whenever you need."
"Ooh..."
The second floor was office space prepared for future administrative guild members.
The third floor housed private lounges for the guild's core members and equipment storage.
The fourth floor consisted of various-sized meeting rooms, divided according to their purpose.
The fifth floor comprised the Guild Master's office and an empty room whose purpose had not yet been decided.
"Wow... the Guild Master's office is no joke."
"The Saintess must really care about us."
"Yeah..."
The guild members marveled at the Guild Master's office, a spacious area filled with custom-made, ultra-expensive furniture.
But this wasn't the end.
No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the real show was just beginning.
"Now, we'll head to the basement."
They took the elevator and pressed the 'B1' button.
Ding!
"This is the guild members' exclusive dining hall."
A kitchen filled with state-of-the-art cooking equipment and a dining hall capable of seating hundreds simultaneously.
As soon as they arrived, Kim Dojin lightly nudged Seo Jeong-hee's back.
"This is now your... no, Ajumma's workplace."
"Oh my."
Her exact position, having joined the guild as a non-combatant, was nutritionist.
So, this was her workplace.
As he led her, still looking bewildered, into the spacious kitchen, two men and three women in chef's uniforms respectfully bowed their heads.
"Greetings, Chef!"
"We look forward to working with you!"
Seeing them, Seo Jeong-hee asked in a surprised tone.
"D-Dojin. Who are these people...?"
"Who else? They're kitchen assistants to help Ajumma cook."
"T-then, the person they called 'Chef' earlier..."
"That would be Ajumma, of course?"
"Oh, oh my, oh my, oh my."
Seo Jeong-hee, so utterly surprised, kept repeating "Oh my."
It was the first time.
The first time she had ever experienced getting a proper job in such a respectable place and being greeted by others.
After unexpectedly having a child before even graduating university, her life had always been solely about childcare.
So, her heart swelled a little.
As if she might finally, belatedly, experience the ordinary office worker's life she had sometimes dreamed of.
At the same time, she also felt afraid.
"I-I don't know if I can do well..."
Wondering if she, who had never professionally learned to cook, deserved such a high position.
Kim Dojin gently took her hand and replied.
"So what if you're not perfect? Who's good at something from the very beginning?"
"Dojin..."
It was a more comforting statement than vague assurances that she would do well.
"Until we hire more staff, these are all the people we have, so don't feel too pressured."
Encouraged, she nodded with a determined expression.
"Alright, I'll work hard! But... it's not really a 'but,' but I have one request."
"What is it?"
When Kim Dojin asked again, she whispered in a small voice.
"I'd like to have a private office..."
"That's, well, as much as you want..."
"Don't you think the fifth floor would be a good location?"
"Ah."
The strange breath that escaped her lips tickled his chest.