The night was long, but it passed.
Si-Hun woke up with heavy eyes.
He had to go to Arthur's funeral today.
Si-Hun got ready and wore a black suit.
He kept the revolver Arthur gave him with him everywhere.
It stayed in his pocket whether it was a picnic or a battle.
He got out of his home and left.
On his way, he bought some flowers for Arthur's grave.
Si-Hun reached the graveyard in some time.
No one had to come to see Arthur off, but it made sense as Arthur didn't have any relatives or family.
Si-Hun was like his only family.
He entered the graveyard with slow steps.
His head was low the whole time.
He stood in front of Arthur's grave.
He was buried right next to his son.
Si-Hun put the flowers at Arthur's grave.
"You really left me this early," Si-Hun muttered to himself.
"I learned so much with you…Arthur, you saw me when my own father didn't even look at me as if I were a piece of garbage. You saw potential in me that I missed. I…want to live by your legacy…You said to live every moment…I can't take off the burden of not being able to protect anyone. I'll keep the shop as it is. Thank you for trusting me, Arthur. Over and out, Old Man!" Si-Hun said as he looked at his grave one last time before leaving.
"Over and out, Arthur…" Kuro muttered.
They walked out of the graveyard.
Si-Hun got on his bike.
He was going to Arthur's shop next.
The shop was in the same state as he had left it.
Vintage and untouched.
As he opened the old door, the bell rang again.
Si-Hun stopped and admired it this time.
[Flashback]
"Old man!" Si-Hun said, ecstatic.
"Here comes my man!" Arthur spoke as his face lit up with a wrinkly smile.
"Guess what your man got today?" Si-Hun said as he came closer to the counter.
"Go ahead, I'm all ears…" Arthur replied.
"I got a 50% mana share for getting my team safe out of the portal. It's 1.5 million won in total!" Si-Hun said, a smile tugging at his lips.
"That's my man right there! I want this same spirit in you always!" Arthur shouted, proud.
"Always!" Si-Hun muttered.
[Present]
"Always…" Si-Hun muttered in real.
"He told me to stay happy and live my moments. I said to take his advice." Si-un whispered to himself.
He moved around the shop and observed it from every corner.
The memories and time he spent here came back punching at him.
Those over-the-counter talks, those shooting practices, those weapon cleaning sessions, everything.
He ran a hand over the counter when he accidentally knocked off a paper.
"What's this?' He said as he crouched to pick it up and opened it.
It was said on the paper which Si-Hun read out aloud:
Last Will and Testament Papers
Han Si-Hun
"By the time I am writing this will, I may not even be alive. I don't have any family. I lost my son when he was sixteen. The day after, I saw a young man come to my shop with his father. I saw the young man looking at something dangerous: a revolver. The day before, I had lost my son. I could see the glint of his eyes when he looked at it. Couldn't help but keep that revolver safe with me. That young man came often with his father, but I never saw his father pleased with him. I, being a failed father, saw him. Time passed, and one day, he stopped coming. I waited for him every day. I kept the revolver with me and guarded it from any threats. My patience was rewarded when one day, I saw him at my shop again after six whole years. I knew he would come. I always did. He came as a grown man, young, tall, and beautiful. He came to buy a revolver from me. It was time. I was touched that he remembered me. I gave him the revolver I had kept within locks for years. He accepted it after I insisted on it a hundred times. He left again, but told me that he would come back and not keep me waiting for six years. He came back. He asked me to help him practice his skills. I was always waiting for that request, so I began to teach him. I felt the pride of a father on every bullseye. I started to see him as the son I always wanted to be by my side. I loved my time with him. I was an old man who barely had anyone to keep company with, but he made me feel like a father again. I invited him to my house one night. I told him everything this old man was keeping inside. That day…He called me his father. I felt like crying, but as a man I was, I didn't. It was the day after that, a police officer, and he asked me something that made me go cold towards my son. If I were not cold, I would have failed to be a father twice. I did what would make me at peace if I ever not succeed in seeing the beautiful sunset outside my shop. He didn't come today either. I hope he's safe. The whole purpose of writing this will is my intention of inheriting my only safe place, after I'm not able to see the sunset again, he shall see it here. I don't have anyone besides this young man, whom I truly am proud of. I willingly want Han Si-Hun to be the heir of this isolated place and all the assets I ever earned in this sinful life of mine. I want him to have them after I pass away on a legal notice."
"He…wrote me in his will?" Si-Hun muttered, eyes glossy in the corners.
"He wrote the whole journey we had from the start to the end…He called me his son, he-" Before a sob escaped, Kuro came and patted his shoulder.
"It's alright. That's just how life works. One shall not see the sunrise, and one shall see the sunset. The Sun is like a symbol of how life works. It's predictable even when the losses are not. Deep down, we all know we are all gonna end up together. No matter how much you deny it, the truth cannot be bent. Sure, a hundred lies can compress the truth, but never bend it."
"Kuro…you don't know how this is going on me…I lost in everything. I lost!" Si-Hun said, tears threatening to escape, but he didn't let them.
"But…Arthur said to move with the flow. Death is still the consequence of your life." He continued.
Kuro sighed.
Si-un looked down and continued organizing the shop.
Every corner revealed a forgotten old story.
Si-Hun smiled to himself, refusing to cry.
After the cleaning, he dialed the number Arthur had written over the will.
He talked with the lawyer, and the lawyer told him Arthur had already taken care of everything, the papers, the lawful inheritance.
"Thank you for your time," Si-Hun said and hung up.
"What was he thinking?" He thought.
After everything, Si-Hun took the papers from under the cushion on the chair near the counter and exited the shop.
"Bye for now…" He whispered as he got on his bike.
The shop seemed to return his goodbye as the old cloth on the windows rustled with the wind.
Si-Hun chuckled weakly, "It seems like it listens."
He glanced one last time and then left.
The air seemed colder as he left.
He went straight to the hospital and got his leg treated there.
Good thing Su-Yeon had already done the major steps, so it was not a big bill on his pocket.
"I need to thank her for her help." He said to Kuro.
Kuro nodded, and they headed home.
He had long drives here and there.
He bought something on his way home to thank her.
Once he reached home, he knocked on her door.
She opened the door with slow movements, peeking outside to see who it was.
She opened it completely after she saw it was…him.
"…Hello, uh…I wanted to thank you for your help yesterday." He said.
"There was no need for that. I was gonna check up on you later but…"
"It's alright."
She looked down.
"Here."
She hesitated before finally accepting the gift.
He handed her, careful not to touch her.
"Su-Yeon…"
He hummed, looking up.
"I said I would tell you what happened."
"I-it's alright. You don't need to tell me anything."
"Let me-
"It's alright, really." She murmured.
His hands turned into fists, evidence of his restraint as he shook his head in acceptance.
"I'll…go now."
She wanted to give him space and was a little hurt, too by what happened yesterday, but she knew he was in an intense state then.
She looked at him one last time before smiling weakly and looking down while closing the door.
It was the kind of look that clenched his heart whenever he saw it on her face.
He looked down as well and returned home.
At his apartment, he changed his clothes and ate something light.
He turned on the TV and opened the news.
"The Ghost Killer's case is being closed off by the police. Experts have given no reason to shut down the case so suddenly; they just said no murders happened in the past few weeks, so it's better we close this as soon as possible." Said the reporter.
"Finally they're letting this shit go." Said Si-Hun.
[Minjun's POV]
The other day, he was taken to court for the crime he committed, and also admitted to the crime scene.
He was found guilty and given 4 years in prison.
Right now, in his locker room, he was sitting with his head low.
Shame and guilt had consumed him completely.
But that wasn't an excuse for his action.
He didn't back down; instead chose the consequences even when he could frame Si-Hun.
He was staring at his own trembling hands.
The hands that took the life of someone who was just trying to protect a man who needed to be protected.
He was permitted to attend Baek Hyeon's funeral and see his body one last time before burying him.
The sight of him so lifeless made his heart clench.
He lost someone; he made someone else lose someone.
He thought he had won…he hadn't.
He just dominated his own loss.
Now, he was miserable in jail for 4 years.
[Si-Hun's POV]
"Life has to continue the way it is again."
"Portals, raids, fights. Everything." Kuro responded.
"You're going on a raid today…?" Kuro asked Si-Hun.
"Yes," he replied.
"Work doesn't stop even after you lose someone, that's what Arthur once told me," Si-Hun said.