AECS 61

Chapter 61

Cafe Incident (1)

[Park Jeong-hye: Myeong-hee~]
[Park Jeong-hye: How about bringing your son too?]

“No, this kid…!”

In the end, Hwang Myung-hee exploded.

Jeong-hye?

Honestly, she didn’t really know her.

She said her son belonged to some guild called Baekho, but she didn’t care.

They weren’t close.

She kept sending messages saying she wanted to meet, so Myung-hee agreed and set a time.

“What?”

Bring her son too?

“Mom, why?”

Baek Ah-jin, who happened to be home, asked.

After moving to Yubaek City, Ah-jin often visited her parents.

Since they were neighbors and in the same penthouse complex, it was easy to just hop over.

“It’s just a classmate… she keeps asking.”

Hwang Myung-hee briefly explained the situation to Baek Ah-jin.

‘Hmm?’

A small smile appeared on Ah-jin’s face.

He immediately understood what was going on.

“Mom.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know where Baekho is?”

“No. Is it some big deal?”

“…Mom, you saw it in the last selection tournament. It’s the most successful large guild in the country! How do you still not know even after I tell you every time?”

It was ridiculous.

They had already explained about the three major guilds before.

“She knows. I don’t care about players or guilds or anything. I don’t even want to know.”

“Sigh.”

Ah-jin let out a deep sigh.

Well.

His mother, Hwang Myung-hee, was way too kind.

Or maybe, not just kind, but pure.

That’s why she agreed to such an obvious meeting and even set it up.

“Mom. I’ll just tell her I’ll go.”

“Huh? Jeong-hye said she wants to see your son…”

“Is it because she still doesn’t know who I am? I’m busy. Going to that kind of gathering is a waste of national resources, even against national interest.”

“Really?”

Then no!

Convinced by Ah-jin, Hwang Myung-hee nodded.

Still, she secretly felt proud.

Whether it was a son or a daughter, they had become truly impressive people.

Gangnam Large Cafe

The drinks were expensive, the staff were formal, and only fairly famous people came.

Jeong-hye invited Hwang Myung-hee there.

“Oh, here it is!”

Jeong-hye raised her hand, and soon Hwang Myung-hee noticed Baek Ah-jin following behind her.

‘Huh?’

Not the son, but the daughter?

And she didn’t look ordinary.

She looked like someone who could appear on TV.

Elegant and beautiful.

She definitely didn’t look like she came from a poor family.

‘And her clothes…’

They were different from usual.

‘So neat and graceful?’

Her entire aura had changed.

While staring in awe, Hwang Myung-hee was already at the table.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Jeong-hye cleared her throat.

“Hello. I’m Baek Ah-jin.”

Ah-jin politely greeted and sat across from her.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Aunt Jeong-hye.”

“Ah, hahaha! Myung-hee said her daughter was pretty, and it’s true!”

Perhaps.

Maybe the Rainbow Snail went to a daughter instead of a son!

Jeong-hye thought.

Some rich kid could have been completely captivated by the girl’s beauty and brought the expensive snail.

‘No, even then…’

Rainbow snails are very expensive.

‘Anyway.’

Our son wouldn’t lose anywhere!

While the three women chatted lightly.

“Mom?”

A man raised his hand from far away.

He had a strong build and a tiger badge on his chest.

A symbol of the large guild, Baekho!

Whispers.

The cafe got a bit noisy.

All eyes were on him!

This was the status of a large guild in present-day Korea.

Not openly cheering, but enough to think, “Wow, that must be from the Baekho guild.”

“Yes, son. Here.”

Jeong-hye gracefully called her son.

Her shoulders lifted slightly in pride.

See! This is my son!

The four who were supposed to meet were finally gathered, and the conversation began.

Jeong-hye’s conversation style was always the same.

She started by asking about recent life, then about their children.

“By the way, your son is a player too, right? If you don’t know something, ask my son.”

“Haha, it’s fine. I didn’t really raise him, but somehow he manages to take care of himself.”

“Hey! But still. Networking is important these days. Even if the kids are talented, parents supporting them is what helps them spread their wings! Don’t you think that’s really important?”

Neither Hwang Myung-hee nor Baek Ah-jin mentioned that the son was Baek Jin-woo.

There was no need to.

Honestly, Ah-jin was bored.

Annoyed even.

The Baekho guild master and vice master already bowed to his older brother, yet they bragged about some new Baekho recruit?

Not to mention, Park Jeong-hye didn’t even ask about Ah-jin’s job.

Even with it in front of her.

The peak moment was when they talked about the Rainbow Snail.

“But Myung-hee, the snail you showed last time…”

“Want me to show it?”

The cute snail crawled on Hwang Myung-hee’s arm.

They talked briefly, and then Jeong-hye started showing her true colors.

“Do you know how much this is worth? I think last time you didn’t know.”

“Uh, not really. I wasn’t planning to sell it. It was a gift.”

“……Really?”

Jeong-hye pursed her lips and took a bold step.

“Even if someone offered 10 billion won, you wouldn’t sell it?”

“……10 billion?”

Hwang Myung-hee’s mouth slightly opened.

Funny enough, she really didn’t know the value of the snail.

The estimated value of the Rainbow Snail was at least 50 billion won.

That was the price Daeseong was paying, and it was expected to rise over 100 billion in the future.

Yet she gasped at 10 billion.

“Aunt.”

Ah-jin spoke up then.

He gulped down his iced Americano.

“You’re joking too much. 10 billion? Not 200 billion?”

“2… 200 billion?”

Hwang Myung-hee looked at her daughter.

Really? The snail was worth that much?

“Oh, what are you saying? That’s nonsense.”

Jeong-hye was shocked.

Not 50 billion, but 200 billion?

Not even joking.

“Not nonsense.”

Annoyed, Ah-jin replied bluntly.

“Even just selling to Daeseong would be 50 billion, so offering 10 billion is even more ridiculous, don’t you think?”

“……!”

Jeong-hye was surprised.

The kids… they really know the value of that summon?

“Haha, I think my mom just didn’t know. It’s too powerful.”

In the end, Jeong-hye’s son tried to calm things down, but Ah-jin was unstoppable.

“Well, 10 billion isn’t small money, but I don’t think she would have said it without knowing.”

“You, that’s a bit rude.”

What?

Try to poke?

Speak out loud?

Moderation is needed.

Why does this kid have no manners?

“Rude?”

Ah-jin laughed.

Hwang Myung-hee didn’t know what to do.

It was the first time her always-polite daughter acted like this.

“Your son is also a Baekho guild member and talented, yet they waste his precious time to brag about their kids. Even if our moms are friends, isn’t that obvious?”

“What?”

Jeong-hye was speechless.

Because it was all true.

“Too harsh?”

Jeong-hye’s son tried to intervene, but Ah-jin didn’t back down.

“If you want to succeed, you need to manage your mom. The world is wide, and there are many talented people. Your mom lacks humility.”

“…….”

The atmosphere instantly turned cold.

“Can you take responsibility for what you said?”

“I spoke the truth. Responsibility? What do you mean.”

Bang.

Ah-jin stood up.

“Mom, let’s go. Raise your level too. Don’t just meet anyone who asks.”

“Huh…?”

Flustered, Hwang Myung-hee stood up too.

“Sit down.”

Boom!

Jeong-hye’s son slammed the table.

Hard enough that the cups toppled, spilling coffee and ice.

The noisy cafe became silent.

Everyone looked over, murmuring.

‘Wow, this kid… completely reckless.’

Ah-jin stuck his tongue out, and at that moment:

Jing!

The cafe door opened, and a group entered.

Coincidence is amazing.

Just then, that group came into the Gangnam cafe.

There were three.

A Baekho guild executive.

Hwang Ju-won, vice master of Ilwol.

And Hong Ari, master of Arirang.

The so-called “Big 3” large guilds met regularly each month.

This time, it was hosted by Arirang, and Hong Ari treated the executives to a big meal.

Then they came to the cafe for a second round.

All were well-known faces, so they chose a high-class cafe.

“Hehe, did we come in the wrong place? Why is it so quiet?”

Hwang Ju-won laughed at the silence.

“Shall we go somewhere else?”

Hong Ari was about to leave again.

“Wait a second.”

The Baekho executive scanned the space quickly and spotted the source.

A woman standing there.

A man trembling with his fist on the table.

And the Baekho badge on his chest.

‘That’s…’

He knew immediately.

A new recruit, seen passing by before.

Average among the new recruits.

‘Why is he acting like this?’

Making a scene with a guild badge?

Baekho’s honor was at stake, so it couldn’t be ignored.

Whispers.

The cafe murmured again.

“Look, Hwang Ju-won.”

“Whoa, national player Hwang Ju-won? Wow, really handsome middle-aged man. Over 50, right?”

“Hong Ari is here too. And that Baekho badge player?”

“What, is today player day?”

“Hong Ari is stunning.”

While the attention was scattered.

‘Hmm?’

Hong Ari’s gaze landed on Baek Ah-jin.

‘…Baek Jin-woo’s sister?’

Recently training at Yubaek, she had seen Ah-jin several times.

She couldn’t just ignore this.

Clearly, a tricky situation.

Baek Jin-woo was her teacher.

She had to fulfill her duty as a student.

‘But this is crazy.’

How could a Baekho player dare intimidate Baek Jin-woo’s sister?

After the gang incident, touching Baek Jin-woo’s family was taboo.

She could still see it vividly.

The criminal begging tearfully to surrender.

“Do you know her?”

The Baekho executive asked.

Hong Ari nodded.

“She’s Baek Jin-woo player’s sister.”

“Huh?”

The executive was shocked.

Is the new recruit insane?

“Hehe?”

Hwang Ju-won also laughed, surprised.

Now no one could ignore it.

They had to check the situation.

Step, step.

Finally, Hong Ari and the Baekho executive moved toward the scene, and Hwang Ju-won sat near the counter, laughing.

Clearly, he thought it would be fun to watch from afar.

As they approached,

Baek Ah-jin slightly bowed.

Jeong-hye’s surprised son immediately stood up properly to greet.