Trash of the Count's Family

Cale continued to look forward without turning around as he started to speak.

“I don’t recall ever telling you my birthday.”

Kim Rok Soo had not shared his birthday with anyone during this time.

He had recorded his birthday later, when he joined the company and had to give some personal information. Lee Soo Hyuk remembered that information and took care of Kim Rok Soo and Choi Jung Soo's birthdays.

That was how it went until the two of them died.

“Han told me about it.”

Cale nonchalantly responded to Lee Soo Hyuk’s answer.

“Did you know that it is Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo's birthdays as well?”

“…Really?”

Cale slowly turned his body and looked at Lee Soo Hyuk since it was rare for him to sound flustered.

Lee Soo Hyuk, whose mood had been quite sharp since yesterday, seemed oddly anxious.

Cale started to smile in response.

"What is it? Did you prepare a birthday party for me or something?”

“Huh?”

Lee Soo Hyuk had an awkward expression on his face.

“It’s not a party since we are in a pretty serious situation.”

He then scratched his cheek.

“Just some late-night snack time?”

“It seems like you included Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo to prepare for that late-night snack time?”

Lee Soo Hyuk looked flustered again.

“No, I-”

“Shall we go?”

“Huh?”

“For the thing you prepared. Let’s celebrate all of us.”

Lee Soo Hyuk jovially scoffed after hearing Kim Rok Soo say everything he wanted to say.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

He then looked elsewhere.

Heo Sook Ja and Jo Min Yeh were walking toward Cale and Lee Soo Hyuk.

“Have a safe trip.”

Heo Sook Ja smiled as she addressed Cale.

“I'm sorry.”

Jo Min Yeh waved her hand to say no after seeing Cale lower his head and apologize.

“Not at all. Everybody knows how hard you've worked today, Commander-nim. We heard you didn't even get a chance to eat properly.”

Heo Sook Ja who was standing next to her started to frown.

She had not heard the details of the battle because she was here defending the Seomyeon shelter.

All she had heard was that the yellow head had escaped in the end.

She had also heard that it had run away with the blue head in its mouth.

That meant that the plan had failed.

However, she could not be angry about the situation.

She had seen how Commander Kim Rok Soo was covered in blood compared to everybody else who only had light injuries or no injuries at all.

Everybody had said the same thing.

They would have all been seriously injured or dead if he was not there.

“Commander-”

Heo Sook Ja opened her mouth before stopping herself mid sentence.

‘Commander, you should rest a bit.’

That was what she wanted to say, but she could not say it.

‘He can't rest.’

This young man could not rest.

She felt sorry about it, but it was the truth.

“Please enjoy your time.”

Lee Soo Hyuk who was quietly walking next to him started to speak.

“Rok Soo.”

“Yes, sir?”

“You’re really good at keeping your promises.”

Cale looked toward Lee Soo Hyuk with a confused expression.

However, Lee Soo Hyuk did not look at Rok Soo at all on their way to the room closest to the watchtower and the castle wall.

“What do you mean?”

Lee Soo Hyuk smiled and slowly answered after Cale finally asked.

“Yesterday and today. People probably saw your back the most.”

Cale recalled what he had said to them a few days ago.

‘The people here will fight while looking at my back the most, at least for this battle.’

Lee Soo Hyuk continued to speak.

“It was the case during yesterday's battle. Even today, your back was clearly visible as you stood by the watchtower all day.”

“I need to keep my promise.”

Lee Soo Hyuk grabbed the doorknob and looked toward Cale, who answered nonchalantly.

“Yes. That’s the Kim Rok Soo I know.”

Screeeech.

Cale could see the sights inside the door.

He slowly started to smile.

“Huh?! Mister! I thought you would give us a signal first. How can you just suddenly open the door like that?”

"Ah, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Kim Min Ah and Bae Puh Rum shouted in shock.

There was quite a lot of food on the table inside this small office.

It was not a fancy feast, but it was the best they could do in their current situation.

Choi Han, Choi Jung Soo, Kim Min Ah, Bae Puh Rum, Park Jin Tae, the Lee siblings, and everybody else who had a connection with Cale were all gathered in this small office.

Cale started to smile.

“Looks great.”

The two words he said made the entire office go silent.

Then people started to openly or discreetly smile one by one.

Lee Soo Hyuk started to point at that moment.

“Hey, Han and Jung Soo.”

Choi Jung Soo flinched at the sudden attention.

your birthdays tomorrow

wide after hearing what Lee

“…How did you?”

“Rok Soo told me.”

rubbed his arm as if

you things

“Who knows?”

to Bae Puh Rum before looking toward

his shoulders and looked back with a gaze that seemed to be asking if there was a problem. Lee Soo Hyuk quietly looked at him

“Rok Soo.”

was extremely quiet,

how you can know about things like this

toward Lee Soo

of them looked at each other for a bit before Cale

Cale whispered as he left echoed

you figure it out if

“Pfft.”

before

sing for the three

“You're right.”

his head in

“Sir, hap-”

are you saying

Jin Tae started to frown before looking toward a corner of the ceiling and continuing

“Just say happy birthday.”

call him sir, now can

before

“Happy birthday to you-”

the

hand out while standing at the

come

hand grabbed Choi Han, and he pulled

wut the

as he accepted the birthday song

the other hand, Choi

just patted

Han’s pupils

Jung Soo to take in this whole

came to

all

I believe that November

“Alright, alright! Let's eat!”

made a comment once

calm voice next to

some time left,

turned

“Choi Han.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

“Happy birthday.”

ripples in Choi

the

birthday to you too,

nodded his head

“Choi Jung Soo.”

“Huh?”

confused. Cale started to speak

Jung Soo's voice

duper happy birthday to

‘Shut up.’

wish me a happy birthday too? I guess not. Kim Rok Soo is not

I wasn’t going to wish you happy

you’re going to wish

course. How could I

started

“Happy birthday.”

Soo's eyes opened

gentle smile on his face seemed

couldn't just brush it

started to stare

Tap.

once and then started to walk

gaze was following Cale, as if he

as well. He

that both Lee Soo Hyuk's gaze

himself

we head outside for a

It was Choi Han.

to ask why they needed to go out before

many scars that proved

‘He’s fidgeting?’

felt as if this was not like Choi Han before he was swept up with an

birthday, and

all the same

“Yes. Let’s go.”

followed Choi

corner

Han did not say anything for a

want to see me

asked, and Choi Han responded by taking a thick pile of papers out of his pocket

“What is this?”

“Take it.”

but still accepted the pile of

peeked at it for a moment but it was difficult to tell what it was as the first page did not have anything

choice but to look toward Choi Han

“…It’s a present.”

but he started to frown after

Jung Soo subconsciously started to

“Do you know me?”

regretted

down and Choi Han’s

will not answer any

Jung Soo became frustrated after hearing Choi

why he impulsively

you won't mind me figuring it out

small smile appear on Choi Han’s face at that

I would have no choice if you

his heart was

everybody had wished him a happy birthday.

and his demeanor calmed down in order to hide the

was similar to what Choi Han

Han nor Choi Jung Soo knew how similar they were

“I understand.”

Jung Soo put the present in his pocket

definitely

looked toward Choi Han

a present

Han's eyes opened a

“I mean it.”

Soo answered

helped me with my sword

why Choi Han did all of

things for him to claim that he didn’t know

Jung Soo did

to say it once

a lot of time to

Soo slightly bowed toward this man who was younger than him but did not

“Thank you very much.”

Maybe…

maybe, Choi Han was the first sword instructor Choi Jung Soo ever had, aside

didn't call himself instructor nor master and didn't want to be

was still like a master for

started to raise his slightly lowered

Choi Han’s

“It’s me.”

was a bit

me who

Jung Soo urgently raised his head after hearing Choi Han speaking informally in

Choi Han’s expression was the

was as still

“Please head in first.”

Jung Soo suppressed this iffy feeling inside after hearing Choi Han’s comment and

“Mm!”

seeing Cale standing by the door,

“Happy birthday.”

“Thanks.”

closed his mouth a few times after hearing Cale’s calm response before

Soo