Seojun followed Alex and Alexa into the elevator, leaving the chaos behind them. The doors slid shut with a soft ding, sealing off the noise from the lobby. Alex and Alexa exchanged a look before turning to Seojun, their expressions tinged with embarrassment. Alex was the first to speak.


    "We''re really sorry about what happened back there," he said, his voice filled with regret. "Our staff should have known better than to treat you like that."


    Alexa nodded, her brows furrowed. "It''s our responsibility to ensure that everyone who enters the guild is treated with respect. We deeply apologize for their behavior."


    Seojun, who had been leaning against the elevator wall with his arms crossed, shrugged nonchntly. "It''s no big deal. I''ve dealt with worse."


    Huno, sensing the change in atmosphere, nudged Seojun''s leg with one of his heads, and Seojun reached down to scratch behind Huno''s ear, soothing both the dog and himself.


    "Still," Alexa continued, "we don''t want you to think poorly of the Awakeners Association because of a few bad apples. We''ll make sure it doesn''t happen again."


    Seojun nced at them, his expression softening slightly. "I appreciate that. But like I said, don''t worry too much. It''s not worth it."


    The soft hum of the elevator''s movement was the only sound, but the charged silence between the group was palpable.


    Seojun could still feel Seo-ha''s gaze on him. He nced sideways and, sure enough, caught her staring at him with that same mischievous glint in her eyes. She didn''t bother to hide her interest; if anything, she seemed to enjoy making him ufortable. Their eyes met, and Seojun, refusing to back down, held her gaze with steady resolve.


    Before the silent exchange could go any further, Alexa stepped in, immediately pulling Seojun closer to her side. "Stop it, Seo-ha!" Alexa said, her voice a mix of irritation and warning. She red at Seo-ha, who merely chuckled in response.


    "Oh,e on, Alexa, don''t be so uptight," Seo-ha teased, draping her arm over Seojun''s shoulder again. "I like him. Where did you find this interesting boy?" She winked at Seojun, clearly amused by the situation, while Seojun frowned, not appreciating being treated like a curiosity.


    Alex, noticing Seojun''s difort, slowly but firmly pulled him away from Seo-ha. "He''s our friend, Seo-ha," Alex said, his tone calm but with an underlying seriousness. "He''s not a toy." Alex''s smile was friendly on the surface, but there was something unsettling about it, something that made Seo-ha pause.


    "Grrr, you really do hide your devil well, don''t you, Alex?" Seo-ha muttered, her yful demeanor cooling as she removed her arm from Seojun''s shoulder. Her eyes narrowed slightly, the yful glint fading into something more cautious.


    "Only when necessary," Alex replied smoothly, his smile never faltering.


    Alexa, still holding onto Seojun''s arm, shot Seo-ha another re. "Just leave him alone, Seo-ha. We don''t need any of your games right now."


    Seo-ha raised her hands in mock surrender, a grin returning to her face. "Fine, fine. I''ll behave… for now." She leaned back against the elevator wall, her eyes still on Seojun but less intense.


    As the elevator hummed softly, Seojun yawned ncing over at Seo-ha, who was now leaning casually against the wall, whistling with her hands stuffed into her pockets. Despite her rxed posture, her presence was anything but ordinary.


    Seo-ha was the same height as Seojun, with a muscr yet incredibly sexy and athletic body that could easily catch anyone''s eye. Her short hair framed a face that was both sharp and yful, and her red eyes gleamed with a hint of something wild.


    Even without speaking, she exuded an aura of raw strength, though Seojun could tell that while she was powerful, she wasn''t strong enough to pose a real threat to him. What intrigued him more was the subtle, crazy vibe she gave off—like someone who enjoyed walking the fine line between chaos and control.


    Seojun yawned, feeling a slight twinge of boredom despite the interestingpany. His thoughts drifted to wondering about Seo-ha''s level, curious if her strength matched the energy she projected. Just as he was pondering this, a system notification blinked into his view.


    [System Notification: Attempting to Appraise a Being in This New develop Earth...]


    The notification hovered for a moment, and then another line appeared beneath it:


    [System Adjustment in Progress… Please Wait...]


    Seojun''s curiosity deepened, but he remained outwardly calm. As the elevator continued its smooth ascent, Seojun couldn''t help but yawn again, his eyelids drooping slightly. The soft hum of the elevator and the steady motion made it hard to stay fully alert. When he nced to the side, he noticed Alexa watching him closely, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and nostalgia.


    She smiled warmly, tilting her head slightly as if reminiscing. "Howe you still look like you''re 18 years old?" she asked, a hint of teasing in her tone. "But I can tell you''ve matured a bit." There was a soft chuckle in her voice as she observed him, her gaze lingering on his familiar yet subtly changed features.


    Seojun returned the smile, though it was faint, as if he didn''t quite know how to respond. Before he could say anything, Alex, who had been quiet, turned his attention toward Seojun. He stepped back slightly, allowing his eyes to roam over Seojun from head to toe, taking in every detail of his appearance.


    "You really haven''t changed much," Alex said, his voice thoughtful. "But… there''s something different about you now." His gaze was sharp, as if he was trying to piece together something that didn''t quite fit.


    Seojun''s smile widened slightly as he replied, "A lot happened," his tone casual, almost dismissive.


    Inwardly, he considered telling them about the 500 years he had spent in the Abyss, battling creatures and enduring hardships that reshaped him in ways he still hadn''t fully processed. But as he looked at Alex and Alexa, he decided against it. That part of his journey was too distant, too removed from the present to be worth sharing.


    They didn''t need to know about the endless darkness he had faced or the time that had passed. It wasn''t something that could be easily understood or exined in a few words.


    Seojun nced at Alex and Alexa with a gentle smile. "And you two look more mature than thest time I saw you."


    Alex scratched the back of his neck, a small, sheepish grin forming on his face. "Well, it''s been five years. We''re 23 years old now," he said, chuckling softly.


    "I''m d you two are fine," Seojun replied, his eyes drifting to the floor number disy on the elevator. The numbers ticked upward, but the atmosphere in the small space was warm and familiar.


    Suddenly, a soft sniffle broke the silence. Seojun turned his head to see Alexa trying—and failing—to cover her tears. Before he could react, she quickly moved forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.


    "We''re really d you''re back," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.


    Seojun at first hesitated then  hugged Alexa back, the embraceforting and full of unspoken words. They were the only person that help him and his Mom in Difficult times and The only person that stay true to him.


    Just then, the elevator doors slid open. Seo-ha, who had been standing in the corner with her hands in her pockets, coughed lightly to get their attention. A yful smirk danced on her lips as she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "I should''ve taken a video. It''s rare to see Alexa cry like this. Hehe…"


    Alexa pulled back from the hug, quickly wiping her tears away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Shut up, Seo-ha," she muttered, but there was no malice in her words—only the warmth of an old friend being teased.