The Wind at Your Back (Solo Leveling)

Chapter 1: Another Day, Another Raid

Welcome back!

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Jee Sang-Ook was drinking his coffee as he made his way towards the construction site for the next raid. He had given his employees the day off since he would most likely have to go to the hospital after the raid (if not for himself then for his best friend).

Not feeling like waiting to get coffee there, he stopped by his cafe to make his own which had about ten espresso shots in it. After downing that, he made a thermos full of coffee (without any shots) and started making his way to the raid while trying not to space out of his surroundings too much as he usually did when walking by himself (he has walked into many walls and poles in his lifetime though almost never people oddly enough).

Once he arrived, he greeted everyone there.

"Yo Jee! You're here."

"Thanks for coming by Jee!"

"How are you, Jee?"

Sang-Ook nodded, "I've been well."

With the pleasantries over, he quickly found Jin-Woo and stood next to him, albeit slightly behind his taller friend.

"How was your morning, Sang-Ook?"

"Fine...Still tired."

"That's not really new," he smiled a bit.

Sang-Ook's piercing green eyes narrowed onto his shivering friend along with the faint bags under his eyes and a distinct lack of a cup in his hands. Without a word, he held out his thermos to Jin-Woo. "Coffee."

Jin-Woo tried to refuse. "You said you were tired. You can keep it."

"I had ten espresso shots earlier...If you care for my health...you'll drink this before...I get a heart attack." Throughout all their years of friendship, Sang-Ook has found that the best way to get Jin-Woo to accept something from him is to threaten his own health. Granted, he only did it for minor things like giving Jin-Woo his food or drink (getting him to accept money is an even harder experience). 'Hopefully, he doesn't know that the lethal dosage of shots is between 76 and 156 in a day and 14 could only put me in a hospital.'

Jin-Woo stared at his friend with a dot-eyed expression before taking the drink and savoring the warm liquid as it rushed down his throat. "Thanks and please stop drinking so much caffeine."

"You're welcome...no."

A familiar voice rang out, "Ah Jin-Woo! Your hurt again!"

Sang-Ook snickered at his friend's expression before greeting Ju-Hee. "Hello, Miss Ju-Hee...You are also...attending this raid?"

"Of course I am, Sang-Ook! But that's not the problem. Jin-Woo, why is your face hurt again?!"

Jin-Woo gave a sheepish smile to the healer. "Dunno...it just happened while I was hunting."

She gave him a flat stare before looking at Sang-Ook with a look that said 'Is he serious, right now?' to which the male shrugged and went back to daydreaming and partially listening to other people's conversations. Ju-Hee asked again, "Really...what actually happened?"

Jin-Woo explained that he had gone on a raid in an E-rank dungeon, however, he was the only one hurt and had to go to the hospital. Sang-Ook had tried his best to help but there was so much the E-rank mage could do with his weak wind magic.

"How could that happen?" She asked Sang-Ook for a moment, "Are you also okay, Sang-Ook?"

He nodded. "I...rested at home." Both still often worried over the man because of how lightly he tends to make his injuries to avoid going to the hospital. Sang-Ook looked back up at the clouds in the sky, ending any further conversation with him. While it might have seemed rude to others, Jin-Woo and Ju-Hee knew that it was just how Sang-Ook was when he didn't know what else to say. The guy never really talked much unless it was to Jin-Woo or if it was something important.