Chapter 6

EP.6 You Can’t Let Your Guard Down #2

“Why do only unfortunate things happen to the people around me? Is it just my mood?”

I muttered to myself, staring blankly at the sky.

Sehwa, standing beside me, placed her hand on my shoulder with a troubled expression.

Yeah, just comfort me without saying anything.

Right now, I was acting out my troubled self on a picturesque hill in Seoul.

Because I had told Sehwa at the opening party that a virtual person, similar to a secretary, was in critical condition.

She completely fell for it, and this was the result.

Now, we were having a private consolation session.

After staring at the sky for a long time, I turned my head to Sehwa.

Her face looked like she was about to cry but was holding it back,

trying to appear composed.

Sehwa must have felt sorry seeing my face like this.

I spoke in a choked voice.

“Thanks for coming.”

“Of course, I had to come.”

“It’s late, let’s go down.”

At my words, Sehwa slowly shook her head.

“Let’s stay a little longer.”

“My mood has lifted a bit. I’m really fine.”

“If we go back, you’ll be alone at home. So, listen to me.”

With a complicated look, I slowly placed my hand on Sehwa’s hand resting on my shoulder.

Then, Sehwa’s body trembled slightly.

But she didn’t pull her hand away.

Instead, she just smiled, saying everything was fine.

Sehwa’s current actions were out of sympathy.

But it was clear she also had some affection for me.

Good, this is enough.

Now, let’s go show her Yoo Seunghyun at work.

I put my hand down and said to Sehwa.

“Suddenly, I really want to drink.”

Sehwa laughed.

She seemed to have a good idea and pointed to the sky with one finger.

“It’s supposed to rain tonight, want to go eat pajeon and makgeolli?”

“It’s going to rain?”

“Yeah.”

Pajeon and makgeolli… definitely the best for a rainy day.

But not today.

I’m going to show you Yoo Seunghyun.

“Let’s not do that. Let’s go to the bar where your boyfriend, Yoo Seunghyun, works.”

“Hmm… I want to, but… he told me not to come to his workplace.”

“If we don’t disturb him, it should be fine, right? Do you know where it is?”

“Yeah. It’s near my house. He said it’s a bar in front of the Gold Perfume Hotel in Handae Street…”

Gold Perfume Hotel? That’s the one I acquired.

Handae Street refers to the commercial area around Korea University.

But a bar in front of it? Why would he lie about working there?

This works in my favor.

“Yoo Seunghyun wanted to thank me too. Let’s go see him.”

“That’s true, but… I’d rather meet him separately.”

This isn’t easy… what to do…

As I pondered how to break the situation, Sehwa’s next words made me cheer inwardly.

“But I think we can at least say hi today. I haven’t seen Seunghyun much lately, so I want to see him.”

“That much?”

“Yeah. He works without weekends. We chat, but…”

It’s not the same as seeing him in person.

That’s why you and I became close so quickly.

I smirked.

“Then let’s do this: sneak in, and if he looks busy, we’ll just leave. Drinking in front of a busy person might make them feel bad. Like, ‘I’m working hard, and you’re just drinking?'”

Sehwa’s eyes lit up.

She really likes this kind of consideration?

She probably thinks it’s a relief that I, who was sad, is now smiling.

But what can I do, Sehwa?

I wasn’t sad today.

**

The bar was very busy.

So much so that there was hardly any room to stand.

But the bar staff, despite having to serve multiple tables, kept their eyes fixed on Sehwa and answered her questions sincerely.

Why? Because she’s incredibly pretty, no other reason.

“There’s no employee named Yoo Seunghyun.”

“No? He started about a month ago… Did he quit?”

“I’ve been working here for a year, and there’s never been a new employee named Yoo Seunghyun.”

“R-really?”

Sehwa, flustered, looked at me.

Then the staff’s gaze turned to me.

Look at that hostile face.

Ignoring him completely, I shrugged at Sehwa.

“Maybe we came to the wrong place… He said he works at a bar in front of Gold Perfume Hotel, right? Did he tell you the name?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go somewhere else. There are two other bars around here…”

If it’s a bar in front of Gold Perfume Hotel, it’s definitely this one.

The other two bars are a bit further away.

Sehwa seemed to know that too, as her eyes rolled with anxiety.

“Okay…”

If you’re already this flustered, what will you do later?

You might faint soon.

Leaving the jealous staff’s glare behind, I pushed through the crowd in Handae Street with Sehwa and visited two more bars.

And of course, Sehwa couldn’t find Yoo Seunghyun.

“What’s going on…? Maybe it’s a different hotel? I think I might have confused the hotel name…”

Still flustered, huh?

Can’t you think that Yoo Seunghyun lied?

Well… you have strong faith in him, so it’s understandable.

I asked.

“Why don’t you try calling him?”

“I just did, but he didn’t answer.”

Probably busy with errands.

Actually, suggesting to call was just a formality.

I know where that guy is right now.

Yoo Seunghyun is at a convenience store a few blocks from here.

By the way, the tracking demon’s effect was excellent.

I could locate not only Yoo Seunghyun but also Yuria.

I haven’t found Silvia yet, but I will soon.

“Hmm… then let’s just go somewhere and drink. We can greet Yoo Seunghyun later.”

At my words, Sehwa’s long eyelashes drooped.

So pretty, so pretty.

“Okay.”

“There’s a street vendor selling noodles on the road in front of Gold Perfume Hotel. Want to grab a quick bite there?”

“Noodles sound good… but when did you see that street vendor?”

“I’m good at noticing things around me.”

“That’s true. Shall we go?”

So we moved to the small street vendor in front of the hotel.

There, I ordered anchovy noodles and soju, and chuckled seeing Sehwa cutely rubbing her chopsticks.

“It’s not even out yet…”

“I’m just excited because it’s been a while since I had noodles.”

“They sell noodles at the school cafeteria too.”

“But they’re tasteless.”

“That’s true.”

As we chatted about mundane things, the kind and warm aunt brought the noodles.

Without a word, both Sehwa and I said thank you and filled each other’s soju glasses.

While clinking glasses with her, I kept an eye on Yoo Seunghyun’s location.

He was now loitering at the hotel’s main entrance.

Wondering what was up, I sipped my soju and glanced at the Gold Perfume Hotel, where I saw a lady and a customer arguing.

A troublesome customer, obviously.

And Yoo Seunghyun was trying to mediate.

Good angle, good composition, good distance.

Time to let her know.

In an instant, I downed my soju and pointed at the hotel with my finger.

“Looks like a lover’s quarrel over there.”

A lover’s quarrel.

Next to a fistfight, it’s the most entertaining thing to watch, offering primal joy.

Sehwa looked at the direction I pointed with a curious expression.

After tilting her head for a moment, her expression hardened.

‘She saw.’

Yoo Seunghyun protecting the lady, the troublesome customer causing a scene.

A perfect picture.

I inwardly mocked Yoo Seunghyun and asked with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong?”

Then Sehwa’s hand trembled slightly, and she stood up.

“Wait… I need to check something over there.”

Without waiting for my response, she left the street vendor.

I’ll watch from a distance.

Let me eat some noodles first.

With my vision and hearing amplified, I leisurely watched Sehwa approach Yoo Seunghyun.

As the distance closed, Yoo Seunghyun noticed Sehwa.

His expression gradually hardened, and by the time Sehwa was close, he couldn’t hide his panic.

Wow… look at that face, it’s hilarious!

Today, the soju tastes sweet, so sweet.

**

Sehwa immediately realized Yoo Seunghyun had lied.

And so, the two started arguing.

Well, it was more like Sehwa berating Yoo Seunghyun.

As a third party suddenly intervened, the troublesome customer, flustered, left.

Then, the relieved-looking lady suddenly blocked Yoo Seunghyun and said,

“Who do you think you are, yelling at my uncle?”

Huh? You’re just adding fuel to the fire, aren’t you?

If it weren’t for you, Sehwa might have calmed down after Yoo Seunghyun’s persuasion.

I’ll tell Marcella to give you a bonus.

Anyway, Sehwa got even angrier because of the lady’s actions.

Eventually, Yoo Seunghyun coaxed the lady and sent her downstairs.

Then Sehwa shouted.

“Uncle? Since when did you become an uncle? Are you raising a niece or something? And what was that just now! You have time to take care of her? You’re so bold, huh?”

Yoo Seunghyun was at a loss.

“No… ‘uncle’ is just what we call the staff here… And Sehwa, I’m sorry for working in a place like this, but I had to make money…”

“Is that what’s important now? You lied to me, and that doesn’t matter?”

“That’s not it… Let’s go somewhere quiet and talk seriously…”

“Talk seriously? You can do that with that girl!”

With that, Sehwa turned and walked back to the street vendor.

Yoo Seunghyun, of course, tried to stop her.

Well, whether he stops her or not.

I’ll just watch until the fight is over, then comfort the upset Sehwa…

“Uncle! The manager is calling! There’s a fight downstairs! The girls are pulling each other’s hair, it’s chaos!”

A pretty lady urgently called Yoo Seunghyun.

Then Yoo Seunghyun hesitated, looking between Sehwa and the lady.

And the choice he made was…

“Sehwa, I’m sorry! I’ll be right back, wait for me!”

He tried to keep Sehwa with words and went downstairs.

Well, he can’t afford to lose this well-paying job, so he has to listen.

Good posture.

By the way, what a windfall!

No… this must be Marcella’s arrangement.

She must have known I was trying to plant distrust in Sehwa today and orchestrated this.

You’re indeed the best strategist.

When I get back, I’ll lick your toes… no, just praise you.

“Ha… I can’t believe this…”

Sehwa looked at Yoo Seunghyun and made an incredulous expression.

Are you upset? Is the sky falling?

Well, maybe not that much.

Anyway, someone who always told the truth lied, and not only that, instead of holding onto his long-time girlfriend, he made such a choice.

She must be boiling.

While the two were fighting, I had already paid and was standing on the street with a clueless expression.

Sehwa, noticing me, stomped over and asked.

“Did you see?”

“Unintentionally… sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, let’s just go.”

“Uh… where…?”

“Anywhere. I need to cool off. Let’s go back to the hill we were at earlier.”

I nodded and cautiously raised one hand.

A plastic bag with pale broth and various colorful vegetables.

Seeing it, Sehwa asked.

“What’s that?”

“Noodles… I packed them because they were too good to waste…”

At that, Sehwa looked dumbfounded.

She looked between the noodles in her hand and me, then suddenly burst out laughing.

I asked with a childish face.

“Should we buy disposable bowls…? Want to eat there?”

“Really… why are you so silly… Fine, let’s do that. We’ll stop by a convenience store on the way. They’ll be cold and tasteless, though.”

“Then should we buy new ones?”

“Enough already? Let’s go.”

Her tone and expression returned to normal.

Here, I realized what kind of feelings Sehwa had for me.

I have a place in her heart.

Of course, it might be very small, maybe just a subconscious feeling, but it’s there.

After today, that feeling will grow.

As I followed Sehwa, who was leaving the scene, with my shoulders hunched like a guilty person, I thought.

‘The preparation is done.’

Now, only the transformation remains.

Amducias, wait a little longer.

I’ll let you spread your wings freely.

Next Episode―――――――――――――――――――――

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