Chapter 84

EP.84 1 Night 2 Days #2

Gulp.

The sound of people swallowing their saliva could be heard from all around.

They were reacting to the kiss mark on Yuria’s nape.

Yuria’s face, which could rival that of a Hollywood actor, also played a part.

“He’s handsome,” “Actor couple,” “Newlyweds,” similar words were heard.

Yuria, having overheard their conversations, trembled as she scooped food at the buffet.

But a faint smile lingered on her lips.

The words “couple” and “married” seemed pleasant to her ears.

I calmly scooped my food and sat at the table.

Shortly after, Yuria, having also grabbed a drink, sat across from me.

‘This feels similar to when I had a buffet at Ganghwa Island with Sehwa.’

This isn’t Ganghwa Island, but it is Incheon.

It wasn’t intentional, but coincidentally, the situation felt similar.

As I smiled faintly, reminiscing about the past, Yuria asked,

“Jihyuk, aren’t you going to get a drink?”

“I’ll get it myself.”

“Ah, yes. Just a moment.”

Yuria quickly got up and headed to the drink corner.

After some deep thought, she chose pomegranate juice.

She walked back slowly, careful not to spill, and gently placed the cup next to my plate.

The men around us looked on with envy at her attentive behavior.

What are you looking at? If you’re jealous, go become a demon king.

“Enjoy your meal.”

As I smiled and said that, Yuria slightly bowed her head, showing a hint of shyness.

“Yes…”

She picked up a shrimp with her fork and slowly brought it to her mouth.

Watching her chew delicately like a proper lady made me chuckle inwardly.

Yuria was putting on an act.

It was a side she never showed in front of Kim Taegon.

This dad is really pitiful.

“Jihyuk, aren’t you going to eat…?”

Yuria asked after slowly chewing and swallowing the shrimp.

“You’re putting on an act right now, aren’t you?”

As I bluntly asked, Yuria’s face turned as red as a persimmon.

“Ah, no…?”

“Really?”

“…..”

Her ever-changing expressions were amusing.

Normally, such a question would be rude, but she showed no signs of being upset or disappointed.

It was surprising to see Yuria, who has high self-esteem, react this way.

It seemed like she had buttoned up her first button a bit too well.

“Just kidding. Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes…”

Perhaps relieved that the awkward question was over, Yuria let out a sigh of relief and continued eating.

But it seemed like she was consciously trying to act more casually after my comment.

I decided not to tease her further and quietly started eating.

Soon, my plate was empty, and Yuria, about to eat some meat, asked,

“Are you done already? Should I get you more?”

Since she was being so considerate, I decided to get it myself.

With a kind expression, I shook my head, got up, and headed to the food corner.

While I was getting more food, Yuria didn’t eat and just kept staring at me.

She’s like a girl completely in love.

After placing the second plate down, I didn’t sit but went to the salad corner.

There, I made a salad with care and placed it next to Yuria.

“Eat this after your meal.”

“Ah…”

Yuria let out a short gasp, overwhelmed with emotion.

She alternated her gaze between the salad and my face, then said,

“Thank you…”

“I didn’t even do this for Sehwa…”

As I muttered in passing, Yuria made a pleased “Hmm…” sound.

See? Good deeds get rewarded.

So listen well.

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That night, after strolling around the hotel and watching a movie with Jihyuk, Yuria sat on the rocking chair in the suite’s living room.

“Yes, no. Change the decorations to protective gear. To cover the entire leg. Yes, that’s fine. First…”

Listening to Jihyuk’s phone call with Dr. Cash from the bedroom, Yuria leaned her head back on the chair and swayed, lost in thought.

‘The call is about modifying the suit, I guess.’

Since Jihyuk’s voice was loud, it was easy to infer the conversation.

Dr. Cash was currently listening to Jihyuk’s advice and tips about the suit.

Even Dr. Jennifer Cash, a genius and device developer, seeks Jihyuk’s advice and listens to his opinions?

He’s definitely an indispensable presence in the lab.

Even in the decisive battle against Astaroth… Despite being much younger than Dr. Cash, his quick thinking and situational judgment are remarkable.

The doctor calls Jihyuk her assistant, but now it seems like he’s someone who walks alongside her, matching her pace.

No, perhaps Jihyuk is the one matching her pace.

Yuria thus elevated Jihyuk’s priority.

Song Jihyuk, he’s truly an amazing person.

At first, she was interested because he showed habits similar to Aaron’s, but as time passed, she found herself drawn to Song Jihyuk himself.

He’s smart and handsome.

‘Aaron…’

The problem is Seunghyun, Aaron’s reincarnation.

As she thought before having a meal with Seunghyun, she can’t give up on Aaron.

But that thought was also fading for various reasons.

Memories like riding a white horse along the large ridge next to the kingdom, or disguising themselves to inspect the capital to check the people’s sentiments, among others.

They were truly in love.

But Aaron doesn’t remember those memories.

He’s even dating Sehwa, his colleague, and has been for a very long time.

While she couldn’t forget Aaron and didn’t even think about meeting other men.

‘It’s infuriating…’

Of course, she’s equally infuriated by herself for being completely swayed by Jihyuk.

No, she’s worse.

She’s meeting Jihyuk while having all these memories.

To soothe her confused heart, Yuria closed her eyes and leaned back in the rocking chair.

Then, she suddenly thought of this.

Her father had Kim Taegon’s memories.

So if Aaron were to reincarnate, he would also have Seunghyun’s memories, just like her father.

If… if Seunghyun’s memories were to fully return while he was happily dating Sehwa, would he choose her?

Could he give up Sehwa, his childhood friend?

Even now, they broke up because Sehwa’s heart was taken by Jihyuk, not because Seunghyun gave up on her first.

From their conversation during the last meal, it seemed he still had lingering feelings.

Being so single-minded… would he really give up Sehwa and come to her?

Even if they were lovers in a past life, she couldn’t be sure.

“Haah…”

She sighed and slightly opened her eyes to see Jihyuk pacing around the bedroom, talking enthusiastically.

Being with him made her heart gradually move.

She was drawn to the coercive side of him, who wielded power over her, a princess, and someone much stronger than an average person, and at the same time, she admired him.

She wanted to follow him.

A desire to wield power over people like that blossomed in her heart.

Of course, not over Jihyuk.

He’s someone unreachable in that aspect, someone at the top of her head.

If she were to oppose him, the relationship they’ve built so far might crumble.

She didn’t want that, so she had to obey Jihyuk.

‘Sehwa… probably doesn’t know this side of Jihyuk, right?’

It seemed like he yielded a lot to Sehwa.

So, is Jihyuk’s secret something only she knows?

The personality he’s showing now is even more attractive… it’s exciting.

Thinking like this made her want to stick close to Jihyuk even more.

Yuria recalled the conversation she had with Jihyuk in the lab.

When she asked how he would feel if Sehwa didn’t remember him after sleeping for three years, Jihyuk answered that he would approach her to start a new love.

‘New love…’

She was hooked on the phrase ‘new love.’

Although it had nothing to do with the context of the conversation at the time.

Her father also really liked Jihyuk, even saying he was more like Aaron.

“What are you doing?”

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Jihyuk approaching after finishing his call.

Startled, Yuria looked up at Jihyuk’s face.

Seeing his face, all her complicated thoughts flew away, and a spring breeze blew in her heart.

A fresh feeling. She wanted to feel this more.

“Just… thinking about this and that… huh?”

Yuria noticed the ring missing from Jihyuk’s ring finger.

She asked with a trembling voice,

“The ring… when did you take it off…?”

Could it be because of the promise he made with her?

If so, that’s really touching.

“Just now. You listened well today. I should reward you.”

“Ah, right… thank you.”

Yes. This isn’t a ‘promise’ but a ‘reward.’

A one-sided reward Jihyuk is giving because she listened well.

She presumptuously thought of it as a promise.

She hoped Jihyuk wasn’t upset.

Thinking that, Yuria said,

“Yes… thank you…”

“Is that the attitude of someone who’s grateful?”

“Huh? Ah!”

Startled, Yuria got up from the chair.

He went out of his way to take off the ring, and she rudely sat and brushed it off.

A mistake. She shouldn’t have done that…

Yuria bowed her head and expressed her gratitude again.

“Thank you…”

“What were you thinking about?”

“About Jihyuk… and Seunghyun…”

“Yoo Seunghyun? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t meet him if I took off the ring?”

“I… was preparing to let him go.”

She should have answered honestly… but she lied.

If she doesn’t come clean here, the lies will pile up… and if caught, her relationship with Jihyuk might completely fall apart.

Should she really not meet Seunghyun? But Seunghyun is Aaron’s reincarnation.

He’s an important person… so she’ll meet him secretly without getting caught.

Meeting occasionally should be fine, Yuria thought.

“Is that so? Have you finished sorting things out?”

“Ah, not yet…”

“If it’s hard, you can cancel. I’ll give you one last chance.”

Yuria’s pupils shook rapidly.

A chance to take back what she said.

This way, she can meet Seunghyun openly.

But as Jihyuk took the ring out of his pocket and tried to put it back on his finger, a surge of jealousy rose within her.

She wanted to monopolize him. She didn’t want to give him to others.

That feeling of envy swept through Yuria’s entire body.

“No! I… like Jihyuk more.”

Seemingly satisfied with the answer, Jihyuk nodded and put the ring back in his pocket.

Yuria wanted to snatch it and throw it down the drain immediately.

But she didn’t have the guts, so she had to endure.

If she keeps listening, he might throw it away for her.

As she stood still, Jihyuk smiled brightly.

Yuria found that smile incredibly attractive.

The smile he showed her now didn’t have Aaron’s feel… but she thought it was even better than Aaron’s.

With a smile stretching to her ears, Yuria reached out her hand as Jihyuk approached.

“Hand.”

“Yes!”

As Yuria immediately took his hand, Jihyuk commanded,

“Interlock your fingers.”

Yuria slid her fingers between Jihyuk’s thick ones.

Then, Jihyuk slightly frowned.

Yuria was startled.

‘Ah! Big mistake! I didn’t mean to…’

Hurriedly loosening her grip, Yuria apologized.

“Sorry, Jihyuk…”

“Are you going to keep doing this? Trying to solve things with force if something doesn’t suit you?”

“No! I never meant to do that!”

It was just a mistake. She was so happy and nervous that she unconsciously applied force.

She never meant to hurt Jihyuk… it was so unfair.

Jihyuk turned and firmly grabbed Yuria’s cheeks.

Seeing that fiery gaze, Yuria felt the urge to submit to him again.

“You won’t do that again, right?”

“Yes… never… hng!”

Jihyuk roughly pinched Yuria’s cheeks.

Yuria trembled in fear but also felt excited, wondering if she was a pervert for feeling that way, and hoped Jihyuk would keep showing this side of himself.

“Sorry…”

“What are you sorry for?”

“For presumptuously… using force…”

Jihyuk nodded and let go of Yuria.

“Your apology doesn’t feel sincere. I don’t feel any sincerity.”

Thump!

Yuria’s heart sank.

The expression Jihyuk was giving her was deeply furrowed.

She fully understood why Jihyuk was angry.

She’s the type to act before thinking.

And she’s always been spouting apologies, so it’s no wonder he doesn’t feel any sincerity.

What should she do? How can she appease his anger?

Yuria’s trembling lips parted.

“What… should I do…?”

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