This was not part of the plan.
I insert myself into the blank memory of the Heavenly Killing Star. It doesn’t need to be too specific. I convince the Heavenly Killing Star that I was a villager there. Although these are false memories, I share a few that we can both understand.
If she doesn’t intend to kill me, it should end there. After all, it would be hard for her to easily kill someone she knows. But what if she still suspects me?
I touch the precious memories. I make sure she cannot be confident in her recollection and squeeze myself into those memories. In the end, she will have to acknowledge me.
The plan was a success. But it has completely gone wrong.
“So-hee, do you want me to get a room for you?”
After a series of events, I prepared for bed.
I was tidying up the bed and spoke to the Heavenly Killing Star. The guest room I was in was a single room. It was a bit expensive, but I purposely booked a single room to save my life.
Since it’s a single room, the bed is also a single bed, so we can’t sleep together. I could use this opportunity to drive the Heavenly Killing Star away and buy myself some time to think.
“I don’t need it. I’ll stay here.”
After sorting out her emotions, the Heavenly Killing Star sat in a corner of the guest room, hugging her knees and staring at me.
“If a man and woman are in the same room, it could lead to misunderstandings. I’ll go down and get another room……”
“I told you I don’t need it.”
“Alright. If that’s what you want.”
Why do I feel murderous intent from her words? Suddenly, I felt a chill down my spine.
What am I to do about this?
I’m not just optimistic, thinking all problems will be solved in one night. I have a few more plans up my sleeve.
If I utilize them, I might be able to avoid the Heavenly Killing Star’s suspicion for a while. But the plans I have made are designed for short-term resolution.
What if, even after using all my available tricks, the Heavenly Killing Star still remains by my side?
Having used all my plans, the next step would be to offer my neck, right?
As I finished tidying the bedding, I suddenly felt a chill at the back of my neck. When I turned to look again, the Heavenly Killing Star was glaring at me.
“Don’t be nervous, Kang Yoon-ho.”
I am her childhood friend’s older brother. If I show any signs of nervousness, she will doubt me. No matter what the Heavenly Killing Star does in front of me, I have to act like an adult.
“So-hee, sleeping on the floor isn’t good for your body. You should sleep in this bed.”
“I’m fine. I’m used to sleeping on the floor.”
The Heavenly Killing Star retorted gruffly.
“Sigh. What happened to my So-hee who used to act all sweet towards her brother?”
Seriously, just a little courtesy would be nice if you’re from the Confucian nation. Are we really going to pretend to be actual friends, just because we’re childhood companions? I’m three years older than you. Don’t you know the basic manners? Did they not teach etiquette in the Salmak?
“I’m originally like this.”
“Right. It’s probably because you’ve swallowed too much of the Central Plains’ way of life.”
Exactly. In the Martial Arts World, strong martial artists are the big brothers and sisters. I was wrong. The Martial Arts World is indeed ruining the world.
Even if my attitude seems arrogant to the Heavenly Killing Star, I need to consistently project the image of an older brother.
I slowly approached Cheon So-hee.
“What?”
Cheon So-hee looked up at me, hugging her knees while sitting on the floor.
“Here’s a blanket. The night in Chilgok County has been chilly lately. Even if you’re used to sleeping on the floor, you should at least cover yourself with a blanket.”
I extended the blanket toward Cheon So-hee with a warm smile.
“…….”
Cheon So-hee continued to stare at me without taking the blanket.
What’s this? Is this the first time she’s seen a sweet older brother? I’m just trying to survive here!
At any moment, the weight of being a fraud and being her older brother will keep shifting in the Heavenly Killing Star’s mind. To ensure the latter gains more weight, it’d be a good idea to keep acting like this.
“My hand feels heavy.”
Just take it. I’m suspicious, but I’m still your childhood friend older brother. Rejecting this level of kindness will lead to a challenging future. Really.
“……Give it to me.”
Cheon So-hee accepted the blanket and wrapped it around herself. Is she planning to just sit and sleep? Can an assassin do that?
“Good. Keep warm while you sleep.”
I handed her the blanket and turned to lie down on the bed.
I wanted to comfortably turn my body towards the wall and lie down. However, doing so would imply that I was uncomfortable with her presence.
I intentionally lay facing the Heavenly Killing Star and attempted eye contact.
Suspicion. Confusion. Doubt. Various emotions intermingled in the gaze of the Heavenly Killing Star. I would have to keep doing this going forward. Unless that gaze shifts to trust, this situation will likely continue.
“So-hee.”
“Yes?”
“No. I was just curious that you’re in front of me.”
I smiled with a friendly face. Who would scold someone with a smiling face?
“…….”
The mixture of suspicion and doubt in Cheon So-hee’s eyes changed to one of bewilderment. Unlike before, she didn’t tell me to be quiet or say something dismissive.
“So-hee, let’s turn off the lights now.”
Even if I die tomorrow, I need to get some sleep.
“Wait a moment.”
“Huh?”
“The name So-hee… don’t call me that in front of others.”
Her words revealed a hint of caution. That’s good for me. It’s the only name we share. Our shared secret strengthens our bond.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Call me Ok-bun.”
What type of martial arts visual novel character name is Ok-bun? That’s among the rare names for grandmothers nowadays. Is this a name from the Joseon era?
“Okay, Ok-bun. Let’s go to sleep.”
I calmly turned off the light in the guest room.
What a relief.
She trusts me a little.
Despite rejecting my kindness, she doesn’t completely dismiss it. She wants to share a secret between us. Asking me to call her by her alias is a good sign.
Right now, the Heavenly Killing Star is like a hedgehog. Always prepared to poke others but willing to lower her spikes if I cautiously extend my hand.
To avoid dying, I’ll need to keep making her lower those spikes with each attempt.
There’s still a long way to go.
If I don’t want to give up from the start, I should just sleep now.
———————-
“Guest! Are you two coming out of the room together right now?”
The next day, our appearance coming out of the room was witnessed by Jeom-soo. The now-teenage Jeom-soo looked at us with shock on her face.
Shock!
The Heavenly Killing Star comes out of the room with a man in the morning.
Confirmed—she’s still wearing what she wore yesterday. The villainous character is clearly violating the laws of martial arts visual novel female characters. Where is our society heading?
She looked like she would report this to the media.
“Ah! Is it not allowed for two people to sleep in a single room?”
Hurry and say it’s not allowed for two people to sleep together. Send us to another room.
“No, you have to pay double!”
So that’s it. I thought I could be kicked out immediately, but what a letdown.
“The sleeping room is the same, adding more people doesn’t make it bigger. How can the price double?”
“This area charges by the number of people.”
“I’ve never heard that before.”
Is this a pension or something? Charging by the number of people?
I remember when I went on vacation with friends and argued with the owner about paying for friends who joined late.
If more people come to the same room, it should be common sense to switch rooms or just let it slide, but instead, they want me to pay more. And on top of that, they say it’s their policy since they only operate seasonally. Ridiculous!
“Of course, you wouldn’t mention it since you came alone. When did the person next to you arrive?”
“I came last night.”
I broke into the room.
“That’s strange. I closed the door to the guesthouse yesterday, yet I never saw someone like that.”
Jeom-soo looked puzzledly at Cheon So-hee. Should I say she was wearing a straw hat yesterday, so it was understandable she didn’t see her properly?
Following Jeom-soo’s gaze toward Cheon So-hee, I noticed she had changed her expression since we left the room.
It wasn’t a man’s face nor Cheon So-hee’s original appearance.
Is that her true face when going out?
If Cheon So-hee went around looking like she does, even in modern times, she’d have men flocking to her just for a chance to talk.
On the other hand, Ok-bun’s face is indistinct—a face of a Joseon woman. The type of face you’d think “Why is this girl from Class 1 also in Class 2’s photo?” if you opened a high school graduation album.
With a face like that, it’s easy to cover things up.
“She’s like a younger sister from my hometown who dressed as a man to find me and traveled here from afar. Do you remember that suspicious man wearing a straw hat from yesterday?”
“Oh! That incredibly suspicious person?”
Jeom-soo’s expression indicated she realized who I was talking about.
“Yeah. She was just being cautious since it’s dangerous for a girl to wander alone.”
“Aha. That makes sense. Understood. Now, let’s settle the bill. Please give me the amount you gave yesterday.”
Jeom-soo extended two fingers to hint at the amount.
Damn robbers. They want to charge the two-person rate for a single room.
“No, if there are two people, you should provide a double room. Asking for double the rate for a single room isn’t fair, right?”
“Our guesthouse has no double rooms; it’s either a single room or a four-person room. Do you need a four-person room?”
Jeom-soo changed the two fingers to four. Four times? That’s way too much for someone used to sleeping in a shanty.
I subtly glanced at Cheon So-hee.
Do you have any money? Just pay the threefold.
“I don’t have any money.”
Cheon So-hee looked away as she said that. Oh really, avoiding eye contact now?
I’d love to shout, “I’ll take one hit for every coin found in the Heavenly Killing Star’s pockets!” but I’ll hold off since I’m the weaker party here.
“I’ll just pay double for the single room.”
I pulled out the money from my pocket and handed it to Jeom-soo. The cost of a single room is already expensive, and now I have to pay double for it.
“Yes, thank you very much. And could you lend me your ear for a moment?”
Jeom-soo graciously accepted the money and beckoned me closer. I bent down and brought my ear close to her lips. Jeom-soo threw a brief glance at Cheon So-hee before quietly saying to me.
“Our guesthouse is well soundproofed, so you don’t need to worry about being discreet at night.”
Ah, so that’s what she meant.
“If you come downstairs, call me~”
Jeom-soo winked at me and went downstairs.
Wait, so the four-person room fee wasn’t for the four but rather a consideration so we could share the single room.
When a man says, “There’s only one room left,” the woman responds, “Sir, is there really only one room left?” “Yes, there really is just one.” Everyone present knows it’s a lie, yet they all accept it and walk into the room voluntarily.
Are we being set up for that situation? If we share the bed, a single bed can be a double bed too.
But I don’t need that kind of consideration!
“Why did she say we don’t need to worry at night?”
Cheon So-hee asked me with a curious tone, as if she had overheard the conversation.
“Who knows? Looks like she misunderstood something. Let’s go for a meal.”
It’s not like we have a relationship where we would be doing anything at night. In fact, we sleep praying that the bed doesn’t become stained with blood tomorrow.
I gestured for Cheon So-hee to head downstairs to the guesthouse’s first floor.
—————
During the late morning, the guesthouse was empty with not a single customer in sight.
Why is it so deserted? Is it only bustling when they drink at night?
Cheon So-hee and I sat in the corner of the guesthouse where we wouldn’t attract attention, and our conversation wouldn’t be easily overheard.
As I sat at the table, Jeom-soo, who had earlier shown unnecessary consideration, approached me.
“What would you like to order?”
Jeom-soo asked me with a beaming smile.
“Ok-bun, is there anything you want to eat?”
“Anything is fine.”
A. N. Y. T. H. I. N. G.
Wow. I can’t believe I’m hearing that from the Heavenly Killing Star.
It needs to match her taste and preference, of course, and it can’t overlap with the meals we’ve had over the past week. It shouldn’t be too high in calories so she can maintain her figure, and must be something that won’t disrupt the mood while eating.
That would be “anything.”
If it’s a place where we can snap an SNS photo, that’d be the icing on the cake. If I order steaming soup here? I’ll be found dead in the room the next day!
Phew, did she get that from me watching a lot of dramas? She should just be straightforward from now on.
In any case, this is a trick of profound knowledge.
My mind began racing rapidly.
Using one of the strategies I had planned all along. Let’s do this!
“Jeom-soo, do you know what foods are available at this guesthouse?”
There’s no menu here, so I’ll have to ask Jeom-soo to list them off for me.
“Hmm? I haven’t been here long, so I’ll just bring you the menu.”
Jeom-soo swiftly fetched a menu and handed it to me.
Wow, there’s an actual menu in the martial arts world. It’s just called a menu and not a food list or anything.
Sigh. Let’s just focus.
“Is this available to order now?”
I pointed out a dish on the menu for Jeom-soo to see.
“Of course! It’s a bit expensive though, is that alright?”
Is it because I’m wearing worn-out clothes instead of new ones from Gapsusangdan? Jeom-soo looked over my attire again and asked me.
“Sure.”
It would be unattractive to ask for a discount here. I shouldn’t be too stingy if I want to score points. I handed over the money Jeom-soo mentioned with trembling hands.
What a waste! It’s such a waste!
With that money, I could easily have had several bowls of high-quality hangover soup that’s hearty with meat and bursting with flavor.
“Please wait a moment, and I’ll bring it right out.”
“What did you order?”
“I ordered something that Ok-bun would enjoy.”
I replied with a smile.
If you said anything, why ask me? So “anything” was just a ruse.
Cheon So-hee, a master of emotional tug-of-war like me, wouldn’t be fooled by such a ruse.
Thank goodness I’ve attained level 5 in the art of emotional manipulation. Otherwise, ordinary folks would have fallen for it.
I haven’t measured my discipline too accurately, but having faced constant pushes for “no,” I think I can claim I’m experienced enough for this level of mastery.
Once I glanced at Cheon So-hee, I noticed she was a bit curious.
I had anticipated the Heavenly Killing Star might choose not to leave right away after the night.
It’s a situation where, after a long time apart, we could share a meal or even keep her from leaving the next day by having her doubt me.
Now was the time to execute the plans I had prepared—another method to make her believe I’m an older brother.
It’s time to carry that out.
