Palm-Sized Gifts
A gift: a thin, expensive-looking alloy case smaller than the palm of a hand.
Click.
Inside was a pitch-black credit card.
"Why the sudden credit card—"
"It's for grooming expenses. Try using it for anything else, and I'll confiscate it immediately."
"No, I mean, why are you giving something like this to me?"
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want the guy I picked as my partner embarrassing me and tarnishing the Goryeo Group's reputation by looking sloppy."
"Ah, gotcha."
Only then did I remember Shin Sua's relationship rank perk.
Relationship Bonus: Appropriate words and actions that please Shin Sua at the right time and place will grant material support.
She must have been thrilled that Seol Romi, someone I'd never beaten, had bowed her head.
"Here are the contact details for a spa and aesthetic salon where you can go with the one becoming an Ancestor Spirit. Call them, and regardless of reservations, they'll send a car to pick you up."
A man in a suit who had been waiting nearby politely handed over two business cards.
Shin Sua snorted as she watched Gemma grin broadly and tuck them away.
"Enjoy it while you can. It's not every day a delinquent like you gets treated like this."
"What's wrong with me? Anyway, thanks. I'll put it to good use."
Her attitude grated, but since she was handing over money with it, I'd let it slide. From now on, whenever I need clothes, this'll cover it.
I pocketed the credit card and turned to leave.
"Kim Taeyang."
I was about to head out with Gemma when Shin Sua called me back.
"We still have more to talk about?"
"Starting tomorrow, come to my place after school."
"...Pardon?"
"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
She gives me the card to save face and now this? What the hell?
Maroon Five Argo 2nd-Year Dormitory Branch.
Igabi watched Seo Jeon-jeom sigh nonstop for an hour straight from his spot on the sofa while personally roasting coffee.
Seo Jeon-jeom's bangs covered one eye, but compared to his usual cheerful self, he exuded a gloomily intense aura. With such a big presence as the grade's vice-top, ordering just one iced Americano and moping like that, it was no wonder other customers were fleeing.
Igabi was both barista and businessman. Even as the owner of a massive franchise, he couldn't stomach the idea of his hobby shop's sales dropping.
"Haa..."
He'd always thought listening to customers' woes was for bartenders or hosts, but today, there was no other choice.
The moment he finished roasting, Igabi untied his apron and sat across from Seo Jeon-jeom.
"What, worried you're gonna lose to a first-year?"
Seo Jeon-jeom didn't answer. Instead, his eyes asked what nonsense Igabi was spouting.
"Then why are you killing the vibe here?"
As Igabi spoke, King Gojong appeared beside him, nodding solemnly with a stern face.
It was pretty rude, but Seo Jeon-jeom didn't get mad. He knew Igabi wasn't saying it out of malice.
"You're right, I'm scared. But not because of the sparring opponent."
"......"
Igabi and Seo Jeon-jeom had been close since their first-year Class A days. Their personalities weren't similar at all. They bonded purely over shared pasts.
The Ancestor Spirits they'd contracted were still branded incompetent kings even after death.
Because of that, despite blessings from various royal ancestors, they'd been ignored by their own clan's Shangju.
The Jeonju Lee and Buyeo Seo clans had no shortage of Shangju contracted to kings, so every holiday, they'd grown up compared to their cousins.
Until Igabi and Seo Jeon-jeom outdid their relatives from the same enrollment period to claim top and vice-top spots, the looks of contempt never stopped.
They'd shone thanks to their unique constitutions and relentless effort.
It was only natural for two with similar childhoods to grow close.
Because of that bond, Igabi could guess Seo Jeon-jeom's worries just from his expression.
"That girl... she's coming?"
"That's why I'm like this—I don't know."
Seo Jeon-jeom pulled out his smartphone. The lit screen showed a chat window. The profile pic of his chat partner screamed beauty at first glance.
For a solid half-year, Seo Jeon-jeom and his counterpart hadn't exchanged a single word.
And in the input field was a message he'd typed but hadn't sent, no doubt agonizing over the send button.
"I don't get it. How many girls are throwing themselves at you? They even call you Harem Master—"
"Shut up."
Seo Jeon-jeom snapped with the intensity of lunging at Igabi.
Harem Master. Someone coined it noticing how his long bangs hid his face like a dating sim protagonist, and girls wouldn't leave him alone. Naturally, without his consent, so Seo Jeon-jeom found the title mortifying.
"Come on, it suits you."
"Ugh, even my so-called friend sitting here like this is ruining my image more."
Buyeo Uija, listening beside Seo Jeon-jeom, looked saddened. Just as he'd borne the stigma of reveling with 3,000 palace ladies, Seo Jeon-jeom suffered from his weird nickname.
"No interest in any other girls besides senpai."
Seo Jeon-jeom cut it off cleanly. Igabi knew who he meant.
Last year—when Igabi and Seo Jeon-jeom were first-years—Go Eun-jin, who dropped out of Argo. The day she got injured in a joint training accident, Igabi first saw Seo Jeon-jeom cry.
Thankfully no life threat, but she was ruled unfit as a Shangju and left Argo. Now, her analytical skills landed her as a headhunter for a major clan, constantly traveling and buried in work like most 1st-2nd year recruits.
At least, that was Seo Jeon-jeom's excuse for not contacting her.
"What's so hard about texting a girl?"
"Not everyone expresses emotions as easily as shoving a coin in a vending machine and getting a drink."
"You talking about me right now?"
"How'd you know?"
"You're seriously deluded."
"Deluded about what?"
"One, this shop uses a classic spring-lever professional espresso machine full of soul, not some vending machine. Two, I have emotions too."
"If you wanna prove your humanity, start by lowering those inhuman franchise fees. Lots of talk online."
"...I'll cover today."
"That's Plan B?"
"I figure boosting a friend's spirits over girl troubles proves plenty of humanity."
"Make it sweet."
Igabi nodded and headed to the kitchen. Moments later, he returned with a tall, clear glass mug stuck with a muddler and straw. Dense brown syrup and milk formed distinct layers in the pretty drink.
Seo Jeon-jeom stirred it vigorously and slurped it down through the straw.
And shortly after.
*Cough!*
"Hey, wait—this is..."
Seo Jeon-jeom's face flushed as he started breathing raggedly.
"Too late to notice."
Besides the official menu, the shop hid ingredients for Igabi's hobby drinks. What he'd just served Seo Jeon-jeom was a Kahlúa Milk cocktail—coffee liqueur and milk.
"Igabi, you—"
Thud.
Confirming Seo Jeon-jeom's limp collapse onto the sofa, Igabi firmly pressed the power button on the unlocked smartphone's chat app.
The short message Seo Jeon-jeom had typed was definitely sent to Go Eun-jin.
All that was left was waiting for a reply.
"Thanks to you, I got a fun show. I'll repay you for sure."
Igabi covered his booze-passed-out friend's eyes with a handkerchief and returned to the counter. In gratitude for the youth romance drama scene to come, he doubled the chestnut points on Seo Jeon-jeom's earlier iced Americano order.
*Bzzz!*
Igabi smiled at the faint vibration of Seo Jeon-jeom's phone on the table.
Whether it was the points accrual message or Go Eun-jin's reply, Seo Jeon-jeom would find out when he woke.
The next day.
Mun Hee-jeong arrived at school with heavy dark circles under her eyes. The all-nighter's traces stood out even more on her fair skin.
But throughout class, a satisfied smile never left her face.
She'd successfully completed a gift for Kim Taeyang overnight after newly mastering a Spirit Lord Transformation variant.
Without even using a sewing machine. Infusing spirit power, ancestral power, and Mun Ik-jeom's blessings into every single thread, achieving a finish several times better than expected.
"Hehe..."
Great call going back out to buy materials right after reaching the dorm. Mourning clothes of this caliber were rare even among her parents' creations.
Kim Taeyang would definitely be pleased.
With that thought, Mun Hee-jeong waited for a chance to hand it over.
Before first period, break time, lunch, after school.
"......"
She kept waiting, but for some reason, U Hyo-chung—who'd come early—stuck to Kim Taeyang like glue, leaving no opening for a private chat.
"Ugh, he's so clueless."
Mun Hee-jeong vented at U Hyo-chung unnecessarily and plopped down by the school gate.
Fine, guess this is the only way.
She bowed her head and muttered. Thirty minutes waiting for Kim Taeyang, but it wasn't painful.
She'd long mapped his route home. After training with Shin Sua, he'd pass the main gate.
He might spot her waiting longer than expected and like it—or get caught sooner than planned. Either way, she'd steeled herself for that.
And moments later.
*Step, step.*
Familiar footsteps made Mun Hee-jeong spring up reflexively.
In her fluster, she nearly dropped the ribbon-wrapped box but barely caught it with an outstretched hand.
"What are you doing here?"
Then Kim Taeyang's voice rang out.
"Ah, haha. Just hanging out."
Trying to play it cool and hide her embarrassment backfired into a flipped voice.
"Careful. Thought you were gonna fall picking that up."
Kim Taeyang mistook her grabbing the box for losing balance.
"What a coincidence! Running into you like this!"
Mun Hee-jeong forced a peppy tone and handed over the prepared gift.
"Perfect timing! Was gonna give it tomorrow, but Mom sent the sewing machine. Haven't touched one in ages, so I practiced and made this! If you like it, wear it for the engagement spar..."
Wear it for the engagement spar... and then what? The last line from the Post-it she'd practiced in the mirror before leaving home slipped her mind.
Mun Hee-jeong froze like a broken clock.
"Hee-jeong, seriously, thank you...!"
Kim Taeyang took her hands in both of his. His eyes held not the usual playful glint, but genuine sincerity.
"Ha, haha..."
Her feelings reached him. One thank-you made last night's worries and efforts feel instantly rewarded.
Her lower belly tingled, heart pounding like it might burst.
Mun Hee-jeong realized anew that what she felt for Kim Taeyang wasn't mere goodwill, but love.
But the joyful moment didn't last.
"What're you doing? Get in already."
Shin Sua emerged from behind Kim Taeyang. A luxury large sedan pulled up smoothly to the gate.
Kim Taeyang said something, but nothing registered in Mun Hee-jeong's ears.
All she registered was Kim Taeyang riding off somewhere with Shin Sua.
"Taeyang... why... why would you..."
Exhaust fumes trailed the departing car. Left alone at the gate, Mun Hee-jeong stood frozen like a pillar of salt from the Old Testament.
For a full two hours.
"The inside's even more impressive than the outside."
I sipped the prepared drink, relaxing in the spacious back seat with Shin Sua and Gemma, enjoying the smooth ride.
The sedan boasted a stereo, TV, fridge—everything but the kitchen sink. If the car was this nice, what would Shin Sua's villa be like?
In the game, access was limited, so I hadn't explored everywhere.
When else would I get to stay at a Goryeo Group villa?>
Gemma seemed pretty excited too.
"Let me say it again: this isn't a vacation. Keep that in mind."
Shin Sua spoke irritably, displeased with our enthusiasm.
"Who said it was?"
Truth was, my reason for bunking at Shin Sua's was training camp prep for the engagement spar.
Her idea: stay at the villa and use the basement gym to run monster doll simulations anytime after the school field closed at 5 PM, perfecting our synergy. Gemma and I agreed immediately.
Not a vacation per se, but days of comfy beds and gourmet food had us buzzing anyway.
"Speaking of, Hee-jeong's amazing."
I hugged the box Mun Hee-jeong gave me tight.
Who'd have thought she'd finish gloves in one day? Those dark circles meant she skimped on sleep for sure.
Tomorrow, I'll casually ask if she wants anything. If no answer, I'll pick something myself.
I don't like owing debts. Gotta repay Mun Hee-jeong's help properly.
Wonder what she'd like as a gift.
"We're here."
Shin Sua's voice snapped me from my thoughts. The sedan had pulled up to her place.