Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Yu-ra's Rebellion (3)
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"Candy?"
The box Yu-ra had brought from her place. Snatched from Pomi's hands, it was filled with candies wrapped in fancy packaging, and there was even a card inside that read in neat handwriting, To the Demon Lord, from Yu-ra.
"Come to think of it, today... no, yesterday was White Day."
I had gotten one friendship candy from Yeon Du at the shop. It seemed pretty thoughtful for just friendship candy, but she was good at cooking, so that made sense.
Other than that, White Day had been so irrelevant to my life that it hadn't even crossed my mind.
Wait, could it be that the chocolate Joo Na-young gave me a few days ago was for White Day too? She must've given it early since I didn't go to work yesterday.
"Heh heh, so this is what it feels like to get candy from a girl? But why would Yu-ra give candy to a demon... no, this isn't the time to be happy! Hey, what am I supposed to do with this now?"
It was right after confirming that my identity was under suspicion. And now she'd brought this straight over—what the hell?
"They look delicious—what can you do! Candy's innocent!"
I almost got convinced by Pomi's utterly shameless declaration.
"Haa, well, it's already here, so nothing we can do."
"I feel my energy dropping. Let's just have one."
Pomi and I munched on the candies.
"Mmm, yum, so good. These must be expensive, right? But seriously, how'd she figure it out? I didn't slip up or anything."
"It was because Jun-young made a voice slip last time!"
"R-Really? But even so, how does hearing a similar voice once make her think you're a demon? That doesn't add up."
I couldn't quite wrap my head around it, but nothing else fit.
"Sh-She won't report me, right?"
"Scaredy-cat! Stop worrying! The system says it's fine, doesn't it? Huh? But Jun-young, what's that on your chest?"
"Huh? What?"
"That! The red stuff!"
Looking down, my chest was covered in red marks.
Standing in front of the mirror, I saw them on my neck and cheeks too.
"K-Kiss marks."
Yu-ra's kiss marks, invisible earlier, stood out vividly once I dropped Invisibility.
A quick internet search confirmed kiss marks lasted at least three days.
My fear of Yu-ra grew even more.
Just moments ago, I'd been warmed by her affection, but to think it was all to confirm my identity...
"Ugh, ugh. Let's avoid Yu-ra's place."
"Since it's come to this, just meet her without pretending to be a demon!"
"Hey, how do I explain going invisible then? Spill everything about my demon contract? And if she finds out her feelings for me aren't natural but because I read her sexual fantasies to target her weak spots, all this affection might vanish."
"I-Is that so?"
There was no such thing as "just between us." The moment she told someone else, it'd spread to everyone.
"Even just Invisibility getting out could land me in some lab for weird experiments. They'd pry it out no matter what."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, I stuck to a turtleneck even in the sweltering kitchen to hide the kiss marks.
Yeon Du-na questioned my sweating buckets, but I just kept saying I was cold.
"Oppa, did you get hurt? What's with the bandage on your cheek?"
"Oh? Uh, paper cut."
"On your cheek?!"
During break, Joo Na-young approached me.
"Oppa, you hurt yourself somewhere?"
I flinched, and so did the hall staff and Yeon Du nearby as we stared at her.
It was weird enough for her to ask about my well-being, but calling me "oppa" in reality was a first.
I'd made her call me that in dreams so much, she'd slipped up without realizing.
Seeming oblivious to her mistake, she stood there blankly, then frowned at our stares.
"What's with the vibe? Can't I ask how someone's doing?"
Yeon Du-na gawked at her and said,
"Since when do you call oppa 'oppa'?"
Joo Na-young's shoulders jerked.
"When did I? I didn't!"
"I heard it."
"Me too."
As everyone murmured they'd heard it, she looked flustered but lashed out instead.
"Ugh, whatever. I didn't say it! You all misheard."
Then she looked at me and said,
"As long as it's not bad."
Shocking us all over again.
Her reaction was so fresh, I teased her a bit while working. Like right now!
"Why do you keep showing up before my eyes~ Why do you keep appearing~"
"..!"
Joo Na-young trembled at my humming.
This was the OST from Secret Garden, a super popular rom-com drama from a few years back. I hummed it as she passed the kitchen, and she twitched. Heh heh. The lyrics must feel like her dreams where she keeps meeting me.
"When I close my eyes and lie down, why does your face appear, oooh~"
Even knowing her face was beet red and shaking, I kept singing, until she stomped over.
"Hey!"
"Huh? What?"
"D-Don't sing that song."
"Whyyy?"
"It's n-noisy! You can't even sing. I hate hearing it!"
"That's harsh."
"I said don't sing it!"
"Okayyy."
As she stormed off a few steps, huffing, I started again,
"Why do you keep showing up before my eyes~"
"Hey!"
"Heh heh heh."
Damn, she's cute when pissed.
Seeing her change, I thought, Maybe dropping her affection later wouldn't hurt?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ On the way home after work.
Climbing the hill to the villa, a voice called from behind, "Hello."
Who's that? No one I know nearby.
"Eek, Y-Yu-ra."
Glancing back, I spotted Yu-ra bowing from afar and snapped my head forward, pretending not to see.
Thud, thud, thud.
I powered up the hill.
-Eek! Jun-young, she's following!
Thud thud thud thud, thud.
"Hup."
That wasn't walking—it was running. Yu-ra was chasing.
"This is nuts."
I bolted too.
Moments later, we both panted in front of the elevator.
"Haa, haa, wh-why are you running away?"
"Huff, wh-who's r-running?"
I was faster, but she caught up while I punched in the lobby code.
"You saw me greeting you, right?"
"Didn't see? Ahem, ahem."
She straightened from catching her breath and looked at me.
"But... did you get hurt?"
"Uh."
I slapped my hand over the bandage on my cheek.
The elevator dinged. In the tight space, she stared up at me.
Feeling guilty, I stared at the ceiling instead.
"Isn't that hot? It was pretty warm today."
"I take after my mom and get cold easily."
"Ahaha."
I'd never seen her laugh that hard.
Sh-She's even prettier when she laughs. Snap out of it! Don't fall for the interrogation!
-Ding! Floor 2. Doors opening.
She stepped out first.
"Oppa, see you later."
"Ah, yeah."
I nodded at her bright smile.
-Should've used Invisibility. Why run into her on a day I didn't? She definitely checked the kiss mark, right?
-Jun-young was staring at the ceiling so you missed it, but she sniffed around you!
-D-Damn.
I cast Target Status Reveal at her retreating back as she entered her place.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Target: Kim Yu-ra 😊 Affection: (Neighbor Oppa, Demon Lord) ❤️ Favorability: +55 (Love) 🧎 Submission: +50 (Acceptance) 💋 Lewdness: +70 (Lewd) 🎁 Talents: Divine Vessel A, Beauty B, Intelligence C, Sensitivity B -Huh? [Suspicion] is gone from talents? Is that good? But the combined affection is the same?
-Maybe she doesn't suspect anymore and is convinced?
-...Mia.
-Y-Yeah?
-Wanna grab some booze?
Yeah, booze it is! No work tomorrow anyway—drink and forget! It'll work out somehow!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Uwaaah..."
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
I patted Pomi's back as she clung to the toilet.
"Hey, I told you to stop earlier!"
"Hooeeek. Urok."
Damn it. The buzz I drank for was gone.
A few hours earlier, we'd turned around right at my door and hit the convenience store.
Booze, drinks, snacks—we grabbed it all, then said screw it and ordered a whole chicken.
Cola for Pomi, beer for me—we traded back and forth until the buzz hit.
"Wanna watch the news?"
"Criminal stuff? Turn on news if you're anxious?"
"Shut up! Who airs news this late?"
Beep-.
On the 25th at dawn, following Daehan Party's Yang Du-chan found dead, same party member Hong Jeong-hoon was discovered murdered at home. Police investigating wounds suspect same perpetrator...
"Tsk tsk. Humans are doomed."
I turned off the TV, staring at Pomi shaking her head at the news.
Not great dinner viewing.
Ripping into a drumstick, chugging beer.
"Slurp. Nom nom. Gulp, gulp. Ahhh."
"Jun-young!"
"Yeah?"
"Is booze tasty?"
"You never tried?"
Nod nod.
Looking at her tiny frame, I wondered if it was okay, but she was 23.
"Wanna sip a little?"
"Yeah!"
Pouring her half a glass since drunk Pomi would be cute started it all.
"Sluuurp. Kek! What flavor is this?!"
"Hahaha, total kid!"
"N-Not a kid!"
Gulp gulp gulp.
"Whoa, slow down. First time— you'll get wasted quick."
"Cough, cough. Ahh!"
She inhaled the beer like a black hole, her usual trick.
"Hey, stop. You'll regret it."
Despite my warnings, she downed six 500ml cans. Even I couldn't match that—too full.
"How's that tiny belly hold it?"
"Hehe, uhehehe."
An hour passed, then two—and disaster struck.
"Joo-nyoung, head hurts. Uuup."
"Knew it'd happen. Hold it in. Puke and you're out."
I was ready to bolt to the bathroom when she started heaving.
"Uung oong. Uuung!"
Yellow liquid dribbled from her puffed cheeks!
"Ack, too late."
Tucked under my arm to the toilet, Niagara Falls erupted from her mouth.
"How much did you chug? Gonna clog it."
Pat pat pat.
"I said stop eating, right?"
"Haeooook."
"Gotta wash clothes too. Sigh, learn from it. Puke it all up."
"Urk, urgh. Waaah. Mommy, hurts, mommy."
"Hungover already? Great."
After she emptied out and slumped, I stripped her soiled clothes into the hamper, wiped vomit off with a wet towel.
Rolled her in a fresh towel, tossed in bed—my body ached too.
"I barely drank, but ugh. Thought the contract cost was light—turns out babysitting's included."
Hate this thing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Next day.
Forgetting is God's greatest gift—a good night's sleep dulled the anxiety of Yu-ra knowing.
I felt great; Pomi suffered hangover hell, so I made hangover soup for breakfast.
"Won't tell you not to drink. You never listen anyway—you'd sneak it. Build tolerance slowly, okay?"
"Ung."
"Don't agree so boldly. Anyway, sip by sip, got it?"
Nod nod.
"But... miss your mom?"
"Eek! M-Mommy? Why mommy?"
"Don't remember? You cried for her."
"L-Liar!"
"Crybaby Pomi. How many nicknames now?"
"Ugh, no waaay."
Leaving her panicking, I did dishes and sorted thoughts.
Leave Yu-ra alone for now. Avoid her a bit.
Her quest had no expiration anymore, so I could go all-in on Joo Na-young's, with just ten days left.
That's what I thought then.