Ch 123
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 123
"Huh? Teacher Kim?"
Se-jin looks surprised.
"Ah, I forgot to mention. Teacher Kim also likes cats and said she wanted to see it, so she came along."
"Ah...."
"Why are you so surprised? You started raising a cat, right? I also raised 2 of them. Since it's your first time, I thought I'd give you some advice as a senior cat butler and take a look myself."
"Yes. Please come in."
I've been here once before for a housewarming party, but since she seems very busy, nothing much has changed from back then.
"Where's the cat?"
"Right. It's not like it wears out, but you haven't even sent a photo to Teacher Kang."
"Ah, that's... Today its condition suddenly became strange, so I left it at the hospital."
"Huh?"
I finally thought I'd get to see its face, but how can the timing be this bad....
I even bought 200,000 won worth of toys to play with the cat....
"Aren't you going to pick it up today?"
"Well, that's... They said there's a lot to examine, so they told me to come tomorrow morning...."
"Sigh, they say the day you go is market day...."
"That's strange."
"Teacher Kim? What is?"
"I don't see a cat litter box, cat tower, hiding house, food bowls, or anything."
Huh? Now that I listen, that's true.
I might not know about other things, but there should at least be food bowls or a litter box, but there's nothing in the living room.
"Ah, things like the cat tower haven't been delivered yet, and the litter box and food bowls are in the bedroom."
"In the bedroom? Doesn't it smell?"
"Well, that's... If you clean frequently and ventilate often, it's fine. Please sit down. There's no cat, but I prepared dinner earnestly."
Now that I think about it, there's been a delicious smell since we entered.
Following Se-jin to the kitchen connected to the living room, she's prepared quite a feast.
Braised short ribs with samgyetang containing large abalone, grilled eel with japchae, and soy sauce marinated crab with yellow roe.
The presentation is really amazing.
"Wow... What is all this?"
"Delivery quality these days is no joke. Why did you order so much? If Teacher Kim hadn't come along, we couldn't have eaten it all."
"Teacher Kang, this doesn't look like delivery?"
"Come on, don't you remember Se-jin couldn't even properly cook ramen until the training camp last year? I told her to order delivery."
"Well... The crab was given by my mom, but I made the rest myself."
"Huh? Really?"
The appetizing feast suddenly becomes worrying.
Even during the housewarming, everything was delivery food....
Could Se-jin also be like Teacher Kim's cooking?
"After work, I was thinking about what to do as a hobby, and there's a cooking academy in the shopping complex in front, so I've been attending. I even got my Korean cooking certificate recently and I'm preparing for Japanese cuisine now."
If she has a certificate, it should be fine... That's impressive.
Even though Antiroider is a bit more relaxed compared to other top 10 guilds, she must be busy as a newcomer.
"I had no idea since you never mentioned it."
"Well, it's nothing special, and it would be a bit embarrassing if I failed. I'll bring the rice."
"I'll help you."
"I'll also... Should I set the utensils?"
"No. You're both guests, so please sit nicely."
Seeing Se-jin answer with a bright smile makes me smile naturally.
Thinking that in the original work Kim Se-yeon had quite a sharp image that even Do-hyun had trouble approaching, she's completely different.
It must be because the conflict was resolved.
The future might have changed a little, but seeing the bright Se-jin, I have no regrets about my choice.
"Here you go. Please eat quickly."
"You sit and eat too."
During the meal, each dish is really amazingly delicious.
The braised ribs are tender, and the samgyetang is refreshing and so good, probably because of the abalone.
It was much better than eating out.
The wine served alongside was also better than expected.
I was a bit disappointed that there was no cat as I'd hoped, but it melted away like snow with the delicious meal.
"Really, now I can't say I cook in front of Se-jin. It's unbelievable that just six months ago you couldn't even cook ramen."
"Aren't you being too much?"
"It's not too much. It was really the best."
"Right, you could get married. I don't know who it'll be, but Se-jin's future husband will be really lucky."
At Teacher Kim's mischievous joke, Se-jin turns completely red like a beet.
I think the same as Teacher Kim.
I already resolved the conflict, but will she still end up meeting Do-hyun like in the original?
Unlike the original, she says she's going to Ares Guild, but since Ares Guild is also a partner guild of our school, the possibility isn't completely zero.
Do-hyun is still completely a kid....
Time will tell.
"Well, we've finished our tea too, so I'll get up now."
"You're leaving already?"
"I have an early appointment tomorrow morning."
"Morning? Tomorrow's Sunday."
"I agreed to go hiking with Teacher Park and several other teachers."
I got a text from Teacher Park this morning.
How about going hiking tomorrow morning and having a drink of makgeolli on the way down?
I felt sorry for bailing out on Friday and for not hanging out much usually, so when he said several other teachers were coming too, I said I'd go.
"Se-jin should rest too. You must be tired from cooking."
"Ah, yes. You both said you brought cars, right? I'll call you a driver."
"No. Why go that far...."
"No. I happened to win an event on the app I use, so I can use it five times for free. The expiration date is short anyway, so it's fine."
Geez, even someone with a lot of money is thrifty.
Actually, I didn't drink much and I could just blow away the alcohol with my internal energy, but it's troublesome to explain and it doesn't seem right to refuse the kindness, so I said okay.
Treating us to a delicious meal and even calling a driver - I really think I chose my student well.
"Our Se-jin's service is too good. Next time I'll buy you something delicious."
"You too, Teacher."
After saying goodbye, we went down to the underground parking garage.
Se-jin said to wait at the entrance and they'd come, so I was waiting with Teacher Kim when a driver on an electric kickboard arrived shortly after.
"You called for a driver, right?"
"Yes. Teacher Kim, please go first."
"No. Teacher Kang first...."
"Excuse me, which of you two is the owner of car 5582? It shows up as 5582 for me."
If it's 5582, that's not my car but Teacher Kim's... We yielded to each other for nothing.
"It's Teacher Kim's car. Please get in."
"Ah, then I'll go first. See you Monday. Have a good weekend."
"You too, Teacher Kim."
After sending Teacher Kim off, I keep waiting... What's this?
My driver hasn't come even after more than 10 minutes - did something happen on the way?
Should I just blow away the alcohol and drive?
But they might arrive late and we'd miss each other, so I was about to contact Se-jin when she happened to call me.
―Teacher.
"Oh. I was just about to call. The driver isn't coming. Teacher Kim left a while ago."
―Actually... I didn't call a driver for you, Teacher.
"Huh?"
Now that I think about it, since Se-jin also learned the internal energy cultivation method, she'd know that alcohol can be blown away with internal energy.
Still, if you said you'd call one, you should have.
You said you had free usage tickets too - so thrifty.
It seems like she didn't say anything right away because of Teacher Kim... If she'd called a bit earlier, I could have left sooner.
"Got it. I'll just drive home."
―Yes? That's not it... Could you come back up for a moment?
"Huh? Why? I didn't leave anything behind."
―Well, that's... Actually the cat is at home.
"Really? Then why did you say it wasn't there earlier?"
―Well, there are circumstances... Anyway, please come back up. If it's inconvenient, you can just go."
After saying that, she hangs up immediately.
Something was strange, but I came back up to the house anyway.
DING, DONG!
As soon as I press the bell, the door opens right away.
"P-please come in."
She's wearing the same outfit as before, but somehow looks nervous.
"Is there really a cat?"
"Ah, yes."
"Then why did you do that earlier? What circumstances?"
"Well... I'll show you first and then explain, so could you please wear this?"
She hands me a sleep mask.
"Huh? Do we have to go this far? You could just show me."
"Please."
Seeing her blush, perhaps from the wine we drank earlier, and earnestly plead, I eventually obediently put on the mask.
"You're not planning some weird prank, right? I'm an S-rank Hunter."
Even with my eyes covered, if I spread my internal energy, things like location detection wouldn't be difficult.
"It's nothing like that, so please just stay there for a moment."
"Alright."
It's really too hard to see a cat's face just once.
Just how pretty is this cat that she's building up suspense like this....
If it doesn't live up to expectations, I won't let it slide, I think while waiting, but this is taking longer than expected.
They say cats are finicky - is it running around avoiding us?
"Is it much longer?"
"J-just a moment. It's almost ready."
Did I wait about another minute? I hear a door opening sound, then Se-jin seems to come out.
But something's strange.
If she brought out a cat, I should normally sense the cat through the internal energy I've spread, but I don't sense any other living being besides Se-jin.
Could it have crossed the rainbow bridge....
If that's the case, I'd understand why she said it wasn't there earlier.
But during dinner and while having tea afterward, she didn't seem particularly sad....
"Can I take it off now?"
"Ah, not yet.... I'll take it off for you."
I feel Se-jin approaching beside me.
She must have brought her head close because I can smell the faint scent of shampoo.
No, the moment I thought this seemed a bit perverted, the mask was removed.
"Meow, meow."
At the clumsy cat meowing sound near my left ear, I immediately looked to the side... What, what is this?
Se-jin is wearing a cat ear headband and around her neck a silver bell leather choker like cats would wear.
Not just her face, but her clothes are also a quite provocative silk dress that Se-jin would normally never wear.... Could that be a tail?
"Um, well... So the cat you said was at home is...?"
"It's me."
I'm so surprised since I never thought of this at all that I don't know what to say.
It seems a bit much to call it a joke, so what was she thinking.... Wait, could this be seduction?
"Is, is it very strange?"
"No, no. Really...."
"Really what?"
I want to say it's amazingly wonderful, but as a teacher, how can I say such things to my student....
"It doesn't suit me after all, right? But I thought about it a lot and worked up courage to wear this...."
Se-jin suddenly looks like she's about to cry.
"It's not that it doesn't suit you... I'm just too surprised. I really thought it was a real cat - I never thought of anything like this at all."
"I actually... Teacher, I...."
DING, DONG!
It's the doorbell.
"There's no one who would visit at this time? Um... Teacher Kim, didn't the driver come and take you?"
"Huh? Right. Teacher Kim left with the driver...."
Did she leave something behind and come back?
DING, DONG!
"Se-jin, it's Mom. Aren't you home?"
Huh, mother?
If it's Se-jin's mother, it's not like we're strangers, so I could just greet her, but Se-jin's current outfit....
"Qu-quickly go change your clot... Oh?"
She suddenly ran toward the entrance, so I wondered what she was doing, but she grabs my shoes and pulls my arm, pushing me into the bathroom.
"There's no time to change clothes...."
"This takes a long time to take off. And Mom knows the passcode. Sorry, but please stay as quiet as possible. This too...!"
She hands me the headband and choker while speaking, and I hear the sound of the number pad being pressed.
***
"Se-jin, if you're home then... Wait, what are those clothes?"
I gave the choker and headband to Teacher, but there was absolutely no time to change clothes.
"Ah, well... I bought new pajamas and was trying them on...."
"Too indecent. Even if they're pajamas, still. Your chest is all exposed too. Huh? What's that? A tail?"
"Well, that's... When I saw it online, it didn't feel like this...."
"It's embarrassing in case someone sees, so go change quickly."
"Ah, okay. But what brings you here without notice...."
"I came to bring side dishes. And does Mom need to call every time she visits her daughter's house?"
"Ah, no."
"What, did you have a boyfriend coming over?"
"What boyfriend... There's nothing like that."
"Mom is okay with it as long as Se-jin likes him. I'll go to the bathroom, so change your clothes and put these in the refrigerator."
The bathroom?
"Ba-bathroom is currently blocked...."
"Huh? Don't you have the plunger Mom bought you last time?"
"Ah, no. I tried it but it didn't work. I told the management company and someone's coming tomorrow, so it's fine."
"Don't let strangers into a house where a woman lives alone. Especially a famous girl like you."
"It's the management company, so... It's fine."
"Mom's in a hurry. Last time I saw, the water pressure wasn't bad. It's not about strength but technique to unclog it. Let Mom try once."
She must have really been urgent because she didn't give me time to stop her and went straight to the bathroom, then pulled the door shut.