Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Chain Rampage Incident (4)
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I left the motel with San Su-yu and wandered around the nearby shops.
"They told us to look for anything suspicious, but the problem is figuring out what to do."
"Yeah."
San Su-yu responded to my words with an expressionless face.
No emotions were visible, but she was probably feeling frustrated too.
The most despairing moment for a fresh graduate is when they're told to just find their own tasks.
It would be great if they clearly spelled out exactly what to do. But for some reason, people always want flexibility and autonomy.
I learned that fact while helping out at my uncle's company before college.
So, how do you handle a situation like this?
Based on experience, there are only two ways I can cope.
If the client paid me well, I grit my teeth, find the work, and slave away until the client is satisfied.
And if I didn't get paid?
"San Su-yu."
"Yeah?"
"What do you want to eat?"
What else? Play as much as we want.
*****
Today, I decided to give San Su-yu a taste of heaven.
Of course, I had to persuade her first.
Honestly, what are we even going to find here? They probably anticipated that and split us up on purpose.
When I phrased it that way, San Su-yu seemed to mull it over before reluctantly nodding.
The first place we went was a chicken skewer joint.
San Su-yu eyed the steamy snack bar like it was her first time, circling around it curiously. Then she pointed to the bottom of the menu.
"I'll have this."
"That's super spicy."
"Spicy is good."
Nuclear bomb flavor. She really has rare tastes.
I ordered the safe cheese flavor, and the shop owner chuckled good-naturedly as he handed over the finished skewers.
"Heh heh heh. The young lady's got spirit. Girlfriend?"
"Nah, just friends."
"Friends turn into lovers eventually."
"Hahaha."
I glanced at San Su-yu, but she just tilted her head, oblivious to the implication.
As we stepped out, San Su-yu quietly said,
"Lover means girlfriend, right?"
"Yeah."
"So friends turn into lovers?"
"Sometimes yes, sometimes no?"
"...What does that mean?"
That's just how relationships go—you never know.
Even clichés like "yesterday's enemy is today's friend" from shonen manga are famous for a reason.
Because few phrases capture relationships as well.
Take Azalea, for example. She used to hate my guts, but now she texts me every three hours like clockwork.
-Ding!
[Azalea: Just finished training. How about you?]
Like this.
"Who?"
I tilted my phone to show San Su-yu the screen.
"Azalea."
"Pingchang? You were friends with her too?"
"We've been friends recently."
"...Really?"
San Su-yu crunched into her skewer. She mumbled to herself while chewing.
"Then I should be friends with her too."
The more friends, the better. She'd learn a lot, and sort out those vague feelings.
I looked at San Su-yu proudly. She stared back curiously and licked her lips. Still smeared with sauce.
I pulled out tissues I'd grabbed from the shop in advance and wiped it off.
"...?"
"Hold still."
San Su-yu furrowed her brow and stepped back, but realized it was kindness and let me.
As I pressed and wiped, I felt the soft texture of her skin through the tissue.
Flawless face.
Suddenly, San Su-yu's face scrunched up.
"...Spicy."
Well, it's nuclear bomb level.
San Su-yu teared up a bit but finished the skewer right there.
"What did it taste like?"
With red eyes, she sniffled and asked me.
I held out my skewer without thinking, and she bit into it without hesitation.
The unique cheesy savoriness. That's what makes it addictive.
"Mm. Not bad."
San Su-yu sniffled and gave her verdict. I handed her a tissue, and she blew her nose heartily.
We walked a bit more and spotted a familiar silhouette.
White hair—Baek Do. But in casual clothes today.
"Oh."
We spoke at the same time.
Baek Do held three chicken skewers.
"What are you doing here, Master?"
"What about you? Not working?"
"What time is it? 2 PM. Has Master ever fed us properly? So I filled my stomach. What about you, holding three skewers instead of working?"
Baek Do blushed and slyly hid the plastic bag on her wrist. It said "Sachet Snacks."
"You sure know how to bite. I just ate too. Anyway, Simpi the old hag will handle the work."
"I see."
I checked her skewers.
Cheese. Teriyaki. She knows her stuff.
If she didn't only like guts, she'd be a great food buddy.
"Cheese too?"
"Yes."
"...You get it."
Baek Do seemed to think the same.
"Time to hand over the reins soon, so say what you want."
"Reins?"
"Today's Hwang Do's turn."
"Ah. Nothing much to say. Hwang Do doing the work too?"
"Yeah. She's got better magic talent, so scouting's her job."
Baek Do ducked into the nearby alley. Soon, a pop sounded, and Hwang Do bounced out, skewer in mouth, grinning brightly.
"Dong-sang!!"
Hwang Do, half her skewer gone, spread her arms and ran to me upon spotting me.
"Sis!"
Her energy was infectious, so I hugged her right there. Her pressed chest felt nice.
"Has my Dong-sang been well?"
"How long has it been?"
"I get sad if I don't see my Dong-sang even for a day!"
Such sweet talk. I hugged tighter. Hwang Do giggled and whispered in my ear.
"...I even saw you naked."
-Twitch!
I stepped back slightly. Hwang Do poked her cheek and tilted her head.
"Hee hee."
'This tree. So seductive.'
A very sly tree.
"Want to hang out, but too much work... Dong-sang, okay if it's just us two today?"
"Of course!"
"Yeah?"
Hwang Do beamed and handed me a super sweet kid-friendly skewer from her bag.
"Eat this! Hee hee. From sis."
I laughed at her cuteness and took it. Suddenly, smoke rose from Hwang Do's body.
-Pop!
"What are you doing?"
My hand with the sweet skewer froze like stone.
A solemn voice laced with killing intent sent chills down my spine.
"Cheon Do?"
"Let go."
Cheon Do snatched the skewer from my hand and savored the sweet treat.
-Munch munch.
Grinning creepily. Terrifying.
Cheon Do finished all the skewers silently and handed back control to Hwang Do.
"...Got scolded."
Returned Hwang Do looked dejected.
"Shouldn't give away Cheon Do's."
"Even scolded by Dong-sang. Hing. Let's go work."
Hwang Do grumbled a bit more sullenly, then left.
-Tug tug.
Only then did San Su-yu tug my sleeve. Her previously dazed eyes now sparkled.
"I want to try that one now."
Found another eatery already. Her finger pointed to a rose tteokbokki place.
The prelude to a foodie's feast.
*****
-That one now.
Does San Su-yu's appetite have no end?
She started with tteokbokki, then spicy pig feet, chicken feet, spicy pork cutlet, and even dessert cheese tteokbokki ice cream.
I subtly hinted she ate a lot, but got the absurd reply that spice makes it all go down.
Finally, no more room, so we used culture as excuse and hit the theater.
Work? We scoured alleys while eating—no suspicious shadows.
The movie bloomed with youthful tales.
A clichéd story: couple fights, reunites via some event.
-Ah~
When lovers fed each other, San Su-yu patted my shoulder.
"Si-heon."
"What?"
"That."
"What about it."
Just a common feeding scene.
But San Su-yu thought differently. Shocked, hand to mouth, she said,
"Were we... lovers?"
"Huh?"
What the hell.
Her random words clicked.
Lovers feed each other.
We fed each other.
Thus, we're lovers.
"How do you even come up with that nonsense?"
"...Not?"
"Of course not."
San Su-yu nodded like she got it. Then muttered, justifying herself,
"First time doing this..."
Obviously. That's why I brought her to the movies despite her inexperience.
"Don't watch movies much?"
"...Yeah. Just trained at home."
"Watch closely then. Who knows? Might get way better."
"Better how?"
"More friends."
I wanted to fix her dull emotions.
More friends might help a bit.
San Su-yu peered into the screen. Youths in their prime, groups of seven, living it up.
Soccer, training together, hobbies.
She stared long, lost in thoughts only she knew.
-Rustle.
Movie ended, screen rose.
San Su-yu finally turned, gripping my sleeve.
"Si-heon."
"What?"
"I don't think I can do that stuff."
Her sincere review, head down sullenly. Empty popcorn bucket crumpled in her grip.
I said nothing.
Encouragement can wait till she gets her feelings.
"But glad Si-heon's my friend."
"Yeah?"
I chuckled.
"It's Si-heon, not Si-eon."
"...Si-heon."
This girl butchers my name to the end.