Friends (1)
We prepared the massages before our friends woke up. We laid out blankets and pillows in the living room and filled large basins with water, setting them nearby. We lit scented candles and prepared tea. Of course, everything was from the Spirit Shop.
These were the same items we'd used when giving Mom and Dad massages at the guesthouse. But this time, there was a new addition.
◈ A stone slab retaining the warmth of the Spirit Realm. Beloved napping spot for salamanders.
◈ One of the items added when the Spirit Shop expanded.
◈ Retains long-lasting heat that doesn't cool easily. To be used for keeping the tea warm.
[Sishiiiit.]
Of course, right now it was the napping spot for the utterly limp Mandu. Mandu had been stuck to the ondol like gum ever since, loving its warmth.
[Move over a bit.]
Mandu lazily flicked its short tail with a drowsy face. Aqua placed a teacup in the space it made.
[Mm! All prepared!]
Aqua declared proudly. Just then, Han Areum and Han Deuri emerged from their room, right on cue. They must have been woken by our clattering.
"What's that smell?"
Han Deuri scratched his belly and looked around the living room. Trailing behind him came Han Areum, still half-asleep, dragging her feet.
"You guys up?"
"Oh, hyungnim. You're already awake."
"Senior, good morning…."
Han Areum's eyes flew wide open, and she quickly covered her face with her hands.
"Uwaaaah!"
She bolted back into the room and slammed the door shut with a bang. Staring blankly at her retreating figure, Han Deuri waved it off.
"Her face swells up the morning after drinking."
"Everyone does."
"Well…."
Han Deuri opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if unsure what to say.
"…My sister's always hated showing her puffy face to people."
"It's fine. Tell her not to worry and come out."
"Mm…."
Han Deuri looked troubled, but then his eyes widened at the setup Aqua and I had prepared.
"What's all this? The massage you mentioned yesterday?"
I nodded, and he excitedly pounded on his sister's door.
"Noona! Noona! Aqua's gonna give you a massage!"
"Not now! Let me de-puff first!"
"You de-puff with a massage! Come on out—you gonna keep them waiting?"
Finally, Han Areum shuffled out, still covering her face with both hands.
"Senior. Sorry, but please don't look at my face until the massage is done."
"Got it."
She really hated showing her swollen face to anyone. Han Deuri went and woke Jang Gilsan too, dragging him out. Jang Gilsan, grumpy from being forcibly awakened, softened at the sight of our preparations.
[Mm! Welcome, guests!]
Aqua stood on the sofa with arms crossed.
[First, have some of this tea! It soothes body and soul.]
I passed out a cup to everyone. Whenever Aqua did massages, my role was always assistant.
The three sipped their tea slowly.
"Oh. This is good."
"Not green tea?"
"I've never had this kind before. Where's it from?"
"Spirit Realm specialty tea, sir."
I smiled and offered simple snacks to go with it. Once they'd finished, I had them lie down. I placed warm towels—dampened, microwaved—over their faces to open pores for easier absorption of Aqua's Healing Water.
[Mm, mm! Excellent work!]
Aqua beamed, watching me prep.
After about five minutes with the warm towels, the real massage began.
[Let's start!]
At Han Areum's strong insistence, she went first. She was too embarrassed to stay in the living room with her puffy face even a moment longer.
Splash!
Aqua's hands, dripping with Healing Water, touched Han Areum's face. Rub rub—Aqua moved along the contours. Han Areum's cheeks jiggled elastically under the touch.
"Uwaa…."
Han Areum let out a low moan.
I get that feeling.
Aqua's small, soft, squishy hands were amazing in themselves. And those tiny hands stroking and pressing every inch of your face? Pure bliss, like heaven.
Aqua finished with firm presses to extract pore-clogging waste.
"Uuuuh…!"
Han Areum writhed a bit, then went limp like she'd collapsed from exhaustion.
Next up, Jang Gilsan didn't moan or anything. True to his chaebol heir status, he maintained his dignity even under Aqua's charm assault.
"Hoo…."
But that short, heavy exhale at the end spoke volumes.
Finally, Han Deuri was already ecstatic before his turn even started.
"Aqua's massaging me…!"
He'd been under an Aqua no-approach order until now. Because Aqua was scared of his face.
Even the undines screamed and fled from him at yesterday's gathering.
The sylphs had even called him an ogre. Aqua mustered great courage and sat by his head.
[You were a big help too. Sorry for pushing you away just because of your face.]
"Nah. It's fine. My fault for looking like this."
[Mm. Can't deny that. Here we go!]
Aqua placed her hands on his face.
"Euk!"
Han Deuri clutched his heart. As Aqua's hands traversed his broad face, he had to pump his chest vigorously.
* * *
After the massages, everyone sprawled on the blankets. Aqua and I were tired from giving them; the three were drained from Aqua's overwhelming charm.
"…Han Deuri. Bury me here."
Han Deuri muttered out of nowhere. Aqua's massage must've been that good.
"Waa…."
Han Areum peered into a hand mirror, endlessly admiring her face.
"So this is the power of Healing Water."
She sighed softly, sat up, and turned to me.
"Senior. I need to make money."
"Why? To buy Healing Water?"
"They say once you upgrade your skincare, you can't go back—and now I get it."
Han Areum leaned close, pointing at her face.
"Look at this! Look!"
Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. Normal Han Areum, puffy-faced Han Areum hiding it, post-massage ecstatic Han Areum—they all looked equally pretty to me.
"Yeah."
Of course, I wasn't clueless enough to say that aloud.
Han Areum sighed again.
"Must be nice being you."
She twirled her hair around her finger.
"Isn't there a way for me to live with a spirit like Aqua?"
"Haha…."
Aqua, nestled in my arms, turned to her.
[But you're not a spirit user, right?]
"True."
[So how would you live with a spirit?]
"Well, there's ways."
Just then, Han Deuri's stomach growled.
I glanced at the clock.
"Already this late? What should we have for breakfast?"
Jang Gilsan sat up.
"Let's order delivery. Room service is getting old."
"Sure? Anything you guys want?"
"Anything's fine for us!"
"We don't care!"
Typical energetic response from the siblings.
* * *
About thirty minutes later, the delivery arrived.
"Here you go."
The delivery guy handed over not just our food, but a stack of business cards too—about a finger's width thick.
"What's this?"
"Someone stuck these here for you."
I took them and read.
Ruan Guild Head Hunter Kim Taek-su
Suho Guild Marketing Manager Min A-young
Steel Rain Guild Master Kang Cheol-oh
Scout business cards from various guilds.
Since I hadn't left the room, they must've used delivery to pass them along. I chuckled softly and moved to toss them aside.
"…Huh?"
One familiar name caught my eye.
Clearwater Cosmetics
The company Sia Clearwater, Niagara's contractor, had been part of. I asked about it, and Jang Gilsan answered simply.
"Sia Clearwater has no ties to Clearwater Cosmetics anymore."
He scooped a big bite of fried rice.
"The year after she went into hiding, the Clearwater family was ousted from all positions at the shareholders' meeting."
"Ousted?"
It was news to me—I wasn't big on corporate stuff.
"Niagara was Clearwater Cosmetics' biggest asset. They took the blame. Sia got ousted too."
"But Niagara and Sia are back now."
"The Spirit Kings are yours now—who knows what Clearwater Cosmetics will do."
Jang Gilsan shrugged.
"Even if they reach out, whether Sia wants anything to do with them is another question."
I looked down at the Clearwater Cosmetics card. A flicker of worry for Sia crossed my mind, but I realized she didn't need it. A former Spirit King contractor who'd survived five years in the Amazon? She was fine.
"They probably want you too."
"Yeah. They've still got the Spirit King name here."
But that wasn't my problem. No desire to work with a company that discarded Sia like trash.
"Anyway, let's eat."
I tossed the Clearwater card in the trash. As I sat, Aqua set a bowl of jjajangmyeon in front of me—perfectly mixed.
"You mixed this?"
[I tried mixing it like dough!]
Aqua seemed to have gotten a taste for cooking.
"Thanks, Aqua."
[Eat up!]
Aqua grabbed her cola. Han Areum sounded wistful.
"I should've asked Aqua to mix mine…."
[No worries. Next time!]
"Really? Thanks!"
I took a chopstickful of jjajangmyeon. Slurp! The salty-sweet flavor filled my mouth as I sucked in the cool noodles. Placebo or not, the seasoning seemed better absorbed into the noodles.
[Sishit!]
Mandu begged for a bite. I scooped some and fed it.
Gulp!
Mandu swallowed without chewing, chirping happily at the taste.
"Good?"
I laughed and gave another bite. This time, Mandu chewed a few times before gulping.
[Sishishit!]
I fed Mandu a few more bites. How did that tiny body hold so many noodles? It kept swallowing endlessly.
[Stop eating, pig Mandu! Hyunwoo won't have any left!]
Aqua scolded.
"It's fine. I'll eat the fried mandu I ordered for Mandu."
[Mm….]
Aqua seemed unsatisfied. As I wiped jjajang sauce from Mandu's mouth, something cold touched my arm. Aqua's cola.
I reflexively grabbed it.
[Aaaang.]
Aqua opened her mouth toward me. I blinked, and she grabbed my arm, opening wider.
[Aaaang!]
I couldn't help but chuckle. Aqua must've been jealous of me feeding Mandu.