Do I Have a Talent for Gaslighting?
We arrived at the Department Store in no time.
Perhaps because the car was so ridiculously expensive, the other vehicles on the road actively steered clear of us.
Thanks to that, we enjoyed a smooth, comfortable drive.
As we pulled into the parking garage, a department store employee was already waiting for us.
It seemed Chaewon-nuna had contacted them in advance.
It was one of the many perks offered to the department store's VIPs, along with valet parking and other exclusive services.
After getting out of the car, Chaewon-nuna and I were guided inside by the employee.
"Whoa, what's with this service? Nuna, you must spend a fortune here."
"Not really. S-class Hunters get VIP status automatically, even without a purchase history."
"Ohhh! That makes it even cooler! Hehe, I knew you were amazing, Chaewon-nuna. You're so reliable!"
"Hehe. Well... I'm not trying to brag, but there are only about thirty S-class Hunters in the entire world. This much is only natural. Your nuna is way more incredible than you think, you know?"
"Of course! I know exactly how amazing you are! You're the best, Chaewon-nuna!"
"Hehe, thanks for the compliment, Doyun."
My praise seemed to make Chaewon-nuna puff out her chest with pride.
She was genuinely thrilled by my compliments.
Despite being a legendary S-class Hunter, seeing her get so happy over a little praise was honestly adorable.
She usually carried herself with the calm composure of a mature adult, but today she seemed incredibly excited.
Once inside the department store, the concierge staff greeted us.
They offered to guide us around the building.
But today was a date.
I didn't want a personal guide, and if anything, they would just get in the way.
Chaewon-nuna seemed to realize this too, politely declining their offer.
The staff quickly bowed and took their leave.
Nice. With that, the perfect environment for our date was set.
Now we could enjoy our time together without any interruptions.
Hmm... since it's a date, we should probably hold hands, right?
I reached out and took Chaewon-nuna's empty hand.
Because of our height difference, it felt a bit like my hand was dangling from hers.
Chaewon-nuna flinched in surprise the moment our fingers interlaced.
She looked down at me with wide eyes, completely flustered.
She seemed to be debating whether it was really okay to hold my hand like this.
In response, I flashed her a bright, reassuring smile.
Squeezing her hand gently, I spoke.
"Hehe. Nuna, we're on a date. Holding hands is totally normal, isn't it?"
"Ah... right... a date... Hehe... Yeah, this is a date. So holding hands isn't weird at all."
Having successfully rationalized it to herself, Chaewon-nuna squeezed my hand back.
She looked down at me, her eyes practically dripping with sweet, overflowing affection.
"Hehe. Doyun, is there anything you want to eat? Or anything you want to buy? Just tell me whatever you want. Nuna will buy it all for you."
"Pfft. Are you sure that's okay? This isn't some neighborhood convenience store. Aren't you overdoing it?"
"My, Doyun. That's actually a bit hurtful. Who do you think I am? I make far more money than you could ever imagine, so don't worry about a thing."
"Hmm... really?"
"Yes, really. Do you want me to show you my bank account? I don't mind showing you my balance at all."
"...No, that's fine."
I knew S-class Hunters made insane amounts of money, but I didn't know the exact figures.
Judging by her confidence, she definitely wasn't bluffing.
Looking at her eager expression, it felt like she would buy me literally anything if I just asked.
Hmm... should I be a little greedy?
To be honest, I really want that new graphics card that just came out...
It's ridiculously expensive, so I couldn't even dream of buying it myself.
But if I use Chaewon-nuna's wallet chance, I could probably get it...
...No, let's not.
She was offering to buy me gifts out of the goodness of her heart. I shouldn't take advantage of her.
I should stick to just buying a few clothes today.
"Hehe. Nuna, I'm really grateful that you want to buy me things. But I really just need some clothes. So don't try to buy me too much."
"Hmm... are you sure? I can really buy you anything you want, Doyun."
"Hmph... If you keep saying that, I'm going to get upset! Do you think I came here just to leech off your money?! I came here to have a fun date with you, Chaewon-nuna! How can you keep misunderstanding my feelings like this?!"
Well, technically I did come because she offered to buy me clothes, but there was no need to say that out loud.
Today, I was providing a super-premium cute act just for her.
Since I was doing it anyway, it was better to make it sound sweet and endearing.
Sure enough, Chaewon-nuna was deeply touched by my seemingly pure-hearted words.
Her confident, relaxed demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by sheer panic.
"N-No, that's not it!! I would never try to buy your feelings with money...!! And of course I don't think money can buy your heart! Yes...! I'm so incredibly happy to go on a date with you too, Doyun. I'm so sorry for not understanding your feelings..."
"Hmm... are you really sorry?"
"Yes... of course. You went out of your way to spend time with me, and I didn't even understand your heart... I'm so sorry, Doyun. I'm just... really clumsy at this... I'm sorry, but I hope you can understand..."
Looking at her face, she seemed genuinely remorseful.
The person who was trying to buy me clothes was the one apologizing to me...
Is this... gaslighting?
Shouldn't I be the one feeling guilty here?
Hmm... I did intend to sway her a bit, but Chaewon-nuna is way easier to manipulate than I expected.
Somehow, she's giving off a similar vibe to Sieun-nuna.
It's not that Chaewon-nuna is a total menhera, but she seems incredibly weak when it comes to guys.
Or am I just that sly?
Maybe I actually have a talent for handling women.
Well, whatever.
For now, I needed to cheer her up.
If I left things like this, our fun date would be ruined!
I flashed her a gentle smile to shift the mood.
Lightly tapping her thigh, I spoke to her.
"...Pfft. Of course I understand. I know you cherish me a lot, Chaewon-nuna. You just wanted to give me as much as possible, right? Knowing how much you care, how could I possibly be mad at you?"
"R-Really?"
"Yep! Really! Hehe. More importantly, Chaewon-nuna, let's eat first. I'm hungry~"
"Ah... right! Let's eat! I actually know a really great place. Doyun, how about sushi? I've been there before, and the sushi is absolutely delicious."
Fortunately, the atmosphere cleared up in an instant.
Thrilled that she could finally take the lead, Chaewon-nuna eagerly guided me to the sushi restaurant.
We arrived at a high-end sushi restaurant located inside the department store.
Or rather, should I call it a premium sushi boutique?
Either way, it looked incredibly expensive at a glance.
But worrying about the price when I was with an S-class Hunter would just be foolish.
I just needed to relax and enjoy it.
"Mmm...!! This is so good!! It doesn't even compare to the sushi I make at home!!"
Naturally, the food was spectacular.
Just as she said, this place was the real deal.
I happily stuffed my face, devouring the sushi and side dishes.
Sitting across from me, Chaewon-nuna barely touched her food, choosing instead to watch me with a soft smile.
It seemed watching me eat was far more entertaining to her than eating herself.
"Is it good, Doyun?"
"*Nom, nom*... Yes! It's amazing! Seriously the best!"
"Hehe. Seeing you eat so well makes me so happy. I'm glad I brought you here."
"Hehe. Chaewon-nuna! Good job finding such a great place! You did so well!! You're the best!"
One must never be stingy with praise.
If someone does something well, you have to shower them with compliments so they'll do even better next time.
I beamed, praising her for bringing me to such a wonderful restaurant.
Hearing my praise, her smile widened so much it practically reached her ears.
The time spent with Chaewon-nuna was genuinely nice.
Driving in the sports car.
Holding hands at the department store.
Eating delicious food.
And sitting across from each other, laughing and talking—it was all perfect.
It was probably the same for her.
She was likely enjoying this time just as much as I was.
Unfortunately, our happy date didn't last very long.
Because a Gate suddenly manifested inside the department store.
A loud warning siren echoed throughout the entire building.
Soon after, an emergency broadcast blared, announcing the appearance of a Gate.
Hearing the broadcast, Chaewon-nuna's expression froze, turning ice-cold.
"...Ah. How annoying."
It was the first time I had ever seen her look so angry.
Her expression was so terrifyingly cold that a shiver ran down my spine.
She was clearly furious that our date had been ruined.
Well... the monsters about to crawl out of that Gate are in serious trouble.
To have to face a pissed-off Chaewon-nuna...
They're definitely going to regret ever being born.
Because right now, she looks absolutely terrifying.