Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Cool Deals Only
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[Cool deals only.]
I'd written it with such bravado on the Carrot Market post, but honestly, I had no confidence.
A fake watch—and one that a thug like Park Deputy had been wearing—priced at 1.2 million won? No matter how I looked at it.
If the buyer said, "Ah, could you knock a bit off?" I was prepared to play along and drop it to a million, or even 800,000 won.
The meeting spot: Exit 3 of the subway station.
A man in his thirties stepped out of a black sedan and walked toward me. Dressed in a sharp suit with a briefcase in hand, he looked like a successful office worker.
"You the Carrot seller?"
"Ah, yes! The one who posted the watch..."
I fumbled awkwardly as I handed over the plastic bag.
He pulled out the watch and examined it from every angle. My heart pounded as he turned on his phone's flashlight to scrutinize the dial and logo.
'He's gonna say it's too expensive, right? What if he calls it fake and gets mad?'
Ten seconds felt like a full minute.
He looked up.
"Mm, you said it was a gift, right?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes, yes. From an acquaintance..."
"Looks like it's a fake, alright. The finishing isn't quite like the real thing. Looks like your boyfriend didn't explain it properly."
"..."
I was speechless.
Getting called out on the fake was one thing... but boyfriend?
"Ah, haha... Th-that guy's my ex... Not boyfriend... Just a guy I know..."
As I waved my hands in panic, he glanced at my face again and seemed startled.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to be rude... Y-your face is so refined, I just assumed..."
He apologized hurriedly and pulled out his wallet.
"S-still, it's in great condition. Cool deal as promised. Here's 1.2 million won."
"Yes...? B-but you said it's fake? I should give you a discount..."
"No need. This quality is A-grade, and I need it quick. Thanks for the good stuff."
He pressed the envelope stuffed with 50,000-won bills into my hand, gave a rushed bow, and hurried off.
"..."
I stood there in a daze in front of the station.
I checked inside the envelope. Crisp new bills, exactly 1.2 million won.
Full asking price, no haggling.
'This... actually worked?'
The old me couldn't have dreamed of it.
In a situation where I'd deserve a collar-grab and shouts of "Scammer!" or "Cut it more!"
Instead, he hadn't gotten mad—in fact, he'd complimented(?) my looks with a smile and paid up.
A bit thrown by the suddenness, I'd frozen in place,
whoosh—
a breeze blew through.
The vibrant neon signs from the shops around the station reflected on the rain-puddled asphalt.
I slowly turned my head.
Right next to the station, the large transparent glass wall of a cosmetics store came into view.
And there... a stranger stood.
"..."
I approached the glass like I was entranced.
I'd always hated mirrors. No, loathed them.
The wretched face that had sold its pride for a few bucks after my family died. The dead-fish eyes of a loser too cowardly to die.
I'd covered the house mirrors with towels to avoid facing them.
But now, my reflection in the glass... was different.
Was it the dim, seedy lighting of this outskirt station?
The slender, delicate silhouette paired with my just-over-170cm height made me look less like a guy and more like a pretty boy—or a boyish girl.
Especially the face.
My unkempt, overgrown leaf-cut hair framed my jawline.
My skin was flawless and translucent, and my eyes held a strange vitality instead of those old dead-fish stares.
'...Pretty.'
The thought slipped in unbidden.
Me calling myself pretty? Am I crazy?
But I couldn't deny it.
People had always said I wasn't very manly since I was a kid.
My little sister nagged, "Oppa, you're too skinny. Maybe try working out?" while my girlfriend called it my charm(?) and bickered with her.
But this...
This went beyond just unmanly.
I could kinda see why that guy mistook me for a girl, or why the loan sharks called me a "fag."
Empress Ap-hos's words came back to me.
"[In this society, to survive, it's far more advantageous to wear the shell of a female than a male.]"
"......"
The me in the glass smiled.
Brightly, and just a touch seductively.
The pathetic, depressed Kang Min-woo from two weeks ago was gone.
In his place stood a new being, loved by an aberration and starting to receive the world's favor.
Even the loan shark hadn't suspected me earlier.
And this deal had gone perfectly.
The world... was being kind to me.
I gave a final wink to my reflection in the glass.
Then I headed home with light steps.
The envelope of cash felt heavy in my pocket.
What should I get Empress Ap-hos today?
Or with this money... maybe we could go somewhere nice for a date?
8 PM.
I was an hour later than planned.
'Ugh, I'm late... Should've messaged ahead so she wouldn't worry.'
I checked my phone—no missed calls. (Though the tablet I gave Empress Ap-hos doesn't have calling anyway.)
As bribery(?) for being late, I stopped at a convenience store and grabbed some snacks and ice cream. Chocolate flavor, her favorite.
Jingle jangle.
Shaking the bag and humming, I descended the semi-basement stairs.
"Empress Ap-hos~ I'm home!"
I reached for the door lock keypad.
But.
Slide—
The door opened on its own.
As if it had been waiting for me.
But beyond the open door was different from usual.
It wasn't just the lights off and dark... It was a pitch-black void that seemed to swallow light itself.
"Huh...?"
As I stood there blankly.
Shrrk—!
A black tentacle shot out from the darkness.
No time to scream. It wrapped around my waist and ankles, yanking me inside.
Bang! The door slammed shut, and I dangled in midair.
"Ugh, eek!? Wh-what is this!?"
Struggling in panic, golden eyes gleamed from the darkness.
Not just one pair.
Two pairs, three, four.
Dozens of eyes glared at me from the shadows.
A terrifying, overwhelming pressure I'd never felt before.
[Sniff sniff.]
Something slithered up beside me. Not a face... more like a grotesque organ of mingled flesh and bone, sniffing my nape.
"Eek...!"
[I smell it.]
Empress Ap-hos's voice echoed from the darkness. Not her usual playful tone, but something chilling, scraped from the abyss depths.
[A foreign scent. Utterly revolting, cheap, thick male pheromones.]
Her tentacle slithered inside my shirt. The cold, slick touch against my bare skin made my back arch involuntarily.
"Hah!"
[Not just brushed off in passing. Where'd you pick it up?]
Her eyes narrowed.
[Don't tell me... you went into heat with another male?]
"Whaaat? What are you even!!"
That absurd leap made bewilderment outweigh the fear.
Into heat? I'm not some fox!
I'm a guy to begin with!!
[Quiet! How dare my possession reek of another male!?]
Empress Ap-hos ignored me.
Dozens of tentacles began rummaging over my body wildly.
Squish squish.
The tentacles groped everywhere.
Not just armpits and sides—they slipped under my shirt to stroke my chest, dove into my pants to knead my ass.
"Hnnngh! Ah, no! Stop iiit!!"
I twisted desperately, but that only made them burrow deeper, into more intimate spots.
Especially the thick one coiled around my ass. It was rubbing past that, probing deeper.
[Gotta find evidence! The ass! Did he do your ass!!]
"Ahhn! N-no! W-wait! Th-there... please!"
[Saying no with your mouth, but your body's honest!!]
"Th-that's because of you, Empress Ap-hos! Ahn!"
The moan that escaped my lips mortified me to death.
I knew my body had gotten sensitive from all the recent action, but feeling it even now?
Her tentacle snapped my belt buckle and slipped between my underwear.
"Haaang! S-sorry! I didn't, I swear!"
Like some ero-manga heroine, I flailed midair, limbs bound by tentacles.
Just as her tentacle tried to force my cheeks apart.
Thud.
Something from my pocket fell, nudged by the groping tentacle.
The envelope with the 1.2 million won.
A strong whiff of men's cologne wafted from it. The buyer must've sprayed it.
[...Huh?]
The tentacles tormenting me froze.
Empress Ap-hos picked up the fallen envelope.
[This... is just money?]
She sniffed it, then looked back at me.
Her golden eyes blinked.
Finally realizing her massive misunderstanding.
"...L-let me down first, then talk!!"
I yelled, my face a mess of tears and drool.
This pose is too embarrassing!
A little later.
Empress Ap-hos had reverted to her 10-year-old girl form, sitting primly on a dining chair.
I grumbled while cleaning up the room corner wrecked by her tentacle rampage.
"I mean... if you're gonna be late, at least call..."
She pouted her lips and muttered.
"Even so, tying someone up out of nowhere like that...! G-grabbing the butt and, ugh...!! Who does that!!"
"But... Zim was worried about you..."
"Worried my ass! The ice cream all melted!"
I held up the gooey ice cream bag.
At that, the tentacles behind her drooped sadly.
Even an A-rank aberration weakens before ice cream.
"Haa..."
Seeing her so deflated melted my anger like snow.
Her girl disguise was ridiculously effective.
In the end, I sighed "Aigoo" and grabbed a cold soda from the fridge.
"Here. Drink this till the ice cream refreezes."
"Ooh...!"
She brightened, taking the soda eagerly.
So simple, really.
I finished tidying up and sat across from her at the table.
Then placed the money envelope on the table.
"Was late selling the watch. Was gonna buy you something yummy with this... That's why."
I turned my head, feigning hurt.
"Was gonna ask you out tomorrow since it's my day off... but you suspected me and all."
"...Out?"
Empress Ap-hos paused mid-sip.
"For real? Going out?"
"Yeah. Thought we could have a da—er, outing for once. But you tied me up and went there... ugh, anyway, since you're in a mood, maybe tomorrow's off..."
As I trailed off, she jumped in shock and grabbed my hand.
"No! Zim's not mad! Zim's happy! Super happy!"
She looked up with a beaming smile, as if never sulky.
Her golden eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"An outing after so long! Together too—I'm excited!"
Her tentacles wagged happily.
She's thrilled like that.
Stuck in this room must be stifling.
"Haha, got it. Out tomorrow then."
I ended up smiling too.
Her smile was infectious. Just looking made me feel good.
"What should I prepare? Clothes? Shoes?"
She was already buzzing around the room excitedly.
"Min-woo, got anything for Zim to wear? Need camouflage to blend with humans."
"Hm... I have some unisex clothes. Those should work. But you'll need to adjust your build a bit. Transform to about my height? You did teen mode before."
"Transform? Hmm..."
She propped her chin, pondering.
"Fine. Tomorrow, I'll specially prepare a form that really asserts your dominance."
She smiled meaningfully.
Assert dominance? What does that mean?
A strange mix of foreboding and excitement fluttered in my chest.