Separation Anxiety (2)
Pom-pang~♪ Pom-pang~♪... Beep.
A unfamiliar ringtone echoed through Eunha's phone. As she picked it up while preparing dinner, Banharin's cool yet alluring voice came through.
"Hello? Banharin?"
"Good evening, Eunha. Do you like the new ringtone?"
'Bbang-sil-pong Child-Rearing'—it was the main BGM from that game. Her question about the new ringtone was brimming with shamelessness.
"It's cute. When did you change my ringtone?"
"Do you remember this morning, when we sat shoulder-to-shoulder so intimately? I slipped it in then."
"I didn't notice at all. You really pulled it off flawlessly..."
"It's basic training for a lowly office worker."
Eunha chatted with Banharin over the phone while boiling her bibimmyeon noodles. The regular customer she'd known for three years approached her as casually as a childhood best friend.
"Yeah, yeah. But you know you can't pull pranks like that on Bangul, right? Our Bangul hates it when people touch her stuff without permission."
"Of course I know that. That's why I live under constant nagging from Eunbangul."
"Bangul nags you? Why?"
"Because I keep groping you whenever I get the chance. Just like now."
The self-proclaimed ordinary office worker had a talent for pickpocketing and flirting alike. Doesn't she feel embarrassed saying stuff like that?
Eunha burst into incredulous laughter, and Banharin teased her about needing to keep better track of her belongings. The icy woman who rarely showed emotion was clearly smug about teasing Eunha—it shone through even over the phone.
"It's around dinnertime now... Are you preparing your meal?"
"Spot on. Do you have cameras in my house?"
"I hope calling suddenly didn't interrupt you."
"Not at all. You can call me anytime, Banharin. I was getting bored anyway."
"Good, then I'm relieved. Anyway, the reason I called... I have something important to tell you, Eunha."
Eunha carried her finished bibimmyeon to the living room, sat on the sofa, and tilted her head. Something important from a cafe regular to an employee? It wasn't easy to imagine. Probably cafe-related. With her day off until tomorrow, maybe there was an issue with work?
And her guess hit closer to the mark than expected.
"The details are confidential, so I can't say much, but there was a personnel incident at the company. It was so sudden that an emergency meeting was called, and I have to attend tomorrow morning."
"Oh no... You're okay, right, Banharin?"
"What could possibly happen to me? But your concern makes me quite happy. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like you to keep worrying until I'm satisfied."
"That's exactly too much trouble, so I'll stop worrying."
"Boo~ That's mean."
Eunha clamped her mouth shut firmly against Banharin's flat-toned jeer. She's great and all, but she's exhausting sometimes. She kept getting swept up in Banharin's pace... like a straw stuck in the back of her head, slowly sucking away her energy.
Anyway, setting that aside, Eunha could guess what Banharin was getting at. With company work keeping her from her short-term cafe gig, she wanted Eunha to fill in. She'd been covering for Eunha in the first place, after all. It was a request she'd accept without hesitation.
"...What are you talking about? Don't say nonsense, Eunha—just rest quietly."
Eunha had already braced herself to prepare for work... but Banharin's solution was more radical than she'd imagined.
"Huh? What about the cafe tomorrow? You said you can't make it because of work. We can't leave Bangul working alone..."
"I booked out the entire cafe. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—the whole day."
"......What?"
"If you're worried about Eunbangul working alone, just make it so she can't work at all. She should take a day off too."
"What?"
"What? A regular customer gave the cafe owner paid leave. That's fine, right?"
When Eunha asked how a lowly office worker afforded a full-day rental, Banharin replied that emergency funds were basic for company folk. Eunha leaned back on the sofa with a resigned expression. I give up. Good things were good—what else was there to say? She still had the day off tomorrow, after all.
"So, I look forward to it."
"Look forward to what?"
"Think about it. Eunbangul gave you paid leave, and today I gave Eunbangul paid leave... So next time, it's your turn to give me paid leave, right?"
"Sometimes I really can't keep up with your nonsense, Banharin."
"Hehe..."
Eunha pressed her forehead, listening to Banharin's cold yet beautiful laugh. She looked like an emotionless doll on the outside, but she was really a playful rascal. Today, too, her cheeky energy-sucking antics had Eunha chuckling despite herself.
"Phew~ Feels refreshing."
Late evening. Fresh from her shower, Eunha shook out her hair as she stepped into the living room. It was her first shower since her body changed, and it took longer than usual. Her now-longer hair... there were more things to pay attention to than expected.
Above all, her skin was hypersensitive. Her usual shower towel left it red. Maybe I need something softer.
Setting aside those minor issues, her current life wasn't so bad.
Hmm... whatever. Good things are good.
With just a towel loosely wrapped around her, Eunha plopped onto the sofa and turned on the TV. She'd learned firsthand that a single towel, cartoon-style, wasn't enough coverage—the area was woefully insufficient. She'd need a tiny body like Bangul's or an enormous towel. Maybe buy a big towel or bathrobe from home shopping?
The TV was playing a news program called Hunter 24/7. The screen showed the Hunter Association headquarters cordoned off with yellow tape, gray-suited agents guarding the entrance, and a barrage of flashing cameras from reporters.
It was the same Hunter Association she'd visited today for the artifact inspection. Had there been an accident? For them to shut down completely... I hope it's nothing serious.
...No way it's because of the Black Book, right?
An ominous premonition flitted through Eunha's mind. She glanced down at the Black Book on the living room table.
"...Was it you?"
『.......』
The Black Book sat silently despite Eunha's question. After a staring contest with it, she chuckled and leaned back on the sofa. Yeah, right—the thing that ran home to avoid inspection knew nothing. It was her fault for not keeping a book properly secured.
But if someone else messed with her stuff and caused problems, was that her fault too? Something to ponder.
Banharin mentioned a personnel incident at her company too... Accidents are piling up lately.
She hoped everyone stayed safe and happy, no major incidents. Wishing the Hunter Association well going forward, Eunha cracked open a cold beer can from the fridge.
...Or tried to.
"Whoa, hold on... Is this can frozen?"
The beer can wouldn't open. Is this for real? She gripped the tiny can with both hands, rolling around on the sofa. But with her weakened strength post-transformation, no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't budge. It felt like trying to lift a manhole cover solo.
"This is ridiculous...! If I can't even open this, how am I supposed to pass next month's promotion exam...!"
After a few minutes wrestling the can, Eunha surrendered to the pain in her fingers. The ones she'd used to pry it had chipped nails and were bleeding.
She set the bloody can on the table and sat primly on the sofa.
...Yeah. This was her. Euncheon-gu's Malang Jumeok. Saetbyeol Apartment's tenderloin chicken.
Can't drink beer after a shower? With a cold one right in front of me?
She glared at the can in utter frustration, but soon sighed deeply and turned off the TV. Fine. Good things were good. Alcohol was bad for the body anyway... Even if her Self-Regeneration skill made it fine, and she'd never gotten drunk or hungover once.
I'll take it to the cafe later and ask Bangul to open it for me.
The joy of drinking was ruined. Time for bed, then. It wasn't even 10 p.m. yet, but she'd been exhausted lately. Was it the lingering pain from the Red Woman?
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Thinking of the Red Woman made her heart race. She tried to think positively, but her once-broken body remembered the terror.
Good thing she skipped the beer. She'd have puked for sure. She swallowed back the rising nausea with that thought.
Was her body broken, or her mind...? Either way, the Red Woman had left an indelible scar on Eunha.
"It's okay. I didn't die... I'm alive, that's what matters."
She soothed her trembling body. Whether it worked or not, her pounding heart gradually calmed.
Will I have to live like this from now on...? The mere thought was horrifying.
Eunha stretched languidly to shake off the mood and refocus. It was all in the past. No more dwelling—time to plan tomorrow.
What to do with her day off...?
Knock knock knock.
And just as she was reassuring herself and getting ready for bed, someone knocked on her front door.