Chapter 196
Yeah, it's definitely true that you can't just make me look like the fool and wreck the house. If we're going to rake in 80 billion... I might have to use magic to start an interior design and moving company. Or pretend it's not magic but illusions, put on an Oscar-worthy performance, and become a famous celeb. But normally, wouldn't you try to stop a fight? Even Baek Sion looks flustered, so it's not like I'm the weird one here.
"...No, we weren't really fighting..."
"True, you've always been all lovey-dovey like that."
"We're not being lovey-dovey...!"
This looks like lovey-dovey to them? That's even weirder...! I only sent Doyun oppa over there with good intentions in the first place, and Baek Sion started picking a fight first, so I just clapped back.
"The strong one is always right, right?"
"Unnie, Astasia isn't some lawless place!?"
My sister, who was a military officer, should know that better than anyone... Even in that chaotic otherworld, there were laws and rules. You couldn't just throw your weight around willy-nilly because you had strong powers. Of course, if you were really strong, a little arrogance was tolerated.
"If you fight for real, Seol-ah's pride will get hurt again... Don't start something pointless, noona."
I could practically hear my teeth grinding. No one's better at scraping at my pride than Baek Sion. But I know better than anyone that he's not all talk. Beating him in a one-on-one is no joke—just look at his combat style.
"Don't pick fights or get your ass handed to you again... Go prep dinner or something?"
For now, the mature one in me will hold back. Baek Sion shoots me a look like how exactly am I gonna get handed to you?, while Yuna unnie just grins like an idiot. I ignore the former and turn to her.
"...Unnie, do you actually want to see us fight?"
"Of course I'd rather you two get along, but come on. You're both crazy strong? Watching you go at it would be a total treat for the eyes..."
We're both strong, sure, but hearing her out, I kinda get where she's coming from.
"Unnie, you're not trying to pit us against each other like some mobile game characters, are you?"
"......"
Her big eyes get even bigger—super suspicious. From what she's said, she wants some flashy game cutscene fight with effects exploding everywhere.
"...It's not exactly..."
Her delayed response just makes it worse. I know she plays six mobile games consistently, but that's not her limit—it's just that there are only six high-quality ones. A mobile game hunter like Yuna unnie wouldn't pass up a chance to see a real-life, graphics-level spectacle.
Baek Sion catches on too, turning away with a weird look.
"...Sorry. Don't stare like that..."
Unable to handle our gazes, Yuna unnie surrenders immediately. Maybe because the target switched, the brief flare-up with Baek Sion fizzles out fast.
"But man, the smell's already wafting over here...?"
"Right? I skipped breakfast, so I'm starving..."
"Unnie, why'd you skip breakfast?"
"...Had some stuff to do?"
She didn't even go to the cafe today. And who was the one bored earlier?
"...What stuff?"
At my question, Yuna unnie dodges my eyes and starts shrinking.
"...Did my daily quests, and since it's Saturday, a ton of weekly dungeons opened..."
Isn't having Yuna unnie in our club a bit dangerous at this point? If she's like this with six games, and we add one more to her collection with ours... The harder we work, the more her life falls apart, right...?
"...But don't worry. Dailies reset at 6 a.m., so most people knock 'em out in the morning? It's not like we're glued to it 24/7...!"
...Waking at 6 a.m. thanks to games—is that healthy? Yuna unnie, looking away like she's excusing herself to her parents, bolts the second a voice calls from the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready~"
"Coming right now!"
The smell is amazing, but... I stand slowly, exchanging a glance with Baek Sion.
"...Should we throw down once for her?"
"...Yeah."
Whatever her intentions, she succeeded in mediating us. Gotta call that grown-up, I guess.
"You know where the forks and spoons are?"
"Yeah, I'll set 'em. Take your time."
He's holding a torch, finishing up. I open the drawer under the island counter and set out forks, spoons, and chopsticks.
"You only use this stuff for guests?"
Yuna unnie asks, surprised by the table mats. A reply flies from the kitchen.
"Nah, they're disposable, so I use 'em when cleaning the table's a pain."
"...I see."
These aren't cheap paper ones like at restaurants—they're fancy leather mats with patterns. Buying stacks to toss after one use is impressive. We saw them last time too, so she uses 'em often.
Lee Seo-yeon and Doyun oppa come out with huge stacks of plates, setting two per person. Turmeric cream pasta with pale yellow cream, smoky fried rice, and what looks like matching pasta sauce in a gravy boat on the right.
...Why's the setup so pro?
And it wasn't just the food. Lee Seo-yeon bows slightly and introduces the menu crisply.
"Tonight's menu: turmeric cream pasta, pilaf, and chicken steak."
"...What the hell?"
"Just... pretending it's a fancy restaurant...?"
Lee Seo-yeon's sudden acting. Her skills are too good, and with the upscale setup, it gives me chills. Guess I'm just not cut out for ritzy places.
Still in waitress mode, Lee Seo-yeon grabs my wrist mid-torch lift.
"...Why?"
"Blow some fire."
"......"
"Your fire's premium. Torch is almost out..."
Using me as a human torch...? I thought she was joking, but the torch really wasn't working well. She's grinning, so teasing me is part of it too.
"Just a light char on the outside..."
"...Sigh."
Baek Sion's stifled laugh next to me is annoying, but I extend my hand toward the chicken steak slab in the table's center. Just enough to crisp the surface...
"...This good?"
"Perfect. Thanks—only you, Seol-ah..."
"...But Baek Sion could do this level of fire too..."
I feel like a circus fire-breather. Even Doyun oppa, who handles mana the same way, could sear it.
I whine about the unfairness, but Baek Sion snickers and answers for her.
"Why ask some assassin when we have a grand mage?"
"......"
...Damn, that pisses me off. He trashes mages usually, but pulls the 'grand mage' card now.
"Eat before it cools. It's my proud creation? Steak goes great with rice too."
I sip water to cool the rising heat, then grab the fragrant sauce.
"Just dump it all?"
"Yeah, pre-sauced rice changes the vibe."
Cook's approval—safe. Pasta and fried rice both look delish, but I scoop fried rice first.
"......"
"...Whoa, what?"
Yuna unnie says what I'm thinking. Noob move to exclaim—pros like me savor another bite before that. I expected curry from turmeric, but the aroma was there without the taste. A flavor I've never had before.
"Try it with the steak."
"...Okay."
Seo-yeon smiles warmly at my eager scooping and adds a steak piece to my plate. Wait, steak means...
"Don't usually score it?"
"It's tender enough without, but scoring adds fun texture?"
No downside there. I glance at Baek Sion, who tilts his head.
"What?"
"I grilled, so you score it."
Give and take. Unfair if I'm the only performer. He's not the attention-seeker type anyway.
Bad girlfriend picking what her BF hates? He made me this way.
"Got it. Slide it over."
Unlike expected, Baek Sion pulls the stone slab without hesitation. Killing intent coats one hand, and his right blurs impossibly fast.
...Why do I look like a cheap lighter while he looks cool? It's not even some pea-splitting trick—he just knows cooking. Seo-yeon, who laughed at me earlier, now goes "Ooh" watching.
"...Where'd you even score it?"
"Just dense on the skin."
Only that thin skin...? I gawk at him.
Like some cooking manga knife master...
But he doesn't dodge—instead, he pulls my plate to him.
"Here, yours too."
His babying tone boils my blood, but seeing my plate later freezes me.
...What the hell is this blatant heart scoring!?
If anyone sees, I'll die of embarrassment—I chomp half the huge steak to destroy evidence.
"Ah, hot!... "
And the fate of anyone stuffing hot steak in their mouth is sealed. Baek Sion, holding back laughs at my agony, sets water in front of me.
Always turning our bickering into making me the fool...
Mouth agape, cooling the burn, he softens his voice with worry.
"You okay?"
Especially when he teases then worries just a bit—it melts me, confirming I'm a total idiot just for him. Pisses me off even more.