Chapter 197
I'd carved heart-shaped slits into about half the chicken—half in jest, half in earnest—but they turned out prettier than expected, surprising even me. For an ordinary person, etching a design into soft chicken skin without tearing it would be incredibly tough. Thanks to my precise control with killing intent, the skin stayed intact, forming unmistakable hearts anyone could recognize. Yoo Seol-ah, though, looked even more shocked than I was.
"...Hng..."
But I never imagined she'd devour it to erase the evidence. If it was too embarrassing to show off, couldn't she have just drowned it in sauce? For now, I poured her a glass of cold water as she fanned her mouth frantically.
Even her burning up like this was oddly cute—another surprise.
"You okay?"
"...Not burned..."
"Good."
External attacks would probably be auto-blocked by her dormant defensive magic, but when she stuffs a scorching steak in her mouth herself? No magic in the world covers that.
"Tell me if it stings, though."
Thankfully, she seemed fine, and the main reason I wasn't too worried was the low murmur from the chef across the table—our reliable former saintess. A flick of her wrist could make a burn vanish like it never happened.
Speaking of which, it was weird how no one batted an eye at Yoo Seol-ah's antics. Probably because stuff like this between us had become so routine it barely registered anymore.
"Seo-yeon unnie's so cool, as expected..."
"That's all ancient history now..."
Lee Seo-yeon just chuckled softly at Yuna unnie's sparkling eyes. Makes sense—she never flaunts her Divine Power, and honestly, she doesn't need to. She's got power in spades already: enough wealth to buy her friend a house. That rivals overflowing divine energy, doesn't it?
"But Seo-yeon, don't you ever recover when you're tired?"
It's not just wound-healing for a saintess. Boosting vitality, resisting curses—anything you can imagine, she can do.
"I could, but I just sleep instead? Sleeping's the best."
No wonder they say sleep is the best medicine. Yuna unnie eyed her with a hint of envy.
"...Your self-control is enviable. Don't you ever get those nights? Binge-watching or... pulling an all-nighter?"
"I sleep when it's bedtime, then pick up the next day."
Lee Seo-yeon said it like it was obvious, but Yuna unnie looked utterly floored.
"...Seo-yeon really is such a grown-up."
"Why? Do you pull all-nighters a lot, unnie?"
"...Sometimes...?"
Her face screamed "more than sometimes." Based on our earlier chat, she's probably auto-farming her phone game while marathoning anime.
Yuna unnie pressed harder. "Can you do remote recovery?"
"Possible with some focus, but you're not calling me over for all-nighters, right?"
"......"
She pouted like she'd been nailed, then deflated. Moments later, she burst out in frustration.
"It's not like your fresh young selves—staying up is brutal at my age...!"
"Unnie, all-nighters wreck your body. Recovery or not, fatigue needs sleep."
"But..."
"No buts—sleep and game tomorrow."
"......"
A 27-year-old throwing a tantrum at a 20-year-old, yet it didn't feel awkward at all. With five of us, we'd split into two groups: Do-yoon hyung and Lee Seo-yeon as the mature ones, the rest of us kids. (Hyung's side wins the adult vibe.)
"Anyway, no all-nighters unless you must. Bad for you."
After the ban, Yuna unnie grabbed her fork again. Maybe the same sauce, but the fried rice and pasta were both mind-blowing. Curiosity piqued, I asked the chef.
"Original recipe?"
"Nah, swiped it. From a place called Skyline—loved it, so I got the recipe."
"...That penthouse spot...?"
"Oh, unnie knows it?"
Yuna unnie's seriously knowledgeable. The kid-mode from earlier made it jarring, but yeah.
Overhearing, it screamed ultra-high-end.
"The couple owners are both chefs. Said they'd share recipes if I married into the family..."
...So how'd she get it? Yoo Seol-ah and I instinctively glanced at Do-yoon hyung, but he just watched with keen interest.
"We've known their family since I was little, actually?"
Childhood friends...? Imagination running wild—then Lee Seo-yeon chimed in.
"That's why I'm tight with their sister too. She's my department senior."
...Sister?
"One little aegyo from me, and she tagged along. We four had dinner and snagged the recipe."
Lee Seo-yeon's social skills are terrifying. No wonder—she's every parent's dream daughter-in-law. Gorgeous, bubbly personality, chats effortlessly with elders. Nothing like our slightly stiff crew.
"...So, did you go to those fancy parties as a kid? Social galas or whatever?"
"Maybe when I was really little, but that's like 10 years ago? Those things are kinda stuffy."
Social galas are real? Only Seo-yeon could spill that.
Chatting about random stuff over our meal, soon every plate was clean.
"...I never finish two dishes, but this was insane."
"Unnie, come anytime—name it, I'll make it. Visit often."
"Seo-yeon-ah..."
As Yuna unnie teared up, Lee Seo-yeon cleared the table and suggested next moves.
"What's next? House has game consoles, all that. Or digest and head out."
"Out for games, then?"
"Yeah. Clean up first."
We all pitched in, then Yoo Seol-ah and I moved our luggage from the living room to the bedroom.
"Sharing a room?"
"...Yeah."
One suitcase makes separate rooms impractical anyway. Blushing faintly, she answered the homeowner, then yanked the bag inside.
"...Just so you know, I'm sleeping alone tonight...!"
"...Last time..."
"L-last time was whatever happened to me...!"
She didn't go all the way last time, but drunk Yoo Seol-ah had pounced on me in this room. Still, sober her values propriety highly, and she said it herself—no issues tonight.
"If you're fine, nothing happens anywa—"
"Eek...!"
Suddenly, the perfectly laid blanket on the bed floated up and lunged at me. Footsteps said she'd bolted. Spot on, huh? I'm not asexual, but her libido's monstrous.
"Back to Line Street?"
"Yeah. Fabric shopping on the way."
Downstairs, destination set. Bit of a drive, so car it was. Yuna unnie gawked, as expected.
"...No domestic cars? All imports...?"
"That's why no parking spots—avoids scratches."
Like clockwork: Lee Seo-yeon and Do-yoon hyung up front; me, Yoo Seol-ah, Yuna unnie in back.
"Seol-ah loves it—insists on middle... Mmph."
"Unniii...!"
She yanked me back as I boarded first, claiming the spot beside me? Brief chaos, but Lee Seo-yeon started the engine smoothly.
"Fabric for what? Costumes?"
"Yeah, unnie's and stuff."
Three outfits—mine, Seol-ah's, Yuna unnie's—means thorough prep and time.
"Ooh, unnie cosplay?"
"...Seol-ah asked..."
"Perfect—next booth event, cosplay again. 100% sync as the character."
Game con? Ideal hire if feasible. Though her eyes were dying.
Yuna unnie pivoted topics. "...How do you even make cosplay clothes?"
"Learned from a book back then. Solid basics: 'Easy Cosplay Costuming'."
...Sounds like the cosplay bible just from the title.
"Covers everything—anyone serious has read it."
Seol-ah's cosplay pics prove it. Expectations high.
I had no such plans, but once in the mall, we didn't beeline for fabric. Wrong floor anyway. First hooked by what I figured was Korea's biggest arcade. No gamers here, so we wandered in mesmerized. Dedicated rooms for some? Massive scale.
I spotted an FPS with horror vibes, grabbed Lee Seo-yeon's wrist.
"This looks fun."
"Play? Up to three. Unnie?"
"Sure. Games are my jam."
The guys overheard, waved us off, and beelined for the punching machine.
...Not smashing it, right?
Dim booth, one gun each. Noisy, girls only—perfect to vent.
Tutorial done, I headshot a hiding zombie and spoke up.
"...Ways to like someone less?"
"What? Pickling your feelings?"
"......"
"Nooo!"
Instant reactions from our pro-singles duo. But lately, I feel pathologically obsessed with Baek Sion.
"Why? It's him, right? Too crazy about him?"
"...No, there's reasons..."
"Spill."
...Hard to explain. Overwhelming affection means blacking out during sex is routine. Feels too good to stay conscious. Missing bits feels like a loss too.
Needs full succubus side effects rundown, tied to affection levels—too long.
"Don't ask why—just ideas?"
Seo-yeon cleanly popped two zombies, deadpan. "Honestly, you'd love anything he does... Like eating with stuff on his mouth?"
Ice cream? ...If Baek Sion had some on his lips, I'd just think he's cute and wipe it. Lock eyes mid-wipe...
"Pass."
Yuna unnie chimed. "Cuss him out? He never swears."
Swearing...? 'Fuck, seriously, Yoo Seol-ah.' Nah. Impossible, but hits my walls perfectly—shivers. Can't hate it.
"Won't work."
"Yoo Seol-ah-ssi, no methods, so zombies. Left—damage incoming...!"
"...Got it."
...Truly hopeless.