Sorry
"Phew. Finally."
I stood in front of the convenience store's POS machine, my finger hovering over the debt repayment button. My heart was pounding on its own.
The day I'd paid off Baek Jin-yong's entire debt—man, so much had happened that day. Let me sort it out. Cheon Hyang had frozen up, climbed into her carriage without a word, and left. Was I sorry? Nah, why? I don't like strolls. Sure, I like booze, but what if customers show up? Plus, I'd heard Murim liquor is notoriously strong. If I got wasted and got ambushed, I'd be the only one dying. So I turned her down, and she left looking all sulky. No idea why she looked sulky, though. Bored and no one to play with? ...Yeah, if that's it, she's kinda pitiful. Anyway, I'd promised to hang out next time, and now I stared down at the lacquered box full of the 40 gold bars Baek Jin-yong had given me. A thrill bubbled up from deep inside.
The day he was freed, he'd bolted straight to the store using his movement technique. 'Thank you! Great hero! Thanks to you, I cleared my debt and regained my freedom! All I need is 50 gold bars. With 50, I can buy it outright. The rest I'll give you as thanks! No need to refuse—they're useless to me now!' And with that, he'd set off on his long journey still wearing his shit-stained clothes.
Buy it, huh? What even is it? Some luxury item? Was that why he'd been scraping lottery tickets like a madman—just to win big enough for one purchase? Kinda deflating. Still, he didn't say anything about gambling again, so that's a relief, I guess.
Whatever. Let the guy who left do his thing. With trembling hands, I pressed the shiny debt repayment button.
Ding!
The cash drawer popped open automatically. The screen read,
[Insert 2 gold bars.]
I dropped in two gold bars that looked just like the ones from Gold One Pawn and slammed the drawer shut.
[Debt Repayment Complete!]
"Hoo! Thank god."
If I hadn't paid by month's end, they'd blow up the store. I'd barely scraped it together three days before the deadline, so this was a huge relief.
I let out a sigh of relief when I sensed someone shuffling up beside me hesitantly.
"What's up?"
It was Yoo Hwa-yeon. Her face was beet red, head bowed, mumbling something under her breath. What the heck? Chanting a spell or something?
"M... ..."
"Huh?"
"......Y"
"What? I can't hear you."
Yoo Hwa-yeon let out a big sigh. I looked at her curiously. Face flushed bright. Eyes darting anxiously, unable to stay still. Fingers fidgeting, left index wrestling the right. Feet stomping like hot coals were falling. Ah. No way. That?
Heh. I'm no slouch at reading the room—they've called me sharp-eyed before. I could guess this much!
"Yoo Hwa-yeon, you don't mean..."
Her bunny-like eyes turned to me.
"...you gotta poop? Go use the store bathroom."
Whack! Her fist flew out of nowhere and nailed my nose dead-on.
"Aaaagh!! My nose!!"
"Y-you idiot!! Great Proprietor, you're just..."
Her contemptuous glare stabbed down at me sprawled on the floor. What the hell! She was stomping around like a desperate puppy, so I tactfully guessed first!
"Then just say it!"
"I-it's just that..."
What? Not poop? Then pee?
"What, embarrassed about that? If it's pee..."
Smack!!! Ow! Shit! Same spot again!
"Aaaah!! Yoo Hwa-yeon, you really...!!"
"Huh? Great Proprietor, you're bleeding."
"What?"
I looked down—blood drops like watermelon seeds plopping onto the floor.
"Ah, uh."
Me? Everything else is fine, but nosebleeds make me faint.
Thud.
"Wh-what?! Great Proprietor!!!"
Her scream-like voice was the last thing before my mind went blank.
I had a dream. Not a good memory.
A vague dream of people pointing fingers. I could endure that. But the hardest part...
'I'm sorry. I raised my son wrong. I'll take all the punishment...'
The distrust from the people I trusted most. Strangers could point, kick, trip, spit, curse all they wanted—it didn't matter. But when my parents didn't believe me, it did.
I sat alone by the stream. Summer rains burst the dam in the middle, flooding out like it would swallow the world. I was under that dam. It didn't protect me, and suddenly those indifferent fingers stabbed sharp into my heart.
The world collapsed. The only safe places were my room and the night-shift convenience store with no customers. I'd sworn never to get close to people again.
And yet.
"...su! Great Proprietor!!"
A voice calling me. I opened my eyes to Yoo Hwa-yeon peering down worriedly.
"Phew. Good, you're alive! I thought you died!!!"
Thump!
"Urk... If I die, it's your fault."
"Ah, sorry. My hands move on their own sometimes."
I rubbed my aching chest where she'd hit, barely sitting up. The nosebleed had stopped.
"I pressed the Jeongmyeong and Hyeonghyeol points to stop the bleeding. Won't come back now."
Handy for that, huh. I shook off the dizziness and stood, with her still supporting me. Worry lingered on her face.
"I'm fine."
"Why'd you faint?"
"Just... nosebleeds make me pass out."
Maybe bad thoughts too.
"Um, Great Proprietor, sorry."
"For what?"
"You fainted because of me."
Ah. Nah, not her fault. Just my weak constitution with nosebleeds. Hitting me was bad, but calling a girl out on poop or pee? I deserved it.
"No, it's fine."
"And!"
"Yeah?"
"S-sorry about back then too."
Back then?
"The lottery day. I didn't believe you. Didn't know it was that kind of plan."
My heart twinged guiltily. Truth was, I hadn't planned to help Baek Jin-yong from the start. Like I'd told her, I meant to pocket all 100 gold bars solo. But figured better take a reward than risk backlash later, so I went—and he gave me a generous 40. Net win.
But her saying sorry for not trusting... made my heart twinge anyway.
"Huh? Ahem, it's fine."
"I see you differently now, Great Proprietor. Resisting 100 gold bars' temptation to return them to the owner. A true gentleman and hero of righteousness."
She performed an arch hand salute.
"I've learned so much. Ashamed of my past self. I truly respect you."
No! Don't respect me. I'm not that guy.
"I'll learn and practice more by your side."
No. Please don't. Too much pressure.
"W-wanna eat chapaguri?"
I switched topics fast. Sure enough, her eyes sparkled.
"Chapa...guri...?"
"It's when you mix two ramens. Tastes insane."
Insane to a Murim folk's palate—brutal review, but she was immune now.
"Yeah!"
Her cheeks flushed. I grinned awkwardly and headed to the ramen corner when—
"Is this it?"
"Looks like it."
"Eek, spooky. Why's it in a place like this?"
"But the food's good, right? Let's check it out."
Sudden chatter and hubbub outside. I peeked out.
"Gasp!"
"What's wrong, Great Prop—gah!!"
We were stunned. A massive crowd, like a soaked-in-show frenzy.
"Boss! Gimme your tastiest dish!"
"Liquor too!"
"Whoa, what's that? Night glow brew?"
"Heard it's run by some nameless merchant's tycoon. Guess it's true!"
"Waiter! One chicken here!"
Orders too many to track, voices booming. I froze.
But Yoo Hwa-yeon seemed secretly thrilled. She straightened the store vest I'd given her and yanked my collar.
"Great Proprietor! Customers! Time to work!"
"Huh? Wh-why so many all of a sudden..."
"Does that matter now? Serve 'em!"
True. Debt's paid. 38 gold bars left. Just earn enough to live. Thinking that, my body moved on autopilot. Pouring water into ramen, microwaving drumsticks, grabbing drinks from the fridge. Coins piled up in the POS, and I sighed contentedly.
Somehow, those customer coins felt more satisfying than the gleaming gold. Maybe because it's the fruit of hard work?
Thinking that, I shouted like always.
"Welcome! To the Murim Convenience Store!!"
At Manokru, Madam Cheon Hyang sat at her vanity, sipping black tea. She hummed in satisfaction at the flavor, then slowly looked up.
Across from her sat Hyuk, her bodyguard knight.
"Hyuk."
"Yes."
"You've spread word of me to everyone in Hubei Province, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She smiled smugly and sipped again. Hyuk tilted his head.
"But... why help the guy who rejected you, Madam...?"
"Hyuk."
"Yes."
"How many men do you think have rejected me in my life?"
Hyuk paused, pondering. As her guard, he held back, but with her top-five Central Plains beauty, he couldn't imagine refusing. No man could. That was Cheon Hyang's weapon.
"None, I bet."
"Spot on. None. Until now, I've rejected them all. Never given body or heart."
"Could it be...?"
"First man to reject me. Ever. Is this how men feel when rejected? Thrilling. How does he do it?"
She chuckled lowly. Fine. Let's see how long he holds out. I'm Cheon Hyang. No man in Hubei—or the whole Central Plains—doesn't know the Manokru Madam. Men flocked dreaming of one night with her, but she'd turned them all down. Maybe that's why the whole world melted for Cheon Hyang.
She knew it, so her confidence brimmed.
"Gotta seep in slow."
Her pink tongue slowly licked her red lips.