Not That I Was Planning a Date
It's not like I was planning a date. Resolving to live the life of Ryu Sua, who has no memories, and accepting the role of Sohwi's fiancée are two entirely different things.
So my face flushing at Sohwi's date invitation wasn't from embarrassment. It was pure bewilderment.
He might have that handsome romance-novel hero look that's more pretty than rugged, but he's still a guy. And sure, my outward appearance is like this now, but inside, I'm just a pitch-black bastard of a man.
Of course I'd be flustered getting hit on for a date by another man.
He said he'd be considerate since I have no memories, but his idea of consideration is asking me out the very next day? Unbelievable.
Of course, from my perspective, my first outing in ages had ended so abruptly that I welcomed any excuse to go out again, so I nodded along.
"Ma'am! Just leave it to us! We'll have you ready in no time!"
I regret it already. I should have said no.
Getting fussed over by the maids is just as exhausting as ever.
It's just a quick trip to the nearby village—can't I go like this? I was already all dressed up from this morning.
"Do I really have to bathe again?"
Why do I have to be stripped naked and dunked in the wooden tub every time?
Even if we stretch it, couldn't we just pick out a new outfit?
"Of course you do! That wasn't even proper makeup this morning."
"Exactly. It was just the bare minimum tidying. And this is an outing with the master! We have to pick the right perfume first."
"The other maids are already out picking clothes."
I grumbled just once, and the three maids attending my bath each gave me an earful.
Three just for the bath, and more picking clothes outside—with all the commotion echoing from beyond the door, it sounds like more than a few.
Has every maid in the estate gathered for one little outing? It's not that big a deal.
We haven't even left yet, and I'm already exhausted.
The primping was over in a flash.
It really felt like every maid in the estate had shown up—over ten of them bustling around, each handling their specialty: fixing my hair, applying powder to my face, rubbing who-knows-what all over my body... If every outing's like this, maybe I'd rather stay cooped up in the estate.
Dressing-up doll suits me better than this. Dolls only need one round of primping.
They kept insisting I'm no porcelain doll, redoing everything because a fox wife has to be more foxy than a fox—what does that even mean?
Maybe from all the makeup tweaks—over a dozen times—my whole body reeks of cosmetics and perfume. That subtle, sweet-yet-muskily seductive scent.
"Sorry to keep you waiting?"
As soon as the primping wrapped up, fearing they'd want to tweak my makeup again, I slipped through the maids like a fugitive and hurried to the main gate where Sohwi waited.
Sohwi must have been waiting there the whole time I'd been getting ready for our date—he was leaning against a gate pillar, eyes closed.
"Took longer than I thought..."
He opened his eyes at my voice, mid-complaint, and his mouth froze.
He just stared at me, wordless, even as I approached right up to him.
"What's wrong? Seo—"
I'd only called him like usual to ask if something was off when suddenly his hand clamped over my mouth.
Caught off guard, I tried prying his hand away, but despite my struggles, it didn't budge an inch.
"The maids overdid it. Don't call me 'seobangnim' today."
After staring at me with my mouth covered for ages, Sohwi said something baffling, then finally released me.
He'd even used a wish slip begging me to call him that before—why ban it today of all days?
"What do you mean?"
"I nearly called off the outing with my wife just now."
"What, because it took too long? You're not really canceling, are you? That primping was exhausting."
I'd endured all that for the outing—if he cancels now, what was the point of my suffering?
Having already suffered, I was determined to go, so I grabbed his sleeve where it hinted at cancellation and pressed him.
"My wife reads the room so well usually, but not when it counts."
Why am I the one lacking tact here?
Calling him seobangnim embarrasses me, not him—nothing wrong with that.
"Men's hearts are such fickle things. Part of me wants to bundle you up in that overcoat so no one else can see... but another part wants to show you off."
He's the one blurting weird stuff without a clue—from him suggesting the outing, no less.
"So... we're heading out, right?"
"Yeah, let's go."
His quick agreement eased my mind—we're going after all.
As he said it, Sohwi offered his hand. Anyone could tell he wanted me to take it, but... do I have to?
Holding hands with a guy feels a bit much...
"If you don't grab it, I'm leaving without you."
"I'll grab it! I am!"
Fearing he'd really ditch me, I snatched his hand.
Ecstatic at that simple hold, Sohwi grinned ear-to-ear and pulled me along.
Having decided to live as the memory-less Ryu Sua means playing the estate's future lady of the house—at least for now. But lounging around like a parasite isn't right.
I don't know what a lady's duties are or how to do them, so handling estate affairs is out.
So I should do what only I can, right?
Even rotten fish is still fish—even if I know zilch about the original story, I'm a bingui possessor. Can't I use my modern knowledge to make useful stuff, sell it, and boost the estate's coffers?
That's why I had to tag along on this outing—to scout what goods are already on the market.
It wasn't just to go on a date, okay? Pure intel gathering. First step toward modern genius theory!
...That's what I thought right up until departure.
"That pine resin soap smells nice. Shall we get some?"
Until I saw handmade soap casually selling at a village stall.
Why is soap naturally hawked in a Joseon-era vibe village?
Not just soap—ointments for the skin, even rubbing alcohol for disinfection.
Isekai romance or not, isn't this too anachronistic? Stuff like this circulating freely is weird.
Worse, it leaves me nothing to contribute!
A lunch-rush cook slinging food has zilch useful beyond soap, salve, booze...
Whoa, over there's a kimono-dressed woman buying cotton candy... Where'd that old-world charm from day one go?
Should've studied harder instead of wasting on useless cooking.
"Does my lady want some of that fruit candy too?"
"It's not that I want to eat it..."
Not planning a date, and yet here I am, holding a guy's hand on one.
Everything since possessing feels like a mess. Sigh, whatever.
"I like that one."
"Looks like my wife's finally in the mood to enjoy herself."
I sighed inwardly, then pointed at some eye-catching colorful candy.
Might as well enjoy what's here. Market strolls are for eating, after all.
"Look at ma'am and master. Haven't let go of those hands since leaving the estate."
"Master's eyes haven't left ma'am once. Worth winning that primping contest."
...The maids' excited chatter from behind grated just a tad, but I ignored it to have fun.
Holding Sohwi's hand through the market, taking bites of street food that caught his eye, tuning out the maids' swooning—we'd had a decent ramble when...
I spotted some kids and adults heading off with those black wooden plaques from before.
"They really just gave gogi gukbap?"
"No take-backs later, right?"
"Gogi gukbap!"
Come to think of it, that guy did say bring the plaque for meat soup—looks like it was legit.
If I follow them, maybe I'll run into him again?
"I want to head that way. Seobangnim."
I tugged our joined hands and called Sohwi to follow the plaque-bearers.
In that short span, habit slipped out—"seobangnim" naturally tumbling from my lips.
"..."
"What's up?"
But calling him that hardened his face.
He loves it usually—why today?
His grip on our hands even tightened a bit.
"My wife's testing my patience."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Makes me want to bury my nose in your neck and inhale right now—so hold back today."
I'm acting normal—what's he holding back on? Ridiculous.
Can't just let that slide, though... Right.
"Then go ahead and sniff."
I smirked mischievously, easing open my collar with my free hand, sweeping back my hair to bare my neck.
Then I tilted my head, thrusting my neck toward him like an offering.
He's always teasing me and grinning alone?
"Go on."
Your turn to squirm.