Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Searching for the Taste of Death
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The day broke.
Luckily, the ondol room was so warm that I didn't feel particularly cold even without covering myself with a blanket.
The bedding, which I'd thought would be uncomfortable, turned out to be better than expected.
"Oppa, did you sleep well?"
"...Yes, thanks to you, I slept fine."
"But why didn't you slip under my blanket? The other oppas are one thing, but our intern oppa... you're okay, right? ♥"
"......"
Suppose I were some crazed pervert in heat around women.
If I'd given in to Jeong Da-ram's temptation yesterday and crawled under the covers, I'd have been found the next day as a corpse in that thatched house.
"The sun's up now. I should head back."
"Already? At least have some breakfast."
"I'm good."
I bowed my head.
Finally, I escaped Jeong Da-ram's house.
"See you at the Agency! Oh bread~ ♥"
Let's never meet again!
Along with Park Yeon-jeong's firm line in the sand.
Not far away, I spotted a bus stop, and right on cue, a village bus heading my way came into view.
Screeech.
Along with the distinctive hiss of air brakes from the bus. But unlike last time, my feet didn't head straight for the front door.
I started circling the bus, inspecting its exterior.
I couldn't afford to repeat the same mistake.
The bus driver watched me with a weird look and fired off a jab.
"If you're not getting on, I'm leaving!"
"......I'll ride."
At least this bus had a normal route and number.
Once aboard, I pulled up the navigation app—which was working fine—and checked the distance to home.
-1 hour and 20 minutes to your destination.
...I'd come pretty far.
After that, I had to transfer four times before finally making it back near Seongsu Station.
Of course, to dodge Kim Ha-eun's radar just in case, I rode a few extra stops before getting off.
*****
"......Pretty."
"...Oppa, let's break up."
A beauty that instantly captured the gazes of every man passing by.
Not empty flattery thrown out to please, but genuine admiration spilling from people's lips.
-Pretty.
-Beautiful.
-Isn't she a celebrity?
Sparkling stares, as if they'd spotted something beyond human.
Or perhaps evoking the snow woman from folk tales: skin like white jade, hair as white as snowflakes.
More than enough to draw every eye on the street.
".........Seongsu Station, Exit 1."
Eyes like glass beads scanned the surroundings.
Lee Jui stared for a while at the black-haired woman by Seongsu Station Exit 1, as if waiting for someone.
".........Kim Ha-eun, Employee?"
"Yes?"
The woman responded to the faint sob-like sound.
"Are you......waiting for someone......here?"
".........Ah! Ex-Executive Director!!"
Kim Ha-eun belatedly realized the person in front of her was her boss and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.
"Y-Yes! I was waiting for someone...!"
".........You always seemed to......go around alone, so I was worried. But you have......a friend, after all."
Lee Jui let out a shallow breath, as if relieved.
"Wh-What brings an Executive Director like you......to a place like this......?"
Kim Ha-eun trailed off, changing the subject.
"......If it's not too much trouble, would Kim Ha-eun Employee......like to come along......too?"
"......Yes?"
Lee Jui's words seemed to omit a ton of context and unnecessary details.
".........Is your......schedule......free?"
"Yes, yes!"
Kim Ha-eun had no idea what was going on, but no intern would turn down an invitation from a boss—let alone an Executive Director—to go somewhere together.
Lee Jui checked the time on her wristwatch.
PM 12:42
"......Perfect timing."
She confirmed the time, her face satisfied.
"Let's......go."
Kim Ha-eun followed after Lee Jui, who started walking ahead.
The direction of Lee Jui's steps was.
[Seongsu Station Exit 1]
Not the escalator ascending into the station, which Kim Ha-eun eyed with a 'no way' thought.
Instead, Lee Jui began climbing the stone stairs beside it.
Her voice murmured softly from her lips, like a quiet chant.
"......Fif-teen......twen-ty one.........thir-ty two."
"......"
It didn't take long for that 'no way' thought to turn into certainty.
"......For-ty, four."
The murmur of the crowd that had filled the air moments ago faded.
Or rather than faded.
The thick darkness made it feel like silence had always reigned in this space.
The absence of noise sharpened the nerves at every little movement.
And the one who broke that hollow stillness was none other than.
Lee Jui.
"......Ha-eun-ssi, this is your......first time here......right?"
"Y-Yes?!"
".........Or......not?"
"Ah, y-yes... This is my first time too!"
"......"
"......"
She couldn't let it slip.
Buying items from the Ghost Story Pawnshop, treated as illegal contraband at the Agency, skipped straight to severe disciplinary action, no committee review.
But......
Kim Ha-eun was terrible at lying to begin with.
Lee Jui's cold gaze pierced so fiercely it froze Kim Ha-eun to the bone.
'......D-Did she......figure it out?'
Convinced her lie was busted, Kim Ha-eun instinctively knew discipline was inevitable.
She wouldn't see her beloved for a while.
She didn't want to burden him as a woman without even a proper job.
Of course, his love for her wouldn't change.
She also didn't want to lose this major corporation that had barely accepted her out of all the companies.
'...Y-Yeah, I'll just tell the truth.'
Society had systems that reduced sentences for sincere attitudes and voluntary confessions, even for criminals, right?
Kim Ha-eun took a deep breath, steeling herself.
To become a woman she wouldn't be ashamed to face him with again.
"......Executive Director, actually, I!"
"I see......So it really is......your first time."
".........Yes?"
"......Do you have......something to......tell me?"
"Ah, no! Nothing! I was just excited since it's my first time here!"
Kim Ha-eun's lie had worked.
A lie she'd never fooled anyone with before.
And against no one less than her company boss. Kim Ha-eun let out a quiet sigh of relief.
And so their footsteps.
Soon halted in front of a rundown shop in a space filled only with silence.
Slide.
Lee Jui slid open the door, and inside the building, she spotted.
Slurp!
".........Ramen?"
"Uh! Deu-reo-seo. (Ah! Come in.)"
Our Ghost Story Pawnshop owner, Jang Sa-heon, greeting customers with his mouth full of ramen.
He shoved the ramen pot he'd been eating from onto a side table and gave a warm welcome to these rare visitors.
"It's been a while. Section Chief Lee Jui."
"Now I'm......an Executive Director."
"What?! Time flew by that fast? The years really do pass quickly......Huh?"
Jang Sa-heon noticed a familiar face standing behind Lee Jui, who had visited his shop after so long.
The leading lady who'd turned a budding romance scene with a male customer in his shop into thriller territory in an instant.
"And who's that......behind you?"
"!!!"
Shake shake shake shake shake!
Kim Ha-eun frantically shook her head behind Lee Jui.
??
The signal was an SOS aimed at none other than the Ghost Story Pawnshop owner, Jang Sa-heon.
"......Ah, a new......employee from our company. She said it was her first time......here, so please take......good care of her."
"......Aha."
"........."
Kim Ha-eun stayed silent.
And prayed her signal got through to Jang Sa-heon properly.
"...That won't do."
"!!!"
It was over.
Her heart plummeted. She'd be branded a woman without a proper job in his eyes.
Of course, he'd still love her anyway.
This wouldn't do.
Her desperate plea hadn't reached Jang Sa-heon.
If so......
Eliminate the witness.
The moment Kim Ha-eun reached into her pouch for her cutter knife without hesitation.
"A customer who might patronize our shop a lot in the future—it's only natural to treat them extra special every time, right?"
"......"
A blank look spread over Kim Ha-eun's face as she stared at Jang Sa-heon, who flashed a merchant's signature eye smile.
"Thank you."
"......"
Luckily, the situation just now seemed smoothed over.
Jang Sa-heon promptly asked why they were visiting his shop.
Especially to Lee Jui first.
"So, what brings our Executive Director here after so long? Now that you're at the executive level, you could get better items straight from the Agency—no need to visit a shabby pawnshop like this."
In fact, Lee Jui had visited less often since her promotion.
But she wasn't here to buy items today.
"......Today, it's......something else."
"I'm curious what would bring an Executive Director to a place like this."
As far as Jang Sa-heon could think, there were a few reasons someone of that rank would visit.
-GRA Agency couldn't procure cursed items' info or purchase.
-Info on a specific person.
And Lee Jui's question to him was.
"......I'm looking......for someone."
Bingo.
"Ah, well, you know us merchants treat customer personal info like our lifeline, just like cursed items. Right, Executive Director Lee Jui?"
"......... "
Jang Sa-heon swallowed dryly under Lee Jui's icy glare.
But then Lee Jui pulled something from her coat's inner pocket.
Swipe.
She gently placed the item she'd taken out on the counter.
"......Isn't that......a credit card?"
"......Ten billion."
"..............Pardon?"
"Unlimited......limit. Payment......will go through......immediately."
"............"
"......Not enough?"
"As if! You're a customer!!"
Jang Sa-heon lunged for the card on the counter.
Thud!
A pale white hand gently landed atop it.
"Of course......if you answer......my question......properly."
"Yes! Ask away! Who is he, where does he live, how many wives does he have, blood type, MBTI, his precious one's length is......"
"Recently......in the last few days, did someone buy......'Taste of Death'?"
When Lee Jui got the report from Choi Kang-in.
She'd learned that the 'Black Flame Man' had used the item 'Taste of Death.'
And hearing that the unidentified man from other reports had vanished near Seongsu Station.
She figured he might've come here.
And if there was a record of someone buying Taste of Death recently.
That guy would be.
Highly likely the 'Black Flame Man.'
"......Taste of Death? Do you know roughly when in the last few days?"
"......Two or three days......ago."
"......... "
Jang Sa-heon's mind narrowed to one person at Lee Jui's question.
The recent buyer of Taste of Death.
A young male customer who might bring him stacks of cash in the future.
"......Executive Director Lee Jui. No, Jui-ssi."
"......Yes?"
"Let's pretend this never happened."
"......Was the amount......not enough?"
He couldn't deny that, obviously.
More than the ten billion now, he'd smelled an unprecedented money scent from that man.
"I don't think I have anything more to say. Sorry."
"......Understood. I'll......visit again......next time."
Lee Jui backed off more readily than expected.
Jang Sa-heon had braced for her to press harder, but felt a twinge of regret at the quick retreat.
He had to ask this much.
"May I ask why you're looking for him?"
".........Got interested......that's all."
"......Romantically?"
".........Probably......so."
"Lucky guy. Anyone catching our Jui-ssi's eye will pay triple the taxes."
......Bow.
Lee Jui gave Jang Sa-heon a brief nod and stepped out of the shop.
And the black-haired woman who'd been standing there like a scarecrow, blankly watching.
"......Am I the only one who doesn't get this?"
"While you're here, why not browse some items?"
That day, Kim Ha-eun unexpectedly bought a few items from the Ghost Story Pawnshop.
......
'So what the heck was that all about?'
Feeling like the story had progressed without her knowing, Kim Ha-eun felt a strong sense of exclusion.