Chapter 125: A Childhood Friend's Kiss
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 125: A Childhood Friend's Kiss
Chapter 13 – Incidents and Accidents
1
After the matter with Do Hwa, a new day dawned.
Given that Do Hwa had asked me to save his world, Ahyu seemed to have a lot on her mind.
Of course, it wasn't a problem that could be solved immediately, so I told Ahyu to let me know once she made a decision.
Whatever she decided, I planned to respect her wishes and actively support her.
‘Murim, huh.’
I had never been to another dimension before.
As I spent a moment imagining the Murim of my fantasies, I turned to look at Baeksan.
“Baeksan, can I go to another dimension right now?”
At my question, Baeksan let out a long, bored yawn before answering.
“Do you remember what I told you before? That aside from the Tower of Revelation’s dimensional travel, it’s easy to enter Earth but difficult to leave.”
“I remember. That’s why some returnees can’t go back to their worlds even if they want to.”
“Right. But because of what happened back then, so many holes have been punched through the dimensional gates that the Tower of Revelation’s influence has weakened.”
With that, Baeksan looked up at the sky.
“Which means it should be possible to leave through any currently open dimensional gate.”
“So dimensional travel has become possible.”
“Of course, it’s only for a little while. The Tower of Revelation’s influence will return to normal within a year anyway.”
Then, Baeksan crossed his arms.
“...Actually, maybe it’s not just for a little while? The little brat could just pull the same stunt again.”
“That’s a terrifying thought.”
I made a mental note to be extra nice to Si-ho from now on.
In the meantime, I arrived at the Korean Returnee Association.
The reason I came today was none other than to keep my promise to Seol-hyang.
The one hour she had extracted from me for her long-awaited rest.
It was an old promise, but knowing she had been working day and night recently, I was more than willing to give her my time.
Still, I was very worried about her.
She had taken it upon herself to handle the Alterz affair, which I had become entangled in, and I had also given her a rough report yesterday about the new dimensional invaders.
‘And now there’s a new person who seems to see worldlines, just like Seol-hyang.’
Problems kept erupting one after another; even I was getting exhausted.
How much harder must it be for Seol-hyang, who was on the front lines trying to resolve everything?
‘Today, I’ll grant her whatever she asks for.’
If it could relieve even a little of her stress, I was willing to do anything.
As I entered the Returnee Association, an employee at the counter saw me, came out, and bowed with a smile.
“Welcome, Mr. Kang Ha-chan. I’ll guide you.”
I’m even getting an escort?
Feeling a little dazed, I followed her.
She stopped in front of a certain elevator and entered a password.
You need a password to ride the elevator.
As I was taking in this new world, she gestured toward the open elevator doors with her hand.
“You can go inside.”
Feeling like I was receiving the treatment of a state guest, I stepped into the elevator. In the distance, I could see Eunhyeon, back in her human form, waving at me.
It seemed that since I was at the Returnee Association, she was taking a break from her bodyguard duties to rest.
I owed her a great deal, so I bowed my head. Eunhyeon mouthed the words, ‘Have a good time.’
…It will be a good time, right?
As I wondered, the elevator doors closed.
I stood waiting, and a moment later, the elevator stopped with a ding.
The doors slid open to reveal the entrance to an incredibly luxurious office.
It felt like the entrance to some grand royal chamber. A moment later, the expensive-looking doors swung open with a soft click.
“Ha-chan, come in.”
A voice called out from deep inside.
An automatic door?
As I stepped through the open doorway, the doors closed behind me with a soft creak. To the side, I saw a luxurious shoe rack.
Am I supposed to put my shoes here?
With that thought, I swapped my shoes for a pair of fluffy-looking slippers and headed inside.
What followed was an interior that seemed even more lavish than the presidential office.
Priceless-looking furniture was scattered about, creating a strange and fascinating blend of modern and classic styles.
As I walked through the space, I saw a wide, open window with a view of downtown Seoul…
“...New York Square?”
I blinked, staring out the window.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but there it was: New York Square.
“You don’t like New York? I can change it to a street in London.”
As I stared at the scenery I’d only ever seen on TV, a voice spoke from beside me.
Standing there was Seol-hyang, draped in a fluffy white robe.
She held a teacup in her hand, from which the aroma of coffee drifted.
“Is it some kind of hologram?”
“Heehee, want to try opening the window?”
At her words, I slid the window open, and the scenery outside remained unchanged.
It really was New York Square.
Watching the foreigners bustling about, I quietly closed the window.
She had clearly done something with spatial abilities.
‘So this is how the Returnee Association buildings are connected.’
“Spatial travel between countries is dangerous if handled carelessly, so there are all sorts of legal procedures between nations. But the Returnee Association building was made an exception. Of course, if you want to go outside, you still have to go through the official entry process.”
She let out a long yawn, looking tired.
It seemed she had pulled an all-nighter; there were faint shadows under her eyes.
“Aren't you overdoing it?”
“This is nothing compared to when we were first setting up the Association. Still, there has been a lot going on recently.”
She took a sip of her coffee and gave me a gentle smile.
“Want to look around some more?”
“Sure.”
Seol-hyang took me on a tour of her office.
The office was divided into several rooms, one of which was a bedroom, and seeing it made me feel a pang of sympathy.
I realized that when she was busy, she ate, slept, and lived right here.
At the same time, a soft, unidentifiable fragrance wafted from the bed, and I instinctively averted my gaze.
I felt like I was peeking into a girl’s private room.
“We talk on the phone every day, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen your face, Ha-chan. It’s nice to see you after so long.”
She set down her teacup and leaned back on the sofa.
Seol-hyang looked at me, smiled, and beckoned me over.
As I followed her gesture, she pulled my arm, making me sit on the sofa, and then rested her head on my shoulder.
“You should just lie down.”
“Will you give me a lap pillow, then?”
Seeing her tired face, I picked up a nearby cushion, placed it on my lap, and gently moved her head so she could lie down.
As I stroked her hair, she let out a faint smile, clearly enjoying the sensation.
The warmth of a human touch has a way of putting the mind at ease.
It was a little cheesy, but I was sure she would like it, given how much she cared for me.
I knew I would feel at ease if our roles were reversed.
“You really are overdoing it.”
“A little?”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“You’re doing it right now.”
“I’ll come do this for you every day.”
“Just imagining it sounds wonderful.”
Seeing her smile made me feel sorry for her, and I stroked her hair even more tenderly.
“I’m sorry. It’s because of me.”
“What are you talking about? You’re the one who got dragged into this, Ha-chan. This is all part of the Returnee Association’s job, you know?”
“Still, I’m involved, aren’t I? It doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Oh, dear. I guess I’ll have to put your mind at ease.”
Smiling softly, Seol-hyang sat up and stretched her arms out toward me.
“This solves everything for me. Will it make you feel better, Ha-chan?”
Like a child asking for affection, she smiled, asking me to hold her.
I froze for a moment at my childhood friend’s bold move, but then I gave a wry smile and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug.
I had decided to dedicate this one hour solely to Seol-hyang.
I wasn't about to back out now.
As she snuggled into my embrace, Seol-hyang’s eyes widened at my proactive response. Then, a huge grin spread across her face as she rested her head on my shoulder.
“Your embrace is so warm, Ha-chan. I love it.”
“It’s practically scorching.”
A wave of guilt washed over me, considering I had just kissed Ahyu yesterday.
“Speaking of which, I heard something strange from Ahyu yesterday.”
“...What was it?”
Nestled in my arms, Seol-hyang’s eyes were half-closed and drowsy.
Finding her slightly delayed reaction cute, I asked my question.
“...That you all were secretly planning to live together with me.”
Seol-hyang’s shoulders flinched.
She slid down slightly, hiding her face in my chest. It was obvious the idea had been hers.
“I have a good guess as to why, though.”
“...I couldn’t help it. It was for my happy married life.”
As she spoke like she was pouting, I gently pinched her cheek.
The soft texture was quite addictive.
“Why is marriage the default for all of you? Isn’t dating supposed to come first?”
“Mmph.”
First Ahyu, and now Seol-hyang.
Both of them spoke as if their marriage to me was already a foregone conclusion.
Normally, you confess and become a couple first, but they were skipping all the prerequisites.
“When people date, their feelings can change. Marriage is something you talk about after that.”
“They won’t change.”
At that moment, Seol-hyang gently took the hand that was pinching her cheek and held it.
“No matter what happens, they will never, ever change. I will only ever love you, Ha-chan.”
Hearing the word ‘love’ made me flinch involuntarily.
The weight of that word was heavier than I could have imagined.
“Besides, you’ve never dated anyone either, Ha-chan. How can you be so sure that feelings change?”
“Well…”
They did say my other self had an ex-girlfriend, but…
In this life, I’d been single for 26 years, so I had no comeback.
“I’ve never dated anyone either, but if my feelings were the kind to change over something like that, they would have already changed back in that other world.”
Hearing her words, I raised my hand and cupped her cheek.
Everything Seol-hyang did, both now and in the past, was far from easy.
Yet, they were all things that felt like only she could handle, so I always ended up relying on her.
With my thumb, I gently traced the shadows under her eyes.
Every time I saw these marks of her fatigue, my heart ached for no reason.
“And, about bringing up marriage…”
Feeling my touch, Seol-hyang asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
“Do you… not want to marry me?”
It was a question that no man in the world could possibly refuse.
“...How could I not want to?”
This was Seol-hyang, the girl who had prepared an entire gaming room just for me. Anyone could see how lovable she was.
“Heeheehee.”
Seol-hyang snuggled back into my arms, laughing with pure happiness.
“If you heard that from the Heavenly Demon, it means that woman confessed, didn't she?”
When Seol-hyang asked, I slowly nodded.
I could deceive others, but I could never deceive Seol-hyang.
“Hmph, I wonder what you said back.”
When she prodded me with a suggestive glance, I averted my eyes and answered.
“...That I like her.”
“You said it?”
“Y-Yeah.”
As I confessed my secret, Seol-hyang’s eyes twitched for a moment.
“Words that I haven’t even heard yet…”
She bit her lip, looking vexed.
Then, she glanced at me with a pout.
“I confessed first, but you went and told someone else you like them. What am I supposed to do now?”
“Uh, well, that’s…”
“Don’t you like me, Ha-chan?”
This girl. She knew the answer but was pushing me anyway.
As I stood there flustered, stammering, she pressed her body closer against mine.
The soft fragrance wafting from Seol-hyang and the weight of her body against mine constricted me even further.
This felt less like a request and more like blackmail.
But my heart had long since turned to trash.
“...I like you.”
I might just be the biggest piece of trash in the world.
Telling two different women that I like them.
My own greed was making my head spin.
For a fleeting moment, my mind started spinning happy scenarios—Maybe it’s okay, since they all already agreed to live with me, right?—and I realized just how pathetic I was.
Hearing my answer, Seol-hyang’s face turned bright red, but she shook her head.
“It’s not enough.”
“W-What?”
“It’s not enough! I’ve been holding back all this time, but that woman got to hear it just like that. I can’t be satisfied with this.”
What did she mean, she couldn’t be satisfied?
As I stared at her in confusion, she grabbed the collar of my shirt.
“The next thing.”
“The n-next thing?”
“Give me the next thing. The thing after ‘I like you’.”
Had she really come here today to be as demanding as possible?
When I hesitated, Seol-hyang made a sulky face and tilted her head slightly to the side.
“...You don’t want to?”
By now, my own face must have been beet red, but in the end, I decided to grant her wish.
“I love you.”
At my answer, Seol-hyang’s eyes widened. She then brought her face close to mine.
Even at this distance, her face was breathtakingly beautiful.
“...How much?”
“I’m going to run away.”
“Hmph.”
“Where did you learn to be so cute?”
It was adorable, though.
Seeing that I couldn’t say any more, Seol-hyang smiled brightly and lifted her head.
And then, her lips met mine.
Lately, my lips have been meeting someone else’s quite often, I thought, as Seol-hyang’s face finally pulled away.
“I love you, too.”
That whispered phrase tickled my heart in all sorts of ways, feeling like a test of a man’s patience.