Chapter 205: A Perfect Situation for a Misunderstanding
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 205: A Perfect Situation for a Misunderstanding
3
The next morning.
After Ahyu and I went our separate ways, I cleaned my room and went to bed early.
I had things to do today, after all.
I just needed to go to the company around the time Si-ho and Ji-eun finished their university classes, so I planned to meet Eva-noona in the morning.
I looked around the roughly cleaned room, plopped down on the bed, and scratched my head.
I had told Kkotbi she could come over, but thinking about it now, I wondered if it was the right thing to do.
At the same time, I remembered what Ahyu had said yesterday.
「I heard everything.」
Seeing Ahyu glare at me as she spoke, my mind raced with tens of thousands of thoughts about what to say.
But Ahyu just sighed and didn't say much else.
「If you're going to do it, do it right. Got it?」
Her words made me realize just how much Ahyu had changed.
‘Is this because of me?’
For a moment, I felt pathetic for getting involved with so many women without any integrity.
But I'd come too far to turn back now.
‘If you're going to do it, do it right.’
Mulling over Ahyu's words, I clenched both my fists.
If I was going to do it, I'd do it right. I intended to keep that promise, at least.
In the distance, I could see that bastard Baeksan clicking his tongue in disapproval, but I decided not to pay it much mind.
Ding-dong~
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Knowing who was at the door, I immediately walked to the entrance.
"Kkotbi, you're here?"
The moment I opened the door, calling out for Kkotbi, I blinked.
Standing there was a woman with white hair and a sharp, irritable-looking face.
Behind her, I could see it was raining outside.
It was a sunshower, raining from a clear sky.
It seemed to be a sudden downpour.
But perhaps because of it, the woman in front of me was completely soaked.
It must have started raining while she was on her way.
However, she didn't seem to care about being rained on. Instead, she frowned only after seeing me, then tilted her head.
"Kkotbi?"
"Baeksan?"
The moment Heuksan and I spoke at the same time, her face slowly began to contort.
"You... you bastard. Did you pick up another woman in that short time?"
I had no rebuttal, because it was true.
As I let out a dry cough, Heuksan looked at me with contempt.
When will Heuksan and I ever get along?
I felt that the more time passed, the worse my image was becoming in her eyes.
"So, Baeksan, what brings you here?"
I changed the subject because if we talked about it any longer, I felt like Heuksan would see me as trash that needed to be incinerated. She clicked her tongue with a 'tsk'.
"I have something to talk about."
Not over the phone, but in person.
For her to come all the way here...
It was definitely something important.
Hearing that, I opened the door wider and stepped aside.
"Come in."
At my words, Heuksan came inside.
Then, still soaked, she plopped down in the entryway and began struggling to take off her boots.
She wore boots that came nearly up to her knees, and since they were wet, it seemed to be taking a long time to get them off.
"Let me help."
"What? I don't need it."
Although Heuksan spoke bluntly, I grabbed her boot and gave it a light pull.
The boot slid off her leg with ease.
Heuksan, who had been watching me, bit her lip and then smoothly lifted her other leg.
So it really was hard for her to take them off.
After I pulled off the other boot for her, Heuksan stood up.
I told her to wait a moment and went inside to get a towel.
After taking the towel from me, she roughly dried her hair and looked at me.
"Got any clothes?"
"I only have men's clothes."
"Doesn't matter."
In that case.
It felt wrong to leave her in those wet clothes, so I opened a drawer and took out a comfortable black t-shirt and a pair of shorts.
Heuksan then took off her jacket, grabbed the clothes I gave her, and went into the bathroom.
Rustle, rustle-
From inside, I could hear the sound of Heuksan changing.
That bastard Baeksan was staring at me with a displeased expression, so I scratched my head.
Just then, the door slid open with a creak, and Heuksan walked out.
The clothes seemed a bit big on her; wearing a white t-shirt that came down to just above her thighs and a pair of shorts, Heuksan pulled out her long, dog-fur-like hair that had gotten tucked into her collar.
"Give me the clothes you were wearing. I'll put them in the washer and dryer."
Heuksan gave me her clothes without a word.
She'd probably feel uncomfortable leaving in wet clothes, after all.
While I was putting her clothes in the washing machine, Heuksan naturally went over to the bed and plopped down.
She looked more like the owner of the place than I did.
Feeling for some reason like I'd brought home a feral cat, I sat down in my computer chair. Heuksan was stroking the bedsheets.
"...Want to take a nap?"
She looked tired for some reason, so I asked, but Heuksan shot me a sharp glare.
"How do I know you won't try something on me?"
"Hey, you're the one who came to my house, Baeksan."
"Don't look at me with those eyes."
Did this girl actually come here to pick a fight?
As I was thinking that, Heuksan finally opened her scarlet lips.
"I think something's happened."
"Happened?"
Hearing Heuksan's words, I straightened my posture.
She glanced at the window and then said to me.
"It seems like... invisible things... have started crossing over from somewhere."
Her words made me look not at Heuksan, but toward Baeksan.
I figured he would know the most about this kind of thing.
"...A dimensional gate to the Spirit World has opened."
Just then, as expected, the words came from Baeksan.
A dimensional gate to the Spirit World.
Of course, it was the first time I'd ever heard of it.
"Looks like I said something."
As I was looking at Baeksan, Heuksan seemed to notice and spoke up.
"Let me join the conversation."
Hearing her request, I nodded.
All I had to do was relay what Baeksan said to Heuksan.
"You of all people should know there are different types of dimensions, Kang Ha-chan."
That was something I knew well.
After all, I was one of the people who had studied dimensions the most diligently.
"Among those dimensions is a place called the Spirit World. It's where dead souls sometimes drift. A gate to that place has now opened."
So a new type of dimensional gate has opened.
But Baeksan bit his lip, as if that wasn't the real problem.
"This is all because the Tower of Revelation has advanced to the next stage."
That's what Baeksan had said back when the intelligent dimensional entities crossed over.
A situation arising from the Tower of Revelation advancing to its next stage.
Baeksan was saying that the Spirit World was part of that.
"Baeksan, what about the World Returnee Association?"
"They've grasped the situation and are on the move. I saw that and came here to hear what my future self has to say."
So the World Returnee Association is also dealing with it.
I crossed my arms and fell into thought.
Abilities related to spirit bodies were rare.
As such, it was impossible to gauge the potential scale of the damage.
"Baeksan, can you sense the spirit bodies?"
"Some of them. Anyone with sharp senses should be able to feel them."
Hearing Heuksan's words, I tried to focus on my own senses.
Unsurprisingly, the only spirit body I could sense was Baeksan.
"Stop your pointless struggle."
Baeksan looked at me pathetically, so I stopped.
"Should we consider beings from the Spirit World as dimensional entities too? Is there a way to deal with them?"
"The most suitable person for this job is alive in this life, isn't she?"
The moment I heard Baeksan's words, I lifted my head.
"Ah."
I knew who Baeksan was talking about.
"Eva-noona."
A returnee and ability user powerful enough to be called the Spirit Lord.
She might just be the key to resolving this incident.
I realized why Baeksan hadn't reacted strongly to this incident.
Unlike before, this time, Eva-noona was alive.
But I was also worried.
This incident might be resolved quickly with Eva-noona's help.
However, these dimensional gates weren't just opening in our country.
Just as Baeksan said, the Tower of Revelation had advanced to the next stage, meaning the entire world was facing the same situation.
Could hunters really handle it?
If gates to the Spirit World continued to open, not just this once, then hunters, not returnees, would have to be the ones to respond.
‘Returnees are ultimately a minority.’
No matter how strong returnees were, there weren't enough of them to solve every incident.
Recently, thanks to Seol-hyang's aggressive efforts, the World Returnee Association's influence had been growing, but the reality was that it still wasn't enough to cover everything.
Eva-noona wouldn't be able to handle it all forever.
That's why a fundamental solution was needed.
My gaze shifted to the window.
Far in the distance, beyond the window, I could see the Tower of Revelation.
The fundamental solution existed only in the Tower of Revelation.
The way to end the disaster of the dimensional gates.
"Alright. I was planning to meet Eva-noona today anyway. I'll talk to her about it."
"Do whatever."
Heuksan stood up as if her business was finished.
It seemed she was planning to leave.
Groooowwwwl-
Just then, a sound came from Heuksan's stomach.
I had stood up to see her off, but when I turned to look at Heuksan, her face was bright red.
She clutched her stomach and shot me a glare.
"What are you looking at!"
Why is she getting mad at me?
"Just sit down. I'll make you something to eat."
"Ugh."
She was particularly shy when it came to being hungry.
I opened the fridge.
Fortunately, there were just enough ingredients left to make some fried rice.
As I took out the ingredients and started prepping them, I caught a glimpse of Heuksan sneaking glances around the room.
There wasn't much to see in my room, so she must have been bored.
"Kang Ha-chan."
Just then, Baeksan suddenly called out to me.
I was chopping green onions, and when I glanced at Baeksan, he was frowning deeply as he spoke.
"I'm telling you again. Don't you dare try anything funny with her."
All I've done today is talk with Heuksan and offer to cook her a meal.
Heuksan gets annoyed just by looking at me. That bastard Baeksan worries too much.
As I took out some instant rice and started stir-frying it with egg and green onions, I saw Heuksan clutching her stomach.
She must be really hungry.
‘Come to think of it.’
Haven't I forgotten something?
As I was tossing the rice in the frying pan with a large wooden spoon, I suddenly remembered.
Ding-dong~
The doorbell rang.
As I was about to turn off the stove, I noticed Heuksan had already gotten up.
"I'll get it."
"W-Wait!"
Before I could stop Heuksan, she had already reached the front door.
I had a chilling feeling.
A feeling that I shouldn't let things proceed as they were.
Beep-boop!
But the front door was already open.
For some reason, no voices came from the open doorway.
I couldn't see the entryway from where I was, so after a moment of silence, I quietly turned off the gas stove.
Then, I turned and walked toward the entrance, where I saw a head of peach-colored hair.
And standing in front of her was none other than Heuksan.
I saw Kkotbi's frozen expression.
Her violently trembling eyes were darting around, trying desperately to process the situation.
A woman coming out of the house of the oppa she likes.
On top of that, she looked like she had just washed up and was wearing what was obviously a man's clothes.
And from inside, it sounded like that same oppa was cooking.
"Ah, uh..."
A bewildered sound escaped Kkotbi's lips.
Seeing her, I quietly pressed a hand to my forehead.