Yu-ri and the Dojang People # 6
Yu-ri and the Dojang People # 6
In the end, I got dragged all the way to the department store. It wasn't even that late. She just said she was gonna shop and I'd be her pack mule.
"Hey. Grab those."
Yu-ri strolled around with both hands in her pockets, glanced at the displays, and gave a little chin jerk toward whatever caught her eye, ordering me around totally naturally.
"Jesus, why buy so much? What even is all this? You need this many cosmetics?"
"The fuck wouldn't I?"
"You're not even wearing makeup right now."
I'd never really seen Yu-ri with makeup on. Honestly, she's pretty enough she doesn't need it.
"Yeah. I'm not. It's all gonna get used."
If she says so, I guess that's that.
"Yessum."
"Say 'yessum' again and you're in big trouble."
"If I get in big trouble, I'll just plop down like a little kid and cry."
"You're driving me nuts, for real. Heh heh. Just hurry up and stuff it all in the bags, you punk. God, you're annoying."
"Ack."
Anyway, I did as I was told, swiped Yu-ri's card for a mountain of cosmetics I didn't even recognize, and packed them into shopping bags.
And as we headed off,
[Weapon Corner]
we arrived at a place called the Weapon Corner.
"Whoa!"
Here, even I had to genuinely admire the view.
Weird-looking cold weapons were displayed all over the floor, and not just those—there were protective gear, armor, even powered suits on display.
"Hey! What's this place! Seriously, what is this! It's packed with weapons and equipment!"
"Ha, you punk. Knew a guy'd go nuts for this stuff. Yeah. This is the Weapon Corner. They sell all kinds of shit—weapons, gear, the works."
"This is so fucking cool...! Yu-ri! Let's look around!"
"I was gonna do that anyway."
And so Yu-ri and I swaggered through the shop.
All over the place were some truly badass swords. The kind of romanticized blades that make a man's heart feel like it's gonna burst just by looking at them.
Is this heaven?
There's not a man alive who hates weapons. I browsed the store with Yu-ri like I was the world's happiest elementary school kid. Felt exactly like a child who's been obsessively packing for a field trip since the night before.
"Heh heh heh."
"Happy?"
"Yeah. This is way too fun."
"You punk. Guess you've got a thing for weapons after all."
"Gotta buy a good one sometime."
Anyway, the swords on display were really diverse. Everything from designs with a medieval vibe to blades that looked like they were straight out of a sci-fi future.
"What about this sword? It's got some kind of slot?"
"If you slot one of those cartridges in here, it looks like some kind of special gimmick activates."
"Holy crap...! How much is it!"
"Twenty-two million won."
Twenty-two million? How many used Damases is that?! That's enough dough to buy three of the deadliest killing machines known to man—the Damas.
Twenty-two million could roll you three Damases.
For real.
"That's so goddamn expensive!"
"From what I hear, this is a weapon that low-skill hunters use to clear dungeons by leaning on gear. You like it?"
"It's unique, so I do like it. Anyway, let's check out the other stuff."
Marveling at the prices, we looked at other things. But as Yu-ri explained, there was a reason all the weapons were so pricey.
"They're made from the bodies of D-rank or higher monsters or monsterkin, so the magic power conductivity's better. Ultimately, a good weapon means your mana consumption drops. And what does that mean? Your combat endurance goes up."
"Is there anything that amplifies your power instead of just reducing mana consumption?"
"There is some. Fucking pricy, though. Even our Director has one."
"I knew it!"
Yu-ri's basically a conglomerate heiress, no different.
Well, we took a nice long look around the weapon shop.
"Any discounts? A little discount here."
"Ah, what discount, sir? If I give you a discount, there's nothing left for us."
"Hey now, good sir. What kind of business in this land of Korea runs on no discounts?"
There were quite a few people haggling over prices. Looked like they were all either heroes or hunters.
"Hmm."
Someone plastered with odd pieces of protective gear and a submachine gun on their hip was checking out a greatsword with an intensely serious face.
But man, I really liked that cyber-looking helmet they were wearing.
"Yu-ri. What's a helmet like that?"
"That? Looks like a Death Company helmet."
"Death Company?"
Just the name alone is terrifying.
"Those bastards specialize in making helmets where, when you wear one and look forward, a hologram pops up to assist in combat... Do you not study your products?"
"Well, the school should be teaching us this stuff."
Now that I think about it, I guess I do have to study things like this. It's kind of like how engineers have to study equipment specs.
"Shut your trap, punk. If you're gonna be a hero, study this stuff too. Doesn't Leona always tell you to study?"
"Alright, alright. I will. Now that I see it, I definitely get why I need to."
"If you don't study, I'm telling Leona."
"Please! Please have mercy! Not that! Anything but that!"
"Oho, you're uniquely terrified of Leona, huh? Yeah. If you don't study, I'll really tell on you."
I'm screwed!
"I'll seriously study my ass off, just cut me some slack...!"
I renewed my resolve as I kept walking.
And as we did,
"Whoa. They sell this here."
Yu-ri let out an admiring comment and pointed at a red powered suit in front of us.
"Oh."
It was a pretty stylish design. Not huge and bulky like a tin-can robot, but an armor made to fit a human body type.
Even the head part had what looked like bull-horn radar equipment attached, which made it look seriously like some kind of demon. Absolutely badass.
"What's this one?"
"Minotaur Titan Armor. An early-model slim-type powered suit. This thing's kind of an antique."
Yu-ri smacked her lips like she was amused as she explained.
"They say everyone used to wear these back in the day. After the Dimension War ended, the concentration of dimensional radiation went way up, so people went nuts developing powered suits."
"Wow. So there's history like that. Yu-ri. Are you secretly a really good student?"
"You're just too fucking stupid, you moron!"
—Shoop!
"Gahk!"
Her fingers jabbed right into my side!
"What do you mean 'secretly'! I've got your number, asshole!"
"No, but you're always dozing off at school."
"I sleep, I still pass! So I sleep!"
—Grrk!
"Aagh!"
Yu-ri put me in a headlock again!
Help!
My face is pressing into her chest...!
* * *
After we finished shopping and headed out, it was about time for dinner. I suggested we eat something, but Yu-ri said she'd eat at home.
"Alright, Yu-ri. I'll hand these over, so let's split up here."
"Carry them over."
"If I carry them in, do you treat me to dinner?"
"We're eating with the dojang people. You wanna eat with them too?"
"No! Sorry! I spoke too soon!"
"Heh heh. You crazy bastard."
Yu-ri chuckled and started moving, and I followed her. Well, it wasn't far anyway. We chatted a bit and arrived at the dojang entrance in no time.
"Here. I'll give them to you now."
"Yeah. Today was fun. I'll call you out again next time, so come."
"Heh heh heh, sounds good."
—Swish.
Yu-ri took the bags and walked inside the building without looking back.
"Ahh, I'm tired."
Today somehow felt really damn long.
Guess I'll head back and get some rest now.
"Hoo."
Just like Yu-ri said, it was a fun day. Yu-ri’s so brash and cool, she really led me around well. If Leona feels like a mom, then as Yu-ri says herself, she’s more like an older sister.
Anyway, I seriously had a hell of a good time.
As I was thinking that and heading home on public transit,
—Brrt.
I got a call from Leona.
"Oh, Leona? What's up?"
* * *
After changing into a tracksuit, tying her hair back, and putting on a cap, Leona slipped on her sunglasses and became the picture of an ordinary civilian. She darted inside the department store and located her target.
'There they are.'
Kim Geun-cheol and Woo Yu-ri were thoroughly enjoying their shopping. But the longer she watched, the more appalled she became.
'What on earth...!'
He was carrying shopping bags. And more. And even more!
Kim Geun-cheol was moving around loaded with a mountain of shopping bags!
'Woo Yu-ri, you...!'
She was using Kim Geun-cheol like a pack mule, piling all her stuff on him! And all the while, she was just nodding along and enjoying her shopping...!
'I want to do that too!'
Dragging Kim Geun-cheol around, ordering him about while shopping! Watching it made a wave of pure envy surge up inside her!
'This won't do...! I have to make a date, and fast!'
Leona thought for a moment about how to set up the date, and quickly concluded that Sunday was the day.
Saturday is my time anyway—no, volunteer time. I can book him the entire day. But if I set a date for Sunday too?
'I can hold onto this reckless, makes-me-so-anxious Kim Geun-cheol for the whole weekend.'
It was a most pleasing plan.
Resolving to make the call the moment her tailing was over, Leona continued the operation.
"Aagh! Help!"
Just then, Woo Yu-ri suddenly put Kim Geun-cheol in a headlock. Kim Geun-cheol looked like he was suffering, but Woo Yu-ri seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.
'Isn't she being a little too touchy...!'
But seeing her tease him like that did make her think they weren't lovers.
Anyway.
The shopping ended, and they came outside.
Nothing much happened after. Kim Geun-cheol carried Woo Yu-ri's bags to her dojang, and they dispersed. Kim Geun-cheol then returned straight to his dormitory.
Leona, too, had returned home at that point.
At a suitable moment, she called Kim Geun-cheol.
"Oh, Leona? What's up?"
A cheerful voice.
"Kim Geun-cheol? Are you home?"
"Yeah. I'm home. Why?"
He doesn't lie.
"Have you eaten dinner?"
"Not yet."
He doesn't lie, indeed.
His honesty is a virtue.
"If I say I haven't eaten, are you gonna bomb me with a feast again?"
"Fufufu, what am I, some goddess of the harvest? Bombing you with a bounty of food? You know those groceries I bought the other day. I was telling you to eat those."
"I'll do that."
"Anyway, Kim Geun-cheol? You're free next Sunday, right?"
"Yeah. I'm free."
"Then let's meet up then."
"Yessum."
"Don't 'yessum' me. Hanging up."
—Clack.
Leona hung up the phone.
"Good."
Only then did Leona allow herself to drop her disguise.
"We'll watch a horror movie together. Go to the department store. So much to do. Fufufu."
She felt great.