Chapter 90

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 89

Chapter Title: The Fixer's Secret

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To celebrate safely driving off(?) the pitch-black anomaly, I spent the entire weekend playing with the kids.

I know it too. Doors number 2 and 4 are still open.

And I know we need to find a strategy quickly since we don't know when the pitch-black one might return.

But you can't just live for work.

No, after rolling around with crazy anomalies all day, it's fine to have a little fun.

I'm human too, you know. Human.

A human who doesn't shed a single drop of blood no matter how much you stab me with a knife, but still, like everyone else, I hate working and just want to blow my savings lounging around like a regular small citizen.

So I just played. No matter what problems cropped up, I trusted that the now-normalized Lunar Blossom Sect would handle it.

"Whoa, so cute!"

"Is this really those terrifying Ghost Kings from before?"

"Yeah. They can transform into cute forms too."

Hongran and Haeyul had shifted into non-scary beast forms, and among them, the baby harp seal pup and fox shapes didn't frighten the kids at all.

They'd freaked out over the other forms, calling them scary, but now they were going wild over how adorable they were.

They really are pretty cute in beast mode.

"Hmm... Ah, yeah. While you're petting me, could you peel some crab meat sticks too...?"

"Sure!"

"Hey, Nam Yu-ha! You're the only one touching! I wanna pet too! I wanna feel Haeyul-nim's fluffy fur!"

Yu-ha and Ha-yeon fought over who got to pet Haeyul-nim.

They said it felt good petting the soft, squishy fluff. I knew that well since I petted them often.

"It's not that I like it and letting you hug me. Don't get the wrong idea. Got it? I'm not the type to just open up to anyone like, uh? Yeah? Understand? Answer me!"

"Yesss... Hongran-nim's tail is so soft..."

"Hey! No, not the tail!"

Hongran, in her baby fox form, had clung right to Yu-rim, complaining the air was cold.

She didn't seem to hate being petted while nestled in human arms, but putting on grumpy airs was just like Hongran.

She'd grumble but secretly love it if you stroked her anyway.

'Looks like everyone's satisfied anyway.'

The Ghost Kings who loved humans were thrilled to be petted in beast form in the kids' arms, and the kids got to touch rare beasts they'd never even see up close at a zoo. Win-win.

'Is this what weekend leisure feels like?'

For some reason, weekends always brought work my way. I'd never really had a proper lazy weekend, but today felt like a true one.

Probably because most clients visiting the office were office workers with only weekends free. Even in a world overrun by anomalies, people still had to go to work.

"Hubby... Try this."

"Sweet potatoes?"

"Yes, sweet potato tang."

"Let me see. Ah. Hot!"

"Ahh... Are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you okay?"

"Ow. Wow. Delicious. Good job."

Hot makes it taste even better.

Tang is good even cold, but freshest right after making.

Mom used to make it for me a lot back then.

"..."

Wonder if she's doing well.

Your son's doing fine.

"Hubby, what's wrong...?"

"Nothing. Tang's delicious. Should we give some to the kids?"

"Sure... I made a lot. We can share."

Sowol's cooking skills were top-notch.

Honestly, her tang tasted better than my mom's.

'Peaceful.'

I half-buried myself in the single-seater sofa, watching the kids pet the Twin Ghost Kings, and let out a blank sigh. This peace felt too good.

Rest while you can. Once I started on the mountain of backlog, even sleep would be scarce.

'Maybe take a nap.'

As I dozed off sorting my thoughts in a daze, Yu-ha brought cards over.

"Uncle! Let's play a game!"

"Game?"

"Yeah! We bought cards at the convenience store with Yu-rim earlier. You know how to play Thief, right?"

"Of course."

Thief, huh. First time since high school, I think.

Time to show off my skills. I was famous for never drawing the Joker.

"Wanna join, Sowol?"

"Me...? Oh, I'm good. I have something I want to make."

"Okay. Got it."

Sowol didn't join since her cooking wasn't done yet.

In the end, just the humans in the office played cards. Guess anomalies don't care for card games.

'Oh no...'

Joker came to me right at the start? This is awkward.

My Luck stat's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠70. Why do I always get hit with this stuff?

Sometimes stats get pierced by ridiculous bad luck.

"Come on, pick, Yu-ha."

"Hmm. Uncle, your face gives it away. Joker's on the left end, right?"

"What? How...?"

Yu-ha never picked the Joker.

She dodged it perfectly, snatching only the cards she wanted, then washed her hands of it for first place.

'No way...'

And sure enough, the Five Flower Bell Spirit was peeking at my hand from afar.

Even from that distance? Mutual telepathy? Yu-ha's grown. Master Mun Seon-woo would be proud.

'Not just Yu-ha... Yu-rim and Ha-yeon are reading my hand with spells too. Cheating at Thief? Still got energy left?'

These crazy kids.

Using sorcery for a simple card game?

Peeking into the strong ones' memories made them slyer and more cunning.

'Especially Yu-ha... Her control over the Five Flower Bell Spirit's improved a ton. How much has she grown?'

Yu-rim, exposed to Se-yeon’s memories, and Ha-yeon, who read Harry’s, each created a new technique.

Though they'd lost those memories now, the techniques stuck.

I'd thought Yu-ha, who'd taken my memories, hadn't changed much and felt bad, but nope.

'I was wrong. Yu-ha's grown the most of the three.'

Yu-ha's a Spirit Medium. And Spirit Mediums improve with closer bonds to their possessing spirits.

Having briefly held my memories, Yu-ha handled the Five Flower Bell Spirit far more adeptly now.

Even without my memories, her Garam University experience remained, honing her spirit-handling finesse.

Before, the spirit was top dog and Yu-ha subordinate. Now, roles felt reversed.

How did she sweet-talk the spirit while holding my memories? Must've mimicked my anomaly-handling on it.

'No choice but to lose ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this one.'

If they want to win this badly, let 'em.

No prizes for winning anyway. Crushing kids' dreams as an adult while playing? Nah.

"The Fixer's the thief. Now, penalty: wrist smack."

"Ouch. Too painful. Gonna get wrist tunnel syndrome."

"Quit exaggerating! Uncle doesn't bleed even if stabbed!"

"Yu-ha, what kinda talk is that? What if someone hears?"

I played up the pain, and they all laughed happily.

Truth is, my body feels no pain, so even hard smacks felt like light taps.

But staying blank-faced would seem inhuman, so I hammed it up.

After hours playing with high school girls, even fun gets tiring.

Think we've maxed out today's laughter quota.

Now too exhausted to even smile. Smiling hurts.

"Kids. Can we rest now?"

"Uncle, tired already?"

"Five hours of board games. 'Already'?"

Five straight hours of every board game imaginable—no complaining about resting.

Playing with high school girls tires me more than fighting anomalies.

Their stamina's insane. Sorceress high schoolers must have marathon batteries.

"I wanna rest now..."

"Okay, then we'll keep going ourselves?"

"Yeah. Go wild."

Still, thanks to the kids, I had a blast for the first time in ages.

Sipping weird trendy convenience store concoctions they recommended, hanging with anomalies—such a full day.

Their youthful energy made it hard to keep up. And after such fullness, now I craved rest.

Overdo fun, and it becomes exhausting—that's now.

"Whoa! Jeong Ha-yeon, gotcha!"

"Ah, why me again."

"Hehe... Ha-yeon unnie has the worst luck..."

"Hey, Go Yu-rim. Quit copying Yu-ha and scratching at me."

"Scratched...? Hehe."

"Hey!"

High school girls laugh all day over nothing.

Maybe they're anomalies fueled by ramen and tteokbokki producing laughter?

Makes sense.

"Then... isn't Hubby addicted to commissions like an anomaly...?"

"Huh? Sowol, what?"

"Nothing. Here, have some water. Tried barley tea with ice. They say it soothes the stomach."

"Thanks, Sowol. Mom used to brew barley tea too. You're stirring up nostalgia today."

"...? Did I mess up...?"

"No, not at all. Just happy."

"Glad you like it... Hehe..."

I gulped the iced water Sowol handed me, brain half-empty.

Watching the giggling trio made me recall someone I'd briefly forgotten.

No way.

She'll be waiting.

"Hubby? Going somewhere suddenly...?"

"Yeah, quick elevator trip. Can't have fun just among us after everyone's worked hard."

"Ah... Hurry back... Oh, here. Take some tang. Packed separately."

"Thanks, Sowol!"

Ordered dinner for the kids, grabbed snacks, headed to the elevator.

Eve-chan likes sweets too. She'd love Sowol's tang. And snacks full of my tastes—hope Eve likes them.

-6th floor.

-6th floor.

Familiar elevator chime, arrived at floor 6.

"Finally... you're here. I waited so long..."

"Sorry, should've come sooner."

"No... Just kidding... Thanks for coming..."

Handed Eve my favorite snacks and Sowol's special sweet potato tang.

Just dropping snacks and leaving felt wrong, so I set up in the elevator. Way later than promised, wanted to chat awhile.

Only visiting when needed feels cold. Should come more often.

"This is good..."

"Right? Sowol made it."

Eve popped one in her mouth, chewed, then fed me one.

She watched me eat, then casually asked.

"Do-hyun, how do I look to you?"

"Huh? Eve?"

"Yeah. Me. My face or... appearance... Doesn't it look hideous?"

"Not at all. You're gorgeous, Eve."

"But everyone except you fears me... I wish I could be pretty like her..."

"Her... Sowol?"

"Yes... The one always by your side."

Yep, talking about Sowol.

Only one she'd admire now.

"If I were pretty like her... I could hang out more with the office kids..."

Eve seemed really bummed about not joining the fun.

Sowol in "smiling face" mode doesn't drain human mental strength, but Eve drained it in both elevator and threshold guardian states.

She wanted to be with them but couldn't.

"I... want to become human too."

I kinda got why Eve said that.

Sowol couldn't humanize at first either.

'Come to think, how did Sowol gain humanization?'

Right, when upgraded from disaster-class to calamity-class.

Before crushing Black Lotus Society. I'd been briefly deluded then.

Doubting if I should intervene or follow Anomaly Management Department.

Then Sowol asked me.

To save the suffering, punish the cult leader.

Accepting her request deepened our bond.

Deep trust elevated her rank.

'Right now, Eve and I are just tightly bonded.'

Not deep trust yet.

Affinity over 90% unlocks finer stages.

Specific events at 90%+ deepen bonds.

Next is deep trust... No artificial way to force it.

No easy way to help Eve humanize.

"Eve, don't be too down. You're beautiful as is."

"But... I can't show myself to people... No matter what... I'm an anomaly."

Her voice grew damper than usual.

Her feelings showed plain as day.

Eve wanted to live with me like Sowol.

But realistically, impossible.

Sowol could go in the Token of Pure Love in emergencies, stay smiling-face normally—no big issue around humans.

Eve had nowhere to store, no human form.

Could summon threshold guardian anywhere with Border Key, but couldn't carry like Sowol.

Thus, Eve despaired her situation.

How to comfort her.

Just promising visits wouldn't fully soothe— she'd been through this twice.

'Same after conquering Hanmasae Dream Apartment. And solving Garam University this time.'

Eve couldn't show her face, slunk back to her spot like chased away.

Helps humans more than any anomaly, yet can't face them—must frustrate her.

Her self-esteem was already low.

"When with someone... Feeling this happy... If I didn't know... Wouldn't be this sad, right?"

"..."

"All... your fault, Do-hyun. Why show me... happiness."

Eve looked up at me.

Why touch her. Why teach joy of togetherness.

Couldn't answer. I'd relied on her help tons.

Raised affinity to get her aid, too.

"Eve... Sorry."

"Why apologize... Don't. Don't wanna see you apologize to me. It's just... my whining. Throwing a tantrum. So, just comfort me? You said I could rely on you."

"Right. But don't know how..."

"Make me cling harder to you. You're all I have... I know you did nothing wrong... I fell for you alone... But wanna blame you... Don't wanna let go."

Eve set down the tang container, spread her arms to me.

"Every night... You hug her to sleep, right...?"

Couldn't answer the Sowol hug question either.

Not my will, but woke up hugging her always.

"Then hug me too... Like her. Tightly. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Firmly. Don't wanna fall behind... Can't catch up... But no more lagging."

"....Got it. Satisfied now?"

"No... Can't satisfy with a hug. Not yet. Stay still..."

"Got it."

Eve hugged me long, seeming calmed.

Affinity rose naturally.

Eve's nearly matched Sowol's. Getting dangerous.

"Elevator dates... Keep them just with me, okay...?"

"Yes. Will do."

"And... have you... kissed her...?"

"Huh? No. Not yet."

"Ever kissed anyone?"

"Kiss? Hmm. Don't think so."

No lip-locks since arriving here.

First time, then?

"I see. Then."

Mwah.

"....????"

"Do-hyun's first kiss... is mine now."

"Huh...?"

"She'll take all your other firsts... So I'll take the first kiss. Fair, right?"

"Wait. What about my say?"

"Does your opinion... matter now? Do-hyun... You didn't shake me up then dodge responsibility, right...? I hate bad guys... I like gentle ones..."

"No, not like that..."

"Anyway... We'll do it all someday. So, anything. I wanna claim one thing. Didn't like kissing me...?"

"Hate it? No. Just startled..."

"Not hate, then one more..."

"W-wait a sec-mmph!?"

She wanted one edge over Sowol, anything.

For Eve, it was a kiss. She looked deeply satisfied.

No, ecstatic even.

Huh. Eve... eyes glazing over...?

"Good... Ngh... Drop formalities now? Yeah? Do-hyun. Wanna call you just Do-hyun. Okay?"

"W-wait. Eve, too close."

"Not Eve-ssi. Eve. Eve-chan's fine too."

Eve-chan pressed right up.

The quiet, gloomy beauty had this bold side?

Eyes a bit unfocused. Kiss the trigger?

Maybe she'd played prim around me.

Even so, distance felt off.

Stole my lips, brakes busted, got aggressively forward.

Affinity 98%.

Bad. Maxed out by my standards.

More, and it hits 100%.

Who knows what ending that brings.

Can't predict what happens.

Stop it. But how?

"Wait! Eve, stop!"

"Ah... Why...! Why..."

"Go further here and..."

"Further?"

"No turning back."

"No turning back? Wanna undo our relationship?"

"No, you're more emotion than reason now. Listen, Eve. Like you told me -404 floor secret. I'll tell you one of mine."

"Do-hyun's secret...?"

"Yeah. Decide if you like me after hearing."

Eve revealed her secret for my heart.

So I'll reveal mine.

"Hearing it, you might... find me repulsive."

"What... What secret...? You're scaring me... Not bad, right...? Huh? No way... You're an anomaly too? No? Say no...!"

"No, not anomaly. My secret is..."

Never told anyone before.

Not even Sowol.

"I... can see your affinity."