Naming Someone (9)
Watching Jegal Ohae fondle the jewelry and silk clothes nonstop even as she enjoyed the festival, I felt a swell of pride. Worth every penny...
...Though honestly, I'd been worried she'd say something like, "Ohae hates stuffy clothes! Trade the jewelry for yakgwa!"
Thank goodness she seems to love it.
Festivals are fun enough just wandering around, but since this was her first one, I wanted to make it extra memorable. Sure, judging someone else's life so freely is arrogant, but objectively speaking, Ohae's had a rough go of it.
"Mancheon! Over there! Over there~ Let's go! Hurry!"
I smile back at her beaming face, shark teeth—her complex—on full display without a care. ...So yeah, I hope she's happy from here on out. I hope she smiles even more.
Of course, me caring this much about Ohae is partly selfish. With her insane growth rate, she's bound to succeed as a martial artist. If luck's on her side, the restrictions might lift, and she'll climb high in the Jegal family.
No— she'll definitely make it. I taught her, after all! If she fails, I'll carve it into my palm.
Just hold on for 10 or 20 years, and the world's top martial artist Ohae will shower me with gold, silver, treasures, and Jegal family secret arts. Hell, even magpies, toads, and puppies repay kindness. You think Ohae won't?
She'll pay it back tenfold, no doubt.
"Woo~ Hurry up!"
Lost in my delightful daydreams, Ohae tugs my sleeve, urging me on. What the hell caught her eye to get her this excited?
Following her, I see it: a massive yakgwa. But it's way too big and thick to call it yakgwa proper—a calorie bomb, really. About basketball-sized, it's stealing everyone's attention on the festival stall.
No wonder she's hyped. Among snacks, yakgwa's her absolute fave. Her eyes are sparkling right now, glued to the giant treat.
From her view, it's gotta look like buried treasure. Sad truth for her, though: forcing it that big kills the taste. She'd be disappointed biting into it.
I approach the stall, point at the mega-yakgwa, and ask the price. "How much for that? I wanna buy it."
...But festival food isn't about taste anyway. It's about the fun. Even if it sucks, that's part of the thrill.
And how pricey can a cookie really be?
"Sorry, but that big yakgwa isn't for sale. It's a prize."
"A prize?"
The stall owner grins at my question and holds out a tangled mess of steel rings. The classic wisdom ring puzzle.
"Yes. That mega-yakgwa goes to whoever separates all these twisted steel rings individually within one da gyeong—about five to ten minutes. Care to try?"
Me... Sima Mancheon, genius who deceives even the heavens. Embarrassing as it is, in my past life, I got hooked on these things.
Delving into philosophy tomes or classics I didn't care about. Hunting obscure indie bands. Everyone's had that phase of chasing "unique" hobbies to stand out, right?
Not judging or mocking—just a universal rite of passage.
For me, it was wisdom rings. I'd dress shabby on purpose, solve levels 1 through 5 in one nonstop go—smooth as butter—and think it'd look cool.
"Nah, lol~ Ain't the best in town? Even housemate couldn't crack level 4 last time."
"What kinda guy stays humble with skills like that!?"
...Yeah, I'd spin dumb fantasies like that, glued to the rings rain or shine. And predictably, no one gave a damn. Sad times.
"Sir? Sir? You in or out?"
"...I'm in."
I pay the entry fee, take the rings. Not a high-level one—easy enough in five minutes. Guess all that time invested wasn't a total waste.
I fiddle just enough to grasp the structure, then methodically unlock them one by one.
As I crack it step by step, Ohae's eyes sparkle with the promise of devouring that mega-yakgwa. Her reacting to a single giant cookie like this is so cute, I wanna tease her.
Build her up, then drop her.
Right at the brink of full solve, I lightly toss the nearly-done rings to Ohae.
"I've loosened it up for you. Your turn now."
"???"
She stares, face full of question marks, totally lost. I give her a stern look.
"If you desperately want something, you gotta learn to seize it yourself. If you really crave that mega-yakgwa, finish it with your own strength."
"S-Suddenly...? That's impossible... Can't you just help like always, Mancheon?"
She whimpers up at me, caught off guard. Adorable.
But no mercy. "Nope. Opportunities come sudden like that. Miss it, and it's gone. Want the yakgwa? Ignore me and solve the damn ring."
At my harsh words, she puffs her cheeks and starts fiddling with it. She tries moving parts to crack it, but it's unfamiliar, and she struggles.
Time ticks as she fumbles desperately without finding the solution—down to one minute left.
...Can't help it.
I roll my neck, force a warm, trusting tone. Then whisper in her ear.
"Don't worry. You're doing great. You can totally do this. Just believe in yourself a bit more."
I don't assign impossible tasks. It's doable, that's why it's homework.
I tease her as thick-headed for laughs, but she's actually smart. Once she gets the structure, a simple ring like this? Ten seconds flat.
But at my unexpected encouragement—ears turning red—Ohae solves it in a way no one saw coming.
She snaps the rings apart with raw strength!
...I said you could do it, but not like that.
The overwhelmed stall owner—feeling her power gap—approves it anyway, so we score the mega-yakgwa.
Wonder if that's allowed, but seeing Ohae hoist her prize sky-high like she owns the world? Whatever, doesn't matter.
Good is good.
Gazing happily at her yakgwa, Ohae suddenly splits it in half and hands me a piece.
"Here."
"It's your first prize won by your own power. I'm good—eat it all, enjoy."
She shakes her head stubbornly, those clear blue eyes like a morning sea locking onto me.
"No... It's thanks to you, Mancheon. Thank you."
Ohae smiles. But this time, aware of her shark-tooth complex, she gives a soft, deliberate grin and conveys her feelings clearly, word by word.
"Thank you. For bringing me to the festival."
"Thank you. For helping when I was in danger."
"Thank you. For always believing in me."
"Thank you. For teaching me so much."
...Sometimes I wonder if I'm just meddling pointlessly. If I'm messing her up by butting in. If I'm even teaching right. If what she learns from me won't make her unhappy.
But Ohae laughs off my dumb worries with a bright smile. She smiles at me.
No clue what to say. Emotions surge.
After a beat, I ask something important.
"...Ohae, you happy right now?"
"Yeah! Super happy!"
"...Good. Glad to hear it."
I take the idiotically huge half-yakgwa she offers. Taste's as nasty as expected.
But somehow... not bad. Tasty, even.
Today's my baduk day with Jegal Yang. Honestly, he's been nagging nonstop to become his disciple since then—annoying as hell—but I owe him, so I can't blow him off.
Thumping my staff toward the rickety pavilion, I spot a new face beside him. A girl my age, with fair skin, sharp eyes, and an uncanny resemblance to Jegal Yang—a beautiful girl.
"Gramps~ I'm here. Who's the girl? Grandkid?"
"Yup, my granddaughter. Jegal Yeon. Whaddya think? Pretty? Cute?"
Caught off guard by the sudden brag, but yeah, she's pretty and cute, so I nod.
"Yep. Pretty. Cute."
"Great. Marry her."
...What? Did I hear that right?
At Jegal Yang's absurd line, I goggle in shock. He just barrels on alone.
"What, not to your taste? Picky brat. Fine."
He beckons his granddaughter. "Go on. Bring your sisters too."
"Yes, Grandfather."
Jegal Yeon bows politely—even to me—then heads off, returning with a parade of beauties. Oldest looks early twenties; youngest about six, clutching her big sis's hand.
I'm still processing when Jegal Yang says casually, "Pick the one you like. Betroth first, marry when she's of age. If not disciple, then family."
"......"
"Join the Jegal family as a son-in-law. Be my grandson-in-law. We'll aim for world's best baduk master together."
Wha—he's insane!? Thought he was just a cranky old coot, but his whole worldview's warped!
R-run! Far away! Now!!
Pretty sis obsessing? Kinda flattering. But a baduk-mad gramps? Pure terror.
Where's my celebrity-obsessed hot virgin big sis (pretty, pure, vital)? This is bullshit!!
I gather all my qi for Golden Goose Skill to bolt, but Jegal Yang—like he read the future—blocks me and trips my bad leg.
"D-Deet—?!"
He scoops up my fallen ass, slings me under his arm, and marches off.
Fuck! Kidnapping!?
"Waaah~ Help! Nobody's here! Mom! Dad! Jang Sambung! Ohae! Save me~!! Help!!"
"Scream all you want. No one's coming. Give up and walk the baduk path."
His granddaughters avert eyes, pretending they see and hear nothing. Only the six-year-old, clueless, waves bye to my dragged form.
...Gotta think. Jang Sambung's working; Ohae's napping. Only 'me' can save me now.
Whining won't fix unfair reality. Think! Best move! Options!!
Eureka! Edison's bulb lights up. Perfect escape line hits me.
"D-Dual! No—baduk! Let's settle it with baduk!!"
Jegal Yang halts. Waits for my pitch.
Baduk psycho for real.
"Four-stone handicap, winner take all! I lose, I'm your disciple! You lose, drop it and grant me any one request!"
"Heaven-deceiving genius acts cocky till it's bad, then your tongue grows long. Make it three stones."
Crisis is opportunity! Time to school you, you damn gramps!!