Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Chae Seol-ah and Suspicious Shopping (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.
This is the process commonly known as the five stages of grief.
It refers to the steps a person goes through from being told of their impending death to finally accepting it. It's also said that people experience similar stages when confronted with shocking events.
And.
Chae Seol-ah. She was currently going through the first stage.
"Wh-why do I have to do that? N-no way...!"
Chae Seol-ah shook her head and backed away.
However, before she could retreat a few steps, Kim Hyun swiftly reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Eek!"
Chae Seol-ah shrieked in terror and tried to pull her arm free, but Kim Hyun wouldn't let go. Instead, she grinned wickedly and tightened her grip on Chae Seol-ah's arm.
"L-let go of me!"
"Batori, grab her."
"Yes, my Demon King!"
At Kim Hyun's command, Batori rushed over and seized both of Chae Seol-ah's arms. Completely subdued in an instant, Chae Seol-ah thrashed about and shook her head.
"Wh-what are you doing! I said no!"
"It'll just take a moment. It'll be over quick."
"What do you mean 'just a moment'! I'm gonna get mad!"
Chae Seol-ah entered the anger stage.
But given her personality, the anger couldn't even muster its full force before it swiftly shifted to bargaining.
"O-okay, fine. Just let me go first."
Chae Seol-ah swallowed hard and attempted negotiation.
The corners of her mouth trembled.
"I-I'll try on just one and show you, so can't you be satisfied with that? Please?"
Kim Hyun smirked at that.
"Nope."
"Why not!"
"If I only wanted to see one, I wouldn't be doing this. And who buys just one piece of underwear? You have to try on a bunch before deciding."
"So why do I have to be the one trying them on!"
"Why do you think?"
Kim Hyun tilted her head.
"Should I try them on instead?"
Chae Seol-ah let out an exasperated yell.
"Of course you should try them on yourself, Kim Hyun-ssi!"
"Quiet."
Kim Hyun ignored Chae Seol-ah's feeble rebellion.
"Hurry up and try them on."
She crossed her arms and let out a sinister chuckle.
"......Ugh."
Chae Seol-ah inwardly thought that Kim Hyun's laugh sounded just like the creepy old perverts from the media.
'No, that's not the point!'
Chae Seol-ah shook her head vigorously.
"No! I won't! Don't make me!"
"No, not letting go, try them on."
But Kim Hyun's insistence showed no signs of stopping.
Chae Seol-ah fell into depression.
'Why did I even mention underwear!'
If she hadn't said that, she wouldn't have had to endure this humiliation here!
'Why am I going through this...'
In the end, after repeated pressure, Chae Seol-ah reached the acceptance stage.
As she whipped her head around wildly, she accidentally caught sight of the underwear store clerk's face.
Seeing the clerk's awkward expression, unable to say anything, pricked at her conscience so much that Chae Seol-ah just gave up.
"Fine......"
And so, Chae Seol-ah's surrender was declared.
"Did you just say 'fine'? That came straight from your mouth, right?"
Kim Hyun excitedly rummaged through the underwear.
In no time, she picked out several pieces and dangled them in front of Chae Seol-ah's face.
"......!"
Chae Seol-ah's face turned pale blue at the sight of the underwear Kim Hyun had chosen.
But there was no helping it. She'd already committed.
Once she'd said she'd do it, there was no taking it back.
"Hic......!"
In the end, Chae Seol-ah had no choice but to put on a lingerie fashion show right in front of Kim Hyun.
After the fashion show ended.
"......I feel like I've lost my innocence."
"Don't say such dramatic things."
Chae Seol-ah huddled in a corner of the store with a depressed look. While she wallowed in despair, Batori, who had been standing behind her, approached Kim Hyun and asked,
"What should I do, my Demon King?"
"You......"
Kim Hyun pondered for a moment, and Batori smiled as she replied,
"I'll wear whatever you pick for me!"
"Alright?"
Struck by a playful mood at her words, Kim Hyun glanced around briefly before grabbing a black lingerie set hanging on one side.
It was semi-sheer, giving off a boldly provocative vibe. Kim Hyun held out the lingerie with a grin.
"You wear this."
But Batori smiled as if it didn't faze her at all.
"Got it!"
For Batori, underwear was optional anyway.
In fact, since it was a gift chosen by Kim Hyun, she was only happy about it.
Meanwhile, Chae Seol-ah lifted her head, having snapped out of her funk.
She looked at Kim Hyun with a sullen expression and asked,
"......So, which one are you buying?"
Kim Hyun stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment.
"This one, maybe."
She picked up a plain pink underwear set from the display—nothing fancy at all.
Chae Seol-ah's mouth fell open.
It was the most basic, normal design imaginable. The kind any woman might own!
And it was one she hadn't even tried on!
"Wh-why?!"
Chae Seol-ah stared at Kim Hyun with an indignant face.
"Shouldn't you at least pick one of the ones I tried on?!"
"Why? When did I ever say I'd do that?"
Kim Hyun countered calmly.
Chae Seol-ah was at a loss for words.
She hadn't. Kim Hyun really hadn't said that.
She'd only told her to try them on.
'Th-this person...!'
Something snapped in Chae Seol-ah's mind. Losing her reason in that instant, she yelled with a face full of mixed emotions.
"Then why did you make me go through all that!"
To that question.
"Because."
Kim Hyun smiled as she answered.
"It was fun."
"......!"
It was fun!
Chae Seol-ah gaped at the shocking statement.
'I was just a plaything...!'
Her face twisted with anger and injustice as her body trembled.
But there was nothing she could do.
All she could manage was to grit her teeth.
Ignoring Chae Seol-ah, Kim Hyun went to the counter and bought the selected underwear.
"Th-thank you."
Leaving the clerk's awkward greeting behind, the three left the store.
A cool breeze blew in from somewhere.
"Hoo......"
Chae Seol-ah took a deep breath.
Breathing in the fresh air seemed to untangle her shocked mind a bit. Her flushed face cooled slightly too.
'Still...... Seeing her pull pranks like this, maybe she's adapting to modern society a little?'
Kim Hyun had spent a whopping 10,000 years in hell.
An unimaginably long time for any ordinary human.
After living so long cut off from modern society, becoming a social misfit was only natural.
'A national power-level hunter being a social misfit.'
There was nothing more terrifying.
That's why helping Kim Hyun adapt to modern society was a crucial task.
It was the sole reason Chae Seol-ah had left Team 3 to stick by Kim Hyun's side.
With that in mind, Chae Seol-ah decided to view this incident positively.
......Though she never wanted to go through something like this again, of course.
Kim Hyun sidled up to Chae Seol-ah, who was fanning her still-red face with deep breaths, patted her shoulder, and flashed a sly grin.
"Well, your figure's pretty great, at least?"
She even gave a thumbs up.
Chae Seol-ah shook her head in horror.
"D-don't say that out here."
"Why not? What's wrong with complimenting Agent Chae's beautiful, alluring figure?"
"It's seriously weird. Please stop."
Kim Hyun tilted her head at the odd reaction.
"Huh? What's so weird about it?"
"......It feels a bit like an old creep."
Kim Hyun flinched at that.
"......How much?"
Not noticing Kim Hyun's reaction, Chae Seol-ah answered right away.
"Just a little creepy......?"
"......"
Batori shot Chae Seol-ah a glare. Kim Hyun suddenly looked up at the sky.
"......Creepy, huh."
"I-it's not a bad thing!"
Finally realizing Kim Hyun looked dejected, Chae Seol-ah hurriedly added,
Of course, that wouldn't fix it.
After all, how could "creepy" ever be a compliment?
"Agent Chae, you have a real talent for cutting remarks despite appearances......"
"Uh, that's......"
"The mouth is the door to calamity, the tongue a blade—they weren't kidding. Sharp, so sharp."
"S-sorry!"
Chae Seol-ah bowed her head frantically.
Kim Hyun patted her shoulder.
"Just kidding, kidding."
"J-joking......?"
"I was bored, so I messed with you a bit. Sorry for being a jerk. The underwear thing too."
Kim Hyun scratched her cheek as she said that.
"Well, as compensation. I'll grant you one request."
Chae Seol-ah's eyes widened a little.
"Uh, um......"
She hesitated, eyes darting around.
Kim Hyun tilted her head at the sight.
"What? Looks like you have something you want."
"W-well......"
After hemming and hawing, Chae Seol-ah cautiously spoke up.
"......I want to get stronger."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
Kim Hyun looked puzzled.
Chae Seol-ah bit her lip lightly, glanced at the ground, then looked straight at Kim Hyun and opened her mouth.
"Back at the department store."
Her gaze dropped to the floor.
"If I'd been a little stronger, maybe I could've saved more people that day...... That's what I've been thinking."
After staring at the ground for a while, Chae Seol-ah lifted her head. An awkward smile played on her face.
"Actually, getting stronger has all sorts of benefits, right? Hehe. People respect you more, you earn better money, and......"
"Sure."
"Pardon?"
Chae Seol-ah jumped at the abrupt reply.
Kim Hyun crossed her arms and lifted her chin.
"I'll make you stronger."
Chae Seol-ah's face lit up.
"Yes!"
"......But you know, you've been in special training from the start?"
"Eh."