Seoul Outing - (3): After Getting Thoroughly Scolded by Lee Ha-neul
After getting a thorough scolding from Lee Ha-neul, I started watching my step. She had threatened that if I caused one more accident, we would head straight back to the hotel or she would slap a real dog collar on me. I still hadn't properly explored anything, so returning to the hotel already sounded awful, and the collar idea was even worse.
"Ha-neul."
"Yeah?"
"You said no yokai have appeared in Seoul for the past sixty years, right? Any idea why?"
"I don't know."
"...Huh?"
"Nobody knows. The cause is unknown."
"I... see?"
I was surprised again. I had assumed they had built some ultra-advanced scientific defense perimeter, but all they could say was unknown cause. Which meant...
"Yokai could pop out anytime and it wouldn't even be weird."
"That's not wrong. Even if a yokai suddenly appeared in Seoul one day, I doubt there would be major damage. Property values would tank, but casualties could be kept to a minimum."
"Why?"
"The firepower here is insane. There are more than ten Force Arts users and Taoist practitioners stationed in Seoul alone. The yokai detection level is on a completely different scale from the provinces. For example, if you suddenly hid one of your tails, Miho... I bet within ten minutes this spot would be flooded with Force Arts users, Taoist masters, the military, and combat agents from the Seoul Yokai Extermination Office."
Oh. I had assumed Seoul residents were just suffering from total safety complacency, but that clearly wasn't the case. With that kind of protection, calling it a safe city actually felt fair. After all, even Busan—the second-largest city—had descended into chaos over a single yokai. Seoul would only reinforce its defenses, never grow complacent. This Seoul conference was part of those preparations too.
"So, Miho. Anything you want to do?"
"Anything I want? Is that really okay?"
"Of course. You've been singing about wanting to explore Seoul this whole time."
...Unexpected. I thought she would lecture me again about not causing trouble. It seemed Lee Ha-neul had decided to grant me as much freedom as possible.
Things I wanted to do? Plenty. I wanted to visit a PC bang and game, hit up karaoke, go shopping... I missed those ordinary daily things so badly it hurt.
Yeah. Ordinary daily life. It wasn't Seoul itself I had missed. It was a normal routine.
In that sense, just strolling peacefully through the streets with Lee Ha-neul like this meant I had already achieved my goal.
"Just buy me lots of food."
"That's it?"
"Yeah. That'll be enough."
"Heee... You even wrote a whole bucket list before we came. What, now that you're here it's not that exciting?"
"No, it's not that. Just walking around with you makes me happy enough. I don't need to do anything special."
"Gasp."
My answer made Lee Ha-neul's body tremble. Then fat tears rolled down her cheeks like chicken droppings.
"Miho... Waaaaaaaah!"
What the hell, you crazy woman! Why are you suddenly squeezing out tears? You told me not to attract attention, yet here you are doing it even worse. Oh no. Everyone's staring.
...
...
...
After sightseeing until sunset, we decided to eat meat before heading back to the hotel. The moment we ordered, four pieces of bouncy beef with perfect marbling arrived at our table.
Drool.
I couldn't hold it back. Saliva spilled from my mouth.
As for food called meat...
...did it really need to be cooked?
The answer was no.
Whether I had unconsciously forgotten how to use utensils or not, I grabbed one of the strangely erotic-looking chunks of raw beef with my bare hand and started tearing into it with my teeth.
"Hey, hey! You have to cook it first! How can you eat it raw!"
Chomp chomp. "Beef tastes fine raw."
"No it doesn't! And cooked tastes way better!"
"But this is better."
It was impulsive, but since we were in a private room, I didn't have to worry about other people's eyes. That meant Lee Ha-neul had no real grounds to stop me either.
While I happily ripped apart the raw meat, she suddenly spoke as if a thought had struck her.
"Miho."
Chomp... chomp... "What?"
"Wait."
The word hit me like an unbreakable command. The instant I heard wait, I unconsciously set the raw beef back on the plate.
Did this woman secretly bring her goblin club? ...No, hiding something that huge would be impossible.
"Wow, it actually works?"
"Grrrr..."
"Miho, wait! Wait until it's fully cooked!"
"...Okay."
A side effect of the instinct suppression training. I could no longer refuse Lee Ha-neul's commands.
In the end, all I could do was drool while watching her grill the meat.
"I-it looks done now, so maybe we can..."
"Wait!"
"Whiiine..."
Sizzle. Sizzle. Sss.
"I-it's seriously cooked now! Beef is usually eaten a little rare..."
"Wait!"
"Grrrrrrrrrrr..."
"Oh? You're baring your fangs? Wait!"
"...Whiiine."
Come on, it's completely cooked. It should be fine to eat by now. Any more and the meat will get tough.
"I like mine well-done."
Damn it. What a disappointment. Lee Ha-neul turned out to be a total food idiot.
When we returned to the hotel, Lee Ha-neul immediately shoved her phone in my face, fuming.
"What are you going to do about this!"
"About what?"
"What do you mean about what! Can't you see the title?"
Why? What is it?
The video showed me on all fours, barking like a dog.
Oh...
"That's a pretty impressive post. At this rate, a spot at the top of the gallery is guaranteed..."
"Aaaaaagh! I promised the director I wouldn't attract any attention, but you've completely ruined it, Miho!"
"Isn't it fine? The comments are all praising how good the cosplay quality is. Oh, there are some sexual harassers too. Stuff about watermelons and bombs for breasts... Can I sue them? Ah, no ID, so never mind."
"That's not the point! The fact that your photo is on the internet at all is the problem, Miho!"
"What's the big deal? My identity will be revealed to the entire world tomorrow anyway."
"...Huh?"
Lee Ha-neul looked momentarily stunned by my answer.
"Ah."
She seemed to finally catch up to the situation. Her expression grew serious as she asked,
"...Miho, do you want to change your mind even now?"
"Why?"
"I... I don't think revealing your true identity to people is a good idea."
"So why?"
"Humans... Humans are far crueler than you think."
"..."
"Of course some might approach you with good intentions. You're a pure fox who clearly possesses a human heart. But..."
"It's fine. I can handle it."
"Miho..."
I roughly understood what she was trying to say. Like she said, humans are cruel. If I cooperated, there was no telling what the higher-ups might do to me. Would they sit down for a polite chat like Director Lee Han-ul?
...That was too childish a hope. I'd be lucky if they didn't dissect me for experiments.
"You understand that, so why..."
"Wouldn't proving my worth be enough?"
"..."
"Despite how I look, I'm a pretty capable yokai."
Achievements: extermination of the blue-light fox spirit. Extermination of Jomagu. Extermination of the formless shadow. With a record like that, even the worst higher-ups would conclude that letting me operate freely would be more beneficial than turning me into a lab specimen.
Of course...
"I'd still have to wear a dog collar."
"..."
"Or maybe a bomb collar? I don't care."
Whether they put a bomb collar or a dog collar on me didn't matter. If I kept saving lives, protecting people, and exterminating threats, the day would definitely come when they had no choice but to acknowledge me.
Lee Ha-neul, having listened to my plan, started squeezing out tears again.
Crying again? Stop it already, you crybaby.
"...Don't worry, Miho. If anyone puts a collar on you, it'll be me. I'll make sure no one does anything strange to you. I'll protect you."
"Uh... The wording sounds a little weird, but you mean you'll take my side, right?"
"Of course. Even if something happens to me, I'll always be on your side."
"You're not just charmed by me, are you?"
"No! I'm saying this as a friend."
"Ehh, friend...?"
"Yeah. Friend."
Friend...? Hearing the word friend come directly from Lee Ha-neul's mouth made my chest tighten for some reason.
It was embarrassing, but until now I had never once thought of her as a friend. I had seen our relationship as nothing more than a business partnership or alliance.
But it seemed Lee Ha-neul had considered me a friend all along.
...Yeah. When I thought about the endless kindness she had shown me, it couldn't have come from anything less than genuine friendship.
I had considered myself human, yet I had been keeping humans at a distance. I decided to open my heart to Lee Ha-neul, at least a little.
"Why are you acting weird all of a sudden?"
"Ah... It's nothing."
Feeling strangely awkward, I answered as if making an excuse.
"I'll, um, go take a bath."
"Let's bathe together. Since we're friends!"
"...Excuse me?"
"The tub is huge. I'll wash your tails nice and clean for you."
"No... That's a bit..."
"Don't you want to be friends with me, Miho?"
"It's not that I don't..."
"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and take your clothes off."
"...Okay."