Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Watching Over
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Brüel was watching Su-hyeon and Ga-eun from a distance.
It was a sight that anyone who saw her would swear she was a modern-day ninja.
If not for the helmet, that is.
Even as she kept an eye on Su-hyeon, the internal panel of her helmet continuously displayed surrounding information sent by her colleagues.
While continuing her escort duty like this, she noticed that one person's movements were suspicious.
She marked the individual as a cautionary figure on her helmet display with a slightly delayed speed.
It seemed her colleagues had the same thought.
Brüel slowly shifted her steps, scanning the surroundings.
A woman in full-body latex with a helmet moved right in the middle of a busy daytime street, yet no one paid her any attention.
Because she was moving silently at a height where ordinary people wouldn't even think to look up.
Soon, Brüel spotted a shady man lurking near Su-hyeon.
'He looks suspicious at first glance.'
Sunken dark circles, unkempt hair. Nails chewed ragged and messy.
His clothes looked like they hadn't been ironed in ages, wrinkled and shabby.
People who neglect their self-care might feel unfairly targeted, but even setting aside appearances, there were plenty of tells: the excited state of his pupils, the way he glanced around vigilantly, the unconscious habits he kept repeating.
"Hm."
Brüel, about to intervene first this time as well, had no choice but to pause.
She had confirmed Ga-eun's gaze flicking toward the man for a moment.
She had clearly noticed him too.
Brüel pondered for a second.
Crazy people were often more dangerous than strong ones, but at first glance, the man's combat prowess didn't seem that high.
His breathing and posture suggested zero real combat experience.
Unless he was deliberately tailing her in an eye-catching way to draw her attention, there was no reason to disguise himself as a weakling while stealthily following.
In other words, Brüel's conclusion: not an actor, but the real deal—a total scrub.
Of course, she couldn't tolerate even the slightest risk to her master, but someone like that could be subdued in the time it took to twitch a finger.
After some deliberation, Brüel decided to observe a bit longer this time.
She was curious how Ga-eun would handle it.
It was a sort of test to judge if she was fit to guard her master's side.
Satisfied after a hearty lunch, Su-hyeon let out a light burp.
It was the kind of burp a baby might make.
"Ugh, so full..."
"Stuffing yourself like that isn't good for you."
"Ugh..."
Even after dumping a huge portion of pork cutlet on Ga-eun, her belly was still stuffed.
She rubbed her slightly bloated shirt, which had gone stiff from her protruding stomach.
"Next time, maybe I should bring a Lock & Lock container and take some home."
"No, that's a bit..."
Not a buffet or anything—wouldn't that look way too cheap?
"So, what now?"
"Well...? Ugh! No afternoon classes today, so home it is. Haven't learned anything worth studying at the library yet."
Su-hyeon stretched her arms out in front and yawned hugely.
She looked just like a plump, chubby cat stretching.
"Home? Doing what at home so early?"
"Just hang out, lie down. Play some games...?"
"And after that?"
"After...?"
Tilt.
Su-hyeon didn't understand Ga-eun's question.
Once home, she'd lounge around and fall asleep eventually.
But what came after that?
Ga-eun tilted her head right back at Su-hyeon.
For someone as naturally sociable as Ga-eun, the very idea of staying home all day from the afternoon on was unimaginable.
She was already out, and there was plenty of time—why go back home?
Sure, if she was tired, a quick nap made sense.
But how much rest could that really be?
Normally, resting in the day meant dinner or drinks plans by evening.
Of course, with Su-hyeon's current looks, she'd cause a huge misunderstanding walking into a bar.
Ga-eun herself might've done a short outdoor live stream and headed home if not for Su-hyeon today.
"If you've got nothing to do, wanna kill time together?"
"Hm..."
Honestly, it was a bit of a hassle, but since it was a 'friend's' request, she decided to go along.
"Sure, okay! But how do we kill time...?"
"What do you usually do?"
"Me...?"
Stay home, lie down, play games, watch NewTube, drink water...
Whoa! Counting on her fingers like that, she filled up a whole hand.
Looking up, Ga-eun's face was twisted like she'd heard something ridiculous.
Blinking innocently, not getting what the problem was, Ga-eun let out a huge sigh.
Staying home and drinking water didn't even count as killing time, really.
"That's the exact same stuff you just said?"
"Yeah?"
"So you just do that all the time normally?"
"...What else is there?"
What was there to do at home?
Wasn't it all pretty much the same?
Back at her parents' house, she'd occasionally tend the yard plants. Or go to the stream to watch fish.
No real need to cook at home anymore. Lunch was cafeteria food, breakfast and dinner handled by photosynthesis.
If she craved seasoning, she'd boil up some instant ramen.
Lying around really was fine.
"No hobbies? Besides games. Like drawing, reading, exercise, singing?"
"No talent for arts or sports. And with a computer, you can kinda do all that stuff anyway, right?"
"Okay, fine. What about comics or movies?"
"Can't sit through long videos. Ah, that's why Ga-eunTube is great—under 20 minutes."
A prime example of someone whose frontal lobe was ruined by shorts under a minute.
Ga-eun tapped her forehead.
This was no caveman.
"You don't know any of the new releases?"
"Nope...? Haven't been to a theater in years, no clue."
This was sincere.
Middle school, maybe first year of high school—a couple times at most.
Honestly didn't even remember when.
"Let's go."
"Huh?"
"To the movies."
"Eh... Nothing I really wanna see."
Grab.
Ga-eun seized Su-hyeon's wrist with determined eyes and pulled.
At first, she'd just wanted an excuse to hang out.
Now, a sense of mission was rising: to show this cultureless gremlin the joys of cultural life.
"You don't even know what's out. Once you're there, you'll probably enjoy it."
"Ack."
And so they arrived at the theater.
The moment they stepped inside, Su-hyeon's eyes darted everywhere busily.
Her earlier apathy had vanished; her eyes were wide, completely excited.
She looked around like a kid visiting an amusement park for the first time, brimming with curiosity.
Flashy lights sparkled under the towering ceiling, movie posters and decorations filling the walls.
Laughter and chatter from all around lightened her steps automatically.
"Wow..."
Back in the countryside, theaters had maybe two or three screens with tiny entrances. This place was packed, with a ceiling so high it felt like boarding a spaceship.
Boom-!
A sudden explosion made her flinch and turn, where a massive monitor played a blockbuster trailer.
After a macho foreign actor's flashy gunfight, the screen filled with dazzling effects, ear-shaking blasts, a gripping preview that gripped her tight. Only then did Su-hyeon snap out of it.
Gasp.
Not even a full minute, but she'd been totally immersed.
Everything before her eyes was new and fun.
Su-hyeon quickened her pace, sightseeing everywhere.
Huge screens, monitors with latest trailers, the concession stand with popcorn and snacks.
All of it captured her gaze.
"First time in a theater this big. So, what are we watching?"
"......"
No answer from Ga-eun.
"Huh?"
Turning back, Ga-eun seemed lost in thought, distracted by something.
Su-hyeon finally sidled up and waved a hand in front of her face.
Of course, the height difference was huge, so it didn't even reach her eyes, let alone her face—but luckily, Ga-eun noticed and snapped out.
"Huh? Oh, what?"
"What are we seeing?"
"Ah, sorry. Was thinking about something else. I'm fine with anything—pick what you want."
"What if it's one you've seen?"
"I'll watch it again. The recent ones are fun enough to see twice."
"Really...? Alright then."
Su-hyeon puzzled briefly over Ga-eun's distracted vibe but soon grinned, checking posters happily.
Gauging Su-hyeon's glee, Ga-eun almost smiled—then turned serious.
The cause: a man she'd seen before entering the theater.
Definitely the same guy from when they left campus.
Shed chalked it up to coincidence, but he seemed to be circling nearby, so she'd kept watch.
Just in case, she'd checked from a spot mirroring the elevators. After they got off, he rode one that arrived shortly after.
Her suspicions deepened.
He was definitely tailing them.
No way he'd follow into the auditorium, but if he was truly unhinged and tried something in the dark...
Ga-eun's mouth went dry.
Call the cops?
No contact yet, no real evidence.
Unless he did something blatant first...
Better to catch him red-handed, no escape.
From experience, half-assed scaring off stalkers did nothing.
First offense? Just a restraining order, light sentence.
Even if it was a warning trap to ruin his life, the stress on the victim in the meantime was brutal.
Even she, tougher than most, had felt it—how would that trembling little one cope?
And...
Ga-eun's gaze landed on mint-green hair.
Su-hyeon, knees slightly bent, carefully picking a movie with an innocent smile.
She didn't want to shatter that.
End the day on a high note, make it a day of discovering outside joys.
Thankfully, the guy didn't seem to know she'd spotted him.
His focus was more on Su-hyeon anyway.
Ga-eun's eyes sharpened.