Chapter 176
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Dreams of a Movie-Like Foreign Romance
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Have you ever dreamed of falling in love with someone you meet in a foreign country, like straight out of a movie?
Hwang Seoyeong had—right up until her early twenties.
At twenty, on her first trip abroad without her parents, traveling freely with friends, her heart had raced with excitement.
Wouldn't someone spot her and fall head over heels at first sight, striking up a conversation?
Entertaining such silly fantasies, she'd dressed up prettily every day and wandered the foreign streets.
But the only men she crossed paths with were...
A passerby who kindly answered her question about directions before going on his way.
Another who helped carry her luggage before vanishing.
One who'd hurl crude catcalls and snicker obnoxiously.
A beggar chasing after her, pleading for coins.
That about covered it.
Movies were just movies, after all.
Just as the dreams of that young girl began to fade...
Hwang Seoyeong ended up traveling with her most unique friend.
Thwack!
A flashy action flick where the hero dramatically grabs a pickpocket's arm?
If such a movie existed, Hwang Seoyeong's role would be the screaming extra yelling, "Kyaaah!" as the victim.
But this world wasn't some movie like that.
So Hwang Seoyeong didn't even realize she'd been pickpocketed, let alone catch sight of Han Yeowon snatching the thief's arm.
'Hey, you tell him!'
And the protagonist shot her a look, claiming she didn't speak English.
"I'm Roberto. I work at this gelato shop."
Even so, the incident stuck in her memory like something out of a fantasy.
All thanks to Roberto's stunning looks.
Roberto.
So that's his name.
'He's gorgeous. Seriously, ridiculously gorgeous!'
She was pretty confident in her English, but every glance at Roberto's face left her tongue-tied.
"He looks like a movie star!"
"Handsome or ugly? Definitely handsome, but I can't really tell Western faces apart..."
"Aaaah!"
After wrapping up the pickpocket fiasco somehow, Hwang Seoyeong and Han Yeowon returned to the hotel.
Hwang Seoyeong wanted to gush to her friend, but got zero sympathy.
How could anyone look at that face and say they couldn't tell?
Yeowon has zero interest—way too zero! Or maybe...
Her eyes were blinded by love filters.
She admitted it soon enough.
'Both.'
Hwang Seoyeong fell for Roberto at first sight.
And she had a sharp sense of self-awareness.
He hadn't fallen for her. Yesterday's incident—and her face—would be forgotten in three days flat.
Unless she made the first move, they'd never cross paths again in their lives.
Hwang Seoyeong steeled herself.
Facebook, Instagram—she'd get his SNS handle, no matter what.
Sure, over a hundred girls had probably tried snagging his number before, but she didn't care.
Better to crash and burn spectacularly or learn he wasn't what she imagined, putting it to rest for good.
This way, she'd keep daydreaming about him back in Korea, her fantasies plastering him into some perfect ideal.
She'd regret it forever. Should've at least said something.
So the next day, she went to the gelato shop alone.
But Roberto wasn't there.
Of all days, it was his day off.
'Guess it's not fate.'
She was leaving Rome soon anyway—no more chances.
Still, glad she came. She'd done what she could.
Hwang Seoyeong ate her gelato, bought from another clerk, and trudged back glumly.
'Kiyaaaaah!'
That night, Hwang Seoyeong screamed internally.
It wasn't love at first sight or anything.
But she'd never see him again—or so she thought—until she did, and he was gushing blood.
'Uwaaaah!'
And what? Son of a mafia boss?
The movie genre wasn't romance or action.
Noir? Can't we skip that?
'How does she do stitches while running a local clinic?'
And just like that, the genre shifted to medical drama.
'I... I don't know...'
Occasional hemostasis at the hospital.
Frequent dressing changes.
She'd helped with what she could, her body moving on autopilot without fully registering what she was doing.
"You two saved my life."
The next morning, Roberto thanked Hwang Seoyeong profusely.
He said the same to Han Yeowon, but since chatting with Hwang Seoyeong was easier, they shared a bit of small talk.
Family creed demands repaying favors?
Whatever she needed, just call—he even gave her his number.
"Could you give me your SNS instead of your phone number?"
Hwang Seoyeong blurted it out on impulse.
No second thoughts—it just slipped out.
Phone numbers felt too formal for anything short of repaying a debt; international calls were a hassle.
She only thought of that excuse afterward.
"No, I mean... more than repaying favors, I want to stay in touch. It's fate, right...? Ugh, that's so cheesy. Sorry, you don't have to. Yeowon can pass on your number. I didn't do much anyway."
Disaster.
Total flop.
Who flirts like that these days?
Hwang Seoyeong zoned out, giving up entirely.
"Mind if I borrow your phone? I'll log into Instagram."
But Roberto smiled warmly.
He took her phone and followed his own account.
Mutual follows.
Private accounts, each with under twenty followers.
"Uh... uh-huh..."
And so her brief adventure ended, back to everyday life.
But the traces lingered deeply—she could now DM Roberto at night.
He'd indulge her silly hospital stories.
And share his daily gelato shop tales.
With Han Yeowon, it felt like escaping dull routine into a movie.
This guy gave off the same vibe. Dangerous charm included.
[Gotta leave Italy]
[Why?]
Roberto said everything was exhausting.
Didn't want ties to the mafia's M-whatever, but people his dad helped or wronged kept coming endlessly.
Even the guy he trusted most as a best friend turned out to be someone his father had favored long ago.
Learning he occasionally relayed updates? Crushing betrayal.
'That's why he packed the black card and clothes.'
Thankfully, no war erupted since Roberto had gritted his teeth and hidden it well, but the constant worry was wearing him down.
[Come to Korea then?]
[Should I?]
This man, aching to escape his father's reach.
Declared he'd head to a country he'd never visited, knowing only Hwang Seoyeong and Han Yeowon.
—So he's living at my place now.
"Hold on, you skipped way too much at the end!"
I called her in shock upon learning Roberto was in Korea.
Hwang Seoyeong explained eagerly, as if she'd been waiting.
From when they swapped contacts to why he came to Korea.
—Ehehe, a bit too much to say there~ He seemed surprised I live with family!
What? Crash at a stranger's family home for a month?
By my logic, that's weirder... Or maybe not? He could be a guest.
Murim common sense clashing with Korean norms.
Western style, I guess.
"So, not just temporarily—he's staying for good? In Korea?"
—Yep! Loves it here, wants to settle down! We've checked out famous gelato and ice cream spots—thinks he can compete!
Oh man. Asking about that Italian doctor was just an excuse.
She wanted to brag about her boyfriend.
Though yeah, his gelato would probably kill it here.
"Opening a shop right away? No investments needed?"
—Come on, he rushed here on a tourist visa! Can't start immediately—needs to learn the language, get a long-term visa, all that!
She's the one rushing, huh?
Fresh off the plane, scouting spots, already plotting business and marriage?
From what she said, he planned to learn basic Korean, work part-time here to adapt to the culture.
Well, romance and business are going smoothly.
'...But is this okay?'
Even if Roberto himself committed no crimes, he was a mafia boss's son.
Last time, he got stabbed deep in some Roman alley—deep ties.
Coming to Korea doesn't sever that.
Think of it like the Tang Family Estate.
A direct heir renouncing martial arts, ditching rights and duties to live outside with a woman he owes a favor, cutting murim ties...
They probably wouldn't bother him much.
At worst, occasional check-ins to ensure he's alive.
'But enemy factions?'
The Tangs sow ten times more grudges than favors.
Would a martial artist nursing a vendetta chase him to the outskirts for revenge?
Anyone knowing righteous or demonic codes wouldn't touch civilians, but if everyone followed that, "jianghu etiquette" wouldn't exist.
'Worrying me.'
Easy to imagine assassins or kidnappers targeting a civilian on purpose.
Someone grudge-holding against my master threatened me once.
"I'll head up to Seoul soon—let's meet."
It nagged at me.
Can't solve foreign crimes, but if they touch my friend, that's different.
Did Roberto consider that before coming?
Maybe, but his track record of getting stabbed didn't scream "protected."
'Just check for tails.'
I mentally scanned my schedule.
No overseas trips for a while, but Seoul? Day trip or overnight anytime.
—Awesome~ Help scout shop spots, landlady!
Not opening immediately, but sure.
Safety first.
Good security, blind spots from sniper fire next door... Wait, overkill.
We set a meet for next weekend.
The three of us at an ice cream shop in Seoul.
"Ughhh..."
Not as dramatic as Hwang Seoyeong's fussing, but Roberto was neat and handsome in my memory.
Today, though, he looked way paler than I remembered.
"Eat something bad?"
I asked Hwang Seoyeong.
Last time, the interpreter got tummy troubles in Italy; now this guy in Korea.
Do their foods clash that bad?
Hard to eat only Korean meals three times a day in Italy, but Italian food's everywhere here.
"...Sigh, ate fire noodles yesterday and ended up like this. Told him I can't handle spice, but he insisted they were delicious and finished them."
"Oh no. Gave him medicine?"
"One Fire Relief Pill this morning, but he's still rough."
Wonder if he can even walk around like this.
Patient vibes all over.
"How about some acupuncture? No bed to lie on?"
"I'm fine. The medicine helped a lot."
Roberto insisted he was okay, but his face screamed "writhing in thirty minutes."
And there he was, spoon in hand, about to eat ice cream in that state.
If he's scared of needles, at least warn him not to eat that.
'...!'
But instead of saying it, I casually turned to check the counter.
"I'll grab a milk tea too."
The presence of someone who just entered the ice cream shop felt off.
