A Slightly Late Summer Vacation (3)
Same day, the second-floor bedroom of Lakeside Pharmacy.
"Aish... damn it."
Waking from her nap only to receive this tragic news left Choi Hwayoung in anything but a pleasant mood. She'd been counting on fresh Black Slime materials arriving tomorrow, and she'd precisely calculated her Black Slime fluid reserves to run out tonight. A message announcing the delay of those expected materials was more than enough to sour her spirits.
In other words, she'd have to endure at least the next three days without her Black Slime cigarettes.
That meant reliving the agonizing withdrawal symptoms from years past, waiting out three full days.
Unlike the months-long wait last time, she figured three days would be manageable—but that fleeting optimism evaporated in less than a minute.
"Haa... I already want one so bad I'm going crazy..."
Any half-hearted attempt to smoke a regular cigarette would taste like crap anyway and just make the cravings worse. For now, all she could do was grit her teeth and bear it.
"Fuck... might as well get to work."
Normally, Choi Hwayoung sitting down at her workbench of her own volition was about as likely as a blue moon. She always procrastinated until deadlines loomed, only starting when the company or Association started hounding her with calls—that was her style.
She had her excuses for putting things off, too. Unlike ordinary Awakeners with alchemy or pharmacology abilities who could whip up potions effortlessly, she relied purely on her knowledge: prepping ingredients, mixing them just right, and brewing by hand.
With an Awakening ability, you could skip the prep, processing, and heating just by tossing in materials. But Choi Hwayoung stuck to the so-called "orthodox" method, passed down from her mother over decades of pharmacology lessons.
Decades weren't that long for her compared to humans, so learning wasn't the issue. The problem was the tedious preprocessing every damn time she made a new potion—it clashed with her lazy nature.
That's why she delayed until the absolute limit before starting. But this time, thanks to her offhand promise, she had to kick things off a bit early.
During her chat with C-rank Hunter Kim Sungcheol, she'd casually mentioned paying for the materials with potions. If she had no stock ready for the trade, the deal would fall through.
Worst case, he might get offended and refuse to deliver the Black Slime materials. The sense of loss from that, plus another endless wait—she didn't have the willpower to endure it.
Grumbling all the while, she fetched ingredients from the herb storage, prepped them, tossed them into a jar, and set it to boil.
"Maybe just stock up on stamina potions? Too basic, probably... Or mana or energy potions? Should've asked if he's strength or magic type—now I'll have to make both... Or play it safe with burn salves or monster-repellent spray... Do I have spare spray vials? Or maybe gather some in pill form..."
For the sake of those Black Slime materials—and Kim Sungcheol delivering them—she could get surprisingly diligent. Little did she know the hunter in question had zero interest in her potions.
"...Oh, right, reply."
She pulled out her smartphone, opened the chat, fired off a single syllable, and dove back into work.
The next morning, Gimpo Warp Gate Terminal.
I waited in one corner, matching the time and place from the CocoaTalk message Do Sihee had sent later.
Soon enough, she came into view—her blonde hair braided in an elaborate crown style.
"Sihee, over here."
"Ah, Sungcheol!"
Spotting me in her bright sleeveless top, she lit up brighter than her outfit. Gold-rimmed sunglasses, short denim shorts—she was the picture of classic summer vacation wear.
September was just days away, so a "summer vacation" felt a tad late and amusing. Come to think of it, I hadn't taken a proper break this summer. Or any of the last five, really.
In that sense, her offer to whisk me away wasn't half bad.
"Sungcheol~~~!!!"
The moment she saw me, she ditched her carry-on and charged like a puppy spotting a bone. Arms open wide, I braced as her violent blonde assets crashed into my chest.
"I missed you so much, Sungcheol!"
"Missed you too."
"Hee-hee, hee-hee-hee..."
Intentionally or instinctively, she rubbed her entire body against mine like she was marking territory the second she was in my arms. The novel stimulation after so long made my cock twitch and harden a bit.
"Hee-hee, hnng, nn..."
"..."
She was rubbing awfully enthusiastically. Fine in private, but this was a busy warp gate terminal—people coming and going. Someone might frown at the sight.
"Sihee, isn't this a bit much for public?"
"...Ah! S-sorry. I just needed to replenish your scent that's faded a little..."
"Faded?"
"N-nothing!"
She shook her head awkwardly, peeled herself off in a hurry, and fanned her flushed face. Sunglasses hid her eyes, but I could tell she was avoiding my gaze.
Hey, I wasn't against heavy PDA outdoors. Sex too. But public spots made me hesitate—not because I minded being seen, but because I hated the idea of other guys ogling Do Sihee's gorgeous body.
In this world, female nudity wasn't as prized as male, but that didn't matter. I just didn't want to show off my woman's body.
If we were doing it outside, better at night in an empty spot or hidden away—like the Ancient Tree Tomb where I always fucked Cha Yuri.
"Pleased to meet you, Kim Sungcheol."
Just as Do Sihee and I shared an awkward reunion hug, a voice called my name from off to the side. Startled, I turned to see a maid in black-and-white attire.
"Yes?"
"I am Eunbyeol, Lady Do Sihee's personal attendant. I will be serving both you and Lady Do Sihee during this 2-night, 3-day vacation."
The black bob-haired woman with inscrutable golden eyes met mine as she introduced herself. I shot Do Sihee a look asking for an explanation.
"The place we're heading to today is a private beach owned by Do Kyung Group."
"...A private beach?"
"Yes, a private beach."
That explained the "dress for vacation" instruction. Wait, but no mention of swimsuits...
"I forgot to bring one since I wasn't sure—now what?"
"No worries. The villa at the private beach has clothes, swimsuits, and everything else you'll need—sized perfectly for you, Sungcheol."
"Got it."
Do Sihee continued reassuringly, but her expression turned cautious, hinting the real issue lay elsewhere.
"Actually... to enter the Do Kyung Group private beach, we need at least one guide."
"I see."
"My personal attendant Eunbyeol volunteered for the role, so I wanted to check with you first before we left."
"With me?"
"Yes, Kim Sungcheol."
If a guide was mandatory anyway, what did it matter? Then it hit me: her maid was a woman.
Obviously, inviting me to a private beach screamed her intentions. She was probably worried another woman might make me uncomfortable.
"If I say no, does that mean we can't go to the beach you prepared?"
"No, I have a male servant on standby just in case you felt uneasy."
"...Then let's have Eunbyeol guide us."
Letting some other guy see Do Sihee's body wasn't even an option. My choice was obvious.
Eunbyeol grabbed her skirt hems and bowed the instant I answered.
"I look forward to serving you for the next 2 nights and 3 days, Kim Sungcheol."
...First time getting a proper maid curtsy from an active maid.