No Meditation Allowed – And the Recluse's Sudden Craving
"...Unnie, how long do I have to keep doing this?"
"For as long as you meditated. Hey! Your angle's slipping!"
We were sitting face-to-face at a snack bar tucked away in the traditional market, digging into tteokbokki and a spread of other street food. The only difference was that I was comfortably parked on a regular plastic chair, while Yoon Ra-yoon was doing an invisible chair squat. But she was clearly hitting her limit, because she suddenly shot to her feet and started protesting at me.
"What do you mean, is meditating such a crime?! I saw it on TV yesterday! Even the Sword Emperor starts his day with meditation every morning...!"
"Gal!"
"Kyaak!"
The moment Ra-yoon stood up, I flicked my fingers into position and gathered mana, snapping a finger flick straight at her forehead. She crumpled like she'd taken a real hit, groaning in agony.
"Ughhh...!"
Her eyes were tearing up a bit—it must've stung pretty bad.
"Haa... Ra-yoon, I don't want to hurt you this much."
"...Unnie, you wanna get slapped?"
I shifted into position for another remote flick, and Ra-yoon let out a squeak, frantically covering her precious, reddened forehead with both hands. She made such a perfect target; it was almost a shame to miss.
I relaxed my stance, but Ra-yoon kept staring at me with eyes full of suspicion and resentment.
"Ra-yoon, are you gonna believe some con artist Sword King or Sword Emperor you've never even seen in person, or the super strong, great-cook, pretty unnie who feeds you?"
"Whoa... Doesn't it give you a complex saying that yourself?"
"Why? I am pretty, and I do cook well for you."
"............"
It wasn't full-blown narcissism, but I was well aware of my own looks. Ra-yoon rubbed her forehead and dragged her chair back over, plopping down.
"...Obviously, unnie."
"Then no more weird training like meditation from now on. Sleep instead. Nothing beats sleep for growth spurts."
Telling a high schooler with college entrance exams looming to nap during class wasn't exactly great advice... but whatever, Ra-yoon didn't seem like the studying type anyway. Better she sleep quietly than pull some nonsense—sleep was good for her mana core growth too.
I dipped a fried snack into the tteokbokki sauce and held it out to her pouty mouth. Just like that, her expression melted away, and she snatched the toothpick-skewered fritter like nothing happened.
"Nom nom... ahnom."
"Good girl. No more of that starting now."
I had to drill this 'education' into her so she'd never spout crap like meditation again. Nip it in the bud early—old habits die hard, after all. Three-year-old habits stick till eighty.
Once she'd scarfed down the fritter, Ra-yoon looked at me and asked, "But unnie, why'd you come to town?"
"Huh?"
Uh... what should I say? I'd already told her I was an ex-hunter, so saying I registered as one would raise eyebrows. Time for a solid excuse.
"Had business in Seoul. Went yesterday, came back for lunch today."
"Seoul? Why Seoul?"
"Well... y'know, met up with someone I know."
"Hmmm~ Boyfriend maybe?"
"Boyfriend? No way... it's not like that."
Sure, I'd lived more years as a woman than a man, but dating a guy? I'd rather die. Just imagining it gave me chills.
"Anyway, definitely not whatever you're picturing."
"Pfft, got it~ I'll take your word for it."
This brat... I pulled the central tteokbokki pot toward me.
"Confiscating the tteokbokki."
"Wahh~! Blackmailing me with grown-up food~!"
Ra-yoon made a perfect '3' shape with her mouth and jeered, but I ignored her completely.
After finishing up at the snack bar, we wandered the traditional market to walk off the food.
"The sweet-and-sour chicken here is killer."
"Ooh, buying some right now!"
"This is the side dish shop my mom always goes to."
"What's the best stuff?"
"Hmm... Personally, I love the stir-fried anchovies and assorted pancakes."
"Got it, grabbing those too."
"This bakery's good too..."
"Buying immediately."
Following Ra-yoon's local recommendations had my hands full in no time. As expected from a local—she knew all the tasty spots. And the shop owners recognized her first, insisting on free samples left and right. Tastes verified on the spot. Ra-yoon really was a nuclear social butterfly in the countryside. Even scored extras as service.
"Countryside hospitality is the best~."
"Nom nom. Really? Isn't it always like this?"
Ra-yoon was already lost in the twisty doughnuts I'd bought her. Anyone would think she'd starved all day, but for a girl whose mana core was still growing, that was normal intake. I'd been a big eater at that age too... Three mansion meals a day as baseline, plus most of my allowance from Master going straight to food.
As I walked, lost in memories, Ra-yoon suddenly halted beside me. She still had a doughnut in her mouth, but she was staring lasers at something.
What was she looking at like that?
"Ra-yoon, what's up?"
"Unnie, hold on a sec!"
She bolted off somewhere. In the direction she'd run was a girl with dark brown hair. Short, like she'd just graduated middle school, with big, sparkling light-green eyes. A cute kid with a bright future ahead.
Ra-yoon sneaked up slow, probably to surprise her—the girl didn't notice a thing. Ra-yoon successfully got right behind her...
And hugged her tight.
"Gak!"
A short squeal echoed through the market. Her voice matched her looks—super youthful. She flailed around pitifully.
The girl finally checked who was hugging her.
"Wh-what?! R-Ra-yoon?!"
"Yup! Na Hyun unnie, long time no see!"
They seemed pretty close. Unnie? So she was older than Ra-yoon? Incredible babyface.
A coffee shop near the traditional market. An awkward vibe hung in the air.
"H-Hi... I'm Shin Na-hyun..."
The girl across from me—Na Hyun—introduced herself, trembling like a tiny animal. Up close, she looked even smaller... The internet's so-called legal loli. Not quite, but she'd pass for middle school easy.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yoo Ji-na. Looking forward to it."
I bowed politely since she was introducing herself.
"Y-Yes! Me too... please take care... of me..."
"Pfft! You two sound like you're on a blind date!"
Ra-yoon, sitting next to Na Hyun, started snickering obliviously. Who made this awkward situation happen again? I barely held back another remote flick.
"Hyun unnie, this is the streamer unnie I told you about before."
"R-Ra-yoon...! You said that was a secret...!"
Ra-yoon beamed proudly, but the subject of her bragging looked furious and started smacking Ra-yoon's arm. ...Kinda funny, like a sister outing her embarrassing doodles on the blanket and the little sis trying to stop her.
"Really? So you're the awesome gamer streamer Ra-yoon was talking about, Na Hyun?"
"Yup!"
"Ra-yoon, you didn't tell her my username too, right?"
"Huh? It was definitely... 'Massacre Saint'..."
"Kyaaaaah!! Why would you tell her that!?"
Feisty personality for such a cute look. Well, usernames are like that. Saint suited her a bit, at least.
Na Hyun shook Ra-yoon by the collar until she tired out, then let go and sipped her Americano.
"But why'd you come to town all sudden, Hyun unnie? You never go out."
Ra-yoon, unfazed even after the collar-grab and shake, eyed her sulky friend.
Na Hyun kept her gaze down, still mad, focusing on her coffee.
"......Just suddenly craved something."
"Huh? Then why not order online like usual?"
"Takes at least three days out here in the sticks... I wanted it today."
She was right. In a big city, two days tops. Metro area, same-day delivery. But this boonies? Minimum three days, no matter how fast.
What could she crave that bad? Sounded like a total shut-in who solved everything via delivery. For her to come out herself... must've been serious.
"What'd you crave so bad?"
Luckily, Ra-yoon beat me to the question. Na Hyun hesitated shyly before mumbling,
"......Dried... pollack... pouch."
"Huh? What?"
Her voice was tiny. Na Hyun's cheeks flushed bright red.
"I... suddenly craved 'hwangtae po'..."
"Pfft!"
The unexpected answer nearly made me spit out my drink.