Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
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Seoul's streets were buzzing with life under the increasingly warm sunlight.
It had been quite a while since I'd come up to Seoul.
The crowded streets filled with people and the sound of cars whizzing by my ears felt somehow unfamiliar and awkward.
'Did I arrive a bit too early?'
I took off my sunglasses and tucked them into the front pocket of my shirt, then sat down at a table by the window on the outdoor terrace.
The iced Americano in my hand was already beaded with condensation. I mindlessly spun the cup around and took a sip from the straw.
That said.
After spending so much time in that quiet countryside, I wasn't quite adjusting to this.
Back when I was married to Kang Jua, it was a wonder how we'd managed to live in such a noisy place. I crunched down on the ice in my Americano with a crack and shook my head.
'Am I a full-on country bumpkin now?'
As I let out a sigh laced with complaint, a woman walking along the sidewalk caught my eye.
Long, straight legs atop high heels.
Her face featured sharp, distinct features blended with sophisticated makeup, and the confidence and aura she exuded with every step drew gazes from everyone else on the street.
'Whoa... Seoul really is a feast for the eyes.'
I unwittingly drew in a breath.
Living in the countryside, just looking at a Seoul woman made my heart race.
Having only seen middle-aged ladies and Grandma Choi day in and day out, it was no surprise I was enjoying this.
Of course, these days I had Park Hyunjoo and Kim Se-ah around, but still.
Swoosh.
That was when it happened.
The woman walking on the sidewalk was heading straight toward me.
At first, I thought it was just coincidence, but she approached with her eyes fixed directly on me.
I tilted my head slightly, but the moment she stopped in front of my table, I instinctively straightened up.
"Excuse me."
Her voice was softer than expected, carrying a subtle tension beneath that softness.
It felt like she might say something like, "Why are you staring?" or "Do you know me?"
Had I been staring too intently?
"...Yes?"
"I'm not usually the type to do this... but could I maybe get your number?"
Her words turned my mind blank.
I'd thought stuff like this only happened in movies and dramas...
But it was happening to me?
In real life?
'Is this the effect of the Heavenly Peach?'
Living in the countryside, I'd forgotten all about it.
Stuck at home every day tending to the fairies, King Yama, and even the Jade Emperor himself—did I have any time to enjoy the changed face the Heavenly Peach had given me?
This was the moment Seoul started feeling appealing again, despite its stuffiness and noise.
"My number?"
"Yes. If giving yours feels awkward, I can give you mine instead. Think it over and give me a call."
Was this the boldness of a Seoul woman?
My mind was already throwing a festival.
A slow smile spread across my face as I reached for my phone—
"Honey!"
A bright, sudden voice burst from behind me.
My hand froze mid-air reaching for my phone, and I slowly turned my head.
A familiar scent wafted over, accompanied by a woman with long straight hair swaying as she approached.
It was Seo Yerim, wearing a thin cardigan over a dress.
"...Honey?"
"Honey, I kept you waiting, didn't I?"
The words coming from Yerim's mouth sounded utterly awkward, but she didn't care at all. She plopped down beside me and flashed a fake smile.
Around the same time, a subtle change came over the face of the woman who'd asked for my number.
'...Did a ghost possess her again or something?'
The woman who'd asked me for my number gave Yerim a quick once-over, then tilted her head back slightly and scanned her from top to bottom.
The corners of her mouth dipped, and her face flushed tomato-red.
"S-Sorry. I thought you didn't have a girlfriend."
"Ah, she's not my girlfriend. She's actually a friend, and we were just joking—"
I hurried to explain, but it was already too late.
Without waiting for my response, she lifted her chin slightly and turned away with a sharp click of her high heels.
She quickly vanished into the crowd of passersby.
'Fuck...'
I stared blankly at her retreating figure.
Regret washed over me, along with confusion about what the hell was even happening to me right now.
I grabbed hold of myself and shot Yerim a glare filled with anger.
"What the hell was that...?"
"What was what?"
"Why are you calling me your boyfriend?"
"What are you talking about?"
Seo Yerim tilted her head with her usual impassive expression.
I adjusted my posture and gaped at her.
"Whoa... You just called me 'honey'."
"Can't friends call each other 'honey'?"
"Wh-What!?"
"I'm kidding. I just figured you'd freeze up and not say anything, so I helped you out."
Helped with what?
Who?
How?
And yeah, it was technically help?
I barely swallowed the words bubbling up my throat and awkwardly lifted the corners of my mouth.
"Fine... thanks, I guess."
"You weren't gonna give her your number anyway, right?"
"Y-Yeah."
Then Yerim crossed her arms and tilted her head.
"Why the weird reaction? Were you actually gonna give it to her?"
"Wh-What are you saying? I was trying to figure out how to turn her down."
"See? Told you I'm quick on the uptake."
What good would yelling and grabbing her by the collar do now?
The water was already spilled.
I let out a short sigh and spoke up.
"Anyway, what was this job you wanted to introduce me to?"
"Hold on, let me order an Americano first."
Yerim quickly ordered her Americano and returned to the table.
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"So, gonna tell me what the job is now?"
"You're too much."
"...Huh?"
"How do you skip all the pleasantries and jump straight to the point?"
"Ah... sorry, I was just too curious to hold back."
"That curious, huh?"
"There's not much I can do stuck at your place all day."
She shrugged her shoulders, and Yerim smiled faintly.
"...Can I ask you something I'm curious about too?"
"What's that?"
"I heard from Grandpa that you exorcised a ghost for Chairman Jang Manguk and got paid a fortune. Do you really need to work?"
Of course not.
I wasn't dreaming of becoming a billionaire or harboring any grand ambitions.
It was just the butterfly effect from that photo taken in front of the host bar.
I figured I'd hear her out and politely decline.
Though if it suited me, I might take it on as a hobby.
"Then why do you work?"
"...Huh?"
"Isn't the granddaughter of Yeoksan Group set for life just playing around?"
I let out a soft chuckle, and Yerim's face flushed bright red.
"S-Sorry... I didn't think it through."
"No, it's fine. It's natural you'd wonder from your perspective."
I waved it off in the air, and Yerim picked up her pager and headed to the counter.
She returned to her seat and placed her iced Americano on the table with a slightly more serious expression.
"...I have to take steady management classes and handle people. One mistake could hurt hundreds."
"......"
"Grandpa told me that if I stop, the lives of everyone below me stop too."
Yerim's voice was calm, and her expression didn't waver even 1%.
Unlike her usual icy demeanor, her face now seemed a bit more human.
I needed to respond to her sincerity, even if I had to mix in a white lie.
"Life in the countryside isn't bad, but staying idle makes you feel listless."
"Ah..."
"I'm not buying a place in Seoul, and like you said, money's not an issue for now. But beyond that, I just wanted to do something."
"I-I see... So you're planning to live there forever...?"
"Hmm, I can't say for sure right now."
Yerim's expression had stiffened slightly, but she lifted her head and smiled brightly.
"Good."
"Good what?"
"Oh, nothing. Anyway, the job I'm introducing you to—you can make a ton of money in just one day."
"A ton in just one day?"
"Yeah."
What could it be?
The heir to Yeoksan Group wouldn't introduce anything illegal, so maybe some connection paying top dollar?
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat with a skeptical look.
"Like I said, I'm not hurting for money, so you don't need to pay extra."
"It's just standard industry rates."
"What kind of job?"
As I made a face full of question marks, Seo Yerim downed her Americano in one go and stood up.
"Let's go."
"W-Wait, where?"
"To work."
Before I could ask again, Yerim was already heading out to the terrace.
I glanced at my half-finished Americano, then slowly rose from my seat.
I straightened the hem of my shirt with both hands and followed after her.
'She won't even tell me what it is. Driving me crazy.'
As I stepped out of the cafe onto the sidewalk, a large black van was parked at the edge of the road right in front of me. Secretary Manager Jin Hyeong-o bowed toward me from in front of it.
"Hello. It's been a while."
"Ah... yes, long time no see."
Secretary Manager Jin Hyeong-o maintained his courteous demeanor as he walked around to the side of the vehicle.
The door of the black van slid open automatically.
"Please, get in."
I glanced at the van, then turned to Yerim.
She nodded toward it, urging me to hop in.
'...Fuck, this isn't a kidnapping, is it?'