Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
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"Fuck, if she's a fairy, does that make me the woodcutter!?"
"No, she went up to the sky, right? In the old legends, that's exactly how the fairy and the woodcutter meet."
"The rooftop setup I made was a bathtub, not a pond."
"Ponds in modern times are usually neglected and filthy. So maybe she came into the bathtub instead. Or perhaps she mistook it for a pond."
If it were some erotic tale I'd read called Fairy and the Horny Woodcutter, that'd be one thing, but I never really liked the fairy tale The Fairy and the Woodcutter from the picture book I read as a kid.
A woodcutter saves a deer being chased by a hunter.
In return, the deer tells him about a pond where fairies are bathing.
In the end, the woodcutter hides the fairy's celestial robe and takes her home to make her his wife.
But the one who stole the celestial robe was the woodcutter himself.
He's just a thief. A thief obsessed with a woman, no less.
And on top of that.
The deer he saved explicitly told him not to show the celestial robe to the fairy until after she'd borne three children, but he breaks that promise and gives it back anyway. She grabs two kids and flies off to the sky.
The guy's not just a bastard—he's got a moron's brain to boot.
There are various endings, but overall, it was a frustrating setup that left a bad taste, like eating sweet potatoes raw.
It was absurd, but the sheer ridiculousness of the story made me chuckle despite myself.
"What, you saying I should steal her celestial robe?"
"If it's really a fairy and not a ghost, and the robe's legit, then yeah, obviously steal it."
"Inviting her into my already depressing life? That's just cruel."
"Whoa, thinking about someone else's life too? Lucky bastard."
Men are all like that.
Even with unrealistic stories, they dive headfirst into wild fantasies with that "what if?" hook, getting totally immersed.
It was kinda fun, though.
The beer was going down smooth, and in this day and age, you don't often chat about "fairies"—not even as metaphors for angels or saintly heroines from novels.
"If she finds out you stole the robe, that's divorce number two."
"You're not dumb enough to pull woodcutter-level stupidity."
"Anyway, even if she's a real fairy, I don't wanna steal her robe. Kid me hated that woodcutter so much reading The Fairy and the Woodcutter."
"You said her beauty left you speechless! Man up and grab her then!"
The conversation flowed like a debate.
What the hell were two dudes like us even doing? But the more we talked, the more entertaining it got.
The beer practically poured itself down our throats.
Before I knew it, I was staring at Junseok with the intense, immersed expression of a tragic movie hero.
"I don't want to make the fairy suffer..."
"Kekekeke!! You lunatic! If you hook up with the fairy, I'll set you up on a blind date or something."
Seeing a ghost had rattled me all day, but labeling her a fairy made things weirdly comforting somehow.
If she really was one, she'd be free to use the rooftop bathroom anytime.
"If things go well, blind dates would be the least of my worries."
"Heh! But seriously, why hasn't she come to bathe today?"
Yeah, she'd come two nights straight, but tonight? Radio silence.
This time of night, I'd usually hear water splashing on the rooftop.
I stroked my chin and tilted my head.
"Probably busy with something today."
"What kinda something?"
"Fairies don't just hang out in the sky all day."
"Hahaha! Fair point. Even heaven's gotta have jobs to pay the bills."
"Yeah, well, if she can't bathe and feels grimy, she'll probably take a half-day off and drop by."
We bullshitted through the wee hours.
Junseok kept the jokes coming, matching my mood for the day.
Next thing I knew, it was 3 a.m.
Like always with guys' drinking sessions, the mood shifted to serious by the end.
"So, what're you doing about the Seoul place?"
"It's just monthly rent. What's to worry?"
"Still costs money every month."
"True. The place I got after the divorce was basically just storage for my stuff anyway. Once construction starts, I'm crashing at the motel the company hooked me up with."
"Then you should've just left your crap here. Why waste cash on rent?"
That was because of Dad.
After the divorce, I found out Kang Jua had borrowed money from him.
I confronted her right away, but...
-Your dad said not to pay him back.
Like we weren't even strangers anymore...
Frustrated, I went to Dad to convince him, but he just said, "It's fine."
I was pissed.
When Mom—who I barely remember—abandoned us, Dad ignored Grandpa's advice to send me to an orphanage and raised me alone.
I lived gratefully for it, but looking back as an adult, I pitied his stubborn past.
Was I really worth throwing his whole life away for? After raising me like that, now I'm just baggage. No wonder I couldn't face him.
"I don't have the face to see Dad."
"Ha... Kang Jua, that bitch... Kids told me she's out there on Stars showing off luxury buys like a total asshole."
"That's exactly why I don't wanna talk about her. She's beyond imagination."
"Tch, cheers."
No guy wants to trash his ex-wife, no matter what.
She was once the woman he loved, and it'd just be spitting in my own face.
Still.
Even hypnotizing myself to forget, if I heard unexpected news, uncontrollable rage would surge up.
Kang Jua was that kind of woman—devoid of basic decency.
"She'll get hers eventually."
"Yeah, live well just to spite her! When you succeed, she'll be rolling on the floor regretting the divorce."
"She totally would."
"Or hook up with that fairy you mentioned, snap a pic together, and post it on Stars."
"...You psycho! It's late—quit drinking and crash."
I barely talked Junseok out of one more round and showed him to the guest room I'd hastily set up last night.
He grumbled but conked out quick once he saw the bed.
I was beat too, so I tidied up roughly and hit my own bed.
"Haeseong-ah, how long you staying here?"
"Might as well rest up proper before heading back."
"Why not just live here? After last night, the air here's not bad."
"If I could make money here, sure."
"...Alright, I'll drop by again soon, so flirt with that fairy in the meantime!"
"I'll try."
I saw Junseok off with light banter and turned to head back when Grandma Choi, who'd been waiting by the convenience store, waved me over.
"Haeseong-ah!!"
"Yes?"
"'Yes'? Did you skip breakfast or something?"
"Oh, sorry. You called so suddenly, I blanked."
"Whatever. Lemme get a look at you..."
Grandma Choi trailed off, then turned and nodded toward the store.
"Come in."
"...Pardon?"
"Get inside the store."
What was this?
Some new sales tactic?
I was curious but didn't mind.
Hungover and having chugged all the water left from Junseok's stay, I was heading to the store anyway.
Kiiiek-!
I opened the door and glanced back at Grandma Choi.
She had no intention of following, just stood there with hands behind her back, chin-jutting at the store.
"Haeseong oppa?"
A young woman's voice I hadn't heard in ages.
I whipped around on reflex.
"...Huh?"
"Oppa, it's me, Soeun-i!!"
Her hair was a chin-length bob, yet it radiated femininity.
Earrings and necklace adorned her, but her face still held that pure mountain-girl innocence.
I fumbled in shock, and her sparkling deep eyes darkened in an instant.
"No way... you don't remember me?"
Soeun-i pouted her lips like a kid.
Her cute sulk melted the tension from my body.
"O-of course I do, Soeun-i!"
"Right! I heard you were back in the hometown for a bit, but I didn't expect to see you so soon."
"Who told you?"
"Grandma Choi!"
Now I got why Grandma Choi had that sly grin when sending me in.
I smiled faintly at Soeun-i.
"Yeah, it's been forever."
"Not since you went to the army... yeah, real long time."
"You been good?"
"Eh, you know... Oh, right! Sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral."
"No biggie, your parents came."
"I wanted to go, but our dog got sick suddenly and no one to watch it..."
I waved off her gloomy look.
"Seriously, it's fine. And I heard from Grandma Choi you came back here from Seoul."
"Oh... So, you settling here for good now?"
"Not sure yet. Came to sort Dad's stuff, but sticking around for a rest in the meantime."
"I see."
Even after so long, the talk flowed easy.
Rumors were true, huh.
The little girl who'd trailed me whining about liking me had grown into such a lady.
The buttons on her white shirt strained pathetically against her curves.
My face heated; I cleared my throat.
"Ahem! What about you—moving back home for good?"
"Job wasn't for me, so I came down. Still figuring it out."
"Smart move. No point stressing over a bad fit."
"Haha! Oppa, how's the food situation?"
"Food?"
"No side dishes? I could bring some from home."
Her pure face matched her kind heart; I couldn't help smiling.
"Nah, Grandma Choi's been hooking me up, so I'm good."
"Oh, really!?"
It was nice catching up, but soon we ran out of steam.
I grabbed the water I'd come for and turned to Soeun-i.
"Catch you later."
"Ah... Oppa!"
As I headed out, her urgent voice called from behind.
I turned; she stared at the floor, face red, twisting her body shyly.
"Yeah?"
"Um... if it's not too much trouble, can I come over to your place today?"