Let's Have a Blast
"Unni! I'm out!"
"Malgeum, you're here?"
"Yeah!"
Malgeum, wearing a white T-shirt smeared with paint, set something down on the floor and came running to hug me.
"You worked hard."
"Ehehe. And those people came with me too."
Following right behind Malgeum were people I already knew. The owner of the cosplay shop I'd hired for makeup. The hair salon director who had styled my hair. And the idol group Serenade, the slippery debut group.
"Who are those people over there?"
"Huh? W-we are..."
The people who looked like reporters suddenly pointed out looked visibly flustered. At that moment, Serenade's leader, Achim, stepped forward.
"Ga-eul, those are the reporters who interviewed us."
"Oh, really?"
The reporters who had rushed over after only seeing Im Yu-jun standing blankly in front of me. And the reporter who had stayed beside Serenade the whole time. I could roughly picture the situation.
"Thank you for looking after our kids, Reporter-nim."
"Huh!? Ah, no! I'm the one who should be thanking you!"
"Unni is the room owner!"
Malgeum, who had her arms wrapped around my waist, jumped into the conversation.
"Ah! So this person is the room owner...!"
"By the way, may I ask your name? I'm Han Ga-eul."
"I'm Park Na-eun. Please take care of me!"
"I'll take care of you too."
After finishing greetings with reporter Park Na-eun, I looked around. Everyone was staring at me. It seemed like I had to take the lead if they were going to move.
"Hey, Im Yu-jun."
As I tried to approach Im Yu-jun to talk, a huge man blocked my way with his hand.
"You can't come closer—"
Crack!
"Aaaagh!!"
The big guy's hand that had been blocking me suddenly twisted backward and he was slammed to the ground.
"Where the hell does a rat like you think you're putting your hands on Noona?"
"Huh?"
When I looked up, it was Andong-gwang, the guy I'd asked to handle some personal business earlier.
"Noona, I'm here."
"Good work."
His face and clothes were covered in bloodstains. I'd only asked him to check on something, but it looked like he'd had a rough time, just like he'd said over the phone.
"Are you hurt?"
"Nah, this much heals with a little spit."
He didn't seem seriously injured, but there was a cut beside his eye. I reached out toward Andong-gwang and he lowered his face.
Heal
When I placed my hand on his wound, the cut that looked like it had been made by a knife closed up in an instant.
"Whoa, my kid. You really worked hard. Thanks for helping."
"Ehehehe."
"Don't laugh like that. It's creepy."
As I touched Andong-gwang's face and checked his wounds, he kept letting out that weird laugh, clearly enjoying it.
"Noona. I should've recorded the screams those bastards made when I cut off their fingers. What a shame."
"You did? That's too bad."
He kept bragging about his exploits, clearly excited about something.
It looked like the wounds were gone now.
"Child, after dealing with people, reward and punishment must be clear."
"Here, try this. It's liquor I brewed myself. You worked hard."
"Noona brewed this herself?"
"Yeah. The power it gives is temporary, but if you drink it regularly you'll stay healthy and grow stronger."
Andong-gwang accepted the bottle carefully, grinning so wide his mouth looked like it reached his ears.
"Thank you, Noona!"
"Yeah yeah."
"Child, do not lose your ruthlessness by drowning in morality."
"Child, do not become a fatalist."
"Child, forge your own path."
These were the words Grandfather occasionally threw out during our calls. I didn't know what he wanted from me, but I had no intention of following his teachings exactly. For now, I figured it was fine to just make sure the rewards were clear.
Grandfather had given me weapons to wield, but he'd never directly given me money. Even when I asked for something I needed, he made sure the conversation never veered toward money. I had never asked for it in the first place, and I never intended to receive it either.
Still, there was one thing I liked.
"Child, you must not be lenient."
I had no intention of being lenient toward anyone who wasn't one of my people, and I never had been. In a way, maybe I was already following most of Grandfather's words. That might be why he liked me.
To me, he was a good grandfather. To others, he was nothing more than a ruthless money whale who swallowed everything in sight.
"Noona!!"
A loud voice came from beside me while I was lost in thought.
"Agh, you scared me. Why are you yelling?"
"Please give me some work too! I can do it well!"
It was the friend who had been lighting a cigarette for me earlier.
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
"I can do whatever Andong-gwang does!"
Hearing that, Andong-gwang pulled an empty liquor bottle from his pocket. It was the peach wine I'd given him before we left.
"Bwahahaha. Noona likes me more. You just smell it, Hyeon-ung."
Grind. Grind.
At Andong-gwang's provocation, Hyeon-ung looked ready to grind down what little teeth he had left. They must really not get along, probably because they were both second-in-command types. There were likely factions within the same organization. But it didn't seem like something I needed to worry about. Man-uk would handle the mediation just fine. If he couldn't, the organization wouldn't have lasted this long.
"Hyeon-ung?"
"Yes, Noona. It's Sa-gong Hyeon-ung."
"Right. Can you keep the uninvited guests away?"
When I handed him another bottle of liquor, Hyeon-ung, who had been grinding his teeth, broke into a wide smile.
"If it gets dangerous, drink that. You know what it is, right?"
"Yes, Noona! Thank you!!"
His voice echoed loudly. He must have been really happy. Thanks to that, only Andong-gwang had a sulky expression.
"By the way, who are these uninvited guests?"
"The guys who showed up last time."
"Ah..."
There was the guy who had sent thugs saying he'd bulldoze this place. I'd twisted the limbs of the fourth-rank civil servant who had been acting as his aide, but the real boss was still out there. I didn't know if he'd come, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.
"I'm counting on you."
When I reached out my hand, Hyeon-ung lowered his head as well.
"Ehehe. Just trust me."
"Unni!!"
While I was patting Hyeon-ung's head, a sharp voice pierced my ears. Come to think of it, I'd forgotten about Malgeum, who had been clinging to my waist with her arms wrapped around me. When I looked at her face to see what was wrong, she was staring at me with her eyes and mouth wide open. It was exactly the expression Baek Seol made whenever I petted another animal. A face that looked betrayed. Anyway, the two of them really did look alike.
"Why are you yelling again?"
At my words, Malgeum pulled away and brought over the thing she'd set on the floor earlier. It was a signboard filled with pretty cheering messages, just like I'd ordered. Her handiwork was as excellent as expected.
"Did you do all this by yourself?"
"Yeah!"
"Whoa, you worked hard."
When I opened my arms, she dropped the signboard on the floor and came running into my embrace.
"Hehe."
When I stroked her head, she finally smiled brightly. This was what she'd wanted.
"Me too!"
"Mmph!"
While I was stroking Malgeum's head, a warm cotton ball suddenly stuck to my face. When I carefully pulled it off, Baek Seol was dangling from my hand with a sulky expression.
"Baek Seol too?"
"Yeah!"
"Whoa, you're so cute."
When I vigorously petted Baek Seol sitting on my palm, her ears perked up repeatedly.
"I like it!"
After petting her for a while, she finally seemed satisfied. She scurried up my arm and settled on top of my head. Being a rabbit really was the best life.
"Me too."
"You wanna die?"
"Haha."
Im Yu-jun, who had been helping up the guard I'd slammed to the ground, suddenly started talking nonsense. Every time he let out that sly laugh, his hand twitched. If I slapped him here, things would get complicated. Too many eyes were watching.
"But why are you speaking casually to me?"
"I'm a guy with no roots, so I talk like this to my people."
"Still, aren't I your oppa?"
"If you don't like it, you can talk casually too."
"Should I?"
Im Yu-jun immediately dropped the honorifics and grinned slyly. His hand twitched again.
"Hoo."
All my gathered companions were here in one place. It was time to start moving.
"You."
"Yeah."
When I pointed at Im Yu-jun, he met my eyes with a smile.
"You sing really well."
"Suddenly? Thanks for the compliment."
"Tone it down a bit. You're making Serenade look bad."
"Hmm..."
Maybe because it was such an out-of-the-blue comment, Im Yu-jun let out a thoughtful hum.
"At least do some comedy or something."
"I'm bald, remember?"
"Wouldn't it be funny if I crushed your hair follicles? Im Yu-jun crawling on the ground."
"I-I'll try..."
Clap!
"Attention!"
All my gathered companions turned to look at me at once.
"This festival started on a whim, but let's all enjoy it to the fullest."
"Yeah!"
Baek Seol answered the fastest, clearly the most excited. She was wagging her tail, swept up in the lively atmosphere around her. I still couldn't tell if it was her butt or her tail.
"Andong-gwang, spread the kids out and make sure no one gets hurt. If the little ones get stepped on when the crowd gathers, they'll get injured."
"Yes, Noona. I'll pay special attention."
"Thanks. And thank you, Shop Owner-nim and Director-nim, for helping."
"Hohoho. You almost left us out. That would've been disappointing."
"Right. When our girl asks for help, we have to come running right away."
I still couldn't get used to that goat-bearded shop owner's laugh. While I was talking to each person one by one, I could feel their sparkling gazes that were almost burdensome.
"Malgeum."
"I'm right here!"
I already knew that since she was clinging to my waist.
"Thanks for working hard on what I asked."
"Ehehe. Grandma said she likes it too."
"Whoa, you're so pretty."
When I touched Malgeum's cheek, she closed her eyes tightly.
"Lastly, Serenade."
At my call, the four-member idol group stepped forward.
"It's a small stage, nothing special, but everyone worked hard to prepare, so let's give it our best."
I'd felt it during the travel broadcast too—entertainment was a place where countless people's preparations converged on one spot. And the entertainers were at the center of it. I'd been worried they might feel too pressured, but thankfully their expressions looked good.
"Alright. Then let's have a blast."
"Eolssu!"
"Baek Seol, eolssu too?"
"Yeah!"
She must have learned it while playing with the goblins.
