Chapter 74: FORCED ALLIANCE
"N-NOONA, I’m here."
Oh.
Wonhee felt bad when she saw Ahyeon shaking in front of her and Yejun.
[This kid is really shy, but I’m sure it’s not the reason why he’s trembling right now.]
"Ahyeonnie, can you get the car started?" Wonhee asked, smiling at the child apologetically. "We’ll join you soon."
"O-Okay, Noona," Ahyeon said, bowing towards them. "I’ll wait for Noona and Hwang Frost-nim in the basement parking."
"Thank you, Ahyeonnie."
Ahyeon bowed again before practically bolting out of the room.
"Yejun-ah, can’t you do anything about your aura?" Wonhee asked when she turned to Yejun who was standing next to her. "I feel bad for the kid."
"I can do that, but I don’t want to."
"You don’t want to? Why?"
Yejun tilted his head to one side as if he was having an inner debate with himself. "I have a skill that masks my aura and my presence. But it comes with a price."
"What’s the price then?"
"My face becomes too plain for even Civilians to notice."
"Isn’t that the point of your skill then? To make you unnoticeable?"
"But my face will become worse than a squid’s. And the effect lasts for an entire day."
"It’s only temporary, though. So why are you worried?"
"I don’t want you to find me ugly– not even for a minute."
Pfft.
Wonhee smiled while shaking her head at how immature Yejun was at the moment. "And here I thought it was serious."
"It’s serious for me."
"Just activate your skill," she said, sighing. "Looks aren’t that important to me."
"Ah, is that why your ex-boyfriend is so fugly?"
"Yah," she complained. "You can say anything about Seodam Oppa, but you can’t call him ’ugly’ because he’s not. That only makes you sound bitter."
"He has the scumbag face, you know?"
"You do, too! Especially when your eyes turn into little crescent moons every time you smile like a villain..." she trailed off, then she covered her mouth with her hands. "I’m sorry for being mean."
"Nah, I’ll take that as a compliment."
"A compliment?"
"Because your ex-boyfriend’s face is your type, isn’t it?" Yejun said, smiling that lazy sexy smile of his again. "If I also look like a scumbag, then does it mean my face is also your type, Wonhee-ya?"
[This guy, really...!]
"J-Just activate the skill that makes you unnoticeable, Yejun-ah," Wonhee said, embarrassed that she stuttered. She immediately turned her back on Yejun to hide her blush from him. "Let’s go."
***
[I DON’T see any changes in Yejun’s appearance, but I think he activated his skill because Ahyeon isn’t shaking anymore?]
Wonhee discreetly observed Yejun through the rearview mirror.
She sat in the passenger seat and left the X-Class Hunter in the backseat because she didn’t want to give him a chance to tease her again.
And now Yejun was sulking.
"Why did you leave me here, Wonhee-ya?" Yejun complained again. "You don’t let me touch you, and now you’re sitting far from me. What will I do if the Static suddenly starts ringing in my head again?"
"Then tell me," Wonhee said, ignoring Yejun’s complaints. "And you can’t fool me. The System informs me if you’re on the verge of going berserk."
"Tsk."
"Don’t click your tongue at me, Yejun-ah."
"But I’m bored, Wonhee-ya."
"I’ll buy you a phone later."
"I’m bored right now."
Wonhee let out a sigh, then she let her long hair drape over the headrest of her seat. "Then would you like to play with my hair? You can braid it or something. I want my hair to be wavier anyway."
"Really?" Yejun asked excitedly. "I can do that?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"Alright."
And Yejun really began playing with her hair. He started combing his fingers through his fingers.
Wonhee didn’t want to admit this, but it felt good.
Argh.
[I sound like a pervert.]
"Wonhee-ya, your hair is really soft and smooth," Yejun said softly, then he leaned down to sniff her hair. "And it smells good."
Of course, Wonhee blushed but she acted as calmly as she could. "You’re lucky I took a full bath today."
"Nah, you always smell good."
Wonhee just kept her mouth shut.
Fortunately, Yejun did too when he got busy braiding Wonhee’s hair.
[It worked.]
To be honest, it was a trick that she often used to keep Eunseok– her nephew– busy whenever they were stuck in traffic during a long ride.
She didn’t expect that it would work on Yejun, but she was glad that it did.
[And now he’s quiet.]
"Ahyeonnie, how’s Yool?" Wonhee asked when she finally succeeded in making Yejun quiet. "Is he still staying at Chef Ryung’s place?"
Ahyeon flinched, then he glanced at her awkwardly before he spilled the beans. "A-Actually, Yool Hyung was supposed to come with me. B-But he was caught by Song Moonho-nim."
"Huh?"
"Song Moonho-nim invited Yool Hyung to a "breakfast date" and brought Hyung to the 10th Floor of the Nom Nom Restaurant."
Yejun, who had been quiet all this time, whistled. "The old man is flexing his wealth, huh?"
"Why is Song Moonho-ssi bothering Yool?" Wonhee asked, shaking her head. "Is this a new form of bullying?"
"I-I don’t know, Noona," Ahyeon said worriedly. "But Chef Ryung can’t stop Song Moonho-nim from bothering Yool Hyung since Song Moonho-nim outranks him."
Wonhee looked over her shoulder. "Yejun-ah, what should we do about Song Moonho-ssi’s obsession with my friend?"
"Nah, it’s too late for that. Song Moonho is an obsessive old man," Yejun said casually while still busy braiding her hair. "Song Moonho will only stop bothering your friend once your friend stops being useful or interesting to him."
***
YOOL wasn’t that shameful.
Hence, he bought Song Moonho an ice cream in a cup after their delicious breakfast.
And he bought that ice cream from the convenience store where he also had brought Graham before.
Since it was almost noon now, there were quite a few people walking past them.
But no one was paying attention to Song Moonho who stood out because of his three-piece tailored suit.
[He’s probably using a skill that diminishes his presence to almost nothing.]
"Yool-ssi, the restaurant had ice cream, too. And I’m sure the ice cream there tastes better."
"I know," Yool said bluntly. "But I’m picky with my ice cream. I only eat what I’m used to, and I’m used to cheap ice cream."
"You should start getting used to the finer things in life."
"I’m broke, dude."
Song Moonho smiled and pointed at himself. "I’m rich."
"Are you trying to buy me, Moonho-ssi?"
"Are you for sale, Yool-ssi?"
Yool bit his ice cream bar.
Yes, he was one of those lunatics who would bite their ice cream instead of eating them the normal way.
"You have strong teeth, Yool-ssi."
"I know," Yool said, scoffing. "You really won’t leave me alone, huh? I even bought you ice cream."
Song Moonho looked surprised by what he said, then he raised the ice cream he was holding in one hand and the wooden spoon in the other. "This is your bribe?"
"Hey, that’s a four thousand won ice cream. Mine was only two thousand won."
"Are you that broke, Yool-ssi?"
"Duh."
Song Moonho laughed, and then he took a bite of the mint chocolate ice cream that he scooped from the mini cup. "How did you know I hate mint chocolate?"
"Isn’t it a known story that you almost killed Graham and Hwang Frost when they tricked you into eating mint chocolate when those two troublemakers were in their late teens?"
Although it was the truth, Yool actually got that information from the novel.
[I know this old man hates mint chocolate because Graham wouldn’t shut up about it in the story.]
"And yet you still bought me this flavor?"
"That’s me saying just kill me now if you’re going to pester me like this."
Song Moonho looked shocked at what he said, then he burst out laughing. "Yool-ssi, you’re still young. Treasure your life."
"Ahjussi, how can I treasure my life when I can’t even protect my peace and quiet because you keep on bothering me?"
"I signed a contract with the System to protect Chu Wonhee."
Okay, that was shocking.
"Is that something you’re allowed to share with a Civilian like me?"
"It’s alright as long as I don’t give you the details," Song Moonho said casually. "Yool-ssi, the System punished me, too. Hence, as a result, I cannot betray Chu Wonhee and my fellow Big 4 members. Not that I’m planning to do so."
[Yeah, right.]
"If you can’t trust me, then should we make a contract?"
"Can you make a contract with a Civilian?"
"Yes, it’s possible," Song Moonho said while nodding. "Yool-ssi, let’s work together. I won’t ask you about your source, but give me the information I need if you have it. If you do, then I promise I will keep Chu Wonhee safe. I also promise that I won’t sabotage my fellow Big 4 members as long as we’re working together."
Haaah.
It seemed like Yool had no choice but to cave in.
[Song Moonho’s stubbornness is also S-Class.]
"Fine. I’ll work with you," Yool said, sighing. "But I want Wony and Hwang Frost to be included in our deal."
"I understand Chu Wonhee, but why Hwang Frost?"
"Because Hwang Frost can’t betray Wony unless he wants to die, and because Hwang Frost is the only one who can kill you if you betray us."
"Fair enough," Song Moonho said, shrugging. "So, should we go to my place now?"
"Fat chance, Ahjussi," Yool said firmly. "We’re going to Wony’s house."
***
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