Chapter 208
Fortunately, Yuki forgave me with a heart as vast as the ocean.
“…Is this how I should say it?”
“Yeah.”
When I asked cautiously, Yuki gave me a thumbs-up.
“This feels like groveling to receive forgiveness.”
“Don’t slander Yuki. She’s such a kind person.”
“Hmm, hmm.”
“…You’ve never said anything that kind to me before!”
Da-eun poured out her frustration.
It wasn’t unusual for Da-eun to act out, but this time, it felt more genuine than usual.
If her usual tone was 30% serious and 70% playful, this time, it felt like the ratio was reversed.
“That lousy punching bag—I’ll pay for it as much as you want! So, please, say something kind to me too…!”
Da-eun shouted as if she were about to pull out her wallet right then and there.
She was willing to consider it tuition for swordsmanship lessons, but why would she insist on paying for it?
Sometimes, I just don’t understand Da-eun.
Actually, it’s more like quite often.
I turned my back on Da-eun as she flailed.
“Are you sure you don’t need me to pay for it?”
“I’m not so desperate for money that it’s necessary. When you obsess over small things, you risk losing the bigger picture.”
“Yet you’re the one who told me to say something like, ‘a heart as vast as the ocean.’”
Yuki shrugged in response.
“That’s the bare minimum compensation. I can’t just take a loss all the time.”
“Is something like that really compensation?”
“Praise from Kana is rare, so it holds value.”
Just because something is rare doesn’t always mean it’s valuable, I thought.
Still, since it didn’t harm me and actually worked in my favor, I didn’t bother to argue.
After all, I was the one who caused trouble, so I should accept it humbly.
“Interpretation error! Kana would definitely say, ‘So what?’ in an unapologetic tone! That’s the cat-like charm of Kana…!”
“So that’s how Da-eun thinks of me. Got it.”
…Am I really that shameless in her eyes?
Well, it’s not that I completely disagree.
Back in Silia, especially during my time with the Order of Knights, I’d challenge anything I deemed unreasonable.
From my perspective, I was standing up against irrationality, but I understand how that could come across as shameless to others.
After the fall of Grasis, I mellowed out a bit, though my temperament didn’t completely disappear.
But still—
I thought I had adjusted myself relatively well to Da-eun.
For example, the last time i broke a plate during her broadcast, I apologized calmly instead of acting cocky.
And when things escalated after that, I even helped clean up because I knew it was my fault.
People who know me often say my emotional expressions are pretty dry.
I agree with that observation and have no intention of denying it.
So, even when I speak sincerely, I understand that the other person might not perceive it that way.
…I understand, but.
…
Pout—
Why do I feel so unsatisfied about it?
“Hmph.”
Instead of agonizing over the answer, I turned my head sharply.
“Aaaaah…! I’m sorry! I was wrong…!”
“…Don’t talk to me. Don’t touch me. Just go away.”
“Aaaaah! Please, anything but that…!”
“Haha…”
Do-hyun, who had been watching us, let out a dry laugh.
It wasn’t me who spoke to Do-hyun, but someone else.
“You still don’t believe it?”
Yuki, who had been standing a step back and observing just like Do-hyun, asked casually.
Do-hyun’s response was a simple “No.”
“I can’t believe it, but I can’t not believe it either. I don’t want to end up like that.”
As he said that, Do-hyun pointed to the punching bag that had been cleanly split in half.
Then, as our eyes met, he quickly retracted his finger and feigned indifference.
“Should I really cut you in half?”
“…Ahem! Anyway, I’ve seen clear evidence. I can’t keep denying it. The fact that what I thought was just a game turns out to be another world… This kind of thing only happens in comics.”
“They say fiction can’t keep up with reality.”
“The person who said that originally probably didn’t anticipate something like this either.”
Thanks to my explanation, Do-hyun seemed to have grasped the gist of the situation and replied.
“…So, Kana?”
He wouldn’t have forgotten what I told him just a few minutes ago, so he must know I’m younger than him.
Was what happened in Silia that impactful? Do-hyun’s attitude toward me was as cautious and prudent as one could be.
“Yes?”
“What should I do?”
“…Huh?”
What kind of question was that?
While I was trying to figure out the intention behind his question, he kindly provided the answer himself.
“Aren’t you asking me for a favor or something?”
“Huh?”
Even after hearing his answer, I still didn’t get it.
I tilted my head in confusion once again.
“I don’t have anything like that in mind.”
If I were to say anything, it would just be to not blab to others, but I believed he’d understand without me having to say it.
Besides, if I were going to make that request, it would’ve been easier not to explain anything in the first place.
“Then why…?”
“Because I wanted to.”
It seemed he misunderstood that I revealed my identity and shared the truth with him because I had some business with him.
But I never thought that way.
The reason I revealed myself to him was more impulsive than anything—no, it was outright impulsive.
If I had to attach a reason, it’d be because he was someone Yuki knew.
“Let me ask you instead—what can you help me with?”
“Um…”
My question left Do-hyun hesitating and unable to answer right away.
He must’ve realized there wasn’t much he could offer.
From what I remembered, Do-hyun was a fairly skilled Apostle and player.
But to put it another way, while he was good, he wasn’t particularly exceptional.
Even if he polished his skills, who knows what might happen in the future? As of now, he couldn’t provide any significant help, at least not in combat.
After thinking hard, Do-hyun finally came up with an answer.
“…Money?”
“Trying to win over a girl with money, huh? This is bound to stir up some controversy.”
“…I didn’t expect this. You’re complete trash.”
The criticisms came flying in as if they’d been waiting for their chance.
Faced with the pure and unrelenting accusations, his face turned red.
“Wait, when did I ever try to win anyone over with money?! You know that’s not what I meant, right, Joanie?”
“Of course you did. You just tried it now.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on…!”
Caught helplessly in the tag-team assault of two women, Do-hyun clutched his chest in frustration.
Meanwhile, Yuki and Da-eun gleamed with satisfaction as they tore their prey apart.
But separate from that, I found Do-hyun’s answer rather surprising.
‘Money.’
I also thought the best help he could provide me would be money.
But knowing the right answer and being able to say it are two different things.
Offering money to someone you’re not even close to isn’t an easy thing to do.
Was he willing to spend money if it meant saving the world?
What surprised me was that he didn’t seem like someone with such a strong sense of self-sacrifice.
Especially since I hadn’t even asked for help.
“If you have so much money, can you give me some too? I need to buy a new punching bag anyway.”
“…Why would I give you money?”
“If you’d believed sooner, Kana wouldn’t have destroyed the punching bag like that. So you’re partly responsible for it being ruined.”
“Wow, you’re saying something crazy like it’s nothing. Honestly, who would’ve believed that right away in that situation?”
“I believed it immediately.”
“You’re an exception because you’re crazy.”
Did Yuki really believe that quickly?
I think she believed sooner than Da-eun and Do-hyun did, but…
She wasn’t confident enough to brag about it like this, was she?
Even as I harbored doubts, I chose not to voice them.
“So, are you going to start training now too?”
“…What? Training? Where did that come from?”
“Now that you know what’s going on, you should prepare yourself. If things go south, you need to be able to protect yourself.”
“…Oh.”
Yuki’s words made me let out a small sound of admiration.
They were quite reasonable.
Even Do-hyun, who had looked bewildered just moments ago, as if she were spouting nonsense, seemed to share my sentiment.
Do-hyun, who had momentarily forgotten to retort, fell into thought.
It didn’t take long for him to break the silence.
“…If I start training now, would it yield results?”
I blinked at the words clearly directed toward me.
“There won’t be none.”
“Your tone makes it sound like there won’t be much progress, even if there is some.”
“Well, that depends on how much effort you put in.”
It would be strange to give a definitive answer when I barely knew what kind of person he was.
Not that I felt bad about it—honestly, even now after introducing ourselves, I didn’t really care about him.
Besides, we didn’t know how much time we had.
“…I never thought I’d have to worry about my safety in South Korea.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Do-hyun’s eyes revealed his complex emotions.
Roughly speaking, he probably wished his peaceful life wouldn’t be disrupted, while also worrying about the need to prepare for the worst.
And perhaps he had a few more thoughts on top of that.
…Wait a minute, wasn’t he forgetting something?
It didn’t take me long to figure out what he’d overlooked.
‘…I never said I’d help.’
The reason I was helping Da-eun with her training was obvious.
As for Yuki, it was because she piqued my interest.
But Do-hyun wasn’t close to me like Da-eun, nor did he spark my curiosity.
It felt a bit off, but since Do-hyun seemed too engrossed in his serious thoughts, I decided not to interrupt him.
…
It took quite a while for Do-hyun to speak again.
Unlike before, when he’d quickly come up with an answer.
“I—”
***
“I’ll get going now. Let’s meet again if fate allows.”
“Ugh…”
Do-hyun, dragging along a visibly reluctant Yuki, left the gym.
Was it just my imagination, or did his parting words feel more like, “Let’s try not to meet again”?
As soon as the gym door closed, Da-eun sidled up to me and asked.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?”
…Didn’t I tell her not to talk to me?
Swallowing back the words I was about to say, I replied instead.
“Well, it’s his choice.”
I didn’t feel the need to convince someone who wasn’t close to me to stay if they didn’t want to.
Especially not if it would inconvenience me.
“Besides, half-hearted effort wouldn’t be much help anyway.”
After much deliberation, Do-hyun had told me.
He appreciated the offer, but he’d have to decline.
But I wonder if he realized.
That I had never offered him anything in the first place.
In other words, his agonizing over not offending me was entirely pointless.
So, as soon as Do-hyun dragged the forgetful Yuki out of the gym, I no longer paid him any mind.
“I see.”
“…Didn’t I tell you not to bother me?”
Pretending not to notice Da-eun approaching and trying to talk to me, I ignored her attempts.
“…Hehe. Are you still upset?”
“…I’m not upset.”
I squinted my eyes at her in irritation.
Just as I was about to swat away her approaching hand, I froze at her next words.
“Sorry~ I’ll give you your favorite thing. So please forgive me, okay?”
“….”
My favorite thing…?
Could it be?
“By ‘that,’ do you mean what I think you mean?”
“Yup, that.”
We kept referring to it as “that,” yet the conversation was making perfect sense.
That’s because, between Da-eun and me, there was only one thing that could be referred to as “that.”
A handmade chocolate made by a highly renowned artisan, famous for being incredibly delicious, but also extremely expensive and sold in limited quantities daily.
“…Two.”
“Two…? That’s a bit…”
“Two.”
If not, forget it.
I made it clear there was no room for negotiation, and Da-eun let out a groan of defeat.
“…Fine! I’ll give you two! So let’s pretend this never happened, okay?”
“What are you talking about? Nothing happened.”
“…Kana, you’re getting bolder by the day.”
Looking a bit worn out, Da-eun patted my head.
Her hand, brushing through my hair, felt slightly rougher than usual.
—
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