Chapter 38

“What is it?”

[Let’s meet for a moment.]

It was Taehyeok Sa, the Guild Master of Paehyeok. Cho-i replied to the message.

[ㅗ] [I’ll come to you.] [ㄴ] [I’m already in front.]

“Is he crazy?”

The crazy girl admonished the crazy guy. Cho-i wondered if she had locked the front door, so she strode to the entrance and locked the door two and three times. But the veranda door slid open and a man appeared. Who else could it be?

“Should I call the police?” “Do as you please.” “Why does your face still look like that?” “Because Myeongok Shin hasn’t entered Korea yet.”

The higher the rank, the less effective a lower-ranked healer’s healing was. It seemed that an S-Rank healer had not yet entered Korea, so he had only received regular treatment. Cho-i looked at his face, which was still a mess but so handsome that it shone pitifully, and felt like spitting.

“Get out. Don’t annoy me.” “I bought a housewarming gift.”

He raised his hand. He was holding a premium Korean beef set. Cho-i shouted,

“Please take off your shoes and come in, guest!” “….” “Why, what? Come in when I tell you to.” “…Alright.”

Taehyeok Sa took off his shoes on the veranda and entered the living room, which only had a TV and a sofa.

“Is this all there is?” “I lived in a smaller house than this. I’ll fill it up slowly from now on.”

“Okay!” Cho-i replied, snatching the Korean beef set from his hands. She then shoved it into the kimchi refrigerator on the veranda. It was so big it probably wouldn’t fit in a regular fridge. “Nara Shim is really funny; her regular fridge is tiny, but she has a kimchi fridge.”

“But how did you get my new address? I mean, I probably don’t need to ask, but I’m asking anyway.” “If I want to know, I’ll know.” “Yeah, I figured you’d say that. I don’t have anything to offer you. You can just sit on the floor.” “Why the floor when there’s a sofa?” “Aren’t you Korean?” “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Taehyeok Sa shook his head and sat on the sofa, while Cho-i only brought her own water and sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa.

“So, why did you come?” “You caused quite a stir.” “When did I?” “The anonymous site.” “Oh, that.”

Cho-i scratched her cheek.

“But even if I did cause a stir, I’m the only one getting all the hate.” “Why did you have dinner with Dongju Kim at that exact moment? Nowadays, smartphones are everywhere.” “Well, how was I supposed to know that would happen?”

Cho-i grumbled, scuffing her feet on the floor. She felt like she was being scolded by her homeroom teacher. So she asked worriedly,

“So what do you want me to do?”

It’s, it’s a genuinely worried tone. Really.

“Since things are like this, should we go furniture shopping?” “?”

How did the conversation get there?

“Are you going to buy it for me?” “All of it.” “What? Damn. I love it. What’s going on?” “Can I say this?”

Cho-i gulped down plain water with a suspicious look.

“You’re the first woman who’s ever hit me.” “Phew!”

Cho-i spat out the plain water forcefully. She couldn’t even think to wipe her dripping mouth, staring at him blankly.

“Wow, damn. I’ve lived long enough to hear that line. I guess I have lived a long life.” “You haven’t lived a long life, you’ve lived many lives.” “It’s the same thing. More importantly, are you crazy?” “Isn’t this how a rich male lead and an ordinary female lead usually meet?” “Who’s ordinary? I have a house now.” “It’s joint ownership, though.” “Money too!” “You spent it all buying the house, so you don’t have any.” “I’ll earn a lot!” “That’s money that will come out of my pocket.” “You’re so annoying.” “It’s been a long time since I heard that, too.” “You’re buying the furniture, right?” “Yes.” “Alright, then let’s go.”

Cho-i haphazardly put on an outer jacket over her pajamas. Taehyeok Sa, dressed in a sharp suit, stared at her attire blankly for a moment, then put on the shoes on the veranda and lightly floated into the air.

“Are you flying?” “I have a car waiting outside. But are you really going to go like that?” “You said we’re going furniture shopping. Why would I dress up for that?” “…Do whatever you want.” “Ugh, you’re so picky, really.”

Cho-i went into her room and pulled out a dress she didn’t even know she still had. The sky-blue dress, unadorned and lightly cinched at the waist, suited her perfectly, but Cho-i, regardless, put on a zip-up hoodie over it and went out. Of course, Taehyeok Sa took it from her.

“Oh, why!” “You won’t be cold even if you don’t wear it anyway.” “It’s my business!” “I mean, let’s try to coordinate a little.” “What’s in it for me if I coordinate?” “Furniture.” “Then I guess I have no choice. Let’s go.”

Cho-i then put on her newly bought work boots. In fact, these were the only shoes she had. Taehyeok Sa, this time, sighed and pressed his forehead as if he couldn’t help it. When they went downstairs, Taehyeok Sa’s car and Taehyeok Sa’s driver were literally waiting. Cho-i, who knew nothing about cars, understood that the car was big and sophisticated, but she just tilted her head and hopped into the back seat.

“Where are you going?”

“To Charlotte Department Store next to Yeonhan.”

“Understood.”

The two sat side-by-side in the car. Not a single word was exchanged. Cho-i tapped her toes and called Nara Shim.

“Hey, can you come to Charlotte Department Store right now?” -Charlotte Department Store? Why suddenly? “We need to buy furniture.” -We do, but how much spare money do we have left? “It’s fine. We’re not going to spend our money.” -What? You mean Lord Dongju is even buying the Entity for us? Oh my, what a surprise. “No, not Dongju.” -Is Lord Dongju your friend? Then who? Lord Yeonhan? “Taehyeok Sa.”

When his name was mentioned, Taehyeok Sa glanced at Cho-i. Cho-i continued her call as if unconcerned. Nara was silent for a moment, as if her brain had malfunctioned, then spoke.

-The Taehyeok Sa I know? “Yes.” -Our… Guild Master? “That’s what they call him.” -You crazy bitch! I told you not to call him that! What if he hears you! “He already heard. Want me to pass the phone? Here.”

Cho-i handed her smartphone to Taehyeok Sa, who had heard the entire conversation and let out another sigh before taking the call.

“Hello.” -G-G-G-Guild Master…! “Yes. I am the Guild Master.” -Th-This crazy, no, I’m sorry. That Cho-i Hyeon, she’s a bit crazy, but she’s not a bad kid. She’s just a bit lacking in social skills, so she can’t distinguish between what she should and shouldn’t say. So even if she acts a bit rude… “I’m fine.”

Taehyeok Sa said, listening pitifully to Nara Shim’s desperate defense of Cho-i Hyeon. ‘She’s trying so hard,’ his expression seemed to say.

“It’s true that I promised to furnish the place, so let’s meet at Charlotte’s.” -Yes, yes, yes! I’ll go right now. Taxi!

Click. Taehyeok Sa hung up first and handed the smartphone back to Cho-i. Cho-i happily put the Entity in her pocket and looked out the window.

“Can I buy a bed too?”

“Do whatever you want.”

“Awesome.”

The two arrived at Charlotte Department Store and met Nara Shim. Nara Shim, stiff and rigid, bowed ninety degrees as soon as she saw Taehyeok Sa.

“Oh, hello. Guild Master! I am Nara Shim. I want to work with all my might for your company…”

Cho-i covered her mouth beside her. Ignoring her muffled protests, Cho-i said,

“Shall we go in then?”

“She’s an interesting friend.”

“That’s what keeps her alive, I guess. Let’s go.”

“…Alright.”

***

“Hey, let’s go with this bed.”

“Is your bed taste from the Middle Ages? Do you want a princess bed?”

“No?”

“No, you idiot!”

Nara Shim, despite being frozen at first, chose furniture quite thriftily. Something that wouldn’t go out of style, with simple colors that wouldn’t get boring. But on the other hand, Cho-i Hyeon was.

“Let’s buy a canopy too!”

“Were you a princess in your past life?!”

“I’m still a princess!”

“You’re full of shit. Damn it.”

Cho-i burst out laughing.

“Do you want to run instead of a canopy?”

“I apologize for my inappropriate words.”

Taehyeok Sa watched the two women’s chaotic mess with his arms crossed, as if watching a show. His secretary kept whispering something to him, reporting at intervals.

“I thought I could at least extract a pillar from Paehyeok Guild.”

“I was going to, too. Ugh.”

“No, Guild Master. You’re even concerned about the guild members’ furniture, so we can’t be extravagant.”

“You two seem to fit and not fit. Are you really friends?”

“We are friends, though?”

“We’re not friends!”

Cho-i looked at Nara Shim at once. Nara Shim turned her head. Cho-i smiled mischievously, put her arm around Nara Shim, and leaned on her.

“That’s right, now that we live together, we’re not friends, we’re family, family.”

“Crazy, that gave me goosebumps.”

“You’re getting more and more rude?”

Her eyes gleamed with a strange light.

“I’m sorry.”

And Nara Shim’s apology was still quick. She lamented her fate, being pushed around, and swallowed her tears inwardly.

“I think I’ve bought everything worth buying.”

Nara said, checking the list on her smartphone, and Cho-i tugged at Nara Shim’s collar, nagging her to buy more lights.

“Ah! No!”

“Ah! Mom!”

“Who’s your mom!”

“Aunt!”

“This is driving me crazy!”

“If you’re done, let’s go over to Yuhan Department Store for a bit.”

“Why?”

“I have something to buy.”

“Okay. Let’s go, Nara.”

“No, you can go next time.”

In Korea, “next time” usually means no chance. Nara Shim quickly excused herself when Taehyeok Sa seemed to only have business with Cho-i.

“Yes! Then you two have a good time. I’ll really appreciate the furniture. Guild Master, I’ll never forget this favor…”

Cho-i covered Nara Shim’s mouth again.

“Let’s just leave her here.”

“…”

The two then went to Yuhan Department Store and headed to the top floor. No one dared to block Taehyeok Sa’s way, and Cho-i comfortably trotted behind him. He entered a boutique on the top floor and immediately looked for something. Cho-i looked around the boutique and asked when he seemed to have bought something.

“What did you buy?”

“Earrings.”

“You wear earrings too?”

“They’re not for me.”

“Really?”

Cho-i had no interest in him at all, so she asked that much and then lost interest. And when he didn’t seem to have anything else to buy, she left the boutique first to take the escalator.

Taehyeok Sa naturally followed behind her.

“What am I supposed to do if you just leave like this?”