Final exams are over. I’m going to Korea tomorrow. Translating the light novel is really time consuming. See y’all soon!
I washed my face and hair with ice-cold groundwater from the faucet in the courtyard despite it being the middle of summer. I could've gone to the bathroom, but then I would have had to pass the kitchen where Saehee is, so this was best. Physical discomfort is definitely better than mental discomfort.
But after I thoroughly soaked my hair, I realized I didn't bring a towel. Darn. What should I do?
"Here."
Something appeared in my vision. It was a towel.
"Ah, thanks."
After I took the towel and wiped the water off my hair and face, I looked to my side to see…
"Wh, why are you here?!"
Surprised, I quickly took several steps back. The one who gave me the towel was none other than the head of the Bear Clan, the one with a shockingly great figure, Jeongmi! The secret reason why I moved back was because when I turned my head, I saw ridiculous cleavage right before my eyes!
"I told you this yesterday as well; please don't forget that I am at least three years older than you."
I was able to say something I couldn't say yesterday.
"I'm seventeen so we must be at least ten years apart. Forgive my rudeness, but how old are you?"
A vein was popping out from above her glasses.
"I'm twenty-one! By western standards I'm only twenty! So please don't speak so respectfully to me on purpose!" (tn: Koreans use the Confucian age system. Suffice it to say that it's annoying.)
"Lies! You must be at least twenty-seven…"
Smash!
Seeing a deep hole in the courtyard, I realized once again that it's best not to talk about a woman's age.
"I am sorry, ma'am."
"Just call me Noona."
"Yes, Noona."
She turned her head in anger, blushed, and adjusted her glasses. Is everyone in the Bear Clan so short-tempered? Narae's like that, and so is this noona.
"So why are you here, Noona? Didn't you have to explain what happened to Ungnyeo? I thought you were going to go right away yesterday."
"Shukuchi isn't that easy of a spell. Using it to travel far twice in one day is tiring."
I never thought it was easy. I can't even use it at all.
"…And there was something else I was worried about."
"What?"
"It's nothing. I was talking to myself."
Please be alone when you're talking to yourself. But I was bothered by the water that was constantly dripping from my bangs since earlier. I wrapped the towel around my neck and moved my bangs out of the way.
"…Is something wrong?"
I have no idea why she's staring at me.
"Not at all. I simply wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday."
"Please apologize to Rangii or Narae, not me. What happened doesn't really bother me that much."
What was bothering me right now was her purple bra, visible from the four or five undone buttons on her button-down shirt that couldn't cover her full breasts, or those breasts that were nicely collected in that bra. Seeing God's grace, something requiring exaltation, I felt as if I was going to say 'They're so big and beautiful.' No, if I do that then I'd get arrested for sexual harassment so I quickly said something.
"Um, could you please fold your arms?"
"…Why?"
I agree, why? I can't understand why I said that either. No, I don't want to. Jeongmi-noona looked like she was bearing a lot of thoughts in her head as she thought about it. I didn't want to be dragged to the police station and have my parents called there so I quickly changed the subject. This time while thinking properly.
"More importantly, what we talked about yesterday worked out, right?"
Yesterday, Jeongmi-noona and I made a promise. If I was able to bring Rangii back to her senses, Jeongmi-noona would convince Ungnyeo. Jeongmi-noona nodded.
"Yes, don't worry. Ungnyeo-nim is…extreme when it comes to love, but she should believe you given definite proof."
Thank God.
"But there's something I want to ask."
"Yes?"
"Since we aren't enemies anymore, would it be okay to stop using honorifics?"
It seems like Jeongmi-noona wants to show me that there's no hostility between us. I don't really care now. I nodded my head in response.
"Please do. Doing that was a little strange for me too, so this is the most comfortable."
Jeongmi then spoke, showing that she'd been waiting for this.
"Thanks. It's more comfortable for me to talk casually like this too. It was weird to use honorifics to someone who's my sister's age."
Seeing her say that with a bright smile on her face, I felt that she wasn't as bad a person as I first thought.
"Well then, I've apologized and made things more casual. I did everything I wanted. Then I'm going to go now."
"What? Already? I wanted to see…ah shoot."
I spoke my inner thoughts without realizing it. Man is a sad creature.
"What did you want to see?"
Jeongmi-noona propped up her breasts with her left arm and rested her chin on her right hand. My eyes unknowingly focused on one spot. N, no. I won the fight against my instincts and looked up at the sky as I spoke.
"It, it's nothing. But why are you going already?"
"I need to apologize to Narae."
"Ah, you're right. You need to apologize properly, Noona."
"I know. I did something terrible to her."
Jeongmi-noona smiled bitterly.
"That's why I gave that Changgwi… Ah, she probably wouldn't like being called that. Does entrusting Saehee with that help act as an apology?"
"What did you entrust her with?"
Jeongmi-noona smiled mischievously and put her hand on top of my head. Thanks to that, I could easily see something I wanted to touch and bury my face in… No, aren't I reacting too honestly?!
"See you later, Young Master."
I missed the chance to ask why even she was calling me Young Master because Noona left, disappearing off to somewhere in the blink of an eye.
After Jeongmi-noona left. I was about to go back to my room when I suddenly heard a sound at the front door. It seemed like someone was knock, knock, knocking on the front door by using the handle as a knocker. Who could it be? All I felt was amazement that there was someone who would choose to come to this phantom nest. Curious about who arrived, I opened the front door.
There was an older woman, looking to be in her early thirties or early forties, standing in front of the door. She had curled, permed hair and had on a colorful, baggy top and a decidedly lame pleated skirt. In other words, she looked like the faithful reenactment of fashion sense from an old woman's generation. Besdies her baggy top, her noticeably large breasts, dark green hair, red irises, and long, thin pupils were all striking, I suppose. These characteristics told me one thing. This hag is a phantom.
The phantom hag spoke.
"Heeh… Are you Sunghoon?"
I nodded and answered.
"Yes, that's right."
"You're the one who's engaged to the Tiger-nim, right?"
Who're you saying is engaged? It's more like I was forced into all this. No, but who is she and how does she know all this?
"But who are you, hag?"
The old lady frowned after hearing my words.
"H, hag? You're saying I'm a hag?"
You're clearly from the 80s or 90s. why are you so baffled?
Ah. Is it weird to call her a hag right after meeting her for the first time?
"Ah. Forgive me, granny. I was really rude. For me to call you hag, granny is…"
"Granny?!"
I thought my eardrums would explode after hearing her shriek. Why's that granny acting like this? The granny put her hand on her chest, her face paled, and she spoke with an incensed voice.
"Even if I was too busy during that time taking care of my kids than taking care of myself, there's no way don't I look nothing like a granny? Right? Huh? Noona. Aren't I clearly a noona?"
I wanted to tell the granny what she wanted to hear, but I couldn't deceive my conscience. Her smooth, nearly wrinkleless skin definitely doesn't match her age, but there was no way I could call this granny-looking woman Noona. Absolutely no way. My blood which flows for big sister types could not allow that.
"No, but that's not right, granny. With how your hair is done and what you're wearing, you're clearly a granny… Um, granny?"
I had no idea why, but this old stranger dropped to the ground in front of me. Then she grabbed a handful of dirt in her fist as she shook and muttered something I couldn't understand.
"This is all that kid's fault. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a woman to raise kids all by herself in this country? If only she didn't exist."
Huh? Was I too harsh? Only now did I realize that these weren't things you should say to a granny you just met. I felt like I had to apologize so I thought hard about how to do so when the hag glared at me with flames blazing in her eyes.
"You! You'd better watch out as well! I won't forget this!!"
The front door slammed shut.
Wh, what's wrong with that granny? Is my calling her granny something to get so upset about? I went out of the front door to apologize and looked around. No one was there. Oh geez. What a weird granny. Aren't there any normal people among the phantoms?
I scratched my head and went into my room.
After breakfast. I felt anxiety radiate through my body, making me want to throw up the food I just ate. Right now I'm holding my cell phone. When Saehee handed me my cell phone which was in strangely perfect condition while she was drinking coffee, I flinched and froze. My phone, famous for its silence, had received a message. (tn: it took me 3 months to understand this joke even after translating this line)
From: Narae
Message: Call me the instant you see this.
She sent the message yesterday at 11 p.m. And it's currently 9 in the morning, the time when Narae is at her most brutal. I'm saying I should really wait. But if I don't call her now, then it's clear to me how she'll act later. Okay. Isn't there that saying about ripping off a Band Aid as quickly as possible? I wiped the cold sweat that was on my hand on to my pants and called Narae. She answered before the phone even started ringing.
"Um—."
[How'd it go?]
Narae's voice through the cell phone was filled with a cold rage. I could clearly see Narae stomping her foot on the floor and biting her lip as if she was right in front of me.
"And, um, everything turned out well, ma'am. Rangii and I are doing well now. There is nothing to worry about."
Before I could even think about why I was being so utterly respectful, Narae gave a sigh of relief.
[Whew—. What a relief. Really, I was worried because you didn't call.]
"Ah, sorry. I just got up."
[But what about you?]
"Eh?"
Unable to follow the conversation after the sudden topic shift, I heard an irritated voice.
[I'm asking if you're okay! You aren't hurt, are you?]
The truth is I almost crossed the River Styx at such a young age, but I didn't want to worry Narae by telling her that.
"Oh, no. I'm okay too."
[So you got hurt.]
Saehee must have said something.
"No, I'm really okay."
[Then tell me the address.]
"…Eh?"
[I can tell by looking at your face if you're lying.]
But we're talking on the phone right now.
[Tell me the address so I can go there right away and see if you're lying for myself! Who do you think you're lying to? Did you think I would know?!]
Did I get caught? No, how did she know I lied to begin with? Even though there's no video chat function on my phone?
"The truth is I did get hurt a little, but I'm all better because of Saehee's magic. I really am okay. Not a scratch on me. Really."
Even though she couldn't see me, I bowed my head as I spoke. I may look pathetic, but there was no helping it. Narae is super scary when she's angry.
[…Okay.]
Looks like my sincerity got through to her. I gave a sigh of relief…
[I still have something to do there so tell me the address.]
I sighed too early.
"What?"
[It's not because I'm worried about you. I have something to talk about with Saehee.]
I wasn't curious about the reason.
"No, but I'm going to go back soon anyway so there's no need to come here? And it's pretty far."
[There is!]
I jerked my phone away from my ear. Ah, she scared me.
"W, wait. Calm down for a sec and…"
Narae's screech-like words cut me off.
[You're telling me to calm down? When yesterday, Saehee did that to my breasts—?!]
Silence.
I couldn't say anything because I knew what she meant even after she stopped talking. Narae seemed to have lost her tongue after saying that.
Off in the mountains, the tree leaves were swaying in the wind, and a mountain bird was singing. And then the phone suddenly cut off.
"Um, Narae?"
The only response was the broken beep, beep, beep of the tone. I called Narae again, but her phone was turned off, and I was greeted by the automated voice of her voice mail.
I put my cell phone down and looked up at the sky. The summer sky is beautiful. The autumn sky stretches wide, but the summer sky is a beautiful shade of blue.
…Should I stop avoiding reality now? I already knew what happened because Saehee told me yesterday. Yeah. So I should act like I didn't hear anything. That's for the best. Since she must be embarrassed right now, I'll call her later. I should ask Saehee when we're going to Seoul so that I can do that.
I went into the kitchen where Saehee was cleaning up after breakfast. Saehee was in there wearing a black modernized hanbok and a white apron. Heh—. She really gives off a feminine vibe with that apron on. Though it seems as though something is really missing in comparison to Narae with an apron on. She must have just finished washing the dishes because Saehee spoke while taking off her rubber gloves.
"Please do not be so disappointed, Young Master."
Crap, she definitely noticed.
"Ah, sorry."
"In my day, this size was average."
"Did everyone back then have small—?"
When I was about to say 'breasts.' Saehee threw a kitchen knife that flew inches from my face and got stuck in the wall. Heek?!
"You mustn't make jokes or fool around in the kitchen, Young Master. You may end up in the furnace or be served as lunch."
"Th, throwing a knife is dangerous in the first place!"
"Do not worry. This kitchen knife is made from Master's claw and as such, it cannot harm a living being."
"Does that make sense?!"
"It does."
"Hey, but still…"
"It does."
With Saehee continuing to respond as though she was keeping the secret to the birth of the universe, I gave up on arguing that point.
"…Yeah, I lost. Then I'm going to go wait outside."
I left for the living room. Sitting there, I saw Rangii and Baduk playing together. Seriously, those brats. They could warm the hearts of anyoe who watched them. I felt as though an entire day could fly by just by watching Rangii and Baduk running and playing. Saehee naturally sat next to me with her apron off while I was spacing out watching that lovely pair. I spoke to Saehee first.
"Um, when are we going to go to Seoul?"
"I do not know."
If you don't know, then who does?
"That is for the Young Master to decide."
I was able to understand that Saehee was not telling me that I could simply go whenever I wanted to.
"Is it really up to me?"
The corners of Saehee's mouth rose.
"It seems you have grown a little, Young Master."
"Since all that stuff happened."
"Are you part of the warrior race that gets stronger after almost dying?"
"…Stop reading manhwa."
We're getting off topic.
"Anyway, is it really okay?"
"Although I am repeating myself, even if the Young Master were to leave this place, nothing terrible would happen."
"The problem is that I don't know what terrible means to you guys."
Because I almost died after what you considered a small deal. Saehee smiled widely and changed the subject in response.
"There is something more important than what you are talking about."
I got nervous despite myself when she said that.
"What do you mean?"
"The Young Master should play with Master."
You made me nervous for nothing. I thought something terrible was coming!
"The heck are you saying all of a sudden. Rangii and Baduk are having fun playing together."
"Is that what you see?"
I looked towards the courtyard. Baduk was nowhere to be found, and Rangii was sitting on her heels in the flower garden, watching a white butterfly fly around her.
Yeah, I was wrong.
"I'll correct myself: she's having fun by herself."
"If that is what you believe, then please watch for a moment."
Well, there's nothing urgent I need to hear so I guess I'll do what Saehee said? Rangii was still following the butterfly, tapping it with her hands and playing with it. And then,
"Ack?!"
The butterfly flew high up, and Rangii jumped up from where she was crouching as if she didn't want to lose it. Watching her from behind, I thought she looked like a frog that ascended to the heavens like a dragon. …She jumped high enough to pass the roof. And the butterfly was under her.
"Uuu. This was a mistake."
Rangii returned embarrassedly to the ground, blushing. She glanced at me, gave an unnecessary excuse, and leapt once again at the butterfly that was now going over the wall.
At that moment, Rangii became the wind.
…No, I'm serious. When Rangii jumped over the wall fast enough to create an afterimage, there was even an explosive sound and winds that blew dust up into the air! Was that a sonic boom? It was, wasn't it? Do you want to catch the butterfly or tear it to pieces?! This is the unimaginable outcome of what happens when a child's cruel behavior meets the strength of a phantom!
While I was thinking that, Rangii jumped back over the wall, close to tears. She must feel bad that the butterfly she tried to grab got torn to pieces—.
"Uu—. It got away."
What?! What in the world happened to the butterflies here? If there's the saying that being in school for three years will teach you the primer, then being in Rangii's house for three minutes will turn you into a phantom? Then am I already a reserve phantom?
Rangii was depressed and glanced at me; she told me with her eyes "I'm sad, I'm bored, I wish you'd play with me, no, play with me, whine, why aren't you playing with me? Come here." Now she was openly staring at me and kicking rocks. Her protest was really cute.
"Sorry. I have to talk with Saehee right now. I'll play with you in a bit."
"…Okay. I'll wait because I'm a good girl."
Thankfully, Baduk appeared to take my place. With a yellow Frisbee in her hand.
"Master, let's play with this."
Baduk's tail wagged from side to side.
"Yeah. It's been a while since we played with that."
Her depressed face suddenly brightened. It seems that Baduk left to get that.
Good job, Baduk. Kids need to play with other kids to have fun. Rangii got the Frisbee from Baduk and,
"Okay, go get it!"
She threw the Frisbee up towards the sky.
At nearly a 90 degree angle.
I naturally craned my head and was able to make out the Frisbee in the blue sky. By now it only looked like a small dot.
"…Who the heck throws a Frisbee straight up when they're playing with a dog?"
That makes me feel bad for Baduk. There's no helping it. I decided to talk with Saehee later and got up and patted my butted to teach Rangii how to properly throw a Frisbee when Saehee spoke next to me.
"She did throw it properly."
"The heck does that mean?"
Can't you see Baduk staring blankly at the sky like a dog realizing the chicken it was chasing was now unreachably on the roof? She was staring so pitifully at the sky…and then she crouched down and created a cloud of dust as she suddenly disappeared. Thinking to myself "No way," I looked up to find there were now two dots in the sky.
"OMG."
Moments later, Baduk landed on the ground with a loud boom; the yellow Frisbee that Rangii just threw was in her mouth.
"…You could've grabbed it with your hands."
"I'm a dog so using my mouth is more comfortable."
Since she's a dog, there's no helping it…no, that's not right! I was taking Baduk being a dog way too in stride just now! Is it really okay for me to be like this?
I unknowingly sighed while thinking these sorts of thoughts.
"Master, did I do well?"
Baduk was clueless of my worries and clung to Rangii with her tail wagging. Rangii smiled at Baduk and petted her head.
"Heheheheh."
Baduk must have liked the feel of those fingers because she smiled like she owned the whole world and rolled onto the ground, exposing her belly. Rangii rubbed Baduk's belly and tickled her neck as she lay on the courtyard.
"Does that feel good?"
"Yes it does, Master."
What they're doing aside, they really do play well together.
"It looks like I don't need to play with Rangii, so shall we continue our conversation?
I decided to continue my conversation with Saehee while I leisurely watched Rangii and Baduk play. Nobody could possible want to interrupt those two when it seems like colorful flowers are going to bloom around them. With the exception of Saehee.
"If the Young Master does not quickly play with them, something troublesome will occur. Please reconsider once more."
Even at a second glance they looked like a dog and her master playing well together, so what was the big deal? That was what I was thinking when Rangii stopped tickling Baduk's neck and stood up.
"I'm also in a good mood so I'll give you a small reward."
"Huh? Really, Master?"
"That's right."
What the heck kind of reward is she talking about? That sparked my interest a little, and I focused on Rangii and Baduk with my hand against my chin and a contented smile on my face. I'd better use this as a reference for when I play with Baduk.
And Rangii kicked Baduk who was lying on the ground and smiling.
"—Eh?"
I made a shocked sound as I followed Baduk with my eyes as she flew. Baduk flew through the air like an arrow; she destroyed the wall with a boom and was buried in the debris.
"B, Baduk?!"
I immediately got up, shouted her name, and ran towards the collapsed wall.
"Hm? Sunghoon, what's wrong?"
I heard Rangii speak from behind me. Hey, you brat! Are you really saying that right now? That shouldn't be what you have to say! Are you asking because you don't know why I'm acting like this?
And right then.
Crumble—.
I heard the sound of something moving from under the collapsed wall, and a brown tail popped out of the wreckage with a pok! I wonder why, but I felt like I was watching the final scene of a certain movie.
"Master!!"
Baduk popped out of the rubble completely unscathed and ran to Rangii on all fours. Wait, what—?
"That felt good, Master. Once more, please do that just one more time."
"Really? It's been a while, so do you want me to do it a bit more?"
"Yes!"
And Rangii's kick. Baduk flying again. The wall collapsing. An unharmed Baduk running out of the rubble. Her tail was wagging furiously, and her face was more flushed than normal. The heck is this? Someone explain.
"This is Master's reward to Baduk."
To think I'd be this thankful that Saehee was here.
"You mean that's a reward?"
"Baduk likes those kinds of things."
After coming out of the rubble, Baduk was expressing joy with her whole body. …Something about this is dangerous.
"Ah, the Young Master does not know. Baduk is a total maso…"
"Stop. That's enough. Don't say anything. I don't want to know."
Is there not a single normal person among the phantoms?
"Though it seems that she herself is unaware of this."
I believe that it is okay to go one's entire life without knowing that fact.
"More importantly, if this continues, Master may open Baduk to a new world, so could you please play with Master."
"Ah, I should."
"Because I am the one who repairs the wall."
So the truth is you don't care what happens to Baduk?
Rangii was raising her leg to fulfill Baduk's request, but at that moment, I quickly hugged Rangii from behind and held her up. Rangii kicked through the air, creating a gust of wind.
"Huh?"
Rangii craned her head to look up at me. Her face was asking me "Why'd you interrupt Baduk and me when we're playing?" After being deep in thought for a moment, Rangii came up with a shocking conclusion.
"Ah, Sunghoon. Did you want to give Baduk a reward?"
The reward you're talking about probably isn't kicking her. With no way of knowing what I was thinking, Baduk looked a lot redder in the face than before, and she was looking up at me with slightly teary eyes while wriggling her body.
"Ah, uu… If the Young Master were to kick me, um, I think I would feel, better than normal."
And I'd end up with an ankle bracelet on me.
"It is too late because you are a lolicon."
"Who're you calling a lolicon?"
After responding to Saehee, I put Rangii down and spoke.
"Don't do things like that. What would you do if Baduk accidentally got hurt?"
Having realized why I was only standing there, Rangii smiled brightly and spoke.
"Ah, don't worry. Even among my children, Baduk is on the strong side so there's nothing you need to worry about."
No, but there is.
"More, haa, please do, uung, more, Master."
"Okay, I wi—."
"Don't!!"
These two little girls went "Aww—" and looked up at me. Their eyes were clearly asking me why I was interrupting their fun for no reason. But I also couldn't say anything in this situation. Because how was I supposed to explain the reason! But why are you two looking at me like this is unfair? Oi, am I the bad guy right now? Even though I clearly didn't do anything wrong?
In, in times like this, I should shift their attention to something else. Something kids would enjoy doing. Then I could get them to play in a healthier way. Yeah! We're deep in the mountains in summer! There must be a valley!
I spoke to Saehee who was just observing the situation.
"Is there somewhere nearby where we can play with water?"
Saehee frowned slightly. Huh? Did I say something we couldn't do? But in the blink of an eye, her usual indifferent expression returned, so I decided to just ignore that.
"There is."
Great. I made a suggestion to the two little girls who kept looking at me with bright, sparkling eyes.
"The weather's nice so instead of doing that, let's go play with water. It's more fun to play outside than at home. Hm?"
Rangii's ears pricked up, and Baduk's tail wagged furiously from side to side.
"Play with water?!" Baduk exclaimed.
"What a great idea!" said Rangii.
Seeing the two of them hold hands and spin in a circle, forgetting what happened just moments ago, I thought to myself "Kids really are kids." Ah, when I get married, I want to have two daughters like them.
That's not right. Since these kids have animal ears on their heads and tails on their butts…
"It seems that you are happy."
"A, about what?"
Surprised, I turned around.
"I am talking about playing with water."
Ah, was that what you meant? I got nervous because I thought she read my thoughts just now. Whew—.
"I am also curious as to how Master and the Young Master's child will look."
"Be honest. You can read minds, can't you."
"Then I shall go and prepare for a moment."
Saehee dodged the question and turned around to enter the house.
Aren't you going to deny it?!