After I changed into the clothes that Saehee had so capably prepared for me, I left my room and was greeted with an inexplicable sight.
It was Rangii! That Rangii! Rangii, the one who was always either trying to take off her clothes or wearing clothes that gave brief glimpses of her belly, making me worry that she was trying to tempt me down a dark and dangerous path! That Rangii was dressed in magnificent fashion!!
Unlike her usual attire of a habok-style shirt and shorts, she had on a proper hanbok. She had her white hair, almost silver in hue, down, creating a contrast with the hanbok she had on as her hair shined beautifully. I was at a loss for words at Rangii’s appearance. I simply couldn’t describe her with words. In other words, with just a glance, it was obvious why I was so shocked. I couldn’t believe that Rangii, who seemed like she would perpetually remain a child, could look so much like an adult.
“Ah, Sunghoon!”
Rangii shattered her mature countenance and ran toward me.
Yeah, adult-like in what way, exactly? Thankfully, Rangii was still a kid.
“How do I look? Do you like it?”
Rangii did a twirl in front of me. The fact that I liked how she looked so much that I nearly had dangerous thoughts was a secret.
“Yeah. It looks really good on you. You look really pretty.”
“I’m so happy! After hearing that from you, I can endure this discomfort!”
“But why’d you suddenly change clothes? What about your normal clothes?”
“Master changed into new clothes because some business has popped up and we must leave for a few days.”
Saehee appeared, holding bidanshin (traditional Korean shoes) in her hands. I really wish she’d stop suddenly showing up to answer questions.
“You could not possibly be thinking that you preferred Master’s usual clothing because it showed me more skin, could you, Young Master?”
Come to think of it, with Rangii’s current clothes, I couldn’t see her white, baby-smooth belly, her round yet resilient thighs, nor her delicate calves…but so what if I can’t see them!
“Not at all.”
“You are saying something that would provoke the thousands of phantoms in Master’s fan club who wish to lick Master’s belly and thighs to beat you to death.”
“Something like that exists?!”
A terrifying fan club like that exists?! So phantoms have those kinds of hobbies as well?!
“How could it? I was merely giving a light hearted joke, humorless Young Master.”
I rubbed Rangii’s head to heal the mental injuries I received.
“Huh? Heheheheh…”
Rangii laughed happily, unclear on why I was doing that.
“So, what was it you said earlier? That you have some business outside?”
“I’ll tell you!”
Rangii removed my hand from her head and she took a few steps back.
“You know how there’s a bad rumor about you circulating among the phantoms, right?”
I nodded my head.
“So I talked with Saehee about that earlier!”
Ah, so Saehee was absent multiple times because of that.
“In the end, it was decided that I would go stand before the kids who want to do bad things to you and tell them that I’ll roar at them if they do anything weird! What do you think? Aren’t you happy? It was a surprise present. It is a wife’s duty for her husband to… Unyaa? Wh-Why are you like that all of a sudden?”
The heck. I must’ve let my emotions show on my face. I put one hand over my mouth and said,
“One second.”
I patted Rangii on the shoulder and walked towards Saehee.
“What could be the problem?”
“Follow me for a bit.”
“Uh, um, Sunghoon. What’s wrong? Did I say something bad? Are you mad that I made this decision by myself? Are you mad that I hid this? Is that why you’re like this?”
“That not it. Just stay there for a bit. Absolutely do not follow us.”
“Huweng?!”
I felt bad for Rangii as she was so bewildered, but that wasn’t the issue. I grabbed Saehee’s wrist, walked to the corner of the courtyard where Rangii couldn’t hear us, and pushed Saehee so she had the wall against her back.
“Hey. You bitch. How’d this happen? You said that if the other phantoms found out the truth, then they’d go berserk! Rangii told me she didn’t come to this decision by herself, that she talked with you about this, so how’d this happen?!”
Saehee looked at me as if I were pathetic.
“There is a limit even to misunderstandings.”
“I’m not in a joking mood, got it? Doing something like that will put Rangii in danger! What the hell were you thinking?!”
In sharp contrast to my raised voice, Saehee replied in a softly.
“This is all for Master, ehem.”
Why was she suddenly clearing her throat? Eventually, when Saehee opened her mouth, I was absolutely astonished.
“I’m going to stand before those kids who want to do bad things to you and tell them that I’ll roar at them if they do anything weird! “
And that was because Saehee’s voice suddenly changed into Rangii’s! Even while I was rendered speechless at the shock, Saehee continued to speak in Rangii’s voice.
“Don’t worry! The Young Master will remain as a human trash, human scum, lolicon, pedophile, pervert, crook, but Master will show that after falling to your malign influence, she has come back to her senses. So there is no reason to worry about Master’s safety!”
I understood what Saehee was trying to tell me. However.
“But why did the short-tempered Young Master cut me off and curse at me?! You’re so mean! The Young Master is so mean! A Young Master like that should be beaten!”
For God’s sake, just please stop talking like that and with that voice! Hearing Rangii’s innocent voice and speech-style along with your expressionless face and malice are going to make my head explode!
“S-Stop that! Please stop!! I’m sorry! I was one hundred percent in the wrong, so please stop!”
“If you so desire, I can also emulate Narae-nim’s, Kkachi-nim’s, or Jeongmi-nim’s voices as well.”
Thankfully, Saehee returned her voice to normal before my head exploded. Ah, so this is what a psychological attack is like.
“If you’re not planning on killing me, then please don’t do that again.”
The corners of Saehee’s mouth raised slightly.
“I can also make erotic noises.”
…Ugh! Did you really think I’d fall for that sweet temptation!!
“F-For real?”
My body is honest. However, to my shock, Saehee replied with,
“My son, you have truly become a lech, haven’t you? How about I punish you after so long?!”
I was met with my mom’s strict words. I lowered my head right away, rubbed my hands together pitifully, and begged for forgiveness.
“I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
…Wait. Isn’t there no way Mom’s really here? I looked up and saw Saehee looking at me as if I were a bug. Ah, I’m ashamed. If a mousehole were available, I’d hide in it. I coughed and spoke to Saehee.
“Khm, I mean, I’m a man so I couldn’t help but…”
“I shall continue to speak like my sister-in-law.”
“I’m sorry! I truly prefer your original voice, so please don’t speak like that!”
“Then I shall leave you be.”
Saehee gracefully relented. I was so exhausted that I wanted to sit down on the ground.
“Moving on, there is nothing for the Young Master to worry about. Please relax.”
“…Okay. But since when were you so good at mimicry?”
“Changgwi are phantoms who tempt humans to offer as meals to their tiger. This is among the most basic of skills. The young master should practice this.”
“Don’t say something so unpleasant.”
Because if this were Korean language class, the teacher would say, “This is foreshadowing Sunghoon’s future.” Don’t you dare underline that. And don’t add any annotations, either.
“Even after this is all over, there will be no large change. Though there should be no more phantoms like Kkachi-nim who try to kill you.”
“…Doesn’t that mean that if you did this sooner, there would have been no reason for Kkachi to come here?”
“There were many variables to consider before coming to this decision. The most convenient choice for me would have been to kill the phantoms who sought to take the Young Master’s life. However, do you not agree that I had no choice but to go along with this, because the Young Master was not content with only Master, Narae-nim, and me in your harem?”
This would have seemed like the usual venomous phrases Saehee uses, but, strangely enough, I could understand what she was really saying.
“I’m sor-“
I tried to apologize to Saehee, but,
“Now the Young Master’s notoriety will become even more well known throughout the world. The dishonorable human who used Master to guarantee his own safety.”
Saehee cut me off and asked me something with her eyes.
Do you understand what I am saying, Young Master?
I answered like Saehee.
“Well, so what if I use Rangii a little? She’s using me as well.”
After thinking about it clearly, I realized that Rangii and I are in a relationship where we both rely on each other. So it didn’t matter.
“You receive a perfect score.”
But what the heck’s up with her grading scale?
“That aside, I will ask you something despite knowing you will refuse.”
“What?”
“Would you not like to go with Master?”
“What about Chii?”
“I will bury her in the ground with only her head sticking out. Kkachi-nim is a phantom. She will not die.”
She’s saying some scary things as always.
“It’s fine. In that case, I’ll stay here.”
“However, you will be in danger if you stay here.”
In danger? Ah, because of Chii? There’s a large possibility that she’ll play some serious pranks on me while Rangii and Saehee are gone. But I believed in Chii. That she wouldn’t play those kinds of pranks again. And I always had Baduk if necessary, right?
“It’s okay. I’ll deal with it.”
“Understood, Young Master.”
Rangii was worried after I returned from my short conversation with Saehee. So worried that her splendid clothes were put to waste. I committed an unforgivable sin. Things ended up like this because I was thinking too rashly. When I walked onto the porch, Rangii scurried towards me with her hands clenched into fists and tears in the corners of her eyes.
“D-Did I do something wrong? If I did, tell me. I’ll apologize and beg for forgiveness.”
It seemed that while I was talking with Saehee, Rangii racked her brain in a panic, trying and failing to remember anything she did wrong. Though that should have been obvious. Rangii didn’t do anything wrong.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. It was nothing.”
I quickly said that to calm her down, but Rangii pulled down on my t-shirt.
“But you made a scary face earlier!”
I failed to calm her down. So I cheated a little.
“No, you see.”
Geez, someone save me.
I put my arms on Rangii’s head and leaned on her as I spoke.
“I was just worried that my adorable Rangii might end up getting in trouble with those phantoms.”
What I said didn’t make much sense to me either, but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t a lie. Thankfully, it seemed like Rangii accepted what I said. Because her previously drooping, lifeless tail was now proudly raised. Rangii pushed against my belly with both her hands and spoke, her face blushing.
“Sunghoon, you’re really making me happy! Because of you, my heart started racing!”
My heart was racing as well.
“But don’t worry! After all, no one could possibly harm me!”
“Yeah.”
I patted Rangii’s soft hair. Her hair tickled my hand as it passed through my fingers. Having her hair unbraided really did make patting her head feel better. I might get addicted to this. I felt like I could do this all day.
“Unya… It feels nice since you’re being so much more caring than normal.”
With her mood now lifted, Rangii buried her face in my belly and hugged me tight, her arms wrapping around my waist. Ah, this is seriously dangerous. Saehee intervened to save me from this predicament.
“Young Master. I apologize for interrupting this rare heart-warming scene, there is something I must give you.”
“What is it?”
I said while somehow prying Rangii off of me. Saehee took out something tied to a black and white string from her sleeve. But it didn’t seem like the kind of thing a normal person would be carrying around. She took out something that looked like a pot lid. It was clearly made from steel. I accepted it for the time being and asked Saehee:
“What is this?”
“It is a pot lid.”
I knew that without you telling me. I looked at the lid and saw the words “Made in Saehee” engraved on the inside of it.
“Did you make it yourself?!”
“Do you have an issue with that?”
I shouldn’t respond. After all, I realized long ago that if I keep questioning every little thing she does, I’ll just end up in the hospital.
“No. Then at least tell me why you gave me a pot lid.”
Saehee finally gave me an answer that I wanted to hear.
“It is a precaution in case the Young Master is in danger while Master, Baduk, and I are gone.”
That surprised me a little.
“Baduk’s going too?”
But I was one-hundred percent sure that Baduk would stay here?
Rangii replied, “I’m taking her as an example of a phantom that listens to you. I wanted you to keep her here to make sure you were safe, but Saehee said that it’d be best to bring her with us.”
“She does, after all, need to be taken on walks.”
But Baduk’s a dog phantom, not a dog.
“That is why I prepared that pot lid.”
“Did you think I’d be able to protect myself with such a small lid?”
“It is not a normal lid.”
Yeah. Like you said, it wasn’t a normal lid. A normal one could be used as a shield, but what the heck was I supposed to do with this? I was more than a little skeptical…
“Should the Young Master be in danger, please scratch the lid. Then, regardless of where you are or what you are doing, the Young Master will arrive at Master’s side.”
Now I looked at her with openly doubtful eyes.
“Is that magic as well?”
“This is not even at the level of magic. I simply applied a bit of my own power to it.”
After she said that, I remembered the story of a changgwi that scratched a pot lid and teleported all the humans hiding in their home outside. I was fascinated to find out that she could use that power in such a way.
“There is normally a barrier to stop any uninvited phantoms from entering, but…”
Saehee didn’t finish her sentence and turned to look at something. I followed her gaze and saw the remains of the wall from when Rangii and Baduk played, and the partially destroyed front gate. This wouldn’t even keep out humans, let alone phantoms.
“It would be best to expect nothing of these defenses.”
“I knew that much just from looking.”
Rangii began shaking.
“Hehehehe.”
So you think you can just laugh and get away with it?
“I thought about what to do, too.”
“What?”
Instead of replying, Rangii opened her mouth wide. I watched nervously, asking myself what she was going to do, and Rangii put hand in her mouth, and,
“Unyak!”
Her face contorted into a grimace as she yelled in pain. Eventually, she removed her hand from her mouth and I was able to see what looked like a fang…
“This is… Nyaa!”
I paid no attention to what she was saying and I opened her mouth while taking out a handkerchief. You idiot! What the heck were you thinking?! How could you just take out a healthy tooth like that? You’ll end up bleeding like crazy…there’s no blood? In her mouth was only a wiggling tongue and a perfect set of teeth; there was no gap to indicate that she just pulled out a tooth. This made no sense.
“Nyaaaaa…”
Rangii began struggling, maybe because keeping her mouth open like that was painful. I released her for the time being.
“Wh-Why’d you do that?”
I ignored Rangii’s whining and spoke to Saehee.
“Explain.”
“She is a phantom.”
So cool. I was left speechless at how cool she was. Because I couldn’t become as cool a person as Saehee, I explained to Rangii why I did that.
“You surprised me. Humans bleed if they have their tooth pulled out.”
“Ah, you did that because you were worried?”
Rangii grinned at me.
“I’m happy. Sunghoon really is caring!”
Who wouldn’t be worried after seeing someone pull out one of their teeth with only her bare hands?
“I don’t know about that, but don’t do that again, okay? You really surprised me.”
Even if there was no permanent damage, it still hurt her a lot. Rangii nodded, a happy expression on her face.
“Okay! I won’t make Sunghoon worry!”
Please keep that promise.
“So, why’d you pull out your tooth?”
“Ah, if you keep this with you, it’ll protect you. Eh…so, um…”
Rangii put her finger on her cheek, thinking hard, but gave up and looked at Saehee.
“It would be easiest to think of it as a good luck charm.”
“That’s right! A good luck charm! This won’t just cancel out a bit of magic if you touch a phantom with it; since it has my power in it, it’ll cancel out even powerful magic several times! That way you’ll have enough time to use the pot lid to escape! But be careful because it’ll only cancel out magic.”
I was thinking about whether I’d need something like this, but Saehee added to the explanation.
“Without it, the defenseless Young Master will almost surely be killed before you have the chance to use the pot lid.”
I decided to accept it gratefully. I took Rangii’s tooth and put it in my pocket.
“However, I do not have anything to stop the Young Master from trembling in fear as Kkachi-nim did.”
“Do you really think I’d be trembling?”
“This place is the Young Master’s territory. There are already few phantoms who are able to go against Master’s will, and even if one does directly do what she has forbidden, Master will notice such a transgression.”
“That’s right! When a kid like that enters my territory, I feel a shock go through me. If that happens, I’ll run to your side right away!”
After hearing that, I felt that something didn’t add up. But before I could figure out what it was, Saehee spoke for Rangii.
“Are your worries now assuaged?”
I stopped trying to figure out the discrepancy.
“I wasn’t worried in the first place.”
Think about it. There was no way Chii would play such severe pranks that I’d be forced to run away to Rangii. The weird ones were you two who were giving me these kinds of tools. I was more worried about Rangii than myself.
“But how are you going to convince them? Doesn’t the rumor say that I’m the absolute worst villain in the world? Will you really be able to?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll…”
“Master.”
In a rare turn of events, Saehee cut Rangii off.
“Rather than explain through words, it would be easiest to simply show the constantly mistaken Young Master.”
Who’d you say is constantly mistaken?
“Ah, you’re right.”
And you’re not going to deny it?! I’m a little shocked!
Rangii moved away from me and cleared her throat. She then raised her arms and she swung them down violently, her sleeves shaking.
It was like she was a different person.
A mysterious force was pressing down on my shoulders, commanding me to get down on my knees. That force told me to swear my loyalty to the one standing in front of me, and to give up my life should she wish it. This was the exact feeling that force was giving me. It whispered to me that all things in this world existed only for the sake of the great phantom standing before me. Compelled by the force, I was about to get down when…I clenched my teeth and refused to budge.
Don’t toy with me. Who’s supposed to get down on his knees for whom? Me for Rangii? That’s ridiculous. Don’t you look down on me! I’m the one who has to protect her!
I resisted the force and kept my legs ramrod straight. Rangii, unaware of what was happening to me, spoke in a dignified voice that she would never use normally.
“Obey me.”
I almost blurted out a “yes.” But I clenched my teeth and held it in. Thankfully, immediately after saying those words with such force, the ominous power disappeared.
I almost sat on the ground in relief. If Saehee hadn’t appeared behind me to hold me up with her body, I would’ve done just that. I felt just a little more energetic after feeling that small, soft sensation on my back.
“Wonderfully done, Young Master. But how can you remain faithful to your instincts even in this situaiton?”
Then don’t cling to me.
“Shut up. Who’s the one who decided to test me in the first place.”
It was obvious. She must be smiling. The heck. Did you really think I wouldn’t know what you meant when you said that? Don’t underestimate me.
“I am pleased that you understand.”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
The person primarily responsible for what just happened, Rangii, seemed to not know why I had nearly collapsed. You brat. Try and think about how a weak human would feel when he’s confronted by a scary tiger.
Since I couldn’t stay in Saehee’s embrace forever, I tried standing upright. Saehee released me, probably thinking that I was okay now. I exhaled deeply, and refreshed my head.
Pheeeew.
And after that cathartic exhale, I hit Rangii on the head.
“Unyak?!”
“You brat. You need to give me a warning if you’re going to do something like that. You scared me. Did you forget that I’m just a normal human?”
Rangii’s mouth dropped open.
“…Ah.”
Did she really forget that? Haa, I sighed. Living with a phantom is difficult. Her head lowered, Rangii fidgeted with her fingers and looked me in the eye as she grabbed my hand.
“I’m sorry. Are you mad? I won’t do it again, so don’t be mad. If you get mad, then I’ll want to cry.”
She drew circles on the palm of my hand with her small finger. It was clear that she knew she’d acted wrongly, so I should forgive her. I held Rangii’s hand and replied.
“Do I look mad?”
Rangii shook her head.
“Now you don’t.”
“Then it’s fine, right?”
“Hehehehe.”
After seeing Rangii smile like that, it was hard to believe that she had looked so dignified earlier.
“Ah, but there’s another thing,” Rangii said.
“Hm? What is it?”
“Can’t you just yell really loudly like you did in Seoul? Or can you not?”
“Uk?!”
Rangii was surprised and her tail straightened like an arrow. It was as if I found out something she was trying to keep hidden.
“I-I could, but…”
Her words trailed off, and she lowered her head as she pouted and hesitated.
“But?”
“Uh-um…”
Rangii tightened her hands into fists. Hey, that hurts.
“Shouting loud enough for the far away kids to hear would make my voice hoarse.”
“…What?”
Rangii broke eye contact and looked away.
“Long ago, I did that once because I had something to say to all the kids in Korea, but afterwards, I couldn’t talk for three days.”
“No, but what’s the problem? That should be better than leaving for a few days…”
“No!”
That scared me! Rangii, unlike usual, yelled with a childish voice.
“I really, really hate my voice like that! I’ll sound like Grandma Samshin! I don’t want to let Sunghoon hear my voice like that! No way, absolutely no way! If you hear me like that, you won’t even want to see me! That’s why it’s better to leave for a few days!!”
…No, but what heck happened to your voice if you’re so against it? I couldn’t understand. No, with my sense of the world, I’ve never been able to understand this tiger. I should just think of this like that. Trying to convince a stubborn kid is difficult.
“That aside, Young Master?”
“What.”
“I have prepared meals for you and Kkachi-nim, so please take them out at meal times.”
Suddenly bringing up daily necessities, it was like she was an old la…I mean, that was nice of her. Yeah, extremely nice. I didn’t have any other thoughts.
“I also put clothes in the drawer in your room. Two spares should be enough.”
“Ah, thanks.”
“Also.”
For some reason, Saehee had an odd smile on her face.
“As it will only be you and Kkachi-nim, please practice hard for the sake of Master.”
Yeah. You’d only smile like that in times like this.
“Do you really think I’d do something like that?”
“Yes.”
I knew you’d say that.
“Regardless, I have prepared a small something for you, so until Master comes back, please enjoy yourself at your leisure.”
Hearing her say she prepared something gave me chills down my back.
“But Sunghoon.”
Rangii suddenly said my name.
“What?”
“Um, is it okay if I ask you for a favor?”
“Like what?”
“Um, you see. Doesn’t this meen we won’t be able to see each other for a few days? So because of that, because of that!”
Seeing a fire light up in her face, I could tell what she wanted. You brat. Without saying anything, I bent forward until my eyes were level with hers. I spoke to that little kid as she avoided eye contact while making slight glances at me, her face blushing.
“Close your eyes.”
Rangii cautiously closed her eyes. It was cute seeing her eyebrows wriggling and her lips sticking out slightly. But still, you brat. What in the world do you think you were asking me for? I flicked Rangii’s lips with my finger.
“Ow!”
Rangii opened her eyes widely in surprise. My name is Kang Sunghoon. A man who defies expectations.
“Uu…that’s so mean. So mean!! Sunghoon is bad!”
I gave a surprise peck on her forehead as Rangii was about to burst into tears. She was going through so much trouble for my sake, so this much should be okay.
“…Huh?”
Rangii first looked confused, then her face morphed into a grin as she hugged me by the neck and kissed me on the cheek. Not only that, but she was sucking on it, hey, hey. You’ll stretch out my cheek. Stop it.
“…”
I can tell what you want to say even if you don’t say it, Miss Saehee.