Third Story
“Huwaaaah…”
I gave a hearty yawn and began to stretch. Man, I couldn’t sleep well because of Rangii. She was way too clingy, and I woke up several times because she’d bite me in different places. I mean, why would you bite someone in the neck? Are you a vampire or something? At least figure out what you really are.
I walk into the courtyard so that I can wash my face. I needed to wake myself up; I didn’t want to argue with Saehee when I was still half-asleep. It had been a while since I’d seen Baduk in her dog form, and there she was sleeping curled up in the corner. I normally didn’t think about this, but seeing her in that form reminded me of a fact. The people who live here aren’t humans; they’re phantoms. Though Rangii may look like a cute little girl, her true form is a phantom the size of Jirisan. Then what could Saehee’s true form? She’s Rangii’s changgwi, but I get the feeling that she’s actually a snake or a 5,000 year old nine-tailed fox.
I must still be half asleep. While thinking these ridiculous thoughts, I turned on the faucet, and water collects in the basin below. The cold water clears my head of any sleepiness, and as I wiped my face dry of the water, the front gate opened. Baduk’s ears perked up then down again. Isn’t she a little too relaxed? At least open your eyes and look at the door. That’s why I decided to act as this place’s guard dog.
The one who opened the gate was Narae. She had on a t-shirt and shorts perfect to run in. She was breathing hard and her shirt was drenched in sweat, so she likely went out on a morning run.
Is she on a diet? If that’s the case, then I’m absolutely against it. Because I’ve heard that when a girl’s dieting, her breasts are the first thing to get smaller.
“You were awake?”
“Yeah. Why were you out?”
“Some light jogging.”
That was something I could never even imagine doing. Doing exercise first thing in the morning. But as far as I knew, Narae didn’t do a lot of exercise. With exercise comes a lot of movements that, for a girl with huge breasts like Narae, make her breasts bounce due to gravity…
“Uh huh.”
Crap. She caught me.
Narae stomped towards me and pinched my cheek. Owww.
“How can you think about dirty things first thing in the morning?”
I have an objection. I was merely thinking about gravity and the energy needed to exercise.
“I wasn’t thinking about anything dirty.”
I dismiss your accusation.
“Yes you were. Haven’t you realized you’ve been staring at my breasts this entire time?”
I apologize.
I need to buy a pair of sunglasses or something. I wonder if any stores deliver here?
“And what’s your excuse?”
Thankfully, Narae didn’t look particularly upset about this entire thing. Maybe she used up all her destructive energies while jogging. That made me want to tease her a little.
“I am a man.”
Despite my words, I still wanted to live, so I bowed my heads in a respectful apology. Narae scoffed and folded her arms underneath her breasts, lifting up her already prominent bosom.
“Well spoken.”
Normally, my side would have been on fire by now, but it looked like that was all she had to say.
“Are you done washing up?”
“Yeah.”
“Then leave for a bit. I want to wash myself.”
My apparently still half-asleep brain caused my mouth to move on its own after I imagined what Narae meant by washing her sweat-covered body in the courtyard.
“No, Narae. You should take better care of your body, don’t you agree? Even if no one’s here, taking a shower outside during the day, totally naked, is—aghhhh!”
It turns out, getting hit by a bucket and getting by a basin feels similar. One difference is that the basin won’t bend, so it hurts more. Because the basin’s harder.
“When did I say I was going to take a shower here?!”
“You said you were going to wash yourself. Ah, were you going to pour the water down your back?”
My shin hurts.
“Would.You.Stop! I’m just going to wash my face!”
That course of action probably follows most common sensically with what she said. What’s wrong with me these days? Could I really be as pent-up(?) as Saehee said? Shouldn’t I deal with that somehow?
…The fact that I’m thinking these things at all may be the problem.
“So, are you going to move or not?”
“I shall.”
I took an exaggerated step to the side. Narae smiled brightly when she saw me do this.
“I’m sorry, Mister Pervert, but I have no need for you.”
I turn my head and decide to admire the scenery. The sight of nature, the white fog covering the mountains, is truly beautiful. Seeing me do that, Narae kicked me, laughed a little, and then leaned forward to wash her face with the water collecting in the basin.
But remember what I said? Narae’s shirt is completely drenched in sweat. And a place that tends to sweat a lot is a person’s back. So it’s perfectly normal for a shirt to cling to a person’s back when she sweat so much. That’s right. Just like Narae. And because she was leaning forward, I could see something that was normally hidden from view. I’m referring to her bra. Or rather, her bra straps. I don’t know if there’s any specific nomenclature for them since I’m a guy and have no interest in women’s undergarments, but I at least know what that protruding part is called. The hook. The part that keeps a bra on a girl’s chest.
No, no! That’s not what I’m trying to say. I’m saying that because her shirt’s wet with sweat, the line of her bra is completely visible, and I can’t tear my eyes away from them.
Gulp. I unconsciously swallow the saliva sitting in my mouth. I wonder if it’s human nature to want to partake of the forbidden fruit that is before him. I was thinking about what would happen if I were to unhook her bra. You know, that prank that mischievous boys occasionally play during elementary school. Of course, I never did it because I was too scared of the consequences, and Narae’s never had it done on her because everyone was too scared of what she’d do to them afterward…Why, after so long, am I feeling the desire to do something like that?
Do it. Right now. Now’s the time. Half of humanity is on my side. Think about it. Just imagine. Those breasts already bounce so much due to the effects of gravity even despite being held by her bra. So what would happen if I were to unhook her bra right now? Imagine it! But is simply imagining it enough? Of course not! Come on! Now do it. Then engrave the sight of her breasts being freed of that confining bra and boucning freely into your very eyes! How wonderfully magnificent would that sight be to behold?! Any man would happily lay down his life for that!
I apologize. I want to live to a ripe old age. If I did that, I really would die. She wouldn’t view it as just a prank. My survival instinct beat my sexual desire. I looked away just as Narae finished washing her face.
“Haa! That feels great!”
She seems to be done. I turned back around and saw Narae turn her dampened head this way and that before reaching her hand out to me. Why’d she do that?
“Lend me a towel.”
“A towel?”
The only things in the courtyard are a faucet, a ceiling that looks like it was hastily constructed, and some basic toiletries. But no towel. She was asking me to bring her one from inside the house.
“Want me to get you one?”
Narae frowned.
“Then what’s that around your neck?”
“The towel I used.”
“And is a towel that you used a towel?”
“…But I used it.”
“What does that matter? Just give it.”
She doesn’t care? Narae once again motioned for me to give it. I guess she really doesn’t. Maybe I’m being too sensitive. I spread open the towel I had around my neck and hand it to Narae. Narae tears it almost angrily from my grip and then, after vigorously wiping her face dry, wraps it around her neck. Narae must want to bring it to put it in the washing machine.
“Want me to put it in the washing machine for you?”
Narae slaps away my outreached hand, her face blushing furiously. Ouch, that hurt. What was that for?
“It’s fine. I’m going to use it, so don’t worry about it.”
Hm? Did I mishear her?
“What did you say?”
“I-I said I’ll bring it there myself!”
I guess I did mishear her.
“If you’re going to do that for me, then thanks.”
“I’m going to take a shower now. Don’t even think about peeping.”
What? If you’re going to take a shower, then why wash your face? Ah, was that why? Did she want to wash herself that badly? But still.
“You won’t have to worry about that if you lock the door.”
“I’m not going to.”
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (tn: Thanks, Jesus!)
But wasn’t there a movie about a person who wasn’t delivered from evil?
“…So I can look?”
Narae favors me with a bright smile and puts her hand on my side.
“What do you think will happen if you do?”
“I-I’m not sure.”
I anticipated the searing pain that would send my brain into panic mode, but I was dead wrong.
“If you’re curious, then go ahead and peek.”
Instead of pinching my side, Narae slides her hand up from my side to my chest, then pokes me with a coy smile on her face!
“Of course, if you do, then I really will kill you.”
Please, for the love of God, Narae-nim, match your actions with your words!
When I return to the room, I find Rangii staring off into space and blinking her eyes. It seems like she’s thinking hard about something, but more than likely, she’s just still half-asleep.
“Go wash up if you’re awake.”
Rangii blinks a few times, then, after shaking her head vigorously, looks up at me with her usual cheerfully bright eyes. She’s fully awake now.
“Sunghoon.”
“What?”
Rangii gives a big smile.
“So you’ve finally decided to take me!!”
If Chii were here, her hair would be sky-high. What Rangii said didn’t make any sense, but, for whatever reason, Rangii’s tail is wagging fast, as if she’s happy about something.
“You didn’t wake me up last night, and you didn’t try and kick me out!”
I tried. You were just so tired that you wouldn’t wake up.
“This is a first, the first time this has happened”
But with Rangii so happy, there was nothing I could do but go along with her.
“Yeah, yeah. This is the first time.”
“That’s why I’m happy! Super happy! Now we can sleep together and love each other in the same bed!”
Those words cause me, for just a moment, to seriously think this: I wonder how happy I’d feel, if Rangii said that to me after she understands what that really means. …I must have lost my marbles. I should take revenge, then. I grab Rangii by the collar of her shirt and lift her up.
“Huh?”
I open the door.
“W-Wait, Sunghoon! I’m not some parcel: I’m your bride!”
I place her down and close the door. It’s plainly obvious she’s going to try and enter again, so I stop her.
“I’m getting changed, so don’t open the door. If you do, I’ll seriously get mad.”
Rangii opened the door by just a single centimeter, a single amber eye peeking through the gap, before she shut the door. It’s a good thing I said that.
“Uuu, that’s unfair. We’ve already seen each other so many times, so what’s the problem?”
“I’ll get mad.”
“Okay…”
I take off my clothes except for my underwear, and, as always, Saehee had already prepared me a change of clothes. That’s when I heard someone approaching from outside. Saehee isn’t one to make any sound when she walks, so is it Narae? She must have finished her shower and is walking back to her room. Great, then after I get changed, I can have Rangii wash up. While thinking that, I continue getting changed when I hear the sound of conversation from behind the door.
“Huh? Rangii. What’re you doing here?”
“Sunghoon kicked me out. I want to go back in, but he said he’d get mad if I open the door.”
“Why’s that?”
“What’s worse, what’s worse! Sunghoon grabbed me like I was some package and threw me out! That’s why I’m really, really sad!”
“…Is that so?”
Wait, no, wait! Why do I feel like Rangii’s one-sided interpretation is about to bite me in the butt?
“I’m coming in!”
Narae yells, her temper flaring.
“W-Wait!”
I hop on the floor, desperately trying to put on my pants. And right before I can fully put them on, I hear the door slide open.
“Uwaaaagh?!”
Caught off guard, I lose my balance as I try and put on my pants, and I fall to the ground. Bam! Hell’s bells, my head. I’m just lucky that the blanket was there to cushion my fall.
“…Sorry. Were you getting dressed?”
Clutching the back of my aching head, I look up to find Narae looking down at me. She saw me totally shirtless, with my pants around my ankles, and sprawled on the blanket. I don’t want to know what Narae’s looking at right now.
“W-Where do you think you’re looking?!”
Thinking that our roles were reversed, I gather the blanket and cover myself with it. My scream seems to have brought Narae back to her senses, because she blushes, then matches my scream with one of her own.
“As if there’s anything to even look at!”
She said that so firmly that I was at a loss about what to say. But still! B-But still! There has to be at least something, right?! I’m so shocked that I can’t even form words, and Narae crosses her arms and begins to stomp on the floor.
“Or, what? Do you think I’m in the wrong here? What were you doing, treating Rangii like some package in the first place?!”
My tail fell to the floor immediately. There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but explaining everything would just get me killed. I should hold it in. Holding in my words is my only chance for survival.
Rangii, the next time you deserve a pat on the head, I won’t give it to you!
“No, wait. I’m just embarrassed,” I explained.
“Huh? What’re you embarrassed about?”
Rangii had been staring at me this entire time, only her head sticking out from behind Rangii, then she made a question mark with her hair.
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Haven’t we seen each other’s naked forms many times?”
Rangii casually said something that could get me killed. I guess the saying is true: children are innocent and pure, but this can also make them wicked and cruel.
Narae’s face turns white as bone. I’m not sure why, but I can see from Narae’s eyes that she mistakenly believes that Rangii and I have done all kinds of things together. After she recovers from her shock, I’m dead. Seriously dead. I desperately try to explain before Narae can remove me from this mortal coil.
“Wait! Everything that you’re thinking, none of it happened! There’s a reason for everything! Accidents! I have a good explanation for everything!”
“An explanation?”
“Yeah! Like when I had to bathe Rangii! Or when we were being healed…”
“Wait!”
Huh? Was it something I said? Why is Narae clenching her fist?
“D-Don’t tell me. Were you naked with her when you were bathing Rangii?”
Why would I go take a bath with my clothes on?
“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you this earlier?”
I feel like I did tell her that we took a bath together, though.
“And what did you do when you were there?”
“What did I do? I bathed Rangii. So nothing hap…”
Right then. Rangii, who had until now been watching silently, suddenly butts in as if trying to help me.
“That’s right! Sunghoon, he…um, uh, what was it again?”
Rangii quiets down, making a question mark with her hair as she tries to remember a particular word, then claps her hands together before continuing to speak.
“Ah! Shower towel! Yeah! The shower towel was so rough that, in order to save me from tears, Sunghoon tenderly bathed me with his own two hands! He was so gentle, and his hands felt super good!”
I heard something snap within Narae. As if her sanity—or her self-control—had broken in two. Narae took a step forward and looked down at me, her eyes fully terrorizing me. I wanted to run away right then and there, but I only had on underwear. I stay still, unable to do anything, when Narae inserts her hand into her cleavage and takes an object out.
Knuckle dusters. She fits the matte black knuckles onto her hand. The world has become a dangerous place, so it’s no surprise that a girl would carry something for self-defense, but that’s strange. Seriously strange. I mean, aren’t knuckle dusters about as far from self-defense weapons as you can get? And I suppose there’s no point in asking her how she pulled knuckle dusters from her boobs.
“…I guess I need to instill certain sexual values into you by force. Clench your teeth, Sunghoon. Otherwise, you might get seriously hurt.”
If you hit me with that, clenching my teeth won’t matter. Narae, newly freed from her sanity and self-control, raises her fist.
“N-Narae! Sunghoon’s too feeble! If you hit him with that, he’ll die!”
I’m grateful that you’re trying to stop Narae, but couldn’t you have picked your words a little better?
“Then he can die, this trashy lolicon!”
“B-But I’m glad that Sunghoon’s a lolico…”
“What was that, Rangii, sweetie?”
In a flash. Rangii takes one look at Narae’s eyes that are full of terrifying flames, screams “Heeek?! S-Sunghoon, save me!” and wraps her arms around my neck as she cowers behind me. I can feel her trembling, and her eyes are closed shut. Yep. This is the Tiger-nim, the one who swore she’d protect me should any crisis come my way. Rangii’s words, however, caused Narae’s sanity to return, and she returns her knuckle dusters into her cleavage. I’m saved. I can endure a few bare punches, at least. I can only hope that Narae will calm down sooner rather than later. But Narae’s violence disguised as punishment never comes.
“Even lolicons are human. The Young Master may have the devious desire to prey on young girls, but I believe that he still has the right to live, Narae-nim. If you are to act on your emotions now, you will surely regret your decision while cradling the Young Master’s corpse.”
Saehee appeared without a single sound and grabbed Narae’s hand, preventing her fist from making contact. I never imagined I would ever feel so grateful for Saehee’s sudden appearances. Once Saehee was sure Narae will stop, she released Narae’s wrist. Narae brushes off the hand that Saehee grabbed, as if trying to clean her hand after making contact with filth, and then crosses her arms.
“…I was just a little upset.”
“I am relieved to hear that. Your conversation just now gave me a good idea, but it would all be for naught should the Young Master be in need of critical care.”
Saehee’s understanding of a good idea is probably different from mine. Narae, however, is unaware of our differing values, and she gives Saehee the chance to continue talking.
“What is it? Do you have a better idea that beating him half to death?”
How did you become so violent, Narae-nim?
“As much as I would enjoy seeing the Young Master’s corpse wrapped up in a straw mat, is there not something more urgent that needs to be taken care of first?”
I think I know what Saehee’s talking about. The video Ungnyeo wants. If I realized that, then Narae definitely has as well.
“And? What exactly do you want to film right now? Me beating the crap out of Sunghoon?”
That would be a scene from a horror movie.
“I would like to film the three of you bathing and giving in to your carnal lust—pardon—reaffirming your feelings for one another.”
Silence fills the room. All because of Saehee’s shocking revelation. Narae and I were at a loss for words, but Rangii, with her ears perked up and practically bouncing on top of me, runs to Saehee and hugs her as if celebrating.
“That’s a wonderful idea!!”
Don’t add fire to the oil! Wait, I mean don’t add oil to the fire! I can see from Saehee’s eyes that she’s already more than ready to force us into doing as she wants, so what are you doing agreeing with her?!
I force myself to speak and keep a cool head—no, I mean I force myself to keep a cool head and speak.
“What’re you talking about? You seriously want us to do that?!”
“Have you not already done so with the Master?”
“That’s only because Rangii’s still a kid!”
“The same applies for Narae-nim, no?”
Please listen close, Saehee-nim. I just said that Rangii’s a kid, didn’t I? Then there’s a pretty obvious reason why Narae doesn’t belong in the same category. They’re like night and day. Besides, I was only able to bathe Rangii because I convinced myself that I was just washing an animal, a tiger. There’s no way I could do that now. I look at my past self, the one who bathed her without his eyes straying even once, and all I see is an idiot. How the heck was I able to think of Rangii as nothing more than a tiger back then?
Narae is stunned speechless and stares at Saehee as if she were speaking gibberish. I can’t let Narae stay like that for long. I’ll need her support if I want to have a chance of beating Saehee.
“Narae, say something.”
“T-That’s right! No! Hell no! It’s too soon to do that!”
…I don’t think timing has anything to do with it.
“Is now not perfectly well-timed? All you need to do is wash your body.”
“Not in the slightest. Are you sure you don’t have a screw loose?”
Narae’s response elicits a tiny smile from Saehee as she answers.
“Understood. I already anticipated that you would be so selfish as to use your discomfort as an excuse despite how important this is to the Master and the Young Master. But then, I suppose I must make allowances for the sensitivity of a 17-year-old girl, even when such dangers may befall us all again.”
Why’re you bringing that up again?!
“Ugh!”
“Alas, if you will not follow Ungnyeo’s demands, then I suppose we must move on to a different scene…”
I couldn’t stand istening to Saehee any longer. I couldn’t stand watching Saehee practically bludgeon Narae over the head by bringing up such painful memories. Those memories are between Narae and me alone. I refuse to allow someone to toy with Narae by mentioning those memories. That’s why I stood straight up and shouted at her.
“Stop…”
“I-I’ll do it!”
Narae drowned out what I was saying. Narae continues, her face red and close to tears.
“I’ll do it! You got it?! I don’t even know anymore! I don’t care! If all I have to do is take off my clothes, then I will!”
I do care, however. Narae’s outburst brought me back to my senses, and I felt a chill go down my spine. Narae, too incensed to be able to realize what she’s saying, grabs my wrist and continues speaking.
“Let’s go.”
With near-herculean strength, she forces me to follow her, but why does this scene remind me of a cartoon I saw when I was a kid, when the main character shouts, “Strength of the bear?!” (tn: reference to the cartoon, BraveStarr). I feel someone pushing me from behind, and so, I end up with no way to escape. But humans are blessed with the ability to think! I need to convince her. Convince Narae not to do this.
“Narae! Wait, Narae-nim! Time out, please! I know how you feel, but let’s talk this out first! Please, let’s talk! Are we not both human beings capable of conversation?!”
No, Narae was a bear on whom words didn’t work. While being dragged across the room by Narae, right before I pass the door’s threshold, I cling for dear life to the side of the door. My hand feels as though it’s about to be ripped clean off, but I endure the pain with all my will and beg Rangii for help.
“Rangii! Try and stop Narae…Hey, what’re you doing?!”
When I turned around to ask Rangii for help, I find her with both her hands on my waist, pushing me forward. You were the one pushing me?! Hearing my cry for help, Rangii looks up and favors me with an overjoyed smile.
“A bath~! It’s been so long since I last had a bath with you~!”
You look incredibly excited about that, Tiger-nim. In front of me is Narae. Behind me is Rangii. How am I supposed to run away? At this rate, this may really end up being my first indecent experience with a woman. This doesn’t include Rangii, of course. Because she’s a little kid. Regardless, I shout at that ghost, the one who caused all of this.
“You little…! Did you really have to say it like that?!”
“Why should I have said anything different, when my words have been proven effective?”
“Are you completely heartless?!”
“Will you make a contract with me, Young Master?”
I shouldn’t have even bothered. She won’t even deign to respond like a human being. I finally accept that I’ll need to rely on my own wits to escape, and when I let go of the door, Narae continues dragging me across the floor, my knees practically leaving scuff marks on the floor. I am slowly approaching the gates of Hell.
“To fulfill the Young Master’s sexual fantasies, I took the liberty of expanding the bathroom and installing a large bathtub along with several tools, so please enjoy yourself to the fullest.”
I wanted to cry after hearing what Saehee said.
I feel like I’ve forgotten about someone, another phantom who could help me out, though? …But Baduk, roused by our commotion, yawns and closes her eyes again, falling back to sleep. What did I expect?