Yet Another Starting Story
When I came to, it was afternoon. Unable to overcome my weariness after Chii left, I fell asleep again. I stretched luxuriously and sat up.
“Uhaaaaaamm…”
I scratched my head in a half-asleep daze. My head felt heavy from napping for too long. It felt like Rangii was sitting on top of my head. It was as though I’d become even dumber than I already was. I blinked and stared blankly at the wall; I wondered who I was, what humans and phantoms were, and how many more damn years I’d have to wait until Rangii would become an adult. I shook my head hard. I should try to limit the stupid thoughts I have. Especially that last one. I needed to wash my face and clear my head.
I put my hand to the floor and readied myself to stand up. But the floor felt a little too soft. Supple. Just like a person’s skin. Was it Rangii? No, it was different. Totally different from Rangii. It was fuller. At that moment, a terrible thought struck me. The absolute worst situation possible. The worst situation I could imagine.
I turned my head, making a sound like a rusted hinge to identify what it was I was touching.
“…”
“…”
Our eyes met. I wanted to run away, but that was no easy task. Those deep, bottomless black eyes refused to let me go. I broke out in a cold sweat as I thought about what to do.
First. I could tighten my hand and savor that feeling. The result: I’d die mentally.
Second. Give the excuse that I thought it was Rangii. The result: I’d suffer a painful mental death.
…I still wasn’t fully awake, so I wasn’t thinking clearly.
“I am unsure of how to react to this clichéd development from a romantic comedy in a novel manner, Young Master.”
I responded to what she said to buy myself some time.
“N-No, um, sorry. This wasn’t on purpose…wait! Why’re you sleeping here?!”
When I went to sleep, the only one next to me was Rangii! But Saehee ignored what I said and continued what she was saying.
“The Young Master truly is the Young Master. After the Young Master responds, as usual, by claiming that everything was an accident, what is there that I can do?”
I’m not some idiot who endangers his life for fun. It wasn’t like there was anything to feel…
“But I would also enjoy doing something so standard and stereotypical as becoming overcome with embarrassment, screaming, and striking the Young Master across the cheek.”
My mouth moved on its own and ignored the main issue at hand.
“I really can’t even imagine you screaming out of embarrassment.”
She raised her eyebrows. Curse my mouth.
“I truly never imagined that the Young Master would speak and act in this manner. I thought that you would have removed your hand and begged for forgiveness, but I underestimated the tempestuously horny, pettanko loving, damned king-to-be-of-a-loli-empire Young Master.”
I didn’t know about all that—or perhaps I didn’t want to—but I understood that I was in the wrong here. I quickly looked away, moved my hand, and apologized.
“Um, s-sorry. I was so confused that I forgot.”
There was another reason why I forgot, but for the sake of my survival, I would keep it a secret forever.
“It is okay. If I were to become embarrassed just from this, then my entire character would collapse.”
I would have responded with, ‘Stop reading manhwa!’ if only the situation were different.
“But why were you sleeping in my…”
I turned my head to look at her because it was only manners to look at the person you were talking with, but I immediately swiveled my head away.
“Cover yourself!!”
If you’re going to stand up, then at least cover your bottom half!
“Who would become embarrassed from being seen by a frog?”
“You’re still calling me that?”
I almost didn’t know what you were talking about.
“I shall continue doing so until the Young Master turns back into a human.”
Please just stop it already!
“But what is the problem? After all, don’t you feel absolutely nothing from seeing me? I don’t fit the Young Master’s tastes because I am neither well endowed nor a young girl.”
That wasn’t the problem. Regardless of tastes, some reactions were universal.
“That’s enough, now cover yourself!”
“You say that, but your thoughts are markedly different.”
“If it were possible, I’d open up my head and show you what I’m thinking.”
“There is no need to do that. Because would only be nitrogen gas meant to protect your soybean-sized brain.”
Saehee insulted me like that while getting dressed with the rasping of cloth playing accompaniment. A number of thoughts passed through my head. I turned my head fully away from Saehee to try and block her out. Rangii was sleeping with her limbs outstretched, everything below her waist only barely covered by the blanket, She went to sleep naked last night, so of course she was naked now as well. I could clearly see her plump belly rising and sinking, her subtly visible ribs, and her adorable chest peeking up. But she was Rangii. The Tiger. So none of that mattered. I absolutely didn’t care.
Probably.
But still, it wasn’t healthy to sleep with your belly uncovered, so I pulled the blanket to just above her neck. It’d be plain pathetic if a tiger caught a summer cold when even a dog didn’t. That was the only reason. As I redefined my stance on ethical nudity, I no longer heard any sound behind me. Was she all dressed? I turned my head.
“Have you lust and curiosity overtaken your self-control?”
Saehee had her back to me as she wrapped a white cloth around her chest. The soft line of Saehee’s shoulder was beautiful. I realized long ago after multiple chance glances that the line of her shoulder was really pretty. Wait. What the heck was I staring blankly at? I turned my head away.
“In addition.”
I was reviewing the quadratic formula in my head when Saehee spoke.
“The Young Master has not masturbated even once since meeting the Master; abstaining for too long may harm you. This may result in a nocturnal emission that will surprise the sleeping Master, so while certain memories are fresh in your mind, why not go to the bathroom? Even if you were to go now and be gone for a long time, I would pretend not to…”
“Hey, dammit!!”
My recently found tranquility was already breaking apart.
My name is Kang Sunghoon. I’m talking like there’s something important about me, but I’m an utterly unremarkable high school student. I was raised for 17 years by my bad-tempered father and my scary mother, and in the beginning of summer vacation, I met beings called phantoms. And because of Saehee’s insults and a variety of ordeals, the two weeks I spent here felt like months. Things happened one after another that I couldn’t have even imagined just a few weeks ago. And it seemed like today was going to be an especially crazy day. Kicked off by what just happened.
“What is this?”
And the second cause for the craziness of today would pop up after I moved to the master bedroom to let Rangii sleep peacefully.
I was at my grandfather’s traditional Korean house. The old Korean-style house was remodeled to be more comfortable to live in, but the extent to the modern conveniences here were things like fluorescent lights, flush toilets, and a modern bathroom. The master bedroom only had an antique-looking wardrobe, a mirror, and other furniture. But now. I doubted my eyes for a moment when I entered the master bedroom.
I didn’t expect the room to change at all when Saehee restored the house after Ara demolished it. But the interior had changed completely. The first thing I noticed was the LCD television hanging on the wall. Beneath it were multiple media players and video game consoles. And was that all? On the ceiling was a home movie…projector? Or maybe it’s called a protector? Regardless, attached to the ceiling was a device with a name that was likely to get me in an argument with a foreigner, and there were speakers set up in the corners of the room. There was even a sofa wide enough for three people to sit comfortably. In one corner of the room was an LCD monitor and a computer. There was a Internet modem with a blinking green light, so it seemed like there was even working Internet.
In short, the room became a textbook example of a modern room in the space of a single night. A room where you could easily watch TV. I sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV with the remote, and the TV displayed a cable broadcast.
How did this happen? None of this stuff was here just a day ago. That was why I searched through the storage shed for something to play with Chii when I was bored.
My mouth dropped open at the surprising changes to the room when I heard a familiar voice. Guess who?
“The adult channel is on channel 98.”
I carved the number 98 into my brain and replied.
“Never mind that. What the heck is all this stuff?”
“Is it not all to your liking?”
“…That isn’t what I asked.”
Saehee lowered her eyes slightly and answered.
“I decided to improve on the interior while repairing the house. I felt that the Young Master, having been raised in an urban environment, would otherwise have no way to alleviate your boredom.”
I should just gratefully accept it. I shouldn’t think she was insulting me by saying something like, “I went out of my way to help a city boy like you who would be lost without a computer and a TV.” Even though I wasn’t actually a city boy.
“But wasn’t all this stuff expensive?”
“As long as war does not begin, the value of my real estate will not plummet in just a few days.”
I forgot that she was a real estate tycoon.
“Is it not more pertinent to ask where all of these things came from?”
“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be surprised even if you pulled a nine tailed fox who lost her tails out of your sleeve.” (tn: A reference to the Korean light novel series, Help Me Find My Tail! Link here.)
“…Would you like me to take one out?”
“You can?!”
The corners of Saehee’s mouth quirked upwards.
“I would have to jump through a variety of hurdles to do so, but it is possible. I will start by calling the author for permission.”
I grabbed Saehee’s hand when she took out a smartphone from her sleeve.
“It’s fine.”
I’m capable of discerning between reality and fiction.
“Ah, Young Master. I nearly forgot to tell you something very important.”
I became a little worried and said, “What is it?”
“You can find a folder containing multiple videos capable of satisfying your sexual fantasies in C:Documents and SettingsAdministrator.MY_COM.001My DocumentsRangiiKkachiThe Lolicon Young Master.”
I quickly memorized that address then spoke.
“Are you really going to keep mocking me?”
“I was joking.”
It was a joke! That makes me look stupid for getting my hopes up!
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Because I would not dare keep illicit material.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Everyone in the premises of this house is 18 years and older.”
“Hey, are you seriously going to say that even though you know my age?”
“You appear to be 19 years old.”
I’m not that old! Whatever. If I was stupid enough to get angry at Saehee, then I might end up wishing for Rangii’s chest to grow. Despite everything, it was true that Saehee installed a computer and a TV for me, so I should thank her.
“Still, thanks. Besides playing with the kids, I didn’t have anything to do.”
“There is no need to thank me. This much is hardly anything as, in the end, the Young Master will be buried here.”
That worried me. Seeing Saehee bow her head so politely set off emergency warning signals from deep within my chest.
“Is that foreshadowing?!”
“People rarely use the word foreshadowing to describe real life, Young Master.”
So what?
“Anyway. Don’t say scary things like that so calmly. Because that makes me think I really will end up being buried here.”
Saehee covered her mouth and feigned surprise. Don’t open your mouth and cover it with your hand. It makes it too obvious that you’re teasing me.
“Do you not plan on living here and becoming a farmer?”
See?
“I still haven’t graduated from high school.”
“Is there anything specific that you want to do after graduating?”
“…I’m attending school to find what I want to do.”
“Quite the typical answer. Young Master, with that attitude, you will end up wasting your time, apply to be a non-commissioned officer in the military, be rejected, and then end up jobless.”
So realistic! What a terribly, hopelessly realistic thing to say!
“Shut up.”
I didn’t want to worry about my uncertain future, so I turned on the TV. I flipped through the channels, looking for any channel featuring a girl group, when Saehee asked me something.
“It is a bit late, but will you be joining us for a meal?”
Ah. After hearing that, I began to feel hungry. I hadn’t eaten anything since dinner last night.
“Sure.”
“Understood. I will go set the table.”
Saehee turned towards the kitchen, but stopped and turned to look at me. Did she have something else to say?
“What is it?”
“I suddenly had a vision of the Young Master as a good-for-nothing man who does nothing but fool around and leeches off his wife.”
If I hadn’t met Saehee, I would never have learned that a human’s blood vessels could bulge out so much.
“If you want help with something, then just ask.”
“A man who is unable to read nonverbal cues is bound to be hated by his wife.”
I wouldn’t act like this with Narae and I wouldn’t even have Rangii set the table, so as if that matters. But why was I suddenly thinking about Rangii?
“I am glad to hear that.”
“Wh-What?!”
A dark smile crept onto Saehee’s face.
“I was speaking about the Young Master being hated by the Master. What could you have been thinking to be so surprised?”
My temper started rising because of Saehee’s arrogant attitude, but I couldn’t say anything. Because she’d just mock me again.
“I get it. Now, if you have something to tell me, then spit it out.”
“Then because the Master has to eat as well, please wake her up.”
Rangii was naked. Which meant I would have to clothe her as well…
“I’ll wake her up, but could you dress her instead?”
“…Young Master. Even the Master is capable of dressing herself.”
“…”
Sorry, Rangii.