Chapter 18: Are You Going to Ravage Me Messy Again?

"But is this really okay?"

"What is."

"No, I mean, smashing Gukbap (Rice Soup) for lunch like this..."

"What kind of bullshit is that? You love Gukbap."

"That is true."

"Do you think I wouldn't like it?"

It's plentiful and delicious.

From the hot, milky meat broth filled with solid ingredients, meat, and Sundae (blood sausage). Adding seasoned paste (dadaegi), salted shrimp, and if it's still a bit bland, sesame salt.

"How full can you get eating stuff like pasta anyway?"

"Mm, acknowledged."

"If you get it, stop talking nonsense and let's eat. We have to walk around a bit more after this."

I scooped a spoonful of broth to taste if the seasoning was right.

Then, I took a hair tie out of my pocket and naturally tied up my hair, which had grown to reach near my shoulders.

I didn't have to do this when it was short, but maybe I should go cut it again soon.

"By the way, are you going to cut your hair again?"

"Why."

"Just asking. When you were a Hunter, you said it was right to keep it short because it gets cut by monster attacks anyway, but now I thought maybe you could grow it out."

Hmm, is that so?

I started thinking for a moment at Jin-wook's words.

Certainly, I maintained short hair after registering as a Hunter for convenience.

"Then should I grow it a bit?"

"You say it's annoying to manage, but I remember seeing you with long hair a long time ago, and it wasn't bad..."

Ah.

Jin-wook stopped speaking hurriedly as if he realized his mistake and apologized, "Sorry."

A memory from my third year of middle school that I didn't want to recall.

"It's fine. I've overcome the memories of that time now."

After becoming a woman, that was the last time I maintained long hair.

That time when an incident happened that I absolutely never want to remember.

But that doesn't mean I can shift the burden onto Jin-wook.

I forced a smile for Jin-wook and told him it was okay.

But whenever related topics came up, I still couldn't forget the nightmare of that time floating before my eyes.

I made a mistake.

Jin-wook thought as he saw Eun-ha flinch her shoulders.

The fundamental reason she absolutely never kept long hair.

To think he forgot that fact which he should never forget.

'You stupid bastard.'

He blamed himself.

Outwardly, she said she cut it because it would just get sliced off while working as a Hunter anyway.

But that was just surface talk. Her hair had a history of being used to grab and control her by the hands of certain devils.

'Why did I have to remind her of that memory, of all things?'

She says she's much better now.

But the Hwang Eun-ha of that time wanted to gouge out every trace of that incident from her body.

Back then, she had cut her hair mercilessly with scissors and had gone through a nightmarish time where she even tried to take a knife to her own body.

Jin-wook and Eun-ha's father had barely managed to stop Eun-ha—who possessed strength comparable to an S-Class Hunter even from the beginning—from self-harming by risking their lives to take the knife away.

"Jin-wook-ah?"

While he was blaming himself for being stupid.

Eun-ha's voice came from the side.

She must have recalled bad memories because of his thoughtless remark, yet the smile she was showing him...

It caused a small throb in his heart that even he didn't realize.

"I said I'm fine."

"Uh, yeah."

"Let's eat quickly and go. We're busy today. Buying clothes is one thing, but shouldn't we send a proof shot to Mom?"

Jin-wook nodded blankly at Eun-ha's words.

Normally, seeing her accidentally spill hot soup, he would have nagged, "Ah, shit, eat more carefully!"...

Huh?

What did Hwang Eun-ha spill?

The soup that fell on my chest was incredibly hot.

I thought it had cooled down a bit, but traditional Korean earthenware bowls preserved heat too well.

"Ah, hot!"

"Sigh, so clumsy."

Startled by the heat felt on my chest, I didn't know what to do for a moment.

Jin-wook skillfully grabbed the clothes where the hot soup had fallen with his fingers, pulled it slightly toward him...

And while nagging me, he started wiping the soup off the clothes roughly with a wet wipe.

"You really don't pay attention, do you?"

As if he didn't realize which part he had spilled it on.

Putting his hand on my chest without any consciousness.

While harboring the thought, "Was this bastard always this bold?" at Jin-wook's audacity...

On one hand, I wanted to tease him, but I felt like I'd get scolded if I joked around in this situation. So I turned my head slightly and spoke to him cautiously.

"Jin-wook-ah, but if you touch me roughly like that... I... might turn out weird again."

"What kind of bul... Ah."

Only then did Jin-wook seem to realize where he was touching.

He took his hand off and coughed awkwardly.

I finished organizing my clothes and wiped off the soup reasonably well.

Of course, stains remained, so I probably couldn't walk around wearing this anymore.

I looked around for a moment.

Even though we were in a room with a closed door because of our luggage, I had to check if anyone was nearby.

I extended my fingertips slightly and forcibly locked the door with telekinesis so it wouldn't open for a moment.

"Haa, I can't wear this."

Saying that, I stepped back from the table slightly, took off the hoodie, and took out the knit sweater we bought at the clothing store earlier.

Jin-wook looked at me with eyes asking why I was suddenly taking off my clothes in the middle of a meal.

When I put the white knit over my body, he let out a small sigh.

"Sigh, a girl taking off her clothes anywhere without knowing shame."

Of course, I pretended not to hear him and finished my meal nonchalantly.

When we left the restaurant, I saw clouds gathering in the sky.

The weather forecast definitely said it would be nice today.

"Uh, the weather got so gloomy after we ate."

"They said it would be good today..."

"Where would the class of the 'Lying Weather Bureau' go? It looks like it's going to rain."

I grabbed the hand of Jin-wook, who was calculating the angle to go home quickly.

When I shook my head, Jin-wook tilted his.

"Then let's just walk around until it rains."

"Do you have an umbrella?"

"I have a Telekinesis Umbrella."

When I made a gesture as if blocking something above my head with my palm, Jin-wook said, "Yeah, okay," and started walking.

But blocking rain with telekinesis is harder than one might think.

Just as I was thinking I should just buy a coat and go in...

"Rain is falling."

At Jin-wook's words, we had no choice but to come home.

"Couldn't buy a coat."

"We can go buy it tomorrow."

The rain, which we thought wouldn't be much, started pouring down quite heavily, not just a shower.

It had been maintaining its intensity for an hour now.

As expected of the Gura-cheong (Lying Weather Bureau) class. 80% accuracy must be a lie.

"Will you go with me tomorrow too?"

"It's Saturday anyway."

"...Ah, right?"

Did I lose my sense of dates?

Well, come to think of it, I lived this week letting go of my mind a bit.

"What, did you live without even checking the date?"

"Uh, probably?"

"Could you please live while holding onto at least a minimum amount of sanity, Eun-ha?"

I giggled and said playfully, "Shall I?"

I detached my body from leaning against the veranda window and walked toward the front of Jin-wook.

Jin-wook was in the middle of watching TV thoughtlessly, so he expressed dissatisfaction, "Ah, what, move."

"Jin-wook-ah."

I smiled at him and placed my knee next to his leg.

I grabbed the sofa with both arms so he couldn't escape.

I surrounded Jin-wook in a posture just before climbing halfway onto his body.

"What, why."

"Earlier."

"Earlier what."

"Did you want to touch my boobs that badly?"

Wearing a mischievous smile, I played the prank I couldn't play earlier on Jin-wook.

I saw Jin-wook's expression distort somewhat, yet change strangely.

"Even if you were wiping it for me, that was too natural."

"Say nonsense and you'll get scolded."

"Or perhaps our Jin-wook is a perv who thinks about women while looking at a frie—"

Usually, he wouldn't react, but why is there a reaction today?

Intrigued by his behavior I was seeing for the first time, I tried to go a little further.

Suddenly, the view flipped.

And I found myself lying on the sofa, looking up at Jin-wook who had climbed halfway on top of me.

"Do you really want to get scolded?"

"Scold me? A civilian scolding an S-Class Hunter?"

"Think I can't do it?"

Th-This was a bit unexpected.

With my slender left wrist captured by Jin-wook.

Avoiding his gaze, I said, "H-How are you going to scold me. When you can't do anything if I just push you right now..."

Jin-wook's lips twitched.

Looking at the shape, he seemed about to say something.

But if I let him say it here, it's no fun for me.

"Are you... are you going to ravage me messy again like that time...?"

Jin-wook joking around as usual is fun too.

But since that day, how should I put it...

Seeing Jin-wook unable to budge within me was also kind of fun.

So, pretending to blush on purpose, I averted my gaze slightly. Jin-wook's hand, which released my wrist, began to move slowly downward.

"If I hold you like this, you can't do anything, right?"

"You."

But when I held his hand with telekinesis so it couldn't move, Jin-wook flushed and made an annoyed expression.

Then, with his other hand, he grabbed my sleeveless shirt (nasi) and pulled it down sharply, exposing my chest in an instant.

Startled by the completely unexpected situation, Jin-wook suddenly lowered his voice and said, "I-I'm a man too, Hwang Eun-ha."

"J-Jin-wook-ah, wait."

"If you don't let go of this hand quickly, I'm reporting you for using abilities on a civilian."

"I-I'll report you too if you touch me...!"

Feeling like this wasn't right, I spoke urgently.

But Jin-wook smirked and said, "For what? That a civilian sexually assaulted a female Hunter?"

Then, he started bringing his face closer to my chest.

'L-Like this, I'm going to be messy again by Jin-wook...'

I could escape if I used telekinesis.

But I was more afraid that Jin-wook, a precious person to me, might get hurt, so I couldn't.

Just as I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Take that, you wench!"

I felt Jin-wook's palm lightly hitting my upper chest (above the breasts).

"I told you to joke in moderation. What was this bastard expecting again?"

"Huuh?"

"Oh? Your eyes are even closed. Did you really expect me to touch you?"

Contrary to my expectation, Jin-wook spoke with an expression that said he felt relieved now.

Should I restrain myself a bit in the future?

Thinking that, I nodded and tried to grab my half-departed mind back.

"Hey, Jung Jin-wook, Hwang Eun-ha! Hyung is he—...!"

The door burst open, and Jin-wook's older brother entered the house.

Jin-wook and I turned our heads and looked at his brother, Jin-seong Hyung, with bewildered expressions.

While showing a scene perfectly suited for misunderstanding: a man sitting halfway on top of a woman with her chest exposed.

"Uh, um. Right, you two are old enough now... Sorry."

"Wait, STOP!"

"It's not like that!"