บท 44: Apology Date
"Jihu!" Flone ran towards me and pulled me into a hug the moment I walked into the headquarters. "I missed you!"
I smiled and hugged her back. "I missed you too, Flone."
She pulled me a bit tighter and then stepped back. Giving me a once over, her eyes brightened and she said, "You look like you're in a good mood. Did the training go well with Grandpa Maldong?"
"You could say that..."
Chohong walked into the building after me and sighed. "Could you two not flirt with each other whenever you see each other again?"
I glanced back at Chohong and raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to teach you what flirting is really like, Chocho?"
Chohong turned red and then scoffed. "W-Whatever. I'm going to take a shower."
"Ah." I nodded and said, "A cold one would probably be best."
Chohong flinched and then ran off.
Flone laughed. "You really like teasing her, don't you, Jihu?"
I shrugged. "She's too easy to make fun of."
Hugo walked in after Chohong and shook his head. "Only for you. If someone else tried that, she'd take off their head."
Maldong walked in as well and nodded. "Ah... So that explains why you walked around for a week with that bruise on your head in the past."
"...I'm going to Eat Drink and Enjoy." Muttering that, Hugo dropped off his bags and walked back out the building.
Maldong smiled and then nodded his head towards Flone. "A pleasure to see you again, Miss Flone."
She smiled back and said, "Just Flone's fine, Grandpa Maldong! And thank you for helping Jihu train!"
Maldong let out a wry laugh. "It's more like he helped himself... but I appreciate the thought." He looked around and said, "Is it just you here?"
"Yep! Ian went to go talk with Grandpa Muto and Resa about something... Ah. But don't worry! I made sure to turn away any strangers like that nosy priestess!"
I blinked. "Nosy priestess?"
"Mmhm!" Flone nodded and said, "That nosy woman from across the street. Ever since she moved in and had all those visitors, she's been trying to make excuses to visit. I turned her away though!"
That... Wouldn't that be Yuhui?
"Um, Flone..."
She turned towards me and said, "Yes, Jihu?"
"...Would that woman's name happened to have been Yuhui?"
"Hm?" She paused and stuck a finger on her chin. "...Oh. I think so. Why? Is she one of your friends?"
"...You could say that?"
"Oh." Flone frowned. "...I suppose that makes sense. Jihu does have a lot of beautiful women for friends... But I'm number one, right?"
I smiled and patted her head. "Of course, Flone. You're my best friend."
She smiled and leaned into my hand, humming in delight.
I noticed Maldong giving me a strange look. "What?"
The old man shook his head and said, "Nothing." He sighed. "Just a bit of fatigue settling in."
I frowned. "You should rest up then, Coach- Ah, actually-"
"If you're offering that miracle elixir you gave Ian, I'm fine." He straightened his back and said, "Unlike that guy, I take pride in my old wisdom."
"...But it gets rid of back pains?"
Maldong hesitated, but then he shook his head. "It's fine." He waved his cane and said, "Now hurry up and catch up with your lady friend and head home. Don't keep your family waiting." With that, Maldong headed off to his room, leaving just me and Flone.
Flone frowned and looked at me. "Your family? Did something happen, Jihu?"
I shook my head. "No... but it's been a while since I checked in with them, so they might be worried." I hugged Flone and said, "Sorry, Flone. I know it's been a while since we've hung out, but I promise I'll make it up to you when I get back, okay?"
"Jihu..." She hugged me and said, "You're too nice to me. But if you're offering... I want to go shopping when you get back!"
I laughed and said, "Of course."
Flone stepped back and fist pumped the air. "Yes! Now, time to go brag to Resa!"
"Wait, what?"
Flone winked and then turned into spirit form, flying off towards the royal palace.
I blinked and then groaned. "Dammit. This is going to bite me in the butt later, huh?"
The crimson threads usually around Flone had turned even more vivid. Not only that, but unlike the other crimson threads from the women in my life, hers were starting to coil around me.
...Meaning that I had started to acknowledge it as well.
I sighed and then shook my head. "...I'll worry about that later."
Romance took second fiddle to the conflict at hand. I could think about those relationship after everything was over... or at least after I was in a position to protect everyone I cared about.
And speaking of people I cared about...
I fixed up my clothes and then headed towards Gula's temple.
"...Hopefully Jinhee isn't too mad."
xxx
A flash of light, the void between worlds... and then I was back in my apartment.
My phone was plugged in as always.
I walked over to grab it, taking a look around my apartment as I did.
The place was surprisingly clean. It seemed like Hannah was taking the time to do some housekeeping while I was gone.
"...I need to remember to thank her for that."
She really was a good partner, handling everything for me. And considering the headache I usually cause her too...
I sighed and picked up my phone. "I really have bad luck with women, don't I?"
As if to affirm my words, I had a lot of missed calls. None from my parents. It seemed like they were satisfied with my explanations last time and decided to trust me.
Jinhee called a lot though. But she didn't leave any messages. Maybe she was being considerate and a bit more trustworthy? Still, she was probably worried...
There were a few calls from Seora as well. Mostly just voice mails saying that she hoped I was doing well and to call her whenever I was free. Also that she introduced herself to my family and talked me up so they weren't worried-
Wait.
I carefully replayed Seora's last message.
'...And I made sure to visit them personally, Oppa, so you don't need to worry! I made sure to let them know how hard you're working!'
I groaned. "Just my luck..."
First, Hannah. Now Seora...
I was sure of it. There was definitely a misunderstanding happening somewhere.
I sighed and then opened the call app.
It was around noon... and a weekend in June at that. So...
I grit my teeth and then called Jinhee.
Since it was out of the blue, I was expecting her to take a while to answer. But before the first ring even finished, she picked up.
"Oppa! What happened to calling more often!?"
I let out a wry laugh and said, "I got super into my latest project and lost track of the time. Are you busy today? I thought I'd have some lunch with my cute little sister."
"Hmph. Don't think some compliments are going to get you off the hook, Mister!" While her words were sharp, I could hear how happy Jinhee was, as well as her relief.
That made me feel a bit guilty, so I resolved myself to at least pop in for some phone calls in the future.
That, and to grab some communication crystals for Seora and Hannah to setup a call back system so I knew to return to Earth.
I sighed and said, "I know, I know. But I'm serious about lunch. I'm pretty hungry, you know?"
"Mm... Fine. There's a restaurant I wanted to try out anyway. Since Oppa's free, you can take me there."
I nodded and summoned my keys from the drawer beside my bed. "Sounds good. I'll come pick you up then. You at home?"
"Yep! I'll be waiting!"
With a bright voice, Jinhee ended the call.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and smiled. "Well... Since my little sister's so excited, I shouldn't disappoint, right?"
I walked into my bathroom to clean up a bit, shaving my face and then fixing up my hair. After changing into a casual black sweatshirt and jeans, I grabbed my phone and made another call.
I was expecting the person to take a while to answer, but like Jinhee, it only took to the first ring for her to pick up.
"Jihu Oppa?"
I sighed. "It's just Jihu, Seora. Anyway, do you think you could do me a favor? Since I'm officially employed now..."
xxx
Jinhee fixed up her blouse and then glared at her face in the mirror, scanning for anything out of place.
Her hair had been tied up in a cute ponytail while she had on some light makeup.
After staring for a few more minutes, Jinhee nodded and smiled. "There. That should make any hussies hesitate when approaching Oppa."
Her older brother was too handsome for his own good. And now that he was a proper businessman and making good money, he was definitely the most eligible bachelor around.
He was also too nice for his own good when it came to pretty women... and had a habit of picking them up somehow.
Seonhwa made sense since she had been around forever, but then there was that Hannah woman who he called his partner and now that beautiful young Miss Seora who introduced herself as his boss... but couldn't hide her affection in her eyes when she talked about Oppa.
Yeah. It was better to take precaution than not.
While Jinhee wasn't sure about that Hannah woman, Miss Seora seemed nice enough. And she didn't want some meddlesome woman to ruin that for her Oppa, not when he had a shot with someone who actually cared for him.
Fortunately, Jinhee wasn't a slouch in the looks department either. She'd been downplaying her appearance after the incident, but there was a reason why that incident happened in the first place.
Dressed up like this, Jinhee was confident that she could stand proudly beside her cool and handsome older brother and fend off any girls who might come onto him.
At that time, the doorbell rang.
Jinhee shut her makeup case and put it away before walking out of the bathroom.
"Jinhee?" Her mother's voice echoed from the kitchen. "Are you expecting someone?"
"It's Oppa!" Jinhee grabbed her purse from her room and put her makeup away. After that, she quickly headed towards the door. "We're going out for lunch! Be back later!"
"Oppa? You mean Jihu?" Her mom walked out of the kitchen and frowned. "Wait, why are you dressed like-?"
"Bye! Love you!" Jinhee waved at her mom and then opened the front door. The moment she did, a calm and suave male voice called out to her.
"Geez, Little Sis. There's no need to rush."
Jinhee closed the door behind her and then looked up at the speaker.
Like every time she had seen him recently, he was the same, but different.
Jihu was standing at the front step of the house with a soft smile on his face. Wearing a designer suit and pants, he looked like a successful young businessman. Not only that, but his body had fleshed out a bit again, putting on a bit more of the muscles that he lost the last time.
Seeing that, Jinhee smiled and hugged him. "Thanks for taking time to take me out, Oppa."
Jihu hugged her back and said, "Of course. Anything for my cute little sister... Though you seem to be a bit cuter than usual today."
Jinhee stepped back and stuck out her tongue. "I've got to keep the hussies away from my Oppa now that you're not with Seonhwa."
"Ah." Jihu frowned and said, "I suppose that's an issue too..."
...Did Oppa seriously not think about that?
Jinhee sighed and said, "You should just hurry up and get married, Oppa. That way you wouldn't have to worry about women trying to get all over you."
"...I seriously doubt that it's that easy, Jinhee." He adjusted his sleeves and said, "I've got a feeling my women problems won't be stopping even after I do get married."
Jinhee frowned. And then she sighed. "Oppa's got a point..."
Her big brother was just too perfect.
Handsome, rich, kind... and not to mention smart.
Even if he did get married, there would definitely be women who tried to butt their way in anyway.
"Well." He hugged Jinhee and said, "I'll worry about that later. Today, the only woman I'm thinking of is my cute little sister- Ah wait." He frowned and said, "That came out wrong..."
Jinhee laughed and then lightly punched Jihu's arm.
He chuckled and then said, "Well, should we go? You said it was by Hongik University Station Exit 2, right?"
"Mmhm!"
"Then let's go." Jihu nodded and walked forward.
Jinhee followed... but then she noticed his car wasn't there. "Eh?" She looked around and said, "Are we walking, Jihu?"
There was a fancy looking black Audi in front, but that couldn't be his, right?
"And let my little sister exhaust herself? Of course not." He stopped in front of the Audi and pulled out some keys. "We're heading there in style... Ah, and before you ask, this is a company car."
"...A company car?"
"Yep." Jihu nodded and said, "A friend loaned it to me since I didn't have the chance to buy a new car yet."
"...Would this friend happen to be female?"
"Hm? Yeah. Why?"
Jinhee sighed.
xxx
A three-storied building with a sign that had the name 'Good Pork Belly Place' written on it in English.
"So this is the place you want to try out, Jinhee?"
"Mmhm!" Jinhee grabbed my arm and tugged me towards the entrance. "I heard that they have really good meat here... Though probably not as good as Oppa's noodles." She paused and then said, "Come to think of it, those would be good too..."
I shook my head. "Sorry, Jinhee. But I'm out of practice, so maybe some other time. Besides, it's good to try new things, right?"
"Mm... I guess so." She seemed a bit disappointed for a moment, but then immediately pulled me along. "Let's hurry up and order then! I'm hungry!"
I smiled at her antics and followed her in.
The door opened with a chime and then a waitress turned to greet us. "Welcome- Oh my!"
Jinhee frowned and then immediately moved close to my side, as if claiming her spot.
Seeing that, the waitress quickly regained her composure and said, "Sorry about that. Um... How many people are in your party?"
"Just two." I answered the waitress and then looked around.
The restaurant didn't seem to be half-bad. The tables were pretty packed, with only a few left open, and the delicious smell of grilling meat filled the air.
"Alright. Right this way." The waitress led us to an open table. After that, she took our orders, just pork belly and rice for the two of us, and left.
The moment she did, Jinhee scoffed and said, "Who does she think she is, coming onto my Oppa like that."
I sighed and took a sip of the complimentary cup of water the waitress left. "Does it matter?"
"It does!" Jinhee turned to look at me and said, "Oppa is too nice to women, so they'll think they have a chance! You need to firmly reject them before things get out of hand." She took a drink from her glass as well and said, "Oppa's incredible enough that girls might be willing to share, you know? If you don't want to get teamed up, you have to make sure to set clear standards!"
I coughed and said, "I'll... I'll remember that."
"Hmph. You'd better." Jinhee frowned and said, "Honestly, I'm worried for you. Oppa's the sort of guy who naturally steals girl's hearts, so it might get messy later if you're not careful. I mean, even Unni is still trying to get back with you after your clear breakup, isn't she?"
"...Can we not talk about Seonhwa?" I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Thinking about her gives me a headache."
"Okay. Then... How about that Miss Seora?"
I groaned. "Do you have nothing better to do than talk about my love life, Jinhee?"
"Ooh? So you're saying that there's something there? It would explain why Miss Seora was so loveydovey when talking about you."
I sighed. "It's not like that. Seora's just a really good friend."
"Not boss?"
"...And boss."
"Riiiight."
I avoided Jinhee's amused expression and looked around the restaurant.
There were a lot of businessmen around, enjoying some pork belly with soju. There were also quite a few waitresses bustling about.
Even so, in the kitchen, behind the curtain I could only see a single person working. A beautiful woman with crimson hair wrapped up in a bun beneath a hair net and wearing an apron.
...Crimson hair?
I frowned, a faint memory coming to mind. Something about her seemed familiar. Not like I actually remembered or met her, but rather the situation...
"Hm?" Jinhee followed my gaze and said, "What? Looking for more beautiful women, Oppa? I thought I was the only woman on your mind today?"
I shifted my gaze away from the woman.
Whatever the case, it wasn't as important as spending time with Jinhee.
I smiled and said, "What? Jealous, Jinhee?"
"Pft. As if. I just want to make sure my sister-in-laws are good people who care about you instead of being after you for money or looks."
I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.
xxx
Lunch with Jinhee went on without a hitch after that awkward talk. Somehow, I managed to avoid talking about relationships and dodge those awkward questions. Though, the result was that I had to tell her about what I was doing in my work.
Fortunately, the recent events weren't hard to translate to business. An old and respected elder of my team came back to do some training. We butted heads for a bit, but eventually he took me under his wing after realizing how talented I was and gave me some coaching. Because of that, I didn't realize how much time passed.
That was the story I told Jinhee. She seemed like she didn't completely buy it, but since I didn't tell a lie, she eventually accepted it.
Afterwards, I dropped her off at home before heading back to my place. And when I did, I got a phone call.
I shut the door behind me and stared at the caller ID. Kim Hannah.
I frowned and answered the phone. "I was joking about the surveillance thing last time, but do you really have cameras rigged up in my apartment, Hannah?"
"Of course. Someone's got to keep an eye on your place when you're out, right? Especially with all of your top secret information."
"...Sure." I swept my gaze around the room and used my insight.
Was it because it had been 'awakened'? Instead of just words, light flashed around my room, highlighting the hidden cameras.
I walked over to the closest one, a pinhole camera rigged on the wall and stuck into a hole that used to be for pictures. After that, I waved.
"...Found it already?"
I shrugged and took off my suit. "Not too hard to find when you know what you're looking for. Besides, the timing was too coincidental."
"Heh."
I walked over to my kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water. Cracking it open, I took a sip and then said, "So what's up with the call? Something happening?"
"I should be asking you that. You've been quiet for a while, so I thought you were busy with something. Imagine my surprise when I heard from Miss Seora that you came back to Earth and asked to borrow a car."
I leaned against the wall. "Well, it's about time I started relying on my friends a bit, isn't it? Gotta at least put on a show that I'm considering Sinyoung."
"Is that so? And this wouldn't happen to just be because you wanted to impress a cute young lady, would it?"
I laughed and said, "If that was the case, wouldn't I be relying on you more often, Hannah?"
"You've got the face to say that to me when I'm basically running all your businesses here?"
"Right, right." I smiled and said, "Guess that means that I'm already trying too hard to impress you to think of other women."
"Tch." Hannah clicked her tongue and said, "You've gotten too smooth at talking with women. Have you been hanging around more of them over there?"
"Nah. I'm just more comfortable messing with my dear partner than other people."
"Well, you should be careful. Some girls might get the wrong message when you talk to them like that, you know? What if I decide to get clingy and keep you away from other women?"
"In that case, you should probably quit your day job. After all, a smart and rational woman like yourself would only act that way after she went crazy from stress."
"...Looks like I don't have to worry about you falling into honey traps at least."
"Didn't you say that before already?"
"Tch. In any case... how long are you planning on staying here, my dear Partner?"
"Mm..." I checked my watch.
The Banquet was going to start in a week, so I couldn't stay too long. Not to mention there were other preparations to do as well, so...
"Probably a day? I'm planning to head back tomorrow morning or so."
"In that case... Want to grab dinner? Miss Seora's been bugging me about seeing you too, so we can kill two birds with one stone."
"Dinner? With two beautiful women? How could I say no?"
"...Is something wrong with your head? You're definitely too flirty today."
I chuckled. "I'm fine. Just... in a good mood."
"Hoh? Well, you'll have to share it with us later then."
"Maybe. Ah, am I going to pick you up or-"
"Like hell you are! Just sit tight and I'll come grab you."
It seemed like Hannah still had a trauma about last time.
I laughed and said, "Fine, fine. See you soon, Hannah."
"See you later, you bastard."
"Love you too, Babe."
"You fu-"
I ended the call, a wide grin on my face.
That was refreshing. Was it because I had a good time with Jinhee? Or was it because I didn't have to worry about anything here on Earth?
Either way, I was in a great mood.
I smiled and then remembered. "Ah, I should probably call Mom and Dad too."
It'd be rude to ignore them after hanging out with Jinhee...
xxx
Kim Hannah raised an eyebrow when she saw Jihu's appearance.
The last time she saw him, he had slimmed down a bit, but now he had put on some more muscle again, filling out a sharp black suit with a strong figure. "Did you do some training?"
Jihu nodded. "I did. There's a lot to tell as well... Though I'm not sure how much I should say here..."
Hannah waved her hand and said, "We can talk more on the other side tomorrow. I've got some things to hand off to you anyway."
"Sure. I'll be around your work office when I head back anyway, so we can go have a quick chat."
Hannah walked around to open her car door and sat in the driver's side.
Jihu walked in after her, squeezing into the passenger side seat and banging his head on the ceiling. "Gah, dammit. Why is your car so cramped?"
"It's more like you've just got a big head, Partner."
"Haha. Very funny." Jihu adjusted his seat and then closed the door. "So where are we heading for dinner?"
Hannah started the car and drove out of the parking lot. After that, she said, "We're having sushi today. Apparently, Miss Seora wanted to treat you out after last time."
"Sushi, huh?" Jihu nodded and said, "That sounds good. Been a while since I had some."
"Mm."
A comfortable silence fell in the car. For a while, there was nothing but the sound of the car engine and passing traffic.
...And that was strange. Hannah usually hated silence. Especially when around other people. For some reason though, when she was with Jihu...
Was it because he kept calling her his partner? And because he meant it, considering how much trust he gave her in handling his affairs?
Jihu suddenly frowned and said, "Something on your mind?"
Hannah flinched, quickly glancing over at him. But then she turned her gaze back on the road and said, "Nothing. Just thinking about what a ridiculous person you are."
"Ah." Jihu rubbed his neck and said, "Yeah. That's true... I've been reflecting on that recently myself."
Hannah scoffed. "What? Finally self-conscious about your crazy abilities?"
"Yeah. Well, mostly when it comes to women."
Hannah twitched, turning the steering wheel to the side. Before the car could veer though, Jihu grabbed it, steadying the car.
"Oi, be careful, Hannah!"
Hannah blushed and focused on driving. After that, she hid her embarrassment with a scowl and said, "That's on you! Bringing up such a random topic... What person wouldn't be surprised?!"
"Hey, you asked!"
"Tch." Hannah shook her head and said, "So what brought that on? Suddenly getting swamped by ladies in the other place?"
She could see that. A man as powerful as Jihu with his confidence, looks, and resources... Even the First Lady of Sinyoung coveted him. Hannah could easily imagine others as well.
"Hm? Oh, nah." Jihu shook his head. "I'm just an ordinary person over there so I don't draw too much attention. That might change after the next mission I'm going through, but it's still not much of a problem. I'm just worried about things on this side."
Hannah blinked. Fortunately, they came to a red light, so she took the time to look over at Jihu.
A young man with a perfectly trained body. Not super muscular like when she first saw him, but also not completely lean. Wearing that suit, he cut a sharp figure and radiated charisma and charm.
Objectively, Hannah thought that she might make a pass at him if she didn't know any better. And if it was to that point...
"Hm. You're right." Hannah nodded and turned her head back to the road. After continuing the drive on the green light, she said, "You've become a bastard that most girls would roll over for."
"...Harsh."
"But true." Hannah turned the car around a corner and said, "I'm guessing you had some firsthand experience?"
"I mean, I already had it on my mind since Yuhui started stalking me..."
Ah, right. There was that too... Crazy bastard. If he could bring down the infamous ice wall, there really wasn't a limit, huh...?
"...But after I went out with Jinhee earlier, I noticed how many girls kept staring at me. And how they only stopped when Jinhee got clingy and glared them away."
"Pft." Hannah laughed and said, "Your sister, right? I had a feeling she was a feisty one, but to think she'd actively try to fend girls away..." She paused and then said, "...She's not a brocon, right? No, are you a siscon? Because if you are-"
"I'm not. I just... owe her a lot. Especially after what happened."
"...Right. Sorry."
Hannah had forgotten about it. The whole reason he entered Paradise in the first place was to keep his sister safe.
"It's fine. But anyway, I still have a problem." Jihu frowned and said, "It'll be a hassle if I keep getting hit on whenever I head out."
"Maybe you should just hurry up and get a girlfriend then?"
Jihu laughed and said, "Well, if you're offering..."
Hannah rolled her eyes. "As if. You're already too much for me to handle as a business partner. If we were actually dating each other, I think I'd try to kill you."
"Harsh. I'll have you know that I'd treat my wife very well."
Hannah parked the car in front of the restaurant and then paused when Jihu's words registered in her mind. "Wife?" She blinked and said, "I thought we were talking about girlfriends?"
"Well, if I commit to a girl then I'd definitely be in it for the long run. Unlike some people, I don't date around, you know?"
"...That's not what it seems like from the way you act."
"Huh?"
"Did I stutter?"
Jihu blinked and then unbuckled his seatbelt. "...Let's just go inside already."
Hannah scoffed and then pulled out her keys. After getting out of the car, she locked the door and shut it. "Come on, you enemy of womenkind. Let's get you inside before people start getting ideas."
Jihu chuckled and said, "Whatever you say, Dear."
"I'll fucking stab you."
"Ooh, kinky."
"...Hah." Hannah sighed. "You're insufferable."
"No, I'm Jihu."
"..."
Hannah ignored Jihu and walked inside the restaurant. Maybe that bastard would get back to normal when he was in front of Miss Seora...
xxx
It was a fun night out with Hannah and Seora.
Good food, pleasant company, and lots of fun teasing the two girls and getting them to unwind.
I didn't think either of them realized it, but both Hannah and Seora had looked wound up when I saw them. Because of that, I teased them a bit and embarrassed them to try and get them to relax.
...The net result of that were the crimson threads around them growing deeper though, so that might have been a bad idea in the long run.
Still, it was good to have them relax, even if it would bite me in the butt later.
As for what happened during dinner... Nothing much. I thought we were talking about important things, but it seemed like it was just an excuse to take off from work and catch up.
Well, that and set up a system on ways for me to pop back to Earth in case anyone called.
Hannah said she still had more to talk with me about, but she mentioned that she'd pass me a communication crystal on the other side tomorrow.
Seora said the same thing, and then we all parted ways for the night.
And so I found myself heading back to Paradise early the next morning after settling my affairs on Earth for the time being.
The usual trip back through the void was strangely uneventful. The towering existences seemed to be distracted, since I didn't sense any gazes looking for me as I headed back.
And then I was back in Gula's temple.
Since I left around morning on Earth, it was already in the afternoon here in Paradise.
There weren't many other people around though, just some random travelers and a woman with elegantly braided silver hair-
Wait.
"Jihu!" That woman's eyes lit up when she saw me and she ran over to give me a hug.
I blinked, caught off guard at the embrace and said, "Flone?"
"Mmhm!" She leaned back and smiled. "How do I look?"
Flone was different than usual. Her silver hair, already elegant, was braided with a pink ribbon. Not only that, but she wore a lacy blue dress that accentuated her hair and eye colors, reminiscent of a peaceful blue sky.
In short... Beautiful.
I felt my heart waver a bit, but I calmed myself down and smiled. "You look great. As beautiful as a princess, even."
"Hoh?" A female voice echoed from behind me. "Is that so, Darling? Then should I take it as you saying that I'm beautiful too? I *am* a princess after all."
I blinked and turned around.
Another woman was standing there. It seemed like she had just walked into the temple, since she definitely wasn't standing there before. Or maybe she had been praying to Gula?
Either way... I didn't recognize her.
Like Flone, she wore a lacy dress. But unlike Flone, it was a frilly pink. Super girly. Her hair was pink too, and now that I thought about it...
Wait.
"...Teresa?"
Teresa sighed. "I got all dolled up for my Hubby and he doesn't even recognize me..."
"My bad." I rubbed the back of my neck and said, "I'm so used to you being cool and heroic that seeing you so cute and beautiful through me for a loop."
"C-Cute? B-Beautiful?!" Teresa blushed and then placed her hands on her cheeks. "Eeek! Hubby complimented me!"
Flone laughed and ran to hug Teresa. "See? I told you he would!"
"You're smart as always, Flonny!"
"No, Resa's the one who came up with the idea in the first place!"
I stared at the two girls hugging each other and let out a wry smile. "You two have gotten quite close, huh?"
Flone stepped back first and nodded. "Uh-huh! Resa's a great friend!"
Teresa turned towards me and smiled. "We have! It's nice to have girl talk with someone that has common sense for once."
...I would disagree with that, but I felt that was a bad idea, so I didn't say anything. Instead, I glanced around the temple and said, "Should we head out? We're causing a bit of a scene..."
Although there weren't many people in the temple, the few Earthlings that were there were staring at us- No, at me.
Teresa giggled and said, "As fun as that would be... I think this is enough for now." She waved at Flone and said, "Have fun with Hubby, Flonny! I'll see you later!" With that said, Teresa walked off, parting the crowd.
While I was still confused, Flone grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "Come on, Jihu!"
I shook my head, but followed after her.
Once we were outside the temple, Flone lowered her pace and moved to the side, humming happily.
"You're in a good mood."
Flone smiled and said, "Of course! My best friend came back and promised to take me shopping!"
I laughed. "I guess some things never change no matter what world, huh?"
Girls always loved dragging their guy friends around in the shops.
"Hm?"
"Nothing." I looked around as we headed back to the headquarters.
Haramark was livelier than usual. I could see a lot more people out and about. They also seemed more tense. Was it because the Banquet was getting closer?
Flone looked to me and said, "So how did the trip back home go, Jihu?"
I set those thoughts aside and focused on Flone. Smiling, I said, "It went great. My little sister was a bit worried about me, but we had lunch together and worked things out."
"A little sister, huh?" Flone's expression dimmed a bit and said, "It'd be nice if I could meet her someday."
I ruffled her hair and said, "Don't worry. I'll make sure of it."
Flone smiled and said, "You promised!"
"Of course I did. And I always keep my promises. And speaking of promises... We'll head out to go shopping in a bit. I just need to check in with everyone first and then we'll warp over there, alright?"
We reached the Carpe Diem Headquarters main entrance. In the corner of my eye, I felt a familiar gaze on me, but I had a feeling things would get troublesome if I acknowledged it, so I ignored it.
Flone seemed to notice it as well, but all she did was cling onto me a bit harder, smiling. "Okay! I'll go get dressed then!"
I opened the door and walked inside with Flone. The moment I did, she dashed off in the distance, heading back to her room.
"Tch. You just had dinner with two beautiful women and now you're taking another out for a date to go shopping?"
A familiar female voice called out to me.
I blinked and then looked over.
A woman stood there, leaning against the wall. Wearing an H-line dress and carrying a small briefcase, she looked every bit the professional businesswoman. She was also someone I just saw not long ago.
Kim Hannah pushed herself off the wall and walked over, frowning. "Who was she, by the way? Your girlfriend?"
I smirked and said, "Why, jealous?"
"As if. I was just curious." Hannah glanced at where Flone left and said, "You two seemed pretty close for just friends."
"Mm. That's because our relationship is a bit complicated... I'll tell it to you sometime in private."
"Hoh? Talking about women behind their backs now? Seems like my dear partner is getting a big head... or does he want to play the field?"
"Ha, ha." I sat down on the sofa nearby and conjured a glass of water before holding it out to Hannah. "Drink?"
"Thanks, but I'm just here for a bit to drop some stuff off." She held out the briefcase to me and said, "Here."
I took it and scanned it.
From what I could sense... they were communication crystals. One was tuned to something that Hannah had hidden in her purse, while the other seemed to reach a bit further away in the distance.
"It's for work." Hannah nodded and said, "Communication crystals for me and for your 'Boss.'"
"Thanks, Hannah." I smiled and said, "I knew I could count on you."
"Yeah, yeah. Just keep up the good work." She took a look around and said, "If you've got enough resources to stay in a place like this, it won't be long before-"
"Hm?" An elderly voice called out from the distance, followed by the sound of a cane hitting the ground. Maldong walked out from a hallway and said, "I thought I heard a familiar voice. You back already, Kid?"
"Hey Coach." I turned to greet him and said, "Just stopping by for a bit before taking Flone out to fulfill a promise. Where's everyone else by the way?"
Maldong shrugged and said, "Ian's working on something with that Mister Muto and the two idiots are helping Kazuki with our last preparations." He shifted his gaze to Hannah and said, "But more importantly, are you going to introduce your lady friend?"
"Ah, this is-"
I turned towards Hannah to introduce her... But then I froze in shock.
Just a few moments ago, her outfit was a bit askew, her dress wrinkled and her hair loose. But now her dress was completely smooth, as if ironed out, and her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail. Not only that, but her sharp face was soft and delicate, the expression that I expected to see more on Yuhui or Seonhwa than the foxy woman I was familiar with.
Hannah let out a soft smile and politely bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Grandfather. My name is Kim Hannah, Jihu's Inviter."
"Hoh?" Maldong raised an eyebrow.
The air turned a bit weird. Was it because Maldong saw through Hannah's mask? Or did he buy it and was just curious about the person who invited me?
Either way, I suddenly felt like a third wheel.
Thankfully, I was saved from the awkward situation by Flone's prompt return.
"Okay! I'm ready, Jihu!" Flone dashed over to me and grabbed my arm. "Let's go!"
Before either Hannah or Maldong could react to Flone's presence, I waved and said, "I'll be back later! See you two!"
Alright. Transfer circle, Scheherazade's general direction, making sure to stay hidden... and go!
Space rippled, and then I was gone, whisked away with Flone towards Scheherazade.
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