Chapter 53: Encounter 2

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Chop, chop, chop, chop!

Junhyuk sat on the bed, pretending to look at his tablet, and watched Sarang, who was wearing an apron, cooking. Junhyuk did not know what to make out of that situation.

He used to cook ramen noodles every day for himself, so he shouldn't refuse someone cooking a nice, hot meal for him, but she was a high school student.

They had spent time together in the Dimensional Battlefield and had saved each other's life. He also understood that she had to train at his house, but he was still hesitant.

"Tch."

If she were in college, he would've gladly spent time with her. He clicked his tongue and looked at Sarang.

She was looking at her smartphone and moving around, so she had to be preparing something nice.

Junhyuk expected a good meal and looked over the major points of the collaboration project on his tablet. He was thinking about work when Sarang set the table.

He pretended he was OK, but this was the first time a woman other than his own mother had cooked for him, so he was nervous.

"Come and eat."

Junhyuk put the tablet down on the bed and walked over to the table, which was filled with different dishes.

"So?"

There were fried mushrooms, boiled tofu with soy sauce, stir fried anchovies with almonds, beef BBQ and a tuna stew. The table was full of food. It all looked so pretty on the plates that he smiled.

Sarang took a seat and smiled.

"Eat up."

"It looks delicious."

Junhyuk took a spoonful of rice first. The rice cooker had cooked the rice, and rice always tasted the same. The rice cooker required the right amount of water and the right amount of rice, and that was it, but this rice tasted good.

He gladly chewed his rice and lifted his chopsticks, nervous. What should I eat first?

First, he would try the beef. Junhyuk ate the beef and smiled.

"Delicious!"

He nodded and picked up the stir fried anchovies with almonds and was immediately surprised.

It was sweet, too sweet! It tasted like melted lumps of sugar, but it wasn't enough to complain about it. Smiling, Junhyuk ate the tofu with soy sauce.

Salty! She must've poured the whole bottle of soy sauce!

However, Junhyuk kept his smile. He had already tasted the potion from hell, so he could smile at that food.

Compared to the potion, even the anchovies tasted good.

A human had to reach his lowest point to realize how happy he was, and a woman had cooked for him. He should be grateful.

Junhyuk ate the fried mushrooms. The mushrooms were unseasoned, and she had just fried them. He could taste the mushrooms' aroma.

"Delicious."

He ate more rice and got a bit of the tuna stew. He used to think that all tuna stew were the same, but he realized how stupid he had been. He missed his mother's cooking. This stew was full of MSG, and the saltiness disrupted his palate.

"Delicious."

Junhyuk felt grateful that she had cooked for him, and he did not hold back any compliments. If he were to complain when a woman cooked for him, there might not be a next meal.

She had spent more than an hour in the kitchen cooking that meal.

Sarang had a bright smile and picked up her spoon.

"Then, it's my turn."

She tried the tuna stew first.

"Ptooey!"

She suddenly spit out the tuna stew, but Junhyuk continued eating. Sarang began tasting all of the dishes and let out a Bronx cheer*.

She had bought the beef at the mart and cooked it, and the mushrooms were just fried.

For the rest of the dishes, she had browsed the internet for recipes. They all tasted like poison.

Either too sweet or too salty! How can he eat so calmly? He was smiling and telling her it was delicious, and she felt very grateful.

Sarang looked at Junhyuk and said:

"Hm... Today, you fill up on the beef."

She picked up plenty of the beef and placed it on his rice bowl. Junhyuk thought she was hilarious and started laughing.

He had lost his feelings and emotions at the Dimensional Battlefield and he felt like he was regaining them.

Sarang looked at him and began to laugh at herself, then she ate the beef and mushrooms with rice.

"By the way, big brother, did you watch the news today?"

"About the mummified bodies?"

"Right. How is that possible?"

"Well, I spent time in the Dimensional Battlefield, so I wasn't too surprised."

"That's different from this," she said and her eyes beamed. "Maybe it's the work of a vampire who sucks the blood out of people."

"And?"

"I will catch him. I have the power to do it."

Junhyuk frowned. What's this young girl talking about?

"Don't."

"Why?"

"Movies are ruining the younger generation. You are not a hero! It's a job for the police."

"But…"

Junhyuk looked at her seriously.

"Don't do anything dangerous."

Sarang smiled. Maybe she had just wanted to hear him say that.

"What if the vampire comes after me?"

Junhyuk answered calmly:

"Then, you should use your energy bolt on his leg and run."

Sarang had the power to stop time, and now she could use an energy blast instead of an energy bolt. She might blow the vampire's leg off, but it was better for her to be safe.

Sarang smiled after Junhyuk said that.

"What if the vampire comes after us both?"

"Then, you run. I will fight him."

Junhyuk was a monster going by human standards. Experts had strength beyond ordinary humans, and he was also carrying the strength runestone and had his swords. If his opponents did not use guns, they would be killed.

"What? What is that?! We should either run away together or fight together."

Junhyuk knew she was just pretending and said calmly:

"Then, as a magician novice, you should fight from the back. I will fight in the front."

"Sure."

Sarang smiled brightly, and Junhyuk looked at her and then focused on eating. Sarang also looked at him and focused on eating.

---

On Monday morning, he was on his way to work when he watched the news on his smartphone. They had found another three mummified bodies. The police thought it was the work of an organized gang.

"Societal justice and rescue?"

The dead high school students had been bad and hadn't readjusted into society. Junhyuk stopped watching the news.

He had practiced a lot this past weekend.

Sarang had been there to train, but Junhyuk could use his force field at will.

Junhyuk could make a force field on whoever he chose, so he practiced spatial relocation.

It was now possible for him to grab someone and teleport with that person. He had practiced in his room and had moved only twelve feet.

Still, he had managed to teleport with Sarang. At first, he could only teleport himself, but with practice, he was able to do it with her.

The first time Sarang teleported with him, she was so happy that it still made him smile. Sarang had practiced the accuracy of her energy bolt.

She had practiced with empty beer cans on the desk while she sat comfortably on a bed. She could shoot continuously and change the intensity of the energy bolt.

She had shot more than twelve beer cans, and Junhyuk had had to drink them all first. Sarang had drunk sodas because she was underage and, later, she had became so full that she had had to stop practicing.

They had practiced together for the entire weekend and had become much closer. They had talked about saving each other and had eaten meals together.

They didn't eat on the Dimensional Battlefield, and it was not a place for small talk.

Junhyuk got off the subway and walked toward ST Capsule's building while moving his hands around. He was training dual swordsmanship and, since he couldn't swing his swords, he was just making the motions.

He went into his office and found out he was the first to arrive. He smiled and pulled out his tablet.

He checked on the notes he had made on the collaboration project and looked for extra information on the project. Then, he logged into the company's intranet and studied more. The door opened, and people started to come in.

"Good morning!"

It was Mr. Jang and his male coworkers. They all smiled at him.

"Did you have good time with your cousin?"

"What? Ha-ha-ha, I bought her some pizza and sent her home."

"You are a good cousin."

Mr. Jang passed him by, and the other male coworkers whispered among themselves:

"Told you. She is just a cousin."

"Strange. It stinks of a crime."

Junhyuk smiled bitterly and reminded himself that he had to be careful. If the others found out that they had spent the weekend together, he just might get in trouble with them.

Junhyuk was concentrating on his work when Jangho and Somin walked in. Somin greeted everyone and, as she saw Junhyuk, she turned her head away and sat down.

Junhyuk wanted to know what was wrong with her, but Jangho just smiled at him as he too took a seat. Junhyuk clicked his tongue and decided to improve his relationship with Somin.

He meant to take her out on a meal since she had helped him a lot.

He thought about this and that when the elevator door opened, and Eunseo walked in with her bodyguards.

She drove her fully-automated wheelchair with ease and greeted the workers.

"One hour from now, we will hold a meeting in meeting room. Everyone should attend."

"Yes."

"Come prepared," Mr. Jang said as he watched Eunseo go into her office.

"Yes."

"And Mr. Junhyuk Lee and Miss Somin Jeon, make copies of these and place them in the meeting room."

"Yes!" Junhyuk answered energetically and picked up the copy materials. "How many copies do we need?"

"Thirty copies should be enough."

"Right."

Junhyuk took the materials to the copy machine, and Somin walked next to him.

"I will prepare the tea for the meeting."

"I can help you."

Somin looked at him, shook her head and went away.

Junhyuk reviewed the materials he was copying.

"Already?"

They had set a date for the collaboration between ST Capsule and Robotics. The official announcement was a month from then. The meeting had to be about what would happen next.

Junhyuk made thirty copies and headed to the meeting room.

Somin was setting up the table for the meeting, and Junhyuk followed her around and placed the copies on each seat. The preparation was finished, and there was still some time left, so Junhyuk looked at Somin.

"How about some coffee?"

Somin shook her head.

"After the meeting."

"Promise?"

Junhyuk acted exaggeratedly, and Somin laughed at him.

"It's good to see you laugh."

"Don't bother."

They went back to the office and reported to Mr. Jang, and he gathered the rest of the workers.

"Everyone, go to the meeting room. I will go with the chief."

"Yes."

Everyone took their seats in the meeting room, and Eunseo walked in. She was with Mr. Jang, and Mr. Jang stepped forward to start the meeting.

"The ST Capsule and Robotics collaboration has an official date set. The project was a success, and the announcement will be made a month from now. Also, Robotics has given us full advertising rights."

The people buzzed. It would be good to have only one of the companies in charge of advertising. The final approval had to be made by both parties, but ST Capsule had the advantage.

Eunseo lifted her hand, and everyone quieted down and focused on her. She looked at Junhyuk.

"And this collaboration's advertisement will include Mr. Junhyuk Lee."

Everyone looked at him, and he smiled awkwardly. He did not know if that was good or bad.

------

Bronx Cheer - A fart-like sound made by sticking your tongue between your lips and blowing.

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