Chapter 61
A smoking café with a duplex interior.
Maybe because it was a weekday, there weren’t many people inside, but everyone who was there had a cigarette lit, and the air was hazy with smoke.
Normally, as a non-smoker, Juhyuk would never step foot in a place like this, but the meeting spot had unfortunately been set here, so he had no choice.
Why would anyone choose a place like this for a meeting?
If the smell of cigarettes got on his clothes, his mom would get the wrong idea and annoy him about it later.
He let out a deep sigh as he waited. Before long, the quiet café echoed with the sound of footsteps.
Hearing the thudding steps, he glanced toward the stairs—and met a familiar face.
Her face was as pale as always, and the dark bags under her eyes were heavy enough to be seen from across the room.
“You’re early.”
“If I’d known it was this kind of place, I would’ve come late.”
“I’m inviting you to my personal favorite café, you know.”
Jia sat down, immediately taking out a cigarette and biting it between her lips.
She lit it and exhaled the smoke toward the closed window.
Silence settled between them.
After a few seconds, she leaned back against the chair, looking exhausted.
Those small lips held the cigarette, she inhaled just enough, then blew out another cloud of smoke.
Only after repeating that a few times did the silence finally break.
“So? Why did you want to see me?”
She asked with a mocking scoff, not even waiting for a reply.
“Don’t tell me it’s a date request. Are chain-smokers your type?”
“Women who smoke aren’t my type.”
“Then why did you drag this busy person out here?”
Busy?
From the way she sounded on the phone, she had been lazing around on the couch doing nothing.
Well, whatever. Whether she was busy or wasting her days being a jobless bum had nothing to do with him.
Juhyuk went straight to the point without any flowery preface.
“Mephisto.”
The reason he came.
It definitely wasn’t to breathe in this cigarette fog, and even less to go on a date with her.
“I called you because I need to talk to Mephisto.”
A human who could contact Mephisto.
Since Sung Jia had a contract with the demon, she should be able to reach her—that’s why he’d called her here.
“…Hey.”
Judging from her expression, getting her cooperation wasn’t going to be easy.
“That’s classified. A very important classified matter, at that.”
The cigarette ash grew long and fragile.
It looked like it could fall any second, but she didn’t seem concerned.
“Just the fact that you know this is already a huge problem.”
“Why is it a problem?”
“Because sensitive company information leaked to someone who doesn’t even work there.”
She flicked off the long ash and asked:
“Where’d you hear it.”
“The study.”
“…What—”
Her voice trailed off.
She went quiet for a moment, then nervously took a drag and muttered to herself:
“Would it kill them to warn me beforehand…?”
Then she crossed her arms tightly.
She put out the cigarette—burned nearly to the filter—into the ashtray.
“He’s asking why you came.”
“Mephisto?”
“Yeah. Staying connected too long gives me a headache, so hurry and talk.”
It hadn’t been long since the name was brought up, yet Mephisto was already connected.
As expected, finding Jia was the right choice.
Following her cue, Juhyuk immediately explained why he came.
“I need something valuable enough to negotiate with Garisto.”
“He says, why.”
She spoke to what seemed like empty air.
Assuming it was Mephisto she was addressing, Juhyuk waited for a response. It soon came.
“He wants to know why you’re looking for that.”
“I made a contract. I’m supposed to rescue someone he captured.”
That should be enough explanation.
Once again, he omitted the part about the artifact and explained only the necessities.
Jia responded almost immediately.
“He’s asking what kind of nobody you contracted with that he didn’t hear a thing about it… and whining that you refuse to contract with him no matter what, but you’ll go contract with other demons.”
“It’s a short-term contract. I’ve done them with you too.”
“He says a bet and a contract are completely different—he’s sulking.”
“…Ha.”
Hearing that a being who lived dozens of times longer than him was “sulking” made him sigh.
Knowing it was just Mephisto playing around, he returned to the main issue.
“So, something to negotiate with Garisto—does he know where I can get it?”
“….”
The café grew quieter.
He waited for Mephisto’s reply. Finally, Jia’s lips parted.
“He has one. But it’s precious to him, so he doesn’t want to give it.”
“Give it.”
“You’re really shameless, you know that?”
Juhyuk’s boldness surpassed her expectations.
Not many humans talked to a high-ranking demon like Mephisto with that level of audacity—her surprise was justified.
“You know it’s not free. Equivalent exchange.”
“He says this one’s expensive, so he can’t give it away easily like last time.”
“Eating Dreamflower wasn’t exactly easy, you know.”
“…Wait. You ate Dreamflower?”
This time the reaction came not from Mephisto, but from Jia.
She paused relaying messages, staring at him in disbelief.
Juhyuk ignored her shock and continued:
“Anyway, I don’t care if it’s difficult. Tell me. As long as it’s not a contract, I’ll match it.”
“….”
It took a long time to get an answer again.
Maybe she was still shaken about the Dreamflower.
Whatever the reason, only after some time did a response finally come.
“He’s asking if you’ll really fulfill every condition he sets.”
“I need to hear it first to judge.”
“He says last time was too unsatisfying, so this time he wants something more stimulating.”
“And that is?”
Juhyuk wanted her to stop dragging it out and say it already.
Jia waited silently—then suddenly grimaced and turned bright red.
“No. Not doing it.”
“…What?”
“Just forget Garisto or whatever. Give up.”
She abruptly pushed her chair back to stand.
Juhyuk quickly grabbed her arm to stop her.
“I can’t give up. Just say it.”
“I said no! I don’t want to!”
“Why you don’t want it?”
“…I don’t know.”
“What kind of answer—”
Her sudden tantrum left him speechless.
Maybe she knew she wasn’t making sense either, because she slowly explained.
“He wants us to live together.”
“Live together?”
“Yes. Me and you.”
Her face turned fiery red.
Even her ears flushed so deeply she looked like a ripe apple.
Stammering in embarrassment, she continued:
“He wants us… to stay within ten meters of each other for a whole week.”
“….”
“That’s Mephisto’s condition.”
In exchange for giving Juhyuk the item needed to negotiate with Garisto, Mephisto wanted one thing:
Juhyuk and Jia must not be more than ten meters apart for one full week.
He’d expected something like monster trophies or maybe another ridiculous bet.
He definitely hadn’t expected this.
Why?
Was Mephisto trying to film some kind of trendy “observation reality show”?
Juhyuk pushed aside the silly thoughts and tried to interpret it from Mephisto’s perspective.
Why insist on this condition?
What trap might be behind it?
Would a single week be worth trading a precious item for?
And what was important to Mephisto in the first place?
He thought back to their previous interactions:
The temptation bet.
The Dreamflower he had to eat for her amusement.
The past story about Hyunho Candy meant to create conflict in him.
Conflict.
Yes—Mephisto loved seeing him conflicted.
So was this the plan?
“Force a man and woman together, let them grow closer, plant new feelings, and cause emotional confusion.”
A situation Mephisto would absolutely enjoy.
Looking at it that way, the reasoning made perfect sense.
And it wasn’t even wrong.
Stay together for a week, and they’d naturally grow attached.
Maybe new emotions would form.
And if that happened…
He’d be torn between the Association and Hyunho Candy later.
“I’ll do it.”
Juhyuk’s life was on the line.
The contract he’d made with the demon in the training room:
“Do your utmost to rescue him.”
If he failed—because he was embarrassed or because he didn’t want to live with Jia for a week—it would be no different from breaking the contract.
“What did you say?”
“I accept.”
His expression was serious.
Jia immediately realized he wasn’t joking and stumbled over her words.
“Y-You pervert…”
“I’m not touching you, so relax.”
“How am I supposed to trust that?!”
Her usual cold expression was gone, replaced with flustered panic.
Juhyuk didn’t budge. Still holding her arm, he stared straight at her.
“I can’t back down.”
“I don’t care! I’m not doing—”
Her words died halfway through.
After a moment, she screamed toward the empty air:
“HEY! You’re using that now?!”
“….”
“No! This isn’t fair… You can’t do this…!”
She was clearly talking to Mephisto.
Her face, already crimson, somehow grew even redder.
“Can’t you use it on something else?! Please?!”
She tried negotiating with Mephisto like she was pleading with a stubborn child.
People nearby, few as they were, began staring at the bizarre one-sided conversation.
…Maybe I should pretend I don’t know her.
Being stared at like this was embarrassing.
He quietly let go of her arm and took his seat.
After several long minutes of heated, whispered arguments with Mephisto, Jia collapsed into her seat with a defeated look.
“…Hey.”
“Yeah.”
She looked genuinely worn out.
She always looked tired from her dark circles, but after talking to Mephisto for a few minutes, she looked twice as drained.
As he watched her silently, she met his eyes—then immediately turned away and muttered:
“If you try anything weird… I’ll really kill you…”
