Chapter 10
Unlike usual, Jiho hadn’t slept well, so her mind was still hazy.
She tried to wake herself up by chewing thoroughly on the rice Yerim had prepared, but it wasn’t easy.
However, the sound of a messenger notification cutting through the silent dining table slightly roused her.
Jiho looked at Yerim.
“I have my notifications on silent. Isn’t that yours?”
That couldn’t be. There were only a handful of people saved in her phone.
Yerim the fairy, her oldest brother and sister-in-law, and her mother. Just those four.
She hadn’t told her father or her other brothers on purpose. She was afraid worries would come flying in every single day.
Ding ding. The notification rang again. Her oldest brother, sister-in-law, and mother weren’t the type to contact her this early in the morning.
Jiho found it strange and checked her phone. Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.
“It’s my number, Jiho.”
She had exchanged numbers with Haerang at the bus stop.
Of course, it hadn’t entirely been her intention. Before she knew it, after chatting so naturally, Haerang’s number was saved in her phone.
Why on earth was he texting her this early? Jiho subtly checked her messages while keeping an eye on Yerim.
Did you sleep well, Jiho?
Let’s go to school together.
I’ll come to your house.
His neat, composed tone made it feel as if she could hear Haerang’s voice.
Jiho glanced at Yerim. The fairy didn’t seem particularly concerned and wasn’t even looking her way.
What should I do…
In a way, this might actually be a good way to ease Yerim the fairy’s suspicions.
Though she had never been in a relationship in her life, she had read a lot about them in books. She’d also seen plenty of teen romance webtoons.
Since they were dating, it was only natural to go to school together.
The only problem was school, more than Yerim the fairy.
Even though it had only been one day, from what she experienced yesterday, Haerang seemed quite famous at school.
And so was she, as the transfer student.
Jiho wanted to keep a low profile at school. She didn’t want to stand out. Though it seemed she already did…
Jiho.
Do you not want to go with me?
A message came right away, as if she had been waiting for Jiho to check her phone.
Haerang’s words echoed in Jiho’s mind.
Do you not want to go with me? Not want to? Not want to?
…If she really didn’t want to, she wouldn’t be agonizing over it like this. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to; rather…
“Ryu Jiho. Are you just going to stare at your phone instead of eating?”
Yerim’s stern voice flew into her ears. Jiho flinched and hurriedly sent a reply.
Let’s go together.
“Ah, no, I’ll eat, sis.”
Thanks to a month of training, Jiho faithfully called Yerim “sis” in any situation.
Jiho flipped her phone over and focused back on her meal.
Thank you, Jiho!
Then please come down by 7:30.
Jiho checked the time after reading Haerang’s reply.
7:20. Soon it would be time to meet Haerang.
Just thinking about meeting him made her heart strangely flutter. Jiho took a deep breath to calm herself.
There was still something she hadn’t told Yerim the fairy. Yerim was probably getting ready to take her to school, so she needed to speak up quickly.
Jiho carefully opened the door and stepped out of her room. Just then, Yerim was grabbing her car keys.
Jiho urgently called out to her.
“Um, sis!”
“Oh? What?”
“I don’t think I can go with you today.”
“…Why?”
Yerim’s mood subtly darkened.
Jiho rolled her eyes and cautiously spoke, watching Yerim’s expression.
“Well… Haerang said he wants to go to school together.”
Yerim silently looked at Jiho.
Are they really dating? Is Cheon Haerang just a doppelgänger of Princess Yeonhwa?
She didn’t feel comfortable believing that outright. But if she pushed too hard, she might end up looking more suspicious.
If that’s the case…
Jiho, still a young divine beast, wouldn’t notice. And if Cheon Haerang was human, he wouldn’t notice either.
Yerim gestured to Jiho.
“Then come here and sit down, Jiho. Let me tie your hair up nicely for you.”
“Uh, huh?”
“Come on, hurry.”
Urged by Yerim, Jiho had no choice but to sit on a chair.
Standing behind Jiho, Yerim skillfully touched her hair. Light flowed from her hands and wrapped around Jiho’s hair, but Jiho didn’t notice the glow.
A neat ponytail was complete. Yerim felt proud.
“There, done. It’s really pretty, our Jiho. Haerang will fall for you all over again.”
At Yerim’s compliment, Jiho’s face flushed.
Without even checking a mirror, Jiho hurriedly left the house.
“Then, I’m off!”
Behind her swaying hair, a black hair tie sparkled.
Haerang was happy.
The thought of walking to school with Jiho excited him so much that he came out half an hour early to wait for her. But not a single minute felt boring.
“Th‑that’s right. Today’s our first day!”
“Uh… lo‑love at first sight.”
That’s what Jiho had said in front of this very house yesterday. Even though he knew she didn’t mean it, he was still happy.
After all, what mattered now was the future. Winning Jiho’s heart.
Bzz.
His phone, tucked in his pocket, vibrated.
Haerang thought it might be Jiho. Even if Jiho was late and ended up being tardy, Haerang wouldn’t mind.
But contrary to his expectation, the message wasn’t from Jiho.
Come to the chairman’s office after school today.
It was from his older sister, Cheon Yuhwa, the chairwoman of Seonhwa High School.
Haerang was deeply disappointed. But it was 7:25. In five minutes, he would see Jiho.
Naturally, he left Yuhwa’s message on read. At that moment, a frustrated Yuhwa was muttering to herself, “That little brat is so whipped…”
Buzz.
The sound of the front gate opening. Haerang’s head shot up.
“Jiho!”
Finally, it was the Jiho he had been waiting for. The corners of his mouth rose on their own.
What made his heart flutter even more was Jiho’s hairstyle. Unlike yesterday, Jiho had her hair tied up high today.
She looked pretty like this too.
Like a loyal dog wagging its tail for its owner, Haerang approached Jiho.
“Your hair is different from yesterday. Did your sister do it for you?”
“Uh, yeah… How does it look?”
“Pretty. It really suits you.”
She had answered thinking it was just casual small talk, but when an enthusiastic reply came back, Jiho was a little flustered.
Pretty.
“Haerang will fall for you all over again.”
Yerim’s words echoed in her head, and Jiho shook her head. The heat she had barely cooled down seemed to rise again.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Jiho?”
“…No, nothing. We’ll be late. Let’s hurry.”
Embarrassed, Jiho quickened her pace. But it wasn’t hard for Haerang to catch up.
Walking beside Jiho, Haerang secretly stole glances at her.
Long eyelashes that fluttered like butterfly wings. Cheeks flushed pink with color. Full lips.
Her pure white neck, clearly visible beneath her swaying hair.
Haerang forcibly suppressed his churning insides and barely managed to look away. Then he noticed something strange.
What’s that?
The black hair tie holding Jiho’s hair.
It looked like an ordinary hair tie, but Haerang could tell it was different.
A cloth hair tie wouldn’t be emitting a shimmering light.
Moreover, the light formed small orbs that floated toward him.
This is Yerim’s doing.
For a listening device, it was quite flashy. Proof that Yerim hadn’t let go of her suspicions.
The light orbs seeped into his tie. The light was no longer visible.
I won’t be able to go to the chairman’s office today.
He planned to walk home with Jiho. Doing so might also ease Yerim’s suspicions.
Plus, he needed to find out how long this light orb would remain effective.
Truth be told, he had no intention of coming back to school after going home.
Following Jiho, who had boarded the bus first, Haerang got on and quickly scanned the bus. Unfortunately, given the time, there were no seats.
Worried that Jiho might lose her balance, he stood beside her and grabbed the handrail.
Vroom. The bus started and drove down the road.
Fortunately, the bus driver drove steadily and didn’t make any sudden stops, so Jiho didn’t fall.
But the problem came after.
“Jiho?”
Haerang saw Jiho standing rooted in front of the entrance. Her already pale face was somehow even whiter, as if she was frightened.
