SWNOVELS
Chapter 656. Investigating (1)
“It's nothing, noona,” said Han Eun-Sol.
Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “...Oh, really? Because it sounds like something to me?”
“I'm telling you, it's really nothing.”
“And it really, really sounds like something, though?”
Irritation crept into Han Eun-Sol's expression. “Can't you just let it go?”
“No can do. I'm the food inspector in the world of actresses. There can be no such thing as letting something smelly go in my book! Now, spill the beans!”
Han Eun-Sol grandly groaned. However, that didn't mean he wasn't happy about this situation.
Choi Yeon-Ha would only joke around like this when she was genuinely happy. Han Eun-Sol realized it certainly had been a long time since they chatted like this. As her manager, he obviously noticed that her head was in a good spot.
“You know, it's nothing much. I was thinking you've changed a lot, noona.”
“I have?”
“Yup. It's clear to me now after talking to you like this. The old you was like... How should I put it? Mm...”
Choi Yeon-Ha confidently smirked. “A beautiful and elegant woman, obviously.”
“You were like a goddess of destruction! Destruction! That Shiva or whatever the name was. That was you!”
“Hah? You wanna see the Destruction Goddess descending for real, then?! Should I let you witness that miracle?!”
“...No thank you.” Han Eun-Sol noticed the veins popping up near Choi Yeon-Ha's temples and hurriedly changed the topic. “In any case! I've realized the truth now. Looking at your current self really makes me appreciate how much you've changed, noona. Maybe my first impression of you got branded to my soul or something, and that's why I'm still whining like this.”
“Hah. At least you know,” Choi Yeon-Ha smirked deeply.
“Knowing your personality's quirks... I guess we're all holding back a lot of ourselves, aren't we?”
Choi Yeon-Ha narrowed her eyes. “...What are you trying to say about my personality?”
“It's a dogsh... Ahem, I meant it's a bit too delicate, isn't it?”
“Really? Is that why I'm suddenly hankering to sew your trap shut delicately now?”
“...Ehehehe.” Han Eun-Sol chuckled awkwardly to break through this crisis, then resumed where he left off. “I heard that people will eventually grow mellower and gentler around the edges, but I feared that would never happen to you, noona. Still, that day finally has come, hasn't it?”
“Mellower?” Choi Yeon-Ha smirked derisively. “Did you think me getting mellower with age was why I was behaving myself?”
“...It wasn't?”
“How can humans become mellower when that's how we're programmed since birth? There's no such thing, okay? People's personalities cannot change. It's just that as we get older, we learn about all the disadvantages of acting according to our whims. So, we hold ourselves back. Here's the thing, though. I don't need to hold anything back. Whether it was the past me or now? I haven't changed a bit.”
“R-really?”
If the person saying all this wasn't Choi Yeon-Ha but someone else, Han Eun-Sol would've thought they were trying to hide their embarrassment by acting all haughty and high-handed. Too bad, the person saying it was Choi Yeon-Ha, and she wasn't hiding anything. One look at her expression would be enough to realize that!
That expression filled with sneer and sheer arrogance...!
'Holy cow. Now there's an expression I haven't seen in ages.'
It wasn't the case of that expression disappearing for good, but Choi Yeon-Ha simply found a way to masterfully mask it until now!
“T-then, noona... Why are you like this?”
“How disappointing, Eun-Sol,” Choi Yeon-Ha tutted and stared at her manager for a while, then muttered in a low voice. “What do you think is the biggest difference between the past and the current me?”
“Mm? You got older?”
“...”
“And you got wrinkles now?”
Veins bulged dangerously on Choi Yeon-Ha's forehead. She shuddered in rage before yelling loudly at Han Eun-Sol. “What nonsense are you blabbing about?! What wrinkles?! Don't you know how much money I've dumped on my skincare?! If I still get wrinkles after that, Imma tear the head off that goddamn dermatologist!”
“Please calm down, noona! There might be Koreans here, you know!” Han Eun-Sol freaked out and tried to pacify his talent. Why did he stupidly provoke her even though he knew he'd get nothing in return!? After all, Choi Yeon-Ha was still Choi Yeon-Ha, wasn't she? Even if she had become a lot mellower these days!
“Fuu-woo-wook!” Choi Yeon-Ha panted and huffed in anger before hoovering up the cup of Iced Americano on the table. “I almost got a low blood sugar level!”
“...”
Choi Yeon-Ha scowled and glared at Han Eun-Sol and his clamped mouth. “Well, at least you got the correct answer.”
“Huh? You mean your wrinkles?”
“Wanna die today? Seriously!”
“...My apologies,” said Han Eun-Sol. However, when he noticed Choi Yeon-Ha's quaking hand grabbing the nearby cushion, he wordlessly shielded the drinks again. These drinks were important, after all!
“No, not my bloody wrinkles, but the thing about getting older! What should a woman do as she grows older?”
“...Eh? You mean, uh, like planning retirement?”
Choi Yeon-Ha shot up to her feet. “That's it! You're dead meat!”
“N-no, wait! Noona, I really can't think of anything else! Sorry!”
“A woman should start thinking about marriage, you dumbass!”
“M-m-marriage?!” Han Eun-Sol's irises powerfully quaked just then. “I thought you didn't believe in marriages?”
“Say what? It's not that I didn't believe it, but more like I couldn't do it. Did you think I haven't gotten married yet because I didn't feel like it? No, it's the case of I couldn't.”
“...Whoa!” Han Eun-Sol slowly nodded as if he had finally accepted the truth. A woman could certainly decide she didn't mind staying single for the rest of her life, but Choi Yeon-Ha was more like... '...Yup, she just couldn't find anyone she approved of.'
Which made total sense since she was the one of a kind in the entire universe!
“Noona, I'm proud of you. You've finally accepted the indisputable fact that you can never get hitched with that temper of yours.”
Choi Yeon-Ha's cushion finally flew in the air. However, Han Eun-Sol seemed prepared for the assault as he ably snatched the keenly-flying weapon mid-air and shoved it behind his back. “Why, thank you for the cushion, noona.”
Choi Yeon-Ha repeatedly clenched her fists in rage only to unfurl them but didn't continue with the assault. “...What's wrong with my personality?!”
Han Eun-Sol tutted. “You are not asking that because you don't know for real, right?”
“...Urgh!”
“You know the problem, and that's why you're working so hard to fix your personality, right?”
That was when Choi Yeon-Ha found the chance to counterattack. She smirked derisively again. “And that's why you'll always be a solo player.”
“What the heck? Why are you bringing that up now? Since you said it, let's make this clear, okay? Noona, do you have a boyfriend?”
“I do! Can't you see!”
“Oh? Did you make it clear that you want to date him?”
“...”
“Did he say he wanted to date you?”
“N-no, it's not... Well, no one said that outright, but anyone can tell that that's what's happening to our relationship! Who would be crazy enough to travel to China for a girl unless they are dating!”
“That's not dating, noona. Isn't that more like a fling? No, a show of affection? You know, like... He's kinda yours but not quite?”
“It sounds more and more like you want to know how affectionate my fists can be!”
“I'm merely stating the truth, noona. The truth!”
Choi Yeon-Ha retreated as if her sore spot had been attacked just then.
Han Eun-Sol grew in confidence and sat up straight. “If you wish to use that thing to keep making fun of someone, you better define where you two stand first, okay? It doesn't feel great when a thirty-year solo player tells me stuff like that.”
“Wha?! Who's thirty here! Why are you sneakily rewriting my age as thirty-something?!”
“It's not too far off, though.”
“I swear, I'm gonna fire you soon!” contemporary romance
“I told you, no one wants to be your manager besides me, noona.”
Choi Yeon-Ha groaned loudly before continuing on. “I should think about getting married, but the current me will have a hard time finding someone. Like you said.”
“And that's why you're trying to change yourself?”
“And that's why you're an idiot, Eun-Sol. What's the point of marrying a guy after changing my personality? You think I can live the rest of my life like that? If my personality breaks free again, we'll be off to a divorce court straightaway, you know!”
“Well, yeah. That sounds about right.”
“So! It's not the case of changing my personality, but altering everyone's perception of me, okay? Fufufu~! If I meticulously act my part of a nice girl, everybody will eventually assume that getting older has finally matured and mellowed me. Just like how it was with you! Then, people will say that to you know who, too! The truth about investigating someone is that you start by asking their acquaintances and friends first, you see?”
“...!” Han Eun-Sol grimaced and stared at Choi Yeon-Ha in disbelief. 'Is it necessary to go that far?'
Unlike some people, Choi Yeon-Ha shouldn't be in a hurry to get hitched. Which men would say no to her just because she got a little older? Besides, she was financially secure to the point where she didn't have to worry about finding work for the rest of her life. In other words, nothing stopped her from living her life at a more leisurely pace.
Out of sheer curiosity, Han Eun-Sol couldn't help himself but ask. “Is that how much you like Mister Jin-Ho? So much so that you'd even consider something you've never even thought of? Like marriage?”
“W-who's considering what here? I'm just covering all my bases in case he... You know!”
“...Isn't that the same thing?”
“I, uh, I don't have any plans to bring up marriage first. However! You know he's got that impatient side to him. So... You know! He, uh, he could suddenly mention marriage to me and stuff. T-that's why I'm preparing for all eventualities, okay! It's not like I've decided he's the one for me, you know? Goodness, you're such a weird guy, Eun-Sol.”
Han Eun-Sol slowly shook his head while observing Choi Yeon-Ha ramble on like a drunkard. She was beyond hopeless, wasn't she? “Noona, that's cheating.”
“That's fine! A woman can game the system a little, you know?”
“What kinda nonsense is that, noona?”
“What's so wrong about it? Every woman does that, anyway.”
Han Eun-Sol frowned deeply. “Huh?”
Choi Yeon-Ha tutted before starting her lesson. “Have you ever seen a girl walking around with zero makeup on? Or wearing worn-out T-shirts and PJs like they might do at home, scratching their bellies like a lazy uncle?”
“...No, I have not.”
“That's what all girls do, though. Our stock will fall if we present ourselves as is, so we put on makeup and wear nice clothes. In that case, what's so wrong about changing how others see us just a little bit? It's the same thing, isn't it?”
“I guess you have a point... Somehow?” Han Eun-Sol tilted his head. His senses warned him not to fall for this sophistry, but the persuasive force behind Choi Yeon-Ha's words couldn't be denied. As a migraine began making itself known, Han Eun-Sol decided to search for the topic of this conversation next. “By the way, where did Mister Jin-Ho go?”
Choi Yeon-Ha shrugged her shoulders. “He probably went to his lodging.”
“Eh? You let him off the hook that easily?”
“Of course. We'll be going on a sightseeing tour first thing tomorrow morning, you know! Obviously, I must let him go so he can get some rest. I'm not as thoughtless as you think I am.”
“...Wait, what? The first thing tomorrow morning?”
“Yup.”
Han Eun-Sol offered a silent prayer for Kang Jin-Ho's well-being, then looked back at Choi Yeon-Ha. “By the way, noona?”
“Yeah?”
“Is Mister Jin-Ho even interested in marriage?”
“...”
Choi Yeon-Ha pleaded the Fifth on that one.
***
“You're finally back, master,” said Vator as he glanced at the doorway.
“Mmhm,” Kang Jin-Ho briefly waved his hand to greet the big man back. His steps taking him deeper inside this hotel suite seemed a little tired.
Vator noticed that and let out a sleazy cackle. “Fufufu. It seems you're somewhat worn out, master.”
“Somewhat. This familiar yet unfamiliar feeling gets on my nerves a bit.”
A martial artist on the level of Kang Jin-Ho would rarely feel physically tired. So, the culprit this time had to be mental fatigue.
Vator nodded meaningfully. “Makes sense. Since that activity can be surprisingly tiresome.”
“...I think this conversation is going off-track again?” Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly.
Vator casually shrugged his shoulders before backing away. “I shall stop here, then. Everything in moderation and all.”
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled briefly, then glanced at Zhang Dajing next. “Did anything happen while I was away?”
“No, Mister Jin-Ho. Nothing of note to report.”
“What about our guest?”
Zhang Dajing pointed at the bathroom. “He's doing rather well. Although, I'm sure he doesn't think that way.”
“I see. Good...” Kang Jin-Ho turned on his heels and headed to the bathroom right away.
Vator tilted his head. “Are you planning to start straight away, master?”
“Yes. No need to drag this out, after all.”
Clack!
When Kang Jin-Ho entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him, Zhang Dajing grimaced and stared in anxiety. “That fool inside, he... I sincerely hope he doesn't confess everything right away.”
Vator chuckled genially. “It'll be alright. Even if my master gets the confession he wants, he'll still need some time before he can make a move.”
“I see. That's great news.”
“It's just that, mm...” Vator scratched his cheek while glancing at the firmly shut bathroom door. “Seeing how my master rushed inside there right after his return... It can only mean he has been anxious to get his hands on our guest. Which also means there is a possibility that my master might act a little more impulsively and violently than usual.”
A long groan leaked out of Zhang Dajing's mouth.
'I don't care anymore. It's not like I'll get killed multiple times, right?'
Zhang Dajing originally wanted to return to Korea without encountering trouble during this trip. However, he only needed one day to resign himself to his fate. That was because, no matter how much he thought about it, dragging Vator and Kang Jin-Ho back to Korea without some major event happening now seemed like an impossibility.
An impossible hope would only give birth to bitter disappointments, after all!
“Mm, wait. I might be wrong about this,” said Vator.
“I'm sorry?” Zhang Dajing tilted his head. His questioning gaze locked on the big man's face.
That was when a deeply meaningful smirk floated up on Vator's face. “Tonight will be peaceful. I just realized that my master wouldn't want to kill that insect so easily.”
Zhang Dajing felt his hair stand on its end. After nervously gulping his saliva, he stared at the bathroom door once more.
It seemed that... Tonight might be a long one. As long as a night in Hell!
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