Chapter 14.1

Chapter 14.1

“Great. Deal sealed. Bang, bang, bang.”

Cheong-seon clapped his hands and stood up from his seat, where he had been sitting close to Ara.

“Feel free to use it, but return it before dinner.”

“Okay.”

“Alright then, I’ll go bother our troublemaker now. Hong-seon! Lee Hong-seon! Your brother Cheong-seon is coming!”

With that, he sang Hong-seon’s name like a refrain as he headed upstairs.

Ara was left alone in the now-quiet living room. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers gently caressing the frame of the sunglasses.

A treasure that makes you invisible when worn. It hides your body heat, breathing, and voice like magic.

What should I do with this?

Hmm. Ara bit her lip as she pondered. It didn’t take long for her gaze to drift towards the kitchen.

‘I need to feel alive.’

‘When you live too long, you easily forget what it feels like to be alive.’

The steady sound of running water echoed Seok-kyung’s words in her mind.

His voice was calm but carried a hint of loneliness. Was he still wearing that same expression while washing dishes?

Ara lifted her head and looked towards the kitchen. Then she stood up abruptly.

Why be so sentimental? If you’re curious, just go and see for yourself. It’s a good chance to test the goblin’s invisibility cap too.

With a determined resolve, Ara put on the sunglasses. Swoosh, her form blended seamlessly into the living room scenery.

Although the lenses were pitch black, the world looked exactly the same as it did with her naked eyes. There was no boundary between the glasses and the world, nor the slight pressure on her nose that usually came with wearing glasses.

“Amazing. It really is a treasure.”

Ara smiled broadly and moved her arms around. Confirming that her movements were unrestricted, she confidently walked towards the kitchen.

Seok-kyung was standing at the sink, focused on washing the dishes. His meticulous hands scrubbed each dish thoroughly, just as they had in the morning. The cool stream of water repeatedly rinsed the areas his hands had cleaned.

“Seok-kyung.”

Ara called out his name from the entrance on purpose.

Whether it was because of the loud water noise or because he truly couldn’t hear her, Seok-kyung didn’t turn around.

Ara gathered a bit more courage and approached the dining table.

“Seok-kyung. Can you hear me?”

Again, there was no response from Seok-kyung.

“Wow. He really can’t hear me. Incredible.”

Ara giggled like a child and boldly closed the distance. Her white indoor slippers stopped right next to Seok-kyung.

Should I check if he can’t see me either?

Leaning against the sink, Ara tilted her head and pulled down her eyelids with her fingers, sticking out her tongue.

“Idiot.”

Even with such blatant teasing, Seok-kyung didn’t glance her way. The sound of the scrubbing sponge continued mechanically.

Just to be sure, she waved her hand in front of Seok-kyung’s face, but his gaze remained fixed on the dishes in the sink.

Ara smiled contentedly once more.

“Tch. He acts so high and mighty, but he doesn’t even know I’m here. The goblin king isn’t much after all.”

Clink. A clean plate was placed on the drying rack.

“But isn’t it tiring? You could have asked for help. If you don’t want to do it with me, you could have called Cheong-seon or Hong-seon. Oh, do they not know how to wash dishes either?”

“……”

“Well, Hong-seon might be okay, but Cheong-seon would never meet your cleanliness standards.”

Ara giggled to herself, talking and answering her questions.

Even though she was using the goblin’s invisibility cap, the peaceful kitchen scene, much like in the morning, broke down the thorns of caution that had briefly sprouted in her heart.

“Seok-kyung, you don’t really like me, do you?”

Maybe that’s why.

Ara easily let out the true feelings she had kept deeply buried and suppressed.

“I don’t like you much either.”

Bending over, Ara rested her face on her hands on the empty space of the counter. Her slender fingers tapped her cheek.

“You always speak harshly when you could say things nicely. You scold me for making casual comments, asking if I’m here to sightsee. You tell me to just eat when I’m curious instead of asking questions.” It was a childish complaint that couldn’t be denied. Ara knew well that she was being stubborn and immature.

“Still, I…”