Chapter 14.2

Ara’s voice trailed off, her thoughts tangled in confusion. She looked at Seok-kyung, who continued to wash dishes, oblivious to her presence and words. The steady sound of water and the rhythmic scrubbing filled the silence, leaving her to ponder her own feelings.

“I wanted to get along with you.” Ara sighed as she confessed honestly.

“You might think there’s no point in it, but we have to see each other every day for three months anyway. It’s better to get along, don’t you think?”

“Besides, I’m human. To someone like you who’s lived for so long, three months might be just a blink of an eye, but for me, it’s a quarter of a year.”

The clinking of dishes seemed to answer her unheeded questions.

“Right. I’ve held back from asking a lot of things because I thought you’d find it annoying.”

The kitchen had turned into Ara’s venting space.

She felt like she could completely understand the person who shouted, “The king’s ears are donkey ears!” in the bamboo forest.

“Why did you change your mind and let me stay in this house?”

“What happened while I was asleep?”

“Is your original hair color gold? Or is it the color of another gemstone?”

Since she wouldn’t get any answers anyway, and it didn’t cost anything to ask, Ara chattered away with whatever came to mind. Then she suddenly tilted her head to the side.

“Hmm…”

Her clear eyes were fixed on Seok-kyung’s profile.

“But he’s annoyingly handsome.”

The unfiltered thought slipped out.

“He’s really tall, has great proportions. If he were a model or an idol, he’d be a huge success. If he were an actor, he’d probably have starred in five blockbuster movies.”

Ara turned her body slightly to fully appreciate Seok-kyung’s looks.

Indeed… no matter how insufferable he is, his face is so handsome that it’s hard to criticize him.

It was a bit of a blow to her pride, but looking at his inhumanly beautiful face made her momentarily forget her grievances.

Ara leisurely scanned Seok-kyung from head to toe.

Her unabashed gaze traveled from his deep eyes to his sharp jawline, lingered on his slender neck, and then dropped to his Achilles tendon peeking out from his pant leg, before climbing back up to his broad back and the forearms exposed by his rolled-up sleeves.

She stared at the muscles and tendons that became more defined with each movement of his hands. Then, as if entranced, she reached out her hand.

Finally, her white fingers wrapped around his firm forearm.

“Wow, your body is even better than it looks. It’s really solid.”

His arm felt warm, like that of an ordinary person. Whether it was from frequent exercise or carrying heavy dishes, the firmness was evident to her touch.

Ara, with a curious expression, touched Seok-kyung’s bare forearm a couple more times before withdrawing her hand.

“Seriously, being unnecessarily handsome just messes with people’s minds.”

Just as she was grumbling, the large ceramic plate in his hand suddenly slipped and fell into the soapy water in the sink.

Splash! The soapy water splashed up, landing on Seok-kyung’s face and chest.

“Ugh, you’re in no position to criticize Seol-do.”

Ara clicked her tongue and shook her head, mimicking the way Seok-kyung often did to her. It was a scolding that no one could hear, but it felt quite satisfying to deliver.

“Hold still. Soap in your eyes stings.”

Ara stood on tiptoe and reached out toward Seok-kyung’s face but then hesitated.

Can I wipe that off while wearing the goblin’s invisibility cap? Or, rather, can I do it without him noticing? There’s no mirror right in front of him, so maybe it’ll be okay?

With a mix of determination and caution, Ara decided to proceed. She gently dabbed at the soap bubbles on Seok-kyung’s face, trying to be as discreet as possible. The invisibility cap seemed to be working its magic, as Seok-kyung didn’t react to her touch.

Ara carefully wiped away the bubbles, making sure not to draw any attention to herself. It was a strange and surreal experience, but she managed to clean his face without him noticing.

Satisfied with her work, Ara stepped back and observed Seok-kyung, who continued washing dishes, oblivious to her presence and actions.

As she hesitated, Seok-kyung frowned and irritably rubbed near his eyes with his wrist.

No, that’ll just make it worse.

Without further thought, Ara reached out and wiped away the soap bubbles with the inside of her index finger.

Oh, it works.

Impressed, she moved her hand again to clean the remaining traces. Just as she was about to wipe away the last bit, Seok-kyung’s wet hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“…?”

Ara froze—not just her body but also her mind. Her brain couldn’t process the situation.

He caught me? My arm? How?

“Na Ara.”

A low voice called her name. Ara looked at Seok-kyung in disbelief.

His dark eyes were clearly, precisely, locked onto hers. “Could you stop touching me?”