Chapter 5.2

Chapter 5.2

Ara made a bombshell declaration.

“What?”

Seok-kyung’s face was a picture of bewilderment, almost beyond disbelief.

Ara, ignoring his reaction, brazenly continued.

“I can’t leave here without ten billion. The loan sharks are probably hunting me down with eyes blazing.”

“…”

“And you said you’d keep an eye on me, right? You need to be close to verify, how can you do that from afar?”

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Repaying stubbornness with stubbornness was only fair.

Ara, feeling a bit triumphant, placed her hands on her hips. Her shoulders were squared like a victorious general’s.

“Anyway, I’ll live here for the time being. If you don’t like it, Mr. Kim Seok-kyung, then hand over the ten billion right now. What’s it going to be?”

Seok-kyung remained silent for a while. He seemed at a loss for words at Ara’s insistence and her push for a decision.

“If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as a yes.”

With that, Ara declared her intent and began picking up her belongings from the floor. She carefully gathered her deck of cards and blanket.

Leaving Seok-kyung standing there speechless, Ara made her way to the main hall, her legs trembling.

The old hanok was worn and chipped in many places. Yet, if examined closely, it was an incredibly luxurious mansion. It looked like a grand house from a noble family village, with exquisite details in the beams and tiles.

Ara brushed the thick layer of dust off the wooden floor with her hand. Though her claim about living there was a lie, the gesture stirred up a cloud of black dust in the air.

Still, it was better than the dirt floor.

Ara rolled up her eco bag to use as a pillow. She spread the blanket she had used for the card game over herself like a quilt. Considering she was on the verge of sleeping on the street, this was sheer luxury.

“Oof,” she groaned as she lay down, noticing a dark shadow looming over her head.

“You startled me. Can’t you make some noise when you walk?”

Seok-kyung looked down at Ara, who was grumbling with a complicated expression.

“If you sleep on this cold floor, don’t come crying to me if you wake up with a twisted face.”

“I’m not asking for your concern.”

Ara snapped back as if she hadn’t expected any concern in the first place.

‘…But what if he actually cares?’

Her round eyes blinked slowly. Her lips, which had been moving sluggishly, parted slightly.

“If you’re so worried, why don’t you let me sleep inside?”

But Seok-kyung remained silent. Even if he was concerned, he didn’t like the idea.

‘Of course, I knew it from the way he always acted like he was doing me a favor.’

“I’m really going to sleep now.”

Ara decided to give up completely. She pulled the blanket up to her neck and curled up in a fetal position.

“Good night, Mr. Kim Seok-kyung.”

It had been an exhausting day, physically and mentally.

It would be nice if she could wake up and say it was just a strange dream…

Ara closed her eyes tightly. The fatigue of the day, combined with overwhelming drowsiness, washed over her.

***

“Ha…”

Seok-kyung sighed, rubbing his forehead. It had been a while since he had felt such a pounding headache in his temples.

The source of this excruciating headache was sound asleep on the main hall floor. Despite not having been lying down for long, Ara was already in a deep sleep, snoring softly.

“No wonder my dreams were so restless last night.”

Seok-kyung muttered to himself as he plopped down next to the sleeping Ara.

“Mmm…”

Perhaps sensing his presence in her sleep, Ara groaned and shifted.

Seok-kyung glanced at her, then scooted over just a hand’s width away from where he had sat.

The world grew silent again. Surprisingly, no noise disturbed the night. Only Ara’s rhythmic breathing and the rustling of leaves in the wind broke the stillness of the old house.

Was it because the surroundings were too quiet?

‘Good night, Mr. Kim Seok-kyung.’

The brazen voice that shouldn’t have been audible now tickled his ears.

“Does she have no shame? What’s with ‘good night’?”

Seok-kyung irritably rubbed his ears.

Maybe he should go and wash his ears. They say King Yeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty used to wash his ears whenever he heard something unpleasant.

Just as he was grumbling, recalling even the habits of King Yeongjo,

“Wham.”

Suddenly, right above where Seok-kyung sat, an upside-down face appeared under the eaves.

It was the face of a girl who looked like a high school student. Her long white hair, tied up in a bun, fluttered gently in the air.

Any normal human would have fainted at the sight, but Seok-kyung just leaned back indifferently. His long legs stretched out lazily.

“Nam Seol-do. Why are you up there instead of sleeping?”