Me and the Tigress Volume 4 prologue part3

I started studying for the LSAT again, so I won't be able to translate as quickly as I did before. I apologize for my inadequacy.

I woke up the next morning having went to sleep comfortably and alone. Though, Rangii tried sneaking into my room again.

“I knew you'd come here, Rangii.”

Narae had been waiting in the dark for Rangii to appear and caught her.

“N-Narae?”

“You're sleeping with me tonight. Okay?”

“Unyah?!”

I couldn't help but shed a tear when I saw Narae holding Rangii by her collar and dragging her out of the room, Rangii looking pitifully at me. I was able to sleep comfortably thanks to Narae, but it was still a shame. Yeah. A definite shame. I wanted to spend the whole night talking with Narae and Rangii, then fall asleep without realizing it just like last night.

After eating my final lunch at Jirisan, I was waiting in the courtyard when I heard the rumbling of an approaching car. It was time for me to say goodbye to this house. I was surprised to find myself overtaken by emotion. I mean, it wasn't like I was leaving forever. I could just come back during winter break. I shrugged off my emotions and stood up.

“Want to go?”

“Yeah!”

I extended my hand towards Rangii. But the moment Rangii reached out to grab my hand, something happened.

[———————————!!]

The Earth trembled with a deafening roar. I got a similar feeling as when Rangii roared, as if the world had become filled with her cry. What was that? I looked down in surprise. Rangii looked deathly pale. Something was wrong. I realized that asking Rangii wouldn't help, so I looked for Saehee. She was standing behind me, a sinister smile on her face.

Did she know? Did she know that something would happen again?! I then asked Saehee, my head filled with these thoughts:

“What's going on?”

“Trouble has appeared.”

That wasn't what her face was saying. She looked happy, as if something she'd been waiting for had finally sprung up. But I decided to ignore that for now. What mattered was what that roar was saying.

“Explain.”

“It was a love call.”

At least it was a simple explanation.

“What was that roar about?”

Narae, made nervous by that cry, clung to my arm. I was fully aware that these thoughts were inappropriate for what was happening, but the teenage boy within me couldn't help but notice the springy yet resilient feeling against my arm and consider leaning a bit more to the side so that I would push more against her, but I forced those thoughts aside.

“I feel that now is not the time to be distracted by Narae-nim's mounds of fat, Young Master.”

With a terrible pressure threatening to snap my wrist in half, I came back to my senses and asked Saehee:

“Then explain what that sound was all about.”

At that moment, Rangii, who had been standing silently by my side, squeezed my hand and said this.

“It meant that if I didn't leave right now, the person would, by any means necessary, find a way to hurt you, Sunghoon.”

What an aggressive way to say something aggressively frightening. Still, maybe it was for the best that this threat was said so openly. After all, better the devil you know than the devil you don't see coming, right? …Though such a saying probably didn't even need saying. That aside, seeing Rangii look like that made me worry. She looked nervous, fidgeting with her feet and unable to decide what to do.

“Are you worried?”

I was going to console her and tell her that everything would be okay, but Rangii shook her head.

“No, I'm not. It's just … I was wondering why she was so mad when she's not the type to act like this.”

That meant Rangii had a past history with that phantom, right? She was a phantom Rangii knew. Moreover, it seemed like they were pretty close, considering how jittery Rangii was getting. Seeing her freak out so badly actually helped me keep a cool head.

I needed to think calmly. That phantom made an aggressive threat, and that phantom—who was apparently a she—was confident that she could harm me. And Rangii was acquaintances with her. This meant that doing as that phantom wanted was the best course of action. Her, not me, of course. I didn't even know who that phantom was. My best bet was to wait for that phantom to come for me and then retaliate. But looking at Rangii and how blatantly nervous she was, I felt that that was a bad idea. For all I knew, they could be friends. In that case … I gave my opinion to Rangii.

“We can go to Seoul later. Do you want to go meet that phantom?”

Rangii nodded her head without saying a word.

“Then I'll go with you.”

“Oh ho.”

What're you acting all impressed for, you damn ghost? Stop clapping. And get that cone hat off your head and stop blowing that kazoo! I decided to ignore Saehee's attempts to tease me and instead focused on Rangii's displays of happiness. But it only lasted for a second. In the end, Rangii squeezed my hand and shook her head.

“You can't. I cannot allow problems to get in the way of my husband's studies.”

That didn't matter to me in the slightest. I would want to go with her even if it meant the entirety of my studies were to go down the drain. Filled with this determination, I poked Rangii hard on the cheek. Rangii frowned and waved her arms as she spoke.

“Ow! Why're you doing that? I said something nice, so you should be kissing me on the cheek!”

Geez, so that was what you wanted? I removed my hand, leaned forward, and looked Rangii in the eye.

“You still shouldn't say things like that.”

“…Why do you say that?”

I could tell from Rangii's inability to understand that she was still a kid. I hoped that the day would come when she would understand. Though, by that time, I would probably be an adult and unable to say such cringe-worthy lines. I stood back up.

“That's a nice excuse when you just want to skip school.”

I felt a slight sting in my chest when I heard Narae say that. I must admit that that did have a small part to play in what I said. S-still, that wasn't the real reason. While I was busy schooling my expression to hide my true motive, Rangii pulled on my clothes. When I looked down, there was a strained smile on Rangii's face.

“It's okay. She's just mad that I haven't visited her in such a long time. We used to be close a really long time ago, but she's a good kid so she won't stay mad for long. Don't worry about me, and you go to Seoul first. When I finish talking with her, I'll got to you right away.”

You don't have to act so mature right now! Still, I was thankful for how mindful of me she was being, and I rubbed her head.

“But there's something I want you to do before you leave,” Rangii said.

“What's that?”

Rangii looked up at me, a serious expression on her face. For good reason, I prepared myself for whatever crazy thing she was about to do. Rangii opened her mouth wide and reached in with her hand, but before she could do what I feared she was going to do, I held her slender arm still.

“Stop.”

Rangii looked up at me, her eyes searching my face for an explanation as she made a question mark with her hair. Thank goodness I stopped her before she could do what she planned.

“Take out your hand.”

“Abwaaauu.”

Rangii tried to say something, but with her hand in her mouth, her words were unintelligible. I kept a firm grip on Rangii's wrist and slowly pulled her hand back. I wiped the saliva off of her hand with a handkerchief Saehee passed to me, and Rangii pouted.

“Why'd you stop me?”

“Because I knew what you were going to do. I already have the tooth you gave me before.”

“But you've already used it a lot, right?”

Rangii told me this before. That the tooth's power will run out after a few uses. I understood why she wanted to pull out her tooth, but … I didn't want to see Rangii grimace in pain again.

“It's okay. If I really needed it, then Saehee would have mentioned it. Isn't that right?”

Saehee gave a slight smile at what I said and replied.

“That is correct, Master. So please do as the Young Master so charmingly requested.”

“But….”

“The Master's teeth are fine where they are.”

With Saehee's input, Rangii was unable to say anything. I hated how downtrodden Rangii looked after we teamed up on her desire to keep me safe. So, without thinking about what I was saying, I said something to brighten her mood.

“Are you sure there isn't something you'd like to ask me for?”

“Something to ask you?”

Hook, line, and sinker. Rangii's eyes lit up, her previous sad mood forgotten. …I shouldn't have said that, though. Still, there was nothing I could do against those eyes.

“Exactly.”

Rangii smiled delightedly, oblivious of my growing regret.

“In that case, let me cover myself in your scent!”

Don't make me remember that damn pillow. I wonder why something I'd tried so hard to repress came so naturally to my mind.

“I'm telling you this beforehand: that pillow isn't allowed.”

After I said that, Rangii tilted her head to the side.

“Pillow? What are you talking about?”

I got the feeling that this tiger slept peacefully despite the traumlevel blow she dealt me.

“If you are so afraid, then it would more accurately be called Kkachi-level, Young Master.”

Get out of the conversation.

“No, forget it. So what do you want?”

“I want to exchange clothes as a keepsake!”

Ah, those innocent eyes. There wasn't a sliver of a doubt in Rangii's mind that I would agree to her request. I decided to teach Rangii that life was full of disappointment. It pained me to do it, but no one else was going to teach her this valuable lesson.

“…”

I definitely wasn't saying this because Narae was glaring at me with death in her eyes. This was totally my choice. This was one hundred percent my decision.

“No thanks.”

Rangii's ears dropped down. Was she that disappointed?

“Why not? We're going to be apart for several days, so won't you miss you?”

Of course I will. I'll miss you so much that it'll drive me crazy. When I wake up, when I watch TV, when I read a book, when I listen to music, when I eat, and when I sleep. I'll always wish you were there with me. But this and that were different. Actually, what kind of pervert would I have to be to want to carry Rangii's freshly-worn clothes with me? Did she expect me to sniff her clothes whenever I missed her? I could practically see her digging her nose into my shirt and inhaling. Because she does that all the time already. Plus, behind me was Narae with her fingernail resting on my back. I looked away from Rangii and said this.

“I will, but….”

“Since long ago, lovers have exchanged keepsakes of each other when they were forced apart. Is it so weird for me to ask for this?”

The problem was that we weren't on the level of lovers. More importantly, why would we exchange clothes of all things? It was so weird that Narae was digging into my back hard with her finger. Hahaha.

“It's not weird, but couldn't we exchange something else?”

Ouch?! I said that to not make Narae more angry, but she only dug harder.

“How should I know?” Narae said.

I wanted desperately to turn around and look at Narae after she said that, but Rangii got in the way.

“Oh … still, this time I'm definitely taking clothes that's covered in your scent with me!”

Just what the heck happened when she left the house last time? Did she spend the whole night with her eyes wide open, longing to be with me? Even so, I couldn't give her my clothes. The damage my delicate pubescent mind would take was too large. I shuddered to even imagine Rangii sniffing my clothes. Wow, it felt almost criminal. And if I were to do it, then it really would be criminal.

“Then you should take his underwear, Master,” Saehee said.

“I thought so, too!”

Saehee's terrifying statement caused me to speak harshly.

“No way. Absolutely not. Not in a million years.”

I didn't realize how strongly I said this until I saw Rangii on the verge of tears.

“…You won't?”

D-don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything wrong. What I said was perfectly normal—and though it was beyond strange for me to be saying this now—my decision was likewise perfectly normal.

“Whiiiiine….”

Ah, she's crying. I looked at Narae, begging her for help.

I don't know what to do. You figure it out.

She told me to figure it out for myself. I looked at Saehee. The corners of her lips were quirked upwards, and she took out something sharp and shiny from her sleeve for me to see. Did she plan on killing me if I made Rangii cry? Saehee nodded her head. Geez, I don't know anymore. I should have realized that I was already totally divorced from normality. At this point, taking one more step away from common sense was no big deal.

“Fine.”

I strengthened my core as I took off my shirt and handed it to Rangii.

“This is fine, right?”

“What about your pants, Young Master?” Saehee asked.

Shut the hell up.

The tears that threatened to flow from Rangii's eyes immediately disappeared. …I doubted she was already capable of utilizing the tools of a woman, which meant her emotions were seriously quick to change. Kids sure are lucky.

“Thank you!”

Rangii accepted my shirt and hugged it to her as if it were some invaluable treasure. Looking at Rangii's blissfully contented face, I thought maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. That feeling lasted for all of a few seconds as Rangii tried to take off her own shirt.

“Hey!”

“Rangii!”

Narae and I shouted in tandem at Rangii, who calmly put back on her shirt and made a question mark with her hair.

“What's wrong?”

Narae answered in my place.

“I told you that girls shouldn't do that.”

“Hm?”

Looking at Rangii's blatant cluelessness, I once again thought that Rangii needed   sex-ed.

“Sunghoon's the only man here, so it's okay,” Rangii said.

…She needed serious sex-ed. With Narae rendered unable to argue, Rangii shrugged off her confusion and handed me her freshly worn shirt.

“Keep this with you to think of me until we meet again.”

When I saw that Rangii truly did look sad, as if saying goodbye to her lover, I simply accepted her shirt without saying another word.

“In that case, Master.”

Saehee spoke up, as if waiting for the moment when Rangii finished speaking.

“With the Young Master now on the verge of jumping into a hellhole, I have something I would like to give him. May I borrow him for a moment?”

Rangii didn't look happy at what Saehee said. She didn't want to part with me for even a second. Same here. But why did Saehee ask Rangii for permission instead of me?

“Uuu….”

“Only for a moment, Master.”

Rangii looked at me then Saehee and nodded her head. Saehee bowed her head to Rangii, then looked at me.

“Please follow me.”

There had to be a reason why she was moving away from Rangii. I followed behind Saehee.

Once we entered the kitchen, Saehee took out from her sleeve Ungnyeo's Bone Club without even a prefatory word. Was she carrying that thing around with her again?

“Why'd you take that out?”

“They say that the goldfish is so lacking in brains that, upon reaching the end of its bowl and turning around, it forgets that it had just reached the end of its world.”

I opened and closed my mouth in a mocking imitation of a goldfish.

“Are you asking for a kiss?”

I spoke sincerely:

“Screw off.”

“Then why not put this in your mouth?”

She lifted the bone club towards me. Who am I, Baduk?

“Whatever. From the fact that you're giving me that, am I right to think that I'll be needing it?”

I've been burned enough times to know that it was best to always be suspicious of Saehee's motives when she does anything. Saehee shrugged her shoulders and scoffed at what I said.

“Even I am unaware of the Law of Cycles.” (tn: Madoka reference.)

Are you sure you didn't mean the law of society? Also, what the heck's the Law of Cycles? And don't lie. The day you admit something like that so readily is the day I do the things with Narae and Rangii that I stop myself from doing everyday. (tn: Honestly, not sure what the idiom Sunghoon used refers to. Translated it the best I could.)

“I am simply preparing for the worst-case scenario, nothing more.”

“So you're saying that you're not sure if a phantom might try and kill me?”

Saehee smirked.

“How would I know? In fact, such a phantom could even be waiting in Seoul for the Young Master.”

“Don't say scary things like that!”

“It is a mere possibility. If I were to put it to a figure, I would say it is nine … pardon me. Finishing that sentence would only scare the Young Master.”

“Nine? Nine what?”

“Nine, nine, nine, are you learning German?” (tn: a pun that doesn't translate well into English.)

“Don't change the subject!”

I got the feeling that she wasn't lying about a phantom waiting for me in Seoul!

“There is no need to be so afraid. You have met the phantom before, Young Master.”

“Who is it?”

“Have you truly met so many phantoms?”

Saehee answered my question without telling me the name. After all, how many phantoms do I know? The only phantom I could guess was that praise-worthy, lovely little kid. Does that mean her parents are already fine?

Wait. Then why did Saehee phrase it so frighteningly?

“More importantly, Young Master. Do you have the Master's tooth with you?”

It would be easier for me to list the ways Rangii wasn't cute than for me to get any information out of Saehee. I decided to stop trying to get an answer out of Saehee and instead committed to memory what Saehee told me. It bothered me that she wouldn't give me an answer, but I decided to trust Saehee. I was the last person who should be talking about trusting Saehee, but I couldn't even imagine Saehee letting me come to harm when Rangii's happiness depended so much on my well-being. She must have some kind of plan. This wasn't idleness: it was trust. While I was thinking this, the corners of that damned ghost's mouth curled up.

“I do.”

I took Rangii's tooth out of my pocket. Ever since what happened last time, I'd been keeping it on my person at all times. Because I never knew when something unthinkable might happen. That was the only reason. Definitely not because I wanted to keep Rangii's tooth with me.

“Would you please give it to me for a moment?”

“But will you be able to … never mind.”

Saehee looked at me as if asking why I was asking something so nonsensical, and I handed Rangii's tooth to Saehee. Saehee gracefully plucked it out of my hand and extended her other hand towards me.

“Would you please also give me the Master's clothes?”

“Why?”

“I will return it. So there is no need to make a face as though the video game you had been desperate to buy went out of sale right in front of you.”

The heck kind of face was that? Saehee went, ah, and said with newfound understanding:

“Is it because you have yet to use it?”

I was honestly curious, so I asked her:

“How would I use her shirt?”

“There is nothing upon this Earth softer than the Master's clothes.”

I was aware of that fact, but how did that have anything to do with using her clothes? I was so confused that I would've made a question mark with my hair if I could, and Saehee sighed in response.

“If you cannot even understand when I explain with a joke, then I must consider giving up.”

“Maybe you shouldn't have said a joke in the first place.”

“I should have remedied the Young Master's severe lack of common sense.”

“Isn't a joke supposed to make the other person laugh? Try and consider my sense of humor.”

“Why would I ever do that?”

…I realized that bickering with her would get me absolutely nowhere, so i handed her Rangii's shirt.

“So, what're you going to do with it?”

“The man with the limp is the criminal.” (tn: Reference to The Usual Suspects)

That was probably her way of telling me to stop asking questions and watch. I kept my mouth closed, and Saehee raised the shirt up high before flapping the shirt down once with a forceful snap. The shirt magically unfurled before my very eyes, transforming into a single white string! I was so surprised that I practically shouted at Saehee.

“The heck was that?!”

“Were you unaware? The Master's clothes are made from her fur.”

“Turning clothes into a single string isn't physically possible!”

“I used magic for that part.”

“What the heck happened to the conservation of mass?”

“That is why it was so light.”

I had nothing to say. I just stared, my mouth wide open, when Saehee smirked.

“Hup.”

With a small grunt of exertion, she poked the hair through Rangii's tooth. I simply stared in amazement as she did something no human could possibly do. Holy crap. She pierced a tooth with a single hair. No human could … that's right, she's not a human: she's a ghost. Saehee tied the ends of the hair together in a strong knot and handed it to me. I figured out why she did this.

“You want me to wear it around my neck?”

“As you have an empty equipment slot around your neck, Young Master.”

Stop making RPG references. Keep it up, and I might end up trying to pull a sacred sword from out of a lake.

“Is the gold axe yours, or the silver axe?”

Not wanting her jokes to distract me, I brought our conversation back on track.

“But why with Rangii's fur, of all things? What if it snaps?”

“Do you truly think the Master's fur would snap so easily?”

Saehee acted as if what I said was nonsensical. She was right. She had to have a reason for doing this. I didn't ask her anything else, and just put on the necklace.

“Now would you please give me the cauldron lid I gave you before?”

I answered straight away.

“I threw it away.”

“…”

Saehee narrowed her eyes. After all the ribbing she gave me earlier, she got mad at me for telling a little joke. I took the cauldron lid out of my pocket and handed it to Saehee.

“Have you never heard of the saying that one who tells jokes when the situation requires seriousness will have his TV break down during the broadcast of the last episode of an anime he wants to watch?”

“You're acting like a hag who won't be able to watch the last episode of a drama because of her husband's work.”

I responded in kind, and Saehee held the lid in her hand. After a few seconds, she handed it back to me. It looked the exact same.

“What'd you do?”

“I gave it a driver update.”

What a high tech cauldron lid. When I looked closer, I saw that engraved next to Made in Saehee that was the phrase Ver 0.2. Impressive.

“Explained in the easy-to-understand terms, I went to great lengths to create this cauldron lid so that, should you scratch it, you and up to three passengers who are making physical contact with you will be transported to the Master. You will likely not need it, but please take it.”

I was sincerely thankful. This gesture meant that Saehee took to heart what happened with Chii. She may make my life hell, but actually….

“It should go without saying that I highly doubt the Young Master will have the opportunity to use it should the need arise.”

She really is trying to make my life hell.

“Was that a joke or were you being serious?”

“Serious.”

“Then why'd you give me it?”

“I shall repeat myself. They say that the goldfish is so lacking in brains that, upon reaching the end of its bowl and turning around, it forgets that it had just reached the end of its world.”

Right. That was you trying to say that even you can't predict everything. I didn't have anything else to question her about, so Saehee calmly continued to speak.

“In addition, please take this.”

For some reason, it felt like I was a grandson whose grandmother was giving him lots of things to take with him because he was leaving the countryside to go to Seoul. Saehee took out from her sleeve a small rag doll. Someone else might have commented that it was cute because of how well made it was, but I disagreed, because the doll was modeled after Saehee.

“The heck is this?”

“A doll I made while crying tears of blood because the Young Master bought everyone a present except me.”

“Y-you still remember that?”

“A woman's resentment last for ages. …Approximately 5,000 years.”

“That's way too long!”

“So, please lovingly think of the doll as me and keep it with you.”

Maybe I should burn it.

“This is a familiar I created by combining magic and science—never mind. I doubt the Young Master who lacks knowledge on these topics would understand. In simple terms, it is my fin funnel.” (tn: Gundamn reference)

Actually, calling it your familiar was easy to understand.

“Is this going to give me a stomach ulcer or something?”

It was only thanks to my repeated interactions with Saehee that I noticed the tiniest twitch of her eyebrow.

“The one the Master is going to meet is perhaps the most dangerous of all the phantoms. Thus, I am preparing the Young Master for even the slightest of dangers that might occur, yet you are making light of my efforts. That is why you are so unpopular with women.”

It didn't sound like she was joking. It sounded like she was telling me that Rangii might be in danger.

“Hey, the heck does that mean?”

Though my temper flared up and I raised my voice, I was able to restrain myself to only frowning at Saehee. She responded with a sneer.

“The one the Master is meeting could not even touch the tip of the Master's fur, so there is no need to worry on her behalf. Rather, please focus on taking care of yourself. If you do not focus on your studies now, you will one day become a husband who is pathetically dependent on his wives.”

At least Rangii wasn't in danger. I decided to stop questioning Saehee. After all, it was obvious she had no intention of answering any of my questions. I changed the subject.

“If you're that worried about me, just have Baduk stay with me.”

Saehee had a look of amused bafflement on her face, a look that really didn't suit her.

“Baduk is going with the Master.”

Baduk? That Baduk? Was she talking about the Baduk who spends all day either napping or chasing butterflies without a single care in the world?

“I believe the Young Master has an unfair opinion of Baduk.”

That was rich, coming from her.

“You're one to talk.”

I only had to remember the way she treated Baduk to respond like this.

“My opinion of her is quite accurate. I simply look down on her.”

“Is there even a difference?”

“There is.”

I had a feeling there was a certain nuance that I wasn't getting. I thought those descriptions were the same.

“Then why is the illustrious Baduk going with Rangii?”

If it was to help calm down the phantom who called Rangii by having her pet Baduk's head, then bringing Baduk made perfect sense. Whenever I pet Baduk, it's like everything in the world just disappears and is replaced with contentment.

“…I believe I know what you are thinking.”

“Then explain so I can understand.”

Saehee nodded her head.

“Baduk is of the poongsan breed.”

“What?”

Did she just say that Baduk's a poongsan, a breed of dog that hunts tigers? As if! She doesn't even look like a poongsan! (tn: Poongsan is a dog breed known in a legend to have once hunted and killed a tiger.)

“Ah, the stud was a poongsan, and the bitch was a neighborhood mutt.”

“But that just means….”

I wanted to say something, but for Baduk's sake, I swallowed my words.

“One could easily call her just another mutt,” Saehee said.

“That's way too mean!”

“It is the truth.”

Saehee's words were firm. But I had to wonder what Baduk's breed had to do with going with Rangii.

“Regardless, Baduk must follow the Master.”

If I wanted to be able to argue against Saehee, I needed to think of a good reason why Baduk should come with me instead. I let this issue slide.

That aside, I desperately wanted to forget the secret of Baduk's birth, so I patted my hand against the bone club and asked Saehee:

“Carrying this club with me is a huge pain.”

“You are quite needy.”

Saehee clicked her tongue and took out from her sleeve a black briefcase, the kind secret agents carry in spy movies.

“Hold the club in your hand, and it will shrink to whatever size you want.”

“…Then why'd you take out that briefcase?”

“So that you can keep my doll stored safely.”

I didn't even make a comment.

When Saehee and I walked back to where Narae and Rangii were waiting, the tiger apparently thought that she was a koala, because Rangii ran towards me and jumped onto me. She wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. It was hot, but I endured it.

“That took forever!”

I agreed.

“My apologies, Master.”

“Sorry about that.”

I kept one hand under Rangii's butt to hold her up, and I wrapped my other arm around Rangii's back. I did that to make Rangii more comfortable, with nothing else on my mind, so there's no need to glare at me with scary eyes, Narae-nim. It felt like she thought I was a criminal.

“Tch.”

Why'd she click her tongue?

“You lolicon.”

“I'm not.”

I was genuinely doing this for Rangii's sake.

“Whatever. Let's go. It'll take us a while to get there.”

“Can't you stay a little longer?” Rangii asked.

Narae patted that little crybaby on the head.

“You'll be able to see us soon. So don't feel too down. Right, Sunghoon?”

Narae may have asked for my agreement, but her eyes made it clear that this was a command. There was nothing I could do except nod my head.

“Yeah, you brat. If people were watching, they'd think we were separating forever.  So get down.”

“Uuu … all right.”

When she said that, I let Rangii go, and she slid down my body as if I were a tree. I decided that next time, I would put her down myself. I won't explain why I thought this. Narae, aware of the reason for my discomfort, stared at me with barely-contained fury. It hurt. It really hurt. Those eyes hurt so much. But Narae was likely keeping her temper in check because of how saddened Rangii was by our rushed farewell. Because, despite everything she might do, Narae really was a kind person. I accepted Narae's consideration.

“Rangii.”

“Yes?”

I sat down in front of Rangii so that our eyes were level, and I tapped my cheek.

“Give me a kiss.”

This may have been the first time I'd ever asked Rangii for a kiss. Rangii stared at me, her eyes wide with surprise. With Rangii practically paralyzed by surprise, I once again tapped my cheek so that she would see.

“Kiss.”

Rangii finally came back to her senses.

“Kiss!”

Peck, peck, peck. Rangii kept kissing me on the cheek, as if trying to stamp that I belonged to her. I was going to let her go for as long as she wanted, but the menacing aura emanating from behind me compelled me to hug Rangii to me. That way, Rangii wouldn't be able to kiss me anymore.

“I'll be waiting for you in Seoul, Rangii. Get there soon.”

“I will. I'll be there soon. Don't cheat on me while I'm gone.”

As if I would. I already have Narae and you, so whom would I cheat on you two with?

For some reason, the image of a little phantom who liked to flap her hair came to my mind.

Chapter end