Chapter 463: Cho Hyejin’s Instruction Manual (8) |
I could remember mentioning it one time when we ate together, but I couldn’t remember if I said it when it was just the two of us or when we were eating with the other guild members. I said it to break the ice, so I didn’t really think too much about it.
I mean, who would remember a casual remark? People wouldn’t usually think too much about a casual remark.
“Ah, I heard that play is really popular these days. I think I’m going to go watch it when I get the chance.”
Obviously, I wasn’t interested in that strange play because I wasn’t planning on getting involved in the cultural industry. If Kim Hyun-Sung hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have remembered it.
‘Well… I’m thankful, but this isn’t right, Hyun-Sung.’
Of course, I was surprised because I wasn’t expecting this to happen at all. After all, I was trying to get Jo Hye-Jin and Kim Hyun-Sung together. His words made me become confident of his feelings for me, but he had basically rejected Jo Hye-Jin’s request.
His reply just now sounded like he wasn’t interested in Jo Hye-Jin at all.
‘He really doesn’t know anything.’
I thought he was somewhat interested in her just a few minutes ago. Actually, even if he wasn’t interested in her, I thought that he was finally starting to see her as a woman.
Of course, the unawakened Jo Hye-Jin was still charming in her own way. In addition, she had been discreetly expressing her interest in Kim Hyun-Sung all this while.
I was confident that there wasn’t a man out there who would treat a woman who liked them coldly, especially when they were as beautiful and as competent as Jo Hye-Jin.
Jo Hye-Jin hadn’t been expressing her feelings openly. However, there were clear signs that she had feelings for Kim Hyun-Sung, and it was the fact that she was always trying to get even closer to him.
She had also been displaying behavior that would make other women wary of approaching Kim Hyun-Sung. However, Kim Hyun-Sung had no idea that Jo Hye-Jin was conscious of him and that she had just indirectly asked him out on a date.
I had no idea what to say—I had no idea how to describe this dense jerk.
- …
Jo Hye-Jin stiffened at his unexpected answer, so I had to stay focused for her sake.
“Tell him that I have already watched it with Ha-Yan. Say that I’m the one who recommended the play to you and that I gave you the tickets. Cue,” I ordered.
- The sub guild master said he already watched it with Miss Ha-Yan… and he bought the play tickets for me.
“He’s almost done with his tasks, anyway. Tell him that he can finish them earlier and you two can then watch it. Tell him that he also needs to take breaks once in a while,” I added.
- There aren’t a lot of tasks left, so we can just wrap them up quickly. You also seem to be overdoing it a lot lately… Even if you think you’re lacking, no one will criticize you, and all you’ve been doing recently is working and training.
She was doing better than I thought. It was kind of difficult for her, but I felt that I could give her an additional task.
“Tell him that you want to go and watch it with him.”
- …
“Hurry…”
- I’d like to watch it with you, if possible.
- …
- …
‘Nice.’
There was a moment of silence.
- Well, since you said it like that… What time is the show?
However, Kim Hyun-Sung’s answer made me cheer by pumping my fists into the air.
- It starts at eight-thirty this evening.
- I should get ready now. Can you wait for me?
- Yes, o-of course.
‘Let’s gooo!’
We finally overcame the first barrier. Jo Hye-Jin looked as happy as me. For Jo Hye-Jin, this was basically a small step for man but one giant leap for mankind. It was still too early to celebrate, but it was fine for us to become happy after seeing a result.
It didn’t feel like they would go out and watch that play as a man and a woman on a date, but that didn’t really matter because I was sure that they would look like they were on a date.
I was also sure that breaking through the first barrier would make Kim Hyun-Sung put his guard down.
“I’m proud because you’re doing better than I expected. Just act like you’re acting right now,” I advised.
I saw Jo Hye-Jin nodding through the hologram.
“I think Hyun-Sung is a bit surprised because your behavior is different from usual. I can tell from his appearance and the way he’s talking… He looks indifferent, but I’m sure he’s surprised,” I added.
- …
“Ahem. Making him realize that you’re a woman is the top priority. I’m not insulting you, but I think Hyun-Sung still doesn’t recognize you as a woman just yet. If I had to give an example, he sees you as an adjutant, a knight, or a co-worker, so you don’t have to worry about the rejection just now. It’s not like you asked him out on a date,” I continued.
- Okay.
“I don’t have any other mission for you other than making you watch the play with him, and the issue I mentioned just now is the top priority. He has to recognize you as a woman so that you guys can start kissing and holding hands,” I told her.
- …
“Let’s think of it as a switch. We can start out by differentiating the Jo Hye-Jin of today from the usual Jo Hye-Jin at the guild. Honestly, I’ll be really satisfied as long as there aren’t any hiccups,” I said.
- Hm…
“There’s no need to be wary of your surroundings. You don’t have to take your weapon with you as well. Just walk next to him with that outfit. Don’t try to start with something big. Let’s start by taking baby steps. You don’t have to worry about him because we’ll be watching your surroundings. There won’t be any danger,” I assured her.
- …
Jo Hye-Jin seemed hesitant about the idea, but she ended up nodding lightly. I was sure that she was worried, but she definitely trusted me because she nodded upon hearing my confident remark.
While I was giving her basic advice, Kim Hyun-Sung was finally done getting ready.
He had changed into a comfortable outfit as well. I was worried that he was going to wear basic armor, but fortunately, he wasn’t that dumb. It seemed like he thought that his outfit had to match the location.
- Let’s go.
- Okay, Guild Master.
‘How sweet. It’s so sweet and refreshing.’
The two started walking slowly.
‘Not bad.’
On the outside, they looked like a couple, and Jo Hye-Jin was carrying out the mission better than I expected.
Honestly, I was worried that she was going to walk around with her eyes wide open because I had never seen her put her guard down whenever she was with Kim Hyun-Sung.
Kim Hyun-Sung didn’t really need a bodyguard. However, Jo Hye-Jin had always been insisting on becoming one, even though Kim Hyun-Sung had already told her that he didn’t need a bodyguard.
Right now, she was focused on Kim Hyun-Sung without being wary of her surroundings.
They talked about many different topics while walking together. If I had to exaggerate a bit, it seemed like there was no need for me to coach her anymore. The fact that they talked about work even out here was the sad part, but it did fit their personality and site.
Of course, I stopped their conversation whenever they started talking too deeply about work. I gave Jo Hye-Jin a new topic for them to talk about. Obviously, they were all topics that Kim Hyun-Sung enjoyed talking about.
‘First is equipment...’
“Now that I think about it, I heard a lot of interesting items dropped in the Rift Museum. You just need to say that, Miss Hye-Jin,” I instructed.
- Guild Master, now that I think about it, I heard that a lot of interesting items had dropped in the Rift Museum.
- Yes, I heard that as well. I heard that the party that’s becoming popular in the Republic managed to obtain an interesting item. What’s even more interesting is that it was already their second time obtaining a powerful item from the museum. I heard his name was Bark Sergei. It was a necklace last time and a sword this time… I heard that he decided to use the necklace and put up the sword for auction. I don’t know much about the sword since its functions are unknown, but…
- I heard that it’s going to be pretty expensive. It might get sold at the highest price at the auction house.
- Actually, I heard that the auction house has a new most expensive item.
- Is it a weapon?
- No, I heard it’s some kind of a limited-edition book. I don’t really know much because I’m not really interested. Anyway, about that sword…
As expected, Kim Hyun-Sung was having a good time.
‘Our Hyun-Sung goes crazy over equipment.’
He was simply not using a different sword because he already had a mythic-ranked sword. It seemed like he was thinking that it wouldn’t make sense for him to use that legendary-ranked sword when he already had a mythic-ranked one.
However, I was sure that in the peaceful future, he would buy and collect every sword out there as long as he liked it. I wasn’t sure if it was because he had gotten more used to this place than Earth, but he cherished his equipment as if they were his lover.
‘Second is a car...’
Well, they were called griffons on this continent, but griffons were one of the few things that Kim Hyun-Sung was interested in.
I became sure of it when I gifted him a cool black griffon.
He hadn’t expressed it openly, but I would periodically see him changing the griffon’s saddle and washing the car—I mean, washing the griffon.
He would even sometimes groom its feathers, which was a bit weird considering his personality, but it was definitely a rare sight.
My griffon Whitefall recently mated with his griffon, and Whitefall laid an egg. I could still remember vividly how happy Kim Hyun-Sung was when he heard the news.
He was so happy to the extent that I could say with confidence that it had been the most expressive he had been all this time.
Cross-breeding was nearly impossible for griffons, but they succeeded in natural breeding, so it could be considered a miracle. Therefore, I could understand why he was so happy. However, the expression I saw on him that day made him look like an otaku—an otaku who wanted to fanboy over it.
Griffons were a great topic to talk about, especially when one’s conversation partner was Kim Hyun-Sung.
There weren’t many things that Kim Hyun-Sung liked, but there were a few things that brought him joy, and I was sure that Jo Hye-Jin could feel it right now more than anyone else.
It was all because Kim Hyun-Sung would always talk more than usual whenever the topic was something he liked.
- When I used to live in Lindel before you came…
Kim Hyun-Sung would also start talking about the past.
‘I’m sure she’s really thankful.’
After all, I was the only one who knew the keyword that would pique his interest.
I started nodding when I noticed that he was giving her a lot more information than I expected. Lee Ji-Hye was coaching Jo Hye-Jin on what kind of expression she should have while talking so the latter didn’t look awkward at all.
I wasn’t sure what Kim Hyun-Sung was thinking right now, but he was definitely something along the lines of…
‘So Jo Hye-Jin has this side...’
I was sure that it was a sight that he didn’t get to see in his past life because he was too busy. I would call this a success. The atmosphere between them was great while they were watching the strange play with a weird story that I couldn’t remember anymore.
After desperately convincing him, Jo Hye-Jin succeeded in taking him to a wine bar, and I couldn’t help but exclaim in delight.
Obviously, they were talking about the play. The more memories they shared together, the easier it would be for them to talk to each other. It was a plain and simple conversation, but everyone seemed happy.
I clenched my fists when I saw that they already drank about two glasses of wine. It was all because I was about to use a card, which was a tradition that had helped many people transition from being friends into couples.
‘Oppa, I think I’m kind of drunk.’
I wasn’t expecting results right away. I just wanted Kim Hyun-Sung to recognize that Jo Hye-Jin was a woman who had to be protected as well. I thought everything was going as planned, but I couldn’t help but gulp because of his unexpected reaction.
Seeing Jo Hye-Jin’s red face, Kim Hyun-Sung immediately called the guild.
- I’ll call a female staff member here. I think you’re already drunk, Miss Hye-Jin.
For some reason, he looked determined.
‘Shit… Don’t do that, man. You weren’t supposed to do that.’
It seemed that Kim Hyun-Sung had gotten traumatized after being backstabbed by that mysterious bitch.
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