noveldrama
Chapter 136
Chapter 136
In celebration of the start of the joint research on the saintess between Korea and the U.S., a dinner gathering was held. Though this tradition was unfamiliar to the American researchers, the atmosphere turned out to be surprisingly lively.
The head of the American research team was Sibylla. And, naturally, those selected to work with someone as top-secret as her were not your average researchers. Many were battle-hardened and quite unlike the usual desk-bound academics, so none of them were reluctant to enjoy a voluntary dinner gathering.
Thus, everyone outside the VIP room where the heads of the two teams sat laughed and shared drinks enthusiastically.
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"Are you his girlfriend or something?"
"And if I am?"
This was where the tension between the two women intensified. Sia’s sharp gaze was aimed squarely at Sibylla, making it crystal clear she was not pleased.
Naturally, Yujin noticed, as did her father, Clan Leader Yoo Jungchul.
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‘That look... It reminds me of my wife in her younger years. Sia takes after her in fierceness…’
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His expression grew more complex. After all, Yujin was the target of this jealousy. He was the man the Cheonhwa clan had recruited before he became an S-class—a talented and reliable individual expected to become a pillar of South Korea after Seol Hayeon. He was flawless in both character and skill.
If Sia ended up with someone like him, as the Clan Leader, Yoo Jungchul would welcome it with open arms. Such a relationship would be a blessing not only for the clan but for Korea.
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‘But still… sigh, just last year, she was still in a school uniform.’
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-Resigned sigh.-
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However, as her father, Yoo Jungchul couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Just last year, his little girl was wearing her school uniform, still smelling like street food from the snack shops she frequented.
Now, this girl—barely half a year into college—was wearing outfits like that, getting overly attached to a man, and openly showing jealousy. Though he knew he couldn’t keep her close forever and had hoped to bless her with a good man eventually… still, it hadn’t even been half a year.
As he nursed a headache, he could only drink in silence.
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"Sigh…"
"Ah, sir, drinking alone? Allow me to pour for you."
"…Thank you."
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Across from him, Yujin quietly poured him a premium soju, displaying impeccable manners and a warm smile. However, his back was already drenched with cold sweat.
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-Sweat trickling down.-
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‘Sia, what are you doing… please stop, especially in front of your father…’
Yujin knew exactly how her father felt. Anyone would notice his expression souring in real-time.
But what could he do?
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[Sia, sorry for the telepathic message, but your father is here. Could you maybe ease up a bit on the atmosphere?]
[Stay out of it.]
[…Right. Got it.]
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He tried to calm Sia down from the sidelines, but to no avail.
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[Sibylla? Please calm down. She’s not the enemy…]
[This is fine. She’s young, but I’m an adult. I’m not fighting a little girl.]
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Sibylla, on the other hand, simply declined with an air of utter calm.
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With two titans locked in a silent battle, Yujin, the shrimp caught between the whales, could do nothing but down his drink.
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-Gulp.-
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‘If things get out of hand, I’ll have to intervene…’
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He remained vigilant, prepared to step in if a fight broke out. A clash between awakeners could lead to disaster. He signaled Complete Hypnosis, who stood ready at any moment.
Meanwhile, as the two men continued to sip their drinks, Sia prepared to strike once more, her slightly accented but fluent English filling the room.
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“You said it’d be ‘interesting.’ What does that mean? Does the idea of me being Yujin’s girlfriend interest you so much?”
“Oh, of course. The whole world would be shocked if that were true.”
“If? So, if it isn’t, would you… dash after him or something?”
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Sia’s tongue danced as she carefully phrased her challenge in English, doing her best to express “don’t even think about it” in every possible way.
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“Dash…? Haha, you can speak Korean, you know.”
“No. I don’t want to see you making excuses by pretending you don’t understand Korean when it’s convenient.”
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Although “dash” was classic Konglish, which left Sibylla with the impression of “why would I suddenly run at him?” she still noted Sia’s intense hostility.
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-Sip.-
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“Young blood sure is fierce. Why are you so mad? Relax, sweetheart.”
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Not a single eyebrow was raised. After all, to Sibylla, Sia looked young—young enough to get carded just to order a drink. To her, Sia looked like a child.
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‘With her development, she makes me want to buy her a Big Mac or something.’
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In Korea, where an A-cup is average, Sia’s barely-there B-cup was already considered a bit on the larger side. Unfortunately for her, Sibylla came from a country where the average was a C, and she was in the top 10% in that department.
To someone accustomed to her own chest, Sia looked like a middle schooler—a little girl who hadn’t even hit puberty yet. The jealousy of someone who could practically be her niece barely registered.
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“Haa…?”
‘What’s with that look? She’s looking at me like I’m a baby niece or something!’
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Sia was thrown off. She had crafted her best attack, one that any woman would recognize as a clear declaration of “we’re about to be sworn enemies.”
And yet?
The response was like a doting aunt watching a child’s antics. She couldn’t help but feel confused.
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“Anyway, is Yujin really your boyfriend?”
“And why does that matter?”
“We’ll be seeing each other often, so I thought I’d ask.”
“This feels like an invasion of privacy…”
“Well, I might just ‘accidentally’ flirt with him, so I need to know.”
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And with that, Sia was hit with the unavoidable question: are you and Yujin dating?
The tables turned swiftly.
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-Whip.-
“…Ask Yujin.”
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Friend—or rather, boyfriend—shield activated. Blushing slightly, she turned her head with an adorable pout.
Sibylla smiled, shifting her gaze directly to Yujin with a knowing look that seemed to say, “Well, you heard her. Time to answer.”
Yujin’s response?
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-Sip.-
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‘I… don’t understand English… I didn’t hear any of that…!’
He busied himself with self-hypnosis. I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t hear anything about flirting from Sibylla, or Sia telling me to answer.
Desperate to avoid getting involved in the whale fight, the shrimp focused intensely on his drink.
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“Yujin. Are you really dating my daughter, Sia?”
“……!!!!?”
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And that’s when the final boss, her father, made his move.
With his piercing gaze, he stared directly at Yujin, demanding an answer.
Yujin frantically called for backup.
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[Sia, can I tell him we’re dating?]
[I told you it’s a secret, you fool!]
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Sia promptly rejected him.
‘Sorry, Yujin! I’m too scared to confess right now!!’
As much as she would have loved to declare they were dating, there was one big problem.
Alice could be dealt with, but what about Ninomiya? What if she stole Yujin away? Then Sia would just be the foolish girl who lost her man to a Japanese girl.
It was a humiliating possibility she couldn’t bear. Although she trusted Yujin’s love for her and wasn’t about to lose to Aika as a woman… love was fleeting in the face of physical force.
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[But your father is asking…]
[I don’t care! Just use hypnosis or something to get us out of this!!]
[…]
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For once, Sia was pleading.
In response, Yujin took action.
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[Got it. Leave it to me.]
‘Ready, Hypnosis-chan?’
[Complete Hypnosis responds, “Of course, Master!” as it slips out of his pocket.]
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At his wife’s request, Yujin released Hypnosis-chan, who crawled out of his pocket and quietly positioned itself under the table, determined.
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‘Sibylla is S-class. If we’re not careful, she’ll notice the hypnosis. We need a distraction tactic!’
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-Slight smile.-
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“Dating Sia… Sure, it’d be wonderful to date someone as beautiful, intelligent, and kind as Sia.”
As he spoke, Yujin let his words flow smoothly.
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“If I could date her, I’d be lucky indeed.”
“So, you’re saying… you’re not dating Sia?”
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“Relationships can’t be so easily defined. If that were the case, then I’d say I’m also ‘dating’ Sia, Alice, and my mentor.”
“Hmm. Continue.”
“Yes. These days, relationships… well, young people don’t always clearly define them as dating or not. We have close friends, and sometimes, well… a little something happens.”
“So, does that mean… you’re in a ‘some’ with
Sia?”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions. I believe in defining relationships as we follow our hearts: fun, cool, and sexy.”
“…What does that even mean?”
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Yujin’s convoluted response was enough for Sia to send a telepathic message exclaiming, “Are you insane!?”
But meanwhile…
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-Tatatatatat.-
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[Complete Hypnosis launches its ultimate move, a rapid hypnosis flurry at a rate of 16 hits per second!]
[It grumbles about how much easier it was when it was just a spirit.]
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While Yujin kept them distracted, Hypnosis-chan delivered a relentless barrage of hypnotic attacks to Yoo Jungchul under the table, quickly overwhelming the non-awakener.
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“So that’s what you mean. Sexy… really? Kids these days are impossible to understand.”
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He finally nodded reluctantly, thinking that maybe young people today were just different, thanks to the power of hypnosis.
Then, Yujin and Hypnosis-chan both shifted their focus toward Sibylla.
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“In any case, I think relationships are best determined after getting to know each other. Not in just a day or two, but over at least a few months.”
[Complete Hypnosis crouches down and takes off with a battle cry, flying toward Sibylla’s ankle!]
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Yujin’s verbal barrier struck at the same time as Hypnosis-chan’s kick, directly hitting her ankle.
Sibylla, the unofficial S-class awakener, simply chuckled.
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“Good point. Americans could learn from that.”
“...?”
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[Complete Hypnosis tumbles back in surprise, wondering why its attack had no effect.]
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Thankfully, Sibylla nodded without any resistance.
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“Ah, I’m glad you understood…?”
[Complete Hypnosis, a bit anxious, looked back at its master, as if to say, “I did my part. The rest is on you!”]
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And so, the sudden interrogation during dinner ended with Sibylla taking a step back.
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Or so it seemed…
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“Sibylla?! Are you drunk? You’re totally drunk! Please—”
“You said fun, cool, and sexy, right?”
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-Swish.-
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“I’m not cool. I’m hot. Hot enough to melt you like ice cream.”
“…Sia, Mr. Yoo! Sibylla’s drunk and taking her clothes off! Somebody help me!!”
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The dinner only seemed to end… until Sibylla stormed into the men’s bathroom.