novelraw Chapter 276 : Chapter 276
Chapter 276 : Chapter 276
Chapter 276: A Gift
A short, or perhaps long, time passed.
The lips that had met parted.
So-hee, who lowered her tiptoes and took a step back, had a slight tremor around her eyes.
She pressed her lips with her hand.
“I must be crazy.”
Even confessing first required an absurd amount of courage.
She never thought that wouldn’t be enough, and she would preemptively pounce on him like this.
Actually, she hadn’t intended to move forward this quickly.
She wanted to wait for a better time and place, but... it was fortunate that Ho-cheol didn’t reject her.
So-hee tilted her head and rested her forehead against his chest.
Then.
Thump— Thump— Thump—
She repeatedly tapped her forehead against his chest, as if unable to control her emotions.
Ho-cheol forced a wry smile at her appearance, looking troubled.
“If you’re too embarrassed to lift your head, I can’t help it, but if you’re doing it just because you like it, I’d prefer you look at me.”
Only then did So-hee slowly raise her head.
To hide her flushed cheeks, she pulled her scarf up, covering not only her lips but also the bridge of her nose.
Half her face was concealed.
Seeing her with only her eyes peeking out, Ho-cheol chuckled again.
This was the first time she had been this embarrassed.
Then again, the situation just now was quite shocking.
He tapped— tapped— his lips with his index and middle fingers.
A warmth and scent, not his own, still lingered thickly.
Then he said.
“Thank you.”
A brief word of thanks.
It was also a single phrase containing many meanings.
“...What are you thanking me for?”
Thinking about it again, pouncing on him just now was a wise choice.
This idiot never initiated anything first, so only by expressing her feelings so explicitly and clearly like this would he finally follow along.
Still, he gave her a definite answer.
She had no choice but to be satisfied with that...
Her almost-complaint-like thoughts were quickly cut off.
Ho-cheol suddenly hooked his finger on her scarf and pulled it down.
Then, he held her by the shoulders.
So-hee’s eyes widened, unable to immediately grasp the situation, but she slowly closed them shortly after.
It was neither a dream nor a fantasy.
They parted again, and Ho-cheol gently wiped his lips with his thumb and asked.
“...Is this how you do it? It’s my first time, so I don’t really know.”
“I don’t know either. Isn’t it everyone’s first time?”
She pouted her lips and grumbled.
However, contrary to her surly voice, her eyes were laughing with delight.
Their eyes met.
“Well. Neither of us is a beginner anymore.”
“Right?”
The first time, So-hee made the move, and the second time, Ho-cheol initiated.
And the third time, it was impossible to tell who moved first.
It was definitely simultaneous.
Amidst the profusely falling snowflakes, So-hee also wrapped her arms around Ho-cheol’s neck.
Until the snow piled up on both their shoulders and heads.
The enchanting time, which she wished would never end, concluded.
They both returned to the facility.
So-hee, who was staring blankly at the ceiling, suddenly had a thought and turned her gaze back to Ho-cheol.
“By the way, are there others besides the people I know?”
“What do you mean?”
“What else? People who are constantly setting their sights on you, Ho-cheol.”
Living under the same roof as Ho-cheol, they knew all the details of each other’s private lives.
However, since he had been going out so often doing his villain show lately, it would be troublesome if there was another woman who had fallen for him then.
Ho-cheol’s way of dealing with people around him was not to stop those who wanted to leave, and even less so to stop those who came because they liked him.
At her words, Ho-cheol rested his hand on his chin and contemplated.
From his external activities so far, an attachment of the type So-hee mentioned...
“I don’t think so?”
Not “There isn’t,” but “I don’t think so.”
So-hee clicked her tongue at the subtle nuance.
“You’ve been spreading pheromones even outside, you know?”
“Well, I don’t know everyone’s heart. And pheromones? When did I ever do that?”
“If you go around saving people, wouldn’t it be strange if they didn’t fall for you?”
So-hee grumbled and reached out to grab Ho-cheol’s wrist.
Then she placed her hand over his palm.
She tickled the back of his hand, or tightly held his fingers.
Finally, she interlaced their fingers and rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand.
While they were continuing their conversation.
“So fluffy!”
Ji-an returned.
As if showing off that she had just washed, her hair was damp, and hot steam was rising from the top of her head.
With a banana milk carton in one hand, it seemed she hadn't just borrowed the shower facilities; she was practically a full-fledged guest at a public bathhouse.
Seeing the two still dressed in the Dinosaur Suit and Santa Suit, she tilted her head in confusion.
“What are you two still do—.”
Ji-an narrowed her brows at the subtle atmosphere flowing between them.
The scarf around So-hee’s neck—it definitely wasn’t there a moment ago.
Its origin was quite suspicious.
Thinking so, her gaze dropped.
At that moment, Ji-an inhaled sharply with a gasp—kko-eok—.
The two were holding hands very affectionately.
Not just holding hands, but even interlacing their fingers, which clearly meant...
“S-surely not?”
So-hee smiled and raised their clasped hands.
“Well, it happened. Don’t get angry and call it cutting in line. You were complacent.”
Ji-an’s legs gave out, and she slumped to the floor.
Could it be that everything was over, without even a chance for her?
While she was foolishly pouring hot water over herself and humming a tune?
“Hee-ing...”
When she whimpered, So-hee was quite flustered this time.
She only meant to tease her a little, but she reacted like that.
Ho-cheol unwrapped their fingers and struck the top of So-hee’s head with the edge of his hand.
“Ouch!”
“I told you not to play tricks.”
So-hee rubbed her head and approached Ji-an.
Crouching down, she whispered into Ji-an’s ear.
“The seat next to him is actually empty, contrary to what you think. Of course, pushing your way in and claiming it is up to your own ability. Anyway, you’re not out of chances, so try hard.”
She added to Ji-an, who was blinking her eyes blankly as if she didn't understand the meaning.
“Just because I’m number one doesn’t mean he won’t pick a number two or three, you know?”
“Ah. Ahhh?”
The eyes that were damp moments ago quickly dried up.
There was still a chance?
While the two were suspiciously whispering to each other, Hye-jin approached Ho-cheol.
She held out three bags.
“They’re homemade cookies. Please eat them when you get back.”
Three bags wrapped in pink packaging.
When she lightly shook them up and down, a clattering sound was heard from inside.
“I’ll eat them well.”
“And this is...”
She took out a letter from her pocket.
The stack of dozens of letters was thick enough to rival a textbook.
“These are letters written by the children. You’re very popular. Even Ye-jin hasn’t received this many.”
Ho-cheol smiled and tucked the letters into his pocket.
“It’s a more-than-adequate Christmas present.”
“Adequate, you say? Thanks to you, this is the first time I’ve seen these children smile on Christmas. This is minor in comparison.”
So-hee and Ji-an returned.
Whatever conversation they had, Ji-an looked at Ho-cheol with a resolute expression.
No, it was very similar to that of a carnivorous animal eyeing its prey, rather than a feeling of resolve.
***
On the way back, So-hee got into the passenger seat first, and Ji-an opened the back door.
However, Ho-cheol called out to her before she could get in.
“Yes? Why?”
“Give me your hand.”
At his words, she overlapped her hand on his, as if she had been waiting.
Ho-cheol chuckled softly and opened the hidden gift box.
What he took out from inside were gloves, red like Ji-an’s hair.
Ho-cheol put the gloves on her hands.
“Fortunately, the size fits perfectly.”
“...Ah.”
Ji-an let out a sound mixed with admiration.
A pair of mittens.
Though mismatched, there was a proper heart shape embedded on the back of the hand.
She knew Ho-cheol was preparing a gift.
The current situation was also perfect for giving a gift.
Everything was as expected.
Except for one thing.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it so much...”
That was the only thing—the fact that she didn’t know she would be this happy.
Ji-an, who usually brazenly and flirtatiously clung to him, couldn’t even manage that reaction this time and covered her face with the gloves.
How foolish must her expression be right now?
She absolutely didn’t want to show it to him.
She ended up burying her face in Ho-cheol’s embrace.
“Just for a moment. I’ll stay like this for just a moment.”
“Sure. Of course, you can.”
She trembled in his arms for quite a while.
After much comforting, Ji-an finally calmed down and stepped out of his embrace.
Kul-jeok—she sniffled once and bowed deeply at the waist.
“Thank you.”
“Thank me for what? I received more.”
As she got into the car, So-hee, who was left alone in the passenger seat, rested her chin in her hand and grumbled.
“What should I do? Seeing you cheat on me within an hour is making my guts twist.”
“Then should we break up?”
“That’s too much.”
Grumbling so, So-hee held out a thin box to Ho-cheol.
“Here.”
“What is this?”
“What do you think it is? Did you think we wouldn’t have a Christmas present ready?”
As she spoke, a hand suddenly shot out from the back seat.
Ji-an’s hand also held an identical small box.
“My presents?”
“Of course.”
Ho-cheol looked back and forth between the two with a hesitant expression.
Of course, given their personalities, they would certainly have prepared gifts and more.
“More than I thought...”
He took the two gifts and smiled awkwardly.
“I’m much happier. Thank you.”
He first unwrapped the gift So-hee gave him and opened the box.
Since it was so light and small, he had expected something like a fountain pen, but.
“A tie.”
“You always wore cheap ones that looked like they were sold at a subway station.”
So-hee blushed and turned her head sideways.
She mumbled and pulled her scarf up over her lips.
“I wanted to make it myself. But my handiwork wasn’t as easy as I thought. So... I just separately commissioned the design at a workshop.”
She was a little bothered that it wasn’t handmade, but she compromised on this rather than giving a shoddy item that he wouldn’t even be able to use.
Ho-cheol took out the tie and straightened it up and down.
It was a design that kept a good balance, neither too plain nor too garish or flashy.
“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
“What are you thanking me for? Between us.”
“Mine too! Look at mine quickly!”
He then opened Ji-an’s gift.
A tightly sealed glass bottle was half-filled with a bronze-colored liquid, and next to it, a few jet-black twigs were neatly wrapped.
“This. That thing. It’s like indoor perfume, right?”
Ho-cheol, who couldn’t recall the word 'diffuser' until the end, lightly tilted the bottle left and right.
The viscous liquid slowly flowed in the direction it was tilted.
“Yes, well. It’s like a diffuser.”
So-hee nodded and explained.
Ho-cheol opened the bottle cap and brought it to his nose.
A strangely familiar smell wafted out.
However, it was difficult to exactly describe what kind of smell it was.
“What kind of scent is this? It smells like that smell when I went into that really big city bookstore.”
Ji-an cried out triumphantly.
“It’s my scent!”
As Ho-cheol’s expression subtly changed, Ji-an hurriedly added a defense.
“No, I mean. It’s a combination of the smells of the plants I keep in my room! So it’s my signature scent!”
“Ah, right? It did smell a little familiar.”
For her, who had been confined in a lab for life and then lived as a villain, choosing a gift for someone else was never easy.
She wasn’t good with her hands, nor did she have excellent aesthetic sense.
But she couldn’t bear to choose something that could simply be bought with money as a gift.
That's why she chose this gift after much deliberation.
It also contained a bit of her personal desire.
She cautiously asked.
“...How is it?”
“How is it?”
Ho-cheol frowned as he closed the bottle again.
At his expression, Ji-an tensed up.
Was it possible he didn’t like it?
But she breathed a sigh of relief as she saw him quickly relax his expression.
“It’s the best, of course.”
Ho-cheol carefully put away the tie and the bottle, then placed his hands on the steering wheel.
“Let’s go home.”
Our home.
***
The next day, Christmas Day.
It was a day when the post office should naturally be closed, but a letter arrived addressed to Ho-cheol.
Seeing it drop from the living room ceiling, it seemed someone had sent it using a Trait.
Wouldn’t it be quite a dangerous Trait if they could also send things like bombs?
That thought was momentary; Ho-cheol was genuinely surprised when he saw the sender's name written prominently on the outside of the letter.
“Why would this be for me?”
The name of the sender written largely on the letter was of a kind that he couldn't comprehend no matter how hard he thought.
The New Year’s Gathering of S-rank Heroes.
The invitation had arrived for Ho-cheol.