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Chapter 240:
Chapter 240:
To the Original Form (4)
***
Michail took me to many places.
A café.
A dessert café.
Then back to a restaurant.
Not even an hour had passed since we left the Friends of Forest Tteokbokki Shop, and we were already back there. I let out a hollow laugh, a question mark practically floating above my head.
“We’re back again.”
The woman, flustered, stared blankly at the tteokbokki shop’s sign, frozen in place.
“Ah…”I directed my question at her. How could she suggest going on a date and then end it so quickly?
I should have realized when she was devouring cake at the dessert shop. This woman was rushing through the itinerary as if she had never been on a date before. Well, it was probably to be expected.
“Are we eating again now?”
Looking at Michail, who had lived his whole life as a man, I smiled.
“I’m not even hungry yet.”
“Ah… well.”
“Secret Lady.”
I smiled at Michail, who stood there silently.
“Where are we going next?”
“…”
“I’m really looking forward to it. Surely, this isn’t the end, right?”
“Well, that’s…”
“You said you’d try to change my mind… but you’re far from convincing me to take you on as a disciple.”
-Whoosh.
Michail’s face flushed red. His prideful nature couldn’t stand being belittled like this.
Normally, Michail would have said something like, “No, there’s still plenty more to do,” but now he bit his lip and lowered his head, seemingly unable to come up with a plan.
“This can’t be the end… There’s still a quest…”
“Excuse me?”
“Ah, no. Please wait a moment.”
I watched Michail hurriedly look around for a place to go, lost in thought.
‘A date, huh.’
I hadn’t been on many dates myself, so nothing came to mind. Though I had a handsome butler, the person I dated was special.
-Squeak! Chocolate!
Chuckling softly, I gently grabbed Michail’s wrist.
I recalled the things she had wanted to do when she was younger.
-Lee Minhyuk!
-Lee Minhyuk.
-…Anyway! When I grow up…
-Yeah?
-I want to go to a festival, wear pretty clothes, and have fun.
-Mm-hmm.
-I also want to put money in a beggar’s cup.
-Oh, that’s unique.
-And I want to drink with you.
-Drink?
-My mom said drinking makes you feel good.
-I don’t think she meant that in a good way.
Remembering the trivial conversations we had under the moss-covered bridge, I held Michail’s wrist.
Startled by the sudden touch, she looked at me with wide, surprised eyes.
“Oh…”
“Follow me.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you run out of things to do?”
Michail, still dazed, followed me as I led her by the wrist.
She walked, staring at my red hair as I guided her.
We strolled down the street.
“Here, 10 gold.”
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“Put it in that person’s cup.”
“Huh?”
“I thought you might want to try it at least once.”
We went to a festival.
“Ta-da. It’s a cat ear headband.”
“I don’t need something like this.”
“Come on, try saying ‘meow.’ If you wear these ears and talk to animals, they’ll understand you.”
“Really…?”
“No, I’m lying.”
“Sigh… I’ve never done anything like this before. It feels awkward.”
“It’s fine. You’re naturally pretty.”
We gazed at the night sky in front of the fountain, taking in the blue Milky Way.
‘This is fun.’
As we checked off the things Michail had wanted to do back when she lived in the slums, we spent time together until nightfall.
The cold expression she usually wore gradually softened. The face that had seemed ready to leave at any moment now held a faint smile, and the shoulders that had tensed whenever I held her hand now relaxed naturally.
Watching Michail enjoy the festival, I smiled and stopped in front of a street vendor selling skewers.
“Secret Lady, how about some chicken skewers?”
“Huh? Oh… yes?”
“Chicken skewers.”
Michail nodded slightly, playing with the cat ear headband on her head and smiling brightly.
“Yes.”
Of course, she had to raise her voice a bit because of the street vendor’s playful teasing.
“You two make a great couple.”
“No!”
“We’re not.”
Michail, who had wiped away her stiff expression, was now enjoying the moment as a woman. She walked with light steps, as if the shackles had been removed, breathing in the free and peaceful night air.
“There’s a circus over there…! Let’s go!”
“Shall we?”
I smiled as I watched Michail grab my sleeve and pull me toward the crowded street performance.
Seeing Michail, dressed in a white dress and laughing brightly, she looked just like a girl her age, and it made me smile.
‘She looks like a normal student.’
I didn’t have romantic feelings for Michail. There were still many things I couldn’t accept and many issues to resolve.
But just for today, I wanted to treat Michail as I had during our time in the slums, not based on the bitter memories of the academy.
I was tired of constantly grumbling.
Perhaps I had made all these choices just to see her like this. Choices like sacrifice or being the scapegoat.
I let Michail lead me, and we enjoyed the festival for quite some time.
The night grew late, and the bright moon rose in the sky.
As the sun set, the alluring lantern of emotions known as the moon appeared in the sky.
Street vendors began to close their stalls.
The capital’s Friday night festival came to an end, and as the time to wrap up the date approached, I stopped in front of a cozy-looking pub and pulled Michail to a halt.
“Secret Lady.”
“Yes?”
“This is the last stop for today.”
“Huh? Ah…”
Michail looked disappointed at the mention of the last stop and glanced at the pub. She seemed a bit sad that the night had already come, her expression awkward as she looked up.
“It’s about time we part ways, isn’t it? So, for the last stop…”
I smiled slightly and pointed to the pub, gently pulling Michail’s wrist.
“You’re not underage, are you?”
“No…”
“Then how about a drink? To get to know each other better and to mark the beginning of a new mentor-disciple relationship, I think a drink would be nice.”
“…”
Michail nodded.
It was the first time we would drink together.
Since getting to know Michail, we had never once shared a drink. I thought about what we might talk about as I opened the door to the pub.
Two beers and squid.
It wasn’t a fancy menu, but I ordered a simple snack to go with the drinks and carefully clasped my hands together, looking at Michail.
“Did you have fun?”
“…”
Michail didn’t respond, only nodding.
“That’s a relief.”
“…”
“But Secret Lady.”
“Yes…?”
“How long are you planning to keep wearing that headband? I mean, I’m glad you’re still wearing the gift I gave you, but aren’t you embarrassed?”
Michail, who seemed to like the cat ear headband I had bought her, quickly touched her head, her face lighting up with an exclamation mark.
“Ah! You should have told me sooner!!”
“Pfft…! I thought you were wearing it on purpose.”
“Of course not!”
Watching Michail flail in embarrassment, I burst into laughter.
The drinks kept flowing.
Clink.
We clinked our cold glasses together.
Clink.
We toasted to the day’s events.
“I was really surprised. You were glaring at me through the window… I thought you were challenging me to a duel.”
“…Hiccup. Should I challenge you?”
“No, thanks.”
“You’d go easy on me anyway…!”
I clinked glasses with the woman who had once been known as Michail.
It felt good.
It felt different, being able to drink with Michail without her getting angry. It was nice to see her doing well, and it allowed me to slowly adjust. It was colorful, too.
‘If she can smile like this, why did she act that way at the academy…?’
I let out a hollow laugh and cautiously asked Michail, whose eyes were glazed over from the alcohol.
“Hey, Secret Lady.”
“Yes?”
I looked at her and asked.
“What do you think of me?”
“Huh?”
“You know a bit about me, don’t you? Not from rumors, but from today. I’m curious about how I came across.”
I looked at her, seeking an honest answer.
Just as I had questioned the time Michail had given me today, I wanted to hear her evaluation of Ricardo based on this one day.
“You know, I’m not exactly a good person.”
“…”
“I was quite infamous at the academy, so I doubt you haven’t heard any rumors about me.”
“…”
“I just want to hear your thoughts on today.”
“…”
Michail hesitated before finally speaking.
She muttered the key phrase, ‘just for today,’ and carefully opened her mouth.
“I didn’t hate it.”
“…”
“I still don’t know for sure, but you seemed like an interesting person.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes.”
I smiled softly and lifted my glass.
“Seems like I did okay.”
This time, Michail threw a question at me. It seemed she didn’t want to be the only one on the receiving end, so she took a big gulp of her drink and opened her lips.
“May I ask you a question, then?”
“Of course.”
Michail, her lips trembling, asked me.
“What do you think of the person named Michail?”
“…”
Her question was sharp.
End of Chapter