Chapter 10 - A Date?
Morning broke. For the first time in a while, I woke up feeling refreshed, like I’d gotten a full night’s sleep. I stretched long and hard, gazing out the window.
Outside, I could see hunters gathering to tackle dungeons early in the morning and office workers heading to their jobs, even on a weekend.
(If this were Elysium, I’d probably be out there too.)
Of course, I’d be wielding a pickaxe, not wearing a suit.
My eyes naturally opened early, a habit ingrained from my old routine. Back in Elysium, I had to be at the mines by 6 a.m. with a pickaxe in hand. If I didn’t show up on time, I’d face overtime and a whipping to match the hours I was late.
Thinking about those miserable days, I turned on the TV to fill the quiet living room with some noise, since no one else was up yet.
A male news anchor appeared on the screen, delivering the morning report.
“Yesterday, a villain appeared in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. One A-rank villain, believed to be the leader, was reported to have robbed and assaulted civilians…”
Gangnam-gu, Seoul. That’s where I’m living now.
The villain from yesterday’s news was being mentioned again. They must be pretty powerful to still be active.
“The villain’s abilities are believed to include teleportation and stealth, likely at S-rank or higher.”
A video clip played, showing a woman in black clothing presumably the villain briefly appearing in the frame before vanishing in an instant.
Even at a glance, she seemed to possess formidable abilities. No wonder she could operate so boldly in the capital region with powers like that.
(To have such strong abilities and choose to be a villain instead of running dungeons…)
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it, but I figured villains must have their own reasons.
Today, Sohye and Sojin were supposed to take me out to show me around the city.
The news mentioned an A-rank villain active in this area, but I wasn’t too worried. After all, Sojin, an A-rank hunter, would be with me.
As I continued watching the news, I heard the sound of a door opening.
“Yawn… Oh, oppa. Did you sleep well?”
Sohye emerged, still looking sleepy and yawning.
She was wearing a tank top and dolphin shorts, an outfit that felt strikingly bold for the morning.
(Those dolphin shorts on that curvy figure… I can’t help but wonder what the back looks like.)
Sohye seemed to recall what happened last night, as her sleepy expression quickly gave way to a shy blush.
I found her reaction adorable and let out a small chuckle.
Seeing me laugh, she hurried over with quick steps and spoke in a soft voice.
“Um… oppa, I’m sorry about yesterday. I got too carried away and… you don’t hate me now, do you?”
She was apologizing for what happened while I was asleep last night.
“Why are you apologizing, Sohye? If I really didn’t like it, I would’ve stopped you.”
At my words, the worry on her face melted away, replaced by relief and a joyful smile.
“Really? So… um, did you… feel good yesterday?”
Her words came out haltingly, clearly embarrassed about passing out from excitement last night.
This is a gender role reversed world. Maybe even the norms around intimacy are flipped. Perhaps here, women take the lead in those moments, prioritizing their partner’s satisfaction before their own.
“Yeah, I felt good. What about you?”
“Me? I… I felt amazing! So good!”
Sohye exclaimed with enthusiasm, clenching her fists and leaning toward me.
“It was my first time feeling like that! My body felt like it was floating, like I could fly! Honestly, the intensity of it was a little scary.”
Her cheeks flushed as she closed her eyes, placing a hand on her cheek.
The pleasure she felt yesterday seemed to have left her in awe.
Awe a mix of wonder and fear. She must have felt both while we were together.
That thought reminded me of what the World Tree had said yesterday.
(“Have sex with them.” I’m all for it, but…)
Through the awe-inspiring experience of intimacy, I could gather energy to restore the World Tree’s power, and in return, it would lift my curse.
It’s a win-win situation for both me and the World Tree, but one thing she said stuck with me.
(“Return to Elysium.” What did that mean?)
I’m already on Earth, so how could I go back to that world? Then I remembered the moment I arrived here.
The blue gate. The one that helped me escape Elysium. Maybe the World Tree meant reopening that gate.
That made sense. I’d gather power on Earth to break the curse, and the World Tree would use that power to open the gate, preventing the elves’ extinction.
Was that the right conclusion? I’d have to ask the World Tree when it could speak again.
While I was lost in thought and chatting with Sohye, the door opened again, and Sojin stepped out.
She was wearing a sleeveless top and dolphin shorts, just like Sohye. Her white sleeveless top made her bra stand out, accentuating her ample chest.
I had the urge to pounce on her right then and there, but I held back, mindful of Sohye beside me.
“Everyone’s up early, huh? Get ready. We’ve got a lot to do today. Let’s eat out.”
“Okay, unnie,” Sohye replied.
“Silian, you go wash up too,” Sojin added.
“Got it.”
With that, Sojin and Sohye turned to head back to their rooms. I quietly admired the view.
As expected, Sohye’s curvy figure didn’t disappoint.
Satisfied, I headed to the bathroom, washed up, and dried my wet hair, brushing it upward.
I felt confident enough to walk around with my face uncovered now.
After cleaning up, I put on the clothes Sojin gave me yesterday and waited in the living room.
When Sohye and Sojin came out of their rooms, they looked at me with surprised expressions.
They started complimenting my appearance.
“Wow, oppa, you look like an angel…”
“Silian, I could stare at your face forever and never get tired. Heh.”
I was dressed casually, but they say the face completes the fashion, and to them, I must’ve looked like a model straight out of a magazine.
I checked out their outfits too.
Sohye was dressed in a cute, lovable style, while Sojin wore something simple, but the strap of her bag dug into her chest, highlighting her curves.
Both of them looked beautiful and charming.
“Thanks. You both look great too. Your outfits suit you perfectly.”
Sohye and Sojin smiled at my compliment.
“Shall we head out then?”
We got ready to leave.
“Wait a sec,” Sojin said, stopping me.
She went to her room and came back with a mask, hat, and sunglasses.
“Put these on. No, I’ll put them on for you.”
“What’s this for?”
“For us.”
With that, Sojin came close and put the hat, sunglasses, and mask on me herself.
I avoided her gaze, looking down, and caught sight of her full chest moving closer and then farther away.
I wanted to grab that tempting chest with one hand, but I held back, aware of Sohye next to me.
“Alright, let’s go.”
With the sunglasses dimming my view, I marveled at the sensation. Sojin put on her shoes at the door, and Sohye stood close to me.
The distance between us felt oddly intimate, almost teasingly so.
Following Sojin, who had already stepped outside, I put on my shoes with Sohye and walked out the door.
The sunlight was warm and inviting.
---
We went out to explore the city.
When I left the hospital to head home, I kept my head down to avoid people’s stares. But now, feeling unashamed of my appearance, I walked with my head held high, taking in my surroundings.
There weren’t many people out when I looked out the window this morning, but now, around lunchtime, the streets were bustling.
As we passed by, people’s eyes were drawn to us mostly to me.
Even with my face hidden like a celebrity, my small face seemed to radiate an “I’m handsome” aura.
My tall height, well-proportioned legs, and broad shoulders gave off a protective vibe, despite the gender-reversed dynamic where women are supposed to protect men.
“Ow! Why’d you hit me?!”
“Stop staring at him! Look at me!”
Occasionally, I overheard couples arguing. Usually, it was the man hitting the woman.
Watching a couple’s fight unfold gave me a strange feeling.
“How about we grab a quick bite here?” Sojin suggested.
Looking up, I saw a pasta restaurant. I was surprised. I thought they’d prefer meat-heavy places.
“I’m fine with it. What about you, Silian oppa?” Sohye asked, glancing at me.
Of course, they were being considerate of me, choosing a neutral spot.
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ve never had pasta before, so I’m excited.”
“Heh, you won’t be disappointed. This place is pretty popular,” Sojin said.
We entered the restaurant and took a seat by the window. I sat on the inside, and Sojin naturally sat next to me.
Sohye, looking a bit disappointed, sat across from us.
As I browsed the menu, Sojin spoke to Sohye.
“Sohye, can you take care of getting Silian’s ID and phone? I’m going to take him to the salon.”
“Uh… can’t we just ask Dad to handle it?”
“Hmm, how long are you going to rely on Mom and Dad? Besides, Dad’s probably busy.”
“Well, then… how about asking Mom’s assistant? If we ask her…”
“Sohye,” Sojin interrupted sharply, her expression turning serious.
Sohye shrank back, looking like a scolded puppy.
“Okay, fine… I’ll do it,” she mumbled, head down.
“She’s been so cold lately…” Sohye muttered under her breath.
I wanted to comfort her, but Sojin’s intimidating presence kept me quiet.
(Is this the aura of an A-rank hunter?)
Our food arrived, and a plate of long, twirling pasta was set before us. I stabbed at it with my fork, and Sojin, watching me, chuckled.
“Silian, that’s not how you eat it…”
She reached over, holding my fork with me, her hand brushing against mine.
Her palm felt warm and soft against my hand.
“You twirl it like this…”
It was just a simple motion of twirling the fork, but it felt oddly intimate.
The pasta wrapped neatly around the fork.
“Then you eat it like this. Go on.”
She held the twirled pasta up to my face, urging me to eat.
“Come on, quick.”
With a playful smile, she nudged me. Unable to resist, I took a bite of the twirled pasta.
Sojin smiled, watching me. Across the table, Sohye looked even more dejected.
After a brief moment of tension, we finished our meal happily and left.
“See you later, Sohye,” Sojin said.
“Okay…” Sohye replied, sounding down.
I felt bad for Sohye as she walked away, but I was hyper-aware of Sojin beside me.
After what happened with Sojin yesterday not quite sex, but a moment of intimacy her attitude had shifted noticeably.
Sohye’s behavior had changed too, but Sojin’s change was more intense.
Maybe she was subtly getting back at Sohye for interrupting us last night.
As I was feeling sorry for Sohye, Sojin came closer and linked her arm with mine.
“Now that Sohye’s gone, we don’t have to worry about her, right?”
Her smile sent a chill down my spine for some reason.
Whether she knew how I felt or not, she pressed her chest against my arm.
Her bag strap sank into her ample chest, and my arm seemed to disappear into it, just like the strap.
The sensation made me forget the chill I’d felt moments ago.
I was embarrassed but couldn’t help sinking into the feeling of her touch.
Even with my face covered, my handsome aura shone through, and Sojin’s confident yet charming smile drew attention from passersby.
“Let’s go,” she said.
“Uh, yeah.”
Leaving Sohye behind, we headed to the salon under the pretense of a haircut, but it felt more like a date.
We strolled through a park, ate sweet treats from a food truck, and even shared bites of each other’s food.
Sojin looked happy, and I couldn’t bring myself to mention the salon.
Occasionally, people recognized Sojin as an A-rank hunter and asked for her autograph, but she politely declined each time, looking apologetic.
“Why don’t you give them your autograph?” I asked.
“Hm? I’m with you right now, so I don’t want to break the mood. Plus, I’m not a fan of giving autographs.”
Her attitude shifted so quickly when talking to others, it threw me off.
Her cold demeanor and reluctance to sign autographs made me wonder if she had trust issues with people.
I felt grateful that she’d opened up to me.
“Alright, we’ve had our fun. Shall we head to the salon?” she said.
“Heh, sure.”
She seemed to acknowledge that we’d been enjoying ourselves.
As we left the park, the sky was painted orange by the setting sun, creating a beautiful scene.
We headed to the salon, guided by Sojin, under that stunning sky.
“Welcome… Oh, Sojin-ssi!”
A good-looking male stylist greeted Sojin warmly.
“How’ve you been? Haha, we’ve missed you at the shop. Are you here for a haircut? I’ve got no clients right now…”
“Hi. Nice to see you. I’m not here for me today I brought Silian for a haircut. Can you step aside, please?”
Sojin frowned, looking annoyed, while the stylist kept smiling and being overly friendly. It was clear he was interested in her.
“Silian-ssi…?” the stylist said, eyeing me with a slight frown, as if he didn’t like the sound of my name.
“Hi, I’m Silian,” I said, offering a small smile and extending my hand.
He lightly ignored my handshake and turned back to Sojin.
“So, Sojin-ssi, who’s this? Is he, like… your boyfriend?”
“Oh, yes, exactly! You’ve got a good eye. This is my boyfriend, Silian.”
Sojin’s face lit up as if she’d just had a great idea, and she linked her arm with mine. I was caught off guard but played along.
After all, she’d probably become my girlfriend soon enough, so calling me her boyfriend now wasn’t a stretch.
“…That’s weird,” the stylist muttered, glaring at me briefly before plastering on a professional smile.
“Haha, well, you’re here for a haircut, right? Sir, please come this way.”
His lips twitched as he led me to a chair in front of a rectangular mirror that showed my full reflection.
(Let’s see what he’s hiding under all that…)
The stylist clearly thought I was just some guy trying to get Sojin’s attention.
“Please take off the hat, sunglasses, and mask and have a seat.”
“Alright.”
As I sat, I slowly removed my disguise, watching him through the mirror.
When I took off the hat, my white hair spilled out, revealing my pale forehead.
When I removed the sunglasses, my large eyes and slightly sharp, captivating gaze came into view.
Finally, when I took off the mask, my high, refined nose and small, glossy red lips were revealed, along with a jawline that looked sculpted with care.
I’d planned to laugh at his reaction, but instead, I was the one left stunned, mouth agape and eyes wide.
My white hair and fair skin gave off an angelic vibe.
________
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(Is this guy an angel?)
Sojin, standing nearby, smirked at my reaction.
“What do you think? My boyfriend’s pretty handsome, right?”
Her tone seemed to say, “You can’t compare to him.” Her smile, which I’d found beautiful before, now felt smug.
I stayed silent, implicitly acknowledging him as her boyfriend.
I could’ve nitpicked maybe his personality isn’t great, or maybe he’s just playing her but his appearance overshadowed all that. That was Silian.
I ignored Sojin’s smug chuckle, picking up the scissors quietly.
She had a boyfriend now. Someone far more handsome and cooler than me.
It stung, but I had to wish her well.
With that brief thought, I looked at his otherworldly appearance again, feeling the soul of a professional stylist ignite.
I might be cutting the hair of the most handsome man in the world.
If someone asked him where he got his haircut and he mentioned my salon…
My shop would be packed. With that calculation in mind, I looked at him through the mirror again.
His hair was a mess, and his eyebrows, though naturally well-shaped, were unmaintained. I decided to focus on tidying those up.
Men often wear makeup too, but for him, makeup would be overkill. His face already had everything it needed.
With a plan in mind, I looked at him with enthusiasm and asked, “Do you have a specific hairstyle in mind? Or no?”
(Please say no.)
“Uh, no. Sojin told me to trust you and leave it to you.”
My heart ached when he mentioned Sojin, but she already had someone else.
“I’ll give you the best hairstyle today.”
*Snip, snip, snip*
The sound of scissors cutting hair mixed with the music in the salon.
---
Someone was watching them from the rooftop.
Wearing tight black latex that accentuated her figure, her red, wavy hair flowed elegantly.
Anyone would call her beautiful. Perched on the high rooftop, she was scanning for prey.
Then she spotted a man in the salon.
Though his face wasn’t visible from her high vantage point, his physique alone met her standards.
“Found you.”
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Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id