Chapter 68: Chapter 67: A Momentary Respite?

Although it was terribly embarrassing amidst the commotion… Han Seori couldn’t help but feel like she was on vacation.

…You may not believe it, but it was absolutely not something Han Seori intended.

She wanted a vacation, but it was merely a wish.

‘Comfortable yet….’

Uncomfortable.

After completing her supervision of the whale dissection (for other reasons), Han Seori returned to the East Sea Branch with 7496-KR and collapsed, just like the 7496-KR she brought with her.

It wasn’t that there was a specific issue with her body, but rather it was closer to her collapsing from pushing herself too hard despite originally being a patient.

“Since you pushed yourself to be sent as the on-site supervisor… we’ll take care of the rest on our side.”

“Yes… well, go ahead.”

The managers of the East Sea Branch excluded Han Seori from all their work.

In fact, it was difficult to call it exclusion.

It was strange from the start for her, who belongs to the Capital Area Branch, to be working at the distant East Sea Branch.

Rather, allowing her to participate in the dissection work was closer to their consideration.

Fundamentally, as she was a patient… she didn’t want to work at other branches either.

It was only because of the exception called 7496-KR.

Having achieved her objective, it was enough to rest her body for a while… and wait for the sleeping 7496-KR to wake up.

However, 7496-KR showed no signs of waking up anytime soon.

Han Seori, who had a premonition that the wait would be long, sneaked out of the room but was caught by Kim Cheonsu and sent back.

Under normal circumstances, it would be unthinkable, but the authority of Han Seori in a ‘patient gown’ had fallen that much.

…Above all, it was likely because this wasn’t her domain to begin with.

In addition to that.

“You retrieved her safely too, didn’t you? Please. Please…! Get some rest until she wakes up. Okay?”

“…Ah, I got it.”

As Kim Cheonsu pleaded for her to rest, Han Seori decided to obediently take a vacation that wasn’t quite a vacation.

If there was one thing on her mind.

‘…Our Research Center is.’

Hopefully safe…?

Although she was worried about the well-being of the Research Center, she practically dumped on Yoo Kangjik.

Han Seori, believing in Yoo Kangjik’s competence, thought he must have handled it well and looked at the food Kim Cheonsu brought.

‘Squid sashimi… abalone….’

Is there a seafood market nearby?

Come to think of it, does 7496-KR like seafood? I don’t think I’ve ever fed her seafood…

“Doctor?”

“Ah, yes.”

“…You weren’t thinking about that girl again, were you?”

“Ahaha… I did… a little.”

“…I’m truly grateful that you’re not lying.”

Han Seori smiled and picked up a generous amount of squid sashimi with her chopsticks.

An amount that seemed like a hearty serving by her standards.

Soon, the squid sashimi covered in red gochujang was…

Held out not to Han Seori’s mouth but to Kim Cheonsu’s.

Kim Cheonsu, who was fumbling for his own chopsticks, blinked at the unexpected situation.

‘…This person.’

Can’t even eat when given.

Han Seori, who grinned, pretended her arm was tired and said.

“My arm feels like it’s going to fall off.”

“Ah, um. Yes.”

Only after she said, that did Kim Cheonsu carefully open his mouth, and Han Seori’s chopsticks entered.

Having achieved her objective, Han Seori immediately withdrew her chopsticks and observed Kim Cheonsu, who began chewing the squid sashimi.

Seeing his stern face soften just from being fed once, it seemed a little cute.

…It also seemed foolish.

His appearance didn’t really suit the word ‘cute,’ so it might be foolish.

Han Seori felt a strange emotion.

She also… more or less knew what kind of feelings Kim Cheonsu had for her.

Even if she had no interest in such things… it was impossible not to know when he expressed it so openly.

And… Han Seori found it puzzling.

‘Why does he like me?’

Well… objectively speaking, her specs were quite outstanding.

Pretty face.

Smart.

Makes… quite a lot of money, too.

However, it didn’t seem like Kim Cheonsu expressed fondness for her because of those things.

Han Seori tried to view her own personality as objectively as possible.

Coldness towards things of disinterest.

Focuses only on research… research subjects.

Hmm.

‘…Doesn’t seem like a personality suitable for dating?’

In the first place, how could someone so young that even being called ‘Doctor’ is surprising have become the deputy head of the Research Center?

She had no dating experience.

Perhaps because of that.

She couldn’t understand Kim Cheonsu’s fondness, so she couldn’t accept it.

…Still.

Seeing his devoted behavior this time, it didn’t seem too bad.

‘For the time being… it would be difficult.’

In her view, the timing was terrible.

The small cracks that slowly began appearing since 7496-KR’s capture.

Han Seori could feel them.

It wasn’t that she thought 7496-KR was the cause of anything, but it was ominous that the quiet ‘Twilight’s Call’ openly began their activities.

The small unease that the current situation, which was being controlled well… might collapse.

And perhaps.

7496-KR might be at the center of it.

How could she, as 7496-KR’s caretaker, pursue a romantic relationship at such a time?

In addition to being unfamiliar with accepting another’s feelings, for Han Seori, that was the biggest reason.

As she contemplated the complicated thoughts, Han Seori felt her temples begin to throb for some reason.

‘…For now, I need to rest.’

It doesn’t seem wrong to say that.

She didn’t know how her relationship with the man sitting across from her would turn out, but that much was clear.

With that in mind, Han Seori carefully spoke while eating the food Kim Cheonsu bought.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kim Cheonsu.”

“…Yes?!”

Kim Cheonsu, who was absentmindedly dipping the sashimi in soy sauce, looked at Han Seori with a startled expression.

‘…Why is he like that?’

Feeling slightly displeased, Han Seori continued speaking to resolve a sudden curiosity.

“These days… do you not have dreams about blue jelly?”

“…Ah.”

Kim Cheonsu, who was chewing the sashimi, sighed as if he had eaten a mouthful of wasabi.

“After that… well. I don’t think there was anything intense enough to be memorable. In the first place, isn’t that how dreams are?”

“So it didn’t persistently fol─”

“Just finish your food.”

As Kim Cheonsu growled and placed a handful of sashimi on her plate, Han Seori giggled to herself.

Still.

Teasing this bear-like person seemed quite enjoyable.

This is.

A curse.

It would have been better if my sight had been partial and I had only seen Han Seori entering.

But my sight showed both Han Seori entering and something falling from my bottom with a *splat, splat*, laid bare.

And because I was intelligent.

I could imagine… how it would look to Han Seori.

At least… it doesn’t smell.

No, but this was necessary.

Otherwise, I felt like I would really develop anger management issues!

In the meantime, Han Seori, who was watching with an ambiguous expression, approached and silently handed me something.

Opening the packaging, I saw fresh seafood.

What is this?

Is it to replenish what I expelled?

I carefully observed Han Seori’s face as she handed it to me, but it didn’t seem like that was the case.

However… I felt an even more unbearable… strange gaze.

A bizarre gaze I had never received once in my not-so-long but not-so-short life.

A gaze that clearly conveyed warmth rather than displeasure.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Why… does it feel weird?

Silently wobbling my slime and putting the seafood into my body, the thought of the whale suddenly came to mind.

Along with the strange emotion that arose after eating it.

Naturally, my gaze also fell on the mucus that had fallen and was wobbling on the floor.

I still see it forming a shape.

…Wait a minute.

This… couldn’t possibly be… that kind of thing, right?

Huh?

Without even me noticing, Daesik and Sosik approached and poked holes in the plastic to steal food.

*Wobble wobble*

I stared at the ‘something’ that was finally taking shape.