Chapter 8
“Ugh….”
Ye-rim let out a groan as she stretched her arms wide.
It had already been a month since she came down to the human realm to find the princess. And a month since she started posing as a shaman.
Before coming to the human realm, she had been enjoying a leisurely life as an unemployed bum.
She had only thrown her resignation letter to the Jade Capital a few months ago, so it was as delightful as could be.
But heaven was not on her side.
The noble Jade Emperor summoned her, even though she had barely left the job.
The official reason: to find a runaway fairy maiden—in other words, the esteemed youngest princess.
Honestly, when she received the Emperor’s command, she couldn’t understand why she had been chosen.
Although she had worked in the Jade Capital, she could never claim to have been close to the princess. In the first place, she had only ever seen the princess from a distance at banquets.
The youngest princess was said to be the Emperor’s most cherished among the three. Whether it was because he kept her carefully hidden or because of her own nature, the princess rarely ever showed her face.
And then that princess ran away. Needless to say, the Jade Capital was thrown into chaos.
But that had nothing to do with her, a former employee—at least until the Emperor’s command came.
If she had to find any connection to the princess, it was that she had once served in the Azure Capital.
Other than that, perhaps a slight acquaintance with the White Tiger Clan?
Could such tenuous ties really qualify her for such a grave mission?
She followed the order because she had no choice, but she still couldn’t fathom the Emperor’s intention in sending even Ryu Ji-ho down.
At any rate, she was grateful to have Ryu Ji-ho around to lighten the load.
Ye-rim groaned as she rose from her spot. The vivid red skirt she wore for showmanship swayed.
She tidied up the altar, set up for appearances, and left the shrine.
In the parking area, a purple car—a rare sight on the streets—showcased its splendid form.
It was a new car she had bought with the money earned from working diligently as a shaman for a month. Ye-rim was very pleased with it.
Humming a tune, Ye-rim gave the car a quick wipe before getting in. The seat embraced her warmly, as if to prove the car was worth the money.
She started the engine, displayed her effortless driving skills, and pulled out of the alley. It was the long-awaited end of the workday.
“Who’s that?”
Seonhwa High School was located on Ye-rim’s route from the shrine to her home, and she passed by the school’s bus stop as well.
It was the same route as always, but today was different.
She hadn’t even thought of Ji-ho getting out of school, but as she passed by, she spotted him standing at the bus stop.
She stopped the car briefly, intending to give him a ride, and was about to call out to him when she paused, noticing a boy beside Ji-ho.
In that moment, Ji-ho boarded the bus with the boy.
Even if they wore the same uniform, they could still be strangers. Their direction home might simply be the same.
But the atmosphere didn’t suggest they were strangers. Especially that boy. He was smiling brightly at Ji-ho.
‘Ji-ho made a friend already? A boy? Ji-ho did?’
The Ryu Ji-ho she knew was quite shy and timid. He wasn’t the type to approach others first.
That kind of person made a friend to go home with on his very first day of school? A boy? Ye-rim found it hard to believe.
“Could it be… he got caught by bullies? No, the vibe wasn’t like that. And they say bullies don’t really exist anymore these days.”
Muttering to herself, Ye-rim got back in the car and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, recalling the boy she’d seen at the bus stop.
‘Where have I seen him…?’
Even though it was only a fleeting glance, he was a boy with a peculiar aura. He looked somewhat familiar.
“…Huh? Wait a minute.”
Ye-rim took out her phone and scrolled through her gallery. Her eyes widened when she found the photo she was looking for.
“No, what is this?”
It had only been a few hours since Ji-ho went to school to find the princess.
You found the runaway fairy maiden?
But… he’s a boy?
Unlike modern apartments with English names, Eunha Apartment had a distinctly Korean name. It was a large complex boasting a thousand units, with buildings reaching up to 29 floors.
To enter the complex, one had to key in the security code.
Watching Haerang’s back as he habitually entered the passcode, Ji-ho fell deep in thought.
While waiting for the bus, he had unintentionally overheard it. Haerang said he lived in this apartment complex too.
Was it a coincidence? He wasn’t sure.
These apartments started at three rooms. Ji-ho always thought it was too spacious for just two people.
When Ye-rim was at work and he was home alone, it was oppressively quiet.
Unlike in the clan compound. That place was always bustling.
His mother and father were there, along with his older brothers, their wives, and even his nephews.
But Haerang lived here alone.
Perhaps… even in the Jade Capital, he might have been as good as alone.
They said Princess Yeonhwa rarely ever showed her face. In other words, it was no different from being isolated.
He needed to inform the celestial realm that Princess Yeonhwa had been found.
But was that the right thing to do? Was sending Princess Yeonhwa back to the celestial realm truly the right path?
Wouldn’t Princess Yeonhwa become alone again if she returned to the celestial realm?
Ji-ho was confused. The more he thought, the less he understood.
‘…No. For that man’s sake as well, the princess must return to the celestial realm.’
He didn’t know what the princess was trying to do, but the celestial realm would be safe for an immature princess who hadn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet.
“Building 201, you said?”
“Ah, yes.”
Pulled from his thoughts by Haerang’s question, Ji-ho nodded.
They entered the open gate and walked side by side into the complex.
The wind rustled, breaking leaves underfoot. A waning crescent moon shone in the night sky.
It didn’t take long to reach Building 201. Haerang stopped walking and looked back at Ji-ho with a regretful expression.
Their eyes met, and Haerang lifted the corners of his mouth, as he always did in front of her. That was when it happened.
“Princess.”
“……!”
Haerang was truly, genuinely, more startled than he had ever been in his life. He nearly let out an undignified yelp.
Calming his racing heart, he turned around. At the same time, Ji-ho’s voice pierced his ears.
“Unnie?”
Haerang found himself facing a woman who was looking at him as if assessing him. Though he had never seen her face before, he knew who she was.
It was the fairy Ye-rim, who had come along as Ji-ho’s guardian.
Haerang opened his mouth to deny it. But Ji-ho spoke first.
“Unnie, th-this, you’re early.”
His tone was somewhat awkward. Everyone present could feel it. Ye-rim spoke, incredulous.
“Early? This is my usual quitting time.”
“Ah, right…”
“Anyway, seriously—”
“Oh, she’s a friend I made today, unnie!”
Ji-ho blurted it out hastily, as if to stop Ye-rim from speaking.
In truth, Ji-ho himself couldn’t understand why he had said that. He felt like biting his own tongue.
It was a precious opportunity to escape this harsh place and return to the celestial realm, yet he had just thrown it away.
Haerang, unaware of Ji-ho’s gloom, was merely touched by Ji-ho’s words.
Haerang greeted Ye-rim politely, flashing the bright smile that had always won over adults.
“Hello, noona. My name is Cheon Haerang, and starting today, I’m Ji-ho’s boyfriend.”
“…Huh?”
“What?”
Ji-ho looked at Haerang as if asking what on earth he was talking about. Ye-rim did the same.
Ye-rim compared the face in the photo to Haerang’s face. They were identical no matter how she looked. It was undeniably him.
‘But Ji-ho’s boyfriend? Not Princess Yeonhwa? What the hell is this nonsense?’
Utterly confused by the situation, Ye-rim looked at Ji-ho as if demanding an explanation.
Meeting Ye-rim’s eyes, Ji-ho flinched, then, as if making a decision, grabbed Haerang’s hand.
That Ryu Ji-ho had taken a boy’s hand first. The men of the White Tiger Clan would faint if they knew.
Ji-ho squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
“Th-that’s right. We, we’re on day one!”
“…….”
Swoosh.
Only the sound of the wind echoed in the silence.
For some reason, Ji-ho felt like crying. This wasn’t right. Things were getting more and more tangled.
“…Ji-ho, isn’t today your first day of school? And you already have a boyfriend?”
“Uh… it was, love at first sight.”
“I feel the same way.”
Should she believe that? But well, he did have that kind of face. And Ji-ho did… have a thing for looks.
But still, wouldn’t a shy person like Ji-ho not accept it so readily?
It was puzzling in many ways, but Ye-rim decided to go home first and interrogate Ji-ho there.
