Chapter 73: Just bear with me, okay?

Chapter 73: Just bear with me, okay? Jin-Yeok suddenly started laughing in a loud and hearty way, his calm and soothing voice resounding in my ear. He held on to me right and laughed for a while and I wondered if he had inhaled laughing gas out of nowhere. "Jo-Pil, Hwang Jo-Pil," he called with that soothing voice of his but I gulped. This was not the time to be responding, ’Yes, master.’ I felt I had landed myself in yet another predicament. He laughed a bit more before squeezing a little more tightly, hugging me as if I was all he had. He shoved his fingers through my hair as he pressed my head to his chest and his eyes held a longing gaze. "I don’t know... How is it that I’m recently only meeting someone like you for the first time in my life?" He asked and chuckled. Well, that would be because you would’ve never been able to find anyone like me in this godforsaken novel, to begin with. Be glad I possessed this body in my sleep and I’m giving you something to laugh about right now. That’s right, treasure me because I’m one of a kind. "You accuse me with sly words but always have such a fine way to cover it up." He said and I darted my eyes away. Does this mean he did not believe when I said I was directing that greed accusation at me? "And despite knowing you’re playing me with your words, I can’t get angry. I find it amusing and want to listen to you rather. I want to listen to your wrapped up harsh words that strangely remind me of the reality I’m living," Well, it didn’t matter since he wasn’t mad about it. "Is this why I’m so curious to see how far I can push you?" He asked, his tone low and sober. He sounded like someone who had no choice. Someone who had been living a rather boring and painful life but had finally found a source of joy, only to be told to his face that the more he wanted to own that joy, the deeper into damnation he would fall. And yet... He didn’t care. He felt he would be okay falling into that damnation if it meant he could keep that joy. But he was sad at the fact that he wasn’t the only one who would fall into damnation and that was why he was hesitant to take that joy for himself. I was just staring hypothetically and not that he was actually feeling that way. Only the author knows the kind of thoughts this man was having as he held an expression I could not gaze on because of how tight he hugged me. "Do you really think I will cross that line?" I heard him mutter but just as fast as he asked that question, he laughed and released his arms around me. I felt he might’ve already gotten his answer, or he simply just shoved it aside, not wanting to worry about something that hadn’t happened yet. He was probably now doubting himself because, with a closer look at his own actions, he could tell he was acting unlike himself, which was rather alarming. "Shall we head for the restaurant now?" He asked and I nodded. He patted my head and then leaned in to press his lips on my forehead. What was this for this time? "Just bear with me, okay? I’ll try not to cross the line." So, he’s no longer promising not to cross the line but was saying he would try? From what he said, I could tell he was really doubting himself. He didn’t know if he would cross that line and so he wished I wouldn’t hate him for it. We finally headed for the restaurant, and after all that, I felt I would be able to finish an entire sheep. I had been thoroughly drained just from having such a serious conversation with Jin-Yeok. "I wish to order one of every dish on the menu," I said to the waiter and Jin-Yeok stared at me, rather surprised. He was back to having that innocent look on his face. He felt like a completely different person from the person I was speaking with just a few minutes ago. "You keep staring. Aren’t you going to order?" I asked, hiding the blush on my cheek with the menu, leaving only my eyes visible to him. I don’t know if I fancy this innocent version of his handsomeness more or that cunning and continuously teasing handsomeness. I gave it a brief thought and tossed the cunning and continuously teasing handsomeness through the window. I liked his innocent yet handsome appearance better. Then, he chuckled and closed the menu, handing it back to the waiter. "If you order that much, where do you expect me to put my own serving?" He asked and I looked at the menu once more. There were quite a lot of dishes, and they were expensive too, but I wasn’t looking at the price at all. After all, I had one of the richest men with me so the costs were already covered. "That’s okay," I said and handed the waiter the menu, acting as if I was clearing my throat. "You can have a bit of what I ordered." "Then I’ll have to thank you for your generosity," he said, smiling delightedly. He was the one paying and yet he was acting like that. I laughed. This was why I liked this innocent version of him better. "What should we have for dessert?" I asked and he laughed. The sound of his laughter sounded like a baby’s lullaby. "Why don’t we worry about that after we finish the food?" He asked and I laughed along. "Of course, of course. No rush." I said. I thought things had finally settled down, only for a soft feminine voice to call out to Jin-Yeok in a rather intimate tone. "Jin?" I paused. A lady’s voice? And from the sound of it, it was someone incredibly close to him for her to call him by a nickname. That person wasn’t normal because a normal person would adore the presence of Jin-Yeok, so... I gulped... I had a feeling it was someone I knew. Someone I knew in the novel, that is. And because of that, my neck had stiffened, fearing to turn and see the very person I hoped to avoid. "Su-Yeon," Jin-Yeok called and I shut my eyes. Great. It was her. The one and only, Su-Yeon. AKA, Jin-Yeok’s lover. Christ, just what were the odds that I would bump into her on my first outing, and one with her boyfriend at that? I might’ve jinxed it when I confidently told myself I wouldn’t meet her till the second part of the novel so it was fine to go out with Jin-Yeok. I felt like I was a side chick who had just been caught meeting up with her boyfriend.