Kofi thanks to: Flowersky
Cheongyeon shook his head vigorously.
“I don’t do that.”
“What can’t you do when there’s no one looking?”
“I am an apothecary, not a gangster.”
Muwon smiled subtly and looked down at the envelope that Cheongyeon held out to him, but not taking it.
If he didn’t take it because he suspected he had spit on it, Cheongyeon could just eat it himself. Cheongyeon put his envelope down on the edge of the counter. Muwon looked around the store the size of his palm and sat down at the counter.
He picked up the work gloves that Cheongyeon had taken off and held them out. It seemed like he was indicating that he should finish eating, but if Cheongyeon ate it with Tae Muwon in front of him, he felt like he would end up with indigestion of the expensive lobster. If the man wasn’t here to buy something, Cheongyeon wanted to tell him to take the decoction with him. However, without any retort, he quietly took the work gloves.
As he sat down in his chair, Muwon’s profile came into view. His piercings were hanging here and there, but perhaps because of his flashy appearance, they weren’t immediately noticeable unless looked at closely.
“Aren’t you here to pick up some decoction?”
Cheongyeon stared at him without putting on the work gloves. Then Tae Muwon suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed his wrist.
“What… !”
Cheongyeon hurriedly tried to twist his wrist free, fearing it might be sliced, but it was no use. His face was only turning red because he was applying so much force. While sitting at the counter, he pinned Cheongyeon’s arm to his side. Cheongyeon struggled, his upper body sticking out, but he didn’t care. His hands became stiff, as if he was terrified that he might actually break it.
But what he touched with his hand was a rough surface. He was putting the work gloves on Cheongyeon’s hands. Soon his arm was free, and Cheongyeon brought his gloved hand to his chest. As he froze in embarrassment, his other hand was quickly pulled away. This time, without being pinned to his side, the work glove was properly fitted.
“Do I also need to peel the shell for you?”
It was as startling as being told to eat it right away.
“… No.”
Cheongyeon lightly clenched his fists and then opened them.
“You’re eating it so proudly that I thought I’d give it a pass.”
Although Cheongyeon was offended by his precise words, he responded casually.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“It’s not time to close yet.”
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“Have you… not eaten?”
“Is it a waste?”
Muwon was a scoundrel who watched him for two months and stripped him naked and fed him blood because he couldn’t shake off the suspicion that Cheongyeon was from the Hwa clan, but Muwon was also a benefactor who gave him money so he could eat lobster. The term “benefactor” hardly suited Tae Muwon, but 20,000 hwan was indeed a large sum to warrant such a title.
“I’ll give you one.”
Cheongyeon plucked the belly of a new lobster with scissors. Still, he was glad that his was a little bigger. He grabbed the tail and tore off a piece of flesh, but to his dismay, it broke off in the middle. Cheongyeon held out the tail to Muwon.
He just looked at the offered tail with an indifferent face, as if asking, ’You want me to eat this?’ Cheongyeon swallowed dryly. No, his appetite for lobsters was still there, so the inside of his mouth was actually moist.
“I’ll bring you gloves.”
He was about to put down the lobster and get up when a voice filled with laughter came from above his head.
“It’s difficult.”
Muwon took the lobster with his bare hands and chewed it thoroughly. He had a sleek appearance that was not typical of a pirate and finicky demeanor. But as he sat at the counter watching him cut down large lobsters, he naturally imagined him sitting on the stern of a ship, with the rolling sea behind him.
“It’s 200 hwan, per piece.”
Cheongyeon muttered as if reprimanding himself for being distracted by his appearance. Before it cooled any further, he grabbed his lobster and tore off its flesh.
“Last time you were selling Tae Cheonoh, and now you’re even selling medicine. Are you an apothecary, after all?”
He glanced at his share of lobsters and at Cheongyeon’s. At a glance, Cheongyeon’s was much larger. Cheongyeon continued his conversation calmly, pretending that nothing had happened.
“The lobster you are eating now costs 200 a piece, but since I am a regular customer, they gave me the bigger one for the same price.”
He didn’t mention that he got a 30 hwan discount.
“What about the price for steaming it?”
“Just give me back 200 hwan.”
Cheongyeon picked up the broken and separated claws, put in the scissors, and cut them into pieces. He turned his handle towards Muwon, leaving the outer shell of his body open so that he could grab it and eat it. As he learned from the store owner, his preparation skills had improved.
After cutting off the four claws, Muwon had also finished eating the body of his lobster. Cheongyeon chewed the remaining two bites of lobster. It was a strange dinner with an unwelcome guest. Even as he moved his mouth diligently, he was extremely wary of Muwon sitting at the counter.
“Why are you watching me?”
The question that suddenly popped out was an impulse that even Cheongyeon himself could not stop. Isn’t it really unfair that he had someone spy on him all this time? He was confident that there was no evidence to convict him of being a Hwa, so he was confident.
On the other hand, he wondered why Muwon was digging into him so persistently. He wanted to know what made him so sure that an ordinary apothecary was a Hwa.
Instead of eating the meat with the tongs, Muwon wrapped the roll of tissue on the counter around his hand and ripped it off. He remained calm despite the direct acknowledgment that he was aware of the surveillance. Cheongyeon was even more irritated at that point. Although he implied that he knew, the other did not seem to be sorry or even embarrassed.
“Is it that real estate agency bastard?”
It was as if he was openly admitting to having monitored him that day.
“…I found out about it myself.”
Muwon wiped his hands with a tissue, lifting the corners of his mouth.
“Since when did you know by yourself?”
His teasing tone was infuriating.
Cheongyeon racked his brains. If, in an effort to boost his self-esteem, he said he knew of the surveillance from the beginning, it would be assumed that he was acting to avoid suspicion. For him, lying in front of Tae Muwon was also a bad option.
“I’m telling you just in case, don’t harm the real estate agency hyung.”
“Oh, how scary.”
Muwon’s response was devoid of any real fear.
“I’m telling you because I’m worried.”
“I’m not crazy to just beat up anyone.”
In response to being treated like a low-quality gangster, Muwon curled his thumb and index finger and flicked Cheongyeon’s nose. Cheongyeon was startled and covered his nose with his palm. He didn’t hit too hard, so there wasn’t much pain.
Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy, Cheongyeon thought, rubbing his nose.
“Why did you go to Cheonghwa Mountain in the dead of night?”
Perhaps because Cheongyeon had thrown a direct question, Muwon also asked outright.
Cheongyeon remembered clearly the day he went to Cheonghwa Mountain in the early morning. When water gently rose on the floor of Cheonghwa Town even though it was not raining, he went to Cheonghwa Mountain to repair the roots. That was because the central root that supported Cheonghwa Town was there.
“The dead of night…?”
Cheongyeon raised his claws and pretended to be lost in thought for a moment.
“I’m not sure, but I think I went to dig up herbs.”
“Without a flashlight, just by yourself?”
“I have been climbing Cheonghwa Mountain ever since I was young. Now I can climb with my eyes closed.”
“Fuck, should I throw you into Cheonghwa Mountain now?”
Cheongyeon, who flinched at the crude swear words, only clenched the claws, exposing the plump flesh. “Tsk,” Muwon clicked his tongue briefly, lifted the other claw on the tray and tapped Cheongyeon’s lips.
“Sorry for the swearing, but I’m a bit sensitive to bullshit.”
“It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s true. I’m that familiar with the mountain, mmph-”
A claw was shoved into his mouth. Cheongyeon let go of his claws and grabbed what Muwon had given him. It used to be so chewy and light, but now it felt like he was chewing on dry paper.
Muwon threw the crumpled tissue into the trash can. The tissue paper went into the trash can located in the direction where the cash register was originally located without getting caught anywhere. He then took out his wallet from inside his suit jacket and placed the bills on the counter. There were 500 hwan in total.
Cheongyeon quickly took off his work gloves. He held out three 100-hwan bills and the other looked down at them as if they were funny.
“Bastard, where’s your pride?”
Cheongyeon shoved the three banknotes into the pocket of Muwon’s jacket as he was about to leave. Though Muwon could have stopped him, he let the banknotes be stuffed into his pocket.
The yellow eyes, brighter than the lights coming from the inn, were menacing. Even if he was grabbed by the collar and punched for being insolent, there was nothing he could do. 20,000 hwan was compensation for what Tae Muwon did, but there was no reason to take 300 hwan now.
He took out three crumpled bills from his pocket and lifted the bag of decoction that was sitting at the end of the counter.
“You’re good at selling other things, but you give away your talents for free?”
Pr: Sasa
Thanks for the chapter! 💜
How much longer til ish hits the fan?! When does Muwon discover Cheongyeon is a hwa for sure?
:))
Yes! When?? 👀