Chapter 153 - Chang Mi Has Something to Say

"They got along really well, didn't they?" asked Kang Dae, passing Ye Rim. He brought plates while she set the table. He was referring to the group of older people gathered under the shade of an awning in the garden, talking animatedly: Mrs. Song and Duk Mi, Mr. Go and Dr. Park and wife, and also Mr. Ahn, Mrs. Yoo, Madame Jung, and Mr. Nam. 

The morning after the event was mild and pleasant, and those who stayed to help organize the venue after the parade got a surprise breakfast organized by Madame Jung, Mrs. Yoo, and Mr. Ahn.

"Ah, the older ones always have a lot to talk about when they meet. I'm glad they're welcoming my father and Madame Jung so well," she commented with a grin.

Baek Woo Geun, wearing sunglasses and protecting his skin from the 6 AM sun with a huge hat, arrived with the kimchi,

"Aigoo. I'm so tired! But it was worth it! Mrs. Yoo told me to be careful with this national treasure," he said, depositing the pot in the middle of the table.

"My mom will always say that, Woo Geun. She treats kimchi as if it were the middle child."

That comment drew laughter from Ye Rim and Woo Geun, who said,

"By the way, you weren't disappointing as I feared, Kang Dae. I think I owe you an apology for doubting you."

"It's all right. It just stimulated my competitive side, as that rapper did. I knew I should rock the catwalk. I have yet to convince some women it's a real career," he glanced sideways at Soo Bin noona, resting with her eyes closed on a lounge chair.

"Well, you look good, but you lack style," the fashionista needled. Kang Dae replied embarrassedly,

"Well, some people like you and Eun Ha are already born with this. But some simpletons like me have to work hard to learn,"

"Hm ..."

"Woo Geun, Kang Dae is right. Perhaps he can't reach your level overnight, but he has to start somewhere. A style guru could make him the new David Beckham! An icon of style, but without losing his essence!"

Apparently Ye Rim's words were the external stimulus that Woo Geun lacked.

"I will help you if you want. And after that, I'm going to introduce you to a good agent," said Woo Geun. Ye Rim was surprised and happy. Kang Dae had really worked hard in the past few days to perform well to the catwalk.

"I accept, Woo Geun!" Kang Dae was as radiant as she was. Woo Geun just gave his cryptic smile and asked,

"Where's Eun Ha?" 

ººº

"What are you doing here, Chang Mi?" asked Eun Ha, catching the youngest of the Yoo in a forbidden part of the house. Of course, this only happened because she herself was also in a prohibited part of the house.

"This place is intriguing, noona," said the student, with his usual enigmatic and controlled expression. It even looked like he wasn't doing anything wrong when he knew he was. He pointed to a stunning library. Eun Ha was undecided for a moment, but then sighed,

"Let's find out!"

He let her get in front and followed. The library wasn't very large, but the books crammed the walls up to the ceiling. Parchments were kept in special places for this, just like the ancient manuscripts. There were also maps and intriguing objects. Here was the only place where there was the magic of knowledge gently emanating. Eun Ha had no doubt that that library held knowledge about its people.

Chang Mi also seemed fascinated, but he refrained from touching anything. Eun Ha observed the boy who had a crush on her, according to Kang Dae. Was he the one who wrote those things at the top of the restaurant? Was he trying to say he knew your secret? He could have had easy access to her home, when making deliveries, to leave that book she thought was a gift from Hunter Shin. I could also have a good view of the apartment… 'Ugh! Does he see me n.a.k.e.d from his bedroom window? Aigoo, what a perverted boy!' 

Just as they could have a good view of the greengrocer, the reverse could be true. She remembered several times when she passed him through the neighborhood, and how she sometimes felt watched. 'It's definitely him!'

ººº

Chang Mi had not known the mysterious Eun Ha noona's French teacher, but he was sure it was all a scam. Now, looking at that house and that special library, there was no doubt. He looked up at the skylight on the ceiling, surrounded by constellations he had never seen painted on a fresco. 

And then, lately, noona spent a lot of time away from home, arriving late and looking more agitated than usual. The mysterious man who surrounded the building had stopped coming shortly after a car started passing on the street, every night. 

That man was someone very special. And Chang Mi thought he could be, like Eun Ha, someone magical.

When his first suspicions about noona arose, he doubted his sanity himself. That kind of thing happened only in video games and manhwa. But after a while, it was difficult to deny that what she did was magic. Eun Ha noona had the power to alter small day-to-day events, just by waving her green pen.

But that was so fitting, when he thought of the huge smile and her huge eyes, her cheerful and spirited energy, her goodwill and charisma! Even when she was angry at some injustice, and his heart ached to embrace her! She was not of this world! Eun Ha noona was so perfect that there were no girls at her school, or idols, to compare with her. Ye Rim noona, who all agreed to be the most beautiful woman in the neighborhood, did not appeal to him like Eun Ha noona and her broad dimpled smile. He liked noona's creative makeup, the black clothes and the hats, and how she was always willing to help. Because of her looks, at first, he thought she might be a witch. But he did a lot, a lot of research, and found ancient accounts of Goryeo's fairies. Who used staff and were capable of many magical feats.

But then this man, the 'French Professor Shin', had come into her life. Chang Mi noticed that his Noona had changed a lot.

He felt stabbed in the heart, especially now that Kang Dae, that stupid big-mouthed man, had told her everything. Now he was the perverted student who followed her.

"Noona, I'm sorry for going into your room to leave a gift," he could start there, at least, to lessen his shame.

"Chang Mi, you were very creative, I admit. But it's a good thing you know you went over those things," she replied, looking at him. Perhaps he should have his eyes downcast and his face contrite, but he couldn't. His mother always said that he was very proud and stubborn, but that was something inside him that Chang Mi was unable to tame,

"Noona. I did it out of admiration. People say that you can be rejected when you confess your love. But I don't believe that. I don't need you to accept me. Even if you accept my love. It will be there, for you, regardless of whether you say you want to be loved. And don't say that I don't know what I'm talking about. Or about incompatibilities or whatever. I don't want to be ashamed of something good that I feel. I will not be inconvenient or scary."

Noona was silent for a moment, her eyes bright and full of tears, then she said,

"Chang Mi, I can't talk about this. You are the owner of your heart. I can only say that I know how you feel."

"So it's better not to talk about it anymore, is it?" 

"This part. But you need to tell me how you found out. And promise me you won't tell anyone else."

"You got my message, didn't you? About the mysterious man surrounding the building? The man who doesn't come out right in the photos?"

"You need to tell me everything you know about this, too."

He nodded, but before he could continue, they heard footsteps coming in that direction. Both left the library immediately, like two sneaky mice, and intended to return to the others in the garden when the owner of the house.

Chang Mi saw the man in the overcoat, and immediately knew that he was, as he suspected, the same species as Eun Ha. A magical being. He immediately felt compelled to become defensive, his neck hair stood on end and his feet spread. Normally he was not afraid of anyone, only when bullies were in much larger groups. For some inexplicable reason, even at school he was never really attacked or bullied, despite knowing that many boys talked about him behind his back. But he felt evaluated from head to toe by the man in black.

Then they stared at each other for almost a minute, without speaking. Noona Eun Ha interrupted this strange meeting,

"I'm glad you finally arrived, Professor Shin! This is Chang Mi, my neighbor, and Kang Dae's younger brother."

He bowed respectfully, as was appropriate.

Then the man said, looking away from her showing no more concerns to a mere student,

"They are waiting for us for breakfast."

But Chang Mi considered himself smart enough to know that he knew. He knew that the 'mere student' was also special.