Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 125

She carefully placed the talisman in Hyun’s hand and said softly,

“With this, you’ll be protected.”

“Rip it when needed, and it will give you great power, alright?”

Hyun looked at the talisman Sohee handed him and smiled gratefully.

In his eyes shone both gratitude and a flicker of new hope.

Sohee organized the talismans one by one and put them in her bag.

“We should have a snack~”

Sohee said as she headed to the kitchen, a light excitement lacing her voice.

Finding some snacks in the kitchen, Sohee returned to the living room with a tray of chips and drinks.

She carefully placed the tray on the table and settled comfortably on the sofa.

The TV screen was filled with the opening of a new cartoon, and Sohee eagerly watched, popping a chip into her mouth.

Hyun, holding onto the precious talisman, gazed at Sohee.

In his gaze, gratitude and respect were evident.

“Thank you so much…”

His voice brimmed with sincere appreciation.

Hyun got up and carefully placed the talisman on the nearby desk.

He looked at the talisman and reaffirmed to himself,

“I need to carry this every time I go out.”

Sohee chuckled at Hyun’s words, grabbing a chip to nibble on.

As Sohee indulged in her cartoon snacks, Hyun quietly walked over to the desk in the corner of the living room.

Seizing the moment while Sohee wasn’t watching, he cautiously opened the desk drawer and took out a small diary.

Hyun’s hand trembled slightly, but his expression remained serious.

Sitting in front of the desk, he opened the diary, hesitated for a moment, and picked up a pen.

He wanted to honestly capture his thoughts, feelings, and today’s experiences in this diary.

But at the same time, he felt embarrassed about revealing his diary to Sohee.

Hyun paused with the pen, glancing around.

Sohee was still absorbed in the TV, seemingly oblivious to his presence.

Feeling relieved, Hyun turned his focus back to the diary and began to record the precious moments one by one.

[February 11, 19xx]

[Early in the morning, I went to exercise in the back mountain with Yoonhwa.]

[The air was cold, but moving my body with exercise wasn’t as hard as I thought.]

[Surprisingly, I met a guardian spirit.]

[The guardian spirit said I need to learn Qi control from Yoonhwa, and we would part ways for a week of training.]

[The thought of Yoonhwa not being by my side for a while left a heaviness in my heart.]

[I already miss Yoonhwa…]

[Instead, a girl named Sohee, who’s a exorcist, will stay at our house for a week to protect me from the demons.]

[Sohee has a unique vibe, and she acted quite bold from our first meeting.]

[She even changed clothes in front of me…]

[It was so awkward. She’s still only 18… a minor…]

[Today, Sohee protected me from the Jangsanbeom.]

[I was amazed by her courage and skills, and felt a sense of relief.]

[Sohee protected me from danger, and it was truly impressive.]

[The talisman she gave me will surely be a precious means of protection that I must carry all the time.]

[Yoonhwa, let’s meet again soon safely!]

While Hyun focused on writing, Sohee quietly got up and approached him from behind.

She had been eating snacks while watching the cartoon, and grew curious about what he was so preoccupied with.

As she quietly watched him from behind, Sohee, brimming with curiosity, asked,

“What are you doing? Studying?”

Startled by Sohee’s sudden question, Hyun whipped around.

His hand instinctively closed the diary and hurriedly shoved it into the drawer.

His expression was filled with surprise and embarrassment, and his face turned slightly red.

Hyun’s abrupt movements and flustered expression only piqued Sohee’s curiosity more.

“What’s up, why are you so surprised?”

“Were you looking at something weird?”

Sohee teased playfully, inching closer to the desk. Hyun felt more flustered when he saw her reaching for the drawer.

Confusion and urgency battled within him.

“No, really, it’s nothing!”

Hyun hurriedly grabbed Sohee’s hand, trying to prevent her from prying.

His grip was careful but felt urgent.

Sohee paused for a moment at his reaction but soon flashed a playful smile at him.

Hyun had tightly held her wrist, but his grip was weak compared to her determination.

“Seriously, don’t, Sohee!”

“This, this is…!”

Hyun’s voice grew increasingly frantic.

His gaze seemed almost pleading, and his face flushed with tension.

Yet Sohee paid him no mind, pressing on with her attempt to open the drawer.

“Why are you keeping secrets?”

“What are you hiding?” she teased.

Sohee’s voice maintained its playful tone, but her actions became increasingly stubborn.

Despite Hyun’s desperate attempts, Sohee’s fingers tightened around the drawer handle.

Hyun clung to Sohee’s wrist, but his strength appeared as feeble as a candle in the wind.

Sohee shrugged off Hyun’s resistance and began to open the drawer bit by bit.

Hyun desperately tried to push her hand away to close the drawer, but his efforts only caused it to open wider.

His face was one of pure panic, and his cheeks were flushed red.

“So- Sohee… this really can’t be…”

Hyun’s voice trembled awkwardly and he scanned the surroundings in a frenzy.

Sohee looked at him mischievously, finally succeeding in opening the drawer.

Her laughter rang out, reminiscent of a child winning a game.

Spotting the diary she had uncovered, Hyun’s face paled slightly.

His eyes were locked on the diary, and his voice quaked with urgency.

“Sohee, please… that’s m-my diary.”

“Don’t open it!”

Despite his pleas, Sohee waved the diary in front of her, enjoying his reaction.

Hyun got up without any hesitation, rushing toward Sohee.

His expression was one of sheer desperation as he reached out to her.

“Seriously… it’s personal…”

But Sohee ignored Hyun’s begging, intent on flipping to the first page of the diary.

Hyun gently grabbed her arm, trying to stop her, but his touch was filled with desperation.

Sohee paused for a second at his grip, meeting his gaze.

For a moment, Sohee hesitated at his pleading look and tone, finally sighing and shaking her head.

It seemed his earnestness had moved her.

A tinge of regret crossed Sohee’s face but was replaced by understanding.

“Alright, alright, I’m sorry. I’ll give it back…”

Sohee reached out her hand to return the diary.

Hyun hastily accepted the diary she offered.

He tried to hide his trembling hands, yet gratitude sparkled in his eyes.

“Ugh… this is so awkward!”

“Your childish antics are so trying!!”

Hyun pouted as he clutched the diary to his chest.

Though his gaze was on Sohee, discomfort brewed within him.

With the diary hugged closely, he walked back to the sofa and plopped down heavily.

His body language clearly communicated his displeasure.

Sohee, sensing his change in demeanor, felt a bit taken aback.

She realized that while she was enjoying the interesting cartoon and snacks, she had unintentionally upset Hyun.

After contemplating briefly, Sohee approached Hyun cautiously.

“Umm… was I too much?”

“I’m sorry…”

Hyun couldn’t hide his sulky expression, even at Sohee’s apology.

His lips were slightly pursed, and his eyes still held a hint of disappointment.

Wrapped tightly around his diary, Hyun turned to glance at Sohee while sitting on the sofa.

His eyes were firm, almost clearly transmitting ‘I’m really upset right now’ without saying a word.

Sohee felt guilty seeing Hyun pout, but her pride held her back from easily soothing him.

Admitting her mistake was tough for her, and her apology came off awkward and careful.

“Uh, yeah… I’m really sorry for messing around so much…”

Sohee’s voice was lower than usual, layered with an unintended softness.

Carefully, she sat beside Hyun, scratching the back of her neck.

Her face revealed the unease of someone not accustomed to apologizing easily.

Hyun slowly turned his head to look at Sohee’s awkward apology.

His eyes appeared somewhat softening, albeit still slightly sulky, as if recognizing her efforts.

A faint smile crept onto his lips, and eventually, he let out a small sigh, turning fully toward Sohee.

“Okay… I’ll forgive you this time…”

“Just this once, though.”

Hyun accepted Sohee’s cautious apology, gradually easing his tension.

He settled comfortably beside her and started watching the TV screen.

Despite the interesting storyline of the cartoon, Hyun’s eyelids grew heavy.

Before long, his head began to lean toward Sohee’s shoulder, and he quietly dozed off.

The plush comfort of the sofa and the warmth of the room lulled Hyun into deep sleep.

Sohee contemplated briefly but decided to wake him up.

She gently shook his shoulder to rouse him.

“Hey, you said you were going to go to bed~…”

Hyun slowly opened his eyes to Sohee’s gentle touch.

As he adjusted to wakefulness and realized he had fallen asleep with his head resting on her shoulder, surprise and guilt crossed his face.

“Oh, sorry, Sohee… I didn’t mean to doze off here…”

His voice still had a slightly husky timbre from sleep, and he hurriedly stood up.

He looked around, trying to gather his thoughts from the recent situation.

Recalling his precious diary, he quickly strode over to the desk.

Cautiously, he opened the drawer and placed the diary inside carefully.

He handled the diary with great care, feeling relief wash over him as it was securely stored away.

Once the diary was back in its place, Hyun headed toward his room.

He rubbed his face with one hand and let out a deep sigh.

“Goodnight…”

As Hyun entered his room, his gaze was immediately drawn to the little monster on his bed.

Nomi was blissfully dreaming under the warm blanket.

She occasionally made small noises, rolling cutely around in her sleep.

The sight was so endearing it brought a smile to Hyun’s face.

The room was filled with a fresh and peaceful vibe, and Hyun, careful not to disturb Nomi, tiptoed over to the corner of the bed.

He curled up on top of the covers, pulling the blanket around him and quietly closed his eyes.

As Nomi’s innocent snoring filled the room, Hyun began gradually drifting into sleep.

Meanwhile, the TV screen in the living room continued to shine brightly, but Sohee’s focus had already drifted away.

She sat comfortably beneath the sofa, surrounded by scattered snacks.

Sohee’s eyes were on the TV screen, yet her eyelids grew heavier, lulling her into sleep.

Before long, her head slowly leaned against the sofa as she completely lost track of the show.

The sounds and images from the TV became background noise, and Sohee gently slipped into a peaceful slumber.

A serene expression graced Sohee’s face, filled with comfort, while her occasional soft snores filled the living room.

The TV continued to play various shows, radiating light, but that glow held no meaning for the asleep Sohee.

The snacks lay abandoned around her, and she occasionally shifted, seeking a comfortable position to continue her rest.

The living room was quiet, and as night deepened, the atmosphere grew more tranquil.