Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 135

KNOCK KNOCK!

Yoonhwa’s voice floated through the door, and Hyun struggled to get out of bed.

“Y-Yoonhwa..???”

He tried to pull himself together at the sound of her voice, but the weight of his cold felt like an anvil on his shoulders.

Getting out of bed to walk toward the door was like embarking on an epic journey for him.

With each step, his weak legs trembled, and his heart thudded through his whole body.

Still, there was a glimmer of longing and anticipation in Hyun’s eyes.

When he finally reached the door, he took a moment to steady his breath and gently opened it, as if announcing his presence.

Light spilled in through the crack, illuminating his face, and Yoonhwa appeared in his line of sight.

She opened her mouth, as if about to say something, but emotion seemed to choke her words.

Taking a deep breath, he mustered all his strength and managed to voice his feelings.

“Yoonhwa..!!”

In response to Hyun’s weak voice, Yoonhwa’s eyes welled up with tears as she ran toward him.

Her feelings were an eruption of accumulated longing and joy.

Yoonhwa’s energetic arms wrapped tightly around Hyun.

She looked at him, squeezing him like she wanted to hold all her heartfelt emotions in that hug.

Hyun was momentarily shocked by her sudden embrace, but his body was already weakened by the cold.

His mind was flooded with Yoonhwa’s warm body temperature and fragrant smell, and all his pain felt far away for a moment.

However, soon enough, the weight of reality pulled him back down.

Worried that his cold might transfer to Yoonhwa and that his body might collapse under her grip, he gently tugged her arms to create some distance.

“Y-Yoonhwa, let go—…!”

“You can get sick too! It might transfer…”

But Yoonhwa didn’t heed his words, sensing his weakness.

In fact, she held him even tighter.

Worry and love flickered in her eyes. Her voice was soft yet resolute.

“It’s okay, I’m a monster, remember?”

“Just a little longer…!”

In Yoonhwa’s embrace, Hyun felt both comfort and concern.

“COUGH..-! COUGH!”

As his coughing fit shook him, Yoonhwa quickly noticed his discomfort.

Her nine tails instinctively flared up to protect him.

They gently wrapped around him, cocooning him in warmth as they waited for his cough to settle.

But Hyun kept coughing, and Yoonhwa could no longer ignore his distress.

“Hyun…, you look so tired.”

“Let’s go back to bed!”

Yoonhwa spoke gently, guiding Hyun carefully back to his bed.

She supported his body as they walked together toward the bed.

Once they reached the bed, Yoonhwa carefully laid him down.

She pulled the blanket over him and placed her hand on his forehead to check for fever.

Even while lying down, Hyun looked up at Yoonhwa, gazing at her worried eyes, and managed a faint smile.

Gratitude flickered in his eyes.

Yoonhwa held his hand tightly, staring at him with concern.

Her eyes were brimming with worry for him.

“Hyun, does it hurt a lot..?”

“What should I do…”

Yoonhwa clung to his forehead, her heart racing with desperation.

Her feet shifted nervously, fidgeting in anxiety.

Through the crack in the door, Nomi and Sohee’s eyes peeked through.

They both watched cautiously, observing the situation between Hyun and Yoonhwa.

Amid her worry, Yoonhwa brushed Hyun’s forehead, trying to soothe him.

Her heart ached at the sight of Hyun suffering from the cold.

With no option to go to the hospital, she knew her choices were limited, but desperation pushed her to do something.

“Hyun, but we can’t go to the hospital…”

“Should I get some medicine?? Wouldn’t that help?…”

Yoonhwa said cautiously, still holding his hand.

“Yoonhwa… just a quick trip, right?”

“Don’t worry about me; just rest.”

“It must be tough—COUGH!… Sorry…”

Hyun tried to reassure Yoonhwa with a slight smile, wanting to ease her worries.

For a moment, Yoonhwa felt a bit relieved at his smile, but her concern for his condition kept her from leaving the room easily.

She held onto his hand more tightly and spoke softly.

“Hyun, when you’re in pain, it’s hard for me to relax…”

“I’ll buy you some medicine!!..”

Outside the door, Tori peeked out from above Sohee’s head, looking a bit nervous.

Tori observed the interaction between Yoonhwa and Hyun, feeling slightly out of place.

Sohee noticed Tori’s anxious expression and raised her hand to reassure him.

“It’s okay, Tori. There are no bad people here who will hurt you.”

Sohee spoke gently, her voice warm in intent.

Yoonhwa, understanding Hyun’s heart, still considered his health to be the priority.

Deciding to ignore his worried words for now, she made up her mind.

In order to genuinely help him, she needed to get some medicine.

Yoonhwa gently released Hyun’s hand and said, “Hyun, wait a bit. I’m going to get some medicine.”

“I’ll be back quickly..!”

Hiding her tails and ears to keep her nine-tailed fox traits concealed, Yoonhwa stepped out of the room and grabbed Hyun’s wallet from the table.

It contained the money she needed to buy medicine at the pharmacy.

Before leaving the room, Yoonhwa briefly said to Nomi, Sohee, and Tori,

“I’ll be back with medicine!!”

She quietly exited Hyun’s room and made her way outside.

Instinctively scanning her surroundings, she headed towards the market.

She acted carefully to blend with the crowd.

Adjusting her speed to walk briskly but not attract attention, she arrived at the bustling market, searching for any place that sold cold medicine.

The marketplace was lively, teeming with people and lined with various shops.

Yoonhwa cautiously navigated through the crowd and approached a middle-aged woman.

Her voice came out kind yet a bit hurried.

“Uh… do you know where I can buy some cold medicine?”

The woman looked a bit startled at Yoonhwa’s anxious tone but quickly responded kindly.

“Oh, cold medicine? There’s a big pharmacy right up ahead.”

“It’s called Hojung Pharmacy; they have a wide variety of medicines, so you should check there.”

“Thank you..!!”

Yoonhwa expressed her gratitude and quickly headed in the direction the woman pointed out.

She entered the large pharmacy without hesitation.

*

Taesoo was organizing his belongings in a dim corner of the warehouse, cast in an ominous darkness.

In his hands was the hammer he had used that day, still marked with ghastly traces.

He calmly placed the hammer on the table.

Taesoo surveyed the warehouse quietly, checking the surroundings before slowly opening a drawer to pull out a bundle of clean tissues.

His movements were surprisingly meticulous and cautious.

He started picking out tissues one by one, cleaning the blood and other foreign substances off the hammer.

The tissues gradually became stained red.

He meticulously cleaned every part of the hammer, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Taesoo’s face remained expressionless, his gaze cold.

His touch was soft but resolute, and with each time he wiped the tissue, his movements became even more precise.

After finishing the cleaning, he carefully folded the tissues and tossed them into the trash can.

Then he picked up the hammer again, weighing it in his hand, spinning it several times.

His fingers gripped the handle tightly, almost as if he were anticipating its next use, delicately toying with it.

Ding ding ding ding!

Ding ding ding ding—!

Taesoo paused his movements at the sound of the phone ringing, his demeanor calm.

He swiftly walked toward the house phone with light footsteps.

As he picked up the receiver, a familiar voice echoed in his ear.

“Hey, Taesoo, are you home right now?”

It was his girlfriend’s voice.

Her tone sounded more urgent than usual, a slight tremble in it.

“Yeah, I’m home. What’s up?”

Taesoo’s voice was composed and calm, but his eyes sparkled with undeniable excitement.

“Can you come out right now? I really want to see you…”

His girlfriend’s request made Taesoo hesitate for a moment before quickly answering.

“Um— alright, I’ll head out now.”

After hanging up, Taesoo rushed back to the workshop to double-check the cleaning job he had done on the hammer.

He carefully tucked it deep inside his bag. Then he stood in front of a mirror.

The face reflected back at him seemed ordinary.

He practiced a few smiles, trying to get it just right.

The first few smiles were awkward and mechanical, but he gradually began to produce a more natural smile.

Finally satisfied with his smile, Taesoo shouldered his bag and left the house.

Walking along the street, Taesoo pondered what gift to bring for his girlfriend.

As he passed a garden, his eyes caught sight of a beautifully blooming white hydrangea.

The hydrangea, sitting aptly on the edge of the garden, was in perfect bloom, and at that moment, Taesoo decided to pick a flower for her.

With quiet confidence, he fished out a small cutter from his pocket.

He approached the flowering stem of the hydrangea, cutter in hand.

Before cutting, he studied the flower and stem carefully, choosing the most beautiful bloom.

Then, with a delicate flick of the cutter, he bent the stem just enough to cut it.

The sound of the blade slicing through the stem echoed softly through the tranquil garden.

The cut hydrangea was perfect.

Full, with pristine petals and a fragrance that wasn’t too strong, it was just the right length and shape according to Taesoo’s standards.

The cutter returned to his pocket as Taesoo used a compact mirror to check himself one last time.

His expression retained its smile, and his gaze still radiated kindness.

He took a moment to look at himself in the mirror, nodding with satisfaction.

Afterward, Taesoo set off to meet her, clutching the carefully chosen white hydrangea in his hands, his mind swirling with complex plans.

Arriving at her house, his steps were resolute and his pace steady.

Standing before the entrance, he knocked three times. Each knock shattered the quiet of the residential area.

Knock knock knock

The first knock was gentle, the second a bit more assured.

The third knock, however, was firm and powerful.

His gaze was focused, waiting for the door to open.

Taesoo’s heart raced, but his expression remained calm, filled with confidence.

Just after his last knock, the door began to creak open.

As the light spilling in through the doorway widened, his girlfriend’s face emerged.

Taesoo smiled naturally and said, “Hey~ I’m here.”

His girlfriend opened the door and, upon seeing his smile and the flower in his hand, couldn’t hide her surprise.

Her expression was cautious, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“Taesoo, what’s this? It’s so beautiful~…”

“Is this my gift?”

She asked carefully.

Taesoo offered the white hydrangea towards her, trying to sound gentle.

“I thought of you while walking, and this flower seemed to suit you perfectly today.”

Following her invitation, Taesoo stepped inside the house.

As he entered, she slowly closed the door.

The sound of the door closing was heavy and solid, as if it was sealing off a connection to the outside world completely.

.

Taesoo quietly watched as her life slowly faded away.

As she took her final breath, he gently placed the white hydrangea on her body.

The petals gleamed white, making her look eerily peaceful as if she were still alive.

For a moment, Taesoo gazed at that scene before slowly scanning the room.

His eyes landed back on the hammer.

He picked it up and walked toward the kitchen.

Setting the hammer in the sink, he turned on the hot water.

As the hot water began to fill the sink, he squeezed liquid soap over the bloodied parts of the hammer.

Submerging the hammer in water, he began rubbing it slowly.

Blood and foreign substances gradually dissolved away.

The water began to turn red.

Calmly, Taesoo rotated the hammer, continuing to wash it until every trace of blood was gone.

As soap bubbles and red water filled the sink, he revealed no emotions.

His expression remained emotionless and cold.

As if he were simply dealing with a mundane chore.

Once the hammer was completely cleaned, he finally took it out of the water and dried it carefully with a clean towel.

His movements were attentive and precise.

After drying the hammer, he tucked it back deep into his bag.

Taesoo slowly returned to the living room. His footsteps were quiet and calculated.

Gazing down at her lying there, he paused to assess the situation briefly.

Then, he bent down and gently lifted her.

His movements appeared surprisingly cautious, almost tender.

Placing her body on the sofa, Taesoo carefully adjusted her position.

He leaned her head against the backrest of the sofa and let her arms rest naturally on the armrests.

Her legs were slightly bent, resting securely on the sofa.

Her eyes were half-closed, and at her lips, he placed the hydrangea he had brought.

After arranging her body as if she were still alive, Taesoo settled down beside her.

He picked up the newspaper lying nearby.

Unfurling the newspaper, he resumed an ordinary expression, just like before.

His hands turned the pages of the paper with a lively touch, as if he was deeply engaged.

In the quiet living room, the sound of turning pages resonated softly.

As Taesoo read, his eyes occasionally flickered toward her, the body lying next to him.

In all of his actions, Taesoo’s face remained calm and expressionless.

No hint of emotional fluctuation could be found.

While reading, Taesoo intermittently reached beneath the paper to take and gently release her hand.