Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 136

Knocking on the door, Yoonhwa’s voice echoed, and Hyun struggled to rise from his bed.

‘Y-Yoonhwa…???’

Trying to summon some energy in response to Yoonhwa’s voice, the weight of his cold seemed to crush his shoulders.

Getting out of bed to walk towards the door felt like embarking on a long journey.

With each shaky step, his weak legs trembled, and his heart raced through his entire body.

Despite this, a glimmer of nostalgia and anticipation shone on Hyun’s face.

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

The light pouring through the door illuminated his face, and Yoonhwa came into view.

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

Taking a deep breath, he mustered the strength to speak.

“Yoonhwa…!!”

In response to Hyun’s feeble voice, Yoonhwa’s eyes shimmered with tears as she rushed towards him.

Her emotions were an explosion of pent-up nostalgia and joy.

Yoonhwa’s strong arms wrapped tightly around Hyun.

She looked at him, holding him close as if to contain all her longing.

Momentarily taken aback by Yoonhwa’s sudden embrace, Hyun’s body was already drained by the cold.

His mind filled with Yoonhwa’s warm body heat and scent, momentarily pushing all pain aside.

But soon, the weight of reality pulled him back down.

Fearing that his cold might transfer to Yoonhwa, he cautiously held onto her arms, attempting to pull away a little.

“Y-Yoonhwa, let go-…!”

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

But Yoonhwa, feeling Hyun’s frail body, ignored his words.

Instead, she held him even tighter.

Worry and love flashed in Yoonhwa’s eyes, her voice soft yet firm.

“It’s okay, I’m a monster, remember?”

“Just a little longer…!”

In Yoonhwa’s embrace, Hyun felt a mix of comfort and concern.

“Cough..-! Cough!”

As his coughing fit shook his body, Yoonhwa noticed his discomfort.

Her instincts as a nine-tailed fox stirred, wanting to protect him.

Yoonhwa’s nine tails gently wrapped around Hyun.

Her tails warmed him, waiting for his coughing to subside.

But Hyun’s cough continued, and Yoonhwa could no longer ignore his discomfort.

“Hyun… you look really tired.”

“Let’s go back to bed!”

Yoonhwa gently suggested, carefully leading Hyun back to his bed.

Supporting his body, they walked together to 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.

Lying in bed, Hyun looked at Yoonhwa’s worried gaze and managed a weak smile.

Gratitude shimmered in his eyes.

Yoonhwa held Hyun’s hand tightly, looking at him with deep concern.

“Hyun, are you really sick?”

“What should I do…?”

Yoonhwa couldn’t tear her hand away from Hyun’s forehead, feeling desperate.

Her feet fidgeted in anxiety, showing her restlessness.

Between the cracks of the door, Nomi and Sohee’s eyes peeked in.

They were cautiously observing the situation of Hyun and Yoonhwa.

Suffused with anxiety, Yoonhwa gently stroked Hyun’s forehead, trying to reassure him.

Her heart ached at the sight of Hyun being sick.

With no option to go to the hospital, her capacity to help was limited, yet the urgency to do something pushed her forward.

“Hyun, we can’t go to the hospital…”

“Should I go buy some medicine? That might work…”

Yoonhwa said carefully, still holding Hyun’s hand.

“Yoonhwa… it’s just a quick trip, right?”

“Don’t worry about me, just get some rest.”

“It must be hard – cough!… sorry…”

Hyun managed a slight smile, trying to reassure Yoonhwa.

His voice carried a desire to alleviate her worry about him.

Yoonhwa felt somewhat relieved by Hyun’s smile, but her concern for his condition kept her from leaving easily.

She held Hyun’s hand tighter and softly said.

“Hyun, if you’re in pain, it makes me uneasy…”

“I’ll get you medicine!!…”

Outside the door, Tori’s anxious figure peeked over Sohee’s head.

Tori observed the interaction between Yoonhwa and Hyun, still feeling a little unfamiliar with the situation.

Sohee noticed Tori’s anxious expression and reached up to pat him.

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

Sohee spoke to Tori in a soothing voice.

While empathizing with Hyun’s heart, Yoonhwa thought his health took priority.

She temporarily set aside Hyun’s worried words and made a decision.

To truly help him, she had to get medicine.

Gently releasing Hyun’s hand, she said.

“Hyun, wait a moment. I’ll go buy some medicine.”

“I’ll be back quickly..!”

She tucked her tails and ears into her body to hide her nine-tailed fox traits.

Yoonhwa left the room and grabbed Hyun’s wallet from the table.

Inside was the money necessary to buy medicine at the pharmacy.

Before exiting the room, Yoonhwa briefly addressed Nomi, Sohee, and Tori.

“I’m going to get some medicine!!”

Yoonhwa quietly slipped out of Hyun’s room and headed outside.

Instinctively scanning her surroundings, she made her way to the market.

She moved cautiously, blending in with the crowd.

Adjusting her pace, she walked quickly but discreetly so as not to attract attention.

Upon arriving at the marketplace, Yoonhwa began looking for places that sold cold medicine.

The market bustled with people, and various stores lined the streets.

Navigating through the crowd, she approached a middle-aged woman.

Her voice was kind yet slightly hurried.

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

The woman, momentarily startled by Yoonhwa’s anxious tone, kindly replied.

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

“It’s called Hosung Pharmacy—they have all kinds of medicine, so you should check there.”

“Thank you..!!”

Gratefully, Yoonhwa hurried in the direction indicated by the woman.

Then she entered the large pharmacy.

*

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

He still held the hammer he had used that day, stained with dreadful marks.

Calmly, he placed the hammer on the table.

After quietly surveying the warehouse, Taesoo slowly opened a drawer and took out a bundle of clean tissues.

His movements were surprisingly delicate and cautious.

One by one, he pulled out tissues and began wiping the blood and other substances from the hammer.

Gradually, the tissues turned crimson.

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

Taesoo’s expression was neutral, his gaze cold.

His touch was soft yet determined, and with each wipe of the tissue, his movements grew more refined.

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

Then, he picked up the hammer again, gauging its weight, spinning it several times.

His fingers gripped the handle tightly as if anticipating its next use, fiddling with it delicately.

Ding ding ding!

Ding ding ding-!

Taesoo paused at the sound of the phone ringing.

Light-footed, he approached the house phone.

Upon picking up the receiver, a familiar voice rang in his ear.

“Hi, Taesoo. Are you home right now?”

It was his girlfriend.

Her tone was urgent and tinged with a slight tremble.

“Yeah, I’m home. What’s up?”

Taesoo’s voice was calm and collected, but his eyes sparkled with undeniable anticipation.

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

Pausing momentarily at her request, Taesoo soon replied.

“Um—sure, I’ll head out now.”

After hanging up, Taesoo rushed back to the warehouse, double-checking that the hammer was clean.

He carefully tucked the hammer deep inside his bag. Then he stood in front of the mirror.

In the reflection, Taesoo’s face seemed ordinary.

He smiled, practicing a few times.

The first few smiles were awkward and mechanical, but gradually, he polished it into something more natural.

Finally satisfied with a pleasant smile in the mirror, Taesoo slung his bag over his shoulder and left the house.

Walking through the streets, he pondered a gift for his girlfriend.

As he passed a garden, the beautifully blooming white hydrangeas caught his eye.

Nestled at the edge of the garden, they were in full bloom, and in that moment, Taesoo decided to pick one for her.

Surveying his surroundings with quiet confidence, he took a small cutter knife from his pocket.

He drew the cutter knife and quietly approached the hydrangea stem.

Before cutting, he carefully observed the flower and stem, selecting the most beautiful bloom.

Then, he gently bent the stem and cut it with the knife.

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

The cut hydrangea was perfect.

Full and clean petals, a subtle fragrance, and a length and shape just right by Taesoo’s standards.

The cutter knife returned to his pocket as he checked his reflection one last time.

His expression remained unyielding, and his eyes still exuded warmth.

He paused before the mirror, nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he moved onward to meet her.

In his hand, he held the specially chosen white hydrangea for his girlfriend, and a complex plan swirled in his mind.

Arriving outside his girlfriend’s house, Taesoo’s steps were resolute and steady.

Standing at the door, he knocked three times. Each knock shattered the silence of the quiet neighborhood.

Knock knock knock.

The first knock was cautious, the second had more certainty.

The third knock was firm and powerful.

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

Taesoo’s heart raced quickly, but his expression remained calm and confident.

Just after he knocked, the door began to creak open.

As the light filtering through the door grew brighter, his girlfriend’s face came into view.

Taesoo wore a natural smile as he spoke.

“Hi~ I’m here.”

His girlfriend opened the door, and couldn’t hide her slight surprise at Taesoo’s smile and the flower in his hand.

Her expression was cautious, her eyes filled with curiosity.

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

“Is it my gift?”

She asked carefully.

Taesoo handed the white hydrangea to her and, feigning softness, said.

“I thought of you while walking, and I felt this flower would really suit you today.”

Following her invitation, Taesoo stepped inside her house.

He absorbed the atmosphere within as he looked around.

Once he entered, she slowly shut the door.

The sound of the door closing was thudding and heavy, seemingly cutting off all connection to the outside world.

.

Taesoo quietly watched her life slowly fade away.

As she took her last breath, he gently placed the white hydrangea over her body.

The glowing white petals shone almost as if she were still alive, peacefully resting.

For a moment, he gazed at the scene, then slowly surveyed the room.

His eyes drifted back to the hammer.

He picked it up and headed to the kitchen.

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

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

Submerging the hammer in the water, he began to rub it gently.

Blood and other substances slowly began to dissolve.

The water tinted red.

Taesoo calmly rotated the hammer, washing until all the blood had vanished.

As soap bubbles and crimson water filled the sink, he revealed no emotion.

His expression remained neutral and cold.

As if he were just handling a normal part of his routine.

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

His movements were precise and deliberate.

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

Taesoo slowly returned to the living room.

Looking at her lifeless body, he paused momentarily to evaluate the situation.

Soon, he bent down and gently lifted her body.

His actions were surprisingly careful, almost tender.

Setting her body down on the sofa, Taesoo adjusted her position carefully.

He leaned her head back against the sofa’s backrest and rested her arms naturally on the armrests.

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

Her eyes were half-closed, and the hydrangea he brought rested on her lips.

After arranging her as if she were alive, he took a place beside her.

He pulled out a newspaper from the side.

As he unfolded it, he assumed an expression indistinguishable from any ordinary day.