Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 7

Hyun tapped the piggy bank on the floor a few times, but it wouldn’t break.

He looked worried and asked Yoonhwa.

“Can you… break this for me?”

Yoonhwa paused for a moment, contemplating his request.

Though she hesitated to use her magic, her desire to help Hyun outweighed her caution.

Carefully, Yoonhwa grasped the piggy bank in her hand.

“I could use magic for this, but…”

“It’s better to do it myself…!”

Yoonhwa said with a cheeky smile.

Hyun watched Yoonhwa with a concerned gaze, but she confidently set the piggy bank on the floor.

Then, she pressed down hard on it.

In that moment, the piggy bank violently exploded, sending coins scattering everywhere.

Yoonhwa’s strong push shattered the piggy bank in an instant, and Hyun gaped at the scene.

“Wow, Yoonhwa! That’s amazing!”

Hyun exclaimed in admiration.

With an excited expression, Yoonhwa said, “Alright—let’s go buy our magician outfits!”

Joyfully, Yoonhwa started gathering the scattered coins.

She realized for the first time how appealing human world money could be.

“Come on, let’s go! We need to get Yoonhwa a cool outfit!”

Hyun said with eagerness in his voice.

Yoonhwa quickly tucked her tail and ears in, holding her little bag filled with coins, and happily headed toward the store.

Hyun changed into the outfit he performed in, and Yoonhwa hopped along after him.

Though Yoonhwa wanted to run fast, she remembered that if she bounded like yesterday, Hyun might not be able to keep up.

She adjusted her pace to match Hyun’s, longing to go faster in her heart.

Hyun, well aware of Yoonhwa’s feelings, hurried his steps and soon arrived at the most famous clothing store in town.

He spoke with a pained expression, “Ugh… We’re almost there… here it is…!”

Yoonhwa, both happy and puzzled, asked, “Why are you struggling so much?”

Hyun repeated, looking exhausted, “No… no… I’m not really… struggling…!”

He took a breath and held Yoonhwa’s hand as they entered the shop together.

Crossing the threshold of the store, they were met with a rainbow of clothes—like stepping into a garden of colorful flowers.

Upon entering, Yoonhwa instinctively gasped.

The colorful clothes and decorations sprawled out before her, more extravagant than any flower garden she had seen in the forest.

Yoonhwa whispered to herself, “Wow… this place feels like a world of magic…”

The wooden floor creaked under their feet, welcoming them, while lights hung in every corner radiated a soft glow, creating a warm atmosphere.

Hyun, moving slowly, led Yoonhwa to the corner showcasing the fantastic costumes.

There, a variety of splendid outfits hung, each capturing their attention with different styles and colors of robes.

Some were deep navy blue like the night sky, twinkling with stars, while others were pure white adorned with golden patterns.

Following Hyun, Yoonhwa wandered around the store.

As she walked through the myriad of clothes, Yoonhwa reached out to touch new items and fabrics she had never encountered before.

“These clothes are all so beautiful…”

“The human world is truly an amazing place.”

‘It’s only been 300 years…’

“And yet it has developed so much…”

Standing before the magician’s garments, Yoonhwa examined each outfit closely.

She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow… they’re so pretty… they look completely magical—”

Mentioning magic made Hyun glance around nervously, worried others might overhear.

He carefully took Yoonhwa’s hand and whispered, “Yoonhwa, be careful talking about magic here.”

“If people hear, it could be a big deal. Our secret might get out.”

Yoonhwa looked surprised at Hyun’s concerned voice and glanced around.

“Oh, really? Sorry, Hyun…”

“I guess I brought up magic way too easily.”

“I’ll have to hold back on magic talk here…!”

Upon spotting a deep blue velvet jacket, Yoonhwa’s eyes sparkled even more.

“This outfit… it feels like it was made just for me.”

“Hyun, do you think wearing this will enhance my magic?”

“Can I try it on…?”

Hyun pointed to the fitting room, saying, “Yoonhwa, that room over there is the fitting room.”

Yoonhwa’s eyes widened at his words.

“Fitting room? What’s that?”

Since she never had to change clothes in the forest, it was an unfamiliar concept to her.

Hyun smiled and explained, “You change clothes in there.”

“You close the door so no one can see you.”

“So you can check if the new clothes suit you!”

With curiosity, Yoonhwa peered at the fitting room.

“Oh, there’s such a convenient space!”

“Then I can change clothes in there.”

She entered the fitting room and closed the door.

Some mumbling could be heard from inside the fitting room, and shortly after, Yoonhwa emerged.

As she stepped out, it looked as though she had transformed with magic.

She perfectly donned the magician’s outfit and cautiously asked Hyun, “Hyun, does this outfit… suit me?”

Her voice carried uncertainty but also excitement about her new clothes.

The outfit seemed custom-made for Yoonhwa.

The deep blue velvet jacket contrasted beautifully with her pink hair, adding flair, while the delicate golden embellishments highlighted her elegance.

The meticulous details at the cuffs and collar completed Yoonhwa’s magical image.

For a moment, Hyun was left speechless by Yoonhwa’s look. His eyes sparkled with astonishment and admiration, and his cheeks slightly flushed.

Finally finding his voice, Hyun couldn’t hide his awe.

“Wow… Yoonhwa, you look… really amazing.”

“It suits you so well. You look just like a real magician!”

Yoonhwa smiled shyly at his reaction.

Her eyes sparkled with joy as she expressed, “Thank you so much~!”

Hyun sighed a deep breath of relief at the sight of Yoonhwa’s happy face.

Seeing her so joyful made every effort feel worthwhile to him.

“Y-You look so beautiful…”

“It really suits you, Yoonhwa.”

“Wearing this outfit for our performance will definitely convince people you’re a magician!”

They exchanged smiles, laughter filling the shop.

Yoonhwa felt satisfied with her magician’s outfit, while Hyun took pleasure in witnessing her happiness.

“Alright, we need to get ready for the performance!”

Hyun said energetically. Yoonhwa’s new outfit was sure to add excitement to their show.

Hyun took the magician’s costume Yoonhwa chose and headed to the checkout.

The shopkeeper, already taken by Yoonhwa’s dazzling appearance, couldn’t help but express admiration.

“Wow, you look really fabulous and beautiful in that outfit! Are you performing?”

“Yes, we are. We’ll be performing in the town square tonight.”

Hyun replied with a smile.

The shopkeeper continued while tallying up the bill, “If you perform in such a fabulous outfit, you’ll definitely earn a lot of money. The price for this outfit is…”

As the shopkeeper mentioned the amount, Hyun temporarily looked tense.

He carefully counted the coins he had taken from the piggy bank.

‘Will this be enough money…?’

Though concern lingered, Hyun thought that spending this much for Yoonhwa was totally worth it.

Seeing the money he provided, the shopkeeper smiled warmly and said, “Perfect. I hope your performance goes well!”

Hyun sighed in relief, responding, “Thank you. Please come and watch!”

He offered his farewell to the shopkeeper.

Yoonhwa, watching all this with keen interest, seemed to be learning something new about human transactions.

As they left the store, her face was filled with excitement and anticipation for the performance.

The sun climbed high in the sky, and the town began to buzz with life.

The two arrived at the plaza and started looking for the best spot for today’s performance.

Hyun pointed to the spot where he usually played, saying, “This is where the most people gather.”

“It’s perfect for our performance.”

Yoonhwa stood in the middle of the square, looking around as she nodded.

“Great! If we perform here, my magic will be visible to everyone!”

She decided to change into her magician’s outfit behind a big tree to avoid the crowd’s gaze.

Seeing Yoonhwa confidently preparing to change behind the tree caused Hyun to feel a bit flustered.

Looking around, he hesitantly asked Yoonhwa, “Yoonhwa, how are you going to change clothes here?”

“People might see you…!?”

After a moment’s thought, Yoonhwa’s eyes lit up and she replied, “Don’t worry, Hyun. I can hide my appearance with magic.”

Yoonhwa gestured and conjured a transparent barrier around them.

Inside that barrier, only Yoonhwa and Hyun could see each other, while no one outside could view them. Hyun sighed again in relief at Yoonhwa’s skill.

Taking in Yoonhwa’s magic, Hyun was amazed, but he was also slightly startled by the realization that they could only see one another.

“Oh, so we can only see each other?”

Hyun asked cautiously.

Yoonhwa, flustered, replied, “Ah! That’s true…!!”

When Yoonhwa touched the barrier, it disappeared from Hyun’s sight.

With a grin, she said, “See! Now you can’t see me anymore?!”

Hyun exclaimed in surprise, “Wow..! You really disappeared! It looks empty!”

Moments later, Yoonhwa revealed herself, dressed in her new magnificent magician’s outfit.

“Hyun, do you think this outfit is too flashy?”

Standing in front of Hyun in her new attire, she felt a bit shy.

Trying to reassure her, Hyun said, “But you always wear your colorful hanbok out in public!”

“It’s basically the same thing, right? Haha”

Listening to that, her shyness quickly transformed into confidence.

Yoonhwa felt encouraged by Hyun’s words.

Taking a deep breath, she shook off her bashfulness and presented herself confidently.

“Okay, Hyun. Let’s make our performance the best ever!”

Now, Yoonhwa had confidence in both her magic and outfit.

Her shyness vanished, replaced by excitement as she walked alongside Hyun toward the center of the plaza.

They were now united, ready to present a memorable performance that everyone would remember.

Hyun opened the cello case and carefully took out the instrument.

He glided his fingertips over the cello’s smooth surface, ensuring it was in perfect condition for today’s performance.

“Hmm… needs tuning.”

Hyun began adjusting the cello carefully.

Tuning the cello to create a harmonious and beautiful sound was, in itself, a work of art.

Meanwhile, Yoonhwa looked around, thinking about what she could create with her magic.

Her eyes landed on the various flowers blooming at the edge of the plaza.

“Oh, I think I can do something with those flowers over there!”

Yoonhwa explained her idea to Hyun.

Hyun nodded in agreement, “That’s a great idea, Yoonhwa.”

“If you incorporate your magic into the flowers during the performance, it’ll surely leave a great impression on the audience!”

They settled in and began preparing for the performance.

Hyun placed the cello in position, unfolding the sheet music.

Yoonhwa practiced her magic as she gently moved the flowers at the plaza’s edge.

The petals began to float, as if caught in a spring breeze, softly rising through Yoonhwa’s enchanting magic.

Hyun carefully approached Yoonhwa and spoke softly, “Yoonhwa, your magic is truly wonderful and amazing.”

“But it might be best not to use overly extravagant or flashy spells.”

“For the audience to see you as a magician, your magic needs to seem like magic!”

Yoonhwa nodded, understanding Hyun’s advice.

“I got it, Hyun. Don’t worry~”

“I just want to make everyone happy.”

“I won’t use anything too unbelievable.”

“I’ll use magic that feels like there’s a way to do it.”

Hearing this eased Hyun’s worries, and he smiled at Yoonhwa.

“The petals are so beautiful…!”

While preparations for the performance were underway, Yoonhwa carefully sprinkled petals in the center of the plaza using her magic.

She continued to cast spells.

With each gesture, beautiful and vibrant petals danced gracefully in the air like a springtime flower shower.