Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 319

Choi Yeon-ha, having changed into clean clothes, looked refreshed as she watched the trucks heading to the orphanage.

“Ah, I feel like my stress is melting away for some reason.”

I wanted to say, ‘It’s because you did something good,’ but that felt a bit awkward, so I hesitated.

“I guess it’s because I went shopping for the first time in a while. Oh, now that I think about it, it’s been ages since I bought something for myself. I’ve just identified another source of stress.”

So, it wasn’t because she did something good.

“Don’t you want to go inside?”

“Pardon?”

“I feel good when I see the kids happy. It’s enough to make me forget everything else for that moment.”

Choi Yeon-ha firmly shook her head.

“No, thanks.”

“Hmm?”

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled at Kang Jin-ho’s gaze, which seemed to ask, ‘Why?’

“I wouldn’t mind if it were just the kids, but the adults are there too. They’ll definitely tell the kids to thank me.”

“…I suppose they would.”

“I hate that kind of thing. If I hear those kinds of cheesy words, I’ll get goosebumps all over and turn into a chicken. I’d rather just leave quietly than go through that. Just tell the kids that you did it, Kang Jin-ho.”

“I won’t do that.”

“Your pride.”

Choi Yeon-ha looked at Kang Jin-ho as if she understood and shrugged.

“Did you despise me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you know. I brought a woman who doesn’t know hardship and just acts up because she’s an actress, to make her suffer a bit. But in two hours, she gives up and buys a washing machine to avoid doing the laundry she was supposed to do. Wouldn’t you be a little disgusted?”

Kang Jin-ho said with a serious face.

“First of all… I didn’t bring you here to make you suffer.”

“Second?”

“I don’t think you got away with it by doing that. I know that people with a lot of money don’t spend it easily.”

“I’m grateful that you say that, even if it’s just words.”

It seemed like she wasn’t just being difficult, but that she was naturally uncomfortable with soft words.

In that sense, she was a good match for Kang Jin-ho, who had also built a wall against soft words.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho got into the driver’s seat, watching Choi Yeon-ha leave her car and get into his again.

‘Slowly.’

He had learned from Jo Gyu-min that he had to repeat this in his head every time someone else got into his car. He had heard it so many times that he felt half-brainwashed.

Brummm.

But since it was a car, it was inevitable that it would accelerate faster than a sedan. Kang Jin-ho glanced at Choi Yeon-ha, but her expression didn’t change, so it seemed like there was no problem.

Moreover, Choi Yeon-ha’s expression was much more relaxed than yesterday. Yesterday, she was literally radiating an aura of ‘Just try to touch me. I’ll explode right here,’ but today, she seemed more human.

“Where should we go?”

“Somewhere close.”

“Somewhere close?”

“Yes. I’ve given up on trying to create a romantic atmosphere with you over coffee, Kang Jin-ho. It’s really a pointless endeavor.”

“Yes, I understand. Then I’ll find a place…”

“Wait!”

Choi Yeon-ha said, narrowing her brows.

“Don’t even think about going to my father’s place.”

“Wow, look at your face. You were really going to do that. That’s too much, really! What would have happened if I hadn’t heard from Kang Se-ah that your father owns a coffee shop? This guy is the worst.”

“Is there a reason why I shouldn’t?”

“Of course, there is. Do you want to have a meal with me at my mother’s place?”

“Is there a reason why I shouldn’t?”

“…Fine. I won’t expect anything. Just take me somewhere else.”

“Alright.”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head, watching Choi Yeon-ha sigh deeply next to him.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

The female mind was an enigma.

“Ugh, I feel alive now that I’ve had some coffee.”

Choi Yeon-ha stretched, looking much more refreshed. A smile was now gracing her face.

“I thought it was the worst choice, but looking back, it wasn’t so bad. I admit it was somewhat useful.”

“…What did I do?”

“You didn’t really do anything, but I’ll give you credit for taking me to that orphanage. No matter what I did, I don’t think my mood would have improved this much in just one day.”

At Choi Yeon-ha’s words, Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but ask a formal question.

“What happened? Especially, what was the reason for your bad mood?”

“Hmm…”

Choi Yeon-ha was about to say something, but then she shut her mouth and said in a bewildered tone,

“Why should I tell you that, Kang Jin-ho?”

“Then you don’t have to.”

“You should say, ‘Because I want to hear it!’ Why are you so clueless, Kang Jin-ho?”

Kang Jin-ho lowered his head slightly with a troubled expression.

‘I can’t figure her out.’

Kang Jin-ho had never felt particularly burdened by talking to women in his life, but when he talked to Choi Yeon-ha, he felt like he was being scolded several times in a short period.

“Well, fine. I’ll tell you. Then buy me a meal too.”

“…Alright.”

Choi Yeon-ha laughed out loud and said,

“It’s just… how should I explain this? My biorhythm was terrible, and the situation was also bad, so they overlapped and created a negative synergy, I guess?”

“I understand the words, but I don’t understand the meaning.”

“Being an actor is a bit like that. When we’re filming a project, we don’t get enough sleep and just take naps while immersing ourselves in the role. Then, what happens when the project ends and we return to our daily lives?”

“It must be nice. You can rest.”

“No.”

Choi Yeon-ha shook her head firmly.

“It’s empty and unsettling. My body gets worse as my lifestyle changes, and it’s empty to think that I have to live as myself now, not as a character. And I’m anxious about whether I did well. And…”

Choi Yeon-ha’s face became annoyed.

“People are always like that. When you can fix something, you don’t think about it, but when you can’t do anything about it anymore, you start thinking differently. ‘Ah, why did I act that way back then? If I had thought about that emotion, I should have gone this way, but I can’t fix it now, you stupid bitch.'”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled as Choi Yeon-ha spoke self-deprecatingly.

He felt a slight sense of kinship because what Choi Yeon-ha was saying was similar to what he had been thinking. Being caught up in the past and regretting it was Kang Jin-ho’s specialty.

“Then everything in the world becomes terrible. But this time, the drama’s reviews weren’t good either, so I was digging myself into a hole endlessly.”

“Eun-young said the drama’s response wasn’t bad?”

“Yes. The drama wasn’t bad.”

Choi Yeon-ha said firmly.

“But I was bad.”

“Pardon?”

“I didn’t act properly. I’m not at a level where I can call myself a great actor, but I had the merit of being unique among the pretty girls of my age and level. But this time, I did a mediocre job, so I’m about to lose all the merits I’ve built up.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Choi Yeon-ha as if he couldn’t understand. Considering Choi Yeon-ha’s passion, which had been bothering him all the time, the words ‘mediocre acting’ felt a bit strange.

That couldn’t be like Choi Yeon-ha’s personality?

“My mind was elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere?”

“Yes. With you, Kang Jin-ho.”

Choi Yeon-ha stared at Kang Jin-ho quietly. Kang Jin-ho, feeling burdened by her gaze, slightly averted his eyes, and Choi Yeon-ha gave a mischievous smile.

“I was thinking about you the whole time I was acting. What is Kang Jin-ho doing now? Is Kang Jin-ho watching the drama?”

Kang Jin-ho took a sip of his coffee, and when he seemed to have regained his composure, Choi Yeon-ha, whose excitement had cooled, pouted.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s about my next project. Even while filming the drama, I was thinking about how to seduce Kang Jin-ho and make him the male lead in my next project. I was filming the drama with those kinds of thoughts, so there’s no way the reviews would be good.”

“It’s not something you can blame on others.”

“Yes, it’s not. It’s all because of you, Kang Jin-ho.”

“…Me?”

“Yes!”

Choi Yeon-ha said as if to confirm it.

“I’m a woman with a strong sense of professionalism, you know. Don’t think that I got this far just by selling my face.”

“I know.”

Kang Jin-ho had already experienced how dirty that world was. He suddenly thought of Kang Eun-young’s former agency. In his previous life, he didn’t know because Kang Eun-young had died before that time, but in this life, if Kang Jin-ho hadn’t had power, Kang Eun-young might have suffered the same fate.

“There were a lot of temptations. But I rejected them all and got this far with just acting… with just acting and my face. Back then, I had the passion to do the project in front of me like crazy, but I guess I got carried away. To think about how successful my next project will be without even finishing the current one, I’m crazy.”

Choi Yeon-ha said as if she had made up her mind.

“It’s all because of you, Kang Jin-ho.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s because you’re so handsome that you’ve shaken the balance of my acting career. I don’t know why you use that face like that. There are so many people who would be flying around if they had your face.”

Kang Jin-ho, unable to find anything to say, drank his coffee.

“And…”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Choi Yeon-ha lowered her head slightly, hiding her flushed face.

‘I’m going crazy.’

The last thing she was about to say was, ‘Well, even if it wasn’t that face, I would still be here.’ Choi Yeon-ha, who had almost said those words without thinking, froze like a stone when she realized what her words meant.

‘Wow, could it be me?’

Choi Yeon-ha’s heart began to pound.

This was embarrassing.

“Are you sick somewhere?”

“Pardon?”

“No, you suddenly look unwell.”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing like that. I’m fine.”

Choi Yeon-ha desperately waved her hand. But strangely, she couldn’t make eye contact with Kang Jin-ho.

“Oh my god.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha kept talking to herself, and Kang Jin-ho looked at her with strange eyes.

A strange atmosphere began to flow in the cafe where quiet music was playing.

“I have to go.”

Choi Yeon-ha, who had jumped up from her seat, fanned herself and grabbed her bag, walking briskly to the side.

“What about the meal?”

“No, it’s okay!”

“Then I’ll take you to your car.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“It’s far to walk.”

“I said it’s okay! I’ll take a taxi!”

“…Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho shrugged, watching Choi Yeon-ha suddenly get angry.

“Well, then, I’ll go. Thanks for the coffee. See you next time.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop by in the evening, so please check if your phone is working properly. Then.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head, watching Choi Yeon-ha rush out as if she were running away.

‘She’s an unpredictable woman.’