Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1075

“No, that’s….”

The words didn’t come out easily.

‘I feel like I should stop this.’

What would happen if Choi Yeon-ha found out that Han Se-yeon was trying to get close to Kang Jin-ho?

‘I don’t even want to imagine it.’

In truth, Park Yu-min couldn’t say he knew Choi Yeon-ha well.

They hadn’t had deep conversations, nor had they known each other for a long time.

But this felt like a certainty.

Hadn’t he already seen it?

When Park Yu-min answered Han Se-yeon’s call, just the fact that Kang Jin-ho’s name came out of another woman’s mouth was enough to show what Choi Yeon-ha was like.

‘It was terrifying.’

It was one of the most terrifying experiences Park Yu-min had ever had in his life.

A beautiful woman is still beautiful even in a horror movie. Because a ghost that is too pretty isn’t scary, famous actresses known for horror roles aren’t cast. [This refers to the idea that conventionally attractive people are not typically cast as scary characters in horror movies because their beauty can detract from the fear factor.]

Even so, the fact that such a beautiful face looked terrifying was quite an experience.

Park Yu-min didn’t want to have that kind of experience again if he could help it. It was like shortening his lifespan.

And before that…

“There’s something a bit awkward I want to ask….”

“Huh?”

Park Yu-min looked at Han Se-yeon quietly before opening his mouth.

“What are you trying to do now?”

“…Huh?”

“Nothing’s going to change.”

Han Se-yeon stared at Park Yu-min silently. Then, in a slightly lower tone, she opened her mouth.

“You’ve really changed a lot, Park Yu-min.”

“People change.”

It was a conversation he didn’t want to have if he could help it. Memories are quite enjoyable when they remain as memories.

“Me, Jin-ho, and you, none of us are the same as before. No matter what we do now, we can’t go back to how we were.”

“That’s true.”

But Han Se-yeon didn’t back down.

“Do you think I’m a child who doesn’t know that? It’s not like I want to go back to the past either.”

“Then why?”

“So, we can’t even see each other’s faces?”

Han Se-yeon said with a sulky face.

“It’s not like I committed some big crime, and it’s not that wrong to just see each other’s faces and occasionally keep in touch, is it?”

“Is that really what you’re thinking?”

“Come on, seriously.”

Her voice became slightly agitated.

“I have some sense of shame, you know.”

The word ‘shame’ seemed to cool the atmosphere a bit. Neither Han Se-yeon nor Park Yu-min said anything. Even as time passed, their eyes didn’t meet.

“I know that no matter what I do now, things won’t be the same as before.”

“Then why?”

“So, because things won’t be the same as before, should we live like complete strangers?”

“That’s just ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Park Yu-min sighed.

What Han Se-yeon said wasn’t exactly wrong. If they were just friends, Park Yu-min would have sided with Han Se-yeon.

“Can I ask you one more thing?”

“Yes, yes, ask whatever you want.”

“Why did you do that back then?”

Han Se-yeon closed her mouth tightly.

After keeping her mouth shut for a while, Han Se-yeon regained her composure and opened her mouth.

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I’m talking about.”

“…You’ve really lost your cuteness.”

Han Se-yeon clicked her tongue a few times, then gazed out the cafe window before resting her chin on her hand and speaking.

“Because I didn’t feel any romantic feelings at all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s exactly as I said.”

Han Se-yeon’s posture became a bit disheveled. Leaning back in her chair, Han Se-yeon’s head tilted slightly backward.

“You know, that feeling of excitement together, doing things together.”

“…That kind of thing?”

“Don’t look at me like that. Isn’t that what most people in their early twenties think? Something more active? It’s a bit strange to say, but anyway, I thought that was what a relationship was….”

Han Se-yeon’s voice lowered a bit more.

“Yeah, that’s what it was.”

“Just because of that….”

“It’s important.”

Han Se-yeon said firmly.

But Park Yu-min still looked at Han Se-yeon with a face that said he didn’t understand.

“It’s nothing much. I know, I know why you’re saying that. I know it’s nothing much either. But that’s where it starts.”

“Starts?”

“Yeah.”

Han Se-yeon tapped the table with her finger.

“It’s the beginning. It starts from that small thing and gradually flows. Why doesn’t he seem to enjoy hanging out with me? Does he not like me that much? Come to think of it, he seems to prefer being with other friends than with me, does he not care about me that much?”

“…That’s quite a dramatic flow.”

“Yeah, well.”

“Even so, it doesn’t seem like a reason to break up?”

Park Yu-min took a sip of his smoothie.

“Have you ever dated your dad?”

Fwoooooosh!

The smoothie he violently spat out flew forward, but Han Se-yeon quickly dodged the incoming smoothie.

“Disgusting!”

“…Sorry.”

He was sorry, but usually, people would spit out their drink after hearing something like that.

Park Yu-min wiped the table with a tissue as Han Se-yeon said indifferently.

“That’s how I felt.”

“No, I don’t really understand? I don’t really want to imagine what that feeling is like.”

“Do you think Jin-ho liked me?”

“Yeah.”

“Compared to you?”

“No, well….”

Park Yu-min closed his mouth.

It was hard to answer that question. It wasn’t because it was difficult to determine who was superior. What should he say….

‘The problem is that it’s even possible to compare.’

Originally, it shouldn’t be possible to compare.

Love and friendship can be called by the same name of affection, but they clearly follow different paths. But the relationship between Kang Jin-ho and Han Se-yeon….

“That’s how it is.”

Han Se-yeon said indifferently.

“Well, it’s not like Jin-ho was playing with me. I’m not that stupid either. However, I never felt that Kang Jin-ho liked me as a woman.”

“If he didn’t like you as a woman?”

“I don’t know how to explain it. Among those born with the female gender, the closest person besides family? So, there’s no reason not to accept them as a girlfriend?”

“…Isn’t that a bit harsh?”

“That’s how I felt. And you’re thinking something similar inside right now, aren’t you?”

He couldn’t refute it.

‘I don’t know, it’s me.’

Even if they were close friends, there were parts that they couldn’t know. No matter how much Park Yu-min was a friend of Kang Jin-ho and Han Se-yeon, there was no way he could know the inside story of how their relationship was formed.

So, he couldn’t refute it.

“The reason I said dating your dad is like that. Imagine dating your dad. How would you feel? He would cherish you more than any other woman in the world, try to understand you, and give you unconditional love. But that’s not a romantic relationship, is it?”

“I guess so.”

“A romantic relationship isn’t just about liking someone. But Kang Jin-ho doesn’t want anything from me.”

“Uh….”

Han Se-yeon picked up her drink and gulped it down.

After putting down the glass as if she had calmed herself, Han Se-yeon stared at Park Yu-min and said.

“It’ll be hard for you to understand. But women have a kind of disappointment they feel in those situations. I was young back then. Of course, I’m still young now, but that’s why I thought that what happened was because Jin-ho didn’t like me enough, because I wasn’t good enough for Jin-ho.”

“That’s just a matter of personality.”

“Please don’t ask a woman in a relationship to make such cold judgments? If people could always rationally divide right from wrong, there wouldn’t be things like marital fights or divorces in the world. Right?”

“You… did your Korean improve in England?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Han Se-yeon made a slightly bitter expression.

“But I endured it. I thought it was possible. But then Jin-ho didn’t contact me when he was on leave?”

“That’s where it popped!”

Han Se-yeon gestured as if a balloon was bursting.

“It burst.”

Park Yu-min’s face hardened.

“Knowing Kang Jin-ho’s personality, I’m saying this because I don’t think he would have made excuses, but the reason Jin-ho couldn’t contact you when he was on leave….”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

“No, that’s not it….”

“I said it’s okay. I know there was a reason. And it was definitely a serious reason why he couldn’t contact me. Of course, I know that.”

“Hey, Han Se-yeon.”

“I’m not being sarcastic.”

Park Yu-min closed his mouth.

Looking at Park Yu-min, Han Se-yeon awkwardly curled up the corners of her mouth.

“Because Kang Jin-ho is that kind of person. Of course, there must have been something important. However, at the time, I was too overwhelmed to consider such things. Even if Kang Jin-ho had come back from saving the world somewhere, I wouldn’t have understood it at that time.”

“That’s….”

“I said I was young.”

Han Se-yeon waved her hand, her face looking comical.

“I know. It’s my fault. I messed up. Thanks to that, our friendship became distant, and we became awkward.”

Park Yu-min sighed deeply.

‘It’s not something that can be blamed on anyone.’

Listening to her, he could understand why Han Se-yeon did what she did. Kang Jin-ho was originally that kind of person. But to tell Han Se-yeon to unilaterally adjust to Kang Jin-ho because he was that kind of person was also harsh on her.

“I thought if I improved myself a bit because I felt like I was lacking for Jin-ho… of course, not in terms of appearance. If I became a better person, wouldn’t that relationship change? So, I went to study abroad and tried hard. But after thinking about it while I was alone in England, I realized that wasn’t it. It wasn’t that. I was just young.”

“…So?”

“Huh?”

Park Yu-min quietly met Han Se-yeon’s eyes. After looking at Han Se-yeon’s eyes for a while, Park Yu-min opened his mouth.

“So, you’re really going to be friends now?”

Han Se-yeon turned her head.

It was unclear whether she was avoiding his gaze or thinking. Park Yu-min didn’t rush her and waited for Han Se-yeon’s answer.

Perhaps her mind was more complicated than Park Yu-min thought.

“I don’t really know either.”

“I don’t even know exactly what I’m trying to do. But it’s not like people always have to live so clearly. It’s just like that. No matter what happens, I don’t want to end things like this, feeling uneasy. If it’s going to break, it should break properly.”

“Hey, that’s….”

“And who knows? There might be a one in a thousand, one in ten thousand chance.”

Han Se-yeon smiled brightly.

“Help me out a bit. What are friends for?”

“That’s not what that saying is for.”

“I’m asking you.”

Park Yu-min sighed deeply.

‘It’s always like this.’

She makes requests that he can’t refuse.

Knowing full well.

“I’m telling you in advance, it won’t work.”

“I know.”

Park Yu-min nodded.

“…I’ll try to arrange a meeting.”

“Thank you.”

Thank you….

It’s not really something to be thankful for.

‘I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.’

But the reason Park Yu-min was helping Han Se-yeon wasn’t just because of her situation. Park Yu-min also agreed with Han Se-yeon. It was better not to leave any lingering unease.

Even if that unease was one-sided.

“…I just hope I don’t get beaten to death.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing.”

Park Yu-min tilted his head.

‘Is there any way Choi Yeon-ha won’t hear about this?’

It’s probably going to be difficult.

Zz