Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 684

Bator’s words could be ignored. In fact, Bator wasn’t someone who could demand common sense from others. Just his size alone was far from the norm.

What made Kang Jin-ho feel ’embarrassed’ wasn’t Bator’s words, but Jang Da-jing’s gaze.

Jang Da-jing’s eyes, which seemed to say, ‘You live quite a dynamic life,’ made Kang Jin-ho shrink.

Bator chuckled and said,

“Indeed, Master’s taste is a bit peculiar. Even if she has a pretty face, that face isn’t going to last forever.”

“I don’t go for looks.”

“Then isn’t that even stranger?” There was no way to argue.

“Everyone has their quirks.”

The excuse he desperately squeezed out felt somehow pathetic. But thankfully, Bator didn’t press on with Kang Jin-ho’s weak points.

“Anyway, it’s a good thing she’s so enthusiastically looking for you. In that sense, isn’t she quite lovely?”

“…I’d appreciate it if you’d stop with the appraisals.”

“Master, since ancient times, those in high positions couldn’t avoid their subordinates’ interference when choosing a spouse. It might not be a big deal for you, but for us, it means one more superior. Of course, we’d be more sensitive than you.”

That sounded plausible.

It didn’t seem right, but it made sense.

‘Why is he so good at talking?’

Just looking at his size, he seemed like he’d only be able to grunt, ‘Ugh, ugh.’

Of course, he knew that judging people by their appearance was incredibly foolish. But seeing Bator, anyone would realize that knowing something in your head doesn’t necessarily mean you can act on it.

It wasn’t just that he was good at talking.

There was a twist in Bator’s words that wasn’t felt in Jo Gyu-min or Lee Hyun-soo’s. It was like gently scratching at someone’s nerves…

“It’s a touching scene, but it doesn’t seem right to just stand there blankly to greet her? What do you think, Master? Should I tell Jang Da-jing to pick some wildflowers nearby—”

Crack.

As Kang Jin-ho clenched his fist tightly, the sound of bones colliding came from his hand.

Then, Bator raised both hands and slowly backed away.

“Master, I’m not a fan of violence. We are intellectuals, and we can talk to each other. If we try to solve every situation with violence, how are we different from beasts?”

“Then I guess we can just become beasts.”

“I promise not to babble anymore.”

“Hah.”

Kang Jin-ho let out a deep sigh. He felt a little strange. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt recently.

It was probably a feeling he had felt a few years ago.

After he focused on the work of the General Assembly and regained his own strength, or more precisely, after his social status rose, Bator was bringing back a sensation he hadn’t felt in a while.

‘I didn’t know he was this kind of guy…’

What could he do? He had already placed Bator by his side.

Fortunately, the car arrived before Bator could say anything more. Kang Jin-ho sighed without realizing it.

Clunk.

The door opened, and Choi Yeon-ha got out of the van. Her face was flushed.

The two looked at each other, unable to speak.

If someone were to start watching this scene from this point, they would think it was a very romantic sight, but in reality, it was far from it.

Kang Jin-ho was fumbling, not knowing what to say in this situation, and Choi Yeon-ha, having gotten out of the car, realized that she had made a fool of herself and was mentally kicking the blanket [a Korean expression for feeling embarrassed or regretful].

‘What should I say?’

‘How do I fix this?’

They were thinking similar but slightly different thoughts.

But it seemed that there was someone who found this situation boring.

“Haaahm.”

Kang Jin-ho’s head turned stiffly to the side.

Bator, who had yawned, waved his hand with an awkward expression, having received Kang Jin-ho’s gaze.

“Well, I haven’t been sleeping well lately because the sleeping arrangements have changed. Sorry, Master. I’m quite sensitive, you see.”

Sensitive?

With that body?

How could a guy who looked like he could chew rocks talk about being sensitive? Are all the sensitive people in the world dead? Where did sensitivity come from here?

There were so many things to say, but right now…

“Kang Jin-ho.”

A hurried call burst from Choi Yeon-ha’s suddenly opened mouth.

“Yes?”

“N-not here, let’s go over there, over there. Just the two of us.”

“…Yes?”

Instead of explaining, Choi Yeon-ha grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s sleeve and pulled him along. Kang Jin-ho was dragged away by Choi Yeon-ha, not knowing what was going on.

Watching the two head to a secluded corner, Bator sneered.

“Jang Da-jing, it seems the personality of the new superior who will be joining us isn’t so easygoing.”

Jang Da-jing raised his hand and rubbed his face.

Awkwardness.

A very awkward situation was unfolding. Choi Yeon-ha, who had dragged Kang Jin-ho to a secluded spot, couldn’t bear the awkwardness that washed over her as soon as she let go of his sleeve, and she took a step back, shifting into a defensive stance.

Then Kang Jin-ho had to resolve the situation…

‘What should I do?’

A hundred-year-old solo [a humorous way of saying someone has been single for a very long time] was not a hundred-year-old solo for nothing.

For Kang Jin-ho, who sometimes felt burdened even talking to men, to naturally resolve an awkward situation while talking to a woman?

Impossible.

If he could do that, he wouldn’t be living like this.

Thanks to that, Kang Jin-ho could only fumble. He knew he had to say something first, but he had no idea what to say.

In the end, the words he uttered were predictable.

“Weren’t you supposed to be filming?”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled.

“I was.”

“Then how?”

“I canceled it and came.”

“Yes?”

“Because I missed you.”

Kang Jin-ho’s ears turned slightly red.

It was true that a lot had happened in the meantime. But it seemed like this was the first time he had heard such direct words.

“You said you were going to focus on filming…”

“The order was wrong. When I thought about why I should work hard on filming, why I came all the way to China, the answer was too obvious.”

“Ah…”

Kang Jin-ho didn’t understand what she meant, but he kept nodding. Even Kang Jin-ho, a hopeless romantic, knew that it was better to empathize than to ask again in these situations.

“Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha looked at Kang Jin-ho with burning eyes, as if she had made up her mind.

‘Direct, direct! Yes, let’s not beat around the bush awkwardly. It doesn’t suit me.’

Looking back, it was a really foolish thing to do.

If you like someone, you should just say you like them.

It’s not like she was lacking in any way.

She knew that Kang Jin-ho was a bit special, but that was unsubstantiated… Honestly, it wouldn’t be easy for him to find a woman like her anywhere.

‘Is that really true?’

She suddenly started to feel anxious.

Of course, it was clear that he couldn’t find a woman as pretty as Choi Yeon-ha. Choi Yeon-ha was 100% confident about that. She was born with a face that was so beautiful that she could spend her life bowing 108 times a day to her parents [a Buddhist practice of showing respect].

But if you were to comprehensively evaluate Choi Yeon-ha as a human being…

‘No. I can’t get weak.’

Choi Yeon-ha shook her head.

Meanwhile, Kang Jin-ho was watching Choi Yeon-ha’s face turn red, then pale, then contort, then bloom, and then shake her head, slightly terrified.

‘What on earth is she thinking?’

Even though she was an actress, how could she express her inner thoughts so dynamically on her face?

“Um, Kang Jin-ho!”

“Yes?”

“If, if I were to be direct with you right now, what would happen?”

Choi Yeon-ha decided to just ask honestly. She didn’t have the courage to attack out of the blue, but she couldn’t back down after coming all this way, so she was passing the turn to the other side.

But the opponent who received the turn was not easy either.

“…Wouldn’t you get arrested?”

“Ah…”

That’s right. It’s assault.

You damn idiot!

‘Ugh! How can I do anything if we can’t communicate!’

Choi Yeon-ha felt like she wanted to turn around and bang her head against the wall.

She came all this way and mustered up this courage, and what? Get arrested?

She felt like grabbing him and beating him up.

“No, that’s, that’s not what I meant…”

Choi Yeon-ha hesitated, then let out a sigh.

‘I can’t do this.’

Romance is something you do with the right person, what kind of romance could she have with this guy?

Choi Yeon-ha realized that as long as she was with Kang Jin-ho, she would never be able to dream of a sweet romance in her life.

But…

‘Why do I keep laughing?’

Why did the words ‘get arrested’ come out of his mouth?

Why is this guy so unpredictable?

That unpredictability eased Choi Yeon-ha’s tension.

Choi Yeon-ha, who had been chuckling to herself, wore a softer smile than before.

“Kang Jin-ho.”

“…Yes?”

“I like you, Kang Jin-ho.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s voice was calm.

“I tried to protect my pride, and I tried to create a situation by beating around the bush… but I guess it won’t work. When I think about it, what’s so important about pride? I’d regret it if things went wrong.”

Kang Jin-ho didn’t really respond.

If he knew what to say in this situation, he wouldn’t be Kang Jin-ho. And Choi Yeon-ha didn’t expect a great answer.

“Right. A man makes a grand confession in the most amazing way, the scene is captured beautifully, and the woman accepts the confession with tears in her eyes… that’s only in movies and dramas, but I guess I was living in that world.”

“The world isn’t that pretty, is it? It’s a bit rough, and a bit unique, and there are unexpected sides… Um, I don’t know what I’m saying…”

The more she spoke, the more Choi Yeon-ha was changing. No, it was more accurate to say that she was regaining her former confidence.

“So, I think this is good enough. It might be a little embarrassing when I think about it later, but I think it’ll be a moment I’ll want to remember. So, Kang Jin-ho.”

“…Yes.”

“Would you like to seriously date me?”

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to answer right away. Give me an answer when I go back to Korea. When I go back to Korea. I don’t have the courage to hear the answer right now either. This is the best courage I can muster.”

“Ah…”

“I feel refreshed. Um, this is how it should be. I see why I’ve been feeling so stuffy.”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled brightly.

Her smiling face was beautiful beyond anyone’s denial.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Ah, already?”

“I’ve said everything I wanted to say. Now that the love game is over, I need to focus on work. Then, I’ll be going.”

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand blankly.

He didn’t really understand what he was doing right now. His head was blank.

“Ah, and…”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha, who was walking forward as if she had no regrets, suddenly turned around and raised her fist.