As True as a Dream Chapter 110

Mao Saito looked up at Yi Ho, and Yi Ho looked down at Mao from beneath his mask, as if he were looking at a dead man.

 

Saito Mao’s hands clenched as their gazes met through the mask.

 

Mao Saito’s eyes had changed from possessive to murderous and furious.

 

Yi Ho turned away, staring into those eyes in disbelief.

 

A part of him wanted to swat Saito Mao away, to shake her off like a fly.

 

But he couldn’t.

 

The department store was a problem, and so were the unspecified eyes watching them.

 

As long as he wore this fox mask, he couldn’t let go of the struggle of being the president of Song Yue.

 

He had to live among humans, and to do so, he had to compromise.

 

Even if it was a very unassuming one.

 

He curled the corners of his mouth at Hae-Joo’s puzzled expression and led her up to the second floor.

 

Meanwhile, Mao, who had stayed behind, clenched her fists tightly and glared at the backs of Yi Ho and Hae-Joo.

 

In fact, she couldn’t hear the words of those around her criticizing her.

 

All she could think about was how Yi Ho had rejected her so many times, even threatened her.

 

The more she couldn’t have it, the more she wanted it, and the more she wanted to destroy it.

 

The unknown intimidation that Yi Ho exuded made Mao shrink back, but the madness and murderous intent in her head overrode that instinctive warning.

 

“[Miss, you’d better leave now, the mere fact that you’ve returned to the gate without speaking to His Excellency the Governor-General first is enough to anger him, and if you do anything more conspicuous than this….]”

 

By then, the soldier who had been protecting Saito Mao at a distance and in plain clothes approached and spoke in a low voice.

 

Saito Mao’s eerie eyes stared at the soldier.

 

“[What do you think, is that her?]”

 

“[…Eh?]”

 

“[In order for Ban Yi Ho to die in agony… she must disappear after all, right?]”

 

“[Lady].”

 

“[She’s just a lowly Joseon girl, you can handle that, right? You can’t even do that, huh?]”

 

When the soldier didn’t answer, the fierce emotions she’d been trying to suppress burst out of him.

 

Saito Mao slapped the soldier’s cheek with a clawed hand, and the suddenness of her action caused the few remaining people in the room to turn around in surprise.

 

“[I ask me if you can’t!]”

 

With a newfound scream, the soldier lowered his face, which was scratched and bleeding from her nails, and replied.

 

“[I will do as the lady wishes].”

 

Mao stared at the soldier for a moment, her eyes red and bloodshot from the emotions that had risen to the top of her head.

 

Then, suddenly, she smiled as brightly as the plum pattern on her kimono.

 

Mao’s demeanor changed like the flip of a palm, and the soldier took half a step backward.

 

“[I have an idea].”

 

An uncanny light flashed in Mao’s glassy eyes as she smiled at the soldier.

 

***

 

“Do you mind?”

 

“What?”

 

Hae-Joo squinted and gestured downstairs.

 

“What are you worried about?”

 

The second floor of the department store sold all kinds of fabrics, silks, and ready-to-wear clothes.

 

Yi Ho walked leisurely, looking around, but Hae-Joo couldn’t see them.

 

The last time she’d seen them, Mao Saito’s eyes had been wild and insane.

 

If those eyes had swords, she and Yi Ho would have been decapitated already.

 

“She’s the governor’s daughter, if you offend her this badly, if anything bad happens to Song Yue’s business or the boss.”

 

“Don’t overthink it. I wasn’t going to look good anyway.”

 

Looking at him, Hae-Joo smiled wryly.

 

“Have you ever tried to look good in your life, either personally or in business?”

 

At her question, Yi Ho was silent for a moment, as if he was seriously considering it, and then he chuckled.

 

“No one but you.”

 

“…I don’t understand. How is it that the Song Yue Pavilion is still doing so well, even though you’re so hated by the Viceroyalty?”

 

“It works.”

 

“Because of the curse?”

 

“Because they don’t deserve their lives.”

 

As Yi Ho smiled dubiously, Hae-Joo couldn’t help but recall the scene she’d seen in the Song Yue Pavilion at the beginning.

 

The Japanese samurai who suddenly broke out in a rash all over his body, began to bleed, and eventually died.

 

“…Is there really such a thing as a curse?”

 

“There isn’t, but it wouldn’t be rumored if there was.”

 

His eyes narrowed as he answered again.

 

I’ve heard that in the olden days, shamans were paid to curse specific targets.

 

As was her habit, Hae-Joo considered the possibility, but then stopped.

 

She had seen too much nonsense in recent months.

 

There’s no point in dwelling on what’s already happened.

 

It’s better to think about what could have been.

 

It’s better to think about what’s next.

 

Turning her thoughts back to Mao Saito, Hae-Joo sighed.

 

The woman was unpredictable, like a bomb that could go off at any moment.

 

“But why is Saito Mao here? Is the governor’s tour already over?”

 

“I don’t know about the governor, or why Mao Saito is back.”

 

Hae-Joo’s face turned grim at Yi Ho’s answer.

 

The thought of what else she might be up to now that she was back, besides the last box of dead mountain birds, was maddening.

 

Judging from today’s situation, it would be worse if not worse.

 

And as if reading her mind, Yi Ho leaned over to Hae-Joo and asked,

 

“Do you want to stay at Song Yue?”

 

“Song Yue? But…”

 

No matter how brazen she was, she couldn’t answer straightforwardly, even though she had promised herself a future, she had to move in from time to time whenever something like this happened.

 

When she showed signs of hesitation, Yi Ho added.

 

“I want to be with you, all the time.”

 

“…Not just temporarily?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

She narrowed her eyes and scratched her brow, embarrassed that he’d said something she hadn’t expected.

 

If they were going to live together, they needed to discuss the long term.

 

She had a life she’d worked hard to build, and she couldn’t just walk into his house and leave it all behind.

 

Besides, if they were going to live together, they would have to go through all the formalities of marriage and marriage registration.

 

Of course, the country was so chaotic that for most people, a wedding was a luxury.

 

A bowl of water, a bowl of noodles, and a wish for a good life to close relatives was the norm.

 

However, he was the president of Song Yue Pavilion, a famous company in Jingsheng Province.

 

There was no way he couldn’t afford a wedding.

 

“…Well, then, I’ll do it for the time being, but I’ll be back in a few days. I have some work to finish, and I haven’t delivered the brooch that Eun-sil made for her mother yet.”

 

Yi Ho stared at Hae-Joo for a moment, as if he didn’t like her answer.

 

Then he leaned in again and spoke in her ear, his voice amused.

 

“Then I’ll go with you today.”

 

“Where…”

 

“To your place. I won’t bother you when you’re working, like last time. But not at night.”

 

‘Not at night?’

 

She looked away, wondering what he meant, but his fingers tickled the center of her palm, light and sticky, then pulled away.

 

Hae-Joo’s face brightened as his meaning became clear.

 

“What… When I’m working, I stay up all night and don’t know what I’m doing when it’s daylight, so if you’re thinking about something else, don’t come.”

 

Embarrassed, Hae-Joo stuttered a bit, and Yi Ho laughed low.

 

“What kind of wacky thoughts? Aren’t I supposed to be the one doing the wacky thoughts?”

 

“What?”

 

“I meant that you shouldn’t stay up all night.”

 

Yi Ho pulled the fox mask slightly away from his face and looked at her with reproachful eyes.

Immediately putting the mask back on, he murmured in her ear.

 

“I wasn’t even thinking of sex, what were you thinking to yourself?”

 

She glared at him, hating his condescending tone.

 

“Okay. I’m going to think of all sorts of things from now on, but not you, boss. Never. Not in thought or action.”

 

Her face tightened, and the smile that had been hovering at the corners of Iho’s mouth faded.

 

“Hae-Joo.”

 

“I’m going to the restroom.”

 

Snorting, Hae-Joo turned away from Yi Ho and walked in the direction of the restroom.

 

Yi Ho stifled a laugh as he watched her go.

 

He stepped out of the path of traffic and stood near the wall, waiting for her.

 

When he craned his neck, there were quite a few people near the restroom at the end of the aisle.

 

He had a point: department store restrooms aren’t communal stalls where you can watch everyone in front of you do their business in real time.

 

It was always crowded, with individual stalls, flush toilets, and sinks for immediate hand-washing.

 

Realizing it would take a while, Yi Ho scanned the area until he spotted a ready-to-wear store and approached it.

 

A rack of frilly blouses and wide red skirts caught his eye.

 

He thought it would look great on her and was about to ask the salesperson for the price.

 

“Fire! Fire! Fire! Everyone, evacuate! Fire!”