Ch.24Egg Fried Rice

“…”

It’s been a while.

When was the last time I woke up so peacefully?

I try to move my body to get up.

But my body feels uncomfortable, making it difficult to move.

It must be because of last night’s fight with those two high rankers.

I suffered fatal wounds all over my body, so it’s understandable.

“—!”

However, I soon realize that the discomfort isn’t from the fight.

Most of my wounds have already healed.

What’s constraining me isn’t pain but ‘something else.’

I lower my head to see what that something is.

Is it Seon-ye?

No.

She wouldn’t be here.

It’s the bartender.

The small bartender with the bob haircut.

She’s snuggled in my arms, breathing softly.

Each time she exhales quietly, her soft skin rubs against my thigh.

Her name was Siho, wasn’t it?

My eyebrows furrow involuntarily at her resemblance to Seon-ye.

Did she bring me to her home when I was injured?

This child probably has some ulterior motive too.

She must want to gain some profit by using me.

Disgusting.

Thanks to that disgust, I could think about pushing her away and getting up.

But soon, that thought vanished from my mind.

Because I saw something clutched in the child’s hand.

A squirrel character bandage.

She’s sleeping while holding something that looks just like her.

My hand suddenly moves toward her face.

I touch her lips, which are nibbling on a strand of hair.

I slowly remove that strand.

Siho’s nose twitches as if smelling something.

Did she catch the scent of my fingers already?

She’s like a small animal.

“—?”

The sniffing nose comes closer.

Eventually, her small, plump lips touch my finger.

Her pointed canine teeth nibble on my finger.

Moist saliva thoroughly wets my fingerprint.

I involuntarily furrowed my brow at the sensation.

And in my confusion, I twisted my body.

With that movement, Siho’s body curls up in response.

Perhaps because of that, her closed brown eyes open drowsily.

The small girl exhales with a strange sound.

Her chest rubs against her bra.

Thanks to that, I could clearly feel the animal-like breathing.

Eventually, Siho looks up at me.

With narrow eyes, as if intoxicated by some drug.

But she wasn’t intoxicated by any substance.

Soon her pupils widened in disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe she was in my arms.

*

Warm.

I savored the warmth and soft touch enveloping my entire body.

I exhaled freely, intoxicated by the sweet sleep I’d gotten after so long.

Each time I did, a fragrant soap scent tickled my nose.

That fragrance made my teeth itch.

I wanted to bite into the soap.

I open my eyes slightly.

The first thing I see is someone’s finger.

And I was nibbling on it.

My pupils dilate involuntarily at the distinct texture.

I stare up at the owner of the finger.

The white-haired killer was looking down at me with an incredulous expression.

Moreover, my body was pressed against hers, our chests rubbing together.

I jumped up from the bed, convulsing.

Anna lets out a short sigh.

“You’re really something.”

She says flatly.

Could it be that Anna had been watching me snuggled in her arms this whole time?

Just thinking about it makes my face burn.

“D-don’t misunderstand. I was just trying to check your wounds. But then you suddenly hugged me.”

My mouth stammers even though I’m the one who was taken advantage of.

At times like this, this body of mine feels frustratingly inadequate.

“What are you talking about? Me hugging you? Don’t say such disgusting things. You must have snuggled up to me while I was sleeping.”

Anna pulls up her stretched tank top with her shoulder.

Then she wanders around, seemingly looking for her clothes.

“No, you were mumbling some woman’s name…”

At the mention of a woman’s name, she stopped abruptly.

And looks at me with a somewhat serious gaze.

Anna’s eyes are still as murky as lye.

“I did no such thing.”

It feels like she’s saying she’ll kill me if I mention that name again.

That killing intent made me clamp my mouth shut.

“Where have you hidden my jacket? Did you steal everything that was in it?”

“What do you take me for… I soaked it in the bathtub to get the blood out. Your deadly possessions are in the kitchen.”

I pointed to the bathroom.

She immediately heads for the bathtub.

Then she walks out calmly, holding the soaking wet jacket.

Blood drips onto the floor of my apartment.

Anna ignores it and checks her equipment in the kitchen.

Daggers, strange liquids in glass vials, smoke bomb cases, and more.

Anna gathers her things.

Then she staggers toward the sink.

She starts wrapping her dagger with newspaper from the kitchen.

At least she knows it’s dangerous to openly carry a knife on the streets.

“That jacket… I can dry it in the dryer for you. If you walk around like that, you’ll be caught by the Association’s security right away.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“How is it none of my business when you’re leaving from my house? If you want to leave quietly, act properly.”

I admonished her indifferently, like I would a younger sister.

Anna, truly like a younger sister, pretended not to listen to me.

“It’ll be completely dry in an hour.”

Perhaps because of her staggering figure, I spoke unconsciously.

“…”

The sound of crumpling newspaper stops.

Anna stares at the memo I had stuck to the sink.

Eventually, she asks.

“What’s your purpose?”

At the sudden question, I fidgeted with the side of my hair.

“What purpose?”

“Most people see me and are too scared to do anything but run away. So why are you showing me this pointless kindness?”

Somehow Anna’s pronunciation seems to have improved.

She tears off my memo and thrusts it at me.

On that memo was the recipe for Black Velvet.

“That’s…”

I hesitated to answer for a moment.

Then I decided to tell the truth.

There’s no need to hide it anyway.

“Because I don’t want to see people dying in front of me anymore.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’ve already killed dozens in front of you.”

“I guess I’m as stubborn as you are.”

Anna tosses the memo to the ground and approaches me.

Then she grabs my hair and pulls me toward her.

“With just one gesture, I could kill someone like you in an instant.”

“But you won’t.”

I look up at her with narrowed eyes.

A slight ripple forms in Anna’s previously calm pupils.

“…”

It’s the look of someone who’s just remembered someone.

Just like how I saw my sister Jisoo in her collapsed form.

Anna finally lets go of my hair dejectedly.

Then she slumps down at the kitchen table.

“Good thinking.”

I immediately put her jacket in the dryer.

Then I stare at her blankly.

“Um… is that tank top okay? I could lend you my clothes…”

“Shut up and just dry that.”

Anna cuts me off.

“Okay…”

I press my lips together and press the dryer button.

Only the sound of the dryer echoes through the quiet apartment.

How will we wait until it’s done?

This is so awkward.

I glance back at Anna.

She seems lost in thought, her chin resting on her hand.

Should I make her something to eat?

I need to head to work at the inn soon too.

“Um… would you like something to eat before you go?”

I cautiously ask Anna.

She silently shakes her head.

With no other choice, I pour oil into the wok by myself.

Then I take out onions and eggs from the refrigerator.

These are ingredients I’ve been saving, bought with the money I earned.

Seeing me like this, Anna says with an annoyed expression:

“Do you want to die? I said I don’t want any.”

“Who are you talking to? This is for me.”

I responded to her indifferently.

Anna clears her throat briefly and turns her gaze away.

I laughed inwardly.

This was exactly what I was aiming for.

I know how to tease people too.

The aroma of frying onions and eggs rises gently.

The savory scent makes my mouth water.

And it seems I’m not the only one affected.

Though she tries not to show it, Anna’s gaze gradually turns toward me as the sizzling scent fills the air.

I enjoy her gaze as I stir enthusiastically with chopsticks.

What if I add some spam to this?

I confidently open the ham can.

Then I cut the white meat without hesitation and sprinkle it into the wok.

The meat adds to the somewhat plain onion aroma.

My tongue dances at the flavor.

This is it.

And if I add cold rice to this beautiful scene…

The rich rice aroma reaches its peak.

I diligently break up the hard rice with a wooden spatula.

And slowly start to stir-fry it.

Once the rice grains become somewhat translucent, I add the final seasoning.

I sprinkle pepper to complete it.

<Egg Fried Rice>

Grade: ★★★☆

Effect: Restores 50% of the consumer’s energy.

Information: Fried rice made with simple ingredients found at home.

Even with ordinary ingredients, who wouldn’t know this is delicious?

“—.”

I hum a tune as I place the bowl on the table.

The fluffy fried rice is neatly arranged in a clean bowl.

I hold back my hair that falls forward.

And with my other hand, I scoop up a delicious spoonful.

Anna stares at me as I munch.

“This is… an inefficient food. It takes time to make and is just full of carbohydrates.”

“That’s why I said I’m eating it alone. You just wait there quietly.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head excitedly.

Not knowing this taste, how pitiful, Miss Killer.

Anna exhales briefly and takes something out from her pocket.

It’s a plain protein bar without even a name on it.

She eats it with an expressionless face.

It’s so hard that I can hear her teeth clashing from here.

Is she chewing on metal or something?

I wonder if becoming a ranker requires going to such extremes.

Seeing that makes my throat feel blocked.

Thanks to that, I remembered the cola in the refrigerator.

Without hesitation, I got up and opened the refrigerator door.

Suddenly, I sense something strange behind me.

I quickly turned my head.

And I couldn’t help but snicker inside.

Because Anna was staring intently at the fried rice.

Like a zoo leopard eyeing a visitor’s snack.

“What… are you doing?”

When I asked with a grin, Anna cleared her throat.

“Nothing. I was merely observing a food I’ve never seen before.”

“This isn’t just a lump of carbohydrates. As you can see, with eggs and ham, it’s rich in protein too.”

I returned to my seat with a smile.

And carefully pushed the bowl toward her.

“How about it? Would you like to try some?”

“…”

I kindly offer like a trainer.

The predator seems to be in thought, sighing.

Then, as if she’s made up her mind, she glares at me with sharp eyes.

“I’m curious, so I’ll just taste it.”

As for her pride…

I was about to get her a new spoon.

But Anna quickly grabbed the one I was using and slowly scooped up a spoonful.

I stared at her.

Soon, my homemade dish enters her red lips.

She chews with suspicious eyes.

But soon her furrowed eyebrows straighten, and she immediately starts scooping the next spoonful.

Eventually, Anna eats the fried rice with a serene face, holding the entire bowl.

I poured her a glass of cola too.

The killer who had been talking about carbohydrates immediately gulps down the sugary cola.

I found her shamelessness somewhat cute and smiled.

Throughout the meal, Anna didn’t say a single word, focusing only on the food.

“—.”

The dryer finishes with a sound.

Anna gets up as if she’s been waiting and hurriedly approaches the dryer.

Then, despite the cold weather, she heads to the entrance with her jacket in hand.

I don’t understand why she’s in such a hurry.

“Leaving already? Did you finish eating?”

I ask her with my messy hair.

But Anna didn’t say anything.

She just climbs onto the corridor railing.

The killer throws herself into the air without hesitation.

My eyes widen at the sight.

This is the third floor…

I rushed out to the corridor without even dressing properly.

And look for Anna who would have fallen to the first floor.

She was already far away.

Befitting her title as a ranker, falling from the third floor seemed like nothing to her.

I stare at her running toward the apartment entrance in the distance.

Like an animal leaving after its business is done.

I shake my head involuntarily.

Really, what kind of person is she?

Just wait until the next time I help her.

I returned home with a hollow feeling.

The savory smell of fried rice fills my studio apartment.

Still feeling a bit hungry, I check the bowl to see if she left any food.

The bowl was completely empty.