episode_0022

“It’s terrible to cut off the interior.”

“Interior?”

“Yeah, the interior.

What’s with that messy sign and banner in front of us? It should have a more appealing design. It’s suspicious that a two-story building that you have to climb up the stairs, from the very beginning, it’s all wrong.”

“But the rent on the first floor is expensive… We practically got it for free by borrowing and borrowing.”

“The problem is the complacency forced on others!

Moreover, dealing with heroes who are facing a labor shortage in the country, how long do you think this business will last? I don’t know much about business, but my gut feeling is that this is not a long-lasting business. It’s easier to give up quickly.”

“Lin…”

I’m sorry for Jiwoo, but I decided to change the plan drastically.

Since I can’t just break it down openly, I have no choice but to start a strategy of criticizing the annoying girl.

I nitpick and criticize her.

I make her lose confidence and give up on her own.

Unfortunately, this is the best I can do.

However, as I was listening to each criticism, Jiwoo calmly rebuts.

“Hey, isn’t it a bit off to say that while lying down and getting a massage?”

“….”

I’m getting a massage while waiting for my turn.

After enduring the situation of being alone, I tried to seriously argue.

But as we exchanged words, I naturally lay down on the bed and relaxed.

Squeeze – Squeeze!

“Ugh…! Ah, ah…♡”

Honestly, it doesn’t feel bad to be touched.

It’s Jiwoo’s delicate touch, not someone else’s, that makes me tremble with excitement.

The tension in my shoulders is released as she gently massages them.

My voice loses its strength, and everything in the world feels bothersome.

“Oh… it’s dangerous…”

As if the toxins released by the massage are leaving my body, I feel relaxed.

I’m worried about how many people have been on this bed, but my body feels soft.

Especially when she massages my neck, I breathe like a cat, and Jiwoo’s relaxing voice soothes me.

“Don’t push too hard like that.

I also thought about it as much as possible, but I had to meet the conditions because of the debt, and the business has been doing quite well recently.”

“It’s… doing well?”

“Yes! There were two customers who were delayed when you came last time, right?

Promotion is better than I thought, and quite a few people are coming. Unlike other massage shops, there are no competitors.”

“….”

Then it’s not good.

If it’s going well, there’s more to worry about!

“Lin, I know you’re worried about me, but since things are going well, you don’t have to worry too much.”

“You’re completely wrong! This place must fail!”

If it goes well, it’s a problem.

If more people come, I’ll be stressed out.

But I can’t stop Jiwoo, who is working so hard.

So I tried again. I pointed out the flaws in this shop and criticized them.

“Y-yes! There’s a lack of content here!”

“Content?”

“Only massage tools, for a ‘Healing Center’ sign, there’s no well-equipped facilities–”

“Oh, I was aware of that, so I added a sauna this time.”

“…Sauna?”

That’s news to me.

Although I provoked Jiwoo about her unfortunate means of business expansion, I realized it too late.

“Yeah. The guests in front enjoyed it and praised it.

That’s right! Lin, you like saunas too, right? You’ve always liked bathing since you were young.”

“…Not really.”

“Oh, you do.”

“No, I don’t!”

“It’s still in the trial period until today, do you want to try it after it’s over?”

The round face is deeply embedded in the pillow.

With a loud sigh, he shows no interest at all.

“Hmph! I won’t fall for such a trivial temptation─”

*

“Hmmmm…”

In a dry sauna.

As the appropriate temperature envelops him, his eyes slowly close.

Dressed in a comfortable robe, with a towel wrapped around his head like a sheep’s hat, he happily shakes his head from side to side.

Sizzle!

Pouring cold water onto the hot stones, the refreshing steam and moisture cling to his skin, making him feel good.

After enduring the sauna for a while, the cold air seeps into his skin as he steps out.

“It feels good to go from warm to cool….”

His heart was captivated in an instant. A makeshift sauna.

He tried to give up on work and relax, but he was caught off guard.

“Hey, Lin, do you like banana milk after a shower?”

“Ugh…!”

And to top it off, his preferences were targeted after coming out of the shower.

A pleasant massage, sauna, and banana milk.

Is this place heaven? He succumbs to laziness.

But it’s not over yet.

Still unwilling to admit defeat, he half-heartedly protests with half-open eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. How can a hero who should always be dignified stand in front of others like this! (Sipping banana milk through a straw)”

“There’s a sleeping room in the second room. You can rest there before you leave.”

“A sleeping room…?”

His body was so relaxed that he was in a daze, but there was already a makeshift sleeping room in the healing center.

“Go ahead and rest as much as you want. It’s small, but three people can lie down comfortably.”

“….”

The warmth of the ondol rises in the sleeping room.

The temperature is set just right for a good night’s sleep with thin blankets.

Everything essential for a small shop is there.

There was nothing more to say.

He pretended to be his mother, scolded himself, and even dusted off the refrigerator, but he felt disgusted beyond that.

He prayed for failure while grinding his teeth, but he ended up surrendering, feeling pleased.

“Can I really enjoy all this?”

Even though he’s willing to pay, he was adamant about not accepting any money.

When asked why, Jiwoo just smiled as if it were obvious.

“Because you’re a special person to me, Lin.”

“…♥”

Thump.

Thump thump thump!

His heart raced at those words.

He couldn’t help but like it.

No matter how hard he tried to resist, he couldn’t.

It was Jiwoo’s shop, filled with Jiwoo’s scent, and he found himself drawn to it even more.

“Jiwoo.”

“Yeah?”

“….”

Sitting in the sleeping room in his robe, he called out her name and waited for her to come closer.

When Jiwoo hesitantly entered the sleeping room, he leaned against her and rested his head on her familiar shoulder.

“Being alone with Jiwoo after a long time….”

Since it had come to this, he decided to see it through to the end.

He might regret it later and want to tear himself apart, but since he had already let go this much, he decided to play along.

Like a child,

“Do that thing like you used to.”

“I don’t think I should do it in your current state.”

“Do it. It’s been a while.”

Jiwoo scratched her cheek.

Even she seemed awkward doing it after a long time, she coughed awkwardly.

Gently♥

Then she stroked his head.

And in a soft, soothing voice, she whispered in his ear.

“Goodnight, Lin.”

With those words, his eyelids quickly closed, locking him in sleep.

It felt good.

Warm like his father’s arms that used to carry him when he was young.

As the tension left his body, he drifted off to sleep.

A sanctuary for him alone.

Here, he could always let go of his worries.

“Umm, mmm…♡”

He held on tightly.

Holding onto the blanket tightly, I lay on my thigh and drifted off to sleep.

+++

Grumble, grumble…

The sound of a contented cat purring as it breathes in and out.

My chest rises and falls with each inhale and exhale.

Rarely do I show off, but after experiencing the full course of a shop, I seem to have completely let go.

I never knew I had the ability to awaken my hero powers voluntarily.

The ability to manipulate the mental realm and put allies to sleep, ‘Sleep’.

It is an ability to induce deep sleep.

The condition is that it can be done even from a distance of 30 meters if the target is touched.

At first glance, it seems like a very useful ability, but a closer look at the explanation is necessary.

It is an ability to put allies to sleep.

In other words, under the condition of relaxing the guard of the opponent, you can put them into a peaceful sleep, but it is useless when facing a fierce enemy filled with hostility.

I awakened this power when I was in high school.

I started my hero activities with Lin right after graduating middle school, so there were missions to suppress Lin, who was running wild during hero duties.

I tried to think of the reason why my hero ability is like this, but it was meaningless.

Seeing someone who faints at the sight of bugs having the ability to communicate with bugs made me stop thinking about complex thoughts.

The reason why Junis said that there is no such ability is also because of this.

It’s because I’m already a mutant who has awakened, so there’s no way another ability will come in.

Unless I awaken again.

“By the way, it’s still time to work, it’s inconvenient….”

Growl!

Of course, no one can escape once caught by Lin.

To get out, there is no way other than the grotesque method of cutting off the lower body that is currently caught.

“Hey, you’re so cute, I’ll let you go.”

“……♡”

Thanks to the healing, Lin snuggles even more tightly as I stroke his softened hair.

I reluctantly decided to stop receiving guests today.

I sent a message to Hanbyul noona to ask her to change the Open sign hanging on the entrance of the shop to Close.

I willingly dedicated today to my childhood friend.

And then, Lin raised the corners of his mouth as if he had achieved something.