(3rd person's POV)
"Hey, where are you going?"
'Cold' he thought, hearing a voice from behind him. This was the first time he'd heard someone speak with such a chill in their tone.
Sensing that things were about to get noisy, he silently cast a noise-cancellation spell on Mina, then turned around calmly, with a smile on his face.
"Yes? Do you need something?"
Seeing him act as if nothing had happened left her speechless.
"You! Are you really going to pretend you didn't see anything?"
"See what?"
Baffled by his shamelessness, Yoo Yeonha's face turned red with anger. She glared at him with an intensity that could kill anyone with a weaker heart.
"You... you're shameless!"
"But, I really don't know what you're talking about."
Yoo Jin-Hyuk responded with an innocent face, inwardly amused by her reaction.
Seeing that he was still keeping up the act, Yoo Yeonha decided to take a more forceful approach. She channel's mana to her legs preparing to kick him, but stopped when she heard his voice.
"Wait, wait, stop! Let's talk this out, okay? I'll stop pretending."
Yoo Jin-Hyuk dropped his act before things could escalate further. He could easily fend her off, but his hands were currently occupied with carrying Mina in a princess hold. Though it wouldn't change the outcome, he didn't want to risk waking Mina from her sleep.
Yoo Yeonha sighed in relief, seeing him relent, which made things easier for her.
"You're really heartless. Didn't you see I was carrying a child? Yet you were still going to kick me?" He said looking at her sharply.
While he could protect Mina, it didn't change the fact that she'd almost kicked someone carrying a child.
"!"
Yoo Yeonha looked at his arms in shock and noticed, for the first time, a child with light violet hair sleeping peacefully. In her anger and urgency, she'd focused solely on the man in front of her, missing the child entirely.
She suddenly felt guilty. If he hadn't stopped her, she was certain the child would've been hurt too.
"I-I'm sorry! I was blinded by anger and didn't notice her. I'm really sorry!" she said, bowing with guilt written on her face.
*sigh*
"It's okay, I forgive you."
Seeing her bow, looking remorseful, he sighed and forgave her. Part of it was his fault too, he continue playing clueless, which pushed her to get physical. And he hadn't forgotten that he almost kill her earlier.
"Then, I'll go now."
He turned around, intending to leave, but a weak tug on his clothes stopped him.
Turning back, He saw a sight that made his heart skip a beat. Still holding the hem of his clothes. She was fidgeting, looking at me with her beautiful and flushed face, with an upturned and teary eyes. She look absolutely breathtaking.
"Please… Can I talk to you for a minute?"
She muttered in a small voice, which cause him to nod in daze.
****
In the room where they first met, Yoo Jin-Hyuk carefully placed Mina on the bed, tucking her under the blanket and placing a shark plush beside her in case she wanted something to hold. He gently kissed her forehead before moving to the sofa, where a girl was waiting for him.
Sitting there was a beautiful girl with long violet hair styled in a ponytail and sharp, attractive features. She was around 159 cm tall, sitting elegantly, quite a contrast to her earlier demeanor.
"Let's introduce ourselves first. I'm Yoo Jin-Hyuk," he said, sitting across from her.
"Oh! That's why you seem familiar," she said, nodding in recognition.
"You know me?"
"Of course, you're my cousin. And who wouldn't know the 'Child Beloved by Mana'?"
"I see. That makes sense," he replied, acknowledging the title given to him for his unique abilities.
"I'm Yoo Yeonha, by the way," she said, reaching out for a handshake.
He shook her hand, feeling its softness before letting go.
"Anyway, there's something I'm curious about."
"Yes?"
"Why were you angry with me? If anything, I should be the one upset since you were in my sister's room. It's not like I walked in on you changing or anything."
'Isn't she overreacting?' Yoo Jin-Hyuk thought, puzzled by her reaction. Sure, he hadn't knocked, but was that really enough to make her mad? It's not as though he'd caught her in an embarrassing situation.
Hearing his words, Yoo Yeonha blushed slightly. From his perspective, it might look like she was overreacting, but her reputation was on the line. She'd just wanted to eat her favorite food in peace without being discovered. Who would've thought someone would enter right after she'd started eating?
"You... you saw me eating..." Yoo Yeonha said, blushing and looking down.
Yoo Jin-Hyuk tilted his head in confusion.
"Eating is considered shameful now?"
"Of course not, it's just..." Yoo Yeonha trailed off, embarrassed to reveal her secret to someone she'd just met.
"Just?"
"Y-you saw me eating junk food!" Yoo Yeonha stammered, gritting her teeth.
"...What?"
Dumbfounded, Yoo Jin-Hyuk stared at her with a look that said, 'Are you serious?' which only made Yoo Yeonha shrink further in embarrassment.
"I'm serious, okay!" She wanted to keep this fondness hidden, as it didn't fit the refined image she tried to maintain.
"Now, you have to keep this a secret!" Yoo Yeonha said, glaring at him.
"Why?"
"Just because." Frustrated that her most guarded secret had been discovered, Yoo Yeonha pouted, looking away.
Yoo Jin-Hyuk was both curious and amused. Curious about her insistence on hiding it and amused by the variety of expressions she was making.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
Yoo Yeonha sighed in relief as he agreed without further questions. But just as she was about to say goodbye, her stomach growled.
Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who thought the issue had been settled, suddenly heard a noise in front of him. He looked up to see Yoo Yeonha clutching her stomach, her face red as a tomato.
"..."
Yoo Yeonha wanted to disappear. She just wanted this day to end so she could sleep and forget everything that had happened.
Yoo Jin-Hyuk stood up and walked over to the table where Yoo Yeonha had been eating. Grabbing the bowl of ramen, he brought it back to her.
"Here."
"..."
"You're not going to eat?"
"No..."
Puzzled, Yoo Jin-Hyuk looked at the ramen. It had absorbed the water, becoming bloated and unappetizingly soggy.
"Ah, I see. Let me make you a new one"
Suddenly, a black spatial hole appeared beside Yoo Jin-Hyuk, surprising Yoo Yeonha. He reached inside and pulled out two packs of instant ramen, some chips, and a cold can of Coke. After that, he opened another portal, retrieving two bowls and a pair of chopsticks.
This was Yoo Jin-Hyuk's personal inventory space, a skill he developed when he was 13, after his father tried to take away his gaming console for neglecting his training. He has separate spaces for categories like food, clothes, games, and weapons. Time is frozen in each space, so everything stays fresh and new. He kept this ability a secret until last August, when he used it to surprise his sister, Mina, on her birthday.
"Wha-what is that!" Yoo Yeonha exclaimed.
"Just my inventory skill," Yoo Jin-Hyuk replied, shrugging as if it were no big deal. Yoo Yeonha, though shocked, couldn't hide her envy. That skill was something she would love to have.
'If I had that, I could just store my favorite foods without worrying about anyone seeing,' she thought.
Noticing her expression, Yoo Jin-Hyuk smirked inwardly. It was a reaction he'd seen many times before when someone saw his skill. Who wouldn't want their own personal space for all their belongings?
"I actually invented an artifact called the 'Inventory Ring.' It has a space of about 50 cubic meters, and it'll be released next month. If you want one sooner, you can talk to my mother, she's the sales ambassador for our company. I'm sure she'd give you one for free since you're her niece."
"Really? Thank you!" Yoo Yeonha's smile bloomed beautifully, catching him off guard.
"A-anyway, just wait a moment, and I'll get this ready for you."
He unpacked the ramen into the bowls, used magic to heat water, and sped up the time around the bowls for 30 seconds, making the ramen instantly ready. Placing the chopsticks over the bowl, he passed it to her.
"Here."
"T-thank you," Yoo Yeonha replied, her face red with both amazement at his method of cooking and slight embarrassment at forgetting she'd been the reason he needed to prepare food in the first place.
"No problem, and it's good timing because I'm actually a bit hungry, too."
Though, in truth, he had eaten earlier; he just didn't want her to feel awkward eating alone.
"I see," she said, relieved, realizing it wouldn't be awkward now. Things will be awkward if she's eating while the other is waiting for her to be finished.
As Yoo Jin-Hyuk tried to make small talk, he asked, "Why do you find eating junk food embarrassing?"
Yoo Yeonha paused her eating, and he quickly realized his question might be too direct.
After a moment, Yoo Yeonha spoke, "Well, it is embarrassing.... Actually, i didn't always feel that way until a friend once saw me eating it. She told me it was bad for my health and that I shouldn't eat it because it would ruin my image. She even said someone as... well, refined as me should eat things that 'fit' my appearance."
Yoo Yeonha recalled her friends face. She's looking at her with a judgemental face. She is 7 years old at that time, and it has a lot of impact for her. Maybe because they are still kids at that time, and her friend is still naive and believes in anything around her that's why she can say that. Some part may be true, like its bad for the health but we are in a time that healing magic is available.
"That's ridiculous," Yoo Jin-Hyuk said bluntly.
"Huh?"
"I mean, who doesn't enjoy delicious food? Just because it's junk food doesn't make it bad or make you look any different."
To make his point, he pulled a burger from his inventory, crossed his feet and leaned back with his elbow on the arm of the sofa, his head is leaning in his knuckles while he took a bite.
"Does this make me look bad?"
*Gulp*
"N-no…" Yoo Yeonha stammered, her face turning red. The way he leaned back, casually enjoying his food, looked far from embarrassing it even highlighted his features in a way she couldn't ignore. The way his adams apple move is sexy that she unconsciously swallowed her saliva.
"See? Whoever told you that was probably just jealous," he said, confidently.
Yoo Jin-Hyuk is confident in his appearance that's why he posed like that to make a point. Though that will not make it less embarrassing.
'I will definitely not do that again' Yoo Jin-Hyuk thought.
After that Yoo Jin-Hyuk continued eating without initiating another small talk which could lead to him embarrassing himself again. Yoo Yeonha also didn't said anything and continue eating silently with a red ears, she's also embarrassed at opening to someone she just met today.
Trying to avoid further embarrassment, Yoo Jin-Hyuk let her eat in peace, and they finished their meal quietly. Afterward, Yoo Yeonha stood up and headed to the door, with him following.
"Thank you for your time and the food. And... sorry about my earlier outburst," she said, bowing.
"It's okay. See you tomorrow," Yoo Jin-Hyuk replied with a smile.
"Yes, good night," she responded, walking away. Yoo Jin-Hyuk watched her until she was out of sight before closing the door behind him.
"Whew… What a chaotic day." He flopped onto the sofa, replaying the day's events in his mind.
"She's my cousin, but… she's definitely cute," he muttered to himself, remembering her face that changes every seconds. If she's not his cousin he'll definitely go with her but, unfortunately she is.
"Heh, what am i thinking"
Yoo Jin-Hyuk is definitely not innocent, with a face that can charm any woman he dated some before. He's even tried two timing someone, but:
"They're all boring"
All females that he dated were after his money or because of his appearance which is not strange considering his status.
He actually didn't care if they're after that they make him fall in love because he just tried dating them because he is curious what it feels to fall in love, what it feels to be attracted at the opposite gender. Which non of them succeed.
"Welp, time to sleep"
He was about to go to the bathroom to take a shower but suddenly a knock sounded at the door. He used one of his skill and felt a familiar presence standing outside. Opening the door, he saw a sight that made his heart skip a bit the second time today.
Standing there was Yoo Yeonha, looking shy, holding a phone to her chest, her cheeks flushed and her gaze avoiding his. She nervously extended the phone toward him.
"C-can.... Can i have your number?"
At that moment, he suddenly felt the emotion he want to feel for the first time in his life:
HE FELT ATTRACTED
====================================
As you read i change a lot of event there, like the inventory. The novels extra definitely had a sub space already because of their advance magic engineering but, i removed that because i want to make the mc's backround formidable like Chae Nayun. Be it for strength or for business.
Also this is the mc's pov before he get his past memories so dont be confused.
And i hope this chap is not cringe because, Hey! I wrote it for almost 3 hours so I hope my efforts paid off.
Anyway this is for this week's chapter! I hope you enjoy it. Ciao!