Descent of the Demon Master
Chapter 1103. Confrontation (3)

Chapter 1103. Confrontation (3)

“That damn cat burglar...!”

Munch, munch...

Yet another slice of pizza got shoved inside Choi Yeon-Ha’s mouth.

Jo Mi-Hye hurriedly wiped the cold sweat away from her brows while observing this spectacle. “U-unnie?”

Choi Yeon-Ha glanced at her. “What?”

“Is it okay to eat so much like this? Haven’t you already finished one pizza?”

“Listen, Mi-Hye.”

“Yes, unnie?”

“There are days when you just have to stuff your face with junk food, okay? If you can’t even enjoy stuff like this, what’s the point of living?”

“Even then, isn’t this a bit over the top...?”

“It’s fine. I lost a bit too much weight lately and wanted to gain some, anyway.”

“Does the talent agency feel that way, too?”

“That I don’t know,” said Choi Yeon-Ha with a casual shrug.

Jo Mi-Hye carefully studied Choi Yeon-Ha’s current appearance.

Arguably the most beautiful actress in South Korea was currently kitted out in a tracksuit with her hair tied messily behind her head. She was lying on her side, her arm serving as a pillow. A large pizza box in front of her completed the image of a sloth lazing around.

Choi Yeon-Ha was currently soloing that large pizza by herself.

‘Wow. That big thing actually disappeared into her tummy? How?’

What a mystery it was to witness a large pizza somehow being swallowed up by Choi Yeon-Ha's slender tummy!

Even an average man would have had a bit of trouble trying to solo an entire pizza, yet Choi Yeon-Ha was pulling that feat off without breaking a sweat!

Choi Yeon-Ha sighed grandly. “Haaah~... This place is the best.”

“Ehehe, that’s true.” Jo Mi-Hye giggled brightly at the sight of Choi Yeon-Ha sprawling lazily on the floor.

Choi Yeon-Ha wasn't paying lip service here. It really looked like she found Seongsim Orphanage the best place to relax. The most comfortable place for her to be in.

That had to be it, otherwise she wouldn’t have barged in here, used one of the showers in the building, stole Jo Mi-Hye’s clothes before putting them on, and made herself at home like this!

Choi Yeon-Ha glanced at the other kids. “Hey, everyone.”

“Yes, unnie?”

“Who’s better? Me, or that Han Se-Yeon?”

The girls loudly replied. “Of course it’s you, unnie!”

“Se-Yeon unnie was kinda meh, you know? And she stopped coming around after Jin-Ho oppa joined the army, too!”

“But, uh, she was kind to us, though...”

Choi Yeon-Ha’s gaze instantly grew sharper just then.

“Who said that? Reveal yourself!”

“U-unnie, I didn’t mean...”

Choi Yeon-Ha glared at the guilty girl. “Who do you prefer? Me or her?”

“It’s obviously you, unnie!”

“Really? You are not lying?”

“It’s the truth!”

“Hmph~!”

Choi Yeon-Ha snorted in satisfaction. Her mind was crying out, ‘See, little girl? Even the orphanage is mine!’

She even harrumphed and muttered to no one in particular. “How dare an ugly duckling like her...!”

Jo Mi-Hye could only smile weakly. “But Se-Yeon unnie isn’t that ugly, though...”

“Say what now?”

“Yup, she’s an ugly duckling. Ugly.”

“That’s right. She is.” Choi Yeon-Ha grunted before pulling Jo Mi-Hye close, then patted the girl on her head.

Despite all the cold sweat caking her forehead, Jo Mi-Hye still smiled back.

"B-by the way, unnie? Do you know why Se-Yeon unnie suddenly reappeared like that?”

Choi Yeon-Ha tutted. “Apparently, she went to study in the UK. But she's back home now.”

Jo Mi-Hye asked incredulously. “Then... Jin-Ho oppa went to see her just because she called him up? Just like that?”

“Nah,” Choi Yeon-Ha shook her head while dragging the pizza box closer. “Mister Yu-Min set up the meeting.”

The girls began chiming in. “Heol...?”

“Yu-Min oppa did what? What was he thinking!”

“Hey, when he stops by, let’s not give him any food! Let’s revoke his free meal privilege from now on!”

“He deserves a good scolding! I’m telling you!”

Anger was a powerful contagion, it seemed!

Choi Yeon-Ha sighed deeply. “Hey, Mi-Hye...”

“Yes, unnie?”

“Did you know? That life can be so empty and meaningless?”

Jo Mi-Hye replied in a slight fluster. “U-unnie?! What are you talking about?”

“Even though I've done so much for Mister Yu-Min! How could he stab me in the back like this? Don't you guys remember everything I've done for you and him?"

“N-no, we do. You’ve been really great with us.”

Despite replying in the affirmative, Jo Mi-Hye couldn't quite remember hearing anything about that. So she wasn't sure what to feel about it, but... If Choi Yeon-Ha said so, it must be so!

Choi Yeon-Ha continued to lament. “Then, why did he do that to me? Goodness me! He could have given me a heads-up, at the very least! Wait a minute, could Mister Yu-Min be busy whispering bad ideas into Mister Jin-Ho's ears? Like, he should cheat on me?”

“Yu-Min oppa deserves death!”

“We’re so sorry, unnie. Just because Yu-Min oppa is so immature, you had to...”

“Yes, unnie. He’s an incorrigible idiot. We’re sorry.”

Choi Yeon-Ha sighed quietly. “Don’t say that, girls. You haven’t done anything wrong, after all. It’s my fault for blindly trusting someone who’d thoughtlessly set up a meeting like that. And I was the idiot for having a boyfriend who jumps at the first chance to humor such a woman while still calling her his friend!”

“No, that’s not right, unnie! You’re not at fault. Blame those two idiots for being so brainless!”

Choi Yeon-Ha calmly stared at Jo Mi-Hye. “Mi-Hye?”

“Yes, unnie!”

“Have you ever heard of this old saying before?”

“What old saying are you talking about?”

“No one is allowed to badmouth my man except me.”

“...”

“Watch what you say, okay?”

“Understood, unnie!”

Without a doubt, keeping up with Choi Yeon-Ha’s pace was not an easy task. Jo Mi-Hye would have poured out insults at the rate of knots had someone else acted like this. But she couldn’t do that with Choi Yeon-Ha.

‘This unnie really is a good person, after all.’

How could Jo Mi-Hye get angry at someone like her? It was impossible.

After finally coming home from her adventure in China, Choi Yeon-Ha made it a habit to barge into the orphanage whenever she was taking time off work.

At first, the Seongsim kids found her presence super-weird, but things gradually became normalized as days went by.

Choi Yeon-Ha was different from those people who stopped by a few times to pay some lip service before disappearing from the orphans’ lives forever.

First of all, she didn't make any appointments or announcements. She'd show up randomly with dozens of fried chicken pieces, or like today, march into the orphanage with thirty pizzas in tow and boss everyone around as if this was her home. And after having her fun, she'd get up and leave.

In short, she was like a queen whom everyone had to serve and worship.

If one of those lip service-paying people tried to do this, they would have been accused of causing offense, a scene, in the orphanage. But Choi Yeon-Ha was an exception.

Those who had the first-hand experience knew the truth. The truth about how much Choi Yeon-Ha cared about this orphanage! Especially the orphanage kids, who had met many, many people throughout their lives and had developed the sixth sense for such things.

Choi Yeon-Ha casually raised her voice. “Cola!”

Jo Mi-Hye hurriedly handed over a cup of cola. “Here, unnie!”

Choi Yeon-Ha took a long swig, then wiped her mouth. “Kuh-uh~! That hits the spot. But aren’t I supposed to drink beer on a day like this?”

“Beer? Should I get you a can?”

“Forget it, I’m fine. Besides, why would there be beer in an orphanage, anyway?”

“But we do have some, though?”

Choi Yeon-Ha’s glare sharpened. “Looks like you’ve gotten a bit too full of yourself, Jo Mi-Hye?”

Jo Mi-Hye hurriedly shook his head. “N-no, that’s not it, unnie! Oppas bought the beer, not us.”

“Is that so? Nah, it’s fine. I don’t feel like drinking beer today, anyway. Hey, you have some cola, too.”

“I’m okay, unnie.”

“Gladly say thank you when an adult is giving you something, okay?”

“...”

Did that notion apply to cola, too? Shouldn’t cold drinks be excluded from that?

Jo Mi-Hye demurely accepted a cup of cola from Choi Yeon-Ha, then weirdly stared at the black liquid.

Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “Bottoms up.”

“Is this a punishment game, unnie?”

“I’m kidding. I’m kidding!” Choi Yeon-Ha chuckled, then pushed herself off the floor. “Urgh... Why is my back so stiff? Is it going to rain or something?”

Jo Mi-Hye silently put the cup of coke down to signal her intent to not finish the drink in one go.

‘Is this fine, though?’

Choi Yeon-Ha's presence might have become a fixture within the orphanage, but there was little doubt that the situation still leaned toward the awkward side.

After all, Choi Yeon-Ha was a mega-celebrity almost every South Korean citizen recognized. Yet someone like that was cosplaying as a sloth in such a get-up. And she was doing that in someone else's home, too!

Of course, it was still a massive accomplishment for Choi Yeon-Ha to look so good in a tracksuit, and with zero makeup and messy hair, but...!

“Unnie, shouldn’t you, you know, maintain a minimum level of visual appeal?”

Choi Yeon-Ha stopped massaging and patting her shoulder when she heard Jo Mi-Hye’s worried voice. A smirk floated up on her face.

“Leave me alone, okay? I have no choice but to pop in to a local supermarket in full makeup, you know? Or hide my face with a mask or something. That’s my life. So, can’t I do whatever I want in my home without worrying about others judging my looks? It’s not like I’m trying to seduce someone here, anyway.”

“Well, that is true.”

Choi Yeon-Ha had a point, except for the fact that this wasn’t her home!

Then again, what she said implied that this orphanage made her feel like she was at home. Which was a good thing in Jo Mi-Hye's book. As a matter of fact, the girls who heard that inwardly celebrated, too.

Oh Su-Rin, who was one of those girls eavesdropping on the conversation, sneakily butted in. “Unnie, unnie? So? What happened in the pizzeria?”

Choi Yeon-Ha tutted. “What do you think happened? Of course I crushed that little girl.”

“Does that mean Se-Yeon unnie won’t ever show up again?”

“Hmm, I wonder...?” Choi Yeon-Ha leaned against a nearby wall, then grandly stretched her limbs. “Someone like her ain’t the type to give up just because I bit her head off. She’ll probably try something else now. I can already tell.”

“Heol! What happened to her code of honor...?”

“That's what I'm saying!” Choi Yeon-Ha scoffed.

How dare that little girl not back down and glare right back at her!

Choi Yeon-Ha recalled Han Se-Yeon’s face. Even though her lips quivered and trembled pitifully, she did not back down and glared right back at Choi Yeon-Ha.

‘Makes sense, though. So, you wanted me to know that you also dated Mister Jin-Ho? Is that it?’

Although the two of them broke up in the end, it still took some guts for Han Se-Yeon to be Kang Jin-Ho's girlfriend. Anyone not mentally tough enough wouldn't last long in that position, after all!

Occupying that position once upon a time meant Han Se-Yeon had managed to achieve the miracle of moving that dullard just enough to have some kind of a romantic relationship, now didn't it?

‘In other words, that little girl is no pushover.’

It was also worth remembering that Kang Jin-Ho back then must've been even trickier to deal with than now. Yet, Han Se-Yeon still managed to become his girlfriend. It meant she was savvy enough to notice Kang Jin-Ho's good qualities in the early days of university and called dibs on him.

Choi Yeon-Ha groaned. “Haaah, seriously...!”

Jo Mi-Hye blinked her eyes. “What’s the matter, unnie?”

“I’m telling you, having a boyfriend who is too excellent can also be a sin. Look at all the flies he’s attracting as a result!”

“Jo Mi-Hye’s expression quickly grew cramped from that metaphor.

Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “Why are you making that face?”

“No, well, it’s kinda a delicate topic, you see...?”

“What is?”

“Well, uh... Yes, it’s true that Jin-Ho oppa is an excellent person. He’s kind, handsome, but...”

“But?”

“But, as a man? He’s a bit... You know?”

“No, I don’t know. What’s wrong with Mister Jin-Ho?”

As soon as that question left Choi Yeon-Ha’s mouth, complaints began pouring out from all corners of the room!

“He can be so uptight and frustrating, you know!”

“He can be so unreasonable, too!”

“Right, right! It’s like I’m talking to a grandpa!”

“Yeah! And he’s also so boring!”

Flames erupted from Choi Yeon-Ha’s eyes. “What did you say, you little brats?!”

“But, it’s the truth, unnie!”

“Let's be honest, unnie! Without his face, Jin-Ho oppa has nothing going for him.”

“It’s a good thing he’s born with that face, you know? If he was ugly on top of his other qualities... We wouldn’t have treated him as our fellow human being!”

Choi Yeon-Ha dumbfoundedly stared at the kids. “How could you say that when Mister Jin-Ho’s been taking care of you for so long? Besides, shouldn’t someone as handsome as him hanging around here make your hearts flutter? Isn’t that normal for your age?”

“Eii~, that won’t happen. He’s our oppa, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah. He’s a wonderful oppa, but not a wonderful man.”

Jo Mi-Hye stared at Choi Yeon-Ha with a slight pout. “If I'm being honest... Unnie, your standards for men seem a bit lackluster. I wouldn't have dated Jin-Ho oppa if I was in your shoes.”

“Ohh, really now?” Choi Yeon-Ha tutted. “Is that why you like Jin-Seong? Because you have high standards?”

“W-who likes Jin-Seong oppa?! Please don’t say something weird, okay!” Jo Mi-Hye urgently cried out, her face instantly flushing red.

Choi Yeon-Ha groaned loudly. What was she even doing here, arguing with a bunch of kids about her taste in men?

“Yes, yes. Of course you know nothing about men. I mean, you’re all still kids, anyway. You just wait, though. You’ll see the light when you grow up.”

“Nah, that’s not gonna happen, unnie.”

“Honestly? You're the weird one, unnie. Also, Se-Yeon unnie is just as weird for wanting to date Jin-Ho oppa. Oh, and why is she trying her luck now?”

Choi Yeon-Ha briefly lost her cool and yelled, “Yeah! That’s what I’m saying! Why now!”

She loudly gritted her teeth. The more she thought about it, the more irritated she got. How dare that little girl try to mark her territory on another woman’s man? Where were her business ethics!

Choi Yeon-Ha was really tempted to rip Han Se-Yeon’s hair off right now.

“In any case! You girls, never let that woman enter this orphanage, okay! Never!”

“Yes, unnie! We’ll keep a strict lookout for her!”

“We will never let her in, so you can relax, unnie.”

Choi Yeon-Ha nodded. “Also, don’t forget to discipline Mister Yu-Min, too!”

The Seongsim girls suddenly grew utterly serious.

“Oh, you definitely don’t have to worry about that, unnie.”

“We'll definitely reeducate him. Thoroughly, too. Even though Yu-Min oppa can be a klutz sometimes, this mistake is unforgivable.”

“Yeah, what a total klutz. That’s why he’s still single even now. For his sake, we gotta do this properly, everyone!”

“Agreed.”

Choi Yeon-Ha smiled contentedly at the sight of the girls burning in fighting spirit.

‘So adorable.’

Although it was unintentional on Choi Yeon-Ha's part, the orphanage kids now listened to her more, not Kang Jin-Ho. Maybe not the boys, but the girls were definitely in her pocket, so to speak.

“Argh, I feel like crap, so... Maybe a shopping trip will lift my mood up?” Choi Yeon-Ha smirked and scanned the girls. “Hey, Mi-Hye. Get everyone ready for a shopping trip this weekend.”

“Heol, another one?”

“But didn’t we have one the last time, too?”

Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? So, you don’t want to go?”

“What time should we get ready, unnie?”

“We’ll be on standby for twenty-four hours, unnie!”

Choi Yeon-Ha chuckled while lying down on the floor again.

‘Yeah, that woman will definitely not back off like this.’

However, that didn't matter. Kang Jin-Ho would never pay much attention to Han Se-Yeon, after all. It was just that the thought of that woman wagging her tail at him irritated Choi Yeon-Ha.

This was definitely not a sign of anxiety. Still...

“Hmm...?” Choi Yeon-Ha furrowed her brow. “Looks like I better do something about this.”

Jo Mi-Hye frowned. “U-unnie, don’t smirk like that, please! You’re scaring the kids.”

“Who’s scaring who! Just eat your pizza, okay?”

“But I can’t eat anymore, though?”

“Be quiet and eat, will you? You’re at an age where you can eat pretty much anything and still be fine.”

As she began chewing on a slice of pizza as if it was tough sinew, Choi Yeon-Ha's fighting spirit began burning even brighter than before.

“I will crush you so hard that you won’t even think about taking a peep in this direction ever again!”

Jo Mi-Hye could only shake her head in silence at this sight.