Chapter 15: Have an uncomfortable encounter.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, several days had gone by.

I had become quite accustomed to taking photos for the photobook and chatting with people in the chat room.

The trip was progressing smoothly, without any incidents or accidents.

If only this news hadn’t suddenly been delivered today.

“A-Angel…?”

“Yes?”

Lee Hyejin’s call was filled with bewilderment.

As usual, I was lying on the bed in the moving RV, and I poked my head out from behind a teddy bear to meet her gaze.

Her flustered expression immediately came into view.

At the same time, her face looked incredibly anxious, as if something big had happened.

“What… is wrong?”

So, with a mix of worry and curiosity, I asked cautiously,

“T-The Japanese Angel and the American Angel are coming to Korea!”

“What? Oh… is that so…?”

Hmm…? Is that really such surprising news?

It’s certainly a bit sudden and out of the blue…

But it doesn’t seem like something to be that surprised about…?

Pondering, I gently pressed down on the teddy bear’s head with my chin.

Honestly, all I could think right now was ‘Why is that a problem?’

Because the last time I met an angel other than myself, for the first time.

That is, the ‘Japanese Angel’ was just a little more jealous than others, but I hadn’t really felt any problems with her.

‘She felt more like a cute younger cousin…?’

By the time I returned from Japan, I could even say we had become quite close.

In fact, now that I think about it, I felt like I would be quite happy to see her again.

‘… Then, is the American Angel a bit unusual?’

Because of that, my thoughts naturally flowed in that direction.

After all, Lee Hyejin, who was right beside me, wouldn’t possibly be unaware that I got along well with the Japanese Angel.

However, it seemed that three angels gathering in one country was a matter of great importance.

Park Gyutae spoke seriously, with a grave expression.

“Angel, for that reason, unfortunately, the trip will likely be canceled for now. We need to go pick up the other angels…”

“Score!”

Oh, is that so? That’s too bad… Wait…!?

I, who had answered without thinking, was startled and quickly covered my mouth.

It was a situation where I had inadvertently said the opposite of what I truly felt and thought.

‘Huh, what…?’

A temporary silence fell within the car.

In that awkward atmosphere, my face instantly flushed red.

My heart was already pounding madly.

Ugh… you idiot…! You fool…!

The two caretakers looked at me with gazes full of bewilderment.

Unable to bear their gazes, I buried my face in the teddy bear, and Park Gyutae cautiously asked,

“Angel… did you not like this trip very much…?”

It was a question loaded with many meanings.

I frantically shook my head.

I genuinely had no thoughts of disliking the trip at all.

I was just happy thinking that I could quickly return to my hotel room and rest.

But the situation was so embarrassing that I didn’t have the courage to answer verbally.

Park Gyutae cautiously added,

“Um… you can be honest, you know…? We’ll make sure to reflect it well next time.”

I had to frantically shake my head once again.

The teddy bear’s head also shook wildly.

The news that a total of three angels would gather in Korea.

It spread rapidly worldwide and quickly began to cause a massive ripple.

Not only internet articles.

News even continuously flowed on TV with the title ‘Breaking News.’

To that extent, the angel exchange meeting four years ago had been shocking to everyone and had established itself as an unforgettable memory.

Thanks to that, the South Korean leadership fell into deep contemplation.

“Haha, what on earth should we do about this…?”

“Well… it was going so well, what an unexpected turn of events…”

“But, I apologize, I don’t quite remember… what exactly was the reason the two angels were coming to Korea…?”

While everyone was deep in thought, someone unexpectedly blurted out a question that broke the flow.

Naturally, he received sharp glares from those sitting in the meeting room, and Choi Eunju, the director of the Korean Angel Research Institute, replied.

“The American Angel, after seeing our Angel eat food on TV. The Japanese Angel, after hearing the news that the American Angel was visiting.”

“… Hmm, it really is a strange reason, even hearing it again.”

“No. There’s nothing particularly strange about it.”

Choi Eunju flipped a page of the document placed in front of her and continued speaking.

“Because the American Angel’s desire is gluttony.”

“What’s the problem with that?”

An old man sitting across from her asked.

Choi Eunju sighed deeply inwardly, feeling frustrated.

“Well, the American Angel has never visited Korea before, right? But then an angel she’s never seen is eating something on TV that she hasn’t tried… Wouldn’t that be a natural consequence?”

“Ah, so that’s why the American Angel travels all over the world?”

The old man nodded, as if realizing something.

At that sight, Choi Eunju immediately thought this:

‘What…? Hey, old man, are you messing with me right now? You only just figured that out…? Then what happened to all the reports I submitted until now!?’

She almost blurted it out, but she barely managed to hold it back with superhuman patience.

If she had, it would be obvious she’d be unemployed from the next day.

Anyway, the old men continued their conversation among themselves.

“Did the publicity end up being poison?”

“Nah~ That’s absolutely not true. How much profit did we make this time? It was definitely the right thing to do.”

“That’s right. As for any accidents that might happen in the future, we just need to prevent them well in advance.”

“Yes, couldn’t we call chefs to a secluded place and serve them there?”

“Or, ensuring the angels don’t run into each other as much as possible is also a good method.”

Various countermeasures were smoothly coming up, but Choi Eunju interjected into the conversation.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but everything that’s been discussed so far is impossible.”

“… Excuse me? Why is that?”

“Because what the American Angel wants is to eat the exact same things in the exact same places. And to do so until she is satisfied to her heart’s content.”

“Th-That means…”

Expressions of tension and bewilderment instantly appeared on people’s faces.

Choi Eunju, on the other hand, expressionlessly flipped through a few more pages of the document, then slammed it shut with a ‘thud’ and said flatly,

“It means we have to prepare every single food item the Angel ate, exactly as she ate it, along the travel route shown on broadcast. This is due to concerns about the American Angel’s precautions.”

“……”

Just like that, a heavy silence instantly settled in the meeting room.

The next day, after ending the trip unexpectedly and being forced to, and sleeping in a hotel room for the first time in a while.

I busily made my way to the airport from the morning to pick up the Japanese Angel and the American Angel.

I heard that the American Angel was coming from quite far away, so the Japanese Angel, who had expressed her intention to visit late, was scheduled to arrive first instead.

Anyway, upon arriving at the airport, the girl with pigtails, wearing black overalls over a white T-shirt.

That is, the Japanese Angel, came running towards me, waving her hand warmly with a bright smile.

“Wow~ Hello, youngest one~!”

At that sight, I naturally uttered an exclamation of admiration inwardly, without resistance.

‘Wow… how cute….’

The winged angel and the girl’s appearance, visible above her overalls, was unrealistically cute to that extent.

‘… Should I try wearing something other than a dress too?’

To the point where such a thought, which I would never usually have, even crossed my mind.

Anyway, I was momentarily lost in thought as I gazed at the Japanese Angel.

Then, the girl, who quickly approached right in front of me, naturally gave me a tight hug.

Hug.

An unexpected skinship that made my body and mind tingle.

Since there were so many people watching, as my face flushed with embarrassment,

“H-Hellooo… ugh…!”

I had to quickly step back as the girl’s hand subtly moved towards my lower back.

“Wh-Why is your hand going there!?”

“Huh? What?”

My eyes widened in surprise, and the Japanese Angel tilted her head.

Her expression was innocent, as if asking what the problem was.

Once again, it was a reaction that left me speechless instead.

‘… I-Is this also strange of me…?’

I stared blankly at the girl.

Nevertheless, the girl calmly took my hand, and because of that, the situation fizzled out.

Anyway, we started spending time at the airport, waiting for the American Angel to arrive soon.

By the way, the reason we were waiting for the American Angel was because of the Japanese Angel.

For some reason, she had insisted that she would unconditionally do whatever the American Angel intended to do.

Although I still didn’t quite understand why I had to go along with it.

Swoosh—

Anyway, finally, the plane carrying the American Angel arrived in Korea.

“Th-There… she is.”

Lee Hyejin’s voice was filled with tension.

With that, the American Angel finally appeared.

The American Angel was visibly taller than the Japanese Angel at first glance.

Judging by her appearance, she looked at least like a middle schooler, around 14 to 15 years old.

And I swallowed hard, tensing up at the atmosphere the American Angel exuded.

Because the girl had an atmosphere that was completely opposite to the Japanese Angel.

A black dress and long straight hair, but with bangs cut straight across.

From that, every now and then, completely dead, hazy eyes could be seen.

Furthermore, her steps were consistently weak and listless, accompanied by a constant blank expression…

As if a doll were moving.

Every single element felt extremely creepy and bizarre.

‘N-Not a ghost, is she…?’

With a trembling heart, I watched the girl approach, and just like that, three angels gathered in one place.