Chapter 44: Clear up a misunderstanding.

The Chinese Angel, who got out of the car.

A tall girl, looking like a high school student, whose appearance clearly screamed “Chinese Angel,” took a step.

Thump, thump.

She approached Lee Hyejin without hesitation.

As if asking for an item left in her care, she extended a hand, still smiling with her eyes.

“Give it.”

What came out of her mouth was a very strong and short phrase.

Because of it, Lee Hyejin, who momentarily couldn’t understand the meaning of her words, tilted her head.

“Excuse me…?”

At that, the Chinese Angel nodded her head, pointing at the Angel, and spoke again.

“That, give it.”

“…….”

That’s right, what the Chinese Angel was referring to was the Korean Angel.

Even though they were of the same species, she was very naturally treating the Angel almost like an object.

‘Oh, no, this…! Does she think our Angel is some kind of object!?’

Naturally, Lee Hyejin’s mood instantly soured, and she frowned deeply.

No matter that the other person was an Angel, she felt this was wrong and was about to retort sharply when….

“… Hey, stop doing pointless things and just give it to her.”

Park Gyutae spoke from beside her at a perfect timing.

It was as if he completely understood what Lee Hyejin was thinking and what she was about to do.

Thanks to him, Lee Hyejin was able to regain her composure, which she had momentarily lost.

However, she felt quite displeased as it seemed Park Gyutae was taking the Chinese Angel’s side.

For that reason, as she subtly glared at Park Gyutae….

“Uh-oh?”

The Angel, who was nestled in her arms, floated gently into the air in the same posture.

She naturally flew towards the Chinese Angel.

The Korean Angel’s slightly flustered expression was visible.

But, as expected, she didn’t show any particular resistance.

The Chinese Angel examined the Korean Angel from various angles.

She spoke as if appraising an item.

“Yes, as I heard, she’s certainly small and cute.”

Then, she poked her cheek with her index finger.

“But why is this so quiet? Is it dead?”

At that sight, Lee Hyejin felt immense anger.

Though there was nothing she could really do.

Still, the Chinese Angel’s way of constantly treating the Angel as an object was incredibly irritating to her.

‘She keeps referring to the Angel as ‘this’…?’

As she gnashed her teeth in frustration.

Park Gyutae quietly whispered from beside her again.

“I’m telling you now, don’t do anything pointless. It’s for the Angel’s sake.”

Likewise, Lee Hyejin replied in a small voice.

“Honestly, I’ve never done anything pointless, have I? Rather, aren’t you bothered seeing that, Senior?”

“…… Then, what are we going to do? We just have to endure it. I told you not to follow me for that reason.”

“I don’t want to! No one can separate me from the Angel.”

Lee Hyejin unilaterally ended the conversation and sharply turned her head.

‘Why is he suddenly like this?’

What Park Gyutae just said, “not to follow me,” was the reason they had fought fiercely before she came to China.

Strangely, Park Gyutae had suddenly and unilaterally informed her from the lab to stay in Korea.

Naturally, Lee Hyejin had no intention of doing so, which led to the fight.

‘Did he eat something wrong?’

She kept grumbling inwardly.

And so, they arrived at the Chinese Angel’s dwelling.

“Huh….”

A massive building that could be called a palace.

‘W-wow, China really does have a different scale….’

She unwittingly admired it and stepped inside.

The Chinese Angel, said to be the second Angel to awaken in the world.

In a word, she was the second of our Angels.

She certainly felt quite different from the Japanese or American Angels I had seen.

Beyond just her much taller and more mature appearance.

Perhaps it was that she had firmly adapted to human culture?

Anyway, the more I observed her, the easier it was to feel that she was very accustomed to many aspects.

For instance, even when just drinking a beverage.

When the Japanese Angel and I weren’t given a choice, we generally just accepted whatever was given.

“Coffee, not cloudy, with beans that aren’t acidic.”

The Chinese Angel, however, would make specific orders like this.

‘I never even did that when I was human….’

Because of that, I lay on the bed in the Chinese Angel’s incredibly large room, almost three times the size of my lab room, and blankly observed her, feeling a sense of wonder.

Whoosh-

She, who was sitting in an antique table chair, suddenly stared fixedly at me.

Then, she asked the person nearby, who seemed to be a care staff member, stationed like an ornament.

“Why isn’t that moving?”

As expected, it was a tone that treated me like an object, consistently from our first meeting.

Of course, I had heard that Angels were somewhat like that….

‘Still, this is a bit….’

No, I specially came because she wanted to see me.

Why is she treating me like this…?

Naturally, I felt a subtle emotion from her actions.

The man who received the question cautiously replied.

“The Korean Angel is usually quiet….”

“Hmm? But the video I saw wasn’t like this?”

“Ah, that…….”

“Enough, I want that state. You figure it out and make it happen.”

“… Yes?”

The man looked at the Chinese Angel, flustered.

Then she murmured softly, smiling with her eyes.

“Make it happen.”

“Ah… Ahh! Yes, yes! Understood…!”

The man nodded frantically several times.

He seemed to have endured a lot of hardship normally.

Watching him, I couldn’t help but feel that he was truly struggling.

Clink.

Anyway, the coffee arrived just in time.

I was left alone, so I took the opportunity to indulge in a leisurely nap.

“…….”

“…….”

At that, Park Gyutae sighed deeply in his heart, feeling uncomfortable.

He was currently sitting on a sofa in what could be called a waiting room, or a reception room, with Lee Hyejin and three translators.

In fact, it might be a bit childish, but the two of them were sitting far apart at opposite ends of the sofa.

Because of that, Park Gyutae felt a little self-reproachful about them acting like this as adults.

As he pondered whether or not to apologize first, he heard a ‘knock, knock’ sound.

Click.

The door was, of course, opened by a Chinese individual.

As soon as Lee Hyejin saw him, she immediately flared up.

“Hey! How could you isolate me from the Angel when I’m her care staff! Do you want to fing die!?”

“…… Uh, excuse me… you’re not asking me to translate that, are you?”

The translator who had come with them from Korea, hearing that, broke out in a cold sweat beside her.

However, should one call this funny? Or astonishing?

The overseas care staff, as if there was a preference for Korean speakers during employment.

The Chinese man naturally replied in Korean instead of the translator.

“You should be grateful, as we saved her.”

“W-what? Grateful my ass! Why should I be grateful!?”

Lee Hyejin was slightly flustered by the absurd remark.

The man snorted and retorted.

“Then, do you wish to live in China forever? We, for one, would welcome it.”

“… What in the world are you talking about?”

“These are the precautions for attending to our Angel.”

“Huh? But you didn’t even send them!”

“Of course. All information about our Angel is confidential.”

“What… what is it…?”

Lee Hyejin stared blankly at him, speechless.

Then she muttered softly.

“…… His tone is annoying.”

“What did you just say?”

“… Nothing. Anyway, what do you want to say? That I shouldn’t expect to see her unless I’m prepared to live in China?”

“To put it simply, yes, if you don’t have that much resolve.”

“Ah, sht, his tone is annoying.”

“?”

“Ah, my mistake.”

“…….”

At Lee Hyejin’s blunt criticism, the man frowned slightly.

Then he sighed deeply and continued.

“I understand your frustration, but we don’t do this because we want to. Since the Angel whose desire is avarice wants it, what can lowly humans do?”

“…….”

“Anyway, for that reason, we hope for your cooperation.”

Even though Lee Hyejin pressed her lips together in annoyance.

The man shamelessly continued to speak.

Seeing him, Lee Hyejin tilted her head, wondering what he was going to say.

“Cooperation?”

“That’s right, cooperation. We intend to revert the Korean Angel to the state before her desire manifested.”

And at the man’s completely unexpected words.

Park Gyutae and Lee Hyejin’s eyes simultaneously widened as if they would pop out.

“W-what do you mean by that?”

Park Gyutae immediately asked.

“Just as I said.”

“T-then, is there a way to revert her!?”

“No, we don’t know yet. That’s why we’re asking for your cooperation.”

“Ah, ahh….”

Park Gyutae sighed deeply, disappointment wrapping around his entire body.

Lee Hyejin watched him curiously and asked.

“… Senior, did you hear anything more from Choi Eunju?”

“… Huh? What did I hear? No, that was the end of what we heard together.”

“Lies.”

“What? Seriously, it’s not a lie.”

“Ha… then why have you been like this since then?”

“… What?”

At Park Gyutae’s puzzled expression.

This time, Lee Hyejin sighed deeply and said.

“No, you’re all serious again by yourself, acting like you’re burdened and contemplating every single worry.”

“W-when did I ever…!?”

“Now! Now! Ah, just tell me already! What in the world is bothering you!? I swear, I’m so frustrated I feel like I’m going to die!”

“…….”

Lee Hyejin stared at him with narrow eyes.

At that sight, Park Gyutae hesitated for a moment before replying.

“Well… that’s… at that time, after hearing the director’s story, I realized. When you think about it, the Angel’s desire manifesting is because of us….”

“Because of us?”

“Yes, the Angel….”

Park Gyutae was about to continue explaining, but Lee Hyejin cut him off.

“Ah… excuse me. I roughly know what you’re trying to say. But don’t express it as ‘because of us.'”

“……?”

“Did the Angel do it by force or something? Just as much as we like her, the Angel cherishes us too. To say it like that is actually disrespectful.”

“…….”

Park Gyutae pressed his lips together, unable to say anything.

“Tsk. I thought it was something serious. Always making a big deal out of nothing….”

Of course, Lee Hyejin, full of complaints, mumbled to herself for a long time.

Then she asked Park Gyutae, who had become speechless, again.

“But, in the end, why did you tell me to stay in Korea?”

“… That? Hmm… well… to be honest?”

“Yes? Please do.”

“Of course, it was because I was afraid you’d do something pointless again and cause the Angel to use her abilities….”

“…… Wh-what! No, I’m not that bad!”

“Yes, you are. Earlier outside too….”

Park Gyutae’s cold evaluation and analysis continued.

At that, this time it was Lee Hyejin who became silent.