Book 22 Chapter 9

Yeonbi Confessions

-I need money!

"Yunbi, are you okay? You've been looking a little off since we got off the boat. Are you feeling sick, maybe motion sickness?"

A million thoughts raced through his mind, and he lifted his head and turned toward the source of the voice. There it was, eyes filled with worry. It was Na Yerin. Na Yerin's normally expressionless face, the kind of face that could be called an ice sculpture, was now filled with worry, and it was a little heartening to realize that it was all directed at him.

"It's quite a treat to have Rin listen to that long of a worry."

Given Na Yerin's usual personality, this was an extraordinary response. It wasn't called Bingbai Peak for nothing.

"Well, is that so?"

Apparently, I didn't realize it.

"Sure, sure, sure. By the way, am I that badly complexioned?"

"Yes, very much."

"I'm worried about Rin… and maybe I'm not doing enough."

But it's too late to do anything about it.

"It's just that you haven't done this nursery rhyme thing in a long time, and you're not used to it yet, so don't worry, you'll be fine."

It wasn't until today that I was able to recapture the feeling of nursery rhymes that I had almost forgotten, and I wasn't happy about it at all.

"Whoa……."

She closed her eyes and began to breathe slowly and deeply.

To stabilize the wavering mind. The basic principle of controlling the body first and then controlling the mind based on that is exactly what he was doing, because the mind is formless, but the body is tangible. It is much easier to control something tangible than something intangible.

Soon his breathing quieted and his eyes stopped fluttering. The calm lake-like glow of his eyes returned.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"I think I've finally calmed down a bit."

"If you're worried about something, I think it's okay to share it with me, wouldn't that be lighter than carrying it alone?"

As much as I appreciated the gesture, this was something I had to take on myself. I didn't want to bring Na Yerin into this. It was only her fault she'd gotten involved in the first place. But the look in her eyes told him she had no intention of backing down.

"Yanbian, you reached out to me when I was in need, and I would be very happy if I could repay you in some small way, and I would be very disappointed if you deliberately cheated me out of that opportunity. To borrow a phrase from someone I know, it's a borrowing relationship, for sure! Don't pass up the opportunity to repay a debt when it arises!"

Of course, she knew the words, because they were her own words. She looked into Na Yerin's jewel-black eyes. They were telling her that she needed to hear her concerns somehow.

"What do I do?

To tell the truth? Or do we fudge?

Licensed or Unlicensed…….

At a critical juncture, it was Yeonbi.

"That's not something Lean can help you with, so I don't think you should listen to it."

Na Yerin wasn't convinced.

"What the hell is going on? I'm the one making that judgment. I don't think Yeonbi is a judgment call, and I'm sure he would have said so."

"Right?"

When your words come back to you, they lose their objectivity and universality, and you're tempted to make an exception for yourself, and Yeonbi isn't an exception, but you're discouraged from doing so.

'Because it's also cheating yourself…….'

It was so hard to pick up the pieces once they were broken. Once you start lying to yourself, there's no end to it. In anything, the first step is the most important. It's like coming from nothing to something. Once you become something, you can never go back to nothing again.

"I lose, Rin. Okay, I'll tell you, and I'll wait for your judgment."

"Okay, I'll listen."

"You don't have to get all emotional about it, it's all about money."

"Money problems?"

"Yeah, I'm suddenly in need of a lot of money, that kind of thing."

"……?"

It was a very vague problem to explain one by one.

"How much do you need, like, ten thousand?"

The Yeonbi smirked at that.

"No? Then……."

"Hmm," the Yeonbi replied after a moment of calculation.

"I don't know, maybe three hundred thousand?"

Yunbi laughed as she said it, but Na Yerin couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Yeonbi, uh, when did you get into so much debt? Did you get caught up with a rogue loan shark? Or a scam?"

At that, Yeonbi grinned bitterly.

"Ha, how I wish that were the case, because I wouldn't have to spend half a day figuring that out, and I wouldn't have to think about it, and I wouldn't get stuck in the first place."

The Yeonbi comment was a bit of a mouthful.

"Then what the hell is……?"

"Again, it's always a challenge to monetize something that's intangible, because you can't really weigh it with a dollar or two."

Na Yerin had never seen that look on Yunbi's face before, or since they'd reunited, and she realized that it wasn't just about money.

"Let me help you."

Na Yerin said, stepping forward.

"Lean?"

It was a very unexpected statement for a gas guzzler. She's always been so passive, but this was a surprise. I thought that if I told her it was about money, she would stop offering to help.

"I was once in your debt, and I'd be very happy if I could take this opportunity to repay you."

"Hmm……."

"Why, no?"

"No, I don't, and you'll be damned if I'm going to say that, I'm not the kind of person to fake a no."

Such pretentious and formalized specifications only hurt the feelings of others. If you want it, get it, and be grateful for it.

"If you can help me, I won't say no, but can I ask you to be thorough?"

"Sure."

Since I had already offered to help, I could only leave it in Yunbi's hands.

"Lean……."

"Why?"

Then Yeonbi smiled and said.

"You'll regret it soon enough."

Na Yerin's eyes widened like a startled bird.

"And……."

Yunbi held Na Yerin's hand tightly.

"Thank you."

Na Yerin smiled softly at the warmth of his hand on hers. It was the smile of an icy white peak, more precious than gold.