Chapter 129
Yuji of Meteo thanked me several times before leaving.
Han Yu-na looked at me as if fascinated.
"Why?"
"You're pretty blunt, Mr. Noah."
"Huh? About what?"
"Both with the director earlier and with Yuji just now, you told them that someone close to them would betray them."
"Yes."
"Wouldn't that be unpleasant to hear from the listener's perspective?"
"Well, I suppose it would."
"Don't you think they might distrust you or show their displeasure?"
It could happen.
Han Yu-na's worried gaze was the look of someone afraid I might suffer serious harm after reading the fortune of a madman.
"There are many people who dislike insulting or offending someone close to them, even when what you say is true."
She must have had an experience like that.
Han Yu-na said this in a bitter voice.
"It happened at my company, too."
The subordinate had clearly shown signs of betrayal.
Even so, the boss who kept that subordinate around insisted it would never happen, and was eventually betrayed.
"Even though I had solid evidence, that's what happened."
"Is that so?"
"Yes... How do people trust and follow what you say so readily, Mr. Noah?"
Who knows?
I found it difficult to answer Han Yu-na's question, too.
Should I call it Wind Release: Mouth Jutsu?
But that alone wouldn't really answer her...
"Everyone lies. That's why we naturally suspect one another. Especially when it concerns our own interests."
"Really?"
"Yes. No matter how true what someone says is, people become suspicious if it threatens their interests. They think, 'He's lying to cause problems for my interests.'"
"Hmm..."
"The reason that person at your company didn't believe you is probably that it conflicted with that person's interests."
"...I suppose so. If it became known that his subordinate was going to betray him, he might get a poor performance review for failing to manage his subordinate..."
"Yes. But I'm different."
I have nothing to do with other people's interests.
Whether they believe me or not, I neither gain nor lose anything.
Maybe that's why people trust my words more.
"So don't be too disappointed over it."
"...."
Han Yu-na thought people didn't trust what she said because they hated her.
That wasn't it.
It was simply a matter of interests.
"In life, you're bound to meet all kinds of people. Some will trust you, and others will be suspicious."
"......"
"I told you before, didn't I? You can't be loved by everyone in the world."
"Yeees..."
"Isn't it enough for the people you like to trust you?"
Han Yu-na moved her full lips.
She seemed to have something she wanted to say, but couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Haha. Are you wondering whether I trust you, Ms. Yu-na?"
"...H-How did you know?"
A blush appeared on her fair face.
She fidgeted shyly, and I smiled as I took her hand.
"Of course I do. If I didn't trust you, Ms. Yu-na, who would I trust?"
".....!!"
Her body stiffened.
Her eyes trembled.
But she didn't pull her hand away.
-Knock, knock.
Just then, I heard a knock at the door.
"I'm all ready. May I come in?"
"Yes~."
"Hello. I'm the hairstylist assigned to Mr. Kang Noah today... Oh my."
The hairstylist was startled when she saw Han Yu-na and me holding hands.
Then, with a knowing smile, she said to Han Yu-na,
"Yu-naaa~. Is that why you rented a room, so you could hold hands with your boyfriend like this?"
"Ah, no!!"
She cried out with her face bright red. She was quite cute.
.
.
.
"Eh... Is this me...?"
I had my hair styled and my makeup done.
Technically, I didn't look all that different, but the stylist and Han Yu-na, who was watching from the side, were so impressed that I offered a few words.
"Mr. Kang Noah. You said you're twenty this year, right?"
"Yes."
"Maybe it's because you're young, but your skin is so nice. I'm jealous~."
"Aw, why are you so jealous? You're young too."
You're still in your thirties.
There are so many people who even shout that life begins at sixty.
"No, no. Maybe it's because I'm really getting old these days, but I get rejected a lot even when I go on blind dates."
"Really?"
"Yes. I went on a blind date a few days ago and got rejected for being too old. Sigh. Maybe I'm destined to live alone forever."
The stylist spoke casually, but there was sadness in her voice.
I held out a card.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Oh my. Are you going to read my fortune?"
"Turn it over."
She gently turned the card over.
"You have a blind date next week, don't you?"
"Yes!"
"You're going to like him very much."
"Y-Yes. He really seemed like a good person from his picture."
"He is, in fact, a decent man."
"Really?!"
"Yes. But it will be difficult for things to work out with him."
"Why?! B-Be honest, aren't I pretty?"
Her face was anxious.
The hairstylist was, honestly, quite pretty herself.
Though she was a little older.
Still, if she dressed up a little more, she had a mature charm different from women in their twenties, so she wouldn't be at a disadvantage next to them.
There was only one reason things wouldn't work out.
"Don't play games like acting hot and cold, or whatever you usually do. You know how hard it is to land a decent man in his thirties, right?"
If you push them away, they'll stay away.
They won't come running just because you pull them in, either.
They've firmly established their own spheres, and whether a woman gets caught up in that process is simply a matter of chance.
"So if you want things to work out with him, you need to make a serious move."
"Seriously..."
"Yes. Don't think about the consequences."
"Will that alone be enough?"
"Most men don't treat a woman who likes them badly. Besides, you're pretty, aren't you? You have a great figure too. Your fashion sense isn't bad, and your job isn't bad either."
"...Th-Thank you for seeing me that way."
"So give it a proper try."
The stylist thought for a moment and nodded.
And so, the future changed.
"Make a serious move..."
Han Yu-na murmured beside me, but it wasn't important, so I let it slide.
"Anyway, are we done with this?"
"Uh, yes. Hmm... As expected."
Han Yu-na looked me up and down, examining me from every angle, then nodded with satisfaction.
"You really do look great."
"Hahaha."
"You'd hold your own anywhere. Hmm. If you dressed like this all the time... Ah, never mind."
"Yes?"
"Y-You already look so handsome, I'm worried even more women will flock to you if you dress like this..."
That was taking it too far.
Anyway, Han Yu-na was quite satisfied.
That was all that mattered.
"It's getting late, so shall we go get something to eat? My treat."
"Uh... I was planning to pay for everything today."
"I just want to do something for you too, Ms. Yu-na."
She was delighted to hear that.
But she wouldn't budge on paying, so I decided to pay the next time we met.
The stylist approached Han Yu-na and said quietly,
"Mr. Kang Noah really likes you, doesn't he?"
"...We're just close friends."
"Oh, please. There's no such thing as friendship between a man and a woman. I don't even have any male friends. They all confessed to me when I was young."
At her words, Han Yu-na's face burned bright red.
I wished the stylist wouldn't tease her so much.
Although Han Yu-na was older than me.
"Let's go."
"Y-Yes!!"
I led the stiff Han Yu-na out of the salon.
Even though we'd hardly done anything, it was already six in the evening.
"What would you like to eat?"
"Anything you want is fine with me, Mr. Noah."
To me, "anything" meant either a hamburger or pizza.
I had a hamburger yesterday, so...
"Then shall we have pizza?"
"Pizza? Yes~. I know a nice restaurant."
The place we arrived at in Han Yu-na's car was a rather high-end Italian restaurant.
No, I'd just meant Korean-style pizza.
I liked the kind of pizza that would make an Italian gnash their teeth in righteous fury and vomit blood from all seven orifices.
But since Han Yu-na had brought me here so confidently, it felt awkward to say so.
"The pizza here is really good. Look forward to it, Mr. Noah."
"Yep."
"They have plenty besides pizza, so feel free to order whatever you want. My treat."
"Haha. Thanks."
I went into the restaurant with Han Yu-na.
It was an incredibly fancy restaurant.
Everything from the decorations to the wine displayed at the entrance.
"Welcome, Ms. Han Yu-na. And... Oh, my. Aren't you Mr. Kang Noah?"
A star chef who had appeared on television several times had come out to welcome Han Yu-na.
He was quite pleased to see me and offered me a handshake.
"I've heard so much about you, Mr. Kang Noah. It's a true honor to have such an incredible person visit my restaurant."
"Thank you for saying that."
"I'd like to serve you a meal that will satisfy you, sir. Please, come inside."
Guided by him, we went inside.
After we sat and waited, the menu arrived.
Hmm... This is in Korean, so why can't I tell what any of these dishes are?
"It's Italian cuisine. The Gorgonzola and Margherita pizzas here are good."
"Oh..."
"Shall we order pasta and steak as well?"
"Yes. I don't know much about this, so I'll leave it to you, Ms. Yu-na."
"Hehe. All right."
We placed our order.
Once the chef went back inside, she ordered wine.
"Huh? What are you going to do about driving?"
"It's for you, Mr. Noah, not me. Grape juice is fine for me."
She really did order grape juice separately and began sipping it.
"Haha. You're not trying to get me drunk, are you?"
I said this with a laugh as I took a sip of wine.
Because Han Yu-na liked jokes like that.
"......"
Why isn't she answering?