Chapter 19: The Octopus, The Photo Op, and The Peculiar Affection

“The sun isn’t rising in the west tomorrow, is it? It can’t. The Earth will be ruined.”

“Ah, can you be quiet for a bit? I can’t concentrate.”

“This is really something. Mr. Lee Doha developing all his specialties. But you’re going to use your magic like that when you go? You’ll get rich.”

“Enough.”

“Let me see.”

Kim Yoon-hye quickly picked up the photographic paper. She was visibly disappointed.

“What is this supposed to be? It’s completely a spirit photograph.”

“It’s my first time trying this. I’m doing well enough. Why are you so disappointed?”

Kim Yoon-hye ignored Lee Doha’s grumbling and peered intently at the photographic paper. Only a faint human form was discernible on the white sheet.

The figure had long, golden hair, a neat jawline, and very distinct features. The prominent facial bone structure suggested an incredibly handsome person, yet the overall image remained unrecognizable.

It looked as if water had been splashed over a beautifully drawn picture. Then, it had been carefully wiped away, blurring the details.

“Come to think of it, Mr. Lee Doha, I don’t think this will work.”

“Why now?”

“Of course, given your unique specialty, it’s not entirely impossible. This might sound strange, but while it’s possible, you won’t be like Alkiora.”

“Alkiora possessed ‘perfect recall,’ didn’t they? Whether that was even a specialty or not is still debated, but regardless, Alkiora could reproduce images precisely because they remembered them so accurately.”

“Alkiora’s specialty is ‘retained memory.’ Quite literally, ‘memory.’ It’s not about printing or psychic photography. But you, Mr. Lee Doha, are different. Do you understand what I mean?”

Lee Doha sat sullenly, saying nothing. Essentially, it wasn’t that his specialty for reproducing images on photographic paper was lacking.

Rather, the image he needed to print wasn’t clearly etched in his mind to begin with.

“…Then I’ll just take a picture of them in person, and bring it back.”

“You can’t bring anything back from Oz, though.”

“I can just take paper with me.”

“It’ll probably get distorted on the way back…”

Kim Yoon-hye shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, you could always try it with your specialty, Mr. Lee Doha.”

“Tsk.”

“Your honey stir-fried webfoot octopus set has arrived.”

Just then, a waiter arrived with their food. He set down a glistening gorgonzola pizza and a sizzling hot plate piled high with stir-fried webfoot octopus and bean sprouts.

After lighting the burner and placing their drinks, the waiter hesitated, not leaving immediately. Lee Doha, who had been watching Kim Yoon-hye disconsolately mix the octopus, finally looked up.

“Excuse me, are you perhaps Mr. Lee Doha?”

“Ah, yes.”

‘Is this someone I know? A high school friend I’ve forgotten, perhaps? A college acquaintance?’ Lee Doha, somewhat flustered, scrutinized the waiter.

“I’m sorry, but would it be possible to take a photo?”

“A photo?” he repeated.

“Ah, not right now, of course. After you’ve finished your meal, the manager asked me to inquire if you wouldn’t mind taking a picture with them…”

The poor part-timer blushed, unsure of what to do. So, this was that kind of situation.

A ‘celebrity ‘– a photo op where a celebrity has visited, smiling together for a picture and signing it to be hung on the wall.

Lee Doha stared blankly for a moment, wondering what this was all about. Seeing the part-timer’s increasingly pitiful expression, he eventually said, “Alright.”

With a delighted face, the part-timer expertly mixed the webfoot octopus stir-fry that Kim Yoon-hye had been poking at, then returned to their duties.

“You’ve become a celebrity.”

“I haven’t been on TV or anything.”

“Oh, Mr. Lee Doha, everyone already knew your face, one way or another. You’re so frugal and uninterested in worldly affairs. Didn’t you know about all the commotion over your mediated magic that finally led to a bill passing?”

Of course he knew. How could he not, with all the uproar and commotion?

For a long time, it was the only topic on TV, the internet, and every news outlet. Naturally, reporters swarmed him, and for a considerable period, there wasn’t a single quiet day.

Even Lee Doha’s mother, who used to scold him, hitting his back and saying he’d become a lazy cow if he used abilities like ‘Leap’ as casually as eating, had reached a point where she’d tell him, “Just try using it.”

While proud of his son, his father’s serious advice carried more worry from a parent’s perspective. ‘Be careful with your words and actions in all matters,’ he had cautioned, ‘as many eyes are watching.’

‘People’s hearts are like smoke; you never know when or how they might scatter or twist. Don’t be swayed.’

Lee Doha truly didn’t know how to react. His parents, too, were devoid of any desire for fame.

“It would probably be better to properly establish yourself and give an interview.”

“The Bridge agency was actually talking about that. But, Ms. Kim Yoon-hye, did it have to be webfoot octopus?”

Pizza is pizza, and webfoot octopus is webfoot octopus. What on earth is pizza and webfoot octopus together? It was such an unfamiliar and ill-suited combination, yet his gaze kept returning to the octopus. ‘Holy whale… crazy.’

“You said you’d buy me dinner. I wanted this.”

“Oh, right… eat a lot.”

The webfoot octopus, sizzling on the hot plate with bean sprouts and other vegetables, certainly looked appetizing. Yet, Lee Doha felt no appetite whatsoever.

He simply picked up a slice of pizza. The creamy cheese, baked to a golden brown, was incredibly glossy.

The cheese stretched long as he lifted it. After loosely wrapping it around his chopsticks and dipping it in honey, it was moist and sweet. ‘Is there pizza in Oz?’ Lee Doha wondered idly. ‘It’s just flour and cheese; it should be easy enough to make there.’

“But Mr. Lee Doha, at first you acted like he was your enemy. It seems different now that you’ve actually met your contractor. Last time, when I told you to learn how to draw, you were indifferent.”

“Ms. Kim Yoon-hye.”

“Yes?”

Lee Doha, chewing on his gorgonzola, asked, “Was I always a sucker for good looks?”

“Of course.”

At the immediate reply, Lee Doha lifted his head. This time, Kim Yoon-hye was the one who seemed indifferent. Her attitude suggested such a useless question wasn’t even worth considering.

“Humans are all suckers for good looks, naturally.”

Lee Doha remained silent.

Normally, he would have scoffed, but this time, Lee Doha was rather serious. A powerful feeling suggested that it might actually be true.

It wasn’t for nothing that ancient beauties like Xi Shi, Yang Guifei, and Cleopatra were still famous. Even now, don’t people rave about beautiful and handsome celebrities?

That’s right. Humans are said to be most susceptible to visual stimuli, so it’s only natural to be drawn to beauty. Moreover, for someone like Siohan, anyone would react the same way.

Meanwhile, Kim Yoon-hye turned off the burner and scooped a large spoonful of the stir-fried webfoot octopus onto her rice, mixing it thoroughly. As the red sauce blended perfectly with the sticky rice, she sprinkled some seaweed flakes over it.

“Of course, Emperor Orphenos is your contractor, Mr. Lee Doha, so you’d naturally feel attachment and affection, making it even more pronounced.”

“Even if it had been a squid, you would have felt affection. But if they’re so beautiful that people call them a miracle, there’s no need to say anything more, is there?”

“…Oh, right. It’s a relief it’s not a squid…”

He wasn’t sure if it was truly a relief or not. ‘At least if it were a squid, I wouldn’t be this troubled,’ he mused. Lee Doha replied with a sigh.

Kim Yoon-hye tilted her head. “You don’t seem very pleased.”

“I’m not pleased.”

“Why?”

Lee Doha remained silent.

“You know that the psychology of your contractor naturally falls under your personal research, Mr. Lee Doha. Why are you suddenly being so reserved about it?”

Kim Yoon-hye said nonchalantly, preparing to shovel a large mouthful of webfoot octopus fried rice into her mouth. Lee Doha hadn’t intended to adopt a serious posture or speak gravely.

However, with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, speaking as if casually remarking on the cold weather, it truly felt like an insignificant matter.

“It’s just… strange.”

“What is?”

“It feels fine when I’m there, but looking back, it’s strange.”

“So, what exactly is strange?”

“…My actions.”

Ugh. The memory resurfaced just as he tried to speak. Heat rushed to his face.

Lee Doha buried his face in his hands. Trapped by his own breath, his face grew even hotter.

Unable to bear it, he stomped his foot. The moment he clenched his fist, as if to punch something, his specialty activated.

CRACK!

A sound echoed. Lee Doha lifted his head. The stainless steel water cup on the table was crumpled like a ball.

Lee Doha was speechless.

“You’re paying for that. Stop messing around and just tell me.”

Kim Yoon-hye said indifferently, casually pushing the cup aside, showing little surprise. However, her rougher tone suggested she was somewhat annoyed. She clearly thought he was being overly dramatic.

Lee Doha cleared his throat unnecessarily, then set down the gorgonzola he’d unconsciously crumpled. He leaned back against the chair’s backrest, his appetite completely gone.

Looking out the window, he saw a damp rain falling. It was the first rain in a long while.

The sky was dark, and raindrops beaded on the window, tracing paths as they streamed down. ‘Will it rain in Oz too?’ The thought suddenly crossed his mind.

“It’s literally just strange. I keep doing things I wouldn’t normally do… but in the moment, I don’t realize anything is off. It’s only when I come back and think about it that I wonder why I acted that way.”

Lee Doha simply admitted it. He liked Siohan. There was no other way to explain it than to say he truly liked him.

Before even reaching identity questions like ‘Am I gay?’ or ‘Is he a man?’, it was just… like that. He felt attachment and affection. There was no other way to express it.

The time spent with Siohan was wonderful, and the time they couldn’t be together was regrettable. He had clearly been disappointed when Siohan said he had to return. That last summoning had been a week and three days ago.