Chapter 10
“Are you really going to believe what that girl says, Hyung?”
While Baek I-hae had stepped into her room to grab her bag, Seo-yeol whispered the question to his brother. Inside the elevator, where no one else could overhear, Baek I-hae’s words had caught them off guard—completely unexpected.
Chae Ryeong, the woman who had been by Seo I-heum’s side, serving him loyally even before Seo-yeol was born.
And Baek I-hae had warned that she was dangerous.
“Dunno,” Seo Do-gyeom replied vaguely.
“You’re an idiot, Hyung,” Seo-yeol shot back.
Seo Do-gyeom looked down at him, his face a mix of confusion and curiosity. But Seo-yeol only sighed, offering no further explanation.
‘The fact that he even listened to her without brushing it off is already so unlike him,’ Seo-yeol thought, frustrated. It was a pity that, among the three of them, only he seemed to realize this.
Meanwhile, Baek I-hae, having grabbed her bag, stepped out with a lighter heart than before. She opened the door to find the Seo brothers waiting quietly for her.
‘I can’t explain why, but Chae Ryeong feels dangerous. I told them it feels like I’d get killed if I were alone with her—crazy as that sounds, and they actually listened.’
Honestly, she’d expected them to dismiss her or snap at her for bad-mouthing someone as close as family. To them, Baek I-hae was just an outsider, so she hadn’t dared to hope for anything more. That’s why, when Seo Do-gyeom had listened quietly and then nodded with a simple “Alright,” she’d felt an overwhelming urge to run up and hug him.
“Let’s go,” Seo Do-gyeom said, his face still as stoic as ever, signaling it was time to head to school. Seo-yeol, hands shoved arrogantly in his pockets, turned away but didn’t walk off on his own.
Seeing the two of them waiting for her, Baek I-hae broke into a silly grin.
“Okay!” she chirped.
She blinked in surprise, looking up at Seo Do-gyeom, who had unexpectedly waited for her. Up close, his usually guarded face seemed to shine with a rare, striking warmth today.
‘He’s not some thug yet, and even if he’s not great at showing emotions, maybe he’s actually a decent guy?’
Not that she thought of him as boyfriend material or anything, but she couldn’t help wondering if this was what having a reliable older brother might feel like. Before being transported into this body, Baek I-hae had been an orphan, always envying those with parents or siblings. She used to watch kids walking hand-in-hand with their brothers or sisters, filled with a quiet longing for that kind of bond.
“…!”
Cautiously, she glanced at Seo Do-gyeom before tentatively reaching out to grasp just the tips of his fingers. Not his whole hand—just the very ends of his fingers! It was such a delicate gesture, she hoped he wouldn’t even notice.
But then, worried she’d overstepped, she stammered, “I-Is that okay? I mean, it’s not weird or anything, it’s just… you feel kind of like a big brother, and I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable…!”
Misinterpreting Seo Do-gyeom’s gaze, Baek I-hae’s face fell, and she began babbling excuses. Yet, even as she spoke, she didn’t let go of his fingers, fidgeting nervously. Seo-yeol, walking ahead, glanced back and his eyes nearly popped out of his head, as if they might roll right out onto the ground.
“Hey! Are you seriously flirting with my brother right now?! Oh, this is rich! What a joke! Trying to pull some femme fatale act, huh?!” he shouted.
“Didn’t you call me a pumpkin head earlier?!” Baek I-hae retorted, her mouth agape, realizing her actions might have been misunderstood.
“Enough. We’re late, so let’s move,” Seo Do-gyeom cut in before their bickering could escalate. He started walking, not shaking off Baek I-hae’s hand but letting her hold on as is.
Startled, Baek I-hae hurried to keep up with him, her steps quick and small. “Is it really okay to hold your hand?” she asked.
“Do whatever you want,” he replied flatly.
“Whoa, you’re secretly kind of nice, aren’t you? I swear, there’s no ulterior motive! So don’t worry!” she said, her voice bright with relief.
[Baby Gangster, Seo Do-gyeom declares he has no interest in the side character’s ulterior motives.]
[Baby Gangster, Seo Do-gyeom perceives the side character as trivial yet somehow stirring protective instincts.]
‘This jerk. I thought he was a decent guy, and he’s thinking stuff like that behind my back? Trivial and stirring protective instincts—what’s that supposed to mean?!’
Still, in this unsettling house, holding the hand of the one person she could somewhat trust brought an undeniable sense of relief. Though his inner thoughts, revealed through the status window, irked her, Baek I-hae decided to let it slide with magnanimous generosity.
Of course, walking to school like that, hand in hand, drew sidelong glances and odd looks from students in matching uniforms. But Baek I-hae, who lived by the motto “It’s not my real body, so who cares?” and Seo Do-gyeom, who never paid attention to others’ opinions, made it possible to shrug off the stares.
Seo-yeol, meanwhile, had ditched them halfway, probably too embarrassed to be seen together.
‘Speaking of Seo-yeol, I didn’t realize he was a middle schooler. He’s so tiny I assumed he was in elementary school.’
Compared to the towering Seo I-heum and Seo Do-gyeom, the kid was pitifully small. Baek I-hae secretly felt sorry for him. As the classroom came into view, she let go of Seo Do-gyeom’s hand. His gaze followed her.
“The kids in class might get the wrong idea, so I’ll let go here.”
“Do whatever you want.”
He nodded indifferently and headed to his seat. Following behind, Baek I-hae felt a bit of her unease melt away, enough to muster a small smile.
‘I guess I’ve been more stressed than I realized. I mean, it’s only natural—dying out of nowhere without knowing why would make anyone feel cheated.’
She’d heard physical touch could ease anxious feelings, and it seemed true. Baek I-hae resolved to hold Seo Do-gyeom’s hand now and then, even if she held back in the classroom, and hummed a little tune to herself.
What she didn’t know, however, was what her classmates were whispering.
‘Are they dating?’
‘Totally dating.’
‘I-hae’s pretty and gets good grades—why’s she with that gloomy guy…?’
Unbeknownst to her, she and Seo Do-gyeom had already been branded the class’s official couple.
***
Several days passed.
Fearing Chai Ryeong might show up again, Baek I-hae clung to Seo Do-gyeom’s side like someone with an obsession, except when she slept. During breaks, she’d barge into his room where he studied, flop onto his bed to nap, and trail after him whenever he moved. And ever since he’d given his permission, she’d grab his hand at every opportunity, no matter the time or place.
“Gasp…!”
The sight of this left the organization members gaping in shock each time, a spectacle Baek I-hae found endlessly amusing.
‘But Seo Do-gyeom doesn’t even seem to care, does he? The guy’s indifferent to everything.’
Seo-yeol still acted displeased, but since Seo Do-gyeom had allowed it, he kept his mouth shut. On closer inspection, despite his cheeky attitude, Seo-yeol followed Seo I-heum and Seo Do-gyeom’s orders like a loyal dog.
Another person was surprised by the drastic change in their dynamic.
“…You two have gotten pretty close.”
It happened when Baek I-hae was trailing Seo Do-gyeom to the kitchen, clutching his finger as he went to get water. Seo I-heum, passing through the hallway, caught sight of them and gave an odd look.
Truth be told, Baek I-hae had been quietly worried he might scold her for tarnishing the image of the organization’s heir. But when he turned away after that comment, as if his business was done, she let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.
‘Oh, right! Constant vigilance mode!’
It suddenly hit her that she hadn’t ambushed Seo I-heum lately. Letting go of Seo Do-gyeom’s hand, oblivious to his gaze following her, she tiptoed quickly toward Seo I-heum, muffling her footsteps.
But just as she reached him, he turned abruptly, and she crashed face-first into his chest!
Rubbing her nose with a groan, Baek I-hae glanced up as Seo I-heum looked down at her, calling Seo Do-gyeom in a low voice.
“Seo Do-gyeom.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Keep a tighter leash on her.”
Seo I-heum’s gaze landed squarely on Baek I-hae.
It was only natural that Baek I-hae, who had been rubbing her nose with teary eyes, widened them in shock.
“A leash? Sir, I’m not some rabid dog!”
“Who’d compare you to a rabid dog?”
His expression was one of genuine disbelief, and as if on cue, the status window chimed in, eagerly delivering its messages.
[Little Gangster Seo Do-gyeom empathizes. He thinks a small, timid rabbit or hamster suits you better.]
[Little Gangster Seo Do-gyeom revises his thought. Given how much you eat, he’s certain you’re a baby pig.]
Ugh, that jerk Seo Do-gyeom!
Baek I-hae’s face twisted into a scowl, but it seemed Seo I-heum was no longer in the mood to indulge her antics.
With those final words, he walked away, leaving Baek I-hae to let out a heavy sigh.
“…It’ll be fine, right?”
She hadn’t fully warmed up to him yet, but she didn’t want her handsome, wealthy patron to die.
She could only hope her little scheme had worked.
And then, in the early hours of that morning…
Baek I-hae, snoring softly in her sleep, jolted awake at the blaring sound of the status window ringing in her mind.
As if it had been waiting, the status window flashed before her bleary eyes, one message after another.
[Sub-Quest Success!
‘Raise Seo I-heum’s favorability! Change his doomed future.’ You have perfectly completed the quest.
Rewards have been granted:
‘Seo I-heum’s favorability +10, Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability +1, Seo-yeol’s favorability –100’]
“What does this mean? Was he about to die just now?”
It was 2:44 a.m. The thought that Seo I-heum had nearly died while she slept sent a shiver through her entire body.
Her sleepiness vanished in an instant.
[Additional rewards have been granted:
‘Seo I-heum’s favorability +40, Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability +4, Seo-yeol’s trust +10’]
Before she could even process the first message, another status window appeared. Additional rewards, no less.
Even in the midst of this, Seo Do-gyeom’s stingy favorability increase stood out.
“…At least it’s a relief. He didn’t die.”
She exhaled a sigh of relief, ready to drift back to sleep, when the golden reward window vanished.
In its place, a new status window appeared, its stark red text glaring vividly before her.
[!Warning!
Baekyeong Clan’s Action Captain, Cha I-ryeong, has become aware of Baek I-hae’s existence.]
[!Warning!
Baekyeong Clan’s Leader, ??, has become aware of Baek I-hae’s existence.]
The warnings crashed over her like a tidal wave, giving her no time to savor the additional rewards.
