Chapter 28 - Oppa, Thanks for the Gift!

With Sia watching through the camera, I began training with the suppressor on. I tried to draw as much power as I could from the Dragon Bone Sword and to channel mana imbued with my will in an attempt to use dragon speech. It was no different from my usual training, except that I was wearing the suppressor.

Oh, there was one other difference. Before, I'd simply tried to draw out power by putting my will into the sword. This time, I trained while recalling how it had felt when I produced that aurora-colored sword energy. They said the power was still too dangerous for me to handle, but someday I'd have to master it completely. Rokan had even advised me that training this way would help.

"As you train like that, the power will naturally accumulate in the suppressor."

Rokan explained another feature of the suppressor he'd made. It didn't just suppress the power; it could store it, too. It looked like an ordinary bracelet, but it really was an incredible piece of equipment.

But one thing bothered me. "Wouldn't that make it even more dangerous?"

Rokan had told me before that this power could consume me. I worried that if all that dangerous power built up and then accidentally burst out, the consequences could be disastrous. Rokan called it a good question and put my mind at ease.

"Normally, yes. That's why it took so long to make the suppressor safe. It was quite a tricky job."

So that was why it had taken longer than I expected, and why Rokan, an ancient dragon, had looked so exhausted.

"In any case, you'll be able to use the power stored in the suppressor in an emergency."

He showed me how: feed a tiny amount of mana into the bracelet, then take it off. That was all.

"I don't know how much power that suppressor will store, but in theory, you could release an immense amount in an instant—more than even I could withstand."

"Wow..." If even Rokan couldn't withstand it, how powerful would it be? I couldn't begin to imagine.

"Then I should never use it unless I absolutely have to."

"Exactly. Only use it if you think you'll die on the spot without it. It's dangerous enough on its own, and the aftereffects will be severe."

If even Rokan was warning me like that, I couldn't imagine how much pain I'd be in. The warning was so frightening that I squeezed my eyes shut without realizing it.

"I hope I never have to use it."

"Indeed. Once the danger has passed, it would be best to put yourself to sleep."

"Me? Put myself to sleep?"

"Yes. You can't even use magic properly yet, let alone dragon speech, so I'll give you an artifact that can cast Sleep."

I didn't understand why I'd need to put myself to sleep, but Rokan's explanation made it clear. According to him, the pain wasn't the only problem. Using the stored power might cause me to lose control as a side effect.

... I really couldn't use it unless I had no other choice. Wasn't this basically a nuclear bomb?

"Anyway, that's enough about the suppressor."

Once he'd finished explaining, I resumed training. But Sia had been strangely quiet for a while now...

'She's not usually like this.'

I turned toward the screen, sensing something was off.

["Ta-da!"]

There she was, holding up a silver bracelet.

["Does it look about the same now?"]

"Sia, did you...?"

Had she been quiet because she'd been making that bracelet without me knowing?

["Yours looked so pretty on you, I wanted one too. What do you think? Does it suit me?"]

Looking pleased with herself, Sia turned her bracelet-clad wrist this way and that.

"It's pretty. Your grandfather did a good job with the design."

I glanced at Rokan. He was chuckling at his granddaughter's antics.

"Every time I see you two, I think the same thing. In all my years, I've never seen a couple so devoted to each other."

* * *

As soon as Minjun's training ended and they hung up, Sia began trying on outfit after outfit in her dressing room, forgetting all about dinner.

Tomorrow was a date with Minjun, but it was also the day they would have a meal with Junhwi, whose life Minjun had saved, and Junhwi's older sister.

'If I don't make an effort for a day like this, when will I?'

She didn't know how pretty Kim Junhwi's sister was, or whether she had the kind of charm that captivated men. Better to be prepared for anything.

"Not this one either."

That was her tenth outfit.

"No, not this one."

Her twentieth.

"Maybe... this one?"

Her thirtieth. Only after changing her outfit a full thirty times did she finally find one she liked.

Then Sia began testing makeup for tomorrow. What look would bring out her best features while making any other woman think twice about setting her sights on Minjun? She considered changing her appearance entirely with Polymorph, but she didn't think that was what Minjun wanted. The best approach would be to keep her current face and somehow make herself breathtakingly beautiful. If only she could think of a way.

While she was busy applying and removing makeup with magic, Rokan came to her lair.

"Oh, Grandpa!"

As soon as he entered, he noticed the cosmetics scattered across the vanity and Sia's clothes strewn over the floor, still waiting to be put away.

"Didn't you say your date was tomorrow, Shasha?"

"Yes! That's why I need to decide today what I'm wearing tomorrow!"

"... I see."

He didn't really understand, but decided to accept it.

"Anyway, Grandpa, what brings you here at this hour?"

"Minjun asked me to give you this."

"Oppa did?"

The moment she heard Minjun's name, Sia's face lit up with excitement.

"Here you go. He was going to give it to you himself tomorrow, but then he said sooner would be better and asked me to bring it."

He handed her a mystery item wrapped as a gift.

"Well, I'll see you soon. You're busy with your date tomorrow, but how about we have a meal together sometime soon?"

"I'd like that! Thanks, Grandpa!"

Their brief visit over, Rokan returned to his own lair.

The moment he left, Sia stroked Minjun's gift with the care she'd give a sacred treasure.

"What has my Oppa given me this time?"

Humming, she carefully unwrapped the box. Inside was a pair of white pajamas decorated with a cute dragon character.

"Pajamas?"

Come to think of it, she'd worn Minjun's old clothes instead of her usual pajamas during their video call earlier. 'Did it bother him?'

Maybe seeing her use his old clothes as pajamas had made him a little uncomfortable. That must be why he'd bought her these. In truth, she found those old clothes, steeped in Minjun's scent, softer and more comforting than any pajamas.

"But Oppa gave them to me."

She had to try them on.

She could picture Minjun picking out matching pajamas on his own, then asking her grandfather to deliver her pair. The image kept a smile on her face the whole time she changed. Once she had Minjun's gift on, she took a selfie and sent it straight to him.

[Oppa, thanks for the gift!!!]

[These pajamas are so cute...]

She clutched her phone, waiting for his reply. It wasn't long before he sent a message with a photo.

[I'm glad you like them.]

[I thought it'd be nice to have matching pajamas.]

The photo was a selfie of Minjun wearing his new pair. Apart from being black instead of white, they were identical to Sia's.

'... He's so cute!'

Minjun was usually sexy, but seeing him in pajamas with a cartoon character on them brought out a different, adorable side of him. She immediately set the photo as her phone wallpaper and continued their chat.

[Can't wait for our date tomorrow hahaha]

Having other people join them was a little awkward, but it might make this date special in its own way. How often did she get to see other people treat the man she loved as someone precious?

Less than a minute later, Minjun replied.

[Sia,]

[We're wearing the matching T-shirts you gave me tomorrow, right?]

She'd been so focused on looking her prettiest that she'd forgotten the most important thing.

[Of course!]

After all, what could be prettier than wearing matching shirts with the person you loved? She took off the outfit she'd planned for tomorrow, pulled out the matching T-shirt she'd bought with Minjun, and put it on.

"Wow."

They'd worn matching shirts a few times when they first dated, but to Sia, now reincarnated as a dragon, that felt like ages ago. She couldn't help looking forward to tomorrow. And, as an added bonus, she resolved to make sure Junhwi's older sister wouldn't even think of setting her sights on Minjun.

* * *

The day of the date arrived.

Minjun had been on a double date once or twice early in their relationship, but he'd never been on a date quite like this. It might look like a double date, except the other two were siblings, not a couple.

'What was Sia thinking when she suggested this?'

Sia had insisted on meeting them together, and Junhwi and his sister had agreed, so they'd made plans. But Minjun still couldn't work out what she had in mind.

"Oppa, what are you thinking about?"

"Wondering when those two will get here. Are we a little early?"

"That just means we get more time together."

Sia pressed herself against Minjun's arm.

"By the way, Sia. Your perfume today—"

"I know! It's the one you use a lot! I liked the smell, so I tried it too. Did you wear the same one today?"

A unisex perfume would have been one thing, but the one Sia had sprayed on was unmistakably marketed to men. Minjun considered telling her so. But she was smiling happily as she breathed in the perfume on her own clothes and the scent of his, so he swallowed his words with a quiet chuckle.

'Well, whether it's men's perfume or women's perfume, all that matters is that the person wearing it likes it.'

Just as Sia was checking which perfume Minjun had put on—

"Hyung!"

Junhwi and his older sister arrived. Sia, who'd been sniffing Minjun's clothes, turned toward them without pulling away. Junhwi looked aside in embarrassment, but Sia greeted them as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"I'm Jeong Sia, Minjun's girlfriend. It's nice to meet you!"

"I'm Kim Junhwi."

Junhwi bowed politely, and his sister offered a warm greeting too. Sia quickly looked them both over. Junhwi looked just as he had in the video, and his sister was quite pretty, having apparently put some thought into her appearance.

"I'm Kim Jiyun, Junhwi's older sister! I'd actually wanted the four of us to have a meal together, including you, Ms. Sia, so I'm really glad you came."

"You wanted to meet... Sia too?" Minjun asked, surprised. He hadn't thought Junhwi's sister would have any particular reason to meet her.

"Yes. I heard Sia provided your equipment, Mr. Minjun. So in a way, she's Junhwi's benefactor too. After all, you protected him using the equipment she gave you."

She explained that she'd wanted to treat Sia to a meal as well, but had worried Sia might feel uncomfortable joining them. So she'd planned to prepare a separate gift for Sia and have Minjun pass it along. She'd been delighted when Sia suggested joining them for dinner instead.

"Oh, we can finish talking inside."

With a friendly smile, Jiyun opened the restaurant door and ushered Minjun and Sia in. Sia gave nothing away, but she watched Jiyun's every move. Everything seemed fine so far, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared.

Making sure they could both see, Sia laced her fingers tightly through Minjun's and walked into the restaurant.