AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'm aiming for 5000 privilege unlocks this month so that this book can receive a banner. Please support this book by unlocking as many privilege chapters as possible and support me for spirity!

I'll give 10 chapter mass release on 1st October if we reach 5000 privilege unlocks this month

....

The scent of chicken hit her nostrils, making Jina drool. They had stopped by at a small cafe around the block which was open at that time of the night. There were several customers who were enjoying the crunchy chicken fries, relishing the juiciness. A small karaoke station was installed at a corner where some of the patrons were singing in their tone deaf voices but they looked so happy that it was fun.

Bustling with people, the cafe was quite cozy. Beers were being served to the customers and they were drinking merrily as they ate. The owner was an ex-army personnel so no one dared to mess in his precious bar. No one wanted to create any chaos anyway; they were simply enjoying the moment.

"Do you come here a lot?" Jina asked.

"It's a good place to observe people," Hobin noted.

They were sitting in a corner where the server had brought them a plate full of chicken fries and two large glasses of beer for Hobin. Jina gazed longingly at the beers, itching to drink it all. She had surprisingly high tolerance for alcohol and could chug three to five beer bottles in a go.

Unfortunately, she was driving that night so she could not drink. Hobin smirked at her misery.

"You ain't getting any," he teased her.

"Tch!"

She scowled at him and bit on her chicken in anger. Hobin grinned and took a long sip from his drink.

"I'm curious about one thing," he said.

"What is it?"

"These powers that you have...don't they bother you?"

"Huh?"

"I mean," Hobin began. "I hate my powers. I don't wanna read other people's thoughts for the rest of my life. It irritates me and I'd do anything to get rid of it. But you're using your powers without much thought. You don't get angry or scared when these spirits come to you? There are bad ghosts, poltergeists and now, demons. You're not scared at all?"

"No," Jina simply shrugged. "What's there to be scared about?"

"Some spirits might try to kill you and your loved ones," Hobin pointed out. "Look at our dear demon. Isn't he killing people? Aren't you afraid that one day, some spirit might harm your family."

"Many tried," she admitted. "But they failed because I can see them. Moreover, we can defend ourselves pretty well. You saw how Yoonmin handled himself against a poltergeist on his own even though he couldn't see it."

She paused before adding, "And my powers are the ones protecting my family. Besides, what's so different about ghosts anyway? They were humans once. I simply think of them as people who need my help just like any other human might ask a cop for assistance. As for the bad spirits, poltergeists and demons, they're like the criminals whom we hunt down. Are their deeds really that different from the crimes humans commit?"

Hobin nodded. "I'll give that to you."

"But why do you hate your powers?" Jina asked curiously. "Sure, it's annoying to read people's minds at times but you can control it now."

"Let's just say that I find out way too many secrets and it changes my perception of that person," Hobin admitted.

"I've learnt not to make any perception of a person at all," Jina sighed. She glanced around the cafe. A drunk man was loudly singing a song by Oasis at the karaoke.

"Telling goodbye to ghosts must also be difficult for you," Hobin noted. "You get attached to them."

It was not a theory but the truth. After all, she was attached to Shinho when she was young and till today, she thought about him quite a lot. Jina did not reply but continued to chew on her chicken, preferring not to answer that question.

"Why do you play with fire?" he questioned her. Jina froze and looked up at him with her doe-like eyes.

"Why do you play with it?" she shot back at him. Hobin was quiet for a while before he burst out laughing. Jina scowled at his response.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

"We're both idiots!" Hobin laughed. "You love your powers so you help people with it. I hate my powers so I chose to help people too! In the end, we made the same choice like idiots. Instead of ignoring these abilities, we decided to use it. Sometimes, I think you and I are quite alike."

"I'd rather not be associated with a playboy like you!" Jina scowled.

"Why?" Hobin asked, his dark eyes twinkling at her. "Are you jealous that I didn't hit on you?"

Jina's face went red and she stammered, "W-why will I-I be jealous? I'm glad that I'm not your type! I don't like playboys like you anyway! I want a hundred percent faithful guy who would love only me!"

"Heh?"

He was now being playful. "Who said you're not my type?" he wondered out loud. "If I had met you at a bar, I'd have hit on you."

Jina blinked, her face was now as red as tomato.

"W-what? I'm older than you!"

"And shorter too. But I gotta admit, Tinkerbell. You're quite a beauty."

"I-I…" Jina was at a loss for words. What the hell was going on in this guy's mind? Why was he being so brazen?

Hobin winked and finished his beer before moving onto the second glass. Annoying the little midget was fun and seeing her reactions made it even more amusing. She was embarrassed but her heart was racing fast.

He's a playboy! She told herself. He doesn't even mean his words.

"I mean my words," Hobin said as if reading her thoughts. "You're quite a petite beauty. Only if you dress in a sexy way…"

"Stop reading my thoughts!" she exclaimed.

"I didn't even touch you! I don't have to. Your face is telling me what you're thinking."

"AGH!"

Jina abandoned her food and ran away in embarrassment. Hobin called after her.

"Oi Tinkerbell! If you don't eat all this, I'll finish it off for you!"

But she kept on running until she was outside the cafe. Slumping against the wall, she tried to calm down but her silly heart was fluttering like a schoolgirl who was asked out by her crush.

"Why does he tease me so much?" she mumbled. Then she felt a little curious.

"Does he like me? Nah! He's just trying to annoy me. That's it! He's teasing me. There's no way he likes me that way!"

She tried to assure herself but the wretched heart was not listening to her. It kept on beating in its own rhythm. A small smile was forming on her lips, making her inadvertently giggle.

I guess his nickname is growing on me, she realized as she smiled like an idiot. Suddenly, he was not so annoying after all.

Still smiling to herself, she went back into the cafe only to find out that Hobin really did finish off all the chicken fries.

"YOU BETTER BUY ME ANOTHER BUCKET OF CHICKEN, YOU BRAT!"