Descent of the Demon Master

ng Jin-Ho had heard about the issues of obsessive fans and stalkers before, but he had never thought it would be a big problem in his life.
After hearing about what happened earlier in the day, though? His thoughts went through a rapid change.
It seemed that someone capable of protecting Kang Eun-Yeong was a necessity.

Kang Jin-Ho silently stared at Ju Yeong-Gi.

“Whatcha want now?” Ju Yeong-Gi cocked his head and responded thuggishly when Kang Jin-Ho stared at him.

“…Hmm.
Wouldn ’t there be an issue with his image, though?” When Kang Jin-Ho boldly brought out the issue no one had dared to say out in the open so far, Park Yu-Min ended up nodding involuntarily in agreement.

“M-my image?! What do you mean by that?” Ju Yeong-Gi tilted his head in confusion, having failed to understand anything.

Kang Jin-Ho sighed deeply.
“You dress too much like a gangster, Yeong-Gi.
As a result, people are less likely to be thrilled by your presence.
The entertainment industry is already rife with rumors of connections to various organized criminal gangs, so if you walk around with your current attire, people will start saying Eun-Yeong is sponsored by gangsters.”

“Really?” Ju Yeong-Gi awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
There was not much he could do about this side of him, though.
He was born this way, after all.

Kang Jin-Ho crossed his arms and leaned back against his chair.
“But, are you interested in this job, Yeong-Gi?”

Ju Yeong-Gi shrugged his shoulders.
“I ’m an unemployed bum right now, so yeah, I ’ll be glad to take on any job, honestly.”

“I see…” Kang Jin-Ho nodded slowly.

He could have demanded the talent agency hire bodyguards or managers to shield Kang Eun-Yeong.
However, it wouldn’t be as reassuring as having someone he was familiar with staying next to his sister.
Besides, from what Kang Jin-Ho had observed so far, Ju Yeong-Gi was trustworthy.
Not only were they friends now, but this big guy was also honest and straightforward.
In addition, Ju Yeong-Gi ’s lack of interest in the opposite sex was also important.

During all those times when Kang Eun-Yeong came to visit Kang Jin-Ho at the military base, Ju Yeong-Gi would often deeply furrow his brow and chide his friend for being so uptight and harsh to a little kid.

’All things considered, he might be one of the best candidates, then. ’ 

Kang Jin-Ho quickly came to a decision.
“If you put on more appropriate clothes and clean up your hairstyle a bit more, I guess people will grumble less.”

“Oh, I guess that might work,” said Ju Yeong-Gi.

“Okay.
Then, you ’re gonna dress more appropriately.”

“By the way, Jin-Ho…?”

“Mm? What?”

’

“You ’ve been saying appropriately, but what does that even mean? I thought I ’m already dressed appropriately, though?”

“Nope.”

“No, Yeong-Gi!”

Kang Jin-Ho and Park Yu-Min simultaneously responded negatively.

“This won ’t do.
We need to take this guy shopping.
Take a day off and prepare yourself.
I shall pick appropriate clothes for you.” Kang Jin-Ho tutted and declared in no uncertain terms.

However, Ju Yeong-Gi simply cocked his head, then muttered in a haughty tone, “Oh, you ’ll do that?”

“…!” Kang Jin-Ho ’s expression slowly stiffened, then he looked down at his own attire.
He could see a T-shirt and a pair of jeans…
bought by his mother.
And a pair of old sneakers that used to belong to his father.

“Or, will it be you, Yu-Min?” Ju Yeong-Gi shifted his haughty gaze over to Park Yu-Min, so Kang Jin-Ho followed suit and looked at his friend sitting next to him as well.

Park Yu-Min seemed to have gone all-in on the concept of a cost-effective sense of style where long-lasting, easy-to-wear, and cheap were the most important aspects.

Ju Yeong-Gi snarkily chuckled away.
“Huhuhuh…
Seriously, man.
Live long enough, and you get to see all sorts of miracles, huh? Did the two of you really just criticize my fashion sense? Really?”

“…”

“…Hmm.”

Three men with terrible fashion sense fell deep into a serious dilemma just then.

***

Kang Eun-Yeong blinked her eyes in a daze.
“Shopping?”

“…That ’s right.” Kang Jin-Ho quietly nodded.

“Hnnng~? To think that a day would come when my dear orabeoni asks me for help! Just what on earth is going on today~? Will the sun rise from the west tomorrow~?” Kang Eun-Yeong burst into a delighted peal of laughter after acquiring the upper hand for the first time in five years.

Kang Jin-Ho had to flinch and take a step back after noticing the sharp glint in his little sister ’s eyes.
That light reminded him of an eagle with prey stuck to its beak.

Kang Eun-Yeong grinned brightly.
“My dear orabeoni has re-ques-ted my help, so how can I say no? Wouldn ’t you say so? Especially when you consider how long we ’ve known each other in this world.”

“That weirdly sounds like a perfunctory response.”

“Then again, my oppa obviously doesn ’t know how to choose good clothes.
Your fashion sense is just too cancerous, after all.
It ’ll cause cancer in everyone ’s eyes.”

Kang Jin-Ho clamped his mouth shut, unable to retort to that biting remark.
Whether it was back in Zhongyuan or here…
He had no concept of selecting his own clothes to wear.
Well, he did have a fashion sense of sorts, although it only amounted to, ’Grab a shirt, find a pair of pants, then put on some shoes, and that would be the end of it’.

Kang Eun-Yeong rubbed her chin.
“But, this shopping isn ’t for you, but for Yeong-Gi oppa?”

“Yeah.”

’

“Is he really gonna be my road manager?”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.
“Road manager? What ’s that?”

“It ’s a person that brings my meals and checks my schedule.”

“…Let ’s just call him your bodyguard, shall we?” Kang Jin-Ho mumbled while looking away.
It might be more appropriate to call Ju Yeong-Gi a watchdog, though…

“Hmm~.
In that case, we might as well buy new clothes for you too, oppa.”

“…Huh?” Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes in surprise.

“Mom! Mom~!” Kang Eun-Yeong ignored him and rushed outside her room.
Shortly afterward, she came back inside with the determined-looking Baek Hyeon-Jeong.

The Kang family matron spoke in a grave voice, “You were planning to go to a department store, son?”

“…No, wait.
That ’s not it, Mother.
Actually, I…”

“One of my lifelong wishes has always been to choose nice clothes for you, Jin-Ho! You have a physique so nice that it ’ll sparkle like a marble statue if we leave you outside shirtless, so why do you always have convulsions whenever I talk about taking you shopping for new clothes?!”

“…”

“This is good timing! Don ’t say anything and just follow me! For you and for that big friend of yours—no, wait! Now that we ’re going shopping, bring Yu-Min with you, too! Seeing Yu-Min in those clothes every time he comes around here had always been killing me inside, son!”

Cold sweat began trickling down Kang Jin-Ho ’s forehead.
“M-mother, we are not going shopping for something like that, but—”

“Isn ’t this amazing! To think Jin-Ho is willing to go to a department store with us!” said Baek Hyeon-Jeong in excitement.
She was already too far gone to hear her son ’s voice.

Kang Eun-Yeong hurriedly asked, “Mom! Can I buy new clothes for myself, too?”

“No!”

“Why not?!”

“If you start choosing your clothes, we won ’t have any time left to find your oppa ’s stuff.”

“Tsk.
I guess it can ’t be helped, then.” Kang Eun-Yeong quickly accepted the truth, then smiled radiantly.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong turned to look at her son.
“Now that it’s settled, let ’s get this done pronto.
Call your friends and tell them to come tomorrow, at around the cafe’s opening hour.”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head again.
“…Mm? But, what about the cafe, Mother?”

“Your father will take care of it, somehow!” Baek Hyeon-Jeong harrumphed loudly.

Kang Jin-Ho was left speechless by his mother ’s unstoppable momentum.