Liar and Liar - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 26

 

“Wow, I knew my baby could run well, but you really can run.”

 

Though that’s only at rabbit level. Danielle clearly read those words in Frederick’s eyes. That’s exactly what was written there.

 

Unlike Danielle, Frederick wasn’t even breathing hard. When she turned her head a bit more, she could see the distance they had run.

 

“No way… You ran that distance this fast?!”

 

And after all that, why are you so fine? Are you even human?

 

“Baby, I get what you were expecting, but just because I’m not on a sports team doesn’t mean I have no athletic ability.”

 

“Enough with the showing off, just put me down!”

 

“Come to think of it, we didn’t set a reward for our bet. Should I think of it as a blank check?”

 

Instead of putting Danielle down, Frederick held her in his arms and walked leisurely, making Danielle look like a stuffed rabbit. A poor rabbit caught by some two-legged shark.

 

More than being trapped after trying to break free, Danielle couldn’t recover from the shock of defeat.

 

“You’re usually a koala, a sloth…”

 

“Haha. Even sloths are fast sometimes, aren’t they? Or not?”

 

No way. How did you run that distance so fast? You’ve exceeded human limits.

 

‘Don’t tell me you secretly transform into some monster or something?’

 

Danielle quickly turned her head again to look at Frederick’s face. Her gaze particularly landed on his gray eyes.

 

“…What?”

 

“…”

 

You usually act so sluggish that I was completely fooled.

 

‘Such a sneaky guy-‘

 

“Should we kiss?”

 

Danielle, who had been lost in her own thoughts, reacted instantly.

 

“What?! No?!”

 

“Don’t want to? Then when will you want to?”

 

‘Really consistently shameless bastard…’

 

“Don’t ask things like that.”

 

Frederick stubbornly carried Danielle in his arms all the way to the car. Only when they reached the driver’s side could Danielle finally put her feet on the ground.

 

‘Damn it…’

 

Admitting defeat, Danielle unlocked the car with her keys.

 

Beep.

 

“No talking about ride quality or anything like that. It doesn’t make sense to compare it with the cars you usually drive.”

 

“What exactly do you see me as, my darling?”

 

Half-human, half-beast?

 

Resigned, Danielle got into the driver’s seat without responding, and after turning the car around, Frederick also got into the passenger seat.

 

“Where should I drop you off?”

 

Starting the engine, Danielle skillfully drove the car onto the road.

 

“Should we go get breakfast?”

 

“No, I don’t have time.”

 

“Busy?”

 

She should have given a vague excuse as usual. But momentarily distracted by driving, Danielle answered carelessly.

 

“Mom goes to church on Sundays, so I have to go see my brother.”

 

“Ah, that brother?”

 

The moment she heard Frederick’s response, Danielle realized her mistake.

 

‘Unnecessary words…’

 

“That Providence? Can I come too?”

 

Why would you go there. Danielle reflexively started to frown but corrected her expression.

 

“He’s your girlfriend’s brother. I think it would be good to meet him at this opportunity.”

 

Naturally, Danielle tried to refuse with any excuse. However, after hearing Frederick’s next words, she couldn’t do so.

 

“And it doesn’t make sense that I specifically asked my uncle for help, but I don’t know what kind of kid he is.”

 

“…”

 

He was right. It was a perfectly valid reason with no room to escape.

 

“…You’re not wrong, but from my brother’s perspective, it might be too sudden. I’ll call first and ask, and if he says it’s okay, I’ll bring you.”

 

“Yeah. The patient’s opinion is most important.”

 

He’ll definitely say no, right? Danielle had used her brother as an escape route with that expectation, but when she called and explained the situation, an unexpected answer came back.

 

-[Sis, you have a boyfriend?]

 

[…It hasn’t been long. You don’t like it, right?]

 

-[No. Bring him.] Hi. Feel free to come.

 

It was almost like leading questioning, but Danielle’s brother, Eunho, even added English to completely seal the situation with no way out.

 

‘This isn’t right.’

 

Frederick smiled and answered Eunho’s words over the phone.

 

“Haha, thank you. Do you need anything?”

 

-“No, I don’t.”

 

“Okay, see you soon then.”

 

The call naturally ended with Danielle somehow left out.

 

‘This… really isn’t right.’

 

Danielle didn’t know. Whether she should tell her brother in advance that ‘this person helped you get back into the clinical trial,’ or if it would be better to hide it.

 

Since she and Frederick weren’t really dating, it was essentially a meeting between superior and subordinate. Strictly speaking, what Danielle was worried about was her brother more than Frederick.

 

She was afraid her brother might act inappropriately.

 

“My brother… why do you want to see him? Because he’s the kid you helped? Is that the reason?”

 

Danielle thought that whatever Frederick did, it would all be ‘to win the bet.’ But wanting to meet her brother seemed unrelated to the bet no matter how she looked at it.

 

“Actually, I don’t really care about what I asked my uncle to do.”

 

“Then why-”

 

“I’m curious about what kind of person you’re dedicating your life to.”

 

Danielle, who was driving, quickly turned her head toward Frederick. It went beyond nonsensical to the point of sounding rude.

 

“You’re talking like he’s a stranger. He’s my brother. Family.”

 

“Whatever he is, it’s true that you’re sacrificing everything for him.”

 

Sacrifice? Danielle frowned. She had never once thought of the past years as a sacrifice.

 

“Who calls helping family a sacrifice? It’s just natural.”

 

[Eunho, our poor Eunho… How wonderful it would be if he could at least go to school like you, Danielle…]

 

Everything Mom said while crying was true. Eunho couldn’t even go to school. He had no opportunities available to him. Compared to that, Danielle herself was enjoying everything.

 

Feeling suffocated, Danielle pressed the button to roll down the car window. Immediately, the ocean breeze rushed into the car.

 

Frederick didn’t persist further about her brother. Danielle hoped he would just keep his mouth shut, but there was no way that damn Frederick would do that.

 

“The car runs better than I thought. Come to think of it, I think I’ve seen it often on the road.”

 

Now it’s the car? Danielle found herself in a defensive role again. This car, which she had even named Bungbung, was Danielle’s beloved automobile.

 

“It’s a popular car.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because it’s a hybrid- No, even if I explain it, kids like you won’t understand this car’s advantages.”

 

“Why won’t I understand? Tell me.”

 

How can you put supercars and commoner cars on the same level? Danielle intended not to answer, but when Frederick tapped her cheek with his index finger, she had no choice but to speak.

 

“Don’t mess around while I’m driving!”

 

“Come on, you drive well. Your lane doesn’t waver at all. Tell me, tell me.”

 

Ah, really. This mosquito-like guy.

 

Danielle finally opened her mouth.

 

“Do you know how amazing this car is?”

 

“Hmm. Why?”

 

“This car moves even without putting gas in it!”

 

After saying it herself, Danielle paused for a moment.

 

‘…This makes me sound like a sophist.’

 

“Electric car?”

 

“No, hybrid… Kids like you who drive supercars would say ‘what are you talking about,’ but this amazing baby moves just by smelling gas.”

 

“Just smelling gas makes it move? Hahahaha.”

 

Frederick burst into laughter. Danielle felt heat rising to her face. She hadn’t said anything to be funny.

 

‘What would a supercar owner like you know about someone who only puts in twenty dollars of gas at a time.’

 

How many times had she gone back and forth to Koreatown with just twenty dollars worth of gas. Back then, Danielle was genuinely impressed by this car.

 

“The car says it doesn’t want to hear your laughter. Get out.”

 

“You talk to the car too? This car can’t transform into human form, can it?”

 

Frederick’s voice carried unmistakable amusement.

 

Stop talking, just stop talking….

 

Malibu’s coastal road was crystal clear under the fully risen sun. Danielle tried her best to focus only on what was ahead.

 

So she wouldn’t be too conscious of the presence beside her, of this space and this moment.

 

* * *

 

Danielle’s younger brother, Eunho, was diagnosed with a rare disease when Danielle was in seventh grade.

 

“Danielle, your brother collapsed and he’s in the infirmary right now. I think you need to go see him.”

 

“My brother?!”

 

The shock from that moment was still vivid even now, five years later.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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