The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop Is Ranked 0th in the World - Chapter 46

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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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The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop is World Rank 0

 

Chapter 46

 

At my suggestion, Senior, who had been glaring at the bed, looked at me with surprise.

 

Seeing his eyes wider than usual and his sparkling pupils, it seemed he was truly displeased by the very fact that Ohyeongtaek had received a massage.

 

‘Is that person jealous?’

 

I wasn’t sure what part made him feel jealous, but I quietly changed the bed sheets for now.

 

I didn’t need to hear Senior’s answer since his expression was telling me everything.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

Since I was going to do it anyway, I figured I should do it properly, so I lit an incense stick and turned on soft lighting. I wondered whether I should also play the gentle classical music I usually put on when customers come, and eventually turned on the speaker.

 

For some reason, being left alone with Senior in this small space felt newly awkward.

 

Senior focused his gaze on each of my movements. Like a child seeing something fascinating for the first time.

 

“Usually I give massages up to the shoulders… Hmm.”

 

This was awkward.

 

Ohyeongtaek had taken off his top on his own, so that was fine, but asking Senior to remove his clothes was no ordinary embarrassing matter.

 

Should I just do a face massage? While I was pondering, Senior quickly spoke up.

 

“I want to receive exactly what that guy got.”

 

“For that… your top…”

 

I couldn’t continue my words.

 

Even though this wasn’t the first time seeing Senior’s bare body, heat somehow rose to my face.

 

Was it because of Senior’s deep eyes shadowed in that subtle orange light? Or was it because of the gentle violin sound echoing around?

 

I hurriedly looked away from Senior, who began removing his coat without answering, and fussed over the incense stick that was burning just fine.

 

I heard the sound of Senior lying down on the bed behind me.

 

I swallowed and sat down at Senior’s bedside.

 

Looking down, Senior’s face was angular and masculine, but the eyelashes on his closed eyelids were surprisingly long and straight.

 

‘Even eyebrows can be handsome.’

 

To prevent the mishap of Senior opening his eyes and looking up at me like Ohyeongtaek did, I placed a warm towel over Senior’s eyes.

 

“Then… excuse me.”

 

I carefully poured oil into my palm and rubbed it to warm it up. The rosemary scent wafted gently.

 

Along with the classical music, the smooth sound of the aroma oil gliding softly echoed.

 

Even though this was something I did as often as eating meals, my nervousness made me swallow dryly.

 

I slowly placed my hands on Senior’s neck and shoulders. The moment I touched him, the firm texture of his muscles made my fingertips tremble slightly.

 

Senior’s body was hot, whether from the aftermath of conquering the China Gate or because he naturally had a high body temperature. The unfamiliar heat spread through the oil to my entire palm.

 

“Your hands are cold.”

 

Senior’s low voice came as a murmur. Startled by that one comment, I pulled my hands away and rubbed them together repeatedly.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. I guess my hands got cold from being nervous.”

 

“No need to be nervous. It’s fine.”

 

He told me not to be nervous, but when I placed my hands back on him, Senior’s shoulder muscles were tense.

 

I moved my hands to the back of Senior’s neck and slowly stroked down his trapezius muscles along his nape.

 

I could feel Senior’s muscles flinch each time my fingertips touched him, making me unconsciously hold my breath.

 

‘It’s just a massage I do all the time, so why am I getting all worked up, Yebichnna!’

 

This wasn’t professional. Given all the time and experience I’d put into learning massage perfectly, I didn’t like how my fingertips kept hesitating.

 

I should be able to think of Senior as just another regular customer, but my reason was acting on its own.

 

‘Is it because we’re awkwardly acquainted?’

 

If we were complete strangers like customers, I could act comfortably, but Senior was in that neither close nor distant relationship that made things more awkward.

 

Besides, this was only my second time seeing and touching an adult man’s firm body.

 

I tried to calm my pounding heart and continued the massage.

 

I desperately hoped my rapid heartbeat wouldn’t be transmitted to Senior through the skin contact.

 

When I pressed Senior’s thick shoulder muscles firmly with my thumbs, his closed lips parted.

 

“That guy…”

 

His voice was lower than usual.

 

“If that Ohyeongtaek guy tries anything, tell me right away.”

 

“His teasing is a bit much, but he seemed like a good person.”

 

“It’s not teasing.”

 

Senior was firm. He raised his hand to remove the towel covering his eyes and sat up.

 

Lowering his legs off the bed, he picked up the shirt he had taken off.

 

“Even if it looks like he’s joking around, he’s serious.”

 

I could see Senior’s profile as he sat. Over his firmly built muscles without an ounce of fat, countless scars were visible.

 

Torn, cut, and burned scars. There were so many it was hard to take them all in with my eyes.

 

I lowered my gaze to look at his side. There was a scar incomparably larger than the other scars.

 

As if something had…

 

“He’s a greedy guy, so don’t get too close to him.”

 

“…Yes, I’ll contact you right away if anything happens.”

 

Senior smiled briefly and put on his shirt. The hands buttoning it were white and long. The veins and tendons bulging on the back of his hands were distinct, catching my attention.

 

“Is massage also your skill?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Had I been staring too blankly?

 

Senior suddenly turned his head to look at me, catching me staring intently.

 

I hurriedly looked away.

 

“Ah, yes. It’s a skill. Though I can only do minor things like muscle relaxation for now.”

 

“‘Only’…”

 

He tilted his head left and right, then let out a small sigh.

 

“Are your shoulders uncomfortable?”

 

“No, not at all.”

 

Senior got up from his seat and took a step closer to my side. Looking up at Senior, he had a languid expression, perhaps from the massage.

 

“…I’m wondering what I should do about you.”

 

Though it was an indirect comment, I could understand what he meant.

 

That he didn’t want to lose me, a hunter with this special ability, to anyone else.

 

Senior’s deep gaze as he stared at me was saying exactly that.

 

* * *

 

My eyes opened on their own. Had only about three hours passed since I fell asleep?

 

Even though I had tossed and turned for a long time before falling asleep, my eyes opened quickly.

 

It seemed to be more so because I was facing the final gate conquest.

 

Especially since Mimi had told me to be careful of gates, I was worried that some variable might suddenly occur in the final gate.

 

Senior acted as peacefully as if he were going to play in his front yard no matter which gate he entered, but I couldn’t do the same.

 

I had fallen asleep with the TV on, so it had been on all night.

 

As soon as I opened my eyes, I immediately turned up the television volume.

 

The news on screen was covered with red banners announcing breaking news, and the announcer’s voice was agitated.

 

[This is news that Hunter Gangjinseong has arrived in Alaska, United States for the final gate conquest. The world’s attention is focused on the Anchorage North Snowfield.]

 

I stared blankly at the screen. Beyond the screen, I could see Senior wearing a thick coat. Surrounded by numerous reporters and Hunter Association hunters, walking with an expressionless face, he looked calmer than usual.

 

‘The final gate…’

 

If the China Gate was a sandstorm terrain, this US Gate was said to be a glacier terrain reaching dozens of degrees below zero.

 

The voices of announcers and reporters talking about the gate continued for a long time, but even after several hours passed, no news came that Senior had entered the gate.

 

What went wrong?

 

With an anxious heart, I fiddled with my phone and checked the remaining time limit. Only 17 hours remained.

 

Perhaps because of the pressure of it being the final gate, it felt like something was bound to happen. My heart pounded violently as if it would jump out of my mouth.

 

Then, Senior appeared.

 

“…Huh?”

 

Senior disappeared beyond the Gate entrance with light footsteps.

 

The television announcer also only delivered mundane news, saying [Hunter Gangjinseong has safely completed his entrance].

 

It was all too smooth and peaceful.

 

Perhaps because the tension had eased, a sense of emptiness washed over me. I let out a deep sigh.

 

But Mimi’s reaction, who had been watching the screen beside me, was strange. Unlike me who felt relieved, Mimi was instead bristling her fur and glaring at the tightly closed Gate entrance.

 

“Mimi, what’s wrong?”

 

“…This is strange. It shouldn’t be this quiet.”

 

Mimi’s low muttering sent ripples of anxiety through my heart.

 

“Is this the calm before the storm?”

 

The Gate on the screen, which I looked at again following Mimi’s gaze, maintained an unsettling quietness like a massive predator with its jaws clamped shut.

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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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