Chapter – Snow White Guru

Headline News

[Breaking] Japan’s Inoue Genzo reveals his granddaughter is not S-Rank...

[Breaking] Inoue Genzo: “Haruna was only being used by me.”

The bombshell announcement that Inoue Haruna wasn’t an S-Rank remained at the center of public discussion for days.

The PR team’s Hwang Team Leader regretted that it meant Today’s Guru got buried in the feeds much faster than expected.

Guru, however, didn’t care in the least—she was sitting in the living room, opening a package from Japan.

[Inoue Genzo]

'A tea ceremony play set!'

While Guru was taking out a dawan with Inoue’s signature engraved on it and a matching teapot, the doorbell rang.

“Oh? Guru-ya, Woojoo’s here.”

“Woojoo?”

When the housekeeper, Youngran, opened the door, Woojoo stepped inside and gave a polite bow.

“Hello, ma’am.”

“Woojoo, long time no see. You dyed your hair again? And you’ve grown a bit taller?”

“A little. About two centimeters.”

When Woojoo smiled proudly, Youngran patted his head fondly.

That was when Guru peeked out to greet him.

“Woojoo-ya! Whatcha doin’ hewe? Yoo came to pway wif Gwuu?”

“Hi. I came because I have an appointment today.”

“Appoint...ment?”

Hm? Guru didn’t remember making any plans with him.

Had it been something said in passing? While she searched her recent conversations in her head, Woojoo pointed behind him.

“Yeah, an appointment. With them.”

“...Them?”

Guru turned around.

Standing there was Veilach (in human form) with Mephisto perched on his head, arms crossed.

Lately, the two had been getting along a little better, often sticking together like that.

“Bayi an’ Mephi’s da only ones back dere.”

“Yeah.”

“...?”

Veilach gave them both a sleepy glance before speaking to Woojoo.

“Follow me.”

“Wha?!”

Guru jumped in surprise, but Woojoo followed without hesitation.

Soon, the two disappeared into the bathroom.

Watching them go, Guru slapped both hands over her gaping mouth.

'Woojoo and Bayi made an appointment?!'

***

Inside the quiet bathroom.

Woojoo, Veilach, and Mephisto sat around on children’s stools in silence.

When Woojoo hesitated for too long, Veilach, idly twitching his fingers on his knee, gave a warning.

“If you don’t say what it is soon, I’m leaving.”

“Ppi-pi.”

Even Mephisto chimed in, prompting Woojoo to blurt,

“I need your help.”

“For what?”

Woojoo clenched the fists resting on his knees.

“It’s... um... about Guru... and another boy...”

He trailed off, lowering his voice as if embarrassed to say it aloud.

“K...kiss...”

“Kiss what.”

“K... kiss... kiss.”

“Ppi—?”

“...?”

At Woojoo’s bombshell, Mephisto froze, beak open, while Veilach frowned slightly.

“You’re saying the Master’s going to start dating some boy?”

He hadn’t sensed any such thing.

While Veilach only looked mildly surprised, Mephisto ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ pressed his wingtips to his forehead and wobbled like he might faint.

Woojoo quickly shook his head.

“No, not like that.”

“Ppit?”

Snapping back to attention, Mephisto listened gravely.

“Our kindergarten’s doing a joint performance of Snow White. And...”

Woojoo squeezed his tiny fists in frustration, eyes shut tight.

“They drew the roles by spinning a wheel...!”

“Ah...”

“Ppi...”

Veilach and Mephisto both sighed.

“So Guru got the role of the princess, and the prince is... some other boy from another class.”

“So?”

“Ppit?”

The two, experts on zombies and TV anime but completely ignorant of Snow White, tilted their heads.

“Snow White is about a princess who eats a poisoned apple, falls unconscious, and then wakes up from the prince’s kiss. Which means Guru is going to k... kiss the prince...!”

Flushed red, Woojoo spilled the words out.

“Ppit...!”

Mephisto’s beak formed a diamond shape as he stiffened again.

Woojoo covered his face with both hands, looking utterly wronged.

The only one not taking this gravely was Veilach.

He pondered briefly, then asked,

“About this ‘kiss’—don’t humans do it all the time? On TV, as soon as a man and woman lock eyes, they do it.”

“Wh-what are you saying! That’s not true at all!”

“It’s no lie. They really just... like this—”

Veilach started to cross his arms and lean in, miming a kiss, but Woojoo flailed his hands to stop him.

“That’s for adults...! Kids like us aren’t supposed to see that!”

“Is that so?”

Hm. Veilach dropped the act and stroked his chin.

“Ah, so you brought me here to eat the kindergarten teacher who spun the wheel for the roles?”

“Not at all!”

Woojoo barked back before continuing.

“Just... distract Guru. The lead has a lot of lines, so she needs to rehearse a lot. If she’s too busy to practice, she’ll have no choice but to ask to switch roles.”

“Ppi-pi—”

Mephisto nodded in agreement.

Veilach, however, didn’t seem convinced it would be enough to stop her.

“And if she still insists? The Master will want to be the princess no matter what.”

Woojoo knew well the terrifying princess obsession of a five-year-old girl. He nodded gravely.

“Yeah, so I have another plan.”

“What’s that?”

“Ppit?”

“It... it doesn’t involve you two.”

“If you tell us, we might help.”

“Ppi-pi—”

“It’s...”

After some hesitation, Woojoo fidgeted with his hands and looked down.

When they waited patiently, his shy voice finally emerged.

“I’m going to switch roles with that boy...”

Hmm. Veilach crossed his arms with a nasal chuckle.

“Ah, so that way you can be the prince and ‘kiss’ the Master instead?”

“Ppit?!”

Mephisto’s eyes gleamed wickedly, and he suddenly hovered into the air.

A startled Woojoo yelped as Mephisto dive-kicked his face.

“Ughp!”

Landing on Woojoo’s head, Mephisto pummeled him with rapid-fire kicks from his short legs.

It was Veilach who finally intervened, grabbing Mephisto by the scruff of the neck.

“I don’t care who ends up being the prince.”

“What?!”

“Ppiit?!”

Woojoo and Mephisto stared at him in betrayed disbelief, but Veilach just yawned.

What did it matter to him if the Master kissed some random half-wit? To Veilach, who’d learned about the world from adult content, this was nothing more than a childish game.

“So if you want me to help, you’ll have to offer me a different reward.”

“What kind...?”

At Woojoo’s cautious question, Veilach’s eyes sparkled.

With a grin full of sharklike teeth, he said,

“Your blood.”

“...?!”

Woojoo’s face went pale as he recoiled.

“Give me a single drop of your blood, and I’ll cooperate. How about it?”

Woojoo lowered his head, lips pursed, thinking for a moment. Then he looked up.

“...Just one drop?”

“Yes. For something this petty, that’s enough. If you want, I’ll even help you become the prince.”

“Ppi-piiit—!”

Mephisto cried like he was coughing up blood, but Woojoo’s face lit up.

“Alright then! I’ll do it!”

Veilach extended his hand, and Woojoo took it, shaking firmly.

The bathroom summit had reached a dramatic resolution.

The talks with Mephisto had collapsed, but Veilach and Woojoo’s alliance had been sealed with just one drop of blood.

Watching them shake hands, Mephisto trembled, curling his wings tight.

'Veilach, you traitor!'

If only he weren’t a tiny bird right now, he could’ve wrecked this bathroom meeting before it happened.

He’d lost the strength and reverted from human form back to a bird—but now he knew how it felt.

All he needed was strength.

Yes, he’d gather his power and transform back into human form.

Then he would be the one to play the prince, and stop Woojoo and Guru from kissing.