Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Organizing Items
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Once, twice.
And on the fifth time, finally boarding the elevator for the last run.
Just carry this robot vacuum box out, and everything from the car is done.
"I'm gonna die..."
I opened the door, set the box down beside it, and flopped onto the floor myself.
The dust piled up on the floor swirled into the air, tickling my nose.
I reflexively let out a light cough and took a deep breath.
Too exhausted to even take off my shoes, I lay there in the entryway staring at the ceiling, where stars seemed to float.
Maybe because the entryway ceiling was so dark, they looked even more like stars.
Counting those stars, my pounding heart finally calmed a bit, and I sat up.
I kicked off my sneakers roughly with my feet and dragged the pile of stuff from the entryway inside.
"Lucky it's only the eighth floor..."
If I'd bought on the twenty-fifth, I'd probably still be huffing and puffing, hauling stuff up.
I would've had to wait forever for the elevator.
Even with two elevators, if someone hopped on midway and rode it up, I'd be standing there like a dog chasing a chicken, staring blankly at the floor numbers.
When one I missed shot up to the fortieth floor, I screamed internally.
Anyway, everything from the car was moved in, so today's chores were done.
The sun was setting now in the evening light, making it really feel like everything was finished.
A full, productive day.
Bought a car, bought a house, ate steak, went shopping.
Had I ever had such a fun, special day in my life?
'...Probably not.'
Memories of going to an amusement park with Mom from some forgotten time still stuck with me, so it seemed like nothing joyful had happened in my life since then.
Other than that, Jeju Island maybe?
Nothing else stood out besides taking a plane, and remembering that Mom got rushed to the hospital the moment I boarded didn't exactly make it a happy memory.
"...Let's check out what I bought today."
I shook off the sentimentality, turning my eyes to the items stuffed into several 3,000-won eco-bags.
Shopping was fun when buying, but confirming purchases afterward was fun too.
Clicking around online was easy on the body but lacked romance.
In a world where you could buy food or appliances online, I was someone who pursued offline shopping.
That was me.
Anyway, I started with the robot vacuum box first.
"A robot that vacuums too, huh."
In an era where AI writes and draws, maybe it wasn't that surprising.
This thing might not even want to clean—maybe it yearned for cultural pursuits like other AIs.
Truth be told, I didn't care about the robot's feelings.
As the most expensive buy today, I just hoped it cleaned well.
Do your best at your role.
That was my motto.
"You're part of the household now, so you follow it too."
I muttered nonsense at the vacuum box, then ripped off the tape and opened it.
Lifting it out, it was surprisingly hefty.
The design was sleek and pretty too.
Why had it looked so spotty in the store?
"Hmm... this is the power button... and this is the charging station..."
I pulled out the manual and read it carefully.
The salesperson said a technician would install it, but I wanted to use it right away, so I just took it home.
Even without that, cleaning the place thoroughly once wouldn't hurt.
Saved on installation fees and time.
Well, money wasn't really an issue anyway.
"Set it up here... add water... connect power... done."
Took about thirty minutes to finish installing.
Was there any reason to call a technician for something this simple?
I placed the disc-shaped vacuum on the charger with mild doubt.
It beeped cheerfully to signal charging had started—good sign.
Hearing the upbeat notification, I turned to the next item.
A camping folding table, bought as a temporary fix since the new place had no furniture.
Didn't fit in a bag, so I'd hauled the box up too.
This and the vacuum meant extra elevator trips.
"Gotta try camping sometime."
Maybe buy an RV?
Get one and drive the whole coastline, grilling meat, sausages, seafood right there.
Sounded fun—my heart was racing just thinking about it.
"Hm hm~"
Humming happily, I unpacked the camping table.
True to its price, it looked pretty legit.
A big hole in the center for a fire pit.
And metal plating around it to block sparks.
"Could just bring this one later?"
Great buy, I thought, spreading it out in the kitchen for a bit.
Hmm... didn't look right indoors.
"It's temporary anyway..."
I averted my eyes with effort and pulled out the next item.
A camping folding chair this time.
Someone might ask, "You really wanted to go camping that bad?"
But no, I didn't buy it out of desperate camping fever.
These were just placeholders until proper furniture.
Temporary or not, I didn't want cheap junk I'd toss after a short use.
'Waste of money.'
Those kinds were low quality even for temp use anyway.
No reason to buy them and stress.
Camping gear was sturdy, easy to store when folded.
And I could take it on actual trips later.
Only downside was the price, but money wasn't a worry for me.
'...Is this actually more wasteful?'
Sensing my economic sense warping, I pondered briefly.
And that pondering ended...
"Whoa... it's freaking pretty."
Once I pulled out the beige folding chair.
No, better to buy nice stuff to use long-term than cheap crap to toss.
Yeah... eco-friendly, patriotic even.
I eagerly unpacked the rest.
Mosquito repeller, a pretty rug, a mood light for the nightstand, new cup rice packs since I liked them, even a microwave.
More besides, but looking now, it was all over the place.
'Next time, make a list of necessities first.'
Keep this up, and my place would be a flea market, not a home.
I roughly sorted the strewn items, microwaved a cup rice for dinner, then headed back to the car.
Couldn't sleep here with nothing yet.
Sleeping meant the old one-room.
Yawning hugely, I arrived at the one-room.
Stepping in, it looked ridiculously cramped.
"How the hell did I live here?"
Computer and bed practically fused together.
Wardrobe miraculously crammed under the bed.
Seeing it brought back Choi Min-hoo days: stretching legs in bed and bam, hitting the wardrobe, forced to curl up sleeping.
"...Lived like a total pauper."
I sighed shortly and plopped onto the bed.
"Gonna trash it all."
Powered on the computer and searched for cleaning services.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "I'm in~"
"Yeah? Get ready to head out right away."
"From the morning?"
Lee So-jin, arriving at the office only to learn they were leaving immediately, sighed deeply.
Her bobbed hair swayed lightly as she started gathering her gear from her desk.
"Better to knock one out first thing. What, planning to nap facedown?"
Caught off-guard by the Director's words, she averted her eyes guiltily.
The Director chuckled in disbelief, standing and heading out of the office.
"Oh, Yeon-seo and Tae-beom are loading gear in the van, so pack up quick and come down."
"Got it."
The Director descended the stairs leisurely, looking pleased.
So-jin shrugged, not getting why he was so chipper.
Lee So-jin, 27, female.
Didn't finish college properly, never even dated, now full-time at a cleaning company.
"Haa... four hours of sleep..."
Mornings were usually slow.
Company wasn't huge, and they didn't handle special cleans needing all-day starts.
Sighing, she packed up, boarded the van.
Greeted Yeon-seo and Tae-beom dozing inside, and sat.
"So what's the rush this morning?"
Straightforward as ever, So-jin asked.
The Director beamed back.
"Client wants everything from a one-room trashed. Finish before lunch, get a bonus."
"What a pain."
'Never go out early usually—got curious.'
"So-jin, that sounded like your real feelings?"
She coughed lightly, turning her head.
A bit rude sometimes, but diligent at work.
The Director knew, so he sighed shortly and added,
"Can't help it even if you hate it. Think I wanna clean at my age?"
"You started the company, Dad—what're you saying..."
The Director chuckled at her retort.
Yeon-seo and Tae-beom, fully asleep beside them—her siblings, actually.
Everyone family—a true family business.
"Alright, let's roll!!"
No comeback for So-jin's jab, so the Director floored it and turned.
So-jin sighed briefly, shaking her head at him.
Short time later, arriving at the client's...
"You want us to just... trash all this?"
She was a bit stunned by the request to discard perfectly fine stuff.