Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Yeon Du-na (1)
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The morning before my dinner date with Joo Na-young.
The sound of a hairdryer coming from beyond the door kept waking me up intermittently. In my half-asleep daze, I heard Yu-ra's now-familiar voice.
"Oppa, I'm running the second load in the washer, so when it's done, can you fill it with water?"
"Mm..."
"Also, all three toothbrushes were too worn out, so I threw them away. Yours is blue, mine's red, and Pomi's yellow. Pomi, yours shouldn't be that bad since you've only been living with Oppa for a short time—why's it already like that?"
"The yellow one's mine!"
"Ugh."
Maybe because I'd stayed up late writing my novel again last night, I could barely open my eyes and just nodded my head.
"Did you stay up late again? Ah, gotta go. I'll be back from school. You know I have tutoring today, right?"
A girl living with me greeting me every morning at this age with "I'm off to school." Damn, I'm so happy. Feels like I'm getting younger.
"Yeah, be careful..."
I forced my eyes open and waved weakly, and that's when I saw Yu-ra gliding closer.
"Don't stay up too late."
Smack.
The soft feel of lips on my cheek.
"I love you."
"Mm..."
I mumbled a half-hearted reply out of exhaustion, and immediately a cold voice came back.
"I said I love you?"
"Uh, y-yeah, I love you too."
Whoa, wide awake now.
After Yu-ra left, I dozed a bit longer before telling Pomi to handle the washer.
-Hey. Fill the washer with water.
-Yu-ra already told Jun-young Oppa to do it! And I'm busy gaming.
-Come on, just this once, sis.
-Sis wants chicken for dinner!
-You heartless brat.
Does this girl even know how much her snacks are costing me in groceries?
"Ugh, gotta make money quick."
I dragged myself up, started the laundry, and sat down at the computer.
"Any increase in favorites today?"
When I first started serializing, the views were pretty high. Favorites broke 500 in under a week.
A quick search online revealed that 500 was the benchmark for so-called "novel pros" who could make a living off writing.
Of course, there were plenty of counterarguments saying it discouraged promising writers, but hey, high numbers weren't a bad thing.
"But then..."
The novel only did well up to chapter 5.
Views dropped steadily, and critical comments piled up.
💬 Comments — IlgeomSamSu Protagonist seems too pathetic. — KuKris ↳ Reply Agreed. Half the content is dumb jokes. — HyeoniMwoNi ↳ Reply And the protag's supposed to be that ugly, but his friend's little sister liking him doesn't make sense. — DoMangMotGam Lately every novel has levels and stats. Writer-nim, you need originality to succeed. — Avenew6 Between Mii and Yuri, who's the main girl? — Kanco13 ↳ Reply Su-jin and Yuri top heroines. — Chaehy9 ↳ Reply Mii's fake heroine. Lolita bait. — Iashura Isn't it legal? — Chaehy9 ↳ Reply This genre's socially sensitive these days... ⭐ Top Comment — Hurangi Am I the only one having a blast? Great length too lol. Huff huff, Yuri-nim. Eye me too pls. The criticisms were all over the place, so I had no idea where to even start fixing. Sure, there were fans like the last guy, but you can't make money pleasing just a few.
A while back, I tried changing things based on popular demands, but the response was lukewarm. Lost all my stockpiled chapters, got anxious, and now I can't even figure out the next plot direction.
"Man... Ideas used to hit me even in the shower before serializing."
Even at the shop, if inspiration struck, I'd mutter to myself so I wouldn't forget and jot it down in my phone notes when my hands were free. But now, even squeezing my brain just brings "What do I do? Gotta write something..."
"I underestimated this too much."
If I hadn't bragged to Yu-ra and Pomi about writing a novel, I'd quit right now. But playing the tormented author after spilling everything? Too embarrassing.
I idly checked comments from chapter 1 again.
Click, scroll, click.
"This reader's not reading anymore, huh."
A steady commenter from the start vanished at some point.
"This one praised at first, now an anti-fan."
A reader who liked my unique style now calls it messy.
With only about ten comments per chapter, I quickly scrolled to the latest.
"Oh. New one?"
— KimMiYoungTeamLeader Fun today too lol Mii is sooo cute! KimMiYoungTeamLeader-nim! Thanks for the comment today too.
Along with 'Hurangi'-nim, one of the few steady commenters. While 'Hurangi' loves the Yu-ra character, 'KimMiYoungTeamLeader' is all about Pomi. Their positive vibes are why I haven't quit writing yet. The problem? It ain't gonna make money.
If you can't build readers in the free early chapters, paid ones are a lost cause.
"Talent, huh."
I recalled Nam Hu's talent from when we hung out last time. Talent: [Literary Prowess].
Honestly, my friend Nam Hu's stuff or mine—same material. Sword god idol or succubus little sis, right?
He must've worked hard too, but in this era of research showing effort is genetic.
"This won't cut it. Gotta find work matching my talents."
I have [Cooking] talent, but it's only D-rank. Too iffy for success there. If it were B, I'd push cooking hard.
That thought hit me on the pros and cons of stat screens. You find fitting paths via talents, but skip ones you lack or low-rank.
After brief agonizing, I grabbed my phone. Found one contact and texted.
Tap, tap tap, tap tap.
After sending, I turned back to the monitor. Replied to comments, then headed to the living room where Pomi emerged from the small room opposite, hugging a snack bag.
"Annyeong!"
"Cut the snacking, kid."
"Hmph!"
She turned away sharply, switched on the living room TV, and started a variety show.
"Heehee, hihi!"
Munch munch.
Defying my words, she shoved a handful of snacks into her mouth.
"And you need to brush properly after snacks. Your breath smelled during that kiss before."
Crinkle.
Pomi dropped the snack bag!
"L-lie! Succubi don't have bad breath!"
"You always say succubi don't gain weight or smell. Guess you're not one then?"
"Waaah!"
Pomi bolted to the bathroom.
"Cute kid."
Makes me wanna tease her more.
I took her spot and stole some snacks when my pocket buzzed.
Viiiing-.
"Huh? Reply already?"
But it was from someone else.
"Yeon Du?"
No one's watching, but I straightened up anyway.
[Oppa, you home?]
Tap, tap tap, tap.
[Yeah. Home.]
[Quick reply? Were you on your phone?]
Tap tap tap tap.
[Yeah. But Du-na, aren't you working now?]
[Wanna hear about that thing from before.]
Eek. Here it comes. That glare from the kitchen when I set the date with Na-young was intense.
[Text? That's kinda...]
Stall for time. If she says call, hit back with "Call? Kinda..."
[I'm outside your place.]
Gasp.
I startled and called Yeon Du-na.
-Hello? Oppa?
"Du-na, today's your work day. What about your shift!"
-Tell you when I get there. Home, right? Almost there. Open the door.
Click.
"D-Du-na? Du-na?"
She's getting bold lately? Time for a scolding.
Doorbell rang soon after she hung up.
Ding dong-.
Can't ignore it... Her face on the intercom looked so tense, sending her back might make her cry.
"Haa, come in."
I buzzed open the ground floor door, spaced out, then jolted.
"Ah, Yu-ra! Yu-ra's stuff!"
Co-habitant Yu-ra's things were everywhere. I rushed to the small room with her textbooks and clothes, stuffing computer, books, her clothes into Inventory.
"Uh... oh, undies on the drying rack."
The drying rack had our household's recently washed clothes. Pomi's were mostly in Inventory already, but I couldn't stuff damp ones—emergency now, so I took everything.
'That all? Feels like I forgot something... Can't recall.'
Moments later, doorbell again—Yeon Du-na at the second floor.
"Oppa, it's me."
"W-wait a sec!"
No choice, deal with later. Opened the front door.
Through the widening gap, Yeon Du-na's face appeared.
She'd been pouting like a scolded kid, but lit up smiling like a blooming flower upon seeing me.
That smile melted my big-bro scolding intent; I just stared blankly.
Thump, thump.
Heart pounding.
Was she always this pretty?
"Y-you're here?"
"Yeees... Ah, Oppa, this!"
Blushing as she entered, she handed over a shopping bag. Well-marbled beef inside.
"Hey, no need for pricey stuff like this. Must've cost a fortune."
"You look so tired lately. Eat up and recharge..."
Such a good kid.
"Thanks... Ah, come in, come in."
"Yeees..."
Looking around as she entered, she spoke again.
"Hasn't changed much since before?"
"Ah, haha. What changes for a guy living alone?"
(Though I'd just been sweating cleaning up.)
This was Yeon Du-na's second time here. First was when I moved in; she and Hong-seop helped unpack.
We stood awkwardly. We chatted fine at work post-confession, but private felt weird.
"Sit here, Du-na."
I sat her down and put on a serious face.
"Ahem. So, Du-na. How'd you swing work today?"
"Asked two close friends. They cook better than me."
"Even so! What'll they do in a kitchen they've never seen?"
Different from Joo Na-young swapping shifts with newbie Shin Ji-ah from the front.
Yeon Du-na knew she messed up, hanging her head like a scolded kid.
"Haa, even if it's your family's shop... Does Hong-seop know? Myeong-sook Auntie?"
"Already chewed out by Oppa. Lied to Auntie about sudden illness."
She'd been sulking, but suddenly looked up aggrieved.
"...But Oppa, you make me wait too long!"
"What?"
"I heard everything. Na-young's skipping work tomorrow to meet Oppa!"
"How'd you...? Eavesdropping?"
"Think that's all? Saw Na-young kiss your cheek in the break room too."
I blanked. Kiss? Na-young on my cheek?
Then I recalled something touching my cheek in the break room nap recently.
'Thought it was a dream—turns out Na-young kissed me.'
Day before, after nightmare rescue, I jokingly asked for a real kiss as thanks. Yeon Du-na saw and misunderstood.
"Haa, Du-na. Even if we're close, eavesdropping and peeking..."
"I did it 'cause I like you! I like Oppa!"
"..."
She yelled, panted a bit, then cautiously opened her mouth.
"O-Oppa. Gotta use the bathroom quick."
"Ah, bathroom? That way..!?"
Guiding her to escape awkwardness, my eyes met Pomi's peeking from the slightly open bathroom door.
That's what I kept forgetting—you!
Pomi, toothbrush in mouth, stared wide-eyed at me and Yeon Du-na, confused.
"That way?"
Yeon Du-na turned.
-Hey! Ethereal form! Ethereal form!
-Mmph mmph!
Pomi barely activated ethereal form; Yeon Du-na saw nothing and headed in.
"Oppa, light's on?"
"H-ha. Guess I'm getting old. Happens sometimes?"
"...Might need someone watching you."
Stare...
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat at her intense gaze; she huffed and went in.
Simultaneously, toothbrush Pomi dashed over.
-Hey, what're you doing.
-Unnerstan mmphing! Thith thmelling!
('Bad breath! Brushing!' Pretty sure. I've mastered Pomi-speak.)
-That was ages ago—still brushing? It was a joke. You're always so fragrant.
-Kek, ho, homph thmelling!
Swallowed some toothpaste, huh.
-Spit in my bathroom. Hide till Du-na leaves. Got it?
Nod nod.