Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: A Man Full of Gaps (1)
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"Ugh, what are we gonna do with all these people."
Tsking my tongue while scrolling through news articles on the portal site, Pomi—who'd been reading webtoons on her phone—tilted her head.
"Huh? What's up, Junnie?"
"You know Hawaii? Ha-wai-i."
"Who do you think I am, an idiot? I've been there!"
"Liar."
"It's not a lie!"
"Spell Hawaii."
"Uh? Uh, um. H, A, double... Y-You don't know either, Junnie!"
"That's why I don't lie about having been there."
"Argh!"
Pomi stomped her feet in frustration, but her face stiffened at my next words.
"They say a volcano erupted in Hawaii?"
"E-Eh?"
Whoosh! Scamper!
Pomi flung her phone onto the blanket and bolted over at incredible speed, clambering right onto my lap.
"Wh-where? Let me see."
I showed the video I'd found earlier to the girl staring intently at the monitor.
"Check this out. There's even footage up."
A YouTube video uploaded by someone. Beyond the hardened earth, an enormous mass of lava flowed like a flooded river.
"Eek!"
"Whoa. I've never seen anything like this. Hawaii's a volcanic island, huh."
When I was a kid, I thought every honeymoon was either Jeju Island or Hawaii.
That beautiful island I'd seen on a variety show just the other day had turned to ash in an instant. The world sure was unpredictable.
"Huh? Pomi, what's wrong? You okay?"
I glanced over since Pomi had gone quiet through the whole video, only to see her gaping with a face black as coal.
"A-Any deaths?"
"I didn't check th—"
"Gah! Get out!"
Pomi hopped off my lap and shoved me roughly out of the chair.
"Oof, hey! What's your problem?"
Ignoring my complaint as I was forced aside, she plopped into the chair I'd been using. Then she started hammering the keyboard like she was trying to smash it!
"Hey! You'll break it! Broke-ass goblin!"
Scolding her did no good. She kept pounding away, eyes glued to the monitor. After about five minutes of watching from the side...
Pomi, lips pursed and focused on the screen, let out a deep sigh before scurrying back to her phone and flopping down.
What the heck was that about?
I looked back at her, but she was already grinning away in webtoon land. Shrugging her off, I went back to finishing that article.
Besides the Hawaii eruption, another hot topic was the serial murders that had been going on since last month—or maybe the month before.
Dubbed the "National Assemblyman Serial Killings," it wasn't just lawmakers—prosecutors, lawyers, businessmen, and more were among the victims.
"Power Elite Serial Killings" would've been more accurate, but since the first victim, Grand Republic Party Assemblyman Yang Du-chan, was the most famous, it was still called the "National Assemblyman Serial Killings."
I clicked the top article in [Most Viewed News].
📰 Breaking News ‘Public Security Collapsed in Korea’—Unjustified Resentment Toward the Elite 💬 Comments — dinp**** It's no wonder the economy's tanking after the leftists took power. Just a barbaric national trait that can't stand seeing others succeed. — sexj**** Don't know who did it, but good riddance. Feels damn refreshing. — tasp**** Plenty of psychos saying "good they died." This is our country's class. Why bother with laws then? — hito**** Gov't sabotage year 1. Translation to ruin 5 years. Yeah, this is the level of your beloved Korea's laws ^^ — kim5**** Politicians, chaebols. Legal crooks who always get slaps on the wrist or acquittals from judges. Justice served. — chn1**** A Dark Knight who sacrificed himself to excise the cancer eating away at Korea. — podo**** Yang Du-chan - Married guy sex parties with housewives and hookers. No charges. | Kim Ho-jin - Chaebol abuse, breach of trust, embezzlement, dividend parties. Warrant denied. | Park Su-yeol - Pro-Japanese grandpa, habitual assault on subordinates. Suspended sentence. | Lee Jung-ki - Valley owner pervert bastard. ..
Whoa.
I switched from newest to most liked.
Most were cheering that they'd gotten what they deserved.
Honestly, aside from Assemblyman Yang Du-chan, I'd never heard of any of them before. But judging from the crimes listed, none seemed like upstanding folks anyway.
"We should replace all the judges with AlphaGo."
Not that it'd happen. Even if it did, the big corps would make the program—and probably rig it in their favor. Chuckling wryly at the thought, I logged into Jilsanet and then Mpia.
Jilsanet login: one new message.
It was from "LoveForever," the guy who'd begged me to steal his wife.
from. LoveForever: Saw your message. Can't make time for a bit, but oh well. Hit me up whenever you're free later and we can talk. When I first got his message, I'd excitedly replied, "Got it, let's set a date."
But soon after, I decided to try the massage gig.
Mon-Fri at the shop, weekends at cram school, plus tending to the girls I was seeing—no way I had time for cuckold events too.
Regretfully, I'd sent a rejection. Though I did sneak in a pathetic "Maybe next time if you're free?" at the end.
From his perspective, the guy's offering up his wife on a platter, and I say "no time, maybe later"? I'd be pissed too. Though surprisingly, he replied wanting to reschedule—probably just being polite.
"At least he said thanks."
I smirked and closed the inbox.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days passed.
"Wheee! Wheeee! Having fun, Pomi?"
"Ehehe, heehee. That tickles, dummy!"
I was playing airplane with Pomi on Yu-ra's bed, which we'd moved to my place at her request a while back. From the corner, Yu-ra—putting on mascara—spoke up through the mirror.
"Oppa, what time'll you get there tonight?"
"Dunno. Fly straight after cram school, maybe around 6."
The college festival Yu-ra had mentioned a month ago was today.
"Yonsei fest, so Yon-Ko match or something, right?"
"Yon-Ko."
"That or whatevs... Y-Yon-Ko. Right."
These kids were weirdly prickly about dumb stuff despite being educated.
Yu-ra dropped her glare and spoke.
"And tonight we're going to Akaraka."
"A-ka-ra-what?"
"A-Ka-Ra-Ka."
Yu-ra opened her mouth wide and explained the Yonsei fests: Yon-Ko, Dae Dong Je, Akaraka.
Yon-Ko was the annual sports showdown with rival Korea University.
Dae Dong Je was the classic college festival—booze and partying for three days. The finale was today's Akaraka.
Big singers perform, they do cheer battles they're proud of. Super popular, needs ticketing, even scalpers everywhere.
"No drinking? Aww, man."
I'd imagined sipping soju while ogling coeds' backsides. Kinda disappointed.
Back in my college days, my looks kept me a total loner. Festival time? Just chicken-and-beer parties back home with friends.
Finished with makeup, Yu-ra walked over with a sly look.
"We'll drink just the two of us later at night."
Pomi jumped at "two."
"Hey! Me too!"
"How'm I supposed to drink outside with you tagging along? I'll get you juice."
Yu-ra patted Pomi's sulky butt and turned to me.
"Anyway, Dae Dong Je got canceled this year 'cause of all the rain."
"Ohh. Bummer. Who's performing? You into guy idols and stuff?"
"Why? Gonna get jealous again?"
"Jealous my ass! Hey, enough milking that alrea—ugh."
"So cute."
She pinched my cheeks and shook my face up and down. Nine years older, and this is how she treats me?
"Here, one ticket each for you and Pomi."
Yu-ra pulled two translucent plastic tickets from her wallet and handed them over.
[2018.5.19(Sat) Yonsei University Open-Air Theater. Admission: 13,000 won]
"Pretty!"
Pomi snatched hers, loving the blue design, and inspected it gleefully.
As I stroked her head, Yu-ra sighed heavily.
"Took so much effort to get 'em..."
When she scored the tickets, I wasn't in cram school yet.
Akaraka's on Saturday, my day off then, so we'd planned to go together. Now it clashed—bummer.
"I'll fly right after class. Celebs come late, yeah?"
"I'll watch with Pomi first. Whisper to her when you arrive—too loud for calls."
"Got it."
"Aww, c'mon! Get up and wash your face. Pomi, come here. Sis'll do your makeup after."
"O-Oh! For real?"
Wriggle, wriggle.
Pomi, sprawled on my belly, perked up at "makeup" and pushed off.
"Oof. Oof."
"Makeup!"
Yu-ra grabbed the scampering Pomi's hand and headed to the bathroom. Alone now, I stretched.
"Ahhhh! Used to wake at dawn no problem. Getting harder lately."
Planning to lounge till Pomi finished washing, I grabbed my nearby phone and opened Mpia.
Clicked "My Bookshelf."
Chapters: 30, Views: 8,000.
Average ~270 per chapter, but mostly early views—grim stats.
Lately, barely over 20 per chapter, hardly any comments.
Meanwhile, Namhu's novel [I Was the Sword God, But Reincarnated As...], or [Sword God Idol], was blowing up.
'Lucky bastard.'
Namhu had envied me at the last meetup—asking if I could hook him up with my girl. But here I was, unable to even buy decent gifts for the ones I saw.
Writing didn't pay, cram school ate time—novel updates tanked.
Still, two steady readers—"Hurangi" and "Kim Mi-young Team Leader"—kept commenting, so I couldn't quit.
— Hurangi Yuri's pretty. — Kim Mi-young Team Leader Mii's pretty. No way it's just Yu-ra and Pomi, right? That'd be too pathetic.
Anyway, I left a thanks-for-the-support-despite-slow-updates comment and started getting ready to head out.