Chapter 405: Stray Cat
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 405: Stray Cat
The next day.
In front of the dormitory, passersby steal glances at me as I sit perched on my suitcase.
The wind brushes past me like their prying eyes, chilling me to the bone.
"Sniff."
Is it just my imagination, or is it much colder than usual?
Unlike my normal self, I find myself shrinking back, wrapping my arms around my body. Being homeless really saps your confidence.
"Sniff."
I pull out my phone.
The moment my hand leaves my pocket, my fingers begin to tremble. I know I’m being more dramatic than usual, but for some reason, I can’t stop the theatrics.
Is this what poverty feels like?
Ring... Ring... Ring...
The ringing goes on longer than expected.
"Sniff."
— Hello?
After waiting while sniffling, my Big Hyung finally picks up. He sounds like he’s in a rush; his voice is a bit faster than usual.
"Hyung, are you busy?"
— ...Hold on.
His voice becomes a distant mumble as he seemingly dismisses the people around him.
— What is it?
He gets straight to the point. Sensing the unusual tone and atmosphere in my voice, he immediately intuited that something had happened.
Feeling reassured by his dependable nature, I explained the situation I was in.
— ...
A somewhat long silence followed, as if he needed time to process the information.
"Hyung?"
— ...
"Hyungie?"
When I called out with another sniffle, he let out a sigh as if he had a headache and asked for clarification.
— So, if I understand correctly... you brought girls into the dorm, racked up over 20 demerit points, and got kicked out. Now you want me to find you a place to stay until you enlist?
"Exactly! That’s my hyung! Look at that perfect understanding. This is exactly why I said you’re the one who should inherit the company."
— You need to suffer a little.
"...Hyung?"
— Other than sending a car to bring you back to the main house, there is nothing I can do for you.
"Hyungie?"
Click.
The call cut off just like that.
While I stared blankly at my phone, unable to hide my shock, something warm wrapped around my neck from behind.
Startled, I looked up to see a black scarf that carried a faint, bitter scent.
"Aren't you cold?"
It was Senior Ju-hee, with an unlit cigarette dangling from her lips. It seemed she had come down for a smoke, saw me, and decided to offer some comfort.
"Senior..."
"What are you doing out here? I thought you said not to worry because you were going to ask the Vice Chairman to find you a separate room."
"Well, the thing is—"
As I explained how my brother had treated me, Senior Ju-hee scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Hmm."
"Isn't he being too much?!"
"Well, I have younger siblings too. If they called me because they got kicked out of the dorm for a reason like that..."
"If they did?"
"I would have gone to them immediately."
"I knew I could count on you, Senior!"
"And I would have started by breaking both their legs."
"...I knew I could count on you, Senior."
Honestly, I knew I had messed up, and I knew I was being unreasonable. But still.
"Aren't you technically an accomplice, Senior?"
"..."
"You were there too."
At that, she straightened her back and looked up at the sky. She took the cigarette from her mouth and let out a long breath. Watching her breath mist away like cigarette smoke, she asked me:
"Then what? You want to stay at my place?"
"..."
"I'm not joking. I'm serious. Whatever, I'm a senior in my final year, so it's not a big deal. And I haven't racked up demerit points like you have."
Senior Ju-hee stepped closer to me. She bent her knees slightly to meet my eyes as I sat on my suitcase and asked with a smile.
"What do you say, Young Master? Do you want to stay with me?"
She was serious.
Right now, she was sincerely offering to let me stay with her. If I nodded here, she would probably whisk me away to her room in a heartbeat.
I had to admit, my heart fluttered. However, I had no idea what kind of storm would follow if I said yes, and I didn't exactly want that either.
"A-Ah, no thanks."
When I awkwardly declined, she pinched my cheek and pulled it, letting out a short laugh.
"That's a shame."
Then, she turned toward the smoking area, saying she was going to have her cigarette.
"Senior, your scarf!"
"Keep it, Young Master."
I watched her back as she strode away toward the smoking area without even looking back, just waving her hand. She was so cool that it made me doubt if we had actually done those kinds of things together.
Maybe it was because, given Senior Ju-hee's image, it was hard to imagine her moaning under a man.
Wait, what am I thinking?
The scarf was thick with her scent. The faint smell of tobacco lingering in it strangely felt like it was teaching me what an "adult" smelled like.
Now, where should I go?
At first, I had acted all big and tough, asking if they thought the youngest son of Uju Group was a joke and telling them not to worry.
In the end, I sent a message to the girls' group chat.
* * *
An apartment complex near Gahyeon University.
I was sitting alone on a swing in a playground that was empty, likely due to the cold. I had thought about meeting the girls on campus, but I was famous enough that carrying a mountain of luggage would draw too much attention, so I came out here.
I couldn't really go into a cafe with all this luggage either, so after wandering around, this was where I ended up.
"Whoa, look at that, Ah-rin!"
I heard a welcome voice.
"It's a hyena wandering around looking for food because it has nowhere to go!"
"Choi I-seo told you to go inside somewhere because it's cold, so why are you sitting on a swing looking so pathetic?"
"Maybe he's looking for the next woman he's going to devour?"
The two of them approached. Seo Ye-rin reached out and tickled my chin as I sat on the swing.
"There, there. Shall we go to my house? Do you want to live with Noona?"
"...Whimper."
Thinking I might as well act cute, I tilted my head slightly. Seo Ye-rin hopped over and wrapped her arms around my head, treating me like an actual cat.
"Aww! So cute! I should take you home and raise you!"
Her chest was thick, so it was warm.
"Hey, drink this."
Yoo Ah-rin pulled a Hershey Choco Milk out of her coat pocket and handed it to me. It was a cold drink for a cold day, but it still quenched my thirst.
Slurp.
As I drank the chocolate milk while buried in Seo Ye-rin's chest, my mood started to lift. Seeing as I was already losing my worries about the future, was this the power of breasts?
"You should have bought white milk."
As I mumbled blankly, Yoo Ah-rin tilted her head and asked.
"Why? Do you not drink chocolate milk lately? Are you managing your weight or something?"
Maybe my brain was frozen. My thoughts just spilled out of my mouth without any filter.
"No, I just thought that if I drank milk while buried in a chest, it would feel like drinking breast milk."
"You fucking Woo-jin Normal Faction bastard!"
WHAM!
"Guh!"
A kick landed directly on my chest, sending me flying backward. My head hit the ground, which actually helped clear my mind.
"Isn't this guy insane!?"
As Yoo Ah-rin sought agreement, Seo Ye-rin shrieked, covering her nipples with both palms.
"I don't produce chocolate breast milk!"
"You fucking Ye-rin Normal Faction bitch!"
THWACK!
"Gyah!"
Seo Ye-rin also took a hit and collapsed on the ground, leaving Yoo Ah-rin as the last one standing.
"Where the hell is Choi I-seo?! Ugh, seriously!"
"I told you I-seo was going to be late."
"Exactly."
We answered Yoo Ah-rin's shout while still lying on the ground. Anyway, we eventually regained our senses.
"I'm sorry. I lost my mind because I lost my home."
I apologized to Yoo Ah-rin and steered the conversation back.
"I have nowhere to stay right now. And I really don't want to go back to the main house."
If I went there, they would definitely pry into things regarding the girls. I hadn't even told them yet that the pregnancies were a lie.
I need to tell them that.
At first, I was worried and thought it was a sensitive topic that needed to be handled carefully. But now it was getting annoying, and I was considering just making a family group chat, announcing it there, and then leaving the chat.
"Until when are your exams? You have to stay here at least until then."
"I need to stay for two weeks."
At my answer, Yoo Ah-rin looked troubled. Even if I gave up on everything and went back to the main house, it would have to be in two weeks. That meant I needed a place to stay nearby for that duration.
"I can look after your luggage for you. But I can't let you sleep at my place... because my parents are there."
Yoo Ah-rin said she was truly sorry. But I hadn't expected that much anyway. How could I stay there with her parents around?
"I-I can't either. Sorry, Woo-jin."
Seo Ye-rin lived in a two-story house and had the second floor to herself, but her parents were on the first floor. I would definitely be caught, and I didn't want to be discovered by Seo Ye-rin's mother like that either.
"No, I wasn't planning on imposing on you guys. I'm the one who's sorry."
Honestly, the names Choi Jin-ah and Oh Yun-ji were on the tip of my tongue. Both of them felt responsible for my situation and had told me to come to their places anytime.
But that might be a bad idea.
If I said that, the girls might push themselves too hard to take me in. I decided to put Choi Jin-ah and Oh Yun-ji on hold for now.
Honestly, wasn't Choi I-seo the most likely candidate? Even though she was living with Min-ji, it wasn't like I was a stranger to her.
It might be a bit shameless of me to bring it up, though.
The key was how to smoothly talk my way into I-seo's place. Everyone seemed to be following a similar train of thought, glancing at each other and worrying, when...
"What are you guys doing here?"
Choi I-seo arrived right on time. After making eye contact, we immediately started complaining.
"I-seo, my snot froze while waiting for you."
"Hey, you! How could you make us wait like this when it's so cold?!"
"Woo-jin's dick is all shriveled up!"
"Yeah! Look at my dick—!"
I was about to pull down my pants when Yoo Ah-rin grabbed my waistband and gave me a lethal warning.
"The moment you whip it out, it won't just be shriveled—it'll be ripped off."
"Yes, ma'am."
My voice cracked from the sudden fear. Despite our desperate struggle to make Choi I-seo feel responsible...
"Oh? Sorry."
Choi I-seo replied, looking flustered.
"I was late because I was cleaning up to let Woo-jin stay over."
All hail Goddess I-seo!
* * *
I never realized a cozy home could be this precious.
Entering Choi I-seo's studio apartment, I couldn't hide my overwhelming emotion as I looked around.
"D-Don't look around so much. It's embarrassing."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? You even cleaned up."
Look at how tidy it is.
As I was looking around, feeling like it had been a while since I'd been here, Jung Min-ji followed us in. She was holding a convenience store bag, likely having just come from there, and it was filled with beer.
"Oh? You're here? I ordered chicken for a welcome party. Let's have Chi-mc."
"Ah... Ahhh."
To think such a warm place existed in this world. To think a person could be this moved by just chicken and beer. It truly is a beautiful world.
* * *
The next day.
I woke up to a commotion outside. Last night, after having chicken and beer, I was going to sleep in the living room alone, but I-seo had secretly called me into her room.
"Ah, right."
A naked Choi I-seo was sleeping with my arm as a pillow. Was this life going to continue for the next two weeks?
Holy shit, I'm so happy.
As I was smiling, wondering if it was okay to be this happy, the noise from outside burst into the room.
SLAM!
"Eek! You scared me!"
"Whoa?!"
Jung Min-ji had kicked the door open. As I shouted in surprise, Choi I-seo also jolted awake.
"Hey."
Jung Min-ji, whose dark circles were hanging low and who looked exhausted, spoke in a much sharper voice than yesterday.
"I told you yesterday. I'm only drinking a little beer because I have to study for exams!"
"..."
"But... but it never ended?! Do I have to listen to my friend moaning all night long?!"
"..."
"I'm telling you right now."
"..."
"Unless you're going to castrate that bastard, both of you get the hell out!"
And so.
I was kicked out in just one day.