Chapter 431: Bath
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 431: Bath
Back in my room after that awkward dinner.
the girls were gathered around, each taking turns giving me a piece of their mind.
"Woo-jin! Seriously?! Even if you have bad feelings toward your father, you should at least show some basic courtesy!"
Seo Ye-rin stood there with her hands on her hips, lecturing me.
I never imagined I’d be hearing a lecture on common sense from Seo Ye-rin of all people.
Her words had been getting under my skin for a while now.
"Sigh, don't you realize how uncomfortable that makes things for us? What on earth were you thinking?"
Beside her, Choi I-seo stood with her arms crossed, interrogating me with a cold gaze.
In this situation, Choi I-seo was essentially the one in charge of damage control. Watching her neatly wrap up my "bratty" remarks earlier, I was honestly impressed.
"You little brat!"
Yoo Ah-rin, on the other hand, was already on the bed with me, locking me in a joint submission hold.
Surprisingly, the blunt remarks and insults Ah-rin had hurled at me earlier provided the most satisfaction to my family. It seemed they felt she was saying the things they couldn't bring themselves to say out loud.
My father, in particular, seemed to quite enjoy Ah-rin’s outbursts.
"Agh! Ow, ow!"
Between the joint lock on the bed and the nagging from both sides, I felt like I was losing my mind.
"I had my reasons!"
Just as I shouted for them to recognize my grand design...
The door swung open, and Mom walked in.
"Oh my, did I walk in at a bad time?"
Mom covered her mouth and giggled. It was obvious she knew I was being scolded and was enjoying the show.
"O-Oh, no. We were just talking for a second."
"I was just pointing out some things he needs to reflect on."
"Gah! Th-This—! It’s not what it looks like!"
Unlike the other two, Ah-rin, who had been using physical force, hurriedly let go of me.
However, Mom walked over with a smile and patted Ah-rin on the shoulder, offering some advice.
"Keep going. Do more. I've reached the point where my cane isn't enough to keep him in line anymore."
"Ah..."
Seeing him get roasted by his own mother, a flicker of unease crossed the girls' eyes. They looked at me as if wondering how they were supposed to handle me in the future.
"No, seriously. This is so unfair."
I wanted to tell them I did it on purpose, but with Mom right there, I couldn't say it.
So, I turned my gaze toward Mom and asked pointedly, "Why'd you come in? We're in the middle of something."
"I came to ask if you wanted to bathe. The only things worth bragging about in this house are me and the sauna, after all."
Mom flashed a 'V' sign with a grin.
Even if I told her to act her age, she wouldn't listen. That’s just who she is. Then again, I suppose that’s why she’s able to live with my father, who’s dead serious and heavy-handed every single day.
No one ever said it out loud, but everyone knew it was Mom who kept the peace in our home.
"That's right, we have a sauna at home. Do you girls want to try it? It's really nice."
"You have a sauna in the house?"
"That is pretty impressive."
"It feels like I've stepped into a 'Chaebol Life' vlog."
Their reactions varied, but they were all positive.
Mom glanced at me and asked, "Trash son, you're going in too, right?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
When I answered nonchalantly, the three of them looked startled.
"W-Woo-jin, you're coming in with us?"
"Hey, this is your parents' house."
"Show some restraint."
"Our home sauna is complicated. There's a lot I need to show you."
I tried to make an excuse, but the response was cold.
"There's no reason Woo-jin has to be the one to show us."
"Then just go in with your clothes on, show us, and leave."
"What's so complicated? At most, it's just turning a faucet. What's complicated about that?"
"..."
Fine, honestly, it wasn't complicated at all. I just wanted an excuse to go in with them.
But an unexpected ally supported me.
"Oh my? You're dating, so what's the problem? You can all go in together."
Mom answered with a bright smile.
"Un-i goes in with his wife all the time to scrub her back, and Jae-un goes in with his secretary every now and then."
"Ugh, what the..."
Suddenly, I really didn't want to go in.
I could understand my second brother since my sister-in-law is pregnant, but why on earth does Big Hyung go in with his secretary?
Between this and the adult goods he bought at Gold One last time, he’s surprisingly lewd for someone who acts so dignified.
"And I go in with your father once in a while, too."
"Ugh, please! I don't want to know that!"
Why would she even say that? No, more importantly, they're quite vigorous for their age.
"Live with some restraint, will you? I mean, do you really have to say that in front of the girls?"
"Re...straint?"
"Woo-jin."
"Look who's talking."
The bewildered voices of the three girls behind me pierced my conscience.
Feeling embarrassed, I turned to look at them, but they all stared back at me with such confidence that I had to turn away again.
"Anyway, it's fine to go in together. It's in the basement, so you don't have to worry about any noise leaking out."
Mom smirked, covering her mouth.
"If you're shy, should Mom go in with you too?"
"Can you please just leave? I feel like I'm going to die of embarrassment because of you, seriously."
My face was burning.
As I muttered while covering my face with both hands, Mom said she understood and left the room.
"I'm so embarrassed I could die. Can you all just leave?"
I was sighing in mortification, but surprisingly, the girls' reaction was positive.
"Your mother is so charming!"
"I know, right? I felt it last time too, but she makes you feel so comfortable."
"Dramas are such lies. They say chaebol mothers-in-law are prickly, but she's not like that at all."
My mom is definitely a bit different. But I’ve heard that those prickly chaebol mothers-in-law from dramas do exist.
"I'm tired, so everyone please leave."
When I made the request while slumped over, the three of them "consoled" me by dragging me to the bath.
* * *
"Whoa."
"This... is definitely worth bragging about."
"It's like a large-scale jjimjilbang."
The three of them looked around the bath area in awe.
Along with me, the bath and sauna were the only two things worth boasting about in this house.
'Why are they wearing towels?'
As I looked dissatisfactorily at the three of them covering their bodies with towels, Choi I-seo warned me as if striking first.
"Control yourself. Got it?"
"...I'll try."
"Please, control yourself. Didn't you just say something about restraint? Your family is right upstairs. Think about our reputation."
"Roger."
I smacked my lips in disappointment.
"Phew, this feels great. I feel the pain in my waist and thighs just melting away."
Ah-rin had already washed up and was in the tub. She had been grumbling about her body aching from yesterday's aftermath, and it seemed the hot water was doing its job.
One by one, we entered the tub.
"Haaa. This feels so goooood."
Before I knew it, the steam had cleared, and Seo Ye-rin had returned to her usual self.
"Oh, mmm. This is nice."
Choi I-seo seemed startled by the heat at first, but she soon relaxed and grew drowsy.
I also felt my tension vanish as I soaked in my family's bath for the first time in a while.
"Hey, this feels completely different from the open-air bath yesterday."
Ah-rin said with a hollow laugh.
I nodded and smiled at her.
"The water is different. We use high-quality bath salts separately."
"You use bath salts even in a tub this big?"
Intrigued, Choi I-seo caught the scent of the water. She seemed to feel even better as the pleasant aroma wafted up.
The steam rose in soft clouds.
Amidst it all, the three girls laughed and enjoyed their bath.
'I wonder if this is how the woodcutter felt when he peeked at the fairies.'
At this rate, I could see why someone would want to steal their clothes, force them to have three kids, and keep them trapped at home.
Seo Ye-rin slithered toward me like a crocodile, with only her head bobbing above the water.
The elegant and innocent aura she had shown until a moment ago was gone, replaced by a gaze full of mischief.
"Woo-jin, was it good with Ah-rin?"
Ye-rin sat beside me with a smirk. As she locked her fingers with mine, her chest pressed against my arm.
"I-It was good, okay? Yeah, it was good."
Ah-rin was glaring at me with narrowed eyes, waiting to see how I’d answer.
Satisfied with my response, she smirked and tried to slide into the remaining empty spot next to me, but...
"Ahem."
Before she knew it, Choi I-seo had moved first and taken the spot beside me.
"Hey, what gives?"
"...You were with him all day yesterday."
"You damn couple."
With both sides occupied, Ah-rin pouted. After a moment of thought, she swam over and sat on my lap, facing me.
"Ugh, this brat's already hard."
Ah-rin frowned, pointing at something poking out between us.
"Ah-rin! Swap places with me!"
"Sigh."
Ye-rin whined while I-seo let out a deep sigh.
Watching this, I asked in disbelief, "You're telling me to endure this? Me? Right now?"
When I asked, dumbfounded, Choi I-seo glared at me and nodded.
"Endure it, please. We can't go around clutching our waists in front of your mother and father."
"That's..."
She had a point.
Sighing, I tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"Do you guys realize I did that on purpose earlier? I acted like I was under your thumbs so I could get my father's permission."
"Eh? That just seemed like the usual Woo-jin."
"You're capable of thinking that deeply?"
"Was that deep thinking? You just seemed like a total brat."
While all three of them looked at me with disbelief...
"Hmm?"
A sudden commotion broke out outside.
"Wait a second."
Sensing something strange, I wrapped a towel around myself and headed up to the first floor. I saw the entire family rushing outside in a hurry.
"Father?"
Even my father was among them.