Chapter 525: Abnormality of Abnormality
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 525: Abnormality of Abnormality
“I’m not Woo-jin; I’m his wife.”
“Holy shit.”
“Bam!”
Despite the rowdy reactions, Choi I-seo’s expression didn't change.
If anything, she looked quite serious, as if waiting to see how the person on the other end would respond.
Man, I feel kind of bad.
I, on the other hand, was feeling guilty for several reasons.
I felt bad that the girls felt the need to be so defensive because of me, and I also felt bad for Seo Da-mi, who was being treated like this despite calling me her favorite.
Of course, if I had to pick a side, I was obviously on the girls' side.
“Hello?”
When there was no answer, Choi I-seo called out again.
After a moment, a flustered voice came through the phone.
— W-Woo-jin Sunbae is married?!
“Yes, that’s right.”
He even has three wives.
I thought that even someone like Seo Da-mi would be shocked and give up on being a fan once she found out.
— That is so cool!
Instead, Seo Da-mi sounded somewhat excited. We, who were huddled around the phone in the center, all exchanged bewildered looks.
“...What did she just say?”
I asked, wondering if I’d misheard, but everyone else had the same expression.
We had prepared ourselves for various responses.
Resentment, anger, confusion, or even an apology.
There are so many typical reactions, right?
We naturally expected one of those, but Seo Da-mi’s reaction was completely unexpected. She sounded genuinely happy for me.
— As expected! A man of Sunbae’s caliber wouldn't just have a girlfriend; he’d be married! You really are amazing! Always staying ahead of everyone else, Sunbae!
“...Is 'staying ahead' the right way to put it? Isn't that more like a false start?”
I couldn't give Yoo Ah-rin a proper answer to her bewildered question.
Even Choi I-seo was so stunned she couldn't speak, which was when Seo Ye-rin jumped in.
“That’s right! Our Woo-jini is amazing!”
— Exactly! Ah, finally! I’ve finally found someone to fangirl with!
A brief silence followed.
— But who are you?
“I’m Seo Ye-rin. Your senior, planning to return to school next year.”
— You’re a different person from the one who said she was Woo-jin Sunbae’s wife, right? Your voices sound different.
“Hey, Seo Ye-rin!”
“Why would you just say that?!”
Choi I-seo and Yoo Ah-rin hissed at Seo Ye-rin in a whisper. Seo Ye-rin quickly covered her mouth with her hand, realizing she’d spoken without thinking.
But it was already too late.
“I-I mean... my friend—”
Just as Choi I-seo tried to scramble for an excuse, Yoo Ah-rin just blurted it out.
“Kim Woo-jin has three wives.”
“Hey?!”
Everyone stared at her with wide eyes, but Yoo Ah-rin remained bold.
“This is the way. We have to make her lose interest like this.”
“Oh.”
“Ooh.”
Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo looked at Yoo Ah-rin with admiration. The strategy was to just smear his reputation so much that she wouldn't even want to look at him.
“As expected of Yoo Ah-rin’s tactics.”
“Ah-rin really is smart when it comes to this stuff, isn't she?”
The two were deeply impressed.
I was also impressed, though in a very different way.
“What about my image at school?”
Even if Seo Da-mi didn't spread the word, wouldn't I have to avoid her from now on?
It was a revolutionary strategy that didn't take my human rights or reputation into account at all.
“So what? Who cares if the kids at school glare at you a bit and call you trash behind your back? It’s not like it matters when you come home to a house full of women.”
“True! So true! Ah-rin is right about everything!”
Seo Ye-rin agreed with a hearty laugh.
She seemed to be finding the whole situation quite entertaining.
“You guys realize we’re on speakerphone, right?”
We shouldn't forget that.
We were currently having this conversation on speaker.
Maybe it was because my phone was made by our Uju Group, but the performance was top-notch.
Even when we spoke from a distance, it picked up everything perfectly and delivered it to Seo Da-mi on the other end without a hint of hesitation.
— Three... wives? And even Ye-rin Sunbae and Ah-rin Sunbae?
Since people like Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin were well-known, she was bound to recognize them.
It would be one thing if it was just me, but if the others got dragged into it, it would be a problem.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Yup!”
“....”
Yet, the three of them didn't seem to care at all. It was as if they didn't mind how they were perceived by the outside world.
That sight...
It felt like a symbol of our tight-knit relationship, and I was actually moved.
Sniff!
Right, I am the head of this household.
I can't back down in embarrassment here.
“That’s right, Da-mi. I’m married to all three of them.”
When I spoke up with confidence, the girls laughed and nudged me.
“Ooh, look at Kim Woo-jin.”
“Woo-jini’s such a man!”
“Good grief.”
Choi I-seo sighed at the end, but the slight curl of her lips suggested she wasn't unhappy.
Well, I’d just have to deal with the consequences later.
— Wow.
Amidst our reactions.
Another unexpected response came from the phone.
— As expected of Woo-jin Sunbae... You just casually do things that a commoner like me could never even imagine.
— If you said you had three girlfriends, I would have been disappointed and thought you were just trash. But since they're your wives, it means you’ve taken responsibility for all three, right?
“....”
“Hey, what is up with this girl?”
“I told you they can hear us.”
— As expected of Woo-jin Sunbae. Seriously... You effortlessly achieve things that are impossible to even conceive of within the bounds of common sense.
— All! Hail! Woo-jin!
“....”
“....”
“....”
“....”
All four of us fell silent at once. Just as I was thinking to myself that another psycho beyond my imagination had appeared...
“I thought about this the wrong way.”
True to her habit, Choi I-seo submitted her "corrections."
“I shouldn't have categorized her as a typical stalker.”
She nodded as if she’d realized something, fully acknowledging her mistake.
“To begin with, everyone knows that stalking is something you shouldn't do by normal standards of common sense, right?”
“Right.”
“But I should have realized that she isn't just stalking anyone. She’s stalking 'Kim Woo-jin.'”
“....”
“How could someone who stalks an abnormal person be normal themselves?”
Wait.
Why does it feel like she’s insulting me?
But the important thing was that Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin slapped their knees in realization.
“You’re right! Stalking Woo-jini in the first place means she was already the craziest among the crazies!”
“Damn, I just got goosebumps.”
Son of a...
* * *
I wondered if this was the right direction for things to go.
The next day, we came to a cafe near the school. The three of them had personally come to meet Seo Da-mi.
The kids were left with the aunts and Choi Jin-ah, so it was fine.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been here.”
“Tell me about it. This new menu item is delicious.”
“Last year, I hated the thought of coming to school. But being back in the neighborhood feels kind of nice.”
The three of them sitting at one table certainly made for a striking picture. Being in their mid-twenties, they were in the prime of their beauty.
As the days went by, eating well and living happily, their beauty was in full bloom.
Even if they were mothers.
That was when Seo Da-mi entered the cafe.
Wearing glasses and with her hair tied back simply, she had a naive impression that you could find anywhere.
“Ah! Hello!”
But one must not be deceived.
On the inside, she was a Kim Woo-jin fanatic.
Which is to say, she was a crazy person.
“H-hey, Da-mi. Hi.”
When I greeted her awkwardly, the three girls' narrowed eyes fixed on me.
“I can at least say hello.”
“Did anyone say you couldn't?!”
“I didn't say a word.”
“Why? Do you have a guilty conscience?”
“What would I have to feel guilty about?”
Honestly, this was ridiculous.
Seo Da-mi sat across from us.
It was a strange setup, with four of us on one side and her alone on the other, like an interview, but no one pointed it out.
“Ahem, hello. I’m Choi I-seo.”
“Ah, hello! I’m your junior, so you can speak comfortably to me!”
“...Alright, I will.”
Choi I-seo took a breath and asked as calmly as possible.
“First of all, I’d like you to keep what you heard yesterday a secret. Our relationship is... well, it’s not something we can easily reveal to others.”
“Of course! Absolutely!”
The three of them were slightly taken aback by her excessive loyalty.
I didn't call her harmless for nothing.
“Wow. But as expected of Woo-jin Sunbae! All three of you are so beautiful! Seriously, it’s amazing!”
“Actually, fangirling is most fun when you do it with others, right? Sharing things and all that! But since I’m a fan of Woo-jin Sunbae, it was hard to talk about.”
“I want to share how amazing the things Woo-jin Sunbae did were, and how cool he was. But if I do that, I look like a stalker, don't I?”
You are a stalker.
I said it with my eyes, but she didn't seem to notice.
“But now that there are three wives, I can tell you guys everything! Look at this, this is a photo of Woo-jin Sunbae tripping over a stone at the university the other day!”
“What the fuck?!”
I shouted in surprise, drawing stares from the people around us.
I lowered my head in embarrassment, but the girls were admiring the photos on Seo Da-mi’s phone.
“Ooh? What’s this?”
“Wow... she really is crazy.”
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin scrolled through the photos.
Choi I-seo sighed and tried to maintain order.
“Da-mi, you know this is illegal, right?”
“Ah, yes...”
“Right. If Woo-jin was really offended, he could sue you and you’d have no excuse.”
“I’m not particularly—”
Stomp! Pinch!
Choi I-seo stepped on my foot and Yoo Ah-rin pinched my side.
“I’m offended. I’m angry. I am angry.”
I immediately corrected my statement to follow my wives' lead, and Seo Da-mi’s head hung even lower.
“I’m sorry... H-however, I really didn't have any weird intentions! I-I only view Woo-jin Sunbae as my favorite; I’ve never seen him in a romantic light!”
“If you did, you’d be dead.”
Yoo Ah-rin warned her nonchalantly, resting her chin on her hand.
“Hmph!”
Seo Ye-rin struck a fighting pose with her fists clenched.
“Right, we appreciate that you like Woo-jin. But I’d like you to keep your boundaries. Taking photos in secret like this is a no-go.”
Choi I-seo, as expected, was the one to set things straight.
“Instead, if you want to talk about Woo-jin, call us or come visit. We’ll join you.”
“...Really?!”
“Yes, since we can't go to school right now. We’re also curious about what kind of trouble he’s getting into at school.”
Why did she say it as if it were a given that I’d cause trouble?
But surprisingly, Choi I-seo’s words seemed to pique their interest.
“If Woo-jini hits on other girls, report it immediately!”
“If that guy tries to do anything weird, just call us. Got it?”
“Yes! Understood!”
* * *
A few days later.
I received a message while I was eating at the school cafeteria.
“....”
I looked down, and there was a freshly served, steaming hot pork cutlet.
And when I looked around, I saw Seo Da-mi hiding among her classmates.
“What the—?!”
This was going a bit too far, wasn't it!