Chapter 549: Find Kim Woo-jin
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 549: Find Kim Woo-jin
Don’t walk. Run.
That is, if you don’t want to croak.
Vaulting over the sofa like I was performing a parkour showcase, I immediately bolted.
"Eek?!"
Yoo Ah-rin, who had been sitting right next to me, let out a surprisingly uncharacteristic and cute scream of surprise.
But if I stopped because of that, I’d probably die.
It was like I had future precognition; I could see my own death plain as day.
I tried to make a break for the front door, but Choi I-seo, who was coming from the kitchen, was much closer.
Time to change the route.
I headed for the balcony leading to the garden. As I scrambled out, I yelled at the top of my lungs.
"I'm sorry! I-seo! I'm sorry! I said I'm sorry!"
I-seo didn't say a word; she just kept chasing me. It looked like she was truly furious this time.
Well, she had put in all that effort to tutor me, only for me to completely screw up the exam.
I’d blown my allowance however I pleased.
And I’d even lied to her.
I guess I really do deserve a beating, don't I?
Kim Woo-jin, the man.
I felt like I should take my medicine like a man.
Not only had I made I-seo’s efforts go to waste, but I’d even lied to try and cover it up.
I’d done it because I was scared at the time, but now that I was in this situation, the regret was hitting hard.
"Whew, fine. As the head of the household, I have to take responsibility."
Stepping out into the garden, I stopped walking and turned around.
"I-seo, fine. I'll take responsibil—"
The moment I saw the Garlic Club in Choi I-seo’s hand, I spun right back around and started sprinting again.
"Hey! You'll kill me if you hit me with that!"
She had come straight from the kitchen, and the weapon she’d brought was absolutely hideous. Choi I-seo continued to pursue me as I did laps around the garden.
Using my head, I looped around the garden in the opposite direction, dashed through the front door, and slammed it shut.
Click.
Bang!
Choi I-seo pounded on the door like a beast trying to escape its cage.
The doorknob rattled several times, a sight as chilling as a scene from a horror movie.
"I-I-seo! Let's just talk for a second—!"
"..."
She didn't hesitate.
Ignoring my words, Choi I-seo immediately headed back toward the garden balcony.
Clearly, there was no room for negotiation.
I hurried deeper into the house.
* * *
Stepping into the living room through the balcony, Choi I-seo scanned the area with eyes flashing with murderous intent.
"Hey, you'll kill the guy if you hit him with that."
"Hehe! Did you see Woo-jini running away?"
Yoo Ah-rin and Seo Ye-rin, sitting on the living room sofa, snickered and teased her.
"..."
Choi I-seo caught her breath, slowly looking down at the Garlic Club in her hand.
She had grabbed it in a fit of rage; she didn't actually intend to hit him with it.
But for now, she decided she should keep holding it.
The pressure it exerted was no joke.
She felt she finally understood a little bit why ogres carried clubs around.
"Where is Kim Woo-jin?"
Choi I-seo asked, tapping the Garlic Club against her palm.
But no one answered.
There were three people in the living room: Seo Ye-rin, Yoo Ah-rin, and Choi Jin-ah.
Choi I-seo frowned as she looked at the three of them.
"Tell me. Where is Kim Woo-jin?"
"Hehe, find him yourself!"
Seo Ye-rin laughed brightly.
As Choi I-seo stared at her with an incredulous expression, Yoo Ah-rin added with a smirk.
"Hint: He didn't have much time to hide."
"Hey, I'm not playing around. Kim Woo-jin needs to be punished. I'm not letting him off easy today."
"Well, when have you ever let him off easy?"
Despite Choi I-seo’s serious tone, the two women continued to joke around, grinning.
"Second hint! Woo-jini is listening to us right now!"
"Anyone would be able to hear you if you talk that loudly."
Choi I-seo let out a long sigh.
Seeing the children giggling and playing in the living room made her feel even more ridiculous.
"Jin-ah, where is he? You saw him."
"I-I don't know!"
At Choi I-seo’s question, Choi Jin-ah hurriedly shook her head in denial.
But there was no way she hadn't seen him.
Choi Jin-ah was standing right by the front door.
"Tell me, now."
Tap, tap.
Despite the threat of the Garlic Club tapping against I-seo's palm, Choi Jin-ah shook her head violently.
"I-I told you I didn't see him! I don't know!"
"There's no way you didn't see him. Are you going to lie to me?"
"T-That man won't leave me alone! If I talk, I'll be the next target!"
"...Is Woo-jin some kind of criminal?"
"I'm not saying anything! If I do, he'll definitely take his anger out on me!"
As Choi I-seo let out a hollow laugh of absurdity, Choi Jin-ah clamped both hands over her mouth.
She looked determined not to say a single word.
"Sigh, Jin-ah. Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Choi Jin-ah lowered her hands and replied.
"C-Can you protect me at night too?! Last time, he came to my room at night and suddenly punished me!"
"...He goes around doing that?"
Choi Jin-ah quickly covered her mouth again.
Hearing this, Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin burst into fits of laughter.
"Hahaha! That's what I used to do to Woo-jini! Visiting him at night!"
"That bastard... he didn't just do it to me? He really needs a damn scolding."
"..."
Choi I-seo’s grip on the Garlic Club tightened.
He's never done that with me.
Feeling a bit slighted, Choi I-seo grumbled and asked Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin again.
"Give me another hint."
"Ooh?"
"Kiyah, is this a challenge?"
Yoo Ah-rin smirked. She looked down at Chae-rin, who was playing with her feet, and cooed at how cute she was.
"Let's see. What hint should I give?"
While waiting, Choi I-seo scanned the living room. The house was so large that there were plenty of places to hide if one was determined.
But it had only been a brief moment between him running from the front door to the balcony.
And according to Seo Ye-rin, Kim Woo-jin was listening to their conversation right now.
"Ah, I remember. If you're standing right in the middle of the living room like that, Kim Woo-jin can't escape."
"..."
The living room wasn't the only way out. He could also jump out of a bedroom window.
Which meant he was somewhere nearby.
"Ah, is it because my head is so hot? Why can't I figure this out?"
Normally, Choi I-seo was quite good at this sort of thing.
Hadn't she cleared those escape room cafes all by herself in record time?
But perhaps because her head was steaming because of Kim Woo-jin, her thoughts weren't flowing properly.
Looking down at the children crawling around on the floor and giggling, Choi I-seo said dejectedly.
"Just tell me. I'm telling you, he really needs to be scolded."
"Is there ever a time Kim Woo-jin doesn't need a scolding? That bastard... last time, I told him not to finish inside, but he did it anyway. He needs to be scolded for that too."
What a graphic reason for a scolding.
"He definitely needs to be scolded for that!"
Seo Ye-rin pumped her fist.
"Sigh."
Yoo Ah-rin was being openly indifferent and seemed to have no intention of helping. Seo Ye-rin was covering her mouth and snickering, clearly enjoying the situation.
Choi Jin-ah was still covering her mouth with both hands.
"...I need some cold water."
Choi I-seo went to the kitchen for a moment, grabbed some cold water, and returned.
Gulp, gulp.
Clack!
After setting the empty glass down on the living room table, Choi I-seo scanned her surroundings once more.
There were more hiding spots in the living room than she’d thought. As she stared blankly around...
Choi I-seo suddenly found the whole thing tedious.
"Jin-ah, come here."
Choi I-seo beckoned Choi Jin-ah over, gesturing with the Garlic Club.
"Yes?"
When Choi Jin-ah approached without much thought, Choi I-seo immediately wrapped an arm around her neck and held the Garlic Club to her chin.
"Hey, Kim Woo-jin! Come out! Do you want to see Jin-ah get hurt trying to hide you?!"
"Pfft!"
"Kyahahaha!"
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin clapped and laughed.
They hadn't expected Choi I-seo to make such a move, and the sheer unpredictability of the situation made it even funnier.
"Come out! If you're going to play dirty, I have no choice but to play dirty too!"
"Hwah?!"
The two people actually involved, however, were dead serious.
"I-I-seo?! Let's just talk this out—"
"If things could be solved with words, he wouldn't have run away!"
At Choi I-seo’s words, Choi Jin-ah trembled and shouted.
"W-Woo-jin must have had a reason! So please don't hurt him!"
"..."
"Woo-jin! H-Hide! I'm okay, so just stay hidden!"
Choi Jin-ah, seemingly suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, screamed at the top of her lungs.
Choi I-seo felt a headache coming on.
What on earth was she doing?
"Pa-pa! Pa-pa!"
"Paaaa! Pa-pa!"
Perhaps they knew she was looking for Kim Woo-jin.
The children at her feet laughed and called out for him.
"..."
"Woo-jin! It's okay! I'm fine! I know you're a good person at heart! It must be painful, but hang in there!"
She was really getting into the role.
Feeling a wave of post-absurdity clarity, Choi I-seo released Choi Jin-ah.
"What am I even doing..."
Feeling hollow, she put the Garlic Club away and sat down on the sofa.
"What, are you giving up, I-seo?"
"Aw, put a little more effort into it. You have to find Kim Woo-jin."
"Forget it. He'll come out on his own when he gets hungry."
"Pa-pa! Pa-paaa!"
As she calmed down while watching the kids giggle and play...
"...Hm?"
Choi I-seo tilted her head.
He could hear her voice.
And he couldn't escape as long as she was here.
[Woo-jin! It's okay! I'm fine! I know you're a good person at heart! It must be painful, but hang in there!]
It must be painful, but hang in there?
She’d said it as if she had experience.
"Pa-pa! Pa-paaa!"
And the children, who kept calling out for Kim Woo-jin.
As if possessed, Choi I-seo leaned down to check under the sofa.
"..."
"..."
Her eyes met Kim Woo-jin's.