Chapter 590: Authority of the Head of Household
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 590: Authority of the Head of Household
Early morning.
As the sun began to peek over the horizon, I stepped into the living room with a wide yawn, only to find a guest already there.
She was staring at her laptop on the sofa, her face haggard and dark circles under her eyes. It looked like she’d pulled an all-night session.
“Why are you still up?”
At my question, Oh Yun-ji answered with a yawn of her own.
“Ugh, I don't know. One of my girls got caught up in a controversy during her dawn broadcast, so I’ve been looking into it.”
“A controversy? What kind?”
“They’re calling it regional disparagement. But after checking, it turns out the kid just didn't know any better and was just repeating what the viewers told her to say.”
I stole a glance at the screen; it was a VTuber.
She was speaking Korean with a distinct Japanese accent. She probably didn't understand the specific nuances or sensitivities regarding certain regions in Korea.
“Anyway, I think I’ve got it mostly sorted out. God, the dogpiling just kept going until dawn. I had a hell of a time managing it.”
“Is the CEO supposed to work this hard?”
“The CEO is always the busiest person in the company.”
As I slid into the seat beside her, Oh Yun-ji leaned her head on my shoulder.
Closing her eyes tightly, she asked, “Were you at it until now?”
“Wh-what?!”
“I could hear everything. You said the Sex Room was soundproofed, but it doesn't seem to work at all.”
“...Ye-rin was a bit loud today.”
“Good grief.”
Since Ye-rin had been so fired up since yesterday evening, we had a very intense session.
Right now, she was probably fast asleep under the covers.
Actually, I wanted to sleep too, but I was so thirsty that I’d come out just to grab some water.
Oh Yun-ji snuggled deeper into my arms.
With her eyes closed, she looked like she could drift off at any second.
“Ugh, you smell like Seo Ye-rin.”
“...”
“I’ll have to wrap you in my scent instead. Stay like this until I fall asleep.”
Yun-ji muttered as she buried herself further into my chest. She really did look like she was about to pass out, so I held her gently and whispered.
“Sleep well. You worked hard.”
“Hehe, this is nice.”
A grin spread across Yun-ji’s face even with her eyes closed. Then, she completely relaxed her body against mine.
A moment later, I heard the steady sound of her breathing.
I carefully lifted the sleeping Oh Yun-ji and laid her down on the bed in a spare room.
‘Oof, my back.’
Between the workout with Seo Ye-rin and my general lack of exercise, she felt heavier than expected.
‘I really need to start working out.’
But for now, I needed sleep.
I had to go to school soon.
Wanting to catch even a little more shut-eye before heading out, I lay down on the sofa where Oh Yun-ji had been sitting and slowly closed my eyes.
* * *
“What the?! Why is he here?!”
“Gah?!”
I bolted awake at the sudden sound of Yoo Ah-rin’s voice.
Confused, I looked around and realized I had fallen off the sofa and was lying on the floor.
Judging by the blanket Yoo Ah-rin was holding, I must have been covered up until a moment ago.
With my hair a mess of bedhead, I checked my phone.
[9:20 AM]
I was late. Very, very late.
“Hey! Weren't you supposed to be at school?! Ye-rin said you left earlier!”
“Huh?”
Just then, Seo Ye-rin walked past while brushing her teeth and spotted me.
“Woomum?! Woo-hee-ha?!”
(Woo-jin?!)
“I told you not to come out while brushing your teeth! The kids are going to see and learn bad habits!”
After snapping at Seo Ye-rin, Yoo Ah-rin turned back to me.
“Why are you here?! I thought you went to school early?”
“Why would I go early? Ah, I’m so tired... You should’ve woken me up.”
“I just realized you were here, so don't give me that. Hey, Choi I-seo! Come over here and scold him!”
Look at her, calling for Choi I-seo immediately.
Choi I-seo, who had been checking on the children, stepped out of the kids' room and looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“What? You didn't go to school? Ju-hee Unni wasn't around either, so we thought you both left before we woke up.”
“Senior Ju-hee is off today, so she went to see her siblings.”
She’d mentioned wanting to eat something delicious with her twin siblings, so I had planned to head out separately.
“He was hiding under the sofa this whole time!”
“I was not! I just fell asleep late!”
I tried my best to explain, but Yoo Ah-rin and Choi I-seo’s gazes were pinned on me.
The two of them stared intently as if they were performing some kind of lie-detector test.
Then, they sighed and nodded.
“He’s not bullshitting.”
“Yeah, he’s telling the truth.”
“...You can tell just by looking?”
If they could, that was actually a little terrifying.
But the two only gave me sly, secretive smiles without giving a straight answer.
‘What the hell? This is making me nervous.’
That in itself was a form of pressure directed at me.
If they really could tell I was lying just by looking at me, I wouldn't even be able to think about lying for the rest of my life.
‘Not that I plan on deceiving them.’
But still, there’s such a thing as white lies.
For example, when I want to keep having sex but the girl is exhausted, so I say I’m satisfied and move on—that kind of thing.
“Woojinaaa!”
Having finished brushing her teeth in the bathroom, Seo Ye-rin suddenly pounced onto my back.
“I knew it! You skipped school today just to play with me!”
She rubbed her cheek against mine while piggybacking.
Strangely, her skin looked even more radiant than usual, and she seemed bursting with fresh energy.
“Did you put on lotion?”
When I asked just in case, Seo Ye-rin replied with a bright smile.
“Hehe, I sucked out all your vital energy yesterday, so I’m in tip-top shape today. Shall we go out and play?!”
Ah, so it was because she drained my essence.
Meanwhile, the other two usually grumbled about their bodies aching all over after we did it.
“Hmm, should we? I already ruined the morning by oversleeping anyway, so should I just take the day off?”
“Oh yeah! Woo-jin! Let's go to the PC Bang!”
“...Hmm, I could still make it to the afternoon lectures, though.”
When I immediately shifted my stance, Seo Ye-rin gave my ear a little ‘nom’ in annoyance.
She nibbled on it gently, and perhaps because her tongue skills had improved, even this felt strangely erotic.
“Sigh, so you’re staying home today, right?”
Choi I-seo seemed to want a final confirmation.
She stood there with her arms crossed, waiting for my answer without any particular emotion.
“...Is it okay if I say I want to rest?”
When I asked tentatively, Choi I-seo shrugged as if it were obvious.
“You’re the head of this household. In the end, we follow your lead.”
“Oh.”
That’s Choi I-seo for you.
Ultimately, it was the wife’s role to uphold the authority of the head of the household.
“Hey, Kim Woo-jin. If you’re playing today, let's go see a movie. How about it? There’s something I really wanted to see, but I’ve been saving it to watch with you.”
“No way! Woo-jin is going to the PC Bang with me today to carry out the ‘Project: Reach Gold Tier’!”
Yoo Ah-rin suggested a movie she liked, while Seo Ye-rin wrapped her arms around my neck, insisting on games.
While I was thinking either would be fun, Choi I-seo stepped in with a suggestion.
“How about going to the park? We can put the kids in their strollers and go for a walk. That way, we can all spend time together.”
At Choi I-seo’s words, the other two women blanked out for a moment before pouting.
“Ugh, this Solomon-like bitch.”
“I-seo, being too wise makes you less charming.”
“...”
Choi I-seo pressured me with silence, waiting for me to take her side.
She was staring right at me, and any sense of ‘authority of the head of the household’ had long since vanished.
“I think—”
“Oh?! Woo-jin? You didn't go to school? I’m going on a gourmet food tour for lunch today. Want to come along?”
Just then, Choi Jin-ah walked out of the kitchen holding a tube of Pringles.
She had definitely said she was going on a diet with me, but at some point, she’d started eating everything like a pig off its leash.
In that case, should I just invite everyone?
“Where’s Yun-ji? I put her to bed earlier.”
Choi Jin-ah lowered her head to show me the crown of her hair. There was a small bump forming.
“She said not to wake her up until she gets up on her own. I went in to prank her earlier and got hit.”
“...”
She just flat-out smacked her.
I think I remember something similar happening to me before.
Yun-ji is incredibly sensitive when she’s sleeping.
“It hurts,” Choi Jin-ah muttered as she lifted her head again.
Anyway, it looked like the five of us would be hanging out today.
“By my authority as the head of the household, I choose Choi I-seo’s park idea. Taking care of the children was a very excellent suggestion.”
At my words, Choi I-seo looked a bit smug but then tilted her head as if unsure.
“Am I... supposed to say thank you or something?”
“You don't have to, but I won't stop you if you want to.”
At my subtle request, Choi I-seo simply nodded.
“I should go get the kids ready.”
Look at her, just completely ignoring me.
As Choi I-seo went into the room, the others looked at me.
The way they were meekly waiting for my decisions was actually quite cute.
“Ahem, then for lunch, let's go to that restaurant Jin-ah mentioned. Since the kids are coming, make sure to book a reservation in advance.”
“Yay! Got it! Malatang—”
“Hey.”
Malatang with the kids? Is she joking?
“...I’m kidding.”
“Right. And next, since we can't take the kids to the theater for Ah-rin’s movie, let's watch it at home after lunch.”
“Che, I wanted to see the one that just premiered. Next time, it’s just the two of us, okay?”
I nodded and said yes, and only then did Yoo Ah-rin smile satisfactorily and head to her room to get ready.
And finally, Seo Ye-rin.
Still on my back, she puffed out her cheeks in a pout.
“I guess we can't go to the PC Bang because of the kids. I understand, Woo-jin.”
“...Ye-rin, if I’m being honest.”
“Yeah?”
“You’re never making it to Gold.”
“...”
“Just like I gave up on being the Bamboo Forest Manager, why don't you give up too?”
A heavy silence fell between us.
To the very end, Seo Ye-rin did not answer.