Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Don't Call Me 'Hyung-nim' Anymore
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After dinner, while we were all gathered around playing a board game, a knock came at the door. I opened it to find Luke.
“Sir Hyeon-ung, the leader of the Golden Lion Guild is here on the first floor.”
“Is that so? Tell him I’ll be right down.”
I sent Luke on his way and returned to the room.
“It’s your turn, mister.”
“Let’s call it a day for the game. Ha-young, your dad is here.”
Ha-young, who had been all smiles just a moment ago, saw her face fall.
“I don’t really want to go.”
“Hey now, didn’t you say you weren’t running away from home?”
“Hyeon-ung oppa, can’t I sleep over tonight?”
“What an outrageous thing to say… A grown young lady, tsk!”
Nothing would happen even if I let her, but she should sleep at her own home.
“It’s not like Hyeon-ung oppa is the only one here. Alpen oppa, Hanna unni, and Rina unni are here too.”
*They’re my companions.*
I shook my head and told her to get going, but the little rascal just plopped down on the floor.
“I’m not going.”
Haha, this must be exactly what it’s like when a child throws a tantrum at a kids’ cafe, refusing to go home.
“Rina, Hanna, grab her.”
I gave the order, but they both hesitated.
“Sir Hyeon-ung, can’t we let Ha-young sleep here?”
“Mister, I want to play more games with Ha-young too.”
It seemed Ha-young’s friendly personality and great reactions had helped her get close to my companions in no time.
Still, it was a bit surprising to see even Rina, who had been bickering with her, take her side.
“Sisters, I’m so touched. Oppa~ I’m staying over~”
The way she put on a cutesy voice and smiled with her eyes was utterly and charmingly mischievous.
In the end, I told her she could if she got her father’s permission, and she shot right up.
When we went down to the first floor, I saw Tae-soo hyung-nim sitting at a central table in the dining area.
“Daddy!”
“You just left without saying a word…”
“I told my auntie.”
It seemed she had only told Seol-hwa.
“My brother, I’m sorry. For leaving my daughter with you without a word…”
“Not at all. Ha-young is no stranger, and thanks to her, we had a very enjoyable day.”
“It was super fun. Ung-jjang took me to the lake park and bought me tons of delicious food.”
“Lake park? There’s a place like that? Anyway, it seems we’ve been a huge bother.”
My brother scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
“A bother? Not at all. It was more fun because Ha-young was here. My companions all like her, too.”
Even if Ha-young hadn’t been here, I would have gone on an outing and played games with my companions anyway.
“Have you eaten dinner?”
“I ate a while ago. Dad, can I sleep over here tonight?”
“Ha-young?”
He glanced at me, and I felt a little wronged.
It’s not like I put her up to it…
“It seems she’s gotten quite close with my companions and wants to play more.”
“Uh… but that’s too much of an imposition. You should still sleep at home…”
“Hyeon-ung oppa said it was okay, too.”
“As you know from your last visit, there are several beds in the room, and my companions are with me, so… Hyung-nim?”
He had suddenly frozen solid.
“Hyeon-ung oppa?”
“Ah, he said calling him ‘Ung-jjang’ is a little embarrassing. So I decided to call him Hyeon-ung oppa from now on. I also decided to call him by his name instead of Chairman.”
My brother’s gaze shifted back to me.
“You… ‘oppa’…”
“No, sir. I told her to call me uncle, but Ha-young…”
“How is Ung-jjang an uncle?”
“Because he’s your dad’s sworn brother.”
The family tree was definitely getting tangled.
“You and Dad are more than twelve years apart, but Hyeon-ung oppa and I are only ten years apart. You’re the one with no conscience, Dad.”
“No…”
“My Hyeon-ung oppa has a baby face, you know. People would believe him if he said he was twenty.”
I knew it from her streaming days, but Ha-young’s way with words was no joke.
And it was a little embarrassing.
I was used to being told I looked young, but twenty, not just my early twenties…
“Alright, whatever about the title, but you should sleep at home. Your aunt and everyone are waiting.”
“Just one night is fine. Oppa is going to the labyrinth the day after tomorrow…”
“Still, leaving you here all day and now for the night is too much of an imposition…”
It was no big deal to me…
“Dad, you’ve met Rina unni and Hanna unni, right? I already promised to sleep with them. Huh? Daddy.”
She put on a cute act and sent me a look, pleading for help.
“Well, Hyung-nim? It’s really no problem for me. And you’ve seen my room before, haven’t you? My companions are here too, and there are multiple rooms and beds, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Worry? What’s there to worry about?”
Ha-young tilted her head, cutting in.
I knew my brother trusted me, but from a father’s perspective, he might be anxious about his daughter sleeping over at another man’s place.
“What are you talking about? I always trust you, my brother. It’s just that it’s too much of an imposition…”
“Ah, worried something might happen between me and oppa? Dad, you already agreed I’d marry Hyeon-ung oppa when I turn twenty.”
A sudden silence fell over us.
“Marriage?”
“Oppa, don’t tell me you don’t remember?”
Ha-young’s expression was dead serious.
…If I pretended not to remember here, I’d be such a piece of trash.
****
“Thank you all so much for watching the stream today.”
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru has donated 2,000 coins.]
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru: Ung-jjang, today was super-duper fun!]
“Aigoo. Chairman, thank you so much for the generous donation. You always donate so much, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kindness…”
[EomJunSik2: The Chairman is insane. That's almost a million won in donations just today.]
[BluePanda: The class of a veteran schoolgirl is something else lol]
[Today's MVP VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru - 9,750 coins]
2,000 coins was a whopping 200,000 won.
With tax, that would be 220,000 won. I was truly grateful every time.
[GMW: Ung-jjang, is the Chairman your girlfriend?]
“Girlfriend? What are you talking about? I don’t even know what she looks like. I am the lover of all my viewers.”
[WantSerialization: Not buying it.]
[Ribbit2: Sorry.]
[ARAMChallenger: A klutz is a bit...]
The reactions were so cold.
Of course it was just lip service. I’m not into men either, you bastards.
“Alright, that’s it for today’s stream.”
[TiredSound: Ending already? Today was too short.]
[BluePanda: Stream time is a rip-off.]
[PangjinIsABaby: Let's do a Q&A or something before you go.]
What do you mean, a rip-off? I’ve been streaming for over five hours today…
“Alright. Then I’ll take one question per 10 coins.”
[TiredSound: One thousand won for a question? Are you an e-boy streamer?]
[BluePanda: The class of money-grubbing Ung-jjang lol]
“My friends, do you think my ancestors pay my electricity bill? I have to make a living, too.”
In truth, since I wasn’t an e-boy streamer, setting a condition like this meant questions wouldn’t come in much.
That’s why I did it, to end the stream quickly.
[Gustav has donated 10 coins.]
[Gustav: Ung-jjang, you got a gf?]
[WantSerialization: Newbie? Ung-jjang is a kissless virgin.]
[oUmiyo: You're just throwing money away.]
…Good grief, the slander and fabrication.
“I have had girlfriends. I’ve dated about three times.”
[GMW: Not 2D ones.]
[ReviewMom: Sure, Ung-jjang was a playboy back in kindergarten.]
…I was getting dizzy.
“Please stop the slander and fabrication. I’ve really been in three relationships.”
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru has donated 10 coins.]
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru: Ung-jjang, then what about watashi?]
[BluePanda: Oh, the Chairman isn't hiding her feelings.]
[GMW: A public confession lol. As expected of Veteran Schoolgirl!!]
[TiredSound: Ung-jjang better answer carefully. If he rejects her, the Chairman might leave?]
That wouldn’t happen.
I wasn’t an e-boy streamer, and she never cared even when I had shipping moments with other streamers.
“Even for you, Chairman, I’m sorry. You’re a ‘Veteran Schoolgirl,’ so if I met you, I’d get arrested.”
[GMW: Right, even a veteran schoolgirl is still a schoolgirl, so it's handcuffs clink-clank.]
[BluePanda: He dodged it like that.]
[FlameSky: For real, a high school girl is a no-go.]
Seeing the positive reactions, I felt proud of how I’d handled it.
Even as a small-time streamer, I had enough experience to handle questions like this easily.
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru has donated 10 coins.]
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru: Ung-jjang, then can we get married in 2 years when I turn 20?]
Was she actually serious?
She seemed more likely to be forty than turning twenty…
[GMW: The Chairman who doesn't know how to give up.]
[Gustav: Such a straightforward girl lol]
“If you’re an adult, then it’s OK, but even though I’m not an e-boy streamer, for marriage, I’d have to receive at least ten thousand coins for it to be profitable for me…”
[GMW: For real, he's in money-grubber mode.]
[BluePanda: Ung-jjang, you crazy? How much more are you trying to squeeze out of the Chairman?]
The mood in the chat turned quite hostile.
“It’s not just dating, it’s marriage. I should get at least that much, my friends.”
I hadn’t said it to fish for more donations.
Ten thousand coins was a million won.
No, with tax, it was a massive sum of one million, one hundred thousand won.
The Chairman had donated a lot over the years, but never such a large amount at once.
Besides, she had already donated a lot today.
At this point, even the Chairman would give up.
Considering her usual style, she’d probably make a small donation and say she wasn’t buying it.
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru has donated 10,000 coins.]
[VeteranSchoolgirlKyaru: Ung-jjang, then we're getting married when watashi turns twenty!]
****
“You really don’t remember?”
Ha-young’s expression was dead serious.
…If I pretended not to remember here, I’d be such a piece of trash.
“My brother?”
“I thought you were just joking on the stream…”
“I donated all the New Year’s money I received that year… and Hyeon-ung oppa thought it was a joke…”
…She looked incredibly hurt.
“Ha-young, stop making my brother uncomfortable. Who would agree to marry someone for a million won?”
“Ung-jjang has never once lied to me.”
…She was right.
I was always honest with my viewers.
Especially to the Chairman…
“Ha-young, that’s enough. You’re making my brother very uncomfortable. He even saved your life… Brother, I’ll take Ha-young with me.”
I was relieved that Tae-soo hyung-nim was mediating, but seeing Ha-young’s disappointed face made me uneasy.
“I’m not going. I’m sleeping here.”
“Ha-young, stop being so stubborn.”
Tae-soo hyung-nim tried to soothe her, but her expression didn’t change.
Right. Promises were meant to be kept.
“Just a moment, Hyung-nim.”
“What is it?”
“If Ha-young’s feelings haven’t changed in two years, marriage might be pushing it, but we could at least try meeting once…”
“Hyeon-ung oppa!”
Ha-young, looking moved, immediately clung to my side.
“Are you serious? I had no idea you felt that way about our Ha-young.”
“Because I made a promise.”
“See? My Ung-jjang doesn’t lie… huh?”
Ha-young tried to press against me as she shot back at her father, but I subtly moved away.
“Oppa?”
“You’re not twenty yet.”
“That’s so mean.”
Besides, this wasn’t the atmosphere for joking around.
Even though I’d said it to keep my promise, my brother would probably think poorly of me.
“If it’s because of the promise, it’s fine. Who would think a promise like that means actual marriage?”
“Dad, don’t be a wet blanket. In two months, I’ll be nineteen. According to Korean law, I can get married at eighteen even if you don’t consent!”
My goodness, did she even research the law?
Now that I thought about it, it seemed she had been serious even before coming to Elsia.
“No, sir. A man must keep his promises.”
Two years was by no means a short time.
Ha-young’s feelings could change.
My brother thought for a moment, then took a step closer to me.
“My brother… no, from now on, I will not consider you my brother. So you will not call me ‘Hyung-nim’ either.”
“Dad? What’s wrong? It’s not like we’re meeting right away.”
“Ah… I understand.”
Seeing him revoke the title, it seemed I had truly earned his disapproval.
From his perspective, he might not like it, but it wasn’t like I was going to date her right away, just that I’d consider it in two years because of a promise…
I felt a little hurt…?
Suddenly, Tae-soo hyung-nim broke into a wide grin.
“From now on, I will think of you as my son-in-law, so you will call me Father-in-law. Please take good care of my Ha-young.”
“Dad!”
I felt like I’d been hit on the head with a hammer.
“Uh, Hyung-nim? It hasn’t been two years yet. Ha-young’s feelings could change in that time…”
“Mine won’t change.”
“If it’s you, I wouldn’t mind if you started dating right now. And I told you to call me Father-in-law, not Hyung-nim. Please take good care of my Ha-young.”