Chapter 45: Until the Blue Sky Comes (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45: Until the Blue Sky Comes (5)
A high-rise apartment located in Seoul.
With its generous size and numerous rooms, the home looked like the kind of place where only the wealthy lived.
Boasting two living rooms and five bedrooms, the house had plenty of space even with the parents, three young brothers, and a relative all living together.
Surely, anyone living in such a place would lead a life of leisure and abundance.
However, Blue—the relative of this family, the father’s younger sister, and the children’s aunt—was currently at the front door, bowing her head in apology to someone.
“I’m so sorry. I thought we had taken measures, but…”
“How many times have you said you ‘took measures’ now? I’ve been understanding because I know there are kids, and I’ve let it slide so many times, but nothing has changed!”
The middle-aged woman was clearly furious, her voice dripping with irritation as she snapped at Blue. Blue didn't offer a single excuse, simply continuing to apologize.
“A mother needs to keep her children under control. I’ve raised kids myself, so I hate saying things like this to another mother, but I just can’t stand it anymore.”
The woman’s venting continued for a while longer. Only after Blue apologized repeatedly did she finally leave. Leaning against the closed front door, Blue slumped to the floor.
It wasn't that she felt like crying; she was simply drained of all energy.
No matter how many times she dealt with noise complaints from the neighbors because of the children, she never got used to it. She had asked her sister-in-law to lay down noise-canceling mats and made the children wear indoor slippers, but it was impossible to eliminate the vibrations of the house as the children shouted and ran around.
Since the children’s parents were rarely home, the burden of handling these complaints fell entirely on Blue. No matter how much time passed or how much experience she gained, she simply couldn't adapt to it.
The neighbors' irritability had worsened with the arrival of the monsoon season and the constant rain, and even Blue, with her gentle and easygoing nature, couldn't help but feel exhausted.
“Hey!!”
Inside, the children’s voices rose as they thudded and ran through the rooms. She wondered how they could possibly make that much noise when they had mats down and were wearing slippers.
“Kids, can we be a little quieter? If it’s too loud, it bothers the neighbors.”
“Tch.”
It was the time of day when the youngest was at kindergarten. Only the first and second children were home, but even the two of them were more than Blue could handle. Unlike their mother—Blue’s sister-in-law—the children didn't fully listen to Blue.
It wasn't that they ignored her entirely, but they tended to take her lightly, so her warnings never lasted long. Especially when they were excited, they would click their tongues or show blatant defiance when she tried to caution them, just as they were doing now.
Blue’s personality played a part in this as well. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with her character, but rather that her soft-spoken and relaxed demeanor didn't work when it came to controlling high-energy children.
Blue’s basic philosophy was: 'Children don't know any better, so instead of scolding them, let's guide them gently.' However, for high-strung children, minor warnings only caused resentment and failed to register as actual discipline.
Of course, it varied from child to child, but that was certainly the case for her brother’s kids.
The children’s shouting, which resumed right after the neighbor had left, finally pushed another resident past their breaking point. When the doorbell rang again, Blue rushed to the door.
It was a routine occurrence. It wasn't just one neighbor complaining; because every resident was different and their breaking points varied, people would show up at oddly staggered intervals.
In the end, Blue found herself repeating the exact same situation with different people over and over again.
As their aunt rushed to the door, the two children completely forgot the warning they had just received and began tearing through the room with their toys again.
Since the rain prevented them from going outside, the situation remained stuck on an endless loop.
Around lunchtime, Blue opened the refrigerator to prepare a meal for the kids, but there wasn't much inside—only some leftover chicken and pizza from yesterday.
“Kids, do you want to have pizza and chicken for lunch?”
She asked just in case, but…
“No.”
As expected, they refused.
Cooking wasn't a difficult task for Blue. She loved cooking and even harbored a dream of becoming a chef one day. Whenever she managed to save up a bit of money, she would always buy a new cookbook to read.
Of course, her current environment didn't allow her to pursue it seriously. For now, it remained only a dream.
So what was the problem? Even if her circumstances were difficult, shouldn't she be able to cook whenever she wanted?
The problem was the money for ingredients.
She had wanted to buy a few new books with the money she had saved, but because she had bought the kids chicken and pizza yesterday, she only had enough left for a single book.
She could afford the ingredients to make a meal the children would eat. But if she did that, she would have to give up her only joy and hobby for the month: reading cookbooks.
Ultimately, she sat at the kitchen table staring at her smartphone before making a decision and dialing a number.
“…….”
She waited quietly for the call to connect, and soon, someone picked up.
“Uh, Oppa. Is now a good time to talk?”
The person on the other end was her brother, the father of the three children.
“The thing is, the living expenses for this month are a bit tight…”
She couldn't bring herself to directly ask him to send money.
Normally, a person would understand what she meant at that point, but the person on the line suddenly changed.
—「Hey, Yoo Hayoung. What do you think you’re doing?」
The voice now belonged to her brother’s wife—her sister-in-law.
“Sister, it’s not that.”
—「Is there ever a day when living expenses aren't tight for you?」
If the morning had been filled with complaints from neighbors, now it was her sister-in-law’s nagging.
She had worried her brother might be with her sister-in-law and hand over the phone, but she had called anyway out of a sliver of hope. The situation hadn't changed.
—「We pay your phone bill. You live in this house with us. We pay the taxes. So what on earth are you lacking?」
Taking care of the three children was entirely Blue’s responsibility. In exchange for living in the house and having her bills paid, the condition was that Blue would use her own income to look after the children.
However, after paying for various expenses, the money—which would have been tight even for a single person—was barely enough to provide every meal for three children.
She could have explained, but Blue knew that would only lead to a longer argument.
“I’m sorry. It’s just been a bit difficult…”
—「You need to get your head on straight. Who’s going to look after the kids if not you? If you took on the job, you should have a sense of responsibility and do your best.」
“Yes.”
She wanted to end the conversation by taking the blame, but her sister-in-law showed no intention of hanging up.
—「I’ll tell your brother to send some money for now. But you need to do better. If you keep calling like this because you can't manage money, people outside are just going to say it's because you're a Superhuman.」
“Yes. I understand.”
Listening to her sister-in-law’s cold voice, Blue tried to compose her thoughts.
As her sister-in-law said, it was her own fault for not managing the money properly. There were only a few days left until her paycheck, so she told herself she would manage well with whatever they sent until then.
A few minutes after hanging up, a notification popped up on her smartphone—a text message saying money had been deposited. 100,000 won had been sent. Feeling that it was more than she expected, she felt a sense of relief.
“Kids, let’s eat lunch.”
With a slightly more energetic voice and her usual smile, she called out to the children.
*
Spacetro Headquarters.
I was sitting on a bench under the eaves of the rooftop terrace, watching the rainy sky while on the phone with Green.
To be precise, I had been sitting in front of my computer on the 3rd floor looking at data, but I moved to the rooftop when Green called, just as people were starting to gather around.
“So, you’re on your way home from grocery shopping?”
—「Yes. I thought about stopping by the park for a bit, but…」
“It’s raining, so just head straight home.”
Her voice over the phone sounded bright, which made me feel good from the moment the call started. As we exchanged casual conversation, I felt that she was finally standing on her own feet, to the point where I didn't need to hover over her with my meddling concern anymore.
“How is it being alone? Anything difficult?”
—「No. I don't know how long it's been since I felt this comfortable being at home.」
“That’s a relief. If you need help, make sure to tell me. I’ll help you.”
—「No! I can’t keep being a burden.」
She seemed determined to show she could do everything herself, but I couldn't quite take my eyes off her just yet.
“You were the one who asked for help first, so I’m going to keep helping until I’m satisfied. Just deal with it.”
There was a brief silence, then Green answered in a small, hesitating voice.
—「Okay.」
Just then, I saw people coming out onto the rooftop terrace.
“I have to hang up now because of work.”
—「Yes. Thank you for taking my call so suddenly.」
I ended the call and checked who had come out. Seeing a familiar build and face, I raised my hand in greeting.
“Kirk.”
“So this is where you were.”
Usually, no one would come out to the rooftop terrace when it was raining. The fact that Kirk was here meant he was looking for me. I waited for him to speak as he sat down beside me.
“Are you busy next week?”
“No. Why?”
He looked like he was debating whether to say something or not. I hated being kept in suspense, so I punched his forearm and urged him on.
“Just say it. Don't leave me hanging.”
Kirk, who didn't even flinch at my punch, let out a sigh and continued.
“Eunji’s kindergarten starts vacation next week. For two weeks.”
I knew it was about time for vacations, but what did that have to do with me? Since he hadn't gotten to the point yet, I kept listening.
“Eunji says she wants to go on a trip with her friends, but she said she wants to go with you, too.”
……That wily little brat. I can see right through her.
From Kirk’s perspective, it probably looked like his daughter wanted to go on a trip with her friends, led by a close uncle she got along with. Kirk was likely hurt that his daughter’s choice of companion wasn't him.
The problem was, contrary to what Kirk thought, Eunji clearly wanted to go on a trip with her "boyfriend" Hoyoung, using me as the chaperone. She knew her parents wouldn't let her go on a trip with just another kid, so she was definitely trying to use me as a shield.
“When next week?”
I intended to refuse anyway. It wasn't that I found Eunji's scheme offensive. I liked Eunji; she was like a niece to me, even if we weren't related.
The problem wasn't on this end, but on Hoyoung’s end. Blue was in a position where she had to look after all the kids, and that side would also feel more comfortable with a guardian present.
Why would they trust me, someone they’d only met once, to take their kid on a trip?
Simply rejecting Eunji’s request would hurt her feelings, so I figured I’d just use the excuse that the other side couldn't make it. That would wrap things up smoothly.
“I think a two-day, one-night trip sometime between Monday and Wednesday would be good.”
It wasn't even a day trip. Is it because I think of her as a niece? I’m already worried about this kid’s future.
“Got it. I’ll talk to Eunji.”
She probably planned the trip with Hoyoung anyway, so there was no point talking to Kirk further.
“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”
Kirk probably felt he could trust me since we’d known each other for a long time. I appreciated the trust. Of course, in my head, the probability of this trip actually happening was close to 0%.
“Still, I’m glad Eunji follows you so well. It’s strange. You don't even have a daughter, yet you know exactly how to handle one.”
“I don't have a daughter, but I do have a boss who acts like one.”
I was thinking of chatting with Kirk now that the main business was over. Kirk hesitated for a moment at my words, then let out a short “Ah,” as if he understood. I was planning to talk for a bit, but as they say, nothing in life goes exactly as planned.
Seeing people coming out onto the rooftop terrace, I signaled to Kirk with my chin. Kirk immediately stood up.
“Then I’ll head down first.”
“Sure.”
Speak of the devil. Luche, who had come up to the rooftop with a string of other Team Leaders in tow, spotted me.
“A!”
All four Team Leaders were now on the rooftop. Kirk quickly made his escape after saluting them. Even Kirk could feel the strange, inexplicable tension between the Team Leaders, and knowing there was nothing to gain by staying, he didn't linger.
“What is it now? More importantly, aren't you all supposed to be working? Why are all the Team Leaders moving around in a group?”
“It’s lunchtime.”
I checked my phone at Seira’s sharp voice. She was right; it was already lunchtime. But what did that have to do with all four of them being on the rooftop?
Luche approached me. Seeing her face, which looked like she was on the verge of tears, I could only assume she’d already had a run-in with someone.
“I was talking to Angelica about how Jjamppong would be good for lunch since it’s raining!”
Beside her, Angelica was wearing an awkward smile, looking troubled.
“But then Seira started nitpicking, saying we should have noodles on a rainy day! It’s what I’m eating, isn't she being too much?!”
“I’m eating too, and if we order from a Chinese place, they don't have the kind of noodles I want!”
I couldn't look at the two of them—arguing over such a grand and momentous reason—without a look of pure patheticness in my eyes, so I turned away.
Team Leader 1, Esmeralda, who was watching this from the back, had the same expression as me.
From the looks of it, the three of them were trying to order food when Luche and Seira started fighting, and Angelica and Esmeralda got caught in the crossfire.
I had my worries about Green and the trip Eunji wanted to go on.
But first, I suppose I should settle this lunch menu dispute between these two.