Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Yesterday's Enemy, Today's Ally
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Thanks to Ra-hee unnie's help, I finally escaped from Yuna's embrace.
I ended up traveling together with the three people whose lives I'd saved earlier.
Hehe, but still—Ra-hee unnie actually came looking for me.
Honestly, I'm thrilled.
It was just something I said offhand before nearly dying.
She didn't have to follow through at all.
"Lulu, got any gear? Like food or equipment?"
"Ah, we need to go loot some. I was heading to the military base with Yukiko-chan earlier when we got caught..."
"Then farming comes first. Gig, spot a decent building and we'll check it out."
"Okay."
Y-Yeah, tell me about it.
It feels weird how they're all doting on me.
Ra-hee unnie's always been like that, so that's fine.
But Gig... I was pretty mean to him earlier.
Woo, sorry, Gig.
I'll apologize properly after the stream ends.
"Oh, right. Lulu-nim, didn't you say you smoke? Want a cigarette?"
"Ah, yes. I'd appreciate it."
As we headed for a suitable house,
Wanggae-nim, sitting in the passenger seat instead of Gig who was driving,
offered a trade.
Having been stuck clinging to Yuna for so long,
I could tell he was stressed from not being able to smoke.
So I accepted the trade right away.
And as I took the cigarette to light up...
"What? Our maknae turns one year older and now she's smoking? I should tell the President."
"Eek?! N-No! I don't smoke...! It's just the character!"
W-What do you mean 'smoking with me'?!
I swear I've never touched a cigarette in my life!
Stop the slander!
"I saw you earlier when I gave Lulu-nim a ride—you were sneaking puffs in the car, going 'Sssip, haa...' Looks like you've done it more than once or twice."
"Lulu...?!"
"Th-That was acting, unnie...!"
Forget feeling sorry for Gig!
The second he feels better, he starts slandering me again!
I hate you, Gig!
"Why is everyone ganging up on me...!"
I hate you too, Cherries!
"Pffft, kidding. You know unnie was just teasing because Lulu's so cute, right?"
"I don't knowww!"
Ra-hee unnie did apologize at the end and pat me soothingly,
but I wasn't over it that easily.
Woo, still, she came to save me.
I'll forgive her this once today.
But no next time! Hmph!
"I'm not forgiving the Cherries!"
Unlike them, who showed zero remorse.
Hmph hmph.
Vrooom—!
Anyway, we were cruising down the road in this rowdy car when
a van-like vehicle approached from the opposite direction.
Judging by the passenger nicknames floating above it, that was...?
"Huh? Isn't that Haneul noona?"
"Looks like it."
It was none other than our President.
And she wasn't alone—someone else was with her.
Not one of our members, but someone very familiar.
It was...
"Lulu-nim! We finally meet!"
"Ny-Nyangtamon-nim...?!"
That's right.
It was Nyangtamon-nim, the one I couldn't save earlier.
The one who became my looting corpse.
"How could you do that to me! Why'd you abandon me and run, why?!"
"S-Sorryyy...!"
Nyangtamon-nim came at me like she was about to grab my collar, yelling.
All I could do was beg for forgiveness.
Even if saving Nyangtamon-nim was realistically impossible,
waiting for her to die and then looting her corpse was definitely a jerk move.
B-But I don't think it was that wrong.
You have to do what you can to survive in this barren apocalypse world.
Though humanely speaking, maybe not.
"Hey, hey, Nyangta. What are you doing to our maknae? Get off her?"
Whether the President didn't know the full story,
or was just protecting me, she scolded Nyangtamon-nim and approached.
Nyangtamon-nim's voice rose even higher in response.
"I told you! Lulu-nim just left me to die and bolted, then came back after I died to loot my corpse...?!"
"Whoa, Nyangta noona got screwed by Lulu-nim too? Same here."
As Nyangtamon-nim vented her grievances,
Gig, who was close to her, jumped in eagerly.
Suddenly it felt like a 'Lulu Victims Support Group'.
"Hey, that can happen. She actually did well—turned your useless dead drops into something useful."
"Are you a real thug? Even if blood is thicker than water...!"
"Yeah, buzz off. Our maknae's innocent. Jealous? Get cute like her then."
The President shut down Nyangtamon-nim in seconds,
then came over to me and bobbed her character up and down.
It felt just like getting headpats from her, so I couldn't help smiling.
Hehe.
Our President's the best, as always.
"Noona! When Lulu-nim was with me earlier, she shot out the building window right away, aggroed the zombies, and tried to save herself!"
"Must've been your fault. Does our maknae look like the type to screw over an innocent person? Should I ask Lulu directly?"
After hearing Gig's complaint too, the President
snapped her head toward me.
Her voice, cold just moments ago, turned impossibly sweet as she spoke to me.
"Lulu, did Gig start acting weird first? Tell the President honestly."
"W-Well... Gig-nim kept asking if the President was bullying me. She's so kind, but hearing that made me mad..."
"Gasp!"
As I fidgeted my hands and explained honestly,
I heard Gig gulping behind me.
Ignoring him, the President kept up her honey-dripping tone.
"You got mad because some pig was badmouthing your President?"
"Y-Yes...?"
P-Pig?
I hadn't thought of it that way...!
"Sounded like a 'yes' just now, President?"
"Yeah. Sigh, how can you be this sweet? Our maknae."
Yeah, not even gonna listen, huh.
Ra-hee unnie, the President, the Cherries—none of them.
At least my side of the story worked out, so no big issue.
"Wow, Gig-ssi. You badmouth our maknae where no one's around, she snaps and you vent on her like you're the victim? Thug much?"
"N-No, I..."
"We'll talk later. You're dead."
"Guh...?!"
Hearing the President's murderous threat,
Gig flailed around in panic for a while.
Clunk—!
Suddenly, he hopped in the car
and sped off before me and Ra-hee unnie could react.
"Hey, you psycho! Why drag me along?!"
"Shut up and floor it!"
Wanggae-nim, who hadn't gotten out yet,
got dragged along as an accomplice unwillingly.
Ra-hee unnie and I were left stranded without a ride.
Me and unnie stood there dumbfounded, watching the car vanish,
while viewers laughed their heads off at the scene.
B-But what about us...?
Stranded without a car?
"Nyangta, let's take our kids along first. Leave 'em here and zombies'll get 'em."
As Ra-hee unnie and I exchanged anxious looks,
the President's lifeline words came.
But Nyangtamon-nim's response was icy...
"Tch, I don't mind Lucretia-nim, but Lulu-nim? Nope. She might ditch us again."
"N-No, it's a misunderstanding...!"
Maybe because of my past karma,
she made it clear she didn't want me in the group.
I tried explaining desperately,
but Nyangtamon-nim turned away, refusing to listen.
Just as I thought we'd be abandoned,
"Fine? Then I'll take the kids. You stay here, Nyangta. Take care. Was fun."
"Kidding. Shall we go, ladies?"
At the President's half-threat,
Nyangtamon-nim flipped attitudes instantly,
escorting me and Ra-hee unnie politely.
Her actions screamed she never wanted to die again.
Seeing her so pathetically servile,
I felt a pang of pity as I got in the car,
then quietly spoke to Nyangtamon-nim sniffling alone in the corner.
"Ny-Nyangtamon-nim. Cheer up. I've got chocolate here—wanna share?"
"Sniff... Thanks, Lulu-nim. Life's so hard for me..."
"F-Fighting."
And just like that, one chocolate brought us a little closer.