Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Da-jeong Rescue Operation!
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The sudden news from Da-jeong threw everyone into a panic.
It wasn't just Kang Haneul— the viewers felt the same way.
Who would've thought the ceiling would collapse.
The viewers, who had just heard Da-jeong's heartbreaking story moments ago, felt their hearts shatter.
No matter how rundown the house was, it had been her one and only sanctuary.
And now it was ruined.
『B-But the computer was fine since I moved it beforehand. If I just buy a new desk tomorrow, I can stream from the living room.』
Perhaps sensing everyone's reactions...
Da-jeong, who had been sobbing for a while, stepped up to comfort Kang Haneul and the viewers instead.
But to Kang Haneul, those words were utterly ridiculous.
"Streaming? What streaming! Are you hurt?"
『Y-Yeah... I was in the living room when it collapsed, so thankfully...』
"Haa..."
So it was just her room, not the whole house.
That was some small comfort, at least.
A computer could be replaced easily enough if it broke.
But if Da-jeong had gotten hurt, Kang Haneul wouldn't have slept a wink tonight.
『I'm really sorry, President...』
In the brief silence that followed, Da-jeong apologized again.
Kang Haneul felt a surge of frustration.
Not anger at Da-jeong, of course.
It was just indignation at why heaven kept picking on this poor girl.
And pity for how Da-jeong was acting like it was all her fault, even in this unfair situation.
"No, why are you apologizing? It's not your fault, Lulu."
『But... I promised to stream hard... I'm so sorry to you and the Cherries... Sniff!』
Da-jeong's tearful apology turned the chat into a sea of tears.
She must have been the most shocked by the sudden accident.
Yet even in this situation, her kind heart—feeling sorry for the fans first—was utterly heartbreaking.
In a way, it was so very Da-jeong.
Not sorrow over her house collapsing.
But greater sadness for failing the promise she'd made with Kang Haneul and the viewers.
"Lulu, don't cry! Stop! For now, let's put our heads together with the President and figure this out. Can you head out right now?"
As she soothed Da-jeong, Kang Haneul decided to move things along quickly.
It felt a bit bad for Da-jeong, but...
On the flip side, this might actually be a good thing.
It gave her the perfect excuse to provide Da-jeong with a new place to live.
『Yeah...』
"Alright, I'm heading out now too, so grab a taxi and come over. The members should be done streaming anyway, so let's all meet up and brainstorm."
Da-jeong had the latest streaming schedule in Blue LUV.
So the other members were probably already done and resting.
Sorry to interrupt their break, but Kang Haneul decided to gather everyone and plan countermeasures.
『I'm sorry... I'm causing trouble for the President and members because of me...』
"Tch! I said no apologizing. Just trust the President, okay?"
The chat exploded with admiration at Kang Haneul's girl crush energy.
Long-time viewers knew she took great care of those around her, no matter what.
『P-President. Could I clean up a bit before heading out? Water got everywhere, so I need to borrow a washbasin from the neighbor grandma.』
"Sure, take your time cleaning up. It'll take me a while to get there anyway."
The members wouldn't be able to come right away either, so some time was needed.
Anticipating that, Kang Haneul nodded with a gentle tone and hung up.
Click.
"Guys, I'm gonna end stream early today. We'll do the rest tomorrow. Sorry."
She immediately apologized to the viewers.
She'd barely started the game, and now she had to shut down.
The viewers unanimously urged her to go.
Some even pushed her, saying don't waste time apologizing—just hurry.
Right before ending the stream, a massive donation came in, and she gave a wry smile with a nod.
No cam, so viewers wouldn't see, but...
"Got it, I'll pass it on. Reaction later on Lulu's stream."
She shut down the computer and dashed out.
Brushing off family questions about heading out late at night with vague excuses.
Kang Haneul gathered the members at a cafe near downtown.
It was open 24 hours—perfect if talks ran long.
Plus, private rooms kept them out of prying eyes.
As Kang Haneul fidgeted with her hands, soothing her nerves while waiting for coffee...
"President!"
"Oh, you all made it?"
Da-jeong was late due to distance and cleanup, so the others arrived first.
Including Manager So-eun, five people filled the room in a flash.
"Sorry for calling you all so late. You were probably resting."
"No worries. But is it true Da-jeong's house ceiling collapsed?"
"Yeah, just the room ceiling, from the pics she sent..."
Replying to Ji-ah's question, Kang Haneul showed the members the photo Da-jeong had just sent.
It showed a bedroom so wrecked it barely qualified as one anymore—ceiling fully caved in.
"What the...?"
"How do you even renovate a house to collapse like that?"
"It rained hard earlier. Probably that."
"Even so..."
The members gawked in unison at the devastation.
What on earth.
Even ignoring the collapse, the room looked seriously bad.
"Da-jeong should be on her way. Before she gets here, I wanna discuss something with you all..."
"Discuss?"
Yuna tilted her head curiously.
Bringing it up before Da-jeong arrived...
Sounded like something without her.
"Even if we find her a new place, with her personality, I doubt she'll accept."
"Ah..."
"Nah, it's that bad—she wouldn't refuse, right?"
"Exactly, President. She knows she can't live there anymore."
Manager So-eun grimaced at Kang Haneul's words.
But the others reacted differently.
No way she'd stubbornly stay in that harsh environment, personality or not.
But Kang Haneul's response made their faces stiffen.
"Not necessarily. Just talked to her—I said I'd get her a new place somehow, but she said streaming from the living room is fine for now, and she'll use her signing bonus to fix the ceiling and stay."
"What?!"
"Fixing a place like that...?"
Sad for Da-jeong, but some things could be fixed, others not.
In a building that old, even pros fixing it would just lead to repeats.
What she needed wasn't remodeling—it was moving.
"So, any good ways to convince her?"
"Convince her?"
"Tricky..."
"She hates relying on others so much..."
Even the members, who first thought it'd be easy to coax her...
Struggled for ideas after hearing Kang Haneul.
They knew better than anyone her near-obsessive aversion to troubling others.
"P-President. If no other ideas, can I suggest one?"
"Yeah, go ahead, So-eun."
With no breakthroughs...
So-eun cautiously raised her hand.
She'd thought of a killer move even for Da-jeong.
"The issue is she hates getting help or troubling others, right?"
"Right."
"So why not flip that and dangle bait she'd love?"
"Bait?"
Kang Haneul blinked at the odd word.
And using her personality against her didn't click immediately.
"What's Da-jeong's favorite thing?"
"Our girls, obviously."
"Exactly. To her, nothing's more precious than Blue LUV."
Kang Haneul nodded, suddenly wary.
No way...
"...You're not saying threaten to kick her out if she doesn't move, right?"
"How evil do you think I am, President...?"
"Ahem, sorry."
Bad hunch dodged.
She'd have shut it down hard if so.
How dare say something so cruel to a girl whose home and heart were crumbling.
"Here's what I mean..."
So-eun beckoned the members closer and whispered the plan.
Everyone's eyes widened as they listened.
It made perfect sense.
Best part: no burden on Da-jeong's conscience, totally convincing.
Nothing better.
"Oh, that's good! Feels a bit like tricking an innocent kid, but..."
"There are white lies in this world. This is fine, President!"
"Yeah. Even if busted, Da-jeong would understand."
As all nodded enthusiastically, So-eun smiled faintly.
No need for formal votes.
This confirmed no opposition.
"Alright, when Da-jeong gets here, everyone act natural."
And so the curtain rose on Operation: Da-jeong Rescue.