Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: How to Tame Da-jeong
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I filled the washbasin that the neighbor grandma had lent me right up to the brim with water on the bedroom floor.
Then I hurried out of the house and hopped into a taxi, heading straight to the address the President had sent me.
"Thank youuu!"
As soon as we pulled up in front of the cafe, I quickly paid the driver and got out.
Unfortunately, the drop-off spot was awkwardly far from the entrance, so I had to brave a bit of rain on the way.
If only the old umbrella back home hadn't broken down to just its frame, this mess never would've happened.
"Eek...!"
Even in the midst of it, I desperately tried to dodge the downpour, letting out shrill squeaks.
I took short little hops, stretching my stride as wide as it would go.
Finally, I made it to the cafe door, pushed it open, and slipped inside.
There, behind the counter, I spotted a few rooms with gray doors.
The President had said the leftmost one, right?
Knock knock-
- Yeah, come in.
To avoid barging into the wrong room by mistake, I knocked first.
Sure enough, the President's familiar voice called from inside.
"S-sorry I'm late. I had to wipe up the water on the floor..."
As I stepped into the room, I saw the company folks all gathered together.
I apologized straight away and carefully closed the door behind me.
"It's fine. Come sit down already, Da-jeong."
"It's raining out there—must be cold. Have some hot chocolate."
"Y-yeah."
Guided by the President's kind voice and Yuna's bubbly tone, I headed to an empty seat.
A white mug sat in front of me, filled with rich brown hot chocolate.
She must've ordered it ahead, knowing how much I love sweets.
"You must've had a real scare, Da-jeong. Good work getting through it."
"Yeah, seriously. How does a ceiling just cave in like that?"
"I saw the pics—it looked insane. You're not hurt anywhere, right?"
"N-no... I'm okay. Luckily, it happened while I was in the living room moving my computer..."
I nodded along as the unnie's waves of worry kept coming.
Sure, it was a big deal, but not the worst-case scenario.
If my computer had gotten smashed, I'd have been utterly devastated.
"A-anyway, the repair guy comes tomorrow and he'll fix it right up. I just have to tough it out until then..."
I had no idea how much the repairs would cost.
But I had a decent amount of money saved up now.
Should be enough to cover it somehow.
In the meantime, I'd grab a cheap desk and stream from the living room.
The President had offered to find me a new place to live.
But that was out of the question.
She'd already done so much for me as it was—no way could I burden her more.
Especially after...
- She's back again?
- Yeah. How long ago did we give her those supplies...?
- Didn't I say it's every four months?
- You did. But she keeps showing up. Such a nuisance.
...Yeah.
I couldn't just blindly lean on other people's kindness.
I had to find a way to handle it myself.
That was the hard truth I'd learned over ten years ago.
"Um... Da-jeong? Speaking of which, the President mentioned moving earlier."
"Oh, no, really—I'm fine. Once the ceiling's fixed, I can keep living there no problem. You don't need to help, President. Don't worry."
I'd half-expected it, and sure enough.
I waved my hands vigorously at the President as she brought up moving again.
The ceiling collapse was bad, but the place was still livable.
Back in my old world, I'd stayed there five years longer than this.
No need to trouble the President over it.
"No, just hear me out first? I think you're misunderstanding something big here."
"Misunderstanding...?"
"Exactly."
But the President stopped my waving hand, nodding like she had more to say.
For a split second, it felt like she exchanged glances with the members—was that my imagination?
"About suggesting you move. Truth is, I'd been planning to bring it up even before all this."
"Even before?"
"Yeah. And not just to you— to the other members too."
Huh?
What did that mean?
The offer to me made sense enough.
She knew I lived in a rundown place.
Her generous heart wanted to help me upgrade—I got that.
But why the other members too?
Puzzled, I tilted my head, and the President cleared her throat before speaking.
"Your places are pretty spread out, right? Especially yours, Da-jeong."
"Yeah..."
"I've been bummed about that. We'll be doing off-collabs soon enough, and we'll need to meet up more. Distance like that is bound to be a hassle."
She had a point.
Group activities meant off-collabs and such were inevitable.
Just a matter of sooner or later.
And yeah, far-apart homes would cramp that style, big time or small.
"So I've been looking into apartments near the company. Five rooms, so you all can have your own."
"Five rooms...?"
The unexpected plan drew a gasp from me.
The President nodded and glanced at Manager So-eun unnie beside her.
"Right, So-eun?"
"Yes. The President actually asked me to scout some places. Haven't found the perfect ones yet, but soon."
Oh, so that's how it was.
Explained So-eun unnie's straight face.
It was all true.
"Plus, I've already asked the other members about it. Depending on circumstances, it'll be sooner or later, but you'll all end up there eventually."
"R-really?"
Shocked that she'd checked with them first, I looked around to confirm.
The members met my eyes and nodded calmly.
Ji-ah unnie chimed in too.
"It's true. President said since you and Chae-yoon live alone, she'd ask the rest of us first—get family okay, you know."
"I see... I had no idea."
That made total sense.
Chae-yoon unnie and I lived solo, so we had freedom to choose.
The other three all lived with family.
Ra-hee unnie's place was a huge household crammed together, from what I'd heard.
"Anyway, that's the plan. I'd love if you moved there too, Da-jeong. Then if we have a sudden company meeting, it's easy to gather. Collabs, hangouts—whatever, anytime."
"Yeah, Da-jeong. Or do you hate the idea of living in the same building as your unnies?"
Ra-hee unnie's teasing snapped me back, and I shook my head.
No way I'd hate it.
Living close to the people I adored most? Seeing them every day, even if not under one roof?
Dream come true.
"N-no way...! I'd love it. I just thought you were going out of your way for me..."
Realizing how shortsighted I'd been, my voice shrank.
No matter the timing, I'd jumped to refuse without knowing her full intentions.
This was basically Blue LUV business.
I felt disgusted with my own foolishness.
"Anyway, misunderstanding cleared—moving's a go, then?"
"Y-yes... Sorry. I shouldn't have rambled on without knowing..."
"Ugh, no need to apologize so much."
Pat pat-
The President ruffled my hair roughly with a wry smile.
It carried a refreshing relief, like one big issue down.
She must've worried a ton because of me.
Made me feel even sorrier.
"But we haven't found a place yet, so you'll need somewhere temporary... That's the snag."
"Oh, it's fine. I have blankets, so the living room's okay..."
No need to fix the ceiling if I'm moving.
Blankets in the living room would work fine, I figured.
But the President didn't seem convinced.
"You think that's acceptable?"
"Uh... n-no?"
Eek.
I thought it was a solid plan.
Her icy shutdown deflated me instantly.
I timidly fidgeted my hands, peeking up at her.
Looking down at me, the President glanced around thoughtfully.
"How about she stays at my place? I have a spare room for Da-jeong."
Then Ra-hee unnie raised her hand eagerly with a suggestion.
Desperate not to burden anyone more, I tried to shut it down, but...
"Sounds good, but... didn't you say your family's huge, Ra-hee?"
The President beat me to it with a questioning tone.
The answer was shocking.
"Yeah. Grandpa, grandma, parents, little sister, and me—six total."
"Eek...!"
Oh no!
Crashing a packed house like that? The burden would be unreal!
What did the rest of the family ever do to deserve me?
Day by day guilt-tripping them into gastritis?
No thanks!
"P-President! What about my place? We could share my room...!"
"That'd be awkward for both of you. No."
"Eeeeng..."
Yuna's raised hand got shot down mercilessly next.
"How about our place? Mom met Da-jeong recently, so we could get along fine."
"Got permission?"
"Uh, no..."
"Tabled for now."
Ji-ah unnie's idea at least made it to "hold," not outright rejected...
Wait, why's no one asking my opinion anyway?!
I don't wanna impose on anyone's home!
"What about your place, President?"
"My family wouldn't mind, but I bet you'd be uncomfortable living with me."
"N-no way!"
Not that I disliked the President!
But living under the same roof as your boss? Kinda weird!
Imagining breakfast together— I'd tense up just holding chopsticks.
"Oh yeah, doesn't Chae-yoon live alone?"
"Yes."
As suggestions flew and flopped, with the President shaking her head...
She suddenly remembered solo-living Chae-yoon unnie and asked.
Affirmative reply.
"Any spare rooms?"
"One. It's a two-room setup for now..."
"Think Da-jeong could crash there temporarily?"
P-President?
No way that works.
Chae-yoon unnie chose solo life for a reason—can't wreck that.
Impossible, impossible...!
"I was gonna suggest it myself. Other homes have families, which might make shy Da-jeong uncomfortable. But mine's just me, so she should be fine."
...It wasn't impossible?!
"Okay, settled. Da-jeong stays at Chae-yoon's for now."
"P-President? I'm really fine..."
I grabbed her sleeve, pleading, but ignored—decision stamped without my input.
"Whoa... Da-jeong, you hate living with unnie that much? Thought we were close..."
"...Please take care of me."
"Good. Won't be forever, but let's make the best of it."
Chae-yoon unnie's preemptive guilt trip forced my tail between my legs.
Wuu...
Sure feels like the members are getting better at handling me.
I'm not a puppy or kitten or anything.