Culprit
Culprit
"Hmm..."
"It's a bit much, isn't it?"
"Yeah... other things would be fine, but..."
Since he wanted to be comfortable at home, he wasn't keen on that kind of program.
No matter how much he'd given up his private life, having his home invaded was a bit much.
"Are there other options?"
"Hmm... there's one more offer, but it's more of a variety show than an entertainment program..."
"Pass on that too..."
"Huh? Didn't you just say you'd do it if it was something else?"
"No. Pass."
A variety show meant sleeping outdoors, survival stuff—that kind of content.
It was better to be a little uncomfortable at home than to do something like that.
"Are you disappointed?"
"Yeah, a little disappointed."
I didn't know if it was because of the refusal or because she wanted to go together, but
A-ra was smiling a little bitterly.
I was sorry, but this time I couldn't grant my wife's request.
Besides, wasn't it too embarrassing?
***
"You're stubborn like a pumpkin deep down."
"A-ra-nim recommended it, yet you refused, tsk tsk..."
Jeong Hwan-yi and Lee Min-ho began teasing, saying he had a bit of a temper.
Had these guys forgotten who bought the hamburgers they were holding?
"Would you have gone if you were me?"
"Nope."
"I wouldn't go."
I wondered if they knew their words contradicted each other.
Then they lifted their hamburgers to their mouths and started chewing.
"I'd understand if it was another program, but not being able to comfortably rest at home is a bit much."
"Well, I wouldn't do it either. Resting at home while worrying about people watching, and then having that broadcast."
"Well, it might be tough but it looks fun."
Jeong Hwan-yi agreed with me. Lee Min-ho, on the other hand, thought it looked fun and was all for appearing on the program.
Come to think of it, this guy was an attention seeker.
"It's not just about attention, but if a major program specifically picks a Qtuber and says they want to film them, wouldn't anyone want to do it?"
"I'd only be going as A-ra Noona's add-on."
"What nonsense. Do you think the broadcasting station people would call you as A-ra-nim's add-on because they don't know you?"
"Hmm..."
It did make sense.
Still, I didn't want to go either way.
If I forced myself to appear in something I didn't want to do, the program would just flop, and then it might inconvenience A-ra.
In the end, there'd be no gain for either of us.
"Well, it's your decision."
"Then if you don't go, your wife won't go either?"
"That's how it would be, right?"
"Then maybe someone else will go..."
Was he hoping he could go himself?
But Lee Min-ho's recognition was a bit...
"What."
"You... your recognition is a bit..."
"Wow, you say that with your mouth? You're a secretly bad guy."
"I've never thought I was a good person."
If I hadn't met A-ra, I might have been scraping by with crime somewhere.
Or I might have already been dead.
Tsk... imagining that gave me a headache.
My overactive imagination, for nothing...
"Do you both have afternoon classes?"
My morning classes were over.
Lately, I was just trying to earn enough credits to graduate while dealing with various thoughts.
The Director writing me an employment confirmation letter was also very helpful.
"Nope."
"None for me either."
"Then why did you come to school?"
"To borrow books."
"I came to get free coffee."
What on earth went through Lee Min-ho's mind as he went about his life?
A guy who was the eldest son of a chaebol family came all the way here just to get free coffee, and was eating my hamburger...
Maybe he just enjoyed spending time with people.
No, if that were the case, he should have held onto his ex-girlfriend.
"Lee Min-ho, don't you have any thoughts of dating?"
"I do, are you going to set me up?"
"Among the people I know who aren't men... Eun-ji... Yeji Nuna... Hwa-young... Director?"
"Hmm... the first three, if you mess with them wrong, you'll get excommunicated from the fan club, so no."
"Then what about Director?"
"That noona... I don't know."
I was a bit surprised when I found out they'd been close since childhood.
Because although they were both from chaebol families, they never showed it at all.
"You don't bring private relationships into public matters."
"Oh... saying it like that sounds a bit cool."
Of course, he never distinguished between private and public matters with me.
That was nice as a friend, but when he said it like that, it made me a bit dizzy.
"Seong-hwan-a, if you have nothing to do, wanna go grab a meal?"
"....? You just ate a hamburger."
"This was just a snack, dude."
Then the two started clearing the table.
Guys who had ordered and eaten hamburgers, fries, cheese sticks, and nuggets were now suggesting going to eat a meal.
They were really on A-ra's level.
***
"Noona, what are you doing?"
"Huh?"
I stood behind A-ra, who was doing something with her hair tied up in a rebellious style for the first time in a while.
After confirming I had entered the bedroom, A-ra spun her chair around to face me and spread her arms wide.
It meant she wanted me to hug her right away.
I gently placed Lil' One, who was sleeping in my arms, onto the bed.
Then I rushed to A-ra and was softly held in her arms.
My heart rate ticked up a little from the faint, sweet scent of her light perfume.
"What were you doing?"
"Internet shopping~"
It seemed she was buying cards on a Japanese auction site.
Yesterday, one had also arrived via international delivery.
"I heard you were mentioned on a Japanese collector's channel?"
"Really? I did buy a lot of stuff from various people recently."
"So that's what it was..."
It seemed she was trying to build her collection by offering a lot of money.
It was said to be a strange situation where collectors who had intended to never sell and only keep their collections were making deals after being offered sums too large to refuse.
"There's even a rumor that a Saudi oil tycoon and a Korean idol are in a bidding war..."
"Ah, that one Noona lost. Even if it's rare, they called 300 million won..."
I thought it was just a rumor among Japanese collectors, but it seemed to be true.
How much money had my wife been willing to pour into cards?
Since it was 300 million, did she intend to go up to just under that?
"Noona, what's your monthly income?"
"Hmm... including unearned income and all?"
"Yeah."
"Then... hundred..."
"Yeah... okay, you can stop talking."
I was really curious about what would follow, but I stopped because I felt like I wouldn't be able to handle it if I heard.
I was just grateful that A-ra hadn't given me control of the finances.
"Noona, did you want to appear on that program, by any chance?"
"Huh?"
I eased into the conversation and got to the main point.
At first, I had just refused because I didn't want to do it, but if A-ra wanted to, I wanted to do it for her.
She had done so many things for me, so if I couldn't grant just one request, how could I call myself a husband?
"Ah... no, I'm really okay with it."
"Liar..."
"It's true! It's not me, actually the Director... mmph..."
She suddenly cut off her words and covered her own mouth.
Director?
The only Director I knew was our agency's Director.
"Noona, tell me honestly."
"Mmmph..."
"Or, shall I use the obedience voucher tonight?"
A-ra could endure the lead-right voucher but not the obedience voucher.
As soon as I mentioned that, words began pouring out of her mouth like a waterfall.
"Di...Director told me to... no, asked me to..."
"Director? And what did our A-ra agree to receive?"
"Ca...cards..."
Oh ho.
So the mastermind was our Director, and A-ra had just been tempted by a bribe-like gift.
And this was the Director, who normally never gave cards to A-ra.
What kind of card had she offered to make A-ra even suggest such a program to me?
"So Noona doesn't really want to go either, right?"
"U...uh..."
"Hmm?"
"Yes..! I...I don't want to go..."
Good.
I stroked A-ra's head. She was looking thoroughly deflated.
A-ra, who had been hanging her head low and not looking at my face for a while, seemed a little pitiful.
I never intended to torment A-ra in the first place.
"Noona, don't worry. I'm not mad at you."
"Re...really?"
"When someone tells you they'll give you cards, there's no way you could resist."
"Th...that much..."
She seemed about to protest, but then her spirit suddenly deflated.
She seemed well aware that she would have a hard time resisting.
"First, Noona, get the cards."
"Is...is that okay?"
"Get them first, and I'll handle the Director."
A way to handle the Director without incurring A-ra's resentment.
I could catch two rabbits with one stone.
Lately, the Director seemed to be trying to keep using me; I needed to stop her properly this time.
Otherwise, I'd be called in again and forced to do a photoshoot or something.
"I'm sorry, Seong-hwan-a."
"Noona, you don't have to be sorry."
I gave A-ra a bright smile, picked up Lil' One who was sleeping on the bed, and came outside.
As we came out, Lil' One opened its eyes and stood up trying to lick my cheek; I stroked its head.
"Little one, what should we do about our Director?"
"Woof!"
"Do you think so too, our Lil' One?"
"Woof?"
Our Lil' One probably didn't understand.
But that was okay.
Because this revenge had nothing to do with Lil' One!
"Shall we take a walk with Daddy on the terrace?"
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"We can't go outside."
"Whiiine..."
Lil' One was sad, probably wanting to go outside.
Still, when I put the leash on its neck, it happily dashed out to the terrace.
Even though I took it for a walk every day, it was that happy.
I thought I should either increase the frequency or extend the walk time.
Sigh... walks.
Honestly, there was nothing that required as much care as walking dogs.