13
Chapter 13
"Alright, it's my treat today! Let's eat and drink until we drop!"
"Meongnyangi is the best!"
"Thanks for the food, Meongnyangi!"
Fried Chicken and pizza were laid out before them.
And even beef.
It was an absolute feast.
The kids began to wolf down the food,
and Yuna placed the meat onto the heated grill.
And right now, there was a girl who couldn't comprehend this situation.
Her name was Lee Eunha.
A first-year at the Girls' High School.
'Am I the weird one?! Why is everyone acting like this is normal!'
She couldn't understand the scene unfolding before her eyes.
She could excuse the two younger siblings since they were still little.
But she was dumbfounded because even her unnie beside them was acting like everything was completely fine.
It definitely had been noisy outside her room yesterday.
Eunha had been so exhausted that she merely opened her door a crack to confirm her unnie was home before falling back asleep.
And today, while playing with her younger siblings, she learned that her unnie had brought some kind of animal home yesterday.
'The cute Meongnyangi!'
'It was so fun this morning too!'
She didn't know exactly what a Meongnyangi was, but judging by her younger siblings' reactions, it was definitely an animal.
'It's hard enough for us to make a living, yet she brought home an animal!'
Eunha intended to give her unnie a piece of her mind.
Sometimes, she just lacked any sense of reality.
She only ever understood things when she was given a good nagging.
She had walked into the house intending to give her a harsh nagging.
"Bwahaha! Man, I feel great today!"
A fluffy white ball of fur.
An ambiguously shaped face that belonged to neither a dog nor a cat.
Long, droopy ears.
Seeing a strange animal she had never seen before in her life actually speaking, she didn't even know where to begin.
Whether he knew Eunha's feelings or not, Joohyun was busy eating meat and slurping the alcohol poured into a bowl.
"This is the life~!"
He hadn't even drunk that much, yet his words were already beginning to slur.
You couldn't tell clearly because of his body covered in pure white fur, but his face had probably turned bright red.
"Hiccup-!"
He was even hiccuping.
Furthermore, he had tied a tiny necktie from God knows where around his head and was dancing around by himself.
All while humming a ballad to himself.
He looked exactly like a middle-aged mister.
It reminded Eunha of how her dad used to drink when he was alive, but she quickly shook her head.
"Unnie, seriously, what is that!"
Eunha said, pointing her finger at Joohyun.
Yuna looked at Joohyun, who was drinking alone and snickering.
"Hmm. A happily drunk mister?"
She said that as if it were nothing and ate some meat.
"No!! Ugh!!"
Eunha felt so frustrated.
Her unnie was always like this.
She hated that personality of hers, always trying to vaguely gloss over everything.
Still, she couldn't just let this slide.
Living with a lifeform whose identity was unknown would put her family's safety at risk.
'If unnie can't protect our younger siblings, then I have to.'
Having made up her mind, Eunha called out to her younger siblings.
"Yooho, Eunseo! Both of you, get behind me!"
The kids, who had been happily eating their pizza, turned their heads to look at Eunha.
"Eh, noona, what's wrong? I need to eat my pizza."
"Unnie, what's wrong~? Is it because you can't eat any pizza?"
The kids looked at Eunha with bright, innocent eyes.
"No arguing, hurry up!"
Eunha yelled angrily, and only then did the kids put down their pizza and hesitantly move behind her.
"Geez, what is wrong with you! The kids were enjoying their food."
Yuna said that while popping a piece of meat into her mouth.
"How can you be so carefree, unnie?"
At that, Yuna let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"It's fine, so just sit down and eat. I'll stop joking around now. That pathetic lifeform over there is our CEO."
"What did you say, pathetic?!"
Joohyun shouted angrily in response to Yuna's words.
"Eek. Meongnyangi is scary!"
Startled by Joohyun's shouting, the kids got a little scared and clung tightly behind Eunha.
"CEO, you're scaring the kids!"
"A-Ahem, I'm sorry......."
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Joohyun cleared his throat and went back to slurping his alcohol.
"Your CEO......?"
At those words, Eunha examined the lifeform of unknown identity from top to bottom.
"What CEO......? Is he a CEO character from some comic book?"
"Pfft!"
At Eunha's remark, Yuna spat out the meat she was eating and burst into laughter.
"Bwahaha! Did you just hear that, CEO? She asked if you're a CEO character from a comic book."
"I heard her, sho shtop laughing, Accountant Yuna."
Joohyun spoke through gritted teeth while forcing the biggest smile he could muster.
Remembering how the kids got scared when he got angry earlier, he couldn't even yell, which put him in quite the awkward spot.
After laughing for quite a while, Yuna finally stopped and looked at Eunha.
Her eyes still clearly showed her lingering doubts.
Seeing that, Yuna let out a soft chuckle.
"It's not that. You remember I used to work in management, right."
"Of course I remember. Your CEO was so incompetent that the company went under, and you got fired!"
"Who're you calling incompetent!"
Joohyun yelled out in anger, but after seeing the frightened kids, he shut his mouth and went back to lapping up his alcohol.
"That CEO is this guy right here."
Yuna said, gesturing toward Joohyun with her chin.
Only then did Eunha look at Joohyun again.
"That's a Management CEO......?"
Eunha stared at Joohyun with a face that clearly showed she couldn't understand.
"A-Ahem! That's right, I'm the CEO of Gather Around Management! I am Kim Joohyun!"
Doom-!
Joohyun puffed out his Chest and spoke confidently, looking as if that sound effect should have played in the background.
"That weird Lifeform?"
"What do you mean weird!"
"He is definitely weird, though."
"And why are you nodding along!"
Hearing Eunha's words, Yuna was nodding her head with a convinced expression.
"No, first of all, that isn't even human, right? So how is he a CEO?"
"Well, that's......."
"It's because I awakened."
The one who cut Yuna off was Joohyun.
Joohyun took a sip of his alcohol and spoke as if it were no big deal.
"I was surprised when I first awakened too. After all, I had never heard of anyone turning into an animal like this."
"But you can't use an awakened Ability outside...... right?"
Eunha looked at Joohyun with an even more suspicious expression.
"I have no idea why I changed into this form either. Honestly, I didn't want to change into this form in the first place! Ugh, just thinking about it makes me mad. Why do I have to live looking like this!"
Saying that, Joohyun started Gulping down his alcohol.
"CEO! Please drink slowly!"
"Leave me alone! When else am I supposed to drink!"
Eunha was watching him in sheer disbelief.
"But how do you know that Lifeform is your CEO? Especially when he looks like that."
When Eunha pointed that out, Yuna's face turned slightly red as she stuttered.
"W-Well, he knew things that only our CEO would know."
Yuna let out an awkward laugh and avoided eye contact.
'Even if she's my Younger Sibling, I can't tell her I got caught watching a Magical Girl Series at work!'
Eunha stared at Yuna for a long time before letting out a sigh.
"Honestly, I still can't completely believe it. But looking at him, he doesn't seem dangerous either. Ugh, I don't know."
Eunha scratched her head vigorously and looked at Joohyun.
"Hehehe, ah, this alcohol tastes sweet."
After hearing her Unnie's words and looking at him again, he really just looked like a weary, middle-aged Mister beaten down by life.
"But, I can understand all that, so why is he at our house?"
"Uh, that's......."
Yuna was pondering what to say when Joohyun beat her to the punch.
"Hiccup-! It's because I have no place to stay!"
"You don't have a place to stay? I mean, even if you don't have a place to stay, why are you staying here at my Unnie's house? Especially as her former CEO."
Eunha's logic was sound. No matter how homeless he was, staying at a former subordinate's house was undeniably weird.
"Hehe. That's because Accountant Yuna made a Contract with me!"
"A Contract?"
"C-CEO!"
Yuna attempted her Dissuasion, but it was already too late to stop him.
"Yeah! A Magical Girl Contract, that is! So she's clearing the tower with me!"
Joohyun was already Completely Drunk.
Any sort of filter in his brain had completely vanished.
"A Magical Girl......?"
"Aaaaa......."
Yuna fidgeted anxiously, looking back and forth between Joohyun and Eunha.
Then, Eunha's sharp gaze immediately landed on Yuna.
"Unnie. What is he talking about? Explain it to me in detail."
"W-Well, the thing is......."
"A Magical Girl? The tower? What does all that mean? Don't tell me the Magical Girl they've been talking about on TV since yesterday is you, Unnie?"
Yuna fidgeted nervously before finally having no choice but to nod.
Seeing that, Eunha's body started Trembling.
"Are you kidding me right now?"
"Eunha......."
"We made a Promise. That no matter how much you awakened, you wouldn't enter the tower. Don't you know how dangerous that place is?"
"I know. I know, but......."
"But what! Are you going to leave us behind and pass away like Mom and Dad did!?"
"Lee Eunha!"
At Yuna's sudden Scolding, the house was enveloped in Silence for a moment.
"Waaaah!"
The ones who broke that Silence were none other than the crying children.
Eunha deeply lowered her head and went into her room.
Slam-!
"Oof, that sobered me right up. What in the world is going on?"
Only then did Joohyun start to grasp the situation, looking back and forth between the closed door and Yuna.
"Don't mind her. She's just being like that for no reason."
"Hmm."
Joohyun let out a Low Hum before making his way toward the room Eunha had entered.
"CEO, just leave her be! It's fine! She's just throwing a tantrum because she's still young!"
Yuna must have been a bit angry too, as she huffed and attempted her Dissuasion on Joohyun.
"I'm doing this because I'm not fine with it. The thing I hate the most is heavy, melodramatic atmospheres like this."
Saying that, Joohyun gave a Knock on Eunha's door.
Squishy-
"I'm coming in."
Saying that, Joohyun entered Eunha's room.
Eunha was lying face down on her desk with her head buried in her arms.
"Hey there, Younger Sibling~ Lift your head up a bit~."
Joohyun hopped lightly onto Eunha's desk.
"What! Go away! This is all because of you!"
"Why. Are you scared your Unnie might enter the tower and die?"
Joohyun hated beating around the bush, so he asked directly.
Only then did Eunha raise her head and glare at Joohyun.
The redness around her eyes made it clear she had been crying until just moments ago.
"Yes! I'm scared something will happen to my Unnie!"
Fatal Accidents occasionally occurred in the tower. Even though you could Exit the tower freely, the moment you let your guard down, the tower would take your life in an instant.
"If something happens to my Unnie, I......."
Eunha sniffled as she spoke.
"Phew~ This is why having an active imagination makes for a Hard Life~."
Joohyun placed his soft, squishy paw on Eunha's head and spoke.
"It hasn't even happened yet, right? Is there any need to be so scared already?"
"Our parents passed away because they let their guard down like that!"
Eunha still remembered that day. The day their parents died.
"I swore on that day. That our Remaining family wouldn't be torn apart. That we wouldn't do anything dangerous!"
Yuna had made a Promise to Eunha.
That she would never do anything dangerous.
That even if she awakened, she wouldn't go anywhere near places like the tower.
"But now she's suddenly going into the tower. Such a dangerous place. I can't believe Unnie made that choice!"
She was terrified. Terrified by the fact that she could lose her Unnie too.
"I know why, too. Unnie must need the money, so she has no choice but to enter the tower!"
If that wasn't the case, there was no reason for her Unnie to enter the tower. This was all because she was too young, and her Younger Siblings were too little.
"I just want my Unnie to stop sacrificing herself!"
Eunha huffed as she poured her emotions out to Joohyun.
Joohyun, who had been listening silently, gave a gentle smile.
"I think you might be wrong about that, Younger Sibling Eunha."
"What did you say? After everything I just......."
"You think Accountant Yuna is sacrificing herself? That she's forcing herself into the tower? Not a chance."
"What?"
Eunha was left speechless by Joohyun's words. If she wasn't forcing herself to go in because she needed the money, it made no sense. Who in their right mind would enjoy doing such dangerous work?
"You really should have seen Accountant Yuna's face when she was hunting monsters in the tower......."
Joohyun clicked his tongue once before continuing.
"I was completely shocked when we first entered the tower too. She was taking down monsters with the most innocent, childlike expression on her face. It was my first time seeing Accountant Yuna make a face like that."
Joohyun couldn't forget that expression. That smile. A side of Yuna he had never seen back at the company.
"Unnie made an expression like that?"
Eunha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yuna always had a gloomy expression when she came home from work. She tried her best to force a smile, but she couldn't hide it from Eunha.
"I'm telling you. From what I saw, that wasn't the face of someone forcing herself to do something she hated."
"My Unnie did......."
Eunha made an uncertain expression.
Seeing Eunha like that, Joohyun let out a soft chuckle.
"And don't worry. I will protect your Unnie no matter what. I won't ever let her die. Never."
Joohyun looked at Eunha with a serious expression.
"Looking like that, those words aren't convincing at all, you know."
Eunha retorted with a pout.
"I'm pouring my heart out here, and you sisters are seriously...!"
Joohyun jumped up and down on the spot in anger.
Only then did a soft laugh slip from Eunha's lips.
Seeing that, Joohyun also let out a soft chuckle.
"Why don't the two of you catch up on your overdue conversation now? Isn't that right, Accountant Yuna?"
"Unnie?"
"Sigh......."
That was right.
Yuna had been hiding behind the door, eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time.
"You sure do a lot of Meddling, CEO."
Joohyun simply shrugged at Yuna and stepped aside to give them some space.
And so, the two sisters stayed up late catching up on everything they hadn't talked about.
The next morning.
"Unnie, I'm heading to school!"
"Okay, have a good day!"
Unlike yesterday, the two exchanged greetings with bright smiles on their faces.
"I really am quite the man."
Fallen into Arrogance, Joohyun strutted Majestically around the living room.
"Hey there, pathetic-looking CEO! I'm heading out!"
"Who are you calling pathetic-looking!"
With that, Eunha and the two kids walked out the door, giggling brightly.
At that sight, Joohyun let out a sigh, unable to hide his smile.
It was right then.
"Aaaah!"
A Scream rang out from outside.
It was Eunha's Scream.
Yuna and Joohyun hurriedly rushed outside.
"What's wrong!"
"S-Someone is collapsed on the ground......."
Eunha replied to Yuna's question while pointing her finger.
Right there.
Striking blonde hair.
An exotic appearance.
Dark Circles reaching all the way down to her cheekbones.
None other than Mina was lying unconscious on the ground.
"A-Are you okay?!"
Yuna quickly approached Mina.
Slowly opening her eyes, Mina spoke.
"I-I'm hungry."
Grumble-
"......."
"......."
Leaving those words behind, she closed her eyes once again.
"Should we take her inside?"
"I guess we should?"
With a sigh, Yuna carried Mina on her back and brought her into the house.