Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Sudden Assault on the Two-Room (1)
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Thump thump.
Feeling a pleasant curiosity and anticipation for the first time in ages, I slowly moved my fingers and clicked into the message.
- Yi-rin Shin: (heart)
"...?"
Against all expectations, the message was just an adorable emoticon of a rabbit character hugging a heart cushion bigger than itself.
I stared at it blankly for a moment, then let out an involuntary chuckle—it was so quintessentially her.
"Still the same, huh."
That somewhat dazed look in her eyes, her otherworldly personality.
And her relentless focus on her goals, paired with mannerisms that made it impossible to hate her.
'Hmm.'
I guess I had to admit it.
My own existence had raised my standards sky-high... but even so, Yi-rin Shin had her cute moments.
To pack this transcendent cuteness into a single ambush emoticon? She more than earned her Channel Master throne.
Tiddik.
Tick.
- wldks_08: (heart)
Not one to be outdone, I fired back with a cute red panda emoticon peeking out a heart. Smiling despite myself, I set my phone down and logged into the Archive.
'This'd be explosive.'
If word got out that I'd gotten a heart from Channel Master Yi-rin, the whole channel would lose its mind.
But spilling the beans meant doxxing myself, so for now, it was off-limits.
To chase that bigger dopamine hit, patience was key.
Honestly, High School Dropout Middle Schooler is starting to feel a bit scary...
— Yi-rin Thigh
At first I just thought it was hilariously unhinged, but watching channel members get brainwashed one by one... something's up.
For real.
Watching it makes me feel brainwashed too.
Now even the cute posts feel totally natural lol.
No one expected Full-time Farmer to fall for it...
Time for the mod to lay down the law ㅇㅇ
How the hell do you block this genius-level cuteness?
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler
Channel Master, mods, chaebol heirs, even the president—if they cross me, they're done.
Wanna smack 'em so bad.
She's a genius in her own way.
What's the source of this insane confidence?
Narcissus would bow to this one ㅇㅇ
But is the mod really on their level? lol
You've realized—come to High School Dropout Middle Schooler Channel
— Mint Soboro Bread
lmao
Such a thing exists?
As if.
What the hell did this guy observe?
Show me what you saw.
Is that so... Maybe I don't know...
Super-duper cute High School Dropout Middle Schooler getting hogged by you clowns pisses me off—upvote lol
— Najoo Tangerine
I wanna see too, share damn it.
Upvote lol
Agreed.
For real, good stuff should be shared—why hoard it?
If High School Dropout Middle Schooler turns out to be a legit super-cute middle school girl, hang Mint Soboro, Full-time Farmer, Vulture is Cute, and this tangerine guy ㅇㅇ
'Hmm.'
The channel users had seen so much of my nonsense that the impact was starting to wear thin.
Time to mix up the routine?
As I pondered future plans, my phone suddenly rang, displaying a name I'd all but forgotten.
【Ha Joo-on】
"What's up with her all of a sudden?"
Even a dropout gold farmer like me, walled off from the world, had a few people I kept in touch with.
Ha Joo-on, the little sister figure who'd trailed after me at the orphanage for years.
Problem was, she thought I was a guy—so picking up could spell disaster.
Squeeze.
- Ji-an Choi: Got a cold, voice is shot.
- Ji-an Choi: Why the call?
I hit end call and messaged instead. Reply came fast.
- Ha Joo-on: Oh, really? Resting at home?
- Ji-an Choi: Yeah
- Ha Joo-on: Cool then.
- Ha Joo-on: Auntie's heading up anyway, asked her to drop off some side dishes.
A chill crept up my spine.
Reading between the lines of Joo-on's texts, I jolted and fired off questions to scope the damage.
- Ji-an Choi: She's coming? No need, I have plenty.
- Ha Joo-on: Too late, already got 'em.
- Ha Joo-on: Almost there— just take 'em and fridge it.
- Ji-an Choi: Wait, how'd you get my address?
- Ha Joo-on: Director just told me?
No, my privacy!
Not malicious, sure—but it sure complicated my life.
'Hmm.'
I'd already said I was home sick. No bolting the door and ghosting now.
Tell her to leave it outside so she doesn't catch my cold?
Yeah, right—she'd insist on coming in out of curiosity.
"Screwed."
Brainstormed hard, but no solutions surfaced.
If I were some genius scholar, maybe? Nah—this was checkmate.
Knock knock.
Knock.
"Ugh."
Said she was almost here, and bam—under two minutes, knocking away.
No options.
None.
Finally, I blanked my mind and accepted reality.
Click.
Creeeak.
"Ugh, heavy as hell—why'd you take so long? Feeling okay?"
"Hi."
"Pardon?"
She froze at my sudden appearance, then glanced down to double-check the address.
"Huh? This is it... Whoa, sorry! Wrong house..."
"It's the right one—come in."
"Huh?"
I yanked her arm inside. Joo-on stood there dazed by the shoe rack, standby mode engaged.
'Hmm.'
Pretending it wasn't mine? She'd just text for confirmation, and I'd be outed anyway.
Better to own it shamelessly.
Getting caught by Joo-on wouldn't cause real trouble, right?
"Uh, so... this is Ji-an Choi's place...?"
"Yup. Shoes off. Gimme that."
"Oppa inside? Girlfriend? But the age..."
She eyed me up and down, face hardening like she'd uncovered some ugly truth. I rushed to defend my honor.
"I know what you're thinking... but no."
"Huh?"
"I'm Ji-an Choi."
"Huh?"
"I'm Ji-an Choi."
Straight-up truth-bombed, but she wasn't buying it.
Made sense—if a buff dude claimed to be her, I'd bolt and call the cops too.
'Hmm.'
Time for drastic measures.
That stair-step presentation trick from some old gallery post.
"Okay, step by step. How do I look?"
"...Just cute?"
"Besides that. Eyes and hair are unusual, right?"
No non-Awakener pulls off this look naturally.
Joo-on seemed to accept I was an Awakener, at least.
"So, odds that gold-farming dropout Ji-an Choi dates or invites home a pretty, cute Awakener like this?"
"...Near zero?"
Only then did the penny drop—this was wildly abnormal.
"No, but even then..."
"Just roll with it. Or call the cops."
"What happens if I do?"
"Your precious orphanage benefactor gets deported as an illegal."
She clutched her head like it ached, then grilled me with questions to verify.
I flubbed half, but oddly, that convinced her I was legit Ji-an.
"Feels off somehow."
"Phone glued to my hand all day farming gold—no way I'd remember trivia."
Whatever—belief achieved. I crammed the food into the fridge, then shoved her out with my tiny hands.
"Got it? Now scram. No blabbing."
"Ow, why? Keep it up and I'll really call the cops."
"..."
Coming to my place and threatening to rat out the owner? Twisted logic—but I'd be the one in cuffs.
Joo-on marched straight to my bedroom, grabbed the closet handle, and yanked.
Creeeak.
"Huh?"
No, girl—what the hell are you opening there for?