Chapter 158
Chapter 158
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Episode 52. Button
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Screen.
Golden hair sways gently.
Soon, golden eyes blink, fixing on the screen.
Her gaze carries a dazed expression. A blush soon creeps across her pale cheeks.
"...I'm embarrassed... Do I really look okay?"
She brushes her hair down with her hand, tidying it, then glances up and adjusts her eyebrows. She opens her mouth wide to loosen her jaw, then blinks.
Cough. Ahem... She clears her throat.
"Everyone in the hospital. How have you been?"
She starts speaking in a trembling voice.
"I'm doing well. This is the dorm...
"Oh. Thank you so much for watching the video from the resort last time. I enjoyed your reply video too!"
"Summer break is already here."
"I want to come see you all, but Ajusshi says that's not allowed."
"I don't know the reason...
"But I like that we can at least talk like this through videos."
"It makes my heart race...
Blink blink. Her golden eyes flutter.
Suddenly.
A chick's head pops up into the frame.
The enormous head completely blocks the person out.
"Ah, pat pat. Peep's greetings~"
Slowly, white feathers mix in among the yellow fluff.
The chick pecks at the screen with its massive beak, then disappears somewhere.
"Hehe. It's naptime for him...
"Anyway, I don't think I can show you today's video right now."
"Ajusshi always checks the videos before I send them out."
"But today...
"Um...
"Uh, um, uh...
"I was thinking of talking about Ajusshi...
"I tell him everything else, but I can't tell him about him, right?"
She turns her head. Her hair cascades over her shoulder as she glances toward the door.
"Ah...! Before that. Let me tell you about what's been happening so far."
"Spring semester is over!"
She counts on her fingers.
"Um, I took exams? Did assignments? Hung out with friends? Just super busy."
"Winter's been saying her chest feels ticklish lately."
"I think... um, how should I put it? Like a growth spurt storm? Is coming."
"I'm curious how Winter will grow. I hope she stays this cute."
She claps her hands.
"Oh. And guess what the big news is? Unni Yeoreum got first place in the competition!"
"They hung a banner in our dorm wing...! Everyone congratulated her so much...! She did tons of interviews...!"
"It was so cool. I was jealous."
"Doing what she wants."
"Better than others, loved by everyone...
Her words cut off suddenly.
Dazed eyes.
Then she realizes and beams.
"Anyway, there was a little... issue? Back then."
"You all have to keep this a secret...
"Really, really."
"I've never told anyone."
"It's our secret. Okay?"
She holds out her pinky.
"After getting first place in the competition, Unni Yeoreum was in a great mood."
"She was so excited, she ran to Ajusshi and—get this—kissed him on the cheek."
"Ugh... She must've lost her mind."
"Well, thinking about it now, it's fine? It happens. She kisses me too."
"But at the time, I was there too. And Unni Bom was right next to us."
"But Unni Yeoreum goes in for the kiss, and...
"Then, like...
"Like...
"Ah. Sorry, I'm rambling."
Her expression grows complicated.
"Suddenly, my mood just plummeted. My head got all jumbled. My arms and legs went limp like a snapped rubber band. I was holding ice cream, and I dropped the whole thing...
"It was a feeling I'd never had before. Like I was going insane? Some kind of impulse? My hands and feet shaking, mind going blank...
"And before I knew it, I pushed Unni Yeoreum away...
"But I'm weak, so it didn't push her much... Anyway. After that, she scolded me like crazy...
"Oh."
"But Unni Bom acted like it was no big deal."
She tilts her head. A single strand of hair on top curls into a question mark shape.
"Huh? Huh? What's this?"
"You probably don't get it, but that feeling was me tuning into Unni Bom's emotions."
"Um... I still don't really know what that blank-headed feeling was."
"Why Unni Bom seemed totally fine unlike me. No idea."
"Well, that was three months ago now."
"These days, even when Unni Yeoreum casually touches Ajusshi, I'm okay. Though him getting close still makes me a bit uneasy...
"Probably just me overthinking it."
"I'm a weird kid."
"Hehe."
'Whether or not.' She nods.
She sweeps her golden hair behind her ear. After a few strokes, her white ear is revealed.
"Um...
"...
"Should I get my ears pierced like Unni Bom...?"
"They looked pretty. Flower earrings."
She grins bashfully.
"Anyway. That's it."
"Phew~. Feels like the stuffiness is going away now."
"After something this huge, would I tell Ajusshi? Can't tell Unni Yeoreum or Unni Bom either. Winter's... well."
"If I had to do this again, I couldn't twice. I really mustered courage here."
"Anyway, thanks for listening. Phew. No replies probably, but I'll think you're all happy. So, recording ends here...
Her curved eyes slowly open. She spots something, eyes widening, then frowning.
"Huh? Huh?"
"Oh no..."
Her face falls.
"I didn't press record..."
Low Urushin placed fourth.
The Yoo family name proved conveniently useful again. Even though Ryun suffered severe injuries, the Erpan Guild made no moves. They couldn't dare. The Central Alliance had poor relations with the Federation, so they couldn't react sensitively to 'minor matters.'
Social service was a huge hassle, so he'd been putting it off.
No word from BM. According to the clone, he'd vanished into the underground labyrinth.
'Have a good day today as well, my liege.'
Yeah.
Clone 2 was diligently training under Clone 1.
Until the day some plan bore fruit. The guy would grow plenty.
And so.
Summer break began in Room 301.
"Ah, I'm gonna die..."
Yoo Ji-tae resumed training with Yeoreum.
Just like winter break, it was intense.
Yeoreum still couldn't spar with Yong Ta-ha or Tyr Bljenk. Tyr had no interest in the competition. Yong dodged via group chat scheduling.
No need to snipe for a fight, so disappointingly, no spars.
But by Ji-tae's estimate, Yeoreum had already surpassed cadet level.
By graduation from the Lair, he'd put her at the tail end of world ranking's three digits.
So she could beat the South African Union (SAN)'s superman ranker 'Javier Karma' before the fun ended.
And survive back home too.
"Ah... Fuck, my whole body aches, seriously..."
Back at the dorm, Yeoreum collapsed face-down on the sofa without showering.
Heartbeat drills. Breathing. Walking. After that, Yeoreum learned 'standing.'
Standing firmly on two feet planted on the ground.
It might seem absurd, but Yeoreum didn't complain. And Ji-tae's 'standing' meant not toppling over in extreme situations, legs rooted.
Thus, post-training, Yeoreum had burst veins from waist to thighs, calves, and feet, all bruised black.
Ji-tae carefully circulated mana, massaging her legs.
To heal the wounds.
Routine, so Yeoreum buried her face in the sofa without protest.
"......"
Then, a subtle gaze.
Turning, Bom—who'd been writing at the living room table—watched Ji-tae.
Lately, she wrote in the living room instead of her room.
"Why."
With a subtle blank expression, Bom said nothing.
She just watched Ji-tae briefly, then turned back to writing.
"Ah. Thanks. I'm gonna rest."
Massage done, Yeoreum stretched lazily and headed to her room.
Bom's gaze flicked to Yeoreum briefly. Lingered a bit longer on her door, then turned away.
Similar gaze at dinner too.
After eating, while Autumn, Winter, and the chick played with a small rubber ball, dunga-dunga time arrived abruptly.
Winter grunted, hugging the massive chick with both arms. One size bigger, it'd be like Sisyphus's boulder.
Anyway, Autumn picked up Winter. Then shook side to side.
The regressor still didn't know the meaning of this random ritual.
"...Dunga-dunga, please."
Winter—held by Autumn—requested it.
Ji-tae, zoning on the sofa, replied half a beat late.
"Me?"
Nod nod.
"Why?"
"...Needs fourth floor for dunga-dunga."
First floor chick. Second Winter. Third Autumn.
They had their own rules.
Should've been Bom's turn. But she was out.
Reluctantly, Ji-tae approached. Autumn startled and said,
"Uh, Winter!"
"...Yeah."
"Just up to third floor today?"
"...Huh? No."
"Why not? Third's enough, right?"
"...Can't."
Meantime, Ji-tae reached Autumn's back. Grab waist, lift.
"Eek, Mommy..."
Autumn panicked, burying face in Winter's back.
No clue why, but dunga-dunga wasn't big deal. Ji-tae lifted Autumn.
Higher dunga-dunga thrilled chick—peep peep!—and Winter shrieked with joy.
But Autumn was scared.
"Ah, Ajusshi. Put me down..."
"What?"
"Quickly..."
Head down, she pleaded.
So Ji-tae set the kids down. Winter and chick giggled, racing around. Autumn bolted.
He felt the daytime gaze then.
Bom stood at the entrance, watching the living room. When eyes met, she smiled faintly, bent to grab a black plastic bag.
"Kids. Got snacks."
After, they ate snacks and watched a movie.
Just another vacation day.
Next morning.
Bom handed over a printout.
"Ajusshi."
"Yeah."
"Can I go on a short-term dispatch?"
Lair dispatches are two types.
Long-term and short-term.
Short-term: few days away from Lair on mission. Long-term: weeks to months.
Ji-tae checked Bom's printout.
Approved short-term dispatch list from Lair.
"Why dispatch?"
"For novel study... And wanna breathe outside air after so long."
"Sure?"
"You know I like traveling."
True. Ji-tae nodded.
Scanning list, one stood out.
"This one then."
"Um... North America glacier zone?"
"Yeah."
Bom nodded, face brightening slightly.
Ji-tae's words followed.
"Perfect to take Winter too."
Lately, his focus was Winter.
Chest tickling meant shedding soon.
'Short-term dispatch' requires guardian.
With Winter, water nearby best.
Bom closed her mouth, peering into Ji-tae's eyes.
Bom's blank gazes vary slightly. He'd felt this one lately.
As he puzzled, hesitant Bom spoke.
"...Um, then. I'll check personnel at admin office."
"Yeah. Popular spots fill fast. Go quick."
"Okay."
Back from academy district, Bom looked downcast.
"Why."
"Full. Personnel."
"Damn."
"Print was week's old. I was too late."
Fair. Short-terms popular for credits.
"Only this left now..."
Bom offered list again.
One unchecked.
[North Africa ancient species plague Ef-014 virus outbreak zone.]
'Ancient species plague': highly contagious.
Rampant in unsanitary North Africa.
Mission: scout and tackle plague source. But 'Ef-014' infects supes, avoided.
Cadets are soldiers. All know death possible in training/missions.
Reason it lingered last.
"This okay too?"
Dragons/regressors immune to plagues.
But pre/post-shedding dragons weak, sensitive. Not for Winter.
Leaving Winter tugged a bit.
He pondered. Bom hadn't asked favors lately.
Shortest 1 night 2 days, max week.
"Really wanna go?"
Bom nodded.
So Ji-tae went on short-term dispatch alone with Bom.