Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Episode 56. Round 7: Mid-Check (3)
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"...Got it?"
Before entering room 301.
Bom went over the plan with the kids one more time. Gaeul and Winter nodded, suppressing their excitement. Yeoreum and Yoo Ji-tae looked sullen.
"You guys. Manage your expressions properly. Got it?"
"Of course!"
"...Yeah, yeah."
"Why do you two look so pale? Did you bite down on a rock while eating?"
"Hm... Nah."
"......"
"What about you, ajusshi?"
"......"
Yoo Ji-tae wasn't thrilled about this situation.
"Huh? Ajusshi?"
"Got it..."
Realizing his discomfort, Bom held back her laughter, stifling it with bated breath.
"Alright, then... Opening the door!"
The operation officially began.
The kids started messing up their own rooms just enough. Scattering books around. Creating trash. Ripping tissues and tossing them carelessly...
In the midst of it, Winter seemed a bit thrilled. Bom's room was always impeccably clean like a picture-perfect space, so wrecking it must have been fun for her. She scooped soil from a flowerpot and sprinkled it on the floor.
It felt a tad contrived, but whatever.
Whether it was contrived or not, he just wasn't happy with the whole setup.
The problem was that the briefing had dragged on, and the plan had morphed bit by bit.
The birthday party turned into a surprise party. The surprise party somehow became a hidden camera prank.
Now, he was about to scold the kids in front of the Guardian.
He had just wanted to casually feed them cake. How did things end up like this?
"......"
So, how was he supposed to pretend to scold them?
He pondered deeply. A situation where he had to mimic something against his will. It reminded him of a past incident—when Bom had asked him to imitate a ghost. He'd done it silently as instructed, and she'd nearly fainted laughing. So, even if he had to act stern, he needed to keep it moderate. Some compromise was in order.
But how?
While the regressor was lost in confusion, time marched on, and before he knew it, evening arrived—the operation hour.
The kids cracked their doors open slightly and shot Yoo Ji-tae glances.
The Guardian at this hour hummed a daily quar-rung~♪ tune while feeding Ppiyung dinner. The giant chick chomped away noisily.
Still, he didn't budge, so Gaeul flung the door open and pointed at the Guardian while mumbling something.
Turning, he saw Yeoreum waiting expectantly too. Bom and Winter urged him with their eyes.
Crash-tumble...!
Suddenly, something tumbled out from Gaeul's room with a clatter. At the same time, a scream rang out: "Ahh! What do I dooo!"
The signal. Operation start.
"Hm? Miss Gaeul. Is something wrong?"
When he didn't react immediately, the Guardian moved. No choice now. Yoo Ji-tae waved the Guardian off and opened Gaeul's door himself.
A messy room. A disheveled bookshelf.
Perfect set.
Gaeul looked up at him in feigned shock and panic.
"Uh, uhhh? Ajusshi?"
"What was that noise."
"Ah, it's nothing! I just accidentally knocked something over...!"
Accidents weren't allowed.
"Look at this mess in your room."
Looks like he messed up.
Gaeul's eyes widened in surprise.
Yoo Ji-tae instinctively knew the power of his gaze. Better to look elsewhere than at her.
He averted his eyes casually. The trashed room came into view. Gaeul, watching his reaction, tensed up more.
"Uh-uhh......"
"How long ago did you clean it to let it get this wrecked already."
"Uh, um, well......"
"Is this how you've been living all along?"
"No. That's......"
According to the script, Gaeul should have talked back here. But she couldn't.
"What's wrong. Yoo Gaeul."
What's wrong.
"Make some excuse at least."
Stick to the script.
"Why's that chatty mouth of yours shut now."
We practiced this.
"Yoo Gaeul......"
This is bad...
Frozen Gaeul looked ready to cry. Things were going off-script from the start.
He felt subtle gazes from behind. The Guardian and chick watched his back.
Time to roll with it. With an awkward, stiff voice, he said,
"I've been away a while..."
His natural voice was stiff anyway, so no real difference.
"And you kids have... totally trashed the place."
Anyway, he decided to follow the script from the briefing. He turned, feigning anger, and strode toward Yeoreum's room.
The Guardian rolled its eyes. It cleaned their rooms every weekend. How did they get this bad in just days?
Ppiyung tensed too. The rooms had been fine that morning. Amid the trash, its "portable bed" stood out glaringly.
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-tae flung open Yeoreum's door.
"Huh?"
Yeoreum, on the bed, glared at him in mock surprise.
Her room was a mess too.
"What the hell! You crazy? Why barge into someone's room?"
"Your room's a disaster."
"What business is it of yours? Get out!"
Surprisingly, Yeoreum played along perfectly with his clumsy acting. Her tsundere attitude matched her usual self.
"Not cleaning up?"
"Mind your own business? And you, don't slam people's doors open. I'm a girl too, y'know? This is a girl's room."
"......"
"No privacy? Don't you know to knock? Pervert? What if I was changing? Do it again without permission, and I'll shit all over the living room floor."
Then she spat at his feet.
Slam! The door shut.
The Guardian and Ppiyung were even more shocked. Yeoreum rarely sassed Yoo Ji-tae like that.
Bom and Winter, peeking secretly, puffed their cheeks. Gaeul, late to relax from tension, realized her mistake, smacked her forehead, and watched excitedly.
Now it begins for real.
Yoo Ji-tae yanked the door open again.
"What now!"
"Yoo Yeoreum. We need to talk."
"Why! I said knock! I'll have the cleaning lady do it on the weekend!"
"Why leave it to the cleaning lady."
"What? That's her job! She slammed my door last time too, pissed me off, and now you're on my case?"
"You done talking?"
Clumsy, but their timing synced perfectly.
"Yeah! Done! So leave me alone! Why always pick on me? Am I your punching bag? Hey! Cleaning lady! You blind? Clean this up!"
Blame splashed over. The flustered Guardian hesitated with a clank.
Yoo Ji-tae extended a hand to hold it back.
"Yoo Yeoreum... Even now, you just blame the cleaning lady."
"So what!"
"You're not getting off today."
Yoo Ji-tae pushed into Yeoreum's room.
"Huh? Wh-what? Why come closer? What's this?"
"Time for a spanking."
The door shut.
The shocked Guardian and Ppiyung rushed to the door.
Soon, smack! smack! sounds came from inside, along with "Ack!" "Ow!" moans.
The Guardian freaked out. The chick freaked more, looking up at it. Red eyes met the chick's. They exchanged glances: This is fucked, right?
"......"
"......"
In truth, inside the room, Yeoreum bit her hand to stifle laughter while smacking her own thigh.
Smack!
"Ah...! Sorry, sorry! I was wrong...!"
Smack!
"Ow! I'll clean properly from now on! Forgive meee...!"
Feeling presences outside, she got even more excited.
Yeoreum held grudges. "Reading time" was her sole joy in her boring recent life, and she still fumed at the Guardian for interrupting. Especially her secret hobby she never wanted exposed.
How dare it barge into a lady's room? Suffer more. With that mindset, she smacked her thigh red.
"Ahak! Heh... Ack."
Laughter finally burst; she muffled it with a mmph, clamping her mouth. 'Weird, huh?' 'Shit, too obvious?' 'Wrap it up.' 'Got it.' They conversed silently.
When the door reopened, Yeoreum knelt, gathering trash pathetically.
Yeoreum.
Was cleaning.
The Guardian was even more shocked.
But one remained. Yoo Ji-tae hurried to Bom's room. The former Green Dragon owner's—now Blue Dragon's cherished—room.
The fidgety Guardian cautiously approached him.
"Um, Master..."
"What."
"If it's the cleaning state... I'll do a full deep clean today."
"You, stay put."
"...Yes."
Its downward gaze trembled.
By then, the chick hid its head behind the Guardian's calf greave. Its bloated body didn't hide.
For some reason, they felt scolded too. From their exile corner in the living room, they blankly watched. Yoo Ji-tae abruptly opened Bom's door.
Angle blocked the view. The Guardian sidled for a peek but tripped on the chick; it eyed a reprimand.
Ppiyung glared back—Why me?—then shuffled aside.
The armored waist and chick's head bent sneakily.
Winter's deliberately wrecked room was the worst.
Yoo Ji-tae sighed clumsily at Bom's room.
What was in Gaeul's script here? Probably...
"Winter."
"...Yes."
"Step out for a bit."
"......"
Winter trudged out sullenly. The Guardian reached tentatively, but she swatted it away and walked on.
Once out of its sight, she grinned and dashed to the storage for cake.
"Bom."
"Yes."
"Didn't expect this from you too."
"Yes..."
"Lately, your sense of responsibility's slipped. You're the big sister. Even if the kids act reckless and messy, you can't join in. Right?"
"......"
The Guardian tensed more.
Bom looked up blankly as always. But after more nagging, her lips quivered visibly. Her slightly open mouth twitched. Eye corners drooped as she gazed up. What the hell is she doing? Yoo Ji-tae felt a pang of hurt for her sake momentarily. Then Bom bowed her head, covering her eyes.
"What're you doing. I'm talking."
"Yes..."
"Head up."
"......"
"Not looking up? Stop crying. What're you crying for, anyway."
"Sorry..."
Soon, choked sobs emerged.
Short, ragged breaths leaked out.
Throat bobbed. Small shoulders shook. The air grew heavy.
Something felt off.
"How can I trust you like this?"
"......"
"Disappointing."
But...
No matter how he continued, Bom didn't deliver her lines.
"Bom."
"......"
"Yoo Bom. No answer?"
"......"
"Yoo Bom."
Mouth clamped shut. Tears streamed down cheeks. Bom silently wiped them with her palm.
Now Yoo Ji-tae was the embarrassed one. Her pulse. Breathing. Gestures. Teary eyes. All seemed genuinely upset.
This is...
"......"
Normally, he'd send Armata to fetch a switch from storage. Then Winter, hiding there, would offer cake.
But pushing further risked another slip-up like last time. So he stopped. Still, Bom kept sobbing.
Yeoreum peeked through the door crack: Why's she like that? Gaeul panicked too.
Bom was really crying.
And so, that day's surprise party flopped.
Yoo Ji-tae ended up the weird one.
Gaeul and Winter stepped up with cake, smoothing things over somehow; the misunderstanding cleared. Once Bom stopped crying, she apologized to everyone, saying sorry. To Yeoreum's "Why cry?", her excuse—"I glimpsed a sad providence briefly..."—worked well.
Still, Bom openly crying was a first. Yoo Ji-tae called her to the terrace alone.
Late hour. Under dark sky. In dim light half-blocked by back curtains.
Bom smiled awkwardly.
"Ah... Really sorry. I had no intention of crying."
"......"
"Must've flustered you. Sorry, truly. Even I was shocked when tears came."
He stared blankly; she looked apologetic, recalled his awkward face, burst laughing, then stifled it.
"You..."
"Nooo— Ah, shouldn't laugh. Really. I panicked too... Cheer up."
"......"
"Huh? Cheer up. Come on? I'll apologize, for real."
Truly remorseful for that mess, Bom clung to him coquettishly—a rare sight.
He pressed his temples and asked.
"Why cry."
"Well... Didn't know myself, but hearing that made me feel so hurt."
"Hurt by what. It was scripted."
"Exactly. I don't usually, but those words just... hit suddenly."
"What, 'disappointing'?"
"Yeah. Those words..."
She smiled embarrassedly.
"I know ajusshi didn't mean it. Prepared myself. It was just lines..."
Then trailed off, adding,
"...Why does my heart ache so."
The air shifted.
Emotion flickered in her upturned green eyes.
Bom's usual gaze was inscrutable, but this felt familiar. Human eyes coveting treasure overlaid hers. Greed.
"Truly sorry. Must've shocked you..."
"Yeah. Enough."
"You're over it?"
"Wasn't mad. You okay?"
Something's off. He sensed it then.
Bom suddenly approached, hugging him gently. Pressed her forehead to his chest.
"I'm fine. I don't cry easily."
The slight weight of her forehead registered. Embarrassment surged like a tidal wave.
"Bom."
He gripped her shoulders to push away.
Her urgent voice stopped his hands.
"Just a bit."
"......"
"Just a little longer."
The full cup overflowed. Embarrassment spilled from his emotions.
As the clueless regressor stood frozen, unsure how to handle this,
"Ajusshi. One favor?"
"Favor?"
"Yes. Say one thing?"
"What."
He thought.
He'd suspected it before. That Bom saw him as more than guardian. Alone with her, her words and actions ballooned that doubt like inflating bubbles.
"As a dragon... one good memory can overwrite painful ones somewhat. So..."
Then he'd dismiss it: she just enjoys teasing. No need for baseless suspicion.
But her upturned grass-green eyes held no mischief.
Doubt swelled further.
"...Say I'm pretty?"
It burst.