It Blew Up!

While Dojin and the Sekki House family were enjoying an unexpected spring, the online communities were in the dead of summer.

Specifically, a scorching heatwave hot enough to kill.

These kinds of posts were popping up on countless community boards.

It was all thanks to the viewers of Dojin's broadcast, who had spread the contents of the stream far and wide.

Naturally, there were those who were thrown into a complete panic by the aftermath of these community posts.

It was the companies being mentioned in these communities.

Needless to say, the ones directly named in the broadcast were hit hard, but even the employees of the companies added to the list later had their year-end vacations canceled as they were called in for emergency meetings.

Publicly traded companies hit their lower limit the moment the market opened, and private companies watched their sales plummet off a cliff.

While everyone else was resting and wrapping up the year, the companies mentioned online were fighting for their very survival amidst a flood of refund demands and boycott campaigns.

Yet, Sekki House, the epicenter of it all, was completely oblivious to the chaos.

They were in no position to pay attention to the outside world; their own situation was far too dire.

"Ah, cold!"

"Is hot water coming out on your end?"

"No. It's absolute ice water."

"Same here."

"Ugh... so cold. The bedroom was like an icebox all night... Achoo!"

Did the universe decide they were getting too comfortable?

The day after a happy Christmas for everyone, the water pipes and boiler at Sekki House burst.

"I see. Then when do you think it can be repaired?"

...

"Mhm, that long? That's a bit difficult... No, I understand for now. Yes, please do."

As Dojin hung up the phone, the group gathered in the cafeteria approached him.

"Oppa, what did they say?"

"Did they say they can fix it today?"

At the questions from Dohee and Seungwan, who had been chosen as the group's representatives, Dojin shook his head with a heavy expression.

"Ah..."

"Oh dear..."

"What do we do..."

As sighs echoed from all around, Dojin shared the details of the call.

"Well, our building is really old to begin with. Since it was left abandoned for several years, they said there are issues all over the place."

"Hmm... I suppose."

"It was a closed school, after all."

Sekki House was a building that had been closed down for five years.

It had been neglected from the time of its closure until Dojin won the auction, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was only natural that problems would arise.

In fact, it was more surprising that they hadn't run into any major issues until now, which was only thanks to Dojin's meticulous maintenance after acquiring it.

But I guess that only lasted until autumn.

The problem was the boiler, which they had started running in earnest as autumn deepened.

Before that, there hadn't been any major issues, and even if there were, they were resolved within a day or two.

But the boiler was a serious matter.

"The technician inspected it and said it needs a thorough diagnostic. Apparently, the pipe extensions were done in too many places."

"Hmm..."

The Sekki House family, listening closely to Dojin, nodded in agreement.

Indeed, the boiler system at Sekki House had been expanded far beyond its original design.

This was especially true for the annex, which had been remodeled into lodging.

I didn't think it through. If I was going to convert it into lodging, I should have redone the boiler system entirely.

Since the remodeling took place in the dead of summer, the boiler was the last thing on his mind.

Back then, air conditioning was a much more pressing concern than heating.

At least the orphanage visits for this year are over.

The reason the annex had become a dedicated lodging building was due to his contract with Hye-seok.

Since the children from the orphanage she managed were scheduled to stay there once a quarter, they needed proper accommodations.

It would have been a massive headache if their visit had coincided with this disaster, but fortunately, this year's schedule had concluded last month.

I might as well tear it all out and redo the construction from scratch.

The number of people living in the annex alone was nearly a hundred.

And there were even three children among them.

Rather than doing a makeshift repair only for it to break down again, it was better to do it right.

"That's my conclusion. The problem is that the contractors are fully booked, so we can't start the construction immediately..."

"The construction period is also an issue. Didn't you say the company needs at least one to two weeks?"

"Yes. They said they have to rip out all the existing extended pipes and design a completely new layout."

"Huh? Then where will the annex family stay in the meantime? Should we move everyone to the main building?"

Dojin shook his head at Dohee's suggestion.

Unlike the annex, the main building still retained its original classroom structure.

Aside from the duty room Dojin used, or the remodeled female teachers' lounge used by Dohee and Seungwan, there was no space suitable for lodging.

Furthermore...

"I'm planning to redo the boiler system in the main building too. Might as well do it all at once."

They say if you repeat the same mistake, it's no longer a mistake.

It would be foolish to assume the main building would be fine when the annex's boiler had already burst.

The main building barely has any pipe extensions, but I can't just rely on that.

Dojin had no desire to experience freezing temperatures in the dead of winter either.

"Then where are we going? If the main building is undergoing construction too?"

At Dohee's question, Dojin grinned.

"I've already secured a place just in case. What are you all waiting for? Go pack your bags."

"Huh?"

"Pack?"

At Dojin's words, question marks popped up on the faces of all the staff gathered in the cafeteria.

When an infectious disease like COVID-19 spreads, what place takes the hardest hit?

Restaurants? Theaters? Academies? Travel agencies?

While all of them suffer immensely, Dojin believed that public bathhouses and spas took the absolute worst hit.

At least you can wear masks in other places, but in a bathhouse, you have to strip down completely.

From neighborhood bathhouses and saunas to luxury spas and hot springs, businesses in the bathing industry suffered massive drops in revenue even during a minor flu outbreak.

The Taepyeong Jjiljilbang that Dojin rented out was one such place.

"Wow~ It's so warm!"

"Ah, I feel like I can finally breathe."

The group sighed in relief as they stepped into the lobby of Taepyeong Jjiljilbang.

Just stepping into the lobby, the air temperature was on a completely different level from the freezing cold outside.

Having warmed themselves up, the group began to look around the lobby in earnest.

The entrance looked like a typical jjimjilbang, but as they approached the counter, it was decorated like a small garden, making it quite pleasant to look at.

"Oh, the interior isn't bad at all."

"It's interesting. It feels both old and new at the same time."

Dohee remarked, looking at a clay jar placed in a corner of the garden.

It was clearly an item that had seen plenty of use, and there were several other props like it scattered throughout the lobby.

Just then, Dojin replied as if he had overheard her.

"It's probably because they remodeled it. Until five years ago, it was just a bathhouse and sauna."

Dojin, who had headed to the counter a step ahead, walked back holding a card key they hadn't seen before.

Dohee pointed at the card in Dojin's hand and asked,

"Is that the key to this place?"

"Yeah. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠owner said they'd leave it here, and sure enough, it was."

With those words, Dojin led the group further inside.

This was merely the lobby; the actual entrance to the jjimjilbang lay deeper within.

Beep.

With a cheerful beep, the lock clicked open, and Dojin pushed the door wide.

Beyond the door lay a spacious shoe locker area and paths branching off to the left and right. Perhaps because it had been open for business until just a few days ago, the place was in pristine condition.

"I assume everyone knows how to use a bathhouse? The men's bath is on the left, and the women's is on the right. Let's split up and meet back here in three hours."

"Okay!"

At Dojin's words, the women in the group quickly hurried inside.

They were already holding bath baskets they had prepared the moment they heard they would be staying at the jjimjilbang for a while.

In contrast, the men's luggage was sparse.

A few changes of clothes and some personal items were all they had.

"Three hours? Isn't that too long?"

"Right? In that time, you could scrub off all your dead skin, hit the sauna, and take a nap."

"More than enough. I could even take a dump."

"That's only because you're a poop machine."

"Oh, right! Hey, make sure you go to the restroom before you get in the tub."

"Swimming race, anyone?"

"Ha, look at this guy challenging me. Hey, I ran a half-marathon last year."

"What are you talking about? What does that have to do with swimming? What, do you run on water?"

Unlike the women who had rushed in, the men took their sweet time.

Jokes aside, three hours was more than enough to do everything they had just mentioned and still have time to spare.

Dojin chuckled.

After confirming that everyone had gone inside, Dojin locked the main door.

It would be troublesome if random customers walked in thinking we're open.

Dojin had rented out the entire Taepyeong Jjiljilbang for a month.

Until the boiler construction was finished, this would serve as their temporary lodging.

There was no reason to let outsiders wander in and out.

Locking the door is the easiest way. The landlord has a spare key, so if anything happens, they can just let themselves in.

He even turned off the outdoor sign, before heading toward the men's bath himself.

"Phew~ This is heaven."

A sigh of pure satisfaction escaped Dojin's lips as he finished showering and stepped into the hot tub.

He hadn't realized it before submerging himself, but the moment he did, the deep chill that had settled in his bones seemed to melt away completely.

"Ah... so refreshing."

As Dojin was enjoying the soothing warmth of the tub, a child approached him.

"Huh? You find this refreshing? Uncle, are you sick or something?"

"Oh, Chang-su. Do you want to come in too?"

At Dojin's invitation, Chang-su shook his head violently.

He had actually dipped his hand into the water after hearing Dojin's comment.

But what in the world?

Far from refreshing, it was so hot he felt like his hand might get boiled alive.

No matter how cold it was outside, he had absolutely no desire to step into a place like that.

However, there were those who chose to provoke him.

"Hehe, Chang-su is still a baby."

"True, it's still too hot for a little kid."

"It is fine. Not everyone needs to be a real man."

"..."

At the words of Jung-wang, Eun-seop, and Chanarshanhu, who were already in the tub, Chang-su's mouth clamped shut.

He realized the three of them were teasing him.

Glaring at them for a split second, Chang-su stood tall and thrust his foot into the tub.

"Hmph! I can get in too—?!"

Chang-su's confident declaration cut off mid-sentence.

His submerged shins were sending frantic danger signals to his brain.

Was this how a loach felt when dropped into boiling water?

His survival instinct was screaming at him to escape the tub.

But...

"H-Hmph!"

Chang-su grit his teeth and forced his other leg into the water.

Splash!

"Ugh!"

Shivering from the doubled heat, Chang-su stubbornly refused to back out.

Aren't men, regardless of age, creatures who simply cannot swallow their pride?

Unwilling to lose to the uncles he usually got along with, Chang-su finally submerged his entire body.

"Oh!"

"Impressive. Our Chang-su is a real man!"

"I acknowledge you. You are a warrior."

The three men who had teased him clapped at the sight.

Even though it had taken him a full ten minutes just to get in, what did it matter?

The important thing was that he had made it inside.

"I-It's nothing. Hmph!"

Flattered by the applause, Chang-su said, lifting his chin.

But that only lasted for a moment.

"U-Uh! This place is boring. Maybe I'll try another tub."

Leaving only those words behind, Chang-su quickly scrambled over to the lukewarm tub.

Yet, none of the men teased him for it.

They had all seen how bright red the lower half of his body had turned.

It was the exact portion that had been submerged.

If he endured until his skin turned that red, we have to respect him.

You don't tease a man who successfully defended his pride.

Instead, a battle of pride broke out among the remaining men.

"Ah, the temperature is perfect. Team Leader Hong, how long can you hold your breath underwater in this kind of heat?"

At Jung-wang's question, Eun-seop shrugged.

As a former UDT member, he was always proud of his diving skills.

Naturally, his boastful self-promotion began once again.

"Pfft, in this temperature, I could practically fall asleep. I used to hold my breath for five minutes in freezing water."

"Huh? No way. Stop bluffing. How can a human stay in freezing water for five minutes? Are you a female diver?"

"What? You can't do that? Why not? When we're in good condition, we can go for ten minutes."

"It is possible. I can dive for that long in Lake Khövsgöl too."

Lake Khövsgöl was a famous lake in Mongolia.

Even at its warmest, it was a cold lake where the water temperature never rose above 18 degrees Celsius.

At Chanarshanhu's claim of diving for ten minutes in such a place, the conversation paused.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Ahem! Well, since we're on the subject, how about a breath-holding contest? Actually, I have a free-diving license myself. I can easily do ten minutes too."

"Shall we?"

"I am down."

The three men, their pride fully ignited, suddenly turned their gaze to Dojin.

"Boss, why don't you join us?"

"Me? I'm not very good at holding my breath."

"Come on, it's not about winning. It's just for fun."

"It is more fun if everyone does it."

"We need a baseline for comparison, after all."

At Jung-wang's final remark, Dojin realized why they were dragging him into this.

They knew they were evenly matched, so they wanted a scapegoat to finish last.

Well, I don't mind.

Since Dojin didn't have any pride to protect when it came to diving, he didn't really care.

He figured a little event like this once in a while was fine.

The security team members who were also in the tub agreed to act as referees.

"Alright, get ready. You know you have to submerge your entire head, right?"

"Good luck!"

"Show them the spirit of the steppes!"

Moving closer to the participants to ensure a fair judgment, the security team looked ready to measure down to the millisecond with their smartwatches.

Is this really something to take this seriously?

What started as a joke had turned into a full-blown competition.

As Dojin chuckled at the sight, the employee assigned to monitor him slipped closer and whispered,

"Boss, let's try to last at least a minute!"

"Sure, I'll do my best."

With that, Dojin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took his position. The referee gave the signal.

"Three, two, one, start!"

Splash!

Plop!

Slip.

At the referee's shout, all four heads plunged beneath the water.

Muffled cheering and shouting echoed through the water, accompanied by the sound of bubbles rising.

With his eyes closed underwater, Dojin could faintly hear the muffled noises from above.

Are they having a cheering battle?

They were measuring the time, and it seemed they had split into teams to cheer them on.

A constant, buzzing commotion ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠echoed through the water.

Of course, the area directly above Dojin was perfectly quiet.

I wonder who will win.

Dojin hadn't even considered winning from the start.

A man has to have a conscience.

How could he possibly compete in a physical challenge against a free diver, a UDT veteran, and a warrior of the steppes?

He had only joined as a buffer to keep the pride battle between the three from getting too heated.

Just then, Dojin felt someone tapping his back.

What is it? Did something happen?

Perhaps the landlord had contacted them.

Having no interest in the competition anyway, Dojin immediately sat up.

But the moment his head broke the surface, he heard something completely unexpected.

"The boss is first! The final winner is CEO Baek Dojin!"

"Whoaaa!"

Clap clap clap.

"...Excuse me?"

At the completely unexpected result and the roaring cheers, Dojin looked around with a dazed expression.

He was looking for the other participants.

Fortunately, they weren't hard to spot.

The three of them were huddled in a corner of the tub, their faces crumpled, doing their absolute best to avoid Dojin's gaze.

"...Haha, my condition today is a bit..."

"No, I just made a mistake..."

"...I am better in cold water..."

As they muttered their excuses while staring off into the distance, Dojin's face filled with sheer disbelief.

"Wait, didn't you say you were in the UDT?"

"..."

"How did you even get that free-diving license?"

"...Ahem!"

"Chanarshanhu, should we go to the cold tub and try again?"

"...It is cold. I will catch a cold."

"..."

As Dojin stood speechless at their reactions, Chang-su, unable to watch any longer, chimed in.

"What was that? Even I could hold my breath longer than that."

"..."

Unlike with Dojin, they couldn't even find the words to counter the child's teasing.

That day, Dojin witnessed firsthand the true nature of male bravado.