Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Simple Happiness at Home
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Talking about what happened during my shift made even the boss stick out his tongue in amazement.
"How the hell does that even happen? You went through a whole year's worth of crap in one day."
"Tell me about it. Heh heh."
All I could manage was a hollow laugh. Just like the Store Manager said, I'd started the shift full of energy, but now I felt like a zombie.
Every ounce of vitality had been drained from my body. One poke, and I'd probably topple over.
A cigarette... God, I craved one so badly it hurt. If I could just pop one in my mouth right now and suck the smoke deep into my lungs, I swear I could come back from the dead.
'Sua unnie isn't feeling well. Secondhand smoke is bad for her too. We should quit smoking for her sake.'
Damn it.
If it were just me taking the hit, I'd light up a whole pack right here on the spot. But thinking about it being bad for Yoon Sua's health... my hand just wouldn't move.
Did everyone else feel this way?
Getting overly cautious and emotional when it involved someone else more than yourself.
"Phew."
"Kid, you must've had it rough. Sighing like that."
"A sigh here and there, sure. I got breaks in between."
"Doesn't change the fact it sucked. Pretending otherwise ain't gonna help."
Hearing it from him made it ring true. He was always upfront about how tough things were.
I smacked my lips, thinking I should just head home like this. Then a question popped into my head. Maybe because I'd been seriously job-hunting lately. Or maybe I just wanted some adult advice.
"Store Manager."
"Yeah?"
The Store Manager, slipping on his convenience store vest, looked at me with a blank stare.
Looking at him like that, it was hard to believe this guy had worked at a big corporation and now ran two stores.
"Store Manager, when you were working at the company... did you ever have tough times? Wait, no—you said there were tons. How'd you push through them?"
I really wanted to know.
He answered casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I've got family at home."
"......"
"Even when I'm beat, on the days I feel like I'm gonna drop dead from exhaustion, my wife's always there in the morning with hangover soup ready."
He patted my shoulder and said,
"That's how everyone lives, right?"
That's how everyone lives? I wasn't so sure.
These days, everyone was all about individualism. Birth rates were dipping toward 0.5, marriages were rare sights. How was I supposed to relate to what he said?
Was this what they called a generation gap?
Thud, thud.
Even so, trudging along completely drained, I craved some human warmth. Hell, even that shitty army life might've been bearable because of my comrades...
[Terra Studio Apartment]
I half-expected Oh Hana to be waiting at the entrance like always.
She wasn't.
"She doesn't even smoke. Of course not."
If anything, wasn't it weird that I'd assumed she'd be there all this time, like some entitled jerk?
"Aebom's still got a while before she gets off work."
So Yoon Sua must be home alone.
"I'm home."
As I greeted and opened the door, a savory, mouthwatering aroma hit me like a punch. At the same time, Yoon Sua—apron on—greeted me with the happiest smile in the world.
An angel's smile. The kind that healed your soul with its pure brightness.
"Welcome home, Hyunwoo."
"......"
Her welcome flooded life back into me, surging from rock bottom.
"I'm home."
I said it again, just to be sure.
Yoon Sua beamed back.
"Yes! Oh, Hana headed to work early today. They got a big group order, so she had to start making stuff from the morning."
"Oh, yeah?"
"So it'll just be us for breakfast. Sit down."
"Ah, okay. No, let me help."
"Could you set the tableware, cups, and water then?"
"Got it."
I just grabbed the chopsticks, spoons, cups, and water from the fridge, and the table was already fully set.
For someone with the weakest stamina in the studio apartment, Yoon Sua was lightning-fast at this. Must come from doing it a thousand times.
"Whoa, amazing..."
Steaming kimchi jjigae caught my eye first.
Tofu sliced perfectly bite-sized.
Green onions, green chilies, onions—all chopped neatly, adding depth to the stew's flavor.
And the star: pork.
"Thanks for the meal."
"Enjoy."
The pork melted in my mouth, breathing life into my weary body.
The stir-fried fish cakes and rolled omelet we always had balanced the stew's spice perfectly.
"This is seriously good."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it."
As I wolfed it down, a late thought hit me.
Yoon Sua handled almost all the cleaning and cooking in our studio apartment now. And at some point, I'd started taking it for granted.
I kept reminding myself—and all of us—to always be grateful. But yeah, I forgot sometimes.
Today was one of those days.
I'd said "thanks" and "delicious" with my mouth full, but hadn't thought deeper. Just stuffing my face like a pig.
'Hana's at work early, Aebom's got time before she gets home.'
Which meant... this meal was made just for me. Easier said than done.
Living alone, even feeding yourself got annoying enough to open a delivery app. Yet Yoon Sua handled meals for all of us without a single complaint.
And we got to live energetically every day because of it.
Plus.
"Hyunwoo, part-time job today must've been tiring."
"That obvious?"
"Yeah. Something happen?"
She always listened quietly to our stories. Had I forgotten how grateful I was for that?
"You did great."
"...Pardon?"
Yoon Sua, who'd listened intently to every detail of my day without missing a beat, gathered the empty dishes and stood.
"You did great."
She chuckled softly.
"You might've been tired, but your small gestures meant the world to those people."
"......"
"And most importantly, it sits well with your heart. Isn't that enough?"
Whoosh!
I stared blankly at Yoon Sua's back as she started washing dishes—bare hands, no rubber gloves—like it was no big deal.
'You did great.'
'Happiness? It's nothing special.'
'I've got family at home.'
'Even when I'm beat, on the days I feel like I'm gonna drop dead, my wife's always there with hangover soup.'
Words I'd chewed over a hundred times but couldn't grasp.
I'd blamed the generation gap. But suddenly, they clicked like puzzle pieces, and emotion welled up.
At dawn, pretending to be awake scrolling Stargram, I'd envied nice houses and cars—now I felt ashamed of that me.
The Store Manager was right. Happiness might not be such a big deal after all.
"......"
Honestly, Yoon Sua didn't hold as big a place in my heart as Oh Hana or Han Aebom.
I'd subconsciously thought even if that weird dream came true, it'd be one of the other two, not her.
Yet I'd taken her meals and warm comfort for granted.
'Damn it.'
I disgusted myself.
'Look at you, face full of life these days. Overflowing.'
Thinking back, people started saying that after Yoon Sua moved in.
Regular meals. Spotless living space. Gentle care.
'Unbelievable.'
It really was.
I'd watched a drama once where the maid from a fancy family handled everything perfectly, but they treated her poorly. Then the hot young chairman swept her off her feet—total Cinderella setup, I'd griped about plot holes.
And now I was exactly those ungrateful family members.
'Hyunwoo. Kim Hyunwoo...'
You idiot.
"Hyunwoo, want a peeled apple? Or sleep it off first and have it later."
How long had I taken her care for granted? She always thanked me, but I shouldn't have acted superior.
"Sua."
"Yes?"
"Uh... never mind. Apple please. I'll eat it now."
Scrape, scrape.
Watching her expertly peel it, I couldn't voice the question burning inside. It'd feel fake.
She speared a piece with a fork and handed it over with a smile.
"The weather's really nice lately."
I forced down the bitterness and replied brightly.
"Yeah."
The kind of day you'd want to stroll with anyone else.
But the person right in front of me couldn't enjoy even that carefree walk.
Lately, I felt myself paying more attention to Yoon Sua.
I'd said it before—if that dream became reality, I figured she wouldn't be wife material.
My heart leaned more toward Oh Hana and Han Aebom.
But now, Yoon Sua was pulling at me too.
'Am I trash?'
My feelings for the other two hadn't diminished. If anything, that made it creepier. Psychopath territory?
'Normal people say when you like someone new, feelings for the old one fade.'
That's why cheating leads to breakups naturally.
Not me.
If I had to label it, I liked all three.
'Crazy bastard.'
No way to sugarcoat it nicely.
Virgin till 29, then bam—gorgeous women everywhere. Had to be awakening some psycho side.
Otherwise, how could I harbor such shameless thoughts?
"......"
Anyway, true to form, Yoon Sua was bustling around the house again today, cleaning despite my protests.
She loved moving around so much, got teary-eyed just from a short walk.
Yet it'd been over a month holed up in this studio apartment.
No wonder no quests had come.
'Maybe get a game console...'
Not for me, but for Yoon Sua stuck inside.
As someone dreaming of game programming—who'd gamed hard recently—I knew nothing beat games for passing time indoors. Time flew, and you saw wonders reality couldn't offer.
[Your current total assets: 5,000,827 won.]
Savings from living together, plus grinding quests—my always-empty account finally hit 5 million won for the first time.
Human hearts are weird.
Seeing 5 million there felt secure, but more than that, it sparked a hunger to save even more than before.
Turn 5 into 10... dream of hitting 100 million someday.
But for Yoon Sua? I'd blow the 5 million without regret. Money I could earn back; her, I couldn't.
'Still, more than that...'
I gritted my teeth, watching her hang laundry while staring blankly outside.
You bastard system. Time to cough up a quest already!
Frustrated, I slammed my head against the studio wall—thunk.
A translucent message flashed before my eyes.
[Yoon Sua's Joy]
I swallowed hard. Had it been listening?