Chapter 46

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 46

Chapter Title: The Fourth Roommate

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Whoa, that gave me a scare. I flinched, wondering if I'd come to the wrong house, but then I spotted Han Aebom reading a book in the back and Oh Hana rolling around with a cucumber face pack stuck to her mug.

This scene had become so routine by now that it calmed my nerves a bit.

'Yep, this is my place.'

I'd just finished tidying up late and was about to open my mouth when I did a double take at the person in front of me. Even I had to admit it was ridiculous.

Oh Hana shook her head at the sight.

"What are you so shocked about? You posted that you're looking for the last roommate, didn't you, oppa?"

"Yeah, I know that."

"Then what got you all startled?"

"Well..."

I trailed off. It felt way too rude to say I'd been floored by her looks—especially certain parts of them.

'Seriously, what's in this house?'

If I hadn't worked that convenience store gig and gotten a crash course in average women's looks, I might've taken it in stride. Not that I'm dissing Korean women or anything.

It's just that Kim Hyun-ah once screamed that she looked like a squid, while Han Aebom, Oh Hana... and now this woman right in front of me were all freakishly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gorgeous.

'What the hell?'

Was my roommate ad actually a casting call for celebrities? Or maybe I had some amnesia thing going on, and I was really a manager clocking in at an agency instead of this one-room dump.

These women could be the agency's signed idols... Nah, what nonsense. Ever since that quest window popped up, my life's been nothing but bliss, so maybe my imagination's gone into overdrive, good or bad.

"Oppa, you checking her out right now?"

"Gah!"

I jumped.

Oh Hana had peeled off her cucumber pack and sidled up, smacking her cheeks, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠glancing back and forth between me and the new girl with narrowed eyes.

"Total perv move."

"No, it's not like that!"

I swear I was just looking at her face. But to exaggerate a tad, this woman practically had three faces up top. Even focusing on the one above her neck, those massive orbs kept squeezing into my field of vision all casual-like.

"......"

Oh Hana's glare turned ice-cold.

"She said the long trip was rough, and here you are being a trash heap. I get it's kinda unavoidable, and sis here must have a hell of a time walking around with those."

Did this girl have no filter? Pick your words, would ya? That's borderline sexual harassment.

"Feel free to report him. He's a total pervert."

"Hehe, it's fine. Doesn't bother me at all."

"That's not much better."

With Oh Hana hanging around, I'd end up a sex criminal before we even talked properly, so I nudged her aside and said,

"Brought some grub from Grandma's. Shove what you can in the fridge."

"Ehh? All this? No way it'll fit."

She had a point. Why had I pictured our puny one-room fridge as some fancy family-sized one when I picked it up?

"Just cram in what fits."

"Oh, can I sort it out later?"

"Huh?"

Whoa. The woman who'd been quiet as air suddenly piped up all proactive-like. Even politely asking if she could tidy up.

What was with this unreal kindness? Gentleness? Was it proportional to the monsters on her chest?

'Huh, kinda makes sense.'

It'd explain Oh Hana and Han Aebom's middling niceness too. And why flat-chested girls get touchy sometimes.

Stop. Enough. This Cerberus-lookalike with her three heads was sparking all kinds of dumb thoughts.

I carefully set down the bundle and looked at her properly.

Black bob haircut, gentle eyes curved like she'd grant any wish. Proportions solid, if not quite Oh Hana or Han Aebom level.

But those absurdly huge tits threw it all off-balance.

And those eyes—somewhere transcendent yet tinged with sorrow. Striking.

"Ahem."

Having a knockout like this join as the last member? Perfect, no notes. But I hesitated anyway.

Truth was, I was plenty happy now. I'd even found stability living with Han Aebom and Oh Hana. Adding someone new meant going through all that adjustment crap again, and it felt vaguely annoying.

'You're just hung up on not getting laid anymore, you trash.'

Self-loathing aside, it was a big deal to me. No guarantee it'd turn out sweet like with Han Aebom if I let her in.

If it soured, no sex.

That made me waver more. Did I really need to?

When I was already comfy splitting 200,000 won rent without dropping to 150,000?

"Ah. On second thought, it might be too tough."

Huh?

Her sudden voice brought relief, but I looked up and flinched. Pangs of conscience?

She smiled brightly, scratching her cheek.

"Living four to a spot this tight? Sounds rough. Guess I'll head home... no, look for somewhere else."

What was this nagging unease? Like a rock in my chest.

"Hehe."

She'd wandered to the door, wiggling her toes in thick sleep socks, bending slowly to bow goodbye. Her frame suddenly looked kid-sized.

"Sorry for wasting your preci—"

"Wait, hold on."

I cut off her bow. Might be my imagination. If so, I'd die of embarrassment.

Not just 'cause she was unrealistically sweet or polite.

In her demeanor, I saw myself on New Year's Day this year, wishing harder than anyone.

'God, just a bit of that damn luck... I want it this year.'

...gazing at the sky. For real.

If I wasn't wrong.

Someone truly, desperately wanting something? I wanted to share a sliver of my blessings, luck, happiness.

"Living together? Not as bad as you'd think. Actually fun. So, move in. I'm begging you."

Our eyes met as she lifted her head, and I knew I'd never regret it.

Her eyes brimmed with joyful tears ready to spill.

"...Thank you."

She bowed again, her chest heaving wildly.

* * *

We unfolded the foldable table shoved in the corner and huddled around it. Who knew this thing could feel small? Felt spacious ramen-sharing with just Oh Hana, but now with four of us, cramped.

Guess I'd order a bigger one online.

Anyway, putting that aside.

'She's got her reasons.'

That insane jiggle when she bowed earlier—tits were killer... Wait, snap out of it.

"This guy's even snagging the one who was leaving. Not 'cause of her rack, right?"

Guilty as charged.

"No way. Hyun-woo's not like that. And Hana, you gotta soften those digs. Rude much?"

"Hey! Sis, you really think that? Swear it on your boobs?"

Han Aebom went quiet at Oh Hana's jab. Damn. But anyone not an idiot could tell from the new girl's reaction earlier—she had baggage.

Though, let's be real: who cramming into a one-room with three strangers doesn't?

'Wait, none of them ever spilled their real reasons.'

Just to save on rent?

...That flies for Oh Hana maybe. But two months under the same roof? No way she'd dive into communal living for pocket change.

Hit me then.

For folks sharing a roof, I knew jack about these women.

Fuck. Scared the shit outta me.

Not just random—it popped right as I thought that, freaking me out like I'd done something.

And the reward? Insane. Cleared enough quests to know. This was huge.

Petty ones too, so I figured rewards scaled with difficulty.

'Head spinning.'

So what made this quest so damn hard? Digging into that got me all serious.

"Knew it! Picked her for the tits!"

"Gurk!"

Staring down the quest, I ate a conk to the noggin. Like with the store manager last time—thought my eyes'd pop out.

Looked frontward confused, quest fading as the new roommate, blushing faintly with a smile, finished setting food on the table.

"Crazy!"

"That's our line."

Snapped back to reality, realized how shameless I'd been.

"Really sorry, uh..."

Was gonna ask her name politely when she beat me to it.

"Oh! Haven't introduced myself. I'm Yoon Sua, 26."

Yoon Sua, 26...

Didn't peg her older than Han Aebom. Aebom seemed mature, but Sua looked way too young.

Or rather.

Watching her intro, I pinpointed that nagging unease.

'Looks all innocent, but sharp as hell.'

No joke. Dead serious.

When she tried bailing earlier, I hadn't said squat—just brooded. She read the room and bounced.

"I'm Han Aebom, 24."

"Hehe, I'm Oh Hana, second longest resident after oppa. Fresh 22!"

"Don't pull seniority over a few days."

"Nooo! Forgot our steamy times?"

Face heating up at the memories. This girl...

"Wow, honestly, when it was just me and oppa, I never dreamed we'd fill all four spots. But here we are."

Totally get that.

Posted the ad outta quest necessity, no big hopes—figured military flashbacks with dude-stink vibes.

But flipping the card? Totally different hand.

Though these folks were quirky as hell.

Yoon Sua seemed fine. Yeah. Totally. Just in case, though.

"Hey, Sua. Not rushing you."

"Yes?"

"You saw the ad, so total rent's 600,000 won. Four of us now, so quarter's 150,000 to me. Pay whenever's good..."

I froze mid-sentence.

Her serene, almost ethereal vibe? Face drained pale, sweat pouring.

No way.