Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Yoon Sua's Joy
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“Oppa, you know your face looks really funny right now?”
“My face?”
“Yeah.”
What kind of face was I making?
Oh Hana giggled and said,
“Like a dog that's been waiting all day for food and finally gets fed?”
“Am I a dog?”
I tried to play it cool, but inside, I was thinking, damn, that's creepy. It was spot on. I was going insane.
Every time a perfectly timed quest popped up when I needed it, dopamine flooded my brain like Pavlov's dog. This New Year's gift could vanish tomorrow or next year—no reason to get hooked.
If I got dependent and it disappeared, I'd turn into a worse wreck than my old life the very next day. I kept telling myself to stay vigilant, but one glimpse of a system window and it all reset.
I was just crazy, wasn't I? Maybe that's why I couldn't quit smoking.
“......”
It hit me how lucky I was to have never touched drugs. A guy like me would've never kicked the habit.
And the proof was right in front of me. Me, getting trained like a horny mutt every time a quest dropped.
“Anyway, have you thought about how to get close to Sua unnie?”
“Huh?”
“Wow, this guy's hopeless. Daring to zone out while talking to me?”
“No, that's not... Give me a sec.”
“Hng, fine then. Oppbang.”
Her cute nasal whine making my hair stand on end might've become a habit too.
“Hehe, lend me 200,000 won?”
“...Why?”
“To buy more albums. Saving up!”
She wasn't just asking for it outright—she was borrowing—so I transferred 200,000 won on the spot. I'd been doing okay financially lately anyway.
Especially since Yoon Sua moved in. Cooking for two wasn't cost-effective with ingredients, but for four, it was way cheaper. And Yoon Sua's cooking skills were top-notch.
“Yass! Thank youuu!”
After her belly bow, Oh Hana glanced up and pouted.
“If Solcchi oppa's sex skills hadn't improved so fast, I could've squeezed way more out of you.”
“Why not now?”
I wouldn't even mind if she took money for sex with me. She was still way better at it, and the satisfaction was real.
“Nah, that's impossible. Nothing hurts more than getting something and having it taken away. And if it's not a joke—if you're seriously sucking someone dry—you'll regret it in the end.”
Wow. As miraculous as a quest.
“Never thought you'd say something so sensible. Did you sneak a peek at Hana's books?”
“Nooo?”
Oh Hana tsked and grinned.
“Plus, I'm enjoying this too, right? It's mutual fun. Taking money like that from you would just feel burdensome.”
Oh Hana confused me sometimes. She looked and acted like a total player, but her morals and values were rock-solid—better than most people's.
“You know...”
“Yeah?”
“...Never mind.”
I swallowed the impulse rising in my throat. I was dying to know how her exes—clearly more than one or two—had let go of a girl this great.
'Did she just have the worst luck with guys, all violent trash?'
No way they'd cheat on her. That was the only reason I could think of.
“Anyway, leave the Sua unnie issue to you, got it?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I nodded.
Because the epic quest was called [Yoon Sua's Joy].
I couldn't sleep. After a night shift at the convenience store, lying in bed, no sleep— I must be insane. Back in the army, I'd crash instantly after two hours at the ammo depot at dawn.
'No helping it.'
Closing my eyes just made that 'Epic Quest' flicker in my mind.
[Yoon Sua's Joy]
Take a lap around the neighborhood with everyone living in the one-room, including her.
0/3.0km
Reward: 100,000 won, Stamina +1, Elixir (Replica)
Restrictions: Must fulfill requirements in one go from the start. Quitting midway cancels and withdraws the quest. Canceled/withdrawn epic quests cannot resume.
Epic quests update content and rewards upon each clear.
It felt like a main story quest for progression. The previous ones were like tutorials.
'Whatever it is, making Yoon Sua happy should tie into learning the roommates' goals and situations.'
What puzzled me was how easy it seemed.
A 3km walk? A quick internet search said about an hour.
'Getting fancy rewards for something this simple feels off.'
I couldn't ignore 'Elixir'. It screamed prestige, even with 'Replica' attached. Must be huge. But how did it connect to Yoon Sua's joy?
“Haaah.”
Funny thing was, even as I milked these quests, I stayed wary. What if it demanded something insane just to keep the power—like killing someone?
'No signs of that from current quests.'
It was a New Year's blessing, so slim chance, but at 29, I knew the world wasn't kind.
'Ugh. Stop. Just stop.'
My brain might melt. When did I start overcomplicating life? I'd always griped at hero movies for padding with pointless angst...
The perfect day for the epic quest arrived.
Sunny weekend weather to boot.
“Kya! Weather's amazing!”
Flower showers lingered, but Han Abeom was ditching her cashmere coat. We three ditched electric blankets too, except Yoon Sua.
And I hadn't known:
April was peak wedding season.
We're Getting Married!
[Yoon Bongyu ♡ Lee Juri]
April 12, 2025, 1:20 PM
High Sky Wedding & Convention, 10F High Grand Hall
Two invites hit me like that. April 12th and 13th—Saturday and Sunday.
Hyunwoo ya, wanna catch up if you can? Got time? I'll make it work.
Truth be told, no interest in the 13th—no wedding gift either. High school acquaintance, not close; absurd after nine years, just an invite.
They mass-send invites, sure, but still.
Yoon Bongyu was the opposite.
Two years older, quick discharge, college sunbae who shared freshman lectures.
'Can't skip after all he's done.'
Kindness returns, huh?
No hotshots in college as a loner otaku, but sunbaes guided me.
Post-army, they hooked me up with textbooks from year 2-4.
Birthday gift icons every time.
Even sent beef when I admitted unemployment.
'No way I skip this.'
He felt bad sending first amid work chaos, still pushing to meet.
Sunbae, I'll definitely come to the wedding. See you there lol.
Good, Hyunwoo. See you at the wedding. Thanks.
No small talk questions—subtle consideration.
'This sunbae's marrying too.'
His profile showed D+2,347 days with girlfriend—marriage was set.
He struggled post-college too: a year at a gov-funded institute, another studying.
Yet here he was, wedding and all.
“Everyone's pretending they're fine but hustling hard. Unreal.”
I thought I was grinding lately, but looking around, it felt normal.
I shook my head, grabbing clothes dusty for nearly a year in the corner.
Standard navy XL suit, all-season.
Cheap suits last a year, they say—this one, a year later, pristine under plastic.
Mom bought it full-price, excited for my post-grad job hunt.
“......”
Damn. Couldn't help cursing myself.
Pathetic loser. Idiot.
While others pushed forward, I wallowed.
'What are your aspirations after joining?'
'I...'
'That's enough. Thank you all. Results on the homepage in a week.'
'...Thank you.'
My fingers trembled holding the suit. Wearing it to a wedding—awkward except for Bongyu hyung—made my stomach churn. Thought night shifts built social skills...
Now it felt like regression.
Damn. Embarrassing... scary. Didn't want to go. Not lazy—dreading forced smiles as a fake extrovert.
To escape this hell, I'd cling to quests...
“Aaah! What's this, suddenly eyeing the suit?”
Oh Hana's voice snapped my eyes open—I hadn't heard her approach.
“Hmm! Lemme see. Big corps' spring recruitment's in March, right? Sighing over a suit in April? Someone sent a wedding invite! April and October are peak seasons. Nailed it?!”
Her instincts were razor-sharp.
A small nod, and she spun a triple axel in place.
“Score! My turn now, right?”
Huh?
“Lemme check... Here! High Sky Wedding Convention... Kyaa! Buffet! If it was galbitang, I'd skip, but buffet means going! Time to devour sushi!”
Watching her, the trembling in my suit-holding hand vanished like a lie.
“Hey. Don't hog the luxury rice balls.”
“Who you calling cheap?”
I chuckled, looking at Oh Hana. No more fear.