Chapter 77
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Living Together
Living together.
The term for two lovers sharing a home without getting married.
Living with a lover might sound romantic, but reality isn't so easygoing.
"Sorry."
Living together means seeing every little thing the other person does.
Not just the good sides, but the bad habits and mismatched lifestyles are all laid bare.
"Ju, Jun-hyuk...?"
The sight of belching loudly after a meal.
Scratching your junk while lounging on the sofa.
Gossiping behind friends' backs. All of it.
I'd heard plenty of couples break up after getting disillusioned by such sights, so naturally, I had to turn down my sister's suggestion.
"Yeah."
When you're dating while living apart, you can dress up and show only your best side.
But once you start living together, you inevitably expose everything, which leads to these issues.
Of course, I do want to live with Yu-ra noona.
But the pace was too fast.
"N-No way, you don't hate me now... do you?"
"That's not it."
At the very least, I think cohabitation works best once the vague illusions about your partner fade and you realize, "Yu-ra noona's human too."
In that sense, we hadn't even known each other for a full year yet, and with her busy schedule keeping us apart so often, we were still just a fresh couple. Jumping into living together now might even damage our relationship.
I might get disappointed in her, but conversely, she probably still has illusions about me too, so she could get disappointed in what she sees.
"Then why!?"
"It feels like things are moving too fast. And this is something we need to think deeply about before deciding. I don't think it's a matter to settle in just one night."
Someone might ask why not just fix the bad habits and act normally.
Fair point. But habits ingrained over a lifetime don't change overnight.
Trying to watch every little thing would just build up stress, turning minor issues into huge fights that lead to breakups.
"So let's talk it over slowly later and do it then. There's no need to rush like this."
"......"
"Go home first, drop off the stuff you brought, then we can put our heads together and..."
"No."
Did noona have some fantasy about living together?
I never imagined she'd refuse even after I said all that.
"I can't go home."
"Why?"
But that was my misconception.
Back when her trauma was treated and she did that interview.
Or when she barged into Yu Ha-yul's hotel without a second thought.
I'd felt it then too.
"You see, um..."
Yu-ra noona.
"I've already sold the house."
She was the type who, once she latched onto something, never backed down.
＊＊＊
"Then since we're living together now, let's set some rules first."
Unable to abandon the now-homeless Choi Yu-ra with her deep pockets, Yoo Jun-hyuk took pity on her, and the two began cohabiting.
Before starting, Yoo Jun-hyuk laid down rules to preempt any potential fights.
"I'll handle cooking, laundry, and basic cleaning. Noona, you do the dishes, food waste, bathroom cleaning, and hanging and folding the laundry."
"Jun-hyuk! I'll do everything!"
"No, absolutely not. Piling work on one person doesn't just make the other lazy—it turns favors into expectations. We'll fight sometimes living together, and that could deepen emotional rifts."
"No! We won't ever fight!"
"We already have differing opinions right now, don't we? Can you really swear we won't?"
Huh.
Until now, love for Jun-hyuk had blinded her, but thinking about it, that wasn't true.
Even this cohabitation was only happening because Yoo Jun-hyuk had conceded a ton, wasn't it?
"Mm, okay."
"Good. Then let's work out the rest. First, always put the toilet seat up after using it, and when putting laundry in the basket, don't turn it inside out and..."
After reaching agreements on various matters, their cohabitation began.
It was a burdensome start for both Yoo Jun-hyuk and Choi Yu-ra.
"You're back? No overtime today, I guess."
"Yeah! I came straight home because I missed my Jun-hyuk!"
At least now they could spend evenings together after work.
They even synced their busy schedules to align days off, spending entire days together like a proper couple at last.
'Living together is nice, but ugh, so much to watch out for. My head hurts.'
But as a fresh couple, they couldn't help peeking at each other constantly.
For Yoo Jun-hyuk, it was uncomfortable no longer picking his nose freely. He'd habitually watch WhyTube videos, laugh, and dig in, but now with Choi Yu-ra around, he couldn't.
Cooking and chores had doubled from one-person portions to two, which was quietly annoying.
'Ugh...'
But compared to Choi Yu-ra, it was nothing.
His bad habits topped out at nose-picking, with chores just a bit more hassle.
'Jun-hyuk...'
She had bad habits too.
Outside, she was constantly idolized as a hero, so at home, she relaxed like any other woman.
A bit messy, a bit lazy, a bit sloppy.
She could tolerate those, but what tormented her was precisely Yoo Jun-hyuk.
'He's too defenseless!'
Even now, lounging on the sofa in comfy clothes, dangling his bare legs—it was too sexy.
After all the perverse "treatments" that had developed her body, Choi Yu-ra's hypothalamus surged with the desire to lick those bare legs.
It wasn't just this once.
Seeing him in loose shorts and a shirt made her want to stroke his collarbone.
That sheer sleeveless running shirt tempted her to pounce, rip it to shreds.
"Noona? I forgot—can you pass me a towel?"
Especially after a shower, his fresh, dewy skin made her want to devour him.
Of course, in that sense.
'I'm not a pervert. This is just natural biological desire as a woman.'
She wanted to, but the promise they'd made on moving-in day stopped her.
No naughty stuff until her premature issue was fixed or she could control her strength perfectly even when aroused.
It was her own proposal, for the sake of his precious member(?).
'But when will that be?'
She was diligently going to the hospital for meds...
[Sorry. *hiss* We gave you near-lethal doses, and it's still not working.]
Her body, now beyond drugs, showed no improvement.
In the end, to restrain her desires, she brainwashed herself.
'This is our home. My solo home. Jun-hyuk's here, but that's how it has to be.'
If she didn't think that way.
Every moment without seeing Yoo Jun-hyuk, she'd anticipate his defenseless, seductive poses, get excited, then despair at not being able to join him.
"Ahahaha!"
Luckily, her exceptional mental strength let her brainwash herself quickly.
"...Um, noona?"
Unluckily, she'd immersed too deeply.
＊＊＊
"Yeah? Did you call me?"
"No, nothing."
Lately, noona seems way too comfy.
The first week was awkward for both, but now she acts like it's her own place.
'Well, it's not just my place anymore.'
That's good.
It's good, but...
I quietly grabbed some wet wipes and headed to the bathroom.
'...Isn't she too relaxed?'
We agreed to put the toilet seat up after use, right?
I ended up splashing urine all over it in a rush.
Once today might be a fluke, but it's been a week straight.
'And that's not all.'
Heading to the kitchen, I spotted the yellow food waste bag still there.
Packed full, it was on the verge of attracting flies.
'It's been sitting there for three days.'
And the dishes?
Two hours after dinner, still piled in the sink.
Compared to clearing them right after meals a week ago, it was shocking regression.
'Whew...'
I sighed inwardly so noona wouldn't hear.
Nagging over every little thing would make me seem petty.
Her eyes still brimmed with pure love for me.
'It's even thicker than before, almost scary, but more affection is always better, right?'
So I'll concede.
Smiling quietly, I checked the laundry basket to finish chores.
"......"
Noona's socks were all inside out.
Fine, I can let that slide. She gets emergency calls even after work.
Rushing around, socks get yanked off quick, could end up inside out.
"Jun-hyuk! This show's hilarious! Watch with me!"
"Sure."
But.
Crunch-!
This is too much.
Noona, didn't you say no snacks on the sofa?
Potato chips especially—you always drop crumbs.
"Come on quick! Let's eat snacks and watch."
I spotted crumbs falling into the sofa cracks right now.
Everything else is fine. This normal side actually reassures me—she's treating me like family now, more than the early days.
If she can't show her real self when I want to spend life together, it'd be a prison, not family.
"Noona."
"Yeah?"
Still, promises are promises.
These little things pile up and wreck relationships.
If you let them slide and call them out later, she'll say, "You've always been like that—why now?" So nip it in the bud.
"Talk with me."
"About what?"
"Serious talk—turn off the TV."
Only then did noona shut off the TV and meet my eyes.
"We made promises. Let's keep them. But what's this now?"
Scolding noona after her tough day outside didn't sit right.
"You're not keeping a single one."
Family peace matters too.
I steeled myself.
"Why live together then?"
＊＊＊
"Th-that, uh, um..."
"Don't you know what you did wrong, noona?"
Even with eyes closed, she could sense monster attacks—now her instincts screamed crisis.
Not a gate or villain den, but Choi Yu-ra's senses wailed this was her greatest peril.
'What did I do wrong!?'
Yoo Jun-hyuk rolled his eyes at impossible speed.
She scanned around—no issues visible.
"You don't know? Really?"
"N-No! I do!"
"What?"
She said she knew, but conjuring something from nothing was impossible even for her, so she couldn't speak.
"Food waste—you were supposed to take it out, right?"
"Oh! Yeah! Sh-Should I do it now?"
"Is now the point? It's that you haven't all this time!"
Worse pain than getting chest-slammed by a monster as a rookie hunter before EX-rank.
"No, Jun-hyuk, I meant to on the way to work but forgot..."
"And the toilet seat—put it up after use, remember?"
"Right."
"Right?"
Scarier than a B-rank hunter ambushed by a monster horde.
"Noona, I told you inside-out socks don't wash right and need redoing, yeah? But 'right'?"
"N-No, Jun-hyuk, c-calm down!"
"And why are the dishes still there?"
"I'll do them now..."
"I'm talking. And didn't I say no snacks on the sofa?"
If only an EX-rank gate appeared right now.
Choi Yu-ra prayed desperately.
"If you're like this, don't live together. Live separately again."
"I'm sorry! I really messed up! I won't ever again!"
Outside, she soloed S-rank gates.
Massacred top-five Korean villain groups in seconds.
But now, she was just an ordinary woman.
"Fine? You broke it once—think you won't twice?"
"Really, Jun-hyuk! One more chance!"
Under Yoo Jun-hyuk's scolding, her self-hypnosis finally broke, and Choi Yu-ra reflected at last.
"This is the last time. No second chances."
"Okay......"
Talk over, Choi Yu-ra blitz-processed the backlog.
They sat on the sofa again, TV on, but awkward air lingered.
'Aw, crap—did I go too hard?'
Yoo Jun-hyuk felt bad for nitpicking trivial stuff.
Of course, Choi Yu-ra felt zero such thing—angry at herself for breaking promises, sorry to him.
'Ugh, you idiot! I said act like it's your solo place, but not break promises!'
Variety show droned on, but neither laughed.
Then Yoo Jun-hyuk peeked at her first.
'Now I just look like the bad guy.'
Like a rain-soaked puppy?
Eyes full of self-loathing, begging for a hug.
'Wanna comfort her.'
But no dating pro, he couldn't think how to soothe a woman well.
"Noona, sorry. I was too harsh."
"N-No, I was wrong."
"Um, noona."
"Yeah......"
So he tried something he'd wanted to since before.
In his past life, a meme once, but rumored super effective.
He'd pondered it mentally—now modernized for today.
"Wanna touch my dick?"
"What!?"
The effect was tremendous.