Chapter 299
Chapter 299
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 299. Perfect Timing
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"Tired..."
"..."
"Yawn..."
In the end, after watching cartoons until dawn, we were just sitting there looking disheveled, without having gotten any proper sleep.
"Oppa, I'll make breakfast..."
"Reheated stew...?"
"It's retort bean sprout soup, though..."
"Then I'll eat it."
"You're hopeless..."
Park Ye-eun lets out a huge yawn as she shuffles off, and the sound of running water keeps coming from the bathroom where Song Arin went to wash up.
Jang Chaeyeon is dozing off in her chair, while Yoo Daon props her chin on her hand, lost in serious thought.
Clinking sounds drift in from the kitchen, and with them as background noise, I think back to what happened yesterday—or a few hours ago, really.
If it weren't for that, we could've slept a lot more comfortably.
*
So, how did we end up sleeping?
I was at the far right end, with Park Ye-eun in the middle.
That was the original plan, but
"I'll sleep here."
After hours of cartoons, Song Arin flopped down first in the spot next to me—which meant sandwiching herself between Park Ye-eun and me.
"No complaints, right?"
"Sure, whatever."
"..."
I nodded, and Park Ye-eun just stared at the screen without a word.
Actually, she'd been chatting with me up until then, but the moment Song Arin showed up, it felt like she was suddenly glued to the screen.
"That spot looks too cramped for you."
When Jang Chaeyeon raised her hand and spoke, Song Arin shot her an incredulous look.
"Hey, if it's cramped, it'd be you taking up more space, not me. Sideways or straight, you're the same either way."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon shut her mouth, and not knowing what to say myself, I quickly turned back to the screen.
"...Ugh, now that you mention it, it pisses me off. Anyway, you're not coming over here either."
Song Arin furrowed her brow sharply, and Jang Chaeyeon lay down without another word.
"Okay, next person."
At Song Arin's words, Yoo Daon widened her eyes and stared at her.
"You knew I'd speak up?"
"I'm Song Arin. I can read people's minds like kneading dough."
"You're not actually controlling us, right?"
"What do you take me for? It just means I'm that attuned to people."
Song Arin puffed out her chest proudly.
Hearing that from someone with brainwashing powers was seriously unsettling.
"I'm a bit bigger than you—well, curvier, anyway—but it should still be fine, right?"
"Every word out of your mouth is so damn annoying."
Song Arin clicked her tongue and glared at Yoo Daon.
"First off, you've got a problem."
"What is it?"
"You don't sleep well."
"Isn't that even better? I can protect Jaeheon no matter what happens!"
"Who knows what you'd do to him while he's asleep."
"What would I do?"
"..."
Song Arin stared at Yoo Daon, then twisted up one corner of her mouth.
"Why don't you tell us what you did? That night when it was just the two of you?"
"..."
Yoo Daon suddenly clammed up.
What? Why? I wanna know too.
This is why different genders are such a pain.
They have their fun little secrets that leave me out,
Then Yoo Daon glances at me and opens her mouth.
"No, Jaeheon, it's not like that..."
"Quiet."
Song Arin cuts her off.
"Anyway, so I'm sleeping here. Any objections?"
Neither of them said a word.
"Good. Then I'll be right here—what are you doing?"
"Go over there."
Song Arin spreads out the blanket in her spot and lies down.
"..."
She looks down at me in disbelief.
"What."
"You know, I figured we'd all end up like this once we finished the cartoons anyway."
"What?"
It's something I've noticed lately, but Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon, and Song Arin still aren't that close.
Park Ye-eun's just a kid, gets treated like a side dish sometimes, but she's got great social skills in her own way and gets along with everyone. Those three, though? Their teamwork's solid for work, but socially, or when it comes to bonding, they just don't mesh.
"This is a good chance for you all to get closer."
"Hey, we're not kids. Why are you pairing us up like this on your own?"
Song Arin glares at me with dagger eyes, but I ignore her and look at Park Ye-eun.
"Or should I sleep somewhere else?"
"Uh..."
Leaving Song Arin yelling about being ignored, Park Ye-eun thinks for a moment and looks at me.
"No need. It's been a while since it's been this lively. I like it."
"Yeah? Doesn't it feel weird with an old guy around?"
"Ah, when are you gonna stop teasing me about that?"
Park Ye-eun sighs deeply at my words.
"So, what do you think of my proposal?"
"Huh?"
"Don't those three need to get along better, from what you can see?"
"Um..."
Park Ye-eun whips her head around to look at the three of them, then back at me.
A mischievous smile spreads across her face.
"I think you're right, Oppa."
"Good idea."
I grin back, and the three of them stare at me like they've been betrayed.
"Alright, it's settled."
I lie down, and Park Ye-eun settles in next to me—but with some space between us.
Song Arin grumbles her way to her spot, while Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon refuse to budge.
"Ugh, move it!"
"Lying sideways or straight, I take up the same space either way."
"I don't sleep much, so I need more room too."
"Ugh, you two are both so freaking narrow-minded. If you don't move in three seconds, I'll get up and make you tap-dance."
"The second you do, you'll get clocked in the back of the head."
"I'd end up getting hit either way..."
The three of them start bickering.
Yeah, get along like that.
The problem was that the argument dragged on for almost two hours.
*
"Yaaawn..."
Thanks to that, I rub my sleepy eyes as I start eating the bean sprout soup Park Ye-eun boiled.
"Better than last night's dinner."
"Hey, I was practicing!"
"Don't. Housewarmings don't happen twice."
"Wha, they don't...?"
"That's why you do it once. Move out if you want another."
"..."
Park Ye-eun lifts her spoon with a genuinely disappointed look.
"Ah, refreshing. Hey, white-hair, your turn."
"I'm eating."
At the same time, Song Arin emerges from the bathroom, towel-drying her wet hair, still in her pajamas.
"What? Eating without me?"
"It just got ready. We weren't gonna—"
"Forget it. I'm not the type to feel left out over stuff like that."
Song Arin waves it off and saunters over, plopping down in a chair and scooping up a bite.
"Ooh, what is this? The cooking's actually decent this time?"
"It's retort."
"No wonder."
"If I don't practice food for next time, I'm not human..."
Park Ye-eun mutters through gritted teeth at Song Arin's words.
"So, what are we doing today? No work, right?"
"Yeah."
Song Arin spoons up some soup and glances at me as she asks. I nod.
Our merciful Director, to console me for my injuries and my recent hard work—both the messes I caused and the ones I cleaned up—granted me a full three days of reward vacation through HR.
Her voice over the smartphone sounded like she was grinding her teeth, though.
But is that my fault?
If the Director had come herself, none of this would've happened. Not my fault. It's the Director's for not showing up.
I'm the one who's wronged here. Got called a branch murderer or whatever.
"Hmm. It's been a while since..."
We should sleep, I start to say, but Park Ye-eun raises her hand, cutting me off.
"Shopping!"
"Shoo-ping?"
Song Arin furrows her brow sharply, and Yoo Daon snaps her head up.
"Shopping..."
"...Black-hair, you've never been shopping?"
"No, I shop!"
Yoo Daon puffs out her chest confidently.
"Doing what."
"Go into a store and ask for all the nice clothes?"
"Good thing you're on a Management Bureau salary, or you'd have gone bankrupt ages ago."
Song Arin sighs and looks at Jang Chaeyeon.
"You."
"I handle it myself."
"Got it."
Then she looks at me.
"They say so."
"..."
"That's what they said."
"Ugh, fine. We'll go, okay? We'll go."
"Yay! Oh, but I'll buy my own clothes. I already got a housewarming gift—getting outfits too would feel weird."
"Not buying them for you."
"..."
Why would I? It's not a housewarming.
Park Ye-eun stares at me, then shoves my back.
"Got it. Time to get ready!"
"For what."
"Change clothes! Oppa, go to the room and get dressed by yourself!"
"Hey, I haven't finished eating ye—"
"Hurry!"
"Alright, alright."
I get chased into the room by Park Ye-eun.
Even when I buy gifts, this is the thanks I get. Is this teenage mood swings?
Was I like that at her age?
Getting older makes you realize how young you were.
Next time I visit Mom, I should bring something expensive.
"We won't run into any anomalies at the mall, right?"
"Wouldn't put it past them, so I'm grabbing my gun."
"I brought my beads."
"I packed my awl too."
"...Isn't that basically OCD?"
"Live in HR for a bit. You'll see it's not."
I change clothes, listening to the voices beyond the door, lost in thought.
Fair point.
Guess I should gear up too.
I pull my familiar pistol from my coat pocket, and at the same time, the manual drops to the floor and flips open.
[Office Manual]
[EYE - You can see and hear things without eyes.]
1. Not having eyes doesn't mean you can't see or hear.
2. For example, if you're watching a fun movie, always bring your belongings. The manual is no exception.
3. Whether it's cartoons or movies, what matters isn't what you're watching. It's who you're watching with.
-Thud!
I close the manual and tuck it into my inner pocket.
"All done?"
"All dressed!"
Yoo Daon's bright voice rings out, and I open the door.
"Great. Let's go."
*
We stand at the department store entrance.
How long has it been since I last came to one? Most recently, shopping with Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon, and then...
"The basement..."
"Ah..."
"..."
My mutter makes the two of them furrow their brows.
Good thing I brought the gun, huh?
"Huh?"
Yoo Daon looks up and points ahead.
"Isn't that the Director?"
"...It is."
Following her finger,
there was the Director, walking in a black floral-patterned dress.
How to describe it.
"Something rich old ladies from upscale neighborhoods would wear?"
"Arin."
"What? It's true."
Song Arin voiced exactly what I was thinking.
At that moment, the Director glances around and locks eyes with me.
The corner of her mouth curls up.
She was looking at me with an expression that said, 'Perfect timing, you punk.'