Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 96. Heavy Rain Warning
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Jang Chaeyeon's cooking skills were excellent.
It wasn't enough to make the table legs buckle, but every dish was the kind that took real effort.
After the meal, Yoo Daon insisted on doing the dishes and headed to the sink with a stack of plates, while I was peeling fruit.
Jang Chaeyeon offered to handle it herself, but even if I was putting them up for the night, it felt wrong to just mooch off her.
"...Chaeyeon, you cook really well."
Better than I'd expected. No, it was genuinely impressive.
At my words, Jang Chaeyeon's expression shifted slightly.
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"I cook well."
"Looks like it."
"And she helped out."
Jang Chaeyeon pointed at Yoo Daon washing dishes in the distance.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. She'd drop by now and then to lend a hand."
I'd thought Yoo Daon was just chattering away behind me for company, but she'd been pitching in with the food too.
Which meant I'd really been the only one slacking.
"The homeowner gets to slack off."
Reading my face, Jang Chaeyeon said it offhandedly as she watched me peel the fruit.
-Shoooo...
The sound of endless rain poured in from beyond the window.
"It's really coming down out there."
"Yeah."
Still can't see a damn thing ahead.
I peeled fruit amid the sounds of Yoo Daon's dishwashing and the rain.
...
How long had it been since I'd lived this peacefully?
Especially sharing such everyday life with colleagues—it had been ages.
"You guys must've been really busy."
"Yeah. Felt like Containment Team work."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded at my words and picked up a piece of fruit I'd cut with a fork, bringing it to my mouth.
That's a bit much.
I shook my head to say it was fine, and she popped it into her own mouth with a regretful look.
"I really thought I was the one who attracted all the disasters."
...
Jang Chaeyeon stared at me blankly. Like she'd known all along.
...I'm just unlucky.
"I'll go with that."
She spoke as if she understood, then gazed out the window.
...
"Worried your place might flood?"
"It's already flooded."
She answered calmly while eating fruit.
"And it was an empty house anyway."
...
Nothing there.
Come to think of it, I remembered what Jang Chaeyeon had said when I was hospitalized.
She'd visited me and told me that.
...I left something here I can't forget.
"Now that I think about it, Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
"You said you left something you can't forget."
At my words, she paused, then nodded.
"...Yeah."
"Anything come to mind?"
...
She paused again at my question, then shook her head.
"Nope. Nothing."
"I see."
"If something pops up, I'll let you know."
"Even so... anything you think might jog your memory if you saw it? Like, 'this might bring it back'?"
There could be something. A specific item or situation that triggers it.
"Hmm..."
Uncharacteristically serious, she closed her eyes and pondered for a bit before opening them.
"A farm."
"Pardon?"
"It was a farm. That's where everything ended, I think."
A farm?
I narrowed my eyes, mulling it over, but nothing clicked for me either, so I just nodded.
"Got it. If I see a farm... or something like it, I'll let you know."
"Yeah."
She nodded at my words, and soon Yoo Daon came toddling back to sit at the table.
"Oh, you peeled fruit. I was gonna do it."
"You already did the dishes. It's only fair."
"Aw... still..."
Yoo Daon smiled apologetically and started snacking on the fruit.
"So, how are we sleeping?"
"Hmm..."
I thought of my bed.
It was a big one.
"You two share the bed, and I'll take the sofa?"
"No way! You're the homeowner, Jaeheon. We can't do that!"
"Right."
They both nodded, looking at me.
"No, it's because it'd be uncomfortable for me."
Putting younger folks on the floor or sofa while the homeowner hogs the bed?
That's a pride issue.
"So you two share the bed, and..."
"No."
...Even Yoo Daon usually goes along with what I say, but... ugh...
If even she's saying this, it really bothers them.
Put those two on the floor?
Or all three cram into one bed?
Someone's not sleeping.
...We're all together for once. Let's have some drinks.
That'll knock out Yoo Daon first.
I grabbed a few bottles of soju from the fridge, and my eyes met Yoo Daon's, who was glaring at me with a dissatisfied look.
"That's just code for putting me to sleep first."
Was I that obvious?
-Beep!
All three of our smartphones blared a warning at once.
[Heavy rain warning in the city center. Stay indoors, remain on higher floors.]
...
I looked out the window.
The rain was still coming down relentlessly.
Anything visible?
I squinted, but nothing.
I stepped to the window and looked down.
Yeah, it's pouring.
Water overflowing the streets, people wading through it.
...Not some anomaly, right?
"Who knows."
Worry bubbled up, then faded to calm.
I'm not even Containment Team. Why do I think I have to fix this?
Unless I'm dragged in, even if it is an anomaly, I'm not getting involved.
I vowed it again and set the soju on the table.
"Let's drink."
"Nooo...!"
Ignoring Yoo Daon's whiny mutter, I cracked open a bottle.
Not long after,
"Hmm..."
With Yoo Daon passed out, Jang Chaeyeon and I looked at each other.
...
To be honest.
I'd never once beaten Jang Chaeyeon at drinking.
Not that it's winning—she takes out me, Yoo Daon, even Song Arin, then the Team Leader, and taxis us all home like it's nothing.
How am I supposed to beat a woman like that?
"Tie?"
"Not confident?"
"Yeah."
No point pretending. Can't win anyway.
-Shoooo...
Rain kept falling outside, and Jang Chaeyeon glanced at it, then blinked at me.
"Then don't."
"Really?"
"You don't want to."
Then she started sipping alone.
If it's not a contest, I can drink too.
I sipped and listened to her.
"You..."
"Yeah."
"What kind of woman do you like?"
"...Huh."
What kind?
Out of nowhere?
"...Never really thought about it."
"Everyone has an ideal type."
...
Ideal type, huh.
"Uh... well."
Yeah.
"Someone who gives good advice, helps out at the right times without nagging too much... mostly just there for me..."
...
"And it'd be nice if she cools off quick too."
Jang Chaeyeon listened intently.
"I see."
"Why?"
"Just."
With that, she looked at me.
"Can we watch TV?"
-Boom!
Now thunder too.
"Of course. Oh, wait, let me move Daon first..."
"I'll do it."
With a gesture from Jang Chaeyeon, Yoo Daon floated safely onto my bed.
One down.
Jang Chaeyeon turned on the TV, and red breaking news subtitles scrolled immediately.
[Alert! Heavy Rain Warning!]
A raincoated anchor shouted into the downpour.
[This is Gangbuk! Massive rainfall causing—]
It's really dumping out there.
Jang Chaeyeon plopped right next to me on the sofa as I flipped channels.
From that close, I felt her warmth. She looked at me.
Like always, facing Jang Chaeyeon left me not knowing where to look.
As I fidgeted awkwardly, she asked in a tense voice.
"...Wanna watch a movie?"
"A movie?"
"Yeah."
"Sure, anything you wanna see?"
"Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon deftly picked one with the remote.
"...Romance?"
The latest romance flick. She leaned back on the sofa.
"You too."
"Ah, yeah."
Romance? Been ages.
Thinking that, I was soon sucked in.
Jang Chaeyeon leaned lightly on my shoulder.
"Chaeyeon?"
"...Tired. Mind if I lean?"
"...Sure. It's not like it wears out."
She gave a small laugh and settled against my shoulder, watching the screen.
This is distracting.
*
...
Credits rolled, and I was clapping inwardly.
Great movie.
Didn't say a word, totally immersed.
Revived my long-dead romance cells.
"The movie was really go—"
...
I turned to Jang Chaeyeon, but she was already breathing deeply, asleep.
...
Fully out, leaning on my shoulder.
In the rain sounds, her hair gleamed silver in the light, her sleeping face defenseless unlike usual—enough to spark bad thoughts.
...
Blame the movie? All kinds of ideas.
There was a kiss scene.
I eyed her lips.
"Up you go."
I scooped her up and carried her to my room.
Placed her next to Yoo Daon and left.
-Shoooo!
Rain continued as I lay on the sofa, drifting off.
*
-Beep!
How long had I slept? An emergency tone by my head woke me.
What.
Clock said 3 a.m.
Still groggy, I checked my smartphone.
[Emergency Disaster Alert]
[Beware of flooding.]
...
Grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
The newsroom where the anchor should be was empty. Beeps sounded, red text flooding the screen.
-Shoooo...
The rain poured endlessly.