Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: A Line That Must Be Guarded
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It was right then, as Woojin was throwing a fit and denying Eirin's ridiculous question.
'Don't do it! Jinyeong!'
Gayoung whispered urgently, trying to stop Jinyeong.
But Jinyeong flashed a mischievous grin and whispered back to her.
'Why? It's fun! Just watch!'
Taking advantage of the adults' distraction with each other.
Jinyeong, who had been quietly eating, slammed his spoon down with a clack and shouted.
"That's too mean!"
The sudden outburst drew everyone's eyes to Jinyeong.
Jinyeong put on the saddest face imaginable, like the world had ended, glancing back and forth between Woojin and Jihyun Yoo before opening his mouth.
"Mom... Dad..."
"......?!"
"......?!"
"......?!"
In an instant, a silence like cold water had been dumped over apartment 1104 washed over the room.
Jinyeong shattered that silence, launching into an Academy Award-worthy method acting performance.
"You said we're living together now... You said we don't have to hide anymore... Why are you pretending not to know us just because this foreign lady showed up? Are you ashamed of us?"
"Hey! You punk... Jo Jinyeong! You!!"
Woojin yelled in shock, but the damage was already done.
Eirin's mouth fell open so wide it looked like her jaw might dislocate.
"M-Mom and Dad...?"
Eirin's gaze swept over the kids' faces.
'Around six or seven years old?'
Ayoung was petite, and Gayoung and Jinyeong were on the smaller side for their age, so they looked a good two or three years younger than they actually were.
In that moment, Eirin's mental calculator spun into overdrive.
"Wait, if the kid's about seven... then seven years ago..."
Eirin pointed at Woojin and Jihyun Yoo with trembling fingers.
"Y-You two... You're barely in your early twenties now. Seven years ago... middle school? High school?!"
With no response, Eirin's voice quavered.
"N-No way... Not elementary school...?"
Woojin let out a deep sigh, pressing a hand to his forehead like 'Dear God.'
"Y-You shameless bastards! You knocked up as minors, had kids, and hid them from the world?! What kind of person does that?!"
Eirin's imagination was already racing toward the finale of some trashy drama.
Her arrows of blame flew straight at Jihyun Yoo.
"Jihyun Yoo! And you call yourself a chaebol heiress? How could you abandon kids for seven years! With your family's money, you could've just acknowledged them! If you had them, take responsibility!"
"W-What are you even saying?!"
Jihyun Yoo's pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
She was still reeling from the bomb Jinyeong had dropped.
"No excuses! The kid's crying out 'Mom and Dad'! You two are awful people!"
Woojin felt like his insides were exploding.
"No, he's lying right now!"
"Quiet! Kids don't lie!"
It was total pandemonium.
Woojin clutched the back of his neck, Jihyun Yoo was on the verge of madness from the injustice, and Eirin huffed like some apostle of justice.
And Jinyeong was under the table, shoulders shaking as he stifled his giggles.
Finally, Gayoung couldn't take it anymore and reached under the table.
Smack!
The crisp sound of a backhand rang out.
"Ow!"
Jinyeong yelped and shot up.
Gayoung glared at her brother with fierce eyes.
"Hey! Jo Jinyeong! There's a time and place for pranks! Why make Uncle Woojin and the sisters uncomfortable? You want a real spanking?"
Gayoung stood up, fuming, and bowed deeply to Eirin and Jihyun Yoo.
"Sorry! My brother's just being a brat. They're not our parents. They're just the people from upstairs."
"......Huh?"
Eirin's expression went blank.
"Not... really...?"
"Yeah. Uncle Woojin's the boss at our big sister's company, and Jihyun sister—we just met her yesterday."
"......"
Eirin stared blankly at Jinyeong.
Jinyeong rubbed his back and stuck out his tongue.
"Ugh, Jo Gayoung, you're no fun. I could've told you later."
Smack!
"Apologize now!!"
Jinyeong grudgingly bowed under Gayoung's sharp hand.
"Sorry!"
Now grasping the full story, Eirin crossed her arms and stared off into the distance.
"......Hah."
The kids were just the younger siblings of an upstairs employee, and Jihyun Yoo had simply fed them.
And she'd been completely hooked by the little rascal's prank.
In other words, she'd over-immersed in her own drama, drumming solo with cymbals and all.
Her face burned, but Eirin tried to play it cool.
"Ahem. Sorry. My mistake."
Woojin looked at her in disbelief.
"How does your brain even work to jump to that conclusion? What? Elementary school? Are you insane? Got maggots in your head or something?"
Eirin cleared her throat awkwardly and averted her eyes.
"Ahem! The kid said it, so I believed him. And... my study materials were just... off."
"What were you studying from?"
"......Secret."
"Sigh... If you're in Korea, go sightseeing and stay quiet. Don't go poking around causing trouble."
Those words sent an odd thrill through Eirin.
Who dared speak to her like that?
Eirin smirked, amused.
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
"You answer well. You two get along, no fighting. Jihyun, show her some Korean culture. She's got a weird personality, but she's not a bad person. Got it?"
Jihyun Yoo nodded.
"Yes, Oppa."
Eirin flinched and looked at Jihyun Yoo.
"O...ppa...?"
Jihyun Yoo wore a triumphant expression.
Woojin glanced at the reaction casually.
"Oppa, right? I'm two years older! You're a year younger than me too, aren't you? Call me Oppa! Don't try to act all high and mighty."
Eirin's expression softened.
"Can I... call you that too?"
"Of course! Don't you know respect for elders?"
Eirin hesitated, then spoke.
"Got it... I mean, yes, Oppa."
"That's it! So polite and nice to hear!"
Jihyun Yoo's face darkened.
How hard had she worked to call him Oppa?
Jihyun Yoo glared at Eirin, but Eirin just shrugged with a victor's smile.
"Keep getting along like that. Kids, all done eating?"
The kids had already polished off their plates and were waiting.
"Yes!"
"Alright, let's go!"
The kids, bellies bulging, bowed politely.
"Thank you for the meal!"
Jihyun Yoo waved at them with a bright smile.
"Come again anytime, Gayoung. Not Jinyeong."
"Yes!"
"Hey! Why not, Noona!"
'Cheeky little punk.'
Woojin led the kids out of 1104.
Before going in, Gayoung bowed.
"Thank you. Uncle, it was so fun from the morning."
"Fun? We showed an embarrassing side in front of you kids. Go on in."
Woojin let Gayoung go first, then grabbed Jinyeong by the scruff as he followed.
"Jo Jinyeong, you stay here a sec."
"Y-Yes...? U-Um, Uncle?"
Woojin pinned Jinyeong against the wall and looked down sternly.
All mischief was gone from his face.
"That prank earlier? Way over the line. Got it?"
"I just... thought it'd be fun..."
"Fun? Didn't you see the sisters go pale? Making others uncomfortable or hurt isn't a joke. It's bullying."
Jinyeong shrank under Woojin's low, firm voice and bowed his head.
"A real man doesn't pick on weaker girls for laughs. And there are lies you just don't tell. There's a line you don't cross. Could you handle someone joking about your parents?"
Bringing up parents made Jinyeong bow his head seriously.
"...No. I'm sorry."
Seeing Jinyeong subdued, Woojin softened and ruffled his hair.
"Good if you get it. Everyone messes up sometimes. Just don't do it again. Ayoung Noona's been busy, so it's been easy for you, huh? Now that you've met me, get ready. What she won't scold you for, I will. Understand?"
"Yes! Sorry!"
"Do well, and I'll buy you lots of tasty stuff."
"Yes!!"
Even sisters tread carefully with boys.
Like how Gayoung did.
Woojin's words would stick deeper than his sister's.
Some things only men understand.
Woojin chuckled dryly at Jinyeong's spirited reply.
Yeah, who could stop an invincible fourth-grader boy?
Better like this—childlike.
As long as it's in moderation.
"Get inside. Tell Gayoung you'll never do it again."
"Yes!"
As Jinyeong darted in, Woojin grinned.
Yeah, this kind of discipline is necessary too.
After sending the kids off, Woojin returned to his place.
1104 was noisy, so the two were probably at it again.
"Tsk tsk, if you're gonna fight like that, why live together?"
Sangjin was in the living room, ready for work.
"Bro, you're back? Good breakfast?"
"...A real rollercoaster of a morning meal. Oh, and your favorite Eirin showed up."
"......Huh?"
Sangjin's eyes went wide.
"She's really here? Benedict?"
"Yeah. Bumped into her next door. Looked ready to settle in for the long haul with her luggage."
"Whoa... insane."
Sangjin stuck out his tongue.
'Sister-in-law... Dating and business won't be smooth. Benedict seems no ordinary woman... Good luck.'
Sangjin grabbed his bag, cheering Jihyun Yoo on silently.
"Let's go, bro. Time for work."
"Yeah, let's head out."
Superhuman Administration Bureau, Awakener Management Division Director's Office.
Director Jeong Seonghwan was glaring at the items on his desk.
Samples from Ayoung: 'Goblin Chopsticks' and 'Goblin Towel.'
"Hmm..."
At first, he'd thought they were just handy chopsticks for eating and a towel that absorbed water well.
Just props for strategic venture certification.
But after testing them himself, Jeong Seonghwan's mind completely changed.
Especially this towel.
"Insane."
Jeong Seonghwan dunked the towel in a 2L beaker full of water and pulled it out.
Slurp—
The water vanished in seconds, and squeezing the towel poured out 2L again.
"This... possible?"
In gate raids, especially long expeditions, the biggest headache was water supply.
Transporting water was more about volume than weight.
Even 1L needed a big container.
Subspace pockets had limits, and you couldn't lug water tanks everywhere.
But this towel—handkerchief-sized—held 2L, probably more.
Rolled up, even smaller.
It could revolutionize gate assaults and modern warfare logistics.
And not just that.
Desert ops, remote expeditions, disaster relief.
Endless uses.
Jeong Seonghwan's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
'Kim Woojin... This guy's the real deal.'
He couldn't let him slip away.
But caution too.
If the old snakes in Congress or military hardliners found out?
They might pull shady moves on Woojin.
Kidnapping, confinement—who knows.
With Benedict and DH backing him, success was unlikely, but the attempt alone was trouble.
Crossing a line that mustn't be crossed.
Woojin would flip out, and with Benedict involved, it'd be chaos for him.
'No need for a full report. Just brief the President directly.'
Like always.
Jeong Seonghwan downplayed the towel's specs in the report.
Woojin under his direct management. For the nation's good.
Isolate him from the greedy old fogeys.
'He'll like the gift, right?'
The gift he'd sent via Ayoung.
Hoping it'd tilt Woojin's heart a bit more toward the nation.