Chapter 173: Maintenance Time (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 173: Maintenance Time (6)
Late at night, Han Ju-hee heads home.
In truth, she hadn't actually worked late tonight.
She was generally efficient, usually finishing her tasks before the end of the day. Unless work piled up like it had recently, she almost always left on time.
The recruitment list she’d been working on was mostly finalized, and today she didn't have to stay late waiting on international time zones.
After leaving the office, she had sat on a bench in front of her apartment for hours, lost in thought, before finally heading inside.
Since spring hadn't yet arrived, the biting cold eventually drove her into a cafe. But after sitting there so long she felt the staff’s eyes on her, she went back outside to think some more. By the time she finally returned home, her cheeks were flushed bright red from the chill.
As she opened the door and stepped inside, the stiflingly hot air from the cranked-up heating clung to her cold face.
Normally, she would have complained about the heating bill and told him to turn it down, but after shivering in the cold for so long, she simply took off her shoes, viewing the warmth as a small mercy.
Hearing the door, Hwang Do-hoon emerged from the bedroom.
"You're close with Jeong Yeon-woo, right? Can't you ask him to drop the lawsuit?"
That was the first thing out of his mouth the moment she walked in.
Ju-hee knew exactly what had happened to him at Square Garden. She had been there at the time, but the clan had been considerate enough to ensure their paths didn't cross.
She stared blankly at Hwang Do-hoon. This was the same man who had been so suspicious of her relationship with Jeong Yeon-woo, who had thrown tantrums and told her not to get close to him—and now he was asking if they were close. Without a word, she walked past him into the apartment.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You are close. What am I supposed to do if I get sued? We barely have any money saved up."
Ju-hee stopped in her tracks and turned around.
"We?"
"Well, it's not like we're strangers. We're going to get married, aren't we? That's why we've been saving. Jeong Yeon-woo might take all our wedding funds."
"... ..."
Ju-hee couldn't tell when he had changed like this.
They had moved in together because they were considering marriage.
That’s right, we did...
Or perhaps he hadn't changed at all. Maybe she had just been blinded by love, filtering everything he did through rose-tinted glasses.
Living with him for a year had slowly stripped those filters away, revealing his flaws one by one.
He wasn't "innocent"; he was ignorant of how the world worked. He didn't have "himbo charm"; he was just dim-witted. What she had mistaken for confidence was actually a mix of self-justification and an inferiority complex, and his "affection" was nothing more than an obsession with being the center of attention.
Their lives were comfortable now because Square Garden paid her well, but back during their time at Break Line, they’d had to tighten their belts. She had spent those days constantly soothing him as he whined about wanting to eat delicious food or buy expensive clothes.
She hadn't been at Square Garden for very long, and as her salary increased, so did Hwang Do-hoon’s spending. Just as he said, they had very little saved.
Because every cent of it was money Ju-hee had earned alone.
She couldn't understand what he had been doing at home all year while claiming to be "preparing for employment." Blaming herself for not speaking up sooner out of fear of hurting his pride, Ju-hee pulled a travel suitcase out of the closet.
It was a bag Hwang Do-hoon had bought when her salary went up, claiming they would go on a trip someday.
"What's this? Are you leaving? Look, I'm sorry I misunderstood everything. I was really in the wrong. Where are you even going to go at this hour?"
"I'm not the one leaving."
Ju-hee opened the suitcase and looked directly at Hwang Do-hoon.
"Let's break up. And I want you to move out of this house."
"... ..."
Hwang Do-hoon just stared at her with a dazed expression, as if he couldn't process her words.
"I'm not telling you to leave tonight. Like you said, the only place you have to go right now is your parents' house. Pack your things and be out by... no, by the day after tomorrow."
"W-what are you talking about? Why break up—no, I... I'm sorry. I really messed up. I have nothing left because I've been living with you. How can you tell me to leave now?"
"You never had anything to begin with. This house, the clothes you're wearing—everything was bought with the money I earned. I'm not asking for them back. Just take your things and go."
"Wow—you're a real piece of work. Was it really that painful for you to spend money on me? Are you throwing me away the second you think my lawsuit might affect you?"
Instead of reflecting on his own faults, Hwang Do-hoon immediately shifted the blame to Ju-hee.
However, Ju-hee showed no emotion at his words. She spoke in a calm, level voice.
"Think whatever you want, but the outcome won't change. I'm breaking up with you. And in two days, you won't be here."
"Ju-hee, Ju-hee. We were happy. I was wrong, okay? I said I was wrong! I'll apologize to Jeong Yeon-woo, alright? I'll go and tell him I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, and I'll tell him to take good care of you, Ju-hee."
Hwang Do-hoon dropped to his knees and began to beg desperately.
Ju-hee looked down at him with indifferent eyes and shook her head.
"Please, don't do things like that."
"Okay, I won't. I said I won't! I'll stay home and be quiet. I can do better, really. Ju-hee, I love you. You love me too. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"
"Don't you think that when someone starts acting 'unlike themselves,' there's usually a good reason for it?"
Ju-hee started to say more but closed her mouth.
It didn't matter. He wouldn't listen anyway.
Having completely given up on Hwang Do-hoon as a person, she pulled out another bag and began packing her own essentials.
"It'll be awkward for us to see each other, so I'll come back in two days. I'm sorry, but if you're still here then, I'll call the police to have you removed if I have to."
"Are you threatening me now—no, that's not it! I said I'll do better! Please don't kick me out!"
The roles were reversed, but it was exactly like the novels he wrote online—one side crying and begging for forgiveness. In his stories, the protagonist would have coolly accepted the apology, but in reality, Ju-hee only gave him a cold shoulder.
Ignoring his sobbing and clinging, Ju-hee walked out of the apartment.
She could hear his wailing through the closed front door, but she still felt nothing.
As she headed toward a motel near Square Garden, Ju-hee suddenly stopped and pulled out her smartphone.
"Hello? Ju-hee, is something wrong?"
Jeong Yeon-woo answered immediately.
Hearing his usual voice made Ju-hee’s heart flutter strangely. She struggled to find her voice.
"I shouldn't be asking this, but... would you buy me a drink?"
"Sure, that works out well. I'll send you the address. Come here."
The message Jeong Yeon-woo sent contained the address of a pub.
A short while later, Ju-hee arrived at the location.
The pub was tucked away in a quiet area and wasn't very crowded, so she found Jeong Yeon-woo easily.
"Ah, over here, Ju-hee."
The members of Black Unicorn were also at the table.
As heroes who had to maintain their physical condition, drinking wasn't a common occurrence. Unless it was a major celebration or a rare day off once every few weeks, they didn't usually have drinking sessions. Ju-hee, finding herself in the middle of such a rare occasion, immediately apologized.
"I'm sorry. It looks like you were having some team time. I feel like I'm intruding."
"Not at all. the members wanted to see you too."
His words didn't seem like empty politeness; the members were looking at Ju-hee with genuine interest.
"Nice to meet you. We've seen your face a few times, but this is our first time actually talking," Lee Yu-na said.
"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Hero Lee Yu-na."
"Just call me comfortably. We're all members of Black Unicorn, aren't we?"
Ju-hee felt a surge of gratitude that even the staff were considered "members," and she nodded.
"So, what's going on with that bast—I mean... your boyfriend?" Kwon Ye-jin asked.
"Is now really the time to ask that? Read the room," Yu-na chided.
"Hey! I'm curious. Honestly, everyone's curious."
Despite getting smacked on the back by Lee Yu-na, Kwon Ye-jin spoke up boldly, seeking agreement from the others.
"It's okay. And he's not my boyfriend anymore."
With everyone's attention on her, Ju-hee calmly explained what had happened that day.
She didn't hide a thing—Hwang Do-hoon’s complete lack of remorse, her demand for a breakup and for him to move out, and her decision to leave the house for two days to avoid seeing him.
Seeing Ju-hee look a bit more relieved after venting, Kwon Ye-jin scowled.
"Why are you even giving him time? If it were me, I would've started with a punch to the face."
"He needs time to get his affairs in order. Being homeless is incredibly difficult. Even two days is a short amount of time."
"Wow... you're a saint. Don't you want to see him suffer after being kicked out?"
"Are you a hero or a villain? Act your age," Yu-na snapped at Ye-jin. She then looked at Ju-hee with a somber expression. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if that man refuses to leave, there's no legal way to force him out immediately. Since you've lived together for a year, it can be recognized as a common-law marriage. It wouldn't count as a refusal to vacate, and in these matters, the law tends to favor the man as the socially vulnerable party."
Jeong Yeon-woo looked at Yu-na with wide, surprised eyes, but no one noticed.
"I just have to hope he leaves..."
"Do you think he will?"
"... ..."
Ju-hee couldn't answer Yu-na's question.
"Why wouldn't the law protect me when I'm telling someone to get out of my house?" Ye-jin grumbled.
"The law is complicated. Stop butting in and just drink your beer," Yu-na said, refilling Ye-jin's empty glass before turning back to Ju-hee. "You've been on that monthly lease for over four years, right?"
"Yes. You're very well-informed."
"I read the files the clan gathered as soon as the incident broke. Anyway, the solution is simple. Just find a new place."
"A new place...?"
When Ju-hee asked for clarification, Yu-na gave a sly smile.
"Yes. Since your contract ended, you're currently on an implicit renewal. Usually, you have to give a tenant up to three months if no new tenant is found, but there are hardly any vacancies in that area. You could probably find a new tenant in less than a month."
"Implicit? What's an implicit renewal?" Ye-jin asked.
"Oh look, your glass is empty again. Drink up, chug it down."
As Ye-jin struggled with the legal terminology, Yu-na poured her more beer to distract her, then gave Ju-hee a mischievous grin.
"Isn't it obvious how your... ex-lover will act? He's the type to procrastinate and dawdle even after being told to leave, only to start panicking when the reality finally hits him."
Ju-hee couldn't argue; Yu-na had described Hwang Do-hoon perfectly, as if she had seen him herself.
"Just imagine it. The contract ends, and that man is left alone in an empty house. He'll be sleeping on the floor because there's no bed, worrying about the future but doing absolutely nothing like the loser he is. Eventually, the landlord and the new tenant will show up and kick him out, and he'll be wandering the streets with nothing but a suitcase and no plan."
"You told me to act like an adult, but you're the real villain here," Ye-jin muttered, looking appalled by Yu-na's wicked grin.
Ju-hee, who thought she had moved past her emotions, found herself tempted by the idea. She felt a slight sense of self-loathing for finding the thought of someone else's suffering enjoyable.
"Suppressing justified anger doesn't make you a good person; it makes you a pushover."
Reading Ju-hee's emotions, Yu-na whispered like a tempting devil.
"You're really dark, you know that?" Ye-jin said.
"There's no need to be 'just' toward someone who doesn't deserve it. You should be careful too, Ye-jin."
As Yu-na teased her and leaned in close, Ye-jin made a face and pushed her away with her elbow.
"Alright, let's toast! This is a celebration, after all."
The group clinked glasses and downed their drinks.
The cold beer hit the spot, and the atmosphere remained warm and friendly as they chatted and enjoyed their time before parting ways.
Yoon A-young took home Anna, who had been nodding off since before Ju-hee arrived. Meanwhile, Kwon Ye-jin stuck close to Ju-hee, acting very friendly.
"Unni, come stay at my place. Staying in a motel is uncomfortable."
"I don't want to be a burden..."
"Oh, stop it! It's fine. I have an extra room. Just stay with me until you find a new place. You always seemed so stiff at work, but you're actually really fun. Ah, Master! Let's have more drinks at my place! Ju-hee Unni is coming too!"
Because of Ye-jin's boisterous and overwhelming energy, Ju-hee couldn't find a way to refuse and ended up heading to her house.
Yu-na tagged along as well. After buying more alcohol and snacks at a convenience store, the four of them continued their drinking party at the house.
As the night grew late, Ju-hee was the first to excuse herself and went to sleep in the room Ye-jin had prepared.
Grateful for the stroke of luck that led her to a place to stay, Ju-hee lay in the unfamiliar bed and thought about her future. She reflected on her past affection for Hwang Do-hoon and his recent repulsive behavior. After much thought, she let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes.
Having decided to follow Yu-na's advice and find a new home, her mind felt much lighter.
When she had first left the apartment, she felt so suffocated that she had reached out to Jeong Yeon-woo despite knowing she probably shouldn't. But now, having laid down her burdens, she felt incredibly peaceful.
It was strange how the pain could vanish in less than a day. With that thought, Ju-hee drifted into a quiet sleep.
I'll give it my all again starting tomorrow.
... ...
... ...
Ju-hee woke up in the middle of the night, partly due to the unfamiliar bed and partly because of all the beer she had consumed.
Recalling where the bathroom was, she quietly got up and stepped out of the room.
Seeing the living room had been cleaned up, she felt a sense of pride in Ye-jin for tidying up even while drunk. But as she headed toward the bathroom, she froze at the sound of a sob.
"Hng... ah... haa... ahh..."
Ju-hee’s eyes widened. She stood frozen, focusing her ears on the ghostly sound.
After a moment of paralysis, she slowly turned her gaze toward Ye-jin's room.
"Ahhh... ah, nng..."
The door wasn't fully closed, and the sounds were leaking out.
The sweet moans, the rustling of sheets from frantic movement, and the wet, splashing sounds—Ju-hee didn't need an explanation to know exactly what was happening.
The shock hit her like a physical blow, and a memory resurfaced. This had happened before.
Back then, it wasn't with the Black Unicorn members, but while drinking with Baek Bo-min and Jeong Yeon-woo, before he had even started his hero activities.
"... ..."
She had woken up in the motel room Jeong Yeon-woo had booked for her, only to hear the sound of intense, wild sex coming from Baek Bo-min's room.
A sound so incredible it didn't seem like it could come from a man of this world...
Ju-hee found herself moving toward the small crack in the door that held the secret.
Even as her mind told her she shouldn't, her feet wouldn't stop. Covering her mouth with her hand, she peered through the narrow opening.