Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: I'm Home. _(2)
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“Woof! Woof!”
Dahye, back in dog mode, was barking on the floor.
Looking up at me with an expression like she was thrilled to death.
Yeah. Sure, that makes sense.
In a world where hallucinations appear, reality turns into Billion Saga, and HR reps become male prostitutes.
What's a little thing like a person turning into a dog? Pfft, as if that's nothing.
My head was spinning from the sheer disconnect.
“Hey, what are you doing? Get up already!”
“Woof! Woof!”
But no matter how much I yelled, Dahye just glared back at me defiantly.
If I tried to ignore her and head inside, she'd block my path.
Rubbing her shoulder against my leg.
Damn... you're really taking this all the way, huh.
“What's your deal? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Woof!”
Her face, crawling on all fours, showed unyielding determination.
Hand over what I want, or I'll bite you dead! That kind of look.
I have zero intention of playing along with this perverted crap.
God, I hate myself for this, but...
I knew exactly why Dahye was acting like this.
I even knew what she wanted.
Because... that's when she started turning into a dog—right after I said it.
[What are you, a dog or something? I step out for a bit, and you come running to the door like that?]
That's what I'd said when I brought Dahye's stuff from the goshiwon and she came out to greet me.
Come to think of it, Dahye always came out to greet me.
Not just from the goshiwon, but every time I logged into Billion Saga, she'd send a 1:1 message like an eager puppy.
And pour all her energy into expressing her joy in chat.
I found it so touching that I grew to love Billion Saga even more.
Looking forward to the next greeting, I'd log in again.
That's how we'd spent 8 years together.
After greeting me so many times, had she developed some kind of pride in it?
Enough to turn into a dog just to up the quality?
If that's the case, it made me grateful, a bit bittersweet, and left my feelings all tangled up in a weird way.
Embarrassing as it is... ignoring her now would be kinda heartless.
After making her greet me for 8 years.
I'd half-expected something like this the moment I saw her as a dog...
But this idiot ends up feeding the beast anyway.
“Sigh...”
I knelt down in the entryway and cupped Dahye's face with both hands.
“Woof! Woof!”
Whether she sensed my mood or not, she was just thrilled.
I scratched her chin, and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back.
From cheek to chin, chin to neck, neck to forehead, bridge of her nose—the more I petted, the bolder she got, pushing forward.
Until she knocked me flat on my back.
Climbing onto me as I leaned against the shoe cabinet.
Rubbing her face against my neck.
Her brown hair was a mess in front of my eyes.
Golden retriever, much?
Her scent was messing with my hormones again, apparently.
My hand was patting her back without permission.
Then her voice came from within my arms.
“Welcome home, Seonghyeon.”
She hadn't even gotten one proper greeting out.
“You came home with me, you dummy.”
“Nuh-uh! I waited two days for you. So I'm gonna greet you double for it.”
“Yeah... you held out for so long. Props to Park Dahye's endurance.”
“Heehee. I did good, right?”
Good my ass.
Right now, past Dahye's shoulder, I could see the balcony.
Mop hanging on the drying rack—did she clean? Nah, probably dusted her figures.
Thanks for that, but...
The herbs behind the drying rack had wilted, their leaves drooping pitifully.
I'd promised to reward her if she watered them properly for four days.
But she ditched them and flew down to Busan in one day.
Of course they'd end up like that.
Couldn't hold out, chased me to Busan, stole my body and my heart,
And even turned me into a beast on top of it.
But still, she waited two days.
Wanna praise her, but the herbs are wilted.
Irresponsible actions come with consequences.
The withered herbs crossed that line.
“Park Dahye. You've gotten way too cheeky lately.”
We have boundaries too, you know.
Skinship is bed-only.
So right now, I should land a side kick and send her flying.
How dare a woman tease her man in the dead of night!
Something like that.
“Park Dahye. Enough now. I'm gonna shower and sleep.”
“Ugh... once I sit down, I can't get up... Just five minutes...”
“Hugs are bed-only. I broke the rules a lot in Busan too, but wrong is wrong.”
“What's the diff... Bed or here, lying down is lying down.”
Seizing the moment, Dahye knocked me over and wrapped around my neck completely.
She really doesn't listen.
Wonseok hyung thinks Dahye listens to me, but he's wrong.
Dahye doesn't listen to anyone.
She just charges toward whatever she wants, on her own terms.
Just like how she pulled off this perfect cosplay despite my protests.
I'm getting tired now.
What will Dahye be like a year from now?
No doubt, grown in a way totally different from what I imagine.
On her own terms.
Because she's Park Dahye.
Then, suddenly, Dahye's eyes went wide.
“Oh! Right! The herbs!”
“You just noticing now?”
“What do I do... They're all wilted... Sorry, Seonghyeon...”
“It's fine. Water 'em tomorrow, and they'll perk right up.”
“For real?”
“Yeah.”
For real.
I didn't know at first when we started growing them.
Stuff like basil or mint droop and bury their heads if you skip even one day.
Scared they'd die, I watered them daily and babied them.
But water every day, and they grow too fast—roots lag, stems weaken, turning into wimps that wilt after a day without.
Flip it: cut the attention, let 'em wilt like that for days, and even if stems and leaves don't grow, the roots fill the pot underground.
Waiting for the next rain.
Waterlogged plump basil vs. the totally wilted one.
Experience says the wilted one survives in the end.
So the owner's job is simple.
Just trust the herbs and provide a big pot for those roots to spread.
Just occurred to me—Dahye's no different from the weeds.
She'll grow however she wants, no matter what I say.
Nagging'll just tire me out.
All I can do is prep a big pot.
For her to stretch those roots wild.
Screw it, whatever.
I scooped Dahye up and flipped our positions.
Who's on top now?
Your turn to feel it.
“Aigoo, my pretty baby! You guarded the house so well!”
“Eek~! Hee! Wait! That's cheating! Th-this isn't...!”
I already knew her waist was her weak spot.
I raked my fingers across her belly wildly.
Dog or not, can't handle a little tickling?
“Uwheee, our puppy missed me so much, what to do~!”
“Uwaaa! Tickles!! Stop!! Stop it!”
“For real stop?”
“Stop!! For real!”
“Acting all big over nothing. I'm warning you— no more dog stuff from now on.”
Sigh... wasted my energy for nothing.
I'm beat.
Dahye was sprawled on the floor panting, and I leaned against the shoe cabinet staring at the ceiling.
Didn't realize from TV, but raising a big dog is no joke.
We lay there forever, neither of us bothering to get up.
After days in a hotel, seeing our ceiling felt familiar.
A feeling I'd had thousands of times over the past 8 years.
Clearing dungeons with Dahye, beating rival players, surviving crises,
Filling inventory with loot,
Heading back to our warehouse.
Exhausted but reluctant to log out.
Holding each other for silly reasons.
Chatting about fun nonsense for hours on end.
Now re-created in our home.
Even business trips turn into adventures with Dahye.
We came back together,
But suddenly I got what it felt like for her to greet me.
So I said it too.
“I'm home.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I showered and flopped onto the bed.
Dahye, wiped out too, crawled in with wet hair.
Too lazy to dry it—I'll just toss a towel on the pillow.
Then naturally rested my head on her back.
Confident I'd be out in 2 seconds tonight.
But then Dahye yelped “Eek!” and turned around.
“Jeez, you scared me. What's up?”
“Right! The guild leader said to tell you! I forgot!”
“Tell me what?”
“She sent you a gift and said buy her a meal next time! You didn't get it? You didn't leave it in Busan, right?”
“A gift?”
“No way! You didn't get it!?”
Of course not.
As if a gift would come.
She doesn't even know my hotel room number—how could she send one?
I get what she was thinking now.
Already hyped hearing we were living together, then Dahye follows me to Busan? She must've been thrilled.
Wonseok hyung's “gift” was definitely the golden retriever bit.
Thanks to it, work went great, I slept well, was happy—so yeah, meal's on me.
I nodded to Dahye and said,
“It's fine. I definitely got it.”
“Phew... good thing.”
But suddenly, an uneasy thought hit.
No way that guy let a fun topic like this slide.
“Park Dahye.”
“Yeah?”
“The guild leader didn't say anything weird, did she?”
“Weird? Nope.”
“Good. From now on, no asking her for favors. She attaches weird conditions and blackmails you.”
“Really? The guild leader's super nice, though.”
“Just listen to me. I know her best.”
“Okay...”
Phew, at least nothing happened.
Thought she'd pry about what went down between us.
Now I can sleep easy.
“Seonghyeon. So when's the guild meetup? I said I'd go 'cause you were.”
Figures.
No way she'd let it go.
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