· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
Translated by BiasNil
· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
Lee Ha-yul.
It's been a week since she started living in this mansion.
"Are you awake?"
"Oh? Yeah…"
Her younger brother, Cha-yun, yawned as he came out of the room next door.
After rubbing her hair, she got up.
She washed up and changed.
Passing through the long hallway to the living room, she saw a woman with long, straight black hair preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
Maybe she heard someone approaching—she paused, raised her head, and when their eyes met, she smiled widely and greeted her.
"Ha-yul, you're up. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, Su-bin. Did you sleep well, too?"
"Yes."
She smiled and returned to cooking.
Ha-yul helped her with the meal.
At first, Su-bin told her it was okay and tried to stop her, but when Ha-yul insisted she wanted to help, she reluctantly let her join.
For breakfast, they simply made fried rice with various side dishes.
Soon, two more appeared; footsteps came down the stairs.
"Seo-eun, open your eyes when you walk. You're going to fall."
"Hmmmmm, please hold me."
"Oh, my…"
A girl with a silver bob and a man came down together.
The girl was Han Seo-eun, two years younger than her, and the man was Da-in, the owner of the house.
"Did you all sleep well? Yawn."
"Good morningggg…"
The two drifted over and flopped onto the sofa with their eyes half-closed. They only lived together, but they always looked lifeless in the morning.
The food was almost ready.
Su-bin went to wake the two dozing on the sofa, and Ha-yul went to wake her brother in his room.
"Cha-yun… you're already studying?"
"Yes!"
When she opened Cha-yun's door, he was at his desk studying even before breakfast.
They were set to start school on Monday, and her little brother said he wanted to prepare in advance.
She was proud he was studying on his own, but…
'Cha-yun, why are you studying so hard?'
'I'm going to study and become a great person, then I'll help Da-in.'
She couldn't help but let out a bitter little laugh at her brother's confident declaration…
"The food is ready, let's go eat."
"Okay!"
Cha-yun finished the problem he was on, then headed to the living room.
Watching him, she felt a twinge of bitterness.
He wants to study so badly, but until now she hadn't been able to feed him properly, much less make room for studying.
They went out again; everyone sat at the table.
She and her brother sat, and only then did everyone pick up their spoons.
"Thank you for the food."
"Thank you for the food."
And so they ate.
The fried rice was delicious.
"Seo-eun, open your eyes and eat!"
"Oh… they're open…"
"Cha-yun, don't be picky with the side dishes. You're eating well!"
Su-bin smiled, and Cha-yun replied bravely while chewing.
"Yes! I need to eat well to grow up like Da-in!"
"Yes! Hahahaha. You have to eat a lot to become a great person like this big brother."
"Ugh… I hate your self-consciousness."
"Tsk…"
Watching Da-in and Seo-eun banter and bicker, Lee Ha-yul smiled without realizing it.
It had been a week since they started living in this house.
Not long, not short.
But for Lee Ha-yul, living together for a week felt like a long time.
The man sitting across from her trading jabs with the girl beside him was Da-in.
He was the most famous villain in Korea—Egostic.
Three terrorist attacks so far, and dozens of other villains defeated.
She hadn't known—she was usually run over by work—but he was very popular. Even Cha-yun liked him.
He was always watching some video full of clattering sounds, and when she wondered what it was, it turned out to be Egostic…
Living together, Egostic wasn't like how the world saw him. He was… a good person? That's what she thought.
When he first asked them to live with him and offered to support them, she suspected he wanted something.
She didn't think that anymore.
Even when she doubted his money because he gave so generously, that thought vanished the moment she saw this huge mansion.
Oh. He really has… a lot of money.
Egostic—Da-in—kept his word and didn't demand anything of them.
And what she felt living with him was that he didn't seem the type to do so. He played with Cha-yun and looked after her.
And Su-bin, who lived with them—she treated Ha-yul and Cha-yun like younger siblings. She went out to buy clothes, taught her cooking, and handled the school paperwork…
Lee Ha-yul felt grateful—and sorry—to them.
It had only been a week.
She still felt like she was dreaming.
It seemed like yesterday she remembered the orphanage head's abuse from childhood, and until recently she'd lived in a shabby house.
How was she suddenly living in such a grand, old-fashioned mansion, eating three meals a day like some noble lady?
In truth, more than her own satisfaction, it was the fact that her younger brother, Cha-yun, could grow up without such pain that made her happiest.
Her little brother, whom she always took care of, had often been bullied by the orphanage head because he'd been weak since young.
Just seeing him smiling brightly as he ate made her feel full.
At the same time, she glanced at Da-in again.
This man—Da-in—was the reason she could enjoy this luxury.
No, in fact, she and her brother might have died back then if he hadn't helped.
But how did he know and come for them?
He saved her and her brother.
Honestly, the other reason she trusted Da-in had a lot to do with Su-bin. Since moving in, she'd looked up everything about Egostic, and in the process learned about Su-bin, too.
Su-bin was similar to her.
Da-in had taken her in—even though she was the one who'd carried out terror.
Online, people fought over what Egostic had done for her.
She knew now. Su-bin was doing well.
In fact, Su-bin was angelically kind—but she had also been the sort of terrorist who'd caused an attack.
Egostic was an A-class villain the Association closely watched.
That silver-haired girl—she looked cute and small on the outside, but turned out to be a genius hacker.
But none of that mattered.
What mattered was that they welcomed her and her brother like family.
She wasn't proud of herself either. She'd scraped by pickpocketing at first…
As time passed, she became truly grateful to Da-in. Now, there was no doubt left—only gratitude.
Although he didn't seem to know about her ability—to heal others' wounds.
'If he ever comes back injured…'
She would repay him then. She quietly resolved that to herself.
***
"Uncle, let's go to the basement."
"Seo-eun… we finally moved—go get some sunshine."
"Oh, come on."
"Okay, alright. I get it."
Seo-eun whined so much that I finally headed for the basement. If I didn't, she'd keep calling me "uncle"…! How can she call me that now, after calling me hyung…?
Getting there is simple. We just use the teleportation device.
A teleportation device Seo-eun spent three months making. It's like the TARDIS in Doctor Who—we can go straight to the old basement just by opening the door.
There's a limit: it only moves between paired devices, but… well, the goal was to link the house to the basement.
After being stuck underground for three months, I realized this isn't a place for people to live.
Before, I didn't feel it because I was busy working, but once we took a break, the claustrophobia hit. People should live under sunlight.
So I decided to buy a large mansion deep in a mountain valley. Even if I still have money left, it was a big spend.
When I see this magnificent mansion—like something from the '80s—my heart swells.
There's only one reason I bought such a big house.
Because this will be the future headquarters of my Villain Union—Ego-Squad—once I lure in many talented people.
There are five of us living together now, but it'll be full someday, no doubt.
…Right?
"Haa. As expected, home is the best."
"Seo-eun, our house up there is a palace-like mansion…"
"I'm comfortable here. Gosh, my monitors. You were lonely, right?"
Of course, some opposed moving—like Seo-eun, now hugging her monitors.
At least Su-bin likes it. I was happy to see her taking care of the other two. She likes kids more than I thought. Come to think of it, she and Seo-eun got close fast.
Those siblings. Somehow, I think I succeeded in getting close to them. Well, I rescued kids who were living like beggars. I gave them a house. I almost saved their lives—if they didn't like me after that, that'd be weird, right?
That Lee Cha-yun kid? It really helped that he's my fan. I saw him "brainwashing" his sister about Egostic. Reassuring!
Anyway, it's great to have Lee Ha-yul with us. It's almost like having several spare lives. Even if I'm on the verge of death, I can run to her and she'll save me. Maybe?
Either way, with Lee Ha-yul on board, I feel like I've accomplished something.
Three months… no, almost four now? Anyway, I think I've had a fruitful run. It's almost winter.
"Oppa, what are you thinking about again?"
While I spaced out, Seo-eun puffed her cheeks and stared at me. She's been glued to me ever since the siblings moved in.
"Nothing. Anyway, Seo-eun—let's do it."
"What? Do what?"
Seo-eun tilted her head, and I grinned.
"What else? A new terrorist attack."
I've rested too long.
At this rate, the public will forget me.
I need to put some tension back on this loose peninsula, pull some aggro to Stardust, and head off future crises.
*
[If Mangostic doesn't come back next week, I'll poop my pants]
I warned you.
=[Comment]=
[We support you]
[I'm going to poop in front of Gwanghwamun. Don't stop me.]
ㄴ[Captured]
ㄴ[So we'll see each other at Gwanghwamun next week, right?]
ㄴ[M][Captured, and I'll block you if you don't poop.]
ㄴ[Manager appeared lolol]
[The author ordered another pair of pants.]
[Are you still waiting? You guys are harsh lol.]
*
…To stop our Mango Union from actually pooping their pants, I need to stage a new terrorist attack.
Seo-eun's face lit up when I said "terrorist attack." Did I raise her wrong? She turned into a middle schooler who loves terrorism. Is she in high school now…?
"Wow! Are you finally doing it?"
"Hmm… yeah. The concept for this one is…"
Let's go with "The Collapse of Mapo Bridge."
Mapo Bridge is going down, you brats.
I'm going to break it.