There's more to investigate, we need to go to the Association immediately, and various other things. The ability users said this, but Irina is beside me.
A woman who would ignore any chatter with "Where's some mutt barking?" She practically forced me into the car, saying let's go quickly.
The appearance was so pathetic that I thought about protesting a bit. But it felt like she was trying to rescue me from their clutches, so I decided to just stay silent.
I sit in the passenger seat and look out the window. I can see Irina shooing away the ability users, yelling "Get lost! Don't you dare go there!" I can't tell if she's chasing people or pigeons.
The problem is that if you get hit wrong by that flailing hand, you'd get at least 8 weeks of treatment.
After successfully chasing away the pigeons—no, the ability users, Irina immediately gets in the car, starts the engine, and takes off.
"Wait! Irina! I'm..."
...I think I just heard the pitiful scream of Irina's secretary from somewhere.
Since I heard it faintly, there's a very high probability that Irina heard it clearly. But Irina just keeps pressing the accelerator as if she knows nothing.
It seems like because of me, she's suddenly stuck with overtime and now even abandoned. I should buy her expensive cafe coffee sometime when I meet her.
It's been over 30 minutes since I got another ride in Irina's car. She said we're going to a hotel, but just how far are we going? Is there some good place?
I wanted to ask something, but unfortunately, I don't know the first thing about hotels. In contrast, Irina probably goes in and out of 5-star hotels like her own home.
They say don't write in front of Confucius, don't slice rice cakes in front of Han Seokbong's mother. When it comes to hotels, Irina is much more of an expert than me, so it's wise to keep my mouth shut now.
'...Wait. Is this really the wise thing?'
Should I ask or not? I think I spent about 5 minutes on that dilemma. And the conclusion was to try it even if I get scolded.
"It seems like we've been going for almost 40 minutes."
An indirect question about how much longer to the hotel.
"We're almost there. About 10 minutes left? We'll be there soon. Our house."
What did I just hear? I must have heard wrong. Otherwise, there's no way the word 'house' would come out instead of hotel.
"What did you just say?"
"What? Ah, our house?"
"You already heard it, so why are you asking again? Right now, you and I, Seojin oppa, we're going to our house."
"We're going to Irina's house."
I wondered if she was playing a prank again and stared at Irina intently. But she was just driving with the most serious expression in the world. Looking closely, I don't see any hint of mischief in her eyes or mouth.
Only then did I realize. And I had to admit it. This woman is serious. This woman has really gone crazy.
"Excuse me, Irina? You just called your house a 5-star hotel?"
"It's actually better than a 5-star hotel, you know? Why do you think 'special' is in Special Residential District?"
No, I'm not asking about the objective level of the house right now, woman. My head is throbbing. This is really South Korea's strongest S-rank...?
"No, I'm not asking about the house's level. You're going to your house while lying to me that it's a 'hotel.' That's what I'm asking about."
"Me? When? I never said hotel."
Irina's answer was so confident that I was momentarily flustered. Am I remembering wrong? I hurriedly recall the situation from 30 minutes ago.
"Yes. Hotel, hotel. A 5-star hotel at that. No, maybe even better than that? Anyway, let's go. I'll come with you. Secretary! Secretary!! Hand over the car keys!!"
Never said it my ass. That's totally a lie, damn it!
"Please be reasonable. Does this make sense right now?"
"What doesn't make sense? Seojin oppa currently has no house. Therefore, no place to sleep. But for tomorrow's work, you need to spend the night somewhere. Since you can't go just anywhere, you're coming to our house. The end."
"What do you mean 'the end'? Do you only think about yourself, Irina? What about me? And what about the parents living at your place?"
"Eh? Why are you suddenly talking about my parents?"
You're asking that now. It's your house. It seems like you live with your parents, but at this late hour, bringing a strange man...
"Just so you know, my parents and I live separately."
What the hell is this bullshit??
"Ah... No, wait. Wait a minute. Didn't you say last time that you got curfews and going-out bans?"
"Yes. I still get them occasionally."
"You said you live separately from your parents. But..."
According to Irina's explanation, it's true that both she and her parents live in the Special Residential District. However, due to various circumstances, she moved out separately and lives on the upper floor?
When I asked why she does that, the answer was quite something.
"Mom says she feels like she'll die of frustration just looking at me. But she says she'd worry if we lived completely apart, so as a middle compromise, we decided to live on upper and lower floors."
"Then when I cause trouble, she grabs my ear and drags me downstairs."
I can imagine it. Irina causing trouble every day and getting scolded a lot. Irina's mother, whose heart must be bursting thinking why our daughter is .
Really, being a parent might be the world's worst job.
That's what you call a fire-attribute filial daughter. Yes indeed. You don't need to look far. If you were born so pretty, shouldn't you be filial!
"Anyway. What I mean by our house is the place where I live alone. So it's fine, right?"
Fine my ass. What's fine about it?
"It's not fine at all. You're telling me to go sleep at the place where you lives alone?"
"Why? Ah, are you worried you might not be able to resist male instincts and do something bad to me?"
"Cut the crap already. I'm worried about the opposite."
TN: Understandable hahaha
I'm no longer a civil servant. That means I can say what I want to say too.
Of course, I should maintain minimum honor as an Academy examiner. But it's still better than when I was a civil servant, that was the conclusion.
"Drop me off at any nearby hotel. I'll handle it myself."
"I don't want to go to your house."
"We're going to be neighbors anyway starting tomorrow. What's the problem with doing it a day early?"
...Right. Thinking about it, my chest is already getting stuffy. If I end up living in the Special Residential District, I'll inevitably keep running into Irina. Even now I can't handle this woman, so will I be able to handle her then?
"And hotels are impossible. Elders have been clinging to Seojin oppa several times already."
It was an undeniable fact. Already Kwak Hyeok twice, Hyeon Sujin twice. Actually, if it weren't for Irina this time, it might have been quite troublesome.
Hyeon Sujin said she came to have a conversation, but the last moment wasn't like that. When I said I wouldn't agree with her intentions, she immediately showed hostility.
If you won't join, you're definitely an enemy. Truly dangerous binary logic. But thinking about what she went through, it seems understandable. Originally, love changes everything about a person, and sometimes destroys them too.
I briefly had this thought creeping up. What if I told Irina this fact and got Irina to move? If she dealt with all the related people like that, wouldn't Hyeon Sujin come back?
'...It would be difficult.'
If it could be solved that easily, Hyeon Sujin would have done it.
Since they erased all evidence, the other side can just stick to playing dumb. I also don't possess anything that could serve as evidence.
And setting everything else aside, if Irina went on a rampage... Hmm, let's stop. I can't even handle Kwak Hyeok and Hyeon Sujin as Elders. If we add the crazy yellow woman as an Elder too, South Korea is definitely screwed.
'Ah, speaking of which.'
I forgot the most important thing.
"I said thank you. In any case, you helped me."
It may not have been with complete hostility that she came. But in any case, Hyeon Sujin is an Elder, a clear enemy of ability users.
At the moment when I was faced with that enemy, Irina stepped forward and pulled her away. If it weren't for her, I might have had to fight quite a difficult battle.
Unlike Kwak Hyeok, where frontal breakthrough was somewhat possible, The Hyeon Sujin I remember makes frontal combat completely impossible unless you're at Irina's level. Hiding in shadows and continuously pouring out attacks—who could withstand that?
"What? I'm graciously thanking you, and your reaction is just 'uh, um'?"
"Ah, shit. I-it's because you suddenly did this, so I'm flustered! Can't I even be flustered?!"
"Because you're the super-strong, super-beautiful Irina as you said yourself?"
At my words, Irina's face instantly turns red. No exaggeration, it's like looking at a red traffic light ahead.
'Why? Is she embarrassed hearing her own words from someone else's mouth?'
Still, it's fortunate. At least she has the awareness to be embarrassed. I was embarrassed for her seeing how confidently she said it last time.
The plan to infiltrate deep into Seojin oppa's heart became a mess. But it wasn't too bad. Rather, now is better.
'Perfect. It's a good excuse to bring Seojin oppa to my house!'
Traitor woman. I even felt grateful to Hyeon Sujin. For about 3 seconds?
Anyway, as soon as I got in the car, I stepped on the accelerator hard. I think the secretary said something from behind, but I don't know. Sorry. See you tomorrow.
Seojin oppa noticed my plan after 40 minutes passed.
When I said we're going to my house, not a hotel, he immediately said let's go to a hotel. Am I crazy? Would I do that? When opportunity comes, you have to grab it! Meanwhile, Seojin oppa asking if it would be rude to my parents was very cute.
Finally giving up, Seojin oppa sighs and looks out the window.
Did I act too selfishly? Does he not even want to talk now? Just a little, I'm getting worried. I unconsciously bit my lip.
When I thought "Let's bring Seojin oppa home!" I was happy. But seeing that reaction directly, I felt like I did something unnecessary. Should I turn the car around even now? I was even considering that.
The grateful greeting from Seojin oppa flying into my ears. Suddenly my whole body tingles. I don't know what to say.
This is really the first time, so I unconsciously let out a sigh. Seojin oppa heard that and scolded me asking if that's an answer. I felt wronged for a moment and said can't I even be flustered.
"Because you're the super-strong, super-beautiful Irina as you said yourself?"
Super-beautiful. Super-beautiful. Super-beautiful... Ah. I see. That means oppa also secretly thinks I'm pretty?
Isn't this what they call a green light!?
Yes, I'm sure! Absolutely! This is it! I'm sealing the deal today!