Chapter 36: I am succeeding the main admin (2)

I was taken aback by the unexpected question.

Suddenly asking me to come to her house—I couldn’t fathom her intentions.

Although we’ve become closer through frequent contact, the impact of our disastrous first impression hadn’t entirely faded.

I stood still on the street, staring blankly at my phone.

Did something urgent happen that requires my presence?

What if something goes wrong if I ignore it?

After briefly pondering, I called Unni Juyeon.

Tri-ri-ri-

After a short ring, the call connected.

“…Unni?”

[Jia.]

My sister’s voice came through the speaker.

I frowned.

Her voice lacked energy, and she seemed to exude a gloomy atmosphere.

After a moment of silence, I cautiously asked,

“Unni, what’s wrong…?”

[I’m very tired and lonely… I don’t have anyone around me…]

“Ah…”

[Jia, please… could you come to my place for a little while? I want to see your face….]

Unni Juyeon’s voice conveyed a sense of desperation.

She seemed fine after our last meeting, but that wasn’t the case.

No, looking back, it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by a single meeting with me.

Did I think too easily?

I apologized to Unni and checked the time.

4:55 PM; it wasn’t late.

It’s just a quick visit, as Unni Hwajuyeon said. That should be fine, right?

I still have time before dinner.

A brief absence shouldn’t be a problem.

Having reached this conclusion, I held the phone to my ear.

“Unni. Where should I go?”

A loud clattering sound was clearly audible.

“Uh… Unni…?”

[Gulp! Can you come?]

“I have the time. But I don’t know where your house is.”

[I’ll send you the address via text!]

“Okay…”

Hearing my affirmative response, my sister’s energy level skyrocketed.

To the point where it was almost overwhelming. I trailed off.

Still, what’s done is done, right?

It’s much better than seeing her depressed.

Thinking positively, I ignored her urgent pleas about when I was coming and hung up.

Anyway, she said she’d send the address via text.

Ah, here it is.

I checked the address of Unni’s house that I had just received.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far. Maybe a 10-minute walk?

I sent a cat making an okay sign emoji before texting back.

That’s settled. Should I contact Mom?

It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

I hadn’t asked Mom yet.

As an adult, I don’t need permission to go out.

However, it’s better for both of us if I let her know where I’m going.

I called Mom and told her I was going out to play with a friend and would be home later.

As expected, Mom readily agreed. The only exception was my sister’s strong objection.

As if she had eavesdropped on our conversation, she snatched Mom’s phone and started yelling at me.

My mother even told her to stop making such a fuss.

I rubbed my throbbing ears; it felt like they were bleeding.

Having received permission from Mom, I set off for Unni Juyeon’s house without hesitation.

Even though I’m directionally challenged, I could find this place.

I might have leveled up.

I praised myself and walked for a while before spotting a small convenience store.

Come to think of it, this is a housewarming of sorts. Should I buy something?

It feels a little strange to go empty-handed.

After hesitating for a moment, I stopped at the convenience store.

Ting!

There was a female part-timer at the counter, but she was lying down and fast asleep, oblivious to my arrival.

Is it okay to be like that while working…?

Even though I’ve never had a job, even I could tell something was wrong with this.

I glanced at the negligent part-timer before looking around the convenience store.

Well, it’s none of my business.

I ignored it and walked around before arriving at the snack aisle, where I realized something.

I’ve never been to a housewarming before.

Having only seen housewarmings in the media, I couldn’t figure out what to buy.

Should I just grab some snacks…?

I randomly picked up some items and held them in my arms.

Four chocolate milk cartons and a few bags of sweet snacks.

Come to think of it, these are all my favorites; I wondered if they were suitable as housewarming gifts, but I’d already come too far to worry about it.

I carefully approached the counter, making sure not to drop the items I was holding.

Up close, the part-timer was still fast asleep, oblivious to my presence.

I looked around. There was no one else.

This means I have to wake her up.

In the end, I gently placed the items on the remaining space on the counter and cautiously called out to her.

“Excuse me…”

“Excuse me?”

“Snort…”

Whoa. Now she’s even snoring.

I blinked.

“Excuse me!”

“…”

“Excuuuuse me! There’s a customer here!”

No matter how loudly I called, there was no response.

Just talking wasn’t getting her to wake up.

How deeply was she asleep? I was starting to be impressed.

I have no choice. This is the one method I wanted to avoid.

Victory is certain. I’ll have to use the ear-blowing technique.

I approached the sleeping part-timer and bent down.

It’s your fault for not waking up.

I rationalized it and tucked the flowing brown hair behind her ear.

I should get a haircut sometime. While thinking that…

And then I made eye contact.

With the part-timer’s eyes, which had just opened.

“Uh…?”

“Aaack!?”

No, what kind of way is this to wake someone up before even trying?

I was disheartened.

Waking up to a stranger’s face right in front of her, the part-timer screamed and flinched back.

She was so startled that she was practically clinging to the wall behind the counter.

Gasping for breath, the part-timer asked me,

“Wh-who… who are you?”

“

…A customer.”

“Ah.”

A moment of silence followed.

I tried to hide my reddening face with my hands.

I was so embarrassed I wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

I came to buy a housewarming gift, yet I created a new embarrassing moment.

I should’ve just patted or shaken her awake. Why did I do that?

I deeply regretted it.

To be fair, if she wasn’t sleeping, this wouldn’t have happened.

Feeling wronged, I glared at the source of this incident.

I could see the part-timer’s appearance clearly for the first time.

A woman with fluffy black, curly hair and heavy dark circles under her eyes.

That decadent beauty suited her well.

I stared blankly at the part-timer’s face, hypnotized.

“

I’m so sorry…” Ah…

“Ah.”

I finally regained my senses after hearing the part-timer’s hesitant apology.

I waved my hands at the apologetic part-timer.

“No, it’s okay. I also did something I shouldn’t have, startling you.”

“But I fell asleep…”

“It’s alright, please just ring up my items.”

“Ah, yes!”

The part-timer hurriedly scanned my items one by one.

“Shall I give you a bag?”

“Yes, please.”

“

I received the plastic bag with my neatly placed items and started to leave.

I need to leave quickly because I’m so embarrassed.

“Goodbye…”

“Of…!”

I still managed a farewell.

I heard an unknown sigh from behind, but I had already left the convenience store.

I’m curious, but what would she have said?

Now is the time to forget this embarrassing incident. I shook it off.

After much ado, I finally arrived at the entrance of a very elegant-looking apartment building.

My sister lived on the 20th floor, quite high up.

“Is this the right place…?”

I turned on my phone and checked the address again.

This is definitely the right place…

I heard she lives alone. Isn’t this building a little large?

But she wouldn’t have sent a false address. I pressed the doorbell, half-doubting.

There was no response.

As expected. Is this the wrong place?

Just as I reached for my phone to call my sister…

Clank—

The front door opened, and an unidentified figure rushed out.

And rushed towards me.

“Wait…”

“Why are you so late!”

Orange-dyed hair fluttered.

The current main moderator of the Yuri Gallery.

Unni Hwajuyeon.

So this is where she lives.

Thinking that, I said,

“Unni, let’s go inside first.” “I don’t want to. I want to hug you more.”

“We can hug after we go inside.”

“Tch.”

While grumbling, my sister let me inside.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to question me.

“Why are you so late.”

“Ta-da!”

Instead of answering, I showed her the full plastic bag.

“Oh, what is it?”

“I bought it while I was here.”

My sister took the bag from my hand and checked what was inside.

I felt embarrassed and made an excuse.

“I, didn’t know what to buy, so I bought what I wanted.”

“It’s cute! You like Jia sweets.”

“Ugh…”

I nodded slightly, and my sister tried to run towards me again.

“Sister. We have something important here.”

“Huh?”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Jooyeon-noonǎ tilted her head after hearing what I said.

“Nothing happened?”