Chapter 108
Since there was no way Ki Seo-jung would ask him out on a date, Cha Yoon realized that without any likeability points, a date with Ki Seo-jung was out of the question. After pondering for a moment, Cha Yoon moved his finger again.
Real-time Administrator Chat
Can I ask just one thing?
Administrator
Please go ahead with your question.
Is there any way to get likeability points on credit?
Administrator
No, that’s not possible.
Faced with this firm answer, Cha Yoon gave up the idea. Since getting points on credit wasn’t an option, he had no choice but to gather likeability points himself.
He reviewed the likeability system rules he had received yesterday. There were two ways to gather likeability points: receiving messages from other cast members or getting help from hidden rules.
Since receiving messages from both parties would double the points, the best method would be to get a message from Ki Seo-jung. But Cha Yoon knew the reality. The probability of that happening was close to 0%.
“Damn, it’s not like I can ask other people to send me messages either.”
He barely had enough time to focus on Ki Seo-jung alone. He couldn’t spare attention for other cast members he wasn’t interested in. And truthfully, he had no desire to be nice to anyone else. So there was only one option left.
“…What could the hidden rules be?”
Cha Yoon muttered quietly. What do I need to do to gain likeability points? He racked his brain for a long time, but couldn’t come up with much.
No, there was one thing he knew for sure. Don’t act like a jerk to the other cast members.
Recalling the notification that had come almost immediately after he had said something to Jung Soo-ho the night before, Cha Yoon bit his lower lip. His stomach turned, but at least he had learned something, so it wasn’t a total loss.
First things first, it’s time for Ki Seo-jung to go to work, so I should get started on my tasks. Checking the time, Cha Yoon got up.
Cha Yoon left the terrace and stood in front of the kitchen sink. Thinking he’d make brunch since it would serve as both breakfast and lunch, he finished washing the cup he had used yesterday that was soaking in the sink. Just then, a buzzing sound came from his back pocket.
Cha Yoon dried his hands and took out his phone. After checking the screen, he raised one eyebrow.
! Hidden rule applied, 0.5 points added to cumulative likeability.
Cha Yoon’s total cumulative likeability is -11.
Cha Yoon looked back and forth between his phone and the sink. After repeating this several times, he slowly raised the corners of his mouth.
It seems he had found it. The hidden rule.
***
After lunch, Min-ha decided to go out to the garden with a book in hand, intending to get some vitamin D, which is said to be most lacking in modern people. As she was looking for the best spot to sit, she hesitated upon seeing Cha Yoon’s back.
What’s this? Did oppa come out for some photosynthesis too? Min-ha tilted her head before cautiously approaching Cha Yoon. As the distance between them shortened, she realized what he was doing.
“Cha Yoon oppa, are you watering the flower bed?”
Min-ha, now right next to Cha Yoon, spoke while looking at the watering can in his hands. Cha Yoon, who had been deeply focused on watering the plants, seemed startled by the sudden voice. He flinched and quickly hid the watering can behind his back. The unexpectedly long watering can stuck out from behind Cha Yoon’s back, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“What… is it? When did you come out?”
What is this oppa doing? Is that supposed to be hidden…? Min-ha’s gaze lingered on the protruding watering can before moving up to meet Cha Yoon’s eyes as he spoke.
“Oh, I just came out. How long have you been watering?”
Min-ha scanned the flower beds in the garden with her eyes. Half were moistened, but the other half were still dry.
“If it’s hard to do alone, I can help you.”
Min-ha, who had watered the flower beds several times before, rolled up her sleeves as if to show she wasn’t just making empty offers. She was about to look for another watering can when Cha Yoon’s voice stopped her.
“No, it’s fine. I can do it alone. I’ll do it.”
“But you made lunch for us today too. If we do it together, we’ll finish faster. Let’s just do it together.”
“I said it’s fine. I can do it alone. Why are you being so bothersome?”
Min-ha, who had been smiling, closed her mouth, seemingly taken aback by Cha Yoon’s sharp voice. A silence fell between the two.
Cha Yoon, who had been frowning with an irritated expression, suddenly seemed to remember something and looked dismayed. He ruffled his bangs with one hand and then spoke.
“…I mean, gardening is my hobby. So just leave this to me and go do your own thing, Seo Min-ha-ssi.”
Min-ha blinked as she listened to his awkward attempt at a smile and explanation.
“A hobby? You?”
But you’ve never watered the plants since coming here, have you…? Min-ha, who had been taking turns with Soo-ho to water the plants, felt puzzled.
Cha Yoon, who had been smiling, flinched at her words and then opened his mouth.
“Yes, me. Why, am I not allowed to like plants? You might not know, but I love plants so much that I even brought a big lavender pot to my room.”
If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. Or should I take a picture with my phone as evidence?
He acted as if he was ready to take her to his room right away, spilling out information she hadn’t even asked for. Min-ha took a step back at his exaggeration and hurriedly waved her hands.
“What? No, it’s okay. I believe you, oppa.”
“Why? You can really go see if you want. It’s really there.”
“I’m fine, really.”
She was just curious, not wanting direct confirmation or proof. Seeing Cha Yoon making such a fuss, she felt somehow deflated. In situations like this, it was best to leave quickly. Min-ha tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and pointed behind her.
“Well then, I’ll go do my own thing over there. You finish up and get some rest too, oppa.”
“I really don’t mind if you want to see for yourself, but if you don’t want to, I guess it can’t be helped. Well, do as you please.”
Waving his hand as if shooing away an unwelcome guest, Cha Yoon watched Min-ha walk away towards the bench. Only when she was far enough did he let out a sigh of relief.
He couldn’t let others know about the hidden rule he had just discovered. Some might call him petty, but nothing was more important than a date with Seo-jung. As if to show his determination not to let anyone take this away from him, Cha Yoon gripped the watering can handle tightly, a resolute expression on his face.
He resumed watering the flower beds. Cha Yoon focused on the flowers that would become his likeability points, watering them with utmost care. After giving the last flower a refreshing stream of water, Cha Yoon put down the watering can, and as if on cue, his phone buzzed. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he checked his phone.
“I’m back!”
In the late afternoon as the sun was setting, Soo-ho, who had finished his photo shoot, entered the house with a loud greeting at the front door. As he entered the living room, he was greeted by an unusually clean scene. What’s this, is no one here? Even Cha Yoon, the guardian of the X House, was nowhere to be seen. After looking around the empty space, he shrugged and went straight up to the second floor.
The second floor living room was as quiet as the first floor. Looks like everyone’s out and I’m the only one here. Just as Soo-ho had come to this conclusion and was heading to his room, something caught his eye.
An arm suddenly popped out from the sofa in one corner of the second floor living room. Startled, Soo-ho let out a short scream, “Ack!” The person who had been lying still like a corpse lifted the blanket covering their face.
“Yoon hyung?”
“Ah shit, so noisy…”
As the blanket was removed, Cha Yoon’s crumpled face appeared. Soo-ho, calming his startled heart, walked over to Cha Yoon. His frowning face looked unusually tired, unlike his usual self.
“Yoon hyung, what are you doing here?”
“It’s none of your business what others…”
It is your business. Cha Yoon was about to say this reflexively but stopped himself.
Having cleaned every bathroom in the X House, Cha Yoon was exhausted and annoyed at Soo-ho for interrupting his brief moment of rest. He wanted to lash out, but he couldn’t. The likeability points he had painstakingly recovered by doing housework all day amounted to only ‘3’. He couldn’t afford to lose those hard-earned points like this.
After barely controlling himself, Cha Yoon started to add words to smooth things over.
“Others might say it’s none of your business and tell you to stop being annoying and go away, but I’d never say that.”
“What?”
So is he saying I’m being annoying now? Or not? What is Yoon hyung talking about? Is he sleep-talking because he’s drowsy?
As Soo-ho blinked and asked again, Cha Yoon waved his arm at him.
“I’m just resting, so don’t mind me and go do your own thing.”
“But I don’t have anything to do? I was just heading to my room when I saw you and said hello.”
“……”
“But isn’t this sofa too small and narrow for you to lie on, hyung? If you want to rest, go to your room and rest comfortably!”
After that, Soo-ho continued talking about how he sometimes takes evening naps and knows that sleeping well is great for recovering condition. Cha Yoon’s brow furrowed at these words. Does he think others don’t know how to rest in bed? He was just taking a quick break on the sofa because he needed to prepare dinner for Ki Seo-jung soon.
As the unwanted advice continued, his already irritated mood worsened. He wanted to lash out as per his personality, but he couldn’t in this situation. He barely swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue and eagerly waited for Jung Soo-ho to go to his room.
“Yoon hyung, did you change your cologne? I think I liked the scent of your previous cologne better. This one is like… it smells a bit like bleach.”
It wasn’t that he had changed his cologne, but that his clothes smelled of bleach from cleaning the bathrooms. However, Cha Yoon found it too bothersome to explain this, so he just closed his eyes tightly without saying anything. Seeing no response, Soo-ho seemed to lose interest and soon said quietly, “Yoon hyung, I’ll go to my room then! Get some rest!” Cha Yoon didn’t reply this time either.
A moment later, footsteps were heard, and a door opened and closed. In the brief moment the door was open, a voice saying, “What’s this? Why is the room so clean?” was heard, sounding like he was praising some invisible housekeeper, before it was cut off.
As the living room finally became quiet again, the frown on Cha Yoon’s face gradually smoothed out. Finally, some peace. Cha Yoon took a deep breath. I’ll close my eyes for a bit more and then get up to prepare dinner. Cha Yoon, who had been doing housework non-stop since morning, felt quite like a housekeeping expert and pulled the blanket up over his face.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
