LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 186
“The person who wrote this probably isn’t very prudent.”
Da-eun started the conversation.
“It’s clear that they wrote the piece on mere suspicions, and their response gives off a very impulsive vibe, right? Someone like that would likely take the bait.”
‘Impulsive’ and ‘a strong desire for recognition.’
Even when viewed separately, neither term has a particularly positive connotation, but when combined, they create an undeniable amplifying effect.
The fact that they secretly took a photo and posted it on a community where countless people could see makes sense for that very reason, according to Da-eun.
“Oh….”
Hold on.
While I say this, Da-eun might think I’m being dismissive, but I’m not trying to overlook her—I’m just stating the fact.
This Da-eun I know isn’t the type to make such cold judgments about others.
In fact, she has the image of someone who trusts others too easily, which could lead to trouble.
“…so I heard from the lawyer.”
“As expected.”
“’As expected’? What’s with that ‘of course’ tone?”
“I’m just relieved that the Da-eun I know is indeed exactly that.”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“Does it really matter?”
“It absolutely matters!”
I tilted my head in confusion, while Da-eun vigorously nodded in agreement.
“If it’s a compliment, I’ll be petted, and if it’s an insult, I’ll be roughly petted!”
“…?”
Isn’t that just overcomplicating a statement about fulfilling desires?
“If I had to choose one, I’d say it leans more towards a compliment.”
“If it’s a compliment, just say it’s a compliment! Why say it’s ‘leaning towards a compliment’?”
“Well, I like that about Da-eun.”
What if Da-eun didn’t have that personality? I know it’s pointless to say “what if” regarding the past, but if that were the case, my life would be completely different now.
So there was no reason for me, who’s somewhat satisfied with my current life, to view Da-eun’s personality negatively.
“…ugh.”
Da-eun subtly turned her gaze away.
“Isn’t it unfair to spring something like that on me all of a sudden?”
“?”
“Right! That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Typically, you’re so stoic, but sometimes you say heart-fluttering things….”
“Heart-fluttering?”
I didn’t think I had said anything heart-fluttering.
Well, I suppose that could be the case.
With her chest held dramatically and taking deep breaths, Da-eun opened her eyes slightly.
“Don’t say that kind of thing to others, okay? Especially not to men.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s only for Da-eun.”
To be precise, it’s not like I had the opportunity to talk to others, and besides, it isn’t entirely untrue that I don’t say those things.
After I said that, Da-eun again clutched her chest.
“…Are you feeling okay?”
“It’s because of Kana… Where on earth did you learn such wanton words?”
“Oh, I see. Just your average Da-eun.”
“What do you mean ‘average Da-eun’? That’s too much!”
“I mean, you’re not a pigeon just hanging around on the street!”
Although Da-eun shouted like that, I had something to say too.
I know there are a lot of pigeons on the streets of Seoul.
But since I don’t go outside much, I’m bound to see Da-eun more than pigeons, right? So I think it’s only natural to use ‘Da-eun’ when I mean I’m accustomed to seeing her.
After a while of shouting, Da-eun fell quiet, hearing my logical argument.
“…That’s true.”
“It does make sense.”
“Yeah. It makes sense….”
Crinkle!
The paper crumpled messily in Da-eun’s hands.
“…What does that have to do with this?”
“Ah, she became feral again.”
“…So you’re saying I shouldn’t talk like I’m encountering a wild beast?!”
I thought I had explained myself well enough, but unfortunately, it seems Da-eun didn’t understand me.
It’s all the karma she’s built up.
If she hadn’t said such bizarre things, I wouldn’t have had to speak like this either.
Considering the situation, I had to put Da-eun, who was jumping around like an angry wild boar, forcibly back in her seat.
“So what do you want to say?”
“…The operation was a success, Commander.”
“I’ve never had a subordinate like Da-eun.”
“Does that mean you see me as your sister, not a subordinate?”
“Interpret it however you like.”
Was that all the fuss just to say that one line?
“Well, good for you.”
I said it calmly while hiding my true feelings.
Honestly, I wasn’t very confident in this ‘operation.’
It seemed quite flimsy, to put it mildly.
I even wondered if it was necessary to lure them all the way to my place.
But still, it would be petty of me to nitpick at her plan while just watching, right?
So I remained silent, and just like that, I was a bit surprised to hear that things had gone as planned.
“I’m thinking of going to check it out now. Do you want to go with me, Kana?”
“If I go with you, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of hiding at home until now?”
“Ah, right.”
Seriously, what’s going on?
“Da-eun, Da-eun.”
“Yeah?”
“If I say someone is pathetic, would that be rude?”
“Hmm… unless it’s a joke, I suppose it would be rude? But why the sudden question?”
“Um, never mind.”
As Da-eun tilted her head in confusion, she suddenly stopped moving.
“…Wait, no?”
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but what Da-eun thought probably isn’t it.”
“Of course, it is! I just subtly said you’re pathetic!”
“…Gasp.”
That was unexpectedly sharp.
“I didn’t say anything.”
I just asked a question.
“What’s the difference between that and saying it?!”
“Ugh-”
This time I was caught for my transgressions and quietly surrendered.
After a long while of playfully pinching my cheeks and ruffling my hair, Da-eun finally let me go when the phone rang again.
“I’m off, so don’t cause any trouble.”
“…Who do you think would cause trouble?”
“Who, indeed? Someone who smashed a plate while trying to get snacks, I guess?”
“…Sure.”
A slight warmth crept up my cheeks as they puffed out indignantly.
Da-eun chuckled and poked my cheek.
“I’ll be back.”
“…See you later.”
“Yeah. Hehe, doesn’t this seem just like a husband going off to work?”
“Stop saying weird things and hurry up.”
“I’m going! Just don’t push me out…!”
I nudged Da-eun’s back to shove her outside.
…It feels a bit strange to say I shoved her out, but I sent her off to do what she needed to do, so I concentrated.
Even without going, I could understand the situation enough from this distance.
Of course, I can’t hear sounds, but I could intervene if something unexpected happens.
As I sensed Da-eun heading towards Yuki’s and some unfamiliar auras, I gently closed my eyes.
***
If there’s no justification for punishment, just create one.
That was the gist of the operation Da-eun devised with her lawyer.
‘…Are we going to frame someone?’
When she heard the plan, Da-eun asked with a skeptical tone.
‘It’s not framing. Framing means covering up something that isn’t true. But the person who wrote this is indeed guilty. They’re about to commit the same act again.’
‘But what if it doesn’t go as planned?’
‘Then at the very least, it means they possess a minimum level of common sense, so it’s not all bad. Of course, that seems unlikely.’
Recalling her conversation with the lawyer, Da-eun realized the elevator doors had opened and began to step out.
As she approached the security office, the voices that had previously drifted through the quiet hallway grew louder.
“What the hell is this?! Why are you taking photos of someone else without permission?!”
“…
It was a sharp-looking woman whom Da-eun had occasionally crossed paths with, or even shared an elevator with, who was interrogating someone.
The person being interrogated was a man with a face Da-eun had never seen before.
‘That must be him.’
Looking at the man’s mundane yet boring attire, Da-eun thought.
‘Could simply taking photos of someone coming in and out be a crime?’
‘Even if it’s not a crime, it could certainly pose a problem. Isn’t the place Da-eun lives a pretty high-end apartment? The residents there are likely to be wealthy.”
‘That’s probably true.’
‘People like that know how to annoy others. They don’t need to go as far as filing a lawsuit.’
…That truly did seem accurate.
Several people were glaring at the man, each voicing their disdain.
Da-eun sighed quietly when she heard the increasingly severe remarks being thrown at the man.
Da-eun approached a woman standing a little apart from the crowd, arms crossed.
“Yuki.”
“You made it?”
“Yep. What’s the situation?”
“Just as it appears.”
Yuki shrugged.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Seems he was caught off guard and dragged in quietly. They confiscated his camera and uncovered that he had been secretly taking pictures of the residents.”
“…Wait, are you serious?”
I intended to catch him in a loophole for surveillance, but look at this surprise.
The man’s actions exceeded what Da-eun had anticipated.
“This guy is completely nuts.”
“Is it okay for someone like him to have his living situation exposed?”
“Well…”
This time, Da-eun shrugged, just like Yuki did a moment ago.
“There’s a security office, and if necessary, Kana will watch over things. More than anything, I was thinking about moving if it seemed serious.”
Although the house was spacious enough for the two, there was still a feeling of something lacking.
Especially whenever Da-eun looked at Kana, who was cooped up indoors, she felt a twinge of guilt.
If it had been a house with a garden instead of this apartment, they could have enjoyed fresh air out there….
While Da-eun was lost in her thoughts, Yuki looked at her in disbelief.
“…Kana’s not a dog.”
“? What are you talking about all of a sudden? I know that.”
“It seems like you don’t get that, no matter how you look at it.”
“Kana’s not a dog; she’s much closer to a cat.”
“…”
“No, wait. Considering how she likes me, she could be more like a dog….”
That was obviously a joke.
Da-eun forced a serious face and then broke into a big smile.
“But I truly did think about moving because I felt she was getting restless.”
“That’s up to you. How do you want to wrap this up?”
“Um. I think it might be okay to leave it as is.”
Suddenly, Da-eun pulled out her phone and started fiddling with it.
Then she casually stepped closer to the man.
The man, who had been looking down, sensed the new presence and lifted his head.
“…!”
He swallowed hard at the sight of her face.
Feigning ignorance of his reaction, Da-eun frowned and asked the security guard by her side.
“Is this the person who was taking photos of us coming and going?”
“Yes. Though only a few people had their pictures taken, we informed others of the situation just in case. It’s possible that he might have done this before without leaving evidence.”
The security guard’s expression wasn’t great, perhaps because he was dealing with an unhappy situation.
After all, it’s only natural to feel that way if there’s something wrong in the place you’re managing.
‘I should probably bring him a drink next time.’
Thinking that to herself, Da-eun crossed her arms.
“So, what’s the next step?”
“For now, we plan to report this to the police. Some people have mentioned filing personal lawsuits as well.”
“…Oh, no!”
The police and lawsuits—hearing those words made the man’s face turn pale as he exclaimed in a panic.
He then pointed a finger at Da-eun.
“I was just following this woman around; I wasn’t taking pictures of anyone else!”
“…
His exclamation froze the atmosphere in the room.
I’d asked the question correctly.
Da-eun peeked at her phone screen that read ‘Recording’ and covered her mouth.
Anyone could tell she was shocked.
However, the corners of her mouth that were obscured by her hand were definitely curving upwards.