章 8: Trusted Ally

"I don't mind it, you know me. And besides, Suzy is funny. If she could just let herself go a little, I think we might actually be cool," Yuna replied casually.

Minae's sad expression deepened as she responded, "So you're really going to defend her when you know what she's doing to my Jooni? You, you traitor! I can't believe it," Minae accused Yuna with a pointed finger.

Yuna laughed, well aware of Minae's melodramatic tendencies. She knew that Joon's situation was likely causing him sadness, and Minae needed an excuse to feel the same way. Minae was already pulling an ugly face and trying to force tears when Yuna decided to intervene.

"Look, Joon is coming," Yuna exclaimed suddenly, causing Minae to snap out of her act. They both burst into giggles, momentarily forgetting their earlier dramatics.

Unbeknownst to them, Suzy had been observing their antics from a distance. These two always managed to get on her nerves, especially Yuna. Minae only irritated her slightly. What irked her the most was their tendency to stand around and gossip instead of working, even when it was time to pack up.

Suzy joined in on their banter sarcastically, laughing along with them before delivering a scolding. "I see you guys doing what you normally do—standing around, giggling, gossiping—anything but the work you have to do."

In such situations, Yuna and Minae knew better than to respond, especially when Suzy was on edge. They stood there, accepting their chastisement like guilty schoolchildren.

"Now, do something worth my money. Get to work. This place needs to get back to its original state by tonight. Do you hear me? Get to work!" Suzy commanded loudly, issuing a stern warning to the rest of the team.

After Suzy's reprimand, everyone shifted into high gear, working diligently to restore the venue to its original condition by the end of the night.

"Lady purple" in this case Mrs Kim," lived alone in her house. It was quite alarming for her when she returned home one day to find her slippers missing from beside the door, and she could hear the sound of the TV playing from where she stood at the entrance. She grabbed an umbrella, ready to use it as a weapon if necessary, and dialled the emergency number on her phone, keeping it at the ready.

Mrs. Kim tiptoed into her house and spotted a figure passed out on her couch, legs hanging off the side. She walked quietly, trying not to wake the unsuspecting intruder. She even considered delivering a blow to the figure but then saw that it was her son, Hyun-u.

She couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was relieved and happy to see her son. On the other hand, she was annoyed that he hadn't informed her of his visit. She thought about how she could have cooked for him if she had known he was coming. It appeared that he had raided her kitchen and devoured everything he could find.

Mrs. Kim poked him with the umbrella a couple of times, but he didn't wake up. She pushed him harder, and he groaned and turned away, muttering incoherently. Finally, she slapped him, and he jolted awake, exclaiming, "AHH!"