Reincarnated as a Housekeeper in a 19+ Gangster Romance Novel - Chapter 8

TLed by Mimo (Bedtime BL)

"He finished it all."

When I woke up and went to the dining table, I saw the dish was completely empty and seemed to be brought out sometime during the night.

Normally, I would have to go to Jeong Hwanyeong's room in the morning to clear his dishes myself. But here they were, emptied and neatly placed on the table.

"I'm glad I prepared the butternut squash porridge."

A sense of satisfaction washed over me. Should I make it again for breakfast today?

I could prepare the butternut squash porridge for Jeong Hwanyeong, while Jeong Hwangyu and I could have a simple kimchi stew with plenty of meat. After deciding on the breakfast menu, I busily started preparing the meal before Jeong Hwangyu returned from his workout.

"...He's later than usual today?"

But even as the kimchi stew began to simmer, Jeong Hwangyu showed no sign of returning. Could he have caught a cold from yesterday's beating?

I decided to check on Jeong Hwanyeong first before going to Jeong Hwangyu. After ladling some pumpkin porridge into a bowl, I headed to Jeong Hwanyeong's room.

As usual, I knocked and entered. Jeong Hwanyeong was sitting on a chair, his already large eyes widened as he stared at me. Normally, he would be curled up under the blanket, but this time he was sitting upright.

He looked like a wary stray cat waiting for food, and the corners of my mouth twitched involuntarily.

I've thought this since the first time I saw him, but he's seriously adorable.

Once we're closer, I'll definitely have to pet that cute, spiky hair of his.

But I couldn't rush things. If I approached him too eagerly and he retreated under the blanket, hissing, and it would set us back. For now, I needed to treat him as usual. Maintaining a neutral expression, I placed the bowl of pumpkin porridge in front of Jeong Hwan-yeong, who remained seated in his chair.

"Enjoy your meal," I said.

Jeong Hwanyeong gave a barely perceptible nod. It seemed the pumpkin porridge suited his taste perfectly. Feeling satisfied, I moved away to give him space to eat comfortably.

"Still not here?"

I had expected Jeong Hwangyu to be back by now after checking on the child first, but he was nowhere to be seen. Since Jeong Hwanyeong would take some time to finish his meal, I decided to use the opportunity to go look for Jeong Hwangyu.

During my previous tour of the house, I had already located Jeong Hwangyu's room on the second floor, so I found it without difficulty. I knocked gently, but there was no response from inside. When I opened the door, the room was completely empty.

I thought he'd be here, but he's not. If he's not in his room, where could he be?

Without thinking, I glanced at the workout room next to Jeong Hwangyu's room.

Could he still be in there?

I doubted it, but I opened the door just in case.

"Huff, huff... huff."

Inside, Jeong Hwangyu was doing push-ups shirtless, his breathing ragged.

"...Jeong Hwangyu?"

"...Huff, huff... What... what do you want?"

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"Haah... hah... Is it that late already?"

Jeong Hwangyu straightened up.

He was drenched in sweat from his workout. Is that what they call a 'chocolate abs' these days? His tanned, bronze skin highlighted his sharply defined abs, leaving me in awe.

The bruises scattered across his body, like medals from yesterday's fight, only amplified his rugged, masculine aura.

I used to have a body like that when I was younger...

I'd maintained a decent physique even as I aged, but after transmigrating into this body, I lost my abs and gained skin so pale and smooth as if it had been drenched in milk. For the first time, I envied Jeong Hwangyu.

"What? Think I'm cool?"

Perhaps because I was staring too intently, Jeong Hwangyu began striking a cool pose.

"...You do look impressive. But what's the point? You're completely powerless."

I shook my head and clicked my tongue.

A man has his pride. I didn't want to admit that another man's body was impressive, especially Jeong Hwangyu's. I knew the moment I acknowledged it, he'd become unbearably arrogant and start bragging.

Young punk.

Jeong Hwangyu bristled at my words and shouted, "Who's weak? Who?! I was just having an off day yesterday! Normally, I'd crush you!"

"Ha, yeah, let's just say that's true."

"You don't believe me, do you?! Hey!"

"I believe you. I believe you."

"Hey! Then let's bet on it!"

"...Bet?"

I was about to dismiss his words and walk away when he threw out a tempting offer.

"Fine. Let's not fight with our bodies... out of respect for our past. Arm wrestling! Let's arm wrestle!"

"...I wouldn't mind fighting with our bodies, though?"

I was confident I could win.

Jeong Hwangyu shouted again, his voice cracking.

"...Let's settle this with arm wrestling! The winner gets to make a wish!"

"A wish..."

"Chicken?"

"...Don't back out after you lose."

I couldn't let the word "chicken" slide.

I rolled up my sleeves. Jeong Hwangyu, wearing a smug grin, dragged a table over from somewhere and slammed it down in front of me.

"Alright, one match decides it all!"

I gripped Jeong Hwangyu's outstretched hand. In the brief standoff, we glared at each other.

Unlike Jeong Hwangyu's muscular arm, mine was painfully thin. A triumphant smile already played on his lips, as if victory was guaranteed.

As I watched Jeong Hwangyu, I clicked my tongue inwardly, thinking how pathetic he was.

Had he completely forgotten the day his hand was crushed by mine? He was acting like a simple-minded amoeba.

His hand tightened into a fist.

"We move at the same time when we start. Ready? Begin!"

The moment Jeong Hwan-gyu finished speaking, less than a second passed before a thud echoed as his hand slammed against the desk.

"T-this is impossible!" Jeong Hwan-gyu gaped in disbelief.

He clearly hadn't imagined it would end so quickly. Straightening up from the arm-wrestling position, I dusted off my hands and said,

"I won... Tsk tsk, young man. Don't forget the wish."

"Wait, just a minute...!"

"Go wash up and come downstairs."

I turned my back on Jeong Hwangyu, who was trying to grab me, and walked away.

Jeong Hwangyu shouted for another round, refusing to believe it, but I quickly left the scene.

I wasted too much time playing with Jeong Hwangyu. It was time to take Jeong Hwanyeong to kindergarten.

Our cat must be waiting. I'll drop off the youngest at kindergarten first, then feed that bastard Jeong Hwangyu.

Ah, the life of a housekeeper is truly busy. So busy.

----------------------

Left alone, Jeong Hwangyu stared at his hands in disbelief.

It must be because I've been exercising so hard, pushing myself to exhaustion... Otherwise, this makes no sense!

He tried to rationalize it, but even a fool would know that wasn't the truth. He already knew Park Gyumin was strong. Anyone who didn't realize that after witnessing yesterday's display was an idiot.

Yesterday, Park Gyumin had been nothing short of a monster. Watching him beat down gangsters with a wooden plank, his body had been covered in goosebumps. The overwhelming strength and brutality with which he instilled fear in the gangsters reminded Jeong Hwangyu of a twisted blend of his brothers.

I barely managed to restrain myself, fearing the real gangsters might actually die if it went on any further. The moment his eyes locked onto mine, my knees nearly buckled.

I almost pissed myself. Thank God he quickly reverted to his usual blank, unfocused gaze. Otherwise... ugh, just thinking about it makes my legs go weak.

I pushed myself harder at the gym today because I want to get stronger. Being weaker than a housekeeper is a blow to my pride I can't accept. I was confident I could at least win at arm wrestling, but even that failed.

That monstrous little bastard. How does such strength come from such a small body?

Just you wait... I'll never lose. I'll definitely win.

Jeong Hwan-gyu's eyes blazed with determination.

Now he had one more opponent to defeat, in addition to his brothers.

"Damn it!"

Jeong Hwangyu pinched his nose and glared toward the door.

An all-too-familiar pheromone scent was approaching. Jeong Hwanseo, his second brother.

I told him to keep his pheromones under control at home, but he insists on flaunting them, making everyone uncomfortable.

He knows how disgusting it is to smell another Alpha's pheromones, yet he does this on purpose!

"Ugh, Hyung! The smell!"

"Oh? It's my lovely little brother?"

A languid voice.

He's been so busy lately, barely showing his face at home. What brought him here now?

"Hide your pheromones! It's making me want to puke!"

"Too~ much~ trouble~."

Just give up. Just give up. No matter how much I argue, second brother will never listen. The best course of action is to simply leave. As I turned to go wash up, Jeong Hwanseo's voice stopped me.

"...Ah, you're here too."

"What?"

"I think a pretty stray cat snuck into the house... Have you seen it?"

"A pretty stray cat?"

What nonsense is this now? A stray cat?

"It definitely came in, but damn it, there's no evidence."

Despite his languid gaze, the murderous intent in his voice made Jeong Hwangyu swallow nervously.

Hyung in this mood is a little dangerous...

He seemed to be looking for something, but it wasn't going his way. Though he looked like his usual self, his face was twisted with irritation. As hyung lived life on his own terms, he often threw tantrums when things didn't go his way.

"...Th-then ask the housekeeper. He'll know."

Jeong Hwangyu blurted out the suggestion, desperate to escape the situation. Jeong Hwanseo's face gradually brightened, his expression a bizarre mix of joy, elation, and languor. In that instant, Jeong Hwangyu realized his mistake.

"Ah, right. There's a housekeeper in this house, isn't there?"

...I hope I didn't say something I'll regret.

With that, Jeong Hwanseo began to shuffle downstairs to the first floor.

Watching him go, Jeong Hwangyu felt a growing sense of dread that he had made a slip of the tongue. He stood rooted to the spot, unable to move for a long moment.

CHAPTER 7 ⬅ ♥︎ ⮕ CHAPTER 9