The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 96

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 96

But it took a moment before the car’s engine roared to life.
Jang Su Ho was the reason.
“Why are you trying to sit in the back? Come to the passenger seat, Yeo Joo.”
“No. It’s bright up front. I’m going to sleep in the back.”
“If I get drowsy, you’ll have to drive anyway. So you need to sit next to me.”
Ever since he discovered that I had driven the van when picking up Baek Ho and Gung Gi last time, he’d been grumbling about why I hadn’t mentioned having a standard driver’s license all this while.
“Ugh, I said no!”
“You two, don’t fight.”
Han Ji Sung appeared and stepped in to mediate.
“We need to leave soon. We can’t have this.”
Ah, he was angry.
Even though Han Ji Sung’s face still wore a smile, I could tell.
Jang Su Ho seemed to sense it too—his pouting duck lips immediately straightened.
“Fine, I’ll sit up front, but don’t expect me to drive, Jang Su Ho.”
“Why not!”
“Do you really want to ride in a car I’m driving? Really?”
“…Just play some music.”
He should have said that from the start.
Life is precious, after all.
The twins in the back seat, who had been bickering with Jang Su Ho over seating arrangements, also found peace with Han Ji Sung’s arrival.
“Then let’s depart.”
At Jang Su Ho’s words, I heard the click-click of seatbelts fastening from behind.
I connected my phone to the car and played music as Jang Su Ho had requested.
It wasn’t as if I had prepared a playlist in advance for the MT trip.
I simply had nothing to do last night because I couldn’t sleep.
With a gentle roll, the wheels began to turn, and we set off toward Gangneung.

* * *

We stopped at a Rest Stop along the way, and by the time the sun reached its peak, we arrived in Gangneung and parked the car.
It was before heading to the Pension—we needed to pick up groceries.
The moment we stepped out of the car, brilliant sunlight greeted us.
“Ugh, I’m so tired.”
“Jang Su Ho, you drive really well.”
“What did you say?”
Those guys don’t seem exhausted at all.
I found myself nodding off somewhere along the way, so I rubbed my stiff shoulders and neck while thinking.
“Are you alright, Yeo Joo?”
Kang Han, who had appeared with a shopping cart, asked.
“Oh, yes. It’s hot. Let’s go inside quickly.”
Fortunately, the interior of the Mart was cool and pleasant.
So much so that I didn’t want to go back outside.
What should I buy first?
While I was thinking for a moment, I heard Chung Soo muttering beside me.
“Everyone’s staring at us so much.”
“Huh?”
It was true.
People going about their daily lives had slowed their pace and were turning to look at us.
“Is it because of the uniforms?”
“That could be it.”
The money was well spent.
I nodded in satisfaction.
Chung Soo seemed a bit uncomfortable, but the stares that follow us wherever we go are unavoidable.
Now that I was a member of the Justice Guild, I had to get used to it.
Still, I tried to comfort Chung Soo and said:
“No, they’re staring because you’re so handsome.”
“What are you talking about?”
Chung Soo shook his head in disbelief, but then added:
“What would you like to eat for dinner?”
“Curry.”
“Not eating meat?”
“Meat first, then curry for dessert.”
“Understood.”
With that, he trotted off on his own toward the curry section.
Such a cute kid.
In the meantime, Kang Han grabbed water first.
He lifted a bundle of six two-liter bottles with ease, as if picking up a box of snacks.
Wow, I envy that strength.
Anyway, thanks to having so many strong people around, all I had to do was lead the way and point with my finger.
As I picked out food items one by one over those two nights and three days, before I knew it, the large cart was completely full.
All seven of us had equally voracious appetites.
Even Han Ji Sung, who seemed like he might be a picky eater, consumed roughly twice as much as an average adult male.
Our final stop was in front of the ramen section.
The twins, who had been preoccupied with sneaking chocolate and snacks into the corner of the cart without Han Ji Sung noticing, suddenly wore serious expressions.
“Ramen should definitely be….”
“The spicy kind.”
After bickering all day long, they were perfectly in sync when it mattered.
“Since we’re eating it for dessert, how about just two packs?”
“No way, we need to eat it for breakfast the next morning too.”
“Then let’s go with five packs.”
The two of them were in perfect harmony.
I found myself laughing involuntarily when I noticed two people in their twenties on the opposite side of the display shelf, secretly photographing us with their phones.
Though they seemed to be hiding, it wasn’t enough to escape the notice of both me, who happened to glance their way, and Kang Han, who had the habit of always being alert to his surroundings.
“…Should we stop them?”
“Why bother? Let’s just leave it. If it spreads online, it’s good publicity for the guild anyway, right?”
Besides, their excited squealing didn’t seem to come from any malicious intent.
They simply seemed delighted to have stumbled upon the Justice Guild by chance.
I placed a hand on Kang Han’s firm shoulder—whether it was muscle or bone, I couldn’t quite tell.
“The more famous the Justice Guild becomes, the more you’ll need to get used to this, Guild Master.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
Kang Han replied with a weary smile.
After giving his shoulder one final pat, I squeezed between the twins and spoke.
“You two shouldn’t do that.”
“Why not? Five packs won’t even be enough….”
“Add one more pack of the mild flavor. You need to mix them to make it taste good.”
“Ooh!”
These kids were still young and didn’t know any better.

* * *

We finally arrived at the Pension.
It had been a full five hours since we left Jongno.
“This Pension is amazing!”
“This is incredible!”
“There’s even a swimming pool!”
“Awesome!”
Jang Su Ho and the three high school students bounded excitedly out of the car.
“I spent quite a bit of money.”
I cleared my throat and placed my hands on my hips.
“I was a little disappointed it wasn’t by the beach! Yeo Joo, you’re so cool!”
Lee Yu Chan, rarely this excited, hugged me tightly and shouted.
“Let’s put the luggage down and get in the water, Lee Yu Chan!”
“I had a feeling I should pack a swimsuit!”
“I’m just going in with shorts!”
With these strong kids united in their desire to get into the swimming pool, unpacking finished in no time.
But I stopped the eager beagles in their tracks before they could dive in.
“Hold on. We eat dinner first, then swim.”
“Aw, why!”
“Ugh.”
“What’s with the ‘ugh’? We need to start a fire now and prep the ingredients so we can eat meat for dinner. You don’t want meat, right?”
“Meat!”
“Meat!”
Just moments ago they were chanting “Swimming pool!” but now their rallying cry had changed to “Meat!”
One of them went to the Pension owner to buy firewood, another rushed to wash the grill, and they worked together quite efficiently.
Ah, so this is why everyone goes on trips like this?
I settled comfortably in the shade beside the swimming pool and pondered.
Kang Han and Jang Su Ho took charge of grilling the meat.
Kang Han naturally grabbed the tongs, while Jang Su Ho stepped up to show off his culinary skills.
The charcoal the kind-faced Pension owner had given us for free glowed a brilliant red, and finally the first piece of meat landed on the grill.
“The color looks incredible. I’m starving.”
“Can’t we eat it once the blood is gone?”
“It’s pork, not beef—get your head in the game.”
“Whine.”
What’s with the whining?
You all have a lot to do tomorrow.
I turned on my phone to check the information while I was thinking about it.
‘Things are progressing well.’
I smiled contentedly, recalling why we had come to Gangneung during peak vacation season in a country with so many places to visit.
The aroma of meat beginning to cook drifted into my nose, making me smile even wider.
“Yeo Joo, are you really hungry?”
Ji Sung approached me and asked.
“Yes, I’m absolutely starving.”
My stomach was empty, and my heart was hungry too.

* * *

Kang Han removed the uniform jacket he’d been wearing and set it far from the flames.
It wasn’t the sort of garment that would be ruined by the heat of grilling meat, but somehow it felt like the right thing to do.
Jang Su Ho, watching him, removed his own jacket and draped it over a chair as he spoke.
“It feels like a dream, hyung. That we’d end up on a company retreat in a place like this.”
“…I know.”
Kang Han nodded in agreement, his gaze drifting from the fire to the pension interior, where light spilled warmly through the windows.
He caught sight of Ji Sung’s silhouette washing vegetables for the three youngest members, who were bustling about making curry, and Yeo Joo’s radiant face as she laughed at something someone had said.
A year ago, he couldn’t have imagined such a scene.
Back then, survival against the relentless crises was all he could manage.
It was like building a sandcastle on a beach where waves crashed endlessly ashore.
While grasping wet sand in his bare hands again and again, he had been exhausted.
And when the waves finally threatened to sweep away both the castle and himself, she appeared suddenly and changed everything.
Just then, Yeo Joo burst into hearty laughter at something someone said.
And before he could even realize it, a smile bloomed across Kang Han’s face.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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