My Life As The First S-Class Guide

LEE SOOK-JA loved the place that her family had been calling home for more than two years now.

It was a two-story house with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a basement that served as a shelter in case of an emergency. Half of the basement looked like a big pantry because it was filled with non-perishable food. The other half looked like a clinic because of all the first-aid kits, medicines, etc.

But the best part was the location.

The house was in a relatively safe neighborhood. In fact, in more than two years since her family had been living there, only three Cracks burst open near their place. And those Cracks were only F-Grade Cracks– the weakest kind. Hence, the C and D-Class Hunters living in that neighborhood were able to raid the dungeons successfully.

[Now you might think we’ve been paying a fortune for the rent. But no– we aren’t.]

In the current economy, it was almost impossible even for a middle-class family to buy a house. The safer the neighborhood was, the higher the value of the land would be. Hence, even the rent in nice neighborhoods was very expensive.

When Seodam awakened as a B-Class Hunter, their family decided to look for a new house because their old place was always pestered by Cracks.

But, even then, Seodam’s salary back then wasn’t enough for them to get a house or an apartment in a good and safe neighborhood. APA only offered a dorm for Seodam, but Seodam didn’t want to leave their family.

That was why Sook-ja and her family got very lucky when they met a kind landlord.

Kim Gwang-su, an old man who was apparently saved by Seodam before, offered to rent out his house to them. Apparently, Kim Gwang-su was going to move to a new place. But instead of selling his house, he decided to rent it out to Seodam as a token of gratitude.

Kim Gwang-su said that he only needed a passive income, so he made the rent affordable for Seodam.

Sook-ja actually thought it was a scam at first.

It was too good to be true, after all.

But after checking all the necessary papers, and after visiting the house, Sook-ja was convinced. She immediately signed the lease before Kim Gwang-su changed his mind.

She was pretty sure that the contracts she signed were all legit.

But come to think of it, Sook-ja couldn’t remember if she asked to see the land title.

She got complacent when she visited the house and all the neighbors greeted Kim Gwang-su as if they had known each other for so long.

[And I wasn’t thinking straight that time because I was desperate to find a house.]

"Is it true that Chu Wonhee owned this house?" Sook-ja asked Seojin, his youngest son, nervously. "But why would she hide it from us?"

Seojin, who was sitting on the floor of his bedroom while putting clothes in his luggage, nodded before he answered. "Eomma, why did you think Noona hid it from us? Obviously, it was because you and my sister always find fault in everything Noona says or does. Noona probably thought you’d accuse her of looking down on our family had she offered to help us openly. You always scold her, after all."

"We were just helping her become the woman that your brother deserves. What’s wrong with that?"

"Hyung isn’t all that, Eomma. It’s Wonhee Noona who’s way too good for Hyung."

"You brat! How could you say that about your own brother?!"

"Eomma and Seorin Noona were nice to Wonhee Noona at first," Seojin complained. "But Eomma and Noona changed when Hyung awakened as a B-Class Hunter and rose to fame quickly."

"That’s the treatment that your brother deserves!"

"Eomma, you and Seorin Noona coddle Hyung too much," Seojin argued. "I know that Hyung has done a lot for our family, and he’s even risking his life to protect the country. It’s amazing of him, and I respect him– I really do. But Eomma and Seorin Noona see Hyung differently. You worship him too much to the point you think nobody is good enough for him."

She let out a frustrated sigh. "You wouldn’t understand because you’re not a parent, but I only want what’s best for your brother. And you can’t blame your sister for depending on your older brother. When Seodam hasn’t awakened yet, it was Seorin who worked hard for our family. Your hyung knows that, and that’s why it’s his turn to give Seorin a good life."

Seojin just sighed while shaking his head. "Whatever. Eomma and Seorin Noona got what you wanted anyway– Hyung already dumped Wonhee Noona."

Sook-ja frowned. "Is Chu Wonhee kicking us out because Seodam broke up with her?"

"Wonhee Noona isn’t as petty as you, Eomma," Seojin said, and didn’t stop being rude even after Sook-ja scolded him. "Wonhee Noona just wants a clean break. Seorin Noona keeps bothering her, after all."

"Be grateful Seorin isn’t here or else, your sister would have beaten you up again.

Seorin, Sook-ja’s oldest daughter, went to the airport to fetch her fiancé who had just returned from his business trip in China.

[Now that my son-in-law is here, we can finally pay for the wedding expenses.]

A Crack burst open near the hotel where Seorin’s fiancé was staying, so he was stuck there all this time. Seorin’s fiancé wasn’t able to send money during that time, so Seorin was forced to pay for the expenses.

[But my son-in-law promised to pay back everything, so we can pay what we owe to Chu Wonhee. We’ll make sure to hire a proper wedding organizer this time. Then my daughter’s wedding preparations will go smoothly.]

"Noona, you’re here?!"

What?

It couldn’t be Seorin.

[Seojin calls Seorin by her full name, and Seorin almost never calls Seojin on the phone.]

So the ’noona’ that her son was talking to on the phone right now must be Chu Wonhee.

"O-Okay, Noona– I’ll tell Eomma."

"What is it?" Sook-ja asked curiously after Seojin was done talking on the phone. "Was it Chu Wonhee?"

Seojin let out a sigh before nodding. "Noona says she’ll be here in five minutes, Eomma."

Oh.

Perfect.

"I’ll go and prepare some snacks then."

"Huh? Eomma doesn’t have to keep appearances since no one is watching anyway, so why is Eomma trying to act politely to Noona now?"

"Chu Wonhee is still our landlord, so what’s wrong with offering her a cup of coffee?"

Seojin knitted his eyebrows as if he was annoyed. "Eomma, don’t tell me you still haven’t given up on this house? Let’s just leave, okay?"

"Seodam has just been promoted recently, so his savings aren’t enough yet for us to buy or rent a new house," Sook-ja insisted firmly. "Chu Wonhee already has everything, so I’m sure she’s not cruel enough to kick us out in a month."

After all, Chu Wonhee was a goody two-shoes.

***

HAAAH.

[Why did I only notice it now?]

Sook-ja looked at Chu Wonhee, who was standing at the entrance of the house next to Kim Gwang-su, from head to toe.

[Chu Wonhee looks classy even though she doesn’t wear branded clothes.]

Well, Sook-ja didn’t know much about luxury brands.

But she had never seen Chu Wonhee wear clothes with the brand logo showing, so that must mean her clothes weren’t branded, right?

[The only brands I saw Chu Wonhee wear are brands that she promotes.]

That was why Sook-ja thought Chu Wonhee had gone bankrupt.

Park Ruda, on the other hand, was always dressed in branded clothes that even Sook-ja recognized.

[Hence, it never crossed my mind that Chu Wonhee was that rich.]

Then did Chu Wonhee choose to wear brandless clothes to appear humble?

"Noona, you’re here."

Tsk.

Sook-ja couldn’t believe that Seojin had a big smile on his face as he greeted Chu Wonhee.

[That boy is always grumpy with his family.]

"Hello, Jin-ah," Chu Wonhee greeted Seojin softly, a beautiful smile plastered on her beautiful face. "I can’t visit empty-handed, so here– for you."

Chu Wonhee handed a box of banana milk to Seojin, whose smile grew bigger.

"Thank you, Noona."

Sook-ja waited for Chu Wonhee to give her wild ginseng as she always did, but it didn’t happen.

[She didn’t bring anything for me?]

Unbelievable.

[Did Chu Wonhee forget her manners just because Seodam already broke up with her?]

Sook-ja scoffed, but she didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to sound petty. "Come inside. We need to talk."

"I can’t stay here for so long, so I’ll get straight to the point, ma’am."

Sook-ja was surprised when Chu Wonhee spoke in a calm yet cold voice.

[She never used that tone on me before...]

Sook-ja didn’t want to admit this, but Chu Wonhee looked intimidating to her at the moment.

[She always looks meek to me before, but I feel like she’s looking down on me now...]

In short, Sook-ja felt so small in front of the Chu Wonhee that she didn’t recognize.

"Ma’am, your lease will end next month," Chu Wonhee said. Her words were polite, but her tone sounded like a superior talking to her subordinate. "I want you out of my property by then."

Sook-ja clenched her hands tight. "Can’t you let us stay at least half a year?"

"Why do you need half a year, ma’am?"

"Because we need to look for a new house first!"

Chu Wonhee gave Sook-ja a small yet cold smile that gave Sook-ja the chills. "I fail to see how is that my problem, ma’am."

Sook-ja was shocked, to say the least.

[This isn’t the goody two-shoes Chu Wonhee that I know!]

***

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