I Became a Raid Boss

“You don’t belong with our family!”

Splash! That kind of dramatic scenario wasn’t what I was hoping for.

I’m not marrying Da-eun, so there’s no reason for me to hear something like that.

“…Would it make sense if we were just living together?”

Of course, nobody would say something like that in real life.

“Kana, you sure do like dramas, huh?”

“I don’t really like them that much.”

“Oh, really? The fact that you can recite lines like that tells me you’ve seen quite a few.”

“I haven’t seen that many.”

“You don’t sound like you believe me at all.”

…Wait. Didn’t we just have a similar conversation earlier?

I tilted my head, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.

“But you know? Surprisingly, people do say things like that in real life sometimes.”

“Like what?”

“What you just said, ‘You don’t belong with our family!’… Stuff like that.”

“…They say things like that in real life?”

“Yeah, apparently.”

“So, do they also say things like, ‘Here’s some money, now break up with my kid’?”

“W-well… Maybe? …Wait a second.”

Da-eun squinted her eyes suspiciously.

“You have seen a lot of dramas, haven’t you?”

“I told you, I haven’t.”

A classic is timeless, after all. It’s the same on the internet. I just saw a few memes floating around, that’s all.

But why am I even defending myself?

That’s when I realized how ridiculous this was.

“This is all Da-eun’s fault.”

“…Huh? It’s my fault?”

“It’s because you keep bringing up weird stuff.”

“S-sorry…?”

“As an apology, hand over some chocolate.”

“No way, that’s not happening.”

Da-eun almost pulled chocolate out of her pocket out of instinct, but then she regained her senses and looked serious again.

Too bad. That would have been nice.

“If you eat chocolate before dinner, it’ll ruin your appetite. Let’s have it after dinner, okay?”

“Some places serve meals paired with chocolate, you know.”

“Not in my house.”

She sighed as she said it.

“It’s great that you’re adjusting well, Kana, but I worry you’re picking up strange things along the way….”

“Anyone would think you were my mom.”

“If it’s a daughter as cute as Kana, I’d welcome it any day!”

…I’d rather not.

Thanks to Da-eun’s sudden interruption, the conversation drifted into something odd.

But what I really wanted to talk about was this:

Her dad… Da-eun’s dad accepted me way too easily.

Like I said, I wasn’t expecting him to throw water at me or hand me an envelope of money.

But still, wouldn’t it make sense for the father of an only daughter to show some level of concern about her moving in with someone?

Things like, what I do for a living, whether I have an income, or how long we plan to live together… You know, typical stuff.

Da-eun listened quietly as I voiced my doubts, nodding along.

“Of course. I told them all of that beforehand.”

“Da-eun?”

“Yeah. After Mom came by last time, I thought it was best to let my parents know I’d be living with you. It would worry them if they found out suddenly.”

“…Right.”

“Well, you’re not wrong…”

But wasn’t it a bit late to realize that?

It’s like fixing the barn after the horse has bolted.

Da-eun continued talking, oblivious to my reluctant gaze.

“So, I’m pretty sure Dad genuinely meant just having dinner together. I mean, if it felt like I was living with some delinquent, he might have objected to us living together. But Kana isn’t that kind of person, right? Even if you’re a little annoying at times.”

“Hey kids, dinner’s ready!”

“Okay, we’re coming!”

“Hurry up before it gets cold!”

“Geez… I said we’re coming!”

Muttering in annoyance, Da-eun extended her hand toward me.

“Come on, let’s go eat.”

“Sure.”

Ignoring her outstretched, eagerly waving hand, I just walked out of the room. Da-eun followed, grumbling behind me.

All this fuss over me not holding her hand.

“Oh, there you are! Sit down… Why does it look like a fish came instead of my daughter?”

Da-eun’s mom paused while setting down a pot, greeting us warmly.

“Huh? Have you ever seen a fish this cute?”

“Quit the nonsense. Just sit down already.”

If she wasn’t holding that pot, I bet she would’ve smacked her on the back.

That look in her eyes seemed to say as much.

I jumped into my seat, and across from me, Da-eun’s dad, who had been watching her antics, met my gaze.

“…Hmm.”

“….”

An awkward silence hung between us.

I didn’t usually start conversations with anyone other than Da-eun.

And Da-eun’s dad, as she mentioned, was a bit reserved, so naturally, there wasn’t much talk.

It might be different if we’d met several times before, but that wasn’t the case.

“Why is the air so stiff in here? I feel like I’m suffocating.”

Luckily, Da-eun stopped squabbling with her mom and took her seat, sparing me from the dreaded one-on-one conversation with her dad.

“Whoa… What’s all this?”

Da-eun gasped dramatically.

“Wow, Mrs. Kim Ye-rim’s cooking skills are shining today! This table could break under all this food.”

“Oh, you’re too much.”

“You should do this for me every day. Come on…”

“….”

Once again, Da-eun earned herself a light smack.

A moment later, a small bump appeared on her head as her mom, ignoring the dazed Da-eun, turned to me.

“How’s the food? Is it to your taste?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“Phew, I was worried it might not suit your taste.”

It didn’t feel like just a polite comment; she genuinely seemed relieved.

“Actually, I wanted to get you something even nicer than this…”

“No.”

I shook my head.

There’s no way this could be called anything less than delicious.

Even though the dishes and side dishes she had served before were tasty, today, she really seemed to have put her heart into it.

“It’s better than takeout.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Kana may be cheeky, but she never lies. So be proud of that!”

“It’s really delicious.”

“Thank you for saying that. Eat as much as you want.”

“…Am I being ignored?!”

On top of that, all the dishes were mostly meat, which fit my taste perfectly.

“Between my cooking and Mom’s, which one do you think tastes better?”

“Oh, come on! Why would you ask something like that when she’s eating?”

“This one.”

“Oh dear, oh my.”

“Huh? Where did the person go who was scolding me for asking that?”

As we were chatting and laughing, a strange thought crossed my mind. They’re all treating me warmly right now, but would they still act this way if they knew what I did in Silia?

“….”

“Kana?”

“Oh.”

I realized I had stopped eating when I heard my name. I also noticed that all three pairs of eyes were on me.

“Maybe we should’ve gone out to eat…?”

“If we had, Kana would’ve probably turned it down. Even if it doesn’t look like it, Kana is quite shy around new places. She’s like a cat in that way.”

“Is that really something you should be saying?”

“How is that a bad thing to say?”

“….”

Da-eun couldn’t help herself and started bickering with her mom, while her mom sighed and responded, and her dad, seemingly used to this, focused solely on his meal.

Watching them, I suddenly felt like my thoughts were completely unnecessary.

After all, it was more a simple curiosity than a serious concern.

Even if they didn’t treat me like this, it’s not like I could do anything about it.

It’s not as if I could suddenly repent, nor did I intend to.

So, let’s stop with the pointless thoughts.

I resumed eating, picking up a piece of meat. As soon as it entered my mouth, it didn’t exactly melt, but after a few bites, it disappeared in an instant.

But I wasn’t disappointed—there was still plenty piled on the plate.

“Ugh…”

I stretched my arm toward the plate.

However, my short arm couldn’t reach the distant plate beyond the barrier of other dishes, no matter how hard I tried.

Now, that’s a real disappointment.

‘But there’s still plenty to eat.’

There were still things I hadn’t tried.

As I set aside my regret and looked for other dishes—

Swoosh.

“Ahem.”

Casually, Da-eun’s dad cleared his throat as he pulled the dish of seasoned greens in the center of the table a little closer. Then, he subtly shifted the meat nearby into the now-vacant spot, picking up a large bite of greens and placing it in his mouth, as if his intention had been solely to eat the greens.

“….”

I bowed my head slightly in acknowledgment, and he promptly looked away, pretending he hadn’t noticed anything.

…Oh, I get it.

That’s how it is.

When I reached out again, my chopsticks finally grasped a piece of meat, unlike before. I brought it to my plate, paired it with rice, and took a bite.

“Ahh…”

Chew, chew.

It was just as delicious.

Yet, for some reason, this time… it tasted a little sweeter, a little warmer.

***

Sitting on the sofa, I reflected on the memories.

“They really are a family.”

What I saw at Da-eun’s family home was a bit noisy, yet not something particularly unusual.

But does family really have to be special?

The subtle affection and consideration embedded in their interactions spoke volumes about their bond.

What especially left an impression was Da-eun’s dad.

Beneath his reserved demeanor lay hidden warmth.

Da-eun once told me:

“Love isn’t just about seeing each other all the time and talking constantly.”

She probably said it just to avoid something, but…

Still, it brought me a bit of comfort.

It felt like my past interactions with my own dad weren’t entirely wrong, as if they were telling me I didn’t always have to be so formal or distant.

The heavy burden in a corner of my heart seemed to lift just a little.

“Haah… Kana… would you help me carry this stuff?”

“I’m too full to move.”

“I’m full too…!”

But that’s that, and this is this.

“If you lost the bet, accept it quietly.”

“Grr…!”

Da-eun, who had enthusiastically suggested rock-paper-scissors to decide who’d carry the bags, let out a defeated groan.

But, well, that’s not really my problem, is it?

—

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