Chapter 124: Let's Eliminate Noise Between Floors! (1)

A human about to lose the title of early 20s woman.

Na Kyung-i. 

Recently, she developed a huge problem.

Thump thump-

"Damn it! Let me sleep! Why is it so noisy even in the morning?!"

It was noise from the floor above. She endured it on moving day, and when it was occasionally noisy, but when the noise continued even in the morning, it became unbearable.

She even had to hear a dog laughing "Woof hah hah hah-" at lunchtime.

"Aaagh!! If I fail the exam again, I'll have to retake it!! Why is this happening to me at such a crucial time?!"

Na Kyung-i didn't get into her desired university during her school days. So, she tried to enter her desired university through retaking the exam.

'I was just a bit short on grades. If I retake, I'll definitely pass next time.'

First retake.

But contrary to expectations, Na Kyung-i's retake life became prolonged.

'Ah, damn. I wrote the math section too slowly.'

Second retake.

'My stomach hurts... It shouldn't be that time... Why is this happening...? The side dishes did taste a bit off yesterday...'

Third retake.

'The guy in front keeps shaking his leg. And why is he bald? Is he a monk?'

Fourth retake.

And now the fifth retake.

Fifth-year retaker Na Kyung-i might lose the freshness of her early 20s. She couldn't accept university life in her mid-20s.

'If I fail this time, it'll be my sixth retake. I absolutely won't do a sixth retake. I'd rather start streaming online and make bone broth. Honestly, I haven't taken care of myself because of studying. If I dress up, I look pretty good, right?'

Swish-

Thinking this, Na Kyung-i picked up the hand mirror on her desk. In it was a bespectacled woman who looked haggard from long hours of studying. It was the image of a human whose youth was fading away.

"Damn it! I'll definitely pass this time!! I absolutely won't do a sixth retake!!"

Stand up-!

Na Kyung-i got up from bed and went to her desk. Then, she wrote on a post-it note, pouring out the frustration of a fifth-year retaker.

[Please stop running. I'm really going to die from the noise. I'm about to fail my exam again. Damn it.]

She won't endure it anymore for the sake of concentration in studying.

Bang-!

"Please just let me study in peace!!"

Fifth-year retaker Na Kyung-i shouted this and stuck the post-it note on the upstairs neighbor's door.

'No matter how much they ask for my understanding. I absolutely won't let it slide.'

Because she must do well on the exam no matter what.

Na Kyung-i had no intention of backing down.

***

I looked closely at the post-it note and muttered.

"Noise between floors, huh."

Hmm.

It was a problem I hadn't really thought about before. Because I lived in a semi-basement for a long time, and when I lived at Grandma's house, the floor below was empty.

"Come to think of it, our kids are a bit noisy."

Especially, Hwaryeon watching TV over there is quite noisy.

"Masked Ranger Kick!"

Thump-!

Hwaryeon was imitating Masked Ranger's moves while watching TV. It seemed necessary to take measures about the noise between floors.

"Kids. Dad's going out for a bit."

"Where are you going, Father? I want to go too!"

"I'll be back soon. Just wait a little."

I left the kids and went outside.

"I should show sincerity in apologizing... Maybe I'll go to the convenience store."

Since I wasn't sure what to buy, I just bought snacks like chocolates and jellies.

Then, I went to the floor below and carefully knocked on the door.

Knock knock-

"Excuse me, is anyone there?"

Soon after, a young woman's voice came from behind the door.

-Yes, who is it?

"Well, I'm from the apartment above."

-Ah, that son of a- I mean, you're from upstairs. Please wait a moment.

"?"

I thought I heard a curse.

It was a bit strange, but the person downstairs opened the door.

'Oh, younger than I expected?'

She wore glasses and had a plain appearance. But the fact that she was from downstairs made me feel like my romance business might start up.

"Ahem."

I deepened my voice and said.

"Well, I saw the post-it note. I didn't know we were being noisy. I'm sorry."

"Ah, yes. I'm glad you saw it. As I wrote, I'm preparing for an exam."

Glare-

A sharp gaze full of dissatisfaction.

'They say long-term exam takers have a different aura. I guess it's true.'

She looks like she'd do anything if she fails the exam. I smiled awkwardly and handed over the bag of snacks.

"I bought some snacks as an apology. Please have them."

"Yes, thank you. I was feeling bad, but eating snacks might make me feel better."

"We'll be careful from now on. To not make noise, I mean. Let's get along as neighbors."

Wink-

A wink with a bit of flirting. But for some reason, the long-term exam taker woman seemed disgusted.

Feeling embarrassed, I had to turn my back.

"Well then, goodbye."

"Yes, please be careful about the noise."

She doesn't seem too desperate for romance yet. Well, being a long-term exam taker, she probably doesn't have time for dating.

I comforted myself with this thought and returned home.

Then, the children, having read the post-it note on the desk, came to me and asked.

"Dad! What's noise between floors?"

"It means the people downstairs are hurting because we're being noisy."

"Hmph, we can be noisy if we want! This is ridiculous!"

Hwaryeon, displeased with the downstairs neighbors, stomped her feet on the floor 'Thump thump-!'

I rushed to stop Hwaryeon.

"What are you doing, Lee Hwaryeon! Come here!"

"Aaah-! Let me go-!"

I caught the main culprit of the noise. Holding up the struggling Hwaryeon, I announced to the children.

"Anyway, the person downstairs said they're having a hard time because of the noise. So let's all be quiet and not make a fuss. Understood?"

"No! It's my home! I'll do what I want!"

"Hmm, I don't understand why I should listen to a human I don't even know."

"I'm different from my sisters! I'll listen well to Father!"

"Woof-!"

There was resistance from Hwaryeon and Suryeon, but Choryeon and Mangmung said they understood.

'Tsk, there's no reason to have bad relations with neighbors.'

Is there a good way to solve this noise problem?

I decided to think about that question.

'I guess I should buy slippers first.'

***

After the noise problem erupted, Lee Ha-jun worked hard to solve the problem.

"Kids! From today, we'll wear indoor slippers in our house!"

"Nooo!!"

"I don't want to."

Of course, there was resistance. Especially Hwaryeon and Suryeon started a no-no indoor slippers movement.

"Why do we have to wear indoor slippers! I don't want to!"

"Don't take away my right to do as I please in my own home."

Maybe because they're dragons who love freedom, it was hard to persuade them easily.

Perhaps because of this, the noise problem wasn't solved at all.

[Hey. You said you'd be quiet. Do you really want to see me fail my exam? If I fail this time, it's really going to be a big deal, you know?]

Suryeon checked the content of the post-it note and said coldly.

"She's blaming others for her own lack of ability. She's clearly going to fail anyway."

"Suryeon, that's too harsh!"

"Hmm, is that so? I'm just stating facts."

Suryeon is cold. It seemed Suryeon had no intention of becoming friends with the person downstairs, and it looked like the downstairs neighbor felt the same way.

[I can understand mornings and evenings. But why is it so noisy at lunchtime? I really can't study.]

"Lunchtime? But no one's here at lunch?"

There's no way it could be noisy at lunchtime.

Strange. 

Lee Ha-jun turned to look at Suryeon.

"What is it, Dad?"

"Suryeon, you're not skipping school or anything, right?"

"...Doubting your daughter. Dad, you're the worst."

"Ah, no, that's not what I meant..."

Of course, as a result, Lee Ha-jun had to pay a price to appease Suryeon's anger.

"Dad's sorry!"

"I want to listen to music, Dad. I'm as angry as a smartphone."

"...A smartphone is a bit much. I'll buy you an MP3 player."

"Now I'm not angry anymore."

Only after paying the price of an MP3 player, could Lee Ha-jun appease Suryeon's anger.

"Sigh, looks like I'll be spending money again. So who's making a fuss at lunchtime?"

"At lunchtime, only Mangmung is at home..."

"Mangmung?"

Swish-

Lee Ha-jun turned to look at Mangmung. Mangmung was sitting on the sofa, watching TV with Hwaryeon.

And whenever a funny scene came on,

"Hahaha-! That's so funny!"

"Woof hah hah hah-!!"

They were laughing out loud.

'More than that, Mangmung understands human speech, and now he understands TV content?'

Mangmung's growth rate was almost scary.

Anyway, the culprit causing noise at lunchtime was revealed to be Mangmung. Lee Ha-jun approached the suspect Mangmung and said.

"Mangmung."

"Woof-!"

"No laughing."

"W-Woof woof-!!"

This is unfair!

Mangmung rebelled against this unjust oppression. But he was powerless before the supreme authority, Lee Ha-jun.

"I'm sorry, Mangmung. An apartment is a shared living space."

"W-Woof..."

"I'll find another way. Please bear with it for a while."

And so Mangmung's laughter was suppressed. Mangmung had no choice but to join Hwaryeon and Suryeon's protest.

"No no indoor slippers!"

"Dad, don't oppress dragon freedom because of human discomfort."

"Woof woof-!!"

In the end, the tide turned. The children didn't stop at protests, they started to take action.

"I can't stand it anymore! How long do we have to tiptoe around?"

"I agree."

"Woof woof-!"

"Let's deal with this today. I have a plan."

Whisper whisper-

The children gathered like-minded individuals and started making plans.

And then, in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep.

Rustle-

The children got up to carry out their plan.

Hwaryeon came out to the living room, yawning. Suryeon, who was relatively more alert, headed to the balcony and said.

"Everyone knows today's plan, right? We're going to eliminate the noise between floors today."

"Of course!"

"Woof woof-!"

"Everyone, explain the plan."

Explain the plan.

At those words, Hwaryeon and Mangmung avoided Suryeon's night-sea-like eyes.

"Umm, I know the plan! I know it! Just wait a moment!"

"Woof woof woof..."

"...I'm an idiot for trying to move with you guys."

Tap-

Suryeon hit her forehead at her comrades' miserable state. Anyway, it was better to move according to the plan.

"Let's go down. To the floor below."

Slide-

They opened the balcony window and looked down at the floor below. Being on a high floor, the wind was blowing strongly, making Suryeon's long hair flutter.

"As expected, the window is open. Who wants to go down first?"

"I'll go first!"

Raise-!

Hwaryeon raised her hand and shouted. Suryeon gestured for her to go down and said.

"Just open the front door for us. We'll wait downstairs."

"Okay!"

Carefully-

Hwaryeon sat on the railing. Her hair fluttered in the high-rise wind, and looking down, everything seemed small.

"Hehe, I'm the best! I'm the greatest!"

Waaah-!

Hwaryeon enjoyed the situation itself, savoring the feeling of being on top. However,

"How do I get down from here?"

Getting down to the window of the floor below didn't look easy.

"I might fall if I'm not careful."

But should I try? It's fun.

Rather stimulated by the challenging difficulty, Hwaryeon carefully hung onto the railing.

"Ugh, the wind is cold!"

Dangle dangle-

Hwaryeon swayed in the wind, hanging from the railing. Hwaryeon stretched her leg down to reach the window of the floor below.

However,

"T-Too short!"

Unfortunately, her leg couldn't reach. Unable to go up or down, Hwaryeon's body kept swaying in the wind.

"Ugh, aaah-! T-This is bad!"

Hwaryeon clung to the railing, swaying. It was only a matter of time before her strength gave out.

Hwaryeon, a bit scared of falling, shouted.

"D-Dad!"

This is dangerous. She'll fall soon at this rate. She might end up greeting the ground.

'A-At this height, even I might get hurt!?'

Just as fear started to form in Hwaryeon's ruby-like eyes,

"Grab this!"

Swish-

A long vine came down next to Hwaryeon. Hwaryeon immediately grabbed the vine.

"What's this!"

"Hold on and come down, Hwaryeon unnie!"

"Lee Choryeon?! Why are you helping me? Weren't you on Dad's side?"

Hwaryeon was dumbfounded by Choryeon's help, but she understood after hearing Choryeon's next words.

"Father is sleeping now. Actually, I didn't like the indoor slippers either!"

"Lee Choryeon, you're a true dragon even if you get along with humans!"

"Hehe."

And so Hwaryeon safely descended using Choryeon's vine and landed on the floor below.

"Ha, success!"

Having safely arrived on the floor below, Hwaryeon immediately opened the front door.

Then Suryeon and Mangmung comfortably entered the house. Suryeon looked at Hwaryeon and said in a cold tone.

"Shall we start eliminating the noise between floors, Hwaryeon sister?"

"Let's go!"

"Woof woof-!"

The way to eliminate noise between floors.

That is,

"The human seems to be in the master bedroom."

"We just need to avoid that area!"

"Yes, burn everything except the human."

If you eliminate the cause of the problem, the problem disappears.

If we get rid of the floor below, all problems will be solved. Suryeon covered one eye with her hand, looked around the living room of the floor below, and muttered.

"Kukuk, as expected, I'm a genius. To come up with such an idea. I really am an unavoidable genius dragon."

She looked thoroughly infected with chuunibyou syndrome.

"I'll 'eliminate' this world that bothers me. Kukukuk."