I may be a sick Sparrow, but I am still the Landlord chapter 5

* * *

“Saewoo, I’ll leave some clothes here for you to change into. You can use the bathrobe too!”

“…Thanks, Jinho.”

Saewoo peeked through the slightly open bathroom door, speaking as he saw the neatly folded underwear and clothes on the shelf.

A surge of guilt rose within him.

“You don’t even live alone… and here I am, intruding without shame….”

That’s right. Jinho was currently living with someone. In the original story, the main character Jinho, the warbler beastman, had found his happy ending without a trace of misery, thanks to Saewoo’s help.

Now, as most happy-ending stories go, Jinho was living a sweet and affectionate life with the main protagonist, Ye Taekwon, the eagle beastman.

This realization made Saewoo feel even guiltier about barging into what was practically a newlywed home.

Click.

“All done? You can use this lotion for your face and body.”

As soon as Saewoo finished his shower and came out dressed in the borrowed clothes, Jinho handed him lotion and a glass of lukewarm water.

“Oh. I should’ve given you warm water. How’s your body? Feeling warmer?”

Jinho was concerned because bird beastmen needed to keep their bodies warmer than others.

“Oh, I’m fine. I feel warm now, Jinho.”

“Hmm, really? Come here, I’ll dry your hair for you.”

Jinho gently dried Saewoo’s wet hair with a towel.

The warmth and care quickly melted away Saewoo’s physical and emotional coldness.

“Jinho… you’re like an angel….”

“Huh? You’re calling me an angel for something this small? Anyone would’ve helped if they saw you in that state.”

“….”

Saewoo couldn’t bring himself to agree.

If Jinho had seen the person responsible for putting him in that state, he wouldn’t have said that.

“Once your hair is dry, let’s eat something. You haven’t eaten, right?”

“Yeah…. Oh, I did have some fishcake soup….”

“I thought I smelled fishcake on your clothes earlier.”

“Gasp, really?”

“I’ll just toss them in the wash. Come, sit down.”

“Really, it’s fine….”

Even as Saewoo tried to decline the offer, saying his hair didn’t need drying, Jinho was insistent.

He snatched the hairdryer from Saewoo’s hand, determined to dry it himself.

Once Saewoo’s hair was thoroughly dry, Jinho cautiously asked.

“Would it be okay if I asked… what happened?”

“Well, it’s just….”

When Saewoo first arrived, he was ready to spill everything that had happened from the night before until that very morning. B

ut after a warm shower and having his hair dried, he found himself wondering if it was really that big of a deal.

But he had to say something.

“I was actually thinking of going to the police first….”

“The police? What happened? Did someone break into your house?”

Jinho’s shocked reaction made Saewoo hesitate.

‘Not exactly a thief… I brought him myself, so it’s not technically trespassing….’

Saewoo pondered how to explain without causing Jinho unnecessary worry.

Knowing Jinho’s kind nature—always ready to help others like it was his own problem—every word Saewoo chose was crucial.

“If it’s hard to talk about now, you can tell me later….”

“No, no.”

Seeing Saewoo’s deep contemplation, Jinho offered a considerate out, but Saewoo shook his head vigorously.

He steeled his resolve and opened his mouth.

“The truth is, last night in front of my house….”

Bzzz.

“Ah, Saewoo, hold on a second.”

Just as Saewoo was about to explain what had happened the previous night, Jinho’s phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen—it was a call from the main character, Ye Taekwon.

“It’s Taekwon. Hmm… I’ll call him back later.”

“No, no! Go ahead and take it.”

Jinho didn’t think much of the call and was about to ignore it, but Saewoo urged him to answer.

After all, in the original story, Saewoo had been a side character who harbored a terminal one-sided love for the main protagonist.

He had no intention of getting in the way now.

“Alright, I’ll just be a minute.”

“Yeah, and don’t mention I’m here. I’ll be leaving soon…!”

Jinho gave a faint smile at Saewoo’s insistence and moved away to take the call.

“Phew… I should get going soon. I can’t stay here much longer….”

Saewoo was worried about the panther beastman who might still be at his house.

Even if he had left, had he locked the door properly?

No… judging by his wild nature, it was likely the door was wide open.

“Sigh….”

Saewoo let out a deep sigh.

But there was something else that weighed even heavier on his mind.

“The feeling’s still there….”

He had lost his first kiss to a beast who was no better than a thug.

“And it was with a guy….”

In this world, where relationships between men weren’t strange due to the BL nature of the original story, it shouldn’t have been that big of a deal.

But still, after all he’d been through, he had never thought he’d lose his first kiss so suddenly.

Rub, rub.

Saewoo brushed his thumb across his lower lip, feeling it swollen and fuller than usual.

The unfairness of it all made him rub his lips even harder with the back of his hand.

He wished he could just forget it.

“Saewoo, sorry! The call took longer than I expected.”

Just then, Jinho returned, wearing a coat and looking a bit flustered.

“Are you heading out?”

“Yeah, Taekwon asked to see me urgently.”

“Gasp, really? Did he find out about me…?”

“No, it’s nothing like that!”

Jinho waved his hands frantically, denying any connection to Saewoo’s presence.

“Taekwon does this often. He probably found something on his way and wants to give it to me.”

Is he talking about something like a luxury watch that he just happens to give away?

Saewoo envied Jinho for that kind of attention but also wanted to keep his own space intact.

Click.

“I’ll be back soon. There’s porridge in the fridge, so heat it up if you’re hungry.”

“Okay, thanks.”

As Jinho was putting on his shoes by the front door, preparing to leave, he looked back at Saewoo with a worried expression.

“Saewoo.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”

“I’ll be fine! I’m not a kid.”

“It seems like you didn’t bring your medicine….”

That was true, but Saewoo still felt like he could manage.

After all, he’d taken a warm shower, and being with Jinho had put his mind at ease, making him feel much better.

“Alright, I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.”

After Jinho left and Saewoo locked the door, he headed straight to the kitchen.

He took out some porridge from the fridge, heated it up in the microwave, and ate.

It was a simple dish made with finely chopped vegetables and mushrooms, perfectly seasoned, and more importantly, delicious.

“His cooking skills are still amazing…”

Thinking that Jinho really lived up to being the main character of this story, Saewoo cleaned the bowl thoroughly and then sat on the living room sofa, waiting for him to return.

Nod, nod.

It didn’t take long for drowsiness to creep in.

After being tense all day, the moment his body relaxed, he felt exhausted.

If he fell asleep like this, he’d probably catch a cold, so he knew he needed to put on at least a light jacket.

But his eyelids felt impossibly heavy.

“I… I can’t….”

Saewoo, struggling to stay awake, leaned against the sofa, drifting in and out of sleep.

Every time he almost dozed off, he jerked awake, his mind racing with random thoughts.

‘When am I going home…? I should’ve at least grabbed my phone… Is the contract safely put away…?’

Even though it was only his first day as a landlord, he couldn’t stop thinking about the property, even in his half-asleep state.

Ding-dong.

That was when the doorbell rang.

At first, it felt so distant, like it was part of a dream, that he didn’t even move.

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

But as the ringing continued, Saewoo suddenly remembered what had happened that morning and shot awake in a panic.

“Gah! What, what is it?!”

He wiped the drool from his mouth and jumped up from the sofa.

Looking around, he was relieved to see he was still in Jinho’s house.

“Jinho…? Is he back already?”

Thinking he’d returned faster than expected, Saewoo hurried excitedly toward the front door.

Click.

But just as he grabbed the door handle and opened it, something felt off.

‘Wait… This is his house, so why would he need to ring the doorbell…?’

Realizing this too late, Saewoo tried to close the door again, but a tremendous force pulled it open.

“Whoa!”

The door flung wide, and Saewoo, still gripping the handle, was yanked forward.

His legs tangled awkwardly as he nearly fell, but a thick arm shot through the doorway and wrapped tightly around his slender waist.

“Huh…!”

And through the open door, a dark, sinister aura began to seep in, swirling like pheromones.

“Found you.”

A tall black panther beastman filled Saewoo’s vision, a sly grin spreading across his long mouth.

* * *

*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*