I may be a sick Sparrow, but I am still the Landlord chapter 8

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“Who… is it?”

“Ah, you’re home! Hello! We own the buildings in front and behind yours. We stopped by earlier this morning, but you weren’t in, so we came back!”

“…Landlords?”

So they must have been the ones ringing the bell earlier.

Saewoo found it odd that building owners were coming over to introduce themselves, but they didn’t seem like bad people.

He left the chain on and cracked the door open just a little.

Clink.

“Sorry about the mess… My place is kind of untidy.”

“Wow! You’re really a sparrow therianthrope?”

“…Huh?”

One of the visitors leaned in with a grin, sniffing the air, giving off a predatory scent.

Alarmed, Saewoo took a step back.

“Ouch! Damn, that hurts!”

The other landlord smacked the first one on the back.

“Haha, sorry! This guy can be a bit rude. Nice to meet you. As I said, we own the buildings around yours.”

Saewoo stared at them suspiciously.

They looked similar in build to him, but the lingering scent of predators kept him on edge.

The two landlords exchanged awkward smiles.

“Ah… I’m a weasel, and this guy here is a bobcat. I bet you’re a bit startled since we’re predators, but don’t worry—we’re vegetarians.”

The weasel nudged the bobcat, urging him to introduce himself properly.

The bobcat bowed repeatedly, apologizing.

“Sorry about that! It’s just… I’ve never seen a bird therianthrope, let alone a sparrow, before.”

When the bobcat smiled sheepishly, his sharp fangs glinted in the light.

Though they seemed harmless, Saewoo couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

What the hell?

Why are all the landlords predators?

This situation was as baffling to Saewoo as it had been to Jinho.

Were predators really this common here?

“Are you planning to rent out rooms? Looks like you’ve got plenty of space.”

The weasel’s question brought Saewoo back to reality.

“Ah… I just moved in, so I haven’t thought that far yet.”

“I see. Well, if you do, we’d appreciate it if you set the rent similar to ours.”

“…Okay.”

They seemed oddly friendly for predators, but Saewoo guessed they had come by to scope out the competition.

He was already starting to regret buying this building.

“How did you end up buying this place, anyway?” the bobcat suddenly asked, staring intently at him.

Caught off guard, Saewoo didn’t respond immediately.

The bobcat scratched his head awkwardly.

“It’s just… you’re the first non-predator landlord we’ve seen.”

“…There’s no rule that says only predators can own buildings, right?”

Saewoo shot back, frustration bubbling up.

“Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that!”

The two exchanged glances, as if they had more to say but were reluctant to speak.

Saewoo let out a small sigh and spoke firmly.

“It’s fine. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

If there was some strange rule about non-predator landlords, he figured it was better to know upfront.

After some hesitation, the weasel spoke carefully.

“Well… the thing is, this whole area is zoned exclusively for predators. Everyone was surprised when they heard a sparrow therianthrope bought the building.”

“…What? What do you mean by that?”

Saewoo’s eyes widened, taken aback.

“Please explain! What do you mean, only predators can live here?!”

His voice shot up, sharp like a sparrow’s call.

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Panting, Saewoo burst out of the building and rushed to the real estate office.

Though it wasn’t far, the distance felt endless.

No… This can’t be happening…

Even as his legs trembled, he tried to convince himself.

Maybe the predators misunderstood.

Or maybe they spread those rumors to keep him in check.

Yeah… that had to be it.

When he finally reached the real estate office, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Whoosh.

The place where the office had stood just yesterday was now completely gone.

Saewoo collapsed onto the street, his mind reeling.

The predators’ words echoed in his head.

[The buildings here are all meant for predator-only zones. This area sits on the border, so there have been disputes over property values with landowners nearby. I don’t know if you saw the news, but in the end, they declared this land part of the predator zone. It’s not illegal, but it is… complicated.]

[So… only predators can live in the buildings here?]

[That’s right. Unless there’s some special reason, only predators reside here. Didn’t the real estate office tell you?]

“…Tell me…?”

[Congratulations, Mr. Baek Saewoo! You’ve officially become the owner of your dream building!]

“They… didn’t tell me anything!”

Saewoo let out a sharp, frustrated cry.

He had been so careful when buying the building.

Sure, there were a few odd things—the surprisingly low price for a new building, the lack of other therianthropes in the area.

At the time, he thought it was just a quiet, scenic place where he could open a café on the first floor and live peacefully.

What a fool he had been.

The reason he hadn’t seen anyone was that most predators were nocturnal.

And of course, the real estate community had warned against cheap listings like this…

He sniffled, wiping his nose.

Saewo’s nose stung from the cold wind.

“I… got scammed…?”

As much as he didn’t want to believe it, it was the truth.

Overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next, Saewo sat there, frozen like a stone.

Grrrrumble…

As he sat there in a daze, his stomach growled loudly.

Now that he thought about it, the only things he’d eaten were some fish cake soup from a street stall and porridge at Jinho’s house.

“Ah… Let’s at least fill my stomach.”

Sniffling, Saewo stood up and headed to the nearby convenience store.

He picked up a triangle kimbap and was just about to unwrap it when a shadow suddenly fell over him.

“Got some rest?”

Unlike the drooping Saewo, Jibeom stood there grinning in a flashy shirt, looking like he was off on a vacation.

He looked every bit like a delinquent.

Saewo flinched, his shoulders trembling at the sight of Jibeom.

Noticing this, Jibeom’s grin grew wider as he stepped closer.

“What’s with the reaction? Want me to unwrap it for you?”

“Uh…”

Without waiting for an answer, Jibeom took the kimbap from Saewo’s hands and unwrapped it with a flourish.

“Eat up.”

“…”

Though Saewo could easily do it himself, Jibeom insisted on helping and acted like he deserved praise for it.

“…Thank you.”

Thinking it was only polite, Saewo murmured his thanks, but Jibeom took it as an invitation to move even closer.

‘I was just thanking you, not asking you to get closer…’

Saewo wanted to say something, but before he could, a soft floral scent drifted from Jibeom.

“Did you put on cologne or something?” Saewo grumbled.

It was the scent of roses, which he particularly disliked.

“Why?”

“…”

Rather than answer, Saewo turned his head away.

Jibeom, sensing the hint, stepped back.

Just when Saewo thought he was leaving, Jibeom went to the counter to talk with the clerk.

‘What’s he up to now…?’

Suspicious, Saewo kept a close watch, worried Jibeom might cause trouble.

Instead, Jibeom took a pack of wet wipes from the clerk and vigorously wiped his neck and wrists.

‘What the hell is he doing…?’

Confused by Jibeom’s antics, Saewo quickly looked away when Jibeom returned.

“That’s why you’re always so weak, eating stuff like that.”

Thud.

Expecting more useless nagging, Saewo blinked when Jibeom set down a warm, sweet citron tea beside his kimbap.

“Drink. It’s warm.”

“…”

Saewo stared at the tea silently, so Jibeom popped the lid open for him with one large hand.

The strong rose scent was gone, thanks to the wet wipes.

Gulp, gulp.

Worried that Jibeom might start pestering him if he didn’t drink, Saewo obediently took a sip.

‘Huh…? It’s good…’

He initially drank it just to avoid trouble, but the tea’s warmth slowly spread through his body, lifting his mood.

The sweet, tangy scent of yuzu filled his nose, melting away the sadness that had weighed him down.

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