Translator’s Ramblings:
Hey guys, the crusade for more readers continues! Next chapter will be posted by my friend on his site () so that we can try reaching out for part of his readers. It is a one time thing meant to share the story.
I would also like to ask if you guys know any story symilar to this one. One where I could try to fish for readers. Active or inactive.
I will try to reach out to the translators and try to get some mention in their releases once or twice while I do the same. And I can also comment on those novels related threads.
Comment on the Forums and help us get more readers!
Our Manager the Landlord
(2)“I am the only one who moved there so far so they won’t be troubled having to deal with strangers.”
Seol Yeong wasn’t worried and had no choice but nod her head with a blank look.
Kang-Joon paycheck increased by US $1,500 in an instant. He had bought that building so he could take care of and be as close of the Hunter Team he would be in charge-of in the first place.
Of course, if extra income could originate from that process it would be even better. Hero Management didn’t have a dormitory in place, and Kang-Joon’s apartment complex possessed outstanding living conditions for that.
Seo Aran lived in the Knight Temple’s dorm from the start, and as a Templar candidate she didn’t give much thought to social life. As such, she had long decided to live in a place prepared by Hero Management, and had brought all her luggage, including a carrier, from the moment she arrived and reported for work at the company.
She immediately unpacked her luggage on Sillim Dong’s apartment, and Choi Gina hurried to arranged her’s on that very same day.
In Choi Gina’s case, as it was a matter concerning her life, she complied with all of Kang-Joon’s words. While Seo Aran, although never displaying any emotions on her face, would nod her head with a cool expression whenever Kang-Joon said something.
Two days pa.s.sed and the new tenants were fully settled. Although Kang-Joon still lived in the first floor he frequently visited the 4th floor to a.s.sist with various matters. Sometimes he served as the organization’s messenger and others he simply exchanged stories with the group.
As of now, the Hunter among the two with highest loyalty was Seo Aran. Seo Aran wasn’t an open individual in many ways and neither did she speak of herself, while the Temple divulged nothing but each candidates family relations, not speaking about matters related to each individual’s past.
Of course, it was uncertain whether Kang-Joon would recall the memories of that time even if it was known Seo Aran was a survivor from Jecheon’s Incident.
“Hey Aran, are you waiting for a call from someone?”
“No.”
Choi Gina looked at Aran, who was holding her phone motionless, keeping that way even while shaking her head. Choi Gina as the senior spoke freely, while Seo Aran insisted on speaking respectfully[1]. They had cleaned all the dust and finished organizing their rooms so they were now free.
Seol Yeong was busy running around searching for a job for them, and Kang-Joon was on stand-by here waiting to provide any a.s.sistance.
However, they waited everyday, Kang-Joon, Aran, and Gina, all of them are the same laying idle without having to go to work.
“It could always be peaceful like this…”
Even if there was no work a base pay of US $2,000 was guaranteed. Thinking about the day-to-day stress she received only to receive US $1,400 after tax, Gina was sure the way she was living now was more appropriate. The Hunter industry was more of a paradise than she expected, and she couldn’t get used to that feeling only watching the TV absentminded.
Her family only knew of her change of jobs, completely unaware she had joined the Hunter industry. If they knew it would be chaos. Gina would release a sigh each time she thought of her family.
Aran looked into her phone or listened to music trying hard to keep a calm state of mind.
Of course, although she didn’t show any expressions outside, no one but herself knew her head was a sea of flowers. She always maintained the surrounding clean, a remaining habit from the Knight Temple. And Gina, who was never one who cared in keeping the surroundings organized, started to follow the cold expressioned Aran’s example, who silently cleaned all the mess she made, cleaning after herself.
The most difficult thing were the meals, anything Gina and Aran prepared somehow always tasted like paper. The two were completely miserable at cooking, and after eating Gina’s completely burnt fried eggs and half-cooked rice, the two understood each other.
“Let’s eat some delivery food.”
“Yes.”
After that, they ate delivery-food everyday. After a week pa.s.sed the two mouths smelled of salt. Gina was shocked to find out she gained weight living a few days like that, and Aran had decided to never place a pizza on her mouth.
Nothing happened for a week, until Kang-Joon arrived to change a broken lightbulb and fixed his eyes on two half-eaten hardened and stiff pizza pieces. Aran and Gina eyed him intently as he stood still not saying a word.
“Hm… That was my fault.”
The sudden apology came, of course, from Gina, and Aran flinched.
“As I hoped the two of you to adapt to your communal life I had decided to leave you two alone, but…”
“ah…”
“We should have meals together from now on.”
Due to that, the two meals became Kang-Joon’s responsibility from that point on. He took out the side dishes piling in the refrigerator moving them all upstairs, and arranged a splendid soybean paste stew with stir-fried pork dinner that night. Although it wasn’t at level of a cook, Kang-Joon made food worth eating.
“Tell me if there is anything you want to eat. I will make it if its something I am able to.”
Kang-Joon said so nonchalantly. Gina took a spoonful opening her eyes wide then asked while eyeing him intently.
“Were managers originally supposed to cook?”
“I am not sure?”
However, one did now and the two ate without grumbling. Tired of delivery food the two ate well. With his experience as field cook, where he had to fumble around to learn, there was almost no food Kang-Joon was bad at.
Nothing happened for over a week, as the two ate breakfast and dinner together. When one day Aran spoke up during breakfast as Kang-Joon was about to serve up the rice.
“I can take care of the groceries if that is okay with you.”
But Kang-Joon shook his head at Aran words.
“That is my job, Ms. Aran.”
“That is not fair. I don’t do any work and only Mr. Manager works. It is not good to not do anything and only enjoy the benefits.”
Aran respectfully addressed Kang-Joon as ‘Mr. Manager’. And those clear words made Kang-Joon unable to reply.
“Well… Although I don’t think like that… Okay… if that is what you want to do. However, if you ever start feeling overburdened I will take over it once again.”
“Okay.”
Since then, Aran handled the groceries and Gina took care of the dishes. And that day, Aran, who immediately went to do the grocery, returned shortly before setting off once again. Kang-Joon’s cellphone suddenly raised a cry.
“h.e.l.lo?”
[I don’t know what to buy.]
Translation’s Notes:
Korean’s speech politeness:
Some of you might already be familiar with this. The Korean language places a heavy importance on politeness. Each sentence have an ending particle who displays how polite that sentence is.
Just so you guys can see it. These are the politeness levels I know of (I dare not say these are all of them):
Informal, Addressee-Lowering
Informal, Addressee-Raising
Formal, Highly Addressee-Lowering
Formal, Moderately Addressee-Lowering
Formal, Moderately Addressee-Raising
Formal, Highly Addressee-Raising
This is present everywhere! You can say exactly the same thing but use any of those types of politeness particles in a sentence.
Age and seniority are probably the most common factor. Social ranks (not as bad as it sounds) like boss – employer, teacher-student, cop-citizen is also another big factor.
Gina is using informal speech (-어 Particle – informal addressee-lowering) as she is older while Aran is using formal speech (아뇨 -Which is a ‘no’ used when replying to one’s superior or senior).
This is hard to translate because we don’t really have anything similar in english. All I can do is add a please here and there, a sir or ma’am when aplicable, and try to make it as formal as I can while keeping it natural.
I mean, all Aran did was say ‘no’ while shaking her head. How do I make that more respectful? ‘No ma’am’? I could add more words and create a more respectful reply but that would have me changing the original, which I try to avoid, and would also probably end up making the text unnatural.
Imagine, it is you and you mother in that situation, which maybe involves more respect than the situation here. Saying ‘no’ together with a head shake is totally what I would do. It is in the end an everyday dialogue and a simple question…
What I will do in those cases is try to have the dialogue pa.s.s how friendly the person is being. Gina is a little more carefree with speech while Aran is a little more distant but ever so respectful.
That is a little more complex than politeness but is just to let you guys know I will not just ignore those. But, yeah, compared with Korean where that is right up your face things will be a little more subtle here.
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