004. Training (4)
In high school, Han Yu-ra used to think, 'Please love even this unremarkable me.'
She wasn't pretty, didn't excel in studies, couldn't make money like she did now, and had no dreams. That girl vaguely hoped for it—while gazing at the cherry blossoms at the start of the semester, the bright sunlight filtering through summer leaves, the falling autumn leaves, and the huge, glowing Christmas tree. 'Please love even this unremarkable me.'
Yu-ra remembered that past. All those times she yearned to be loved. The times when hiding her presence was considered 'polite.' But her life changed in her first year of college.
After learning how to succeed, she abandoned love. Once she received that 1 billion won, everyone looked at her with envy. Han Yu-ra thought that was how to live life.
She had thought that way.
...
Han Yu-ra opened her eyes on the bed.
'Ugh...'
Last night had been intense. She'd been pounded like an animal under Im Seong-u's commands, without even a shower. Just thinking about it made heat rush to her face.
'...I hate it.'
The way he'd treated her like livestock for sex. Recalling yesterday's sensations made goosebumps rise all over her body. She hated it, yet liked it. It was humiliating, yet anticipated. Satisfying, yet pathetic.
'...Not enough.'
What was missing? Han Yu-ra couldn't figure it out. Last night had definitely been good. The tangled sexual desires in her head had been messily, wildly released. Intense, violent, without any consideration. During that animalistic sex, she'd felt a brain-tingling pleasure.
But something was lacking.
'...'
She looked at Im Seong-u sleeping beside her. Even for Han Yu-ra, who didn't care much about love, that attitude stung a bit. Roughly handling her like that and ending with a few head pats? From a cost-benefit view, it didn't add up.
'It was really embarrassing.'
A motel near Bundang. Car noises filtered in from outside, and thick sunlight vividly traced Im Seong-u's black hair. She gazed at the first man she'd ever been with.
-Do you think I'm your boyfriend?
Life had turned out that way. She'd tried so hard to be loved, and her first time ended up like this. Back then, she'd thought it was natural.
But now, her chest felt stuffy.
'Couldn't he treat me like a girlfriend a little?'
Was that too stingy a request? Living while getting relentlessly pounded by someone who wasn't even her boyfriend would make life miserable. Sure, Im Seong-u was great in bed. They seemed compatible. But something was still missing.
'Why am I like this?'
Hormones? Approaching period? Or had she changed? Im Seong-u did programming. She did sex. That was their relationship from the start. She shouldn't expect more.
But it felt unethical.
'Drawing such a hard line like this?'
-Rustle.
Love might be absent. But couldn't he at least pretend? A quick hug after sex, a head pat—something like that? Even one-night stands heard 'I love you' from guys.
Why did she have to live with such dry emotions?
'I'm getting mad.'
The sound of Im Seong-u stirring awake. Han Yu-ra checked her phone. 8:30 a.m. Suddenly, her heart sank.
'Work...'
Her emotions dried up instantly. There was work today too. She recalled the looks from her college classmates when she first got that 50 million won government grant. Those gazes weren't for free money. They were the reward for unflinchingly handling the tasks at hand.
"Seong-u. Get up."
"...Five more minutes."
But Im Seong-u seemed eager to laze around. Han Yu-ra hated that attitude. Did he not know how close Open Beta was? She seethed inwardly.
'Like a cat?'
Just a cat with broad shoulders and back. Unconsciously, her eyes traced from his collarbone to his chest muscles.
'Acting all high and mighty.'
Im Seong-u had sex with her but never kissed or properly hugged her. Even after she told him to act like lovers, he didn't hold hands. It was cat-like. Irritated by that iron wall, she approached him.
"Get up quick, Master. We have to go to the company. You resting today?"
"...No."
'Come on!!!'
Yesterday she'd been naked and taken, but she was the CEO. She had employees to be responsible for. Plus, Kim A-ram kept wasting salary.
It still grated on Han Yu-ra's nerves.
'Up to there is management interference. I need to make this clear.'
With that resolve, she told Im Seong-u.
"I'll go alone. You sleep."
-Click.
What did he want? Im Seong-u grabbed her wrist. He looked annoyed.
"Seong-u. We need to do something about Kim A-ram."
"...No need. You think she'll do it if told?"
No need? Just throw away money? Han Yu-ra glared at him with fierce eyes. But he just lay there calmly.
He spoke authoritatively.
"Han Yu-ra. Lie down here."
"Tch..."
Han Yu-ra had no choice but to lie beside him as ordered. What did he want?
"And Seong-u."
"Yeah?"
"I want to fire Kim A-ram. I'll admit I'm your slave. But... this feels like management interference."
She'd blurted it out. Han Yu-ra glared at Im Seong-u with a slightly racing heart.
Im Seong-u seemed awake now.
'I had to say it. I had to.'
...
A morning bathed in white sunlight. Han Yu-ra's body lines were fully visible. Even her slight plumpness looked beautifully sculpted. On a day like today, wasting it at the company felt regrettable.
But Han Yu-ra only had work on her mind. Understandably so. 26 days until Open Beta.
"I want to fire Kim A-ram. I'll admit I'm your slave. But... this feels like management interference."
'She'll keep harping on this unless I convince her.'
It showed how overwhelmed she was. Her CEO pouch probably overflowed with thoughts like 'Save money~! Manage the company!' Even though those huge pouches were really maternal ones.
"Fair enough. Hmm. But don't you want to see her suffer?"
"A businesswoman can't act on emotions like that."
"Eh."
Did life require living like that? Being too lax was bad, but Han Yu-ra was excessively driven. And I wanted to savor laziness a bit more.
I grabbed her pale wrist and pulled her toward me. She awkwardly lay down. Her two G-cup success pouches flopped to the side.
"Yu-ra."
"Yeah...?"
Was she embarrassed? Her pulse raced wildly. Lying like this talking felt lover-like, maybe.
"Wasn't A-ram rude to you back then? In KakaoTalk too."
"..."
"Give me your phone."
A somewhat forceful request. Han Yu-ra hesitated but handed over her privacy.
"Unlock it."
"Am I still your Master right now?"
"Yeah."
"...Okay."
In seconds, Kim A-ram's amazing KakaoTalk history was revealed.
Just reading it made my blood boil.
"Her tone is totally rude, right? Even I don't talk to you like that now."
"That's because..."
"Yu-ra. That's rudeness. What she did to you was rude."
Why was she defending Kim A-ram now? Did she want to affirm her past actions? It was just cognitive dissonance.
I showed her the next chat.
Up to here, Yu-ra looked like the villain. But...
"Family...? Yu-ra? Fa...mily?"
"S-sorry. My bad."
"Let's punish you today too, Yu-ra."
"Okay..."
As I stroked her head and spoke, Yu-ra's face flushed slightly. Sighing at the sight, I continued. I wasn't defending small-company ways. Calling someone in on Saturday obviously required overtime pay and prior notice.
But Kim A-ram's tone was excessively rude. And she was a salary thief to begin with.
"Plus, her last work update was January this year. Know that?"
I showed the screenshot of Kim A-ram's computer screen on my phone.
Han Yu-ra, as if expecting it, just bowed her head. Stroking her head, I said—
Lying on the white bed, facing each other. Her eyes met mine, mine met hers.
"Yu-ra. You have a tendency to trust people's words too much."
Han Yu-ra didn't suspect others' words easily.
"That's why you listened more to Kim A-ram than Se-hee. Even comparing me and A-ram... But a CEO can't do that."
"..."
"If you're going to listen, hear your employees equally. You're human, so maybe not. But at least, you should've created dialogue."
"...You're right, Seong-u."
Han Yu-ra pursed her lips. Like a scolded child. Seeing her like that made my chest tighten. I didn't want to get closer than master-slave, but some impulse made me speak.
"And Yu-ra."
"Yeah?"
"You've been struggling too, right?"
Her eyes widened.
"Doing CEO work non-stop for a year."
Her face said she never expected concern. But I knew. A year ago, she and I worked the hardest.
"Seong-u..."
"I had it worst, but you were next. I know. You came to the office weekends too."
Why? Han Yu-ra's voice cracked a little. Not from sexual stimulation. It was pitiful. She wasn't one to cry easily. The situation must've kneaded her heart.
She tried to get up casually.
"CEOs don't get days off anyway."
Wrong. Humans need rest for efficiency. Not some mental pep talk. I grabbed her wrist firmly, pulled her in, and hugged her tight.
"Ah..."
Her surprised expression. I hugged her so close her breath touched my collarbone. Soft body. G-cup success pouches. I felt them. No shower yesterday, faint sweat smell, but I didn't mind.
Not long, but we'd grown a bit familiar with each other's bodies. And I gave her the words she needed.
"Rest, Yu-ra."
"..."
"Rest. You're human too. Saying only you don't need it is arrogance."
"..."
"Anyway, whatever we do, we'll get chewed out by the investors in a month."
"...True."
"We'll write an explanation then. Go apologize, bow your head."
Angel Ventures' moves were predictable. Tech audit under pretense of missing deadlines. Explain the company's situation then. Han Yu-ra would be tired, but that's CEO duty.
"Yeah."
She wiped a tear, saying that. Wanted a hug? She wrapped her arms around my back tightly.
'...Ah.'
Somehow, it felt good. Not lust or dominance. Just Han Yu-ra warmly in my arms felt nice. I hugged her tighter.
We didn't love each other, but we could do this much.