Chapter 111: Annoyance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 111: Annoyance
“Room service.”
I called out along with a knock, and a rustling sound came from inside the room.
It had only been a few days, but the work had already become familiar. Now, I just waited blankly without a hint of nerves until a blonde woman in a robe opened the door.
“Come in.”
She was wearing nothing but the robe—not a stitch of underwear—but I wheeled the cart inside without much of a reaction. I couldn't afford to steal glances or flinch here.
“Once you’re finished with your meal, please leave the cart outside the door and we will collect it.”
After placing the cart in front of the bed, I gave a brief explanation and hurried back out. No matter how comfortable she felt, I hadn't expected her to come to the door in just a loose robe like that. It wasn't intentional, but the moment she stepped out, her cleavage was on full display.
So it really happens.
I’d become quite close with the seniors working as Assistant Managers, and I’d heard plenty of stories from them. I’d heard that some people come to the door in just their underwear, and at night, the sounds of people enjoying their "business" carry right out into the hallway.
This is because there’s a gap at the bottom of the doors. Apparently, the space is left there on purpose in case of a fire, but because of it, the moans can be heard quite clearly. I’d heard there were shifts for the night time as well, and I kind of wanted to see what that was like for myself.
Humming to myself, I headed down to the basement. The trio and the Assistant Managers were already there, waiting for food to come out of the kitchen as if a new order had just arrived.
“You’re back? You’re up again.”
“Are you just dumping your work on me?”
“Back when I first started here…”
When I retorted with a grin, the Assistant Managers started joking around like total boomers. To be honest, the age gap wasn't even that large, but our senses of humor strangely didn't align.
“Oh, by the way, you won’t believe what just happened.”
I didn't want to listen to the Assistant Managers' jokes, so I naturally shifted the topic to what had just occurred. When I mentioned that a blonde beauty had greeted me in a rather "open" state, the Assistant Managers immediately got worked up.
“Ooh?! What room number?”
“I’m going the next time an order comes in from there!”
“You already have a girlfriend in the clinic. Let’s settle this with rock-paper-scissors first…”
Seeing them make such a fuss made me realize that even as people get older and enter the workforce, they’re all pretty much the same. A laugh escaped me.
“Ugh, how can they be like that?”
“I know, right…”
Han Bom and Lee Seo-ah, who were listening from behind, shook their heads in disbelief. And yet, didn't these two make plenty of sex jokes when it was just the girls?
“…”
In the midst of that, Yoo Ah-rin was staring intently at me. She seemed to be in a decent mood until a moment ago, so I wondered what was wrong now.
“What is it?”
When I sidled up to her and asked, Yoo Ah-rin pushed a cart toward me, having just finished setting it with food that came out of the kitchen.
“Hurry up and go.”
“It’s not my turn, though?”
Just then, one of the Assistant Managers rushed over and snatched the cart away. The two of us were left alone again. Han Bom and Lee Seo-ah were chatting with the other Assistant Managers, while Yoo Ah-rin continued to stare at me.
“Hey, I got a tip. Want to go flex at the convenience store after work?”
When I pulled out a ten-thousand-won bill and asked, Yoo Ah-rin crossed her arms and looked at me with narrowed, sharp eyes.
“Did that stunning blonde nuna give you that, too?”
“No, I got this from a different room.”
“…Then fine.”
“Would you have hated it if it was from the blonde nuna?”
I tilted my head as I asked, but Yoo Ah-rin didn't give a proper answer. It was true that she’d been acting strange ever since coming to Gold One. Usually, she was easygoing and would strike up a conversation or play around, but lately, she’d been trying to keep her distance.
Tsk, that’s kind of a bummer.
It didn't feel great to have a close friend suddenly distance themselves. Even though we bickered often, I considered that a part of our friendship. Just as I was seriously worrying if she had actually disliked our teasing all this time, Yoo Ah-rin glanced at me and asked cautiously.
“Are you… in touch with I-seo?”
Choi I-seo, out of nowhere?
“Mmm.”
It was hard to answer. Because...
“She’s not picking up.”
Lately, Choi I-seo hadn't been answering my calls.
“She’s not picking up?”
Yoo Ah-rin’s shoulders perked up slightly, and her eyes began to sparkle with a sudden surge of life.
“Yeah, I can’t get through. I was worried something happened, so I even tried calling her friend, but she didn't pick up either.”
I had tried calling Min-ji, but she didn't answer. I was worried, but I couldn't exactly abandon my work here just because I couldn't reach her.
“I see~.”
“Why? Are you happy? I’m basically striking out here.”
“Whatever, let’s just go to the convenience store. It’s not like any orders are coming in anyway.”
“Your mood did a total 180 the moment I said I’d buy.”
The convenience store was in the hotel’s first-floor lobby, so it took less than five minutes to get there and back. Since there were no orders, I was going to tell the seniors and head out for a bit, but...
“Ah-rin! Look at this!”
Lee Seo-ah from the film department ran over and shoved her phone in our faces. It was a post on social media with an explosive number of likes.
— Candid shot of an employee at the Gold One bakery, ‘Dae-Han-Dang.’
The photo showed Seo Ye-rin wearing an apron and displaying bread.
“Wow.”
“I mean, of course.”
The number of likes was climbing at a terrifying rate, and the comments were insane. Ordinary people would have made a huge fuss, but we accepted it as expected. It wasn't like this was the first time Seo Ye-rin had caused a stir.
“Ye-rin really is…”
But Lee Seo-ah felt differently. I’d heard she wanted to become a stage or musical actress later, so she seemed envious of Seo Ye-rin, who could command so much attention just by moving bread.
“Don’t be jealous of pointless things. She probably lives a pretty exhausting life because of it.”
Yoo Ah-rin offered her own brand of advice to her friend. Perhaps because of what she’d gone through with Jeong Chan-woo, her words carried a certain weight.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Lee Seo-ah nodded, taking Yoo Ah-rin’s advice to heart, and went back to her spot. Watching that, I shook my head and grumbled.
“How can anyone possibly be jealous of Seo Ye-rin?”
From my perspective, it was completely incomprehensible.
“She’s literally just a one-trick pony for being pretty.”
“Do you have any idea how many people want that one trick?”
Yoo Ah-rin, pouting beside me, stole a glance at me and asked tentatively.
“But you don't seem to have any intention of making things work with Ye-rin, do you?”
“Huh?”
I wondered what she was talking about so suddenly.
“You… you did it with Ye-rin, too.”
“…”
“Is it a hit-and-run?”
“You crazy bitch!”
“Hehehe.”
When I immediately snapped back, Yoo Ah-rin let out a giggle. It was a comment that crossed the line, but between us, this didn't even count as a boundary.
“No, but it’s true. After you did it with I-seo, you acted like you were going to date her. But after doing it with Ye-rin, you seem like you couldn't care less.”
“…”
“Even though you did it with the Seo Ye-rin everyone dreams of, your reaction is so dull.”
Well, I did have a tendency to be a bit overly drunk back then, but…
“I have my reasons.”
There were reasons why it was hard for me to see Seo Ye-rin in that light. Yoo Ah-rin pressed for more, curious about those reasons, but I drew a firm line.
“Just leave it at that. I don't think I’ll ever think about dating Seo Ye-rin.”
“Hmm.”
“Why? You don't believe me?”
“Yeah, I don't. You went around meddling and saying you wouldn't do the CC thing, but then you’re agonizing over whether to date I-seo, so how can I trust you?”
“That’s…”
I had no comeback. I tried to find something to say, but Yoo Ah-rin began to pull me along with a much lighter step.
*
Suddenly, it occurred to her how fickle humans could be.
Just a moment ago, she had been in a foul mood. It was unsightly and annoying to hear Kim Woo-jin bragging about seeing a blonde beauty in a robe as if it were some kind of achievement.
However, seeing him approach her, read her mood, and try to coax her into going to the convenience store because he got a tip made her discomfort slowly melt away.
At the same time, by confirming that Choi I-seo wasn't answering his calls and that there was no possibility of a romantic relationship developing with Seo Ye-rin...
Yoo Ah-rin felt her mood gradually improving without even realizing it. With the corners of her mouth relaxed, she even pondered what she could buy at the convenience store to tease him.
“Can we have a party in our room today?”
“I only got ten thousand won. Buy exactly within that limit.”
Seeing Kim Woo-jin speak with such annoyance made a giggle escape her. The way he got annoyed like that was actually quite cute, making him fun to tease.
It was only because I heard those weird things recently.
She had been keeping her distance because Jeong Chan-woo and Seo Ye-rin had said she liked Kim Woo-jin. But now that they were acting friendly like this, Yoo Ah-rin felt that her feelings were perhaps different from romantic ones. As she became more certain of that, her mood improved even further.
“Hehe, should I buy ice cream and share it with everyone?”
“Why are you trying to take the credit with my money?”
“Cheapskate.”
“You lit—!”
Just as he was about to say something, Kim Woo-jin’s phone rang. She wondered if it was an order from room service telling them to hurry back, but...
“I need to take this. Just pick out some stuff for the Assistant Managers and the others.”
Kim Woo-jin hurried out of the convenience store to answer the call. Seeing him look somewhat excited, she wondered what it was. She pretended to browse the store while moving closer to the entrance.
“Yeah, I-seo.”
A name she recognized instantly came out of Kim Woo-jin’s mouth.
“…”
For some reason, she didn't want to hear that fluttering tone in his voice, so she turned away as if fleeing to go pick out ice cream.
Rustle.
Rustle.
She was listlessly stirring through the ice cream, but her gaze was fixed outside. Kim Woo-jin was talking on the phone with a smile.
What was so exciting?
What was so enjoyable?
“Ha.”
Even if she said this... she knew she was exactly the same.
She had been upset over just a few words.
She had been happy over just a few words.
“Seriously.”
Yoo Ah-rin, covering her face with both hands, tried to deny her feelings once again today.
“So annoying.”