Chapter 377: Eureka
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 377: Eureka
“I guess the world really doesn’t work out the way you expect it to.”
As I muttered that while blankly listening to the lecture, Yoo Ah-rin, who was sitting next to me, glanced over and retorted.
“Where is this coming from?”
“I mean, even for me, I never imagined I’d be attending a lecture in handcuffs.”
Thanks to that, I currently had my hands tucked under the desk so no one could see.
Is this what it feels like to get a thrill from public exposure and shame?
Apparently, I’m not the type to get sexually aroused by feeling humiliated in public.
It’s just plain embarrassing.
“I learned something today, though. I’ve confirmed that I have perfectly normal sexual tastes.”
“You think a guy whose bucket list includes having a foursome with three women is normal?”
I chewed on Yoo Ah-rin’s sarcastic words for a moment.
“That sounds incredibly normal to me.”
I answered without a hint of hesitation.
Isn’t that a situation anyone would want?
“Holy shit.”
Yoo Ah-rin glared at me with a look of genuine disgust.
But she shouldn't misunderstand.
“Hey, do you think all those kings throughout history kept women on both sides for no reason? It’s because it’s what everyone dreams of.”
“Who do you think you are?”
“…….”
“You bastard, are you a king now?”
“Ahem, well, not exactly. But anyway, my point is that I’m not abnormal. Go ask anyone else.”
“Like who?”
“……Han-gang?”
“Look at this guy, picking the one person who’d definitely give the same answer as him.”
“Guys.”
As we were bickering, Seo Ye-rin called out to us from the side with a serious expression.
“Be quiet. This isn't the time for chatting.”
“And is it the time for gaming?”
I didn't think a girl currently crushing a boss raid on a mobile game under her desk had any right to talk.
“I need to concentrate.”
Look at that serious face.
It was truly impressive how she didn't even bother listening to the lecture, acting like her path as an actress was already paved in gold.
“Now that you’re going to be an actress, you’re really letting yourself go.”
“This is what you call 'selection and concentration.'”
“The professor would be so sad if he heard that.”
“Woo-jin, look at the handcuffs on your wrists before you talk. I’m sure the professor would be thrilled to know a student is enjoying some handcuff play during his lecture.”
“You guys are the ones who put them on me!”
What was with them forcing these on my wrists and then blaming me?
“Guys, please be quiet.”
Choi I-seo, the only one among us actually studying, gave us a warning with a sigh.
I could ignore Seo Ye-rin when she slacked off while lecturing others, but I couldn't interfere with someone who was actually trying to work.
Since my wrists were bound, I just stared blankly at the chalkboard.
Then, a notebook was slid toward me from the side.
It was Yoo Ah-rin.
— Do you really hate the handcuffs?
“Would you like it?”
— I thought you might actually be into it.
“I think I’m into making others expose themselves in public, but I’m not into doing it myself.”
“You total pervert….”
Yoo Ah-rin finally spoke out loud.
“Is that why you put that on your bucket list?”
“Ah, right.”
I had written down that I wanted to have outdoor sex with Yoo Ah-rin. I made a mental vow to make it happen one day.
“Well, whatever.”
Yoo Ah-rin shook her head as if she were beyond help, but a small smile played on her lips.
“That’s a relief.”
A relief?
What did she mean by that?
When I stared at her, she gave me a playful, beaming grin.
She looked so pretty in that moment that I found myself just nodding along without saying a word.
* * *
“Do you guys always play around this childishly?”
Choi I-seo, who was looking at my Tok, had an incredulous expression.
But there was something more important than that.
“Hey, what the hell is this?”
It was a photo Jeong Chan-woo had sent.
This was the reason they were mocking me under the guise of being worried.
The photo was taken in the early dawn.
Just as the sun was beginning to rise.
It showed the back of the Bald Man carrying me over his shoulder and getting into a car.
The handcuffs were clearly visible, and to an outsider, it looked like I was being arrested.
However, because the subject was the Bald Man, the photo was open to a slightly different interpretation.
“They’re talking like I got bent over by that Uncle.”
I wanted to argue back in the chat, but I was still handcuffed.
For the record, we were in the dormitory.
My room.
“Unlock this already. I need to get into a keyboard battle with these assholes.”
The Tok notifications had been blowing up for a while, so I asked Choi I-seo to check it for me.
I never imagined this kind of rumor would be circulating.
When I was the one teasing Chan-woo, I didn't think much of it, but being on the receiving end felt like shit.
“Just leave it. It’s not so bad to be rumored as gay.”
Yoo Ah-rin, who was lying on my bed watching Shorts, chimed in nonchalantly.
It was amazing how she could say something so heinous so casually.
“Jungle diff!”
Seo Ye-rin was busy gaming on my laptop.
One of the items on the bucket list was raising her game tier, and she was making a huge fuss about "helping" me with that.
I feel like I’d climb faster without Seo Ye-rin, though.
But well, since she said she’d help, I decided to let her be for now.
We could go on PC Bang dates too, so it wasn't all bad.
“What even is a 'Jungler' that she’s acting like that?”
Yoo Ah-rin glanced up and muttered, clearly not understanding.
No, more importantly.
“Take the handcuffs off and give me my phone! Weird rumors are spreading!”
“Their imagination is actually pretty good.”
“Don't be impressed by something like that, just give it to me!”
I lunged at Choi I-seo.
As we tangled and rolled around on the floor, the feeling of our chests touching and skin brushing against each other wasn't half bad.
“W-Wait! Where are you touching?!”
“I didn't do it on purpose.”
“Fine, just get off—hey, don't poke my butt!”
“I’m not poking it on purpose.”
“You’re pushing your waist against me!”
Busted.
Anyway, I managed to get my phone and replied to those bastards with a string of curses.
“Wait, hey… was 'Anonymous 321' Jeong Chan-woo?”
“321? Yeah, probably?”
I wasn't sure because Chan-woo didn't use the Bamboo Forest that often.
But based on the followers of BJ Popo in the Department of Architectural Engineering, he was definitely in the 300s.
“Your photo was posted. It says 'Clip of a guy being kidnapped by a gay Uncle.'”
“…….”
“At least he pixelated it. He’s actually a pretty good photographer. Maybe I should ask him to take photos of us later.”
“That son of a bitch.”
I immediately logged into the Bamboo Forest and slapped Jeong Chan-woo with a three-day ban.
* * *
“Hmm.”
In the Chairman’s office of Uju Group.
Chairman Kim was scanning the documents brought to him by the Vice Chairman, his eldest son.
His eyes moved across the pages without a single moment of hesitation.
Upon reaching the end, he delivered a concise conclusion without needing any extra time to think.
“Excellent.”
It was the projected performance report for the Digital Marketing Team of Uju Global for this quarter.
It was still just a projection and the actual results might differ, but in Chairman Kim’s eyes, the details were meticulously structured.
Even though he knew the projected performance was written using the minimum estimates, it was already double the performance of the Digital Marketing Team’s previous quarter.
And this was all after simply adding Kim Woo-jin to the mix.
“I like it.”
Chairman Kim nodded with satisfaction and looked at his eldest son, Kim Jae-un.
“It seems you placed him there intentionally. So that Woo-jin could produce results.”
“That is correct.”
Kim Jae-un did not deny it.
In fact, Kim Jae-un had specifically chosen a department where Kim Woo-jin could realistically achieve results.
Digital marketing was a field where high efficiency could be seen in a short period.
“I told you clearly. This is a test for you as well.”
Chairman Kim had hoped that Jae-un would seize the position even if it meant pushing Woo-jin aside.
He had hoped he would show at least that much ambition and greed.
But Kim Jae-un’s capacity ended right here.
Chairman Kim let out a bitter breath and added.
“I trust you won't call Woo-jin incompetent just because he didn't 'do' anything.”
“…….”
“That, too, is a talent. If he had gone around meddling just to 'do' something, he wouldn't have achieved this level of success.”
Subtraction rather than addition.
Knowing one’s own abilities accurately, selecting the right talent, and empowering them.
Kim Woo-jin himself might say the stars just happened to align.
But Chairman Kim didn't think so.
That was clearly a type of talent.
“Tomorrow.”
Chairman Kim slowly closed his eyes.
It was as if Kim Jae-un was no longer in his sight.
“Call Woo-jin in.”
* * *
As evening fell.
Choi Jin-ah patted her full stomach and smiled happily.
“Wow, the Kalguksu at that place was really delicious, wasn't it?”
“Jin-ah, you know you’re going back on your diet starting tomorrow, right?”
“Yeees.”
“Still, you did lose a lot more than last time.”
“Right?”
Choi Jin-ah liked the Kalguksu she ate today so much that she only half-listened to Min Ju-hee and Oh Yun-ji.
Since returning from the pension, the three of them had been hanging out and talking about various things.
They had so much to discuss regarding the events of yesterday that time seemed to fly.
In any case, they reached a sort of compromise, concluding that both of them had tried to seduce Kim Woo-jin.
Talking made them hungry, and being hungry led them to spend the day searching for good restaurants.
Min Ju-hee had few lectures to begin with, and Oh Yun-ji didn't care much about her grades, so it wasn't an issue.
“Oh, right. I left my bag in the department office. I’ll just go grab it.”
As Min Ju-hee headed toward the department building, the other two quickly followed.
“Night school? I want to go too.”
“It’s boring to go alone.”
They were cuter juniors than she thought.
Min Ju-hee smiled and said okay.
And so.
The three of them entered the darkened school building.
* * *
I was staring blankly at the hallway, where only moonlight filtered through the windows, wondering how I ended up in this situation.
The handcuffs, which had felt like a part of my body after wearing them all day, were gone.
Now that they were gone, I felt a strange sense of emptiness.
But now wasn't the time to worry about that.
“What did you say?”
I asked again.
Then, Yoo Ah-rin spoke with the same smile she had during the lecture.
“Take it all off.”
“Why?”
“You said you would.”
“I did?”
I wondered what kind of bullshit this was, but Yoo Ah-rin crossed her arms and brought up a story from the past.
“What was it? Didn't you say that even for you, five women was a bit much?”
“……Huh?”
“You said if it was five, you wouldn't be a human but a breeding stud. You said if two more were added to the list, you’d do a lap around the school completely naked.”
Ah, wait.
I did have a memory of having a similar conversation with Yoo Ah-rin.
I did… but.
“Didn't you forgive me?”
I was happy because I thought I’d been forgiven for the thing with Senior Ju-hee and Yun-ji.
Yoo Ah-rin raised her middle finger and replied.
“Bullshit.”
I guess not.
Well, it wasn't exactly a matter that could be moved past so easily.
“Are you really going to make him do it?”
Choi I-seo, standing next to her, looked unsure if this was right.
“Being completely naked is a bit much, so let’s have him wear at least one thing.”
Seo Ye-rin acted like she was doing me a favor as she pulled a condom out of her bag.
“At least wear this.”
“…….”
If I’m completely naked except for a condom, I’m literally a sex offender.
A crazy one who doesn't want to take responsibility, at that.
“I’m glad, Woo-jin. Since you hate public exposure.”
“…….”
“That makes it a real punishment. You bastard! Did you enjoy sucking face with those other girls?!”
She was definitely angry.
I wondered how she had held it in until now.
It felt like because Yoo Ah-rin was taking the lead in being angry, the other two were holding themselves back.
In a way, she had intentionally taken the lead.
Fine, then.
“Promise me one thing.”
I said as I unhesitatingly unzipped my pants.
“If I do this, you have to forgive me.”
“Wait, what?”
“Gasp.”
“W-Wait, Woo-jin!”
Choi I-seo tried to stop me, but it was too late.
I kicked off my pants and underwear at the same time and turned around.
I sprinted down the hallway, ripping off my shirt as I went.
“Huh? Uh, uh? Shit! Wait! Hey! You’re actually doing it?!”
“Woo-jiiin!”
I heard the sound of them chasing after me from behind.
“Hey! Hey! No! Don't do it! I was just trying to scare you! It was supposed to end with you apologizing!”
“Woo-jin is so fast!”
“This is a crime, you idiot!”
“Bwahahaha!”
What was this?
Was it because the air resistance was gone?
I was running incredibly fast.
I could run really, really fast.
All I had to do was apologize?
No, that’s fine.
Even so, a rift in our feelings would have remained.
That’s why I’m going to create a situation where you have no choice but to forgive me.
After I’ve done this crazy shit, you won't be able to not forgive me!
“Hey, you bastard!”
“D-Don't scream, Ah-rin! Someone will hear!”
“Ah, I don't even know anymore.”
“Hahahaha!”
I did something that could be considered cheating with two other women.
If I can be forgiven with just this, I’d do it as many times as it takes!
If this comes up later, I can just say that I ran around naked, so we’re even.
The sense of liberation I felt wasn't just because I’d taken off my clothes.
From my sins.
I am free.
“Eureka!”