Chapter 504: Negotiation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 504: Negotiation
“The next goddess of the Architectural Engineering Department?”
Bae Ji-hye—otherwise known as Popo—wore a bewildered expression upon hearing my introduction of Choi I-hyun.
We had shared a somewhat touching farewell at the graduation ceremony, agreeing to move on from being senior and junior in the same department to being a broadcaster and her viewer.
It seemed she felt that the appearance of a new ‘goddess’ so soon made their parting feel a bit cheap.
“Hello! I’m Choi I-hyun, a freshman entering the Architectural Engineering Department! I look forward to working with you!”
“Ah, yes… I look forward to working with you too. But since I’ve already graduated, you don’t have to be so formal—”
I pointedly avoided Popo’s flustered gaze. Having graduated, she certainly exuded a more mature aura than before.
However, perhaps because of my past memories of her, she didn’t feel all that different to me.
“…….”
Popo stared at me intently.
Her eyes were screaming that she had no idea how to handle it when I suddenly introduced someone new to her.
I understood her position, but having cleared up the misunderstanding regarding Jeong Chan-woo, my mind was at ease. All I could do was offer a smile.
“She’s I-seo’s younger sister. If she has questions, give her some pointers.”
“I-seo’s sister?”
“Whoa, you know my sister too?!”
It seemed they were finally finding common ground. Surprised by how well-connected Choi I-seo was, the conversation between Choi I-hyun and Popo began to flow naturally.
I quietly slipped out of Popo’s streaming room and sent a message on my phone.
The replies came instantly.
I’m a decent human being, after all.
Since I’d turned them into a gay couple, the least I could do was send some chicken.
Pyo Jin-ho had even redeemed and eaten the My-chew already.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket.
As always, you shouldn't look at this chaotic group chat for too long.
It was like staring into the abyss.
If you ever want to lose faith in humanity, just look at our group chat.
Leaving the streaming room, I entered the CEO’s office.
Oh Yun-ji was sitting in the CEO’s chair.
Unlike when she was at the university, she had changed into a blouse and skirt. She was focused on the monitor, checking something.
The look suited her so well that I found myself staring blankly for a moment.
“Hm? Why are you just standing there? Come sit.”
Oh Yun-ji smiled softly.
I wasn't sure where she wanted me to sit, but she scooted over and pointed at her own seat.
“You want me to sit there?”
“When else are you going to get a chance to feel like a CEO?”
“It’s a bit awkward to say this myself, but I was almost the chairman of the most famous conglomerate in Korea.”
Despite my words, I sat down in the CEO’s chair. Immediately, Oh Yun-ji hopped onto my lap and leaned back against me.
Then, she put her hand back on the mouse and started browsing.
“……Are you trading stocks?”
I’d never touched them in my life, but I recognized the graphs that contained the joys and sorrows of the masses.
“I just do it occasionally with some spare cash.”
“For someone doing it ‘occasionally,’ you seem to have opened the stock window the moment you got to work.”
“…….”
“…….”
“I don't know!”
She bounced up slightly and then slammed her hips back down onto my thighs.
After repeating this a few times, she stopped, her face flushing red as she glared at me.
“Kim Woo-jin, it’s hard. It hurts.”
“…….”
“My butt hurts.”
Oh Yun-ji pouted, cupping her own backside with both hands.
Did she have any idea that acting like that only made me more worked up?
“Sit back down.”
As I smiled and rested my chin on the armrest, Oh Yun-ji slowly sat back down.
“Lay me down.”
“Alright, hold on.”
“Ah!? Where are you touching?!”
“Well, I have to touch you if I’m going to lay you down while you’re sitting.”
“Should I lay you down instead?”
“Then it’ll just stand back up, so no.”
After a brief squabble, Oh Yun-ji settled back onto my lap.
She closed the stock window and let out a sigh.
“I don’t want you to misunderstand, but I’m not doing stocks because I’m short on cash.”
“Then why?”
“I just do it to keep an eye on the trends. Besides, my boyfriend is a chaebol; why would I need money?”
For someone just ‘watching the trends,’ most of those graphs looked pretty red.
Well, it’s Yun-ji. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.
I wasn't particularly worried.
Given her personality, it wasn't like she’d gamble away her entire fortune. Like she said, she was probably just using some spare change.
If she really needs money, I can just go kneel before Big Hyung and get some.
“I don’t expect anything like that, you know?”
“Hm?”
“I can tell just by looking at you that you’re worried I’m broke.”
“……Guilty.”
“Sigh.”
Oh Yun-ji chuckled and leaned her back against me again.
“My mom lives in the countryside, right? Her health hasn't been great lately, so I was thinking of getting a place around here. Since the hospital is close.”
“Oh?”
“But I don’t want your help. How should I put it… I guess what the Chairman said back then still sticks with me.”
It wasn't just my father; countless people had criticized Oh Yun-ji through cyber wreckers.
Accusing her of trying to change her life by clinging to a chaebol’s son.
“…….”
“So, just stay by my side. Honestly, that’s already enough for me.”
She turned her head slightly and pressed her lips against my neck.
I gently pulled her into an embrace and whispered in her ear.
“It’s been quite a while since we got back together. Are you still feeling insecure?”
We had reunited before I left for the military, so nearly three years had passed, yet a faint trace of anxiety still lingered within her.
“I guess that’s just how much I craved being in your arms.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“……Hey, stop touching.”
“I did it without thinking.”
Since I was hugging her from behind, I had naturally applied pressure to her chest and ended up kneading them.
But because it was strangely addictive, it was hard to let go.
“Ha, unbelievable.”
On the contrary, Oh Yun-ji let out a mocking smirk.
“Who do you think I am, Seo Ye-rin? You think I’ll just let you do it the moment you start touching?”
That felt a bit disrespectful to Ye-rin.
But then again, it was hard to deny.
“Or Choi I-seo? You think I’ll just give in if you push me?”
Oh Yun-ji grabbed the desk and pulled herself forward. The wheels on the chair rolled, naturally bringing us right up to the desk.
“I’m not a loser like Yoo Ah-rin, either. Sorry, but I don’t get turned on by just this much, and I won’t let out any moans.”
“Oh…….”
“I’m going to work. So do whatever you want.”
“Is that a challenge?”
At that, Oh Yun-ji stepped on my foot and glared at me.
“No, I’m teaching you some common sense. That at work, you only work. Do you think I sat in the CEO’s chair for nothing?”
* * *
“Whoa, awesome!”
Popo said she was doing a Malatang mukbang today. Choi I-hyun, excited by the offer to appear as a guest, hurried toward the CEO’s office.
She needed to get permission from Oh Yun-ji, and since they were supposed to head to Kim Woo-jin’s main house in the car arriving soon, she needed to ask them to wait a bit.
“Popo Unni is really pretty.”
To be honest, at first, she found the whole ‘next goddess of Architectural Engineering’ thing unpleasant and annoying, as if people were just ranking faces.
But Choi I-hyun found herself thinking it wasn't so bad to be the successor to a woman like that.
Clatter!
“Brother-in-law! Yun-ji Unni! We’re ordering Malatang now—!”
“Huh?!”
“Gasp?!”
The two startled people looked toward the door.
Their faces were beet red, their breathing was heavy, and they were both standing up.
Oh Yun-ji’s hands were frozen near her chest, as she had been in the middle of buttoning her blouse.
“Oh, I-hyun! What?! Ma-Malatang?!”
Kim Woo-jin stepped forward on behalf of Oh Yun-ji, who was frozen with her eyes glued to the desk in embarrassment.
“You want Malatang? Is there a place that does Malatang around here?!”
“No, Popo Unni said I could join her Malatang mukbang. Can I?”
“Ah! Of course! Sure! We—we should head out now! Yun-ji says she has work to do?!”
“…….”
Choi I-hyun was led outside, half-forced by Kim Woo-jin.
“If you appear on Popo’s broadcast, people might recognize you for a while, which could be tiring, but if you’re okay—”
“Brother-in-law, I need AirPods.”
“…….”
“If I have AirPods, I think I’ll forget everything I just saw.”
“……Fine, just keep it a secret from I-seo.”
“Yes, Captain!”
