My First Subordinate (3)
“It’s gotten quite chilly today.”
“......”
I turned my head and gazed out the window. The year had changed, yet winter still lingered. Snow was now falling heavily outside the shop.
Though it looks beautiful from the outside, if you had to sleep out there in nothing but thin clothes, you wouldn’t last, would you?
If someone slept outside on a night like this, they might simply drift off forever.
I turned back to Lee Gayeon.
“Do you have anywhere to return to, or a place to sleep?”
“...No.”
She hung her head in shame.
I couldn’t offer clumsy comfort here. Kids these days were far too sensitive to that sort of thing. Every bit of pity could become another scar.
So I acted as if I didn’t care at all.
“Then stay at the shop tonight.”
“!”
Her eyes sparkled as she jerked her head up. She said nothing, but her gaze clearly asked, Is that really okay?
“It’s already late and cold outside. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I sent a child out on a night like this.”
“......”
“There are plenty of rooms, so pick whichever you like. Lock the door if you’re uneasy. I’ll give you blankets too.”
“......”
At my words, Lee Gayeon’s lips moved silently.
“...Are you a hero, oppa?”
“Unfortunately, I’m not a hero.”
I removed my half-mask, looked at her, and smiled.
“I’m a very, very wicked villain.”
“......”
Lee Gayeon stared at me intently.
“The help I gave you today wasn’t free. I plan to put you to work at a very steep price later.”
With that, I stroked her head. It was covered in dirt and dust; her dry hair felt like an old broom, but I paid it no mind.
“You can rest easy tonight.”
“......”
“You don’t need to think about anything. Just stay comfortable.”
When I finished speaking, she finally began to cry out loud.
I liked dreaming. While I dreamed, I wasn’t hungry, in pain, or tired.
And today, I especially didn’t want to wake up.
It’s warm..
I was afraid that if I opened my eyes, this feeling would vanish like a dream. That everything from yesterday had been nothing but a dream.
I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes because I wanted to feel this warmth a little longer.
-Knock knock.
Miss Gayeon, are you still asleep?
The man’s voice calling me was different from the other uncles. It was kind, gentle, and clear.
Hearing that voice, I slowly opened my eyes. At the same time, I prayed desperately. Please let this not be a dream.
“...I’m awake.”
When I finally opened my eyes, warm sunlight filled the room.
It was a relief.
When I left the room and came downstairs, a delicious smell greeted me.
“Have you woken up?”
The man smiled at me. It was Kang Ian, the oppa who had brought me here.
“Come eat breakfast. I kept it light so it wouldn’t sit heavy.”
He had made a sandwich packed with bacon.
“Is it good?”
..Nod.
I ate every single bite of what he had worked hard to prepare. Oppa smiled as he watched me and patted my head.
“Miss Gayeon, could you come here?”
After eating and resting a while, I hurried over at his call.
“Can you clean this spot for me?”
I nodded at his request. If I could repay even a little of his kindness today, I would work with everything I had.
Scrub. Scrub.
“Let’s eat lunch first.”
At his call, I ate with him again.
Scrub. Scrub. I continued cleaning.
“Good work. Here’s dinner.”
By the time the sun had set, oppa had prepared another meal.
I was about to wolf it down like at lunch but paused, looking at him.
..Is this the end?
I hadn’t properly repaid his kindness and would end up just eating and leaving. Yet even though it was shameless, I felt happy.
I wish it could be like this every day.
But that was impossible, wasn’t it..?
I ate slowly, savoring the taste so I wouldn’t forget it, and because I didn’t want to leave this place. He watched me finish with a smile.
“It’s gotten quite cold again today.”
“?”
“If you’d like, how about staying another night?”
“?”
Before I knew it, I was lying in the room, staring at the ceiling.
That was how I spent my second night at oppa’s house.
The next day, oppa gave me toiletries and a towel. He asked if I wanted help washing, but I told him I was fine and washed by myself in the bathroom.
The warm water pouring over my whole body after so long felt wonderful.
The day after that, he assigned me cleaning again. He said he was thinking of opening the café soon and made a few drinks for me.
“Is it good?”
“...Yeah.”
The drinks he made were incredibly delicious.
The day after that, I became his conversation partner. He said washing dishes was boring, so I kept him company.
“Are you listening?”
“Uh-huh… I’m listening.”
For some reason oppa found everything I said hilarious and laughed every time. Later he baked snacks for me, saying I had done well.
I ate them with satisfaction.
One day, two days. Before long a week had passed, and it had been two weeks since I started living at oppa’s house.
..Why isn’t he kicking me out?
Oppa never once complained about my presence. He even told me to speak up if I needed anything.
...I have to repay him.
He had saved me from the bad men, given me food and a place to sleep. The debt of kindness was already a mountain, yet it kept growing.
This can’t continue.
In my current state I was only causing trouble instead of repaying him.
“Hmm.”
With a firm heart, I went to oppa.
“Oppa.”
“Hmm? What is it at this late hour?”
Late at night, as Kang Ian was preparing for bed, Lee Gayeon approached him.
She fidgeted when she saw him, restlessly avoiding his eyes. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she looked straight at him and asked.
“Is there anything you want me to help with?”
She’s finally trying to pay for her keep.
Kang Ian kept a puzzled expression on his face while thinking to himself.
“Help with something? Aren’t you already helping enough?”
She shook her head vigorously.
“..It’s not enough.”
Lee Gayeon realized she had no way to repay his kindness in her current state. She wanted to repay him, but part of her was afraid he would abandon her. She also worried he might grow to dislike her for being useless.
“Hmm..”
Come to think of it, she hasn’t shown me her abilities yet.
How would someone who knew nothing react?
A villain executive—a very kind one with a soft heart—rescues a girl who nearly suffered a terrible fate at the hands of a wretched man, feeds her, and gives her a place to sleep. In that case, he wouldn’t expect anything from her. Though he always joked about using her for a high price later, expecting anything at all would be strange.
He probably won’t expect anything.
He would simply find the powerless girl who came asking if there was anything she could help with to be admirable and cute.
A child with no power at all saying she’ll help me.
A trivial yet teasing playfulness rose inside him. Kang Ian thought for a moment.
“Have you decided what you want to help with?”
“..Anything?”
Kang Ian gestured for her to come closer. Gayeon hurried over at once.
He stroked her head and smiled playfully.
“I told you last time that I’m an executive in a villain organization, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then would you like to work for our organization?”
He said it casually, without expectation, simply to tease her.
This is a calculated gamble.
The important thing was that she had to feel she had chosen it herself.
I’ll maintain the stance that I have no intention of using her without her knowledge.
She had been experimented on and used for nearly half her life. Even after escaping, she had nearly suffered terribly. If she thought the person who saved her was only using her again, it would be disastrous. It would render everything he had done so far meaningless.
Therefore, for the smallest possible risk, Kang Ian chose the slightly cumbersome but safe route.
Hiding his slight tension, he watched her. And then—
“I want to.”
Perfect.
But accepting immediately wasn’t right. What he ultimately needed was her ability. He couldn’t have her only do chores without revealing it.
“..You’re really going to do it?”
“Yes.”
“Being a low-level member of a villain organization is incredibly difficult without abilities, you know? Ability users are one thing, but non-ability users only do menial labor and suffer a great deal. I think I misspoke just now. Forget I said anything…”
Kang Ian deliberately spoke negatively to provoke a rebellious spirit—so she would think, No? But I can do it. I can help.
“It’s okay.”
She spoke confidently and stretched out her arm. She tried to activate her power but paused.
“......”
It should be fine to show oppa.
Gayeon glanced at him, then firmed her resolve and used her ability.
“Hup.”
Whirr—
The first thing that appeared was a tiny spark, no stronger than a lighter’s flame.
“So you are an ability user. But with this level of power…”
“Not yet. There’s more.”
Next came telekinesis. Even after the window opened, power still overflowed, sending papers flying around the room.
Then wind swirled, circling the two of them.
Mental, natural, healing, manipulation, summoning, reinforcement, physical, interference… and more.
All kinds of abilities with different powers and strengths poured from her like a storm. At one point—
Whirr—
Their location shifted to the rooftop and she released her powers.
“Hoo… hoo… hoo…”
“What the…”
Gayeon panted heavily, as if she had overused her strength. Kang Ian widened his eyes in apparent shock.
“With… this much… hoo. Can I… be a villain? Oppa… can I be of help…? Hoo…”
You’ve already passed with flying colors, my little lucky charm!!!
Seeing her faint smile, Kang Ian found her unbearably lovable.
But he couldn’t show it. Suppressing the corners of his mouth that wanted to rise, he simply kept his mouth open wide, pretending to be stunned.
In Astra’s office, which always carried a cold atmosphere—
“Hoo.”
Astra was quietly resting.
Maker has gone out for his hobby activities, the training hall is being used for member education, and the other executives are each handling their own tasks.
As the Boss’s secretary and the de facto second-in-command, she rarely received time to rest. Finishing the mountain of documents and enjoying this brief quiet while doing nothing was one of her few pleasures.
Ah, maybe I should check in with Maker after so long.
Staying completely idle was boring, so she was about to contact him to lift her mood when—
“It seems like it’s been a while, Astra-nim.”
“Kyaaak!”
At the familiar voice suddenly coming from behind her, she shot to her feet in uncharacteristic surprise.
“Oh, the coordinates were slightly off.”
“..Sorry, oppa.”
“Not at all. For your first time teleporting here, that was quite good.”
Swish, swish. Maker stroked Gayeon’s head while treating the Astra before him as if she were invisible. Gayeon looked proud.
Astra stared at them, dumbfounded.
“Ma-Maker? Suddenly, from where… and that child is…?”
“Ah. Allow me to introduce her, Astra-nim. This is Gayeon, my first subordinate.”
At Maker’s introduction, the girl gave a small bow.
“Hello, chicken coop.”
“...Wait, what did you just say?”
At Gayeon’s single remark, a vein bulged on Astra’s forehead.