The Path of the Popular Masseur

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Having female customers flock to me was great, but as a trade-off, something annoying cropped up.

Go Seokhyeon, that bastard. The fucker kept causing problems.

'Lately, he's been picking fights non-stop.'

After he'd trailed me during massage practice sessions, we hadn't really clashed much. But over the past few days, he'd been pulling this shit constantly, so I checked his status message to figure out why.

'What a joke.'

Apparently, among the female clients who'd switched to me, there were some of Go Seokhyeon's regulars—especially A-grade ones who tipped big.

'Come to think of it, that woman I just treated was one of his clients too.'

It looked like he'd ended up losing customers to me overnight, bruising his ego, so he was throwing a petty tantrum to push back.

Up until now, it had been minor stuff, so I'd let it slide. But his antics were starting to cross the line.

'Should've nipped this in the bud earlier.'

His first impression hadn't been great, but even so, I hadn't seriously considered taking him out. His so-called "countermeasures" had been kind of cute, and observing him up close was intriguing in various ways.

The guy knew exactly how to leverage his good looks to get what he wanted from others.

For me—who had the facial upgrade but didn't know how to wield it as a weapon yet—he was a perfect learning tool.

'His words and actions were super helpful when I was hitting the clubs.'

A bit irritating, sure, but keeping him around offered visible lessons to absorb.

But just now, Go Seokhyeon had crossed the line.

I'd played nice, and now he thought I was a pushover.

He spoke again to me as I stood there silently.

"What're you doing? Didn't you hear me?"

Instead of answering, I stepped forward assertively.

'Just headbutt him? Nah, that's too amateurish.'

Being a tad taller than him, I now loomed over Go Seokhyeon.

Sensing the intimidation, his face stiffened slightly.

'But if we let his inner thoughts decide the winner, it'd be a judgment loss for me. Not a good plan.'

He was baiting me with jabs, thinking I was easy prey. Falling for it hook, line, and sinker would hand him the decision victory.

'Play submissive first, then smash him from behind.'

I deliberately put on a cowed expression and said,

"I'll grab it right away. Just give me five minutes."

Showing backbone would make him wary, given his personality. So I acted crushed under his pressure.

'Better to look like I can't even clap back at his bullshit.'

I even bowed my head low.

Go Seokhyeon eyed me, looking like he'd gotten tense for no reason.

The second I stepped out of the beauty center, the corners of my mouth I'd been forcing up drooped.

It was all staged for future satisfaction, but it still felt shitty.

I'd bowed my head temporarily since I had no immediate way to smack him down, but it pissed me off more than expected.

His desire reacted to it.

'A sub-goal just popped up.'

Go Seokhyeon was currently Aesthetic de Nonhyeon’s body therapy section’s top masseur by reserved clients.

In other words, kicking him out and poaching his customers would let me clear the first trophy quest in a flash.

My target was set. Time to give Go Seokhyeon a proper schooling, ASAP.

***

So, what was the best way to school Go Seokhyeon?

His image at work was stellar. He knew how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to win people over with his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠friendly looks and solid social skills.

I'd gotten chummy with the other staff while working, but it couldn't compare to the rapport he'd built over years.

Plus, the beauty industry still clung to rigid hierarchies like military culture.

He was the senior; I was the junior.

Charging in headfirst would mean zero damage to him— all the justification and staff sentiment favored him.

He was pissed about losing clients but smart enough not to create blowback for himself. Sly bastard.

Any normal person would either swallow it, snap back and take the hit, or pick one losing option.

But I was different. I knew his hidden weakness inside out.

I bought a coffee from the convenience store, stabbed in a straw, slurped it down, and fiddled with my smartphone.

Using the updated KakaoTalk manipulation edit feature, I peeked into Go Seokhyeon's chats.

"Let's see. KakaoTalks between him and his regulars... here we go."

I listed the female clients he regularly met outside and squeezed money from.

From the chat history, one was coming in for a session today.

'If I'd known she'd show up today, no need to bow my head.'

A bit regrettable, but the quest got a GP reward boost, so I called it good.

I grinned wickedly.

"If you're gonna swing, make it count. Quit with the pussy jabs, you punk."

If we were fighting, I wouldn't jab like him—I'd land a counterpunch and KO him.

Back at the center, Go Seokhyeon held out his hand to me.

"You get it?"

I tossed the empty coffee bottle onto his palm.

Thinking he'd broken my spirit, he'd smirked leisurely—now his face froze.

"Song Yunho! This is empty!"

I provoked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him on purpose.

"Huh? Weren't you just telling me to toss out the trash?"

"What? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I told you to buy me coffee—"

I ignored whatever bullshit he spouted and walked off, sneaking a status check.

Sly as ever.

'Doesn't matter. One manipulation edit and he's done.'

He followed me to the break room, trying to reassert dominance, but I whistled and brushed him off.

He pulled a dumbfounded face, then hardened into a cold glare and spat,

"You'll regret this. It'll be fun."

Before long, bad rumors about me would circulate among the staff.

Didn't care. His image would be trashed way before that.

I chuckled reading his KakaoTalks.

'Poor Seokhyeon, I get worrying about your meal ticket.'

But cross the line, and big bro can't go easy anymore.

Idiots who don't know boundaries need a real lesson.

His chat updated.

'Alright. Schooling starts now.'

I paused briefly, then fired up KakaoTalk Manipulation Edit.

I crafted maximally provocative content and sent it under his name.

Who wouldn't flip seeing that logically?

She'd assume he meant to send it to his group chat with the boys but fat-fingered the wrong room.

The "1" vanished from unread. I bolted up.

Prime-time scene incoming. As director, I couldn't miss the shot.

In the lobby: a flushed, fuming woman and a baffled Go Seokhyeon. Staff gawking nearby, boss flustered and hovering.

The enraged woman opened her mouth.

'Lead actress, action!'

"Hey, Go Seokhyeon. Say it to my face. What the hell did you call me?"

"No, ma'am—no, Soyeon sis. You know I wouldn't."

"I do. But you still said it, you prick! What? 'Eat her doggy-style'?"

"Sis, I swear I didn't send it. You don't trust me?"

"Shut the fuck up. Go eat dog at a dog soup joint, you dog-fucker! Boss! Don't expect me back. How do you even manage your staff?!"

The livid customer spun toward the exit.

I stepped up. My cue.

I grabbed her arm as she stormed off.

"And who the hell are you?!"

Before she exploded, I whispered quick,

"Wanna see Go Seokhyeon squirm?"

"What?"

Confusion flickered across her face.

* * *