Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: On the Bed
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On the way back from the café to the office.
Yumina's steps were remarkably light.
Something feels like I forgot... but whatever.
The asphalt was still scorching hot...
But Yumina couldn't care less.
Because as she stepped into the development office at the company headquarters, her mind was entirely filled with the man she'd just spent time with.
We just... clicked so well.
Twenty-nine years.
A life that felt short if short, long if long.
She wondered if she'd ever had such a fun conversation with another person in all that time.
No, even with same-sex friends, she could barely remember the last time she'd chattered so excitedly.
Her school days had been consumed by studying, and after entering the workforce, work had swallowed her whole.
There'd never been a day where pure conversation itself felt this enjoyable.
A ticklish flutter in her chest.
This was the first time she'd ever felt such an emotion.
In fact, Yumina had thought she wasn't all that interested in men.
She hadn't cared much about dating at all and had even wondered if there was something wrong with her for not thinking about it.
But today, she'd realized the truth.
She was interested in men, just like any other ordinary woman.
No different from the rest.
"Haa..."
Yumina cooled her flushed cheeks with her palms and plopped down into her seat.
Then, the few members of the Chrono Rea team, who had been hiding behind their monitors, poked their heads out one by one.
Three women.
Three men.
The team members shambled toward her like zombies from a zombie apocalypse webnovel.
"Director? What about the coffee?"
At those words, Yumina slapped her forehead.
She finally remembered why she'd stopped by the café alone in this sweltering heat.
She'd lost rock-paper-scissors and was supposed to buy coffee.
Two hours after leaving, she'd returned empty-handed. No wonder the team was baffled.
"Sorry... I totally forgot."
"What happened? Did you get into a fight with the café barista or something?"
"Come on, even if so, would our director start it?"
"Or did you spill it all on the way back?"
"That actually makes less sense."
The team members tilted their heads like puppies.
Yumina cleared her throat and looked around at her staff.
"Well... the thing is, I met someone at the café who I really hit it off with."
"Hit it off? Someone you know?"
"No, I met him for the first time today..."
Yumina trailed off.
The team exchanged glances, eyes meeting in silent understanding.
Something had definitely happened.
They quickly dragged their chairs over from their desks, surrounding her like a posse.
Their eyes sparkled far brighter than during work hours.
"Wait... was it a guy?"
The sharpest team member, the development team leader, asked cautiously.
Yumina blushed and nodded slightly.
"Whoa, our director talked to a random guy?"
"You're not saying it was some ritual sacrifice talk or whatever, right...?"
"N-no, nothing like that..."
Amazement poured from the women's mouths.
Worry from the men's.
Different reactions, but rooted in the same shock: they never imagined she'd bring up a guy.
And why would they? Even at company dinners or casual drinks, Yumina had never once mentioned men.
Forget love advice—she'd answer "ideal type?" with "Someone who fixes bugs fast and rolls out patches quick."
She wasn't completely detached from personal talk at work.
She just seemed utterly uninterested in men as a species.
When staff swapped dirty jokes or dating stories, she'd just quietly munch on snacks nearby.
So much so that her few team members had half-jokingly suspected she might be a lesbian.
"Our director... and a guy?"
They scanned her from head to toe.
Her looks were stunning enough to hold up anywhere.
But her unkempt hair with zero styling, dark circles from all-nighters.
And a pantsuit devoid of any sex appeal.
Her outfit screamed "not trying to attract anyone"—like birth control in fashion form.
And yet here she was, blushing and talking about a man.
"So? Did you get his number, at least?"
The graphics team leader asked excitedly.
Yumina hung her head, mumbling in a tiny voice.
"I didn't get his... he asked for mine first..."
"Ooooh!"
The team erupted in applause.
Surprising, but not really on second thought.
Ungroomed or not, Yumina's beauty was on another level.
The kind that turns nine out of ten guys' heads.
"But what's he like?"
"I'm more curious about what he does."
"Definitely not some normie."
The team looked like they might explode from curiosity.
What kind of man had turned their workaholic into a woman?
Yumina fidgeted with her fingers, hemming and hawing.
"H-he... likes RPG games."
"Games?"
"Yeah. Knows everything from classics to the latest titles. We talked so easily."
Yumina's eyes sparkled.
Just talking games had her heart racing again.
"And... he was super handsome."
Only then did the team nod in unison, convinced.
Yumina wasn't a lesbian or asexual.
Her standards were just sky-high, ignoring average guys.
What seemed like a plot hole? Filled by his face.
"You just met today, so text him tomorrow like 'What're you up to?'"
"Yeah, ask him to grab a meal."
The team egged her on.
But the server team leader shook his head and cut in.
"Nah, food's too cliché. He likes games, right? Say you wanna talk games and lure him out."
"No way. Never mention games."
The development team leader recoiled, waving his hands frantically.
The server guy tilted his head, confused.
"Why?"
"These days it's all Discord. No meeting up—just headset chats from your room."
"Oh..."
"Yeah, that could happen..."
Yumina's face turned serious at the dev leader's words.
It could totally go that way.
"Th-then what do I do? How should I...?"
She asked with a pouty, teary face.
By now, work was forgotten; the team was all-in on her love life.
Especially the women.
"Just call him out first. Feed him food or drinks, whatever."
"And then...?"
"Once he's had a bit to drink, drag him straight to a motel."
"M-mo... motel?"
Yumina's face turned beet red, like a spicy pepper.
The men clutched their heads in disbelief.
"Director, sex is basically a sport these days. This ain't the Joseon era."
"To snag a good guy, the woman has to make the first move."
"The days of guys chasing, confessing, proposing? Over. Gotta hustle for the hot ones."
The women were dead serious.
As passionate as debating unpatchable game balance.
"So when you see an opening, haul him to the motel."
"Skip the condom and go all in."
"Wh-what?!"
"Nothing locks it down like that. Do the deed first, ask questions later."
Yumina shot up from her seat.
Any more and her heart might stop.
"I-I'm just gonna hit the bathroom!"
She bolted from the office to the restroom.
As the door slammed shut, the remaining team members eyed each other.
"Was our feedback a bit much?"
"A bit? Too intense for a total noob virgin."
"Even so, telling a virgin to skip the condom? Overkill."
The women laughed and returned to their desks.
The men watching just shook their heads.
It had been two weeks since my Hanbit Soft plan fell through.
In that time, I'd gotten word that Eun Ha-min's new corporation framework was ready.
And today.
I was reuniting with her after about two weeks.
"My place is pretty cramped."
"Fine for one person, though?"
Normally we'd meet outside or in the car, but today Eun Ha-min came to my studio apartment.
She looked around my room, then asked if she could sit on the bed.
Now she was humming away on it.
She seemed way happier than our car meetups.
"What're you doing? Sit."
"Okay."
We perched side by side on the narrow single bed, finally tackling the corporation talk we'd put off.
With her holding 51% shares, it felt like the majority shareholder getting briefed by a pro exec. Kinda fun.
"Oh, right. Ha-min."
"Ha-mini."
"H-Ha-mini. What about Eclipse Studio?"
I stammered.
I'd messaged her before to buy Eclipse Studio's Exodia shares.
Better to secure scattered shares first than chase the big holder's.
"There? I grabbed some, like you said. It was already on the list."
"Huh. Really?"
"Yeah. Their dev skills are solid, but the real gem's their real estate."
Ah, the real estate covering their losses?
I'd heard they had land in Gangnam with a building going up for their HQ.
"Game companies are all flocking to Pangyo these days. But Eclipse is old-school, so they've got an HQ in Seoul Gangnam."
"I know that much. Word is they use property profits to offset game deficits."
"Look at you, bro, you knew? Anyway, that HQ makes a perfect foothold. Prime spot, and the building value covers a huge chunk of acquisition costs."
Eun Ha-min had it all figured out.
Chaebol's a chaebol, alright.
"Plus, the majority shareholder's getting on in years, seems open to selling. Good news soon."
"That's a relief."
A huge relief for us.
And with that, the corporation chat wrapped up nicely.
"Whew. Hot."
Eun Ha-min shrugged off her thin cardigan, complaining of the heat.
Underneath, just a sleeveless tee.
"Oppa, water. Thirsty."
"One sec."
I grabbed a 500ml bottled water from the fridge.
Unscrewed the cap and handed it over; she chugged straight from the bottle.
"Haa... alive again."
She offered the half-full bottle back.
I took it absentmindedly, then froze.
Her lip marks stark on the rim.
As I stared at the mouth, she grinned.
"What? Shy 'cause indirect kiss?"
"..."
"Don't worry. Real kiss later. Drink up."
I coughed awkwardly and sipped like it was nothing.
Lips overlapping hers.
Felt her sly gaze, but I ignored it and drained it.
Crushed the empty bottle, capped it, and tossed it in the trash.
Turning back, Eun Ha-min was sprawled starfish-style on my bed.
"Hmmm~"
She rolled around, sniffing the sheets.
"Thought a single guy's place would be a mess. Way cleaner than expected. No bachelor stink."
"I like cleaning. Can't stand dirt."
"Huh. Surprising."
She hugged my pillow, looking up at me.
"My puppy oppa can be the househusband later. I'll earn the cash; you cook, laundry, all that. Deal?"
"Housekeeper to househusband."
"Not housekeeper. Husband?"
"Ahem."
Our flirty banter—playful, not quite flirting—drew us closer.
Suddenly, the reclining Eun Ha-min reached up and grabbed my collar.
"Wh-what?"
Lost balance in a flash.
Tumbled onto the bed.
More precisely, onto her.
"..."
Awkward position.
Her lying on the bed, me propped on arms looking down.
My left leg wedged between hers.
Close enough to hear breaths.
Her scent tickled my nose.
"..."
Frozen in panic, unlike her cool composure.
She wrapped arms around my neck, smiling sweetly.
"Puppy oppa, you trying to pounce on me?"
"Y-you pulled me."
"Dunno? Looks like you're pouncing to anyone watching."
She looked thrilled.
Teasing or serious? Unclear.
Something snapped in me.
Couldn't just take it forever.
Pretending to bite the bait, I leaned in closer.
"What if I do?"
"Oh?"
"Don't like?"
Expected shock, but her calm made her eyes...
Soften somehow.
I seized the moment, lowering my head.
Pressed my lips to hers.
Smack.
A light peck.
Lips brushed and parted.
"Hoo..."
I pulled back, gauging her reaction.
She pouted.
Disappointed.
"What? That's it?"
"......Huh?"
"Man draws sword, might as well swing it."
"Sexist."
"Nah."
Her eyes shifted.
Playfulness gone, predatory gleam.
"Not doing it right?"
Before I could reply, the ceiling spun.
She wrapped my waist, flipping us.
Positions reversed in a blink.
Me pinned below, her straddling on top.
"W-wait, hang— Mmph!"
No chance to speak.
She crushed her lips to mine.
Nothing like my playful peck.
Her soft tongue parted my lips, invading.
Coiled my tongue, sucked, wouldn't let go.
"Mmm... Slurp..."
Brain melting.
Practicing solo or what?
Wasn't like this in the bathroom before.
Maybe different pinned down.
How long?
She slowly pulled away.
Saliva thread stretched silver between lips, snapped.
Her flushed face panted roughly.
"Haa... haa..."
Lips to my ear, whispering soft.
"If you're doing it for real... at least this much, right? Oppa."
She pecked my cheek lightly, grinning satisfied.
Then dove back in for my lips.