Risk Level <2>: Harpy
Eventually, after being teased for a while longer, I was able to leave the President’s office. But the team leader who had been watching with amusement said this to me as I came out.
“Seems like the President took a liking to you, Woong-ssi.”
“.. Yes.”
You’re the worst. No matter what I tell you, you always leave out the most important part—whether on purpose or not. In this case I had my own prejudices and misunderstandings, but I can’t even begin to describe how flustered I was. To think that young lady was the chairman. It wasn’t more surprising than learning the management team leader was a woman, but somehow… I find it admirable. She doesn’t seem much older than me, either.
“...”
“Hmm, why are you looking at me like that?”
Now that I knew this person was a woman, it felt awkward to talk to her. It had always been awkward, so maybe nothing had really changed, yet the reason felt different and it bothered me more than I expected.
Still, I let out a small sigh of relief, thinking I had safely finished my first meeting with the President, who was like an absolute superior to me. Just then I heard footsteps approaching—thud, thud—and naturally turned my head.
No particular tension. And the scent drifting toward me… What was that smell?
“Perfume..?”
It didn’t seem like a floral scent. The approaching footsteps suddenly made my head buzz, and my heartbeat grew so loud it drowned out everything else. For some reason my face flushed and my body felt hot. My head started to go blank, as if I were drunk.
In the midst of that haze, the owner of the footsteps finally entered my view.
A woman with flowing black hair walking straight toward us. What caught my eye first was her outfit, completely out of place in the corridor.
A biker suit..?
A black riding suit that wrapped her entire body from the neck down. The material was so smooth it reflected the corridor lights perfectly, and with every step the contours of her figure became sharply visible, holding my gaze. With a bit of exaggeration, it felt like watching the reflected lights glide over the sleek body of a supercar passing through a tunnel.
.. Gulp.
That was how incredible her figure was. The zipper line in front, tightly cinching her ample breasts, made even me nervous that it might burst. Thanks to that, the suit did an excellent job of revealing her physique without me needing to see it directly.
Her model-like proportions had not a single flaw in waist, hips, or legs. She was probably confident enough in her extraordinary figure to wear something so bold.
Thud, thud—as if to prove it, her long, slender legs strode forward with a confident model walk. With half of her already small face hidden behind sunglasses and striking red lips, she soon—thud..!—bumped loudly into the quietly standing Joker’s shoulder and stopped in front of the President’s office door without so much as an apology.
The corridor was wide enough to avoid her easily, so it was obvious she had done it on purpose, yet the person—no, she… no, the team leader—didn’t react much.
From my perspective watching from the side, the situation was extremely awkward.
“Why aren’t you reacting today?”
Surprisingly, the one who had started the provocation asked the question. Her arrogant appearance matched her high pride perfectly, and her voice was so captivating I couldn’t help but notice.
The way she spoke down to the team leader so casually… Could she be the President’s girlfriend?
“There’s a new recruit here. I didn’t want to cause trouble for Undine by making a scene.”
“Oh, right. A guy I haven’t seen before.”
As if she had only just noticed my existence, she slightly lowered her sunglasses and looked at me.
When I met her deep golden eyes with vertically slit pupils like a snake’s, I froze.
Why are her eyes like that..? Contacts? And somehow, looking into those eyes…
“This is the new counselor who just joined. His name is Woong.”
“.. No, my name is...?”
Even though something felt off, I couldn’t stop staring into her pupils. My mind grew hazy. Meanwhile the team leader arbitrarily gave the wrong name, so I tried to correct it, but an interested look appeared in her eyes.
‘Interesting.’
What is..? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m prey today?
“Quite unusual for you to be looking after a new recruit.”
“Can’t have his liver eaten, can we?”
“That makes me even more interested.”
I didn’t know the details, but it was clear their relationship wasn’t good. I could feel an aura that shouldn’t be visible behind them, making my legs tingle for no reason.
What was certain was that there was no need for me to intervene here.
“Hmm~ I should get going now.”
The tense standoff that seemed like it would never end was finally resolved when the team leader took a step back first.
.. Thank you.
“What, were you scared or something?”
“No? I can’t keep blocking the way to see the President forever. Hehe.”
At the unpleasant laugh she added at the end, the woman furrowed her brows.
I was equally puzzled, but soon found the reason.
“Let’s head back now, Woong-ssi.”
“Ah, y-yes.. Okay.”
It was because the President’s office door, which had been right in front of her, had disappeared to some unknown place again during their standoff.
She would probably have to wander around looking for the door like we did earlier, but—BOOM!!!
With a sudden loud explosion from behind, the ceiling and floor shook violently. A cloud of dust was pushed forward by the blast, and the lights flickered.
“?!”
Explosion? Earthquake? Whatever it was, I ducked down first and looked back toward the sound.
Whoosh... thud, thud..
And then, through the dust cloud, the figure of the woman who had just kicked and completely destroyed the wall where the door had been slowly emerged.
Even though she was wearing sunglasses, the way she glared at us as if to kill made the hairs on my body stand on end.
Did she... break that wall?
Crackle..! Crack!!
The exposed wires from the wall sparked, as if reflecting her foul mood, sending chills down my spine.
“Come on, this is a common occurrence. Let’s get going.”
Common occurrence? No way..
Dragging my legs that wouldn’t move from shock, the team leader grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me around the corner, finally escaping that terrifying gaze.
“Haa..”
.. I was holding my breath.
I must have unconsciously stopped breathing due to the tension.
Of course I would.
“Even if she has no manners, she’s the field team leader, Nine Tail.”
“Field team leader..?”
With that shiny full-body suit and her actress-like charming appearance, I had definitely thought she was the President’s girlfriend.
No, more than that..!
“But just now? The wall?!”
“Her personality is just that bad. So when you meet the field team leader, the best thing is to avoid her first. Make sure to remember that.”
I wondered what her bad personality had to do with smashing a wall with her bare body, but the Joker in front of me didn’t seem to think that was the important part.
“It’s not like I avoided her because I thought I’d lose.”
“.. Right.”
The team leader pushed her mask close, forcing an answer. Even if she didn’t show it, she seemed quite concerned, just like her.
Workplace power struggles.. I guess I could understand it that way.
I didn’t know if I’d ever meet her, but I hoped the response team leader, at least, wasn’t strange.
“Indeed. When I fought the field team leader before, the President and I were evenly matched, but now I’m curious how it would go.”
“...?”
Was she saying she’d fought with that person, the President, and the team leader before? She broke the wall? I didn’t see it clearly, but definitely with her bare body..
“...”
With each answer I felt like I was being sucked deeper into a maze, and I wondered if I should even ask. Hearing more probably wouldn’t do any good.
“Be careful. She’s quite petty, so she might try to get back at you for what happened today.”
“No, what..? Me? Why?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be watching over you from the side.”
Forget how unfair it was that I, who did nothing, could become a target for revenge—the phrase “watching over” bothered me more. It sounded like she’d be hiding somewhere enjoying my reactions. Was I thinking too negatively?
Unfortunately, having just been mentally teased by the President, the only person I could trust here right now was the Joker-masked person in front of me.
“In that case.. I’ll be counting on you.”
Unfortunately, indeed.