Culprit (2)
Culprit (2)
"Hello, Director."
- Oh? Seong-hwan-ssi, you calling me first is unusual.
"Of course. I have something important to report."
- Oh! Did you make a decision?
'I wonder if she knows what I decided.'
Even though I was on the phone, I started picturing everything as if she were right next to me.
She'd be in her office with the AC blasting, sipping a cold coffee and grinning broadly.
As if celebrating having perfectly achieved what she intended.
"That's right."
- As expected, there's no one like our Seong-hwan! If we do a shoot with A-ra this time.........
"I'll file a preliminary injunction to suspend the exclusive contract through my lawyer. Thank you for everything."
- Huh............? Seong-hwan... are you angry?
"I'm very, very angry. Goodbye."
- S-S-S-S-S... Seong-hwan? W-wait, don't hang up yet...............
Ttuk....
As soon as I pressed the end call button, a beep echoed starkly.
Of course, I had no intention of actually terminating the contract with the agency.
There was no way I'd stab the Director and the company in the back after they raised me and offered me good terms.
But this time, the Director had tried to manipulate A-ra to get me to move.
She gave me every option on the surface, then engineered a situation where I couldn't refuse — all so things would go her way.
A-ra went along with it and does share some of the blame, but she's cute, so I'll let it slide.
Even if A-ra hit me, I would forgive her.
'Huu... I won't pick up until tomorrow.'
I looked at my phone, still buzzing away, and hardened my resolve.
'Let her stew for a while~'
"Noona? Would you like to eat soon?"
"Oh... tonight, even yesterday's leftovers are fine..."
She seemed deeply sorry, hugging Pipsqueak and peeking her face out from behind the transparent glass wall.
'No matter how sulky I am, I'd never joke about A-ra's meals.'
"Noona, if you say sorry one more time, I'll just give you kimchi and rice."
"I... I'd be fine with just rice and kimchi..."
Hearing that, tears suddenly pricked at my eyes.
Was it because I imagined A-ra eating nothing but rice and kimchi?
I had vowed never to let that happen, yet picturing it filled me with a strange, aching guilt.
I let out a sigh and sat down on one of the dining table chairs.
Once I sat, A-ra set Pipsqueak on the floor and took her seat too.
"Noona, I really am not angry."
"Yeah... I heard you earlier."
"But are you planning to stay like this? If someone wants something, they're allowed to act like that."
'Well, of course, it's a bit funny to be acting like this over a single card.'
But from A-ra's point of view, it probably felt like she'd been tricked into selling out her husband.
'When I think about it, maybe it wouldn't hurt to let some anger out just once.'
"Fine, then I'll get angry once."
"Yes, as much as you want..."
"Tonight, I'll use the Obedience Voucher."
"Yeah, oka......"
I chuckled and stood up from my seat.
I hadn't seen A-ra screaming her lungs out yet, but tonight I would get to see her shrieking in bed.
*
"S-Seong-hwan, you didn't really yell at the Director, did you?"
"No? I wouldn't say I yelled... Why?"
'Actually, I did play a mean prank.'
But I was planning to let her fret for three or four days, then call and tell her it was a joke.
However, that plan got derailed much sooner than I expected.
"The Director is waiting on the first floor."
"Heh..."
Since I'd ignored all her calls yesterday and they eventually stopped, I thought she'd given up.
Apparently, she'd held back to avoid annoying me further before coming to the house today.
"The Director called Noona crying yesterday..."
"...She cried?"
"Yeah... She says she's sorry and wants to apologize."
'I didn't mean to make her cry.'
It seemed the situation had grown a bit bigger than I'd intended.
'What should I do now...'
'I hope no weird articles come out about this.'
"What... should we do?"
..........
Looking at A-ra's expression, she seemed on the verge of tears herself at any moment.
Even though they bickered and teased each other, to A-ra, the Director was her greatest benefactor.
"......Okay. Please tell the Director to come up."
"Yeah, thank you, Seong-hwan."
"Thanks? I never intended for it to go this far."
'I really meant to end it as just a joke.'
This... is making me feel a little sorry.
It took a while for the Director to come up to the house.
Since it was her first visit, issuing the visitor's pass needed to enter took some time.
In the meantime, I passed the time playing with Lil' One and Pipsqueak.
"Lil' One, sit."
"Woof!"
"Good boy, well done..."
I held out a piece of kibble in my hand.
As soon as Pipsqueak spotted it, she darted over, snatched it, and gulped it down.
Watching that, I laughed so hard I nearly choked.
'Stealing even your sister's food...'
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Mung."
"Woof woof!"
I didn't know what Lil' One was trying to communicate, but Pipsqueak was quietly listening.
Then, she came rushing over and jumped into my arms.
"Ahem, you little rascal Lil' One! If you're the older sister, you should know to yield to your younger sibling!"
"Kkiiing...."
"And Pipsqueak, you shouldn't steal your sister's food either!"
"Mung."
She just tilted her head quizzically, as if she had no idea.
Maybe Pipsqueak isn't as sharp as Lil' One.
I brought a piece of kibble to Lil' One's mouth.
Instantly, she slurped it up, and the crunching sound echoed through the living room.
Had A-ra, who was on the computer in the inner room, heard that sound?
She smiled and came out to the living room, hugging Pipsqueak tightly.
Then she pulled out her phone and checked the time.
"She's a little late."
"She'll be up soon. She said she was going to stop by the mart for a moment."
"Ah... I guess she'll be buying lots of things."
"Hehe, we can have that for dinner tonight."
A-ra's face, having realized I had no intention of storming out, was spread wide with a smile.
I wanted to press my lips to hers right then and there, slip my tongue in and savor her,
but with the Director coming up any minute, wouldn't it be completely senseless if A-ra's face was all flushed red?
Time passed, and when it was getting near lunchtime, the tablet mounted in the living room started buzzing.
Looking at the screen, I saw a young woman standing stiffly in front of the door, carrying loads of stuff.
"The Director's here."
"Yeah, I'll open the door and come right back."
A-ra walked to the front door with tiny steps and opened it slightly.
And she took the things the Director had brought and slowly returned to the living room.
"Seong-hwan-ssi..."
"Hello, Director."
It had only been about four days since I last saw her, but she looked terribly gaunt compared to before.
'Is she eating properly?'
"Director... have you been eating?"
"Uh... the last time I ate..."
"Sigh... You really might die if you keep that up..."
'Normally, if you're a chaebol, isn't there someone to take care of you?'
'And she's even the CEO of a large corporation.'
"It's not that, I just skipped my evening snack yesterday..."
"Your body isn't one that can afford to skip even a single day's snack, is it?"
"Seong-hwan, the Director gets like this if her eating routine changes even a little."
"...Really?"
Seeing A-ra nod, it seemed to be true.
Even if she ate regular meals and had two bowls per sitting, apparently she'd end up like this without her snacks.
Could it be that women's bodies are different from men's?
"Ah... anyway... Director, my prank yesterday went too far."
"A... prank?"
Her eyes suddenly widened and went round.
She'd apparently taken the talk about the injunction completely seriously.
'Well, that makes sense.'
Since I hadn't answered the phone at all.
"Actually, I was just trying to pull a prank... I didn't know you'd take it so seriously..."
"S... so it really was... a prank?"
"I'm not the kind of guy who'd stab his benefactor in the back over something like that, right?"
Unless it involved forcing an unfair contract on A-ra,
there was no reason for me to fall out with the Director.
And isn't the Director one of the few people I can talk to openly and comfortably?
"Th...that's a relief... really..."
The Director slumped onto the sofa beside her and let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing her like that made me feel a little guilty, as if I'd been the bad guy.
"Um... would you like to at least have a meal before you go? I'll go do some quick grocery shopping."
".....LA galbi......king crab.........octopus..........."
The Director pointed at the bundles A-ra had brought in earlier.
Could it be that everything she'd just named was in there?
"It's all in there."
"Yes..."
"...You bought an awful lot."
"I brought them thinking I'd have to make three visits to plead..."
'I guess I almost became Zhuge Liang.'
'Even so, three visits...'
"Then I'll go prepare, so please look after A-ra Noona and Lil' One and Pipsqueak."
"Okay... but by Lil' One and Pipsqueak, you mean..."
"Woof!"
"Mung"
The two dogs, who had been playing on the terrace, dashed into the living room.
I had heard before that the Director really loves dogs.
"Wow... baby Pomeranians..."
"Aren't they cute? They're still fluffballs."
"So... cute..."
It seemed the Director had fallen for our pups too.
Seeing A-ra and her each hugging one, I chuckled and picked up the bundles to take to the kitchen.
'I guess most women like dogs too.'
'That's a relief.'