Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Hashtag (2)
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The first time I got this power, I had no clue what the #hashtag for erogenous zones really meant.
But after meeting Han Chae-ah once, I got the picture.
A pink hashtag speech bubble floated behind Han Chae-ah's ear.
Pink.
It was obvious at a glance that spot was one of Han Chae-ah's sensitive points.
I could clearly picture her body twitching if I grabbed it there.
The bubble under her chin was a lighter shade of pink.
Seemed like it was a weaker erogenous zone than behind her ear.
I lowered my gaze further.
Another pink bubble appeared.
Yellow hashtags appeared below those.
As I wondered about them briefly...
The app's system message explained the purpose of these hashtags.
Yeah, I got the gist.
The colors indicated what they meant.
But...
What the hell was this dark red one?
This pitch-black-red hashtag plastered right on her chest.
No explanation for it.
So...
Pulling out shameful tits—this hashtag was a development switch even Han Chae-ah herself didn't know about?
Close to exhibitionism?
Or a complex about her own chest?
Either way, it was definitely her most intense erogenous zone and fetish.
"Wh-what are you staring at?"
Was my gaze too obvious?
Han Chae-ah covered her chest and spoke in a sharp tone.
That expression just made me want to tease her more.
"Just curious what underwear you're wearing today."
"Eek!"
She jumped at the sudden sexual harassment, eyes wide as she glanced around.
"Wh-what kind of thing is that to say? What if someone hears..."
"No one's listening. Place is packed with customers."
"Th-that doesn't mean..."
"Guess you don't hate it? You're not even mad."
"I-it's not like that? If I make a scene here, we'd both be in trouble."
Her face flushed bright red as she took the café latte.
"If you sexually harass someone at their workplace like that, they'll get you fired. Be careful for real."
"Only 'cause it's you."
I wouldn't pull this on anyone else but a pervert like you.
If I did, I'd get reported.
I pick my targets.
"..."
She stared at me blankly, flustered by my words.
"Never thought the loyal regular who keeps coming back for my killer coffee would turn out to be you."
"I was shocked too. Never imagined the guy making such delicious coffee was such a perv..."
"But it was tasty, right?"
"..."
She stared at the heart-drawn coffee, then alternated between me and it.
Finally, she took a cautious sip.
"It's delicious as always."
Han Chae-ah's expression softened.
As she sipped with a faint smile, the air around us seemed to shift.
I could see why the manager said customers flocked because of her.
Plenty would come just to see that smile.
Savoring it with a soft smile, she asked me,
"Got any secret technique?"
"Nah. I just do it like everyone else. The machine does most of the work anyway."
"No way. There has to be some trick to this..."
"Wanna watch me make it?"
"C-can I?"
"Sure. If the manager complains, I'll just say he's ignoring a loyal customer."
She was valuable enough to bump my pay because of her, so he'd never refuse if she suddenly wanted to come back there.
"Follow me."
She hesitated a bit, then awkwardly stood up.
"Boss, she wants to watch me make coffee, so I brought her back."
"Oh, of course! Let her see! Haha!"
I led Han Chae-ah inside.
She watched in fascination as beans poured out, then as I leveled and tamped the ground beans in the portafilter.
Those two steps—leveling and tamping—were what really decided the coffee's flavor, so they were the most crucial.
I pressed down hard with the tamper, veins bulging in my forearm.
Then attached the portafilter to the machine and extracted the shot.
While it ran, I steamed the milk.
Finally, poured the espresso shot, added the steamed milk for a latte art finish.
"Wow."
An exclamation came from beside me.
"See? Nothing special."
"Y-yeah."
Her voice trembled slightly.
Was the coffee that good?
"I-I think I know why your coffee tastes different, sunbae."
"Oh?"
She figured it out just from watching?
Coffee expert or something?
"What is it?"
"...I-I can't say."
"Why not?"
"J-just... forget it!"
She suddenly backed away and bolted out of the shop.
What the hell?
Han Chae-ah felt like she was going insane.
It was shocking enough that the barista at her favorite café was Kim Jinwoo, but watching him work made her heart pound like crazy.
-Wanna watch me make it?
She followed him into the staff-only area.
No customer was ever supposed to go near the coffee machines.
A space clearly dividing customers from staff.
Invading that territory.
Something you just don't do.
Yet Kim Jinwoo did it without hesitation.
Something she shouldn't do.
But she couldn't refuse his invitation to follow.
-Follow me.
Han Chae-ah couldn't easily turn down people's requests.
But she didn't blindly say yes to everything she hated.
She'd brush off clingy seniors by blaming friends.
If there was a good excuse, she'd use it.
But Kim Jinwoo's words were different from the usual requests.
Less a request, more a command.
-Wanna grab lunch together?
-Chae-ah, I got an extra theater ticket this time—wanna go?
-We're doing a girls' trip for a night and two days—you in?
People always made requests of her.
Like she was someone special.
But Kim Jinwoo was different.
-Hand over your panties.
Not a request—a command.
Like ordering a subordinate.
Casually tossed out, like it didn't matter if she didn't follow.
That look in his eyes, like she'd be the one losing out if she refused.
Same thing now.
You said you wanted to watch. So follow.
A command.
A tone no one had ever used on her.
She couldn't refuse that rudeness.
But what really drove her nuts wasn't his commanding tone.
It was that she couldn't tear her eyes away from him focused at the coffee machine.
From the guy who always sexually harassed her and groped her.
She even thought he looked a little cool.
Her heart fluttered a bit at his serious, concentrated gaze.
Sure, he'd suddenly shown up and helped her once, but none of that would've happened if he hadn't taken her panties.
Getting excited over him like that?
Am I crazy?
The real kicker wasn't even the latte art.
It was when he tamped the grounds flat—his forearm flexing.
Her heart raced the moment she saw those bulging tendons.
"Don't think about it."
Don't let random thoughts make it worse.
She glared wide-eyed.
Afraid closing them would bring him to mind.
"This is annoying."
She kicked her feet under the covers, grinding her teeth.
"I'll get revenge..."
But how?
Ask for her panties back? He'd happily hand them over.
That wouldn't be revenge.
She needed a different approach.
"Guess I'll have to go back."
She shot up from her seat.
Han Chae-ah, who I'd thought went home, showed up at the café again.
Saturday night 9 PM—the busiest hour.
Two hours after she supposedly headed home, right on the dot.
Why?
Didn't she finish all her drinks today?
"Welcome back. You're here again?"
"Your coffee's so good. Came for one more."
The boss's face lit up the moment he saw her.
Made sense—she drew crowds, enough to boost my pay.
Just having a beauty like her around boosted sales.
"Could I get another of the same?"
She asked me, not the boss.
"Of course."
The boss signaled me with his eyes to hurry.
"I'd like that part-timer to serve it personally."
"No worries. I'll send him right over."
Boss, don't sell out for money like that.
It's already peak hours.
"If you want your pay bumped, go treat her nice. No idea what you said earlier, but it made her run off."
The boss approached me with a menacing tone.
Smiling, but fuming underneath.
Because she'd bolted like that.
Damn it.
"Got it."
I pulled the café latte and headed over.
"Your order."
"Thanks, sunbae."
As I turned to leave after handing it over...
"Excuse me, barista?"
"Yes."
"It's a bit bland. Could you bring some syrup?"
Oh, really?
Look at you.
"Customer, you got no hands? No feet? That's for you to..."
Thud!
A foot stomped at the counter.
The boss's smiling eyes bored into me.
-Treat. Her. Nice.
I got the message from his lip movements.
Goddamn it.
Powerless employee—where's the justice?
"Right away."
I brought the syrup and handed it over.
"Your syrup."
"Could you pour it?"
"Me...?"
"Yes. Better from an expert touch."
This bitch?
What's her deal?
She's not the type.
Good girl complex.
That summed up Han Chae-ah perfectly.
What changed to make her come back and pull this power trip?
'Did she get disappointed watching me make it?'
Too ordinary compared to other places?
Might feel duped.
Shouldn't have shown her.
"How much?"
"Your call. I trust the pro."
I squirted three pumps.
"Too sweet this late isn't good."
"Still bland. Wish you'd add more."
"...Got it."
One more.
"More."
Another.
"One more pump."
Again.
This isn't how you drink coffee.
Too much syrup kills the coffee's true flavor and numbs your tongue to taste it.
She didn't even like it that sweet...
"It's way too much now. You make good coffee, but syrup control's lacking."
Deliberately screwing with me?
You bitch.
Thinking nice didn't help.
"Syrup splashed here. Got a tissue?"
"Y-yes... sir."
Nothing was splashed on the table.
Yet she demanded one.
The moment I realized she came to mess with me on purpose, my expression slipped.
But what could I do?
To eat with someone else's money, swallow the injustice.
Thing is...
Just taking it isn't my style.
"Wipe it off."
"Yes, ma'am."
I wiped the table as she said.
Honestly, nothing to wipe.
Still, I pretended.
Just taking this wasn't my style.
Whatever the reason, seemed like she came to toy with me.
My eyes hit the pink-glowing hashtag bubble.
Payback time, bitch.
"You got a bit here."
I brushed the tissue lightly behind her ear.
Pretended to drop it, then scratched bare-handed.
"Hngh!"
Her moan echoed through the café.
How's that?
Feel awake now?