The Secret Club

At my outburst, all three of them fell silent like they'd been struck dumb. Probably because of the atmosphere. Pyori-budong. The four-character idiom for when someone's outward appearance doesn't match what's inside. On the surface they're all "what do we do, what do we do," but the moment things get blown out of proportion, they shoot you that look that says "why'd you have to make such a big deal out of it?" Every company has that kind of vibe, but the civil service world was especially bad. After all, most people didn't walk in here with any grand ambition to learn or change anything.

My actions must have seemed like a jagged stone in a smooth pond. "Let's go get an apology. Is it really appropriate to spray water on people in the middle of winter?"

Their downcast eyes widened slightly. They clearly hadn't expected me to say something like that. Even the deputy director had been signaling to let it slide quietly, so my sudden push must have caught them off guard.

"Um, well…! S-Sir, I'm really, really fine……."

"Me too……."

I turned to the last remaining person. The most altruistic and considerate person I'd ever met. And the one whose smile was the purest.

"I'm… fine too."

Even she lowered her eyes, wearing a resigned expression. Someone among the residents actually apologizing? Not even in the Peach Blossom Spring or Utopia. Probably not there either.

"You're not upset?"

I spoke on their behalf instead.

"N-No, really……."

"Anyway…, they won't apologize……."

Even the Customized Welfare Team, the brightest and most flower-filled atmosphere in the entire department, was steeped in that peculiar civil-servant resignation.

"Haa……."

I scratched the back of my head. If all three of them reacted like this, I couldn't just leave it alone. …Ah. I had to hold back my laughter.

"Understood……. Still, I'm too worked up to just let it go."

I looked the three of them straight in the eye and continued.

"I'll talk to the director and try to keep that person out of the way as much as possible. If this keeps happening every time, the people actually doing the work will break first."

"Yes……, thank you……."

All three gave the same answer. I wouldn't have wanted to run into that person either. And one more thing.

"I'll report it to the director, so you can head home. Getting soaked in winter like that will give you the flu."

Of course, I had no actual authority to send anyone home. What power did a mere Grade 8 have? But this was the countryside. If the director said okay, anything was possible. And the director happened to like me because I followed orders without complaint.

"Thank you…."

"Thanks……."

I naturally checked with the Customized Welfare Team Leader first. The answer was an immediate okay. She was human too—how could she refuse something like this? It would've been career suicide. Besides, these were her own team members.

Then I reported to the director.

Our sweet director approved without hesitation. He was probably smiling on the other end, relieved it could be swept under the rug quietly. Plus, he could score points with the women, so there was no way he'd object.

And just like that, the matter was settled for now. Of course, I wasn't an idiot. I hadn't stirred things up without reason. I needed an image. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠image of the one person who gets angry on everyone else's behalf in a place where everyone stays quiet. Because it would make hypnosis easier later.

After dealing with Han So-jeong, I'd realized something. As a colorless, odorless civil servant, approaching people for hypnosis had been difficult. Thanks to this, I stayed neutral. But if I got angry for them and offered to go in their place? Even without saying it out loud, my leadership would gradually gain weight in their minds.

This wasn't a game. There was no instant affection +100! popup. Like clothes slowly getting wet in a drizzle, the image would seep into their heads bit by bit. That carefully built image, combined with the Hypnosis App, was like chum tossed into a still lake.

"Thank you so much for last time……."

Lee Yoo-na took the bait.

§ Lee Yoo-na. I'm tired. Even though it's something I genuinely enjoy, I'm exhausted.

"Haa……."

A deep sigh rose from the depths of my lungs. It was as cold as the winter air outside.

"Should I… quit?"

I'd seen just as many people leave as I'd seen new hires arrive. If I quit, the kids would be happy. Maybe I should go work at an orphanage? Or a decent nonprofit foundation. Thanks to my seniors and juniors, I knew the atmosphere at various companies. But I quickly shook my head.

"It's hard to get loans as a social worker……."

The salary was similar, but there was one key difference. Government work. Civil servant status. That alone let you secure a pretty decent loan. Not for myself, of course. My younger sibling would eventually need money for university, then job hunting, then marriage. A lump sum would definitely be necessary then. I wanted to be able to help when that time came.

I genuinely found fulfillment in welfare work. Seeing people smile because of my help gave me an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Still, I had to keep the wall of reality in mind.

"Ah…."

In the distance, I spotted Maeng Do-yun smoking in the designated area.

"……."

A pointless sense of gratitude. If I were being honest, that day had been chaos. Getting doused with water in the middle of a cold snap was bad enough, but the atmosphere had been even colder. Worried voices and glances, all undercut by that invisible line running through them.

—I hope this doesn't turn into a big deal.

In that kind of atmosphere, all I could do was say I was fine. And in the middle of it all, only one person stepped forward. Even though we were the same age, he acted like an adult. Not because of his tone or behavior, but because he took responsibility for what he said. If he said he'd do something, he followed through to the end.

"Thank you so much for last time……."

"For what?"

"Well…. For getting angry on my behalf."

At Maeng Do-yun's awkward expression, I felt awkward too.

"Ah, it's nothing. Is the director okay?"

"Yes, of course~."

I tried to smile as brightly as possible.

"That's a relief. It's cold, so you should head inside quickly."

Yes, I answered with a short laugh and started to go in, then stopped.

"Um……. Well……."

"……?"

"You said you play rhythm games, right?"

"……."

He looked uncomfortable. Was that too personal a question?

"……Not really playing, more like… how do I put it… I'm a total beginner. I miss everything."

A warm spring breeze suddenly blew through the depths of my heart. Of course, it wasn't romantic interest.

"Really?!"

It was that warm, fluttering spring-breeze feeling a veteran gets when discovering a new player!

"I'm pretty good at them……."

"……Pretty good? Doesn't seem like it……."

"……Huh?"

I tilted my head at his muttered words.

"Ah, no. But why…?"

"Want to go play games with me?"

"……Just the two of us?"

Oh no! I frantically waved both hands.

"Absolutely not! I-It's not because of any romantic feelings or anything like that!"

"……That's kind of hurtful in its own way."

"What? Why?"

She had an innocent expression, genuinely curious.

"It's nothing. But do you remember the first weekend of this month?"

"Huh? That time……."

I didn't know why he was asking, but after thinking for a moment, I answered cheerfully.

"I took some photos by myself and played rhythm games before coming back."

"Ah… huh?"

He looked like he'd realized something, though I couldn't tell what. So… would he go with me? I wanted to show him…….

Rhythm games were pretty much my only hobby. The only downside was how few players there were! Wanting to drag in a newbie was a universal human impulse, regardless of gender.

"Then…, let's go together."

"Yes~."

Yes! I was already excited. I hoped he'd fall completely in love with the game after watching me!

"But I'd like to keep it a secret……."

"Huh? Ah. Right."

Lee Yoo-na might have been altruistic, but she wasn't stupid. She'd been working for over a year now, after all.

"Mr. Maeng! How about we make our own secret club, just the two of us?"

"Oh, that sounds great."

Maeng Do-yun looked genuinely delighted, as if he'd heard an unexpected topic. What? He seemed even more excited than me. Still, I was glad. Now I had a gaming friend.

Saturday. We met around lunchtime when it was relatively warm and went inside. There wasn't much to it. We played games together, then stopped by a nearby café to rest.

"But you're really…… not good at this."

"……."

He was an even bigger newbie than I'd expected. The way his notes staggered down was painful to watch.

"I'll teach you everything."

"Ahem, thank you."

He did seem to genuinely like games. He just hadn't had a proper veteran to guide him.

"Shall we go again?"

"Again? Where?"

"The game."

Whew. That felt amazing! After sweating and letting the stress melt away, the refreshing feeling when notes hit perfectly in rhythm was indescribable.

"Next time…, you'll play again, right?"

We'd met when the sun was high and came out when it was sinking toward the horizon.

"……Again?"

Oh no! My heart dropped at his tired expression.

"I mean…, if you practice alone later and get stuck or something, I'll help ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you."

"Yes…. Of course."

Ah. I should've learned how to properly entertain newbies earlier.

"There's one thing I'm curious about……."

"……?"

He looked puzzled as he stared at me. With a tired face, he pulled out his phone and fiddled with something.

"I keep getting stuck at this part."

"……A candle?"

"You need to look at it for about three seconds."

Look at a candle for three seconds? What was this? But I didn't feel suspicious at all. This wasn't some gun-filled ghetto or a drug-ridden high-crime area. I simply stared at it with the single-minded desire to bring in a newbie.

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

Without any sensation of my mind growing hazy, I sank into the deep abyss. My breathing steadied, and my pupils chased the candle flame like the only hope in a dark cave.

§ I'm dying. This is torture. How could a game be this exhausting? After moving as intensely as dancing, my legs were trembling. Three ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rounds of climax would've been less tiring.

"Oof……."

Still, the silver lining was that Lee Yoo-na had properly taken the bait. And she'd even given me the hypnosis material herself!

"A saint. She's a saint."

How could I resist when she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was handing me the leash and asking me to hypnotize her? I'd been planning something else, but I immediately changed course. Straight to the secret club. I picked up my phone and looked at the third play setup.