Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: A Ghost from the Past
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I knew it the moment I saw his reaction.
He was the one who wrote that post.
"Ah, please, have a seat over here."
The manager hurriedly guided me to a corner table.
I didn't cross my legs, instead leaning back slightly against the chair, striking a pose that was both polite and moderately relaxed.
If it turned out to be a bust, I could just get up and leave.
To enslave me, one would at least need the title of an academic advisor.
But right now, I was a high school graduate, invincible with an absolute defense against academic advisors.
"Um, did you happen to see the post on the ○○ website?"
"No, I was just passing by when a friend suddenly told me to check this place out."
"Ah, I see..."
He seemed to believe me.
"At first, I laughed, thinking how ridiculous the terms were, but my friend said since I was passing by anyway, I should just go and see, as if I had nothing to lose. Is it for real?"
I gave off an air of being ready to leave at any moment.
If he said, 'Haha, it's a misunderstanding,' I was prepared to stand up immediately.
After all, I rented this suit for 30% of the original price thanks to a discount from a female employee I'd never met before.
"Of course, it's real. But there are conditions. You have to work consistently for at least two years... no, at least one year."
"With terms like that, I'd be happy to work for one or two years, as long as I can. In this economy, why would I turn that down?"
"You might think I'm being reckless, but after hiring a handsome male employee, I saw sales increase several times over. I'm making this bold offer because I trust that experience and I'm confident in it."
The owner explained with such fervor that it seemed like spit was flying from his mouth.
"People don't realize it. In the cafe business, having handsome men like you working makes a crazy difference in sales."
"Is it that significant?"
"Do you have any part-time experience?"
"Yes, I've worked a clinical trial part-time job."
"A clinical trial...?"
"Taking new drugs. It's like a human experiment."
"Gasp. You don't look like you'd ever need to do something like that. Why on earth...?"
"I wasn't the one taking the medicine; I was in charge of guiding the participants."
"Ah, that makes sense."
We finalized the details of the conditions.
Workdays were Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 6 PM.
The 40% incentive on net profit would only apply to sales generated during my working hours.
I readily agreed to this.
"But do I really just have to sit here like a totem?"
"Well, the customers will think you're an employee, so you should at least pretend to serve in the hall..."
"I was already planning on that."
"Oh my, as expected from a handsome man. You're so easy to talk to and straightforward."
Jung Hye-na works a 9-to-6, five days a week.
Though she often has random overtime on weekends, nights, and early mornings.
This schedule would allow me to spend my time productively while Jung Hye-na is at work.
"So, when can you start...?"
"Since today is Friday, I'll start next Monday. I just need to be faithful to my role as a totem, right?"
"Of course. The other part-timers and I will handle all the tough work."
"Starting Monday, please speak to me informally."
"Ah, I will."
I glanced over and saw the part-timers holding their breath, watching us.
It's only been three days into my handsome life, but I'm starting to get a feel for the atmosphere.
I walked over to the counter and greeted them with a sociable smile.
"I'll be starting work on Monday. I look forward to working with you all."
"Kyaa, really?"
"Wow, that's great. I was really hoping we'd get to work together. Let's do a really, really good job!"
As I was about to leave after saying my goodbyes, the owner asked.
"You know, you could succeed as a celebrity. You must have gotten a lot of offers like that, right?"
"No, I've never received one."
"Those entertainment agency scouts must all be blind. That's why the new idols these days are all so mediocre."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I stopped by a photo studio right next to the cafe to get my ID photo taken.
I'd say I made good use of the rented suit and my travel route.
Come to think of it, it's Friday night.
Since I've already rented the suit, I might as well get my money's worth.
I've always had a fantasy about a suit date.
After work, dressed in suits with my secret office romance girlfriend, enjoying a cold beer at a pub downtown.
Even someone who wasn't a former dickless loser has hundreds of fantasies like this.
From now on, I'll start checking things off my bucket list one by one.
I called Jung Hye-na.
"Are you awake?"
- Yes. Are you out?
"Yeah, I was getting my ID photo taken and doing a few things. It's Friday night, how about we grab a beer outside?"
- That sounds great! I'll get ready and head out right away. Oppa, you can go ahead first.
"Do you happen to have a suit?"
- Um, why do you ask? If I know the reason, I—
"I'm wearing a suit right now. I rented it for my ID photo."
- A suit, you say? Right now?
"Yeah. So I was hoping you could match with me..."
- Squeal! Of course! Oh my god, oh my god. Oppa in a suit. This is a creation-of-the-universe-level event.
This Lee Chang-woo guy must have exclusively worn slacks until the day he died.
Still, calling it a "creation-of-the-universe-level event" was a bit much.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Hwang Ah-young was spending her Friday night in Gangnam at a bar with her friends.
"It's been six days already. He's never gone off the grid for this long, I'm telling you. His phone is still off, and he hasn't even checked his Byul-sta DMs."
"You say that as if Lee Chang-woo ever checked them."
"Do you think he's actually dead?"
"Hey! Don't say such unlucky things!"
"It's not like Lee Chang-woo only has one or two enemies he's made here and there."
"What did Chang-woo do wrong? If those guys were even a fraction as good-looking as Chang-woo's pinky toe, would their girlfriends' eyes have wandered in the first place?"
"But it's true that Chang-woo got a raw deal. He was just minding his own business, but girls with boyfriends would flirt with him, and then their boyfriends would get pissed and take it out on him."
Kim Ju-ri rested her chin on her hand, glanced at Hwang Ah-young, and said.
"I think he got married. Secretly."
"Don't say such unlucky things. Chang-woo isn't like that."
"Hey, let's be honest. What does Chang-woo have besides his face?"
Beside her, Seo Yu-min spoke quietly.
"With Chang-woo's face, women would be lining up to support him even if he had 100 billion won in debt. So yeah, he has everything."
"Anyway! I'm telling you, Chang-woo got married. You saw the pictures of his place, right? There's no way he could afford a place that size on his own, whether it's rent or whatever. A rich Gangnam sugar mama took him in."
"Hey, you know how much Chang-woo despises bar girls, calling them dirty. That makes no sense."
Just then, Kim Ju-ri leaned in close, tapping the table rapidly with her palm.
"Hey, hey, holy shit. Super handsome guy spotted. Shut down the side chatter right now."
"What? Where?"
"Our three o'clock, Hwang Ah-young, your nine o'clock. Turn your eyes, but don't be obvious."
The three women quickly locked their handsome-man-sensors onto the target.
Looking like he had just gotten off work from a nearby company, a tall, incredibly handsome man who pulled off a dark navy suit flawlessly was searching for an empty seat.
A height in the mid-180s.
A small head boasting perfect 9-head proportions, and facial features so mysteriously well-arranged.
The nondescript horn-rimmed glasses would have been a symbol of a loser on anyone else.
But on this picturesque, handsome man with his hair slicked back with pomade, they were a symbol of a sexy brainiac.
"Shit. Amazing. Fucking amazing."
"Wow, an office worker like that exists in Gangnam? No, why is he working in an office? Why? Why? Why?"
"Hey, hey, looks like he's alone. Should we go talk to him?"
Before long, the handsome man found a seat and sat down.
But he had barely been seated when a group of girls in their early twenties were already approaching him to talk.
"Wow, look how flustered he is. So innocent."
"He's not what he looks like."
"He's so handsome. Lee Chang-woo can't even compare."
"Shut up. He's handsome, and he's on Chang-woo's level, but to say Chang-woo can't compare is... wait a minute? Isn't that Chang-woo?"
"Bullshit. Ah, but he does look a bit like Chang-woo."
"I think it is Chang-woo. It doesn't make sense for two people who look like that to exist on the same planet."
"So why would Chang-woo be here?"
"It is Chang-woo. Take away the glasses, the suit, the pomade, and put the old filter back on. It's him, isn't it?"
"Hey. Chang-woo has 20/12 vision, why would he wear glasses? And have you ever seen him in a suit? He always dressed like a bum in tattered clothes, but he was still so handsome he looked like a painting... ah, I suddenly miss Chang-woo."
"I'm telling you, it's him. He married a rich woman, and now he's dressing all sharp like this because she tells him to. I'm right, aren't I?"
Seo Yu-min insisted strongly, and her two friends groaned as they glared at the handsome man.
Already, a third group of women was approaching him, whether to get his number or join his table.
"It might be him, I guess."
"Two men who look like that can't exist on this planet. That would be a sign of the apocalypse."
"Based on his looks and the way he gets hit on as naturally as breathing, it seems like him. But based on his style, it doesn't."
"Chang-woo doesn't have a twin brother or any look-alikes, right?"
"I don't think so."
"Hey! Get up. We can just go and ask."
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Ah-young has that crazy look in her eyes right now."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ These horn-rimmed glasses have no prescription.
I bought them cheap because of that time at the pub when I was so distracted by girls hitting on me that I had to leave quickly.
But this is strange.
It feels like even more women are flocking to me than before.
Should I buy a ring and wear it on my ring finger?
I put in my earphones and closed my eyes.
A disguise—they were in, but no music was playing.
Still, it worked.
Being a handsome guy is tiring in its own way.
Nothing is ever just purely good, is it?
Still, if I were to be reborn, I'd want this face again.
I'm secretly looking forward to what Jung Hye-na will wear.
The way she sounded like she was about to faint when I mentioned a suit, it seems like she's planning to show me something ambitious.
It would be nice if it were a double suit date, but it's fine even if it's not.
We can save that for another time.
We still have plenty of time.
Tonight, I'm going to do something I've always wanted to do.
Have a fun chat over beer with my pretty girlfriend in Gangnam on a Friday night.
And then go straight to a motel and spend the night.
Not staying at a motel for a business trip, but finally going to one with a woman for the first time.
And at the motel...
"Lee Chang-woo?"
At first, I didn't realize they were calling me.
I've used my own name for over 32 years; how could I respond to the name Lee Chang-woo in just three days?
In retrospect, that was probably a good thing.
"Lee Chang-woo. Lee Chang-woo. It's you, right?"
Since I had my earphones in, I pretended not to hear, but they started tapping on the table to get my attention.
Ignoring them any further would be strange, so I took out my earphones and turned around.
Three women.
The one in the middle with long, straight hair was glaring at me with venomous eyes.
The one on the left with a bob cut looked intrigued.
The one on the right with her hair tied up was glancing between the long-haired woman and me.
The long-haired woman asked demandingly.
"Lee Chang-woo. Why aren't you answering my calls?"
She roughly grabbed my hand, which was resting on the table.
Thanks to that, I saw something I didn't particularly want to know but already knew.
[Hwang Ah-young] [Age: 24] [166cm 50kg G-Cup] [Base Libido: B] [Affection Towards Me: S] [My Oral Ejaculations: 42] [My Vaginal Ejaculations: 43] [Peculiarities: No anal sex experience, last vaginal ejaculation 8 days and 3 hours ago] They say predicting what a woman will say next is a dopamine rush?
I take that back.
Right now, my brain cells are probably pumping out massive amounts of adrenaline, like a rabbit that's met its predator.
Shit, what do I say?
What can I say to get out of this situation?
Saying I'm not Chang-woo would be useless...
Wait a minute.
What's something Chang-woo would never be able to say?
"Was kann ich für Sie tun?"
(What can I do for you?)
"I think... he's German?"
"See. I told you it wasn't Chang-woo."