The Ticking Onset of Despair
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Knowing in advance what was coming… wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
The phantom sound of a clock’s hands echoed endlessly inside her skull. The tick of every passing second, the scrape of that second hand dragging forward, refused to fall silent. When the hands inside her head finally completed their circle, she would have to carry out Kang Ju-hyeok’s command from yesterday.
The supposed advantage of foreknowledge? Mental preparation? The right mindset? No. It only made the suffering arrive sooner.
Yesterday her whole body had been mercifully numb. Today it burned. Every time the heat flared, an uncontrollable tremor raced through her.
Should she be glad? No. Absolutely not.
—The office. Today was the night of the company dinner after work.
For some reason, every employee except the two new hires seemed far more excited than usual.
“Yoon-ji! What did you prepare for tonight?”
“Ah! Manager! Actually… ahaha! It’s a secret!”
“Oh my, Yoon-ji, you’re witty!”
“Our Yoon-ji adapts so fast! Are you sure you’re really a new hire?”
“Yeees! I’m a fresh, bright-eyed rookie! Hehe…”
“Yoon-ji~ But seriously……”
The atmosphere was noticeably livelier. Three women—the two who had once tormented Ah-young and Park Yoon-ji—laughed together.
Ah-young watched them from a distance.
…She was trembling. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, and the uncertainty terrified her. Of all people, why did Yoon-ji have to get so close to the very women who used to bully her?
…This was not good news.
As she stared at them, her lower body throbbed violently.
“Haa… ah… heu, heuk…”
A tiny, secret, lewd moan slipped out.
Ah-young was different today. The mental agony had definitely lessened compared to yesterday. The things Kang Ju-hyeok had told her about the “three-year” promise, the cruel details she had heard from that devil—after learning them, the psychological pain inflicted by Park Yoon-ji had clearly diminished. Of course it still hurt, but relatively speaking, it had improved.
Yet the fact that she would have to reveal her livestock status to Park Yoon-ji, who remembered the old Lee Ah-young, remained an endless torment. That truth had not changed.
But today an additional agony had been added.
Pussy. Heat. Arousal. Lust. Nipples. Masturbation. Those words refused to leave her mind.
“Haa… haa… hehe… hehe…”
Seated in her chair, Ah-young twisted her hips restlessly. Yesterday the mental anguish had drowned out sensation, but today the sexual desire assaulted her without mercy. She wanted to rip off her pants and grind her burning cunt against anything. If she could just do that, she thought she might truly be happy.
Merely imagining herself touching her pussy sent a wave of pleasure through her.
Of course the chastity belt remained locked between her thighs, so the aching flesh stayed forcibly neglected.
…In any case, this hunger could not be satisfied right now.
“Hehe… heek…”
Endless lewd breaths kept escaping. Inside the chastity belt everything was already soaked. Sticky nectar coated the outer lips and filled her passage so deeply its bottom could not be felt.
Yesterday, the despair of possibly losing her entire life had kept sexual desire at bay. But today Lee Ah-young’s soft, tender pussy throbbed in endless heat all on its own.
This cunt that had received not a single touch for days—how sensitive, how maddeningly responsive had it become? She could barely imagine. A single light stroke seemed enough to hurl her straight into orgasm.
She could feel it. How hypersensitive her pussy had grown, how desperately it thirsted for stimulation—she felt every detail.
…She wanted to touch it so badly. She wanted to masturbate so desperately.
But Park Yoon-ji sat right in front of her. Ah-young had to conceal even the lust consuming her entire body. She had to endure. She could not show any sign of arousal in the office. She could not display such a disgraceful sight.
…They would find out anyway. Park Yoon-ji would definitely learn everything—Ah-young’s true status, the current state of her dripping pussy. All of it.
…Today. Park Yoon-ji would know everything today.
Yet she wanted to postpone revealing that shameful truth as long as possible. As long as she could remain “human Lee Ah-young,” even for a little longer.
The Park Yoon-ji beside her still saw her as the old Lee Ah-young. Having even one person treat her like a normal human instead of livestock was genuinely happy news.
That was why the passing time felt so cruel. She wished it would simply stop. Then the friend sitting beside her, the one who still treated her as human, could stay that way a little longer.
…Of course her burning pussy did not want that, but still… she wanted to cling to the appearance of an ordinary person just a little while more.
“Heu… Ah-young…”
Thump. Yoon-ji returned to the seat beside her with a sigh and sat down.
Ah-young feared Yoon-ji would notice her flushed cheeks, but she cautiously spoke first.
…She had to get on Park Yoon-ji’s good side now. Soon this woman would become one of the “superiors,” no different from the rest.
…In truth, she simply wanted to talk to her a little longer as if she were still a person, not livestock.
“Wh-what were you talking about…? Yoon-ji? With those… employees…?”
“Oh! Ah-young! You’re speaking to me first?”
When Ah-young initiated, Yoon-ji’s face lit up with a bright smile.
“Does this mean you acknowledge me now? Can I… really stay by your side?”
Seeing that radiant smile, Ah-young only felt gloom settle over her. How pathetic her current self as livestock appeared.
That bright smile was meant for the old Lee Ah-young, not for the creature she had become.
“Y-yeah… Yoon-ji…”
“Haha! Thank you… Ah-young… I’ll really do my best for you!”
Yoon-ji reached out and took Ah-young’s hand.
“Ah, heut!”
“Did I startle you? Ah-young… anyway, thank you so much. I was truly desperate… I feel a little better now. It’s all thanks to you…”
…Even her hand was sensitive. A faint sexual thrill ran from Yoon-ji’s grip. Her pussy burned hotter.
“Hehe… hehe…”
“Ah! Right—you asked what we were talking about. Those old geezers asked if I’d prepared a talent show… ugh…”
Yoon-ji whispered quietly.
The sight of Park Yoon-ji smiling. The face of her former university classmate right in front of her. A friend smiling and speaking to the “old Lee Ah-young.”
…If only she weren’t livestock… how wonderful it would have been. How nice to be a normal employee, bad-mouthing the bosses together and relieving stress like everyone else.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The clock inside her head refused to stop. It kept moving forward.
— —
Tick. Tick.
“All right! Let’s head straight to the dinner venue!”
“What? Manager, it’s not even quitting time yet.”
“Just go! The chairman already called to say everything’s ready!”
“Waaaaa!”
An early dismissal. The office buzzed with excited voices, but Ah-young felt her heart plunge. There was no escape from the collar slowly tightening around her throat. The cruel time that would devour her had finally arrived.
Beside the gloomy Ah-young, Yoon-ji smiled.
“Ah-young! Getting off early is still nice, right?”
“Y-yeah… heu, heuk…”
“You don’t look well. Ah-young, your condition today… seems pretty bad, huh?”
Knowing the outcome, Ah-young could only throw herself into that despair. The feeling of shrinking endlessly… All the office staff moved toward the dinner location.
Yoon-ji stuck close to Ah-young’s side.
Please, even after you learn the truth, stay like this… It would be so nice if you would.
— — —
After riding in several cars, the employees arrived at a large, old wooden building somewhere in Seoul.
A busy street filled with pedestrians and vehicles. In a neighborhood lined with tall modern buildings, the weathered wooden structure looked completely out of place. Most citizens simply thought of it as an “old abandoned building.”
But this wooden building was a kind of urban villa owned by Kang Ju-hyeok. Its exterior was worn and dusty, yet the interior was a clean, modern space.
Opening the large front door revealed a vast hall with a high ceiling—far too large for a mere ten office workers. Round tables were arranged like at a wedding venue, each surrounded by chairs. There were enough seats for at least fifty people.
A few side rooms existed, but the enormous open space visible from the entrance dominated everything except for a large kitchen tucked in the corner.
“Wow… so it wasn’t abandoned after all…”
“…R-right…”
Ah-young and Yoon-ji stepped out of the car. Yoon-ji stared blankly at the building’s exterior.
The deep-brown wooden structure resembled the “cabin with a roof” she used to doodle in her childhood notebook, only dozens of times larger. Black dust covered the wood, hiding its original color. It looked like an old, neglected mountain lodge, yet modern high-rises stood on either side. The contrast between past and present made the building strikingly conspicuous.
Ah-young’s mind was hazy from her burning pussy, aching nipples, and the approaching “talent show,” but she deliberately spoke to Yoon-ji.
…Soon Yoon-ji would no longer be an equal friend. She wanted to look good in her eyes a little longer. She wanted to grow a little closer.
“…Yoon-ji, have you… seen this building before…?”
“Huh? Yeah! I passed by this neighborhood once and thought it looked totally out of place, so I wondered what it was…”
“Ah… I see… Ha, haa…”
Ah-young’s heart hammered wildly. Was it the extra aphrodisiac pill she had taken earlier? Or the tension of what was coming? She tried taking deep breaths, but they did almost nothing. No matter how she tried to steady herself, it was useless. Just thinking about what would happen soon made her hands shake.
“Heup! Cha! Heup! Cha!”
“We’re almost there!”
Outside the building, Ah-young and Yoon-ji watched male employees carrying something out. They were hauling a massive television—the kind found in DVD rooms—out of the wooden building.
“Huh? Why are they taking it outside?”
“…R-right…?”
“Let’s help them!”
Yoon-ji walked over, and Ah-young followed. But before they arrived, the men simply set the TV down outside.
“This spot should be good! Lower it slowly! Screen facing front!”
Thud!
“Heup! Cha!”
“Whew! Thanks for the hard work!”
“Eh? Are they… throwing that TV away?”
“…Maybe the inside is too narrow…?”
“…If they’re discarding it, I want it. My TV at home is broken…”
The huge black screen. Neither Ah-young nor Yoon-ji could understand why such an enormous device had been carried outside.
All the employees, including them, filed into the building. The door of the old wooden structure closed, leaving only the giant TV standing alone in the street.
— —
“Ah-young… does this company always do dinners like this…?”
“…It’s my first time too…”
Luxurious dishes covered the round tables. The atmosphere was completely different from any company dinner they had known. Only the office staff occupied the vast space, and every dish emerging from the kitchen was expensive and delicious. Instead of soju or beer, wine had been set out. It felt less like a company dinner and more like a celebration or a party.
Yoon-ji ate with obvious pleasure.
“It’s delicious… right…? Wow… I heard livestock-related companies make a lot of money, but I didn’t realize it was this much… Ah-young… thank you so much. You know how I feel, right? Hehe…”
“Ah, uh… no… eat as much as you want…”
Pick. Pick.
Completely opposite to Yoon-ji, Ah-young found the food in front of her tasteless. The clock inside her head kept ticking. Its second hand was racing toward the end.
Because of the thing already tightening around her throat, she had no appetite at all.
“Ha… haa…”
Endless, deep sighs. The food before her eyes refused to register.
For a company dinner, the meal was eerily quiet.
After some time passed, the entrance door suddenly opened.
Creeeak!
Step. Step. Step. Step.
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
About ten men and women in black suits walked inside.
“Ah! You’ve arrived! It’s the legal team!”
Kang Ju-hyeok was not present. The highest-ranking person here seemed to be the manager, who rose alone to greet the newcomers.
“Ah! Yes, sorry for the delay. The chairman specifically ordered us to attend…”
“Not at all! I was also instructed that the legal team would be coming. Everyone, please sit comfortably and enjoy the meal!”
Clatter! Clink!
The moment Ah-young saw the large group entering, she dropped her fork. A loud clang rang out, but she didn’t even notice.
‘Wh-what is this…? Why… why are more people coming…?’
Her hand kept trembling in the empty air even after the fork was gone.
“Ah, Ah-young… here, your fork fell… Uh, huh? Ah-young… why are you like this?”
Her trembling grew worse. Her face was flooded with tension and shame.
The collar tightening around her was far larger than she had imagined.
“Ha… haa… ha… haa…”
‘M-more people came. More people came… Th-this can’t… this can’t be…’
Yoon-ji looked at her with worry.
“Ah-young… why is your body shaking so much? What’s wrong…?”
“Ha… haa… haa… haa…”
“Wait… no way… is it because of that talent-show thing…? Hey, Ah-young! They were just joking to tease you!”
“N-no… no… for you, Yoon-ji, it’s a joke… but for me… I… I…”
“No! I talked to the team leader earlier and he said it was a joke!”
Ah-young could no longer eat. Her breath caught in her throat while her soaking pussy begged to be touched. Love juices kept pouring out, and more people kept arriving. Her already excited lower body, combined with the extra aphrodisiac pill, pushed even this extreme tension aside and radiated its effects wildly.
Moreover, the legal team were complete strangers. Many unfamiliar faces had just entered the building.
‘Wh-what… do I do now…? What… what am I… supposed to do…?’
Her trembling body showed no sign of calming.
Only Ah-young and Yoon-ji sat at their round table. Across from them, a man and a woman from the legal team in black suits took their seats.
“Hello!”
“Nice to meet you!”
“Ah, yes! Nice to meet you. We’re from the legal team. Both of you look new.”
“Yes! I started yesterday as a new hire, and this is… uh, huh? Ah, Ah-young…?”
The man and woman smiled and greeted them. Yoon-ji began conversing with them.
But Ah-young remained slumped over the table, breathing hard. Her visible hand convulsed violently.
“Heek… heek… heeeeek… heeek…”
“…Ah! So this is Lee Ah-young. Whoa, she seems really nervous.”
“Ah, you already knew Ah-young! I’m… Park…”
“…Park Yoon-ji! Right?”
“…Eh? Ah, yes… that’s correct…”
“Oh, you must have heard in advance…?”
“Ah! Haha! Yes, something like that!”
Yoon-ji’s expression was full of confusion. She clearly wanted to ask Ah-young about the legal team, but Ah-young’s state made any answer impossible.
“Ah! Ah-young… what’s wrong? Are you sick? You’ve been red-faced since this afternoon…”
Yoon-ji spoke worriedly, but Ah-young only panted in reply.
“Ah! Miss Park Yoon-ji. Please leave our Ah-young be. She must be very tense right now.”
“Eh? What do you mean…?”
The two legal-team members smiled brightly and began eating. They looked genuinely delighted.
Tap! Tap!
“Hmm?”
A large speaker inside the vast building crackled. Someone was tapping a live microphone.
“Aaa!”
The older female employee who had tormented Ah-young was testing the mic.
“Haak!”
At the loud sound, Ah-young lifted her head. Tears brimmed in her eyes.
‘Why… why only me… only me… this kind of… this kind of thing…’
“Ah, Ah-young… are you… crying?”
Ah-young looked at Yoon-ji, then at the others seated at the table.
“Ha… haa…”
“Oh, so you’re Lee Ah-young? Wow, the rumors were true—you’re even prettier in person…”
Nom nom! The legal-team woman praised her while chewing.
“Right, unlike certain people from the legal team…”
“Hey!”
The two legal-team members bantered playfully. Park Yoon-ji watched Ah-young with worry. Intended or not, everyone present was tightening the noose around Ah-young’s neck.
The company dinner where so many people had gathered continued.
A few minutes later, after finishing the mic test, the female employee began to speak.
“Ah, ah! Everyone! Are you enjoying your meal? I’m Kim Hyun-mi, your MC for tonight!”
“Yes!”
“Yeees~”
“Haha! Please listen while you eat! No need to reply! Ahaha!”
Ah-young had slumped over again. Yoon-ji held her trembling hand. Ah-young gripped it tightly, simply enduring the torment.
Tight!
“Ah-young… why is your hand shaking so much? Did something… happen…?”
After the usual greetings and small talk, five minutes after taking the mic, the main event began.
The dining hall erupted in laughter.
“Uhahahahaht!”
“Ohohohohohoho!”
“Huh? Wh-what did she say?”
Only Park Yoon-ji wore an expression of disbelief, as if she might have misheard.
Ah-young kept trembling as the loud voice rang out.
‘Ma-masturbate… masturbate… here… As expected, th-this can’t… be…’
Yoon-ji’s eyes were wide, her face still showing she could not comprehend the words.
“Th-this… is sexual harassment… isn’t it…?”
Her bewildered gaze turned to the legal-team pair across the table. Only then did she realize she was the only one reacting with shock. The two of them watched Ah-young with genuine amusement.
Yoon-ji’s eyes trembled. She looked back at the woman holding the microphone.
Then, carefully, she released Ah-young’s hand.
Thud.
Ah-young had already known this was coming. Kang Ju-hyeok had warned her in advance. He had called it a “reward,” and because of that “reward” she had been trembling until this moment.
She was insanely tense. Of course Park Yoon-ji would soon learn the truth as well… but Ah-young did not want to let go of the only support she had today.
“Yu-Yu… Yoon-ji… j-just for a moment… hold my—”
Park Yoon-ji, who had worried for her only seconds ago, did not answer.
“Ha… haa…”
In her vision, Yoon-ji’s profile appeared. The corner of her mouth was curving upward.
“Ah… ah…”
The trembling in Ah-young’s hand slowly stopped.
Resignation.
She turned and looked at the legal-team pair. They were watching her. Both raised fists in a “fighting!” gesture.
“Lee Ah-young! You can do it! Uhuhu… We won’t miss a single second, so don’t worry.”
“Ah-young! The rumor that your pussy is beautiful has spread everywhere! We’re really looking forward to it!”
“….”
Park Yoon-ji no longer paid her any attention. But after hearing the legal team, she finally looked at Ah-young again.
She was smiling. A very… pleased smile.
“All right! Then for tonight’s main stage! The super-giant screen that will broadcast every single thing about Lee Ah-young live! Lower it now! Many of you probably already know!”
Ah-young looked at the MC. Behind her, an enormous monitor descended from the ceiling. In front of it stood a small oval stage of considerable height—the platform Ah-young would soon have to mount.
“Ha… haa… ha, haa.”
Ah-young took deep breaths. Yoon-ji stared at her. Her mouth moved.
“Ah-young… could you explain what this means…? Uh, uheup! Pu, pfft!”
She was laughing.
“Ah-young… no way… are you really… livestock? The rumors… were true…?”
Ah-young could not say a single word to her.