Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: At Athena's House (2)
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The elevator doors slid open, breaking the awkward silence.
After walking just a few steps, Athena's feet came to a stop in front of a door.
"H-Here... this is it."
She entered the passcode and carefully opened the front door, ushering Jae-hyun inside.
"Oh...."
It wasn't particularly fancy or extravagant, but everything was clean and neatly organized.
Completely different from Jae-hyun's perpetually messy studio apartment or Flora's place.
"For now... would you mind sitting on the sofa there?"
"Sure."
It was only natural to feel embarrassed showing someone else your personal living space.
He wanted to tell her there was no need to be so shy, but decided it wasn't necessary and quietly took a seat on the sofa.
"What would you like to drink? Coffee? Juice?"
"A glass of cold water should be plenty."
Unlike her usual diligent and cheerful self, she was fumbling around nervously.
Jae-hyun covered his mouth, barely stifling the laughter bubbling up.
"I'll get dinner ready right away! Hehe...."
She set a glass of ice-cold water down in front of him, then hurried back to the kitchen and lit the gas stove.
- Sizzle—
She drizzled seasoning over the meat and vegetables she'd pre-stir-fried before he arrived, added a splash of oil, and stir-fried it all over high heat once more.
'Smells good... I'm starving.'
The spicy yet savory aroma of oil wafted from the kitchen into the living room, making Jae-hyun salivate as he waited for the meal.
- Bubble... bubble...
Beside the stir-fry, which sizzled and smelled so enticingly, a hearty stew now bubbled vigorously.
"This should be about done...?"
Athena carefully transferred the finished stir-fry to plates without spilling a bit, then ladled out stew and rice into individual bowls and set them down with chopsticks.
She portioned out a few more side dishes onto plates next to the mains, completing a tidy, appetizing spread that anyone would love.
"Manager-nim! Dinner's all set!"
Athena untied her apron and waved from the kitchen. Jae-hyun stood at the call and headed to the dining chair.
"Oh... you've prepared quite a feast."
From the mainstays of doenjang stew and spicy pork stir-fry, to neatly sliced kimchi, three or four namul vegetable sides, and even simmered eggs.
"Oh, no! I wanted to make even more for you...."
In a world where sampling a wide variety of sides in one meal was a rarity, this could easily qualify as a banquet.
"You must cook pretty often? Doesn't look like amateur work at all."
"Not all the time... but I try to make something when I have a moment."
Jae-hyun's chopsticks went straight for the spicy pork stir-fry first.
It was only natural for any guy to be drawn to that soul food staple.
'I hope he likes it....'
Athena tensed up, fretting that it might not be to his taste.
"Mmm...!"
A nutty sweetness lingered before a spicy kick burst through—a classic, well-executed flavor that delighted Jae-hyun's mouth.
"It's delicious. You really made this yourself?"
"Of course! I'm so glad you like it... hehe."
Jae-hyun scooped up some hearty stew with rice and dug in heartily. Relieved to see him enjoying it, Athena finally picked up her own chopsticks.
Before long, both had finished eating, leaving only empty plates on the table.
"It was so good, so I'll handle the dishes."
Since Athena had cooked and served the meal herself, Jae-hyun stood to take care of the washing and cleanup.
"Uwaa... You really don't have to...!"
"It's no trouble. Could you at least bring the plates over?"
He'd already slipped on rubber gloves and squirted dish soap onto the scrubber, so he just asked her to move the plates to the sink.
Athena cleared all the plates and bowls, wiped down the table with a dry cloth, and stole glances at Jae-hyun's back as he rolled up his sleeves and tackled the dishes.
'Manager-nim... he's so good at housework too.'
It was a thought that always crossed her mind whenever she saw him.
Unlike your average young guy, he came across as more reliable and mature—someone she could comfortably lean on.
And it wasn't just his personality; his looks played a big part too.
His gruff but warm voice and manner of speaking, plus that tall frame she had to look up at despite her own height.
- Wipe— wipe—
Jae-hyun finished the dishes in no time and was wiping down the lingering water on the sink.
Sensing an intense gaze from behind, he instinctively turned around.
"Eek...?!"
Athena startled at the sudden turn, her face flushing red. She seemed to miss a step, her body swaying precariously.
"Phew... that was a close one."
Seeing it happen, Jae-hyun rushed over and caught Athena just before her butt and waist could hit the floor.
"S-Sorry... uwah...!"
She opened her squeezed-shut eyes in his thick arms, only to find his worried face right up close.
'Embarrassing... I'm dying of embarrassment here...!'
She already felt like a total klutz around him, but to get caught staring and then trip on top of it.
She resented her own eyes for refusing to look away.
"I'll finish up the rest of the cleanup, so why don't you sit down for a bit?"
Jae-hyun scooped up Athena—ears red as could be—and set her on the sofa, then took the dry cloth from her hand.
'This is weird... I always turn into this mess around Manager-nim....'
Athena had never shown any shortcomings or inadequacies to anyone before.
She handled everything diligently and boldly, always delivering great results, and people had always applauded her for it.
But in front of Jae-hyun, she couldn't even control her emotions properly—her hands and legs trembled, and now she was tripping over herself.
'It's all because... I like Manager-nim, isn't it...?♥'
Athena was fully aware of the reason behind it all.
After coming back from vacation, she'd figured out that odd feeling stirring inside her, realized it stemmed from her liking him.
But even knowing that didn't make her body cooperate.
She wanted to look cool and confident in front of him, but it just wasn't working out, leaving her frustrated.
"No injuries? Nothing hurts?"
In the meantime, Jae-hyun wrapped up the cleanup and sat beside her, glancing at her knee and elbow as she fidgeted unsurely.
"I-I'm fine! Thanks to you catching me...♥"
Like a wilted flower lifting toward the rising sun, her downcast face bloomed brightly at the sight of him.
- Thump...♥ Thump...♥
"Hnngh?!♥"
Just as her expression started to brighten, a sudden throb hit her.
She couldn't hold it back, letting a lewd sound slip from her lips.
'Ah... my lower belly... it's throbbing so suddenly...♥'
Her heart had raced plenty of times, but her lower belly reacting like this was almost unheard of—yet now, just from hearing his voice and meeting his gaze, the ache was there.
"What's wrong? You sure you're not hurt?"
Jae-hyun, looking worried, reached out to touch her knee and leg.
A quick glance wasn't enough to check properly, so he leaned in closer.
"I-I'm f-fine...♥ Hnngh...♥"
Fortunately, there were no cuts or scrapes, but instead, sweat poured down from her head all the way to her collarbone.
The living room was clearly cool from the AC, yet she looked like she'd been stewing in a sauna.
'No way...'
Several scenes flashed through Jae-hyun's mind at the sight.
Flora, who swallowed semen orally or took it inside her twice a day at least, yet woke up parched and dizzy every morning without fail.
She'd hesitated at first, then started demanding it outright, and by the peak of her vacation symptoms, she'd fully fallen.
'Looks like... it's time to start the real conditioning.'
He could instinctively tell Athena was approaching that state too.
"No wounds visible, so probably not injured..., but nothing else bothering you?"
"Huh...? What do you mean...?"
"Like, sudden pressure in your lower belly, or your heart pounding so hard you break a cold sweat."
From his experience corrupting Flora, he knew the symptoms spot-on—and exactly why Athena was suffering like this.
"R-Really... I'm okay... I just need to... use the bathroom quick...!"
Even with him nailing it, she shook her head vigorously in denial before finally giving in and dashing into the bathroom.
"Haa... haaa...♥"
She slammed the door shut and stood before the bathroom mirror, steadying her breath.
'How... does he know it so exactly...?♥'
Unaware that Flora had fully submitted and fallen to Jae-hyun, she had no clue why he'd pinpoint the symptoms so well.
Sure, she was bent over panting, hands on her belly and chest—he could've pieced it together from that.
'Yeah... don't read into it weirdly. He just came over for a casual dinner today.'
She twisted the faucet, splashing cold water gushing out onto her face.
To cool her burning cheeks, and to rein in her rattled mind.
Her breathing was still ragged, so it wasn't super effective, but she had to at least keep that thought in her head.
- Creak—
She dried her damp face roughly with a towel, then opened the bathroom door with clear eyes.
"Ma-Manager-nim...?!♥"
But the resolve she'd mustered crumbled all over again.