Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Deputy Jeong's Teasing
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Silence wrapped around the space like a deep exhale.
…Throb.
A man with deep wrinkles etched between his brows alternated his gaze between the paper in his hand and the woman before him.
“………Haa.”
A profound sigh spilled endlessly from his lips.
The paper was densely packed with writing.
And the red-haired woman standing leisurely with her hands behind her back, gazing at distant mountains, felt like a thorn in his side.
Even the muttering coming from right in front of him.
‘Park Yeon-jeong, was it? I want to see him again.’
Crack!
The man suppressed his anger toward the woman who clearly hadn’t grasped her current situation and murmured.
“Haa… Deputy Jeong.”
“Yeees~.”
“Keep it short!!”
“Yup!”
“…….”
Throb!
“This damn… Haa, forget it.”
The man’s deep sigh felt as heavy as if the earth itself were crumbling.
He pressed his temple with his thumb, suppressing the throbbing migraine.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
“Hmm…….”
Jeong Da-ram seemed to think for a moment.
Then, as if a brilliant idea had struck her, she boldly declared it with her characteristic sly smile.
“Kwon Executive Director also…… really!”
“Huh? What?”
She suddenly spoke to her superior in a cheeky, light tone.
Jeong Da-ram began wriggling her body like an eager puppy desperate to go out.
Soon, stroking the buttons of her white blouse, she suggestively revealed the reason her superior had summoned her to his office.
“We agreed not to do this at work, Executive Director…… No, Oppa♥”
“……….”
Throb throb throb!!
His head was spinning.
Every moment he regretted assigning this woman as a deputy in J Team—Kwon Executive Director barely held back something worse than curses from bursting out.
Yeah, hold it in.
He had to endure.
The one who snaps loses.
No matter how much this crazy woman provoked him.
She was a woman.
Didn’t Kwon Executive Director himself have a daughter?
It was just crude wordplay from a girl whose blood hadn’t even fully heated up.
……Hoo.
Pop.
?
It wasn’t the sound of Kwon Executive Director’s last thread of sanity snapping.
The sound came from the woman before him, Jeong Da-ram, unbuttoning her blouse as she approached in this mad scene.
“Today, since you asked so nicely to do it outside, Oppa♥…… inside…….”
“Jeong Da-raaaaaam!!”
Bang!
Crunch-!
What had been Kwon Executive Director’s desk just moments ago was now split in two and shattered miserably.
At that moment.
The J Team members outside, hearing the massive explosion-like noise, reacted without much surprise.
Far from being startled by the huge bang.
“See? I told you Kwon Executive Director would smash his desk because of that bitch Jeong Da-ram.”
“Ah, seriously… Guess we’re skipping lunch today.”
Bets were flying about whether Kwon Executive Director would smash his desk or not—it was just another day in J Team.
Facing the wreckage of his shattered desk, Kwon Executive Director grasped his sanity once more.
If he stayed like this, he’d end up smashing every piece of office furniture like last time.
Kwon Executive Director had already written dozens of apology reports for property damage.
And a significant portion of those were thanks to this crazy woman, Jeong Da-ram.
A venomous existence to him.
With things as they were, he cut to the chase for summoning this mad wom— no, Deputy Jeong.
“…Ahem! Deputy Jeong. Assignment time. Upper management specifically named you again.”
“Yeees? Again?”
Jeong Da-ram’s face, which had worn a sly smile moments ago, now brimmed with bewilderment.
“Aren’t they overworking just me?”
“Then quit while you’re at it.”
It was half-serious from Kwon Executive Director.
But hearing that, Jeong Da-ram pouted visibly, though…
“Seriously, the company can’t run without me♥.”
Twitch.
A faint, tiny smile crept across her face.
‘…Crazy bitch.’
That’s why upper management had no reason not to use Jeong Da-ram, who always excelled in ghost story explorations.
Even if she caused endless trouble in daily office life, she alone had uncovered countless hidden gimmicks in ghost stories so far.
He hated to admit it, but this crazy bitch (Jeong Da-ram) was like a golden goose in the agency right now.
“…This ghost story exploration team is you plus at least two more, minimum three total. Considering your situation, I’ll supplement with personnel from other departments, so wait until then.”
Normally, teams were formed within the department.
But J Team’s Jeong Da-ram was treated as an exception.
Unlike her deputy position, she was an outsider in the workplace.
Naturally, this was all self-inflicted.
To accommodate her, upper management allowed her to team up with other departments.
Though even that was seen as ‘hot potato’ by the other departments.
“Anyway, I’m done talking, so get out…….”
“About those supplemental personnel, can’t it be from A Team? I’d like the intern ‘Park Yeon-jeong’ from A Team.”
“…Huh? A Team?”
Jeong Da-ram suddenly stepped forward, requesting to team up with A Team.
Well, it wasn’t impossible.
He’d heard the ghost story for this exploration was pretty bizarre. If he talked nicely to A Team’s executive director, they might lend support.
But.
“No.”
“Why nooo~.”
“Why should I grant your request just because you’re pretty?!”
“Isn’t it a fact that I’m pretty?”
…Should I just hit her?
“…Anyway! Do you know how many rookies avoid our J Team because of you and your constant incidents?! And why suddenly bring up A Team, which you’ve never cared about before!”
“…….”
As Kwon Executive Director bellowed, Jeong Da-ram flushed red instead.
Her face resembled a high school girl smitten with her first love.
“I really want to see him again. That person.”
“So why?!”
“We spent a hot night together in the same room…… Ahh! So embarrassing!”
“………”
Hearing Jeong Da-ram’s inner story, Kwon Executive Director fell silent for a moment.
And then.
“Get out.”
“………So mean!”
Jeong Da-ram stormed out of his office like a sulky teenager.
“………Finally gone.”
Kwon Executive Director considered it a win for the day that he’d only smashed one wooden desk after dealing with her.
As he gathered his thoughts, he murmured the name softly.
‘Park Yeon-jeong, was it?’
A woman?
The name sounded like one a girl might have.
Since Jeong Da-ram had never singled out anyone before, Kwon Executive Director was a bit curious about this female intern who’d caught her eye.
What kind of crazy bitch could she be…
Glance.
A wired phone peeked out from the wreckage of his shattered desk.
Fortunately, the phone looked intact, so Kwon Executive Director picked up the receiver and decided to call A Team’s executive director to inquire about the intern.
Click.
“Oh, you picked up. ‘Executive Baek’, by any chance, has a new intern joined A Team…….”
“I’ll hang up.”
“Huh? W-Wait!”
Tututu tututu-
The call ended.
………Crack!!
“Hey, I was talking!!!”
Crunch crunch crunch!
Bang!!
And once more, the sound of shattering echoed through the office.
“See? I said it’d happen one more time.”
“…….”
J Team, where Kwon Executive Director was, remained peaceful as ever today.
*****
White sunlight shone down on me.
When I opened my eyes to that sunlight.
I might have instinctively sensed it.
Ah…….
This is heaven.
Heaven really exists.
Oh, hallelujah.
Park Yeon-jeong thought so.
A pleasant sensation as if warm sunlight enveloped his entire body.
The especially cozy warmth felt in his right arm was particularly nice.
And one man thought.
The one who led him to heaven right now was none other than.
His daughter, Park Soi.
Last night, before passing out into sleep, the last face he saw was Soi’s.
The culprit was Soi.
Otherwise, there was no way he’d reach this place, heaven.
Though Park Yeon-jeong hadn’t escaped that place alive, at least in death, he’d freed himself from that space full of ghost stories.
Well… good is good, right?
In that worldview, this might even be a happy ending.
Park Yeon-jeong slowly rose, about to check what heaven looked like.
Squeeze-
?
For some reason, his right arm felt heavy.
The spot that had felt especially warm compared to the rest of his body.
I gently lifted the blanket and checked my arm.
There.
A beautiful woman lay peacefully asleep, breathing softly.
Clutching his arm tightly.
“…….”
Gazing at the beautiful woman, Park Yeon-jeong murmured.
“………S-So-Soi? Soi-ssi?”
A short tremble.
“…Master, good morning.”
“……….”
“Then I’ll go prepare breakfast right away.”
“…….”
Staring at Soi, who got out of bed beside him, the man corrected his current location.
‘Ah, this is still hell.’
Heaven my ass.
He hadn’t escaped this endless whirlpool of ghost stories yet.
And.
“…….”
“…Master?”
He didn’t even have the right to look at Soi getting out of bed. More precisely, he lacked the confidence to look straight at her.
Soi was right now.
“……Wh-Why are you… naked?”
The man known as Park Yeon-jeong mustered his courage to speak.
But Soi’s response was.
“Don’t worry. Today was just sleeping next to Master again……… I can’t enjoy it alone.”
Huh?
Why do you always leave such loaded words, Soi-ssi?
And why no clothes while sleeping with me……
Before the bewildered question marks could fade.
A bright smile spread across Soi’s lips as she gazed at Park Yeon-jeong.
“Please take responsibility for me, Master♡.”
???
Soi then headed to the kitchen.
And that day, as always.
The breakfast Soi prepared was exquisite.
*****
Receiving Soi’s send-off, who seemed in an especially good mood today.
Park Yeon-jeong.
AM.09:00
Tap!
Along with the clock showing 9:00 AM.
I completed my normal commute.
This commute method no longer surprised me.
Though it’d barely been a week and change since joining.
Is this really right…?
Static-
[What a lively morning today too! Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
[Did you enjoy your night with her yesterday!]
No.
And honestly, I passed out into sleep yesterday with no memories.
[But…you know, right? Balancing work and love is truly important.]
I don’t know what you mean, but…
Understood.
Ending the nutritionally void short exchange at dawn, Noise continued in an even higher tone.
Static crackle-
[And I said yesterday I’d prepare a gift for Employee Park Yeon-jeong. Remember?]
“Yes, I remember.”
If he couldn’t recall something said just yesterday, that’d be a problem in itself.
Whoosh!
Soon, the white librarian approached Park Yeon-jeong and handed something over as usual.
[This is the gift I prepared for Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
[I hope you like it.]
Jingle.
Something in the librarian’s palm made its characteristic sound, drawing his gaze there.
Atop the librarian’s palm.
Lay a luxurious wristwatch.
The moment I saw it.
I shouted.
“R-Rolex! Isn’t it?!”
The only luxury watch brand I knew! Are you really giving me such an expensive watch, Mr. Noise?!
[Rolex? Do humans call wristwatches Rolex? Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]
“……N-No.”
Yeah, of course not.
I took the wristwatch from the librarian, and Noise continued without pause.
[You know it’s not an ordinary wristwatch, of course?]
Yes, nothing from you is ever ordinary.
And while Park Yeon-jeong knew of watch-type items, this design was new.
Which meant.
Probably another item created by Noise.
[Try putting it on your preferred wrist.]
Put this watch on my wrist?
It looked quite ordinary at a glance.
What if I casually put it on and it forms a slave contract like a leg iron.
Or my wrist suddenly severs.
Or……
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]
!!
Yeah, what’s worrying gonna do.
I’ll end up wearing it anyway.
Just accept it.
But just in case.
I quickly pulled out my glasses from my employee ID and put them on.
All preparations complete.
Recalling his personal motto once more, Park Yeon-jeong squeezed his eyes shut and strapped the watch to his wrist.
-Giving up makes it easier.
[…As expected, it suits you well.]
Even after wearing it, no unusual symptoms appeared.
He grabbed the glasses frame and peeked down to check.
It was fine.
No signs of mental damage.
[That watch will help you greatly while dealing with numerous customers.]
[That watch…… reacts to the target’s lies.]
“Lies?”
[Yes! They say seeing once sticks longer than a long explanation!]
[I’ll demonstrate the usage myself.]
Snap!
The librarian, who’d handed over the watch and hadn’t vanished yet, pointed her index finger precisely at Park Yeon-jeong.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong, I’ve been dying to kill you every single moment. I look forward to what melody you’ll play for me…….]
!!
As the speaker voice of Noise ended its sudden horrifying statement.
Tick backward.
?
The second hand, which had pointed at ‘12’ moments ago, now pointed at ‘11’.
[The second hand just moved.]
“……Yes.”
“That’s the watch’s ability. When the target lies, the second hand moves back one notch. Impressive, right?!]
[And besides that…….]
“…….”
But.
Even as Noise earnestly continued the explanation, his attention was elsewhere.
‘…S-So, in other words.’
That statement just now was a lie, right?
‘Yes! Mr. Noise!?‘
It was a lie!
The man Park Yeon-jeong seemed not to fully trust the watch’s performance yet.
A real lie, right!?