Chapter 82: The Approaching Ones (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 82: The Approaching Ones (5)
“So… are you asking me to take Yoon Ji-an off her duties in the Inspection Department?”
“Yes.”
Department Head Kim Seong-tae’s expression began to darken.
“To my ears, that sounds like you want to use an Association employee as your personal secretary… Am I misunderstanding something?”
“Yes, you’re misunderstanding.”
Using her as my personal secretary isn’t for now, but for the distant future.
By then, our dear Ji-an won’t be an Association employee, but will belong to me.
For now, this is… what should I call it? A trial run for that time?
“I’m saying that I don’t want anyone but Ms. Ji-an to be in charge of my care.”
“So you’re not asking to exclude her from care duties, but from her Inspection Department duties?”
“That’s right.”
“Ha… Mr. Kim Do-jin.”
Kim Seong-tae let out a soft sigh and stared at me with his sharp eyes.
“Don’t you think that’s an unreasonable demand?”
Unreasonable, he says…
In other words, he thinks my request is excessive or crosses a line.
“No, not at all.”
I’ve never thought so.
It seems this gentleman’s scales are still tipped the wrong way. I suppose I’ll have to adjust them for him.
“Department Head.”
“…Go on.”
“The Association is currently caring for quite a few promising prospects, aren’t they?”
“The number isn’t small.”
From what I remember, the Association sponsors and manages about thirty prospects each year.
Ostensibly, it’s to support the growth of promising Hunter aspirants.
But the Association I’ve experienced isn’t the type to open its wallet out of such pure intentions.
Their real aim is to pick up kids with potential and build a good image for a small price.
It’s best if they end up joining the Association as employees, but even if they don’t, maintaining a good relationship with them will be useful down the line.
“In that case,”
“……”
“Among all of them, where do you think I rank?”
“…I’m not sure.”
He’s trying to weasel his way out of answering.
But that man definitely knows.
He knows my abilities and potential are on a level that most prospects can’t even compare to.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to take time out of his precious Saturday to see me.
“Come on, you must have a rough idea. Just looking at this recent incident should give you a clue.”
If he didn’t know, he must’ve won his position as the Head of General Affairs in a game of Go-Stop.
From my few encounters with him, Kim Seong-tae was excessively power-hungry, but he wasn’t a complete fool.
Despite that, he remained silent.
Such pointless pride.
“Let’s be honest with each other.”
“About what?” Kim Seong-tae asked bluntly, his tone dripping with displeasure.
“I may be young, but I’m not naive.”
“…And?”
“The fact that you did nothing until now and only just showed up offering to care for me says it all.”
It tells me exactly how you evaluate me.
“You want to form a connection with me, don’t you, Department Head?”
As I said it straight out, his eyes wavered for a moment.
He seemed quite surprised that a twenty-year-old kid would be so direct.
He appeared to hesitate, debating whether to admit his true intentions or to brush it off with stiff pleasantries.
A moment later.
As if he’d made up his mind, he opened his mouth.
“You seem sharp, so I won’t deny it.”
If he’s not denying it, then it’s true.
In any case, now that he’s given an honest answer, the conversation is pretty much over.
Although, there is one more step.
“I’d also like to have a good relationship with you, Department Head. But.”
I raised my hand and made a walking gesture with my index and middle fingers as I continued.
“Let’s put a bridge between us.”
Realizing my meaning, his gaze shifted to Yoon Ji-an.
“In other words… you want to receive your care from Ms. Yoon Ji-an, while also maintaining a connection with me. Is that it?”
I smiled brightly and nodded.
“Exactly.”
Seeing my smile, Department Head Kim Seong-tae smiled back.
But the meaning behind his seemed a little different.
It was a look of resignation, or perhaps disbelief.
“It would be an overstep of my authority… but it’s not impossible.”
His nuance was a bit strange.
It sounded like, It’s possible, but… why should I?
“However, I’m not sure if you, Mr. Kim Do-jin, are valuable enough for me to take such a risk.”
Hmm, this is unexpected.
Just listing the things I’ve demonstrated since the special admission ceremony should be more than enough, but he wants more?
Does he have no conscience?
I don’t like it, but I have no choice.
It seems my desire for Yoon Ji-an is greater than his desire for me.
“I’ll show you something interesting.”
The easiest way to prove your worth is to show an advantage that only you possess, something others can’t do.
And this body’s traits and talents are perfectly suited for that.
I spread my five fingers and showed them to him, then gathered my mana.
First, on the thumb…
「Fire Ball.」
A Fire Ball, about one-eighth of its normal size, floated gently above my thumb.
A Lightning Bolt on the index finger, a Water Ball on the middle, an Air Ball on the ring, and on the pinky…
「Ice Ball.」
Orbs of red, purple, blue, colorless, and pale blue light spun above my five fingers.
Like planets circling the sun.
“How about it? Is this enough?”
He could say nothing, his mouth agape as he stared at my hand.
I could hear it.
The sound of my value in Kim Seong-tae’s mind not just skyrocketing, but breaking through the charts and soaring into the heavens.
* * *
In the car on the way home.
I was leaning back comfortably, full and content after eating a variety of new foods for the first time in a while, when Yoon Ji-an asked me.
“Why… did you go that far?”
She seemed to have a hard time understanding my earlier actions.
I could see why.
My behavior back then wasn’t exactly rational.
I just did what my instincts told me to.
All for the simple reason that I didn’t want to be cared for by some middle-aged man instead of Yoon Ji-an.
At the same time, I was also curious about her intentions.
“Then why did you accept, Ms. Ji-an?”
“That’s…”
My negotiation with Kim Seong-tae.
The truth was, it could have fallen apart at any time depending on her will.
Even if I asked the man to take Yoon Ji-an off all her Inspection Department duties, if she didn’t want that, it would all be for nothing.
So after settling things with the department head, I asked her.
The Inspection Department, or me.
After a moment of thought, she made her decision.
To care for me.
Her face, focused on the road ahead, was slightly flushed.
It was a cool season, so it couldn’t be because she was hot.
“I… was a little disappointed.”
“Heeh, really?”
“Yes. I suppose I’ve grown quite fond of you.”
…Just fond, huh.
And here I was, thinking it might be something a little warmer.
Her face now a little redder, she asked me again.
“I’ve answered, so you should answer me too, Do-jin.”
“Hmm.”
Is it too soon to say, Because I want to get closer to you?
“It’s similar for me. I’ve grown very fond of you, Ji-an, so I don’t want to be cared for by anyone else.”
“Ah… is that so.”
What’s this?
What’s with that?
Why the sudden disappointed look?
Was my answer wrong?
Don’t tell me my earlier thought wasn’t too soon after all?
“Um…”
Just as I was regretting my answer, Yoon Ji-an spoke up tentatively.
“About the, uh, reward money you received today.”
“Yes. What about it?”
“Well, um…”
What is she trying to say that’s making her hesitate so much?
After wavering several times, she finally spoke.
“That… that was actually my doing.”
“…Your doing?”
“Yes. It wasn’t Department Head Kim Seong-tae who made the effort… it was me.”
Ah.
She said earlier that someone had worked hard to get me the 30 million won.
So that was actually the result of Yoon Ji-an’s efforts?
And she’s only telling me this now to appeal to me?
“I’m not expecting anything in return, but… letting Department Head Kim Seong-tae take all the credit felt a bit…”
“Of course, of course.”
When I thought Kim Seong-tae had done it, I didn’t feel a shred of gratitude. But now, a feeling of thankfulness is sprouting rapidly.
So much so that I feel like I have to do something for her.
“Ji-an, is there anything you want? I got a lot of money thanks to you, so I’d like to get you a gift.”
“A g-gift… umm.”
After some thought, she spoke with difficulty.
“There’s nothing I particularly want…”
“Hmm, really?”
Aw, that’s a shame.
I was going to use it as an excuse to set up a date.
“I-Instead! Could you… buy me a meal sometime?”
“……”
Is today my lucky day or something?
Why does it feel like everything is going exactly as I planned?
When things go this well, something bad always happens later… sheesh.
While I was worrying for a moment, she must have taken my silence as a rejection, because she got an anxious look on her face.
“If you don’t want to, you can refuse…”
“No, no. I’d love to. Let’s get a meal. Not just one, but as many as you want.”
“…Then when would be good?”
“I’m full today, so that’s out… How about tomorrow?”
Tomorrow was Sunday, so I figured it would be fine for both of us.
But her face suddenly fell.
“…I’m sorry. I have something to do tomorrow.”
“That’s okay. Then how about next weekend?”
“I’m free both Saturday and Sunday then.”
“Alright, I’ll pick a day during the week and contact you.”
“Yes…!”
The feeling of our conversation was a little different from before.
Even with the same way of speaking, the atmosphere had changed.
Before, she gave off a very business-like vibe, but now she feels… warmer, I guess?
What’s certain is that we’re making progress in a positive direction.
For her to ask me to buy her a meal first… that has to mean something, right?
Just like on the way there, twenty minutes passed in a flash.
“We’re here.”
I unbuckled my seatbelt, got out of the car, then leaned down to meet her eyes through the open window.
“You worked hard today.”
“It was nothing. And… thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for.”
It was all for my own benefit.
“Ah, and there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Please, go ahead.”
It wasn’t a huge favor.
Not an official request, but a purely personal one.
“Don’t just call when you need something. Call me when you’re bored, too.”
“Huh? Ah… I understand.”
She’s smiling a lot today.
“Get home safe, then.”
“Yes. I’ll see you next week.”
“Yeah, see you.”
With a subtle emphasis on “next week,” she drove away.
“Hehe.”
My chest feels all tingly.
Just like when I was young, during the flirting stage with my wife.
“Ah, is this the flirting stage?”
Yeah, at this point, it wouldn’t be strange to call it that. Mm-hmm.
I never thought I’d feel this way again in my life.
As I reached the rooftop, unable to contain my laughter, a familiar voice flew over and struck my ears.
“Where’ve you been?”
Shin Yu-jeong, who had been lying sprawled out on the bench, sat up.
Hmm, what should I say?
“Just went to meet someone for a bit.”
“Meet someone? Who?”
Her expression seemed to ask, You don’t have any friends.
Well… she’s not wrong.
I think I was popular in the game, but I quit.
I answered honestly.
“I just met with Ji-an.”
“…What for?”
Her voice dropped.
Still, this is surprising.
I thought she’d immediately start calling her this bitch and that bitch, but she’s holding back quite a bit.
I took the money envelope from my pocket and showed it to her.
“Brought back some cash.”
The girl’s expression brightened instantly.
Ugh, what a materialistic brat.
“How much?”
I took out one of the ten-million-won checks from the envelope and showed it to her.
“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million… Te-ten million won?”
I silently held up three fingers.
“…Don’t tell me it’s 30 million?”
“Yep.”
“You… you bastard!”
The girl suddenly rushed over and buried herself in my arms.
She always hugs people whenever she’s happy.
After rubbing her face all over me, she lifted her head and spoke suggestively.
“Buy me some beef. I need to replenish my protein.”
“……”
And just like that, 800,000 won of the 30 million was gone.
That greedy bitch…