Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Regular Employee
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"Another meeting?"
The voice that greeted me as soon as I entered the office belonged to Song Arin.
"...What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's nothing."
Song Arin, who had locked eyes with me, put on a sulky expression, and I had no choice but to respond like that to her.
Her gaze toward the camera and the eerie situation were still vividly etched in my mind.
What kind of person was Song Arin?
Had she really manipulated everyone, including her own family, just to survive?
If not, then what on earth had happened?
I'd asked the branch chief, but the one clear answer she'd given me was this.
"I wasn't under hypnosis or anything when I went there."
"Then why did you go?"
"An accident like that happens, and you think it's human not to go?"
I recalled the branch chief staring at me with an expression like I was asking something obvious.
"Whatever. You have to talk to know."
"It's nothing."
Song Arin looked at me anxiously, and I had no choice but to reply like that to her.
"I don't remember. After the incident, she naturally underwent a mental evaluation, but she'd completely rewritten those memories herself. The one who properly used brainwashing ability on herself."
The branch chief's words resurfaced in my mind.
"Hey."
"Yes."
"...Forget it. Let's not talk."
Song Arin let out a frustrated sigh.
"By the way, Arin, have you gotten used to your new ability yet?"
"Oh, this?"
Song Arin nodded and flicked her finger.
Whoosh! With that sound, Jang Chaeyeon moved her hand to smack her own head.
"Ow."
"I can do this precise control too- Gahk!"
-Thud!
Song Arin had opened her mouth with a confident expression, only to let out a strangled cry and clutch her head.
Jang Chaeyeon was raising her palm.
"I can do that too."
Anyone could see she was pissed.
Song Arin glared at Jang Chaeyeon, who was muttering while radiating cold fury.
How hard had she been hit? Clutching her head, she lifted it sharply, eyes brimming with tears as she glared at Jang Chaeyeon.
"God, what if you hit me that hard...!"
"You deserved it."
"I hit you lightly, you crazy white-hair!"
"You hit first."
"You're impossible!"
Song Arin yelled, then let out a deep sigh and locked eyes with Yoo Daon, who was staring blankly at her.
"Hey-"
"I'll hit you if you hit my head too."
"That's not what I meant."
Song Arin snapped sharply, then looked back at Yoo Daon.
"You. You saw it, right?"
"Yes?"
What was she talking about?
I couldn't follow, and Yoo Daon tilted her head as if she didn't understand either.
"...Did you see?"
"What?"
"Don't play dumb when you know."
Yoo Daon tilted her head again at her mutter.
"Yes?"
In the end, Song Arin was the one who couldn't hold back.
"You. You saw the room I closed off, right?"
"Oh. That room?"
Yoo Daon widened her eyes and nodded.
"Yeah, I saw it."
"Why?"
"Uh..."
Yoo Daon trailed off awkwardly.
"Jaeheon called me?"
"...Really?"
Song Arin's gaze turned to me.
"I did call her."
"..."
It was better to go in with others than alone—higher survival odds.
Song Arin bit her lip,
"...Fine."
she muttered.
Someone tapped my shoulder.
"Yes, Chaeyeon."
Jang Chaeyeon was looking at me.
"Let's talk for a sec."
"Uh..."
"Coffee."
"What about you two?"
"Warm latte."
"Ice Americano!"
Song Arin answered without taking her eyes off Yoo Daon, and Yoo Daon immediately shifted her gaze to me and flashed a bright smile.
"Sure. Why not."
I slowly headed out the door.
Even as I left, Song Arin was still watching Yoo Daon, while Yoo Daon waved at me.
*
-Clank!
The man left, and the door closed.
Song Arin turned her gaze to Yoo Daon and pulled out a chair to sit.
As the scraping sound echoed, Yoo Daon spoke up.
"I understand you, Arin."
"...What?"
Song Arin's gaze shifted to Yoo Daon.
"It's always scary, right?"
Yoo Daon blinked and met Song Arin's eyes.
"Standing on a foothold that could crumble any day, sometimes so anxious you feel like you'll go mad."
"Don't act like you know."
Song Arin muttered lowly, but Yoo Daon continued undeterred.
"But cruelly, hope always comes right then."
Yoo Daon closed her eyes slightly.
"..."
"And in the end, you cling to that thread and endure again."
"How much longer have you lived than me to act like you know me?"
Song Arin spat out.
A voice the man had never heard. A voice truly laced with anger spilled from her lips.
"So what if you've lived a few more years than me-"
"Experience isn't measured by age."
Yoo Daon's calm voice echoed through the quiet office.
"I've just been there a lot."
At her words, Song Arin widened her eyes.
"Don't act like you know."
"But that's not how you avoid getting hurt-"
"I didn't live smiling either."
A cold voice filled the office.
"..."
Yoo Daon quietly gazed at Song Arin.
"I'm sorry."
She bowed her head slightly.
"I just wanted you to feel a bit more at ease."
"Even if it bothers me, it's none of your business."
"That would be true normally."
Yoo Daon nodded slowly.
"Normally?"
Song Arin narrowed her eyes, and Yoo Daon widened hers.
"You really don't know?"
Yoo Daon blinked at Song Arin.
As if genuinely puzzled, she looked at her.
No mockery, no sarcasm on her face.
Just pure, innocent curiosity.
And Song Arin wasn't someone who couldn't recognize that expression.
She gritted her teeth.
"Because I've been acting tired."
"More precisely, because you're burdening Jaeheon."
Yoo Daon smiled flawlessly, and Song Arin's face crumpled.
"You're not a tired person, Arin."
Yoo Daon smiled gently with her eyes closed.
"If anything, you're quick on the uptake."
"What?"
"So quick you fool yourself to live with it."
Song Arin furrowed her brow in confusion, and Yoo Daon continued smiling.
Yoo Daon stopped humming and looked at Song Arin.
"Don't burden Jaeheon too much. He's struggling."
"..."
Song Arin bit her lip hard under her steady gaze.
Yoo Daon pulled her chair back, as if done speaking,
and at the same time, Song Arin slowly opened her mouth.
"Ha."
All that came from Song Arin's lips was a scoff.
Yoo Daon turned to her.
"You're deluded into thinking you're a big help."
Song Arin fixed Yoo Daon with a cold stare.
"Don't forget."
A sneer twisted her face.
"You're just one more pathetic kid struggling for recognition."
Cracks formed in Yoo Daon's smile, and Song Arin whispered to her with a laugh.
"The most parasitic one is you."
With that, Song Arin shoved the door open and stormed out.
Bang! The door slammed shut loudly.
Song Arin walked down the hall with a stiff expression,
while Yoo Daon stared blankly at the closed door.
*
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon, who had been dazedly taking her coffee, let out a small sigh.
"What's wrong, Chaeyeon?"
She looked troubled.
At my words, Jang Chaeyeon stared straight at me.
"Someone asked for help."
"For help?"
Who?
Too many possibilities; I couldn't even guess.
"You probably don't know them."
Jang Chaeyeon muttered, starting to twirl her hair.
"Back when I was working with that girl, a boss-like person."
"A boss-like person?"
"Uh, um..."
This was the first time I'd seen Jang Chaeyeon so flustered.
As I marveled at the sight, Jang Chaeyeon earnestly continued.
"Not Management Team or Containment Team. A civilian."
"Yeah."
"But they. Um. Good at reality checks."
Reality check?
The man holding the mirror and looking at us came to mind.
"Oh, no way. Someone older? A guy?"
Jang Chaeyeon widened her eyes at me.
"...How did you know?"
"Oh. Um. Before regression, I owed him once."
"...Oh. Then he won't know you."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded as if understanding.
"...Anyway, he called because he needs help."
"What kind?"
"No idea."
"Huh?"
"He doesn't know either. But he's good at judging situations and asked me to recommend the most reliable person."
That's me.
Felt good, but I got those old sayings about aces suffering.
"How urgent is it?"
"Not urgent. We agreed to rest a bit first."
"Yeah. If it was 'come now,' I wasn't going."
I'm human too.
Wanted to rest without getting dragged into incidents.
"If he'd said come now, I'd have said no. Don't worry."
Jang Chaeyeon spoke slowly to reassure me.
And then, in the distance, Song Arin came stomping over.
"Haven't gotten Arin's coffee yet?"
"Doesn't matter."
She muttered coldly and stood beside me.
Jang Chaeyeon glanced at her and looked away.
"What."
"I didn't say anything."
"Please stop fighting already."
At my words, both shut their mouths.
Why did these two fight every time they met? Should Yoo Daon and Song Arin pair up, and Chaeyeon and I go together?
Fortunately, when I returned, Yoo Daon was working alone at her computer and greeted me with a smile.
*
The next day.
"...I want to become a regular employee."
Intern Park Ye-eun pulled me aside and whispered quietly.