Chapter 224
Chapter 224
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 224. Homme Fatale
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes, verbal fights feel scarier than physical ones.
This was exactly one of those times.
"You're struggling."
"That's not for you to decide on your own."
"No. You're the one deciding that for him right now, Chaeyeon."
Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon were arguing.
"You've always been like that."
Jang Chaeyeon furrowed one eyebrow, clearly offended, and continued.
"You're never confident enough to voice your own opinion, but you always hide it behind stuff like 'for this person' or 'he's struggling,' right?"
Yoo Daon shut her mouth at Jang Chaeyeon's words.
"It's not like that."
"What do you mean, not like that."
Jang Chaeyeon furrowed her other eyebrow at Yoo Daon's mutter.
...
I had no idea how to step in and stop them.
They were both way too serious.
"That attitude of yours, where you just leave it all to him, only makes things harder for him—"
"Then you too, Chaeyeon."
Yoo Daon cut Jang Chaeyeon off.
"You're doing it too."
"What am I doing."
"Pretending to accept everything. Pretending to help. Pretending to comfort."
Jang Chaeyeon widened her eyes at Yoo Daon's words.
"Always lurking in the back and slyly showing up only when it's convenient—"
"You're one to talk."
This time, Jang Chaeyeon cut Yoo Daon off.
"You talk like you'd hand over your liver and gall to anyone."
Jang Chaeyeon's expression soured.
"You've been living like you've handed out your liver and gall to just anyone, this person, that person—"
*Craack.*
Before Jang Chaeyeon could finish, something tore from Yoo Daon's hand.
*Drip... Drip...*
Blood dripped from her hand in drops.
Yoo Daon looked up at Jang Chaeyeon.
...
A perfectly emotionless face, all expression wiped clean.
My breath caught for a moment.
Jang Chaeyeon bit her lip too.
"...Me."
*Drip... Drip...*
The blood from her hand stopped, then her nails dug into her flesh again, repeating the dripping.
"Do you think I'd do that for just anyone?"
In the university garden.
Blood fell onto flowers gleaming in the sunlight, staining the vibrant colors red.
"Say whatever you want."
...
Yoo Daon continued.
"You can say I can't do anything but agree, or that I haven't learned enough to know anything. I don't care."
...
"But."
Yoo Daon turned around.
"Don't say that nonsense about me doing it for just anyone."
Blood still dripping from her hand, she walked briskly away.
The white, yellow, and pink flowers were already soaked red.
...
Jang Chaeyeon watched Yoo Daon leave.
"...You went too far this time, Chaeyeon."
Of course, Yoo Daon's words were harsh too.
I'd have to say something to her later as well.
...
Jang Chaeyeon stared at the scene, then looked at me.
"...Sorry."
That was her response.
"But I'm not apologizing."
"Yeah, whatever. That's up to you."
There was no reason or motivation for me to force apologies between adults who were plenty old enough.
"Still, I hope you won't let personal feelings mess up the work when it's needed."
That's how office life always goes.
In my life, someone who torments me is bound to show up.
It could be a colleague, a junior, or even a team leader.
If no one like that exists, we'll inevitably create someone to hate.
But that can't show up in your work attitude.
That's what organizational life is.
"...Don't worry about that part."
Jang Chaeyeon lowered her eyes to the ground as she answered me.
"We all share at least one goal."
...
Her gaze was fixed on the blood-soaked flowers.
"...I'll head out for a bit."
Even if Jang Chaeyeon was my fake girlfriend right now, we were fundamentally coworkers.
And I'd just chewed her out, no less.
Honestly, staying together felt awkward for me.
"...Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded.
"I'll say something to Daon too."
I thought that was right.
I wasn't the team leader, but excluding him, I had the most HR experience. I was older too.
I figured I needed to act like a senior or at least someone worth their age.
"So then..."
...
Before I could finish, Jang Chaeyeon gripped my hand tight, then let go.
"It's fine. Don't worry too much."
Jang Chaeyeon gave a small smile.
"I'm good at waiting."
...
Looking at her like that, I turned to follow Yoo Daon.
*
...
I quickened my steps in the sunlight.
Where did Yoo Daon go.
"What are you doing?"
I'd been searching hard for Yoo Daon, but who I ran into wasn't her.
Song Arin stood there, arms crossed, looking at me.
"Arin."
"Why do you look so down."
She scanned my face and immediately looked at me with concern.
"Did you fight? With who? Or did something bad happen?"
Why is everyone so quick on the uptake.
"No, I didn't fight..."
I didn't fight.
"Don't tell me the black hair and white hair got into it?"
Damn, her instincts are sharp.
I nodded, and Song Arin sighed.
"Yeah. I figured it was bound to happen. The miracle is they've gone this long without actually throwing punches."
"Arin, could you mediate a bit."
"...Me?"
Song Arin muttered in disbelief as she looked at me.
"How am I supposed to mediate that? I don't even get along with those two."
"When situations like this come up, can't you just say 'leave it to me' and handle it?"
"Hey, you ask for favors you know I can do. What am I supposed to do about something impossible."
Song Arin shook her head, arms still crossed.
"I can't. No. I won't."
...
I'm tired. So tired.
As I rubbed my eyes, feeling the exhaustion, Song Arin peeked at me with one eye.
"...Damn it, I said I can't do what I can't do, so don't make that face."
"Yeah, fine. I'll handle it."
If I keep working at it, their relationship will improve eventually.
I wanted to believe that.
"...So, what did they fight about?"
Song Arin glanced at me slyly.
"Uh, no. It's kinda private."
Privacy exists for a reason.
If I went into details here, it'd just be gossiping behind their backs.
"Yeah. That's one of your good points."
Song Arin nodded at my words.
"Anyway, you must've done something with the white hair, so the black hair picked a fight."
...
You know it well.
"Why look at me like that. The white hair wouldn't start something with you when you're with the black hair."
That was true too.
"So, what secret scheme did you cook up with the white hair that you're keeping from me and the black hair?"
Song Arin whispered slyly, elbowing my side.
"Come on, spill."
"Ah, it's nothing."
"If it was nothing, the black hair wouldn't have snapped. Tell me quick."
"I said it's nothing."
"Ah, you're the worst."
Song Arin pouted and crossed her arms.
"Hey. If I wanted to, I could be like the white hair too, you know?"
"What are you talking about?"
"No, I mean."
Song Arin closed her eyes, as if imagining something.
"You know how the white hair is all like, fatally alluring? Humans keep growing until twenty-five?"
"You?"
She seemed the furthest from it.
Done imagining, Song Arin hummed and shook her head.
"Nah. Won't work."
"Don't go imagining stuff on your own."
"Hey, imagination is a human right."
As she said that, she looked off into space and clenched her fist.
"Aja."
"What?"
"I think it worked."
"What did?"
"Like you said, I hypnotized the professor. Told him to make me an outstanding student right away and push me for professor."
Song Arin grinned happily at me.
"Thanks to you, I might become the youngest professor."
"Isn't that cheating?"
"It's a game. Winning matters, who cares how? Everyone's just trying to win, right?"
"We don't do that in real life."
"In real life, no. I've seen too much ugly shit."
...
Song Arin sighed as she answered.
"I've got one complaint."
"What?"
"Rely on me a bit too."
Song Arin swung her arm as she walked over and leaned against the wall.
"You always go to white hair when you need support, black hair to tackle things together, and hang with me when it's comfy."
She looked at me as she said it.
"I might not be great at listening. Might suck at tackling stuff together."
...
"So, being with you, I can learn."
She cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away.
"At least do it to train me."
"...Yeah, sure. I'll do that."
I nodded slowly, and Song Arin smiled faintly.
"Good. That's settled."
At that moment.
*Ding ring!*
[Everyone's missions are complete.]
A window popped up.
"...Isn't this too fast?"
"Yeah."
It's like the game just skims the surface. Feels like it picks out only the essence.
Another ding ring, and another window appeared.
[Your jobs will be determined based on your actions after graduating university.]
"Oh."
Song Arin muttered, looking at the window.
"Wonder what jobs we'll get."
As her words ended, text output like exam results.
[Yoo Daon: Tennis Player]
[Jang Chaeyeon: Teacher]
[Song Arin: Professor]
[An Sanghyeon: Unemployed]
[Heo Chan: Perpetual Section Chief]
[Park Ye-eun: Businesswoman]
[Ailin: Office Worker]
[Kim Jaeheon: Casanova]
...
...
What the hell happened with An Sanghyeon and the Team Leader.
"See? I'm a professor..."
Song Arin's words trailed off as she smiled.
She slowly turned her gaze back to the window.
[Kim Jaeheon: Casanova]
...
...
...
"Trash."
...
I was speechless at Song Arin's words too.