Chapter 256
Chapter 256
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Blind Date
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That's why I told them to go first on purpose.
I look at the three of them, feeling a pang of regret.
No matter what, if a guy sends his coworkers home first just to set up a blind date with a friend, how repulsive would he seem if they thought he saw them as mere colleagues?
Not that setting up a blind date is a bad thing, but there's no reason to do it so blatantly like this. It was a mistake.
And the reason? Confirming Criticals. Sure, I felt a bit lonely deep down, but that's beside the point.
My thoughts drag on. I'm making excuses to myself.
I close my eyes to cut them off and look at the three again.
Right. When I think about it, I haven't really done anything wrong. Have I?
Let me say it properly.
Before I can even get the words out,
"You jerk..."
Song Arin starts sniffling, and Jang Chaeyeon bows her head.
Yoo Daon is wiping away endless tears.
"It's my fault. Please. Let's talk somewhere else. Please. I beg you."
I surrender.
*
It didn't take long for the three of them to calm down.
Jang Chaeyeon has her gaze turned elsewhere, Song Arin has her head buried on the desk in embarrassment, and Yoo Daon has a cold towel pressed to her eyes.
What a terrible atmosphere.
"For now... um."
I shrug, about to say whatever comes to mind while wondering what to tell them.
"I did it because I needed to. I have, uh, circumstances I can't talk about."
"...Circumstances you can't talk about, and you needed to?"
Jang Chaeyeon turns her head to look at me.
"Yes."
After all, I need to increase my Critical rate somehow, or at least check it.
I can't exactly go to the Team Leader or Ahn Sanghyeon and ask them to help me boost my Criticals.
Sure, it might happen naturally, but that would tie into survival instincts and rolling with the punches.
It's different from what I'm fundamentally aiming for.
But explaining that is too complicated.
No one else really understands the concept of combined skills anyway.
Best to gloss over it in times like this.
No, be honest.
If I just say I want to meet people for Critical research, I'd sound like total trash.
Even if I don't care much about my public image, I don't want these three to see me that way.
As I look at them with that thought,
Song Arin is banging her head on the desk with thuds, Yoo Daon is quietly pressing the towel to her eyes, and Jang Chaeyeon has her eyes squeezed shut.
"...Fine. Go ahead."
Then Jang Chaeyeon looks at me with a frail voice.
"If you need to... yeah, you should."
"Thank you for understanding."
Even if they're acting like this.
"...Um."
"Yeah."
"...I'll head out."
"...Yeah."
The sun is already dipping low.
Tomorrow's the weekend.
"...Have a good weekend."
"...Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon gives a short reply.
"...Not leaving?"
"...In a bit."
She answers again, and in the end, I have no choice but to slowly leave the office while watching their faces.
Before going.
"Um..."
"...Yeah?"
"N-never mind."
I thought she had something to say, but it probably wouldn't lead to anything good anyway.
Just wrap it up quick and come back. No one will know. If I hurry, it'll be fine. No rumors or anything.
*
"Ah, a blind date."
"Yes."
"Well, a blind date's fine. Nothing's set in stone anyway. But why are the HR Team folks making such a fuss?"
"Sis, your hand's shaking so much the coffee's spilling over."
"I've always had tremors."
"Right..."
"Where you headed?"
"HR Team."
"I'll come with!"
*
"Wow, really?"
"That's what I heard."
"Oh my gosh, perfect timing..."
"Didn't you have times like this too, Branch Chief?"
"I rode in a flower sedan back then. Ahaha! Well, not really!"
*Knock knock!*
A knock echoes through the Branch Chief's room.
*
It's been a while since I dressed up like this.
The last time was... for a housewarming, right?
If not then, I'd just head straight home from the Management Bureau after visiting other team members' places.
Looking back on recent memories, they're all Management Bureau stuff.
No, everyone I know is from the Bureau.
The Team Leader cracking jokes every day, Yoo Daon laughing over coffee, Jang Chaeyeon sharing sandwiches because she brought too many, Song Arin giggling while showing funny videos, Park Ye-eun smiling at it all, and lately, Ailin dropping by often.
Feels kinda weird.
That's why I might need this.
People shouldn't stay in the same environment forever.
Yeah. That's right.
I tie my shoelaces tight, repeating it to myself.
Time to head out after so long.
*
The meeting spot is far from home. No, I chose it far on purpose.
Didn't want to do it near the Bureau.
How long has it been since my last blind date?
I let out a tense breath and wait for her in front of the reserved restaurant.
Blind date...
Habitually, I pull up the manual as always.
[Office Manual]
[BN - How to Win Hearts on a Blind Date]
1. When eating, chow down with gusto and make noise. They'll love the energy.
2. Probe deeply into their family life. They'll think you care and love it.
3. Go for sudden skinship. They'll assume it's affection and love it.
4. This is betrayal from the start. How brazen—ugh, I can't even.
Soon, I hear hurried footsteps approaching, and I slowly close the manual.
I glance up to see a woman hurrying toward me.
She's all dolled up, but not as pretty as the HR Team girls.
No. What am I thinking.
I close and open my eyes, shoving the thought aside.
The woman approaches me.
"Um, Kim Jaeheon...?"
"Yes. That's me."
"Sorry I'm late!"
"No problem."
"I'm Hwang Jihye."
"Kim Jaeheon."
I nod in greeting and look at her.
"Shall we go in?"
"Ah, yes!"
I lead the way into the restaurant.
We sit, and she stares right at me.
"I heard a bit from your friend, so I can guess what he said."
"What'd he say?"
"Uh, that you look sharp... edgy."
"Probably said my eyes make me look like an asshole."
"Ahaha."
She covers her mouth laughing.
I sneak a peek above her head.
[Name: Hwang Jihye]
[Age: 26]
[Trait: None]
[Talent: None]
[Background: Not bad at all, she thinks. Does he make good money at his job? She's wondering.]
[Weakness: Ordinary human. Strike a vital spot and she dies.]
Not a Containment Object mimicking someone, or an anomaly.
I feel relieved inside and keep the conversation going.
"So, your job..."
"I work at a big corporation now. HR."
"Ah, big corp HR..."
Bureau employees are instructed to say we work at a big corporation if asked. No one would believe we work at the Management Bureau anyway, and it'd just make our lives harder later.
"Must be busy."
She looks at me.
"Busy... yeah."
"What keeps you so busy?"
"Hm."
Fighting world-threatening monsters, battling groups, getting dragged into incidents.
"Lot of people, so lot to manage."
"Makes sense for a big corp."
She nods.
We keep chatting.
"Lots of women on your team?"
"Yeah. Female-dominated workplace."
"What, so no office couples or anything?"
"Between team members? They'd hate me for it."
A sharp twinge hits my temple.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Nothing."
I quickly look around, but no one's there.
Just my imagination?
I rub my temple and look at her.
"You must live a really busy life."
"Me?"
"Yes."
She nods.
"Someone like you, Kim Jaeheon—I bet places have snatched you up, but seeing you're still single, you must work hard."
"Guess I haven't been snatched yet, unlike the others."
"Ahaha! What are you saying!"
She slaps my shoulder laughing.
She's touchy.
"No, Jaeheon, you seem fun."
She leans in sideways, looking at me.
"I'm free tonight. Want a drink?"
"Drinks?"
Drinks, huh.
As I hesitate, she grabs my arm.
"Come on! I want one."
"...Sure, why not."
"Second round's on me!"
She laughs and heads out, and I stare before pulling out my card.
Feels like she's leading me around.
After paying, I step out, and she's waiting.
"I found a great spot. Let's go!"
Just in case, I check above her head again.
This friendly? Not a Containment Object, right?
Or maybe Jang Chaeyeon's sister in disguise, or Aestheticism, or a Bureau spy...
*Clap!*
"Wh-what?"
"Oh. Just clearing my head."
I clap to sort my thoughts.
Gonna get paranoid.
I follow her.
"You're kinda weird, Jaeheon."
She turns to look at me.
"Hm?"
"You either lead or trail behind. Never walk side by side. Always keeping distance? You do that with everyone?"
Did I?
Before I can think, she steps beside me.
"Walk like this together."
"Ah, okay."
I walk with her at my side.
Luckily, the bar's close.
She opens the door and goes in, and I follow.
Quiet bar.
Murmurs from chatting people, soft music playing.
Nice vibe.
"Sit here—"
She stops mid-sentence.
Her gaze shifts elsewhere.
"Wow, look at them. Celebrities?"
"Huh?"
I turn at her words.
White hair gleams under dim lights, black hair sinks deeper into shadow.
Everyone glances at the pair.
Standouts in the crowd.
And those two are.
"..."
"..."
Sipping drinks, staring right at me.
Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon's gazes pierce through me.