Chapter 300
Chapter 300
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Longing and Regret
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"No, Kim Jaeheon!"
The Branch Manager calls out to me in a voice full of delight, or perhaps just happy to see me.
"I thought you were resting well. What brings you here?"
"I came to hang out."
"Ah..."
She narrows her eyes at my words, looking us over.
"I figured the HR Team folks had dragged you here after some kind of meeting."
"..."
"And you're even in casual clothes? Did you all plan to meet up and have fun, or maybe crash somewhere together?"
The Branch Manager nudges my shoulder with her elbow, rocking me back and forth.
If she'd put even half that deductive skill into fashion sense, she'd be a style icon.
"Well, people who work together end up becoming friends, right?"
"Ah, yeah, that's true. Back in the day, I worked with this girl from next door named Oksoon, and we got close like that. It's that whole friendship transcending status thing."
The Branch Manager nods in agreement, then looks us over again.
"So, shopping? Whose clothes are you looking at?"
"Everyone's except mine."
"No way, then who's picking out clothes for you, Kim Jaeheon?"
She widens her eyes dramatically, glancing at the others around us.
"No one here to dress you up properly, is that it?"
"I'll do it."
Right on cue, Jang Chaeyeon raises her hand and replies in a flat voice.
"Oh, really? You sure you don't mind if I don't?"
"Yeah, that should be fine."
The Branch Manager looks at me, and I hurriedly shake my head.
If the Branch Manager starts picking my clothes, we'll probably end up with fashion from a hundred years ago.
Better to leave it to Jang Chaeyeon.
"Well, no choice then."
The Branch Manager shrugs and stands beside us.
"Shall we go?"
"...Branch Manager, where are you going?"
"I'll tag along and check things out."
"You don't have to..."
"Come on, even brushing sleeves is fate. I'll buy everything."
No, it's not like I can't afford it myself.
It's like running into the boss while shopping, and suddenly they insist on joining you.
In other words, super annoying and awkward.
"Where to first?"
But what can I do?
She outranks me in strength and social status.
"Uh, um. Here."
Park Ye-eun hesitantly takes the lead.
*
Third floor, women's clothing section.
"Ooh... this one's pretty good."
"It might suit Arin too."
"Yeah, but not so much for black or white hair."
"Hmm, this one's nice too."
"That looks like something only teens would wear."
"I am a teen, though?"
Standing off to the side, listening to the HR Team's chatter from afar, the Branch Manager sidles up to me.
"Here."
"Thanks."
She hands me a coffee cup. I nod and take it, and she stands next to me.
"You look like you got dragged here against your will."
"Nah, I'm just waiting for my turn."
"Loyal guy."
She chuckles, then shakes her head at the outfit Song Arin is holding up.
"Aigoo, even trying to squeeze in, those clothes are way too young for me."
"Branch Manager, you look young enough, though."
"Aish. How could I wear something that embarrassing? Anyway, just my looks?"
"Sorry."
I bow my head quickly and keep thinking.
The outfit she's wearing now is even more embarrassing.
Plenty of people were staring at the Branch Manager.
That face with those clothes—anyone would think it looks off.
But no one's approaching her, so yeah, humans are animals too; they sense a predator's presence.
"What're you thinking about?"
"Your fashion sense, Branch Manager."
"Oh, this?"
She lifts the hem of her dress, and the black fabric embroidered with flowers glimmers under the department store lights.
"These are camellias. This one's lilac, and this is tulips..."
"...That's really something."
Does she think I actually don't know what flowers those are?
"Years ago—sixty years back, maybe?—there was this girl named Sookja who dressed amazingly, and she taught me this style."
"...Ah..."
Sookja, it's been sixty years; tell her to update her wardrobe.
"I was working at the northern branch back then, but contact cut off when a localized extinction event wiped out the Management Bureau there. Hope she at least went peacefully."
"..."
What do you even say to that?
I look up at the Branch Manager's face.
A hint of loneliness lingers as she gazes elsewhere.
"Or maybe I should've gone there myself back then."
"Where were you at the time, Branch Manager?"
"I was at headquarters."
She nods as she says it.
"Working with the current Headquarters Director."
"Things bad enough that both of you had to step in?"
In my mind, those two could handle ripping off the head of some aesthetic cultist or whatever.
"Aish, plenty back then. Still are."
She waves it off with a laugh.
"Just yesterday, I went underground to deal with some weird phenomenon in the diamond mine."
"Those exist?"
"Yeah, didn't you know? There's a diamond mine under Yongsan."
How would I know that?
I stare at her in confusion, and she nods with a grin.
"Anyway, I heard the gist of your story."
"Huh?"
"Stabilizing the spike op aside, you pretty much wrapped up the Butterfly's Dream incident by the riverside, right?"
"...Yeah."
"And in the process, your arm got twisted up, and you took a hole in the gut."
"Yeah..."
"..."
The Branch Manager smiles faintly, then brushes back her bangs.
Her swollen red forehead catches my eye.
"I got a hard knuckle rap from the Headquarters Director that day, and the bruise still won't fade."
"..."
Is the Headquarters Director even human? Can a knuckle to the forehead from him really do that?
If I tried, my fist would shatter into dust.
"But Branch Manager, you—"
"Kim Jaeheon."
"...Yes."
She cuts me off, and following the chain of command, I respond slowly to her call.
"I know."
"Yes?"
She looks at me.
"I know incidents follow you around, whether you want them to or not."
"..."
She gazes at me with a serious expression.
"I'm a senior who's been through similar stuff."
"..."
"So I tried to help you as much as I could, but man... it's tough."
She gives a wry smile and scratches her cheek.
"Plenty more'll come your way. Actually, a ton already have."
She nods, her gaze steady on me.
"But I believe you'll overcome them."
"..."
"Anyway, that's what I came to say."
"Huh?"
Before I can react, she turns and starts walking away.
"Come to work after this."
"Branch Manager, I'm on leave today—"
"I'll give you another day off. Come alone. It's not an incident, so don't worry."
With that, she strides off into the distance.
"..."
"You going?"
"Whoa!"
A sudden voice from behind startles me. I turn to see Yoo Daon smiling at me.
"Daon, weren't you over there earlier?"
"My fashion sense isn't great anyway."
She smiles softly at me, then glances at the now-distant Branch Manager.
"The Branch Manager's kinda weird."
"Huh?"
"Her scent's off."
"...Grandma's makeup?"
"Nah, she switched cosmetics; no smell anymore."
Yoo Daon shakes her head and continues.
"More precisely, hmm..."
"What?"
"Regret."
She murmurs, looking at me.
"She smells like someone full of regret."
"You can sense that?"
"It's not really a smell—more like a vibe. The aura she gives off."
Yoo Daon smiles sheepishly.
"...Okay, so what's Arin's scent?"
"Oh, Arin's always the same."
Yoo Daon closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
Song Arin is chatting with Jang Chaeyeon over there.
"Yearning."
Then she opens her eyes and looks at Jang Chaeyeon.
"Eternity."
Next, at Park Ye-eun.
"Deficiency."
Finally, Yoo Daon stares straight at me.
"And Jaeheon, you're resolve."
"...That's intriguing."
Resolve, huh.
Have I ever resolved myself to anything?
Dunno.
"It's just how I put it—it's my personal feeling, so don't overthink it."
Yoo Daon waves her hands and laughs, standing beside me.
"Wanna go together after?"
"Uh..."
"You never know. Still—"
"Come on, it's my vacation. Even if I take another day off, you—"
"Jaeheon."
She cuts me off with a smile.
"I don't need vacation days like that."
"..."
Looking at her smile, I can only nod.
*
After shopping,
We four head off together, leaving Park Ye-eun behind.
Why four?
"Black Hair was thinking naughty thoughts."
"Don't read my mind...!"
"Good job."
Song Arin stares at Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon stares at Yoo Daon.
Yoo Daon fidgets alone, trailing behind us.
"Jaeheon, sorry..."
"Nah, whatever."
Song Arin went out of her way to find out; what can I do?
We enter Management Bureau headquarters, and I leave the three behind.
"Wait here a bit."
"If something happens, call. Like if the Branch Manager's out for blood..."
"If she even thinks that, I'm dead on the spot."
If the Branch Manager decides, my head pops easier than swatting a fly.
Then I'd just humbly accept death.
I reply and head to her office.
Elevator up, button pressed, doors open to her floor.
"...Ahem."
I walk the hall, stop at her door, clear my throat, and knock.
"Come in!"
I open the door.
The Branch Manager, now changed into different clothes, smiles at me.
"You're here, Kim Jaeheon!"
"Yes."
"..."
She falls silent for a moment, then speaks.
"The extraction's done."
"...Pardon?"
"Regressor Kim Wan-woo's extraction is complete."
Smiling, she looks at me.
"And I've come to share the details."