Chapter 350
Chapter 350
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Act 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
How should I put this?
Song Arin's gaze turned toward me.
...
...
Jang Chaeyeon's confession.
Honestly, no matter who told me, I would have been flustered.
But it hit harder because it was Jang Chaeyeon.
And I'm still pretty thrown off right now too.
Because I can't figure out why Song Arin is asking me this.
"Um."
So all I could do was let out a groan, and Song Arin averted her eyes slightly as she muttered.
"...Let's just pretend it never happened."
Her voice was trembling.
I checked above Song Arin's head.
[Name: Song Arin]
[Age: 21]
[Trait: Hypnosis]
[Talent: Puppetry]
[Background: She regrets what she just said.]
[Weakness: Give her the answer she fears.]
The answer she fears.
What could be the answer Song Arin fears?
...
I decided not to think too deeply about it.
I turned my gaze from the translucent window floating in front of me and looked at her.
"Arin."
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that and made you uncomfortable."
"That's not like you, Arin."
...
Song Arin fell silent after hearing me and looked at me.
"But to give you one clear answer, I'll do exactly as Chaeyeon said."
After saying that to me, Jang Chaeyeon had added.
That I didn't need to give an answer.
Whether that's the fear she harbors, or her own declaration that she truly doesn't need to hear one, even I don't know.
But since Jang Chaeyeon asked that of me, I have no intention of ignoring her request.
It suits me better anyway.
...
Song Arin lowered her gaze to the floor after hearing my response.
"Okay."
She said that and looked elsewhere.
They were still handing out awards on the stage up front.
*
After the awards ceremony ended, the headquarters chief continued speaking with his affable smile.
"You've all worked hard. Now enjoy the rest of the time!"
As his words ended, cheerful music flowed out again.
People smiled as they headed for food, and An Sanghyeon also stood from his seat.
"Since I've seen my favorite Kim Jaeheon receive an award, I think I'll head out now!"
"Already? You're not eating?"
"Haha, just seeing Kim Jaeheon get his award fills me up!"
To think giving him permission to grovel once earned this level of trust and affection.
Maybe letting him grovel was my mistake?
What if he causes a huge incident? Would I be responsible?
As all sorts of thoughts ran through my mind,
"Kim Jaeheon!"
The branch chief's leisurely voice rang in my ears.
The branch chief, dressed in a pitch-black dress, walked over to me with a smile.
"I recommended you well! Of course, I believed you could've done great even without my recommendation!"
So the culprit was here.
As I glared at the branch chief reproachfully, she patted my shoulder.
"Don't look at me like that. Talented people always get noticed by the world anyway."
What good is recognition for talent from a place where you fight containment objects?
Suppressing a sigh, I met the branch chief's eyes.
"Still, thanks to this, I've gotten all the attention I'll ever need in a lifetime."
"Right?"
The branch chief smiled happily, seemingly oblivious to my feelings.
"You did well. Now get some rest."
"Rest, you say."
What exactly counts as rest?
Whenever I try to rest properly, something always blows up.
"And I got another gift from the HR Team—"
"If it's some weird gift from you, Branch Chief, I think you can skip giving it."
Nothing good has ever come from those.
"It's not weird! It's from the heart!"
I could do without that kind of heart.
"And thanks to that, we got to confirm our affectionate feelings for each other again..."
A few more confirmations of affection like that, and there'd be a murder.
"Anyway, I'm good."
I raised my hand to stop the branch chief and shook my head.
"Just lend me your strength like last time, Branch Chief."
...
The branch chief looked at me with a hurt expression, but what can you do.
It's the truth.
I looked at the other three.
Yoo Daon was yawning boredly, Jang Chaeyeon was chatting with someone like she'd run into Risk Management Team folks, and Song Arin was radiating a vibe that screamed she'd kill anyone who approached, blocking others off.
Eileen seemed to have run into someone she knew, talking with a flustered look.
But from that expression, she clearly doesn't remember them.
Looks like everyone's done here.
"I'll head out."
"Oh, me too!"
"Me as well."
"I'll go too then."
And as soon as I said I was leaving, the others followed like it was planned.
They could've enjoyed it more.
As we stepped outside the party hall, there was no sound except the faint music drifting like background noise from afar.
"You all worked hard."
Song Arin just shrugged at my words, while Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon smiled.
"You too, Jaeheon!"
"You as well."
"Yeah."
How can their reactions be so different?
Watching them, I spoke up.
"See you tomorrow."
Gotta go to work.
With that, I slowly headed to the parking lot.
Gotta get home and rest quick.
-Shwaaa!
[Manual for Office Workers]
[How Not to Delude Yourself]
1. You're not that popular.
2. If you think everyone likes you, that's a severe symptom of axe-mania, so please be careful.
Got it, I know my place.
Muttering that, I kept walking.
Tonight, I'll sleep with this manual next to the boring philosophy books.
*
After the man left, the three women looked at each other.
...
Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon exchanged glances briefly, and Song Arin joined in, eyeing the others.
They'd been fighting until the man arrived.
Jang Chaeyeon stared at Yoo Daon and spoke.
"If you have complaints, say them."
...
Yoo Daon clamped her mouth shut, and watching that, Song Arin muttered inwardly.
How could you voice that complaint?
Song Arin had her own complaints but couldn't voice them either.
Being honest about your feelings isn't a crime. It's praiseworthy.
That's why neither Song Arin nor Yoo Daon could say anything to Jang Chaeyeon.
They could only vent their inexpressible irritation at her.
And Jang Chaeyeon knew that too.
Jang Chaeyeon looked at the two.
...
She lifted the corner of her mouth slightly, and Yoo Daon, watching, blinked once before muttering lowly.
"Don't wear Jaeheon out too much."
"That's why I told you to ask for an answer."
"You know you wore him out."
The two faced off, and Song Arin said nothing.
She'd grilled Jang Chaeyeon too, and Jang Chaeyeon's answer would be the same as what Yoo Daon was hearing now.
"If you have complaints, come at me anytime."
Jang Chaeyeon smiled.
Yoo Daon looked at her and started walking away.
Song Arin turned from Jang Chaeyeon and headed elsewhere too.
Both knew.
This wasn't consideration. It was just that if rejected, they couldn't stay comfortably here anymore, so they couldn't voice their feelings.
As long as things stayed like this, they could at least always be by the man's side.
Song Arin walked to her car and looked up at the sky.
"The white-haired one gets such dedicated help from her other self."
And what am I, so useless?
Her hand tingled faintly, but she ignored it and kept walking.
Envious, but she figured she couldn't do it anyway.
Song Arin gritted her teeth.
Yeah. I'm happy enough like this.
So it's fine.
Muttering to herself, she walked on.
*
The next day.
Seeing the people who'd worn dresses yesterday now back in Management Bureau uniforms felt strangely out of place.
As I stared at the other three, Yoo Daon smiled at me.
"What're you thinking, Jaeheon? Or do you have some worries?"
"No. Just thinking clothes really matter. That's all."
"If you want, Jaeheon, I could wear a dress to work every day!"
"I'd be the one getting called in by the branch chief."
Wouldn't that disrupt office morals?
As I thought that, Song Arin pushed back her chair and stood.
"I'm heading to the basement."
"Ah, okay."
Off to the basement again.
Song Arin paused as she was about to leave.
She stopped in place, furrowing her brow like she was listening to something, then spoke.
"...And you come too."
Song Arin stared at me.
"...Me?"
"Yeah. Just for a bit."
"Sure, no big deal."
I nodded and followed behind Song Arin.
If she's going to the basement, there's only one reason.
Following Song Arin, I sank into thought.
Like Jang Chaeyeon said, she's probably talking to her other self.
Wonder what she wants to tell me that she called me along.
..."Act 3 is about to begin."
And the theater director's words to me far exceeded my imagination.
...
...
Song Arin and I looked at each other.