A Bear of a Man
On the lawn plaza in front of the resort, employees had already gathered in small clusters before the stage.
"Alright, everyone settled in?"
The HR staffer hosting the event took the microphone.
"We will now begin the KJ Group workshop recreation!"
"Wooo!"
Clap clap clap clap.
The plaza filled with applause and cheers.
"But just playing games would be boring, right?"
The host smiled and pointed to one side of the stage.
"Our president has personally prepared the prizes for the winners!"
Every gaze swung toward the table. Something sat there, draped in red cloth. At the host's shout the cloth was whisked away, and the prizes revealed themselves.
"Premium Hanwoo gift sets!"
"Woooah!"
"Five-star hotel suite vouchers!"
"No way!"
Wireless earbuds, high-end coffee machines, department store gift certificates—more and more prizes appeared.
"How are there this many prizes?"
"The president's scale is insane…"
"A chaebol really is a chaebol."
"President's the best!"
The employees' admiration never stopped. Their heated stares aimed at me were just a bonus.
"Ahem."
If the staff were happy, that alone was enough. Worth every won spent.
"Excellent!"
The host clapped his hands.
"Prizes are ready! Now let's get into dividing the teams!"
The employees began to murmur.
"The method for selecting teammates is…"
The HR staffer hoisted a clear acrylic box high overhead.
"Drawing lots!"
"Ohh."
"Completely random—no regard for rank or department!"
Three people would form one team. Employees drew slips one by one and began clustering by matching numbers.
A moment later.
"Number three?"
I had drawn a slip marked three.
"I'm three too!"
Choi Yuri raised her hand cheerfully.
"Huh? Me too?"
Lee Juhee waved her slip right after.
"Same team as the president."
"Jackpot."
"Please decide a team name! You have five minutes!"
At the host's words, every group put their heads together.
"What should we go with?"
When Lee Juhee asked, Choi Yuri sneaked a glance my way. She grinned mischievously.
"How about Muscle Monster?"
"…?"
"President, you're a total muscle monster."
Laughter erupted around us.
"Pfft."
"Even so, he's the president…"
"It actually fits, though?"
Lee Juhee clapped too.
"Oh! Not bad!"
I shrugged. Having the employees treat me without stiff formality was comfortable in more ways than one.
"I don't mind."
The host lifted the mic.
"Team three! What's your name?"
Choi Yuri beamed and shouted,
"Muscle Monster!"
"…?"
The host paused for a beat.
"…Team three, Muscle Monster."
The name immediately lit up on the display board.
③ Muscle Monster
"…It actually stuck."
Choi Yuri scratched her head, looking embarrassed.
"I was only joking…"
"It's good, though?"
Lee Juhee couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Muscle Monster, charging in!"
"Excellent!"
Once team selection and naming were finished, the host took the mic again.
"Then let's begin the games!"
Every eye turned forward.
"The first game is… balloon popping!"
Staff members came out carrying armfuls of large balloons. The host began reading the prepared explanation.
"Pair up one man and one woman, sandwich a balloon between your bodies, and—"
"Hold on a moment."
A low, heavy voice cut him off. It was Kang Taeseong. Every employee looked his way at once.
"…?"
Kang Taeseong spoke slowly.
"Let's change the method a little."
"Pardon?"
"There's no real need for people to hug each other, is there?"
Heads tilted here and there.
"…?"
"That's how it's always done, though?"
"That's the only way it pops fast."
The employees looked more puzzled than anything. Watching them, Kang Taeseong swallowed a sigh inside.
Of course.
This was a world inside a dirty game. The atmosphere here treated men and women pressing their bodies together during a game as nothing unusual. No one found it strange. But he was different. There was no need to invite unnecessary incidents under the pretext of a game.
In a world where anything can happen, it's better to prevent what you can.
"Let's use our backs instead of our stomachs."
Kang Taeseong continued.
"Sandwich the balloon between your backs and carry it that way."
The rules were rewritten on the spot.
"Oh… that could work too. Rule change, then!"
The host shouted.
"This game is now back-to-back balloon carry! Move from the starting line to the turnaround point without dropping the balloon!"
The employees who understood the new rules quickly nodded.
"Sounds fun."
"With our backs?"
"Actually seems harder."
"Isn't this way too advantageous for the president?!"
Someone yelled, sounding aggrieved. Kang Taeseong shrugged.
"Presidential privilege."
"Woooah!"
"Make me president too!"
"That's so unfair!"
Laughter exploded across the grounds. Even the host snorted and nodded.
"Alright! First event—back-to-back balloon carry!"
Employees paired up and pressed their backs together. A simple race: reach the turnaround and return without dropping the balloon. Team Muscle Monster finished preparing as well. First runners: Kang Taeseong and Lee Juhee.
"President, ready?"
"Yes."
A balloon was wedged between their backs.
"Start!"
The two carefully took a step. One, two, three.
Pop!
"…?"
The balloon burst.
"Again!"
A new balloon was inserted. This time they moved even more slowly. One, two.
Pop!
"…"
It burst again. Lee Juhee twisted around with an incredulous look.
"President."
"…Yes."
"Why does it keep popping?"
Laughter erupted around them.
"Is it the back muscles?"
"That might actually be it."
Third attempt. This time they practically crawled. And yet—
Pop!
Once more the balloon screamed and shattered into scraps. The host roared with laughter.
"Team Muscle Monster still hasn't moved a single balloon!"
Beside them, Choi Yuri clutched her stomach laughing.
"President! You really are a muscle monster!"
Lee Juhee couldn't hold it in either.
"Our team name was foreshadowing."
"Wait! Can we switch players?!"
"No! Continue as is!"
In the end, Team Muscle Monster finished dead last after popping four balloons. Kang Taeseong scratched his head.
"…Didn't see that coming."
"It's because you're too strong, President."
Choi Yuri said with a smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Laughter rippled through the grounds once more.
"Excellent!"
The host raised the mic.
"Straight into the second event!"
Eyes turned forward again.
"Love Squats!"
"…?"
Kang Taeseong's brow twitched faintly. The host continued the explanation.
"One teammate carries or holds another while performing squats—most reps wins!"
Murmurs spread at the host's words.
"Carry them?"
"Holding is okay too?"
"Then holding's easier."
Most teams reached the same conclusion. Same-gender pairs were allowed, but a strong man lifting a light woman was overwhelmingly advantageous.
"Hey, you carry me."
"Are you crazy? You're heavier."
"Am not."
All-male teams bickered over who was lighter, while all-female teams scrambled to find their strongest member. Mixed teams, meanwhile, settled into roles naturally.
This much should be fine.
Kang Taeseong didn't intervene. In the original eroge, a game that had men and women press together to pop balloons would have gone ahead without a second thought. Compared to that, this was wholesome enough.
No need to stop it at this level.
Kang Taeseong looked back and forth between his two teammates.
"So I'm definitely the one doing the lifting, but…"
After a brief pause he asked without thinking,
"Which of you two is lighter?"
"…"
"…"
Silence fell. Choi Yuri's face went crimson in an instant.
"P-President!"
"…Yes?"
"You don't ask a woman that!"
"Ah. My apologies."
When Kang Taeseong apologized so readily, Choi Yuri only grew more flustered.
"N-no… I mean…"
Just as the air turned awkward, Lee Juhee shot her hand up. Then she patted her own stomach and said,
"I've put on weight lately."
"…?"
"So Yuri should be the one held."
"W-what?"
Suddenly nominated, Choi Yuri's eyes went round.
"Me?"
"Yuri's the lightest."
"…"
It wasn't wrong. Among the three of them who usually hung out together, she had the smallest frame.
I figured that might be the case, but…
Now that it was actually her turn, her heart dropped. Being held by Kang Taeseong. That single fact alone made her face burn strangely.
Then—
"Team Muscle Monster!"
The host's voice rang out.
"We're short on time! Please come up to the stage!"
"Ah, yes!"
Lee Juhee shoved her from behind.
"Yuri! Hurry! President, you too! Go!"
"O-okay!"
"We have to make up for it here! Both of you, fighting!"
Choi Yuri found herself climbing onto the stage with Kang Taeseong before she knew it. Other teams were already in position. The host raised a hand high.
"Ready?"
Kang Taeseong looked at Choi Yuri.
"…"
She couldn't meet his eyes and dropped her gaze. He spoke calmly.
"I'll pick you up."
"…Okay."
The moment she answered softly—
Swoosh.
One massive arm slid under her knees. His other arm gently wrapped around her back and shoulders.
"Excuse me."
Lift.
"…!"
Choi Yuri's body rose into the air as if she weighed nothing.
"Huh…?"
Her eyes widened. It was far more stable than she'd expected. Almost no sway at all. As natural as an adult lifting a child.
"Whoa!"
"The president's lifting her like it's nothing!"
"Looks super comfortable."
Admiration burst out around them. Face scarlet, Choi Yuri instinctively clutched lightly at Kang Taeseong's nape.
S-so close…!
His broad chest and solid shoulders filled her entire field of vision. The ideal-type conversation from the bus earlier suddenly flashed through her mind.
…He really is like a bear.
The thought made her face burn even hotter for some reason.