Milking is Difficult
Teasing ghosts is difficult.
If they were to assign me work right away, I'd be truly grateful.
Even one point of internship score for a trainee is precious. Especially for someone like me who has been overrated.
'I don't want to stand out too much... It's too wasteful to let this opportunity slip by. The only unsettling part is that this development isn't in the original work. If it weren't for the 'misunderstanding' I'm receiving, such a proposal wouldn't have come my way.'
"Could it be a very dangerous ghost story?"
"I don't know. I'm going to investigate it."
Lee Jae-hak added after thinking for a moment.
"It could even kill you."
It's scary that Lee Jae-hak can say such things casually.
'So, it means there's no information at all. Assuming the worst case, that's the level. No damage has been reported yet.'
'If there had been, they would have sent a formal exorcist. Currently, it's just suspicion that something is there. Perhaps there might not even be a ghost story.'
Weighing the risk and benefit, I nodded.
"I'll do it."
"Is that so. Then..."
"Among the trainees, please select a person to go with me."
Lee Jae-hak looked at me for a moment and asked.
"...It's fine, but wouldn't it be better to go alone? You'd have a high score with that."
"If I die going alone, it's better to divide the score."
"...I see. That's a correct judgment."
Lee Jae-hak nodded his head.
It seemed like the corner of his mouth lifted for a moment, but it was probably a misperception.
'There's no way Lee Jae-hak would smile.'
Anyway, it seems the conversation will go well, which is fortunate.
If it didn't work, I was going to give up.
'There's no way I can go to such a scary place alone?'
"Could I also decide who to go with?"
"Do as you like. It's your assigned task. However, choosing a colleague is also your discretion."
"I understand."
I wasn't worried about being rejected.
Who would refuse a job score?
'Since I have game knowledge, I don't need to worry about who to bring.'
Just the name-brand characters that come to mind are quite a few.
Most of them are already regular exorcist level talents.
With them, even a decent ghost story wouldn't be scary.
"How many people should we have?"
"Three including you. It's troublesome for them to rush over to get the score."
"I understand."
Three people. Perfect.
'I'll take Jiyeon and Eunhye with me.'
With Cheok Jiyeon, there's no worry on the martial side.
Her detection ability will be a big help too.
'What's the point of being friends? It's to help at times like this.'
It's good that I don't have to do anything.
And those guys can get the score too.
'Win-win situation!'
A thought I didn't expect brought a smile to my face.
"Then, after forming the team, I'll investigate and report."
"Go ahead."
After greeting, I left the office.
An unexpected opportunity gave my brain dopamine.
'I have a chance to eat the internship score for free!'
I had been quietly building connections during this time.
Especially with Jiyeon, any ghost story is no problem.
'If a ghost story that Jiyeon can't handle comes up, I can handle it with Instant Death.'
It's a strategy that will inevitably succeed.
I planned with my heart full of excitement.
And on the day I asked Jiyeon to go with me.
"...I'm sorry, but I can't go with you."
I received an unexpected refusal.
Oh, god.
Then, who will I rely on to tackle the ghost story?
****
Recently, there's a man who's worrying Cheok Jiyeon.
It's Nam Dohyeong.
Originally, I approached him to repay the favors, but
At some point, we became close and always together.
That's fine if it ends there.
It's good to have at least one close colleague.
The problem is that it didn't end there.
'Why does that guy's face keep coming to mind...'
Even when eating, sleeping, and even during training.
His face always came to mind, and every time, my heart fluttered.
When I'm with him, the fluttering in my chest becomes more intense.
When I see him smiling, my heart beats hard.
This feeling gets stronger every time I see Nam Dohyeong with another woman.
When he is talking to another woman... my insides burn.
'What on earth is this feeling?'
The problem is that Cheok Jiyeon doesn't realize her own feelings.
Normally, she would have realized it was love and had a crush.
But Cheok Jiyeon, who had a tragic experience in childhood, didn't know what romantic feelings were.
She didn't read any common romance novels, only clung to the sword!
'My chest is stuffy, fluttering. Is it arrhythmia?'
Just in case, I checked, but there's no problem with my health.
Even in this situation, his face keeps coming to mind, making me stuffy.
I trained hard to dispel the thoughts, and as a result, I gained enlightenment and grew.
But it's still hard to be in this state.
'What the hell am I doing...'
I couldn't ask anyone about this weak side.
It feels very embarrassing to show such a weak part.
"So, I can't keep being like this."
Finally, after much thought, Cheok Jiyeon posted an anonymous post on the internet.
When I see my workplace colleague, my heart keeps fluttering. Every time I wake up, the person's face comes to mind, and when that man is with another woman, I get annoyed. Why is this happening?
┕You like that person.
"Puup!"
Cheok Jiyeon spat out the protein she was drinking loudly.
"W-what nonsense!"
She shouted without realizing and jumped up.
Her face turned red from how flustered she was.
'I-I can't like Nam Dohyeong...'
I tried to shout it in my heart, but I had already realized it.
The power of words was that strong.
The name of this embarrassing, heart-fluttering feeling that feels like it will burst is 'love'.
"Ugh..."
Cheok Jiyeon covered her cheeks with her hands and sat down.
Even though no one was looking, she wanted to hide in a mouse hole from embarrassment.
She liked Nam Dohyeong.
Realizing that fact was quite a shock.
Her face flushed, and her heart kept pounding.
'How am I supposed to meet that guy in this state...!'
It would have been better if I hadn't realized!
Once I realized my feelings, the actions I had done and everything around me started to come to mind.
'...Should I have made the yokai look prettier in the practical exam?'
This was the level of thought Cheok Jiyeon had, but anyway.
I didn't know how to handle this feeling.
Finally, Cheok Jiyeon relied on the internet again.
It seems like I like that man. But what should I do?
┕You mean make the man confess?
┕From the post, it seems the man has a high chance of interest in you. If confessing is hard, then receive the confession.
If confessing is hard, then receive the confession!
What a wise and beautiful sentence!
┕How do you receive a confession?
┕It works if you're pretty, but basically, it's teasing.
┕What is teasing?
┕Teasing and pulling. In short, treat her well but sometimes reject her. A woman who only accepts is not attractive.
'If you only accept, she's not attractive.'
Cheok Jiyeon gained enlightenment.
To receive a confession, you need to say 'no' instead of 'yes'.
'Great! Let's start with this!'
Thus, Cheok Jiyeon received instruction from an in-life senior(?).
And unfortunately, she was an excellent student who immediately used what she learned.
When Nam Dohyeong came to talk to her at work, Cheok Jiyeon made a somewhat haughty expression.
"Ah, Jiyeon-ah. I received a request from Instructor Lee Jae-hak to investigate a ghost story. Will you come with me? He gave me internship points."
Normally, even if worried, I would have said yes right away.
But now, Cheok Jiyeon was a woman who had learned teasing!
"...I'm sorry, but I can't go with you."
"Eh, really?"
"Huhu! If you thought I was a woman who only accepts everything, you were wrong."
"Yeah, I proposed too suddenly."
...But Nam Dohyeong's reaction was different from expected.
I should have clung to him saying I can't do without him.
I was going to accept it as a last resort if he said no once more...
"You have work too, so I thought too easily. Sorry."
"Eh, eh?"
While Cheok Jiyeon was flustered, Nam Dohyeong was already nodding.
"Can't be helped. I'll ask someone else."
"Ah, no.... Actually, it's fine. I have time..."
"Don't push yourself. No need to force it with lies."
"I-I'm serious! I want to go with you too! It was a lie earlier!"
"It's fine. You don't have to apologize seriously. Don't worry and train hard!"
After saying that, Nam Dohyeong left.
Left alone, Cheok Jiyeon stood there for a while with a lonely face.
"Aaah..."
It would have been better to just chop up the ghost story.
For Cheok Jiyeon, romance was still too difficult a task.