I've Succeeded in Getting a Job (3)

He straightened his clothes and stepped out of the restroom.

Thud, thud.

He quickened his pace. Jin Se-hee—I'd completely forgotten about her.

Viper had tied her up, but leaving her like that was risky. Who knew what trouble she'd cause if I wasn't watching.

"Mom, I'm here. Sorry to keep you wai—"

He waved toward the chair as he rounded the corner.

And froze.

"……?"

She's gone?

Jin Se-hee, who should have been sitting right there, was nowhere in sight.

Did Viper take her? Or did she break free and run off on her own? If she went berserk and started tearing up the building...

"Jeong Ji-un."

That's when it happened. Someone emerged from the shadows behind a pillar.

He jolted back in shock. There hadn't been a sound. She appeared as silently as if she'd been part of the furniture all along.

"Wh-who are you?"

She wore a trench coat. Black wavy hair cascading to her waist. And...

Bunny ears. A black bunny ear headband.

But there was nothing cute about it.

It was her eyes. Dull, lifeless, devoid of any spark.

She gazed at him with an expressionless face and spoke.

"Sorry if I startled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you. I'm not in the habit of making noise."

"Ah, y-yeah... But who are you? And the woman who was here."

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mean Jin Se-hee."

Her voice was flat, monotone like a machine.

"Per HR procedures, Jin Se-hee has been handed over to the Contracts and Management Department. It's just standard contract paperwork."

She pulled her hand from her coat pocket and offered it to him.

"Sorry ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for the late introduction. I'm Kang Seo-eun."

"...Ah, right."

"I'll be the team leader for Strategy Planning Team 2, the department you'll be joining."

Team leader? Strategy Planning Team 2? Is she the white-collar boss Viper mentioned?

Dazed, he shook her hand.

"I'm Jeong Ji-un. But I haven't even signed the contract yet."

"I know."

She gripped his hand briefly, then let go.

"Our contracts differ from standard HR ones. As you know, our department handles a special line of work. Follow me. I'll show you around."

He hesitated for a moment, then picked up the box and followed her.

Click, click.

Silence hung over them as they walked the corridor. She seemed the type who only spoke when absolutely necessary. Unable to bear the awkward quiet, he spoke first.

"Um, Team Leader."

"Yes?"

"That... headband..."

He trailed off, unable to bluntly ask why are you wearing it? Kang Seo-eun answered dryly without breaking stride.

"It's my taste."

"Ah... I see."

"Any complaints?"

"No. It suits you."

"Thank you."

Damn. She's definitely a witch. A really vicious one.

If she doesn't make sense, what else could she be?

They boarded the elevator. She pressed 15.

"We're here."

The doors opened to a surprisingly ordinary sight.

A spacious office. Employees hunched over partitioned desks, typing away at monitors.

Your standard office scene—except for the oppressively heavy atmosphere.

"This way."

Kang Seo-eun half-acknowledged the employees' greetings and led him into the team leader's office. He shuffled in after her.

The office was just as stark. Piles of documents towered on the desk like mountains, and the wall whiteboard was crammed with indecipherable graphs and numbers.

"Have a seat."

She gestured to a chair. He sat and glanced around.

"Coffee's self-serve. Machine's over there."

"No, I'm good."

"Then let's get to it."

Kang Seo-eun pulled a thick envelope from her desk drawer.

Thud.

"Employment contract."

She slid the documents from the envelope and pushed them toward him.

"Basic terms should match what Viper told you. White-collar position. No field combat. Main duties: scouting and developing prime assets."

She picked up a pen and pointed out key sections as she explained.

"Base salary is industry-leading. Four insurances, performance bonuses, hazard pay separate. Performance bonuses scale especially high—exponentially tied to the rank and quality of witches you deliver."

The terms were outrageous.

Minimum goal: one witch per quarter. More meant bonuses. And starting at a major corp section chief's annual salary as base pay.

No more money worries.

His days as a shut-in NEET flashed before his eyes.

"Job's simple. Find hosts with witch potential. Operate as a 'broker' out in the open."

"Broker meaning...?"

"Plenty of latent witches out there. Active magical girls under stress, retirees who can't adjust, or those born with poison qi. Find them. Approach them. Stoke their insecurities and desires, amplify them..."

She tapped the desk with her index finger. Tap, tap.

"...and bring them over to us. Like Jin Se-hee today."

"Ah..."

"Methods are your call. Hypnosis, drugs, seduction—whatever. As long as the results are solid, the process is up to you. Oh, one more thing."

Kang Seo-eun flipped to the last page.

"On commuting."

"Yes?"

"Counselor. Word is you're already in that field... Given your work, no need to be office-bound. You'll spend more time scouting and working targets in the field."

She twirled her pen, staring him down.

"Autonomous schedule. Just attend weekly reports once a week. Otherwise, work remote or hustle outside—your choice."

"Oh... nice."

"Anyway, sign."

He picked up the pen and scanned the clauses again. NDA, summary execution for betrayal, family protection terms...

Casual mention of killing, huh.

With trembling hand, he scrawled his name in the signature box.

[Jeong Ji-un]

Scratch, scratch.

The pen scraping paper sounded deafening. No turning back now.

He was officially a villain.

"Welcome, Assistant Manager Jeong Ji-un."

Kang Seo-eun collected the papers.

"Starting as assistant manager for your experience. Business cards and ID in a week. Use the temp pass from Viper until then."

She pulled a tablet PC from the drawer and handed it over.

"Work terminal. Security software installed—use only this for reports and searches. Personal use means discipline."

"Got it."

"And this..."

She retrieved another box from under the desk. Sleek black, unlike Viper's.

"Welcome gift."

"Gift?"

"Standard team gear."

Not a gift then.

Inside: latest smartwatch, tie pin, fountain pen.

"Smartwatch tracks vitals and location. Emergency SOS to HQ. Tie pin's micro-recorder and bug detector."

"Whoa."

"Fountain pen's for self-defense. Twist ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the cap to fire a tranquilizer dart. 5-meter range. Knocks out an elephant in 3 seconds... but..."

But?

"Not recommended for magical girls."

"Yeah, figures."

Wouldn't work anyway.

Spy gear disguised as office essentials. Big corp perks were no joke.

"Clock out for today. Jin Se-hee's contract should be done. Wait in the 1F lobby for handover."

Kang Seo-eun stood and bowed slightly.

"Looking forward to working with you, Assistant Manager Jeong Ji-un. Survive as long as you can."

"Pardon? Ah, yeah..."

Not sure if blessing or curse, he left the office.

Crossing the office, he felt the stares.

Glances, but no greetings.

Makes sense. But somehow, he doubted he'd ever bond with them, even after months. Freelance in all but name. Repeat the routine solo.

Thorough individualism. Meritocracy.

If it's good, it's good. If it's lonely, it's lonely.

Ding-dong—

1F lobby. Jin Se-hee waited, post-contract, nervously biting her nails by the entrance.

"Baby...!"

Her face lit up at the sight of him. Ignoring stares, she ran and hugged him.

Slam!

"Hnggg... Where were you... Mommy was scared..."

"Sorry. Contract took longer."

"Bad people... jabbing shots... drawing blood... hngg..."

She nuzzled his chest, whining. Must've gotten a physical.

"It's okay, all done now."

Sure, she was a witch—but

this clingy obsession suited him just fine.

***

Four days.

Time spent home-working, sorting his father's legacy.

Alternating between the tablet PC and file binders, extracting useful intel into a database. Digitizing old papers was tedious and long, but the content? Riveting.

Scrolling revealed raw data. Retired back to civilian life, missing, dead in accidents.

"Hmm... didn't expect this."

He paused on a profile, zooming in.

"Still active."

Choi Ji-na. He'd heard the name. Not a huge celebrity, but known as a solid, image-clean supporter-type magical girl.

Secret tastes like this on the side?

Father's notes said she visited for "punishment" to relieve stress. Hardcore style.

"Heh, damn."

The pure, righteous smile on TV? Nights spent panting under spanks at someone's feet. He knew she was a hypnosis victim... but no reason not to use her.

"Marking for now."

Not the only one. Plenty beyond magical girls in politics and business. Fifth "viable" list already.

What was Father planning with this hypnosis? Nebula ties made intent clear, but that's not the point.

Didn't need Nebula. Hypnosis is way more versatile than my power.

Or limits existed? Unknown. But likely—limits drove him to Nebula. If hypnosis lingered and he cracked the pattern...

Bzzz—

Phone buzzed. He grabbed it from the desk. Screen lit: two messages from after parting with Jin Se-hee. And a new one on top.

First from Seo-yul sis. The "higher-up" Nebula exec. What meeting kept her silent for days?

Eh, she'll handle it. She's a vet.

No worries. Second was the issue.

Sisters miss you, huh...

Awkward no matter how you read it.

Speak sense.

Obvious. His job situation.

...Stepmom spilled the counselor cert to the sisters.

He'd started counseling for an excuse to Mom: With my record, know any magical girls?

But overlooked one thing.

Stepmom's corruption desire—her loose lips! She'd blabbed to the sisters... hence this.

You got a cert? With your ass? Sisters' voices echoed in his head.

"Haa, what a pain this family."