Chapter 229: Divorced Single (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 229: Divorced Single (3)
The Korean Hero Association was currently in a festive mood.
It felt like a sin to gloat over someone else's misfortune, but when considering the profits, the smiles came unbidden no matter how much one tried to suppress them.
The Dungeon Impact that had erupted in Japan was a disaster for that nation, but a blessing for Korea.
Korea had foreseen the Dungeon Impact and issued a warning, which Japan ignored—only to be hit where it hurt most.
It wasn't just a matter of "serves them right for ignoring me." The prestige of the Japan Association, which had failed to act despite Korea's advance warning, plummeted.
As Japan's prestige fell, the prestige of the Korean Association—which had shown concern in advance—rose accordingly, allowing them to hold their heads high among the associations of other nations.
On top of that, they had placed Japan in their debt by providing not only the standard hero support but also material aid.
They had stockpiled Treasure Orbs and dungeon consumables little by little beforehand, then supplied them to Japan at the most critical moment.
Of course, they didn't give them away for free.
Kim Bo-hyun, an executive of the Korean Association, smiled as she reviewed the payments and agreements Japan had promised.
Whether diplomatically or economically, achieving such a feat was a first in the entire history of the Association.
Since she had spearheaded this decisive historical moment, Kim Bo-hyun was in an excellent mood.
And it wasn't just Japan.
As the consumption of Treasure Orbs skyrocketed and prices hit the ceiling, Korean clans had also found themselves in a bind.
The Association was the one that provided them with support.
Even though the clans knew this was all debt, they had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill and accept the Association's aid.
What else could they do? They were on the verge of ruin.
Seeing the idiots who used to badmouth the Association behind its back now bowing their heads to receive Treasure Orbs was deeply satisfying for Kim Bo-hyun.
While the "Big Three" clans like the Blue Dragon Clan and Square Garden—who wanted to avoid being indebted—had prepared in advance and managed to slip through her fingers, it was still a satisfactory outcome.
The Big Three clans, the Magic Tower, and several other clans had mostly prepared in advance, likely because they had connections with Jeong Yeon-woo.
Right... that brat...
While the other executives were all claiming the credit as their own, the truth was that the Association's festival was entirely thanks to Jeong Yeon-woo.
To think that the information he had offered as a trade to take Hornet to Black Unicorn would have such a massive impact.
If she had fully trusted the information Jeong Yeon-woo provided and spent even more money, the profits would have been two or three times higher than they were now.
It was a bit regrettable, but since that was just hindsight, Kim Bo-hyun quickly brushed the regret from her mind.
More importantly, she was contemplating what to do with this "bundle of luck."
The executives had held many meetings regarding how to handle the information received from Jeong Yeon-woo.
There were the cautious types who argued it was nonsense and that they shouldn't risk embarrassment by poking around Japan, suggesting they just take the dungeons offered in the deal. Then there were the radicals who wanted to pull in funds and prepare for a Dungeon Impact as if they were placing a bet.
Kim Bo-hyun had been a centrist, but when the meeting's atmosphere leaned toward doing nothing, she had thrown her weight behind the radicals.
When the Dungeon Impact actually happened, the radicals became triumphant, saying things like, "What did I tell you? We would've profited even more if we'd followed my lead. Tsk, tsk." Meanwhile, the cautious types shut their mouths and walked on eggshells.
Thanks to her support of the radicals, Kim Bo-hyun was able to hold her head high among the executives.
Having risen to the executive level due to her business acumen, Kim Bo-hyun had often been pushed aside by other executives because her hero career and abilities were slightly lacking and she was on the younger side. However, this incident had elevated her to a position where she could speak with authority.
All of this was thanks to the brat who had suddenly appeared.
An uncommon male hero who insisted on using guns, who actively utilized supporter tactics he'd learned God-knows-where, and who even beat up villains single-handedly after being kidnapped.
He was a rookie who had appeared like a comet.
He had quite a temper and a tendency to act tough even toward the Association, which was cute in its own way, but he was still a bit reckless, perhaps due to his youth.
But what did it matter? This bundle of luck was bringing her immense profit.
When it came to dungeons, he possessed knowledge that would make most researchers look like amateurs, and that knowledge allowed him to foresee Japan's Dungeon Impact and even predict dungeon appearances.
To Kim Bo-hyun, he looked like a goose that laid golden eggs, waddling right in front of her eyes.
Plus, his handsome looks were a bonus.
The other executives had also begun to take notice of Jeong Yeon-woo, and it was obvious they were secretly making moves to bring him under their wings.
I wonder if there are any executives who can actually handle a kid with that much personality...
Kim Bo-hyun chuckled.
They all seemed to have been big shots back when they were active heroes, but perhaps because of that, they were incredibly ignorant.
Their idea of a "scheme" was usually just calling him in and forcing him to listen to them by promising to watch his back.
They're like thugs from the 80s.
Sneering at the old executives, Kim Bo-hyun made up her mind to claim Jeong Yeon-woo for herself.
She already had many things in preparation.
A young hero like him needed to be coaxed gently and given a proper ego boost.
Based on what he'd done so far, it seemed like he actually could make it, but she needed to flatter him by saying he'd become S-rank and make him dream even more extravagant dreams.
That way, he would push himself harder and eventually run out of steam.
Since the other executives were already bothering him, she could step in as his advisor and slowly draw him in.
Hoping that the stupid executives who didn't know how to handle people would harass Jeong Yeon-woo even more, Kim Bo-hyun looked at her prepared schedule.
Jeong Yeon-woo was returning to the country today and had an appointment with her tomorrow.
Broadcasting stations would be there to film, and she would be the first executive to congratulate and encourage the hero who saved Japan.
Just as she was looking down on the other executives for not being able to handle even this simple bit of marketing, there was a knock, and a subordinate entered.
"Um... we've received a message from Hero Jeong Yeon-woo..."
The subordinate spoke while cautiously gauging her reaction.
He was a fairly clever subordinate, so the moment Kim Bo-hyun saw his troubled expression, she realized something was wrong and her face hardened.
At Kim Bo-hyun's silent command to continue, the subordinate lowered his gaze and went on.
"He says he wants to move tomorrow's meeting with Executive Kim Bo-hyun to the morning."
"Now? No, I've already set the time with the broadcasting station and other people. I can't change it."
"Yes... I told him that, but..."
The subordinate swallowed hard as if he couldn't bring himself to say it, his eyes darting around before he finally spoke with difficulty.
"He said he wasn't asking for your opinion; he was notifying you..."
"..."
Having heard the word "notifying" for the first time since becoming an executive, Kim Bo-hyun stared blankly for a moment.
A notification? Then what was he going to do if she refused?
Was a B-rank hero trying to act as an equal to one of the Association's only twelve executives? No, did he think he was above her?
Her mind in a whirl, Kim Bo-hyun blinked, regained her composure, and asked the subordinate.
"You haven't hung up on Jeong Yeon-woo yet, have you?"
"No, I told him to wait a moment."
"Connect him to me."
"Understood."
The subordinate, who hadn't known how to handle Jeong Yeon-woo, left Kim Bo-hyun's office quickly with a much more relieved face.
A moment later, the phone rang. Kim Bo-hyun intentionally let it ring for a bit before answering.
"Yeon-woo?"
"Ah, yes. Executive Kim Bo-hyun..."
"I'm sorry, just a second."
She held the receiver to her shoulder and spoke toward the empty air.
"Please check the schedule. Yes, we need to prepare for that in advance. We can't give a shabby welcome to the hero who saved Japan. How many other executives said they'd attend? Check and let me know immediately."
Kim Bo-hyun rustled things on her desk, pretending to be busy.
After subtly letting him know how many people were working and preparing for him, she told the imaginary person to leave so she could talk, waited a moment, and then picked up the receiver again.
"Sorry, I'm just so busy with the preparations. What did you call about?"
When a brief silence followed on the other end, Kim Bo-hyun smiled slightly.
Even if Jeong Yeon-woo had a temper, his basic personality was friendly and sociable.
Handling this type of person was a piece of cake for Kim Bo-hyun.
"..."
"Yeon-woo?"
However, the silence lasted so long that Kim Bo-hyun felt something was off and couldn't help but call his name.
There was still no answer from the other end.
The rustling sounds told her the call hadn't been disconnected, but the voice of the person she was actually talking to was nowhere to be heard.
"Yeon-woo...?"
"Ah, sorry. I was packing my bags and didn't hear you. Are you done?"
"..."
Walking away during a phone call—what kind of manners were these?
Kim Bo-hyun's eyebrows furrowed, but she forced a smile.
I have to smile. The expression shows in the voice.
Suppressing her anger with all her might, Kim Bo-hyun spoke in a bright voice.
"Yes, the busy part is all over—"
"Wait a second, I'm switching to my wireless earbuds. I can't afford to miss what you're saying again, Executive Kim."
At the sound of Jeong Yeon-woo's voice, cutting her off with an innocent chuckle, Kim Bo-hyun took a deep breath.
More rustling sounds followed, and the audio quality changed as he put on the earbuds.
"Okay, now I can hear you without missing a word."
"That's good. What are you doing during our call?"
"I just got home, so I'm unpacking. Ah, back when I was at the Break Line, there was this stick-in-the-mud... I mean, a senior, who said it's rude to do other things while on the phone. Is that really true?"
From her position of needing to entice Jeong Yeon-woo, she couldn't really say anything to that.
At his words, asked as innocently as if he were talking to a friend, Kim Bo-hyun's lips trembled as she maintained her smile.
"No, I'd actually appreciate it if you felt comfortable with me."
"Exactly. Maybe it's because you're young, Executive Kim, but you're much more approachable than the other executives."
"Haha, I feel close to you too, Yeon-woo. We should get even closer, shouldn't we?"
Kim Bo-hyun clenched her jaw, trembling as she forced herself to keep smiling.
"Yes, let's be close. So, about that... I only have time tomorrow morning. I'm moving the schedule to the morning."
He wasn't asking if it could be changed; he was saying he was changing it.
Just as the subordinate had said, it wasn't a suggestion or a question; it was a notification.
Veins popped on her forehead, but she spoke in a gentle voice, taking care not to sound too angry.
"Yeon-woo. An appointment is a matter of a person's trust. So many people are working and preparing for you, so if you change it like this, what will they think?"
"Hmm... I guess so? I feel bad for the people who are working hard."
As she spoke to him as if giving gentle advice, Jeong Yeon-woo seemed to agree.
Just as Kim Bo-hyun was about to open her mouth to continue persuading him, Jeong Yeon-woo spoke again.
"Then let's just cancel tomorrow entirely. It's better if they don't have to work hard for nothing because of me."
Kim Bo-hyun was flustered by Jeong Yeon-woo's words, as he dropped a bombshell without a second thought.
"No, I just said they've already worked hard! Then what happens to their efforts? What about the people who cleared their schedules for tomorrow? Yeon-woo, you can't be this rude."
"Ah, rude... I see."
Because of their previous conversation, Kim Bo-hyun worried that her use of the word "rude" might have branded her as a "stick-in-the-mud."
"But you also contacted me suddenly yesterday asking to meet... and I wasn't prepared..."
"I apologize for making the appointment so suddenly. But if there was a problem, you should have refused from the start, right? It's not like I have an abundance of time to set up meetings either."
"I don't have an abundance of time either. I did refuse, but you insisted we had to meet. And I never gave you a definite 'yes' anyway."
As he said, Kim Bo-hyun had pushed him a bit to ensure she was the first to congratulate him as soon as he returned to Korea.
Square Garden had given Black Unicorn a vacation so they could rest immediately after their ordeal in Japan, and Jeong Yeon-woo had initially refused using the vacation as an excuse. But when she kept contacting him, he had only gone as far as saying he would think about it.
"I wrote in the text to contact me if there was a problem, right? But you didn't reply, and doing this now is just too late."
Stop acting innocent, you little shit.
Kim Bo-hyun cursed him inwardly while trying to reason with him.
She had been flustered at first, but thinking about it as they continued to talk, Jeong Yeon-woo was far from naive.
He had the audacity to say whatever he wanted to executives and even propose deals, and he was quite intelligent.
His actions were incredibly sly, yet today he was pushing his agenda while pretending to be pure-brained.
You think you're being clever, but it won't work on me, you brat.
While Kim Bo-hyun was wearing a victorious smile, Jeong Yeon-woo sighed.
"I guess it can't be helped. Then I'll cancel."
"...Did you hear what I just said?"
"Yes, I heard you. But, you see, another executive... who was it? Kim Joo-mi? Park Joo-mi? Anyway, that person asked to see me in the morning and said it was okay to cancel the meeting with you, Executive Kim."
That bitch Park Joo-mi...
Kim Bo-hyun gritted her teeth, cursing Park Joo-mi internally.
As if he had no idea how her face was contorting, Jeong Yeon-woo's nonchalant voice came through the receiver.
"I told her I'd already made an appointment, but she said it was fine because she's close with you. I only have time in the morning anyway, and since I'm meeting for Association business, it doesn't really matter which executive it is, right?"
"..."
It did matter which executive it was.
The role of being the very first person to welcome the hero who saved Japan was what was important.
Kim Bo-hyun was seething with rage at Park Joo-mi for daring to snatch that away, and she was equally annoyed with Jeong Yeon-woo for threatening her while playing the "I don't know anything" card.
"So I told her I'd contact you to ask if the morning works. But since you said it doesn't, I'll just go with the other executive. Sorry for breaking our appointment, and I'll see you next ti—"
"Wait! Wait..."
As Jeong Yeon-woo was about to say goodbye, Kim Bo-hyun shouted urgently.
Her face contorted, she trembled for a long time, and Jeong Yeon-woo patiently waited on the line for her next words.
"The morning... let's meet in the morning... 9 o'clock... no, 10... is 10 o'clock okay...?"
"Wow! Really?! You're the best, Executive Kim. I'll make sure to look my best! See you tomorrow!"
Click.
Having achieved his goal, Jeong Yeon-woo hung up while pretending to be innocent until the very end, as if mocking her.
Kim Bo-hyun stared blankly at the receiver in her hand, let out a hollow laugh, and put it back in its place.
Realizing she had been played, she let out a long sigh and contacted her subordinate to tell him to change all of tomorrow's schedules.
"Right... so you're not an easy one, are you? Just you wait. I'll have you kneeling at my feet."
It was another day, and another enemy made by Jeong Yeon-woo.