Always One Step Behind
One Friday evening at the bar, I sat in a private room with floor seating and raised my beer glass high. The rest of our department employees sat along the long table, raising their glasses just like me. At the head of the table, the department head cleared his throat a few times before speaking.
"Alright! It's a bit late, but congratulations on successfully wrapping up our last project. Everyone worked hard. You all remember the next project we discussed in the meeting, right? Upper management has approved it, so we'll be starting next week. Let's give it our all. Here's to celebrating our last success and wishing for another in the next one—cheers, everyone!"
"Cheers!!!"
The sound of glasses clinking echoed alongside the shouts. I gulped down the cool beer, feeling it wash away my thirst. Ahh, that's good... Celebration drinks always taste the sweetest. I'm not much of a drinker, but I do enjoy a lively toast among colleagues. Of course, we'd be back to work next week, but finishing the last project successfully had left me feeling confident.
I picked up a piece of the grilled chicken with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth. The bone-in chicken had been cut into chunks and grilled over charcoal, releasing juicy flavor with every bite. The smoky aroma and crispy texture were perfect. Delicious...
While I was savoring the chicken, Kim Su-hee, sitting beside me, nudged a bottle of beer my way. "Assistant Manager, have a drink~"
She smiled warmly and poured into my glass. I accepted it with both hands. "Thanks. You should have some too, Su-hee."
When I offered the bottle, she took her glass with both hands and let me pour. Then she clinked her glass against mine, producing a clear ring, before turning slightly and downing it in one go.
"Drink at your own pace, Su-hee. No one's forcing anyone here, so don't overdo it."
"Hehe, I'm fine! I like drinking! And thank you, as always. You've been teaching me so much."
"You're the one doing well."
Kim Su-hee smiled shyly and picked up some food. Just then, Section Chief Ha leaned in between us, glass in hand. "Su-hee's doing great, and so is Assistant Manager Kang. Sure, there were a few mistakes, but who doesn't make them? Come on, cheers, Assistant Manager!"
Section Chief Ha poured into my glass. I received it with both hands, toasted, and drank. It tasted good, but... I was going a little fast. I had my usual drinking pace, but in a group like this, it was easy to speed up without realizing. A light buzz started creeping in. I wiped the bit of beer that had dribbled below my lip.
"You kept saying we should drink together sometime, Chief. Finally happening, huh?"
"It is! Better late than never. Oh, right—you know we're going on that business trip together in two weeks, don't you? We'll be drinking plenty then, so prepare yourself."
"Haha, go easy on me..."
Right. The week after next, I'd be heading to Busan for three weeks. Given how much Section Chief Ha loved drinking, he'd probably drag me out every single night. Maybe I should stock up on liver supplements...
After chatting and drinking for a while longer, I grabbed my cigarette pack and stepped outside. I lit up in the smoking area to the left of the entrance. The bar door opened again, and someone came out—the department head. He walked over, lit his own cigarette, and spoke.
"Hey, Assistant Manager Kang~ Enjoying the food?"
"Yes, sir. It's really good."
"Right? I come here all the time! Haha, eat plenty! I've got plenty to thank you for, Assistant Manager!"
The department head laughed heartily. "You do your work well, and when you make mistakes, you clean them up properly. Having an employee like you under me is a blessing. Section Chief Ha is so meticulous it's almost scary..."
He exhaled a long stream of smoke and continued. "And thanks to you, Assistant Manager, I'm enjoying myself quite a bit too, hahaha! Headaches haven't been bothering you lately, have they?"
Come to think of it, ever since I'd introduced him to that dueokshini establishment, the headaches at work had nearly vanished. He must have been enjoying it quite a lot.
"Speaking of which, Assistant Manager, are you seeing anyone? I've never seen you on a date. You're a good-looking guy, after all."
"Cough!"
The sudden ambush nearly sent the smoke down the wrong pipe. I coughed as quietly as I could, cleared my throat, and answered. "Haha... I'm not really thinking about dating right now."
It was true. I'd dated before, but nothing memorable—neither good nor bad. Without someone I loved, there was no real need or special feeling toward romance.
The department head looked genuinely surprised and whispered, "What? Even though your libido is so strong?"
"Libido is libido. It's good to take care of it."
"Well, that's true... Still, you're going on that trip with Section Chief Ha in two weeks, right? She's pretty cute. Give it a shot. You two have been getting along well lately... I'm all for office romances, so I'll cheer you on."
Once again, smoke nearly went down the wrong way. I waved my hands frantically. "Haha, no, sir. Someone like Section Chief Ha could do much better than me. I'm really not interested in dating."
"Is that so? What a shame."
Our brief men's talk in the smoking area ended, and we returned to the bar to continue the dinner. The atmosphere grew lively, emotions running high. Section Chief Ha, eyes glazed, raised her glass and shouted, while Kim Su-hee beside her clapped and laughed loudly, cheeks flushed red. I tried to hold Section Chief Ha back and calm her down, but I was pleasantly buzzed myself and swaying just as much.
Eventually, the cheerful dinner came to an end. The department head called a deputy to take him home, while Section Chief Ha and Kim Su-hee—who hadn't driven—shared a taxi.
"Then I'll leave Su-hee and the chief in your care."
"Yep~ Hehe, you be careful on your way home too, Assistant Manager. Good night~"
Kim Su-hee's voice was full of aegyo from the pleasant buzz. Through the window, a tipsy Section Chief Ha waved at me as well. The taxi pulled away, and I flagged down one of my own.
After giving the driver my destination, I gazed out at the passing scenery. Neon signs and building lights streaked by, painting glowing lines across the dark night streets. The buzz rose pleasantly, warming my body. And at the same time... down there was warming up too.
Huh? Even now, my libido was flaring. I could feel the blood rushing below, my erection trapped and straining against the fabric of my suit pants.
"Driver, let me out here, please."
I got off near the yokai brothel street by my house. As I walked deeper in, my body refused to cooperate. The alcohol was hitting harder now, and I started staggering. My vision blurred. I couldn't tell if the ground I was walking on was floor or ceiling. I'd gotten out on impulse, but at this rate, I wouldn't even be able to move my hips properly... The mood was good, but the swaying was getting worse. At this point, forget sex—I probably couldn't even manage solo play. Ah... I still need to shower, too...
After walking for a while, something caught my eye—a poster on the wall. It promised a service that would handle both showering and taking care of my sexual needs. Apparently, actual intercourse wasn't possible, though. Sometimes, something like that sounded nice...
I headed toward the address listed on the poster, moving slowly and carefully. But my drunken steps were impossible to hide. Staggering and weaving, I somehow made it to the shop and stepped inside. As I approached the counter, someone emerged from the back office. I couldn't make out who—or what yokai—they were. Before they could hand me a booklet, I spoke up.
"I'd like the service listed on the poster, please."
Did that come out right? Had my pronunciation slurred too badly to understand? While I worried, the yokai behind the counter smiled and handed me a room key. I walked toward the room number written on it, trying my best not to stagger and look sober. How I appeared to anyone else, I had no idea. I was just trying my hardest.
Once inside the room, I stripped and headed for the bathroom. Like the other establishments, there was a bathtub with a low bathing stool in front of it. I ran the bathwater, turned on the warm shower, and sat on the stool. I nearly smacked my head on the faucet while swaying, but thankfully avoided disaster.
Shhhhh—warm water poured over my head along with the sound of running water. I sat still, head bowed, letting the water hit me while staring at my erect cock. The alcohol had numbed my hands and feet, but my erection stood proud, more alive than any other part of me.
Ah... this feels good... The warm water seemed to wash away both my fatigue and the drunkenness. My wavering vision gradually steadied, and my mind began to clear. Phew... I'm starting to feel better...
While I was enjoying the warmth and the steam filling the bathroom, I heard the door open. I turned to look. Huh...? No one was there. The door had definitely opened, but now there was nothing. Must be my imagination... I thought, turning back around.
At that moment—squish! Something soft and squishy pressed against my back. Startled, I whipped my head around, but saw nothing. Yet the soft sensation on my back remained. What the...? A chill ran down my spine. There was no one there, but the feeling persisted. The strange atmosphere sobered me up almost completely. Just as I turned forward again to leave—
Whoa!! Along with the soft sensation on my back, I felt something stroking my hard cock. But when I looked down, there was nothing. The stroking sensation vanished too.
"Kekeke."
A giggling laugh came from behind me. I turned again, but still saw no one.
"Hahaha."
A louder laugh this time—still from behind. No matter how I turned, the laughter stayed behind me. I spun around on the stool, checking every direction, but saw nothing. The laughter only grew louder. Right behind me...
"Ahaha!! Sorry!! That prank went a little too far!"
The laughter finally burst out and apologized outright. "You were just too cute, so I couldn't help teasing you. Hi! I'm Ran, a Hide Behind yokai."
"Hide Behind?"
It was the first I'd heard of it.
"Hide Behinds are yokai that always stay behind you. Even if you turn around, we're still behind. Spin in circles, and we're still there. You can never see us."
Ah... So the poster's note about not being able to do the "main event" wasn't a rule—it was physically impossible.
"But if you don't try to look at me, I can still do things like this..."
I felt a warm sensation wrap around my cock. I looked down between my legs, but the feeling disappeared instantly. Then I felt fingers poking my back.
"Hey~ I told you not to look at me~ Just leave everything to me. I'll take care of it all."
"Ah... I'm sorry..."
Once again, the hand wrapped around my cock, and the soft, squishy sensation returned to my back—her breasts, probably. She was embracing me from behind, caressing my erection.
"Nngh!"
"Why~ Does it feel good?"
She whispered into my ear. Her hand technique was incredible. Her soft palm teased the head gently while her other hand stroked the shaft with just the right pressure. It felt almost like being inside a woman. Not being able to do the real thing was disappointing, but her hand skills were definitely top-tier...
Warm water poured over my head from the shower, while soft, warm breasts pressed against my back, wrapping me in a cozy embrace like being under a blanket. Receiving that blissful handjob in such comfort, I soon felt the urge building from my balls.
"Haha! I can feel it coming up. You can come whenever you want."
"Aah!"
Spurt, spurt—thick, sticky white fluid erupted from my cock, splattering onto the bathroom floor. The liquid mixed with the warm water and swirled down the drain. Her hand kept moving rapidly up and down, milking every last drop from me.
"Ahaha! You came a lot!!"
After releasing a generous amount of essence, I sat on the stool, basking in the afterglow. Then the hand that had been holding my cock began moving upward, caressing my body.
"Did that feel good? Now I'll wash you~ Don't look, okay? Keep your eyes closed~"
The caressing hands and the breasts against my back disappeared for a moment, then returned. This time, they were covered in fluffy body wash foam. She swayed her body up and down, soaping my back, then ran her hands over my stomach and chest to lather the front.
"Oh my~? Your body's surprisingly nice~"
Her hands spread the bubbly foam all over me. Her soft humming filled the bathroom, punctuated by the sound of popping bubbles tickling my ears. After a while, she rinsed all the body wash away with warm water. I sank into the filled bathtub, and of course, Ran joined me from behind. Using her breasts as a pillow, I leaned back into the water. I couldn't see them, but from the sensation, they were quite full and beautifully shaped.
Ah... this feels great... Taking a bath after drinking was supposedly dangerous, but the alcohol had mostly worn off, and the pleasant sensation was too good to resist.
"How is it? Did it feel good?"
Her clear voice rang out behind my head.
"Ah... yes... It felt amazing..."
"That's a relief!"
At that moment, her hand grabbed my cock underwater. The stimulation from her hand moving up and down in the warm water wasn't the only thing—every time her hand stirred the water, the ripples created new sensations.
"Mmm~ This is still so lively~?"
The next morning, I dragged my stiff body out of bed. It was lucky this place offered lodging too. Yesterday, after the half-bath, we'd done so many intense things in bed that I'd passed out without the energy to go home. She'd had me on all fours while licking my ass and milking my cock like a cow, embraced me from behind while teasing my nipples with her hands and my cock with her feet—things so intense it was hard to believe we hadn't done the real thing. I'd been thoroughly drained.
I got up, lit a cigarette, and got dressed.
"Leaving already? That was fun, wasn't it?"
"Ah, you were here. Thank you for yesterday. It was really good."
She hadn't been there when I'd been lying in bed, but the moment I stood up, her voice came from behind me.
"Yeah, as long as you enjoyed it. Come again next time!"
I turned and bowed to the empty air before leaving the room. Beyond the door, I could hear her laughing cheerfully. Stepping outside the building, the morning sunlight stung my eyes. Maybe from drinking a bit too much yesterday—my stomach felt slightly bloated. Hmm... a bit of a hangover...Well, might as well eat breakfast before heading in...
And so, on an early weekend morning, still in my suit, I set out to find a restaurant to cap off the typical "office worker's after-work dinner."