Chapter 56

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 55

Chapter Title: Jealous Outburst

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- Crunch

Confirming they were alone in the smoking room, Choi Hyun-min grabbed Yi Hyun-woo's collar without warning.

"Guk... What the hell are you doing? Assistant Manager Choi?"

With his 185 cm tall, imposing build, Choi Hyun-min lifted the average-built Hyun-woo by the collar, naturally hoisting his feet off the ground.

'This bastard's got some strength...'

According to the work system's status window, Choi Hyun-min's Stamina was 7. Hyun-woo had used remaining points to raise his own to 4, but they were in completely different leagues physically. It was only natural that he couldn't match Choi Hyun-min on raw power.

'Fuck, they say stamina is national strength—should've bumped it up more...'

Hyun-woo had only been thinking about pounding female employees left and right; he never imagined he'd end up in a physical showdown with a beast like Choi Hyun-min. Regret washed over him.

'But why the sudden freakout? Did he figure it out?'

Sabotaging Hye-ri and Choi's love line through the work system?

Taking Hye-ri's virginity right next to Choi Hyun-min, who was passed out drugged in that Busan hotel?

Secretly pulling Kim Hye-ri out of their movie date and railing her behind the theater door?

Or dragging Hye-ri from the next room over in that private karaoke bar and fucking her senseless?

Any one of those would be grounds for a life-or-death showdown—Hyun-woo had racked up too many filthy deeds to guess which.

'But there's no way he could know. What the hell?'

- Thud

"Huff... huff... huff..."

As if realizing they were still at the office, Choi Hyun-min roughly dropped Hyun-woo, who had been dangling helplessly in the air by his collar.

"It... it was you. No one else but you—I'm sure of it!"

"Assistant Manager Choi! Have you been drinking? Speak so I can understand."

"What'd you say to Hye-ri? She doesn't know shit about any of this!"

"What?"

"You glued yourself to the seat right next to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her and badmouthed me, you fucking bastard."

Choi Hyun-min was spouting nonsense. For now, Hyun-woo checked his status through the work system.

According to the latest report from Hye-ri, Choi Hyun-min had been persistently demanding skinship.

'Libido up to 9... and now [Obsession] too.'

With Hye-ri not acting as he wanted, his skyrocketing libido and [Favorability] toward her had twisted into [Obsession].

"I saw it all. Hitting on her even during work hours? Don't you know she's my girlfriend? Huh?"

Blocked by Hye-ri's iron wall, Choi Hyun-min's rage had bizarrely spilled over onto Hyun-woo, who sat right next to her.

'This guy's thought process is straight out of elementary school...'

Companies don't expect much from interns in general. Especially experiential interns like Hye-ri, implemented per government policy—they're college students with plenty of rough edges.

That's why each gets assigned a staff mentor, and Hyun-woo was Kim Hye-ri's. Wasn't it natural for mentor and mentee to get close?

"Kyaa! D...Deputy Manager Lee! Are you okay? Assistant Manager Choi, what the hell are you doing?!"

Hye-ri, who had secretly followed due to his suspicious behavior, came rushing out in shock at the sight of Hyun-woo's collar being grabbed.

"I'm... fine. But it seems Assistant Manager Choi has some misunderstanding..."

Helped up by Hye-ri, Hyun-woo seethed inwardly but played the clueless card instead of exploding. Right now, it was more advantageous to make Choi Hyun-min look like a fool in front of his girlfriend.

"No... I..."

"Assistant Manager Choi, I'm really disappointed. Why aren't you apologizing right now??"

Gone was her usual friendly eye smile; Hye-ri now glared at Choi Hyun-min coldly.

"I... uh... my mistake. Deputy Manager Lee... I must've been possessed or something..."

'Yeah, possessed alright. By that vixen Kim Hye-ri... pathetic loser bastard.'

"It's normal to get jealous when you're dating. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠don't worry, Assistant Manager Choi—it's not the kind of relationship you're thinking."

"Now go. Assistant Manager Choi. And we'll talk about this... later."

"Yeah..."

What could be scarier than "we'll talk later" from your girlfriend? Choi Hyun-min, unable to comprehend his own actions, slunk out of the smoking room with slumped shoulders.

"Urk..."

A sudden headache crashed over him.

'Happened before too...'

"Deputy Manager Leee... are you really okay? Shouldn't you go to the hospital?"

"Ugh... nah, just happens sometimes lately."

"Isn't it from bumping your head earlier?"

Hye-ri looked at him with wide, teary eyes, on the verge of bursting into tears.

"Assistant Manager Choi must be insane. Why'd he suddenly go nuts like that?"

Visibly furious, she raised her voice cursing him. Her scowling face struck Hyun-woo as oddly cute, full of genuine worry for him.

"I'll give Assistant Manager Choi a firm warning. Don't worry!!!"

Hands on her hips, Hye-ri boldly declared.

'Maybe it's time to cut Choi Hyun-min loose for good?'

Officially, Hye-ri was still dating Choi Hyun-min, but she was already Hyun-woo's woman.

Thanks to the work system or not, seeing her show such heartfelt concern made Hyun-woo want to claim her officially as his own.

"Hye-ri, how about wrapping things up with Assistant Manager Choi now? Feels like you've toyed with him plenty."

"Huh? Really?? Of course! Deputy Manager Lee, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that."

There had been Hyun-woo's directives, but Hye-ri had pretended to date Choi Hyun-min to string him along after he refused her advances.

That first night drugging his drink in Busan and sharing a bed with Hyun-woo; mixing it up with Hyun-woo mid-date multiple times—she figured that was plenty of revenge on Choi Hyun-min.

She'd been thinking it was about time to cut ties when Hyun-woo's words hit like the best news ever.

"Yeah, let's end it quick. For now, don't take any action against Choi Hyun-min."

"Yesss~ Got it, Deputy Manager Lee. I'll do exactly as you say. Hehe."

"Oh, and... let's wrap it up like this."

As Hyun-woo laid out his plan, Hye-ri's face drained of color in an instant, her earlier smile vanishing.

'Kukuku, hold on tight, Assistant Manager Choi.'

Even Hyun-woo thought it was a flawless scheme.

- Knock knock

- Today after work, date right?

- Got it. But promise you won't pull any more disappointing stunts like that, Assistant Manager Choi.

- Yeah, nothing like last time from now on.

- Okay. I'll trust you, Assistant Manager Choi.

"Phew, thank goodness."

For the week after grabbing Yi Hyun-woo's collar in the smoking room, Choi Hyun-min hadn't been able to meet Hye-ri at all. He'd even begged at her desk, but all he got were icy glares.

And tonight, finally, he had a date with her after a full week.

'Today, no pointless advances—just dinner.'

With the restaurant reserved and a bouquet of reconciliation flowers in the trunk, Choi Hyun-min steeled himself in the car.

- Knock knock

Hye-ri's knock came from the passenger side soon after clocking out.

"Hey, you're here?"

Seeing Hye-ri after a week, Choi Hyun-min's voice trembled slightly with tension.

'Wow.'

She was always pretty in his eyes, but today she'd clearly put in extra effort.

Her makeup accentuated her big eyes and long lashes even more. Gone was her usual prim office attire—instead, a short skirt and cardigan.

Having undone the cardigan buttons on her way out, the tight tank top clung to her, exposing her ample cleavage right to Choi Hyun-min.

"Yup~ Assistant Manager Choi, it's been forever since we had dinner, huh?"

"Y-yeah... hungry? Let's head out."

Pent-up libido from recent frustrations reacted instantly to her revealing outfit. To hide his bulging pants, he hurriedly started the car.

- Vrooom

The engine's cheerful roar filled the company underground parking lot, matching Choi Hyun-min's uplifted mood.

"Pasta good here, right?"

"Yeah, it's the place we came to before. I love it here, hehe..."

Thankfully her anger seemed cooled; she ate her pasta with gusto. Once pasta and the prepared dessert were done,

"Here... it's nothing special, but as a token of reconciliation..."

Choi Hyun-min pulled out the bouquet he'd stashed in the trunk earlier and handed it to Hye-ri.

"Wah... Assistant Manager Choi, when did you prepare flowers? I didn't even notice!"

"Haha, surprise~ Wouldn't be fun if you knew ahead."

"Thank you. I'm so happy, hehe..."

She had zero interest in Choi Hyun-min, but who turns down pretty flowers?

- Click click

With the bouquet bursting with colorful roses and baby's breath as backdrop, Hye-ri snapped selfie after selfie.

"Glad you like it, haha."

After dozens of shots, satisfied with her picks, she set the bouquet on the table and turned to Choi Hyun-min.

"So... Assistant Manager Choi, what now?"

"Huh? Dinner's done, so I was gonna take you home. Your parents worry if you're out late..."

In truth, her parents didn't care as long as she texted, but she'd drilled a 9 PM curfew into him.

After she'd firmly rejected his countless moves, he planned to just feed her and send her home tonight too.

"Really? Hiiiing... Don't wanna hang out with me?"

Sensing he wanted to ditch her early, Hye-ri pouted in disappointment.

"Huh? No no! I just... you said curfew's 9, so didn't wanna be late..."

Flustered by her unexpected reaction,

"Parents are on a trip today, so I can stay out late... hehe."

'Oh oh!'

"What then?"

"Hmm... haven't really thought about it..."

"Wanna go see the night view?"

"Sure? Sounds good!"

No clue what Hye-ri had in mind, but the night view Choi Hyun-min wanted to show was none other than from a hotel room.

He'd sworn before meeting her today—no needless advances—but one casual "I can stay late" and he surrendered completely to lust.

"Here it is!"

"Assistant Manager Choi... this is a hotel... You said night view... liar."

As his car pulled up to the hotel, Hye-ri shot him a disappointed look.

"It's the tallest building around, best view hahaha, re... really."

Anyone overhearing would see right through the lame ploy.

'Ah fuck, shouldn't have brought her.'

Hadn't her "no rush home" made him impulsively gun it here? Regret hit. But then,

"Well... if you say so... let's go in."

Unlike usual, Hye-ri agreed to enter the hotel without protest.

'Huh? What? Green light?'

Already half-resigned to turning back, Choi Hyun-min's eyes went wide at her surprising consent.

Was this finally the payoff for his efforts? Overflowing with emotion, he escorted her inside.

'No booze today, not a single sip. Alcohol's my enemy.'

Recalling the hell from blacking out in Busan last time, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he resolved as he opened the hotel room door.

Crisp white bedding neatly made, ambient lighting set the mood to welcome Hye-ri and Choi Hyun-min. The floor-to-ceiling window offered a straight shot of the city nightscape. Not the capital, but the view from up high wasn't half bad.

"How's the night view?"

"Yeah..."

Alone in the hotel room, perhaps? Hye-ri looked a bit tense, her expression stiffening slightly.

"Then..."

To break the awkward air, Choi Hyun-min stepped toward Hye-ri.