Chapter 25

Crash.

Park Hyungseok jumped up suddenly.

His expression was that of someone who had just heard something utterly shocking.

It seemed his eyes had become somewhat misty.

“Uh… How could you… say something like that!!!!”

It was completely opposite to what he had expected.

In fact, it was a situation far from what he had wanted.

‘No matter how much of a loser I am, no matter how unattractive I might be… gay? Isn’t that too much? Am I really that unattractive?’

A wave of sadness and mental shock washed over him.

After years of fervently fangirling over Lee Sooah and working hard for the guild, she had just mistakenly thought he was gay.

“I… I may be a loser… and not popular with women… but… that’s not true!!! This is really too much.”

With a choked voice, Park Hyungseok ran out.

‘Huh?’

Lee Sooah was left in a daze, bewildered by what had just happened.

She was completely lost in thought, wondering what was going on.

‘What…? Isn’t he gay…?’

‘Then what is he…?’

‘What on earth is happening?’

She was sinking deeper into confusion.

As she began to gather the mess that Park Hyungseok had left behind,

‘Wait, so Hunter Baek Jihoon isn’t gay, but just not interested in me? Huh? What does that mean? Is he just unattracted to me? What’s going on?’

She was in a state of severe panic.

Of course, Lee Sooah wasn’t parading around showing off her femininity or exuding excessive pride, but she was somewhat taken aback by Baek Jihoon’s attitude.

After all, even if someone is indifferent, hearing that you’re unattractive is bound to sting.

‘Damn it. What’s going on? Baek Jihoon? Not interested in me? Huh? Not attractive? Huh? What is this? Hm?’

Then she glanced down at her chest.

‘Hah. Do I need to enhance it a bit…?’

‘Should I add some padding?’

‘What am I missing?’

Up until now, Lee Sooah had never attempted to flaunt her sexual appeal.

She had a high default value, after all.

Men flocked around her without her doing anything.

But Baek Jihoon seemed to be completely immune to her charms.

‘Is he dating someone else?’

‘Or is it that I lack appeal?’

Her thoughts began to spiral into one direction.

‘Right. I’m getting older, so I should put myself out there a bit, shouldn’t I…?’

She was still confused.

‘No, no, Lee Sooah! Get a grip. What’s wrong with you? This isn’t like you.’

Lee Sooah suddenly felt her face flush red.

She was embarrassed by her brief strange thoughts.

‘Focus on work. You’re not that kind of woman. Why do you keep getting distracted?’

‘But… I can’t help but think of Baek Jihoon.’

‘But he said he’s not gay, right?’

‘So why does it feel like he’s not that interested in me?’

‘Why? What’s wrong with me?’

‘No. Focus on work. What’s going on? There’s so much to do. Plus, he’s your team member. Don’t go off in a different direction again!’

She kept trying to whip herself back into shape.

In fact, it was Baek Jihoon’s attitude that was provoking her.

Lee Sooah began to experience a serious internal conflict.

*

“Uh?”

The Team A members who had just witnessed Lee Sooah were staring at each other in shock.

“What just happened? That was Hunter Sooah just passing by, right? Am I seeing a ghost?”

“Did she just let me off for being late after two days…? Why?”

“No way. What’s going on? I almost died when I was five minutes late after never being late for five years?”

They all gathered around me, murmuring.

“Jihoon, what’s going on?”

“Huh?”

“Why isn’t Lee Sooah saying anything to you?”

“Seriously?”

Everyone was looking at me with suspicious eyes.

‘What the…’

“Wait, so Sooah actually returned to her usual self today? And the manager was…”

They all glanced at the manager, who had just been through a shocking experience.

“Like that. But why isn’t she saying anything to Baek Jihoon?”

The atmosphere was split.

Half were envious glances, and half were suspicious looks.

“Jihoon, just be honest with us.”

“Huh?”

I gulped.

Could they have really noticed what had happened between me and Lee Sooah?

“That Hunter Sooah borrowed something from you? Did she get into debt? Or maybe… are you two dating?”

“Nooo wayyyy.”

“Whoa!”

Everyone looked at me with wide eyes in disbelief.

“E-eh? No, no. What are you talking about?”

I waved my hands in a panic.

‘What? Dating just two days after meeting? And there’s such a huge difference in rank and social status? I haven’t even spoken much to Lee Sooah.’

‘I just helped her with her status ailment.’

I shook my head emphatically.

My face was turning red too.

Things had taken an unexpectedly weird turn.

“No, it’s not like that. I… helped Lee Sooah with her…”

“Ah, you’re dating, aren’t you? Right? Look at your face turning red!”

Before I could explain myself, they jumped to conclusions.

“That’s completely absurd.”

“Wow. How on earth did you manage to win over Hunter Sooah in just two days? She’s famously known for her impenetrable walls!”

“Impressive.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Someone began clapping.

“No, that’s not it. There seems to be some misunderstanding. We’re…”

“Of course, that’s how it is. So that’s why you looked so happy during the dinner gathering. That was your first day together, right?”

“No, wait…”

“Wow… congratulations! So you started dating from your first day at the company? Didn’t we have our dinner gathering on that day?”

“I was just helping with Lee Sooah’s status ailment…”

“So, did Hunter Sooah fall for you during her first dungeon raid? Is that it? So she got enchanted because of the Medusa resistance skill? Oh, I should have prepared something too.”

No one seemed interested in listening to me.

They all just babbled among themselves, giggling.

It seemed they weren’t concerned about the accuracy of the facts. They appeared to simply enjoy the situation and wished it to be true.

“I’m sorry, but no.”

“Does that mean our Sooah is going to lose her temper? Isn’t it generally true that women become softer when they start dating? They also get a chance to relieve their pent-up desires, right?”

They continued to laugh amongst themselves.

“No, that’s not true at all. If she hears that, Hunter Sooah would actually be embarrassed and confused.”

Even as I insisted that it wasn’t the case, it felt increasingly like a foregone conclusion.

“Damn it. What’s going on? Why is this atmosphere becoming so strange?”

“Baek Jihoon, what on earth is your secret? I’m curious, tell me. I’ve watched from the sidelines for five years, and you seem flawless!”

“Oh my. Manager, you’re talking nonsense again. If you keep this up, I’ll tell your wife!”

“I’m really not dating! Please stop with the strange talk.”

Clack, clack.

Amidst my teammates making a ruckus, the sound of high heels could be heard.

“What’s everyone doing? Is there something so enjoyable going on?”

It was Lee Sooah.

She had rushed off somewhere earlier but returned almost immediately.

She looked even more confused than before.

“Uh, Sooah.”

Everyone turned back to their places as if they were shot.

“What’s going on? Share it with me too.”

Lee Sooah had an expression full of curiosity.

“Well, you see, our Baek Jihoon got hired into our guild and immediately started dating someone in our office. We know who that is, but he probably wouldn’t want to say~ heh heh.”

The manager spoke to Lee Sooah with a very excited expression.

“Uh…????”

Lee Sooah suddenly turned red. She switched her gaze between her teammates and me.

‘Wait, why are you reacting like that!!’

“No, it’s not like that. I think there’s some misunderstanding going on.”

Everything was getting out of hand.

Everyone nodded in understanding as they observed Sooah’s behavior.

Lee Sooah’s face turned red as she entered her office without saying a word, leaving us to wonder if she was embarrassed or angry.

“Wow. That’s right. Hunter Sooah just hinted at it! Wow…”

As soon as the door to Hunter Sooah’s office closed, everyone began clapping.

“Congratulations, Hunter Baek Jihoon! Congratulations! Our Team A finally has a workplace couple. Clap, clap, clap.”

“No way! Didn’t Hunter Sooah say not to engage in workplace romances? And yet she’s the first to start one? Unbelievable.”

“I’m serious! It’s really not like that. Please listen to me for a moment.”

My voice was completely drowned out.

‘What the heck is going on.’

Everything suddenly became a complete mess.

Everyone was thoroughly misunderstanding the situation.

I had simply helped her with her status ailment.

And it seemed that Lee Sooah was just feeling good because of that.

And that was that?

*sigh*

I could only show a completely troubled expression.

[Senior, let’s meet.]

And then suddenly, I received a message from Hyungseok.

‘What the heck is going on with him? Is something wrong?’

It felt like things were spiraling into chaos.

*

‘What is going on? Baek Jihoon?’

Closing her office door with a bang, Lee Sooah leaned against it, breathing heavily.

“Dating someone? Why? When? With whom?”

‘In the meantime?’

‘Wow… so that’s what it was?’

‘So that’s why he was putting up barriers against me?’

It was slowly starting to make some sense.

‘Right. If he has a girlfriend, that would explain it.’

‘But why was I feeling so flustered about it?’

‘But how did they get together in such a short time?’

At least there was some consolation in knowing he was rejecting her because he was dating someone else in the office.

However…

It still seemed like she couldn’t shake her thoughts about Baek Jihoon.

‘Lee Sooah, get a grip. Baek Jihoon is someone else’s man. Why do I keep thinking about him!?’

She pressed her palms against her cheeks and tried to focus, but it wasn’t easy.