Chapter 8: Power Plays and Unexpected Offers

“What are you?”

Jinhyang’s expression seemed calm, but the aura she exuded was anything but ordinary. It radiated the power of a hunter, making me feel a bit scared.

“What…!”

The woman turned around, saw Jinhyang, and froze. Even someone as reckless as her was afraid of Jinhyang. A sense of relief washed over me, knowing I wasn’t just an unusual coward.

“I asked you a question, lady.”

“…What did you call me? Lady?”

“Do you have another name?”

“Hmph! I’m Park Youngja! You must have heard of me?! I’m a VIP here!”

The fierce tension rising between the two women was something no man could handle. Any man would naturally take a step back. I slowly tried to distance myself, hoping they wouldn’t notice me.

It was then that Jinhyang called out to me.

“Come here.”

She beckoned with her finger as if calling a dog. I quickly ran to her side.

“You were going to hit her, weren’t you?”

Jinhyang placed her hand over my head. Park Youngja hesitated but then scoffed, as if unbothered.

“Hmph, and?”

“No, just keep doing what you were doing.”

With that, Jinhyang pushed me forward.

“Huh? What?!”

I slid forward as if I had wheels, unable to resist her strong shove.

“Please… don’t!”

I thought she would back me up, but now I felt betrayed, trembling at the thought.

Park Youngja smiled victoriously at my reaction. “Well, Jinhyang, you don’t have to worry about a nobody like her. I must have misunderstood.”

It was frustrating, but Youngja was right. Between a store’s VIP and someone like me with nothing to my name, it was obvious who would take priority.

“My body…!”

I wanted to run away, but Jinhyang’s grip held me firmly, rendering me motionless.

“Let go…!”

In the meantime, Park Youngja raised her hand to slap my cheek. With her thick palm adorned with rings, it would surely hurt.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the pain.

It was at that moment that Jinhyang spoke.

“Just take responsibility for it yourself.”

“What responsibility?”

“You’re an adult. You should handle the consequences.”

“Hmph, if it’s a settlement, I’ll give you a hefty amount.”

Park Youngja said confidently, but Jinhyang just smiled slightly.

“I’m not talking about a settlement.”

“…Then what are you referring to?”

Jinhyang reached into my back pocket, where I had hidden my name tag. It was embarrassing since it was close to my backside. Without thinking, I grabbed her hand.

“Let go.”

“Yes.”

“Ugh.”

I was angry, but I had to let go. As I fumed silently, she pulled out my name tag.

Hunterless Manager / Kang Harang

It was something that didn’t suit me at all, which is why I had hidden it. Jinhyang threw it down at Park Youngja’s feet.

“…!”

Park Youngja’s eyes widened as she saw the name tag. They grew so large that the whites of her eyes were nearly all visible.

“Th, that can’t be…?”

What was this?

I looked down at the name tag, just like Park Youngja. An unexpected silence fell over us. It felt as though time had stopped.

The long silence was broken by Park Youngja’s awkward laughter.

“Ho, ho, ho. Just look at me. I was supposed to be at the bank.”

She turned to leave, her high heels clacking ominously as she walked away, but Jinhyang showed no signs of letting her go.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Her cold voice sent shivers down my spine.

‘What’s going on?’

I glanced down at the name tag and recalled what had just happened.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I apologize.”

Park Youngja had repeatedly apologized like a broken record. It was clear her attitude had changed because of this name tag.

“What the hell is this?”

I held the name tag out to Jinhyang.

“You don’t need to know.”

Tch.

I sulked and stuffed the name tag back into my pocket, but honestly, I felt a bit touched. She was protecting me.

I looked at Jinhyang with admiration. But for some reason, she seemed uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?”

“You went to work and caused trouble on your first day?”

“Th-that was…”

I felt unjust.

“I was just trying to get rid of the troublemaker as Jinhyang instructed. I was just doing my best.”

“Just a little poke and you act like this?”

“…I used to be bigger.”

“Are you talking back?”

“N-no…”

I had no choice but to shut my mouth under Jinhyang’s piercing gaze.

“Hmm.”

As I stood there silently, Jinhyang started tapping her fingers on the desk, looking at the tablet strapped to my waist.

How long did we stay like that?

“Give me that.”

Jinhyang pointed at the tablet.

“Yes.”

I handed it over without hesitation.

“I saw the sea do something with this…”

After receiving the tablet, Jinhyang began tapping the screen.

Her touches felt somewhat clumsy.

Tap, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!

Bang! Bang!

A vein bulged on Jinhyang’s forehead.

After a few minutes of this…

Bam—!

She threw the tablet onto the desk and beckoned me with her finger.

“Come here.”

What was going on?

Surprised, I hesitated before approaching her.

“Here.”

Jinhyang handed me the tablet.

“Do you know how to do an internet broadcast?”

“Well, I’ve never done it before, but I think I could manage.”

“Try it.”

What am I supposed to do with the broadcast?

I had questions, but I decided to follow her instructions for now.

I logged into a popular streaming site and created an account.

The broadcast title was set to “123123.”

I thought the password was a bit too easy, but no one would be watching this stream anyway.

‘Is that it?’

I held the tablet and turned it this way and that, showing Jinhyang’s office through the camera.

The broadcast was going smoothly.

“All done.”

I handed the tablet to Jinhyang, who then offered me her smartphone.

“Try accessing the broadcast with this.”

She was making me do everything.

Feeling a bit sulky, I muttered while glancing at her, “Are you serious?”

“…Just connect.”

Jinhyang tightened her grip on my tail, even stronger than before.

“Ugh!”

A jolt ran through my body from my tail to my waist and chest, creating a tingling sensation that spread throughout me. My face flushed, and inexplicable tears formed in my eyes.

It was an unfamiliar sensation I had never felt before. It didn’t hurt, but something felt off.

“Please, give it back.”

“Umm…”

I reached out for the tail that Jinhyang was holding. She seemed to have no intention of holding on for long, so she easily let go.

Wiping my tears with the back of my hand, I accessed the broadcast with her smartphone. After comparing the two screens to ensure everything was working well, I handed the smartphone back to Jinhyang.

“From now on, keep the broadcast running while you work. If things get hectic, just shout.”

“Are you going to monitor me?”

“Yep.”

“Isn’t that illegal?”

I couldn’t say much since I was the one who had crossed that line first.

“Don’t worry; you can turn off the broadcast when you finish work.”

“But what about the people passing by? Their faces will be shown. Isn’t there a privacy issue?”

I had seen news reports about famous broadcasters getting into controversies for filming people without their consent on the streets.

“If this is my land and my building, why would I worry about their privacy?”

“Huh?”

Was that so?

As I stood there feeling a bit foolish, Jinhyang opened a drawer and pulled out another badge.

It was labeled ‘Filming Permit.’

Just as the name suggested, it appeared to be a permit for filming inside the building.

“Hang this around your neck. You should wear the badge I gave you earlier too.”

“Yes.”

I put on the two badges Jinhyang handed me and turned the tablet bag at my waist to the front so the camera could face forward.

“Go ahead, but don’t cause any trouble this time.”

“Okay.”

This time, I resolved to do nothing when I encountered the troublemaker. With that in mind, I stepped outside.

I arrived at the clothing store and took out the tablet.

“Are you watching?”

[00]

Jinhyang’s messages were short and straightforward.

“What do you think about this?” I aimed the camera at a shirt I liked. It had a large, fierce tiger face on a black background. It looked clean and neat, perfectly my style. Jinhyang would definitely like it too.

I glanced at the chat window.

[Did you go crazy?]

What did that mean?

Using my experience as an internet user, I interpreted the word.

Did you go crazy?

That must be it.

But why? It didn’t seem like a problem.

“Is it not good?”

[Make it a clean office look.]

“Office look?”

“What’s that?”

Like a suit? I lifted the tablet to search for it.

Viewer count: 2

In the viewer list, there was someone whose identity I couldn’t discern, in addition to Jinhyang.

‘Cheorongcheorongmat’

That nickname was peculiar.

“Cheorongcheorongmat, who are you? I set a password for this…”

[It just let me in because you used 123123.]

…I acknowledge that I made the password too easy.

“Excuse me, could you please leave? I’m broadcasting for work right now.”

[Please.]

Ignoring their pleas, I moved my fingers to find the kick button.

‘What a hassle.’

I thought about kicking them out and changing the password when suddenly, they made a proposal.

[Ten thousand won! If you ask the kid in front for candy, it’ll be ten thousand won.]

“Ten thousand won?”

I looked up and saw a kid, half my height, cheerfully walking by with a bag of candy.

Holding the hand of the presumed accomplice, they were asking for money.

‘If I can get ten thousand won…!’

I could buy food whenever I wanted and turn on the air conditioner when it got hot.

The potential was starting to cloud my judgment.