Chapter 151: Final Preparation, Part 1

Hayoon was prepared to buy Choi Arin as much barbecue as she wanted.

Choi Arin wasn’t a big eater, so it would be a relatively inexpensive way to show her appreciation.

A win-win. However…

“I don’t want a dinner; I want a vacation. The design revisions are practically finished. Can I take next week off?”

An exhausted Choi Arin requested time off.

“A vacation…”

Vacations were good; they saved on electricity, heating, and water bills. But Choi Arin couldn’t take a break now.

“Let’s finish the concert preparations first. I’ll give you a full week off then. How about a compromise? One day off this Friday or next Monday.”

“Uwaaaaaagh!”

While the design revisions were mostly complete, they still needed Choi Arin’s rigging skills for Jo A-yeong’s blindfolded performance.

Choi Arin protested loudly, but…

“We need to create Vivian’s Live2D blindfold parts. Just finish that, and you can rest. It’s for the debut broadcast. Once that’s done, I won’t bother you until your vacation, I promise.”

Hayoon had to suppress Choi Arin’s desire for escape.

Maintaining order within the company was paramount.

While it seemed silly to talk about “company order” with just a handful of employees, it was precisely because of their small size that it was crucial.

Choi Arin and Do Jin-ho were Hayoon’s right and left hands, handling everything behind the scenes.

If their loyalty wavered, the company would fall apart.

‘It would go from a family-like company to a toxic one.’

With a small team, maintaining control was essential.

Hayoon tried another tactic.

“How about dinner at a fancy restaurant? Western cuisine?”

“No! I want to rest!”

Her offer was flatly rejected.

While Choi Arin enjoyed good food, weeks of overwork, coupled with Hayoon’s absence from the Igloo, had taken their toll.

A simple dinner wasn’t enough to compensate for the loneliness and exhaustion.

“Want a kiss?”

“No…!”

“With tongue…”

“What do you take me for?! Do you think I’ll just agree to anything you propose?”

Hayoon decided to try a different approach, something she thought Choi Arin wouldn’t refuse.

However…

It wasn’t strong enough.

Choi Arin was still holding on to her rationality, which was a problem.

‘I need to break her down completely, until she begs to work instead of taking a vacation…’

Choi Arin had refused a kiss and a fancy dinner.

Would a bonus even work? She was clearly burnt out.

She might even lose faith in Hayoon and quit.

She had joined this small company, run by a high school junior, for the decent pay.

If the workload was unbearable, she might leave.

‘What now…’

Choi Arin continued to glare at Hayoon, her expression filled with resentment.

This wasn’t working.

Hayoon needed a decisive move.

“Ah!”

“Ah?”

Hayoon gasped, as if struck by a sudden realization.

Choi Arin, intrigued, tilted her head.

Then, Hayoon…

…lifted her hoodie, revealing her milky-white E-cup breasts, barely contained by her black bra.

“Gasp!”

“Want to touch?”

Choi Arin, stunned by the sight, inhaled sharply.

Their relationship had already progressed beyond the point of simple friendship, and she felt a pull towards Hayoon’s breasts.

Hayoon’s offer was a blatant trap.

There would be a price to pay.

“Of course, if you touch, you have to work hard…”

As expected, Hayoon added the condition, teasing Choi Arin while reminding her of her obligations.

This was to prevent Choi Arin from enjoying the privilege without fulfilling her duties.

‘So obvious, isn’t she?’

Choi Arin saw right through her. Hayoon’s intentions were transparent. She wasn’t going to fall for it so easily.

“I’ll touch.”

Huh?

“And I’ll work hard.”

However, life rarely went according to plan.

Despite seeing through Hayoon’s scheme, Choi Arin found herself agreeing, reaching out a hand.

“I knew you would. Come behind me and hug me. It feels better that way.”

“R-really…?”

Choi Arin, as if hypnotized, hugged Hayoon from behind and reached around to touch her breasts.

The soft, yielding flesh filling her hands felt intoxicating.

Despite her calm facade, Hayoon, back at home, thrashed in bed, kicking the blankets.

“
… what was I thinking?”

They had already crossed many boundaries.

They had showered together, kissed, and more.

A kiss with tongue seemed like a natural progression.

Hong Seo-hyun frequently initiated such kisses, but Choi Arin hadn’t.

However…

“Why did I offer my breasts?!”

It had been an impulsive decision.

Choi Arin wasn’t motivated by money, and a kiss wasn’t enough.

So, she had offered her breasts, and Choi Arin had accepted.

By then, it was too late to backtrack.

“Ugh…”

She hadn’t been drinking, but… she had allowed Choi Arin to touch her breasts until she was satisfied, driven by a mix of curiosity, excitement, and other emotions.

Hayoon had experienced a strange sensation herself, and by the time they left the studio, both their faces were flushed, as if they had been drinking.

“Whatever.”

Hayoon pulled the covers over her head.

The end justified the means. She had successfully persuaded Choi Arin.

They would start working on Vivian’s blindfold the next day.

She just needed to focus on work.

The following day, Hayoon arrived at the Igloo and started working on the design.

Live2D involved creating animated parts from illustrations, giving them a sense of movement.

While a single image was enough for accessories, Hayoon, aiming for high quality, planned to create a few additional frames for smoother animation.

“I should be able to finish the base design and coloring today. I’ll give it to Unnie when she arrives.”

Designing a blindfold was simple, easily completed within a day, especially for someone as fast as Hayoon.

Having started early, she was able to hand the files to Choi Arin as soon as she arrived.

“Unnie, you’re…”

“Mm…”

“Oh… okay…”

Choi Arin avoided eye contact, staring at the floor.

Hayoon knew why. She too found herself staring at the floor, both their faces flushed.

They focused on the blindfold design, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.

‘This is… difficult…’

Hayoon had wanted to keep Choi Arin company, but the breast-touching incident had made things awkward.

She had to offer something; otherwise, Choi Arin might not have worked.

‘Ugh… this is…’

Hayoon felt frustrated.

And as she struggled with the awkwardness, Trinity’s debut concert rapidly approached.