Chapter 15: The crash

“…What is this…?”
“There are reports of abuse at most of the Incheon branches. I just got a call and confirmed it…!”

I rushed to the office after the call. My assistant filled me in on the details.

“…But there was no mention of this during the audits. Didn’t the managers say everything was fine?”
“W-well, yes, but…”

I couldn’t understand. We were meticulous about our hiring process, paid our staff well, and kept a close eye on things. Finding the right people, those who fit our needs and values, was a priority. So how could there be abuse allegations?

“Where did this come from? Do you know the reporter?”
“Hwang Yi-Hae.”

Hwang Yi-Hae. Not a tabloid journalist, but one known for economic and social commentary. She didn’t usually write exposé pieces. So why now?

“…Oh…”

A headache was forming. I’d faced challenges while growing the business, but nothing that made headlines. And personnel issues were my biggest concern.

This wasn’t irreparable.

“…Check with all the part-timers. It’s a busy day. Conduct an emergency audit…”
“R-right away…!”

I didn’t want to fire anyone without knowing the facts. I needed to understand the situation on the ground before taking action. These were people I’d personally selected, after all.

“…And you…”
“Yes…?”

I gave my assistant another task.

“…Can you ask the reporter to take down the article?”
“I’ll… try…!”

I rubbed my temples.

“…Haa…”

Everything had been quiet until now. I monitored social media – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter – meticulously managing our image. There hadn’t been a whisper of this. Just praise for our desserts, our drinks.

Just hours ago, someone had posted about the friendly staff at one of the Incheon branches. And now this.

“…There’s even a recording…”

The recording was the strangest part. It was distorted, difficult to understand, but it was definitely from one of the cafes. If it was fake, it was defamation. But if it was real… it was our fault.

Tap, tap, tap

A garbled recording. An overly detailed article. An exposé from a reporter who usually covered different topics.

“… “

Something was wrong. This wasn’t a typical exposé. The details were vague, mentioning only “most Incheon branches,” and the part-timer’s photo was heavily pixelated.

“…Who…?”

This was a deliberate attack. Someone was using the reporter to target me. Someone with enough influence to manipulate a journalist. But why me? What did they want?

“…”

I had to contain the damage first. To find the culprit, I needed to extinguish the flames before they spread.

Tap, tap

“…”

I drummed my fingers on the desk, thinking, then closed my eyes.

I hoped my staff would tell me the truth.

****

“…Thank you.”

A few days later, the reporter called. She apologized, saying she’d written the article based on incomplete information. I politely asked why she hadn’t contacted me directly, since my number was publicly available. She stammered, giving evasive answers, then hung up.

“… “

I was right. The recording was fake. Someone was behind this. This sloppy work… it was either someone powerful, or someone with nothing to lose.

I didn’t think I had any enemies. Why would anyone target me?

“…Haa…”

The reports from the staff audit came back clean. No one had seen any reporters or cameras. No one had argued with anyone. One employee even claimed this was the best job they’d ever had.

That sounded suspicious. I added them to the suspect list.

“…”

Flop

I was exhausted, even though I hadn’t actually done anything. Days of anxiety, of obsessing over the allegations, and it turned out to be a non-issue.

My assistant stared at me as I slumped in my chair.

“…”

Clink

She went to the back and returned with a drink.

“…What’s this…?”
“I tweaked the new signature menu you were working on.”

My face lit up.

“…Thanks.”

I took a sip. My expression brightened even further.

“…What… What is this? This is amazing…”
“The aftertaste was a bit strong, so I added a hint of lime, and… a pinch of cilantro, just for fun…”

My brilliant assistant. I was so lucky to have her.

“…Do you want to be CEO next year? I’ll retire.”
“What…? The founder can’t retire…”

We laughed.

“…I’m heading out. Can you take care of the rest?”
“Yes, of course~! Be careful going home! Watch out for cameras…! And… take it easy on social media.”

Her last comment made me pause. I left the office quietly.

“… “

The incident had taken a toll. Rumors were spreading online. People twisted the facts, turning a non-issue into a scandal, without even bothering to verify the claims.

There hadn’t been a direct impact on sales yet, but there was talk of a boycott, and the stock price had dipped slightly.

“…Haa…”

Like my breath, fogging in the cold air then disappearing, I tried to erase the incident from my mind. But I knew it would leave a permanent stain.

“… “

I couldn’t let the business fail. Even though Hyea was my everything, this business was my livelihood. I had savings, but it was a pittance compared to what I needed to build a future with Hyea. She wasn’t fully human yet. And once she was, I wanted to create so many memories with her.

“… “

And this business… It was Mom’s last gift, her legacy. She was the source of my success, the foundation of my drive.

Letting it fail would be the ultimate act of disrespect.

“…That can never happen…”

I pushed down the anxiety and headed home.

Buzz

“…Hmm…?”

Until the phone rang.

“…Hello?”
– [Semin…]

It was Hyeji.

“Hey. What’s up?”
– [Are you free?]

Her voice was flat, emotionless. We made plans to meet at a nearby bar. I figured a quick drink wouldn’t hurt.

“…Hey, Hyeji!”
“…Hey.”

She arrived in a fancy car less than three minutes later. Seeing her again like this… it brought back memories. Before life wore her down, Hyeji’s voice was always so bright and cheerful. Now, it was monotone.

Not that it wasn’t still a beautiful voice…

“…What’s up? You’re busy, aren’t you?”

I asked, watching her as we sat down in a quiet corner booth.

“…I saw the article.”
“… “

Her expression was unreadable.

“…The rumors online… Are you okay?”
“…”

I hesitated, then…

“…Yeah, I’m fine… It’ll blow over in a couple of months~”

…forced a smile and took a sip of my beer.

“…You think so…?”
“…Probably…”

I drained half the glass.

“…Did you rush over here just because of that…?”
“…Yeah.”

I looked at her.

“…Aw, that’s sweet of you.”

A flicker of a smile, hidden beneath her neutral expression, betrayed her relief.

“Five years ago, you would have just run away without a word. Now—”
“L-let’s not talk about that…”,she said.

I teased her gently. She covered her mouth, waving her hand dismissively.

“Aww, why not~? It’s true~”
“I’m already stressed. Don’t make it worse…”

I decided to drop it.

“…The economy’s bad. My company’s struggling…”
“…”

A shadow of sadness crossed her face.

“…I never thought I’d smoke…”
“…What…?”

She reached into her shirt pocket—

“…Ta-da!”
“Huh?”

—and pulled out a strange-looking device.

“…What do you think? It’s a new product our company developed. Inspired by Vitastik, but it’s closer to an e-cigarette… Designed to help people quit smoking.”
“…Oh…”

It was intriguing. Small and sleek, shaped like a stylized cochlea. It looked… healthy.

“No harmful ingredients…”

She took a puff.

“…Haa…”
“…Whoa.”

A white vapor plume escaped her lips.

“…Pretty cool, huh? I designed it.”
“…Wow…”

It smelled good, too. Like a subtle perfume. Strawberry, fruity.

Sweet.

“…I’m not trying to sell it to you or anything… Just… let me know if you need one…”
“…Pfft… It’s okay. You should be more worried about yourself, Ms. Vice President.”

Her thoughtfulness warmed my heart. It was good to have a friend who cared. Before, I would have cried on Hyea’s shoulder, but now… having a friend to share my burdens with… It made things easier.

“…These appetizers are good.”
“Yeah, we should come here more often…”

We chatted and drank for about an hour.

“…Aren’t you vaping too much…?”
“Haa… No, it’s fine. It helps with… bad breath.”

I voiced my concern.

“…Inhale…”

She took another long drag, then…

Slide

“…Huh…?”

…moved to the seat next to me.

“Haa…”
“Whoa! Wh-what are you doing?!”

She put her arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer, and exhaled, the vapor hitting my face.

“…What do you think?”
“What do I think about what?! It smells like strawberries…”

I stared at her, flustered. She smiled, pulling me even closer.

“…When someone blows smoke in your face like this… Do you know what it means…?”
“…What…?”

“…It means they want to…”
“…”

We were alone in a dark corner booth, the dim lighting highlighting her face. The air was thick with unspoken desires.

“Have s*x.”

She whispered, her smile as alluring as ever.

“… “

Her eyes, half-lidded, looked down at me. I stared back, mesmerized, then glanced at her hair, falling around her shoulders.

“…Inhale… Haa…“
“…”

The strawberry-scented vapor wafted towards me again. It smelled so good.

“…Don’t try anything funny.”
“…Hmm…?”

Flick

I snapped out of it, flicking her forehead with my finger.

“You missed your chance, dummy.”
“Aww…”

I grabbed my bag and stuck my tongue out at her.

“You’re paying. That’s the price for your late attempt at seduction.”
“What?! Aww…”

I left the bar and started walking home.

Tap, tap

“Haa… Haa… Hngh…”

I only made it a few blocks before collapsing in an alleyway.

“…Crazy woman… Haa… Haa…”

Honestly, I deserved a medal for resisting. Any normal person, any guy, would have gone straight to a motel.

But I was a woman now. Well, sort of. And I was capable of restraint. I was a one-love kind of girl!

“F*ck… Haa…”

The aftereffects were intense. My legs gave out, and I slumped against the wall.

“…This is insane…”

I was proud of myself, but I couldn’t stop the giddy smile that spread across my face.

“…That crazy woman… Heehee…”

I sat there for an hour, crying and laughing.

“…Heehee… Haha…”

Tears of frustration? Regret? Pride? Or maybe just exhaustion, the sheer absurdity of my life overwhelming me.

****

“… “

I didn’t know. But I went home. Hyea was waiting.

“I’m…”

Hug

As soon as I closed the door, a fluffy tail wrapped around me.

“…Why are you so late?”
“…Just… a lot of work today…”

I hugged her back, closing my eyes.

“…You smell…”

Her voice made me tense.

“…disgusting.”
“…Heehee… I know, right…?”

Her oddly amusing assessment made me laugh.

“…I smell her on you, faintly.”
“…Yeah…”

My laughter died down.

“…Hyea… I’m really tired today… My back is killing me… so…”

I tried to pull away, to ask for a reprieve, but her embrace was too tight.

Squeeze

“Ugh… So… could we… postpone… the… training… until tomorrow…?”

I hated calling it “training.” It felt like I was consenting, asking for it. But I was exhausted.

“…Alright.”
“…”

Thankfully, she relented, gently stroking my back.

“…Haa…”

A happy smile spread across my face.

Hug

“Wah…”
“I love you…”

As she let go, telling me to go shower, I hugged her from behind.

“G-go shower.”
“Okay~”

That night, I felt… cared for. Hyea took care of me, making sure I was comfortable, helping me relax.

I felt grateful, and a little guilty. I drifted off to sleep peacefully.

“… “

I hoped things would go back to normal tomorrow. I was tired of this stressful life.

“It’s past midnight.”
“…Huh…?”

But before I could fully drift off…

“W-wait! Ow, that hurts! It hurts…!”
“It doesn’t hurt. I know it doesn’t.”

I paid the price for my earlier lie.

Thrust, thrust

“Ahh… Hngh…!”
“Did you enjoy being seduced by her? You’re already aroused…!”

She was like a ghost, knowing exactly when I’d recovered.