#01_Playground of the Beasts (3)

1.

To summarize a day in the life of an in-house counselor: it’s simple.

Counseling with clients.

And everything else is free time.

The job requirements are ridiculously lax, but the pay is so meager that if I hadn’t inherited a fortune from my uncle, I would have had to work a second job.

Conversely, now that I’ve inherited his fortune, it’s a very happy job.

Where else in the world is there a job where wounded, easily shaken prey with holes in their hearts come to you of their own volition?

“Hellooo.”

I was enjoying the sunlight, lying leisurely on a cot after a late lunch.

The counseling room door burst open, and Yujin came running in.

Surprised by her sudden entrance without knocking, Yuchan, startled, raised his eyebrows and asked Yujin.

“What’s wrong?”

“Eyy~ Do I ever come looking for you because something’s wrong?”

Being disturbed during rest was unpleasant.

I didn’t show it.

“You should be studying, not…”

“No! I studied super hard today! I clocked in a full 3 hours of pure studying before lunch!”

Brandishing her phone’s stopwatch and chirping energetically, Yujin came closer and placed something on the desk.

It was a slice of cake from a nearby cafe.

Thanks to the female students who believed that sugar replenishment was essential after meals, the store never had a day with low sales, and the quality was so excellent that Yuchan often enjoyed it as well.

“Ssaem-ssam-ssam, I brought it to eat together. This place is really good at crepe cakes, but they always sell out super early. So, I snuck out before lunchtime to buy it.”

“Really? Then I’ll brew some coffee.”

“A lot of syrup for mine!”

Leaving her gazing lovingly at the unwrapped slice of cake, I pulled out an espresso from the steamer, having already placed the coffee grounds.

Then, I added a cup of warm water from the water purifier, and the Americano was complete.

“Is it ready yet?”

Unable to wait, Yujin peeked her head out from behind the curtain, wrapping the curtain around herself playfully.

I added the syrup I bought for Yujin and sat on the sofa, and she jumped up and down like she was waltzing, sitting across from me on the sofa.

“Can’t I sit next to you? It’s uncomfortable.”

“No. I have to keep the seat next to me empty for my girlfriend.”

“You don’t have one yet. I’ll just sit there while I eat.”

Without asking further, Yujin came over and leaned against the sofa.

Even though it was a fairly spacious two-seater sofa, her sticking so close was quite transparent.

“Don’t get too close.”

“Aww, why? I’m cold.”

Even if it seems like I’m pushing her away too much, this is the most appropriate way to treat her.

Her black box is telling me.

Lee Yujin is fond of Yuchan, so she doesn’t feel much pressure when she approaches him.

However, the moment Yuchan tries to get too close, she will close her heart and wrap herself up tightly.

Having observed countless people, it was no exaggeration to say that Yuchan was skilled at interpreting the symbolic system of the black box.

For reference, considering that her balsam flowers haven’t fully bloomed, and they turn into buds even with the slightest physical contact.

Yujin has no experience with men.

Contrary to appearances.

“Wow… this is a truly happy taste.”

“Is it that good? You eat the rest.”

“No! I bought it to give to Ssaem-nim. We should eat it together. Try it, try it.”

If a student and teacher were caught sitting close together and acting lovey-dovey while eating cake, my position as a counselor would become quite difficult.

Because of this, I was so focused on the movements outside the door that I didn’t know if the cake was going in my nose or my mouth.

Oblivious to my worries, Yujin just smiled happily and swayed her body from side to side.

“The coffee that Teacher makes is re~ally delicious.”

“It’s because the beans are good. An acquaintance runs a cafe and gets them directly.”

“Wow! That’s why. Then I have to come drink it every day now~”

“You already come to drink it every day.”

I lightly chided Yujin, and she burst into laughter, moving the last piece of cake into her mouth.

The corners of her mouth, which were chewing diligently, were covered with crepe crumbs and small bits of whipped cream.

“Wipe your mouth when you’re done eating. Geez, you’re all covered.”

“Um-um, Teacher, please wipe it for me.”

I looked at her lips, which she pouted out and whined.

Her light pink lips, glistening with lip gloss.

It wasn’t from a road shop that students commonly use, but Chanel.

I couldn’t even guess how much allowance she received.

To share my other impressions,

They were moderately plump in volume, and the shape and texture were good.

If I were to bite them, they would definitely cling to my flesh in a chewy way.

Yuchan couldn’t help but acknowledge the sex appeal that suddenly emanated from a woman who was still quite young.

It wasn’t something that girls her age could easily possess.

It was a natural, innate aura that captivated men.

Suppressing the sudden surge of lust, Yuchan nonchalantly tossed a napkin at her face.

It wasn’t difficult to immediately covet what was in front of me.

However, fruits that are easily obtained are bound to become boring just as quickly.

Just like aging the finest cuts of meat, you have to take your time and let it simmer to feel the ultimate taste when you savor it at the final banquet.

After grumbling and wiping her mouth, Yujin helped wash the cups and then exited with the jewel-like line, ‘At this rate, I’m a top-notch bride material, right?’

2.

Yuchan, who left work earlier than yesterday, started researching materials on his tablet while eating dinner.

Choi Naye’s concern, her ex-boyfriend.

His name is Kim Hyunwoo.

The term “data collection” might sound grand.

Because all you can find with a phone number and name is social media.

But if they are active on Facebook and Instagram, it is possible to obtain enough information.

In less than 30 minutes, I was able to easily find out where he lived, the middle school he attended, the high school he dropped out of, his friendships, and what he was doing recently.

No wonder detective agencies are going out of business one by one.

Publicly disclosing one’s personal information to an unspecified number of people as if it were natural was, in Yuchan’s view, laughably sloppy self-management.

To be so careless in exposing information while indulging in online bonds and the desire for self-aggrandizement.

I couldn’t quite understand it.

“He’s a thug straight out of a comic book.”

Chewing and swallowing the meal consisting of a large amount of chicken breast, vegetables, and sweet potatoes, Choi Naye’s ex-boyfriend, whom I was spying on, seemed to be hanging out with some pretty delinquent friends.

It was impossible to judge the black box from the photos, but physiognomy is statistics, and even just looking at his face, he certainly didn’t have an honest appearance.

The friends he took pictures with all had equally delinquent appearances.

Either muscular pigs wearing tank tops in this weather and tattooed from their forearms.

Or bleached blonde, tanned punks.

Or Gangnam beauties with faces that look like they were stamped out from a mold.

He currently works as a used car dealer.

Seeing him spending the money he earned at clubs or buying luxury goods to show off, he wasn’t the type to diligently plan for the future.

After looking into it a bit more.

I was able to infer his address and route home through the bars he frequented after work.

He seems to be taking care of himself properly, always walking home when he drinks.

It won’t be that difficult to meet him with this.

3.

There’s a saying that you should pull out the ox’s horn in one go.

If I can solve this trivial and annoying problem in one go, Choi Naye’s evaluation of Yuchan will also rise.

Of course, a pretty grand lie will be needed about how I solved it.

Thinking about that, Yuchan packed the necessary items into a sports bag and left the house around 12 o’clock.

He wore a mask and a black hat, and even his winter jogging tracksuit was black.

It was the unmistakable fashion of a middle-aged man exercising at night.

However, the sneakers looked ordinary on the outside, but they had steel plates embedded in the front, making them no different from military boots.

Leaving the car parked, I ran lightly, avoiding the CCTV blind spots as much as possible.

The distance was quite far, but if I thought of it as a simple night exercise, it wasn’t impossible.

I ran silently along the roadside, passing through the bustling streets that still shone with neon signs even at night.

The place I arrived at was an old residential complex near Baekseok Station, or more precisely, a parking lot nearby.

Because it was old, there were few people, and there was no chance of attracting attention from the surroundings.

From this point on, it was purely up to luck.

If Kim Hyunwoo came straight home, it would go as planned, but if it was delayed, I would have to go home and sleep by at least 2 o’clock.

Because I have to drive and exercise early tomorrow morning too.

I leaned against a street lamp, feeling my body, which had warmed up from running, slowly cooling down.

I glanced at my watch, and it was already one o’clock.

Because it was an alleyway with almost no pedestrians, it wasn’t difficult to identify each person.

Then, a man who was staggering up the stairs and talking loudly on the phone caught my eye.

It wasn’t difficult to identify him even from a distance.

Because I’ve seen over 2000 pictures of him.

His physique and build were as expected.

“So, I sold a Benz with a shady back-three-way deal for a real hefty profit, you know?”

He seemed to be in a good mood, chuckling as he came up.

Too bad.

Because he’s about to be in a bad mood.

I blocked his path as he walked awkwardly, looking at the ground.

Kim Hyunwoo, who was looking up, having sensed someone’s presence.

His face, which had been grinning until just now from a pleasant phone call with a friend, twisted strangely.

“Are you Kim Hyunwoo?”

“Hey, hang up the phone. I’ll call you back later.”

Kim Hyunwoo, who flicked his cigarette away in a delinquent manner, glared and cocked his head back and forth.

Is this haggard face really 23 years old? Is he a drug addict or something?

This is a bit of a rude impression.

But I couldn’t help but question the ideal type of the truly lovely model student, Choi Naye-yang.

“Hey, what the fuck? Why are you blocking someone’s path? And where did you hear my name from?”

Still, he’s quite physically fit, whether it’s innate or not.

His height is around 178 cm, and his weight is around 80 kg.

“I’m Naye’s boyfriend. I heard about you from Naye.”

“Oh, lowering your voice makes you sound pretty cool? So, that’s why you came looking for me wearing a mask and a hat pulled down so low? What, are you going to stab me or something?”

He’s threateningly pushing his upper body forward, but.

What is he going to do if I throw a hook here, pushing in like this?

Regardless of that carelessness, he won’t be intimidated by these words, as much as he’s rolled around among rough thugs.

“People can come and go here. Let’s go over there and talk.”

“Keu keu keuk, that fucking slut must have already sucked her new boyfriend’s dick like crazy. Hey, take off your mask.”

I dodged Kim Hyunwoo’s arm, which was reaching for my face, by leaning back my upper body only.

I had no intention of losing to an amateur who was drunk and only knew how to fight in the streets.

I wanted to avoid attracting people’s attention as much as possible.

Judging that way, Yuchan slapped Kim Hyunwoo’s cheek lightly.

Not to the point of screaming or getting hurt, but just tapping him lightly with the back of my hand.

Taking advantage of his carelessness, I tapped him a few times.

“Huh?”

Kim Hyunwoo’s eyes, who was blankly following the hand hitting his face with his eyes, not knowing what he was experiencing, became bloodshot.

Rather than throwing a punch, scratching their pride like this is a special medicine for provoking thugs.

“You fucking bitch!”

I don’t immediately accept the exploding anger.

Yuchan immediately turned around and started running.

If Yuchan, who has been exercising and jogging every day, runs at full speed, there’s no way Kim Hyunwoo, who lives soaked in cigarettes and alcohol, can keep up.

Yuchan ran away, running at a speed that Kim Hyunwoo could barely keep up with.

“Huff! Huff! Don’t stop there! I’m going to rip out your fucking organs..!!”

Maintaining a close distance, as if he was about to catch me, from Kim Hyunwoo, who was literally showing a furious rampage, I slowly started running towards the department store on the outskirts.

The building, which had turned into a ghost mansion as the lien exercise continued for over 5 years, had its front gate locked with a padlock, but that wasn’t a problem.

I had cut it in half with a cutter before coming to find Kim Hyunwoo.

Seeing him following me to the death, even while making sounds of gasping for breath as if he was about to faint from dyspnea, he must be pretty angry.

I had only been running for about 10 minutes, but the curse words that had been heard intermittently had subsided.

It’s only natural that he’s exhausted, given his lack of exercise, and the fact that he was screaming and making such a fuss when he should have been controlling his breathing.

I had only spared a little bit of energy in preparation for any eventuality.

Kim Hyunwoo staggered and ran in behind Yuchan, who squeezed through the slightly open construction site barricade.