Chapter 117 – 39
A quiet interior.
As I was sitting in the branch manager’s office and slightly observing him, the branch manager spoke to me first.
“So… First of all… Barrier, will you please leave now? I have something to talk about alone with Ji Sang.”
He had been looking at me with a slightly uncomfortable look since a while ago, but it turned out that it was directed at Barrier, who was holding me, so I was a little embarrassed.
“I’m sorry, but there is no valid basis for my motive to leave. Since Master Kang Ji-sang is tired, I am taking care of him…”
“You’re talking back again! Again! How many times have you said ‘yes’ when just talking to one another?”
“The owner is the one who always said that it is important to develop AI’s ability to make arbitrary decisions. I am practicing that habit. Is it wrong…?”
” Ah… Damn it… Ugh!! “
The branch manager, who was tapping the back of his neck vigorously as if he was feeling a strain, looked at me with liberated eyes and continued speaking.
“I feel relieved to see you are doing well.”
I tried to reply to what the branch leader said, but my voice didn’t come out properly due to lack of strength, so I gestured to Barrier to give me a writing pad and a notebook to write something with.
Barrier, who immediately understood this, brought me a pen and a notebook, and I wrote with all my might on the notebook and showed it to the branch manager.
[Thank you so much, branch manager, for your continued concern.]
“····Huh? Uh-no. There’s no need to be thankful! It’s like a duty I have to do…”
He spoke lightly, but for some reason, I couldn’t bear to ask him because he seemed bitter and out of the ordinary.
“But I didn’t say something wrong…? You don’t seem to have the energy to speak up. What happened…?”
I felt even more grateful for the warm eyes that kept worrying about me, and I quickly wrote down in my notebook.
[Because of Mom and Aseol, there is always a pile of housework. So it’s a war every day haha;]
“Ah… Really… You’ve gone through a lot of trouble.”
It was indescribable for me to say that I had become like this because I was bullied by my mother and Ah-seol, and the king’s ears were not like those of a donkey, so I just felt sorry for not being able to tell him honestly. . .
[The branch manager still seems to have a better complexity than before!]
“Ah… Yes, I’ve finished a lot of backlogged work and luckily I’ve been freed from paperwork, so I’m enjoying my first vacation in a while – “
“I am proud of the owner, but all the overdue work is passed on to assistant Seong A-yeon or me…”
“It’s so noisy!! If you’re going to keep tackling me, get out now! Ugh – he’s just nagging me.”
“It’s not nagging, it’s giving advice with a focus on ‘neglect of duty’…”
The branch leader covered his ears with both hands as if he didn’t want to hear, and I sighed and wrote something in my notebook and showed it to Barrier.
[Don’t say too much to the barrier branch leader]
“It’s because Master Kang Ji-sang doesn’t know. He left all the remaining work to me and assistant Seong A-yeon, and he only plays games on his phone here…”
At Barrier’s firm words, I shook my head and moved the pen again.
[Barrier: It’s not about play. It’s about work efficiency.]
“Work efficiency… You mean…?”
When I nodded, he started to refute with an expression of not understanding.
“It seems to me that Master Kang Ji-sang is lying to me to protect you. Work efficiency consists of the most basic principles of resting when you are resting and working when you are working. Did I misunderstand? “
[Yes, the work efficiency you mentioned is generally correct. But everyone has a different style when it comes to working.]
“You mean style…?”
[Yes, for example, among the people I know, there is a person who always has to take a 10-minute break while working. A person who works for 1 hour and always takes a 10-minute break.]
“You are a very lazy person.”
[It looks like that from the barrier’s perspective, right? But no, that person is handling things appropriately in his own style and improving work efficiency.]
“····I don’t understand…”
[Um… Yes! Barrier, you have a daily routine, right?]
” Yes… “
[How would you feel if your daily routine suddenly changed…?]
“····I don’t think I’ll be in a good mood…”
[That’s right. Likewise, that person has a routine and style of working, so at first, as Barrier said, he was a person who worked when working and rested when he rested, but eventually, as he gets used to working, each person finds his or her. Her. Own style, or method. That person is also looking for a style and doing it because the routine of working for 1 hour and resting for 10 minutes suits him well. Well, of course there is no such job.]
“…Humans are difficult… I thought I understood everything, but… It’s getting harder again.”
[People feel comfortable with rules, and the same goes for routines. Humanity is like that… Oh, I’ll stop talking about humanity… Anyway, the branch manager thinks that’s what improves work efficiency. It’s a deviation in its own way. Please don’t look at it too negatively.]
The branch manager nodded, probably because I was explaining it poorly, and Barrier reluctantly agreed and patted my head.
“…I heard that men like to do things like this…What do you think…?”
[It’s not bad… I’m fine. Still, doing that suddenly is rude to others because it ruins your hairstyle.]
“I have no intention of doing this to anyone else. Only to the owner of Kangji Sangjang.”
Barrier, who was muttering quietly, stroked my head with her expressionless face, then smiled slightly and continued her words.
“····This isn’t that bad, so it might be okay to do it every day.”
[Yes… Really?]
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but Barrier, could you please leave for a moment? It’s really important.”
After looking at her, the branch manager asked Barrier again, and Barrier seemed disappointed and eventually left me and went out.
Of course, he only left because I noticed him.
“····Sigh, it seems like the audience has completely changed. As time goes on, they don’t even listen to what I say… Huh- “
As soon as the barrier went out, she laughed a little because the branch manager started gossiping excitedly.
[Even though Barrier looks like that on the outside, she must be thinking a lot about the branch leader.]
“I wish you could at least say that… Yes, Ji Sang-ah, would you rather take charge of the barrier? Wouldn’t you be safe by attaching her as a bodyguard next to her?”
I was taken aback by the words of the branch manager, who suddenly looked at me with great determination in his eyes, and then started writing my pen again.
[The barrier must protect the branch leader! Moreover, I understand that the branch is also in charge of defense…]
” To put it bluntly, I can just transfer the branch defense system to someone else, and the guy who protects me will be enough as a security guard here. “
To me, it seemed like he was trying to ward off the nag, but I couldn’t help but laugh a little at the branch manager’s childlike appearance.
[That would be nice for me… But it probably won’t work. Mom and Aseol won’t leave me alone.]
“That’s right, it’s probably a bit absurd.”
I just kept silent as the branch manager spoke as if he had already expected it, but I was afraid that the atmosphere would get even weirder, so this time I spoke up first.
[What is important to say?]
“Ah····! Um- before that, Ji Sang, why did you turn off your cell phone…? You made a lot of calls…”
[It’s a long story, but Ah-seol broke my phone;;]
“…Yes, that’s right…Somehow…”
[The branch manager suffered a lot from his mother, right? Sorry.]
“Ah… No! I’m suffering! It’s a complaint that I always accept! I told you there’s no need to be sorry!?”
[That’s just for a day or two. How well do I know my mother’s personality her, her…]
” Hmm… Still, I feel like I’m really being rewarded because Ji Sang understands my feelings so well that I’m having a hard time… Haha – thank you so much. “
People have something called facial expression.
It’s like a shadow that cannot be hidden even if you try to hide it.
It’s a sign that anyone who has lived in society usually sees, but it was very evident in the branch leader.
“But…Where did you go again? What I heard from Harin is that Jisang heard that you went to the festival with Aseol…”
Yes, I took the opportunity to escape and it worked! It was right to say that, but if I said that, they would know that I was the culprit of everything, so unless I was an asshole, there would be no need to say it.
[Well, I was captured by some strange women… But Ah-seol saved me… And I survived.]
“Really…? That’s a really big deal… There are so many women harassing you in Ji Sang that it’s a problem even if public security is good…”
Since I lied so often to my family, I also lied to good people, but the more I did it, the more natural my acting seemed to become.
My conscience was pricked for no reason, so I cleared my throat and changed the topic.
[Can you tell me now…?]
” Ah… Right! Sorry, first of all… Wait a minute… “
He suddenly stood up and took out medicine containers from a locked drawer and gave them to me. There were three in total.
When I looked closely, it was just a green pill and there was nothing special about it.
[What is this?]
“Should I call it a nutritional supplement? I made it specially because I asked someone I know. Do I have to give it to Ah-jeong, Ah-seol, and Ha-rin?”
It was a very serious tone, but I agreed for now.
Since he was a trustworthy person, he would not have cheated on medicine.
“You just have to tell them to take it once every three months. You have to do that, okay…?”
[Yes, but… There are three pills… Can I not take them?]
“Ah… It doesn’t matter if you eat Ji-sang, but… What can I say, it won’t be effective for you. That’s right, Harin, Ah-seol, and Ah-jeong have a unique constitution and body, right? So, I tailored it accordingly. “
I quickly agreed with the branch manager’s words.
It would be a different story if the drug had been manufactured targeting absurd superhumans in the first place.
I took care of the medicine cabinet without saying anything.
“····Even if I call Harin, she doesn’t answer, and even if I call her and say I give it to her, she probably isn’t a great person to eat, and it’s bittersweet that Ji Sang has no one to ask for except you. “
[Yes, I understand.]
What the branch manager said was very natural.
“Ha… I put out the emergency fire first… Um, and Ji Sang-ah, do you remember what I said before?”
[Which one?]
“At that time… I said I needed to meet someone… “
I was able to immediately remember the branch leader’s words.
[Ah, that…Mom or Aseol’s hair…]
“Uh! That’s right, how does he want to see me now…?”
[Of course. He told me that they would meet then too. How can I see it now…?]
“Yes, the time is free…The timing is perfect.”
[I’m ready.]
“I’ll say it again, thank you so much, for following me without saying anything.”
[Compared to how much the branch manager takes care of us, this is a new experience. If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to let me know. If I can help you, I will help you unconditionally.]
“Just saying those words is reassuring. Haha – Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”
[Ah… Well… I have a favor to ask you when you leave… ]
“Please? What is it…?”
[When I go, can I go while being held by the barrier again…? I’m in such a bad state right now… I’m sorry.]
“Well…Yeah, that’s not difficult. No problem.”
[Thank you.]
Barrier’s breasts were never soft to be hugged.
Because my body had reached its limit, I had no strength to walk right now.
Yes, absolutely not.
