## Chapter 242 – Side Story) Stress Management Is Important! (1)
“A greenhorn who hasn’t even experienced the real world is the boss?
No wonder the employees are so out of it. Unbelievable…”
I can feel the glances from the customers sitting at the other tables.
Their gazes are fixed on Chanwoo Oppa, who’s standing in front of the table by the window.
In this not-so-large shop, an Ajumma is pointing her finger at Oppa and yelling.
Next to the irascible Ajumma, a young child is crying miserably.
“…I’m sorry, ma’am. I won’t charge you for the meal. If you need anything…”
A cold splash of water hits Oppa’s face as he smiles nonchalantly and bows his head.
The water that struck Oppa’s face is dripping onto the floor, forming a small puddle.
He slowly raises his head to see the Ajumma, her face flushed red, slamming down the water glass.
“Isn’t that the least you can do? Your mistake almost ruined my child’s stomach!”
…That Ajumma is getting on my nerves. Yelling at Oppa like that…
I’d love to cut out her vocal cords so she can never yell again,
But Oppa wouldn’t like that. He’s mellowed out a lot these days.
“I sincerely apologize once again. I’m truly sorry.
It’s my fault for not properly training the staff. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
‘The staff didn’t properly explain that the pasta for the child was spicy.’
That’s why this Ajumma customer is so angry that she even threw water on Oppa’s face.
If a table with a child orders a spicy dish, the ‘staff’ should have warned them.
Even after being warned, they ordered the food, and the child ate it while she wasn’t paying attention.
The child started crying because the food was spicy, drawing the attention of other customers,
And she, feeling a ridiculous sense of shame, is venting her anger on Oppa, the owner of the shop.
Dealing with people like that is always the most troublesome.
“…There, there, sweetie.”
“H-Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Oppa, who was being humiliated by someone so low-class, raises his head and approaches the crying child.
The surprised Ajumma hurriedly grabs Oppa’s shoulder, but it’s no use.
Oppa nonchalantly shakes off the Ajumma’s hand and strokes the child’s reddened lips.
“Waaah… Ah? Ah…”
“It won’t hurt anymore.”
The child’s reddened lips quickly return to their original color,
And she immediately stops crying, lowers her eyelids, and falls asleep.
“…The baby must have been very tired from crying. She fell asleep just like that.
I’m sorry for the unpleasant experience you had at my shop today. I’ll make sure to pay attention next time.”
With the source of the problem, the child’s crying, suddenly gone, the restaurant becomes quiet.
He bows deeply, handing the sleeping child, who looks like an angel, back to the Ajumma.
“Ah, th-that… Uh…”
The Ajumma, who doesn’t have the courage to speak louder than the child’s cries, just opens and closes her mouth.
Her eyes darting around, she notices the other customers’ gazes focused on her, and she clicks her tongue quietly.
“D-Don’t expect me to ever come back to a place like this!”
She quietly expresses her anger so as not to wake the child and quickly runs out of the shop.
“Goodbye.”
Oppa skillfully bids farewell to the departing woman and re-enters the shop.
This time, the customers are glancing at Oppa. The atmosphere is far from a ‘pleasant meal’…
“…I’m very sorry for the disturbance. I won’t charge anyone here for their meals,
So please finish your meals and have a good time. I’ll be going now…”
The shop atmosphere seems to perk up at the words ‘won’t charge.’
Oppa bows his head in apology to the customers in the shop
and walks towards the entrance of the staff lounge where I’m standing.
“…I could have handled it myself. Oppa, really…”
“Still, there was a child involved. Are you going to let a child grow up without a mother?”
“Wh-When did I say I was going to kill that Ajumma?! I’m also a patient adult now…”
“So, what were you going to do? I don’t think you’d hire an Ajumma like that as ‘staff.’”
“…Uh…”
I tried to deny it, but Oppa already knew, as he smirked and looked back at me.
Ah, come to think of it, Oppa must have been reading my thoughts from the start… He must be angry…?
“…As a way to vent, I was just going to make it so she couldn’t speak for a while…”
“If you cut out her vocal cords, she won’t be able to speak for a while, but forever, right?”
He really did read everything…
“…I’m sorry. But trying to protect Oppa is the instinct of a flower chosen as a companion…
I can’t help it. My insides feel like they’re turning inside out just from hearing people insult Oppa.”
Oppa, who had been listening to my story while putting on his coat and scarf from the hanger,
My king, grabbed my shoulders with both hands and pressed his lips to my cheek.
“I know your heart well. I know you well, too. That’s why I entrust the shop to you.
If I had put Seohee or Sua in this position, that Ajumma would have been… Well, you know?
You’re also a mother of a child, and I’m a father now, so I know how you feel.”
“…Yes.”
“I’m always sorry for making you go through so much trouble. And thank you for living the way I want you to.”
Oppa, who smoothed my hair and smiled, left the shop as a farewell.
He’s been staying by pregnant Seohee Unni’s side and even came to the shop because of what happened…
He must be very tired, but instead of being angry, he smiled… Oppa has changed a lot.
“……”
I love Oppa so much, even when he’s so kind ♡
He truly loves and cherishes such an immature companion who can’t even control her emotions properly…
Even though he has many companions, he loves me so much that I never feel like I’m lacking in love.
Ah, I’m so happy to be ‘Chaeyoon Lee,’ that person’s companion…♡
“…Okay! I have to work hard.”
He believes in me and entrusted me with this job, so I have to do my best in the work I’ve been given!
Seohee Unni helped me a lot when I was pregnant, so this time, I’ll cheer up.
And when Unni’s child is born, that’s when I’ll have a second child with Oppa…
“…Ma’am, Madam?”
“Ah, ah?! Wh-What’s wrong?!”
I turn to look at the employee who tapped my shoulder with a finger while I was smiling foolishly, lost in happy delusions.
“The customer is asking for the bill now…”
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
“Well, everyone, I’ll head in first.”
After seeing off the last customer of the evening, I pack my things and leave the shop.
I’ll leave the cleaning and locking up to the employees and hurry home. My daughter will be waiting.
The breath I exhale in the much colder weather turns into a cloudy mist and scatters into the air.
I walk through the darkened night streets and out of the street where the shop was located, and my vision brightens.
Instead of the sun, the colorful lights from bars and karaoke rooms illuminate the streets.
…Originally, after closing the shop, I would always go back with Oppa in the car,
But Oppa, who’s been busy helping Seohee Unni, who isn’t alone, stopped by the shop because of the earlier problem.
He’s already busy, so I can’t ask him to pick me up. I feel sorry for both of them…
I don’t really want to, but I’ll have to go back alone today.
Even though it’s not that late, I start walking down the street filled with drunk people.
It feels different walking down a street that I always quickly passed by in a car.
I’ve been so busy lately that it’s been a while since I’ve taken a short walk like this.
I used to walk a lot with Oppa. Ah, this weekend, I should go to the amusement park with Sihae or…
“Oh, wait, just a moment! You’re definitely…”
“…Yes?”
A pair of men and women called out to me as I was walking, lost in the long-awaited leisure.
The woman, in particular, grabbed my wrist tightly and raised her voice.
Embarrassment. What are these people?
The woman, who had been staring intently at me with a frown, suddenly brightened her face and shouted.
“…That’s right! You’re Chaeyoon, aren’t you? Lee Chaeyoon! Don’t you remember me? We were in the same class in high school!”
“…Yes?”
Ah, was she someone who knew ‘the old me’? I quickly rummage through my memories.
I didn’t memorize information from high school because it wasn’t that necessary…
Let’s see, Lee Chaeyoon in high school… Memories of ‘my high school days’…
I try to revive the buried memories in my brain, which has long been mine.
“…You’re Narae? Choi Narae?”
“Oh, that’s right! You remember me! You haven’t aged at all. You’re still the same as you were in high school~”
“……”
I’ve run into a face that I’m not very happy to see in a completely unexpected place.
Choi Narae. Even though we went to the same high school, Lee Chaeyoon and Choi Narae weren’t close.
We were only in the same class once, during the busiest time of our high school years, our senior year.
Moreover, Choi Narae was the one who bullied Lee Chaeyoon, the student, me.
I wasn’t directly affected, but Lee Chaeyoon’s memories are rejecting the person in front of me.
“How many years has it been? It’s been 8 years since we graduated high school, right?
It’s been so long~ Right? What have you been up to these days? Judging by your complexion, you seem to be doing really well.”
Choi Narae’s tone is obviously sarcastic, but her face is beaming.
She was like this even in high school. She wants to badmouth things she doesn’t like but doesn’t want to be a bad person,
A typical fox with a pretty face who was popular with male students from other schools.
Even now, she’s wearing a short skirt and heavy makeup that are hard to see as appropriate for early winter.
And she’s trying to put me down while clinging to a guy who seems like her boyfriend.
“I’m doing well. I’m running a restaurant nearby.”
“Oh, really? But wasn’t your major not in cooking? That’s unexpected~”
I swallow the sigh that’s trying to escape and turn my gaze away.
It’s annoying, I hate wasting time on such pathetic people.
Both Narae and I are smiling, but the atmosphere is getting heavy, unlike the surface.
I was already annoyed because of that awful Ajumma today, so maybe I should ‘relieve some stress’…
No, if I make a big deal out of it again, Chanwoo Oppa will hate it.
I’ll have to ask Minjung Unni or Sua Unni to clean up after me, so it’ll be a nuisance in many ways…
“Is this Narae’s friend? I heard you run a restaurant nearby?
Wow, I happen to be running a bar right in front of here.”
I’m gritting my teeth while looking at the beaming Choi Narae,
When suddenly, her boyfriend-like thug cuts in.
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“Oh, that’s right. Oppa, I want to have a drink with my friend who I haven’t seen in a long time.
Should we drink together at Oppa’s place? My Oppa’s friends are coming too… Right?”
“Oh, that would be great! Uh… Did you say your name was Chaeyoon? How about it? I’ll buy the drinks.”
…Why does it always turn out like this? Be patient, Lee Chaeyoon. Be patient.
“…I have to go home urgently. I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to decline.”
“Come on, don’t be like that. If someone as pretty as Chaeyoon comes, it’ll liven up the atmosphere.”
A large hand grabs my arm as I turn around with a forced smile.
The unpleasant sensation I feel from the man who’s touching my arm in a somewhat blatant way.
“Yeah, Chaeyoon~ What’s wrong? The Oppas who are coming are all fun people.
And some of our classmates are coming too, so let’s meet up after a long time, huh?”
The man is pulling me with increasing force, and Choi Narae is grinning as she watches.
…The two aren’t in a romantic relationship. Well, there’s no way Choi Narae, that fox, would date anyone.
She’s using this man while wagging her tail. She’s gotten quite old, but she hasn’t changed.
“I’m sorry, but would you please let go? I don’t think I can hold back any longer.”
My discomfort is reaching its peak. I want to cut off the hand of this man who’s holding my arm.
My body belongs to Chanwoo Oppa, my king. It’s not something a cheap thug like this can touch.
“Running a restaurant must be hard, right? I know. Dealing with customers can be quite stressful~
You have to relieve stress at times like that. It’s very important? Haha, just close your eyes today and…”
“Ugh…?! Wait…!”
The man suddenly puts his hand, which was holding my arm, into my pocket and grabs my hand inside.
Surprised, I unconsciously put strength into my hand and pulled it away, and my hand and the man’s hand slipped.
“Ah, what’s this… A ring?”
Because of that, the ring that was on my finger fell off.
The precious ring I received from my king. The ring that I should cherish the most as a companion.
It’s been tainted by the hand of such a man, such a person.
“Ah, I’m sorry~ Is this Chaeyoon’s ring? I must have pulled too hard and it fell off. Haha… Cough?!”
I insert a thin tentacle into the mouth of the man who’s scratching his head awkwardly and handing me the ring.
“…Originally, I would have torn your internal organs to shreds and scattered them in the sea, but, haa…
I can’t do anything that would betray that person’s expectations, so I’ll consider it ‘your life.’
‘I’ve just stimulated your sexual desire. Go out into the street and assault any woman.’”
“Haa… Hack…! Cough…!!”
“Oh, Oppa? What’s wrong all of a sudden? Oppa?”
The man, whose brain is being gouged out by the tentacle, keeps making strange moans,
And Choi Narae, who’s standing behind the man, is just raising her voice, not knowing anything.
After implanting the ‘order to assault a woman on the street’ deep in the man’s brain and pulling out the tentacle,
“Ugh, ugh… Haa…! Aaaaaah!!”
“Kyaa, kyaa?! Oppa?! Where are you going!”
The man, who had been clutching his head and drooling, screamed and ran out into the street.
And soon after, a woman’s sharp scream and murmuring sounds echoed through the street.
This is how that man’s life as a human being came to an end. I’ve deleted his intelligence and left only his instincts,
So now, I can’t see him as a person anymore, but as a monkey with only a strong sexual desire.
He assaulted a woman in a place with many eyes, so he’ll be judged by the law,
And even after his punishment ends, he’ll become a wreck who’s confined to a mental hospital…
“Even with that much, he’s living a life of luxury after insulting my king.
He’s lucky, so be grateful for the mercy that the king has bestowed upon you today.”
“Oh, Oppa… L-Lee Chaeyoon, what did you do to Oppa…?”
Choi Narae, who’s looking at the chaotic street and is shocked, covers her mouth and turns to look at me.
“…Why? Do you think I gave him some kind of drug? I didn’t do anything.
‘He’ just ran out on his own, right? What did I do?”
“Y-You definitely did something to Oppa just now…”
I approach the frozen Choi Narae. The more I do, the more she steps back,
Choi Narae, who’s about to scream as she hurriedly crawls out of the alley after falling on the cold floor.
“S-Someone help…!! Ugh?!”
I tie up her body and drag her in front of me while blocking her mouth with a tentacle.
“Ugh, euheuph…!! Heuuph!”
“Well, as expected, the king would be satisfied enough with her appearance. But,
It’s hard to offer someone like you to that person. Ah, the life of a sewer-like human. How pitiful.”
“Heueuk…! Euph…!”
I lick away the tears of Choi Narae, who’s crying with a terrified expression.
“Don’t worry. We were school friends, right? I’ll help you.
I’ll make it so that you can be of help to my king even with such a trashy life…♡”
I hate to admit it, but that man’s words made sense.
I have to relieve stress periodically. Ah, I’m already looking forward to it♡
