Chapter 108:

Chapter 108:

Kwon Jia and I didn’t have any conversation as we returned to the association after finishing our business.

I didn’t think we needed to talk, so I kept silent, but she seemed to have a different reason.

A slight discomfort or hesitation towards me.

She didn’t show it, but I was so sensitive that I felt it clearly.

“Jia.”

Finally, I couldn’t stand it and opened my mouth first before we arrived at the office.

“Hmm?”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Me? To you?”

“Yes.”

I thought she would snap at me with her usual stiff expression, saying ‘Don’t talk nonsense’.

But she frowned her flawless forehead and said in a hesitant voice.

“...It’s about what just happened.”

“Oh? You really had something to say?”

“What?”

“No. Never mind. Go on.”

“It’s about how you were... harassed.”

When I heard the rest of her words, I had an idea why she showed me that attitude.

She felt a very slight guilt towards me.

“I don’t even remember the name of that woman, but anyway... She was definitely my problem. Surely, you got involved here because of me. What happened this time is partly my responsibility.”

She made an uncomfortable expression, as if she remembered Kim Ji-yu, who tried to blame me for her wrongdoing.Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

But she was so pretty that even this face became a picture.

“Well, honestly, I was a bit surprised by what happened too. But it ended well, right? Then, isn’t it fine?”

“My pride doesn’t allow it.”

She said it was her pride, but maybe it was something else.

She made a contract with me as an equal regressor, but she wanted to somehow fix the trouble she caused unknowingly...

Hmm. How should I say it?

A competitive spirit that doesn’t want to owe anything to that guy?

[Isn’t it hatred? Hehe.]

‘Die. You.’

I ignored Baekryeon’s words and stared at Kwon Jia’s face.

She felt my gaze and maintained her shameless face as a regressor.

But if I looked closely, her cheeks were slightly red.

“So what I’m saying is...”

“It’s okay.”

It wasn’t Kwon Jia’s fault for what happened this time.

Kim Ji-yu moved for her sake, but it was unreasonable to blame Kwon Jia for that.

“It’s not your fault, Jia. The one who did wrong was the one who did stupid things because she couldn’t overcome her inferiority complex. Why are you sorry?”

“Who, who said I was sorry?”

“Jia.”

She pursed her lips for a moment and then shook her head roughly.

“No. Not at all. Are you in some kind of delusion?”

“If you’re not sorry, then that’s fine. The point is, there’s no need to bring up something that’s already over.”

Even if it was something I didn’t want, it turned out well in the end.

Rather, I was able to relieve some stress and feel a bit relieved.

“...Didn’t you reveal your identity?”

Kwon Jia said in a low voice.

Well, surely the rumor about Teller Kang Yu-hyun who came down in summer would spread among the collectors.

The clan that was already gossiping about me would have guessed my identity and confirmed it with this incident.

Considering that I tried to be secretive, this might be a blow to her eyes.

“I already thought it would happen someday. It was something I had to do anyway, so there’s nothing to regret.”

Rather, I had no regrets because a good opportunity was prepared for me.

Hyerim also got confirmed, and now all Kwon Jia had to do was grow up.

Looking back, what happened today was a good timing.

“But...”

Even though I said I was fine, Kwon Jia didn’t seem to give up on something.

I wondered why she was like that and asked her carefully when I thought of something.

“Are you worried that something similar might happen in the future?”

“...”

That was the answer.

“Is there anyone else you’re hiding besides Kim Ji-yu today?”

“I didn’t hide anything! ...I just don’t remember. You never know. Someone I don’t know, someone I’ve forgotten, might have ill intentions towards me and try to attack you again.”

“Even as a regressor?”

Celine realized that it was all a tantrum from her weak heart.

Yu-hyun was not bad.

She just thought he was bad.

And she wished he was.

I unconsciously justified my hatred for him.

It was unlike me, who always had to be firm and rational.

That’s how much I was cornered right now.

‘I am...’

As I looked at the books on one wall with a troubled gaze.

“Oh. You’re here.”

Yu-hyun, who had finished his work, came back to the guardian’s room.

“Did you come back?”

I quickly changed my attitude and bowed my head to Yu-hyun.

A courteous behavior without a trace of emotion.

‘I respect you as a boss, but that’s it.’

That’s what I was saying with my actions.

“So, how was today?”

Yu-hyun didn’t seem to care about that at all, and sat down on the chair in the guardian’s room and asked.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, work. Was it hard or anything?”

“It wasn’t.”

“Is that so? I thought you might have done something wrong or had a hard time.”

Gulp.

I felt a slight emotion at his condescending words.

“...Are you teasing me?”

“Did it look like that?”

I realized that he was deliberately inducing my behavior when I looked into his eyes.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have such a serious face.

He tapped the armrest of the chair with his finger.

“Have you read the books on that shelf?”

“I haven’t.”

“Weren’t you curious? It’s the story of how I became an Assistant Manager in the shortest time.”

“Are you bragging?”

“If I’m bragging?”

“You didn’t tell me to read it, so I didn’t.”

“Geez. You’re so stiff. You can read them freely if you’re here.”

“Is that an order?”

“If it’s an order. Will you follow it?”

“...”

Freedom.

I chewed on the word he uttered in my mind.

It was not a word that a teller of the Celestial Corporation, who pursued infinite competition and valued hierarchy, would say.

He noticed my reaction in an instant and smiled softly.

“Why? Are you surprised that I said this?”

“No.”

“You must have seen it today. I’m different from other tellers.”

“...”

I decided to keep quiet.

The more I talked to him, the more I felt like some invisible flow was grabbing me and pulling me along.

His voice was like a wave that receded and came back again, slowly eating away at my mind.

It felt like my clothes were getting wet by the drizzling rain without me knowing.

“I’m not saying this myself, but I’m a bit of a weirdo. And this is how I do things. What do you think about that? Celine.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know? Or are you pretending?”

“So, what...”

“You’re not a real teller, are you?”

“...!”

The words that came out of his mouth were the truth that I had never told anyone.

How did he?

As if he had seen through my heart, his words made me lose my poker face for the first time.

“Celine. How does it feel to wear clothes that don’t fit your body? Isn’t it suffocating?”

“Wha, what are you...”

I felt scared by his smile for the first time.