Being A Full-Time Employee C18

Chapter 18

I disabled the lock on the open training hall, tilting my head as I walked in. At first, I thought maybe Wonu’s way of talking explained why he drew so much hostility. But over time… no. It didn’t make sense. Not to this degree. Watching him sometimes, he even had a kind of goofy charm…

“Hyung!”

The instant the doors opened, his eyes locked on mine. He beamed, waving both hands furiously, running full tilt toward me like an overexcited giant retriever. A giant retriever… dragging something dripping with blood in his hand.

“Hyung! Hand! Hand, hand!”

Blood dripping steadily down his fingers.

I yelped, ducked sideways back into the hallway, and slammed the door shut behind me. A thud, then another, like he’d collided with the inside. His voice came through short-range earpiece automatics—waste of tech, that.

―“Hyuuung. Too mean.”

“What’s that on your hand?!”

Out of sight but far too cheerful, his voice rang.

―“Monster offal! Training type!”

For a moment, I wondered if I’d wandered into a Korean sundae shop. The way he chirped it—bright as if he were ordering a dish, “Lots of lungs, please, cut thick—” I nearly gagged.

“We’ll meet again after you wash your hands!”

Because me? I only eat the sausage, not the organs.

He still reeked faintly of blood. But under it, clinging—he’d clearly tried to mask it—was the saccharine smell of cherry candy. Sweet against metallic tang. Unfitting, but… unsettlingly, both suited him.

Blood and cherry sugar. I could perfectly picture him, holding up crimson-smeared hands with mock innocence, chirping, “It’s melted candy, hyung.” A walking weapon that smelled like dessert.

“It had three lungs.”
“…Sorry, what?”

Lost in thought, I blinked as he spoke again.

“The one I caught earlier. Never seen that type in my old dungeon. Had three lungs.”
“So you got bloody just to check?”
“Yep. And three lungs it was.”
“….”

I’d said it as a joke. He’d meant it.

“It even had gills.”
“…I don’t want to imagine it. Especially before eating. Please stop.”

Each detail nauseated me more than the last. I waved him off.

From his many-pocketed army pants he pulled out hand cream and smeared it meticulously. The cherry scent spread heavier, masking the copper stink.

Then, catching me watching, he squeezed out an excessive blob.

“Hyung.”
“…I know what you’re about to say.”
“Too much cream. Can you take some?”

“Where did you learn this?”
“They said study dating. So I googled it.”
“…Your phone’s getting confiscated.”
“I also used my tablet.”
“That too.”

Maybe I needed parental locks. Sighing as if I were his guardian, not his partner, I scooped some from his palm. Cherry fragrance clung to me too now, rubbing carefully between my fingers as the cafeteria came in sight.

And at the corridor’s bent corner—big men. The same hunters from earlier, the ones I’d verbally sparred with. Damn. Of all times. Just before dinner.

“…Tonight want ramen again?”

Unaware, Wonu murmured.
“I’ll even try it spicy this time.”
“Hunter Chae.”
“Come on, it won’t kill me.”
“Listen. Act like we’re awkward right now.”

I walked a little further ahead, posture stiff. If he clung like usual, they’d jeer, cheap-shot comments meant to sting. My gut was almost never wrong.

I nudged his back.
“Go ahead first.”

To my relief, he listened. Stepped forward three strides, scanning no faces at all, just swiping his card at the cafeteria scanner. One more second and he’d be through.

Then:

“Hey. Monster.”

So close.

“You talking to me?”

His reply was soft, almost warm—the same tone he used with me. The man sneered, nodding.
“Here comes Goldfish shit, tagging along.”

…Me. He was insulting me. Insane. Correction: Wonu was the turd—I was the goldfish. But they’d flipped it. Made me the shit.

I kept my face blank.

“Yeah. He’s my partner.”
“You deserve a partner?”
“Why not?”
“Watch your tone, brat.”
“Why not?”

He smiled as he said it. I swiped my card. Maybe I could just slide in.

“Do you know how many years older I am—”
“You want to compare ranks instead?”

Hands in pockets, Wonu stepped in close. Towering a head higher despite the man’s bulk. The man’s face twisted.

“Then I’d win outright.”

The grin, calm tone—deliberately infuriating. I sighed. A character you cherished when on your side. Wanted to throttle if not.

“You want me to tell your partner what kind of freak you really are?”
“…Being the ‘shit’ here feels insulting, thanks.”

See? He’s the tag-along, not me. Why is no one hearing that?

Wonu pressed his finger into the man’s shoulder. Slowly. A bead of water swelled to form behind him. Then another. Then another.

“You talking about me? Then say it to my face.”

The spheres sharpened. I whispered low.
“Hunter Chae.”

At my tone, his finger lifted. The water fell useless to the floor with wet splats. Only then did the man realize what was hovering above and scowled nastily.

“You planning trouble again?”

Yet—strangely—he didn’t lash out. He restrained himself, barely.

Wonu only stared. Then poked his own cheek with his finger, smiled.

“If I do cause trouble, what’ll you do?”

Dimples. Grinning like an overgrown puppy. The man was simply… dumbfounded.

Then I realized—it was the dumb flirting trick I’d once suggested he use on bullies. Damn it.

“You insane?” the man muttered, stunned. Then shook his head. “My mistake even trying to talk to a freak.”

He shoved past roughly, knocking Wonu’s shoulder. Wonu barely budged.

Only after the man stormed off did he step inside, making the door open and close on a loop as the sensor caught me standing there.

“Worked just like you said, hyung.”

Twisting his finger playfully in the air, he grinned. I managed a weak laugh.
“…Don’t use that again.”
“Why not?”

Because—because of your reputation. Because it drags mine too. But he would never accept that reasoning.

I was learning how to manage him. Piece by piece, writing a manual in my head. For some future fool doomed to be his partner after me. And this was a page: the way to shut him down was…

“Because I want you to save it only for me.”

Christ. The things I had to say. Words wrung out in blood and tears of pride. He lit up instantly.

“By the way—earlier, you didn’t use your power in training, did you?”

Gnawing on the cafeteria’s cheap chewy candy, he suddenly asked. What struck me was—he’d fetched water himself this time, unlike before. For someone who summoned drinking water casually, so comfortable using ability in everyday life—not conjuring even a drop now seemed… amiss.

“No. Didn’t use it.”
“…You ripped out a lung barehanded?”
“Not hard. Want to try next time?”

I waved both hands fast. “No thanks, no thanks.”

He slid me the water. I drank without suspicion.

“Refreshing, right?”
“Yes.”
“Funny, they all say water I draw is pure, but tasteless.”

Last time he’d offered me purified water, I hadn’t drunk it. Couldn’t argue.

“Guess the real thing can’t be beat.”
“What does it matter if it’s genuine? The chemical’s the same. Tap water can be polluted any day, and you—you’re priceless just existing.”
“Really?”
“Of course. People die in three, four days without water.”
“…If the world lost every last drop for four days straight—I’d draw water only for you.”

Footnotes

¹ “Monster offal / 폐”: In Korea, 순대 (sundae, blood sausage) dishes often come with offal side servings like lungs, livers. Wonu’s way of saying “monster lungs” overlapped grimly with this phrasing.
² Cherry candy smell: Symbolizes Wonu’s immature, childlike layer contrasted against his bloody hunter life.