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Episode 53: The Uninvited Guest
I spent the whole weekend practically like a corpse.
On Saturday morning, after hurriedly throwing on my scattered clothes and fleeing the motel room, my mind was a tangled mess of memories from that night.
Waves of shame and self-loathing crashed over me, but amid the hazy sensations from being drunk, the lingering flashes of intense pleasure only made me feel more wretched.
I struggled desperately to deny it, but the more I did, the clearer those unfamiliar sensations became, leaving me powerless.
"Haa."
A deep sigh escaped me.
In the end, I even postponed the cozy weekend dinner I'd promised my husband with such excitement just a week before.
"I'm really not feeling well, I just can't do it."
Even at my flimsy excuse, he accepted it with gentle understanding, though I could see the faintest trace of disappointment on his face. Remembering that expression, a heavy guilt choked me like a noose.
And then today-Monday.
Every step toward work felt like I was dragging a lead weight.
Just standing in front of the office building made my heart pound with anxiety.
How was I supposed to face that man, Assistant Manager Lee Hyunseong, now?
I spent the whole morning desperately avoiding him, but I knew I couldn't keep running forever.
Near the end of lunch, with trembling fingers, I opened the company messenger and sent him a short message.
[Kang Jooyoung: Assistant Manager Lee, I need to talk to you. Please come to the small meeting room next to the office.]
After sending the message, I went to the meeting room first and placed my hands on the cold table, taking deep breaths and trying to steady my scattered thoughts.
Knock, knock-
Before long, there was a knock at the door. I did my best to hide my emotions and replied in a firm voice.
"Come in."
No sooner had I finished speaking than the door opened and Assistant Manager Lee entered.
His face was as confident and relaxed as ever, just like last week.
His composure, as if nothing had happened, twisted my insides, but I tried not to show it.
"Team Leader, you called for me?"
"…Yes. Please, sit down."
I gestured to the chair across from me with my chin, and he sat down without a word.
Facing him, I straightened my back as much as I could.
"First, thank you for making time. What I wanted to talk about is what happened last Friday night."
The moment those words left my mouth, I saw a subtle change in his eyes, but his expression remained calm.
That unshakable composure only deepened my unease.
"To get straight to the point: what happened that night was clearly a 'mistake' caused by alcohol. Neither of us was in our right mind."
I emphasized the word "mistake," speaking as if delivering a final verdict. I tensed my abdomen to keep my voice from trembling.
"I don't remember exactly how things happened. Honestly, I don't even want to remember."
As I continued, I glanced at his face.
He simply looked at me with an unreadable expression, giving nothing away.
His silence was hard to bear.
"So, what I want to say is, let's treat that night as a simple mishap and never bring it up again."
I tried to keep my tone as emotionless as possible, like a team leader giving an order to a subordinate.
"If rumors spread about something so unfortunate, it won't do either of us any good. You understand what I mean, right?"
The last part was practically a command.
I could only hope this flimsy defense and show of authority would be enough.
Assistant Manager Lee only looked at me quietly after I finished.
His gaze felt like it was piercing right through me, and I caught my breath.
"I understand exactly what you mean, Team Leader."
He finally spoke, in a calm and gentle voice, completely unlike what I'd expected.
"I was careless that night too. Even if we were both drunk, I should have controlled myself better… I'm sorry."
His response left me even more flustered.
I hadn't expected him to go along so easily.
"As you said, it was just something that happened because of alcohol. I'll forget about it completely, so please don't let it weigh on you, either."
He even gave a faint smile, as if to reassure me.
His compliant attitude gave me a small sense of relief.
But at the same time, a vague, unexplainable anxiety crept up from somewhere deep inside.
'Is this really okay?'
"Alright, as long as you understand. That's all I wanted to say, so you can get back to work now."
As I awkwardly stood up to leave, he changed the subject with perfect timing.
"Oh, Team Leader. About next week's business trip to Japan."
A business trip?
Now that he mentioned it, there was a trip scheduled for the project. My mind had been so muddled, I'd forgotten.
"The general schedule will be Wednesday to Friday next week, a two-night, three-day trip."
The sudden work talk caught me off guard, but in a way, I was grateful. It was a good excuse to escape the suffocating awkwardness and tension.
Maybe he brought it up for the same reason.
"The team will be you, me, and Park Mina. I'll update you on the details as soon as they're set."
Park Mina too…
Her name made my stomach churn, but I kept my expression neutral.
"Alright. Thank you."
And so our dangerous and uncomfortable conversation ended.
As I left the meeting room, I tried to steady my confused mind.
That's it. It's over.
Just shake it off. That's the only way.
But… can I really forget?
The intense sensations of that night, and his cold gaze that seemed to see right through me.
My brief meeting with Kang Jooyoung yesterday ended more blandly than I expected.
She tried to act tough, but I already knew how scared she was inside.
If anything, her behavior made it even clearer how cornered and shaken she was.
Anyway, I gladly pretended to follow her instructions.
Watching her face, a mix of embarrassment, shame, and relief, right in front of me was quite entertaining.
While organizing some files, I glanced at my phone.
The app's status window showed her inner turmoil perfectly.
=========================
[Status Window]
Name: Kang Jooyoung.
[Status]
Deep in confusion and self-loathing.
Conflicted as she recalls her sexual encounter and pleasure with Hyunseong.
Heightened wariness toward Hyunseong and a subtle deepening dependence.
=========================
As expected.
She tries to act strong and forget, but inside, she's still completely trapped by that night.
Just a little more pressure, and she'll be mine.
What should I do?
With the hypnosis app, the options are endless.
As I organized my thoughts, I took my files and approached Jooyoung's desk.
"Team Leader."
She flinched slightly, startled by my voice.
She quickly composed her face and looked up at me.
"Yes, Assistant Manager Lee. What is it?"
"I'm working on the details for next week's business trip. Do you have any days or times this week when you can't make time?"
With the trip coming up, I needed to check her schedule in advance for meetings or prep.
"One moment."
She checked her planner, then replied.
"Oh, every other day is fine, but I have a personal appointment Wednesday evening, so I'll need to leave on time that day."
Wednesday evening.
A personal appointment.
That caught my ear, but I decided to focus on work for now.
"Everything else is fine."
"Understood. Then for Wednesday…"
I asked a few more questions about the trip and confirmed the details.
Even as we talked, I kept thinking about her "Wednesday evening appointment."
What could it be?
A date with her husband?
'Ah.'
No need to guess-I could just ask her directly.
"If you don't mind me asking, could you tell me what your appointment is on Wednesday evening?"
I added a polite, work-related reason.
"I might need to contact you for something urgent in the evening, and if it's important, I don't want to interrupt."
It can be risky to ask about personal appointments, especially given our current relationship.
But Jooyoung only hesitated a moment before answering without suspicion.
"Oh, it's nothing special. My husband has an important interview next week, so we're having dinner together at home to cheer him on."
Aha.
A quiet dinner at home with her husband.
As soon as I heard that, an idea popped into my head.
This was practically a setup.
"I see. That's important. We'll make sure to finish everything on our end so you're not disturbed Wednesday."
I smiled lightly.
"Thank you, Assistant Manager Lee."
Maybe she realized how easily she'd told her subordinate about such a private matter-about a special dinner with her husband. She tilted her head, looking a bit puzzled.
But the confusion passed quickly.
"Alright, I'll coordinate the schedule and report back."
I gave a neat farewell and returned to my desk.
A cozy dinner for two.
It's not polite for an uninvited guest to show up-but I think I'll join you, Team Leader.
Sizzle, sizzle-the sound of steak cooking on the frying pan echoed cheerfully.
I'd put some effort into tonight's meal for a change.
Next to me, my husband Mincheol struggled to open a bottle of wine.
His clumsy effort was a little funny, but it also filled me with a quiet happiness I hadn't felt in a long time.
I forced the horrific memory of last Friday night to the back of my mind.
Yes, that was just a drunken accident that should never have happened.
I'd made that clear to Assistant Manager Lee on Monday, so it should be fine.
Now I really needed to forget and move forward.
My husband's interview would go well, and we'd go back to how things were.
I wanted to believe that.
"Dinner's almost ready. Did you get the wine open?"
"Uh, yeah… almost!"
Mincheol finally popped the cork with a laugh.
I smiled back as I was about to plate the steak.
Ding-dong-
The doorbell rang suddenly, and both Mincheol and I looked toward the front door.
"Who could that be? We're not expecting anyone."
Mincheol muttered in confusion.
I felt the same.
We hadn't ordered any delivery.
"I'll go check."
I turned off the stove, took off my apron, and headed for the door.
Without even checking the intercom, I opened the door absentmindedly.
And when I saw who was standing there, I froze.
My heart plummeted.
"Assistant Manager Lee?"
Why was he here?
At our house?
Memories of Friday night and Monday's conversation whirled in my head, and I felt the blood drain from my face.
He, completely unaware of my turmoil, greeted me with his usual calm, polite smile.
"Hello, Team Leader. Were you having dinner?"
"Oh, yes. We were just about to eat… But, Assistant Manager Lee, what brings you here?"
I tried to sound businesslike, but my voice trembled.
Meanwhile, my mind raced to figure out why he was here.
"What do you mean? You invited me, didn't you?"
He answered as if my question was strange, his tone unruffled.
"What?"
I couldn't believe my ears. When did I ever…?
After what happened, inviting him to my home was unthinkable.
"What are you talking about? When did I invite you? Are you confused?"
I tried to sound sharp, but my voice came out shaky with anxiety.
He didn't look the least bit flustered, only a little disappointed.
"You invited me to thank me for the project's success, remember? Did you forget?"
His confident voice and unwavering gaze threw me into utter confusion.
I had no memory of inviting him, but as he spoke, a strange feeling of doubt and reluctant acceptance crept in.
My mind was a mess.
"Well… I really don't remember…"
As I stammered in confusion, my husband called out from the living room.
"Honey, who is it?"
Frozen in the entryway, I couldn't answer. Mincheol came over, curious.
"Huh…?"
He looked surprised to see Assistant Manager Lee at the door-understandable, since it was their first meeting.
"Um, may I ask who you are…?"
Mincheol asked awkwardly.
At that, Assistant Manager Lee, as if waiting for this moment, took out his phone and smiled gently.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Assistant Manager Lee Hyunseong, working under Team Leader Kang Jooyoung."
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