Dopamine Addiction - Chapter 31

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

31.
After walking a few paces, Hee-ju glanced back over her shoulder, her expression unruffled.
“If it looks like Masha won’t follow us, I’m counting on you then. Pretty Boy Effect.”
“Leave it to me.”
Liam gave her a light wink. On anyone else it would have seemed affected, but on him it landed like something from a fashion magazine.
“You’d have made better use of your talents as a spy than as a Black Agent.”
“A spy?”
Liam’s expression shifted to confusion at the unexpected comment.
“If you’d switched careers to become the kind of spy who beguiles targets into spilling secrets, you’d be remembered throughout history.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“You’re welcome.”
Hee-ju smiled faintly—making it clear she hadn’t meant a compliment at all. Liam pretended not to notice, adding casually.
“Though I have to say, it’s unexpected. Planning to use direct intimidation yourself.”
“You don’t think an office worker could intimidate someone?”
“Hardly. For office work, you throw a pretty good punch.”
Liam answered with shameless ease. Hee-ju shot him a look and replied flatly.
“Woman to woman is better to watch than a man intimidating a woman, anyway.”
“An adult intimidating a high school student?”
“A woman having a conversation with a woman.”
Liam let out a soft laugh. It was surprising—that he could find amusement even now.
Then, unexpectedly, desire bloomed in him. It came without warning, like thunder splitting a clear sky or a runaway vehicle charging through—something he couldn’t control, a catastrophe unto itself.
The sprouting desire swelled in an instant, billowing like waves about to swallow him whole.
As if remembering something, Hee-ju turned back and extended her hand toward him.
“Makarov.”
“Hmm?”
“You didn’t see me throw it away, so you must still have it. Lend it to me.”
The dark hunger that had been wrapping around him moments before dissipated like storm clouds blown away by wind. Liam flashed his usual playful smile.
“Weren’t we just going to have a conversation?”
“To facilitate smooth communication.”
“Well then.”
Liam drew the Makarov smoothly from his waistband and placed the cold metal into her palm. Hee-ju holstered it as he had done, then added matter-of-factly.
“A lion gives its all even hunting a single rabbit.”
With that, she moved forward again. For once, Liam’s expression turned genuinely bewildered.
A lion? Who? Her?
No, that wasn’t right. She wasn’t a lion—she was a deer. A deer fleeing at full speed from a lion.
And Liam was the lion pursuing her. He would run her down easily, sink his teeth into that delicate throat.
No—that would make her bleed to death, so he’d bite just her leg instead. Then he’d lick the wound clean and bring her prey to lay at her feet.
With time, the trembling deer would lower her guard, ease her vigilance. Then she’d wait for the hunter lion to return.
Endlessly.
Endlessly.
Even after her leg healed, she wouldn’t run. She’d fall asleep in the lion’s embrace. They’d lick each other’s fur and share their warmth.
Not bad at all.
As Liam’s smile deepened, Hee-ju called out in a loud voice.
“Masha Bailey?”
Masha, who had been chatting with friends, stopped walking. She turned to look at Hee-ju. Her thin eyebrows arched into a sharp line.
“Who?”
“We need to talk.”
Masha’s gaze traveled slowly from Hee-ju’s head to her feet. It was an arrogant look, but Hee-ju showed no displeasure and even offered a light smile.
She’s only eighteen. When I was her age… Yes, this is how I’m becoming a fuddy-duddy.
While Hee-ju was lost in this bleak self-reflection, Masha’s gaze shifted past her shoulder toward Liam. Their eyes met, and he flashed a smile.
“Who are you?”
Masha asked while keeping her eyes on Liam. Hee-ju shook her head ruefully. The Pretty Boy Effect was already in motion—more powerful than any gun.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
“Is he coming too?”
Masha shot Liam a suggestive look. It was an overly sultry smile for a high school student, but Liam nodded placidly.
“Of course. She’s my employer. Wherever she goes, I follow.”
“Your employer?”
Masha’s brow narrowed as she turned back to Hee-ju. She wasn’t the only one confused—Hee-ju frowned at Liam.
Liam laughed brazenly.
“Wasn’t that the arrangement? I thought we had a contract.”
Hee-ju exhaled sharply and looked back at Masha with a firm tone.
“It won’t take long. Just a moment.”
“Should they come too?”
“Do whatever you want.”
Hee-ju nodded and walked ahead. She stepped into an alley she’d noticed earlier, then slowly turned to face Masha.
No one was passing by. It was perfect for a quiet conversation. And the cold metal pressed against her spine gave her peace of mind.
Masha stood with her weight on one leg, chin raised as if to say: Well? What do you have to say?
“Masha!”
Just as her friend stepped forward, Liam slipped between them. The girl hesitated and looked at him.
Their eyes met. Liam flashed a bright smile. He said nothing, but an inexplicable pressure emanated from him.
A chill brushed against the back of her neck. Her friend quietly stepped backward.
At the same moment, Hee-ju grabbed Masha by the collar and yanked her back. Caught off guard, Masha was pulled into the alley and cursed. “Damn it.”
“Masha!”
As her friends moved toward her again—
Bang!
Liam kicked the wall hard, barring the narrow passage with his long legs. Masha’s friends’ eyes went wide.
Liam whispered in a sweet voice.
“Don’t interfere.”
The girls fell silent, watching Liam carefully. They murmured complaints but didn’t dare ask him to move.
Masha wrenched her arm from Hee-ju’s grip. “Ow!”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
She lashed out with irritation making no attempt to hide it.
“Do you know who I am?”
“In this situation, it doesn’t matter who you are. What matters is who I am. Right?”
“Who are you?”
To Masha’s insolent response, Hee-ju let out a deep sigh.
“Kids these days have no manners. I don’t know what the world’s coming to. When I was your age… Never mind. Let’s drop it.”
Hee-ju had been about to say that when she was born, she’d already learned multiplication tables and removed the training wheels from a tricycle—but she just shook her head wearily.
Then she grabbed Masha’s collar again and yanked her close. Her face went cold.
She pulled Masha’s face right up to hers.
“Fair warning: if you so much as touch Noel one more time, you won’t like what happens.”
“Ha.”
At the mention of Noel’s name, Masha scoffed. The tension that had flickered in her eyes dissolved into smugness. She wrenched her arm hard from Hee-ju’s grip again.
Masha smoothed her appearance and smirked.
“That idiot sent you?”
Sparks flew from Hee-ju’s eyes. She ground her jaw tight.
“What did you just say? Say it again.”
“Idiot. Everyone in school knows it. Wearing those weird glasses, can’t even look people in the eye. Every time we do group work, just stands there like a zombie, doesn’t she?”
Hee-ju’s burning gaze turned ice-cold in an instant.
“Why? Think that stare scares me? You’re just a thug for an idiot.”
“You should be scared.”
“Says who—”
Masha’s mocking face went rigid. Hee-ju had drawn the gun on her.
Masha’s voice trembled faintly.
“Are you insane?”
“I can make you exactly like Noel. I’ve hit people before—the first time is hard, but after that it gets easy. Or I could just pull the trigger right now.”
……
“Think I won’t do it?”
Masha’s eyes darted toward the gun barrel. She swallowed hard and chose silence instead.
“You know why I’m not?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m giving you one last chance.”
“Last chance?”
Masha frowned, not understanding. Hee-ju narrowed her eyes and smiled warmly.
“Your last chance to become human instead of a beast.”
Masha scowled, but Hee-ju paid no attention. She holstered the gun at her waist and spoke in a low voice.
“Don’t let Noel see you again. Next time, I won’t be so civil.”
She turned slowly and strode away. As she passed Liam, she whispered softly, “Let’s go.”
Liam grinned and followed her. Just before leaving the alley, he glanced back.
He could hear Masha’s friends rushing toward her, asking if she was okay, their curses following Hee-ju as they left.
“Aren’t you going to at least break her arm?”
Liam offered his suggestion helpfully.
“If she was going to listen to words, she wouldn’t have done it in the first place. Those times, you have to show the difference in power. That’s the message—you’re nothing but high school students, and that’s all you’ll ever be. I don’t know about office work, but the basics of this kind of thing is leaving no loose ends.”
Hee-ju shot him a pointed look. There he goes again with his office work nonsense.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————