How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 44

—————

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

—————

【Chapter 44】
The moment I stepped out of the Vice Director’s Office, I exhaled a long breath.
‘So the Vice Director was that kind of petty person.’
If he truly believed I was mismanaging the shop, there would be no reason to summon me separately and intimidate me. He could simply sit back, watch me flounder, and then crush me when the moment was opportune.
Which meant there was only one reason he called me in like this. I wasn’t moving according to his preferences.
‘Looks like I’m doing pretty well, then.’
As I descended in the elevator, a light smile played across my face.
‘Since I became affiliated with the Management Bureau on the Director’s recommendation, he won’t touch me for a while. And he probably doesn’t want to escalate things further.’
Still, I should keep an eye on the situation just in case.
‘If I casually ask Lee Hyun-woo, it should work out.’
He seemed to dislike the Vice Director as well, so if anything suspicious arose, I could get word quickly.
“Ugh, time’s already gotten away from me. I need to run to make opening.”
Though the Vice Director had offered various unsolicited advice about our shop, honestly it didn’t bother me. I was too preoccupied with how spectacularly the new menu was performing.
“Shop Owner! I had a reservation. When will the tteokbokki and fish cakes be ready?”
“I ordered the Macomi fish-shaped pastry—can I drink the fish cake broth?”
“There’s no seating on the second floor. Can I wait in the shop?”
Orders poured in! Customers streamed through endlessly! And now with the expanded second floor.
“Your fish cakes right away. Just a moment!”
“You’re welcome to have the broth. There are paper cups over there!”
I had to bake fish-shaped pastries, check orders, and whenever I had a free moment, prepare tteokbokki. Thank goodness the second floor operated on a self-service basis—otherwise, the two of us never could have managed.
“Shop Owner! Can I have more of the fish cake broth?”
“There’s a ladle over there. Help yourself, meow.”
“Aww! So cute….”
Ha-nyang, bless her, stepped in to help serve some customers while we were swamped. The customers loved it—two birds with one stone.
As I worked frantically, during a brief lull in the morning rush, Ari approached me cautiously and whispered while gazing outside.
“Unni, that person came back again.”
Outside the shop stood a suspicious man wearing a hat and mask, lingering about. Ari had first noticed him four days ago. But he might have been circling our shop for even longer.
“He doesn’t seem like a customer. What on earth is he doing? Covering his whole face like that.”
Yesterday, Ari had even approached him and asked if he needed anything, but he just ran away without answering.
“…Could he be a stalker?”
“A stalker?”
The way he kept glancing at customers coming into the shop was deeply suspicious.
I was about to go out and say something when the man, noticing our attention, turned and disappeared. He’d realized we’d spotted him.
I clicked my tongue lightly and shook my head.
“This is making me too uneasy. Starting today, you’ll leave an hour early. I’ll drive you to the bus stop.”
“But unni, the shop is this busy….”
“It’s fine. It’s just an hour.”
Ari hesitated before nodding in agreement. The suspicious man’s presence clearly unsettled her.
“You be careful too, unni.”
“Don’t worry. I’m learning to shoot these days anyway. If push comes to shove, bang! I’ll just fire away.”
And that very evening, I found myself in a crisis where I truly had to fire a gun.
* * *
On my way back to the dormitory after closing the shop, I was chatting with Ha-nyang about this and that when I caught a familiar silhouette flitting past in my peripheral vision.
‘…Isn’t that the man from earlier?’
I thought he’d left, but it seemed he’d been hiding somewhere, waiting. I could feel him moving cautiously in sync with my footsteps.
‘Ha-nyang hasn’t noticed.’
Glancing to the side, Ha-nyang was simply humming a little tune. I discreetly summoned a gun from my Inventory. The cool touch of metal registered against my skin inside my pocket.
Tension caused sweat to bead across my palms. Could it be that the man who’d been lurking around the shop all this time was targeting me?
‘Is he one of Park Sung-chul’s people?’
But judging by the way he couldn’t completely mask his presence, he didn’t seem to be a high-ranked Hunter. Or perhaps he was underestimating me because I’m F-rank. Either way, the advantage was mine.
‘I just need to seize the momentum from the start.’
I could have quickened my pace and put distance between us, but I needed to discover the stalker’s identity first.
If I left this unresolved, there was no telling what he might do.
‘Come a little closer. Just a little more….’
I gripped the gun in my pocket and deliberately slowed my pace. In a place with few people around, the stalker seemed to gain courage, stepping closer and carefully reaching out his hand.
I tensed every muscle in my body. Then, cutting through the dry air, came an unfamiliar voice.
“Hey there,”
Now! I spun around quickly and aimed the gun at the stalker. But then,
“…Kyaaahhhhh!!!!”
A man with soft brown hair, his arm twisted and restrained, came into view. It was Park Jae-min from Alpha Team. He tilted his head and asked.
“Do you know him?”
“…There’s no way. I don’t know him.”
Of all times, Park Jae-min had to show up here. While I was grateful for the help, his presence left me feeling oddly unsettled.
“Who would follow Ha-neul like this? That’s suspicious, isn’t it?”
“Ahhh! W-wait! I’m not a suspicious person! Ahhh!”
The stalker, hopping on his feet, thrust his hand into a pocket inside his suit.
‘Is he trying to pull out a weapon?’
Instinctively, I shielded Ha-nyang and stepped back, but what he held in his hand was nothing more than a small business card.
“This is who I am!!”
“…Modanic Pharmaceutical Company Headquarters Director, Gong Ju-won?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Park Jae-min took the business card from his hand and muttered. Then, looking at me, he asked once more.
“So, do you remember who he is now?”
I shook my head firmly.
“No. I don’t know him.”
Park Jae-min, smiling brightly, flipped the man to the ground and subdued him. With his arm bent backward under restraint, the man struck the pavement and cried out.
“I’m Gong Ju-hee’s older brother! I just wanted to talk to the Shop Owner! Ugh!”
Gong Ju-hee’s older brother? The Gong Ju-hee I know?
“…I think I do know him. Let him go.”
“Hmm, well then.”
Park Jae-min held both hands up and stepped back. Gong Ju-won, the stalker lying on the floor, groaned as he pushed himself up.
Only after I confirmed his ID and the family photo with Gong Ju-hee from his phone’s gallery did I finally relax.
‘Now that I think about it, I vaguely remember Gong Ju-hee mentioning in high school that she had an F-rank Awakened older brother.’
Gong Ju-won remained rigid with fear, pressed against Park Jae-min who stood right beside him.
“I apologize. We thought you were suspicious since you kept lingering around our shop….”
“Oh, no! That’s on me. I should have introduced myself first.”
He hastily offered his hand, and tears trickled down his cheeks—his shoulder ached from being subdued. Unlike the sharp-tongued Gong Ju-hee, her brother was hopelessly meek.
“But what did you need from me…?”
“Ah! It’s about Gong Ju-hee. I wanted to ask you something….”
Gong Ju-won glanced sideways at Park Jae-min. He clearly felt uncomfortable discussing this in front of him.
“Park Jae-min, would you mind stepping away for a moment?”
“Are you sure? From what I saw earlier, this guy’s an Awakened too. F-rank, but still.”
I lightly waved the gun in my hand. It was meant to reassure him I had a weapon, but Park Jae-min gave me a look as if I’d said something absurd.
“You think one gun is going to be a threat?”
“…Ugh.”
Support came from an unexpected quarter.
“I’ll protect Ha-neul, meow!”
Ha-nyang puffed out his chest proudly beside me, hissing. Seeing this, Park Jae-min burst into laughter.
“I’m not sure whether to call that cute or reckless. Well, fine. Just stay far enough away that we can’t hear each other, yeah?”
With that, he slowly walked away. Once he’d put sufficient distance between us, I asked again.
“Go ahead.”
“Ah, yes. So… I heard Gong Ju-hee is a regular here. If you happen to see her, could you tell her I’m desperately looking for her?”
He explained that Gong Ju-hee seemed to be avoiding him, and he gazed at me with pleading eyes.
“It’s not a difficult request. Just tell her I’m sorry about everything and that I want to talk. That’s all!”
He clasped both hands together, eyes gleaming as he looked at me. In that moment, a familiar sound effect rang out, and a system window appeared before my eyes.
‘Wait. I just completed a mission not long ago, and now another one appears?’
But the content was different.
A virtuous shop owner cannot turn away those in need!
Condition Achieved: Request Received
A restricted function has been unlocked.
-New Feature: Request Board
…Request Board?

—————

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

—————