Chapter 15: Episode 15
The next day at lunch. Lee Hyun-woo and Eun-seol met at a pasta restaurant near the company.
"Hello."
"Yes, hello."
After exchanging brief greetings, the two ordered their menus. Eun-seol ordered the ali olio. Hyun-woo ordered the tomato meat spaghetti. As soon as the menus arrived, they continued eating in silence.
Hyun-woo suddenly recalled the meals he had with his girlfriend or girlfriend in the past. If Hyun-woo had been handsome, the women would have burst into laughter at just one or two words or taken the initiative in conversation, but unfortunately, he was an ordinary man.
'I should have talked a lot so that the atmosphere wouldn't be cold.'
Hyun-woo smiled bitterly as he recalled the past. In fact, he wasn't the type to enjoy conversation while eating. However, today, he felt comfortable because he didn't have to worry about the conversation running out. Even though he was eating alone with a woman as attractive as Eun-seol, he had no regrets. The one who was regretful was Eun-seol.
Drumroll drumroll
The only sound between them is the sound of the fork and spoon moving. And then, as if she couldn't stand the silence any longer, Eunseol speaks first.
"Mr. Lee, is your meal okay?"
"Yes, it's delicious."
"Thank you for helping me with work back then. I always owe you to the management support team."
"Oh, yes."
Silence again.
'What the heck. I tried hard to talk.'
Eunseol experienced this cold atmosphere for the first time. Whenever they were on dates, it was always the men who led the mood. Lee Hyunwoo, who wasn't even interested in her even though they were eating alone.
'I don't even know the topic..'
Lee Hyunwoo, who was far from her ideal type. His dining manners were terrible, and it was the worst meal. Eunseol felt a strange feeling of wanting to kick herself out right away, but wanting to stay with Lee Hyunwoo.
'But why on earth is this happening?'
"..."
"..."
"Do you have a girlfriend, Manager Lee?"
"Yes? Manager Eun, isn't that too personal of a question?"
Eunseol sighs at Hyunwoo Lee's harsh answer. Since she has never taken the initiative in a conversation, she ends up shaking hands and taking a risk. Her face turns red with embarrassment.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything."
"Yes, I don't have anything right now. What about Manager Eun?"
"Oh, I don't have anything right now either. Oh, by any chance… It really doesn't mean anything, but what kind of style do you like, Manager Lee?"
Eunseol continues the conversation as if she's hung up on Hyunwoo's blunt answer. She never thought she'd be asking the question that she's always heard from men to the point of irritation.
"Style? Hmm… Employee Seo Jin-ah these days? She's really attractive."
"Is that Mr. Lee Byung-joo and his wife, Ms. Seo Jin-ah from the accounting team?"
"Yes."
Even Eun-seol, who had hardly talked to other employees privately recently, knew that Seo Jin-ah's story was a hot topic at the company. She suddenly came to work wearing a shocking outfit just a few months after getting married. It was because the level of it was beyond imagination.
"Um... I think she's showing too much skin these days."
"Oh really? I like how confident she looks. You have a nice body."
'Vulgar... You're not a prostitute, and that's what you like?'
She often wears high-waisted skirts that reveal her body, but Seo Jin-ah's recent one-piece style is so cheap that it can't be compared to her own. She's not a prostitute. When Hyun-woo says that Seo Jin-ah's style is good, she thinks it's vulgar, beyond disappointment.
'Heh heh, let's just go out for a bit.'
"Compared to Ms. Jin-ah, Eun seems to lack volume."
"What...what did you say!"
Eunseol screams at Hyunwoo's words, who is comparing her up and down and blatantly comparing her. She was about to report her for sexual harassment right away, but her pride is suddenly hurt by Hyunwoo's words that she is inferior to Seo Jinah's body.
"Mr. Lee, that's all a lie, do you understand? Huh! Men really don't know that."
'Huh? Seo Jinah has a nice body…'
"Oh really? But um… Compared to Mr. Eun, your body is nice…"
At Hyunwoo's words, who continues to look at her body and mocks her,
"Oh my. It's so ridiculous. Uh… Then let's meet up this weekend. I'll wear casual clothes. Then you won't be able to compare to Seo Jinah."
"Huh? Are you asking me out on a date?"
"What? No, no. I'm just correcting Mr. Lee's misunderstanding. What do you mean by date?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Okay. Lunchtime is almost over, so get up now."
"Haa..."
Eunseol suddenly regrets what she said at Hyunwoo's insincere answer. She's not the type to take back what she said, and her pride is hurt because she asked Hyunwoo out first, just like he said.
'Heh heh heh, you're a swindler.'
Eunseol was completely taken in by Hyunwoo's pace.
........
Saturday afternoon. Eunseol was waiting for Lee Hyunwoo while drinking coffee at a downtown cafe near the office.
'What? Are you really going to be late for our appointment?'
Hyunwoo, who she had planned to meet at the cafe at 2 o'clock, still hasn't come in even after 2:20. She's stood him up before, but has she ever waited for more than 20 minutes? Eunseol was angry at herself for being dragged around by Lee Hyunwoo's uninterested attitude the whole time.
Even so, her desire to see Hyunwoo, who is always late for their appointment, grows stronger. That feeling suppresses her pride and irritation and prevents Eunseol from getting up from her café chair.
slurp slurp
Thanks to that, Eunseol is just chewing on the straw.
ding dong
2:30. Exactly 30 minutes before the appointment, Lee Hyunwoo finally shows up at the café.
'Heh heh, is he a little angry?'
Is it because of his confidence that he can see her psychological state in detail through the work system? Hyunwoo stands in front of Eunseol in comfortable training clothes and dragging his slippers.
"Hello?"
"...Hello? Manager Lee, you're dressed comfortably?"
Hyunwoo's appearance, with his training clothes, slippers, and hat pulled down, was a shocking sight that Eunseol had never seen on a date.
'Hair... washed, right?'
Hyunwoo, who looked like she just came out of bed, clenched her fists under the cafe table and trembled after putting on makeup and setting her hair since 8 o'clock.
'Oh ho'
It seemed like the result of the effort she had put in since 8 o'clock, but she had a different charm than when she saw him at work. Her long eyelashes were thick and her eye makeup was a little dark, and her distinct cat-like eyes, and her brown short hair was carefully set with a curling iron, creating natural waves that went well with Eunseol's sophisticated face.
Hyunwoo wore clothes that were quite revealing, perhaps because he was comparing her to Seo Jinah.
The high wedge heels accentuated her long, slender figure even more, and the sky blue tennis skirt that exposed more than half of her thighs made it seem like her underwear was visible. She wore a tight white crop top that showed off her thin waist, firm abs, and shyly oval navel.
'Definitely, the curves and waist-pelvic line are better than Seo Jin-ah's.'
The waist is tight and the pelvic line is wide, making the slender waist and plump pelvis stand out even more. Long legs from the tall height of 168, firm thighs and thin ankles from Pilates
'My chest is lacking compared to Seo Jin-ah, but is there anyone in the company that is as slender?'
"Hmm..hmm."
Is it because she glared at Eun-seol's body as soon as she sat down? Her face flushed slightly and she coughed.
"T..You know that I am not comparable to Seo Jin-ah, right?"
Eun-seol stutters, embarrassed even though she is saying it herself.
"Um...well, definitely um....your body is fine."
Eunseol was angry at Lee Hyunwoo's comment that sounded like a judgment, but she felt slightly better about the compliment on her body.
"But still..."
"Huh? What else?"
"As Manager Eun said. Can't you tell if I'm wearing shapewear or not?"
"I don't wear that kind of thing!!"
Eunseol shouted at Hyunwoo's comment that women with no self-esteem wear the kind of clothes they wear. Some people may have naturally beautiful bodies, but how can you call a body that was built through diet and consistent exercise a thing? Eunseol's pride was hurt by the fact that Lee Hyunwoo had such thoughts.
"Okay..okay. Then you can just check it out, right?"
"Foot."
Hyunwoo burst out laughing because Eunseol bit her lips tightly to hide her shame and glared at him. This ridiculous situation was created because the [desire] to look good to him was strengthened by the work system.
Hyunwoo also didn't know that Eunseol would hear such a story, using Seo Jinah's body as an excuse to provoke jealousy.
'It's probably because of his lofty pride.'
He appeals that his ideal type is Seo Jinah's style and gently scratches Eunseol's pride with his appearance evaluation. She, who had been consistently managed and had pride, probably wanted Hyunwoo to see herself as the best woman, incomparable to Seo Jinah, through the [desire] amplification of the work system.
'I have to use that pride well to win over Eunseol.'
"It's a bit like this here... um, how about there?"
Hyunwoo pointed to the old motel where he had a passionate sex with Seo Jinah all night last time.
"Mr. Lee, are you talking about that place?"
Eunseol doesn't prefer motels, although she's been to motels several times while dating men. There may be reasons for the unsanitary nature, but the negative image that comes to mind when thinking of motels also played a part. And she didn't want to meet a man who would be burdened by the cost of staying at a 4-5 star hotel, even if she didn't necessarily go to a motel.
"Why? You were so confident, but now that I'm checking? Are you nervous? I thought you wouldn't lie, Eun-dae-ri."
Hyun-woo gently provokes Eun-seol's pride.
"When did I say I wasn't going? Hurry up and take the lead."
'Tsk tsk'
Eun-seol and Hyun-woo, who were furious, headed to the old motel.
"Welcome...."
The owner, who was sitting at the motel counter, stopped greeting Eun-seol and looked her up and down. Today, she was wearing a short tennis skirt and a tight crop top that showed her navel, so she was particularly receiving sticky stares from men. But this motel owner was openly staring at Eun-seol. Eunseol, not yielding to such a shameless gaze, glared at the middle-aged owner.
"Oh, how much is it?"
"25,000 won. Ahem."
Although she was acting strong, Eunseol grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands and pulled it down under the sticky gaze. However, ironically, although she lowered her skirt to cover her thighs, her smooth stomach was even more exposed because she was wearing a crop top.
'Hey, let's play around with this.'
"Oh, wait a minute."
Hyunwoo pretends to look for cash and rummages through his pockets. As time passes, Hyunwoo can clearly see Eunseol's face turning red and her body trembling under the gaze of the perverted motel owner.
"Manager Eun, I don't have any cash, so please help me."
"Huh?"
"Oh, really? Hurry up and wait."
"Haa… Seriously, here..."
Eunseol approaches the counter without even taking out her wallet and hands over the cash at Hyunwoo's sly request. Even in the midst of all this, the gaze of this perverted owner who never takes his eyes off her chest, thighs, and abdomen makes her feel uncomfortable, as if a bug is passing by.
"Here... Whoa!"
"Hehe, why are you so surprised?"
Eunseol was startled by the motel owner who grabbed her hand that was handing her money.
'What is this person... Seriously, I think he has something on him.'
Eunseol wipes the foreign substance on her hand with a handkerchief and glares at the motel owner without hiding her discomfort, but unlike the first time, she feels a little fear. The two of them soon enter the motel room.
"Huh... That b*tch is killing me. Huff huff huff."
All that could be heard at the counter was the middle-aged man's heavy breathing and the sound of him rubbing something.