Adjusting the Gangster Male Lead’s Intensity [Novel] Chapter 48

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 48

Chapter Title: The Rival Boss's Affinity

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Yi-hae Baek blinked slowly at the status window that popped up next to Yeong Baek, then shut the door.

With that annoying face finally out of sight, she felt like she could breathe freely again.

'Why the hell is that bastard here?'

His face was still annoyingly pretty, and that favorability score of 10 grated on her nerves.

She should tell Eun-seol Yeo to quit the part-time job or switch locations.

"And report a criminal here while you're at it."

"That'd be a bit troublesome."

Yi-hae Baek blinked slowly again. Yeong Baek's face came into view as he opened the door.

Just one year. Right, no one changes that drastically in a year.

His long hair was loosely tied back, just brushing his neck, but the stray strands framing his face looked sexy. His slim jawline and long, downcast eyelashes gave him an overwhelmingly pretty impression overall. But that face hid what lay beneath—his body was something else.

'Do-gyeom Seo has a great body too, but he's still a student with that fresh vibe. This guy's a full-grown adult, so maybe that's it.'

Yi-hae Baek wrinkled her nose in disgust.

'Damn it, he's totally my type.'

Do-gyeom Seo was handsome too, but if she had to pick, her taste ran toward Yeong Baek.

Of course, she'd never breathe a word of it.

"You're not about to say something lame like my true feelings slipped out without me realizing, are you?"

Yeong Baek asked flatly. Was it a question or mockery?

Yi-hae Baek looked up at him, face still twisted, and replied curtly.

"I said it loud enough on purpose so you'd hear."

Yeong Baek fell silent for a moment. He glanced around the quiet hallway, then opened the door a bit wider.

"Come in for now."

"Why should I? I have zero interest in working with you, so close the door. I don't want to look at your face."

"...Your personality's changed."

Yi-hae Baek let out a disbelieving scoff.

Personality changed? Yeah, right?

'That's all you've got to say?'

The guy who'd approached her with an agenda from the start probably felt no guilt. Fine, be shameless about it.

But that line—what the hell? It was like he was pining for the old Yi-hae Baek who'd tried so hard to look pretty for him. It made her teeth grind.

'Who was it that traumatized me so bad I can't trust anyone anymore?'

Yi-hae Baek turned away without a word. She didn't want to exchange another syllable.

First things first: get out of the building and call Eun-seol Yeo. Maybe she even knew Yeong Baek was here.

If not, she could get him fired later. Sure, that wouldn't fully satisfy her, so maybe tell I-heum Seo too.

'No, if he finds out I ran into Yeong Baek here, he'll probably stick Do-gyeom or some gang members on me every time I step out.'

Do-gyeom would be the same.

Ugh. She groaned inwardly as she took a step, but then her waist was seized. Those long, elegant fingers she'd once admired wrapped around her.

Before startled Yi-hae Baek could react, she was yanked backward. In the blink of an eye, she was inside the office.

"Crazy bastard."

Yi-hae Baek hurriedly pinched the back of the hand gripping her waist. She hated the hold on her waist, and being pulled flush against him like this pissed her off even more.

She pinched with all the malice she could muster, and even a yakuza like him flinched and let go.

She quickly put some distance between them and spat without hiding her disgust.

"You kidnap people like it's breathing? Figures for a criminal."

"I just brought you into the room."

"A grown man forcibly dragging a high school girl who didn't consent."

"...Put like that, it's a problem for me in a whole different way."

He hadn't meant it like that at all, and this time Yeong Baek looked genuinely flustered.

Her words were accurate, but they could spark some serious misunderstandings.

He let out a sigh.

"I had my suspicions when I heard the name of the assistant starting today. It's not a common one."

"Why are you here, mister? Doing company work as a yakuza?"

Mister.

The twenty-six-year-old in his prime went quiet for a beat.

Anyone could see he wasn't old enough for that label, but she was being petty. He knew it.

Yi-hae Baek slowly scanned the room. She was curious if I-ryeong Cha or the other gang members were around.

He must have caught on.

"No other guys here. They don't even know I'm working here to begin with."

"...That's even weirder. Why act like a decent citizen all by your lonesome? You're the top dog there."

White Blossom Gang boss meant he was the leader. A guy like that doing office work?

'He's got this huge room all to himself, so he's no regular employee.'

No way he was some chaebol heir like Eun-seol Yeo. That would sting.

"You don't need to know that much. Since you're here anyway, how about earning some cash? I've got tasks ready."

Yi-hae Baek opened her mouth to refuse again—

'What? Why do I have to raise favorability and trust with this guy...!'

Yi-hae Baek nearly snapped at the status window in outrage.

But just like always, the rewards and penalties followed in sequence.

Except this time, they came with unusually generous perks.

'...What?'

Wasn't that basically her ultimate goal?

Yi-hae Baek's eyes widened and shook. Unaware of what was going on, Yeong Baek peered down into them.

But Yi-hae Baek had no idea.

That "witnessing an Ending" was something only the "protagonists" could do. And what that truly implied.

Silent for a long moment, Yi-hae Baek eventually accepted Yeong Baek's offer. He looked puzzled by her sudden shift but seemed welcoming enough.

His face was expressionless now, no more fake smiles.

"Main job's Excel work. No worries if you can't do it."

Yeong Baek showed her the tasks. Their closeness as he leaned in over the laptop grated on her.

"Wasn't expecting much anyway. No plans to give you anything important."

Her heart, which had fluttered impurely for a brief moment, settled as he kept talking.

'Was I love-struck before? Or was it all an act? He's a total jerk now.'

Thankfully, the work he taught her wasn't that hard. Nothing important, just as he'd said.

Transfer miscellaneous documents into Excel, apply filters, sort them. Then double-check everything.

Lots of it, but more than manageable for a student like Yi-hae Baek. That was probably why he'd hired a part-timer.

"So why the sudden change of heart? You looked ready to bolt any second."

Yeong Baek asked while she stared at the laptop screen. He'd used to speak politely, saying it suited him better.

Yi-hae Baek considered ignoring him, but this was a face she'd see every day now.

She sighed listlessly.

"I'm not here because I want to be, so don't talk to me while I'm working. I can pop in my earphones, right?"

"Go ahead. It'll mostly just be you and me on shift anyway. More importantly..."

Yeong Baek's gaze shifted to Yi-hae Baek.

Come to think of it, they had a lot in common. Rare surnames. Brown hair, unlike most people's black. She stared back into his eyes, a lighter shade than hers.

"...Never mind. Ask if you don't get something."

Yeong Baek met her eyes, then swallowed whatever he'd been about to say. She wasn't particularly curious anyway.

Whatever came out of his mouth, she'd just doubt if it was sincere. Better to keep things strictly professional.

'But tempting reward or not, raising favorability with a guy whose face alone pisses me off?'

The penalty was no joke either.

'A penalty that harsh means... it's accounting for if they find out I met Yeong Baek at my part-time gig and didn't say a word.'

That explained why I-heum Seo's favorability would tank so hard.

Yi-hae Baek swallowed a sigh threatening to escape. She moved sluggishly, like she was forcing herself through hated work, and Yeong Baek glanced her way.

He didn't seem aware of it himself. His gaze lingered.