NOVEL NEXT WORLD “Hey, senior, it’s about time for us to…”
“Hmm? Ah, has it already reached this time? Alright, let’s get ready to clock out.”
After finishing lunch and returning to the office to deal with various tasks, I checked the time upon hearing my junior’s voice and realized it was already time to leave.
Since other employees were also casting furtive glances, readying themselves to head out, I was just about to organize my things and stand up for my dinner appointment with the junior.
“Hey. Do you have time for dinner tonight? I was thinking of going for a drink now.”
“Ah, Manager…”
As I finished packing, Manager approached me naturally to say that.
Since Manager often invited me for dinner when he felt lonely drinking alone, it seemed he was inviting me for the same reason today.
Though Manager was a laid-back person and generally a good boss to his subordinates, he could drone on about his troubles for quite a while when drunk. Normally, I would’ve gone along, but today I had a prior engagement for dinner with my junior.
So, I was pondering how to decline without hurting Manager’s feelings when—
“Oh my, I’m sorry, Manager. Senior already has a dinner appointment with me tonight.”
“Uh?! Oh, I see. Then there’s no helping it. I can’t interrupt your dinner plans then.”
Before I could even think of a way to decline, my junior stepped in smoothly to cut off Manager’s proposal.
I felt grateful that I didn’t have to worry about it anymore, but I couldn’t help but be startled every time I saw my junior act like this.
Is this what they call being part of the MZ generation?
It’s amazing how they can speak up to their much older workplace superiors without a hint of hesitation. If it had been someone like Manager Han instead of the kind Manager, I would have surely been in trouble.
“Wow, look at these cheeky youngsters. How dare they turn down the wonderful Manager’s dinner offer? When a superior asks, you should say yes, yes. Kids these days really lack manners, don’t you think, Manager? How about gathering everyone for a group dinner to instill some discipline among the employees?”
And as I was thinking about this, Manager Han appeared out of nowhere, pointing at us and starting to shout.
The moment he mentioned a group dinner, everyone preparing to clock out suddenly had sour expressions.
It hadn’t been long since people said Manager Han had given up on his personality but gained the ability to butter up to higher-ups, so Manager often went along with whatever he proposed.
“What? A group dinner? Are you out of your mind?!”
But strangely enough, Manager’s reaction was different from usual today.
He suddenly started to yell at Manager Han, something he usually just chuckled at when it came to employees.
Naturally, Manager Han was equally surprised by Manager’s reaction.
“Ma…Manager? Why are you suddenly acting like this…?”
“Why? Because you’re trying to ruin my career, which is only a few years away from retirement! What were you thinking trying to force a dinner?! What time do you think it is nowadays? Do you think our company is like it was back then?!”
“Ah, no… I didn’t mean to…”
“Didn’t mean to, huh?! I can’t believe it. Come here, you! I’m going to give you some serious mental education so you won’t talk nonsense like this again!”
With that, Manager stormed off, pulling Manager Han with him.
While I stood there in confusion along with the other employees, I heard my junior mumbling beside me.
“…Well, even though he’s a big company manager, he’s surprisingly perceptive.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Hehe, it’s nothing. Since Manager took care of Manager Han, let’s just clock out and go have dinner.”
“…Uh, yeah.”
With my junior grinning, we quickly made our way out of the company.
As it neared quitting time, various places began bustling with crowds of people during the evening twilight.
I entered a nearby barbecue restaurant with my junior.
As we stepped into the restaurant filled with the lively sounds of newly off-duty office workers and others dining, my junior began to pout.
“Do we really have to eat in such a crowded place? I wanted to eat somewhere a bit quieter where we could talk, just the two of us.”
“Come on, what restaurant is there at this hour? You saw how packed it is everywhere around here.”
It seemed like the upcoming weekend had led to even more people crowding the streets than usual, but my junior’s complaint sparked a response from me.
“Hmph, there is one! There’s a restaurant in a nearby hotel that’s always quiet.”
“A restaurant in a hotel?”
Just the mention of the words “hotel restaurant” made me feel as though I had just heard a tiger growl right in front of me.
The unknown is often the source of fear for humans.
Never having had the courage to even consider visiting a place like that, I couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the idea of a hotel restaurant nearby, wondering how much a meal there could possibly cost.
But since I had promised to treat, and if my junior insisted on going there…
I quickly calculated the days until payday and the balance in my account before reluctantly suggesting, “W-Well, shall we go there then? If that’s where you want to eat… okay….”
Goodbye to my emergency funds…
Goodbye to the chicken I had planned to treat myself to while reading a novel tomorrow night…
As I swallowed the tears of farewell for all that I was about to lose, my junior smiled cheerfully at me.
“Hehe, senior, you weren’t really planning to treat me to dinner there, were you? Just for visiting me in the hospital?”
“…Well, actually…”
“Do you know how much a meal there costs?”
“…I’m not sure, but it really is true that I’m grateful for what you did for me.”
I recalled when my junior visited me in the hospital and took care of me while I was sick.
“…When someone is sick, it’s the worst. If you have nobody around, it’s even worse. For me, since there was nobody to take me to the hospital if things went badly, that was pretty scary, too. So, I was really thankful when you came and took care of me; you helped me live.”
As I expressed my gratitude again, I continued, “So, at least let’s have dinner where you want.”
When I said that, my junior stared at me intently.
It’s a strange expression, kind of like the one adults would have when looking at a cute kid putting on a show.
My junior stared at me for a moment with that expression, before quietly smiling and saying, “Hehe, it’s fine. I’m not that inconsiderate to take advantage of you to eat at such a place. Just treating me here is enough to repay the hospital visit.”
“Really? Then let’s sit down. Oh, look, there’s an empty table over there.”
With my junior saying that it was enough to treat at the regular restaurant, I felt a spark of hope as the chicken I was planning to eat tomorrow came back to me, and quickly went to find a seat.
After ordering, I suddenly became curious about something.
“By the way, how did you know where I lived when you visited me in the hospital? Did I ever tell you my address?”
When I asked, my junior flinched for a second but quickly replied.
“…Oh, that? I heard you took sick leave and immediately asked your senior. I had heard a bit when you moved that you had a housewarming party.”
“Aha, so you heard from Sung-hyun. I was wondering how you knew my address.”
Having clarified my curiosity, I nodded, but I began to notice my junior was sweating a bit.
Is it hot in here?
As I pondered this, the food we ordered was suddenly served.
It was a simple pork belly dish.
“Oh, senior. Let me have the tongs. I’ll cook.”
“No way, I’m treating you today, so I’ll do the cooking.”
Though I said that, I usually end up grilling the meat at barbecue places, so I felt more comfortable holding the tongs.
By the way, my junior has been more of a diner than a cook during our past outings, appearing somewhat clumsy.
You can’t help but be awkward if you haven’t done something much.
Anyway, while I was grilling the meat, I suddenly remembered something and asked my junior.
“Come to think of it, why do you always call me ‘senior’?”
“That’s because to me, you’re the only senior. In college and at work, you’re my one and only senior, a special one.”
After my junior replied with a slight smile, they turned the question back to me.
“But why? Does it bother you that I call you that?”
“Not really, but I was just curious why you only call me ‘senior.’”
“Do you want me to call you something else?”
“Something else?”
“For example… like ‘oppa’?”
With that carefree smile saying ‘oppa,’ my junior made my lips curve up without me realizing it.
They say that most men without younger sisters enjoy being called ‘oppa.’
I thought it was nonsense, but hearing my junior, who’s quite cute, call me that felt strangely fulfilling.
Did my expression reveal that? My junior started chuckling teasingly.
“Hehe, it seems you don’t mind being called ‘oppa’ after all? But no, that’s off-limits. ‘Oppa’ is a title I save for my future boyfriend. So, for now, it’s just ‘senior.’ Unless you confess to me, you won’t get to hear ‘oppa’ from me!”
My junior teased, grinning, while I stiffened in surprise.
Does this mean…
Just then, someone from the adjacent table stood up and walked over to our table.
“Cough, um…”
The man cleared his throat, drew our attention, and after glancing over me, he confidently pulled out his phone and asked my junior, “You really are my ideal type, so may I have your number?”
In response to the man, my junior shot him an annoyed look, then turned to me instead.
For some reason, she smiled slightly and, without looking at the man, said, “I’m sorry, but I have someone I like.”
“…Oh, I see.”
Hearing my junior’s declaration, the man glanced at me resentfully, seemingly frustrated that I was the target of her affection, then hurriedly left as the attention of the restaurant turned to him.
Normally, I would have found the scene amusing, but today was different.
My junior’s declaration had been too shocking for me.
With my junior looking at me while smiling, I asked with a serious expression.
“…So, do you have someone you like?”
My question caused my junior’s eyes to widen as she repeated back to me with a meaningful expression, clearly caught by surprise.
“Why? Should I not like anyone?”
As she answered, I replied with genuine delight.
“Of course not! It’s great news!”
“…Huh? Great?”
However, upon my reaction, she looked slightly angry, mumbling as if she couldn’t understand.
“What do you mean it’s great? I just said I have someone I like, and you think that’s a good thing?”
She looked baffled by my response, but I genuinely couldn’t hold back my excitement.
“Isn’t it a good thing? You said you’d never date anyone, and now you’ve got someone you like!”
“…What?”
“Why, do you not remember saying in front of everyone during the first MT trip in college? You said you wouldn’t waste time on useless things like dating and asked not to be bothered!”
“Ah…! When was that? That was years ago!”
Upon hearing my words, my junior blushed with embarrassment, realizing I had stirred up her past.
Yet, I clearly remember it—her declaration during the college MT when her seniors and peers had shown interest, “I have no intention of wasting time on romance. Please don’t pester me!”
At that time, my junior seemed to have developed a significant level of distrust toward people, possibly due to some hurtful experience. It was evident that she had gone through hardships that made her distrustful of approaching individuals.
I felt saddened that my junior felt she had to build walls around herself. I would help her when she looked troubled and talk to her, gradually witnessing her open up to people.
And this relationship eventually brought us to where we are now.
Therefore, it was nothing short of heartwarming when I heard my junior was now able to like someone enough to reconsider her stance against dating.
Thus, I summarized my feelings to her in a few words.
Hearing my perspective seemed to make her feel embarrassed about the chapter of her past, and she blushed intensely, finally letting out a long sigh.
“…Sigh, I thought that could be the case, but hearing it directly hits harder. All those romantic moments just made me feel like I was taking care of a sick person while that sick person treated me like a sick person. Ha-ha.”
Watching her mutter in a daze, I wasn’t sure if I should interpret that as her coming to terms with everything.
Regardless, I quietly nudged her to clarify another matter.
“So, the person you like is an older one? Since you said you’d call your future boyfriend ‘oppa’ before?”
“…Yes, that’s right. An older guy.”
“Well then, that guy must be lucky; he gets the chance to date someone as cute as you.”
At that point, my junior suddenly froze, lifting her head slowly, her expression blank.
“What did you just say?”
“Huh? That he’s lucky to date someone as cute as you?”
“…Am I… cute?”
My junior’s question about her cuteness reminded me of creepy legends about red masks, which startled me for a moment. Still, she was undeniably cute.
Anyone could see it, so I nodded with conviction.
Seeing my nod, my junior couldn’t hide her delight—her lips curling into a grin.
I guess it’s true that women love to hear compliments, regardless of who gives them.
Anyway, pleased by her reaction, my junior suddenly stared at me and followed up with another question.
“But, does that mean I am just cute? Are there no other good points about me?”
My junior demanded more compliments as if pushing me for more.
“Besides that, you’re detail-oriented and sharp-minded. You’re someone I can always rely on.”
“And then? What else?”
She kept on… curiously seeking more praise and I could see her eyes shining up as she eagerly awaited my words.
The way she acted was similar to a child desperate for more validation from a teacher or parent. I couldn’t help but smile warmly, reaching out to run my hand over her head.
“Your dedication to doing your best in everything you do is also one of your strengths. I’ve noticed how hard you work. I think that’s wonderful.”
“Hehe…”
As I complemented her while affectionately ruffling her hair, I couldn’t help but recall how my mother used to praise me similarly when I was a child.
Surrounded by those memories, my hand moved instinctively to ruffle her hair whenever I complimented her.
Moments later, my junior seemed to realize that the gesture was rather childish and, feeling embarrassed, pulled my hand away shyly.
“Um, senior, I told you before, right? Girls are really sensitive when someone messes with their hair.”
“I remember. You said it’s best not to ruffle a girl’s hair like that.”
“Then why…?”
“It’s because you’re someone I consider close to me, so I can do this. I wouldn’t do this with any other girl. But if you didn’t like it, I’ll be careful next time.”
After my words, my junior went quiet for a moment.
Noticing she seemed to be pondering something, I realized she was mumbling to herself, looking rather conflicted.
“…Ugh! What is this? If I confess first, I feel like I’d be losing. I’ve held back so hard, but if things keep going like this…”
Suddenly, she locked eyes on me, her gaze holding an intense warmth, and she muttered.
“…I won’t be able to hold back any longer.”
In that moment, a shiver ran down my spine for reasons I couldn’t comprehend.
What was that just now? Why did I suddenly feel a chill?
Was that just my imagination?
I silently contemplated, then questioned her, “What do you mean by ‘not being able to hold it back’ anymore?”
Her gaze on me remained steady, and after a moment, she flashed a bright smile.
“…I mean, I really want to drink.”
“What? You want to drink?”
Since I had just carried her back to the motel last time when she got completely plastered, I couldn’t help but panic at the mere mention of alcohol.
But apparently, she had made up her mind to drink.
“Why? Are you saying you can treat me to dinner, but not buy me a drink? Are you stingy, senior?”
“No, it’s not that. I just don’t want to see you get wasted again!”
“Just a little, I’ll only have a little!”
“Alright. But you have to promise me it’s just a little, okay? If you get wasted again like last time, I’ll really leave you behind.”
“Deal!”
However, based on my experience, people who claim they’ll only have a bit of alcohol rarely stick to it.
After witnessing her drunken escapades on video during our previous meetings, I had vowed never to touch a drop of alcohol again.
And sure enough…
“Hehe, senior…”
“Good grief.”
I found myself in a situation where I had to support my junior after she broke her promise of “just a little.”
Why does she drink so much when she knows how to control her limit during company parties?
I thought she said she wouldn’t drink until she was in that state?
While I meant what I said about leaving her, I couldn’t help but wonder what trouble I might get myself into if I just left her behind.
In the end, I had no other choice but to handle the fallout.
I exhaled a deep sigh and asked my junior, who had slipped onto my back, “So, should I take you to the motel again, like last time?”
“Nooo, not the motel… Senior, you’ll leave me all alone again…”
“Then where should we go?”
“To my place, over there…”
She pointed in one direction with her finger.
So, you want me to take you to your house?
Considering the motel was right in front of us, and tomorrow’s the weekend, how could I say no to such a request…
“Hey, are you heavy? Is it hard carrying me?”
While walking slowly with my junior on my back, she seemed to show a hint of concern.
Even if she was the one responsible for this predicament, I couldn’t help but appreciate her worry, so I replied honestly.
“Not really. I’ve carried heavier stuff when working back in the loading and unloading days during my military service. I barely feel you on my back.”
“Is that so? What a relief.”
My remark must have eased her worry, as my junior snuggled closer against my back.
Well, that’s how it should be—tightening your grip makes it comfortable for both the carrier and the one being carried.
As I happily reflected on that, my junior whispered into my ear.
“Hey, senior. How about we eat ramen at my place?”
“What? What ramen? We just ate dinner! Are you hungry already? I’m still full.”
What kind of nonsense is that, talking about ramen so soon?
When I brushed off her suggestion, she protested with a frustrated voice.
“Then, how about watching Netflix and catching a movie?”
“…A movie? Let’s watch it some other time; I’m tired right now.”
After a whole day of work and dinner, I could feel fatigue creeping in, and I just wanted to head home, wash up, and sleep peacefully.
In such a state, how could I possibly think about watching a movie?
I was just seeking to get home quickly and rest, but…
“Then, my cat, I have a cat at my house. Would you like to come see it?”
“…Your cat?”
No way, I couldn’t resist the offer of seeing her cat, no matter how much I wanted to say no.
Kittens are undeniably cute, from their looks to their behavior.
If I could have a cat, I would love to, but my apartment rules forbade pets, so I had to give up that dream.
So, playing with her cat felt like a chance I couldn’t pass up.
“Well, that sounds interesting. If I go to your place, I can play with the cat, right?”
“Of course! I’ll let you play to your heart’s content!”
Clearly, my junior was eager to show off her cat, gleefully shining with brightness at my eagerness.
If she’d mentioned she had a cat earlier, I would have visited her place ages ago.
Now that I could see her cat, I fastened my steps, heading towards her house.
“So, where exactly do you live?”
She pointed with her finger at a particular location.
Then I saw it…
“Wait, over there?”
The grand hotel—the very same hotel where that restaurant I mentioned was situated—towered impressively before me.
For a moment, I thought my junior was mistaken and pointed the wrong direction due to her drunken state. I decided to question her again.
“Is that really where you’re directing me to?”
But she once again pointed without hesitation towards the hotel.
Ultimately, with doubts lingering in my mind, I continued walking toward the hotel while carrying my junior.
Reaching the hotel entrance, I was stopped by the staff.
“I’m sorry. No outside visitors are allowed in our hotel.”
As I was taken aback by this statement, my junior, who moments ago was slumped and drunk, miraculously appeared composed and jumped down my back.
She pulled out what resembled a key card and presented it to the employee, stating, “We’re with you.”
“Confirmation complete. You may enter.”
With that, the staff visibly softened and stepped aside to let her pass.
As I watched my junior proceed nonchalantly, I cautiously asked, “Wait, weren’t you just drunk?”
“I woke up while you were carrying me,” she replied.
…Wow, she must have an exceptionally strong liver.
At that moment, this was not the real question I wanted to ask, so I cautiously inquired.
“…But, can you keep pets here at the hotel?”
“…Yes, you can.”
“Wow, hotels like this really have fewer restrictions than where I live. How impressive.”
While I admired the leniency of their rules compared to my apartment, she looked at me baffled and asked, “…Wait, why are you more curious about whether pets are allowed here than how I live?”
“Um, well… I guess it’s possible to live somewhere nice?”
After hearing that, my junior shook her head in disbelief, but she took my hand and led me toward the elevator.
It was a blink of an eye to reach her home on the top floor.
Her place was wider and more luxurious than any place I had ever seen.
But I thought she lived alone, so…
“Aren’t you supposed to be living alone? Do you seriously live in such a big place all by yourself?”
“Yep! What do you think? Lonely, huh?”
“…Well, it looks tough to clean up. How do you keep such a large area tidy?”
“…….”
I blurted out my first thoughts after seeing her place and immediately followed up with, “But where’s your cat? What about the cat?”
What truly mattered to me was the cat that was supposed to be here.
As I awaited the cat with rising excitement, my junior pointed to a door on one side and said, “Our cat is shy. Wait in that room while I bring it out.”
Nodding, I dashed to the room she pointed to.
Inside was spacious with nothing but a huge bed that could easily fit four people.
Since I felt it was rude to sit on the bed without the owner’s permission, I plopped on the floor and waited.
After a few minutes passed—
The door opened with a click, and I instantly shot up, ready to greet the cat.
But—
“Er, where’s the cat…?”
To my disappointment, only my junior walked in.
And she was wearing nothing but a bathrobe.
“Sorry, senior. To be honest, I lied about having a cat at home.”
As my junior stepped in, she confessed her deceit.
Her outfit, that confession… And above all, the unusual heat in her eyes clearly indicated something had gone awry.
“Um, uh… that’s okay. You can lie; but… I’m really hungry right now. Shouldn’t we, um, eat ramen or something?”
Perhaps I said that as my last effort to change the topic, though it was feeble at best.
But making futile attempts to flee like this before a hungry predator is utterly pointless.
“Ramen sounds great. But senior, no—oppa.”
The moment the door clicked shut, she spoke sweetly, addressing me with a new name.
“Sadly, the only thing you’ll be eating at my house is one thing.”
“…What is it?”
I swallowed hard at her question.
In response, the girl in front of me let her bathrobe drop, revealing her true self as she grinned.
“It’s a cat. Meow!”
At that instant, I felt my body engulfed in a rush of warmth as my junior pounced on me, collapsing us both onto the expansive bed.
With a thud, my phone slipped from my pocket due to the impact and rolled onto the bed.
As the bed began to sway beneath us, a small notification popped up on my phone screen from a novel site, glimmering softly.
[Notice – Starting from the next chapter, the protagonists’ side story will be serialized.]