"You! Why won't you listen to your mother no matter what!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorryyyyy!!"
Ugh. Even now, just thinking about that time makes my back burn.
Irina, riding in a car driven by her secretary, touches her back. Not a single wound remained, yet somehow it still felt like it hurt.
Only after begging on her hands and knees was Irina able to escape from her mother. More precisely, it was only because her father took her side that she barely received forgiveness.
Actually, even Irina's mother couldn't keep holding onto her daughter forever. Confining an S-rank ability user at home would be a huge national loss. If Irina's absence continued, the Association President might have come knocking on their knees.
Anyway, Irina, who had returned to her original life, received very interesting news. In this special residential area where she, her parents, and other national assets resided, there was a plan for another new resident to move in.
'A new resident? This is obviously Seojin oppa.'
It wasn't as if she heard specifically that the target was Baek Seojin.
In the first place, special residential area move-in plans are strictly confidential matters.
No matter how much she's Irina, she can't bypass that and find out.
Nevertheless, the reason she's so confident that Baek Seojin will come: Even without definitive information, if you gather various fragments piece by piece, the general outline inevitably emerges and becomes quite predictable.
Baek Seojin is someone who fought an Elder and survived with his body intact. Moreover, he even landed effective strikes on that Elder.
Although the ridiculous rank measurement of B-rank came out, no matter how much this world has all standards set by 'rank', fighting a being close to a demigod is absolutely not a trivial matter.
'Definitely. This is absolutely Seojin oppa. We'll be neighbors!'
Once she was convinced that Baek Seojin was coming, Irina decided to deduce even the timing. That part was also classified information. But again, just gathering surrounding information would be enough.
[Several Association-affiliated ability users departing tomorrow morning.]
[Looks like they're planning to move something, as a cargo truck is going with them.]
[Yesterday, Association-affiliated ability users purchased appliances and other goods.]
Did Irina personally run around on foot collecting such news and information? Of course not. Unfortunately, it was the tearful result of someone else's efforts.
"Secretary! You're getting paid a lot, aren't you? Work as much as you earn!"
It was Irina's secretary, who had met the wrong person to serve and was suffering today as well.
Anyway, based on those pieces, the conclusion was that the residence would be moved by tomorrow. That was the conclusion Irina and her secretary had reached.
'That means today is the last night Seojin oppa spends at his original home.'
Having thought that far, Irina suddenly burst out laughing, "Hehe!"
The secretary in the driver's seat looked at her with an expression saying 'Why is she like that again.' Whenever Irina burst out laughing like that, bad things usually happened. Please, I beg you, I wish she'd stop causing incidents and accidents...
"Let's go here. Here, to this place."
There's no god in this world. That's certain. Otherwise, how could this happen just 0.1 seconds after I prayed so earnestly?
"Irina? You're not going to your residence?"
"That's what I said. Come on, let's go quickly!"
The secretary glanced around nervously at the destination Irina suddenly presented. She could only clock out once this woman went home. If the destination was set to somewhere other than Irina's house, this meant one thing.
'Overtime! Overtime!! Ugh!'
She'd already been working overtime every day for the past few days gathering this and that information. It was so sad that she didn't understand the sorrow of those who can't leave work on time.
Ah, of course, it's absolutely not that she's being worked hard without pay. The original salary was already good, but when overtime happened, Irina would take care of her separately.
If she said she couldn't eat, going to the finest restaurants immediately was commonplace. For various reasons, when she couldn't go home, staying at 5-star hotels was routine.
Anyway, if she hadn't been subjected to passionate pay, could she have endured ? Of course she'd have quit. Though it would be better to go home early and earn a bit less rather than work late and earn more.
"...We've arrived, Irina."
After driving for nearly an hour, they finally arrived at their destination. At the secretary's words, Irina nodded and checked her appearance.
"Um, Irina. May I ask you something..."
"No. Don't ask. Just be quiet. Shh."
Irina's rapid-fire response like a machine gun. The secretary obediently sat in the driver's seat and waited for the next words.
She knew it was Irina's habit to explain the reason after saying such things.
"...What did you want to ask?"
"Well, why did you suddenly come here?"
When the secretary nodded, Irina grinned. As if she'd been waiting for such a question.
"Originally, people, except for a few really insensitive ones, tend to develop some affection for the place where they've lived, right? So when moving, they get a bit depressed or experience similar emotions."
She almost said 'Is that so? This is news to me.' The secretary, barely holding that back, waited for Irina's next words.
"Today is the last day Seojin oppa spends here. And from what I can see, our Seojin oppa has a more tender heart than you'd think. He's probably feeling very regretful and sad thinking today is the last day. I'm targeting that moment. When Seojin oppa's heart is unsettled, this super beauty Irina will appear with a bang!"
At Irina's very confident answer, two thoughts entered the secretary's mind: 'Are you crazy?' and 'What kind of drugs did you take to think such things?'
"Um, Irina. How did you come up with such an idea..."
"I saw it in a manga I was reading. I thought it might work, so I decided to try it too. How about it? Doesn't it have some possibility? This time, I'll take root deep in his heart that builds iron walls!"
That'll work out great, sure. Really, what manga did she read to act ? It was a moment when her head naturally shook back and forth, but the secretary forced herself to say it sounded good.
Anyway, even if she expressed negative opinions here, this woman wouldn't reconsider. Rather, she'd definitely just get angry saying she put negativity into her plan. Rather than see that spectacle, it was better for her well-being to just pretend not to know.
"Then how long will you be gone?"
"Was that also from the manga..."
"Yeah. It said if you stay too long, it gets diluted instead. The plan is to stay appropriately and then say goodbye at that timing when he starts feeling regretful!"
There was nothing more to say. The secretary just said "Ah, yes. Yes." and fixed her gaze ahead. Would the plan work? Like hell it would. If that was going to work, something else would have worked already. She could already picture her getting in the car nervously shouting 'That manga was complete bullshit!'
Whether she knew the secretary's pitiful inner thoughts or not, Irina giggled and said "I'll be back!" as she got out of the car.
This time, unlike before, she moved while minimizing her presence as much as possible. To emphasize that she just stopped by briefly on her way!
Infiltrating the lonely moment of someone who must now leave the home they've grown attached to. Just looking at the theory, it could be said to be almost perfect. She had that intuition. She felt a bit sorry, but it couldn't be helped. This seemed like the best method.
He's someone too precious to give to others. A man she definitely wants to have for herself. He has some indescribable, mysterious power that draws people in. An unrefined gem. Yes, Baek Seojin could be called such a person.
And something annoyingly troublesome had attached itself to him, recognizing this like a ghost.
'Was it Kang Suhyeon? No. Since she said granddaughter... Ah, right. Kim Suhyeon.'
At first glance, you'd think she's just timid and gentle. In reality, that's true too. Anyone who sees her would have no choice but to think so.
But Irina can tell. What's crouching inside that interior.
A monster that could rise up anytime she sets her mind to it and literally cause a bloody storm.
Kim Suhyeon is a monster no less, and perhaps even more so, than herself.
If she hadn't been able to control herself, if she had bloomed in a strange direction, she might have become a truly remarkable villain in many ways.
'I can't remove that girl with my own hands. The only person who can is Seojin oppa.'
Even to have Baek Seojin, or at least to persuade him!
She must infiltrate deep into his heart. She must leave a definite mark.
That's why today is all the more important. All the more effective day. They said a beauty is more than enough to fill a lonely man's heart! She's confident! No matter how much they call him a 'single,' still, isn't this SSR-grade single material!
'Let's see. Those people definitely said it was here.'
For this moment today, she even sought out the ability users in charge of Baek Seojin's security. To know not just the general location but exactly which building, which floor, which room he's in. Naturally, the suited group said they couldn't tell her, but the opponent was Irina.
"Th-that's right. Irina. That's... Ugh?"
"Now. Shall we have another 'conversation'?"
At Irina's fist thrust before their eyes, the suited group had no choice but to surrender. Originally, isn't it said that law and rules are distant but fists are close?
Going up to the second floor, Irina cleared her throat softly. She needed to set the mood. If she acted like usual, it would be certain defeat.
She didn't want to hear the single talk anymore because it hurt her pride. Even if it were true, it could be a single who doesn't act like a single!
The moment she thought 'let's go' and stepped into the second-floor corridor.
With a curse, Irina became a golden flash and charged toward one place.
The opponent had been desperately concealing their presence,
and the same was true for Irina, perhaps because she was paying attention to other things. It was only after getting this close that they noticed each other's existence.
"You crazy fucking bitch! Who the hell do you think you're eyeing!"
Kicking down the front door and charging at Hyeon Sujin standing inside, Irina burst out with her anger.