Evil Organization’s Extra Mr. A

[ Chapter 30 ]

Was I too careless? In the end, because of alcohol, that incident happened, and when I returned home in a state where I couldn’t finish my thoughts, meeting Yubin made every hair on my body stand up.

I was in a situation where I couldn’t explain to Yubin, who didn’t know the full story, that I had come home late the previous night after drinking until evening. After having a ceremony with Yura, I felt guilty and kept an eye on her.

Yes, I was too careless. Even though I was supposed to be monitoring the situation, I took everything too lightly. I even justified my actions with Yura by saying it was due to being drunk.

While I fully acknowledge my actions, there’s no way I could tell Yubin about this. Of course, I also can’t bring up anything about Yubin when I meet Yura again.

“…”

“So, you spent the whole night drinking with them?”

In the end, I had to lie to Yubin again. Not about spending a sticky night with Yura after drinking, but about drinking with the people from the meeting.

“Yes.”

I couldn’t bear to look at her gaze as she looked down at me kneeling in front of the sofa. I’m sure she was looking at me with narrow eyes.

Still, I couldn’t just keep my head down and stare at the floor, so I slowly raised my head to look at her. She was staring back at me with wide eyes.

“…Are you not angry?”

“Yes.”

I asked if she was really that angry, considering what I thought, but her sharp reply made cold sweat run down my back. The expression “my spine turned cold” must be used for moments like this.

Even while saying she was angry, Yubin didn’t turn away from me and continued to look at me. Instead, I was the one who wanted to avoid her gaze, but I felt I shouldn’t look away here.

“I’m sorry.”

The only thing I could say was an apology. Saying anything else would be strange. Honestly, even though I said I drank with the company people, there’s no proof to disprove that I went to a nightclub.

“Is this not just a casual remark?”

“Yes. I’m sorry for staying out all night drinking.”

I bowed my head again to apologize, but Yubin remained silent. Puzzled, I looked up, and now she was glaring at me with narrowed eyes.

“That’s not it.”

“What?”

“It’s not because I’m angry about the drinking.”

I couldn’t stop thinking about what the problem was. I did send a message saying I would drink last night, but I didn’t say I’d stay out all night and come back in the evening. I thought she was angry because I drank heavily, but that wasn’t it.

“…Can you tell me? I won’t do it again next time.”

“Contact.”

“Contact?”

I nodded in response to her short phrase, wondering why she would ask. Contact? Didn’t I already contact her about drinking?

At that moment, I realized that even if the content was the same, I shouldn’t mess up the point of the apology.

I mentioned drinking, but I didn’t mention staying out all night. And Yubin was upset not because I drank, but because I didn’t contact her until evening.

“I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll definitely contact you.”

I can’t use the excuse of being new to dating. Communication is essential in any relationship, whether it’s the first time or not. If I had known this earlier, it might have been better.

Of course, I couldn’t contact her easily because I was with Yura, but still, knowing is better than not knowing for future reference.

I sincerely apologized to Yubin, and she, who was glaring, opened her eyes wide and looked at me before spreading her arms.

“?”

If it were usual, I wouldn’t hesitate to hug Yubin, but today I wondered if I should. I watched her reaction and frowned when she didn’t embrace me.

“I’m sorry.”

Yubin hugged me as I apologized for not contacting and hesitating to hug her. I felt the softness of her ample chest through her clothes, and she stroked my head.

“This time, I’ll let it slide. Got it?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Just being in her embrace made my heart ease after checking her reactions.

Sure, many things will happen in the future, but I vowed to myself not to make the same mistake again.

At the same time, another thought came to mind.

‘The next time, I won’t be forgiven.’

Thinking this while still hugging, I lifted my head, and Yubin leaned in to kiss me, sharing a sweet kiss.

The next day, Tuesday morning.

Pink and the manager sat opposite each other in a quiet café, with two cups of coffee on the table between them. Neither reached for their coffee, maintaining an awkward silence.

The manager broke the silence first. The middle-aged woman with golden bob hair, exuding an elegant aura, took a sip of her coffee, placed it on the table, and turned her gaze toward Pink.

Pink, feeling her gaze, sat quietly and stared at her own cup.

“Do you want to quit?”

“…Yes.”

“May I ask why?”

The manager, who had worked at the café the longest, listened seriously to Pink, who announced her resignation. Worried about Pink, who didn’t have a place to go since she was a hyper-human.

Of course, Pink didn’t show her concern outwardly, so she could only read the atmosphere.

“Everyone seems to dislike me…”

She didn’t want to say out loud that she had been cursed because she was a hyper-human. She couldn’t tell if the women who cursed her did so because she was a hyper-human, or because they disliked someone named Yura, or both.

If the evaluation of human Yura within the café was bad, it was right to leave voluntarily.

“Shall we step outside for a bit?”

The manager pulled out cigarettes and a lighter from her pocket and walked out the back door with Pink. The scene of people talking behind her back a few days ago came to mind.

The manager lit a cigarette under the shade. The tip glowed red as she inhaled and blew out white smoke.

“I don’t like it… I thought everyone knew from the start.”

Hearing the manager’s words, Pink was shocked. She had thought everyone liked her without prejudice, but now she wondered if no one liked her from the beginning.

“But, I don’t particularly dislike you either.”

After uttering one sentence, the manager took another drag on the cigarette and exhaled smoke with a sigh.

“This is just my opinion, so listen. After listening, it’s your judgment.”

The manager, who usually didn’t talk much, seemed to be serious as she prepared to speak at length while lighting a cigarette. Pink tensed up, waiting for her words.

“I don’t particularly like or dislike hyper-humans. I treat them the same as regular people.”

The manager’s deep eyes shifted from the floor to Pink, who was standing nervously.

“Moreover, it’s natural for others to have prejudices against hyper-humans.”

The manager’s words were true. Pink wanted to be recognized without prejudice as a hyper-human, but the public perception of hyper-humans was already at rock bottom. One person’s mistake can affect an entire group, which is common.

“Still, I think our children are normal. There are prejudices, but they see you as you are.”

The manager continued smoking as she sipped her coffee and spoke further.

“And those two have always had their seals set.”

Pink hadn’t mentioned who disliked her yet, but the manager already knew the situation.

“I’ve heard them gossip about not just you but other part-timers too. So, I asked the counter staff about it.”

The two people who had been notorious for gossiping within the café were well-known for creating a negative atmosphere. Realizing this, the manager asked about other part-timers, and the answers were filled with insults.

And at that moment, Pink overheard them gossiping about her.

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

The manager checked if Pink had a job lined up after leaving the café, and Pink shook her head. It was difficult for Pink to find work as easily as regular people, and she had never been able to start working after getting a job offer.

“Then stay. They would have fired you anyway.”

“…Are you okay with having a hyper-human around?”

After finishing her cigarette, the manager threw the butt into the trash and sprinkled water from her cool coffee cup onto Pink’s face.

“Don’t you remember telling me you knew I was a hyper-human? I hire based on looks, even if someone isn’t good at their job.”

She passed by Pink and paused at the back door, turning her head.

“If I wanted to fire you for being a hyper-human, I would have done it long ago. What are you doing? We need to sort out the warehouse with the new stock coming in.”

Leaving those words, the manager closed the door and entered the store.

Left alone, Pink felt an indescribable emotion cloud her mind.

She had assumed everyone was talking behind her back and that she would be fired for disrupting the workplace atmosphere. But the manager needed her. The sincerity in her dry tone was evident.

“…”

Pink smiled and placed her hand on her chest, feeling her fast-beating heart. She couldn’t help but feel joy knowing someone wanted her to stay.

Eliminating prejudice against hyper-humans requires a long process. If a social issue related to hyper-humans arises tomorrow, the path will become more difficult.

But despite this, someone had noticed her hard work at the café. The manager. And the long-term employees saw Pink not just as a hyper-human but as a human named Yura.

No matter how much she denied it, she couldn’t deny the fact that she was a hyper-human. But Pink had continuously fought to be seen as a human named Yura, and some people started seeing her that way.

They didn’t deny her existence. Prejudices exist even among regular people, but not everyone views prejudiced groups with the same biased perspective.

To the café staff, Pink was a regular Yura.

Lost in thought, she stepped inside the café when the back door, which had been closed, opened again.

Stepping in and leaning her head out was the manager who had just gone inside.

“And ask A if they can work extended hours during the weekend for a while.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Also, I’m thinking of hiring a manager for the weekend shifts. If you have any ideas, let me know separately.”

Then the manager went back inside.

The manager said this hoping Pink would stay, but ultimately, the choice was Pink’s.

Pink had already decided not to quit the café because she felt seen as a regular Yura.

Instead, she felt a desire to continue working here, where she had built a bond over the year. That feeling was undoubtedly joy.

Taking out her phone from her pocket, Pink felt overwhelmed with emotion and immediately contacted the first person who came to mind.

[I’ll keep working at the café for a while.]

After sending the text, Pink waited anxiously with her smartphone in hand. When she felt the vibration, she turned on the screen.

[Okay. Let’s meet this weekend.]

Seeing A’s reply, Pink smiled and walked into the café as a person who strives every day to be recognized.