Episode 15
When the dorm supervisor lady placed three glasses, soju, fish cake soup, and a plate of cucumbers and carrots, Yeo Min-jung asked in a calm voice.
"But are you really a mister?"
Yeo Min-jung's tone was calm and gentle, contrary to her appearance.
It could have been a facade, but it didn't seem that way. It seemed like her face and personality were completely opposite.
"I'll be forty-three after this year, so yes, I'm a mister."
"Wow… you look really young. When Jin-ju told me, I just thought you looked a bit young… Do you do anything special? Like beauty clinics or something?"
"No. I'm too busy for that."
"Wow…"
As Yeo Min-jung marveled, Jin-ju skillfully spun the soju bottle, creating a swirl, and received that admiration.
"When I see it, your skin and looks are just the power of genes. It's nothing to envy or anything. Ugh! A dirty world decided by genes!"
"What are you talking about?"
Genes?
No.
'It's all thanks to Goddess Gaia.'
Saying this would get strange looks, so Do-kyung just swallowed those words.
"Alright! Cheers!"
Clink!
The sound of three glasses clinking was drowned out in the noisy atmosphere. Do-kyung lightly emptied his glass. Though weaker than Halla Mount Soju, the unique taste of Chamisul1 lingered on the tip of his tongue before disappearing.
"Ah, good, good. Haha, soju after studying hard is truly the best. Right, Min-jung?"
"Haha, yes. I agree."
The two chatted away, laughing, with Do-kyung in front of them. He had already experienced enough at the company dinner, so just listening was fine. He had already realized through social experience that one doesn't have to join in to be part of the conversation.
"Ah, modern history is too hard, I feel like my head's going to explode!"
"For me, it's English. Ugh."
"By the way, did you see the monster movie that came out this time? Doesn't it look fun?"
"Not really… I don't like movies with monsters."
"Did you see the Turning kids? Wow!"
"I'm not really into such slender guys."
The conversation went from the mountains to the sea, back to the land, and then to the mountains again. By this point, even the great Do-kyung was starting to feel dizzy. And so he decided to cut off the conversation for a moment. In the meantime, Jin-ju had already ordered fried chicken gizzards and octopus stew, which arrived.
"Now, since the snacks are here, let's drink!"
Clink…!
Jin-ju, who emptied her glass heartily, and Yeo Min-jung, who turned her head cautiously before emptying hers, were both watched by Do-kyung, who also emptied his glass. Then, before the chaotic conversation could start again, he spoke up.
"What are you two studying?"
"Studying?"
"Yeah, you must be studying because you have a goal in mind. Like becoming a public servant or a police officer."
"Oh, Mister, it's not like becoming a public servant or a police officer. Haha!"
Ah… right…
Since there was no record, even if she passed, there wouldn't be a problem, but if someone recognized Jinj-u, it would be chaos. If Jinj-u's past were to be revealed, Do-kyung was confident enough to bet half of his fortune that the Public Service Ethics Committee or some such body would cut her off immediately.
Jin-ju, refilling her glass with soju, smiled and said.
"Min-jung is preparing to become an accountant. I'm planning to study first and then think about it."
"So, you don't have a clear goal yet?"
"Yes, I guess that's the case for now. Hehe."
Jin-ju's laughter was awkward, perhaps because she was a little embarrassed.
And Do-kyung's expression became even more awkward.
[The conditions for the power of the Goddess Gaia - Subordinate Foresight - have been met. Would you like to manifest it?]
Huh? What?
Foresight? What foresight?
Do-kyung was momentarily flustered.
It was not just the timing, but something distinctly different from previous powers.
'Foresight? The foresight I know of? Like the foresight ability?'
Just as Do-kyung was about to subconsciously decide to manifest it, Jin-ju's voice interrupted.
"Mister?"
"Huh?"
"Why are your eyes like that? Are you already drunk?"
"No, that's not it…"
As the situation was what it was, Do-kyung eventually decided to cancel the manifestation. However, his heart was once again picking up speed. Thump! Thump! His heart began to race so uncontrollably that he wondered if it might be falling somewhere, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
But that was only for a moment; his heart soon regained its calm. It was as if his heart was told, "You shouldn't do this! You'll get scolded if you do!" regaining its composure.
"I'm not drunk, I tell you. Here, a drink!"
"Isn't that too fast?"
"Hehe, I can handle my liquor well! If you drink like this, you'll be as drunk as us later!"
"Really? Hoho, then let's toast. Let's have a drink, mister."
Under their joint attack, Do-kyung raised his glass and asked.
"What do you gain by getting me drunk?"
Clink!
The third round was underway.
The soju was downed without hesitation. Empty bottles began to accumulate, and within an hour, five empty bottles were stacked on the table.
Jin-ju was boisterous, while Yeo Min-jung was demure.
However, their drinking capacities were the opposite.
Jin-ju began to lose focus after a bottle and a half, just like before, but Yeo Min-jung remained unfazed. Her tone, gaze, and even posture were exactly the same as at the start. Yeo Min-jung was truly a natural-born drinker.
When eight bottles of soju were piled up, the gathering ended. Both Do-kyung and Yeo Min-jung were fine, but Jin-ju started nodding off.
Jin-ju paid the bill.
"I'll pay today…! Next time, you buy, mister!"
"..."
With a sigh, Do-kyung escorted Jin-ju, who had started to stagger while shouting, back to her house. After a brief nod to Yeo Min-jung, who thanked him, Do-kyung returned home. Showering in cold water and sitting on the bed seemed to clear his head.
"Subordinate Foresight, Subordinate Foresight…"
Muttering to himself, Do-kyung pondered what this could mean.
The subordinate was Kyung Jin-ju.
Do-kyung decided to interpret it as he heard it.
"Foresight about Kyung Jin-ju, who has become my subordinate? Is that it? Seeing her future?"
Deciding to confirm it, Do-kyung tried to see again, but nothing happened. He frowned.
"This means the power can only be realized in that moment."
Even if the timing was right, missing it would mean it was over. Still, having discovered something, he didn't feel disappointed. More so, he could see Jin-ju more often. The thought of casually bringing up the topic again tomorrow made him feel at ease.
He organized his thoughts and lay down on the bed.
As soon as he lay down, sleep suddenly overtook him, and he fell asleep without any resistance.
Weekend.
Do-kyung's weekends were always leisurely.
Waking up early on Saturday, Do-kyung first searched the internet for the word "SM" and bought various tools. He bought quite a lot, and upon receiving a message that purchases over 300,000 won were delivered the same day in the Seoul metropolitan area, he thought he wouldn't be going out today. They were items that would be awkward if discovered, so he had to receive them in person.
It was while he was resting after lunch…
Bzzz.
[Sent. Check it.]
Jinsu contacted him, and Do-kyung immediately checked his email.
Ashley Renat.
He reviewed the additional information secured about her.
Her personality was prickly, haughty, and that was it.
In her work life and personal interactions, she embodied the typical 'cold city woman' style. It was noted that her abrasive nature and thorough skills made her stand out even more, despite her tendency to be verbally abusive and dismissive.
"Stand out, my foot…"
Does being dismissive of people really make someone stand out? Is that even logical? From Do-kyung's perspective, it was utter nonsense. Her movements were rather uneventful. The only thing she did was stop by a Western bar near her house for a drink on Friday evenings before heading home.
She had almost no relationships with men.
Even after hacking both her phone and laptop, it appeared there was nothing unusual, suggesting she wasn't as promiscuous as her husband.
"Cold city woman, cold city woman…"
He pondered how to bring this woman down.
The best method was clearly just one.
Subjugation Imprint.
"One shot with that and the game is over."
But to imprint, a situation needed to be created first. Do-kyung recalled Jeong So-young's situation at that time. Subjugation Imprint. Unlike the Subordination Imprint, it required a confirmation step. He concluded this was due to the difference between the two terms.
Dependency affects the subconscious, while subjugation is a forced action on the conscious.
In other words, it meant there was a risk.
The forced nature of the action indicated a high level of danger.
'What if I ordered Jeong So-young to commit suicide?'
Just saying "Go die!" wouldn't make her comply.
However, what if you coax gently, apply pressure, and create such a situation? They might fall into a state similar to hypnosis and perhaps follow that command. Thus, the meaning of the word itself, the power itself, was different. Of course, Do-kyung had no intention of doing that.
Do-kyung intended to use this imprint on Ashley.
Realistically, the idea of Do-kyung doing something to a chic woman like her was impossible from the start. She had ability, looks, and a great figure, perfectly combining all three qualities, making it nearly impossible for her to fall for Do-kyung on her own.
Therefore, there was no choice but to use the Subjugation Imprint that forcibly acted on consciousness.
He had a rough idea of the conditions required for it. By carefully observing the atmosphere at that time, the answer was practically already there.
"Pressing down with force. Or, creating an extreme fear situation."
The answer would surely be one of those.
Since the situations were similar anyway, he only needed to aim for one chance.
"I'll aim for her on Friday."
He heard that they go to the Western bar every Friday, so he decided to target that time. Shaking his head to organize his thoughts, he made himself a cup of coffee and put a cigarette in his mouth.
Buzz.
Buzz.
But before lighting it, a message came in, making him put the cigarette down again. Upon checking, it was a message from the delivery company.
[We have arrived in front of your house.]
[Are you home?]
He immediately got dressed and went down to receive the items. After giving a delivery fee of twenty thousand won and an extra tip of ten thousand won, he moved the boxes inside. There were a total of four boxes. He began opening them one by one.
Inside the box, there was another box double-wrapped, and upon opening it, the contents were revealed. The contents were items John had used on Yujin. They were commonly known as SM tools. Before purchasing them, he had seen them in a video and checked everything necessary on the internet before placing an order. Although it cost nearly two hundred dollars, he did not regret spending that money. After checking all the items, he paused to think.
In fact, the plan for today was to meet Jin-ju in the evening to learn about Subordinate Foresight. However, when the items arrived, the urge to experiment with them surged strongly. Hence, the dilemma was whether to meet Jin-ju or Jeong So-young.
After a moment, having made a decision, he took out his phone and made a call.
A currently trending idol song played briefly before the other party answered the phone.
-Yes, M-Manager…
"Where are you?"
-I'm meeting a friend right now…
"I'll be there by seven in the evening."
-…T-today at seven?
"Yes, seven o'clock. Why? Don't you like it? Should I not come?"
-Ah! No!
"Then go and get ready."
-Yes…
After hearing the response, Do-kyung hung up the phone and started reading the user manual of the tool. As he studied the tool, seven o'clock in the evening arrived quickly.