214 – Selfish Hearts Collide #2
After the first episode of A Rank Survival had aired, where saw the highest surge in electricity consumption and traffic of information? It was at the Nature Group’s headquarters.
“That scene wasn’t supposed to be aired, was it?”
A Rank number one, Han Joo-ryun, chastised her friend and secretary, Oh Eun-hee. The content of the aired episode was extremely shocking, and thanks to that, Han Joo-ryun’s phone was vibrating continuously as if it were a massage machine.
“Joo-ryun, what on earth happened?”
“Public kissing—”
Among those discussing it were representatives from other companies talking about Han Joo-ryun’s political marriage with the Nature Group. Of course, Han Joo-ryun had no interest in such a marriage and wasn’t planning to agree, but she wanted to avoid becoming the subject of gossip in this manner.
Oh Eun-hee was also feeling terrible. The decision to end the first episode with a kiss scene was a result of Nymph Illinois using an immense amount of money from the Nature Group to pay the TTS broadcasting company a substantial amount for advertising.
Han Joo-ryun said to Illinois, “It was a situation where a person’s heart had stopped, and artificial respiration had to be performed. It was an extremely shocking scene to air, and we had promised the editing team to cut it out.”
Life and death. To distinguish between them could be as simple as whether the heart was beating or not. At that time, Haildo’s heart had stopped for about ten seconds. It could be expressed as having died.
It was too provocative and shocking to be aired, so Han Joo-ryun had asked the broadcasting company to cut that scene out, and it was assumed that this would happen—but—
“The ratings are high and the reactions are hot! A favorable wind is coming for the ‘Nature’ group…! All thanks to that Illinois…!”
Nymph Illinois exercised money and pressure to change the plan. In reality, the ‘Nature’ group had gained a significant advantage through Han Joo-ryun’s exploits. The TTS broadcasting company also succeeded in wrapping up the first episode of the survival show successfully.
“The house master showed a heroic aspect, ready for death, to everyone, didn’t he? This will surely serve as a model for all people…! A win-win world…! Truly, we are the world…!”
“……”
Han Joo-ryun turned on the internet. The heated discussions about various things were still ongoing, like a hot potato.
“Still, it seems like Korean A-rankers aren’t just filling seats? The electric snake demon looked really strong, didn’t it? Sacrificing itself to suppress it, right?”
└It’s all scripted, haha. A-rankers are getting scorn these days, so it’s obvious they wrote a script for cleaning up.
└There was no script or screenplay. My friend is an A-ranker who participated and heard all about it in detail.
Unlike the noisy discussions about Han Joo-ryun and Haildo’s kiss earlier, the excitement had calmed down to some extent, and a few people were now mentioning the self-sacrificial deeds of the A-ranker.
Definitely, in Han Joo-ryun’s thoughts, Haildo’s performance was pretty excellent. In this era where high-ranked Awakened ones had become like celebrities, it had reminded them of the fundamental attributes of Awakened ones, such as ‘sacrifice’ and ‘responsibility.’
As Illinois said, everyone’s a win-win.
One could think that way.
‘Currently, people are focusing on the provocative scene like artificial respiration, but once the heat settles down, they’ll objectively evaluate that Haildo did something amazing.’
While thinking that, Han Joo-ryun brought her finger to her cherry-like lips. She had been frantic during the artificial respiration, but now that she thought about it, it was an embarrassing thing.
Kissing a man.
It was also her first experience.
However, watching this as her secretary, friend, and materialist Oh Eun-hee felt a chill run down her spine.
‘Is Joo-ryun actually falling for Haildo? No way! She should marry a chaebol heir or an S-ranker! Not Haildo! Absolutely not!’
Oh Eun-hee had plans to elevate Han Joo-ryun to great heights. That way, there would be a lot of leftovers for her too.
If Han Joo-ryun married Haildo, who was just an A-ranker, there would be hullabaloo at first, but soon she would be forgotten in the people’s interest, and it was clear that Oh Eun-hee would also not be able to escape her current life.
“Joo-ryun, you’re not thinking you should marry Haildo just because you kissed, right? Kissing isn’t that big of a deal these days. Besides, Haildo isn’t even your type!”
Oh Eun-hee had heard about Han Joo-ryun’s ideal type back in high school. Han Joo-ryun said she liked animal-like people.
Animal-like people.
It was a very vague ideal type, but in Oh Eun-hee’s mind, it probably meant a hairy, huge person, rough like a bear. And such a person was far from Haildo.
“Hehe, now they’re editing Episode 2 according to Illinois’ taste…! This time, the advertising expenses to be invested in TTS will be paid with this Nature Group’s blank check…!”
Tap—!
Illinois raised her hand high.
Seeing that, Han Joo-ryun snapped out of her daze while touching her lips.
“Illinois, this can’t continue. You’re fired from the Nature Group. Since you work however you want, too many variables arise.”
“Are you saying you’re going to fire Illinois? That’s like abandoning a companion Nymph…! It’s an extremely illegal act, a forbidden something! You should call a lawyer…!”
Illinois froze, as if she had been given a great shock. However, Han Joo-ryun thought that she could no longer handle Illinois, and Illinois stood with her shoulders straight as if to show off her pride.
“That Illinois is truly a miracle Nymph…! Anyway, there will be many people willing to call…! Don’t regret it…!”
Boom—!
With those words, Illinois ran out the door.
Even though Illinois had been fired by Han Joo-ryun, she wasn’t worried. There would be plenty of cores looking for her, and many rich people as well.
“Isn’t it about time that core Ye-rim is thinking about how precious Illinois is and regretting it…? If she sincerely asks for forgiveness from Illinois, there’s a heart to forgive…!”
Drrr—.
Illinois called Seo Ye-rim. However, for some reason, Seo Ye-rim didn’t answer Illinois’ call.
Whooosh—.
The chilly autumn night wind continued to blow through the streets.
“Moorongchu…! Hiyaek…! It’s so cold it’s making me sneeze…!”
# # #
On the way home after watching the broadcast in Seo Ye-rim’s private theater.
“Where are the wet tissues?”
I asked Lee Jin-A to wipe away the cold sweat that continued to flow. My anxiety wasn’t subsiding.
Then Lee Jin-A, who was driving down the dark night road, said,
“I don’t know.”
Her words were shorter than usual. She seemed to be somewhat annoyed. She had looked upset since she gave me the power bank earlier.
Breath, breath—.
Perhaps because it was late, the sound of the Nymphs snoring in the backseat was the only thing ringing loudly in the car due to the silence.
I had nothing to do in this awkward situation. I wanted to see my phone, but Lee Jin-A’s power bank either was broken or didn’t show signs of charging above two percent.
When I turned the phone on, it shut down due to a lack of power. If I tried to turn it back on, it would shut down again.
Skreech—.
At that moment, Lee Jin-A’s car came to a stop.
It was a country road where there was still a way to home. Near the rice field, there were sparse utility poles, leading to a dark path.
“I can’t do this. Haildo. Get out.”
Lee Jin-A got out of the car.
I also got out of the car.
Soon, Lee Jin-A clenched her fist tightly and said, “You. Take a hit.”
“What?”
It was an unexpected statement.
With her fist clenched, Lee Jin-A swung at me.
It was a blatant attack, and I merely leaned back to dodge it.
“What’s the deal? Why are you trying to hit me?”
“…Don’t dodge!”
“No, what’s going on?”
I couldn’t understand why Lee Jin-A seemed angry. She kept swinging her fists, and I dodged her attacks while using the car as an obstacle.
Whoosh—.
At that moment, Lee Jin-A placed her hand on her temple.
In an instant, my steps stopped, and that gap allowed Lee Jin-A’s fist to reach my face.
Thud—.
“Ah!”
It hurt.
No, it really hurt more than I thought, and I fell down.
“Hey, wait! I got hit on the nose! Am I bleeding? Right now…!? What are you doing?!”
In the case of Awakened ones, males were said to have increased delicate body control, while female Awakened ones generally became simply stronger. And it was true.
Thud, thud, thud—!
Lee Jin-A’s palm kept striking my head.
“Take another hit! Two hits! This is not enough! Three hits!”
Continually being hit made it natural that a person would get angry.
If I couldn’t understand the reason, I would get even angrier!
I suddenly became unable to contain my anger and charged at Lee Jin-A.
“Hey! Stop it already!”
Screech, screech—!
Lee Jin-A’s face, held by my shoulders, was quite flushed due to the truck’s headlights. She was making a boiling kettle-like sound with tears welling up in her eyes.
Lee Jin-A was crying? I was bewildered. I thought that even someone turned away from spring potatoes might look more gentle than this when Lee Jin-A charged at me like an angry squirrel.
“You—!”
After that, we pulled each other’s hair and grabbed each other’s clothes, rolling around in the rice field near the highway.
Mud fights were much more exhausting than I expected, and eventually, we collapsed in a field where the autumn stars could be seen, exhausted.
The pretty stars twinkled in the night sky, but the dirt ground I lay on was rough and damp.
Yet, I was in so much pain all over that I didn’t care.
Bark bark…!
What’s that?
Whooosh…?
Animals that had been watching our fight from a distance gathered around me then.
Usually, they would have taken my side and fought against the enemy, but since the opponent was Lee Jin-A today, even the small animals seemed clueless, unable to get involved in the fight.
Not knowing what was happening was the same for me.
“…No, what is the problem?”
I got angry and fought against Lee Jin-A, but I couldn’t understand at all. Why did we suddenly have to fight?
Then Lee Jin-A said,
“Are you really asking that? You’re such a selfish brat. Your heart stopped and you died! You were a dead person! You were lucky to live, but you died! If you wanted to die like that, then just die at my hands! You selfish jerk! You don’t think about the people left behind at all!”
That I was a person who only knows myself was quite a shocking statement!
