059 – Room You Can’t Leave If You Don’t Act #4
Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun-ah were locked in a room together.
How many hours had passed?
They had tried knocking on the walls and shouting in various directions, but no answer came.
“d*mn bastards, locking up seniors? When we get out, I’m really going to k*ll everyone.”
Jeon Somi unleashed near-cursing insults towards Hanamjin and Baek Yeo-ul. However, Jang Hyun-ah reprimanded her.
“Be quiet because you’re too hyperactive. Don’t waste energy for no reason. Whenever problems arise, you never know how to stay calm.”
“What? What did you just say? What am I supposed to do?”
Feeling increasingly upset, Jeon Somi couldn’t contain her feelings. All the grievances she had accumulated toward Jang Hyun-ah throughout the day were about to burst.
“Hey, come to think of it, isn’t this somewhat your fault? It’s because you carelessly handed over the team leadership to Hanamjin that this situation happened. When we get out, you will take responsibility. I will tell Juhyun everything that happened today.”
“Hm?”
“Are you laughing? You just mocked me, didn’t you?”
“No, it’s just that a funny story came to mind, not that I’m mocking you. You know how I laugh to myself sometimes. Hmph—.”
“What are you talking about, all of a sudden? That’s why guys don’t like you. What was that four-dimensional concept you were trying to pull? It went out of style ages ago!”
Jeon Somi was simply annoyed by this situation. It seemed to her that the only way to relieve her irritation would be to scratch Jang Hyun-ah with her fully extended nails. Meanwhile, Jang Hyun-ah was also growing irritated by the incessant complaints.
“You think it’s good to be popular with men? You break up quickly every time, don’t you? That’s because men get tired of you.”
“What? You poor commoner! Your father probably got tired of you and your mom quickly, didn’t he? That’s why he cheated and left, right?”
“Did I say everything I wanted to say…!?”
Jang Hyun-ah reached her limit of patience when the conversation turned to her father. She had always been aware that Jeon Somi subtly looked down on her and treated her like a servant.
It was laughable.
How dare she look down on her?
“You’re the one who knows nothing but tries to boss people around. Have you ever been on an overnight outing with Juhyun? No, right? Has Juhyun ever confided in you? Do you even know what Level-0 files are?”
“What, what…”
Jeon Somi was taken aback by the unexpected attack. Jang Hyun-ah felt immense satisfaction in sharing information that only she knew.
The feeling of relief as if all the tension inside her was dissipating smoothly.
“Jeon Somi, evaluate yourself objectively. Calm down your temper, stop talking too much. It’s because of this that Juhyun gets tired of you quickly, isn’t it?”
“Uuu…”
“Juhyun said… You might have a pretty face, but once you’re with him, there’s nothing in your head, so it’s no fun at all. If you really want to become the daughter-in-law of a chaebol family, shouldn’t you cultivate some refinement?”
Jeon Somi, being more extroverted, preferred spending time with friends, drinking, and enjoying parties rather than reading books or gaining cultural knowledge.
Even as an Awakened One, she was just starting out in society at twenty years old, and it was natural for her to live enjoying the present.
‘Prince Juhyun, didn’t you say you liked this outgoing side of me? You said playing with me was so much fun that worries would disappear.’
While Jeon Somi was feeling sad with such thoughts, Jang Hyun-ah was thinking of Prince Juhyun.
—Hyun-ah, I like that you treat me like a regular guy. Girls usually try hard to impress me, which is no fun.
—I’ve never been interested in love. And you haven’t even graduated from school. Call me ‘older sister’ since I’m older than you.
They quickly became close. As time passed, Prince Juhyun even began to confide in Jang Hyun-ah.
—My father entrusted me with Level-0 confidential files rather than to my older siblings or sisters. He said there’s a lot to know for the one who will inherit the Imperial Group someday.
The usually tough, extroverted boy was shaking and looked frightened that day.
Honest to say, I didn’t care much about relationships until then, but when I saw him struggling, something like protective instincts began to grow within me. It was last Christmas.
“Last Christmas…!?”
Jeon Somi recalled Prince Juhyun’s claim that he couldn’t meet her for Christmas due to the Imperial Group’s family meeting.
“It was a lie!”
She couldn’t tolerate it.
Prince Juhyun and Jang Hyan-ah.
She was furious they had betrayed her.
Just then,
Drrk—
The long-closed door opened, revealing Hanamjin.
“Alright, that’s enough. Now, tell me what those Level-0 files are. For reference, if you pull any stunts, you’ll both be locked here. I can easily make this into a ‘room you can’t leave if you don’t act.'”
—
Late afternoon.
I entered the Great Labyrinth, “Daemi Palace,” again.
“Our seniors from the team are still inside the labyrinth–Jang Hyun-ah and Jeon Somi. Neither has a record of leaving yet? I have to deliver triangle-shaped rice cakes to them.”
The Great Labyrinth entry-exit management staff let me pass without suspicion!
Approaching the “Fairy Princess’s Room,” I could hear faint chatter from behind the cold stone door.
Listening closely, I realized Jang Hyun-ah and Jeon Somi were fighting. I obtained the desired keyword.
“Level-0 Secret Files.”
Turned out the secrets about the Imperial Group weren’t known by Jeon Somi but by Jang Hyun-ah.
“Everyone suffered so much being locked in here. I’ve brought some drinks and triangle-shaped rice cakes to share.”
“Hurry, give them here!”
SWOOSH!
Like a fierce weasel, Jeon Somi snatched the cola from my hand, opened the can, and guzzled it down.
She didn’t even leave any for Jang Hyun-ah.
“Hey, why did you drink all of it by yourself?”
When Jang Hyun-ah questioned Jeon Somi, she responded with a loud burp, showing off. It seemed like they were about to start fighting again, so I decided to take the initiative.
“Jang Hyun-ah, if you know anything about the ‘Level-0 files’ you mentioned, you need to tell me.”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Well, if you don’t, you’ll be stuck here forever with Jeon Somi. Why should you endure such humiliation because of Prince Juhyun? You don’t owe him that much loyalty, do you?”
“Loyalty? Hah—funny. We love each other.”
Love, huh. I like love too.
After all, the reason I’m doing all this is out of love for Seugal.
Then, how about this?
I pulled a photo from my pocket and threw it on the floor.
“Wow, Prince Juhyun is something else. Is it because he’s so handsome that he’s so popular with women? He’s dated celebrities, internet broadcasters, Olympic medalists—doesn’t matter who.”
These were the photos from last week’s newspaper that the Seonam Group was about to cover. Numerous women had been photographed with the high school student—a gift from Seo Do-cheol, via Jinnim.
“T-this is…”
“Prince Juhyun, you b*stard! You told me you had cut ties with other women and was only seeing me!”
As they looked at the photos, Jang Hyun-ah and Jeon Somi’s faces first turned red with anger and then pale with shock. It was quite entertaining.
“By the way, there is one woman he truly considers his girlfriend. Apparently, Juhyun only invited this one woman to his house.”
Rustle—
I pulled another photo from my pocket.
The women’s reactions became loud.
“—Prince Juhyun invited her to his house?”
“I… he told me that my parents and family were all around, so I absolutely couldn’t enter his house! Give me that photo!”
Jeon Somi lunged for me.
Given her behavior, something strange happened just as she slapped my cheek.
Slide!
My palm slid across her cheek—touching something eerily slippery, likely due to her “slippery” concept.
As Jeon Somi grabbed the photo, she shouted.
“This girl… this is Jin Eun-byul, from Samjin Group!”
The Samjin Group was the top corporate entity a decade ago before the birth of the Seonam Group.
One could describe them as strong players from the old era without “Awakened One” ideas.
And Jin Eun-byul was the daughter of the Vice-Chairman of that powerful Samjin Group. Additionally, she was the adopted daughter or niece of the current president.
“So, it’s just about staying within your circle. Crawfish and crabs in the ditch, no matter how they jump, still end up with herons, who stick to their kind. You were all just a pastime to Prince Juhyun.”
“I’m different. No one else knows about the ‘Level-0 file’ except me.”
Jang Hyun-ah stood resolute with defiance.
I questioned her.
“So, you know exactly what the contents are, right?”
“…”
Apparently, she doesn’t. I somehow guessed that this might happen. Extracting useful information seems impossible, so moving on to Plan B.
“Cooperate with me. To be honest, I only have a grudge with Prince Juhyun, the prime suspect in Seugal’s abduction. Give me a natural opportunity to approach him.”
Even as underlings, Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun-ah were still in a position to get close to Prince Juhyun.
Without much quality, they still held the key to approach him. While not the key to a luxury car, it was at least a key to a bike lock.
Thus, using the “bike” provided by Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun-ah, I would smoothly approach Prince Juhyun, uncover the secrets of the Imperial Group, and deliver them to Seo Do-cheol.
“Why should we cooperate?”
Jang Hyun-ah was still holding out.
She seems to not know her situation.
On the contrary, model Jeon Somi appears to calculate faster.
“I… I can help! Prince Juhyun and Jin Eun-byul? I will not let those dog lovers off easily! Playing with my unrequited love? I’ll seek revenge! Revenge! South Jin! I will cooperate!”
“Okay. Then let the model leave this room. I don’t need two assistants here. So, Jeon Somi, you’ll also take care of managing Jang Hyun-ah from now on. Just so you know, my plan is to lock her in here for half a year.”
Let’s release her when the world is about to end.
Meanwhile, Jang Hyun-ah was clearly panicking.
“Are you crazy? Locking someone for half a year? That’s abduction! Criminal act! Do you want to go to jail? People won’t stay quiet if I disappear, you know!”
“They’ll stay quiet. When Seugal and Yu Yeo-reum disappeared, the world kept on turning fine, didn’t it? Look into my eyes. Do I seem like someone who just says empty words?”
I looked at Jang Hyun-ah with passion and love.
Something in my eyes must have struck her, causing her to tense up and yell at Jeon Somi.
“Hey! Jeon Somi! Don’t listen to this guy!”
“Shut up, crazy girl! You’re the same! If you’re so confident, punch him in this ‘Vibration’ of yours! But you’re just a coward who can’t even fight back!”
Jeon Somi seemed to have made her resolution.
Alright, secured the pawn.
“—coward? Me?”
Wooong!
Jang Hyun-ah’s vibrating fist.
Is she mad enough to lunge at me?
That would work perfectly.
“Attack if you dare. For reference, have you heard of Haminjin, “Breaker”? Men who attacked me ended up with broken bones, but what do you think I’ll do to a woman? Attack if you’re curious.”
“…”
“Name: Jang Hyun-ah
Possession: 『Vibration Lv.3』 – Can produce vibrations with the precision of construction equipment.
Condition: 『Extreme Tension』 – Feels things are going against her interest. Sensing confusion and uncertainty bubbling inside, she fears losing control over the situation and is experiencing extreme stress.”
“…Alright! I give up. I’ll help. All you’re asking for is help approaching, right? South Jin, this isn’t because I’m caving under your threats. It’s my decision. I’ll do it. But leave Jeon Somi out. She lacks the necessary talent and would only ruin everything.”
“What!? You crazy girl! You stay locked in here!”
Jang Hyun-ah changed her mind and said she’d cooperate, leading Jeon Somi to start another physical clash.
I clapped to gather everyone’s attention.
“From now on, this room is one where you can only leave after apologizing. Make heartfelt apologies for your wrongdoings against me and Baek Yeo-ul. I will let out whoever shows more ‘sincerity’.”
I lifted my phone to begin recording a video.
“Just like you demanded earlier, strip n*ked and kneel on the camera.”
