Chapter 85

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Hyunwoo’s entertaining the kids with magic balloons didn’t end there. When he worked at an event company in the past, he took part in lots of events involving children, so he basically knew how to handle them. Children were simple. When they heard a strange word, they just burst into laughter. In particular, they loved the word ‘fart’.

Hey, you guys know the story about Captain Fart, right?


Yes!
everybody replied in unison.

Do you also know the story about Captain Fart going to see his girlfriend Kongkong?


Nope~!


Can I tell you the story then?


Yes~!


Then, just raise your hand if you want to play the role of Captain Fart and Kongkong. Oh, you said your name is Mingyu. Come here and help me.

Hyunwoo pulled Mingyu, who had been standing alone, to the center of the stage.
Mingyu tried to decline as if he was shy, but Hyunwoo persuaded him,
You’re a middle school boy. You have to do a big brother role on an occasion like this. Let me give you a gift at the end of this event, okay?

Only then did Mingyu take part in the game.
Hyunwoo began the game, using several kids as something like props. They were completely captivated by Hyunwoo’s performance, so were those Aurum company employees who came out for the picnic. When the kids became silent as if they met their kindergarten teachers, their parents focused on Hyunwoo with a curious look.
Minhye couldn’t take her eyes off him, either. He looked like someone giving off his charm endlessly. Actually, she began to think differently about him a while ago. In particular, her perception of him completely changed when she saw him staying with top actress Nami Yu at a high-end restaurant.
Until then, she looked down on him as a high school graduate, no more and no less. Now, she began wondering, What the heck does this guy keep hidden inside him?
What was reflected in her eyes was not the whole person of Hyunwoo. It was clear that he possessed some enormous attraction that she had not noticed before. Moreover, her father Daebong Park, president of Aurum, proudly recognized his ability. Daebong even said that Hyunwoo was a lot better than Sangho Oh or Yonggu Kim whose academic credentials were superior to his.
The more Minhye watched Hyunwoo, the more she felt attracted to him. It would be just stupid for her not to come on to him.
She approached him,
I’d like to help you.


Oh, thanks. Please hold it for me.

Hyunwoo used even her as one of the props.
She asked him to treat her as he liked, forgetting her position as the manager of the PR team of Aurum. Taking her remarks at face-value, he had her write her name with her butt. She was much more easy-going than he expected. When the kids burst into tears, watching her write her name with her butt, she threw away anything like dignity or face-saving and played with the kids, returning to the innocence of childhood.
So far, so good.
Sometimes, however, Hyunwoo felt a bit uncomfortable when she got too close to him for skinship. Whenever there was a chance, she tried to touch him in a friendly way more than necessary. Because of that, not only Hyunwoo, but also her potential groom candidates Yonggu and Sangho, felt something odd about her.
Yonggu and Sangho had been watching her every movement for some time since they got to the picnic. When her physical affection for him became deeper as time went on, they began to show vigilance against Hyunwoo.
In particular, Yonggu seemed to feel confused a lot in his head.
What the heck is this? Does Hyunwoo like her?
Yonggu thought he would eat his hat if Hyunwoo liked her.
Of course, Yonggu recognized Hyunwoo’s ability. He also recognized that Minhye was pretty enough to captivate his heart, but no matter how hard he thought about it, Minhye and Hyuwoo were an odd couple that couldn’t get mixed with each other. Above all, Hyunwoo knew Yonggu had an eye for her for a very long.
Nonetheless, if Hyunwoo also had an eye for her, that would be like a declaration of war to him and that meant he would be destined to fight with Hyunwoo to win over her heart.
Oh, no, no, no, please!
Minhye became more and more openly affectionate to Hyunwoo as time went by. When her eyes met his coincidently, she made the most beautiful smile with her eyes. It looked as if she was only thinking about him. Though Hyunwoo seemed indifferent, he didn’t reject her moves, either. Sometimes, he looked and smiled at her. The more they did so, Yonggu felt more nervous and agonized. Yonggu felt he could not give her up under any circumstances even if his rival was Hyunwoo.
However, Hyunwoo couldn’t read Yonggu’s mind, and he didn’t think of Minhye’s physical affection seriously. Sometimes, he wondered what the hell she was doing to him, but didn’t realize that was the way she expressed her affection for him, for there were many women who casually expressed such affection to men. Hyunwoo felt she was that type of women.
Also, there are three potential candidates to be her groom, namely Sangho Oh, Yonggu Kim, and Younghwan Koh. Maybe she might have some more candidates outside Aurum. As a high school graduate, Hyunwoo felt there was no room for him to get in, and he didn’t want to.
What attracted Hyunwoo’s attention that day was the kids at the picnic. He did his best to captivate their hearts. In particular, he paid close attention to Mingyu Kang.
Mingyu seemed too weak and too quiet. He behaved so well, had few words and had no friends. That’s why Hyunwoo wanted to take care of him all the more. Hyunwoo wanted to speak to him, make him laugh and give him confidence.

Hey, Mingyu! Come over here and help me, won’t you? Just get hold of this and twist it. Good job! You’re smart!

It seemed that Mingyu was really smart. Also, he was quick in visual learning. Hyunwoo repeatedly taught other kids to follow his action, but they couldn’t. However, Mingyu was very good at it.
Hyunwoo spent time with them all afternoon. It was sort of his performance day for the kids rather than the company’s picnic.
Later in the afternoon, Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team, came to Hyunwoo, patting him on the shoulder,
Assistant Manager Jang, great job today!


No, that’s what I’m supposed to do. Let me go over there to help them dispose of the trash,
said Hyunwoo, who was about to stand up suddenly.
But Youngsu held him back and said,
You don’t have to. Anybody, who has raised children, knows how hard it is to play with them. You really had a hard time playing with them all day long, so just take a relaxing break from now on. Let me take responsibility for that.


Oh, I feel alright.


Just sit here when I tell you so as the manager, dude. Don’t move even one step. It’s an order,
said Youngsu, with a stern but cute expression on his face.
Hyunwoo grinned at him, thinking he was commendable in many ways now, though he thought Youngsu was a dumbhead when he first joined the purchasing team as the new manager.
At that moment, someone called him from behind,
Thanks so much, Mr. Jang!

Hyunwoo turned his head and stood up right away. He was Senior Research Scientist Byungwon Kang, and Mingyu was beside him. Byungwon was a very famous researcher at the company. It was not because he had been promoted to a senior researcher due to his ten years of service at the company, but because he was physically weak. Though he was an excellent researcher, he called in sick too often. Still, he survived at the company because of his excellent research capabilities.

My son says he was really happy today because of you, Hyunwoo. Mingyu, say ‘Thank you’ to him.


Thank you, sir,
said Mingyu, with a bow to Hyunwoo.
Stroking his hair, Hyunwoo gave Mingyu a note of 10,000 won,
Take this. That’s expression of my appreciation of your help this afternoon.


Hey, don’t do that,
said Byungwon.
Byungwon pretended to stop him, but actually, he was happy. It’s not because Hyunwoo gave his son the money but someone like him liked Mingyu.

Just go and play with other kids,
said Byungwon.

By the way, he doesn’t look good. Is he sick?
asked Hyunwoo.

Not particularly. He is just weak like me. As he can’t adjust himself to a normal school, he is attending an alternative school, which breaks my heart.

Hyunwoo tilted his head,
Mingyu is weak as you just said, but what does it have to do with his attending an alternative school?


Well, as he is weak, he’s teased and ostracized by his friends a lot.


Is he getting adjusted well at the alternative school now?


Much better now. I’ve found a special alternative school that accepts kids like Mingyu. Still, I just feel sorry when I see my son.

In the meantime, the picnic cleanup was completed. Some of the employees left on a bus and others got on their own cars to leave the picnic.
Hyunwoo got in his car to head for home.
In the meantime, Hyunwoo got lots of attention from his colleagues that day. Minhye was one of them. Yonggu alternatively kept looking at him and Minhye. Yonggu felt something strange about Minhye’s attitude, though. Even though Hyunwoo didn’t cast his gaze at her, she was casting an amorous eye at him.
Then, does she have an eye on him? Damn it! What the hell is going on now? Yonggu thought.
Younghwan Koh and Sangho Oh were also watching Minhye and Hyunwoo carefully. Both of them looked downcast. In particular, Sangho was plucking grass out of anger just like an ostracized kid. His anger surged when Minhye left the place without even casting an eye at him.
Bad girl, how can she make a mockery of me like this?

Hyunwoo got a call from Yonggu as he arrived home.

I’ve got something to talk with you. Are you available?
asked Yonggu.
It looked like his voice was heavy.

Where shall we meet?


Do you remember the beer house in front of the city hall?


Sure, I’ll see you there.

When Hyunwoo entered the beer house, Yonggu was already there, smoking a cigarette and there were lots of its butts in the ashtray.
When Hyunwoo sat down, Yonggu filled up his cup, but didn’t say anything until he drank several cups.

Hey, you look serious. What’s up?
asked Hyunwoo.
Only then did Yonggu open his mouth,
I’ve got some worries.


Worries?


I like some lady.

Hyunwoo already knew who she was, but it could be some other woman.

Is she someone that I know?

Yonggu nodded his head.

Team Manager Minhye Park?

Yonggu nodded again,
Yes.


Are you worried because she doesn’t pay any attention to you?
asked Hyunwoo.
Yonggu shook his head this time.

Then, what is it?
asked Hyunwoo.