Chapter 47
In fact, although Min Ahyeon felt uncomfortable seeing mayor Yang Jun-tae, but it wasn’t so difficult to face him. Well, there wasn’t really any reason for Min Ahyeon to feel uneasy. After all, she had been a former soldier, but what could they do now that she had deserted? Plus, she had been stationed in Paju, not Cheorwon. With her own excuses in mind, Min Ahyeon didn’t find it inconvenient to come here at all.
However, for Yang Jun-tae, Min Ahyeon seemed to have become some kind of grim reaper. He was so shocked that not only were his hands and voice trembling, but he even dropped the teacup he was holding.
Thanks to the plush carpet, there was no catastrophe of broken pottery, but the mixed coffee inside spilled out onto the desk and carpet with a splash. As the sweet yet nutty aroma of coffee filled the mayor’s office, Min Ahyeon felt her tension easing slightly, but Yang Jun-tae remained frozen in place.
“Mayor, are you okay?”
The security guards standing by asked, flinching at Yang Jun-tae’s strange reaction, but received no answer. His gaze was still fixated solely on Min Ahyeon. He clearly looked anxious and uneasy. The security guards who had brought Min Ahyeon here were somewhat puzzled, as the mayor rarely reacted this way. Some of them grew more wary of her, while others glanced at her again with questioning looks.
They may have loosely judged that she wasn’t dangerous just because she was a woman, but Yang Jun-tae’s display of such fear was unexpected.
“Ahem, ahem!”
Seemingly realizing that his reaction was making the atmosphere strange for the security guards, Yang Jun-tae hastily cleared his throat. Then, as if he had never been flustered, he scolded the guards with a composed and stern voice.
“We have an honored guest. It would have been good if you had given me advance notice.”
“Yes? Ah… I apologize.”
The security guard, who had suddenly found themselves in a mess because of Yang Jun-tae’s reaction, apologized with embarrassment.
“I showed an unsightly sight. I understand, Lieutenant Min.”
Yang Jun-tae, on his own accord, forgave the security personnel who had done nothing wrong, or perhaps he was giving them an order, as he glanced at Min Ahyeon.
“If it’s Lieutenant Min… could it be, Min Ahyeon?”
Startled by the mayor’s words, one of the security personnel stammered in surprise.
“Yes, I’m Min Ahyeon.”
Since Min Ahyeon had no particular resentment towards the guard, she lightly nodded in acknowledgment of his recognition. Being a legendary figure among mercenaries, the guard who finally recognized her didn’t know what to do and bowed his head, asking to be forgiven for his discourtesy.
“Indeed, it is clear that my subordinate has been disrespectful. To not recognize Lieutenant Min, honestly.”
His words and expression, markedly different from before, carried a certain dignity as if he held the guards in his grip and was flaunting that power before Ahyeon. In truth, the guards bowed on their own after learning Min Ahyeon’s identity, but Yang Jun-tae would certainly not think so.
Ah, what a petty guy. Nothing’s changed, then or now.
Thinking of him still as amusing, Min Ahyeon chuckled softly.
In any case, Yang Jun-tae seemed to have confirmed the authority he wielded, as his empty self-esteem and pride began to swell further. He appeared to have forgotten how he couldn’t utter a word and trembled just from seeing Ahyeon earlier.
“You all may leave. I have something to discuss with Lieutenant Min alone, ahem.”
“Pardon? Will you be alright?”
The guard asked in surprise at the governor’s words, implying if he could really handle being alone with ‘that’ Min Ahyeon without incident. Caught in the middle, Min Ahyeon found it somewhat amusing inwardly.
‘Do they realize that if I wished, I could send their blustering governor straight to the afterlife without a penny to his name?’
As she struggled to suppress a smirk, Yang Jun-tae seemed to have misunderstood the guard’s implication.
“I’ll be fine.”
His relaxed response made it seem like he thought the guard was simply concerned for his wellbeing. The guard’s expression dimmed slightly at the governor’s elated tone, mistaking their care as affection. Another guard almost pleaded:
“What about the carpet? I’ll stay and clean it up, mayor.”
It was almost like begging to have them stay for the mayor’s safety. Foolishly taking on Min Ahyeon alone.
Unfortunately, whether Yang Jun-tae had fully recovered from his shock at seeing Min Ahyeon or if he could not simply think deeply, he opened his mouth without much consideration.
“I cannot present a disorderly appearance before a guest. For now, you may leave. If needed later, I’ll call you back.”
It was a perfect dismissal.
In the end, under Yang Jun-tae’s firm words, the security officers had no choice but to leave the mayor’s office. Instead, after going outside, they would anxiously wait in front of the door, hoping to see Min Ahyeon and the mayor walk out unharmed.
Sigh. You all as well, have to endure under such a foolish superior.
Min Ahyeon shrugged as she watched the guards dragging their feet reluctantly out the door.
“Don’t worry.”
Then she turned to the security guards and said.
“I won’t kill him, I won’t kill him.”
As soon as they heard Ahyeon’s words, the guards’ faces turned pale white. It sounded like she was saying, ‘I’ll kill him, so could you step aside?’ When they hesitated, Ahyeon burst into laughter while holding her stomach. Then she spoke to Yang Jun-tae.
“Mayor, your subordinates are quite adorable.”
She laughed again while looking at Yang Jun-tae, as if speaking directly to him. ‘Hey, laugh. Don’t ruin the mood.’
So Yang Jun-tae forced his lips into a smile and began laughing awkwardly.
“Ha, haha. That’s right? Our boys are a bit cute! Haha!”
Surviving on just his pride alone. Yang Jun-tae didn’t want to show any signs of submitting to a young girl like Min Ahyeon in front of his subordinates. Of course, they already knew, but the foolish Jun-tae remained oblivious.
“So go on, get out of here. Alright? We have things to discuss amongst ourselves!”
At Yang Jun-tae’s words, the guards nodded helplessly and left the room.
Only after hearing the door close with a thud, Min Ahyeon looked at Yang Jun-tae. Despite telling them to leave, Yang Jun-tae had an anxious expression like a child whose kite string broke when the guards exited the office. He hurriedly managed his expression and let out an awkward laugh.
“Ha, haha.”
Nevertheless, the tension in his expression couldn’t be erased. He forced himself to laugh, but it was clear that it wasn’t genuine. It wouldn’t be possible in the first place. Although it was said as a passing joke earlier, to Yang Jun-tae, Min Ahyeon was truly like the grim reaper.
Yang Jun-tae swallowed nervously, his dry lips tight.
‘Why did she come? Why did she come all the way here?!’
But no matter how much he thought about it, he could not fathom the reason. At least, not immediately.
Min Ahyeon simply smiled brightly at Yang Jun-tae, who blatantly remained on high alert without even offering her a seat. While she had been somewhat tense earlier, thinking it might be troublesome to subdue the guards, Yang Jun-tae alone was hardly a challenge.
‘I can practically hear the rusty gears turning in his head.’
Reading Yang Jun-tae’s mind as if it were an open book, Min Ahyeon sat on the sofa before he could even open his mouth. It was comfortable. It was completely different from the cushions in Eunjin’s worn-out tent. Moreover, the leather sofa looked as good as new. While outside, infected beings were committing murder every night, and survivors were fighting them every hour, Yang Jun-tae had time to polish his leather sofas.
“Wow, the furniture here looks really neat.”
With Min Ahyeon’s casual remark but somehow feeling the underlying tension, Yang Jun-tae’s shoulders twitched.
“Well, uh. It’s always the same here.”
Yang Jun-tae mumbled a reply as he retrieved a drink from the fridge. The fridge’s performance must have been impressive, as condensation immediately formed on the glass bottle’s surface when he took it out. Ahyeon’s eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the sight.
Yang Jun-tae slowly walked over and sat across from Min Ahyeon, handing her the drink. Min Ahyeon accepted it with a sneer.
“Ah, thank you. By the way, your office looks even better. Did you replace the sofa too? This leather doesn’t seem like just any brand.”
When Min Ahyeon tapped the armrest, Yang Jun-tae’s awkward smile trembled slightly.
🕂
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