Evil Organization’s Extra Mr. A – Chapter 24

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

My paycheck arrived. I hadn’t even worked a full month yet, but it seemed the café paid all employees on a fixed payday, rather than calculating individual pay periods.

It wasn’t a huge amount, but receiving money was always a mood booster, and my weekend shift was more enjoyable than usual.

“Are you that happy about getting paid?”

Of course, someone was even happier than I was, eclipsing my own joy. I hadn’t outwardly expressed my excitement, but Yu-ra had been humming and practically radiating happiness all day.

“Of course, I am. Who doesn’t like getting paid?”

She was absolutely right. I hadn’t shown it, but I’d been thinking about how to spend my extra income all day. My Spacetroe salary was generous and more than enough to live on, but this was extra income on top of that.

“Good. Order some delicious food when you get home.”

We chatted as we left the café after our shift, and I frowned at the humid air.

“It’s humid. Is it going to rain a lot tomorrow?”

“I don’t think so.”

Yu-ra, also thinking about the rain, checked the weather on her phone, and I looked over her shoulder.

“Yeah, not much rain, but it’ll last all day… and get heavier in the evening.”

I didn’t particularly dislike rainy days. The rain was a welcome respite from the summer heat.

“Fewer customers if it rains, right?”

I said, hoping for a slower day at the café, but Yu-ra shook her head.

“No, it gets busier when it rains.”

“Why?!”

I’d assumed people wouldn’t go out in the rain, but it was the opposite. People sought shelter indoors, which meant more customers at the cafe.

Plus, the rain made the floor dirty, creating more cleaning work, and we had to unload new supplies in the rain.

Just as I was getting used to the work, I was faced with a new challenge due to the weather, and I sighed, thinking about tomorrow’s shift. This cafe job wasn’t for me.

“I was hoping for a slower day, but it’s going to be a nightmare.”

“Want to grab a drink after work tomorrow?”

“Just the two of us?”

“Why not? We drank together last week.”

Of course, that had been an unplanned, chance encounter.

Yu-ra, having just gotten paid, seemed to want to celebrate with a colleague. Drinking was supposed to be fun, but the atmosphere had been somber last week, due to Yu-ra’s mood.

“Don’t drink too much. Don’t pass out like last time.”

“No way. I took Monday off for the meeting, but the meeting got postponed, so I finally have a day off. It would be rude to the alcohol if I didn’t drink.”

I’d noticed last week that she could definitely hold her liquor better than I could. I didn’t know her limits, but I knew I’d be the first to pass out if we had a drinking contest, so I had to pace myself tomorrow.

“Okay, drinks after work tomorrow!”

“Alright, alright.”

She waved goodbye and headed towards the station. I looked back, just in case, and she was still waving. Was she planning to wave until I was out of sight?

“Go home!”

I shouted, and Yu-ra, hearing me, waved one last time before heading in the opposite direction. I watched her go and then started walking home.

While she was my surveillance target, our relationship had evolved into a friendship. Being friends didn’t affect my mission; I was still monitoring her, so I treated her casually.

Becoming friends with her hadn’t negatively impacted my surveillance. While the information she shared wasn’t strategically valuable, I could often glean insights into the atmosphere within Hunter Killer. Yu-bin had also opened up more after their reconciliation, often talking about the team dynamics, disguised as another part-time job, and it seemed things were improving.

While Yu-bin often talked about Yu-ra, Yu-ra talked about the entire Hunter Killer team, so I wasn’t sure how close they actually were. I’d have to ask her tomorrow over drinks.

As Yu-ra had predicted, my Sunday shift was hectic. The cafe was already packed when I arrived, and the constant flow of customers meant a never-ending stream of dirty dishes.

The front counter was even more chaotic. I even had to cover for Yu-ra, who rarely left the kitchen, and clean the cafe floor. It was pure pandemonium.

I lost track of time, working non-stop, and only had a moment to breathe just before closing time.

“So many damn dishes.”

I muttered, glancing at Yu-ra, who was sitting at a table, taking a break, and finished washing the last of the dishes. The air conditioning was blasting, so I wasn’t sweating, but I was exhausted.

“Almost time to go home, though.”

“It’s that late already?”

Yu-ra, also oblivious to the time, looked at the clock, surprised.

“I can’t wait to drink. I’m going to get wasted.”

Hearing her declaration, I knew I had to control her drinking if I wanted to survive the night.

It was closing time, and I changed my clothes. I waited for Yu-ra, who was taking a while.

“Oh? A, not leaving right away today?”

“Waiting for Yu-ra.”

The evening shift worker, also ready to leave, asked me why I was still there, and I answered honestly.

“I thought you said you weren’t dating.”

“Even if we weren’t…”

She smiled knowingly, and I corrected her misunderstanding. I had to maintain the facade of being single at the café to avoid suspicion, so people often misinterpreted our friendly interactions. While I always denied it, they seemed to be teasing me.

“Where are you two going?”

“Yu-ra asked me to grab a drink.”

“Oh~”

She nodded meaningfully, and I, having waited for a while, called out to Yu-ra, who still hadn’t emerged from the break room.

“Hey, Kwon Yu-ra! Are you coming or not?!”

“I’m coming!”

She yelled back from inside the break room, then quickly came out.

“Wow, did you dress up for a date?”

Yu-ra was wearing a white see-through shirt that revealed her bra and short denim shorts. The evening shift worker, seeing her outfit, couldn’t help but express her admiration, teasing Yu-ra.

“I didn’t dress up for him. I dressed up for myself.”

I understood her reaction. The slightly loose see-through shirt and short shorts accentuated Yu-ra’s curves.

I’d also put some effort into my outfit today. Black slacks, a simple white t-shirt, and a mint-colored shirt over it. Nothing special, but not embarrassing either.

I hadn’t dressed up specifically for drinks with Yu-ra. But I didn’t want to hear any comments about my fashion sense, like I had from Yu-bin.

“Did you get everything?”

“Uh? Yeah, I got everything.”

Women were fascinating creatures. Did you really need to fix your hair just to go out for drinks with a friend? She must have fixed her hair in the break room; her previously messy bun was now neatly braided and tied in a half-updo.

We left the cafe, sharing an umbrella in the rain, and headed towards the station, chatting along the way. Yu-ra led the conversation, repeating how much she’d enjoyed drinking with a friend at a bar earlier.

It seemed less like drunken repetition and more like genuine excitement, the memory replaying in her mind. I wasn’t drunk, but the alcohol had lifted my spirits, and I smiled, watching Yu-ra’s enthusiastic chatter.

“Let’s use the back door.”

We’d be dripping rain even with the umbrella, and using the front door would only make the floor dirty. Since her wallet was in the storage room, we decided to use the back door, which was closer.

As we stood in front of the back door, about to enter, we both froze, hearing voices from inside.

“You really hate her, too?”

“I hate her guts. Even though we work different shifts, I still have to see her every time I come in.”

It was the two evening shift workers, and the one who’d used the honorific “unni” was the woman who’d teased me about dating Yu-ra earlier.

The moment I heard their voices, I knew we shouldn’t be listening, but I was frozen in place.

“That psycho superhuman acting all friendly and smiley, how can anyone like her?”

“I know, right? Did you see her leaving earlier?”

“Of course. Didn’t she just break up with her boyfriend? And she’s already acting like that?”

“I heard from the afternoon counter staff that she’s always flirting with the guys in the kitchen.”

“That’s disgusting. Is she that desperate for a man?”

“The afternoon staff hates her, too. They say she’s a slut who chases every guy who enters the kitchen and makes them quit.”

The alcohol seemed to evaporate from my system as my mind cleared. I turned to Yu-ra, and her eyes were unfocused, staring into space. Seeing her lower lip tremble, she dropped her umbrella. I knew I had to get her out of there.

Who would have thought?

Who could have predicted this?

I took her hand and led her away.

Her gaze was unfocused, and I couldn’t bear to look at her.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇