The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess

019 – Kidnapping, Like Angry Waves Crashing Against a Cliff #2

019 – Kidnapping, Like Angry Waves Crashing Against a Cliff #2

Yoo Yeoreum was quite pretty.

You could even say she had a handsome face.

To think that a girl like this liked me and was doing me favors.

Honestly, as a man, I was happy and my self-esteem soared, but I had to reject her feelings with a heart that felt like it was being torn apart.

“Sorry, but I already have a girl I like! If you’re okay with being a mistress or a concubine, I could accept that!”

“That’s a shame.”

Saying that, Yoo Yeoreum handed me her phone.

I thought she was asking for my number, but a video started playing.

“I saw everything you did at the company building. It’s all over Stargram. You were amazing, taking down Sama Joon and Jeon So Mi. I don’t think I could have done that. That’s why I’m helping you.”

Was she saying I had become famous?

I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.

Tap tap-.

Yoo Yeoreum started to loosen up her body lightly, like a boxer stepping in the ring.

“Huh?”

When I came to my senses, her bandaged fist was right in front of my nose.

Whoosh-.

The wind from her punch felt quite refreshing.

Yoo Yeoreum drew her fist and said,

“But provoking Wang Ja-hyun’s group wasn’t a good choice. So, if you want to avoid trouble, you’d better train hard enough to dodge my punches. ‘Monster’ Han Nam-jin.”

When did she throw a punch?

I was confident in my speed, but I couldn’t even see her move. Impressive.

“For the record, I’m not interested in men weaker than me.”

“I’m the opposite. I like strong women. But ‘Monster Han Nam-jin’?”

“It’s your callsign. Didn’t you know? They decided between ‘Monster’ and ‘Tiger Panties’.”

It felt like the sky was falling.

My callsign is ‘Monster (怪人)’.

Why not ‘Brad Pitt’? I could even understand ‘Cha Geum-woo’, but ‘Monster’! Why!

It was a silent scream. At the same time, anger began to boil.

I felt like I could jump up to the 40th floor right now.

Actually, that was my plan.

Jumping up to the 40th floor where the office building is.

Is that possible?

Pop-.

I jumped into the air with all my might.

Shoo-. Did I rise about 10 meters?

It was more than twice as high as before, but it wasn’t enough by my standards.

But─.

Pop-.

In mid-air, I twisted my body and used a nearby utility pole as a stepping stone to leap again. It was a double jump. Thanks to that, my body soared to about 20 meters in the air.

“Jumping again by stepping on a nearby obstacle in mid-air? It’s like a parkour triangle jump but more enhanced. Your concept could handle that. Reaching the second grade is just a matter of time.”

Even Yoo Yeoreum, known as a genius in the history of Awakeners, admired my double jump. I just laughed at the various emotions welling up from my stomach.

“Ha ha ha!”

I was now completely grinning Han Nam-jin.

I got the last piece of Seo Ga-eul’s kidnapping, and if I wasn’t happy, I’d be mentally impotent!

As I laughed wildly, Yoo Yeoreum seemed slightly flustered but soon regained her composure as if she had realized something.

“Is laughing a recoil of your ability?”

Recoil?

Come to think of it, the others said they had to endure a backlash every time they used their abilities.

Laughing wasn’t exactly my backlash.

Until recently, I had never felt anything like a backlash when using my abilities.

“I’m leaving now.”

Ssssk-.

Yoo Yeoreum, who had helped me with an indifferent attitude, disappeared with light movements like a boxer running to adjust weight before a boxing match.

All that remained was the strong scent of strawberries.

# # #

There were many security personnel at the headquarters of the Seonam Group.

They were mostly gathered on the first floor, and most of them were indoors.

In other words, you had to face the security guards to enter the building.

But no one was watching the exterior walls of the building.

There was no need to.

No one would think of climbing the exterior walls to infiltrate the headquarters of a global conglomerate.

“Hoo-.”

I caught my breath.

The height to the 40th floor of the building was roughly 150 meters.

The important thing was that there was another building standing like a twin in front of the Seonam Group’s headquarters.

The gap between the buildings was about 10 meters.

It was the headquarters of the “Jeowang Group.”

It was amazing that the height and appearance were exactly the same as the Seonam Group’s headquarters.

I heard that originally, both “Jeowang” and “Seonam” were the same company, but for various reasons, they became separate groups.

Still, the buildings stood side by side in harmony.

“If I leap with all my strength, I can jump about 10 meters high…”

How many times would I have to jump back and forth between those buildings to reach the top floor?

Could I do it?

If I failed midway, I would fall to the ground from the height I had reached and become a flat pancake, Hanamjin.

In other words, I had to risk my life for this challenge.

Let’s take it seriously.

Sssk-.

The time displayed on the smartwatch was around 1 AM, just past midnight.

Tap-tap-.

I sprang into the air, my legs coiled like springs.

The sensation of my body floating in the sky was incredibly liberating. But before I could fully save that freedom, I kicked off again, leaping towards the opposite building.

“Jump!”

Pop-! Pop-! Swoosh-.

The more I jumped between buildings, the higher my body soared.

Swish, swish-swish-.

Three steps, four steps, five steps-.

My thighs felt like they were about to burst, but stopping meant death, so I squeezed out every ounce of strength.

After pushing my limits several times, I finally found myself face-to-face with the target building. But then, a problem arises.

Crash-!

The window on the top floor of the Jeo Wang Group building, which I had intended to step on, shattered under my weight. I immediately lost my balance and was on the verge of plummeting to the ground.

Damn it!

If I stay like this, I’ll be a pancake!

Is this the end?

No! In a desperate attempt, I failed around. Then, something amazing happened.

Pop-!

My legs, as if stepping on an invisible platform, propelled me back into the air.

It was a technique that could be called an aerial leap or the exaggerated air-walking seen in Chinese movies!

Could my “Leap” do such a thing?

It didn’t matter!

With a heart pounding as if it would explode, I managed to land on the penthouse terrace.

My breathing was rough, and I felt dizzy, but it was within the expected margin of error.

“…….”

The interior was so quiet that it was hard to believe there had been a party just a few hours ago. The most important thing was that the terrace windows were open.

Security was relaxed. They probably never imagined someone would break in from 40 floors up.

Perhaps because Seo Ga-eul himself was a powerful awakened being, there was no unnecessary security personnel. As I had confirmed at the party, there were no indoor CCTVs either.

Silence enveloped the place.

I tiptoed inside, utilizing the stealth I had honed while raiding Chief Kim Jang-dong’s potato field in the past.

In front of the door I arrived at.

Clank, creak-.

“… … .”

Wait, isn’t the sound of the door opening too loud?

Fortunately, Seo Ga-eul was lying quietly on the bed.

Softly, softly-.

Hearing the even breathing, it seemed she was asleep. I stared at her and lost my mind.

Was the prince’s heart the same as mine when he stood before Snow White, who had eaten the poisoned apple and died?

If I just reached out my hand, I felt like I could touch the ‘softness’ I was supposed to receive from Seo Ga-eul, and my heart pounded, and my vision blurred.

It felt like reality was gradually disappearing.

Then, with the things I had prepared in advance, I began the kidnapping─.

Ding dong-.

Ding! Dong!

“… … !”

Startled by the sudden loud noise, I hurriedly hid under Seo Ga-eul’s bed.

Just like a cockroach, shasha!

# # #

Ding dong-.

The bell rang again.

It seemed like someone was outside, maybe a guest.

Could it be secure?

Was there a CCTV in this building that I didn’t know about, detecting intruders? As all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind, I heard a loud rustling sound from the bed above my head.

Softly-.

Soon, white feet touched the floor where I was hiding.

Seo Ga-eul slipped her feet into soft indoor slippers and left the room.

“Who is it?”

━Open the door. It’s me.

“Wang Ja-hyun?”

Wang Ja-hyun?

Did you say Wang Ja-hyun?

Why did Wang Ja-hyun visit Seo Ga-eul’s mansion at this late hour?

Clank-.

Soon, there was a sound as if the door was opening.

“What is it? At this late hour.”

“Seo Ga-eul, do I need a reason to meet you?”

“Of course you do. It’s not like we have any special relationship.”

Seo Ga-eul’s voice from the living room was colder than expected.

It felt like the mask she had been wearing at the party earlier had come off.

Wang Ja-hyun, seemingly anxious, did not hide his emotions from Seo Ga-eul.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? That guy.”

“That guy?”

“Han Nam-jin. You brought him here and treated him well just to provoke me, didn’t you?”

“Ja-hyun, you’re being overly self-conscious. Why would I do such a thing because of you?”

It was a harsh remark.

If I had heard it, I would have been so sad that I would have cried for days.

But Wang Ja-hyun, not one to be easily defeated, added more words, overcoming the venomous remark that could cool even a thousand-year love.

“Seo Ga-eul, you shouldn’t treat me like this. You know our Je-wang Group put the most effort into the president’s re-election. From now on, it will be the world of Je-wang Group. And I ‘m the one to inherit it!”

“……”

“You and I make a good pair, don’t we? Honestly, you would admit that too. I’m the only man who matches your level! You know that better than anyone else, don’t you?”

Wang Ja-hyun, that guy.

He sure talks a lot with his open mouth.

I wanted to go out and say something, but I stayed quiet because it seemed like it would be troublesome.

Fortunately, Seo Ga-eul shouted as if she was disgusted by Wang Ja-hyun’s nonsense.

“I’m sleepy, so get out now.”

“Seo Ga-eul!”

“Get out. I won’t say it three times. Or do you want me to show you again that you’re not a man who matches my ‘level’? Wang Ja-hyun, you know you can never beat me with your abilities, right?”

Suddenly, the atmosphere turned suspenseful.

What will Wang Ja-hyun do now?

“……”

Wang Ja-hyun had a lot to say, but hesitated as if he had no mouth, then abruptly turned his steps.

Clang. The sound of the door closing was heard, and Seo Ga-eul returned to the bedroom and lay down on the bed.

“You b*stard. The son of a concubine.”

It was a very sharp curse.

Is this the ‘true nature’ of Seo Ga-eul that Baek Yeoul mentioned?

I like it because it’s so fiery. It might even be my taste.

The important thing is that Seo Ga-eul is lying on top of me right now.

In this strange situation, I was slightly excited. My heartbeat was so loud that I was worried Seo Ga-eul might hear it.

About 10 minutes passed like that.

“Annoying. I just fell asleep.”

Seo Ga-eul seemed unable to fall into a deep sleep.

He got up from the bed and started pacing around his room for a long time. No one would have thought that the perfect Seo Ga-eul would have insomnia.

One hour.

No joke, Seo Ga-eul paced for an hour. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he went to the bathroom, turned on the water, and started showering.

Is he not going to sleep at all?

If the day breaks like this, it will be a mess in many ways.

As Seo Ga-eul himself told me, the opportunity is only on the day when the full moon rises.

Should I retreat like this and aim for the next full moon?

No, that would take too long.

If a man draws his sword, he should show something.

Shasha-shak-.

Having made up my mind, I crawled out from under the bed like a cockroach and headed for the bathroom.

Holding the blanket I took from Seo Ga-eul’s bed in my hand.

Thump, thump, thump, thump-.

In a situation where my heartbeat was so loud that I felt like I was going crazy, I grabbed the doorknob of the bathroom and opened it.

Clang-.

When I opened the door, Seo Ga-eul looked at me.

Although various things were obscured by the white steam, the look of shock on his face was very clear.

“You─!”

It was the rawest expression I had ever seen. Seo Ga-eul immediately showed me his palm and shouted fiercely, almost cruelly.

“Pervert! If you come any closer, I’ll kill you.”

Was he trying to shoot an energy beam from his palm?

It was funny.

“Kill me? How? I know all about how you weaken under the full moon.”

“…What?”

When Seo Ga-eul seemed flustered and lost his stance, I quickly ran like a raging wave and covered his mouth with my palm.

Then, after wrapping his hands and feet with black tape, I sealed his mouth with tape as well, and wrapped his entire body with a blanket I had just taken from the bed, making him look like a kimbap.