Without knowing what kind of gaze Muheon was directing at him from behind, Hakyung headed straight for the rooftop and took refuge in the whale room.
In a way, it was a huge dereliction of duty, but none of the staff came to find Hakyung.
That, too, was strangely suspicious.
Hakyung, who had been crouching with his knees together, began to move long after night had fallen, in the early hours of the morning.
“It should be fine now, right?”
Hakyung packed up the things he had left beside his bedding and also grabbed his fully charged phone, putting his backpack on.
It was a place he couldn’t even stay for 24 hours, but it was so cozy and beautiful.
If the owner was even slightly less suspicious, he would’ve camped there without a second thought…
With a sigh of regret, Hakyung silently moved, raising his heels. It was 3 AM.
This seemed like a pretty good time to escape.
Just in case, he opened the door a tiny bit and checked the surroundings.
As expected, the dorm was filled with nothing but darkness and silence.
Thump, thump, his heart pounded.
It wasn’t like he was running away with stolen goods, but the very fact that he had to sneak out like a thief caused immense tension.
Despite feeling like he was on a mission impossible, it was almost sad that there were no obstacles in his way.
“Phew.”
When he finally made it to the first floor, relying on his phone’s dim light, Hakyung’s face was drenched in sweat.
He wiped his forehead, cheeks, and the back of his neck with his small hand.
When he was just a few steps away from the entrance, thinking he would be free once he passed through the door, he let his guard down for a moment.
“Where are you going?”
A heavy voice, deeper than the dark night, echoed through the entrance.
Startled by the sudden voice, Hakyung froze, unable to scream.
The man who leisurely passed him, Muheon, lowered his upper body to meet his eye level.
“Planning to run off when the ink on your employment contract hasn’t even dried?”
“Ah, uh…?”
“Huh? Kang Hakyung. Answer me.”
In the completely dark hallway, only the man’s black eyes glistened.
If Hakyung had to compare his situation, he would be like a mouse standing before a snake. A massive python, at that.
He awkwardly shook his head, shrinking his neck.
“Ah, I’m not running away.”
“Then?”
“Just taking a walk…?”
“At this hour? With a backpack?”
A large hand rose.
It seemed like he was about to strike Hakyung, and just as he squeezed his eyes shut, the man’s hand reached for his backpack.
He grabbed the strap of the backpack and spun it around, pulling it off Hakyung’s shoulders.
Hakyung’s face was filled with bewilderment as he realized he was parting with his backpack, which contained all his belongings.
He reached out to grab it back, but the difference in height, size, and arm length made him fail miserably.
“I’ll hold onto this.”
“Why? Why?”
“Employee benefits.”
“Where’s the benefit in this!”
Hakyung jumped to try and take the backpack back.
But it was futile.
At 174cm, he had once been proud of his tall frame for a river dolphin, but his pride shattered into pieces.
Muheon, regardless of whether the river dolphin was injured or not, was determined in his own way.
Like a woodcutter hiding a fairy’s clothes, he needed to hide something to keep Hakyung there.
The other fish would definitely gossip about how petty he was, but right now, it was just him and Muheon.
“Am I not taking care of your entire fortune?”
“That’s not my, my entire fortune.”
“Put some spit in your mouth and lie better.”
Muheon smiled and roughly ruffled Hakyung’s hat.
The sensation of his fingers pressing against the soft spot on his crown was strange.
A chill ran from his scalp down his spine, and Hakyung shivered, turning his head to shake off Muheon’s hand.
He tried to grab his backpack again, but failed once more.
What a thorough man.
That backpack really is my entire fortune…
Not only had he been robbed right in front of him, but the clear physical difference he felt only made Hakyung more upset.
To this hard-headed man, he made a suggestion.
“One week.”
“Excuse me?”
“Work for one week. Don’t think about running away, and if after that you still think it’s not for you, I’ll give this back.”
“Really…?”
Despite his doubtful stare, Muheon nodded nonchalantly.
Hakyung, staring at him, chewed on his lips for a while before a determined expression appeared.
“I… I may have signed a work contract today, but I will never engage in illegal activities!”
“Illegal?”
“Like organ trafficking, illegal drugs, or loan sharking!”
The things Hakyung mentioned were all actions of criminals.
Muheon, however, was in the business of saving fish that had been victimized by these kinds of lowlifes.
At Hakyung’s great misunderstanding, Muheon let out a short sigh.
It wasn’t just that he was overly scared—he was only thinking of running away…
“Tch.”
Muheon clicked his tongue as he looked at him, not noticing his employees’ fierce appearances or the rough office atmosphere.
With a displeased look, Hakyung took a step back, wondering if he had been too obvious.
“I don’t do that kind of thing. Anyway, you’ll learn about it as you go. By the way, Kang Hakyung, do you know my name?”
“Uh, no.”
“You don’t even know your superior’s name? It’s ‘Lee Muheon.'”
The man poked Hakyung’s cheek as he spoke.
The sudden force on his cheek made him stagger, and he widened his eyes.
Even though he didn’t like him, poking his cheek like this—what an aggressive move!
Muheon, despite trying to be gentle, was taken aback when he saw Hakyung swaying with just his finger.
If this was how hard it was to pamper someone…
“You’re so weak. What use are you?”
“I’m not weak! You’re the strong one, boss.”
“So, what’s my name?”
“Lee, Muheon.”
“Smart head.”
Muheon, now easing up, patted his head gently.
It was like an old man praising his grandchild for acing a dictation test, which made Hakyung let out a small laugh.
“Don’t forget.”
This time, there was no pressure on his crown, just a tickling sensation, and Hakyung wiggled his toes.
Lee Muheon.
It was the most impressive name he’d heard, and he felt like he wouldn’t forget it.
After that, Hakyung had to follow Muheon back to the room.
After taking a quick look around the room, Muheon said,
“It’s bleak. Kang Hakyung, want to hang a dolphin picture or something?”
“It’s fine.”
Honestly, he was a little tempted.
It would suit the room perfectly, but he was hesitant to take on any debt.
Muheon stared at Hakyung’s reluctant face and then, saying “Alright then,” left with a fresh attitude.
He didn’t seem to know the basic common sense that in Korea, you ask three times.
Hakyung pouted in dissatisfaction at his boss’s lack of taste and gently pushed at Muheon’s thick waist.
“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, be at work by 9.”
“Yes, but… could you at least give me my laptop from the backpack?”
Muheon pulled the laptop out of the bag and handed it over.
Then another request came.
“I also need pajamas…”
Muheon took out a comfortable tracksuit and handed it to him.
“I also need a diary and pens since I write every day.”
He handed him a notebook and pen.
“Enough.”
Now, the bag only contained clothes and a charger.
Muheon shook his head, signaling he couldn’t give any more.
Hakyung’s eyebrows dropped in disappointment.
“Then how do I charge my phone?”
“Come to my office and do it.”
“Every day?”
“Yeah, every day.”
Being told to come see her boss every day, someone who looked like he might give her indigestion just by looking at him… It felt like too cruel a fate.
With no intention of acknowledging his petty complaints, Muheon turned his back indifferently.
Hakyung stood frozen in place until his large back disappeared, and he realized he had failed to escape.
He will be stuck for the next week.
“Ugh, I don’t care anymore!”
Hakyung jumped onto the bed, his tired brain rejecting any further worry.
But, really, tomorrow won’t just be about cleaning my room and eating on my own, right?
He rubbed his cheek against the soft blankets, mocking himself for thinking there might be someone with a job like this in the world. He fell asleep.
And it was only after he started working the next day that he realized that he, himself, was that lucky person with the sweet job.
“Alright, get to work.”
“Here…?”
“Yeah, make breakfast. That’s your job.”
Muheon, ordering Hakyung to make breakfast, sat down at the table and began to calmly observe the dolphin.