I wanted to appreciate Caesar’s face a little longer, but the police called by security burst in.
The police arrested the fanatic—who had become as docile as a lamb under Caesar’s influence—collected the revolver, and took him away.
Since I had to write a statement after that, I spoke to the manager and had to head to the police station for a while.
‘They ask a lot more than I expected. How tiring…’
By the time I finished the witness interview and returned to the department store to pack my things, McQueen, who was guarding the lobby to cover for me, spotted me and came running over.
“You need to head up to the private room for a second.”
A private room, not the office? Is there a customer I need to attend to?
Since the manager’s jurisdiction covers the entire first floor, McQueen and I also have a wide range to cover.
Therefore, if customers suddenly swarmed, it wouldn’t be unusual for a request for help to come my way.
However, since a shooting incident almost occurred, shouldn’t we have closed the department store for the day to preserve the scene?
All that should be left is tidying up the shop and writing reports.
“The manager said I could go home for the day though…”
Did I get stuck with some major difficult customer?
As I stood there blinking and rolling my eyes, McQueen wagged his finger and made an exaggerated gesture.
“Ding, wrong. The one looking for you is Caesar Ohon.”
McQueen wore a cryptic smile and whispered softly.
“He says he wants to apologize to you.”
“Huh?”
I found myself asking back in a small voice as well.
“Him? Why to me?”
“He asked if it wasn’t because of him that things ended up like that.”
“That’s the fanatic’s fault, not his.”
“Even so, the fanatic said it, didn’t he? That the eye had to be returned to Caesar Ohon.”
Well, he did. But why apologize to me for that?
As I remained bewildered, McQueen added an explanation.
“He said he didn’t know such rumors were circulating. He mentioned if he’d known, he would have released an article to clarify things sooner. So, go up and take a break.”
“Wow…”
He really wants to apologize to me personally just because of that?
Even though it’s not his fault?
‘…I actually thought I was the one who should be saying thank you.’
He’s truly a remarkable person. How can someone be this kind?
“There really must be something in the Ohon family.”
“Special genes?”
“Yeah, something like that… I wonder if they have a ‘specially kind’ gene.”
“Probably? Why else would they be scattering hundreds of millions in donations over three generations?”
I once again truly felt the weight of that title: ‘The family of virtuous influence.’
“How much did they emphasize moral education for three generations to all have that temperament? I wish they’d share the curriculum. I’d use it on my kids later.”
“Forget it.”
I was being serious, but McQueen laughed like someone who had just heard a joke.
He gave my back a slight push and said.
“Go on.”
“Yeah, I’m going.”
I said goodbye to McQueen and moved toward the staff-only passage.
The private room could only be accessed via an elevator not open to the general public.
When I got off the elevator, I saw that the door was already slightly ajar.
I approached the open door and knocked.
“Excuse me. Is anyone inside?”
“Come in.”
At that, the man who had been sitting loosely on the sofa stood up.
It was Caesar Ohon, with an expressionless face.
The moment I saw that face, the thought ‘A celebrity is a celebrity’ hit me.
‘The word aura… I used to think it was quite cringy, but real celebrities actually have an aura.’
Did they say his facial muscles were paralyzed as a side effect of the firearm explosion accident, making it hard for him to show expressions?
Because of that, the Caesar Ohon I had seen in photos was closer to a handsome man who exuded a very dry and cold atmosphere.
But the man I saw in reality was…
‘Was a skin-tight performance T-shirt always this erotic…’
Far from being dry, he exuded a very luscious and sticky atmosphere.
‘This is a bit dangerous.’
I barely managed to keep my composure and spoke.
“Thank you for saving me earlier. I heard you were looking for me, so I came up to express my gratitude.”
“You don’t need to be so formal. Please, speak comfortably.”
As Caesar took several strides toward me, the distance closed in an instant.
The man who approached smelled of tobacco-based perfume.
The subtle, smoky scent was so sensual that I reflexively swallowed dryly.
‘…I’m going crazy, seriously.’
Feeling my face heat up, I lowered my head, only for Caesar to gently cup my chin with his hand and lift it.
Thanks to that, my vision was filled with Caesar Ohon’s face.
“I heard that today’s incident happened because of your left eye.”
He spoke in a gentle tone.
“Another staff member mentioned that you injured your eye around the same time I did.”
“Ye-yes… Such things happen occasionally since then.”
Somehow, the gaze looking down at me feels a bit hot.
His use of physical touch seems effortless, too…
It’s probably just my imagination, right?
I stammered as I spoke to Caesar.
“But, Mr. O-Ohon, it’s not something you should take responsibility for.”
At that, Caesar let out a low sigh.
soon, he spoke in a tender voice, as if soothing a child.
“There are many Ohons besides me.”
“Pardon?”
“Call me Caesar.”
As Caesar pronounced his first name, I caught a glimpse of his tongue between his lips.
That, again… stimulated me in a way that wasn’t exactly good.
A dull ache began to stir in my lower abdomen.
‘Even his name is sexy, dammit…’
Knowing it was impolite, I cast my eyes down to avoid his gaze.
…And then I re-confirmed the fact that the clothes he was wearing were a skin-tight performance T-shirt.
‘Oh, shit.’
The line from his broad shoulders down to his slender waist was captured vividly in my sight.
This is driving me crazy.
‘Was he born with an R18 tag?
I don’t know where to put my eyes. Is a person allowed to be like this?
Is it okay for someone like this to walk the streets?
Are kids allowed to see this?’
In the end, I changed my course to look at the tip of his nose instead of his eyes.
“C-Caesar.”
“Yes.”
“I’m fine. It’s not your fault, so you don’t need to take responsibility. It’s something that happens occasionally while working at a department store.”
Looking at the tip of his nose made my heart feel calmer, so I was even able to muster the smile typical of service workers.
“I can just wear lenses while working.”
“That would be uncomfortable.”
“It can’t be helped.”
I spoke in an intentionally cheerful voice to clear the heavy atmosphere.
“It’s not like I can throw a tantrum and demand that you take responsibility, right?”
It was a joke I threw out, expecting him to say something like, ‘Of course not.’
But the man didn’t burst into laughter at my joke, nor did he wave his hand saying he couldn’t do that.
He simply let out a languid hum as if he were intrigued.
“Hmm… I think I’d actually be grateful if you did.”
“Pardon?”
What did I just hear?
‘No, no. Let’s not think weird thoughts. My joke was mischievous, so he probably just paid me back with a mischievous joke.’
I tried to ignore the strange atmosphere felt right in front of me, resorting to mental gymnastics.
Then, Caesar started to speak.
“I might look perfectly fine on the outside, but I’m actually quite exhausted.”
“Yes…”
“When you repeat the same thing over and over, you tend to go crazy…”
He repeated the same thing over and over? What thing?
‘Handling the messes made by fanatics? Is he saying such things happened often?’
While I was briefly lost in thought with my head turned away.
I thought I felt his hand on my back, and then those large hands gently swept up my waist.
Simultaneously, goosebumps erupted all the way to the top of my head.
‘Ugh, what’s with this sexual tension?’
While I was frozen in fluster, he pulled my body toward him.
Stomach touched stomach, and Caesar’s lips came right up to my nose.
A red light flashed in my head.
‘What, what, what. A prank? He must be joking, right?’
In that moment.
Those exceptionally pretty lips, right before my eyes, whispered lowly.
“I’m sick of all of it now.”
“…”
“So, I’ll ask you point-blank.”
His other hand cupped the back of my neck and rubbed it gently.
Immediately after, a low, sticky voice was heard right next to my ear.
“I’ll accommodate most of what you want, so will you quietly come into my hands?”
There was no way I couldn’t understand.
I couldn’t even use mental gymnastics to claim it didn’t mean that.
This was a straight-up, direct-pitch flirt!
“Whether it’s money, fame, or even my body. If there’s something you want, I’ll provide as much as you like.”
The man, who laughed with a rumble in his throat, looked down at me and said.
“I saw earlier that you seemed to quite like my body, too.”
As I stood frozen at the sudden proposal, Caesar’s knee was wedged between my legs.
Soon, he whispered with his lips pressed completely against my ear.
“Do you want it?”
…It was a very tempting offer.
How many times in my life would the chance to have sex with such an attractive man come my way?
In my heart, I wanted to throw everything—work and all—aside and seal the deal right then and there.
‘But I’m terrified of the aftermath!’
This guy hadn’t had a single scandal or dating rumor.
Moreover, because his attitude toward people was so dry and simple, there were even rumors that he was asexual…
If I got caught sleeping with Caesar, my name would be in the media for a year or two.
How could I just snap up this offer!
‘I don’t want to be stalked by reporters, I hate paparazzi, and I hate rumors even more! Save this ordinary citizen!’
Thinking about my name appearing in articles and being harassed by the Church of Ohon people even more than now…
I instantly felt resentful toward the man who threw out such an offer.
‘You crazy bastard, you! How can a celebrity with tens of millions of followers shamelessly seduce a regular person?!’
It was incredibly tempting, but as expected, this was an offer that must not be accepted.
I steeled my heart and pushed Caesar away.
“U-um, don’t do this.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why’!”
“But you looked at me with ‘those’ eyes.”
“I—I didn’t!”
Are you really going to keep pressuring me with that suggestive voice even now?!
In that moment, a surge of resentment welled up.
I couldn’t hold back and shouted at him.
“If you keep this up, I’m calling the police!”
I was worried he might still linger, but fortunately, Caesar backed off immediately at the mention of reporting him to the police.
He said as he took a step back.
“That would be troublesome.”
But he must have felt some lingering regret, as Caesar pulled a business card out of his back pocket.
“Shall we aim for next time, then?”
He tucked the business card into the chest pocket of my uniform.
“Contact me if you think you’ll need it.”
Then, he grabbed his coat and left the private room.
In an instant, I was left all alone in the private room, like an object someone had discarded.
“Ha…”
A beat late, my face turned beet-red as if it were about to explode.
I rubbed my steaming, well-cooked face with my palms and muttered.
“I’ve seen all sorts of crazies…”
I wish I’d won the lottery, but instead of the lottery, I got hit by a bolt out of the blue.
‘…Let’s just consider it as having warded off bad luck.’
Or, let’s think of it as the price paid for getting to see a celebrity’s face!
At that time, I truly thought so.
…Not knowing that it was merely the ‘first meeting.’
