To Gu Baekyoung’s question of why he suddenly thought of the Management Bureau event, he couldn’t answer—that he was trying to secretly infiltrate the Management Bureau to find out about his death in his past life.
There was too much to explain to answer honestly.
If nothing else, Onyul absolutely didn’t want to reveal that he was Kang Onyul. Especially not to Gu Baekyoung.
Gu Baekyoung had been utterly destroyed by Kang Onyul’s death.
Onyul hoped the same thing wouldn’t repeat itself.
Right now he was living as Kang Ian and had no intention of getting involved in dangerous matters, but life was unpredictable.
Even Onyul hadn’t imagined on the day he was dispatched to a low-grade gate that he would die a dog’s death.
He certainly hadn’t imagined that after being revived, he’d end up pretending to be Gu Baekyoung’s lover.
Therefore, there was only one answer Onyul could give.
“Of course it’s because I want to see my honey’s activities up close!”
It was an answer that would improve Gu Baekyoung’s mood while also allowing him to escape appropriately.
Onyul quietly observed Gu Baekyoung’s reaction.
His face, which had been wearing a creepy smile, relaxed into a grin. Only then did he show a proper smile.
“I’ll have to work harder this year. So our darling won’t be disappointed.”
Phew, fortunately there was no sign of him doubting the answer.
“You’ll become MVP even without working hard, won’t you?”
“Still, I’ll work hard. If I become MVP, will you grant me a wish?”
Gu Baekyoung’s eyes sparkled as he mentioned a wish. He seemed quite expectant.
“If it’s something I can grant?”
“Yeah, good.”
…Mmm, it’ll be okay, right?
“You’ll come watch in person, right?”
“Yeah. But instead of as an audience member, I’m thinking of going as the convenience store owner.”
“Why?”
“Wouldn’t that help more in hiding our relationship?”
Truth-like lies flowed out smoothly.
Amid the uncertainty about who Gu Baekyoung’s lover and S-grade guide was, entering the Management Bureau by Gu Baekyoung’s invitation would arouse suspicion.
But if he participated in the event as a convenience store owner, no one would suspect Onyul.
“I’ve only received customers inside the convenience store, so it’s getting a bit boring… I want to see you, and I want to try participating in the event while I’m at it. The bidding notice just happened to be posted too.”
“Really? Won’t it be dangerous?”
“Hey, it’s been peaceful all this time. What danger could there be?”
“Even if you don’t get selected, I’ll invite you so your identity won’t be exposed.”
Onyul nodded his head. If he dissuaded him any further here, it would arouse unnecessary suspicion.
Only invited people could enter as audience members for the Management Bureau event.
Although he still thought receiving Gu Baekyoung’s invitation might arouse suspicion, if he invited several people like someone who would smile at anyone who gave him money, major suspicion could be avoided.
But that was only the second-best option; the best method was participating in the event as the convenience store owner.
“Baekyoung-ah, what did you do today?”
Onyul changed the subject before Gu Baekyoung could say anything else about the event.
Asking what he did that day was a habit-like question that had naturally solidified after Onyul settled into Gu Baekyoung’s house.
At first, it was something he brought up because he had nothing to say. But before he knew it, it had become an implicit promise exchanged between the two every day.
Gu Baekyoung recounted in detail what had happened that day.
How Na Geonwoo sighed because Cha Hyeran said something tactless, how Yoon Jihyuk teased Gu Baekyoung, Park Hanil’s movements…
Gu Baekyoung’s face as he discussed daily life looked peaceful. No, it looked happy.
Onyul appreciated his face more than what he was saying. He was fortunate that he was always happy and at peace without being sad or struggling.
It was a peaceful daily life, as if he’d forgotten how his mood had completely sunk after meeting his aunt.
***
There was once a fraud incident that made all of South Korea boil over.
It was an incident where fake beverages were sold, claiming that drinking just one glass would let you use strength like an esper.
When people drank the beverage, their energy would explosively surge temporarily, and because of that, many people were easily fooled.
But in reality, it was merely a stimulant effect. The moment the drug’s effect wore off, their stamina plummeted twice as much as before.
People couldn’t endure that backlash and would seek the beverage again, falling into a vicious cycle of endlessly buying it.
When the incident grew, the Management Bureau stepped in and caught the scammer.
The culprit was a C-grade healing-type esper who apparently committed fraud by imbuing the beverage with a backlash ability called Overcharge.
The incident was thus concluded, but that incident left a deep impression on Onyul.
Because Onyul was also a healing-type A-grade esper with a therapy ability similar to guiding without backlash.
Normally, esper abilities couldn’t be added to objects. That’s why the scammer also bought a scroll from the black market that could add abilities to objects.
However, Onyul’s therapy ability could affect the fake magic bird, which was non-living. So Onyul thought.
‘Maybe I can do it without a scroll?’
Without any expectations, he tried adding his therapy ability to any beverage.
The result was surprising.
‘…This works?’
When Onyul drank the beverage he made, he felt his body become lighter and his mood improve.
Should he say the fatigue felt after using esper abilities also definitely decreased?
It was an innovative discovery, but Onyul didn’t tell anyone about it and didn’t manufacture more beverages either.
Using his therapy ability on espers without guides was already tiring, so how much more tiring would it be if it became known that he could even make energy drinks?
Perhaps he’d end up locked in the Management Bureau’s basement only manufacturing energy drinks.
Moreover, it was illegal for espers to engage in commercial activities, so there really was no reason to make them. Occasionally when he needed guiding, he only manufactured a few things for himself to consume instead of guiding.
But today, having become Kang Ian, he didn’t know he’d use what he learned back then.
On the day of the bidding competition, Onyul, who faced off against large mart owners including the convenience store, pulled out his secret weapon.
“I am confident that my convenience store’s products will be on a different dimension from other places.”
The judges who heard Onyul’s meaningful words tilted their heads. They all thought that distributed and sold products were all the same…
What they were evaluating wasn’t the quality of the products but the seller’s character and aptitude.
Originally, the Management Bureau’s event supply had been conducted through contracts with specific large companies.
However, a few years ago, a serious problem erupted in the supply process.
Not only was there substandard quality, but an accident occurred where unidentified items got mixed in during the distribution process.
In the aftermath, several ability users who participated in the event suffered from deteriorating conditions, and the Management Bureau had to suffer through a blame game for a while.
Eventually, the Management Bureau completely scrapped the existing method.
After that, it changed to a method of selecting supply companies through public bidding for each event above a certain scale.
Rather than considering scale and recognition, the criteria were reorganized toward evaluating management ability and reliability.
Thanks to that, opportunities opened up for unknown small-scale owners like Onyul.
“What, how, and why is it different?”
A judge looked sharply at Onyul.
Without being flustered, he recited the answer he’d prepared.
“Because the management method is different.”
“……”
“Depending on how you manage ingredients, the taste of food varies greatly. Convenience stores are the same. The taste and freshness change subtly depending on what temperature you store beverages at and how you arrange the display order.”
Onyul continued speaking calmly.
“Lunch boxes and rice balls aren’t finished just by meeting the expiration date either. If the storage temperature is even slightly off, the rice grain texture becomes mushy or conversely hardens. The sogginess of the seaweed and the flavor of the filling ingredients are also affected.”
He paused briefly before adding.
“Ultimately, the ‘difference’ customers feel comes from meticulous management. I won’t miss that.”
It was a fresh answer they hadn’t heard from other candidates. Everyone had only bragged about how big and good their stores were.
Perhaps because of that, the judges looked at Onyul with strange faces, as if entranced.
Onyul didn’t miss the change in their expressions and took out the beverage he’d prepared.
Should he say it was a beverage with therapy energy added to tomato juice? It had been a while since he’d made it, but it was a ‘Kang Onyul-brand energy drink’ whose effects were certain.
The judges who received the beverages wondered with reluctant faces whether to drink it or not.
Then, one person who couldn’t contain their curiosity gulped down the beverage.
“……!”
With a somewhat surprised face, he checked the beverage several times.
Onyul’s therapy ability had the effect of improving not only ability users’ conditions but also ordinary people’s conditions.
The judge, who was an ordinary administrative worker, couldn’t help but feel good.
The judge hurriedly finished drinking the beverage and asked in a disbelieving tone.
“Did you mix something in it?”
“Not at all. If you’re suspicious, you can take it and investigate. I didn’t mix anything in.”
He didn’t add any additives. There was only added energy.
“H-hurry and try it.”
When the seemingly surprised judge recommended it, the other judges also began drinking the beverages. As soon as they did, large exclamation marks appeared on their faces.
“To think the taste changes this much with just management alone….”
Onyul smiled with satisfaction.
The supply competition? It was a piece of cake.
Having seen the judges’ surprised reactions, Onyul didn’t doubt for a moment that he would be selected.
