A Lewd Sketch Artist in a Gender-Reversed World - Chapter 111

Chapter 111 : Meat

Inside a refined, high-end barbecue restaurant.

Song Hara was busy trying to calm her nerves.

“Phew… Ha…”

Each deep breath she took slightly steadied her racing heart.

It was only a slight relief, but it was better than staying frozen in anxiety.

Yes, she was currently in the middle of a nervous episode.

It was strange.

Having worked in sales, she’d met well over a hundred people.

Yet, here she was, expending so much mental energy just to have a meal with a single contractee.

She’d overlooked something.

The person she was about to dine with was a man.

She’d been so focused on the “persuasion” aspect that she’d underestimated the significance of this meal.

“Why am I like this?”

Hara couldn’t quite adjust to the fact that she was nervous.

Normally, when an artist started a new work, she often treated them to a meal for a meeting.

It was easier to talk that way, and it boosted the artists’ motivation.

She’d probably treated over thirty artists to meals.

In terms of frequency, it was easily over a hundred times.

So, dining with someone she wasn’t particularly close to was something she was used to.

Yet, she was nervous because of who this person was.

The other party was a man.

Not just any man, but one with a rather intimidating appearance.

A person’s face often determines their first impression whether they seem prickly or approachable.

People tend to judge based on that initial impression.

And Sewon’s appearance was more than enough to make people feel a sense of distance.

What if she made a verbal slip and got chewed out on the spot? The worry gnawed at her.

On top of that, she had barely any experience with men.

She’d skipped college life and jumped straight into the workforce.

And the company she worked for was an extremely female-dominated one, dealing mostly with risqué content, so naturally, there were hardly any men around.

Letting out a sigh inwardly, she continued her deep breathing.

“Ha… It wasn’t like this when we were chatting.”

She found herself missing their earlier dynamic.

Back when she didn’t know his face, their conversations were playful and easy. She was comfortable, and he seemed to take it well, too.

Being able to casually say things like “this adult art is so hot” was only possible because of that comfort.

But now, knowing his face, she couldn’t act that way even if she wanted to.

What if she was too casual, and he snapped, “Can’t you tell the difference between online and real life, you idiot?”

…Her nerves were so high that all sorts of wild thoughts were popping up.

“Calm down.”

Still, she kept breathing deeply and waited.

It was just a meal to discuss future plans. Was there really a need to be so nervous about something so simple?

Plus, she’d reserved a particularly nice restaurant this time.

The walls were lined with dark wooden paneling, and the floor was adorned with marble patterned with flowers.

It definitely had a high-class, traditional Korean vibe.

This was a beef restaurant in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, where a meal per person cost over 50,000 won a fairly upscale place.

Good. This should be more than enough to show hospitality.

Her preparations were perfect.

*Ding*

As she waited, a bell rang from the entrance.

The door opened, and someone walked in. It was Sewon.

When he arrived, Hara couldn’t help but stare blankly at him.

Black hair, black eyes, and sharp, almost resentful eyes that seemed to hold a grudge against the world.

The dark circles under them gave him an air of decadent charm.

He had a cold demeanor, as if he rarely smiled or showed sadness. Yet, there was an undeniable allure to it.

*Gulp.*

Hara swallowed hard. She was definitely nervous.

As she was thinking this, he started walking toward her. After glancing around a few times, he seemed to spot her.

Arriving at the table, he greeted her lightly.

“Hey, long time no see.”

“Oh, yes, it’s been a while. Thanks for coming all this way.”

“Nah, you called, so I came.”

He sat down casually, his eyes briefly scanning the surroundings.

He seemed curious about the restaurant’s ambiance.

Drawing on her past experiences talking with artists, Hara started the conversation.

“First off, congratulations on your webtoon debut. It must’ve been a lot of pressure; you worked hard.”

Then she ordered the Hanwoo beef from the menu. The photo showed beautifully marbled red and white meat.

Luckily, the Hanwoo was served quickly after ordering.

“So… um, you like meat, right?”

“Of course.”

*Sizzle!*

As she placed the meat on the grill, Hara thought to herself.

‘This is awkward.’

She was managing to keep the conversation going with her social experience, but the awkwardness was unavoidable.

How could she be completely at ease with someone she was meeting for only the second time? Still, the awkwardness was quite uncomfortable for her.

Nevertheless, she kept the conversation going.

She asked if he’d checked the webtoon’s performance since its release, how the next episode was coming along, and so on.

“…”

“…”

Sometimes, unsure of how to approach him, the conversation lapsed into silence.

But she quickly followed up with questions to keep the silence from lingering too long.

Soon, the Hanwoo beef on the grill was fully cooked.

She offered him a piece first, gesturing for him to try it.

He took a bite and let out an exclamation.

“Oh…”

His face showed satisfaction.

Thankfully, he seemed to like it. Good.

If he just said something light like “It’s delicious,” she’d feel much more at ease.

After all, she’d splurged on Hanwo surely that deserved at least that much.

But what came out of his mouth was a far more intense reaction.

“This is like sex.”

“…What?”

The reaction was so extreme that her mind blanked for a moment.

A man she’d only met twice in her life was talking about sex in front of her.

Silence fell over the table again. But this time, it wasn’t from awkwardness it was from sheer shock.

Unfazed, Sewon continued.

“Man, it feels like the meat is having sex with my tongue in my mouth.”

“…”

His crude remark, so out of place with his appearance, left Hara momentarily stunned.

________

_

When I first walked into the restaurant, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

I thought it was just a regular barbecue place, but it turned out to be a high-end Hanwoo specialty restaurant!

The refined, traditional ambiance hit me the moment I stepped inside, overwhelming me.

What is Hanwoo, after all? The pinnacle of commoner food, at least twice as expensive as the revered Chicken.

It’s a dish that clearly transcends commoner fare, a symbol of bourgeois luxury.

And she was treating me to it. Free Hanwoo, of all things.

I was overflowing with gratitude toward her.

‘Wow!’

The Hanwoo lived up to its name.

The meat melted in my mouth like ice cream.

The juices bursting from the meat and my taste buds were having an intense, passionate encounter.

Who would finish first? Unfortunately, it was my tongue that gave in first.

Overpowered by the elite meat, my tongue could only surrender in ecstasy.

I thought to myself.

‘I need to bow in gratitude.’

How could I not? She was treating me to meat worth over 50,000 won per meal.

It was a pity this wasn’t a private room; otherwise, I’d have given a full-on bow.

“Ahem, well, I’m glad you think it’s delicious.”

She responded awkwardly after I shared my thoughts.

Her expression was full of shock.

Well, hearing someone say their tongue is having sex with the meat would shock anyone.

“Yeah, it’s definitely worth the price.”

Still, I had no regrets. I needed to lighten the mood at least once.

Looking at her, I said,

“And you can just relax around me.”

“…?”

Her eyes turned toward me.

“What?”

“I’m saying you don’t have to be so cautious. We’ve chatted before; why are you so tense?”

Honestly, her awkwardness was making me feel awkward, too.

Telling her to “just relax” wouldn’t work, though.

So I decided to let loose first. If I said something silly, maybe she’d loosen up a bit.

Thankfully, my strategy seemed to work. Her expression shifted.

From shock to slight surprise.

Then a small smile crept onto her lips.

“Alright. Thanks for being considerate.”

Her face looked much more relaxed. The heavy, awkward air around us started to dissipate.

Good. If the person spending 50,000 won on a meal was uncomfortable, I wouldn’t have felt at ease either.

Now we could have a more relaxed conversation.

“Let’s get back to it, then. Congrats on the debut. I checked the views yesterday, and they were pretty dismal.”

“Thanks. You tell me to relax and then stab me with a knife. Alright, fine. So when are you putting out the ads?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything today…”

Thankfully, the conversation flowed much more easily after that.

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Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id