How to Tame a Snake: The Weasel’s Case

“If you accept my offer, I’ll make sure to provide you with a higher salary than other new recruits who enter our association. If you last three months, I’ll give you another raise. And if Kang Wooheon’s temperament improves even the slightest, I’ll pay off all your debts.”

“W-WHAT?”

“I’m also showing you that I’m quite desperate, Mr. Lee. Dealing with him and his toxic demeanors has really begun to wear me out.”

Wooseok said with a soft smile. Though it was clear that beneath that gentle smile, there were a lot of mixed emotions going on.

“For the record, I have no idea what the Wooheon you remember is like. All I can say right now is that he is a strict perfectionist who can be extremely touchy at times. This is partly our father’s fault, but that’s beside the point. Think it over and let me know via the number I gave you yesterday.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And one more thing. I don’t know what your decision will be, but if you decide accept my offer, you’ll need to have an interview with him. This was a condition set by him, and there’s no way around it. In other words, you’ll have to impress him.”

“Ah...?”

“But if you’re desperate enough, I believe you’ll do whatever it takes to grab this opportunity. I’m confident that you will.”

Wooseok once again flashed that gentle smile of his, but unlike his initial demeanor, he seemed somewhat sinister.

“Do you have any other questions, Mr. Lee?”

Wooseok looked at the confused Yueul, who was fidgeting. Wooseok took a slow sip of his orange juice and smiled with certainty.

“No, not right now... I’ll go home and think it over, then get back to you.”

Wooseok was confident that, based on his investigation, Lee Yueul would definitely end up working under Wooheon. He had to.

* * *

Yueul threw his body into the crummy bed in his inn, taking a deep breath. Since returning from the association, he had holed up in the hot room with no A/C, not stepping out at all. The offer from Wooseok made his head throb.

“...Work under Kang Wooheon.”

Back in his days at the anthropomorph school, just seeing him made him transform into his weasel form and run away.

Kang Wooheon and Lee Yueul.

A black mamba and a white weasel.

They first met at the anthropomorph school. These schools were established to foster social skills in anthropomorphs, and every registered anthropomorph had to attend.

Long ago, biologists on an unexplored island discovered anthropomorphs. Fascinated by their ability to communicate in a common language despite being of mixed races, the curiosity quickly faded when the anthropomorphs saw humans, bristled, and attacked in their animal forms.

Thus, the anthropomorphs, once only known from myths, came to light.

They became prime subjects for research-loving humans. Anthropomorphs, capable of transforming between animal and human forms, were secretly taken from the unknown island to major research institutes for all kinds of studies and experiments.

But the research ended abruptly when the confined anthropomorphs rebelled and escaped. The once-secret research started to spread across major media outlets around the world, decorating headlines and causing chaos.

The escaped anthropomorphs couldn’t be tracked down. Having learned social skills from the researchers, they blended into human society. They began to reproduce instinctively, leading to the spread of anthropomorphs worldwide.

Within a few years, the number of anthropomorphs surged at a rapid pace.

However, with most of them lacking proper social skills, they experienced a lot of trouble controlling their instincts, leading to many instances of assaults and violent behaviors by anthropomorphs towards humans. Eventually, soldiers armed themselves, and civilians took up weapons for protection.

As a result, massacres took place wherever anthropomorphs were found.

In the end, governments around the world started to regulate anthropomorphs. They had to register their ID numbers and attend government-established schools. To be accepted as a part of the society, they had to pass a social skills test conducted by the state.

Lee Yueul, a white weasel, was raised by an old caretaker. Having been nurtured by human hands since he was an infant, Yueul naturally acquired quality social skills. Unlike the typically aggressive weasel, he was able to develop a docile nature thanks to his upbringing.

However, for such a peaceful weasel, the anthropomorph school was hell. The young, aggressive anthropomorphs played roughly, biting each other. The small white weasel had no choice but to hide himself into the corners of the classroom.

His first meeting with Wooheon, who was three years older than him, took place during a class at the anthropomorph school.

「This class is mandatory for you kids. You’ll learn to control your biting force with your friends and reduce your aggression by meeting stronger seniors. Some of you might get hurt, but the teachers will intervene before it gets too serious, so don’t worry.」

Unfortunately for Yueul, who had almost zero aggression, his first opponent was Wooheon. The black mamba, known for its high level of aggression and swift movements, frightened Yueul.