Winter Season Chapter 30

After sitting down belatedly, he scanned the male employees and noticed their stiff attire, complete with neckties and formal suit vests. Thinking back, it seemed the other people he had encountered on his way to work were dressed similarly.

“Ah…”

It made sense that he stood out, being the only one dressed like this among people dressed so conservatively. It was the moment he understood the stares that had been fixed on him during his commute.

When he looked flustered, feeling his face flush in an instant, the Chief Secretary smiled softly.

“Since it is your first day, that can happen, so please pay attention to it starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He answered boldly, but Yihyeon did not own a formal suit like the ones they were wearing. It looked like he would have to head to a department store as soon as work ended today. The calculator in his head began to spin rapidly. A sigh escaped him naturally.

“And here. Take this.”

What the woman handed to the biting-his-lip Yihyeon was a thick, bound book. As Yihyeon looked up at her, the Chief Secretary checked her watch and gestured toward the book with her eyes.

“It is a compilation of the basic manuals you need to familiarize yourself with. You can look at that until it is time to go greet the Director in a little while.”

“Yes, thank you.”

When he opened the first page of the heavy book, a table of contents consisting of over ten chapters appeared.

Looking at the sentences explaining in detail various things—such as the mindset and grooming of a secretary, how to arrange dining locations, and correct elocution and speaking styles—he once again realized how much he did not belong in this position.

The Chief Secretary, who had handed the book to Yihyeon, returned to her seat as if her business was finished and began working busily. The people sitting in the adjacent seats were also making calls here and there or tapping away at their computers. It felt somewhat ridiculous and pathetic that he was sitting alone among people who mastered such thick manuals and skillfully performed their duties, all for an impure purpose. Yihyeon suppressed the sneer that threatened to surface and lowered his gaze to the thick manual.

After some time had passed, someone tapped lightly on his desk.

“Mr. Yihyeon, we are going in for a moment to greet the Director. Please stand up.”

“Ah… yes.”

As he stood before the office door, his mouth felt parched. Although it had been a chance encounter, he felt tense wondering if the man would remember him, and if he did, whether he would find it strange that he was here.

Knock, knock.

With a light knock, the door opened, revealing an interior decorated in dark tones. It felt markedly different from Gu Seunghyeok’s office, which had been desolate as if abandoned. While his gaze was stolen by the golf clubs standing in one corner, the secretary beside him spoke first.

“Director, this is Mr. Kwon Yihyeon, who started working as an intern today. Mr. Yihyeon, please greet him.”

Ah. He snapped out of it belatedly and turned his head. He saw the eyes of the man sitting at the desk lift upward. Yihyeon bit his lower lip and quickly bowed his head.

“Hello, I am Kwon Yihyeon. I will… work hard.”

When he raised his head, his eyes met the man’s. It was a subtle face that seemed to be smiling yet remained expressionless.

“Kwon Yihyeon, Kwon Yihyeon…”

Rolling Yihyeon’s name off the tip of his tongue, he pulled up the corners of his lips as if amused. Then, he set the documents he was holding onto the desk and leaned back in his chair.

“Mr. Yihyeon.”

“Yes.”

“Director Gu’s office is on the floor below. Are you sure you came to the right place?”

“…Yes. That is correct.”

He does remember.

His observant gaze obsessively scanned various parts of Yihyeon’s face.

When that strange gaze traveled slowly downward and reached the suit Yihyeon used to wear instead of a uniform at the club, the man let out a laugh with a pfft sound.

“Interesting.”

“……”

Jinhyeok’s gaze returned to the documents. It weighed on Yihyeon’s mind that a man who clearly knew he was involved with Gu Seunghyeok would end the situation with a mere comment that it was ‘interesting.’

Yihyeon looked at Jinhyeok with an anxious gaze, but Jinhyeok did not look at Yihyeon again.

“I have acknowledged it, so you may leave. Secretary Yoon, please organize the pending approval cases and come back in.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He was only able to exhale his held breath after bowing and turning around following the Chief Secretary. Just as he had felt during their first meeting, this was a man who seemed to lack even a single opening. He doubted whether he could even get close to him, let alone steal a password. A sigh welled up from his worried heart.

After returning to his desk, there was nothing to do. The employees in the adjacent seats looked busy with their respective tasks. In such a situation, all Yihyeon could do was stare quietly at the heavy manual.

After spending the whole day staying as quiet as a dead mouse while being conscious of the people working busily around him, it was suddenly time to leave. Around the time a slightly excited atmosphere lingered around the people in the secretariat, the office door opened and Gu Jinhyeok appeared.

“Everyone, wrap things up and head home. I am heading out first.”

He seemed to look at Yihyeon for a moment before quickly leaving the space while receiving the secretaries’ farewells. As soon as the door closed, people let out sighs of relief.

“Ms. Yeongeun, I was thinking of those who are free after work today having a drink; what do you think?”

“I’m all for it! How about that izakaya we went to last time? Weren’t the snacks there pretty good?”

Listening to their private conversation, Yihyeon also began to pack his things sluggishly. Perhaps because it was his first day of work, he felt exhausted as if he were worn out, even though he hadn’t done anything. Glancing around, he picked up his bag and stood up.

“I will be heading out now as well…”

Only then did the people who were excitedly discussing where to go turn their heads. Then, with their brows furrowed as if they had remembered belatedly, they spoke.

“Ah, Mr. Yihyeon. I’m sorry, but before you go, could you take this to the Support Team?”

“…The Support Team?”

“It is on the 17th floor. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

What he was handed was a large cardboard box containing several clipboards and stacks of paper. It was heavier than expected and so tall that he didn’t think he would be able to see in front of him if he held it. While Yihyeon was adjusting the box, the other secretaries packed their things and left first. Left alone, Yihyeon gave a small sigh and lifted the box.

The company building, where the end-of-work hour had just begun, was crowded with people emerging from their offices. The elevators were full of people every time the doors opened, making it impossible to board. Out of necessity, Yihyeon pushed the door to the stairwell open with his body.

“Phew…”

As he barely made it down to the floor where the Support Team was located while clutching the box with both hands, sweat formed on his forehead despite the cool air. Just as he opened the stairwell door and stepped into the hallway, someone bumped hard into Yihyeon’s shoulder and passed by.

“Oh, oh…!”

The man who had bumped shoulders frowned and looked back at Yihyeon, but Yihyeon could only see the cardboard box tilting. Immediately, with a loud noise, white papers scattered across the floor.

“Tsk, jeez, let’s keep our eyes open while walking. Yeah?”

Between the stark white A4 papers, several pairs of black-shod feet were visible. Yihyeon knelt and crouched down, repeatedly bowing his head toward the people standing there.

“…I am sorry.”

“Hyung-nim, I am sorry. Let us go.”

He hurriedly tried to gather the papers scattered among all the black-shod feet, but it was not easy, perhaps because his heart was racing. It would have been less humiliating if people hadn’t been there, but for some reason, the people standing there were not moving. Yihyeon bit his lower lip hard and grasped the edge of a paper trapped under someone’s foot.

“Excuse me, your foot…”

He had never expected an apology, but what returned was a long sigh. Just as he was about to lift his head to check the face, one of his arms was grabbed and his body was forced upward.

“Ah…”

As soon as he identified the person, only a stupid exclamation came out of his mouth.

The person standing before him was Gu Seunghyeok.

Among the people wearing black suits, once again, he was the only one wearing a shirt with a flashy gold chain pattern.

As their eyes met, Seunghyeok frowned. He let go of Yihyeon’s arm as if throwing it and shoved his hands into his pants pockets.

“I told you to catch Gu Jinhyeok’s eye; I didn’t tell you to actually do work.”

“……”

“What are you doing?”