The Fed was a salaryman. Not a "vegetable man," but a slave to capitalism, working while receiving his paycheck regularly. He was an ordinary employee, someone who would curse his shitty company and occasionally show up timidly late.
“Aren’t you yawning too loud?”
“Oh, it’s Jisongyo.”
Manager Jang scolded me for yawning. When I answered absentmindedly, he glanced over and grinned. Yeonjun was about to launch into a "Furabono" rant, but I, being the generous person I am, held back. Manager Jang's persistent gaze had a way of making people violent. "Are you engaging in petty theft again, Yeonjun?" Manager Jang asked. "What kind of petty theft are you talking about?" He stared at him intently. Then, Yeonjun noticed the pile of PPT materials in front of him and frowned. Manager Jang pulled out a printed document, almost laughing himself to death. It was barely a training material for new employees, printed in full color. "If this isn't embezzlement, what is?" Yeonjun asked, his face sullen. "Damta?" Manager Jang asked, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "Wow, are you really a loser, Manager?" Yeonjun asked, his face absurd. Manager Jang shrugged. Didn't they say that society changes and you learn more as you grow up? But they said a lot, not a lot of good things. Yeonjun, who learned about the class system based on the gap between rich and poor in elementary school, learned in middle school that cutting ties with friends isn't just someone else's story, and in high school, he learned about depression. In college, he learned that professors aren't exactly respected figures. In the military, thanks to a superior officer who had a motto of "killing new recruits," he learned how to survive a 13-minute plank. And then, at his dream company, he learned how to smoke. And that was all thanks to Manager Jang of Sales Team 5 at WI Company. There's no more innovative way to embezzle money than smoking. Being five minutes late to work is nitpicked, but 20 minutes of work is presented as a highly productive act of friendship. South Korea is truly a smoker's country. It wasn't until he started working that he realized that bitterly. Watching Manager Jang, already on his second cigarette, the fellow smoker muttered to himself, "I wish you were Nodam." Manager Jang, spitting out a thick puff of gray smoke, turned to Choi Yeonjun. Then, with a very mischievous smile, he rested his chin on his hand and spoke.
“Why are you late today?”
I wondered why that hadn't come up. Yeonjun put a half-smoked cigarette in his personal ashtray. Then he sighed in unison. Choi Yeonjun's outfit today was a mess. A loose tie, his usual suit jacket replaced with a Yonsei University jacket, and mismatched Converse. Just listing those details was enough to put the already sleazy Choi Yeonjun to shame. Team Leader Ha's face upon seeing the Yonsei jacket was especially spectacle. He, a Dongguk University graduate who treated the other employees like losers from local universities, had seen the six letters "YONSEI" and the embroidered eagle holding a staff entwined with a snake. The WI Company Sales Team 5 was on fire since morning. There were rumors going around that he'd purposely bought and worn the Yonsei jacket just to embarrass Team Leader Ha. It was so unfair. I earned this right after attending Yonsei University Medical School. I bit my chubby lips and felt the injustice alone. It was only a matter of time before it was captured.
"Sir, can I tell you something even more shocking?"
“What is it?”
“I wore those socks in pairs too.”
Manager Jang spit out his canned coffee. "Wow, it's the fifth floor." Yeonjun smirked. "Congratulations to the person who got hit on the head by the coffee that went into Manager Jang's mouth and came out. Buy a lottery ticket." Manager Jang wiped his mouth. Then he looked at Yeonjun, dumbfounded. Yeonjun shrugged. He was serious. At least the socks were a different shade of gray. Otherwise, Yeonjun would have been holed up at home and absent without leave.
“Why on earth are you walking around like that?”
Manager Jang asked.
“It’s a long explanation. By the way, what time is it now?”
“It’s 11:40.”
Wait a minute, damn it. I have an appointment at 11:50. With who?! Hey, you're just skipping out on work hours, skipping out on work hours!! Manager Jang's voice echoed like a distant echo. Yeonjun hurriedly ran out. Arriving at the meeting place in five minutes, he caught his breath and ate a bunch of red ginseng jellies from his bag. It was a moment when he felt resentful of his age, which was only a short time away from thirty. Who are you going to see, Manager? I'm going to meet the person involved in my late commute today. At exactly 11:50, a man who was anything but ordinary entered the cafe, which was usually bustling with ordinary office workers. With his long, highway-length legs, pale skin, and straight black hair, he looked like the perfect office worker. "Wow, he really is unlucky," Yeonjun muttered.
"hello."
Yeonjun also lowered his head at the low-pitched voice. Then he jumped up from his chair and shouted.
“I’m sorry about yesterday!”
“…If I say it’s not okay, will you be hurt?”
“Uh… a little…?”
Why were you late? Why are you meeting this guy? It all goes back about 12 hours.
The self-proclaimed Yongsan-gu drinker. Neither hot nor cool, just a typical rascal, that was Choi Yeonjun from 12 hours ago. Everyone who knew him called him a legend, as he could down five bottles of soju and eight huge glasses of soju and beer at an MT without a fight. The company was no exception. The manager who had handed out wedding invitations yesterday was the one who decided to indulge, so we went to a Korean beef restaurant we normally wouldn't go to. "Drink up, drink up! Let's all get drunk today." And the star of the party, as always, was the Yongsan-gu drinker. People watched in amazement as Yeonjun downed ten glasses of soju and beer. He seemed even more smitten than usual. That is, until Manager Seon brought out the vodka. Everyone's attention was drawn to the liquor, and Yeonjun scoffed, wondering if it was any different from soju and downed four glasses of beer. And then the film cut off. When I came to, I was on the street at night after the company dinner was over. I could hear the occasional chatter of coworkers. What should I do about Mr. Choi? He's a drinker from Yongsan-gu. He'll probably figure it out on his own. Hey, I can't go home. I can't walk. Excuse me, Manager Jang! But the taxi just drove away. This salty liquid running down my face, using the telephone pole as a friend... Wait, salty liquid? Choi Yeonjun was crying. Shit. My least favorite drinking habit is crying after drinking. I regretted my past, when I used to brag about how disgusting kids who cry when they drink. Just then, a shiny, shiny car pulled up in front of Yeonjun.
“Get on.”
"yes?"
“Where do you live?”
The face of the man who gave Yeonjun a lift, claiming it was a show of mutual sympathy between office workers, was blurred. I just remember the car, which looked brand new. Why? Because I threw up in it. The world's best Yeonjun.
“But… I really don’t feel well…”
"yes."
“Why are there so many speed bumps…”
A series of speed bumps, the smell of new car seats, and the undigested steak and vodka churning in my stomach. If I were to speak, I'd probably throw up at any moment...
“Why did you drink so much?”
“Oh, that’s right…”
Ugh.
Choi Yeonjun and the man watched as a medium-rare Korean beef steak, a size A, fell with a sickening thud. The man screamed and stopped the car. Squeak. Yeonjun's body was thrown forward, but the man didn't seem to mind. After all, who would care about their passengers in that situation?
“Ahhh!! Swallow!!”
“ヽ(*´ㅠ``*)ﾉ ”
“Fuck, don’t just smile brightly, swallow it!!”
The man screamed as he looked at the vomit on the car seat. “I still have four months left on my installment!!” He tried to apologize with his slurred speech, but he felt like he would die if he opened his mouth any further. This is how the alcohol of the Bear Country ruins you, you guys. I don’t even remember what happened after that guy beat me up. All I remember in my stupid mind is giving him my phone number. Now all that’s left is to hate alcohol forever. Choi Yeonjun, that crazy bastard. How could you vomit in the car of someone who was so kind to give you a ride?
“Um… I’m really sorry about that… I can drink well, but I pushed myself a bit because of something special that day. I’ll pay for the car wash.”
"Yes. Now I remember. You said that Team 5 Sales Manager Seon Ha-kyung was getting married, right?"
"yes?"
"yes?"
When Yeonjun asked back with a look like, "How do you know that?", the man shook his head with the most dumbfounded expression on his face.
“This is Choi Soo-bin from the General Affairs Team.”
Choi Yeonjun gaped. The man sighed deeply, pulled a business card from his neat suit pocket, and handed it to him. Choi Soobin from the general affairs team. Yeonjun felt like going home. It was "that" Choi Soobin. The catfish from the general affairs team. This is fucked, this is fucked. This is extremely fucked. Yeonjun barely managed to pay for Soobin's coffee and left. His legs were shaking like crazy. He admired how he hadn't lost his sense of reason.
WI Company has a long history of startups. Consequently, the age of the employees within each department was consistently skewed upward. The most severe was the general affairs team. While other departments experienced significant turnover, with younger employees constantly joining, on days when the general affairs team held company dinners, a robust man in his forties would rise up at the sound of the words, "Hey, the youngest, make a toast." Yes, as you might have guessed, the general affairs team was full of old farts. Perhaps they believed that the less money the company spent, the more money they would receive, so they refused to sign off on anything, even if the doorknob was about to break. If they got approval from the general affairs team, that day became a day to buy lottery tickets. Naturally, employee discontent reached the rooftops, eventually reaching the headquarters. The directors sent from headquarters were appalled by the general affairs team's unscrupulous generosity and felt the need for younger blood. And, absurdly, they even increased the staffing level and gradually added young people. However, the territoriality and old-fashioned nature of the original general affairs team members remained, and from the moment they joined, the young people, who were only in their early thirties at most, had to wrestle with the old farts. "Oh, kill that kid? Stop it? Just quit? Don't do it?" Quitting was too much for the credit card bill, and if they didn't, every day felt like a fainting spell. Thus, the general affairs team was divided into two groups, young and old, locked in a tense battle. A ray of hope came to the young team: the announcement of honorable retirement. It was proof of God's sanity. It was called honorable "retirement," but to be blunt, it was simply dismissal. The old team, who had vowed to hold out until retirement, were mercilessly kicked out of the company. Finally, once all but the youngest member of the old team had retired, the young team was left with no choice but to fight back. They were lavishly spending company money, and each department, viewing the general affairs team with contempt, would submit requests for door replacements even for minor scratches that could only be seen by banging their faces against the door. Thanks to the general affairs team's unhesitating approval of such things, company funds were reduced to public property for employees. The HR department at headquarters must have felt immense skepticism about this young general affairs team. And finally...
[Personnel Transfer Notice]
Choi Soo-bin, Management Team 3 -> General Affairs Team
He finally came. Coming from headquarters, he took control of the chaotic general affairs team in just three days and proceeded with cold approval. He mastered the manual in a single day, hurled back those who brought up rank and age without a second thought. He even dismissed requests from the directors' team, who had just been assigned to Choi Soo-bin, demanding they fill out the paperwork properly. Seeing his unbroken demeanor, not even a single wrinkle in his shirt, everyone acknowledged him as unlucky but capable. There were even rumors that even his rest was part of the plan. After Choi Soo-bin arrived, the general affairs team rapidly built up its performance, and company funds were no longer treated as public property. At WI Company's Yongsan branch, he was called a catfish among loaches. With his handsome face, height, and ability to perform his job, the young female employees were always on the lookout for Choi Soo-bin. That was the kind of person Choi Soo-bin was. He's the one at the top of the list of namesakes that pop up when you type his name into the company portal. And Choi Yeonjun vomited on Choi Soobin's new car.
“Oh. By the way, our conference room door was broken.”
Team Leader Ha said. "Here we go again, here we go again." Yeonjun rolled his eyes. Team Leader Ha had been laying the groundwork by mentioning the slightly cracked conference room door. Now, the decision would be made as to who would submit the report to the general affairs team for approval. Everyone deliberately avoided eye contact, trying not to be selected by Team Leader Ha.
"What do you think, Yeonjun? Choi Soobin is wearing the tie you gave her."
No, Team Leader, there was a reason for that… Yeonjun tried to get up but sat back down. I felt bad about the car, so I bought him a tie with an American feel, but that’s how it works? Yeonjun and Soobin’s relationship was always negative, never positive. But what could a K-salaryman do? He submitted the approval documents without thinking much about it. And of course, Choi Soobin rejected it. Yeah, I knew that guy would do that. Maybe it’s because he referenced documents from when he was in the “guys” team, not the general affairs team. But what really annoyed him was that Team Leader Ha was so terribly nagging. He kept saying things like, “I have no loyalty to the company,” and “You hold a grudge against me for coming in wearing your university uniform?” No, Team Leader Ha, you have a really bad aftertaste. I’m just an ordinary office worker who doesn’t have a car and commutes by subway. I don’t want to get fired, and I love our WI Company. Oh, except you, of course.” Choi Yeonjun finally turned around when something white appeared on his black hair, unable to bear Team Leader Ha’s nagging. I went to work, feeling determined to make a decision. But I ended up walking in a slightly wrong direction.
"hey!"
Yeonjun went to Choi Soobin's desk and shouted. Everyone was watching, but he didn't care at all. "I've just gotten gray hair! I've been rejected once, but I'm going to keep getting rejected?" "That's right." He kept it a secret from the Sales Team 5 employees, but Choi Yeonjun had his approval documents rejected exactly 15 times. He'd even told his colleagues twice. Choi Soobin raised an eyebrow and said, "Read it," handing him a thick manual filled with the general affairs team's rules. Yeonjun, who'd come to push his luggage and ended up carrying it, was so dumbfounded that he let out a yelp.
“When will you finish reading this?”
“If you read everything, you will realize that there are situations where it is rejected and situations where it is approved.”
“I can bring that brick, break down the door, and apply for the settlement documents.”
“Then it’s damage to company property.”
“…”
“Shall we go to our seats?”
"yes."
There wasn't much to gain. Yeonjun banged his head on the desk, staring at the file of documents he'd submitted the previous evening and the message "Rejected" floating in the messenger window. "Oh, I really hate this guy... ... . Still, he diligently read the manual. And he realized how insincere the approval document preparation tips the company had taught him were. This world... is all a bunch of crap..." Yeonjun said while drinking with Manager Jang.
“I find it strange that you thought there would be anyone who would accept you for causing such a ruckus.”
Huh. Why won't you accept me? Looking at Choi Yeonjun, who spoke so confidently, Manager Jang sighed. "I raised her all the time, saying she was pretty, so that's why... It's my fault, my fault." Manager Jang pounded his chest. No senior would dislike Yeonjun, who possessed a moderate amount of spunk and a subtle ability to keep a close eye on his behavior. And there was no reason for him to. Oh, but I think I finally found a reason thanks to this year's military service.
“Tell me a funny story. Is there anything you want?”
“Um… the person who moved in recently is really suspicious?”
"This is exciting," Manager Jang leaned in. Yeonjun thought back to the day he was late. Boxes and moving boxes. He'd been scolded for being so rude and moving during work hours. But he didn't really think there was any reason to scold. The neighbor had left a bottle of milk on each doorstep. At first, he thought it was a poisoning attempt, so he threw it away, but since he kept giving it to them, he asked for help from a friend who worked as a police officer. And he got a big, slap on the head and a resounding, "It's just milk, you idiot." And as if to prove his worries unfounded, the milk tasted even better than store-bought milk. This is it. Yeonjun had never tasted milk this delicious in his entire 27 years. From then on, he wouldn't just drink it, so someone anonymously left a note in the milk box and sneaked in homemade cookies—the first he'd baked in nearly three years—into it. The next day, the milk bottles were written in magic marker: "The cookies were delicious♡ Thank you." In this harsh 21st century society, the anonymous milkman was one of Yeonjun's hidden joys. "Oh, I usually greet people face-to-face when they move in. But this newcomer must be quite busy," Yeonjun said, speaking like a senior citizen. Manager Jang shrugged. "Could it be our company?" "It's closer, I thought. The rent nearby is cheaper, too." Yeonjun thought for a moment, then froze again.
“What does it mean to put milk in every morning?”
“Huh?”
“It seems like you leave for work earlier than me. I saw you when I left.”
"Well, who would come to work later than Choi Yeonjun?" Yeonjun said with a determined look in his eyes, stopping his drink.
"You should know, Milk. I can't live in debt."
Manager Jeong said with a nonchalant expression. "Oh, okay, fighting. You're not even a girl, so why are you so full of hopes and dreams?" It was something along those lines. As he was about to take a sip of soju, he suddenly remembered how the newbie had inadvertently teased Team Leader Ha about Yeonjun's 15th rejection. At first, he thought Team Leader Ha's anger, his authority trampled on, would naturally be directed at Choi Soo-bin, but oh no. Team Leader Ha woke Yeonjun up and slurred his words for a full five minutes. Unnecessarily offended, he downed six glasses of Jinro and was leaving the food stall when he ran into Choi Soo-bin.
“See you again.”
Yeonjun said softly. Yes, he said. It wasn't as stiff as he thought. And - despite being a bit of a slacker recently - as expected from a Yongsan-gu drinker, Yeonjun knew that Soobin was drunk. Wow, she doesn't look like she drinks. Yeonjun felt betrayed by someone he wasn't even close with. Uh. Are we close or not? In this other world where everyone turns into dogs when they drink. Wow, am I drunk too? Yeonjun kept thinking about such things in his head.
“Thanks for the tie.”
“I bought it because I felt bad. But do you have to wear that tie?”
“Why? I like it.”
"Our team leader was really pissed. He said I had to submit the approval documents to Soobin because of my tie and he was giving me a hard time."
“So, it’s my tie’s fault that I keep getting rejected and getting scolded by my boss?”
“Yes! No? No, yes!”
"I really didn't want to say such petty things, but please, please pay for it," Yeonjun pleaded, kneeling. Soobin fiddled with her tie and tilted her head. "Yeah, well, what am I doing leaving a drunk person?" Yeonjun wrapped his head in his hands during the sudden visit to the wise man's office. Soobin spoke.
“You haven’t read the entire manual yet, have you?”
"yes."
“I’ll pay for it once you’ve read it all.”
Yeonjun frowned at the suspicious behavior. There was no way Choi Soobin, the head of the general affairs team, could be so lenient. Soobin shrugged and said.
“Because once you read it all, you’ll know how to pay.”
Ah, that story again. Yeonjun stopped himself, about to smack that smug face with the manual he happened to have in his bag. "What's your fault? That drunk who made you say that is a killer. We both need to quit drinking immediately," Yeonjun muttered. Soobin nodded. Then she stared at Yeonjun. Soobin's gaze, which seemed to have something on it, was quite different from the murderous gaze of Manager Jang. Yeonjun shrugged.
“Did you know there’s a party next Thursday?”
“Yes. I’m taking a vacation day off and not going.”
Soobin said casually. He only gets one vacation a year, and that's the day of the company outing. Yeonjun was shocked three times during this part. First, one vacation a year. Second, vacation on the day of the company outing. Third, someone like Choi Soobin on vacation? Of course, having to play games with the company bosses was incredibly frustrating, but it was a company outing. A day for coworkers to socialize. For Yeonjun, who was usually a gamer, this meant he'd have someone to chat with while drinking, and it would also make him look good to his bosses. But Soobin didn't seem to understand this at all. Yeonjun sighed. He felt like teasing her. The world-renowned Choi Soobin was struggling at a mere company outing. Well, strictly speaking, he wasn't teasing her. He was just letting her experience the new world of company outings. Yeonjun rationalized it that way.
“Mr. Subin.”
"yes?"
“Come with me to this outing.”
“We will be moving between departments.”
“What should I do?”
“I’m shy.”
"I'll take care of everything. Just trust me and follow me, Subin. I'll make sure you know the outing is fun."
Soobin hesitated, then nodded. "Pinkie-link," he said. Yeonjun interlocked his pinky with his larger hand. "I haven't done anything like this in 17 years." Choi Soobin really was drunk, I thought. Even more astonishing than Choi Soobin being drunk was Yeonjun, who insisted on stamping his thumb, refusing to let go. As expected, alcohol was a world apart. Yeonjun displayed incredible understanding and humanity, getting Soobin into a taxi. They headed to his house. Soobin lay down, head down, in front of the shoe rack in the hallway. Yeonjun practically turned the closet upside down to find clothes that would fit Soobin.
“You know how to change clothes, right?”
"yes."
Look at me. Look at my slurred speech. Yeonjun thought he'd never forget this moment. "That" Choi Soobin was lying on the floor, drunk. Yeonjun handed Soobin some clothes, and I took out some beer and snacks. The snacks were cookies I'd given to my neighbor who'd bought me milk the other day, and since I'd taken up baking, I'd baked a few for fun. Yeonjun took the manual out of his bag and began reading it carefully. Soobin sat down next to Yeonjun, who was leaning against the sofa.
“I promised I would make the outing fun.”
"Who am I? I'm not Choi Yeonjun, the all-rounder from WI Company's Sales Team 5."
“I’ve never heard of it.”
"Can I have some cookies?" Soobin asked.
A note that read, "I'm getting to work early. Thank you." was taped to his forehead. Yeonjun went to work with the post-it note stuck to his face. The post-it note's effect was remarkable. Perhaps because of the comment, even a casual line-splitting drew stares that seemed to kill him. Yeonjun nervously gulped down the milk hanging on the doorknob again today. Yesterday, he said, "It's hot these days, isn't it? Take care of your health," and put some red ginseng jelly in it, but today, the milk was with an ice pack. Yeonjun put it down with a thud and got up, carrying the exactly 16th document he had written and headed to the general affairs department. The manual, which he had read almost overnight, showed how much the company relied on the strength of seniority. He thought there couldn't be a better document than this. Yeonjun placed the document on Soobin's desk.
"uh?"
A familiar note appeared on the right side of Subin, who was eating red ginseng jelly with a carefree expression.
It's hot these days, isn't it? Take care of your health.
Every word was the same. Yeonjun, flustered, picked up the documents he'd put down and brought them back. He didn't even hear Soobin's voice asking, "Yeonjun, where are you going?" "What? Why is he back?" asked Assistant Manager Jang. Yeonjun silently grabbed his keyboard and pulled out the mathematical knowledge he'd forgotten for nearly three years. Now, let's calculate. The probability that Choi Soobin received that note from someone else, the probability that she received the red ginseng jelly from someone else, the probability that she bought it herself... Damn it. Yeonjun, who had been pounding away at the keyboard like a drummer in a fin-de-siècle rock band, finally smashed it. The keys flew across the office floor like corn. The faces of the Sales Team 5 employees showed a gradient of surprise, as if they were surfing.
“Mr. Yeonjun… did what I said really upset you…?”
"Agent Jang," he said, his face paling. Yeonjun, staggering to his feet, raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.
“Who wants to smoke?”
Yeonjun racked his brain and thought. He calculated while destroying the company's property, the keyboard, and the odds were slim that Choi Soobin's note and the red ginseng were Yeonjun's. Surely, given such odds, the red ginseng jelly couldn't possibly belong to Yeonjun. Fortunately, the time he spent pondering this and feeling the uncharacteristic worries of a twenty-seven-year-old was pitifully short. Yeonjun bit his lip as he looked at the messenger window. The sixteenth document file he'd sent by email had been rejected. And it wasn't the usual short "Rejected" message, but rather, "Rejected."
According to company regulations, that level of scratches must be removed after at least 15 years of use.
I know it's been three years since I wrote this.
You need to know the company regulations well before sending the documents.
I welcome it.
Why are you being so fussy when you can just reject it? You even know when we changed the door, and you're just being so needlessly meticulous. It's bringing tears to my eyes. Yeonjun stood up and groaned toward the general affairs team office. But he shouldn't have. Team Leader Ha, who happened to be wandering around, happened to see the messenger window. Team Leader Ha touched his forehead. Then he leaned in closer to Yeonjun. He spoke each syllable, pressing firmly.
“I don’t like Choi Soo-bin.”
I know, who likes a pet obsessive?
“Besides, I can’t stand it when a document I wrote with my name on it is rejected like this.”
No, let's get this straight. I wrote it under my name and it was rejected exactly 16 times.
“Get payment within next week.”
Oh please. It's Friday night. Yeonjun couldn't bring himself to answer, so he barked in his head. Perhaps it was his employees who were supposed to do the dirty work, but Team Leader Ha, a perennial manager, never said he would do it himself. Feeling a surge of emotion, he bit his lip. "What is this? Why would I want to do this?" He wanted to collapse and sob, but his manly pride wouldn't allow it. Manager Jang quietly watched Yeonjun, completely drained. He couldn't concentrate on his work and even went out onto the terrace. For a newly minted intern, this was an ordeal. To put it mildly, he was blunt, but to put it nicely, he was brimming with righteousness. Manager Jang bought two cans of coffee and sat down next to Yeonjun. "Here. Drink." He lowered his voice, uncharacteristically. Yeonjun didn't even touch the Americano, which was so damn exciting. "Wow, this is seriously serious," Manager Jang muttered.
“Oh, drink it, just a little.”
"I bought it with you in mind. If you don't drink it, I'll be sad." Only then did Yeonjun take a sip of his coffee. His expression was vacant, like a watercolor painting. Manager Jang considered patting Yeonjun on the shoulder, then stopped. He let out a long sigh. "What should I do?" Manager Jang asked. He hadn't expected an answer.
“Should I discipline Team Leader Ha?”
“Okay, what’s with the temple scraps?”
"Hey, that's a self-inflicted wound. Huh? Your parents must have loved and cared for you so much."
“That child I raised with so much love is dying here.”
Wow. Mr. Yeonjun. I want to open up and refute you, but I have nothing to say. Manager Jang put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, just comfort me with something. If I keep this up, I might actually come to work at night carrying bricks," Yeonjun said. "Uh… Manager Jang was visibly hesitant. Yeonjun was supposed to be the one comforting him, and he was supposed to be the one receiving the comfort and laughing heartily, but when it was his turn, he felt completely lost, not knowing what to do. Uh, that's why…
“Choi Soo-bin is the one who should be killed!!”
Manager Jang, who had been shouting loudly enough to be heard across the building, spoke incoherently, almost rapping. "That bastard's been harassing our Sales Team 5 entertainer, Yeonjun. At this point, you should at least give him some respectful approval… Are you listening to me?" Manager Jang asked, watching Yeonjun, his face paling as he looked over his shoulder. "Manager… Look behind you…"
“Fuck!”
Behind him was Choi Soobin, holding two canned coffees. Yeonjun instinctively knew he was screwed. "Fuck, even clichés have their limits." Yeonjun abruptly stood up. Choi Soobin stood for a moment, then shrugged and walked back inside. There was a loud thud as he tossed the canned coffee into the trash. Yeonjun instinctively stood up and approached Soobin. A sense of justice that would not discriminate between water and fire ran through his veins.
“Uh… I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
Yeonjun felt his heart sink again at the sarcastic tone. "Really? Why should I apologize? I should have just never rejected it in the first place. It seemed like he was the one who suffered the most, caught between Team Leader Ha and Choi Soobin. Yeonjun raised his head and looked up at Soobin. What an unlucky situation.
"Please listen to me when I pay. They say there's no tree that won't fall after ten tries, but why won't a person fall even after sixteen tries?"
“Because it’s not a tree.”
“Oh, yeah, I lost. I lost. What about that unlucky companion from before?”
“I just send a greeting to someone I’m not close with. I send it with such care because I think we’ve become close.”
“What the hell. Approval is the key to becoming close?”
“I don’t know what you expect from someone from the management team.”
"hey!"
Yeonjun, who had been yelling for the hallway to go away, aimed his index finger at Soobin's forehead.
"Little friend, don't talk back to me every time. Listen to me. Don't live in such a dichotomous way, like "close friends" or "not close friends." There are three levels of friendship: those you're not close to, those you want to be close to, and those you're close to. And I'm level two. If they have any requests, you should be gentle and listen to them appropriately. Got it?"
Yeonjun fired off a quick, rap-like volley. Subin, who had been quietly observing Yeonjun, spoke as if passing by.
“Now it’s step 1.”
He said. Oh. Yeonjun's head went blank. Soobin walked ahead. This time, he didn't follow. Oh, the tattered heart of youth. Yeonjun had to hold on to his self-esteem, which had pierced his inner core and traveled all the way to Uruguay, the polar opposite of the Earth. Nothing was going his way. The thought absurdly occurred to him that Choi Soobin might be coming to the company outing. Why bother worrying about that? He deliberately wiped his eyes. He even took off his employee ID and threw it on the floor. Job hunting had been the hardest, but now that he was hired, an even bigger challenge awaited him. His eyes were red from rubbing so much.
Yeonjun trudged along. It was only a few subway stops anyway, so he wanted to save on fare. Furthermore, the lingering feeling of drowsiness made him confident that even the slightest contact with a human being in the crowded subway would lead to the destruction of the planet. The flashy neon signs and bar signs tempted Yeonjun, but he couldn't even think about going in, thinking, "If I drink now, I'll be a dog." Construction was underway on the site of an old commercial building, supposedly building a new apartment complex. A perfectly good brick appeared where the sign read "Discarded." Yeonjun grabbed it like a rock, turned, and returned to the office. Sales Team 5 must have left, so no one was there. He placed the brick against the cracked conference room door. His conscience roared with rage. Yeonjun wanted to bash his head in with the brick. No matter how upset someone was, they wouldn't break the conference room door with a real brick. He was about to get back up.
“Why did you come back again?”
Yeonjun dropped the brick, screaming for the company to leave. Thud. Clang. And ice. Why does this give me an ominous feeling? Yeonjun felt a cold sweat run down his spine. Haha. Hahahahahaha. Yeonjun shut his eyes tightly as he looked at Soobin's eyes, which had grown as big as bells. I'm screwed, damn it... Farewell, Mom and Dad. The unfilial son is going to get handcuffed now.
“Come out.”
"…ok?"
“The glass is broken.”
Soobin called WI Company's glass supplier. Yeonjun struggled to hold on to his dazed mind. How much would the fine be? Could it be 100 million won? Hey, if glass is expensive, how much more expensive is it? After finishing the call, Soobin turned her gaze to Yeonjun.
“He said he would bring bricks if I didn’t approve, and he was serious.”
Yeonjun lowered his head like a criminal. Soobin chuckled.
“What’s so funny?!…What?! My life looks like it’s going to end.”
Soobin shook his head. "Not exactly." Soobin pointed to the ceiling. Yeonjun covered his mouth.
There's no CCTV in the conference room!
As always, the company rendezvous began with each department gathering at a designated location after arriving. This time, to commemorate the 25th employee recruitment, a luxurious lodging unlike any they'd ever seen was chosen as the venue. "The accounting team must have racked their brains," Manager Jang remarked. Everyone was furious at the mention of a game in a temperature barely above 30 degrees. After purchasing iced Americanos at a nearby cafe, Yeonjun and Manager Jang quickly walked toward their respective departments. Yeonjun was humming a tune before Soobin grabbed his free left arm.
“Fuck!”
When he felt another hand grab his hand, Yeonjun flinched and dropped his Americano. It was Choi Soobin. Yeonjun glared at him. Assistant Manager Jang also looked up at Soobin, his mouth hanging open. "Yeonjun, pinch me," Assistant Manager Jang said. "I think I'm overheating right now." Soobin shrugged and said.
“You said you were going to make today fun.”
Oh, right, that's right. But I didn't think you'd actually come. More importantly, are you really allowed to come? Are you really okay with it? Yeonjun sighed, watching Manager Jang glance back and forth between him and Soobin. From then on, Yeonjun personally escorted Soobin. A few days ago, he'd coldly left me behind, saying it was only Level 1, and now Soobin, who'd believed him and come for real, felt like a piece of trash to kick her out. He didn't care about Team Leader Ha. His morals were falling apart now. Yeonjun trudged along. Being with Soobin definitely put him in the spotlight. Everyone was shocked, but they nodded, saying it was time for Soobin to join them. He must've really spent his money this time, because the game prizes were enormous. A whopping 100,000 won in a running game. If anyone asks if the era of condolences is over, just look at Choi Yeonjun and Choi Soobin. Yeonjun was furious, desperate to get to Olive Young. Manager Jang, who had already noticed Choi Yeonjun's mad dog mode, was eliminated early, avoiding a bloodbath. After a one-sided, bloody battle, Yeonjun triumphantly sat down next to Soobin, holding two 50,000 won notes. He handed one to her. Soobin looked at him quizzically, and Yeonjun winked, making a capitalist remark that would have made even Max Weber weep: "Money is the fun part."
The random play dance, prepared to target the MZ generation employees, was definitely the highlight. The deputy manager of Overseas Sales Team 3, a self-proclaimed K-Hap expert, immediately grabbed the mic and encouraged participation. Yeonjun felt a hand on his elbow and looked at Soobin. "Let's go," Soobin said with a smile. "I really don't know anything about K-pop." Yeonjun's face twitched. Soobin turned Yeonjun's head and showed him the Dyson vacuum cleaner that had been offered as a prize. "What should I do?" Yeonjun said with a blaze in his eyes. Soobin gripped Yeonjun's hand tightly. "K-pop is two-pronged: wave and force control. Watch me out of the corner of my eye." The surprise of discovering Choi Soobin's affinity for the K-pop genre was fleeting. Yeonjun retreated into a large rectangle he'd set up on stage. Perhaps thanks to Choi Soobin's buff, Yeonjun had suddenly risen to ace status. And the Dyson vacuum he'd been waiting for was finally in Yeonjun's arms. "Enough, enough!" Yeonjun jumped up and ran to Soobin. Those who hadn't realized Choi Yeonjun could dance so well were in shock. "Wow, I feel like I'm going to throw up. Even for Yeonjun, a natural E-boy, this outing was a little overwhelming."
“I’m sorry, I was supposed to be having fun, but I ended up playing alone.”
Yeonjun said. After the outing, Soobin still had the Hawaiian necklace Yeonjun had given her, and she was clutching a drink from the food sampling booth. Her flushed face and sunken dimples were probably unseen on those early summer nights when cicadas were chirping.
“Oh, by the way, there’s some left over that I brought to share with the employees in our department.”
Yeonjun pulled a box of cookies from the shopping bag in his hand. "Want some?" Soobin took a third of the remaining cookies with his large hands. He ate them one by one, nibbling them. "They're always delicious," Soobin muttered. "Yeah, right?" Yeonjun replied nonchalantly.
“Wait a minute, have you ever had my cookies?”
Yeonjun asked. "Uh... I see." Soobin answered awkwardly.
“I had fun today.”
"I didn't know I'd be saying it was fun coming to the company outing," Soobin said. He laughed. The streetlights dimly showed the employees, one by one, clearing their places and heading home. The cicadas chirped loudly. Soobin got into the car parked nearby.
“Would you like to leave work together?”
After mumbling for a while, Yeonjun just went ahead and did it. You weren't drinking this time, were you? Soobin said with a dimple in his face. "Oh, look at this guy." Yeonjun laughed, dumbfounded. Soobin turned the steering wheel and started off. It was strange that he didn't ask where his house was, but Yeonjun, believing Soobin had an amazing memory, fell asleep. A Dyson vacuum cleaner was tucked under his arm. When he opened his eyes, he was home. Yeonjun nodded. The elevator went down to the second basement level and then came back up to the first. "Oh. But why is Soobin in my elevator?" Yeonjun wiped his eyes. "Am I still half-asleep?" Soobin was the same. However, she was less shocked than Yeonjun. Just like when he dropped her off last time, this time, he couldn't believe it was a coincidence. Yeonjun, on the other hand, was openly awkward and surprised. "By the way, why is the 19th floor pressed?" Yeonjun shook his head, feeling the sudden sensation. Maybe he didn't press it properly. He wanted to ask if he had pressed it correctly, but his mouth remained closed in embarrassment. Yeonjun stood there, his head held high, stiff. If he had turned, Soobin would have noticed, too, but he didn't dare look at her.
“You live here? Why didn’t I know?”
“That could be true.”
"He said that whenever someone moves into my house, he makes sure to greet them face to face. There's no way I didn't know."
Ding- The elevator stopped on the 19th floor. The two turned their heads towards each other as if in slow motion. Is Soobin here…? Is Yeonjun here…? It seemed like the background music was going, “Sharalalala~”. The two walked to my house, very stiffly, and pressed the password. Yeonjun roughly ran a hand through his hair. How could it be 1903 and 1904 out of 1901 to 1908? How could our houses be next door? Ah. Isn’t this really like a Japanese manga? My coworker who always picks me up lives next door?!
It's the weekend. For office workers, it's like a carrot on a donkey's head. You can never have it, but you just have to see it and run. That's what Yeonjun was given. Having already transitioned into office life a long time ago, he woke up at 6 and leisurely enjoyed a morning coffee outside. "I earn money to go to Starbucks on Saturday mornings, don't I?" The expensive coffee was on a whole other level than the coffee in the break room, which was served in bunches. I wondered if this was why everyone went to Starbucks. After ordering a takeout Frappuccino with whipped cream and chocolate chips, Yeonjun returned home. At exactly 7 o'clock, the door next door swung open. Yeonjun gaped. Choi Soobin was in tracksuits. Untidy hair, baggy tracksuit pants, sleepy eyes. These three qualities were all attached to someone who didn't match at all. What the hell? Am I seeing things? Yeonjun felt like wiping his eyeballs. He almost dropped his Frappuccino. Soobin, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, smiled awkwardly and scratched her head. "Uh... hello," Soobin said. Yeonjun, taken aback, quickly handed her a Frappuccino. Soobin seemed even more flustered by the sudden thrust of the Frappuccino.
“Is this your first time seeing something like this…?”
“Well… he’s not like Soobin, but he’s humane and nice, isn’t he?”
"It's much better without the tie," Yeonjun said. A dimple appeared on Soobin's cheek.
“I stayed up all night.”
The Fed said.
"why?"
“I’m trying to get used to having a coworker living next door.”
Soobin chuckled. And he slurped down his Frappuccino early in the morning. Because it was summer, the sun rose early. Soobin grimaced under the pouring sunlight. He could hear cicadas chirping. "Oh, I think I'm going to get PTSD," Yeonjun muttered. An awkward silence followed. "Horrorururuk." Surprisingly, it was the sound of Soobin's straw, which had already finished slurping down her Frappuccino.
"Next time, don't stand there so awkwardly. At least say "Hello, neighbor!"
“That’s really old-fashioned talk.”
“What should I do? He’s that old guy.”
Soobin burst out laughing. Yeonjun closed the door and came into the house. He turned on his laptop and opened the Microsoft Word Malgun Gothic 16pt. Bold, three letters he'd written before going to bed the night before.
Statement of facts
A scene came into view. Yeonjun took a deep breath and wrote down the details of the incident. He felt relieved.
There was a thud, the sound of milk dripping. Yeonjun flung open the door and went out. He'd even dismantled the door locks in preparation for such a situation. Yes, even so, the self-proclaimed "god of study" is a graduate of Yonsei University College of Medicine. Yeonjun opened the door without a hitch and let out a loud yelp. The "Ah!" sound of someone bumping into something was out of the question.
“Milk!!!”
"Oh." Yeonjun found Soobin crouching, clutching his nose. "Oh, it really hurts." Soobin whined. Yeonjun gaped. Then he chuckled.
“Come in, let’s get some cold compresses.”
Well, life gave him hints to this extent, but Choi Yeonjun wasn't so stupid as to not be able to deduce who "Milk" was. He had pride in his age group. Yeonjun took out an ice pack and placed it on Soobin's nose. Then he took out the milk carton in the hallway and downed it in one refreshing shot. "Ah, whose milk is this? Why does it taste so good?" Yeonjun hummed. Soobin sighed and laughed as she looked at the various screwdrivers, nuts, and batteries scattered in the hallway. "What are we going to do with that? What am I going to do? I'll have to call a mechanic."
“What level are you at now?”
Yeonjun asked with a grin. Soobin rolled her eyes and said.
“Step 3.”
The Fed was a salaryman. Not a "vegetable man," but a slave to capitalism, working while receiving his paycheck regularly. He was an ordinary employee, someone who would curse his shitty company and occasionally show up timidly late.
And the person next door to Yeonjun is Choi Soo-bin. Meggi from the general affairs team. And Mr. Woo.