Chapter 13
- Just Leave Her Be
2023.05.13.
Monday morning.
So-eun arrived at work early and packed up all the belongings of the Mobile Service Team, taking them up to the 7th floor. The barren office, without even a nameplate, clearly indicated her exile.
She felt gloomy. Nothing was going right, neither at work nor in her personal life. She even felt pathetic for stubbornly remaining in a group that was trying to get rid of her.
Chief Song Mun-gyeong, the secretary, peeked into So-eun's office, approached her, and offered her a cool drink, comforting her.
"Don't be too intimidated. I don't think they're really trying to kick Chief Han So-eun out. Kim Tae-joon, the director, isn't that heartless, from what I've seen."
"Chief, do you know the director well?"
"I was in the secretary's office for Kim Seok-hwa, the CEO of the Electronic Home Appliance Division. Kim Tae-joon is her nephew. I've seen him every few years."
"......"
"He's more gentle and generous than he looks."
Ah, So-eun opened her mouth and nodded blankly.
Even if he's gentle and generous, he wouldn't extend that kindness to a subordinate who talked back to him, right?
He couldn't be gentle to an employee who told him a trivial lie, could he?
Although she was comforted by Mun-gyeong, she didn't feel any better. She was just anxious because she couldn't infer anything from the name 'Future Service Team' about what kind of work she would be doing or how she would be treated.
In the midst of her nervousness, time passed and it became nine o'clock. Tae-joon arrived at work.
"Director, good morning. Did you have a good weekend?"
Mun-gyeong, who already knew Kim Tae-joon, greeted him warmly.
"Yes. And you, Chief?"
"I had a good one too."
After exchanging a model morning greeting that sounded like a Korean version of a foreign language listening test, Tae-joon finally turned his head towards So-eun. When their eyes met, So-eun stiffly bowed her head.
"Director, good morni—"
"Chief Han So-eun."
"Yes, Director."
"You brought all your luggage?"
"Yes."
"Go back down. To the Mobile Service Team."
So-eun blinked, as if she didn't understand what Tae-joon meant.
"They say they're short on staff. They say the team will have a harder time if Chief Han leaves, so there's nothing I can do. Go back."
Tae-joon continued.
A red tinge appeared on So-eun's face.
She felt uneasy, as if she had been played by the capricious Director Kim Tae-joon, but on the other hand, she was relieved that it was only this much. It would be much better to do the work she had been doing than to become the head of a newly established team, acting as both team leader and team member.
"Yes, I understand."
The trouble of carrying her luggage back to the Mobile Service Team was not even a bother. Repeating 'Thank goodness, thank goodness' inwardly, So-eun forced herself to keep her lips from curling up.
"What time does work usually end?"
"It ends at 6 o'clock."
"Then let's meet after your regular work."
But as expected, Kim Tae-joon wouldn't let her go so easily. So-eun's shoulders stiffened as she lifted the luggage she had brought.
"The Future Service Team will be converted into a TF Team. Chief Han So-eun, please do your original work diligently and lead the TF Team well."
The color gradually drained from So-eun's face. Tae-joon's ruthless instructions continued.
"The TF Team's work ends at 9 p.m. Even if something suddenly comes up for me, I'll stop by at least once, so be sure to wait until 9 o'clock."
"......Yes, I understand."
She felt miserable, but that was the only answer she could give, so So-eun had no choice but to comply.
"Even if you can't come back due to circumstances, keep your seat until then."
"Yes, I understand."
"There may be special instructions from time to time. Come up right away when I call."
"Yes, I understand."
"I'll take care of the overtime pay with a special TF Team allowance."
"Yes, I underst, thank yo... I understand."
It was a relief that he was at least taking care of the allowance. She had no idea what kind of work she would be doing, so she felt overwhelmed, but So-eun answered that she understood everything for now.
"Then I'll be on my way."
So-eun, who had picked up her luggage again, bowed.
Tae-joon's lips twisted as he watched So-eun's retreating figure as she fled.
She says she understands everything.
"What does she understand? What an idiot."
Chief Song Mun-gyeong, who didn't properly hear Tae-joon's mutterings, blinked. Mun-gyeong looked at Director Kim Tae-joon, whose smooth impression from when he greeted her in the morning had vanished without a trace, and thought that strange things really do happen.
"Wow! Chief!"
Bobae, her junior in the next seat, shouted as So-eun returned.
"Are you back for good?"
"Yeah. For the time being."
"Director Kim Tae-joon came by earlier. Chief Jang Eun-pyo appealed to the director that our team was short on staff."
"Chief Jang?"
So-eun asked again, surprised by the news Bobae had delivered.
Chief Jang Eun-pyo was a taciturn man. He was probably the most taciturn man in the team, or perhaps even in the entire division. So-eun had never seen him talk about anything personal other than work. Of course, she didn't have any personal friendship with him either.
She felt uncomfortable because she had never talked to him, but he was a good person.
So-eun looked at Eun-pyo's seat and their eyes met. So-eun smiled neatly and bowed her head, and Eun-pyo also bowed his head, slightly surprised.
In the meantime, Bobae lowered her voice as if whispering.
"I secretly overheard that the director didn't take Chief Han away as a disciplinary measure, but called you in for a special project?"
"Oh, really? I didn't hear that."
"Anyway, Director Kim Tae-joon seems to be very generous. He listens to the opinions of the employees and speaks so gently."
Is that so? I don't know about that.
"But what's going to happen to the special project now?"
"They say it's being converted into a TF Team."
"Oh! Then if you make the project a success, will you get a promotion, Chief?"
"Well..."
She hadn't heard anything about what kind of work they were going to do to create the project team, so there was nothing she could say.
"Anyway, I envy you, Chief Han. You're doing a good project and making an impression on the director. It's amazing and I envy you that you can talk to the director a lot. Don't you just love the director's gentle tone that's not cheesy?"
"......The director is gentle? Director Kim Tae-joon?"
"Yes. He's very gentle. He's so kind to the employees. And actually, about the fire incident last week. I was worried about you, Chief, so I spoke loudly when the director passed by. I said that Chief Han looked too tired these days. And frankly, the fire was a matter of luck, not Chief Han's fault."
"......"
"I think he heard everything I said at that time. So I think he's being considerate."
Considerate? Well...?
So-eun didn't think Tae-joon was very generous, perhaps because she was afraid of him. However, the incident where he gave her the Eel rice bowl came to mind again.
When they met while drunk, she didn't remember it well, but his tone seemed quite gentle.
But still, he's very scary now.
'Is it because I've caused a lot of trouble? If I do well in the future, will he be gentle with me too?'
So-eun resolved not to provoke Director Kim Tae-joon's anger anymore.
But, as expected.
Gentle? Kind? Bullshit.
So-eun went straight up to the 7th floor after finishing her regular work. Director Kim Tae-joon, who had said he would stop by at least once and told her to wait until 9 o'clock, didn't even contact her. Still, So-eun waited diligently until 9 o'clock, then left a note and went home.
Tae-joon didn't show up the next day either. So-eun didn't even have a chance to face Tae-joon. So-eun resented Tae-joon in her heart as she guarded the desolate seat with only a temporary nameplate that read 'Future Service Team'.
Since she was doing nothing and just sitting still, she started thinking about her boyfriend the most.
Hee-wook also hadn't contacted her since Saturday.
She was ready to let go if he just said he was sorry, but since there was no contact at all, she became increasingly anxious.
In the meantime, a photo was uploaded to Hee-wook's SNS. It was a photo of Mal-hee's hospital room. It also included a short message: 'Love you, Mom, for your hard work.' Mal-hee's appearance was only a silhouette on the bed, but So-eun's nose felt hot for some reason. She felt an inevitable sense of pity because they had shared the most precious thing. She also felt more affectionate because she could see the flowers she had brought.
She couldn't drift apart from someone she couldn't live without.
She kept hesitating whether to press the call button or not.
'No. If I call first, I'll have to say I'm sorry.'
She didn't want to say she was sorry. Because she hadn't done anything wrong.
Of course, if Hee-wook said he was sorry, she would also be willing to say she was sorry. But she didn't want to apologize first.
Hold on. Not now.
So-eun steeled her heart and put her cell phone in her bag.
The next day.
It was the day of the meeting at headquarters. It was the first day to greet the executives, so there were many things to prepare. Tae-joon, who had come to work early in the morning and prepared the presentation materials, finally got up from his seat an hour before the meeting.
"I'll be back. Go home when it's time."
As he was about to leave after saying goodbye to Chief Song Mun-gyeong, Mun-gyeong, who was aware of the meeting time, urgently stopped Tae-joon.
"Director, please have a meal before you go. It'll be hard for you if you keep having meetings."
Mun-gyeong was holding a tray with a lunch box and sandwiches on it.
"It's okay."
"Then at least eat it in the car."
Mun-gyeong picked up a sandwich from the tray and stopped Tae-joon again. Tae-joon hesitated at the expression on her face that seemed worried that he wouldn't eat.
He had 10 minutes to spare.
"I'll eat before I go. Chief Song, please join me."
Tae-joon and Mun-gyeong ended up eating together in the director's office.
When Tae-joon was younger, he, Tae-joon's aunt Seok-hwa, and Chief Song Mun-gyeong had often eaten together. From that time on, Chief Song Mun-gyeong was a comfortable person to Tae-joon, like an older sister. Although he didn't have an older sister.
Mun-gyeong also didn't think of Tae-joon as just a boss. However, it was also true that she felt a sense of distance as his position became clearer than before.
Mun-gyeong, who was eating quietly, cautiously brought up the story of So-eun while watching Tae-joon's reaction.
"Chief Han So-eun apparently worked overtime until nine o'clock yesterday and the day before."
"I guess so."
"She said she was waiting for you, Director."
"Yes. I told her to wait."
"I heard that the director said he would be back by nine o'clock, so she waits every day. She can't even eat."
Since Tae-joon didn't react much, Mun-gyeong mentioned it again, wondering if he had heard her properly.
"She can't even eat."
"So?"
Tae-joon replied nonchalantly to Mun-gyeong, who had said the same thing twice.
Mun-gyeong was a little surprised because this kind of cold tone was unexpected.
"Just leave her be. Like that."
"......"
"I think it's okay to just leave her like that."
After seeing So-eun and Hee-wook arguing in front of the hospital on the weekend when he went to the hospital where Yang Hee-wook's mother was hospitalized to find out about Yang Hee-wook, and after finding out that Han So-eun was the most frustrating and foolish person in the world.
Tae-joon had been feeling dirty all along.
He didn't want to be a good person to Han So-eun anymore. He thought it was okay to just leave that idiot alone.
