Chapter 70 – Episode 70
Lunch was donburi.
There is a small but famous donburi restaurant near my office, and I ate gyudon, tendon, and soba together there.
It was a normal and happy meal time, something I didn’t really notice because I was so busy recently.
However, that happy feeling did not last long.
That evening, it was time to get off work.
When I left about 5 minutes after everyone had left, there was an employee standing in front of the office door.
It was Na Hoon-seok, the employee who saw me going down with Ga-hye and Na-yu on either side.
“Team leader Junseok Lee. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s a bit different here, how about going to the rooftop?”
What is it all of a sudden?
Of course, the guy who saw both Gahye and Nayu wearing them called me, so I felt uncomfortable for no reason.
Still, I nodded as if nothing had happened.
I don’t know what you’re talking about, but there’s no need for me to get stabbed.
‘It’s just a little strange compared to common sense, well.’
With that in mind, I went up to the rooftop with Na Hoon-seok.
As soon as we arrived at the rooftop, Na Hoon-seok asked.
“Hey, team leader Junseok Lee. When I went down for lunch today, the person next to the team leader… “You were different from the person I told you was coming, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
When I answered, Na Hoon-seok took out a cigarette from his pocket.
Then he roughly pulls out a cigarette and takes a bite.
What is it?
His behavior suddenly seems strange.
It felt like a detective before interrogation pretending to be strong against the criminal.
“Hey, team leader Junseok Lee. “You’re so bold.”
“What… “It’s a bit far from common sense.”
I’m not very happy with this approach to personal privacy.
“What happens if you get caught?”
“Hmm… I guess I’ll get some criticism, right?”
My father or uncle would probably treat me like a strange person.
If it were my uncle, he might hit me because he seemed to have raised Nayu like his daughter.
But anyway, Na Hoon-seok’s tone and posture are… I’m starting to not like it.
“Will it end with just swearing?”
“Then what else is there?”
“Whoa… “
Na Hoon-seok pauses for a moment, exhaling cigarette smoke.
“If you get caught, won’t you both leave Team Leader Lee Jun-seok?”
“Yes?”
Something is out of focus.
If someone finds out, they’ll both leave me?
“If you’re not careful about straddling the line, you’ll get caught real quick. Or was it an accident today?”
I was silent for a moment.
This guy, I think he’s misunderstanding something.
“Well, it’s quite possible that both of you would visit Team Leader Lee Jun-seok during lunchtime. When I saw you come back after lunch, you seemed to be in a good mood, and I think you were lucky enough not to get caught today… Right?”
“Hmm… “
Oh, Na Hoon-seok doesn’t know that it’s public knowledge that the three of us are dating together.
Of course it is.
Who would imagine dating two women at the same time and allowing both women to do so?
Since I don’t think that can happen, I think, ‘I’m crossing my legs.’
And today was a day when I almost got caught.
“Why are you bringing this up?”
Then let’s find out why this guy brought up this story.
“Kkkk, why?”
Na Hoon-seok, who was laughing as if he was teasing someone, shook off the cigarette he was smoking with a tap of his finger.
I waved my hand and brushed away the embers from Na Hoon-seok’s cigarette.
“Put it in the ashtray over there. Sparks fly.”
“This is probably not the spark you need to watch out for.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Seeing you straddling both legs, you don’t want to lose them both, right?”
Of course.
But I didn’t want to tell Na Hoon-seok that, so I didn’t answer.
“I guess so. Then I will keep your secret.”
Na Hoon-seok speaks as if he is being generous.
But I could feel something sticky and dirty in that voice.
“Daesin, you know?”
Saying that, he lifts his left hand and rubs his index finger and thumb.
It is a blatant gesture asking for money.
“I don’t hope for much. First… 1 million won?”
“Huh.”
“You’re not asking for that much, are you? If you are a young and capable person like the team leader, you probably only earn a penny or two… “
As I continue to look at him with a puzzled expression, Na Hoon-seok sighs.
“Ha, try to judge the situation well. “I’ll give you one night to think about it, and then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Na Hoon-seok ends the story unilaterally and leaves.
I just stood quietly behind Na Hoon-seok until he left.
It was so absurd.
“… Is he crazy?”
There was no hint that he was this kind of guy during his resume or interview, but I never thought he was a guy who threatens people.
Now that I think about it, Park Se-hoon of the National Intelligence Service told me that the other day.
‘Of course, there are times when a crazy person is not filtered out even when looking at resumes or interviews. I’m saying this lightly, but when choosing someone to work with, it’s better to choose someone who isn’t crazy rather than someone who has skills. No matter how good you are, if you are a crazy person, your outstanding skills will cause damage. It causes very serious damage. ‘It’s worse than not hiring a crazy person with good skills.’
‘Then what should I do?’
‘What should I do, I have to pick it. No, it must have already been selected. People like that always show their true colors after they are selected. So when that happens… ‘
‘Yes.’
‘Cut. It’s not a public official, it’s a private company, right? It’s best to take some losses and cut it.’
So you’re saying it’s best to cut a guy like this down?
I remembered Park Se-hoon’s advice and started thinking about what to do with Na Hoon-seok tomorrow.
***
The next morning, I went to work later than usual.
It was to take Gahye and Nayu.
“Hello.”
“Hello~”
“… Hello.”
The three of us greeted each other as we entered the office.
The employees reacted with slight surprise when they saw me, Gahye, and Nayu.
Open your eyes slightly, make an expression of ‘Huh?’ Without being able to answer, or open your mouth slightly…
But among them all, Na Hoon-seok, who threatened me yesterday, showed a combination of all those reactions.
His eyes were wide open, and he couldn’t say anything, and his mouth was wide open.
“Na Hoon-seok, to the president’s office.”
After saying that, I took Gahye and Nayu into the president’s office.
“Hello, boss.”
“Oh, are you here, Junseok?”
The owner smiled and welcomed me, and in the meantime, Na Hoon-seok closed the door and came in.
“Yes, I’m here… “
Na Hoon-seok looks at me, Ga-hye, and Na-yu with a look in his eyes that doesn’t know what’s going on.
The anxious eyes were shaking little by little.
It is literally a pupil earthquake.
“Na Hoon-seok, I heard an interesting story.”
The boss spoke first.
“I heard you threatened Jun-seok?”
“Ah yes? No, that’s… “
“If you don’t want to be caught crossing your legs, it’s 1 million won…” Na Hoon-seok, you’re a very narrow-minded person, aren’t you?”
“Yes?”
Like a fool? Yes? Na Hoon-seok is just walking away.
“If I’m going to threaten you, shouldn’t I have to take a lot out of it? You’re trying to threaten someone using their privacy just to make 1 million won… “
No, boss. Do you get the point?
“I didn’t know you were that kind of person. Of course, it’s already at its worst when you threaten someone. He is a blackmailer and a narrow-minded man… Tsk tsk.”
The boss spoke as if he was truly sorry.
Then he quietly nodded his head towards me.
He meant that he had said all he had to say.
So this time I opened my mouth.
“Na Hoon-seok, there is one thing I want to tell you first. “I am dating both of them at the same time.”
“Yes? Yes?”
“You two are dating together. All three of us know each other.”
“No, what is that…” No… “
Na Hoon-seok opens his mouth as if he is dumbfounded.
“You may not know that. But you suddenly use it as an opportunity to threaten someone without even looking into it, your character is completely trash.”
Gahye said one word, no, three words.
“You idiot.”
Nayu said a simple word.
They were both very angry after I told them what happened last night.
Today too, I followed him, thinking, ‘I need to follow him and say something to that man.’
“Well, anyway, I didn’t call you right now to tell you if that’s true. “I thought an opportunity arose, so I called to let them know that I couldn’t work with someone who immediately threatened an employee at the same company.”
What could be more good about this guy’s face?
Gahye and Nayu also said something, and I got straight to the point.
“You can look at this paper to see which contract terms were violated.”
Saying that, I threw the clear file containing the documents to Na Hoon-seok.
This was the result of asking a lawyer last night, ‘How can I fire a person who threatens my boss with official reasons?’
“If you have anything to complain about, please come later with a lawyer. Now then, please pack your bags and leave.”
Na Hoon-seok blinked at my words and turned his head to the boss.
“Please leave. “I don’t want to work with people like you.”
The boss also clearly kicked out Na Hoon-seok.
“All of you… Suddenly such tyranny… “
“Does the person who threatened me yesterday have the right to say that?”
“I told you to fuck off.”
Gahye and Nayu shoot back fiercely.
Na Hoon-seok was shaking, then he took the clear file and walked out.
And soon it got a little noisy outside.
“Hey, boss. “I’m sorry.”
I first apologized to the boss.
“What is it?”
“I feel like I made them go through a lot of trouble, and I couldn’t even see people properly.”
“Hehe, no. Did I not see it properly? How can you get to know people well in a short period of time?”
Saying that, the boss stood up.
“It felt a little strong at first, but I couldn’t just ignore it. Haha. Then, Junseok, please rest here for a moment. “I’ll clean up the outside and come back.”
With those last words, the boss went out.
“Let’s go to sleep, everyone. Just calm down first… Na Hoon-seok, please leave quickly. When you get out, I have something to tell you… “
The boss calms down the noisy employees.
In the meantime, I just stayed inside as the boss said.
***
After a long time had passed.
So, after Na Hoon-seok packed his bags and left the office, after the boss gathered the employees and told them that he had threatened me, and after I sent Ga-hye and Na Yu out, too.
On my way back to the office, I met an employee on the first floor.
“Ah, team leader… Thank you for your hard work.”
The employee spoke to me as if to comfort me, perhaps because he heard that I had been threatened by the boss.
I just smiled and nodded.
Ting.
The elevator soon arrived, and the staff and I got on it together.
There were only two of us in the elevator.
“By the way, team leader. Those two people earlier… Are you the team leader’s lover?”
Hey Mr. Lee.
Is this it again?
I was sick and tired of my newly born PTSD(?).
No, probably not.
I saw someone get kicked out while making threats, so I guess they’ll try to threaten someone again.
“Yes.”
“As expected.”
However, this employee showed a different reaction from Na Hoon-seok.
It feels like acknowledging, uh, acknowledging.
“Really?”
“Ah yes. I was a bit surprised to see that the team leader had two lovers… I thought it was worth it to be a team leader.”
“What does that mean?”
“No, what… If you’re as capable as the team leader, wouldn’t it be likely that you would have at least two lovers? Haha, this is what I said, but now that I say it, it feels a bit strange.”
An employee smiling as if embarrassed.
“Well, team leader, aren’t you really young now? You look similar to me… “
“Yes. “We are one year older.”
“That’s it. At that age, aren’t you already a team leader, and a team leader at the company founded by President Park No-eun? So, you are an incredibly talented person. A person with that ability would likely have two lovers.”
“Uh… “
Really?
Ting.
The elevator soon arrived at the 7th floor, and the employee got off the elevator first, as if he was embarrassed.
“Well, I’m sorry if I said something for no reason.”
“No. Thank you for being honest.”
Haha, big, big. Well, then I’ll go first!”
With those last words, the employee disappears.
Looking at his back, I kept repeating to myself what he had just said.
‘A person with that kind of ability is likely to have two lovers.’
These words kept reverberating within me, as if they were hints for my future.
