—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
*Tap, tap*
The sound of keyboard keys.
*Click, click*
The sound of something being taken out of a drawer.
*Scribble, scribble*
The sound of writing something with a pencil.
If someone saw it, they might think that it was a normal office.
In fact, the director, who had shown his face after a long time, had said, “Everyone is working hard.”
He didn’t know that someone’s external pressure had created this environment.
This pressure made me feel like I couldn’t do anything as I pleased, as if every movement was being watched and judged.
The feeling that I would be screwed if I showed any sign of being disorganized.
‘Why did it feel so familiar?’
I laughed inwardly as I realized that the identity of this familiar feeling was the barracks on the first day of my transfer.
They had clearly been lively faces, laughing and smiling just moments ago, but now, the tension in the room had drained all that warmth away.
It was as if they had had their souls stolen by a monster.
They were just staring at the monitor like they were memorial stones facing the sea, with stiff faces and blank eyes.
‘Are they working or counting the air?’
Well, if it was this kind of atmosphere, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate either.
I was looking over the work in this suddenly created studious atmosphere.
There was also the fact that I hadn’t been able to properly check on it on the weekend.
I know very well that it’s impossible to learn all the work that I had been doing for years in just 3-4 days.
But if I was asked whether I was going to keep working here, I would have to say that I hadn’t made up my mind yet.
Still, as a member of this company, I feel like I should at least do the bare minimum, which is why I’m studying something I never thought I would.
*Ting.*
While browsing the shared document folder, a message popped up in the messenger at the bottom right.
system: Kim Yuna has invited you to Kang In-ho’s chat.
[Kim Yuna: I’ve invited In-ho-ssi.]
[Kang In-ho: ??]
As soon as I was invited to the chat room, a flood of messages came up.
What is this, some kind of group chat they made amongst themselves?
[Kang In-ho: What kind of room is this?]
[Seo Seo-rim: It’s just a room where we can talk comfortably.]
[Kang In-ho: I see.]
[Kim Yuna: In-ho-ssi, do you perhaps know if something is wrong with Mina-nim?]
There is something wrong, but.
[Kang In-ho: As I said before, I don’t know.]
[Yun Hye-young: I don’t think she’s ever been this annoyed before.]
[Kang In-ho: I don’t think she was annoyed.]
[Yun Hye-young: In-ho-ssi, you really don’t know. If that’s not being annoyed, then what is it?]
And there were countless complaints about Mina.
To summarize those small complaints, it was [I don’t know why she is acting like this all of a sudden.]
Well, I guess there would be complaints.
If it were the old me, I wouldn’t have understood, but now, since I don’t know everything that’s been happening, I can’t speak carelessly.
But, I don’t know why they invited me.
It’s not like they want me to join in on the gossip, and it doesn’t seem like they want to know Mina’s mood either.
[Kim Yuna: In-ho-ssi, could you perhaps talk to Mina-nim?]
[Kang In-ho: About what?]
[KimYuna: You know… like maybe, “Aren’t you giving out too much work at once?” or “The team atmosphere isn’t great.” Something like that.]
[Kang In-ho: Me?]
[Kim Yuna: In-ho-ssi, you’re the closest to Mina-nim. You two work overtime together a lot too.]
So, they want me to ‘persuade’ her.
I suddenly hated this company.
I really have to find a new job.
Suddenly, nothing was being posted in the active chat room.
“What’s going on? Did everyone’s internet cut out?”
“What are you doing?”
I turned around when I heard a sound behind me, and Mina was there.
“Yes? Ah…”
Where did the people who were just chatting go?
Now, everyone was doing their work diligently.
Wow, she has a really wide field of vision.
She should share that with me.
It felt like I’d accidentally shown something I shouldn’t have, so I quickly but smoothly minimized the messenger window.
“If you’re not particularly busy, let’s have a meeting.”
Unlike the anxious face she had shown on the weekend, Mina looked calm today.
“A meeting?”
“Yes, a meeting.”
“Okay. Shall I reserve a conference room?”
“No, it’s nothing that serious, so let’s have it while we eat lunch.”
“Okay.”
When I got up, everyone’s attention was focused on me.
I even felt sorry for them, as they were unable to turn their heads and only rolled their eyes.
Now that I was going to leave with Mina, they would talk amongst themselves again.
It was a natural course of events, but I didn’t like it.
“I’ll be back after having lunch with In-ho-ssi.”
“Okay~”
The employees answered brightly.
“And it’s fine to make a chat room, but don’t talk behind people’s backs too much.”
“……..”
The employees’ expressions turned dark.
Wow, that’s scary.
“I’ll let it go this time, but if I see it again, I’ll destroy everything.”
Her voice, which had no change in tone, sounded very scary.
As if to signal that lunchtime was approaching, the company employees came out on the street in small groups.
Mina and I moved towards the restaurant alley.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Anything is fine. What about you, Mina-nim?”
She quietly stuck close to me and said,
“I’m fine with anything that In-ho-ssi wants to eat.”
Her words, which were whispered in my ear, felt heavy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Round 2 starts