Director Mo’s secret research lab.
An employee ID that didn’t even exist on the intranet.
Research treated as classified…
His head was complicated, and he was standing there dazed.
Kiiing-. Startled by the sound of something moving, he looked up to see a surveillance camera moving its head toward him.
“Ah, um, I’m not a suspicious person, I’m Jin Surim from the General Affairs Team, assigned here today…”
Surim quickly set the box down on the floor and pulled out his employee ID from inside his suit jacket, showing it to the camera. The surveillance camera, which had seemed to pause for a moment, moved again. Surim, who unconsciously turned his gaze following that movement, discovered the security panel on the wall and hurriedly ran over to press his employee ID against it.
Beep beep, the iron door opened smoothly with a sound.
‘Uh, how long have they been watching?’
Surim, whose cheeks flushed red, squeezed his eyes shut then opened them. With his nervous heart, he thought he’d been standing there for about 10 minutes trying to compose himself—could they have been watching the whole time?
‘Even during the phone call last time?’
He should have checked for surveillance cameras first from the beginning. He was stupid for not thinking there would be surveillance cameras in a research lab where everything was classified. How pathetic must he have looked standing there stupidly for so long that they taught him where the security panel was in that manner?
Surim felt dizzy at the thought of facing people who must think of him as a stupid idiot. But if he delayed any longer, he might be labeled a moron on top of being a stupid idiot.
He was about to hurry inside when a beep- sound rang out from the surveillance camera’s direction. When Surim looked up, the surveillance camera moved again. In the place the surveillance camera pointed to was the box he’d set down earlier.
Surim quickly picked up the box and hurried his steps into the research lab. As soon as he stepped through the door, the iron door closed behind him as if it had been waiting. The click sound was chilling, like a prison cell closing. Surim, who reflexively gripped his employee ID in his hand, clutched his anxious heart and walked deeper into the research lab.
“Welcome!”
As soon as he entered, a man in a white coat suddenly popped out and snatched Surim’s luggage.
“Come on, I’ll show you to your seat first.”
“Hello.”
The flustered Surim greeted him first. When Surim raised his head again, he paused at the man’s face. He couldn’t remember exactly, but he felt like he’d seen that face recently.
“But the luggage, I can just carry it my…”
“It’s light, so it’s fine!”
That was something he should have said. Surim was at a loss for how to handle this excessively energetic man. The situation wasn’t very comfortable, but he couldn’t very well snatch the box back either. After brief consideration, Surim decided to just put his mind at ease.
Although that person must have seen him standing there stupidly…
And must have seen him almost leave the box on the floor like an idiot…
‘I don’t feel at ease at all.’
Surim squeezed his eyes shut briefly from embarrassment. Then his desire to run away subsided a little.
‘But really, who is he…?’
It was definitely a face he’d seen somewhere, but since it wasn’t familiar, it seemed like someone he’d encountered very briefly. Had there been anyone he could have encountered like that recently? Was it at the hospital? Or maybe someone he passed in the hallway on the way to work at another research lab?
Surim, who was trying hard to recall the memory inwardly, paused at the scene that unfolded on both sides as soon as he passed through the short corridor.
On the left was a large pantry, and on the right, a sleeping room and lounge appeared in sequence. It was a scale hard to believe a single research lab monopolized. If the rest area was this large, the total size might be five or six times that of a typical research lab.
Surim, who was scanning the facilities with bewilderment, peeked through the glass window into the lounge and doubted his eyes. There was a large TV, a billiard table, commercial arcade machines, and even an electronic dart board he’d only seen in pubs.
At this scale, it could be considered not a research lab but a small research institute. A research lab with individual rest facilities—the use of this secret budget was extraordinary.
“You can tell what’s attached over here by looking, and the same goes for the research lab. There’s just one thing to be careful of here.”
The man smiled brightly. It was clearly a kind attitude and gentle tone, but Surim somehow felt chilled.
“Never enter that laboratory inside.”
Past the open office, there was one more door deep inside the long corridor. They’d already passed through a security panel with a heavy iron door attached, but to enter further inside, they had to authenticate their identity once more.
“Why, why?”
When Surim asked, stammering in the chilling atmosphere, the man burst into laughter. The cold atmosphere instantly flew away.
“Of course just anyone can’t enter the laboratory. There are virus and bacteria issues, and security issues too. Do other places let just anyone into their laboratories?”
At the teasing question, Surim turned red and shook his head. Of course just anyone couldn’t enter laboratories. During his probation period, while following Assistant Manager Seong around, he’d been told several times that he absolutely must not set foot in laboratories just in case…!
It was definitely something he knew, but because the man spoke in a tone like he was telling a ghost story, he got flustered and asked for a reason.
Fortunately, the man didn’t tease him further and moved toward the research lab. Though he didn’t even hide his expression of dying from laughter.
“This way is our new employee’s seat!”
The place where the man set down Surim’s luggage was a desk by the corner window. Behind it was a cabinet, to the right was a window, and in front was a row of empty desks and desks where researchers were seated.
“…This is my seat?”
“If you don’t like the window seat, shall I change it to somewhere else?”
“N-no. It’s not that… The desk is spacious too… And there are three monitors…”
Surim answered, stammering. What would he use three monitors for? It was a number he’d only seen when they showed people trading stocks on the news.
The monitors weren’t the only bewildering thing. The L-shaped desk was twice as large as the one Surim had used in the General Affairs Team during his probation period, and on one side there was even a long storage compartment with a door. If Surim’s guess was correct, that was a kind of locker where he could hang outerwear. It was definitely furniture at a price the General Affairs Team he’d been at until just now would never approve purchasing.
“Ahaha! What are you talking about? So we should give only our new employee a tiny desk? That’s not bullying, what is that?”
That was true too. Surim felt like he’d said something really stupid and laughed awkwardly in embarrassment. He wasn’t usually called dumb, but today he kept doing nothing but strange things.
“Should we exchange names first? I’m Manager Lee Myeongho. And our new employee?”
“Who’s that over there?”
Just then, a strange voice suddenly interjected between the two. Surim, who reflexively turned his head, unknowingly widened his eyes. A familiar face scanned him coldly with an unfamiliar expression.
“Lee Myeongho-ssi, what’s going on here?”
“Ah, Manager-nim.”
“I’m asking what’s going on.”
Faint irritation appeared in the languid eyes that scanned Surim from head to toe.
“What do you mean what’s going on? You all know the Director said he’d send someone from the General Affairs Team. This is from the General Affairs Team… what’s your name?”
“…Jin Surim from the General Affairs Team.”
Even as he answered mechanically, Surim couldn’t take his eyes off the man. Even as the man stared into his eyes as if trying to see inside him, then soon mercilessly turned his gaze away. No, even after that.
This moment felt like a lie, so he absolutely couldn’t look away. It had been just last week that he’d encountered again the man he thought he’d never see again. But to meet him again as soon as the dispatch started—he couldn’t believe it.
His heart pounded from surprise and confusion. Surim tried to manage his expression while observing the man. He hadn’t known last time because they’d only passed by briefly, but the man seemed taller than in college. Also, back then he’d been somewhat slender and thin, but now it was completely different. He was taller than expected, and his shoulders were broad. It was the body of someone who exercised.
The man, who had been exchanging words with Lee Myeongho, moved his gaze back to Surim with furrowed eyes. His jet-black pupils mercilessly dismantled and tore through everything about Surim. At the strange sensation as if he were revealing everything inside himself, Surim lowered his head as if fleeing.
It was an instinctive defensive reaction, but his gaze that fell downward was captivated by something unexpected. The bones of the hand were distinct under the exposed hand below the cuff. It was hard to take his eyes off each prominent finger joint. A strange tension pooled in his lower back.
‘Ah, no.’
Surim squeezed his eyes shut. Imaginations he shouldn’t have were filling his head. He was unfamiliar with himself like this.
