The Director’s purpose was simply to throw a fit, and to watch his subordinate struggle and flounder while dealing with that fit. He relieved his mood that way, and by letting others see it, he announced his foul mood and reaffirmed his power. So preparing materials this perfectly to shut the Director’s mouth could actually backfire. Because there was no telling what other nonsensical thing the Director might do later when he couldn’t throw a fit to his heart’s content.
But Seungju hated having to just take the Director’s fit that he threw simply because he could. He hated the Director. Really.
“Seungju-ssi, does it take that long to check the delivery dates?”
“It’s done.”
Right before leaving work, Seungju brought the Director a table organizing the delivery dates, stock quantities, and sales volumes of products with imminent deliveries and products newly put into production due to depleted stock. The Director looked at it with an unusually coy expression. Ah, I’m going to throw up. And I’m annoyed.
“This one and this one. Are the dates certain?”
“Yes, I confirmed with both the Production Department and the warehouse.”
“This table is good.”
It was just a simple adaptation of the ERP format. Hearing proof that the Director didn’t even look at the ERP directly himself, Seungju sneered inwardly.
But why is this bastard obediently giving praise like this? At the same time Seungju was suspicious in his head, the Director opened his mouth.
“Can you organize the other things like this too?”
“What?”
“Let’s see it by tomorrow. It’s time to leave work now.”
“What? Yes….”
Ah, fuck, I got played.
Seungju momentarily failed at managing his expression. He knew the Director was looking at him like that.
“Why’s your expression like that. Don’t want to?”
“No… not at all.”
The Director clearly looked pleased. Seungju stood up staggering a bit and bowed to him in greeting. Then he returned to his seat and sat down. Holding his head, he looked at the clock. The Director had already started preparing to leave work.
His eyes that had been on the clock moved to the calendar. Today was Wednesday, tomorrow was Thursday. In other words, it was a day when he had to go out for field work in the afternoon. It was impossible to organize all the items by tomorrow morning.
The Director waved his hand and left his seat. Everyone leave work. Yes, goodbye. Seungju answered mechanically. And he glared at the Director moving away beyond the office door.
So this meant work overtime or cancel the field work. And the latter would be what the Director wanted. This bastard, really. Seungju held his head with both hands.
***
Seungju chose overtime.
Downloading the ERP as an Excel file and organizing tables—doing this simple, mechanical, and truly pointless work, Seungju ground his teeth the whole time. In sync with that, the words “bait and switch” repeated rhythmically in his head.
Even knowing that the best method would be to just skip field work for tomorrow, complete the work on time during tomorrow, and finish reporting to the Director, Seungju worked overtime. Because this was no longer about choosing between overtime and field work, but had become about choosing between the Director and General Manager Mu.
The method to avoid such office politics and eliminate immediate stress was simple. Whatever he thought in his head, he just had to grovel desperately in front of the Director and cater to his moods. But Seungju absolutely, really didn’t want to do that. It was a separate issue from having sufficient ability to do so. Seungju really hated the Director.
Moreover, it wasn’t just anyone on the opposite choice, but General Manager Mu. For Seungju, this was truly a game with no other option but to choose General Manager Mu.
Ha… If only I hadn’t kissed General Manager Mu, I could just go home.
Muttering nonsense, Seungju moved his mouse and tapped the keyboard. At some point, when he sat for more than 9 hours a day, his back ached and his shoulders hurt. Moreover, today was already the third day of overtime. It hurt so much he thought he might die, but once he left the office, he felt refreshed. It was an overtime illness.
Seungju, who was turning his head this way and that to relieve his stiff neck and shoulders, heard a rustling sound. Mm, this would be the sound of a paper bag containing delivery food or takeout. Seungju knew without looking. When you kill your youth in the office being watched closely and getting scolded, your hearing naturally develops.
But who was it? There were hardly any people working overtime in the office today. Except for a few from the Design Team, the Planning Division would have all gone home. Seungju, who stuck his head out to look at the Design Team seats, let out a deflated sigh. The Design Team had all gone home too.
But the rustling sound got closer and closer. Seungju, who turned his gaze, opened his eyes wide at an unexpected sight. Muyeon, holding a paper bag in his hand, was walking toward Seungju’s desk.
“General Manager.”
“Seungju-ssi.”
On his way, he picked up a small chair from Team 5’s meeting table. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone lift that chair so casually like that.
Muyeon placed the paper bag he was holding on Seungju’s desk. Then he put the chair next to Seungju’s seat and sat on it.
“You didn’t eat dinner, right?”
“Yes… did you buy this? Are you working overtime too, General Manager?”
“Why would I work overtime?”
Fair point. Unlucky though. But seeing his face, the thought of being unlucky quickly flew away. Looking at the bag on the desk made him feel good.
So, Muyeon had bought dinner for Seungju. He suddenly felt like his overtime illness was cured. By the way, he hadn’t even separately said he was working overtime. He probably saw the whole commotion from earlier. This time he felt embarrassed.
“Eat, Seungju-ssi. Do you like sushi?”
“I can’t get enough of it.”
“The kids on our team said the most expensive dinner you can buy within the receipt processing limit is sushi.”
“Uh, sushi doesn’t work though?”
“Really? Why? They said it works.”
“It doesn’t work for one person’s meal allowance. It’s possible for two people’s meal allowance. When two people are working overtime, the person who leaves without eating dinner gives their allowance to the other person to eat.”
“They’re even working overtime, why would they leave without eating?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Then I’ll give you mine.”
Muyeon took out the packaging container from the bag. He also took out all the miso soup, ginger, soy sauce, and such. Seungju helped him and casually opened his mouth.
“So we’re eating with company money then.”
“Yes.”
Muyeon paused briefly, then opened the lid of the packaging container with sushi and said.
“You’re working overtime even though I didn’t order it, so I figured I should use company money.”
“Isn’t it your money anyway, General Manager?”
“It’s strictly different.”
When Seungju removed the paper wrapping from the wooden chopsticks, Muyeon offered chopsticks he’d already split apart. Seungju humbly received them.
“Still, I’m the one who went through the trouble of buying this.”
“I know. Thank you. I’ll eat well.”
“That’s it, just ‘thank you’?”
Muyeon asked playfully. Seungju met his shining eyes. He realized what Muyeon wanted.
Seungju made a stunned expression and opened his mouth. What? Here? Are you crazy? It was probably a face like that. However, Muyeon didn’t give up.
He couldn’t do shameless things like kissing in the office. Whether or not Seungju’s pupils were having an earthquake, Muyeon brought his face close and was urging Seungju to give an answer through action.
What saved Seungju was the sound of a phone ringing. He flinched his shoulders without realizing it and was startled. Because it was an unfamiliar ringtone he’d never heard in the office. It felt like he’d been caught playing some kind of ticklish romance game with the General Manager.
Because the face was close, he could see all of Muyeon’s facial muscles twitching. That meant he’d lost his momentum. Muyeon shook his head and pulled back.
“Keep eating.”
He took out his phone from his pocket and answered the call. Seungju lifted his chopsticks and then stopped his hand without realizing it. A high voice coming through the phone.
– Oppa-.
“I’m working. Hanging up.”
Seungju slowly turned his head. Muyeon put his phone back while facing Seungju with an indifferent expression. And he said with a smile.
“Eat, Seungju-ssi.”
“Yes….”
What was that just now? Seungju thought about whether the voice urging him to eat wasn’t excessively gentle. It was definitely a voice he’d heard before. When was it? Seungju soon found the answer. Baek Muyeon’s specialty was saying harsh words or nonsense in a soft voice and affectionate tone.
Soon Seungju realized it was a tone meant to disguise something. The phone call from a moment ago probably wasn’t the kind that could be glossed over so casually. But Baek Muyeon brushed it off with a gentle tone as if it hadn’t happened.
Okay, I understand what just happened now. Then what were those gentle words from before trying to hide?
Seungju looked at Muyeon again. Their eyes met as he was looking at his phone. Muyeon smiled broadly. Seungju unconsciously held back words that were about to burst out.
What was that just now?
But are we at a point where we can ask things like that yet? Probably not. With lingering unease, Seungju picked up a flounder sushi. Somewhat unfairly, the sushi was delicious.
