episode_0053

I spent the entire weekend practically like a corpse. Ever since Saturday morning, when I hastily pulled on the clothes strewn across the motel room and fled. My mind was a tangled mess, chaotic with the memories of that day.

Waves of shame and self-loathing washed over me. Yet, lingering like a flash of lightning amidst my酒-blurred senses was the remnant of an intense pleasure, which made me even more miserable.

I struggled to deny it, but the more I tried, the more vivid that unfamiliar sensation became, leaving me powerless.

“Haa.” A deep sigh escaped me naturally.

In the end, I even postponed the weekend dinner date I’d excitedly made with my husband last week.

‘My body isn’t feeling well at all, I just can’t do it.’ Despite my poor excuse, he accepted it graciously, though he seemed puzzled.

But recalling the faint hint of disappointment that flitted across his face, a heavy guilt choked me.

And today, Monday. My steps to work were heavy, as if weighted down by cold lead.

My heart pounded uneasily just standing in front of the company building. I had no idea how I was going to face *that man*, Assistant Manager Lee Hyunsung, now.

I desperately avoided him all morning, but I couldn’t keep ignoring him like this forever.

Towards the end of lunchtime, I opened the internal messenger window with trembling fingers and sent him a short message. [Kang Jooyoung: Assistant Manager Lee Hyunsung, I need to speak with you for a moment. Please come to the small meeting room next to the office.]

After sending the message, I entered the meeting room first and placed my hands on the cold table. I took a deep breath, trying to somehow compose my scattered thoughts.

Knock knock- Soon after, I heard a knock on the door. Hiding my emotions as much as possible, I replied in a stiff voice.

“Come in.” No sooner had I finished speaking than the door opened and Assistant Manager Lee stepped inside.

His face, just like last week, overflowed with confidence and composure. His nonchalance, as if nothing had happened, twisted my insides, but I struggled not to show it.

“Team Leader-nim, did you call for me?”

“……Yes. Please, have a seat first.” I gestured towards the opposite chair with my chin, and he sat down obediently without a word.

Looking at him sitting opposite me, I straightened my back as much as possible.

“First, thank you for making time. What I need to talk about is what happened last Friday night.”

The moment those words left my mouth, I felt his gaze subtly shift for a fleeting instant, but his expression remained calm. That stillness of his deepened the unease in my heart.

“Let’s get straight to the point. What happened that day was clearly a ‘mistake’ caused by alcohol. Neither I nor Assistant Manager Lee were in our right minds.”

I emphasized the word ‘mistake,’ speaking decisively as if delivering a final verdict. I tensed my abdomen, trying to keep my voice from trembling.

“I don’t remember the details of how things happened. Or rather, I don’t want to remember them exactly.”

As I continued speaking, I glanced at his expression. He was simply looking at me with an unchanging, unreadable face.

His silence was unbearable.

“So, what I want to say is, let’s just consider that day a simple incident, and ensure neither of us ever mentions it again.”

I tried my best to exclude emotion, maintaining a tone as if giving orders to a subordinate as a team leader.

“If an unpleasant incident like this gets out, it won’t do either Assistant Manager Lee or me any good. You understand what I mean, right?”

The last part was practically an order. I could only desperately hope that this flimsy defense and show of authority would work.

Assistant Manager Lee only stared at me after my words had ended. His gaze felt as if it was piercing through me, and for a moment, I swallowed a gasp.

“Team Leader-nim, I understand exactly what you mean.”

Then, completely unlike what I expected, he opened his mouth in a calm and gentle voice.

“I was the one who was careless that night. Even though we were both drunk, I should have exercised more self-control… I apologize.”

His reaction, surprisingly, left me even more flustered. To think he’d be so compliant.

“As Team Leader-nim said, what happened that day was an incident that occurred under the influence of alcohol. I will forget it completely, so please don’t dwell on it too much either, Team Leader-nim.”

He said that, even offering a faint smile as if to reassure me. His compliant attitude brought me a very slight sense of relief.

However, at the same time, an indescribable unease slowly crept up in a corner of my mind, like fog. ‘Is this really going to be okay?’

“Ah, if you understand, then that’s fine. Our talk is over, you can go back to your work.”

Just as I awkwardly tried to stand up, he skillfully changed the subject. “Ah, Team Leader-nim. Regarding the business trip to Japan next week.”

Business trip? Now that he mentioned it, wasn’t there a local business trip scheduled for the project? My mind was so cluttered that I had completely forgotten about it.

“The approximate schedule seems to be for three days and two nights, from next Wednesday to Friday.”

I was momentarily flustered by the sudden talk of work, but on the other hand, I also felt relieved. It was a good excuse to escape this suffocating awkwardness and tension.

Perhaps Assistant Manager Lee brought it up with that thought in mind.

“The accompanying personnel have been finalized as Team Leader-nim, myself, and employee Park Mina. I will report the detailed schedule again once it’s adjusted.”

Even employee Park Mina… When that name came up, my stomach churned slightly, but I forced myself to maintain my expression.

“Yes, understood. Please take care of it.”

And so, our dangerous and uncomfortable conversation came to an end for now. Leaving the meeting room, I composed my confused mind.

Yes. This is how it should be. Let’s just shake it off. There’s no other way.

But can I really forget? The intense sensations of that night and his chilling gaze that seemed to pierce through everything.

****

Yesterday’s brief encounter with Kang Jooyoung ended more uneventfully than expected. She desperately tried to act strong, but I already knew she was utterly terrified inside.

In fact, that sight was rather interesting, as it clearly showed how cornered she was and how psychologically shaken she had become.

Anyway, I willingly pretended to agree to her instructions. It was quite an enjoyable experience to observe her complex expression, a mix of fluster, shame, and relief, right before me.

While organizing documents, I casually checked my smartphone. The app’s status window accurately displayed her complicated state of mind.

========================= [Status Window] Name: Kang Jooyoung. ···· [Status] -In extreme confusion and self-loathing. -Confused while recalling sexual intercourse and pleasure with Hyunsung. -Increased wariness towards Hyunsung and deepening subtle dependence. =========================

As expected. On the surface, she struggles to act strong and forget, but deep down, she hasn’t escaped that night at all.

It feels like just a little more prodding will make her completely give in. What should I do?

Since I have the hypnosis app, the options are limitless.

As I organized my thoughts, I approached Jooyoung’s desk with the sorted documents.

“Team Leader-nim.” At my call, her shoulders flinched slightly as if startled. She quickly reverted her expression and looked up at me.

“Yes, Assistant Manager Lee. What is it?”

“I’m currently coordinating the detailed schedule for next week’s business trip, and I was wondering if there are any specific dates or times this week when it would be difficult for you to make time personally, Team Leader-nim.”

Now that the business trip is approaching, it’s convenient to check the schedule beforehand for meetings or requests for document preparation.

“Just a moment.” At my question, she seemed to check her scheduler for a moment, then spoke.

“Ah, there aren’t any particular problems on other days, but I have a personal appointment on Wednesday evening, so I’ll need to leave work on time then.”

Wednesday evening. A personal appointment. My ears perked up for a moment, but I decided to focus on work for now.

“Other than that, it’s fine.”

“Is that so? Understood. Then for Wednesday’s schedule…”

I asked and confirmed a few more detailed questions about the business trip. Even as we talked, the ‘Wednesday evening appointment’ she had mentioned earlier bothered me.

What kind of appointment could it be? An appointment with her husband?

‘Ah.’ There’s no need to speculate. I can just ask her directly.

“If you don’t mind my asking, may I inquire what specific appointment you have on Wednesday evening?”

I added a reason that was as polite and business-like as possible.

“It’s just that there might be something urgent I need to confirm late in the evening, and I’d like to know in advance if it’s an important engagement so I don’t disturb you.”

Prying about personal appointments when we’re not close could easily arouse suspicion. Especially given the current relationship between Kang Jooyoung and me.

However, Jooyoung seemed to hesitate for a moment, then opened her mouth without any suspicion.

“Oh, it’s nothing major. My husband has an important interview next week, so we decided to have dinner together at home to cheer him on.”

Aha. Dinner at home, just with her husband. The moment I heard that, a fun plan spontaneously popped into my head.

This is practically a perfectly set stage, isn’t it?

“I see. That’s an important occasion. Then, we’ll make sure to finish everything on our end beforehand so we don’t disturb you at all on Wednesday.”

I said that, smiling lightly.

“Yes… Thank you, Assistant Manager Lee.”

Her personal circumstances. Had she realized belatedly that she had so easily confided the intimate details of an appointment with her husband to a subordinate? She suddenly tilted her head slightly, an expression of puzzlement flitting across her face.

But that confusion lasted only a moment.

“Then, I will adjust the schedule as you’ve mentioned and report back to you.”

I gave a neat bow and returned to my seat.

An intimate dinner for a married couple. It’s not polite for an uninvited guest to intrude on such a nice occasion, especially after a long time. But I’ll be joining you, Team Leader-nim.

****

Sizzle sizzle, the sound of steak cooking deliciously on the frying pan rang out cheerfully. It was a dish I had carefully prepared for this rare dinner.

Beside me, my husband Mincheol was struggling to open a wine bottle, trying to uncork it.

While his appearance was a little comical, a corner of my heart swelled, realizing how long it had been since I felt such ordinary, small happiness.

I forcefully pushed the terrible memories of last Friday night to the back of my mind.

Yes, it was just an unfortunate accident that happened under the influence of alcohol. I had made that clear to Assistant Manager Lee on Monday, so it should be fine.

Now I really need to forget and move forward. My husband’s interview will go well, and we can go back to how we used to be.

I wanted to believe that.

“The food is almost ready. Have you opened the wine?”

“Uh, uh… Almost, there!”

Mincheol chuckled as he strenuously pulled out the cork.

I smiled back, just about to transfer the steak onto a plate.

Ding-dong- At the sudden sound of the doorbell, Mincheol’s and my gazes simultaneously turned towards the entrance.

“Who is it? No one should be coming at this hour.” Mincheol murmured, puzzled.

I felt the same way. I hadn’t even ordered delivery food.

“I’ll go check.” I turned off the heat, took off my apron, and headed to the entrance.

Before I even checked the intercom screen, I carelessly opened the door. And the moment I confirmed the person standing there, I froze.

My heart felt like it was plummeting.

“Assistant Manager Lee?”

Why was he here? And at my house, of all places?

The memories of Friday night and Monday’s conversation churned in my mind all at once, and my blood felt as if it was turning to ice.

Unaware of my turmoil, he bowed lightly towards me with his usual calm and polite expression.

“Hello, Team Leader-nim. Were you having dinner?”

“Uh, yes. We were just about to eat… But Assistant Manager Lee, what brings you here?”

I tried to maintain a business-like tone as if nothing was wrong, but I couldn’t hide the subtle tremor in my voice. Meanwhile, in my mind, I was desperately trying to figure out why he was here.

“What do you mean, what brings me here? Team Leader-nim invited me, didn’t you?”

He replied nonchalantly to my obvious question, as if I had asked something strange.

“What did you say?” For a moment, I doubted my ears. *I* did? When? Inviting him to my house after *that incident* was absurd in the first place.

“What ridiculous talk is that? When did I invite Assistant Manager Lee? Aren’t you mistaken?”

I tried to retort as sharply as possible, but the voice that came out was terribly shaky with anxiety.

He showed no signs of being flustered by my retort; instead, he made a slightly disappointed expression.

“You invited me, saying you wanted to express separate gratitude regarding the project’s success. Have you forgotten?”

His confident voice and unwavering gaze plunged me into extreme confusion. I clearly had no memory of inviting him, but listening to his words, a puzzling thought of ‘Did I do that?’ along with a strange feeling of acceptance, slowly crept up. My mind felt like a jumbled mess.

“Well… I don’t remember at all…” Just as I managed to murmur in confusion.

“Honey, who’s at the door?” As I stood frozen at the entrance, unable to answer, Mincheol, who was in the living room, approached the entrance curiously.

“Huh…?” Mincheol’s eyes widened for a moment as he saw Assistant Manager Lee Hyunsung standing at the entrance, and he made a puzzled expression. It made sense, as it would be the first time he’d seen his face.

“Uh, who are you…?” Mincheol asked awkwardly.

At that moment, Assistant Manager Lee Hyunsung, as if he had been waiting, pulled out his phone from his pocket and smiled gently.

“Nice to meet you. I am Assistant Manager Lee Hyunsung, working under Team Leader-nim Kang Jooyoung.”