chapter_0048

48 – The Sofa in the CEO’s Office is Home to Magia

48 – The Sofa in the CEO’s Office is Home to Magia

The white vision that had nearly collapsed returned to normal.

Where am I? Who am I?

It’s a strange ceiling.

My sight is completely white, and gray worms are wriggling on the white background.

I realized it was the ceiling of a hospital.

I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.

“Jia!”

Startled by the near-scream of my name, I turned my head to see the Boss’s face, on the verge of tears.

“Are you okay? Are you back to your senses?”

“Just… just a moment. I just woke up and I’m a bit dazed.”

My body is lying on a soft but not-so-soft sheet.

There’s a blanket on top of me, but it’s thin, light, and crinkly.

Still, the temperature of the space itself is warm, so I’m not cold.

The sounds of a cart bustling around, the clattering of medical instruments, and the calls for nurses and doctors fill the air.

So, this is a hospital, an emergency room.

… It seems I really did collapse.

Of course, if my body tilted like that, it’s only natural to fall.

I barely protected my head when I fell, but it seems I lost consciousness and was dragged to the hospital afterward.

I moved my left hand slightly and felt the cold IV fluid flowing into my body.

I blinked my half-closed eyes.

In a slightly husky voice, I informed the Boss that I was feeling clearer now.

“I’m okay now. What happened?”

“What do you mean what happened? You collapsed…!”

“What time is it now?”

“It’s 11 o’clock.”

I collapsed around 9 o’clock.

I’ve been unconscious for a whole two hours.

The Boss’s quitting time has been getting later lately, but at 11 o’clock, it’s time to go home.

“Please go first. You have to come to work tomorrow. I’ll head home slowly once I feel better.”

“Are you out of your mind? How can I leave you here like this?”

“It’s not like I’m dying…. I just fainted for a moment.”

“… You’re so calm that it’s making me angry. Huh? Majiya.”

The Boss’s hands suddenly grabbed my cheeks tightly.

“Ah, ah! Ah! Doctor! There’s a strange person tormenting the patient here, aah, air raid alert!”

“Do you want to make jokes in this situation?!”

But what can I do if it doesn’t hurt as much as the Boss is worried?

I have no energy in my body, and my head is throbbing, but that’s all.

It feels like I’m lying down after taking painkillers for a bad cold.

The lingering headache and the muscles not cooperating are the extent of my current problems.

So what reason does the Boss have to stay by my side?

“If the Boss doesn’t come to work tomorrow just because one employee collapsed, the company’s discipline will fall apart.”

“…. If you keep talking nonsense, I’m really leaving?”

“Please go. I can just take a taxi home.”

“Fine, I’ll go. And don’t come to work tomorrow. I’ll have Team Leader Kang approve your leave, and I’ll sign it.”

“Ah. I only have 15 days of leave left.”

“You haven’t used a single day, so you have 15 days left!”

The Boss huffed and disappeared behind the curtain.

… Phew, finally gone.

‘You’re not going to leave, are you?’

Was it around this time last year?

I collapsed while working, and the Boss took me to the hospital.

After a few hours, when my condition improved, the Boss went home first to prepare for the broadcast and work the next day.

I had also rested well for a day and returned to work the next day in good shape.

I closed my eyes, vaguely thinking it would be the same this time….

“Thank you for taking care of me, Doctor.”

“It’s nothing. I’m just glad the patient woke up quickly.”

Before long, the Boss brought the doctor over and shot me a glance, snorting in amusement.

It meant they wouldn’t leave until they confirmed I was okay.

Maybe it’s because I collapsed not once, but twice.

Soon, the doctor checked my pulse, took my temperature, and shone a light in my eyes before speaking.

“It seems you collapsed due to accumulated fatigue and temporary anemia caused by your period. Are you eating properly?”

“Yes. I make sure to eat at least two meals a day.”

“Two meals…. Has your meal quantity decreased recently?”

I’ve always eaten consistently.

After all, I believe that if meal times are prolonged, it leads to a loss in life—unless it’s during a broadcast, when I might not notice, but when I’m really hungry, even now with a smaller appetite, I can finish a meal in at most 10 minutes.

“Yes.”

“Are you getting enough sleep?”

“I think I sleep around 5 hours on average.”

“You should be sleeping an average of 8 hours.”

I thought about replying that if you could make my day 48 hours long, I would do that, but I just kept my mouth shut.

Of course.

Being able to fully dedicate the remaining time of the day to gaming and streaming after excluding work hours—how could I endure that?

I could watch more live broadcasts instead of just cutouts!

“I’ll try to do better.”

“It’s not about trying; for the time being, you need to make sure to get enough sleep.”

“Did you hear that? First, take this week off, and from now on, no overtime. You must leave on time.”

“But then I’ll have to leave Seungyeon alone at the company late at night….”

“Majiya.”

The Boss looked at me with a stern gaze.

If I retorted again, it meant I wouldn’t be let off easily this time.

Momo was on the verge of exploding in anger.

“Are you worried that Seungyeon will have an accident working alone? Don’t worry about that; Team Leader Kang and I will cover for you. No work thoughts until this weekend, understood?”

The great Dohee has granted Jia the permission to slack off.

“Yes. I understand.”

“Doctor, since we’re on the topic, is it possible to be admitted for just one day?”

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any available rooms right now, so even if you want to be admitted, you’ll have to stay in the emergency room for a few days.”

Hearing that, the Boss looked at me with a face that seemed to be chewing on something unpleasant.

“If I send you home, you’ll definitely just eat poorly and laze around….”

That stings a bit.

Still, I’m living quite well for someone who lives alone.

“I eat on time and clean up regularly.”

“Your nutritional balance is probably a mess. You’re not really eating corn powder or something, are you?”

I felt a jolt.

I did that last year when I collapsed, but I managed to hide it until the end without being caught.

It’s a bit unfair for me because it was during a time when all sorts of goods were being released for anniversaries and such, so I had no choice.

I didn’t want to owe anyone, so I came up with the idea of saving on food expenses.

“You raised my salary, so I could at least order a decent lunch box.”

“… In the end, it’s still delivery.”

“What’s wrong with delivery? Nowadays, there’s no food that can’t be delivered, and the quality is decent—”

The doctor cleared his throat loudly, interrupting our conversation.

He seemed to think that if he left us alone, the examination wouldn’t end.

“First, the patient can call the nurse to remove the IV after finishing the fluids. You can be discharged. But remember to get plenty of rest, sleep, and eat after discharge.”

“….”

“Your guardian should ensure that you don’t overexert yourself.”

“Yes.”

With that, the doctor closed the curtain, telling me to rest well, and left.

In the narrow space created by the curtain.

Lying in bed, I couldn’t show my discomfort at the Boss not going home.

Honestly, I’m failing as a fan.

Favorite is keeping me from going home out of concern.

Whether the Boss knows it or not, they asked.

“Are your parents still overseas?”

I nodded slightly.

“Then let’s take my car to work until Friday. I’ll pick you up around ten, so dress warmly and come out. You don’t have to wear a suit like usual.”

“Are you telling me to come to work while on leave?”

“I can’t work at your house. I want you to rest where I can see you. That makes me feel at ease.”

“Crazy black company.”

“…….”

“I’m just kidding.”

The subsequent flurry of orders had a bite to them.

“If you’re at home, you’ll just eat poorly and watch broadcasts and play games without resting. So rest on the sofa in the Boss’s office. It’s just as comfortable as a bed.

Make sure to eat properly in front of me. Get enough sleep. That way, I’ll feel at ease.”

I’m sure most Mong Mong fans would be hoping for a situation like this.

I collapsed from being sick, and Momo is here to take care of me.

I can lie on the Boss’s office sofa and watch the Boss work in all their glory.

It’s truly a dream scenario.

But when it actually happens, it’s uncomfortable.

I can’t be grateful for just laughing at the jokes while paying for my friend’s meal.

Making a busy Boss, who’s swamped with broadcasts and business, take care of me.

‘… I need to get better quickly.’

But now that it’s come to this, all I can do is recover quickly.

I need to get better and attend the pre-event.

The Boss asked for help, and I prepared so hard for it.

If I end up collapsing and causing a mess, that would be the worst.

Thus, my life in the Boss’s office began the next day.

“Hey, don’t move and just lie there.”

“Can’t I at least watch a broadcast?”

“Sleep. What broadcast are you talking about?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Should I play a lullaby for you?”

“If you sing it for me.”

“Wait, I’ll play it with Maru’s cool shouting.”

“We agreed socially that we’re not singing it, but just playing it.”

Honestly, I wondered if lying comfortably on the sofa made sense.

Since I’m short, my head and feet didn’t get caught.

Lying on a soft sofa with a low pillow and two blankets, it was incredibly comfortable.

If I say that being able to sleep anywhere is an advantage, millions of short people across the country might hate me.

A little later, the Boss set up a phone holder for me, and I started binge-watching the Virtual Youtuber cutouts I had missed due to lack of time.

I had saved videos to watch later, but I thought, “If not today, then when?”

As I was doing that, Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun and other team leaders who came to report on work burst into laughter and made a comment, which had become a custom.

Even the notoriously prickly Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun from the planning team.

“… Wow, what’s this? Why is she here like this?”

The head of the PR team, Oh Seok-jae, who had previously praised my promotion, also chimed in.

“Hahaha! Mapa, you’ve practically taken over the Boss’s office!”

Even the finance team leader, who usually has almost no interaction with me, came over laughing and spoke to me.

“Jia hasn’t had a proper rest in a long time.”

“I’m now Team Leader Jia, sir. I’m in charge.”

“Oh right, I forgot. The ranks have changed so much. Anyway, Team Leader Jia. Rest well. I was worried you’d collapse again since you were always filling up the 52 hours every week.”

Then, he leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“And if you keep reducing your working hours and falsely reporting them to the HR hub, I might get caught by the labor department? I know there’s a lot of work, but you need to reduce your hours. Got it? A new junior just joined, too.”

I felt a chill run down my spine, and I instinctively replied, “Yes.”

Still, lying down made it easy to fall asleep.

Whether it was because the sofa was comfortable, because I was lying down, or because I really hadn’t fully recovered from fatigue.

So I dozed off while watching videos, ate, dozed off again, and spaced out before dozing off again.

I cut out caffeine and slept all day, and after sleeping at home, my recovery was quick.

Thus, on November 10th.

I was finally able to leave the Boss’s office only after Aoyagi Rein, the last member, finished their 3D showcase.

“From now on, don’t overdo it. Share the work with Seungyeon and do it properly. That’s why I hired you. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Go home and rest. Don’t meddle in Seungyeon’s work unnecessarily.”

“I was just going to take a quick look. I can’t help but worry.”

“Team Leader will take care of it, so don’t worry and go home…?”

When I was feeling weak, I gave in to the Boss.

But now I’m full of energy.

So now I need to talk about the pre-event happening tomorrow.

“But is there anything I need to prepare separately? It’s tomorrow.”

“… Prepare? What do you need to prepare?”

“It’s the pre-event tomorrow.”

The Boss smiled and patted my head.

“No. You’re not coming out.”

A word from the author (author’s note)

Thank you once again for running alongside me and cheering me on throughout the preliminary period.

I’ve been feeling lately that the time spent writing hasn’t been in vain.

I love you.

And I’m grateful.

Let’s keep going until Sunday!