episode_0088

The owner of that voice was Kim Taehyun.

When I looked at him as if asking why he was so surprised, Kim Taehyun started to ramble and wave his hands frantically.

“Even now, your figure is already great. If you lose more weight, wouldn’t it be bad for your health? Excessive dieting can lead to anemia, tinnitus, dizziness, and so on…”

“Hmm… Is that so? But it’s okay. I have a personal trainer. The diet plan was made by the trainer.”

“Oh… The manager who used to hate exercising?”

As Manager Kwon looked at me in surprise, I explained the situation.

“In fact, I decided to have a body profile photoshoot next week. So I have to stick to a strict diet until then. After that, I can have regular meals. Oh, I will continue exercising, though.”

“Wow, why suddenly a body profile photoshoot?”

“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t initiate it.”

“Is that so?”

“Well…”

Seeing Manager Kwon’s strange gaze, I quickly started explaining. I mentioned how I became more health-conscious after experiencing TS syndrome and started exercising, receiving personal training with my family. I also mentioned being appointed as the model for the fitness center by the owner.

After hearing my explanation, Manager Kwon and Kim Taehyun nodded as if they understood, and I couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

“Other ordinary women would just diet without explaining everything. It’s exhausting to have to explain every little thing. I can already imagine how difficult it will be in the future.”

“Ah… I’m sorry!”

Manager Kwon bowed apologetically, and Kim Taehyun followed suit.

“Ah, it’s fine. It’s not your fault; it’s just the situation. Anyway, let’s go in and have some food.”

As we arrived at the company cafeteria, we entered without hesitation. I found a suitable spot to sit, while the other two grabbed their trays and headed towards the food.

As I opened my lunchbox and waited for the two of them, I felt the surroundings getting noisier.

“Hey, isn’t that person? That…”

“Wow, it’s really amazing. How can the gender be…”

“But she’s really pretty. Oh my, look at her chest. Wow… the size…”

“Is that the famous Manager?”

“Wow, how can she be in her late thirties… She doesn’t look a day over twenty.”

“Hey, stop drooling. Close your mouth.”

It seemed that my story was being eagerly listened to, even though I didn’t mention it. It would be hard to find a table in this cafeteria where my story wasn’t being discussed.

-Clang!

Startled by the sound of plastic hitting each other, I looked up to see the two of them sitting down with their trays.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Today’s menu is bulgogi rice bowl, which Manager likes. You must be disappointed.”

“Yeah, I’m really disappointed. Who’s teasing me?”

I teased them in annoyance.

“Haha, so you’re good at making bulgogi.”

At that moment, Kim Taehyun joined our conversation.

“Hey, have you ever tried Manager’s bulgogi?”

“Yes. I tried it once when I visited Manager’s house. It was bulgogi pasta at that time.”

“Oh, that time. When we met at the mart?”

“Yes. If Manager Kwon’s cooking is just a romantic assembly, Manager’s cooking is warm and comforting. Haha.”

-Clang!

“You, you praised my food before!”

“Oh no! Manager, please scold Manager Kwon. Say something!”

-End of Episode.

He may have seemed like a child reporting a friend’s misdeeds to a teacher, but it was probably because of my previous comment about Manager Kwon’s hand-chopping sword.

“Manager Kwon, let’s stop the humanly hand-chopping. We’ve been through a lot with that Park Munsu guy. Let’s not continue the bad blood.”

By the way, Park Munsu is the name of the manager who was fired due to an internal affair scandal shortly before my divorce.

“Oh, Manager. This was just a joke…”

“That’s why I’m saying it. If I really hit you seriously, I wouldn’t have said it like this, right?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t mean it, but I was really worried. With the current irrationality and the slightest misstep likely to go wrong, I scolded my subordinate out of the desire for my junior, who was soon to be promoted to manager, to do well.

“Yes…. I understand. I… I’m sorry, Taehyun.”

“No, it’s okay. I know it’s just a joke, what. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy being hit. Haha.”

When Kim Taehyun laughed it off as if it was nothing, the atmosphere, which could have become heavy, lightened again.

He seemed to have excellent skills in adjusting the atmosphere, despite claiming to be good at social skills. Well, Manager Kwon’s willingness to admit his mistakes and apologize to his subordinates was also very commendable.

“Haha, let’s go eat quickly. I’ll treat you to coffee after the meal.”

As Kim Taehyun finished speaking, he looked at me with a very eager expression.

“Oh, then I’ll have a strawberry smoothie…”

Of course, I shouted first before he could finish his sentence.

“I’ll have an iced Americano.”

Since I was on a diet and couldn’t eat high-calorie foods, it was a natural choice.

“Then I’ll have an iced Americano too.”

Manager Kwon chuckled as if mocking Kim Taehyun.

“Uh… If I don’t have an iced Americano, will I become a bad guy?”

Seeing that, I smiled and replied.

“Oh, no. Taehyun, drink what you want. Haha. A newbie might be bold enough to do that, right? Isn’t that right, Manager Kwon?”

“Oh, yes. I never imagined a latte like that.”

“Haha, then Manager Kwon, have a latte. Haha.”

“Uh, Manager. Even I think this is a bit… Is it not? But maybe it’s more attractive for a woman in her 20s to make dad jokes than an old man like me…?”

I raised my hand in anger at his words.

“Uh, isn’t this reverse discrimination, Manager? You told me not to chop hands like me!”

“Uh, uh….”

I gritted my teeth and lowered my hand.

“Phew!”

At that moment, a suppressed laughter came from somewhere. When I turned around, I saw Kim Taehyun desperately covering his mouth to hold back his laughter. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t stop the laughter from leaking out.

“Uh… What’s so funny now?”

“Phew, it’s not that… You’re just too cute. Stop it. Phew!”

My face turned red. At 39 years old, I had never heard someone say I was cute, and I didn’t think it had anything to do with me. Rather than being angry, I felt more embarrassed.

“Shut up! Don’t laugh, you!”

“Oh, Manager, the return of Season 1 of the Boss is here.”

Manager Kwon exclaimed and even clapped.

“Ugh. Let’s eat, everyone.”

I started chewing on vegetables to hide my embarrassment.

After a somewhat noisy meal, as we went down to the cafe on the first floor to order drinks, I heard someone calling me from behind.

“Oh, Manager Jung? Wow~ you’ve really become unrecognizably beautiful?”

When I turned around, I saw Manager Seo Donggi from the HR department.

“Oh, Manager Seo? Long time no see!”

It was Manager Seo Donggi from the HR department.

“No, how did you recognize me?”

Since I never sent a picture to Director Seo, there was no way for him to recognize my face at once.

“How did I recognize you? Where else in our company can you find a beauty like Director Jung? The whole company is buzzing with Director Jung’s issue right now. Don’t underestimate the information power of the HR department.”

Well, even if it’s not the HR department, by now rumors must have spread throughout the company. Perhaps the company messenger is currently flooded with stories about me? Especially since most of the people in the company who passed by me at the restaurant must have seen my face.

“Hehe, if the female employees hear that, they’ll curse you. Be careful with your words.”

“Hmph. Let them curse. What can they do to me, the HR director?”

It seemed that due to the nature of the HR department, their position within the company was very strong, especially in terms of internal politics. So, in terms of office life, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the HR director was experiencing the extreme of internal politics.

“By the way, isn’t Assistant Manager Kwon lucky? Isn’t this like a dream come true? ‘My boss at work can’t be this pretty.’ Right?”

“What the… Oh, no. Haha. Um, yes?”

What the… I’m not sure what that means, but judging by the sudden change of topic, it probably wasn’t a good thing.

“Don’t just talk about things only you know. We haven’t met in a while, so let me buy you a coffee. What would you like to drink?”

“Oh, thank you. I’ll have a strawberry smoothie.”

“Oh, then I’ll… Oh, right. I’m sorry. I’ll just have an iced Americano.”

With a flushed expression, Director Seo quickly raised his hand to place an order, then quickly lowered it with a defeated look on his face.

It was so cute that it made me laugh.

“Haha, that was all a joke earlier. This guy. Excuse me, I’d like to order. One iced latte, one iced Americano, and two strawberry smoothies.”

As I handed my card to the cashier, Assistant Manager Kwon, who was behind me, asked in confusion.

“Wait a minute. I also said I wanted an iced Americano.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I’m an old man who only knows how to make latte art, so I don’t really understand what Assistant Manager Kwon is saying.”

“Ugh. You didn’t used to be like this, but now you’ve become childish, really.”

“So what? If a person is too consistent, it’s boring.”

As I shrugged my shoulders and spoke, everyone burst into laughter.

Ah, it feels like I’m back at the company now.