episode_0089

The afternoon passed without any particular incidents. I focused on the meeting with the planning team and understanding the tasks for the afternoon, and around 5 o’clock, I could see the end of the day approaching as it was time to leave on time. I texted Dayoung, Dabin, and Teacher Youngsoo.

And finally, the long-awaited 6 o’clock. Finishing the concentrated work for on-time departure, I packed my bag and stood up from my seat.

“Finished! Let’s all leave for the day.”

“Oh, I’ll leave a bit later. I’ll organize the marinara cream pasta sauce ratio and ingredient list and send it over for you to check tomorrow.”

“Alright. Thanks for your hard work. What about Taehyun?”

“I’m done.”

“Really? Then let’s go.”

“Got it!”

And quickly tidied up my desk, packed my bag, and left.

“Ah, I couldn’t leave until the boss left… but things have gotten better.”

Assistant Manager Kwon muttered.

“Amusing. I covered for you so much. You’re talking about the good old days.”

“Hehe, that’s true. Taehyun, you did well. Go on.”

“Haha, alright. I’ll head out first.”

Leaving Assistant Manager Kwon behind, Kim Taehyun and I left the office.

While waiting for the elevator to arrive, Kim Taehyun spoke first.

“Director, you’re quite different from what I heard.”

Huh? What’s he suddenly talking about?

I looked at him, puzzled.

“Oh… I heard various things about you from different people because I have a wide network.”

“Oh, really? Like what?”

I was curious. I usually keep my personal relationships limited unless it’s work-related. So, I didn’t know how people outside my boundaries perceived me. Maybe he could fill me in on that.

“Well… to put it bluntly, or should I sugarcoat it?”

“Hehe, what’s with the consideration? Just tell me honestly.”

“Alright then. A workaholic. The true workaholic of this era. Cold-blooded and ruthless when it comes to work.”

“Well, that’s within my expectations.”

I actually agreed with that, so I wasn’t affected at all, but rather disappointed.

“So, what do you think a workaholic like you, Director, is like in Taehyun’s eyes?”

“Well, when I first met you, you seemed a bit out of it, probably because you had just gone through a big incident.”

It was right after my divorce. I was a bit out of it.

“But when I saw you at the mart and had lunch together, you seemed like a warm person. I imagined a more mechanical image, but you surprised me by being so kind.”

Was that so? I didn’t intentionally try to be kind. I must have changed after going through a series of major events.

“Seeing you today, you joke around a lot and seem more cheerful than I thought. It seems like you’re a good person. Haha. Oh, am I overstepping?”

As he patted me on the back, I felt grateful for his positive view of me, but I was desperately trying to suppress the cringe.

I’m not used to such compliments.

“Th-thank you for seeing me that way. Haha.”

I didn’t have anything else to say… or rather, I was too embarrassed, so silence lingered between us.

-Ding! 6th floor. The door is opening.

Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long. The elevator arrived at the perfect timing.

“Sh-should we… take it?”

We entered the elevator, and I pressed the button for the basement 1st floor while Kim Taehyun pressed the button for the 1st floor.

And the silence continued. This time, I was the one to break it.

“Where do you live, Taehyun?”

“I live in Yeoeuido in front of you. Same neighborhood as you.”

“Oh, really? How do you commute then? By car?”

“No, it’s not like that. I just take the bus to commute.”

“Really? It would take about an hour by bus. Isn’t that a bit far? It would be better to save up and buy a car. We often have to go on business trips, so having a car would be convenient.”

For example, let’s say you have to develop Gwangju-style duck soup. In that case, wouldn’t you need to know the taste in order to reproduce it similarly? Of course, if you can collaborate with a famous restaurant and have their chef share the recipe, that would be great, but in most cases, that’s not possible. That’s why you need to do some research on the food you need to develop, and in those cases, you have to go on business trips.

So, I go on business trips at least 3 or 4 times a year, sometimes even once a month. In those cases, I usually use my car. Of course, there are options like taking a train or renting a car when going to a different city, but in the end, I always end up using my car. The company also encourages it.

Anyway, this is just advice based on experience, so I casually mentioned it to him.

“Haha…yes, I will try my best.”

His expression seemed a bit off, like there was something bothering him.

“Um…where do you live?”

“Oh, me? I live in front of Hanseong High School. I live in the studio apartments there.”

“Oh, there! I know. It’s close to my house. My daughter goes there. Hanseong High.”

“Really? Nice to meet you. I knew your house was close, but I didn’t know your daughter went to Hanseong High.”

Even though Shin City isn’t that big, it’s still considered a city, so it’s a distance where you could call each other neighbors. It’s surprising to have someone from the neighborhood so close.

“Yeah. Nice to meet you. By the way, since we’re neighbors now, I should give you a ride from now on.”

“Oh, me?”

“What’s the surprise? You don’t have a car? Don’t you know about carpooling?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…I’m just grateful…”

“Oh, don’t apologize. It’s not a big deal. It’s not like we’re going out of our way. It’s nice to have someone to talk to on the way, right? Oh, by the way, commuting with your boss might be a bit awkward, right? I was thinking too much from my perspective. Haha. Let’s just forget about the carpool…”

“Oh, no! Thank you, I will gladly accept. I actually wanted to say thank you more than apologize. Hahaha.”

“Alright, then…”

I pressed the 1st-floor button on the elevator again to cancel it.

The elevator stopped directly on the basement 1st floor.

After getting off the elevator, I walked ahead towards where my car was parked.

“Oh, you drive an SUV.”

“Why, is it surprising that a woman drives one?”

I remembered how Choi Sung-jun was surprised when he found out I drove an SUV, so I asked, and Kim Tae-hyun nodded.

“Yes. Women who drive SUVs always seem so cool. They have a certain wild charm.”

“Haha! That’s a weird thing to say. And when I chose this car, I was still a man, you know? It’s not strange at all.”

“That’s true. Hehe.”

He shrugged as if he couldn’t argue and got into the car, and I started the engine. Kim Tae-hyun got into the passenger seat.

“Let’s go.”

-Vroom!

I smoothly drove the car out of the underground parking lot and onto the road.

“Oh…”

Driving slowly, Kim Tae-hyun suddenly exclaimed.

“Why, what’s so surprising this time?”

“I thought your driving style would be a bit rough since you drive an SUV, but it’s so smooth, I was a bit surprised.”

“Well, there’s no rush. I think the chances of accidents increase when you’re in a hurry on the road, so I prefer to drive leisurely. I guess I’ve gotten used to it from driving my family around often.”

“I see…”

Kim Tae-hyun nodded as if understanding. What does he know that he’s nodding like that?

“Do you know how to drive and understand it? Do you have a driver’s license?”

“Oh, how old do you think I am to not have a driver’s license? I do have one. It’s a regular Class 1 license.”

“Ah, I see. Impressive.”

If he has a regular license, he can’t drive a stick shift anyway, so why emphasize the Class 1 license? I thought. But it felt cute in its own way, so I absentmindedly patted his head.

“Uh, what are you doing?”

“Oh, sorry. I felt like you were a younger brother with a big age difference, so I did it without thinking. Sorry.”

If he’s 28, he’s only 2 years older than Soo-yeon. So, saying he feels like an older brother isn’t entirely a lie.

“Do you have any siblings? You seem like you might have an older sister, Tae-hyun.”

“No, I don’t. I’m an only child.”

“Oh, really? What do your parents do?”

A formal question. A behavior known as a fishing expedition.

“Um… can I not comment on that?”

It wasn’t a typical answer. Well, nowadays, a healthy, normal family isn’t as common as it used to be. There must be some story behind it.

“Okay. If we get closer later, you can tell me.”

“Uh, okay?”

“Why are you so surprised? What, are you worried I’m trying to scam you with a fishing expedition?”

At that, Kim Tae-hyun stretched out his hand and waved it.

“Oh, no~ Of course not. Haha.”

“Tsk, how boring. We’re here. Get off.”

The usually somewhat boring commute home passed by in an instant just because he had someone to talk to.

“Oh, already… Haha, thank you. Thanks to you, I came comfortably.”

“Yeah. You really lucked out with your boss, Tae-hyun. Hehe.”

“That’s true.”

“Yeah. Well then, go rest. Tomorrow, um… be out by 8 in the morning. I’ll drop off our daughter at her school around that time, so just wait in front of the school.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow!”

And with that, after dropping off Kim Tae-hyun, all the tasks of the first day back at work were completed as I headed home.