episode_0113

-Tap tap tap tap!

-Bubble bubble!

Would you like to boil miso soup for me every morning?

A somewhat old, Japanese-style confession, they say?

Perhaps miso soup is one of the most important elements of harmony to achieve the Japanese household, right?

Of course, the culture of eating miso stew in the morning is somewhat relatable to us Koreans as well, even if not 100% accurate to that confession.

What are you talking about?

Waking up to the smell of miso stew and the sound of rice being cooked is an incredibly pleasant situation for me.

-Gurgle

Oh, I’m hungry.

I raised my head and looked at the clock hanging on the wall in the living room, and it was already past 12. Considering I slept for over 5 hours, my body felt a bit heavy.

-Swish.

Nevertheless, as I got up, I felt much more agile than in the morning.

But wait, who could it be? There’s no one in our house who would be cooking at this hour.

Feeling a bit uneasy, I quietly opened my caddy bag in the corner of the living room and took out a driver.

Not that I particularly enjoyed it, but pushed by my wife’s words that a man should at least know how to play one sport, I bought a golf club set (2,100,000 won). I tried swinging it at the driving range a couple of times, but it just didn’t feel right, so I was planning to sell it at a flea market someday.

My laziness is really saving me in this situation.

Quietly holding the driver, I approached the door stealthily.

-Creak, swish.

I gently opened the door.

-Stealthily

Approaching the kitchen, I saw the back of a strange man.

Quietly aiming the driver at the back of his head.

-Whack!

“Ouch!”

-Thud.

The driver fell weakly, and I sat down, clutching my stomach.

And looking down at me was…

“Chief, what are you doing there?”

Kim Tae-hyun?

“No way! You, of all people… Why are you here…?”

ㄴ(°0°)ㄱ Unimaginable identity!

“Oh, it’s just that…”

“Wait, did you quit your job?”

No matter how hard it is to go to work, this is too much! I must have made him feel uncomfortable at work with my high-handedness…

“Oh, no! Absolutely not! That’s impossible!”

Kim Tae-hyun hurriedly denied, extending his hand.

“Then did you come here because you washed your only suit and had nothing to wear?”

Yes, it could be possible if I consider his pocket situation that I heard back then.

“I’m not that poor! Besides, you’re wearing the suit you were wearing today!”

And now that I think about it, it was my old clothes from when I was young. It seems like Dayoung found it and brought it out for him.

“Then why…!”

Why is he here at this hour?

“It’s just that… I heard you weren’t feeling well and didn’t have anyone to take care of you…”

“Who?”

“Dayoung.”

“No… Even if that’s the case, it’s still… Then what happened? Tae-hyun, you’re not on leave like me, right. It’s menstrual leave… Anyway, did you take leave?”

“No. Half-day leave.”

“So, will Manager Kwon be handling the work alone in our team this afternoon?”

“Well… I guess so.”

Suddenly, my head started to ache.

“Sigh… Tae-hyun.”

I lowered my voice a tone.

“…Yes.”

As I tried to set a serious tone, Kim Tae-hyun also stiffened his expression.

“Is something… funny?”

“No…”

“But why did you do this?”

Of course, if there was an urgent matter, you could easily take half-day leave.

I understand if your own or a family member’s health is not good, or if a friend has an urgent matter, or if you have obtained approval from your boss or team members to take a half-day off on Friday before a weekend trip. Well, I get it.

But to suddenly take a half-day off on the day itself, knowing full well that the team leader is absent and there is a shortage of manpower? And all because of me?

You might be happy. A subordinate genuinely worried about their boss and taking a half-day off to nurse them back to health? A touching story that is rare in modern times.

However, if that were my team member, the story would be different.

“Explain.”

“W-Well… Without the team leader, many things can’t proceed, and even the department head or the manager come to the team to express concern, and Davin and Dayoung also…”

“Taehyun.”

“Yes.”

“Sigh… Honestly, Taehyun, is this how you act? I appreciate it. Honestly, there are few friends who would rush to me out of concern, and if a subordinate who has only been with us for a few months goes to such lengths, of course, I am grateful. But you see, I am the team leader. I have to pay attention to and coordinate the overall work. But if you, as a team member, do not follow my instructions and leave work like this, do you know how many schedules I have to rearrange?”

The higher you climb, the more you have to see the bigger picture. With the recent promotion, there is even more work to do and more planning to be done. That’s why every little variable stresses me out.

There are tasks that need to be completed today, and if they are not completed, I have to revise the plans and do a lot of work to make those revisions.

So, taking a day off today was mentally exhausting for me, and if another variable is added, I worry about how much work will pile up behind.

“…I’m sorry… sir.”

“I’m sorry, but Taehyun, is this how you behave? It’s unacceptable.”

“…Yes.”

He hangs his head and looks at the ground.

As I sit on the floor, feeling sick to my stomach, I see tears welling up in his eyes.

Sigh… Despite my weak heart…

But I have to say something. That’s the role of a superior.

“And… honestly, it’s burdensome for me when you act like this.”

“…Yes…?”

“W-Well… it’s better to have reasons like… a family member is sick, or you’re sick, or something happened to your girlfriend, or you have to catch an evening flight for a weekend trip to Jeju Island… you know. Good reasons for taking time off… like having to nurse your boss due to illness and leaving early… it’s strange. That kind of thing.”

“Is it… strange? Yes… what… is strange?”

“It’s strange… yes. Strange.”

“…Yes.”

“I appreciate it.”

“…Yes…?”

Kim Taehyun lifts his head slightly, meets my eyes.

“Well… as a superior, it’s annoying when a subordinate suddenly reports that they’re taking a day off to do something strange. But as an individual like Jung Doyeon, well… I’m grateful. You were like that yesterday too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Well… in the morning, I was really sorry. Honestly, I can’t say I’m feeling well even now. I was in pain earlier, and suddenly, this tiny emotion swelled up so much that I couldn’t handle it, and I was struggling.”

“If you’re in pain, that can happen.”

He says with a smile.

“Well… still. I don’t think it’s good to spend too much time on an adult like me.”

“Why?”

“I’ve lived my life focusing only on work, so it’s not my place to say… No, maybe I can say it more because I’ve lived as a workaholic. Anyway, being with someone like me is also work. It’s not that I’m saying not to engage in office politics. Well… what can I say? It’s like… live a little younger when you’re young.”

“What about you, Chief?”

“Me?”

Suddenly, why?

“Why do older people always say things like that? If only I were a few years younger, I would do this, I would do that. Should have done these things when I was young. But Director Cha, you’ve become 10 years younger. It’s a blessing that no one else can experience. Of course, it’s not in the direction you wanted, but…”

“Anyway, from the late thirties… no, from the forties to the late twenties, Director Cha has become younger. You can still live young, right? No?”

And come to think of it, is that so?

Am I still not feeling the reality because it’s only been six months?

No, of course, during that time, I did activities like taking body profile photos, going on vacations, or trying on bikinis (I’m not sure about this. I didn’t even want to wear them in the first place), but there’s a tendency for someone (mostly Dayoung) to make me do those things.

Then how will I make the most of the additional 10 years of life ahead? No, how will I live with the given 10 years of youth?

It was a topic I had never thought about before.

My life….

“At least 4 years. No, it’s almost the end of the year, so 3 years.”

“Huh?”

“When Dayoung and Dabin become adults, I thought it would be nice for Director Cha to live his life a little more freely.”

“My… life….”

And come to think of it, becoming an adult, serving in the military, going to school right after, getting married. I’ve lived my whole life dedicating myself to my family. But that effort was betrayed, and even now… well, the time spent loving and being with my children has become more precious.

But if someone were to ask if that is the happiness derived from personal achievements and self-realization of ‘Jeong Do-yeon’ as a human being, it doesn’t seem to be the case.

And come to think of it, the era of living to a hundred. The days ahead are bright, and 10 years, or more precisely, over 10 years, have become younger.

“Do you not have anything you want to do?”

If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have realized how hungry I am….

“I’m hungry….”

I really am hungry.

-Gurgle gurgle

The smell of boiling soybean paste tickling my nose is no joke.

-Growl

“Let’s eat first.”