episode_0139

The next day, even though it was a Saturday off for the company, I felt the need to report on the filming proposal suggested by Ju Hye-min, so I picked up the phone early in the morning.

-Ima anata no koe ga kikoeru. “Koko ni oide” to.

With a gentle melody, incomprehensible Japanese lyrics flowed into my ears.

Making a phone call was really rare, but lately, I had been having more frequent calls related to work, so I had gotten used to it, but no matter how much I listened, I couldn’t adapt.

-Click!

-“Oh, Jung Team Leader. No, it’s a day off today. Doyeon! What’s going on so early in the morning?”

A husky voice coming from the phone speaker. Well, there’s no need to hide it. It’s Manager Yook.

“Manager, I’m currently recording this call, so please speak carefully.”

Calling me Doyeon! It gives me goosebumps. Back when I was a man, he used to call me Manager Jung, Assistant Manager Jung every time we talked. Now that I’ve become a woman, the way he sweetens up is truly unmatched.

“Hahaha, you’re making me feel so hurt by being serious like this.”

“Ha~ By the way, I can’t seem to adapt to this coloring at all.”

“What?! Are you saying you don’t know the famous ‘Do you remember love?’”

Hahaha, it’s a title I’ve never heard before. Well, I’m not familiar with anime, so…

“Hahaha, what a noob.”

“Hey, Jung Team Leader. Your thoughts and words seem to have changed.”

“Haha, surprisingly, I know what I’m talking about.”

In fact, as I’ve been meeting Manager Yook frequently lately, I’ve gotten used to it. Even though he’s from a different department, we’ve known each other for a long time, and he’s not that difficult of a person, so I’ve been treating him more casually. I even asked him to speak more comfortably.

“Ahem, maybe I’ve been too lenient. At this rate, I might just…”

I was about to apologize, thinking I had crossed the line.

“Maybe I should call you oppa. Hahaha!”

“Yes, I’ll sue you.”

“Wait, wait! It’s a joke. Just kidding! Geez, you’re so serious. Anyway, what’s going on this morning?”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot the main point because of your silly joke. Anyway, I happened to meet the chief editor of a magazine called Metropolitan yesterday.”

I briefly explained what happened yesterday, trying to impress him.

“Wow… you really did something, huh? With those conditions, we welcome you. No need to find a separate studio or filming team.”

“Doesn’t the company have contracts with studios or advertising agencies?”

“We do. But they keep raising their prices and demanding more. It’s getting on my nerves.”

Well, with the rising cost of living, that’s to be expected, right? Anyway, after discussing for a while, we decided to accept Ju Hye-min’s proposal.

“Will the directors approve?”

“Well, if not, we’ll have to make it happen. And I have a meeting with two executive directors today… Oh! That’s not it, you should come too!”

“Me?”

“What’s your plan for today?”

“Well, I have a commitment around 7 p.m… but…”

“Oh, you must come before that. So you should come with me. It’s better for you to persuade as well, rather than me persuading alone. It’s your proposal after all.”

Well, that’s true, but… to suddenly be called to come like this. No matter how high-ranking they are, they’re taking away my weekend! My precious time with my family!

“You know, if the directors push too hard, your modeling deal could fall through.”

Sigh, the money was still too tempting to refuse. Am I now caught like a fish on a hook?

“하지만 어쩌겠는가. 힘없는 회사원이고 까라면 까야 하는 직장인인 것을.”

“후우, 그래서 어디로 가는 건데요?”

-“그게 말이지. 어디냐면….”

**

-쨍쨍!

The dazzling sun. And the clear sky with not a single cloud.

-끼룩끼룩

A flock of seagulls flying above.

-철썩! 철썩!

And the sound of waves crashing rhythmically can be heard in this place!

“Ah… the sea….”

I murmured with a sigh.

Yes, this is the sea.

Mid-September. The reason why I came to the sea at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

It was because!

“Haha, everyone’s here. Thank you for coming.”

An elderly man walking from afar. It was none other than the Vice President.

“You’re here! Vice President!”

He was indeed the Vice President. Followed by two Directors (Director Kwak from the Sales Department and Director Park) behind him. My Manager, Yook Jung-hyuk, who was standing next to me, bowed his head at a perfect 90-degree angle to greet them.

“Oh, Manager Yook. Thank you for coming. Ah! Manager Jung? Even from afar, I could tell it was you. I thought Manager Yook brought such a lovely companion with him. Hahaha!”

The Vice President’s light-hearted joke made the Directors and Manager Yook burst into laughter.

I, too, had to laugh quite loudly.

Endure, endure. It’s all part of social life.

How did I end up at this Vice President’s gathering?

Damn that 100 million won.

But still, I was fortunate.

“Oh, Manager Kang is here too. Great.”

My counterpart, Manager Kang, was also dragged here.

Who called him? Who else but me.

“Haha, you’re here. Vice President.”

I don’t know, but it seems like Manager Kang from the other side and Manager Yook from our side have a strange connection, maybe because of the time they spent together. They seemed to be together quite often, almost as if they were close friends.

Well, Manager Yook, aside from his lecherous nature, is not a bad person, so it’s good to get along with him. From a man’s perspective.

“Oh, the President wanted to come, but he said he had an appointment for dinner…”

“Tsk tsk tsk. What appointment? Probably going for drinks with someone. Well, take care of your health and cut down on drinking.”

Honestly, although we draw the line, privately, we’re like brothers.

“Well, anyway. Let’s leave the old man behind and enjoy ourselves with the young people here.”

With the Vice President’s words, us young people (average age 46) started slowly packing up.

As the youngest one here (15 years of service), I busily gathered our belongings. I first picked up the heaviest-looking icebox.

“Kek, well. A weak woman like you carrying something so heavy.”

Director Kwak effortlessly lifted the icebox I was carrying and walked ahead. (Although he carried it effortlessly, it was clear that he was struggling as he walked.)

Then he picked up a fishing rod.

“Ah, this is something a man should carry.”

He said as he took it from me.

And when I picked up a toolbox with various tools.

“Kek, well. I’m in charge of tools.”

Manager Yook took it from me.

What’s this? It feels comfortable yet uncomfortable. I couldn’t tell if I was being taken care of or being pushed away.

Although my body was comfortable, my heart was uneasy. With this ambiguous feeling, I noticed that everyone except me was carrying a bag or luggage in their hands.

“Hey, are you comfortable?”

Manager Kang, the only one who seemed to care, offered me his luggage.

“Kek, well. I… should I carry it?”

At the Vice President’s words, I immediately took the luggage back.

“Well, Manager Yook suddenly called me, so, is there anything uncomfortable?”

Suddenly, the Vice President approached me and started a conversation.

No matter how long the length of service, in front of someone whose years of service equate to the age of the company, one couldn’t help but straighten up like a private in front of a sergeant major.

“Yes, yes! It’s fine.”

There was a gap between us like the one between me and Kim Taehyun. Although familiar, since we hardly ever mixed words, it was extremely uncomfortable.

“So, I heard you’re in charge of wrapping up the new product project this time?”

“Yes, it just happened to turn out that way. Haha.”

“Tsk, don’t be so stiff. Just think of me as your next-door neighbor, relax. I’m not that scary of a person.”

Not scary, just uncomfortable.

“Haha, understood.”

I spoke carefully this time, making sure my thoughts and words didn’t get mixed up.

And so, by chance, I ended up sticking close to the director, following behind the managers and executives.

And when we stopped at a certain point on the dock, a kindly looking elderly gentleman greeted us.

“Haha, welcome! We’re going fishing today!”

That’s right. The reason I’m not enjoying being dragged all the way to the seaside.

We’re going fishing today. And not just any fishing, but fishing from a boat.

The director must be familiar with this kind of fishing, but I’ve only gone a few times before. And even then, I got severe seasickness and developed a trauma… I wonder how it will be this time.

“Alright, let’s board one by one!”

Starting from the dock, we slowly began boarding the fishing boat in a single line, and soon it was my turn.

And then.

“Careful, you might trip. Hold my hand.”

“It’s dangerous, so I’ll hold your shoulder.”

Director Kwak, Director Park, and Manager Yook reached out their hands and shoulders.

Ah, sweet. Sweet.