Chapter 28: Unable to Speak

The long vacation was over.

A week might be a short time that passes in the blink of an eye for others, but for me, a week away from work was an extremely long time.

For me, with no particular hobbies and no friends to contact, a week spent alone was the epitome of boredom.

But it was ending today.

“….”

Following the recommendation not to overdo it, I came to work at almost the usual time, unlike usual. Since I was returning after a break, if I just sat blankly in the office alone without saying anything, like I used to, the others might be surprised.

How much work would be piled up? Would things be running properly?

I was anxious. It wasn’t like the company would fall apart just because I was gone…

…How would That person be doing?

“…Hah.”

The fact that I was thinking about That person in the midst of all this was so ridiculous that a hollow laugh escaped me without my knowing. How could I worry about someone who could eat and live well on their own, even without someone like me?

That person was much more complete as a human being than someone like me. Maybe it was more comfortable for That person, or for others, without me.

“…”

I took the elevator to the 7th floor and headed to the office.

In the hallway that felt awkward after only a week off, I turned a corner.

“Ah, Se-young.”

Without thinking, I stopped walking.

“Senior! Why are you out here?”

“I came out to talk to a friend on the phone and I’m just going back in now.”

A calm and low, yet familiar voice that was very clearly etched in my ears stopped me in my tracks.

“Did you receive the gift well?”

“Yes, I secretly took them all to my room because I thought Mom would Verbal Lashing me again if she saw them.”

Without realizing it, my gaze turned in the direction of the voice.

Hiding behind the corner, only peeking out her face.

“Didn’t you give me too many expensive things? Can you handle your bank account?”

“I save often, so I’m doing okay… I guess I’ll just eat rice with water this month.”

“That’s not okay!!”

He was talking to the New Employee who had joined the department a while ago. Amiably.

“Think of it as payment for the watch I received last time.”

“But that was just… a gift…”

“Then you can just think of the cosmetics as a gift too, right? Don’t think about it too hard.”

The atmosphere between the two seemed quite intimate and soft.

Of course, he was kind to everyone. He was like that before, and after changing into a woman, his words and actions became relatively softer.

I knew that. Even knowing that…

“Ugh… Senior, what about lunch today…”

“Are you asking me to eat with you? Should we?”

“…”

…My feet wouldn’t move.

I couldn’t bring myself to go out there.

Gifts… being exchanged…

Had we ever done that?

No. That person had given me gifts a few times, but I had never given him a decent gift.

My past behavior, which I had never thought about before, now seemed like a shameful mess in retrospect.

A self-portrait that was nothing but ugly. A sorry sight that I didn’t even want to see in the reflection of the well…

“Then this time, instead of the cafeteria, somewhere else… Oh, Team Leader?”

“Yes, yes!? Eek!!”

…Ah.

――

There was a TV show with a similar name to Animal Kingdom or World, anyway, that explored an animal called a meerkat.

An animal with the habit of standing on two feet, stretching its neck, and exploring its surroundings. Because its appearance and habits were quite unique, the image of a meerkat was somewhat ingrained in my mind.

“…What are you doing there?”

So, the moment my eyes met the Team Leader who was secretly peeking at me, I couldn’t help but think of a meerkat.

Of course, meerkats openly watch, not peep, but still, something felt similar.

“…That, that’s…”

It was such an uncharacteristic action. Wouldn’t everyone else think the same? That the Team Leader was peeking at someone like that.

I was less shocked because I had seen the Team Leader’s image deviate from her usual one, but someone like Se-young…

“…Se-young? What are you doing behind me…”

“T-Team Leader is here…”

…What’s wrong with her again?

Se-young had already crouched down as much as possible and hid behind me. It wouldn’t hide her completely even if she did that, I’d have to be really small.

“Se-young, if you’re going to keep doing that, just go in first. I’ll talk to the Team Leader for a bit.”

“T-Then I’ll go in first! Hello, Team Leader, goodbye!!”

As soon as my permission was granted, Se-young rushed into the office.

…Shouldn’t she be asking the Team Leader for permission, not me? Anyway.

“Are you feeling better, Team Leader?”

“…Yes, I’m fine now.”

My gaze returned to the Team Leader, who was sweating profusely.

It couldn’t be because she was hot in this weather, so she must know that she did something embarrassing.

“Don’t overdo it in the future. It was a complete mess while you were gone, Team Leader.”

“…Shouldn’t the atmosphere be good when I’m not here?”

“The atmosphere was good… but there were a lot of troubles with work.”

The office was very harmonious without the Team Leader. I couldn’t deny that fact.

But a team without a middle manager to lead, review, and manage was like a car without a driver.

No matter how much the remaining passengers in the car tried to control it, the unlicensed passengers couldn’t control the car as they wanted.

“Are you really feeling okay? Did you eat everything I made?”

“…Yes. I’m really fine. I managed to eat all the Chicken Soup too…”

“You don’t look so good for someone who did.”

The Team Leader’s expression didn’t look good. I didn’t know if she was sick or in a bad mood.

Sadness dripping from her eyes instead of tears. The Team Leader looked so bad, at least on the outside, that I doubted whether she could do her original job without any problems.

Of course, I wasn’t worried because she was someone who could handle her work even with a complexion that looked like she was about to die from overwork, but something was suspicious.

“How did you get so close to Se-young…?”

“Yes?”

“You seemed quite close…”

I became even more suspicious. She wasn’t someone who asked how I was doing with others.

Even when we were dating, she was like that. If I had lied and confessed that I had cheated, I estimated that she would most likely have shown no interest and moved on. That’s how little interest she had in others, in me.

Well, that was just a story from the past, and now I know that she has changed. I still have no idea why, though.

“She’s a talented person, isn’t she? If you don’t cherish and take care of her, she’ll run away somewhere with her education.”

“That’s… true.”

A graduate of SKY, and even the top student. How many more solid careers exist in Korea than that?

Even an useless person like me could easily get a job in the same industry just because I graduated from Comet, unless I caused a lot of trouble and got kicked out. What about a graduate from a prestigious university, especially one of the top 3 in Korea?

“I have to claim her quickly so she doesn’t fly away somewhere. If she grows up well, my work will decrease… or will it not?”

Although there are still some immature aspects, Se-young is an A-class New Employee who often shows a side that doesn’t betray her education. That means that if you teach and nurture her well, you can aim for even more potential.

“Is that all? Is that really all there is to it?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t that be good for the company too?”

Se-young is that kind of person. She could stay in this company for a long time and rise to a high position, or she could suddenly leave the company and get a job at another company.

So, you have to hold on to her. The more talented people, the better. Especially if they are talented people who listen well.

“What kind of gift did you give…”

“Ah… that? It’s just this, a reward for the watch.”

The Team Leader’s gaze turned to the watch. And she became even more depressed.

“…So that was the item you received as a gift from Se-young. I wondered what it was when someone who went out and came back suddenly had a watch on.”

“Yes. I ran into her by chance while shopping.”

Why? Did she not like the watch? Or did she not like that I was wearing something too expensive?

I suddenly thought that this person would know more about such luxury goods than I would. After all, she’s the daughter of a congresswoman… Is that too much of a prejudice?

“…Is that so. I understand. Let’s go in.”

But unlike her gloomy eyes, the Team Leader didn’t mention anything special about my watch. As if she didn’t have the strength to do so, she passed me and grabbed the doorknob of the office.

“…What about lunch today…”

“I have plans.”

“…Right, you said you had plans with Se-young.”

Then, the Team Leader pulled the doorknob, opened the door, and went inside.

The noisy office became quiet in an instant, but I didn’t care about such trivial matters.

“…”

The only thought swirling in my head was, ‘Why is she being like that?’

The Team Leader I know…

…Honestly, it seems like it’s time to stop using this phrase. Could it be that I didn’t know the Team Leader at all?

In fact, the image of the Team Leader that I thought I knew all along was just a fragmentary impression created by my lack of observation, and the real Team Leader is a more complex person than I thought.

“Haa…”

My head hurts.