The Tyrant of the Office – 3

“I thought you’d pick Korean stew, but this is unexpected.”

That’s what she said when I chose a pasta place nearby.

“I don’t eat Korean stew every day.”

“Is that so? Men, what do they call it… Ah, I heard they prefer food with good value for money.”

She put her index finger to her lips and pondered for a moment, then tilted her head.

Her softer demeanor, different from what she showed in the office, made me smile involuntarily.

Actually, could it be that Lee Mina just can’t express her emotions properly?

I had that thought.

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“No. I just thought you seemed to be in a better mood.”

“Mood? …Ah.”

She ran her finger along the water glass and avoided my gaze.

She glanced at me sideways like a guilty person and said in an insecure voice.

“Am I a bit lacking?”

“In what way?”

“I should have given you more work.”

She said with regret and moistened her throat.

She was talking about what happened this morning.

“Considering what Inho has been through, should I have been more thorough?”

She looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask, ‘Are you unhappy?’ and I had nothing to say.

“Did you do that today because of me?”

“Because of you? I did it for Inho.”

That’s the same thing, you woman.

She kept studying my expression like a child wanting praise. She fidgeted in her seat, as if hoping I would say something.

But if I said she did well, she would definitely push people even harder. That’s not what I want either.

In times like this, I have to say something firmly.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Why?”

“Huh?”

She said with a puzzled look.

“What’s wrong with making them work now, according to how much they didn’t work before?”

“It’s not that, but… personal feelings and judgments are involved here.”

“But it’s true that those people passed their work to Inho and played around, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Then what’s wrong? Are you taking their side, by any chance? You can’t do that, Inho. You’ll develop bad habits.”

“……..”

“Here’s your order.”

The food came at the right time.

She ordered carbonara, I ordered rosé spaghetti, and we also ordered two pieces of garlic bread.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Since I’m eating with someone else’s money, I should express my gratitude properly.

“Enjoy your meal.”

She picked up a pickle with her fork and replied.

It was a common restaurant in a food alley, so the taste was just average.

It wasn’t about enjoying the taste, it was just about eating the menu. Nothing more, nothing less.

For a few minutes, we focused on our own food.

There wasn’t much to talk about while eating, and we were also hungry.

I felt full and emptied my plate when Mina had eaten about 1/3 of hers.

I drank water to rinse my mouth and wiped my lips with a tissue.

‘Did I eat too fast?’

I should have matched her pace.

I regret it now that it’s all over.

She had a mouthful of pasta in her small mouth and was chewing, and her chubby cheeks looked very cute.

So, I suddenly had this thought.

[Could I settle down and put my heart into this place?]

Her obsession doesn’t seem to be as strong as I thought, and if I work hard to adapt, I might be able to live here.

Who would refuse a capable and pretty older woman?

‘She seems clumsy when dealing with people, but that will be resolved over time.’

This dimension might be a good place to live.

“Why? Is there something on my face?”

She asked shyly, noticing me staring at her.

“No, you’re just kind of cute.”

The words came out without filtering, and I quickly covered my mouth.

“Oh… um…”

Mina tried to focus on her carbonara with the most composed face possible, but she couldn’t hide her reddened ears.

‘She is cute, though.’

She has a cute side for an older woman.

After lunch, we went to a coffee shop.

She bought the food, so I said I would buy the coffee, but she replied, “It’s okay, I’m paying with the company card,” so I didn’t bother insisting.

I brought two iced Americanos back to our seats.

“Come to think of it, we drank a lot of coffee when we worked overtime on the weekends, didn’t we?”

“Yeah. We couldn’t have survived without coffee back then.”

I didn’t know much, but I agreed for the time being.

“Actually, I couldn’t even drink a cup of coffee before, but I started drinking it thanks to Inho.”

“Oh… really?”

“Yes, it’s true. I used to wonder why people drank this bitter stuff, but now I can’t live without it.”

Her smiling face was as subtle as a watercolor painting filled with water.

I smiled back and looked out the window.

Office workers returning from lunch and young people dressed casually and going somewhere passed by in a chaotic manner.

“Inho.”

As I was staring blankly outside, Mina spoke to me.

Oops, I haven’t been talking much.

“Yes? Yes.”

“As you saw today, I’m going to distribute the work fairly from now on.”

“Yes, yes.”

“I’m also going to give some of the work that’s currently assigned to Inho to me and the team members.”

“I see.”

“I told you on Friday, but I admit that Inho is overloaded with work. I was a bit insensitive, too.”

She fidgeted with her hands.

“Then, Inho’s work will be easier, right?”

“I… guess so?”

“Then, Inho won’t have to go to another company, either.”

“Huh?”

She carefully reached out and placed her hand on mine, as if touching a chick.

“I… I’ll do better. I won’t give you too much work, and I’ll give you good performance reviews…”

“Um, Mina.”

“So… don’t transfer or… quit.”

Her voice trembled as if she was begging.

“Please. Please don’t.”

I could feel a slight tremor in her hand on mine.