episode_0018

***

“I thought I would choose soup and rice, but I was surprised.”

This is what she said when I chose a nearby pasta restaurant.

“Because I don’t just eat soup every day.”

“I see, what do men say… Ah, I heard that they prefer food that is good value for money.”

She put her index finger to her mouth, thought for a moment, and then tilted her head.

I smiled involuntarily at the soft appearance that was different from the one I showed in the office.

Actually, isn’t it because Lee Mi-na can’t express her emotions properly?

I thought about that.

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

“No. I think you feel a little better.”

“How are you feeling? …Ah.”

She averted her gaze as she ran her fingers through the glass of water.

She glanced sideways at me as if I had sinned and spoke in an unconfident voice.

“It’s not enough, right?”

“What is it?”

“I should have given you more work.”

She spoke with regret and cleared her throat.

What’s the story? It’s a story that happened this morning.

” Considering what In-ho has been through so far, should he have been more certain? ”

Don’t like it? When I look at you with those eyes, I have nothing to say.

“Is it because of me that you did that today?”

It’s because of “. I did it for Inho.”

That’s it, this girl.

She kept studying my expression, like a child waiting for praise. He was shaking slightly in his seat, as if he wanted me to say something.

However, it was clear that if she said she was good at something like this, she would push people even further. It’s not even what I want.

In times like this, you need to say something firmly.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Why?”

“Yes?”

She said with a look on her face that she didn’t understand.

“What’s wrong with asking people to work now that they haven’t done the work?”

“It’s not like that, but… personal feelings and judgment come into play here.”

“But it’s true that those people passed the work over to Mr. Inho.”

“That’s true…”

“Then what went wrong? Are you really taking sides? No. Mr. Inho. I have bad habits.”

“…….”

“The dish you ordered has arrived.”

The food came at the right time.

She ordered carbonara, I ordered rose spaghetti, and we also ordered two slices of garlic bread.

“I will eat well.”

Since you are eating with someone else’s money, be sure to say thank you.

“Enjoy your meal.”

She replied, picking up a pickle with a fork and eating it.

Since it was a common store in a food alley, the taste was just average.

I didn’t enjoy the taste, I just ate the menu. It was nothing more and nothing less.

For a few minutes we each focused on our food.

There wasn’t much to talk about while eating, and it was also because I was hungry.

It was when Mina emptied about 1/3 of the bowl that she felt full.

I drank water, rinsed my mouth, and wiped my mouth with a tissue.

‘Maybe I ate too fast.’

I should at least match the speed.

After everything passes, I regret it.

She was stuffing a lot of pasta into her little mouth and munching on it, and she looked very cute with her puffy cheeks.

So, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

[Wouldn’t it be okay to settle down here?]

It seems like her obsession isn’t as strong as I thought, and if I work hard and adapt, there’s nothing I can’t do here.

Who would reject a talented and pretty older sister?

‘I feel like I’m not good at dealing with people. That will be resolved gradually.’

This dimension. Maybe it’s a good place to live.

“Why? Is there something on my face?”

As he stares at me, he gets embarrassed and asks.

“No, you’re just cute.”

The words came out without going through a filter, and I hastily covered my mouth.

“Uh… um…”

Mina focused on the carbonara again with a calm face, but was unable to hide her reddened ears.

‘It’s so cute.’

I think she has a cute taste for someone her age.

***

After lunch, we went to a coffee shop.

Since she bought food, I told her I would buy her coffee, but she replied, ‘It doesn’t matter because I’m living with Dharma,’ so I didn’t step forward for no reason.

I returned to my seat with two glasses of iced Americano.

“Now that I think about it, we went to work this weekend and drank a lot of coffee, right?”

“Right. At that time, I couldn’t survive without coffee.”

I don’t know for sure, but I agreed.

“Actually, I can’t even drink a cup of coffee, but thanks to Inho, I can now.”

“Did you…”

“Yes, I did. I used to wonder why I drink this bitter stuff, but now I can’t live without it.”

Her smile was as soft as a watercolor painting filled with water.

I laughed along and looked out the window.

Office workers returning from lunch and young people dressed lightly and going somewhere passed by in disarray.

” Mr. Inho.”

As I was staring outside, Mina spoke to me.

Oops, maybe I wasn’t talking too much.

“Yes? Yes.”

“As you may have seen today, we will distribute work fairly from now on.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Some of what is happening now, Inho, will be blamed on me and my teammates.”

“I see.”

“I told you this when we met on Friday, but I admit that Inho is overloaded with work. There were also times when I acted a bit indifferently.”

She wiggles her hands.

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

“That’s right, right?”

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

“Yes?”

She carefully reached out her hand and placed it on top of my hand, as if she were touching a chick.

“I… will do well. They don’t ask you to do a lot of work and give good performance evaluations…”

“Hey, Mina.”

“So… don’t say things like changing jobs or… resigning.”

Her voice trembled, almost as if she was pleading.

“Please do me a favor. Please.”

I felt a slight tremor in my folded hands.