episode_0023

Most business trips are scheduled on a daily basis or unless something comes up, it’s a one-day trip. It’s a cycle of waking up early in the morning and coming back late at night.

If today were Friday, sleeping in and coming back late would be possible, but unfortunately, it was Thursday, so that wasn’t an option.

In other words, time is extremely tight.

-Click-

There are still 20 minutes until the train arrives. Luckily, neither of them are the type to be late, so they could meet in front of the station on time.

And this is the KTX exclusive lounge. I was taking a breather while having coffee. While Yongsan Station is nice to visit, the service facilities seem superior at Seoul Station.

“I let my guard down…”

For some reason, I could hear Team Leader Shin muttering beside me.

For the past three days, Team Leader Shin seems to have caught the eyes of not only me but also several departments. Well, it’s not surprising given how much people can change over the weekend.

His personality has become quite toxic, and he even went to lunch with team members for a brief moment. It made me proud to see such progress.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing…”

I thought he was about to confide in me, but apparently, we’re not there yet. That’s fine by me.

“Is it personal?”

However, if it’s a concern that could affect the meeting, it’s a different story. It’s not just personal; it’s a matter of the company’s image.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

It’s natural to become sensitive when you’ve been up since dawn. Maybe a short nap on the train will help.

“…”

On another note, the suit I wore today looks really sharp. It was so well put together that the expensive price tag didn’t matter, the clothes were neat, and even my hair looked tidier than usual.

Above all, what caught my eye were the black stockings I hadn’t worn back then. I tried not to look, but my eyes kept glancing towards Team Leader Shin’s legs.

“I’m going.”

“Oh, okay.”

Grateful for the interruption, I followed behind Team Leader Shin, who thankfully didn’t notice, as we descended to the platform.

~~~

“I’ll catch some sleep during the two hours, so excuse me.”

“Oh, sure… Here’s an eye mask.”

“Thank you.”

Team Leader Shin handed me an eye mask from the front seat pocket. It wasn’t there before, but it seems to have appeared recently.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“Yes, a little.”

Back in middle school, I used to love it when the snack cart passed by occasionally, but it seems to have been discontinued at some point. Something must have happened.

Still, bringing packed lunches is allowed, so I can have a meal while traveling. Thanks to Yuhee’s sandwiches, I didn’t have to spend money on lunchboxes.

“You can eat without worrying about me watching.”

“Oh, okay…”

Although the smell of pork belly is tempting, I can’t steal someone else’s food. And I’m getting sleepy. Listening to music through my earphones, my vision gradually faded to black.

“Hey, young lady!”

After a few minutes, just as the morning sun shone through the window to the point of being dazzling, a disruptive voice pierced through my earphones.

“…!”

When I opened my eyes, I saw a strangely bloated grandfather glaring at Team Leader Shin, who was staring back at him unfazed.

“Eating on the train is allowed.”

“Then eat without spreading the smell! Some of us can’t sleep because of it!”

“Then move to another car.”

“Hey–”

“Excuse me, sir. Your voice is more disturbing than the smell right now, isn’t it? We’ll manage here, so please go rest somewhere else.”

“These youngsters these days…”

“Should I call the train attendant to resolve this?”

“This… this…!”

These people are the type that ends the game when you call for management. They know they’re wrong in their directions. They just raise their voices louder, insisting that they are right, but if you argue with them logically, they shut their mouths and can’t say a word.

“Call them! Go ahead!”

“Yes.”

In the end, the grandfather got off at the next station. I dislike people who pick fights over nothing, even though they haven’t done anything wrong. Should’ve kicked them OUT.

We also received a warning from the station staff, so I quickly finished eating and even sprayed some perfume around my seat.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes…”

His voice trembled as if he could cry at any moment. That grandfather’s voice was no joke.

“You did well. Usually, people can’t say anything in such situations.”

“Phew….”

“There’s still about an hour left, so rest your eyes. It’ll help you relax.”

“Yes….”

“Don’t peek here.”

“Thank you….”

The new team leader put on an eye mask and forced himself into sleep mode. I watched until his breathing became steady, then I put on my own eye mask.

~~~

“Sigh….”

I feel incredibly tired, probably from repeatedly waking up and falling back asleep. My eyelids were heavy enough that I could fall asleep within 5 seconds of closing my eyes.

“You’re awake… Oh?”

“…?”

The new team leader turned his head.

I had briefly stood up to stretch, while the new team leader was still seated. The reason he turned his head──

“Ah!”

A natural physiological response. Whether male or female, when entering a state of sleep, blood flows in that direction, naturally stiffening and standing up. While it indicates healthy sexual function, it’s not something to boast about, especially in front of women.

*clears throat*

He pretended to cough loudly and covered the lower part with his bag. Standing up wasn’t entirely voluntary, but sitting down wasn’t easy either, making the situation awkward.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

Same words, different intonations. The person speaking casually with a smile and using dialect is probably the chairman.

Dressed as if ready for a golf course, wearing a sky-blue t-shirt.

“Could you wait here for a moment?”

Then a man in a suit, wearing a navy tie with red and white patterns on a blue background, guided us. He might be a vice president or director.

Even in small and medium-sized enterprises, many buildings in rural areas look luxurious. The place we visited today occupies an entire floor due to its large scale.

The employees’ seats were tidy, and meeting rooms were neatly divided by opaque glass walls. After a short wait, a woman who seemed like an intern brought us coffee.

“Is the material ready?”

“Yes…. Well, I’ve prepared it, but….”

The documents pulled out of the bag contain the products to be advertised and their prices.

It seems like coming here was a good decision. Otherwise, due to the typical negotiations in small and medium-sized enterprises, we could have incurred losses.

Not to disparage such actions, but we need to maximize our profits as well…. It’s unavoidable.

“Feeling nervous?”

“A bit, yes….”

“If there’s anything, I’ll help.”

“No, it’s okay. Bringing me here in the first place was my own doing…. Just having you here is already appreciated.”

“Well then──”

“Oh, you’ve been waiting. I’m Kim Youngseob.”

“Yes. Hello, I’m Team Leader Shin Yejin. And this is Manager Kim Chanhee.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

Surprisingly, only the chairman came in, not the vice president who seemed likely to join.

“How old are you?”

“I-I’m thirty-six.”

“Oh, you look young~ You resemble my daughter.”

“Ahaha….”

It’s not about harassment or anything like that. It’s about testing the waters by throwing out any words. There’s no falsehood or pretense, but just by saying a word, you can gauge the other person’s caliber. This level should be enough to be a company representative.

As the new team leader tried to intervene no more, he mediated.

“Shall we proceed?”

“Yes.”

As expected, the look in his eyes changed. Since I was there, he wouldn’t try to take advantage or anything like that.

“Well then, let’s start the briefing. This time──”

And smoothly, by adjusting the price appropriately, we were able to secure advertising at an even cheaper rate.

Judging from the quality of the advertising work done here so far, it seems promising, and seeing the satisfied smile on the new team leader’s face, it seems everything is going smoothly.

“Phew….”

Leaving the office, the new team leader let out a relieved sigh.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Thank you…. If it weren’t for you, Director, I almost couldn’t have done it.”

“Well….”

I thought it would be all men, but there were some female employees as well, and on top of that, the meeting was held with the CEO and two others. Perhaps they favor me. Not very much like a new team leader. Still, if I could lighten my workload somewhat, I could consider it a gain.

The train leaves at 5 p.m. The meeting ended earlier than expected, leaving some time.

─Gurgle.

The new team leader’s face turned red. It’s fortunate we’re outdoors; if we were in the office, it would have been a big problem.

Although I didn’t make the sound, I’m also hungry. Perhaps the CEO is hurrying because of lunch.

“Shall we eat first?”

“Yes….”

Since we’re here, we entered a must-visit pork soup restaurant in Busan.

“Welcome~”

As soon as we entered, the smell of meat and heat overwhelmed us. The air conditioner was on, but you could feel the coolness right in front of you; a little further away, it felt much hotter. Still, this is where the delicious food is.

After sitting down, a kind lady with a rustic apron with checkered and floral patterns, and a headscarf welcomed us.

“Two pork soups, please.”

“Yes~”

After ordering, water and side dishes arrived. There were well-seasoned spinach, soy garlic sauce, ssamjang, and chili peppers.

On one corner of the table, there was vinegar for naengmyeon and kkakdugi in a crock. I’ve always wondered if it’s really a crock, but it doesn’t seem to function as one.

“….”

Looking at the seated new team leader in front of me felt a bit awkward. Maybe it’s because of the heat, but a bit of his collarbone showed through the unbuttoned buttons. Just like when I saw him in a dress on Sundays, it seems the new team leader has a good physique.

“Enjoy your meal. I’ll treat you this time.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Ignoring the thought that if it were me, I would have ordered tonkatsu, I mixed the rice with kkakdugi and put it in my mouth. It was on a different level compared to the mediocre pork soup places around the office.

There was a distinct smell of pork, but it was pleasant. The slightly gamy yet protein-rich meat aroma and the kimchi scent from the kkakdugi seemed to create a path in my mouth, urging me to swallow.

“It’s delicious.”

“It sure is.”

The sound of utensils against the bowl, the crunch of the kkakdugi, and the clinking of chopsticks echoed as we quickly finished our pork soup.

“…I know it might sound strange, but surprisingly, you eat well. Pork soup tends to be a hit or miss.”

“I-Is that weird…?”

“No, not weird… Just glad you’re enjoying it.”

“Ahaha….”

Adapting to the heat of the rice soup restaurant, my body felt refreshed as I stepped outside, only to be engulfed by a new atmospheric pressure. Despite having had lunch, my energy levels were already depleted, even though there was quite some time until the train departure. However, I couldn’t just sit around at the station for 2-3 hours.

“Maybe I should go to a cafe or something…”

“Chief.”

The new team leader interrupted me with a determined look in their eyes.

“Would you like to take a break over there…?”

Silence followed.

At the spot indicated by the new team leader stood a sleek business hotel that seemed recently constructed.