The Call of Regret

If the most painful day for an office worker is Monday, I would personally say that the most boring day is Thursday.

It’s the point when the energy stored up over the weekend starts to run out, and the barrier of Friday is blocking the way to the holiday.

On Thursdays, the work distributed on Monday is being sorted out, so unless there are any special variables, there is nothing to do, so I sit blankly in front of the computer and secretly moonlight as a ‘salary thief’. Of course, regardless of doing other things, being bored is still boring.

“Inho, are you available?”

While I was spending time with meaningless clicks, someone spoke from behind.

“Yes?”

When I turned around, everyone was looking at me.

I wondered what was going on and looked around, and my senior was glaring at me with a fierce look.

“Our Inho really doesn’t listen to people.”

I thought about whether I had made a mistake in my work because of the inappropriate honorifics.

I thought about it carefully, but there was nothing.

“I didn’t hear you. What were you talking about?”

“Ah, it’s a dinner to celebrate Mina and Seong-a passing their probation. We’re planning to do it today, do you have time, Inho?”

I remembered that I hadn’t had a separate dinner other than offering formal congratulations.

Originally, we used to have a dinner when a new employee passed probation, but I had completely forgotten because it had been so long since we had a new employee.

“Um….”

To be honest, it’s a bit of a hassle. I don’t feel like being in a noisy place clinking glasses.

Suddenly, I felt like I had been in the middle of such a noisy drinking party.

The image of people sitting around a bonfire in the middle of a forest flashed through my mind.

“Inho?”

Oops, I almost fell into thought again.

Recently, I’ve been falling into my own thoughts more often.

Is it because I don’t have much work to do? Sometimes things I haven’t experienced flash through my mind.

“Inho?”

Another voice calling me. I have to get out of my own world.

Otherwise, they’ll think I’m weird.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

I answered, pressing my eyes hard.

“So, are you available today?”

My senior asked, frustrated.

“Actually….”

The words, “Please go without me,” were on the tip of my tongue.

“Is the training manager trying to get out of it?”

My senior quickly blocked my escape route.

“…….”

“…….”

For a moment, I felt like Lee Mina and Kim Sung-ah’s eyes had become fierce.

Their persistent gaze seemed to contain a strong determination.

“Ah, I have to go.”

I turned my head to avoid eye contact with the two pairs of eyes, and answered slowly.

“Then everyone will be there. Who will look for a place….”

“Are we only investigating the first round?”

“We’ll decide on the second round when we go.”

Once the number of attendees was decided, everything proceeded smoothly.

“That lamb skewer place was good last time.”

“Hey, but it’s a bit much for the first round….”

“Isn’t the place where we grilled Korean beef last time better?”

“Ah, that was a good place.”

The team members who were gathered added a word about the dinner and gradually gathered around my seat.

“Let’s decide by ladder game, shall we?”

While talking about who would decide on the first venue, an idea popped out from somewhere.

“That’s good. Someone draw a ladder.”

“Me! I’ll draw it.”

Kim Sung-ah raised her hand enthusiastically.

“Ah, Seong-a will draw it? Where’s the paper….”

When my senior picked up a piece of scrap paper on the table, my mouth opened.

“Don’t let Seong-a draw it. She can’t draw.”

All eyes are on me.

The bustling office becomes quiet in an instant.

“Ah… that’s, well.”

I couldn’t speak, perhaps overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the office, which had become quieter than necessary.

“Seong-a drew a picture before, and she definitely couldn’t draw.”

It was Lee Mina who broke the atmosphere.

She pushed her way through the crowd of frozen people and took the paper from my senior’s hand.

Then, she started drawing a ladder with a pen.

“So, I think Inho said that. It’s strange that the atmosphere is so serious.”

She said with an uncharacteristic wealth of expression.

“I’ve finished drawing the ladder.”

Hmm… I thought it was definitely better than what Kim Sung-ah would have drawn.

But, have I ever seen Kim Sung-ah’s drawing?

After the location manager was decided by the ladder game, the team members returned to their seats, and only Kim Sung-ah and Lee Mina remained around me.

“…….”

A slightly awkward silence flowed.

“Wow~ It’s a company dinner.”

It was Kim Sung-ah who broke the awkward silence, as expected.

She raised her hands with the same innocent smile as before, as if the earlier appearance had disappeared.

“This is my first company dinner. I’m so excited.”

Don’t young people these days hate company dinners?

I nodded appropriately and agreed with her words, but Kim Sung-ah’s smiling face calmed down.

“But Inho. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

Is it a work question?

“How did you know I can’t draw?”

A face full of expectations.

It was a face with various emotions in one basket.

“…I wonder.”

But I can’t meet her expectations.

“Seong-a.”

Just as Kim Sung-ah’s sparkling gaze was becoming burdensome, Lee Mina stopped the situation.

After clearing her throat a few times, Lee Mina took Kim Sung-ah outside.

Even while being dragged out by Lee Mina, who was holding her shoulder, Kim Sung-ah kept looking back at me as if she was somewhat disappointed.

Perhaps because a lively atmosphere was created by the company dinner, the remaining working hours passed faster than expected.

Before I knew it, the sun had set, and as darkness rose from below the window, everyone began to prepare to leave work.

“Let’s go slowly.”

Led by my senior, who had slung his bag over his shoulder, everyone left the office.

Since Lee Mina, Kim Sung-ah, and I came out late, we were the last in line.

People gathered like clouds in front of the elevator.

Several elevators arrived and went down, carrying people appropriately.

Finally, the elevator we were going to take arrived.

Kim Sung-ah, who was humming because she was so excited about the company dinner, the always quiet Lee Mina, and I got on.

When I pressed the first floor button, my phone vibrated slightly.

“Hmm?”

The door closed, and the elevator began to descend.

I took out the phone from my pocket and tapped the screen.

A message for me.

“Everyone went to the restaurant first.”

Lee Mina’s voice, who was looking at the team chat room, was heard from afar.

“I’m so excited about the meat.”

Kim Sung-ah’s excited voice was also not heard well.

“Ah, you two go first.”

“Yes?”

“Why?”

“Wait a minute.”

I answered, pressing my throbbing neck with my hand.

“Just for a moment, I’m going to meet someone.”

[Oppa, I’m in front of the company, can you see me for a moment?]

The lingering feeling that had cruelly rejected me was, for some reason, calling me.