Final EP. Neighbor and Local People

“Kang In-ho, have you finished the settlement?”

Although my main task was assigned to training new employees, I couldn’t let go of the recurring tasks.

“Ah, I submitted it a little while ago. Why?”

One of my team members came all the way to my desk to ask.

As soon as I wondered why she would bother to come when she could have asked through the messenger, a bad feeling struck me.

“Well….”

The team member hesitated, trailing off.

I habitually pressed my teeth against my lower lip. I stopped my constantly moving fingers, and the keyboard, which had been making the sound of dry firewood burning, also fell silent.

“Is there any data that hasn’t been submitted?”

I turned my gaze, which had been fixed on the monitor, to look at the team member.

A stiff face, lowered eyebrows, twitching eyes. It was a solemn and sad face, as if she had foreseen what was about to happen.

“Please share the remaining data via messenger.”

“Pardon?”

“Just share the unsubmitted data. I can correct what I reported.”

I supplemented my explanation to her face, which showed that she didn’t understand what I meant.

“Ah… Yes! Thank you.”

Perhaps she realized that I wouldn’t make a bigger deal out of it, her face was brighter than before as she returned to her seat.

I gave a bitter smile at her appearance as she tilted her head while returning.

Was I really such a short-tempered person?

Shaking my head, I reflected the data from the belatedly shared materials and wrote the report. Then, I received a message from my senior colleague.

Didn’t you really have brain surgery? Should I make it public on the broadcasting station?

<<Don't even think about saying weird things, just do your work.

Tsk, the sound of clicking my tongue came out reflexively.

The senior colleague, hidden far away behind the monitor, must be cackling.

While re-examining the reflected data, I thought about it.

If it were me before the accident, how would I have reacted to what just happened?

I probably would have been furious and raged like fire.

Although I said it as if it were nothing, correcting the already submitted settlement data is honestly not a pleasant task.

I have to make a request to the approver via messenger, and a somewhat complicated application process is required.

It’s definitely troublesome, and it’s an issue that affects my reputation.

But, strangely, I wasn’t very angry.

“That’s strange. Did something really change after the accident?”

“Yes?”

Kim Sung-ah, who was across from me, reacted to my mumbling.

“It’s nothing.”

“Okay….”

Kim Sung-ah sat back down with a dejected face.

“Is there something you don’t know?”

She seemed to have been glancing at me since earlier. Did something she didn’t know come up?

I got up from my seat and went to Kim Sung-ah’s seat.

She had the management program open and was doing an assignment comparing logistics inventory.

Hmm, it doesn’t seem like there’s a big problem.

Rather, she seems to be more skilled than yesterday when she was struggling.

“Ah! No, it’s okay.”

Kim Sung-ah shrugged her shoulders like a startled cat and smiled as if nothing was wrong.

It was an artificial and suspicious appearance that anyone could see, but I didn’t think it was necessary to pry, so I returned to my seat.

“…….”

While sending a long message of understanding to the approver, I felt a stinging gaze.

Thinking it might be Kim Sung-ah, I raised my head, but Kim Sung-ah was focused on her work, only slightly showing her characteristic brown hair.

Then where did this gaze come from?

When I turned my eyes to the side, I met a pair of jet-black eyes.

It was Lee Mina.

“……”

She didn’t avoid my gaze even when our eyes met.

“……?”

Wondering if she was looking at something behind me, I reflexively turned around.

“……”

There was nothing behind me.

I sent her a message.

<<<Mina, is something wrong?

As soon as the message was sent, Lee Mina slowly withdrew her gaze.

Ah, I was just lost in thought for a moment.

Lee Mina being lost in thought was rare, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t understand.

I sent a message saying I understood and resumed the work I had briefly stopped.

This was because the approver, who had become uncomfortable with the corrected report, had called me.

Even so, I wasn’t very angry.

“Hello?”

I met Isis from next door in the elevator.

I bowed my head in response to her businesslike greeting.

“You’re off work.”

“Yes. Kang In-ho, you’re off work too.”

“Yes.”

Silence flowed.

“What kind of work do you do?”

What I offered was just meaningless small talk.

“I’m working two jobs.”

The answer that came back was quite specific.

“During the day, I work at the information desk at the academy, and at night, I do personal investing.”

“Personal investing?”

That’s….

“Actually, I do personal investing during the day too. However, I do it in earnest at night.”

“Ah… I see.”

It felt like I had touched something I shouldn’t have.

“I’m doing both the US stock market and the Korean stock market. Is Kang In-ho also doing personal investing?”

“Ah, I’m just saving….”

“You prefer safe things. It feels a little different from when you were in Aaru.”

She’s saying something I can’t understand again.

Ding- the elevator stopped.

Isis and I walked along the corridor and arrived in front of our respective homes.

“Then, goodbye.”

“Excuse me….”

When I called out to Isis, Isis, who was about to open the door and go inside, poked her head out.

After being briefly surprised by her mechanical appearance, I couldn’t resist asking what I was curious about.

“Did you make some money with the US and Korean stock markets?”

Bang

The door closed.

I guess investing isn’t something I should do after all.