Strange People – 2

The vacation passed quickly. After catching up on household chores and tidying up the messy surroundings, Sunday night had already arrived.

I was lying in bed, replaying the short break that felt like three seconds, when I suddenly received a call from my senior colleague.

After the usual greeting of asking if I had rested well, I told him about what had happened during my vacation.

When I mentioned the two women who had been occupying my front and back, my senior colleague became interested and told me to tell him more.

[So you called the police?]

There was a lot of bewilderment in my senior colleague’s voice over the phone.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

[No, just because they followed you… More than that, the police were nearby?]

“It’s Gangnam Station. There are one or two around.”

It’s not as much as Gwanghwamun, but there are quite a few demonstrations here too.

[So what did the police say?]

“When I told them that two women kept following me, they looked at me strangely. They didn’t seem to believe me.”

[That’s true. It’s usually the opposite.]

“It’s bitter.”

[Think positively, frankly, in today’s world, you could have been dragged away.]

I frowned at the chuckling voice.

“It’s not a joke, it’s even scarier.”

The conversation paused after I finished speaking.

But soon, my senior colleague’s “tss” sound filled the silence.

[But why did you report them?]

“Excuse me?”

I naturally asked back at the absurd question.

[It looks like they’re interested in you.]

“Interested my ass.”

It’s obvious they’re trying to hit on me.

[Stop putting up walls. You need to be more open-minded for new relationships to come.]

I wanted to say something, but the words caught in my throat.

New relationship.

It bothered me like a small thorn stuck in my throat.

“…Don’t talk about her.”

[I didn’t mention her? I just said a new relationship.]

My senior colleague skillfully dodged the topic.

I shouldn’t even think about winning against my senior colleague in an argument.

[Speaking of which. Your ex-girlfriend, a reference check came in.]

“Reference check? I heard she got into a company?”

[Ah, she quit that company. Or rather, she failed the probationary period.]

“So she applied somewhere else, and a reference check came to you, senior colleague?”

[They probably contacted me because of the school and department. Even though she’s from a different year than me, I still got a reference check.]

Well, with my senior colleague’s wide network, a reference check could go to him.

[So, what should I do?]

My senior colleague’s voice, which had been high, became somewhat lower.

“Excuse me?”

[I haven’t answered yet. I can convey it the way you want. That she’s not good, or that her personality is bad.]

In other words, you can decide whether she gets the job or not.

“It’s okay. Just say she’s average. Then they’ll evaluate her on their own.”

[As expected, Kang In-ho. The conscience of this era. Noble.]

“It doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

Thinking about my senior colleague chuckling on the other end of the phone made me grind my teeth.

[No, it’s a compliment. Keep in mind that’s why I think highly of you.]

“Even if I do, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be of much help.”

Knock knock knock

While chatting with my senior colleague from work and school, wasting time idly, someone knocked on the door.

“Hmm?”

[Why?]

“No, someone’s knocking. Is it the neighbor? Did I make too much noise?”

[Oh, is that so? Then let’s hang up for now.]

“Okay.”

Knock knock knock

Another knock. It doesn’t seem like they came to the wrong house.

I ended the call, put on my sweatsuit, and approached the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s the neighbor.”

“Ah~ I’m sorry. Was the call too loud?”

I knew the soundproofing wasn’t good in the officetel, but I didn’t know even simple calls could be heard.

I need to be more careful when using the computer in the future.

“No, that’s not why I came.”

A stiff tone came from outside the door.

“Yes? Then….”

“I moved in today and came to say hello. I have something to eat.”

Is it like giving out rice cakes? In an officetel?

I cautiously opened the door and peeked out.

And I pressed my body against the door so I could close it if necessary.

“Hello?”

What was in front of me was a white woman. No, should I say closer to gray?

Gray hair and eyes close to white. Flawless, clean skin.

The foreign-looking woman was holding a plate with castella on it.

“Ah… hello.”

I didn’t feel threatened by her appearance, so I slowly opened the door.

As the door opened, my body was revealed, and I and the unknown visitor faced each other.

“I moved in next door.”

Then she held out the castella.

I accepted the plate without thinking.

“Ah… yes. You moved in. Please let me know if it’s too noisy.”

“Yes, I understand.”

After answering, she stared intently at my face.

Does she have something to say?

“Do you have something to….”

“My name is Isis.”

“Isis? Your name is….”

I can’t say your name is unique.

What if she has a complex about her name?

“Yes. It’s Isis.”

She answered and looked at me intently again.

She seemed to want me to say something.

“Ah, my name is Kang In-ho.”

“Yes, Kang In-ho. Nice to meet you. I hope we can be good neighbors.”

I brushed off her customary words.

“I don’t have anything to give you right now, so can I return the plate tomorrow?”

There’s only water in the small refrigerator. I should buy something similar to eat and return it tomorrow.

“…….”

She’s still staring intently at my face.

“Hello?”

“Yes. Tomorrow is fine. Then have a good night.”

She bowed her head and returned to the next door.

I shivered at the cold temperature of the hallway and closed the door.

“…She’s a strange person.”

I lay back on the bed and couldn’t help but add the obvious.

The castella was sweet.

It was exactly the taste I liked.

The reunion with Isis, which I thought would be in the evening, was beyond my expectations.

While waiting for the elevator, the door next door opened, and Isis in a suit came out.

“Hello?”

I greeted her awkwardly because I had received something from her the day before.

Isis nodded slightly in response.

“I enjoyed what you gave me.”

“I thought you would like it. Because you enjoyed it before.”

I just ignored it because she made an incomprehensible sound.

Ding, the elevator arrived, and Isis and I got on it and went down.

“Your company must be nearby?”

“It’s not far.”

“Mine is nearby too.”

As I was talking, I thought it looked like I was hitting on her.

I didn’t want to be misunderstood, so I shut my mouth.

Isis didn’t say anything until we arrived on the first floor.

“Then, I’ll be looking forward to this evening.”

Isis walked in the opposite direction from where I was going.

At the words that she was looking forward to a thank-you gift, I thought I shouldn’t buy ordinary castella.

I walked the 10-minute commute to work and arrived at the company.

I organized the desk with a little dust on it, turned on the computer, and brought hot water from the pantry and put in a tea bag.

While waiting for the tea to steep, someone messaged me.

The new recruits are waiting, are you at work?

<<<Yes.

After answering briefly, I headed to the HR department.

A little earlier than work hours, I walked through the quiet hallway and arrived at the HR department, where two women in neat suits were standing.

The HR staff with tired eyes recognized me and got up and approached me.

“Ah, you’re here. These are the new recruits.”

“Hello, I’m Kim Sung-ah, a new employee.”

A lively greeting.

“I’m Lee Mina, a new employee.”

A calm greeting.

I engraved the faces of the two people in my mind.

Somehow, they’re faces I’ve seen somewhere before.