Strange People

After a brief self-introduction, I led the two of them back to the department.

Looking at the seating chart, I guided them to their seats, which, thanks to the team’s consideration, were right across from mine.

“This is Seong-a’s seat, and that’s Mina’s seat.”

I politely indicated their places with my palm, and they each sat down.

Kim Sung-ah, befitting her petite stature, scurried over with tiny steps and began to settle in.

Like a hamster taking seeds out of its cheek pouches, she was arranging various items from her bag on the desk.

Watching her, I thought, ‘I was like that too…’ and my first day at work came to mind.

Of course, instead of feeling sentimental, I felt a bit dizzy.

On the other hand, Lee Mina’s belongings were simple.

Taking out a notebook and two pens, she calmly sat down and turned on the computer.

I could feel the difference between an experienced worker and a fresh newbie.

“Seong-a, would you like to turn on your computer first?”

It looked like it would take Kim Sung-ah two days to finish her desk setup, so I assigned her the next task first.

Adjusting the angle of her LED mood light and humidifier, she made a ‘Hot!’ sound and plopped down in her chair.

“The first thing you need to do when you get to work is to press the ‘Clock In’ button. You’re officially clocked in from the moment you press that button. If you came early today and had to wait, you can apply for retroactive recognition separately, so I’ll tell you about that later.”

I flipped through the new employee orientation manual, starting the training.

“First, when you log in, the access management program will automatically pop up. Press the ‘Start Work’ button you see there.”

Click, click. Lee Mina pressed the button without any hesitation.

With a greeting of “Welcome,” a clean desktop reflected on her face.

“Okay, then let’s start with applying for that retroactive recognition I just mentioned. Click on ‘Work Time Management’ below. Yes. Then a pop-up window will appear, right? Now, enter the actual arrival time here… that is, the time you waited in the HR department.”

“Excuse me….”

While I was in the middle of explaining, Kim Sung-ah cautiously called out to me.

“Yes? Is something not working? If the access management program didn’t pop up, check the taskbar in the lower right corner….”

Sometimes the program doesn’t pop up.

“No, how do I log in?”

“Pardon?”

“I… I don’t know the ID and password.”

Looking at my face, she lowered her gaze slightly and mumbled, tapping her index fingers together.

“Doesn’t everyone have an ID that they applied for?”

“Ah… so I wasn’t supposed to write my email address there.”

“The password is in that instruction booklet. It’s a randomly assigned one, so you can change it to something you’re familiar with later.”

I’d heard the legend of someone not being able to log in on their first day, but this was the first time I’d seen it with my own eyes.

Of course, having good audience manners, I didn’t outwardly show how surprised I was. Well, I probably didn’t.

“Yes, yes.”

Kim Sung-ah pressed each password written in the booklet.

Fortunately, she entered the password correctly, and she logged in at once.

“…….”

Lee Mina, who had finished the retroactive application without any separate explanation, was staring blankly at me.

“Mina, please wait there for a moment. Until Seong-a catches up.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Even though I was seeing her for the first time, I somehow trusted Mina.

I felt like she would do well no matter what.

“Mina, you seem familiar with it.”

“Yes, I used a similar program at my previous job.”

As I spoke, glancing at the struggling Kim Sung-ah, Lee Mina slowly raised her gaze and looked at me.

“Yes, the programs are slightly different, but you can think of the overall framework as similar.”

“Yes. Still, there’s a lot I don’t know, so I’ll learn if you teach me.”

Wow—I barely managed to hold back an exclamation.

I was getting goosebumps at her perfect social skills.

It seemed like Lee Mina wouldn’t require much attention, and I could just focus on training Kim Sung-ah.

Besides, since Lee Mina seemed like she would learn quickly, Lee Mina could help Kim Sung-ah a little if I was busy.

“I’m done!”

Perhaps dissatisfied with me talking to Lee Mina, Kim Sung-ah quickly interrupted.

Looking at the screen, Kim Sung-ah had also finished the retroactive application.

“Yes, well done. What I’ve told you now are the most basic things. The rest requires approval from the team leader and the head of the department, so we can’t proceed with it right now.”

Access to the work management program and the internal network requires the head of the department’s permission. We can’t proceed with anything right now.

“Do you drink coffee? Let’s go out for a quick tour of the company.”

“Wow, you can use your employee ID to get coffee….”

Kim Sung-ah reacted exaggeratedly after seeing me order drinks at the company cafe and tag my employee ID.

“The company supports up to 50,000 won per month. They also sell toothbrushes and mouthwash at the cafe, so you can buy them if you need them.”

“What if you exceed 50,000 won?”

“The excess amount will be deducted from your salary next month.”

“Eek….”

What was that expression? I ignored the disappointed Kim Sung-ah and turned to Lee Mina.

She was quietly looking at the scenery outside the window.

Was she the type of person who didn’t like to talk much? At this point, she could have brought up a personal story, but she was quiet.

“Mina, you’re familiar with this, right?”

“My previous company didn’t have an in-house cafe.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Instead, there was a nice cafe near the company, so I went out to drink there.”

There wasn’t any support fund, though.

Lee Mina added.

“There are many nice cafes near our company too. The in-house cafe doesn’t have a wide variety, so I often go out to drink.”

“Ah, I didn’t see that.”

“There’s a cafe across the street, across the crosswalk. I sometimes go there to get some fresh air.”

Although I almost got hit by the sign.

“Are you going to take me there later?”

Kim Sung-ah interjected. It seemed like a tactless action, but seeing her say that with a bright smile, I felt more of a smile than repulsion.

It was like a vitamin.

“Well, there’s no reason not to take you.”

“You have to promise.”

Smiling, Kim Sung-ah held out her pinky finger.

“Pardon?”

Not knowing the meaning of that action, I tilted my head.

“Ah, mistake, mistake… It’s a habit. Hehe….”

She was startled and shook the hand she had raised.

Her face turned red in an instant, making it easy to understand her emotions.

[Order number 23.]

With a ding-dong sound, a mechanical voice was heard.

“The coffee is ready.”

I went to the pickup bar, picked up the drinks, and handed them out one by one.

An iced Americano to Lee Mina,

“Thank you for the drink.”

A strawberry smoothie to Kim Sung-ah,

“Thank you, mister.”

And the remaining latte to me….

Wait a minute.

What did she say?

“Pardon?”

Wondering if I had heard correctly, I looked at Kim Sung-ah’s face.

Kim Sung-ah was sticking a straw into her pink drink and sipping it.

“Pardon?”

Noticing my gaze, she widened her eyes and looked at me.

And instead, she asked me.

“What did you just call me?”

Kim Sung-ah’s eyes were spinning. And as if she had realized something, her eyes widened.

“Ah… Ah, that’s… um….”

“Kim Sung-ah.”

Lee Mina stopped Kim Sung-ah, who was about to say something.

“This is a company. I don’t know how you lived outside, but the company has its own ‘rules.’ It’s something ‘everyone’ has agreed to. Do you ‘remember’ that?”

“Ah… yes.”

Kim Sung-ah lowered her head at Lee Mina’s stern words.

“Please keep that in mind. Don’t break the ‘rules’ that everyone has agreed to.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Kim Sung-ah’s waist bent at a 90-degree angle.

“Yes, please pay attention to honorifics.”

Because Lee Mina had scolded her sternly, I couldn’t add any more words and just nodded.

Lee Mina… scary.

Looking at Lee Mina, who was looking out the window again, I slightly revised my first impression of her.