Where Is the Top?

"Where's the top?" Siyoon asked, standing there in a daze. "I was just... making a delivery."

The Head of Division chewed over his words for a moment, then burst out laughing as if something about them struck him as hilarious. When the laughter finally died down, his expression turned serious.

"Right. Inventory Management Section Chief Kang Siyoon. Everyone's been waiting for you. I know you're busy, but stop by for a moment."

Waiting for me?

Bewildered, Siyoon wheeled his cart into the Trading Room.

Squeak. Squeeeak.

As the wheels of the cart announced his arrival, the once-bustling office fell abruptly silent. Everyone held their breath, as if greeting a stranger from another world. Then, amid the hush, someone began clapping—slowly, deliberately.

Clap... clap... clap.

It was Deputy General Manager Shin Kyung-chul, clapping all by himself. Whether it was his doing or not, within moments every employee in the room had joined in.

Huh...?

From the atmosphere, the applause was clearly meant for him—but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he had no idea why. As the ovation finally subsided, Assistant Manager Min So-hee came over and asked,

"Why were you keeping it a secret all this time?"

"Sorry? Keeping what..."

"That you've been quietly helping our team this whole time?"

"What on earth are you..."

"Jain Tech! Thanks to the stock you picked, our monthly numbers shot up in one go. I honestly don't know how to thank you."

Jain Tech...? Don't tell me the Head of Division gave the buy order? While Siyoon stood there utterly baffled, Team Leader Oh came over, clapped a hand on his shoulder, and addressed the team.

"Everyone hasn't forgotten, have you? Our one-time rookie, the guy who caused a massive incident, and now the hidden master managing the basement warehouse of Hansan Securities—Kang Siyoon."

The team erupted at Team Leader Oh's words.

"Forget? We missed you, Kang Siyoon!"

"When are you coming back? We've been waiting so long our necks are about to snap!"

"You predicted Jain Tech's dot upper circuit today? Whoa~ How did you hide a skill like that? Anyway, that's incredible!"

He was grateful for the welcome, for the praise—but this kind of hospitality made his skin crawl with how alien it felt.

Not once since joining the company had he ever grown close to any of them. In truth, that had been true everywhere he went. Like two magnets of the same pole, Siyoon had a gift for pushing people away.

Feels strange.

As Siyoon marveled at the gathered employees, the Head of Division appeared at his side without him noticing.

"Just wait a little. You'll be compensated more than enough. And... I trust only you."

Trusts only me?

Something was getting bigger and bigger, and he had no idea what.

Team Leader Oh stopped Siyoon just as he was about to head back down to the warehouse, and the two made their way to a lounge styled like a café.

Oh fetched two coffees and handed one over. "Thanks."

"That's quite a face you're making."

"What face?"

"Look, I know everyone used to dislike you and steer clear of you. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠There's probably still some bad blood left over. But things are different now, aren't they? Times like this, couldn't you swallow your pride and at least pretend to get along with the staff?"

Team Leader Oh knew nothing about the problem Siyoon carried. In fact, apart from his friend Bang Yo-han, he had never told a soul—and he never intended to. It would only get him treated like a lunatic.

"I have no bad feelings toward the staff."

"You're hilarious."

Oh snorted through his nose.

"If people avoid you, that's not their fault. It's mine."

"Oh... so you do know."

"I know it very well. And I won't be changing in the future either. So don't get your hopes up, Team Leader."

"Fine. Aren't you special."

With that, Oh took a long swig of his coffee.

He didn't call me up here for this trivial small talk. Siyoon studied the man's face carefully.

"What is it? Something you want to ask?"

"You called me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up because of Jain Tech, didn't you?"

"Pfft!"

Oh sprayed his coffee across the table. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he said, "You're right. I heard you told the Head of Division something. That if you had to pick one stock to buy, it would be Jain Tech."

"I did."

"Why? Out of the thousands of stocks out there, why did you single out Jain Tech?"

Siyoon knew Team Leader Oh was a suspicious man by nature. But with Jain Tech hitting its daily limit, what was there left to question?

"I never told the Head of Division that Jain Tech *had* to be bought. I said that if it were me, I would choose Jain Tech. Whatever the outcome, isn't a person responsible for carrying their own choices?"

At Siyoon's words, Oh's expression turned grave.

"True enough. The outcome is yours to bear. So does that mean you carry no responsibility at all?"

"What's gotten into you today? This isn't like you, Team Leader. If anything, just chew me out and get it over with."

Getting scolded would honestly be easier.

But instead of cursing, Team Leader Oh offered a piece of earnest advice.

"The company is starting to watch you. That's exactly when you need to be careful."

The unexpected remark felt like a blow to the back of his head. As Oh stood up silently, Siyoon answered him.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Evening. Back home, Siyoon collapsed onto the sofa, utterly drained.

The company is watching me?

What Team Leader Oh had said that day kept circling in his head. Perhaps because he had never once been the center of attention, he had to admit that lately, life was actually enjoyable.

The sense of fulfillment he drew from the work itself—not from relationships with people—had become its own kind of dopamine.

He had more than enough money.

He didn't need to keep working at the company. But that didn't mean he was ready to give up his job and become a full-time investor. If he did, there would be no reason to leave the house 365 days a year—and one day, they'd inevitably find his body, dead alone and forgotten.

Woof woof—!

At some point, Jeombak-i had climbed onto his stomach.

Fortunately, it seemed dying alone wasn't in the cards after all.

Woof!

Wondering what was the matter, Siyoon looked—and found the robotic dog holding his phone in its mouth. Apparently, it wanted him to answer a call. He took the phone and checked the screen: Min So-hee's name was glowing there.

"Hello?"

Hi, you got home from work all right, right?

"Of course. But what's this about..."

It's not about work. I was wondering if you could come out right now?

"Sorry?"

Ah, it's just—we're at our team dinner right now, and everyone's been going crazy about how much they miss you.

"......"

A chill ran down his spine.

He had never once attended a team dinner. What could they possibly want with him there?

Deputy Manager Shin next to me is begging for you too.

Right on cue, Shin's tear-choked voice rang out through the phone.

I'm sorry... Siyoon! Please come back... please!

From the sound of it, the man was thoroughly drunk.

Min So-hee came back on the line. "I hate to say it, but it's about time I go to bed."

Aww... it's only eight!

"I sleep early."

Aren't you putting up way too high a wall? Fine, fine. Then you owe me a drink later—just the two of us.

Click.

And the call ended.

Just the two of us? Drinking?

"How am I supposed to have a drink with just the two of us without it being awkward..."

As Siyoon muttered to himself, Jeombak-i barked away.

"What? You want to watch TV?"

Woof!

"All right. Let's watch some TV, then."

When Siyoon found the remote and turned on the television, the dog settled quietly onto the sofa beside him and began enjoying the movie.

The next day.

Siyoon arrived at the warehouse office in the early morning and switched on his computer. He immediately logged into his HTS and pulled up yesterday's chart for Jain Tech.

Jain Tech had posted another dot upper circuit while maintaining strong trading volume. The trend, he judged, was highly likely to continue.

The stock had already broken into new high territory, so technical analysis meant little now. The real question was how high it would climb. When he opened the financial news, Jain Tech was front and center.

Every outlet was predicting another limit-up day for Jain Tech.

If it hits the limit again this time...

His gains so far stood at 1.65 billion won.

Another limit-up today would nearly double that. A 100 percent return on his principal.

But no matter how rosy the mood, nothing was ever certain in the markets—complacency was out of the question. The price could just as easily turn the other way, so he needed a contingency plan ready.

"Hoo..."

Siyoon's hands settled on the keyboard and the mouse.

As he steadied his breathing and waited for the market to open, the clock quietly ticked over to 9:00 sharp.

He widened his eyes and stared hard at the order book.

And once again, the price had frozen at a single point, refusing to budge.

"Again...?!"

A second consecutive dot upper circuit.

The dream had become reality once more.

Siyoon's gaze slid over to the profit column.

Three billion won in gains, in a matter of days.

Checking the figure, Siyoon swallowed hard. Then he muttered to himself in disbelief,

"Where on earth is the top?"