Cornered: The Next Morning
I handed my work phone to Saori that morning, just like yesterday, and headed into the office. I was speechless when I saw a bunch of suits I'd never seen before ripping out my desktop from under the desk, taking the whole thing.
That's when a middle-aged man who looked like their boss approached me. "Good morning. Are you Kim Taemin from the Night Zero Dungeon development team?"
"Yes."
"We're from the audit team. You're suspected of leaking company confidential information." He flashed his company ID as he said it, then glanced at my pants pocket and held out his right hand. "We need to do a digital forensics check, so please hand over the phone you're using."
…I'd braced myself for something like this, but I hadn't expected the audit team to move this fast.
I knew refusing to hand over my phone here would just make me look suspicious, so I obediently pulled it out and gave it to him.
"Now we need to question you, so follow us."
With that, the audit team members headed toward the elevators.
"……."
Honestly, I wasn't thrilled, but I decided to comply with their instructions for now.
The image that usually comes to mind with "interrogation" is cops in a police station grilling a suspect—mixing carrot and stick to squeeze out any clues.
But the questioning I got in the audit team's office was surprisingly procedural. Did I know about the exposé post on the company messenger? Had I actually leaked any internal secrets? Did I suspect anyone who might have posted it? Things like that.
I answered their questions as sincerely as possible. Of course, I skipped anything that could be used against me legally, but since these guys were just doing their jobs for a paycheck, I cooperated as much as I could. Neither of us wanted to waste time pointlessly.
"…Understood. We'll contact you once the digital forensics results come in."
"Thanks for your time."
With the team leader seeing me out, I realized a good chunk of time had passed during the interrogation and hurried back to the office.
Clunk—
The office was its usual cacophony of noise when I returned. Keyboards clacking furiously, phone calls about work, footsteps of employees darting around to copy documents.
The team was already swamped, and now it looked like I'd been slacking off alone, so I quietly closed the door and slipped inside.
Luckily, everyone was too buried in their own work to pay me much mind—unlike yesterday.
'Wonder if they'll give my phone back tomorrow.'
Thinking that as I sat down, my junior—who was deep in his typing—spoke up first.
"Deputy, what was that at the audit office?"
"Nothing much. Just some obvious questions and a free coffee."
As I answered and instinctively tried to nudge the PC tower under my desk with my foot out of habit, I kicked at empty air and realized it was gone.
"Ah."
Right, the audit team had taken it earlier.
With nothing better to do—like legally Lupin-ing my salary for the day—I leaned back in my chair and asked my busy junior.
"Seokjin, what's the office vibe on me right now?"
"You asking 'cause you don't know? It's the worst, obviously."
"Yeah, it'd be weirder if it wasn't."
In a situation where no one knew who to blame, I'd become the perfect target to throw stones at.
'Maybe I should seriously think about jumping ship.'
Truth be told, the only reason I'd stuck it out without quitting so far was my own stubbornness. I felt like if I left too, the game's prototype would vanish without a trace. But after this mess, all that attachment had drained away.
'I've done my part anyway.'
No one would blame me for quitting now.
I was deep in thoughts about my future when—
"Deputy Kim."
"Yes?"
I looked up at the sudden voice and saw the youngest female staffer fidgeting. "Um, the CEO said to move your desk out of the office…."
"……."
At this point, it was almost admirable.
Not content with sending me to the audit team right after I arrived, now they were kicking my desk out too. The determination to fire me was so blatant it was almost funny. Even office dramas on TV wouldn't be this overt these days.
Anyway, I didn't want to make a scene and blush over something like this, so I said okay and sent the young staffer back to her seat.
"Deputy, you're really moving your desk?"
"Gotta do what the paycheck says."
Heave-ho! I hoisted my desk up as I said it, and the surrounding employees stared at me in confusion.
But I ignored the looks, desk in hand, and hauled it out into the hallway.
People from other departments passing by gawked like I was some freak, but hey, I'd come this far—no point in embarrassment now.
Having moved both desk and chair out of the office, I headed straight for the CEO's office to give them a show.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Unlike usual, I barged into the CEO's office without permission. Lee Hyuncheol, seated in his chair, furrowed his brow. "What do you think you're doing, Deputy Kim?"
I cut straight to it. "Are you really gonna keep playing these childish games?"
"Childish? What are you talking about?"
"Yanking my desk when you don't even know if that messenger post is real—it's basically telling me to get out of the company."
Lee Hyuncheol scoffed like it was absurd and swiveled his chair toward me. "If you're innocent, why not just sit tight until the results come in? And you think I'd pull something like this without any evidence?"
"Evidence? What evidence?"
"You think I don't know you've been in constant contact with people who've left the company?"
"What the—!"
"We got an anonymous tip. Said you seemed suspicious."
I raised my voice without thinking at his ridiculous claim. "They're people I was close to even before they quit! A few check-in calls make that leaking secrets?!"
He shrugged. "Who knows? You could be lying. As project lead, you need to separate work and personal strictly. So wait quietly for the audit results."
Then he waved his hand dismissively, like I was a nuisance.
A clear dismissal.
"……."
Rage boiled up at his attitude—like I was beneath notice—but there was nothing I could do right then.
In the end, I left the CEO's office empty-handed, utterly defeated.
To cool my anger, I moved to the emergency stairs and slammed my fist into the wall.
Bam!!
"…Fuck."
I was pissed. Beyond being framed for something I didn't do, I couldn't even properly fight back.
And worse, the helplessness hit harder.
'The seniors who left first must've felt like this.'
I knew the situation was bullshit, but I was powerless against it. Because Lee Hyuncheol held the knife, not me.
'Can't trust the audit team either.'
I'd thought with no real evidence, my innocence would be proven quickly. But seeing the CEO so smug, it looked like he'd fabricate something to boot me out.
'What now?'
No ideas on breaking out of this.
With the boss against me, no one would take my side, and my rep was already in the gutter from the rumors. Like checkers, I was almost checkmated.
The only play was finding who posted on Blind, but as a random guy—not even a cop—they wouldn't cooperate.
Clunk!
"Aigoo, Deputy, you're here again."
The emergency stair door flew open, and my junior peeked in.
"What's up?"
"Not looking for you for anything specific—just checking if you're okay."
He came down the stairs, casually offering his cigarette case.
"No smoking in the stairs, you know."
I swatted it away, and he shrugged. "Suit yourself." Then he hit me with, "So, what's your plan now?"
I sighed deeply. "Hell if I know."
I'd been ready to quit if needed, but things kept twisting—might end up leaving without proper severance. If I couldn't land a new job right away, months of unemployment meant risking having to pay back any severance. Pure risk.
"…Want me to sweet-talk the CEO? Beg him to let you go nicely?"
"Nah, man. What could you even say?"
He sighed heavily. "I'm frustrated, that's why. Seeing my only senior head down a tough path over stupid pride."
"……."
First time he'd said something like that to me. Made it even harder to drag him into this.
"I'll handle it, so don't worry about me."
I refused his help, and he sighed again, like no choice. "Don't regret it later. 'Should've let you help,' you know?"
"Won't happen."
Forcing a tough smile, I said we should head back before being away too long drew eyes, and shoved my junior's back to get him moving.