Suddenly Clear Vision
LK Telecom Headquarters had a company cafeteria.
There were roughly five menu options, and the selection sometimes changed with the seasons. The food was average at best, which was why most employees went out to eat. Of course, when time was tight or the schedule awkward, they would wolf something down in the cafeteria and hurry off.
But I liked the cafeteria. The prices were reasonable, the food came out quickly, you could choose what you wanted, it was quiet, and the odds of running into someone were low.
Today, as usual, the cafeteria was nearly empty. A handful of people sat scattered here and there, eating. I scanned the menu and settled on bibimbap. It wasn’t something I normally ordered, but for some reason my eyes kept drifting to it today.
Bibimbap packed a solid mix of vegetables, which meant high fiber intake and a decent balance of vitamins and minerals. The ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat was fairly stable, so blood sugar stayed steady and digestion was easy.
Damn it. Even eating had me thinking like this now.
As I ate, I turned over the strange things that had been happening to me lately. Subduing those high school kids in an instant. My body feeling lighter. Sudden strength and sharper reflexes. The heavy fog that had filled my head until a few days ago had lifted, and confidence kept welling up for no clear reason. No matter how much I drank, I never got drunk. Sometimes time itself seemed to slow. My concentration had sharpened so much that I could tear through a book in moments, every scrap of knowledge and information sorting itself at high speed inside my mind.
Am I really about to die? Then why doesn’t my head hurt?
I scooped up the last spoonful and put it in my mouth.
After lunch I went back up to the office. The two tasks I had finished that morning were the kind of tedious, annoying work that might not have been done even if I stayed late. In other words, I had already completed my quota for the day.
In the past I would have moved on to something else, but now I found myself wondering whether I really needed to push that hard. Finishing the work I was given and then resting was better for my health.
I spent the time leisurely, reading a book or scrolling through internet articles on my phone.
That was when someone burst into the office in a hurry—Manager Park Heegon, back from the sales team meeting. The moment he stepped inside, his sharp eyes locked onto me lounging comfortably in my chair. He strode over and held out his hand.
“Looking free, so I take it you finished what I assigned? Let’s see it.”
The corner of his mouth curled in a sly little smile. Park Heegon was a middle-aged man with a plump build and a somewhat generous face, but his eyes carried a sharp, calculating edge. He wore his short hair parted to the side, and faint wrinkles creased his narrow forehead. He always stuck to a neat suit, though he had a habit of wearing his tie loose.
I handed him the documents I had already printed.
“Here they are. I organized everything into files and sent them to your email as well. Just in case, I also noted the problems and possible improvements. You can refer to those.”
“Huh? Huh? You already finished all of this?”
Manager Park stammered, clearly flustered. He had never expected the work to be done this fast. His narrow eyes went wide.
“Yes. Please take a look.”
I answered calmly. He fixed me with another sharp glare and tapped the file folder with his index finger.
“If this was done half-heartedly or the analysis is off, you’ll redo it from the beginning. Understood?”
“Yes. Understood.”
Even under the pressure, I met his eyes without flinching. I hadn’t done anything wrong, so there was no reason to shrink myself. I had no particular attachment to this company anyway. Whatever happened, happened.
My attitude clearly didn’t sit well with him. Manager Park frowned and returned to his desk, then began reviewing the report I had submitted.
Srrrk—
In the heavy silence, the sound of him turning pages rang out clearly. I glanced over. The initial expression was gone; surprise was slowly taking its place. He no longer seemed aware of the people around him, sinking deeper into the report.
Of course he was surprised. Work that might not have been finished even after a full day of grinding had been completed perfectly in a single morning. Even I, the one who had done it, found it hard to believe.
Watching Manager Park’s face change in real time, a smile slipped out before I could stop it.
Am I losing it? Snap out of it, Noh Hoojin.
I headed straight for the pantry. A cup of coffee would clear my head.
After reviewing every page, Park Heegon still couldn’t trust his own eyes. He flipped through the report again and again, but there was nothing to criticize. If anything, it was organized so cleanly that the whole thing could be taken in at a glance. The analysis, the problems, and the solutions flowed together as smoothly as water.
What the hell… This was clearly work that shouldn’t have been finished today. Did someone help him? No—help would only have tangled it further. Then what kind of trick did he pull?
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t make sense of it. But he couldn’t sit there forever either. He had another meeting with the sales team soon for a new project he had just taken on. Park Heegon left his seat as if fleeing.
A moment later, once Park was gone, Kim Seungho lifted his head like a meerkat and scanned the room. Confirming it was safe, he let out a short whistle and spoke.
“Whew~ Seeing him just let it go means you handled it perfectly, right? Wow, finishing that in the morning—is that even possible? Seriously impressive.”
“Was it that difficult?”
Kang Bitna asked while watching Noh Hoojin’s retreating back. Kim Seungho continued in a near-whisper.
“Of course it was. Pulling the data together intuitively is one thing, but analyzing it and laying out a clear direction is a whole different level. I’m still learning, and it’s not easy. Never knew Assistant Manager Noh had that side to him. Our hero, as expected. Did he awaken or something?”
“What was Assistant Manager Noh like before?”
Kang Bitna, who had been waiting for the chance, asked casually.
“Assistant Manager Noh? How should I put it…”
He checked the surroundings once more, then leaned in as if sharing a secret.
“Like a shadow, I guess? There but not really there. Barely spoke, always expressionless, and the work—”
“Kim.”
Jo Cheoljeong, who had been working silently beside them, leaned back and looked at Kim Seungho.
“This doesn’t seem like the time for idle chatter. Have you finished the competitor trends and power analysis I gave you?”
Jo Cheoljeong’s expression didn’t change at all. His tone was cold and dry, his eyes calm and settled.
“Ah! Yes! Sorry, Assistant Manager! I’ll finish it today and get it to you!”
Kim Seungho switched gears instantly, bowed, and threw himself back into his work.
Kang Bitna glanced at Assistant Manager Noh Hoojin as he returned with his coffee. She hadn’t been at the company long, but she had heard a few things about him. The man she had seen at the bus stop a few days ago, and the one who had stepped in to save her from Heo Seongtae, felt like completely different people.
Like Kim said, did he awaken somehow? Or has he been hiding this all along? Then why show it now?
The more she learned, the more curious she became. Then the memory of Friday night surfaced unbidden, and a fresh wave of embarrassment hit her.
Ugh… Looking him in the face is going to be rough for a while.
I pretended to work while scanning stock-related articles, blogs, and videos floating around the internet. As I learned more about the field, one thought kept rising to the surface: stocks were far too big a game for an individual to take on head-on.
The only way a regular person learned about an issue with a particular stock was through the media, and by then professional corporate forces had already swept through once. Jump in late and you were likely to get your ankle caught—or end up holding the bag.
Investing based on issues isn’t the way. By the time I know about an issue, it’s no longer an issue.
I needed a different approach. Thoughts raced through my mind, and like puzzle pieces they began locking into place—rational, original ideas forming one after another. It was genuinely strange.
When I checked the time, it was already six. My desk was already cleared. I stood without hesitation.
“I’ll be heading out first.”
I nodded toward Manager Park and turned without lingering.
“Ah—uh, uh. Yeah. Go ahead.”
Manager Park stammered, sounding awkward. The moment I stood, Kim Seungho and Kang Bitna rose in a chain, as if they had only been waiting for me to make the first move.
These guys…
Jo Cheoljeong, on the other hand, kept his hands moving, still buried in his work.
I left the company and headed straight for the optical shop. Y Optical near the office was relatively cheap and carried a lot of practical designs. I had gotten my horn-rimmed glasses there, so they would have my records.
I considered going to an ophthalmologist, but the clinics were always packed and the wait would be long. Without prior medical records, it would also be hard for them to make a clean judgment.
“I think my prescription might be off. I’m getting a little dizzy.”
“Ah, is that so? This way, please. Let’s check your vision first.”
Once the measurement was finished, the optician compared the previous record with the new results on the computer and squinted. Something was clearly off.
“Is something wrong?”
At my question, the optician tilted his head.
“Hmm… strange. When you had your glasses fitted before, did you feel dizzy at all?”
“No. They were perfect.”
“Hmm… this is really odd. Mr. Noh Hoojin’s previous vision was about 0.2 in both eyes, but the measurement just now came out around 0.8. I ran it twice—same result both times.”
Even as he said it, the optician wore an awkward smile, as if he couldn’t quite believe his own words. Machine error? He used the equipment dozens of times a day. That didn’t seem likely. Then…
“So you’re saying my eyes got better?”
“Well… I don’t really understand it either. The only other explanation would be a system error, but when I checked the old lens power, it was definitely 0.2.”
“Do people’s eyes ever improve naturally?”
I asked, a little flustered. The optician tilted his head again.
“Well… this is a first for me. If you dig through the cases, there are extremely rare reports, but nothing scientifically proven. You’d probably be better off seeing a hospital…”
“Ah, right.”
The optician kept saying “well” and shrugged, which basically meant he had no idea. Fair enough—he wasn’t an ophthalmologist. Maybe I really should go to a hospital.
“Shall I remake the lenses for 0.8, then? People who do a lot of near work for long stretches are better off using the correct prescription.”
“Yes, please. I’ll keep the same frames.”
“Understood. I’ll match them to the previous product. Feel free to look around while you wait a bit.”
The optician stood and began moving busily. I walked a slow circuit of the shop, browsing the frames. Famous brand names were stamped everywhere.
Then, without any effort, stocks related to eyewear floated naturally into my mind.
Hmm? Not bad…