Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Administrative Department Female Employee’s Approach (2)
O Ha-young was good at drinking and talked a lot.
She looked excited, as if she were in high spirits.
Was it because she was having a date alone like this with an elite employee from Seoul National University? Moreover, since Kim Chirok resembled the actor Song Joong-ki and was good-looking, that may have added to it.
“Kim Chirok, you’re not drinking much. Have another glass.”
“I am drinking.”
“To be honest, I’ll gather my courage with the help of alcohol. Do you know that I like you, Kim Chirok?”
“Pardon?”
“Do you know what Moon Ji-hye from the computer room said when you came to our company after finishing your new employee training?”
“Moon Ji-hye? What did she say?”
Moon Ji-hye was someone he had never really thought about. They had only crossed paths a few times for work. He didn’t know her hometown or school background. And there was no need to know such things.
“She said a good man seemed to have joined. So I told her to stay away, because I had my eye on you.”
“What?”
“Kim Chirok, I know you don’t have a girlfriend. That’s something only women can sense. Am I wrong?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Since you’re being transferred to the group headquarters, congratulations for now.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m disappointed. I was just starting to get closer to you, and now you’re leaving. You’ll still come to Incheon often, right?”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
“I’ve heard that going to the group headquarters makes promotions faster. You can get promoted to assistant manager and then come back to H Chemicals.”
“Is… that something you can just do? It’s company-assigned work.”
“I’ve heard they also have language classes in the mornings at the group headquarters. You’ll keep studying Japanese, right?”
“I’ve already started, so I guess I have to continue.”
“Let’s travel to Japan together next year.”
“Pardon?”
“I went to Fukuoka with friends last year. I’ve also been to Tokyo when I was in university.”
“Is that so?”
“Next time, I’m thinking of traveling to Osaka or Kyoto. I’m not good at English, but you are, so there won’t be any inconvenience at places like hotels or airports.”
“B-But aren’t you drinking too much?”
“It’s fine. I can just call a designated driver.”
[A low-level female employee drinking and calling a designated driver? She’d completely ruin her household.]
“Calling a designated driver costs money.”
“It’s fine. I earn my salary and spend it on myself.”
“You don’t save money?”
“Hoho. How could you save money that way? I invest my salary in self-development. My father told me to do the same.”
“I heard your father runs a motel in Juan.”
“Oh my! Who said my father runs a motel?”
[They said motel… was I mistaken? Or did I hear wrong?]
“One of our employees must have said that…”
“Ah, I know. It must be Kang Ji-eun from the HR team. She’s the one spreading rumors that I was a school bully.”
“Is that just a rumor?”
“I did slap her once because she was going around saying bad things about me in school. She still seems to hold a grudge because of that.”
“But slapping someone…”
“Didn’t you ever get into fights during your teenage years? That kind of thing is common while growing up, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes…”
“But it’s pathetic that she still goes around talking about it as an adult. Kang Ji-eun is really something.”
Kim Chirok drank a little beer. As he ate a piece of sashimi, he looked closely at O Ha-young’s face. She really did look sharp-tempered.
She wasn’t his type at all. He preferred calm, modest, traditionally feminine women.
Kim Chirok said,
“Excuse me, but what does your father do?”
“It’s not a motel, it’s a hotel. Kang Ji-eun from HR tried to belittle us by calling it a motel, but it’s clearly a hotel!”
“Is that so? So he’s the owner of a hotel.”
“It’s not big. It’s more like a motel-level hotel. But it is a hotel that definitely provides breakfast in the morning.”
“That’s nice. Having a father who runs a hotel.”
“That’s why a lot of men with strange intentions try to approach me. But you’re not like that, Kim Chirok.”
“Me? I’m not?”
“Aren’t you someone who only focuses on your work? I heard that from Director Park in the planning office and our administrative director.”
“What did they say?”
“They said you’re someone who has no hobbies and only knows work.”
“Really?”
That was true. Kim Chirok only knew work.
But there was a reason. As a person, he did want to have hobbies. However, those things all cost money.
Kim Chirok was saving 3 million won from his salary and also sending living expenses to his mother in Bongcheon-dong.
He had no room to spare for anything else.
“Kim Chirok?”
“Yes?”
“We’ll meet often, right?”
“Incheon and Seoul aren’t close. How would we meet often?”
“When you go to Seoul, will you live with your parents? Where is your home?”
“Bongcheon-dong.”
“What? Bongcheon-dong? Not Gangnam? Didn’t you go to high school in Gangnam?”
“I did attend school in Gangnam, but I’ve since moved.”
At this, a faint crease appeared between O Ha-young’s eyebrows. Then she murmured to herself,
“I told my father that Kim Chirok lives in Gangnam and graduated from Seoul National University…”
“What? You told your father about me?”
Kim Chirok was shocked.
“Since I had a potential match, I said I knew a good man at the company.”
“Why am I your boyfriend?”
“Then are you perhaps friends with Moon Ji-hye from the computer room or Kang Ji-eun from HR?”
“I have no interest in female employees at the company.”
“As expected of a Seoul National University graduate, you’re quite aloof. I like that about you. Have another drink.”
Smiling, O Ha-young picked up the bottle and poured more into Kim Chirok’s glass. Kim Chirok wasn’t in a particularly good mood, but he also filled her empty glass. They drank in silence. After a while, O Ha-young raised her glass and said,
“Let’s do a bravo toast.”
He couldn’t refuse a bravo toast. They clinked glasses and drank.
O Ha-young kept looking at Kim Chirok with a pleased expression.
“If you live in Bongcheon-dong, let’s sometimes meet around Sindorim Station. It’s convenient to get there from Bongcheon-dong by taking Line 2. Since I live in Guwol-dong near Incheon City Hall, I can get there with just one transfer.”
“What would we do when we meet?”
“What do you mean? We’d eat, watch movies, drink like today, and relieve stress from work.”
Kim Chirok glanced at his watch and said,
“By the way, it’s gotten quite late. Won’t your parents worry if you go home late?”
“If I tell them I’m with you, they won’t say anything.”
[They won’t say anything if they know I’m with you? This is unbelievable.]
Kim Chirok was so dumbfounded he lost his words. He just stared at her with his mouth slightly open.
Suddenly, O Ha-young stood up and moved to sit next to him. Then she took out her smartphone and took a selfie of them together.
“Ah! What are you doing?”
“We need proof photos. Otherwise my parents will scold me for coming home late.”
She took another photo. Since it was a selfie, both of their faces came out large. O Ha-young was smiling, while Kim Chirok looked bewildered.
“I don’t look good in photos. Please don’t take pictures of me in the future.”
“What does it matter? Oh, we’ve run out of alcohol. Should we order another bottle?”
“Let’s get up. It seems like you’ve had enough. I’ll pay for the meal.”
“Thank you. Please call a designated driver for me. Or I’ll call one myself.”
O Ha-young asked the restaurant owner at the counter for a designated driver number.
Her phone call could be heard.
“Come to the public parking lot next to Yeonan Police Station. It’s a silver BMW.”
Kim Chirok frowned.
Even if she came from a wealthy family, he found it displeasing that a low-level employee was driving a BMW.
The two stepped outside.
The sea breeze of Yeonan Pier seemed to be blowing. O Ha-young didn’t link arms with Kim Chirok, but she held onto his sleeve.
Looking up at him with a smile, she said,
“You’ll come out to Sindorim Station often, right?”
“Well… I’m not sure.”
“I know I’m not a very capable woman. I didn’t go to a Seoul university and studied in Incheon.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Really, right?”
Holding his right sleeve, O Ha-young took another selfie.
The designated driver arrived.
O Ha-young said she would use her own car to take Kim Chirok back to his one-room apartment.
Even in the car, she seemed to be in a good mood, frequently glancing at him.
She looked at him with a face full of happiness.
When it was time to part, O Ha-young held out her little finger.
“Let’s promise to meet often at Sindorim Station.”
When a woman extends her hand like that, it was hard to refuse. So Kim Chirok casually extended his hand.
“Kim Chirok, I enjoyed the sashimi today.”
“No. I’m the one who should thank you for making time.”
“You use Instagram, right?”
“Pardon? I don’t.”
“I guess I won’t be able to attend Japanese class tomorrow.”
“I’ll go tomorrow at least. I should at least say goodbye to the Japanese instructor.”
O Ha-young and Kim Chirok exchanged a final handshake.
Kim Chirok returned to his one-room apartment and called his mother.
“Mom? I’ve been transferred to the Seoul headquarters.”
“Really? That’s good news.”
“I’ll work here until tomorrow, and I think I’ll move out of the one-room place the day after tomorrow.”
“Don’t get another one-room place. Just commute from Bongcheon-dong. By the way, where is the headquarters?”
“It’s in Gangnam. On Teheran-ro.”
“If it’s Gangnam, that’s good. You can just take Line 2. It’ll be less lonely for me now.”
His mother sounded happy.
She had been lonely living alone, so hearing that her son would be moving back seemed to please her.