Chapter 10: When the Team Leader is Obsessed, There’s a Lot of Overtime-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 10: When the Team Leader is Obsessed, There’s a Lot of Overtime-2
The first word that came to mind when I saw 'Lee Mina' was prickly.
Her sharp eyes looked like they would scrutinize every little detail, and the way she stood with her arms crossed was nothing short of overbearing.
"Good morning. The leaders' meeting ran late."
She stated the reason for her tardiness, but it didn't sound like an apology or an excuse. It was more of a 'that’s just how it is' nuance.
She then scanned the room, her gaze lingering as if checking to see if anyone was missing.
"......."
Our eyes met again, and I was certain.
She was the one who would become obsessed with me in this world.
I couldn't explain why. It was just a gut feeling.
Then again, the very concept of dimension transferring was nonsensical to begin with. It wasn't strange to develop this kind of intuition.
"I don't care how much overtime you did. Isn't it common courtesy to show up to work looking presentable? Don't you agree, In-ho?"
The moment she sat down, Lee Mina pointed me out with a flick of her chin.
Every eye in the room turned toward me. Even the people who had been whispering earlier about how the Team Leader had been too hard on me stared down at their notebooks, silent as statues.
So, she was the top of the food chain in this office.
"I'll be more mindful."
I gave a standard response, but she didn't seem satisfied.
"In-ho, is something bothering you?"
"No, nothing."
"I'm asking because it doesn't seem like 'nothing.'"
"No, really. There's nothing."
"Then why are you—"
Her tone rose, as if she were getting heated.
As a confrontation broke out the moment the meeting started, the other team members shrank into their seats, nervously glancing between the two of us.
In the ice-cold atmosphere, one person quietly raised their hand.
"Um... Mina-nim, In-ho said he wasn't feeling well earlier... and that he was going to leave early."
"Yu-na. I'm asking In-ho right now, aren't I?"
When Mina replied with a thin smile, Yu-na muttered a quick "I'm sorry" and hung her head low.
"So... you're leaving early because you're not feeling well?"
"Yes. I was planning to tell you after the scrum meeting."
"Well... I checked the work I assigned yesterday via email. But don't you think it's a bit irresponsible to leave early when we're this busy?"
She should consider herself lucky. If I were my usual self, I would have flipped the desk by now.
I thought a young Team Leader might be more open-minded, but her behavior was no different from the old-school tyrants of the eighties.
"I don't believe this company will collapse just because one person is gone."
When I spat out a line I used to say often in my past life, Lee Mina’s face contorted severely.
Everyone in the meeting room gaped at me. It was as if they never expected such words to come out of my mouth.
My irritation from the dimension transfer, and my anger at the fact that I had possessed this body because the original owner had worked himself to death...
All of it mixed together, poking at my true personality. I leaned back in my chair, adopting a cocky posture.
"So, are you going to authorize my early departure or not?"
*
Naturally, the morning scrum didn't proceed properly.
Whether out of anger at my provocation or something else, Lee Mina ended the meeting. As she sent the other team members out, she told me she wanted a private word.
The people outside were probably buzzing about what just happened.
They’d say it was unexpected, or that they didn't realize I had such a nasty streak—all sorts of unfiltered gossip.
'I'd rather be a student again.'
I smiled bitterly, thinking of the previous dimension. If I had been more careful with On-yu, would I still be in that world? I felt a pang of regret, but it was already water under the bridge.
"In-ho. Do you have a problem with me?"
"No. I just don't feel well from the overtime and want to go home."
"I didn't know you were someone who could speak so coldly."
She pointed a finger at my employee ID badge. The man in the photo was a handsome guy with a naive smile; to me, he looked like a frustrating pushover.
"It depends on the situation."
"That..."
The back-and-forth continued. She kept probing for the reason behind my change in heart, and I kept shutting her down.
After about five minutes of this meaningless sparring, she raised her hands slightly in a gesture of surrender and shook her head.
"Fine. Go home. You've been doing a lot of overtime lately, so it's natural to be tired."
"Thank you."
As I bowed and turned to leave the meeting room, she called out to me.
"In-ho. You... haven't received a job offer from another company, have you?"
"No, I haven't."
Before I knew it, she had closed the distance. She placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned her face close to mine.
"If you're acting like this because you hate the company, tell me anytime. I'll clear all of that away for you."
As she gave a thin smile, her eyes were murky—utterly murky.