Chapter 17: Office Tyrant-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Office Tyrant-2
Tap, tap, tap. The sound of typing on a keyboard.
Slide. The sound of a drawer being opened.
Scratch, scratch. The sound of a pencil writing something down.
To an outsider, it might have looked like a perfectly normal day at the office.
In fact, the department head, who had popped his head in for the first time in a while, even remarked, "Everyone is working so hard," before leaving.
He had no idea that this environment was the result of external pressure.
This suffocating feeling of not being able to do anything as I pleased. The sensation that if I let my guard down for even a second, I’d be screwed.
'I wondered why this felt so familiar.'
I chuckled to myself as I realized the source of this déjà vu: it felt exactly like the military barracks on the first day of my deployment.
Before, these faces had been full of life, laughing and chatting.
But now, as if a monster had snatched away their very souls, their faces were frozen. With hollow eyes, they stared at their monitors like stone statues staring out at the sea.
'Are they actually working, or are they just counting the molecules in the air?'
Then again, in an atmosphere like this, I wouldn't be able to concentrate either.
I was currently looking over my tasks in this suddenly studious environment. There were things I hadn't been able to check properly over the weekend.
I knew all too well that it was impossible to master years' worth of work in just three or four days.
If someone asked if I planned to keep working here, I’d have to say I hadn't made up my mind yet.
However, I felt that as a member of this company, I should at least do the bare minimum. So, I was studying—something I never thought was in my cards.
Ping.
While I was exploring the shared folder, a notification popped up from the messenger in the bottom right corner.
System: Kim Yu-na has invited Kang In-ho.
[Kim Yu-na: I’ve brought In-ho in.]
[Kang In-ho: ??]
The moment I was invited, messages began flying across the screen at a dizzying pace.
What is this? Some kind of private group chat they made?
[Kang In-ho: What is this room for?]
[Seo Seo-rim: It’s just a place for us to talk comfortably.]
[Kang In-ho: I see.]
[Kim Yu-na: In-ho, do you happen to know if something happened with Mina?]
Well, something definitely happened.
[Kang In-ho: Like I said earlier, I’m not really sure.]
[Yun Hye-young: I don’t think she’s ever been this irritable before.]
[Kang In-ho: I didn't think she seemed that annoyed.]
[Yun Hye-young: You don’t know her well, In-ho. If that’s not being annoyed, I don’t know what is.]
Then, a flood of complaints about Mina followed.
To summarize those petty grievances: [We have no idea why she’s suddenly acting like this.]
Well, I suppose they have a right to be frustrated.
If I were the old me, maybe I’d know, but since I don't know everything that’s happened in the interim, I couldn't jump in and say anything.
But I still didn't get why they invited me.
It didn't seem like they wanted me to join in on the backstabbing, nor did it seem like they were trying to gauge Mina’s mood through me.
[Kim Yu-na: In-ho, couldn't you try talking to Mina?]
[Kang In-ho: About what?]
[Kim Yu-na: You know... like, maybe she’s giving us too much work at once. Or that the team atmosphere is bad. Things like that.]
[Kang In-ho: Me?]
[Kim Yu-na: You’re the closest to her, In-ho. You two pull a lot of overtime together.]
So, it was a "please persuade her for us" situation.
Suddenly, this company felt like total shit. I really need to start looking for a new job.
The once-active chat room suddenly went dead.
What, did everyone’s internet cut out at the same time?
"What are you doing?"
I heard a voice behind me and turned around to find Mina standing there.
"Oh? Ah..."
The people who had been typing away just a second ago were nowhere to be found; everyone looked like model employees buried in their work.
Wow, their peripheral vision is incredible. They should teach me that.
Feeling like I’d been caught looking at something I shouldn't have, I minimized the messenger window quickly but as naturally as possible.
"If you aren't particularly busy, let's have a meeting."
Unlike the anxious face she had shown over the weekend, today’s Mina looked composed.
"A meeting?"
"Yes, a meeting."
"Understood. Should I book a conference room?"
"No, it’s not going to be that formal. Let's just talk over lunch."
"Okay."
As I stood up, everyone’s eyes fixed on me. It was almost pitiful to see them rolling their eyes, not daring to turn their heads.
Once I left with Mina, they’d probably start talking amongst themselves again.
It was the natural order of things, but for some reason, it rubbed me the wrong way.
"In-ho and I are going to grab lunch."
"Okay~" the employees replied brightly.
"And it’s fine to have your own chat rooms, but don't talk behind people's backs too much."
"......."
The employees' expressions darkened instantly.
Man, that’s chilling.
"I’ll let it slide this time, but if I see it again, I’ll tear everything apart."
Her voice, devoid of any inflection, sounded truly terrifying.
As if signaling that lunchtime was near, office workers began pouring out onto Sam-sa O-o Street in small groups.
Mina and I walked toward the restaurant alley.
"What do you want to eat?"
"Anything is fine. What about you, Mina?"
She quietly leaned in close to me and spoke.
"As long as it’s something you want to eat, In-ho, I’ll like anything."
The words whispered in my ear felt incredibly heavy.