Chapter 43
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Desperately Seeking Sanity
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"Doctor, I think we really need to hire a new staff member now."
"Yeah. That's a great idea."
It seemed Seo In-ae had finally reached her limit too. Unlike last time when I'd nagged her about cutting costs, this time she just nodded without a word.
'We've saved a ton on expenses so far, all thanks to In-ae.'
I made a mental note to give her a big bonus this month.
"Any preferences for what kind of person you'd like?"
"Hmm..."
"Speak freely. You'll be spending a lot of time with me, and there'll be plenty to teach them."
Seo In-ae pondered for a moment.
What kind of person did she prefer? Someone experienced who needed little training? Or a young, obedient type who listened well?
"As long as they're just a normal, sensible person, that'd be fine."
But Seo In-ae gave a serene, almost enlightened smile with her answer.
Why was she like that? Had her previous coworkers been that awful?
"Hope we get someone good."
Was that why she'd resisted hiring an extra person all this time? She didn't seem to have major social issues, though.
Anyway, since she didn't have strong opinions, I could just pick someone I liked.
'Oh, maybe we're a bit out of the way, so not many applicants? Might not have the luxury of being picky.'
Nah, we were on a major subway line. It shouldn't be that bad.
I referenced job postings from nearby clinics to set working days and base pay, then posted our ad.
And three days later.
My inbox had thirty resumes.
"More than I expected. Is the job market that rough right now?"
I printed them all and carefully reviewed each applicant's experience and intro letter.
First, filter out anyone with non-standard selfies instead of proper headshots. Toss resumes with spelling that made me doubt their education.
Getting our clinic name wrong... well, I'll let that slide. They probably applied to twenty places each, so thirty came in.
Aside from a few weird ones, most were solid. I did three rounds of screening and called in five for interviews.
"Doctor, has Geum Yeon-hwa, who was scheduled for 1 PM, contacted us?"
"Nope."
"Give her a call, please."
"Got it. But she probably won't pick up."
"Huh?"
...Number one was a no-show.
Luckily, the next applicant showed up on time thirty minutes later.
"Oh~ Sorry, Director! I was a bit late, right~?"
Five minutes late wasn't bad. She said the walk from the station had a slight incline, taking longer than the app estimated.
"No problem. Come on in. Tea?"
"Oh my, that'd be lovely! I'll enjoy it."
"You have solid experience. Why apply here...?"
"I got fired! They wanna hire pretty young things! Even bumping my pay a bit must've been a burden! Ugh, and now no one hires an old lady like me!"
But number two was... something else.
She cut me off and ranted endlessly about badmouthing her old boss.
"Ah, that's... tough."
"So, Director, how old are you? Twenties? Thirties?"
"Twenty-six."
"Aigoo! Practically a baby! Half my age?"
She'd switched to casual speech at some point.
Being friendly was a plus, but crossing lines was trouble.
I asked a few basics and sent her off.
"Thanks for coming. Here's a little interview fee. We'll let you know this week."
And the third interviewee.
"Kim Yun-hye for the interview?"
"Yes. Straight to it?"
"Any plans after?"
"Ah, I have a club thing."
Good lord. I thought she was a patient.
Who wears a crop top to an interview?
'Am I just old-fashioned?'
Living twenty years in the murim world must've made me unable to grasp 21st-century openness.
Did I really have to hire from these people?
"Ah, hello. I'm Jeong Eun-ah."
Unlike my worries, number four was perfectly normal.
Navy casual suit, neatly tied hair.
"Nice to meet you. No need to be so tense."
"Thanks for calling me! I, I don't have much experience."
"But your intro letter was spot-on. Impressive. And all that volunteering."
"Ah, y-yes. Thank you for the kind words!"
She stuttered a bit from nerves, but seemed nice.
Fresh out of high school at twenty-one with her nursing assistant cert, no experience, but her letter showed a diligent life.
Unlike copy-paste resumes from others (not that it's a dealbreaker), she'd tied herself to our bare-bones blog somehow.
'At least one normal person. Thank goodness.'
We only needed one, so oddballs applying wasn't bad.
I got why Seo In-ae wanted "just sensible." The world had more weirdos than expected.
"Thanks for applying! I'll wrap up the rest and contact you soon!"
I planned to hire Jeong Eun-ah.
One more scheduled, but who great would apply here?
Seo In-ae was our ace outlier. After those three, I leaned toward personality over skills. We could train the rest!
But less than five minutes later, my hopes shattered.
"Hello! I'm Eun-ah's mom!"
"...Hello?"
"Director, please take good care of her! She's shy at first but chatty once close. Might be clumsy since no dirty work, but..."
"Mom~! What are you saying?!"
Why was her mom here?
No wonder the intro letter was too polished... Mom's work?
"Hang in there, Doctor."
Seo In-ae handed me a drink she'd bought herself—uncharacteristically—for comfort. The fifth was another no-show, luckily or not.
"...Guess I need to call five more. Not easy."
"Yeah. I'll schedule them."
If the top five resumes were like this, the rest boded ill.
Please, just one sensible person!
"Hello. I'm Kim A-yeon, starting today."
After twists and turns, we hired someone.
Contacting fifteen total cost more time and fees than expected, but success was success.
Nursing assistant cert and clinic experience.
Average resume, average interview.
Exactly what I wanted.
Me and Seo In-ae didn't overload her first day.
We left training and handover to In-ae, who agreed.
She handled desk work, patient assignment, scheduling solo—only assigning simple tasks like attaching physio devices or foot soaks.
"Doctor, room one for acupuncture."
"Coming~"
"A-yeon, physio for five."
"Yes!"
"Doctor, new patient waiting. I'll consult."
"Bring them in five."
"A-yeon, foot soak for bed seven."
Under In-ae's command, everything ran smoothly.
Fewer patients today helped; she explained during lulls.
"Lunch on the clinic card—delivery or out, whatever."
"Got it."
"What else? Trash sorting's out back..."
Fifteen morning patients, but hectic pace flew by.
Normally In-ae lunches free, but we ate together for the newbie.
Yongho Noodles.
I said order freely, but Kim A-yeon barely touched her jjajangmyeon.
Could've gone for kung pao chicken or chili shrimp.
"Settling in? Any issues?"
"Ah... More patients than I thought. My last place was slow..."
"Yeah? You worked rural?"
"Yes. So slow we had tea times."
A few months ago would've been slow, but now even two was busy.
Hire another? If patients grow, maybe—but no stomach for that process now.
"You'll adjust. Ask freely."
"...Yes."
I worried about more hires; In-ae was businesslike.
Newbie nodded with a forced smile.
Post-lunch, coffee shop detour. In-ae casually got frappuccino and snacks; A-yeon hesitated, picked Americano.
"No judging on food—pick easy."
"I like coffee. Thanks. And... bank quick?"
In-ae often skipped lunch; odd after her pickiness, but I okayed it.
Then, 2 PM.
Kim A-yeon didn't return.
"Time's up. Lost? Path wrong?"
Phone off. Odd.
Started afternoon; ten minutes, thirty—nothing.
"She ghosted."
"Huh?"
"Seen week-long quits, but lunch? Legendary."
"No notice, just vanish?"
"Underestimated MZ. Soon, text demanding morning hours' pay with account."
...Really?
Unbelievable, but no other explanation.
People quit like this?
Days later, In-ae's prophecy hit.
Worried at first—accident?—but ignored calls, changed profile pic?
Week later, money demand text.
"Arrrgh!"
Mid-prescription lecture to Chu Mi-young, I exploded at the message.
She ignored Haneul Clinic protocols, consulting me on every med case to learn.
"Ah... She bolted?"
Chu Mi-young shook her head like it was routine. Unlike my SSS-staff bliss, she'd seen variety.
"All kinds out there! One did three months fine, then quit post-drinking binge—hated mornings. Told her return 50k uniform, calc pay on resignation; she threatened labor board."
"What'd you do?"
"Ignored. Labor board says write resignation, right? Hated seeing me—uniform and letter via COD days later."
Got it. Tough times.
But me?
Reposted ad post-A-yeon; few new resumes.
Not tons of assistants willing to start at 7 AM here.
"Call back old interviewees...?"
Chu Mi-young chimed in.
"Pay's high... Try part-time? AM/PM or Mon-Wed-Fri, Tue-Thu-Sat. Hours scare 'em."
"I'll make option one, two."
"Other sites too... Ah!"
She clapped, genius idea struck.
"Good one?"
Lips moved, hesitant.
"What?"
"Actually... I know someone."
Not advice—recommendation.
Past Haneul Clinic worker?
"Ooh, has nursing cert?"
"Yes. Pretty, kind, smart, hardworking, lives nearby."
Perfect! Would she come?
"Job hunting?"
"Probably. All great, but one fatal flaw."
"Fatal flaw?"
I tilted my head.
Smart and diligent—what issue?