“Yaaahhh—.”
I stretched and yawned.
“It’s finally over.”
“Good work, Assistant Manager Song.”
“No, you worked hard too, Department Head.”
Two hours after leaving work, I’d returned and worked until my shoulders felt dislocated. My eyes were sunken, and my skull felt like it was spinning.
“What time is it…?”
“A little past eleven.”
“Looks like we’ve handled all the urgent tasks. We’ll monitor the online response tomorrow and address anything else then.”
“Understood.”
“Go home already.”
“Yes.”
I dragged myself to my feet. While I gathered my coat and bag, Department Head Ma stayed glued to his desk, clicking his mouse but refusing to leave.
“Department Head, aren’t you heading out?”
“Ah, I—might stick around a bit longer.”
“Do you still have work to finish?”
I set my bag down and reached to help him with his coat. “Let me help. You should get home.”
“No need.”
“Let’s wrap up quickly and head out. The last train’s in a bit.”
“Assistant Manager Song, it’s not that…”
He scratched his head awkwardly. “I’ll go in once the baby’s asleep.”
“Ah—did you two have a fight?”
I slipped my coat back on.
“No fight. A few days ago I bought a fishing rod behind her back, and my wife was furious.”
“Oh.”
He’d been bragging about high-end steel rods that luxury overseas brands made—now he’d gotten caught.
“You’ll need to catch that last train.”
“Yeah…just hope she didn’t change the door code.”
He waved a sheepish hand. “You go on ahead, Song.”
“Alright, I’ll head home.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Leaving Ma-bu alone, I hurried to the subway station. At that hour there were thankfully empty seats. I sat by the entrance.
Too exhausted to even pull out my phone, I stared into space as the train rattled along. Then Ma-bu’s story replayed in my mind.
‘That rod didn’t seem that expensive.’
Forty-four thousand won? Not pocket change for people like us, but a fair investment for a passionate hobbyist. Seeing the joy on Ma-bu’s face when opening it made forty-four thousand perfectly worth it.
‘And his salary’s nothing to sneeze at.’
A manager at a major corporation has no shortage of living expenses covered.
Yet for a single fishing rod, he risks being locked out of his own home.
‘Marry poorly and you end up like that.’
I felt pity for him, even if I didn’t like him as a person.
‘I must marry a truly good woman….’ I resolved, heading home.
Shortly after midnight.
“Yaaawn—.”
I turned off the TV and flopped onto the bed. Today had been so eventful that exhaustion hit instantly.
‘I need to sleep.’
I closed my eyes, but—
‘I can’t fall asleep.’
Despite weariness, my mind was too alert. I tossed and turned fruitlessly.
Only one reason: thoughts kept drifting back to Yoo Sia.
‘Maybe I was too harsh today.’
I’d meant to be tactful, but calling her vain had been painfully direct. Her stunned expression haunted me.
‘Was I too severe?’
What started as a firm attempt to set boundaries had become a lecture on life.
‘Then again, she’s a fresh employee….’
I’d been that new once. After my first paychecks, I’d splurged wildly on the joys of capitalism.
‘Maybe I should buy her coffee tomorrow to apologize?’
Ding—! My phone buzzed.
[Yoo Sia followed you.]
“…Oh?”
Sia had followed me on social media. ‘So she’s still awake…’
Seizing the moment, I messaged her.
[Song Jin-seong: Sia, you’re still awake.]
[Song Jin-seong: I’m sorry about today.]
[Song Jin-seong: Let me buy you coffee tomorrow as an apology.]
Not even a minute later:
[Seen.]
[Yoo Sia: Dinner, not coffee.]
[Song Jin-seong: Huh?]
[Yoo Sia: Or drinks are fine too.]
“Sigh, here we go again.”
I’d already split today’s bill, and now she wanted me to treat her again.
“I can’t afford dinner….”
[Yoo Sia: The wine was opened, so I couldn’t get a refund.]
“Oh….”
Damn. That wine cost over a hundred thousand won. Now I had no comeback.
[Yoo Sia: Don’t skim out by offering coffee.]
[Song Jin-seong: Okay… I understand.]
[Yoo Sia: See you Saturday evening.]
“Ugh….”
Before I knew it, I’d agreed again.
‘Well, even if it costs me, it’s easier than office drama.’
Ten thousand won for peace of mind beats rumors at work any day.
‘I notice her personal and work profiles are worlds apart.’
In the corporate messenger she was all business. Here, her photos were glamorous.
‘She really is beautiful….’
Back in my baseball days, I knew many cheerleaders; in advertising I meet actresses. Still, among them, Sia’s stunning—worthy of red-carpet stares.
‘I bet affluent men ask her out constantly….’
Her feed was full of high-flying male admirers’ comments. Previously, colleagues from other departments made excuses to “visit” our team just to see her.
Before I knew it, I’d opened her public social account. ‘She followed me first, so it’s fair game.’
A mutual follow meant no snooping shame.
Her posts: Eiffel Tower selfies—legs crossed, peace sign; luxury hotel pool shots. Typical influencer fare.
A normal person would just feel envy. But I felt breathless.
“All her photos are abroad….”
I couldn’t fathom her travel expenses.
‘If I date someone like her, it’ll cost a fortune….’
While I grind at work, she brunches around, secretly sends money home, travels. Becoming her walking ATM would be instant.
‘What am I even thinking?’
Even if we had one night together, I intended to move on—no marriage talk.
“Snap out of it.”
I slapped my cheeks and set my phone aside.
“Just sleep. I need to be fresh for work tomorrow.”
I forced my eyes shut.
The next morning, arriving at work, I found a strange sheet on my desk:
[Work Environment Survey]
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know. Senior management said to do it. They’re auditing internal operations.”
“Just our department?”
“No, not just Planning. The entire company.”
“Really?”
The questionnaire was bizarre. Standard satisfaction questions—workplace, managers, workload—but the last page included questions you’d expect in school surveys: “Which coworker are you closest to?” “Who’s someone you’d like to mentor you?” “Who would you like to partner with on a one-on-one project?” “Who do you have a crush on?”
And it wasn’t anonymous.
“Why would they do this…?”
“I heard Chairman Yoo ordered it himself. I think all 53 subsidiaries are doing it.”
“Seriously?”
Every HR Group affiliate was in a frenzy.
HR Electronics:
“Write properly!”
“Be honest. Don’t hide anything.”
“Be thorough!”
HR Fire & Marine:
“Do it right—Chairman’s orders.”
“Half-hearted answers hurt your evaluations.”
HR Entertainment:
“The head office said do it.”
“Do we have to? Did something happen? Workplace harassment…?”
“No idea. But it’s serious. The Chairman’s office is investigating across the group.”
“Wow, maybe there’s something big. Should we check the papers?”
“Call around. But fill it out carefully first.”
HR Construction:
“Really? We’re in crisis over raw materials prices, and we’re doing surveys?”
“If HQ says do it, you do it. They said they’ll investigate if anyone slacks off.”
And HR Securities, HR Energy, HR Bio—every one of the 53 affiliates was running the same survey.
“Chairman’s direct order….”
“I feel like something’s about to blow up.”
Everyone was on edge. An investigation ordered by the Chairman’s Chief of Staff across the entire group? It suggested a scandal worthy of headlines, or mass layoffs.
Yet contrary to rumors, Chairman Yoo’s intent was simple.
“Director Choi, what’s the status?”
He glared. “Have we found the scoundrel daring to touch my precious Sia?”
They were investigating company employees Sia might be interested in. That was it. Only on the scale befitting an HR Group chairman.
They needed absolute secrecy to avoid alarming his granddaughter.
“Yes. We’ve cross-referenced survey results, intranet messages, and even HR Securities analysts’ data.”
Director Choi’s eyes shone. “It seems she trusts and follows a senior in her department.”
“Planning Team 2?”
“Yes. One Senior Staff and one Assistant Manager.”
“Names?”
“Senior Staff Park Hyung-wook and Assistant Manager Song Jin-seong.”
“Can I see their profiles?”
“I’ll fetch their personnel cards immediately.”
And so, the net slowly closed in.