DFLT 40

“…What?”

—He’s rumored to be the legendary secretary who survived under Seo Heonyoung for three years. I was appalled by your decision to stick that talent in an office job.

“So.”

—Yeonoh gets to do a job that suits his aptitude, and I get to hire a capable secretary. You know how important it is to build a dream team for a startup, right?

“Did Ji Yeonoh say he would do it?”

—I haven’t talked to him yet. Before I bring it up, since it’s still your company, I’m just asking as a courtesy.

“Ji Yeonoh is subject to a non-compete agreement.”

After all the TG confidential information he picked up under me for three years, Seo Heonyoung added, returning a refusal without a moment’s hesitation. A hollow laugh of “Ha!” flowed from over the receiver.

—You meticulous bastard. Alright, I get it. Can’t be helped then.

Letting Dojin’s regretful muttering go in one ear and out the other, Seo Heonyoung’s eyebrows furrowed up and down as he checked the next approval proposal. Perhaps it was because the author was none other than Ji Yeonoh.

Just as expected, the document had no typos or superfluous content that existed only to take up space without any substance. If there was one thing that Seo Heonyoung, who was extremely averse to inefficiency and also finicky, never rejected, it was a document written by Ji Yeonoh.

If one were to represent the document as a shape, it would probably be a perfect square with four straight sides, as if measured with a ruler. He was quickly reading through the document, which laid out the points concisely.

—Since recruiting him is off the table anyway, I think I’m going to seriously make a move on Yeonoh.

His gaze, having reached the end of the line, should have moved on to the next, but the moment Kang Dojin’s words entered his ear, it became fixed in that spot as if a thumbtack had been pushed into it. Seo Heonyoung, who had read the same spot repeatedly, answered in a dry voice.

“What kind of move.”

—I think I’m really starting to like Yeonoh. He’s nice, isn’t he? Gentle. And we communicate well, us.

“Is that all?”

—…Ah, of course, his face is nice and gentle too.

Of course. Kang Dojin was not one to change overnight. Kang Dojin’s criteria for classifying the various types of human beings was a bit simple. Is their appearance his type, or not? Fortunately or unfortunately, Ji Yeonoh seemed to fall into the former category.

As he recalled Kang Dojin’s unpredictable taste, the direction of his thoughts naturally turned toward Ji Yeonoh’s pale appearance.

Neither his irises, which took on a light brown hue in the sunlight due to their faint pigmentation, nor his hair of the same color, which was always cut neatly and never went below his nape, nor even his boringly diligent personality were Kang Dojin’s type. What was it about him that made both Kang Dojin and Heo Geonseung rush to him like that?

[View Employee Profile]

When he clicked on Ji Yeonoh’s name, who had written the approval document on the portal, the employee profile window popped up. It must have been from right after he first joined the company three years ago, because a younger-looking Ji Yeonoh was smiling awkwardly.

Did the photographer pressure him to smile? That was the thought that came to mind, as the smile was just that unnatural. Seo Heonyoung, who had been staring blankly at the picture on the screen with dry eyes, parted his lips.

“With all the fuss you were making, I thought you two were already dating.”

—No matter how impatient I am, I’m not that much of an extremist.

Listening to Kang Dojin’s voice, excited with anticipation, he felt a sense of pity from an unknown source.

‘I like you, Executive Director.’

Seo Heonyoung already knew where Ji Yeonoh’s true feelings were directed. And also the fact that the destination of that path was not Kang Dojin. He briefly debated whether he should stop Kang Dojin, who was about to sprint toward an unstable target.

“Kang Dojin’s road of hardship is clearly visible.”

What reason would there be for that? It was not going to be any different from how it was now in the future anyway. Whether Kang Dojin and Ji Yeonoh have the love of the century, that would be a matter of a different world from his own. Someday, if the two of them walk down the aisle to a wedding march, he could just buy them a refrigerator.

—Thanks for the words of blessing, you bastard.

Ending the trivial call with Kang Dojin, Seo Heonyoung put down his phone. In the computer monitor, Ji Yeonoh was still struggling with his awkward smile. With a posture that looked as if he would not be out of place even if he were swallowed up by a suit bigger than his own body. Heonyoung, who had been staring intently at the screen, let out a scoff as if he found it absurd.

“What is this crap.”

After having a silent staring contest with Ji Yeonoh for a moment, Seo Heonyoung closed the profile window. And as he continued reading the document, a strange character in the last paragraph caught his eye.

[Approval submission is is late. I hope you will grant your approval.]

He doubted his eyes, wondering if he had read it correctly, and then burst out into hollow laughter. Late my ass. He had just complimented him on doing a good job, and that did not even last five minutes. It seemed Ji Yeonoh was the type to dig his own grave. It did not seem like Ji Yeonoh would make a simple mistake; it was as if his mind was elsewhere.

“He’s lost his mind.”

Seo Heonyoung mercilessly pressed the ‘Reject’ button and wrote just three words for the reason: ‘Typographical error.’ He had a schedule right away, so he left his desk, and when he returned about an hour later to check, Ji Yeonoh had revised the proposal. The typo was neatly fixed, but Seo Heonyoung’s face still looked displeased about something. As expected, he rejected the proposal again. And not long after, the desk phone rang. It was a call from the secretary’s office.

—Executive Director, Team Leader Park Hosung from Management Support and Mr. Ji Yeonoh say they have something to discuss regarding the proposal.

“Let them in.”

Let’s hear what they have to say, he thought, and let them inside. Ji Yeonoh, who followed Team Leader Park in, was utterly dejected.

“Good afternoon, Executive Director. Thank you for taking the time despite your busy schedule.”

“Not at all. I happen to be a bit free today.”

“Well, it’s just that Mr. Yeonoh submitted a proposal regarding the change of the CRM platform for the overseas branch, but it was rejected twice. It’s an urgent matter, so I was wondering if there were any shortcomings…”

“Is it an urgent matter?”

“Yes. The schedule requires development to start next week. If there are any other reasons for rejection besides the typo, we will correct them immediately.”

“I think Mr. Ji Yeonoh would know the answer better.”

As if feeling sorry for just fidgeting behind Team Leader Park Hosung, Ji Yeonoh took a step forward.

“Before registering the proposal, I used a spell checker for a batch automatic correction, but I failed to notice the last typo. I am sorry.”

“You fixed that.”

“Then what was the reason for the second rejection…”

Ji Yeonoh, his words trailing off, was watching Seo Heonyoung’s expression. Well, if he had done it right from the beginning, this would not have happened.

“Don’t you think there’s insufficient grounds for why this SI case is being covered by the headquarters’ expenses?”

I just can’t seem to find it, Heonyoung muttered as he scrolled the mouse wheel down, scanning Yeonoh’s proposal with his eyes, then continued.

“The headquarters’ process is different from the overseas subsidiary, so the SI has no impact at all, so why are you booking this project under the headquarters’ expenses?”

At that, Team Leader Park Hosung stepped forward to explain on his behalf.

“Ah, Executive Director. I apologize. The Business Planning Team said that this matter had already been discussed with you in writing, so I told Mr. Yeonoh that he could write it concisely. We already have the analyzed data regarding this, so we will supplement it right away.”

It had already been discussed in writing. Just as Team Leader Park said, Seo Heonyoung was also aware of it, and it was not something to find fault with.

“Mr. Ji Yeonoh.”

Heonyoung, who had closed his laptop, bent his right index finger and tapped the corner of the desk where Yeonoh was standing. Tap, tap.

“What did you learn for three years?”

“…I am sorry.”

“It’s pathetic that I have to spoon-feed this to you. Did you think everything would be solved just by fixing the typo? How can you be so insincere.”

Ji Yeonoh was silent as if his lips were sealed with honey. If it had not been for the typo in the first place, it would have gone through smoothly. No, the typo would have been an eyesore, but it was not enough to warrant a rejection.

He did not like the fact that Ji Yeonoh, who had always pursued near-perfect results, was half out of his mind. Was he under the delusion that he was someone great just because Kang Dojin called him pretty and took him around introducing him to people who could be connections? Or was he protesting that now that he was clad in a high-end suit, this kind of work felt trivial?

“I will correct it. From now on, I will approach my work more proactively.”

Ji Yeonoh, biting his lip firmly, apologized. He bowed his waist so deeply that the white line of his neck, extending down from under his chestnut-colored hair, was fully exposed. Ji Yeonoh was clearly apologizing, but strangely, Seo Heonyoung’s mood was stirred up even more.

“You may leave.”

Unable to watch his increasingly foul mood any longer, he sent the two of them away. The door closed, and Heonyoung leaned his head back against the chair with a thud. After throwing a tantrum more than necessary, a sense of emptiness of unknown origin remained.

He had committed the crazy act of rejecting a proposal for a ridiculous reason when he had already agreed to it in writing. He was doing the very thing he had vowed not to do after seeing those awful people who did such things when he was working as an intern without revealing he was from the owner’s family.

“…Damn it.”

He would be a good topic of gossip for a while. What was pathetic was not Ji Yeonoh’s life at the company, but his own temper.