IGWKE Episode 24

Episode 24

It seemed his emotions had been even less controlled yesterday than he realized. Feeling more at ease with the three colleagues, Yoon-ui briefly recounted the conversation with Manager Im after the executive meeting. From the suggestion to distance himself from Heon-ju to his impulsive declaration about transferring to an administrative position, he shared it all.

Upon hearing the story, Joo-min reacted with anger.

“What is this, preschool? Splitting up kids and telling them who they can and can’t play with?”

“They don’t like it, apparently. The Espers say they can’t stand the sight of me hanging out with their precious S-Class,” said Yoon-ui with a sardonic smile.

“I was wondering why he suddenly went to Busan. They sent us a curt notice about it this morning,” Joo-min added, clicking her tongue. The abruptness of the notice had caught even the Talent Development Team off guard. It seemed the higher-ups were determined to separate him and Heon-ju at all costs.

Woo-joo, who had been listening quietly, asked seriously, “So, are you really going to transfer to an admin role?”

“Well, I said it in the heat of the moment…”

Yoon-ui trailed off. Initially, he’d only said it to unsettle Manager Im, but as the saying goes, ‘words have power.’ Once he’d voiced the thought, the idea had taken root, and the longer he considered it, the more he felt like leaving the team altogether.

After all, what was the point of being a guide if he couldn’t even work in the field? If returning to the field was out of the question, then perhaps it was time to quit being a guide entirely. More than anything, though, he was simply exhausted from staying in this role for so long.

“I’ve thought about it… I think I’ll submit the paperwork.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Jung-woo, in particular, looked deeply troubled. Though he’d claimed to have no opinion when asked previously, now that it was becoming reality, the prospect clearly worried him. After all, once Yoon-ui transferred, the team would likely disband, leaving Jung-woo to adjust to working with a new guide.

Of everyone, Jung-woo was the one Yoon-ui felt most guilty toward. His departure would leave Jung-woo bearing the brunt of the team’s responsibilities until a replacement could adapt to the workload. Though Woo-joo would remain, as an analyst, he wouldn’t handle field duties, leaving Jung-woo to shoulder the bulk of the work.

Even so, none of them tried to persuade him to reconsider. After a moment of silence, Woo-joo nodded.

“Well, if you’ve thought it through, it’s the right decision.”

“Yeah… thinking about it, this makes sense. What’s the point of being a guide if you can’t work in the field? And this job isn’t exactly sustainable in the long run, either.”

Hearing the sincerity in his voice, they all nodded in agreement.

“It’s a shame we won’t be on the same team anymore, but since you’ll still be part of HQ, we’ll see you around,” Joo-min said.

“I’ll miss working with you, but it’s your call,” added Woo-joo.

Their understanding and support made him feel unexpectedly grateful. Despite his narrow social circle and lack of social finesse, he’d somehow survived in the organization thanks to colleagues like these.

And then there was Heon-ju. They hadn’t known each other long—he wasn’t even sure if they could be considered close—but exchanging numbers and having personal conversations after work certainly felt like a form of friendship. He wanted to thank the younger man for approaching him first and bridging the gap between their age difference.

Yet, once again, Heon-ju dominated their call, leaving no room for interruptions. Their conversations were less exchanges and more of a running diary narrated by the younger man. From his breakfast to the moments just before the call, he recounted every detail of his day.

― So today, a new guide joined me for training. But radial guiding feels less effective, doesn’t it?

“Yeah, it’s not as focused.”

― It feels too scattered. It works, but it’s so faint….

“Well, radial guiding can be concentrated on a single target too, but that depends on the guide’s technique.”

― Could you do it, Deputy Director?

“Are you kidding? Of course, I can.”

This casual back-and-forth had already lasted 30 minutes. Checking the time, Yoon-ui clicked his tongue internally.

‘They really need to overhaul the training program for S-Classes. When I trained, I was so drained I couldn’t even form a proper sentence by the end of the day. But this guy has energy to spare.’

It was the kind of thought Woo-joo would definitely call him out on as “old-fashioned.” Still, he listened patiently as Heon-ju continued.

― Oh, by the way, didn’t you get any gifts today?

Just as the conversation seemed to be winding down, Heon-ju posed a question that jogged Yoon-ui’s memory. He realized there was something else he wanted to address besides thanking the younger man.

“Are you close with Lee Hyun-ji?”

― Hyun-ji nuna? Yeah, we’re close.

“Nuna?”

They were that close already? He doubted it for a moment but then recalled how easily Heon-ju had asked if he could call him “hyung” just a day ago.

‘What am I even doubting for?’’ he chided himself, shaking off the unnecessary suspicion.

“Yesterday, you asked me about mint chocolate macarons, and now Lee Hyun-ji brought me some, saying you told her. Are you out there talking about me to everyone?”

― Did that bother you? I’m sorry…

“It’s not that.”

Hearing the crestfallen tone in Heon-ju’s voice, Yoon-ui quickly softened. He regretted how his sharp tone often made his words sound harsher than intended. He hesitated before forcing himself to speak.

“Go…”

― Go…?

‘Just say thank you.’

But the simple words refused to come out. Clenching his fist, he struggled to express his gratitude, only to give up in the end.

“Good luck with your training. …And when you’re back in Seoul, let’s meet. I have something to tell you.”

He had laid the groundwork for a conversation that might never happen. If things went as planned, he’d have at least submitted the paperwork to transfer to administration by the time Heon-ju returned to Seoul. But, unsurprisingly, the process didn’t go smoothly.

---

“You want to switch to administration?”

The administrative team leader’s reaction was lukewarm at best. Even during the meeting request, the leader had seemed reluctant, wondering aloud what a guide like him could possibly have to discuss. And now, the notion of a “problematic guide” from the center transferring to their department clearly didn’t thrill him.

“Well… it’s all a bit sudden….”

The leader’s visible hesitation grated on Yoon-ui, who’d forced a polite smile despite his fraying patience. If not for Joo-min, who had come along to lend support, the meeting would have ended with him snapping, “Fine, if you don’t want me, forget it.” Instead, she discreetly pressed her foot on his and smiled diplomatically.

“Honestly, we were planning to bring in a new hire anyway,” Joo-min said smoothly.

“Wouldn’t it be better to have someone like Mr. Jung, who already knows the organization and has a grasp of the work, than to train someone brand new?”

“That’s true, but… Mr. Jung is a guide, and…”

Even with her efforts, the team leader’s response was indifferent.

“Management tasks in the Talent Management Team are a bit different from our administration work….” He paused, as though searching for a more polite rejection, before continuing. “It’s not that I don’t think Mr. Jung is capable. But based on his experience, I’m not sure how well he’d fit in here.”

What a long-winded way of saying no. The disdain in his words made Yoon-ui’s blood boil. His pride, already bruised from being sidelined as a guide, wouldn’t allow him to grovel for acceptance. Then the leader delivered the final blow with a dismissive gesture.

“I can’t say yes or no. If you’re serious about transferring, get Manager Im’s approval and submit it to the director for final approval.”

---

“Ugh, screw this. I’m done. I’m just gonna quit. What a bald bastard.”

Storming out of the office, Yoon-ui threw the folder he had prepared for the meeting. It was a personnel file he’d brought ‘just in case,’ but the leader hadn’t even glanced at it, handing it back with a casual comment about how it didn’t matter.

“I brought it because walking in empty-handed felt weird, not because I needed it, you idiot,” he muttered to himself. Resisting the urge to scream was likely the only thing he’d done right during the meeting.

“Hey, maybe take a few steps further away before shouting profanity.”

Joo-min suggested, ensuring the door was securely closed behind them. Fortunately, the thick, soundproof doors in the executive offices were designed to withstand anything from rampaging Espers to potential coups. No one would hear his outburst unless they had soundwave abilities.

As she gathered the scattered documents, Joo-min continued her lecture.

“You knew he’d say something like this. Why get so worked up?”

“I knew, but seeing his smug face pissed me off.”

“Maybe try managing your temper better for once.”

Though her tone was as irritating as the bald leader’s, she wasn’t wrong, leaving Yoon-ui with nothing to say.

Among his peers, Joo-min was the only one adept at navigating office politics. Sighing, she calmed him down and offered a new plan after a moment’s thought.

“Here’s what you do. During the weekly executive meeting, just tell the director outright that you want to transfer to administration. When they ask about approvals, say you already got Manager Im’s signature and submit the paperwork right then and there.”