* * *
Wookyung should have guessed where the conversation was going the moment Director Choi started making a fuss about names.
He had called for a meeting, yet the discussion was already veering off in a strange direction.
“As you know, Assistant Manager Wookyung, I haven’t been working here for long. So, I’m not fully familiar with the company’s overall operations.”
“Yes,” Wookyung replied.
He wasn’t interested.
“But I don’t have a personal assistant, and it’s difficult to find someone in the company who would kindly explain these matters to me.”
“Yes.”
That was his problem, not Wookyung’s.
Why was he even bringing this up?
“So, I was thinking.”
“Yes.”
Oh, crap.
Did that sound too indifferent?
Judging by the way Director Choi was staring, it probably did.
Honestly, Wookyung wanted to say, ‘And? So what?’
but couldn’t exactly let that show.
A quick side glance revealed Assistant Manager Oh providing training to Choi Siwon.
The younger man didn’t seem discouraged, but he also wasn’t fully concentrating.
At that moment, Siwon happened to glance Wookyung’s way, and their eyes briefly met.
Wookyung blinked at him but quickly shifted focus back to Director Choi as he spoke again.
“If Assistant Manager Wookyung is willing to dedicate some time to me, I’ll make sure you’re properly compensated.”
“…Excuse me?”
It wasn’t that Wookyung didn’t understand—it was just hard to believe what he was hearing.
Why was Director Choi doing this?
What kind of relationship did he think they had to be closing the distance like this?
Did Wookyung even have the power to refuse?
If he needed help with company operations, he should hire a competent assistant.
Wouldn’t the company provide him with one anyway?
So why was he pestering someone already busy and with no interest in getting close to him?
A sudden urge to quit surged within Wookyung.
“The company did mention that they would arrange for an assistant.”
“Yes.”
See? Then just hire one!
Why drag him into this?
It’s not like there would be any extra pay.
Wookyung had no interest in receiving special compensation from Director Choi.
What kind of compensation was he even talking about?
It sounded like a disaster waiting to happen.
“But there are a lot of urgent matters to handle, and I don’t have the time for interviews or onboarding. So, for now, I really need your help, Assistant Manager Wookyung.”
“……”
This time, Wookyung stayed silent and just stared.
Did he really, really need to push this onto him?
Looking back at how they first met, wouldn’t it be smarter to keep their distance and just act like colleagues?
Or was Wookyung the only one who thought so?
“I’m not asking you to focus on me to the point where it interferes with your own work. I’ll also ask other team members for their opinions on things I’m unfamiliar with.”
“…Understood.”
In the end, there was no choice but to agree. Director Choi had pushed this far—there was no way to keep refusing.
“Alright.”
Anyway, it wasn’t like Wookyung would be working in this team forever.
‘Just keep things moderate. Keep it casual.’
…Though, knowing himself, he wasn’t sure he could pull that off.
If there was no escaping, he would have to turn the situation to his advantage.
“Then, Assistant Manager Wookyung, by tomorrow morning, please gather and organize reports on similar projects from the past three years.”
“…By tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. I don’t need all of them—just the ones from the past three years. Can you do that?”
Dear people of the world, there was a devil smiling right in front of him!
How could a smile be so bright yet so utterly sinister?
‘Damn it, this is revenge, isn’t it? He’s punishing me for not listening properly earlier, right?’
Otherwise, there was no way he’d expect Wookyung to dig through all those reports, compile them into an easy-to-read summary, and submit it all by tomorrow morning.
“…I’ll get it done.”
But what choice did he have?
In the end, he had to do what he was told.
Such was the tragic fate of a corporate worker.
He just hoped his face wasn’t openly broadcasting his desire to strangle his boss.
“If we’re done here, I’ll head back to my desk.”
The entire morning had been spent setting up his workspace and attending meetings.
Soon, it would be lunchtime, and after that, only half a workday remained.
Overtime was inevitable.
If things went badly, an all-nighter might be required.
The last thing Wookyung wanted was to spend any more time sitting across from this infuriating superior.
But then—
Instead of responding right away, Director Choi gave him that look again.
“I had no choice but to include him in the team because of outside requests, but…”
His voice was slow and deliberate, his pronunciation crisp and clear.
That only made him sound more aggravating.
“Try to keep your distance from Choi Siwon.”
“Yes… Wait, what?”
Wookyung had been answering absentmindedly but now blinked in confusion.
What did he just say?
“I know you can handle yourself, but…”
Director Choi’s eyes curved even more, satisfaction flickering in them.
His smile deepened, like he was genuinely pleased.
But Wookyung could only stare at him in bafflement.
“…Just saying.”
But there was no need to ask again. Just hearing that nonsense was enough.
‘So it was a pointless conversation.’
If that were the case, why should he bother listening and torturing his own ears?
Coming to a conclusion, Wookyung stood up, trying not to make a grimace.
“Thank you for your concern. However, that’s not something you need to worry about, Director Choi.”
Most people understood when he said this much.
Ah, he’s saying this because he’s a Beta.
“That won’t do.”
“…Pardon?”
During one-on-one meetings with Director Choi, the phrases Wookyung heard the most were “Yes” and “Me?”
The only difference between them was whether the intonation went up at the end or stayed the same.
“You don’t seem to understand what kind of people Alphas are yet, Assistant Manager Wookyung. You can’t leave room for interpretation. That could lead to serious trouble.”
And why was he saying that?
What did it matter whether he or that guy was an Alpha?
‘Not like I can sense pheromones anyway.’
Tsk, tsk.
Wookyung clicked his tongue inwardly, thinking it was unnecessary meddling, but still remembered to wrap up the conversation properly and return to his seat.
The burning gaze at the back of his head told him that Director Choi was still watching.
‘Is he testing me?’
That didn’t seem likely.
But the way he kept talking as if he knew something about him was unsettling.
Still, Wookyung was sure.
There was nothing on paper, nowhere, that indicated he had presented as an Omega.
He had never submitted a correction request regarding his secondary gender with his parents.
Besides, no one could access medical records except for himself, and he had never experienced heat cycles or any other noticeable symptoms.
So, he dismissed his suspicions as mere paranoia.
‘Just focus on work!’
There was too much to do to waste time on anything else!
Wookyung sat down at his desk.
In the short time he had been away, his messenger was flooded with messages.
Thinking it might be work-related, he opened it, but none of them required a response.
He closed the chat window without hesitation.
‘If it’s urgent, they’ll call.’
Did this newly formed team really have so many questions?
If they were that curious, they should’ve been desperate to get hired in the first place.
Before long, Wookyung focused entirely on work.
Since the planning team had a heavy workload, even with three years of experience, there was still a lot to sift through.
There was no way he could handle all this alone by tomorrow.
So, he planned to delegate some of it to Associate Choi.
‘Since he’s participating in the project, I can’t just give him grunt work.’
But if he only gave orders, the guy would end up floundering, unsure of where to start.
So, Wookyung spent the entire morning drafting a guideline on how things should be done.
“Time for lunch, everyone!”
Lost in work, Wookyung didn’t even realize how much time had passed until he heard that call.
The clock on the wall pointed to exactly noon.
“I’ll eat separately—”
“No matter how busy you are, you need to eat on time. Come on, let’s go, Assistant Manager Wookyung.”
Seriously, what was with this boss?
He dumped a pile of work on him and was now taking away his time?
But the grip dragging him along was too strong to resist.
With a blank expression but filled with complaints, Wookyung looked up at Director Choi, but the man was too busy cheerfully inviting others to lunch to notice.
* * *
