10 rules of a Secretary chapter 19

* * *

“Yeonjae.”

“Yes, Seonbi?”

“I didn’t want to sound like an old nag, but I have to say this.”

As I tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin, Yeonjae’s expression stiffened.

“I come two hours early because that’s when my work starts.”

“What? But the company hours are…”

“I’m not obligated to explain my job to you, but fine. Officially, my work starts at 7, but I come early to wake myself up, not for the company. But are you coming early to inconvenience others?”

“No… that’s not…”

“What’s the point of coming up with policies if they’re just theoretical? It’s the people working here who create the company culture. Does Jo Yeonjae really have such urgent work that he needs to arrive two hours early?”

I wondered if I was being too harsh, but this wasn’t just for Jo Yeonjae’s sake—it was for the entire secretarial team, including him.

No matter how hard you try to create a good company culture, it’s all for nothing if the employees act like this just to please others. I gently patted Jo Yeonjae’s shoulder as he paled.

“If not, I suggest you arrive at the company at the regular time. You might think coming in two hours early only affects you, but it eventually sets a precedent for your colleagues. Before long, the whole secretarial team might be expected to come in early.”

“Oh…”

“I’m not saying that coming in early is entirely bad. But there should be a good reason for it, okay?”

“Yes, yes… I’m sorry.”

Seeing Jo Yeonjae cower with his head down, I pulled out a can of Coco Palm from my bag.

It was the second time this month I was giving a drink to someone other than the boss.

The short, stout can had a clean image of a green palm tree. I couldn’t remember when I started drinking it, but it felt like it had been a long time.

I used to drink so much high-fructose corn syrup that I decided to cut down to three or four cans a week after hearing it could shorten your life.

Considering I used to drink two cans a day, it was a significant reduction. It was my way of compromising for health.

Besides, one of the cans was for sharing, so my choice was quite perfect.

Recently, I had given most of them to the boss, so it felt odd to give it to another employee, but Jo Yeonjae got lucky.

“Here, drink this.”

“Oh… thank you…”

He carefully took the can with a subdued voice, staring at the floor.

I knew exactly how he felt.

There was nothing sadder than being scolded by your superior, especially when you’re only two months into the job.

I wondered if eight years in the workforce had turned me into a stubborn old-timer as I took a step forward. It was time to get to work.

My mind was clearer, which was a relief.

As I saw Jo Yeonjae move to follow me, I grabbed his shoulder and gave him a bright smile.

“Finish that Coco Palm completely before you come in. Don’t use any tools, just your hands and mouth. It’ll take you at least an hour. See you at the office. I’ll check later, so bring it to me.”

I heard a confused “What? Uh? Yes?” from behind, but I didn’t bother to turn around.

It was a bit of a spiteful move.

How dare he consider himself on the same level as me, who earns so much more?

That was unacceptable.

I earned this much because I excelled at dealing with a difficult boss and survived eight tough years.

Assigning such burdensome tasks to a new employee just starting out was harsh.

Newcomers needed to work long and hard.

Anyone who knew how much time it took to train and make a useful employee would agree with me.

I gripped my umbrella and walked through the rain toward the company.

The sky was a dense gray, indicating it would rain all day.

The stress of dealing with a difficult boss had left my stomach so troubled that I couldn’t live a day without stomach medicine.

Normally, I should’ve gotten a checkup, but I avoided it, fearing it would reveal my true condition.

Instead, I managed with over-the-counter medication.

I made a futile promise to myself that I would get a full medical examination from head to toe once I retired.

Before entering the office, I shoved stomach medicine and suppressants into my mouth, swallowing them whole.

The dissolved medicine left a bitter taste.

I tried to forget the bitterness by running my tongue over the roof of my mouth, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

In the lobby, the footsteps of employees who hadn’t left yet could still be heard.

Thanks to the CEO’s consideration, the 24-hour cafe was busiest in the early morning and late night.

Surprisingly, lunchtime was quiet, as everyone rushed to eat and return.

I took the elevator to the top floor, holding my phone tightly like a lifeline.

Though I felt momentarily faint, I soon calmed down.

After dropping my things off in the secretary’s office, I stood in front of the CEO’s office door, repeating the words I had memorized all night:

‘I’ve found the model. He’s 26 years old. He agrees to our terms. His face won’t be shown. He’s okay with any level of exposure as long as it’s just his back. The most important condition is no exposure of his face or voice.’

Afraid my small lie about the age would be caught, I kept repeating the same words, feeling more relieved.

Holding the documents I had prepared all night, I took a deep breath and opened the door.

The office was silent.

The rain had stopped, and the soft morning sunlight gently filled the room.

Watching the dust floating in the air, I carefully moved forward.

Standing by the window, I could see Seoul’s main road.

Owning a building with a view like this in the heart of Seoul was something few could achieve, especially one with a distant view of the Han River.

Real estate with a blue view is always highly valued.

Taking in the morning warmth, I sighed.

I placed the documents on the CEO’s desk, neatly arranged for him to see first thing in the morning, and turned cautiously.

“…Ah.”

On the nearby sofa, half-draped in a disheveled state, was the CEO. He was trying to nap, covering his eyes with one arm.

It was a far more relaxed sight than usual. Watching him from a short distance, I looked around for a blanket.

Even in summer, the air conditioning wasn’t good for someone sleeping.

I carefully covered him with a thick blanket and gently adjusted his arm that was sticking out.

He fidgeted as something was suddenly placed over him, moving his arm covering his eyes and furrowing his smooth, white brows, perhaps annoyed by the light.

Thinking for a moment, I raised my hand to create a shadow near his face to block the sunlight.

Thankfully, he soon breathed evenly as sleep overtook him.

Despite saying he wasn’t interested in the clothing business, he seemed to care.

The documents on his desk were about this year’s fashion trends and potential advertisement images, showing his thorough consideration.

It wasn’t easy for a construction company to handle such tasks, so I tried to understand his struggles.

I held my hand near his face, my arm aching from being raised too high.

Sitting quietly on the floor below the sofa, I continued to cast a shadow over his eyes.

As I thought about the suit and tie I needed to prepare for him today, I sighed.

‘Since there are no special appointments today, something appropriate…’

I fidgeted with my fingers and stared blankly at the floor with my eyes half-closed.

Random thoughts kept circling in my mind, flaunting their presence, but if I didn’t occupy myself like this, I was afraid of the anxious feelings that would surface in the silence.

I continuously tried to divert my gaze elsewhere.

Yawning lightly and blinking slowly, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze and lifted my head.

At some point, CEO Han had been watching me with sleepy eyes.

“Good morning.”

“…You’re here?”

His voice, low and scratchy as if he had just woken up, sent chills down my spine.

It seemed he wasn’t fully awake yet. It had been a while since I’d seen him so quiet and calm, and it felt refreshing.

“Did you rest well?”

“Thanks to you.”

As I politely answered his question, CEO Han’s eyes slightly crinkled at the corners.

I heard the rustling sound of his clothes brushing against the sofa as he shifted.

His light brown eyes, peering down at me while using his arm as a pillow, sparkled like amber in the sunlight.

“I missed you.”

I had heard these words so often that they had lost their impact.

It had been CEO Han’s habit to say this since three years ago.

On Friday evenings, he would say, “I’ll miss you over the weekend,” and on Monday mornings, “I missed you.”

* * *