A Day of Quiet Tension

Leaving the division team secretary behind, I walked to the white screen set up at the very front.

I placed the prepared laptop on the translucent glass podium and tested the beam projector.

Even after confirming the graphs and videos displayed smoothly, I restarted the slideshow from the beginning.

Sometimes, even when everything seemed fine, there were occasional glitches.

Just in case, I even replaced the batteries in the remote, checked the microphone, and neatly arranged everything on the podium.

By the time I finished checking even the tea and refreshments, quite some time had passed.

After greeting the youngest employee from the division who had just entered, I headed upstairs.

It was almost time.

I knocked and entered, finding the executive director in conversation with someone who had arrived earlier.

There was already a guest in the office—the head of Strategy Team 1.

A man just slightly younger than my father, he had a stern face that was difficult to approach when he wasn’t smiling.

To be honest, even when he smiled, he wasn’t easy to deal with.

I considered stepping back out, but the executive director rose from his seat, finishing the conversation.

“Please pass it along as soon as the business plan is submitted.”

“We’ve commissioned a consulting firm. Before releasing any articles, we’ll gather as many favorable opinions as possible.”

“Make sure to emphasize that it will be designated as an R&D hub after the corporate split.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the brief exchange, I followed the executive director out.

As the staff in the secretary’s office stood up, he gestured toward them and gave me a look.

“I’ll take Secretary Yoon with me, so you can stay seated. Chief, please submit the evaluation sheet I mentioned last time.”

“Yes, understood.”

I had assumed the chief or Secretary Kang would follow him, so I stood there blankly for a moment before trailing behind.

Before leaving, I glanced back and gestured a phone shape with my hand toward Nara, signaling her to handle any calls in my absence.

Having already covered for me several times, Nara nodded in understanding.

I gave a slight bow to the chief and Secretary Kang before following along.

Even if I joined the meeting, there wasn’t much for me to do, though it would certainly be busier than staying behind.

In the dimly lit conference room, the projector ran smoothly as the division’s presentation continued.

With the lights lowered, the presenter’s clear voice filled the room.

Among those seated, I glanced at the executive director’s broad shoulders as he sat upright.

At one point, he raised a hand, perhaps to loosen his tie.

Quietly stepping out, I asked for the temperature to be lowered.

He seemed to feel the heat easily.

Well, he did seem to have a naturally warm body.

After relaying the message, I stood beside another secretary at the back of the room.

Suddenly, a fleeting image flashed in my mind, startling me enough to slap my cheek.

I thought it was light, but the sound was louder than expected.

The secretary beside me widened her eyes and whispered, tilting her head.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I was just sleepy.”

“Ah, I see.”

Embarrassed, my face warmed slightly.

As I fanned myself, the presentation ended, and the lights came back on.

The discussion shifted to the business review meeting.

After the presentation, I gathered the documents and entered the elevator with the executive director.

He glanced at the papers in my hand and asked,

“Secretary Yoon, what are you having for lunch today?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll probably join the chief and the team.”

“You usually eat with your team?”

“Yes. They said we’d also discuss the briquette volunteer work this week.”

“Ah, that.”

“You’ve checked it?”

“Yes. It’s around this time every year, right?”

It was a company volunteer activity held every winter.

For executives, it mostly meant carrying a few briquettes and taking photos, but for us, it involved counting them from the morning, arranging personnel, and coordinating with the PR team—far from simple work.

As the elevator doors opened, he handed me another document.

For a moment, I thought I saw a hint of playfulness in his smile—but perhaps it was just my imagination.

“I was going to ask you to come along, but it seems you’re busier than I am.”

“Are you going somewhere far?”

“Just a quick errand. I’ll be back before four.”

Though the meeting wasn’t long, it was already close to lunchtime.

He returned to his office, put on his jacket, and headed out.

I contacted downstairs to have the car ready and opened the program to request meeting room supplies.

The internal system often had errors, so even after submitting requests, confirmation was necessary.

While calling to double-check, the chief approached my desk and tapped on it.

“Secretary Yoon, eat first before doing that.”

“Yes—right. Thank you for reminding me.”

He leaned over to look at my monitor and clicked his tongue.

“The chairman’s nephew designed this system, so no one can even complain.”

“Wouldn’t a development request help?”

“They say the whole program is flawed. It’s better to rebuild it entirely.”

Which meant I’d have to keep confirming requests like this every time.

Sighing inwardly, I put on my jacket and headed to the company cafeteria with the others.

It had grown quite chilly; even indoors, I found myself reaching for extra layers.

I wondered how cold this winter would be.

I mentally listed the winter clothes I had postponed buying last year.

Perhaps because I mostly saw the executive director only on weekends, I hadn’t had many opportunities to spend money.

Not that I had become rich—just that I had some extra savings.

At least buying winter clothes wouldn’t require much hesitation now.

Pressed by employees entering from lower floors, I stood with my back against the elevator wall.

Nara, standing beside me, lightly touched my jacket.

“Secretary Yoon, you must be cold.”

“A little. Aren’t you?”

“I’m fine with just a cardigan. Are you feeling unwell?”

I looked around the elevator.

Most people heading to the cafeteria were lightly dressed—just as she said.

Even the chief and Secretary Kang were dressed similarly.

Was I not feeling well?

As we sat down with our trays, the chief suddenly asked,

“You’ve been following the executive director around a lot lately. How is it? Fun?”

“Fun? Not really. It just happened somehow. I’m not even sure what I should be doing.”

“Thanks to you, I get to sit back and relax.”

“I hope I’m not causing any trouble.”

“He hasn’t said anything. So I’m at ease. You’re not the type to make mistakes.”

Feeling awkward at the praise, I stirred my soybean paste soup absentmindedly.

It wasn’t like I was doing anything particularly significant.

Until recently, external duties were mostly handled by the chief and Secretary Kang.

I had only started accompanying the executive director lately.

“Chief, may I take a half day next Friday?”

“For what?”

“I think I need to go for a health check-up.”

“You didn’t take the company one?”

“I missed it, and my sister keeps insisting I go.”

“If there’s no schedule, go ahead. Use a leave day.”

“I’ll check and apply for it.”

I gestured a phone sign again toward Nara, and she playfully mimicked me.

Luckily, she didn’t seem bothered.

“I feel like I’ve been answering all the calls lately. Shouldn’t we redistribute the work?”

“It’ll only be for a while.”

“For a while? It feels like the executive director calls you out of habit now.”

Perhaps that was true.

Since we’d been seeing each other often, maybe it had become a habit.

Not wanting to prolong the conversation, I simply smiled.

The topic shifted briefly to the upcoming volunteer work.

Just as the chief finished speaking, Secretary Kang stood up with his tray.

“I’ll head back first.”

“Alright.”

He wasn’t usually someone to leave midway like that.

As he walked away, our eyes briefly met, making my slight nod feel awkward.

I watched his back as he disappeared between the tables.

The chief didn’t seem to mind, but Nara paused, as if sharing an unspoken understanding.

As the chief stood up, he suddenly sighed.

“Ah, I was going to ask you to have dinner with me tonight, but you can’t drink if you’re going for a check-up.”

“We can just have dinner without alcohol.”

“Are you feeling that unwell?”

“It’s just that I’ve been feeling cold lately. My condition isn’t great.”

I quickly used the jacket as an excuse.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t drink—but if I drank with the chief, my stomach wouldn’t survive.

As we headed back up, sipping coffee, the chief teased me.

“You say you can’t drink, but you’re fine with coffee.”

“Coffee and alcohol aren’t the same.”

“They always come up together as reasons for poor health among office workers.”

Still, thankfully, he agreed to dinner—without alcohol.