Secretly Meeting With My Boss

Did I do something wrong?

So-young wiggled her hand on her knee, trying to withstand the uncomfortable pressure. If this was the case, why did you say you'd give me a ride? It would have been a hundred times easier to go alone. She grumbled inside her.

"Manager Han…"

"Yes?"

Taekyung suddenly opened his mouth. Surprised, Soyoung looked up. There was a slight commotion on his expressionless face the whole time. So-young waited patiently for Tae-kyung to speak, but he sighed softly and shook his head.

"No, nothing."

What was he trying to say?

While So-young was curious about Taekyung's thoughts, the car entered the entrance of her neighborhood.

"Is it here?"

"Yes, thanks to you, I reached home safely. Thank you."

Soyoung nodded and bowed her head, wanting to get off quickly. However, Taekyung, who should have accepted her greeting, just stared at her without any response. As he looked more languid than usual, his hair had been loosened, he was again filled with an unknown discomfort. Soyoung only blinked her eyes, not knowing what to do.

"…Good job today. Go in and rest."

"Yes, team leader."

How has it been? As if reading So-young's embarrassment, Taekyung returned with a faint smile. Only then did she get out of the car in a hurry.

Soyoung, who was about to close the door, stopped. She got pointed out earlier, and she thought she would regret it if she just let Taekyung go. Making up her mind, she leaned over, clutching the doorframe. Then she took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of great help today. I will try to adapt to work quickly.”

Taekyung gently rolled up the corners of his lips as if he didn't know he would hear those words. Instead of the ambiguity that made Soyoung uncomfortable, a smile with a familiar sense of distance appeared on his face.

"You're doing well enough."

“…….”

“If you're concerned about today's work, that's fine. There is no need to rush.”

Taekyung's answer gradually calmed her anxious heart. Soyoung, who relaxed her tension, loosened her lips and smiled. Taekyung raised his hand on the handle and said goodbye to her.

"Good night and see you tomorrow."

On the surface, it was an insignificant greeting but perhaps because of his low pitched tone, his voice penetrated into her ear as if he was whispering. So-young took a step back as she felt a slight pressure. A helpless heat rose across her face.

Taekyung's car quickly disappeared from sight, but Soyoung remained in place for a while even after he left.

* * *

Lee Juntae: Is there any call for an impromptu meeting today?

By the time she left work, So-young received a message from a colleague from the department next to her’s. What did he mean by calling for an impromptu meeting all of a sudden? So-young was sure that the message was wrong. This was because she was a new workforce that few people knew.

Han Soyoung: Did you send it wrong?

Lee Juntae: I sent it to you.

Han Soyoung: Why all of a sudden? Call for an impromptu meeting?

Lee Juntae: We were supposed to drink with close people.

Lee Juntae: I'm curious about how you're doing. I can fetch you if you want.

Soyoung narrowed her forehead. She was grateful for the interest rather than indifference, but she didn't usually enjoy drinking and she didn't have a friendly personality. He added, as if he had known her hesitation.

Lee Juntae: You don't know anyone because you're moving your organization.

Lee Juntae: They're all good people, so they'll help.

Lee Juntae: Manager Joo is coming too, so don't worry too much and go.

Those words moved Soyoung's heart. As he said, making friendships with people can be helpful, and there was no harm in doing it. Soyoung, who had made her decision, replied that she would attend, and threw her attention to the team leader.

The problem is Tae-kyung. He doesn't care where Soyoung goes, but she's concerned that his attitude towards her has become strangely chilly lately. No, on the surface nothing has changed, so it might just be Soyoung's self-consciousness.

But…

His distance towards Soyoung can't help but affect her nerves. Recently, Tae-kyung did not look at So-young, nor gave direct work instructions, let alone smile at her. It felt like a relationship that was supposed to be that distant.

Team leader doesn't like me?

Thinking about that made her a little depressed, but anyway, she had done everything she had to do today, so Taekyung wouldn't be able to find faults with So-young. After thinking about it for a while, So-young finally left the office earlier than usual with Manager Joo.