By Zephyria The office atmosphere, which had been quiet to the point of gloomy, completely changed from the next day.
The employees were busy contacting each other to change the design of the canned goods and adjust the production date.
Despite the sudden instructions, everyone followed Mu-hae without question. They seemed more desperate, thinking that the department would disappear soon anyway.
In just one day, a design that lacked any aesthetic sense was sent to the factory, and in another three days, cans that could be used immediately arrived at the production site.
There was no need to wait for anyone else’s approval. Even if it was just for show, Mu-hae was an executive, and under the Company’s indifference, he could easily abuse his authority no matter what documents were submitted.
“This is a secret, but I don’t really like canned food.”
“You’ve already eaten four cans for someone who doesn’t like it.”
“I was just tasting it.”
In the meantime, the call they had been waiting for finally came.
On his last day of work, Mu-hae received a welcome email at the contact information he had written on his resume.
Welcome to your first step with the Natural Phenomenon Society (NPS).
To Lee Hae-mu, who has embarked on the path of exploration,
We sincerely welcome you as a new member of the Natural Phenomenon Society (NPS).
Our society respects the energy and phenomena inherent in nature, and we have gathered to understand the hidden order within them.
As a member, you will be free to participate in the society’s research activities and exchanges,
and you will take a step closer to the essence beyond your interests.
We believe that the insights you will discover on this journey will be of great significance.
We have compiled the society’s basic rules and various research and discussion topics and enclosed them in this email.
We look forward to working with you in the future and once again extend our welcome.
Sincerely,
The Natural Phenomenon Society (NPS)
P.S.
Our NPS holds regular meetings every year to promote communication and friendship among members.
This year’s event has already ended, but we would like to arrange a welcome party and a small gathering for new members,
so please let us know your available dates for the first weekday of next month and we will reflect them in the schedule.
At the last minute, he had a way to contact the NPS without using the Company’s system.
He thought the verification would be more difficult since it was a secret society, but surprisingly, he didn’t feel any suspicion about his identity.
Rather, when he opened the attached file, he was surprised to find a wealth of friendly and detailed information.
It was a bit pushy to suddenly announce that they would be holding a welcome party in two weeks when he hadn’t even requested it…
Well, he’s never participated in a meeting like this before, so it’s hard to tell if this is a normal situation or not.
Whatever the case, he wanted to check out the NPS as soon as possible, so Mu-hae straightened his back, which had been leaning against the chair, and immediately tried to contact them.
RE: Welcome to your first step with the Natural Phenomenon Society (NPS).
Thank you for the welcome.
If it’s the first week of next month, Wednesday and Saturday are the most free.
However, considering the recent weather conditions near Goryeo City, it seems difficult to travel long distances by air.
Please let me know the meeting place in advance, considering this point.
Sincerely,
Lee Hae-mu.
It was fortunate that he could view the work contacts of the department’s employees just by sitting in this seat.
The parties involved would be taken aback if they knew, but thanks to this, it was very helpful in completing official sentences.
“The language is too difficult.”
Joo-oh grumbled and rubbed his head against his shoulder after eavesdropping on the email. He had a feeling this would happen, so he didn’t apply any oil or gel when he styled his hair, which was a good choice.
“Oh, right. Jin Mu-hae. They’re going to sell food with the new cans starting next week.”
“Who is? Team leader? Why would he only tell you that?”
“Actually, it came to Jin Mu-hae. I told him that the managing director was busy.”
Blink. Joo-oh blinked once and glanced at his Watch.
“4 hours and 36 minutes ago.”
That was before he even received the contact from the NPS, so at this point, he probably just heard it and forgot to tell him.
“You’re not doing your job as a secretary properly.”
As soon as he scolded him, Joo-oh stealthily covered his wrist, feeling guilty. A thought flashed through Mu-hae’s mind.
What was this guy doing for those 4 hours and 36 minutes? He was probably just busy taking pictures of other people.
He was so dumbfounded that he reached out his hand to ask for the Watch, but he shook his head and took a step back.
“If you keep disobeying me, go alone.”
“No, I’m going with you.”
“What did you take pictures of that you’re acting like this? Show it to me.”
Joo-oh pouted at the stern tone. However, his desire to show off his work was greater, and soon he confidently held his Watch near the desk in the office.
Di-rong. As the data was transmitted, photos began to appear one by one on the glass wall.
Mu-hae in a red jacket staring into space in what appeared to be a break room. Mu-hae sleeping in bed, he didn’t know when he took it.
Mu-hae warming up frozen meat and putting it on a plate, Mu-hae checking equipment and holding parts in his mouth…
As he had guessed, there were more than ten photos taken with this Company as the background. From a neat face with his hair neatly styled and glasses on to a somewhat tired expression, Joo-oh was taking all sorts of poses that Mu-hae took and showing them to him preciously.
“This is, um. Jin Mu-hae complaining that the translator doesn’t seem to be working properly.”
“Are you explaining because you think I don’t know that’s me?”
“And this is Jin Mu-hae adjusting his glasses. Haha.”
Joo-oh chattered away as if he were introducing his work. He didn’t know how many pictures he took with a model that could barely display a Hologram Window.
It was hard to believe that they were taken by that dimwit, but each one was a delicate and heartfelt result. Even Mu-hae, who was far from photography or art, nodded his head without realizing it.
And he was a little embarrassed. This wasn’t just a photo, it was how Joo-oh saw him.
Even the way he sat there without thinking was transformed into a serious and weighty human being in his eyes. The way he glanced up was more melancholic than aloof.
The most striking thing was the expression. The man in the photo always had a frown or a blank face.
Very occasionally, when his eyes met the photographer’s, one eyebrow would arch up in annoyance. His hand was even reaching out as if he was about to grab someone by the neck, and he really looked like he had a terrible temper.
“And this is… ta-da.”
The last photo Joo-oh showed was of the center of a dark study. In a space where a mattress had been pulled out and thrown down as a bed, colorful plastic toys were huddled together.
“You ate that much Fruits Something and that’s all you have?”
“No, there’s more. But I only picked the pretty ones.”
As befitting a collectible from cheap cereal, the quality of the Tinkle Friends was so poor that even Mu-hae thought it was too much.
They were clearly made with the same mold, but some were missing eyes, and others had crushed heads or arms.
Thinking that he had picked them out one by one and only gave the ones he liked to the people around him… it was a strange feeling, but suddenly all the people who had rejected them felt like callous human beings.
He would have ignored them even if he had received them. People’s minds are so unpredictable.
“Come to think of it, you never gave me one.”
“Tinkle Friends are for friends who you want to do well.”
“You don’t want me to do well?”
Mu-hae belatedly shut his mouth after uttering words that even he thought were childish.
Joo-oh smiled brightly, looking around in the air as if he was having so much fun.
“Because I have you, Jin Mu-hae.”
His voice was as confident as if he were a lucky charm. His gaze was still groping in the air, but thanks to his brazen attitude, he didn’t seem like a person who was going in and out of his mind.
“Put it away now. I’m going home soon.”
Mu-hae scolded him unnecessarily harshly because the inside of his sternum was strangely throbbing.
Whether he did or not, Joo-oh, who was used to the coldness, fluttered back to his desk and pressed a button.
“Is the managing director over?”
“Yes. I’ll never do it again because you’re acting weird.”
Today, he was going to Jaegang District. He would report his hard work to Gu-reum in the basement and prepare for the exploration request that would be coming next week.
As he received greetings from the employees and left the building, Mu-hae tasted a strange feeling as if he had had a dream.
Just a while ago, he was strutting around in the Company’s office, watching other people’s work, but in just a few days, he would become the Company’s outsourced mercenary and help them with their work from the lowest level.
What was swirling in his head was not resentment or bitterness, but doubt that the frame that had been confining and imprisoning him was so thin and light.
Jin Mu-hae was a person who could blend into any part of this city. Even in the slums where he had fallen due to the stigma of guilt by association, in the lower-level civil servant position in Central, or in the luxurious office in this Business District.
“Being a secretary was fun.”
“That’s because you didn’t do anything and just ate.”
While having a trivial conversation with Joo-oh, he got into the Hover Car that Gu-reum had sent. Sitting in the quiet and comfortable seat as if he were lying in bed, Mu-hae smoothed down his black hair, which was starting to stick out a little.
“I need to cut it again soon.”
“What?”
“My hair. It’s already coming down this much.”
As he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, Joo-oh rubbed his cheek against his palm and let out a satisfied sigh.
“I like just Jin Mu-hae too.”
When he put ‘Jin Mu-hae’ and ‘like’ in the same sentence, his usually pleasant voice became as sweet as if it had been coated with honey.
Mu-hae touched the nape of his neck, which had been freed from his collar, and impulsively bit Joo-oh’s ear.
“Haha. Jin Mu-hae. You’re eating me.”
He seemed to look better with his ears exposed. Mu-hae inhaled the sweet scent that was just like his appearance, then straightened his posture and looked out the window as if nothing had happened.
The reason he was feeling so good was probably because everything had been going well for the first time in a while. Mu-hae felt his pulse starting to beat a little faster and thought about the reality of the Return flight, which was within reach.