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Last year was the same, but mental counseling and examinations for each employee are mandatory at the Management Agency, and if you don’t take the examination, disciplinary action can be applied, making mental counseling and examinations for each employee quite strict.

Maybe it’s because it’s quite different from a regular workplace.

Well, I did have it last year, so I understand that much.

“Team Leader.”

“Yeah.”

“Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”

The Team Leader stares at me intently at my question.

“Nothing happened.”

“Your tone sounds like something did happen.”

“No, really, nothing happened. Da On was quiet and fine, and Ye Eun too…”

The Team Leader trails off.

“It was a bit tiring, feeling like I was taking care of relatives who don’t listen.”

“They’re just kids. Cut them some slack.”

“Yeah, asking something from a child is quite shameless, don’t you think?”

With a sigh, I fall into thought, leaving the Team Leader behind.

The psychological counseling at the Management Agency is strictly confidential.

As for me, I wouldn’t have known what kind of psychological counseling results the Team Leader had until he told me himself, and the Team Leader also wouldn’t have known my results.

“Are you from the Human Resources Team?”

“Yes.”

A man in a white coat looks at us while holding a chart.

The four people standing behind me and the Team Leader.

“I think there were only two of you last year…”

“The number of staff has increased a bit, hasn’t it?”

The Team Leader smiles good-naturedly at the man.

“Isn’t the number of staff like a rubber band at the Management Agency?”

“That’s true.”

The man nods and looks back at us.

“Then please enter and proceed with your counseling, one at a time.”

As the man turns, white booths that look like they were set up temporarily are scattered behind him.

“Does it not matter where we go?”

“Yes. The equipment is all the same.”

“Then everyone should go and handle it well on your own.”

Hearing that, the Team Leader waves and walks into one of the booths.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

And the four pairs of eyes looking at me.

“Has everyone had a psychological examination at the Management Agency before?”

“I haven’t!”

“I’m just an intern.”

Yu Da On and Park Ye Eun raise their hands, while Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin just nod without a word.

“Then let me explain briefly.”

At my words, the two eagerly look at me.

“Once you go in, there’s a machine, right? Once you enter, the machine will evaluate your mental state automatically.”

“…”

“…”

“And then you have your counseling afterward.”

“…Is that it?”

Hearing my words, Park Ye Eun murmurs as if it’s absurd, while Yu Da On just blinks at me.

“Yes. That’s it.”

“Can we really have proper counseling with such a half-baked method?”

“Isn’t relying on modern technology more trustworthy than asking useless questions?”

At least for me, it is.

At my words, Park Ye Eun shuts her mouth, and Yu Da On nods.

“It seems the other two are already aware…”

Trailing off, I glance toward the booths.

“See you after your counseling ends.”

Honestly, everyone probably isn’t in such a tight mental spot.

Lightly thinking so, I step toward the booth.

*

Park Ye Eun was staring intently at the machine in front of her.

A small machine that looked like a shower booth.

The black shining metal door and walls certainly did not look inviting at all.

“You can enter here.”

A gentle-voiced woman awakened Park Ye Eun from her thoughts.

“Oh, yes.”

“Don’t worry too much. Nothing will happen.”

“Yes…”

Muttering, Park Ye Eun enters the machine.

As the door closes, only pitch-black darkness is visible before her.

<Just stay still, and you’ll be fine.>

While listening to the machine sounds echoing from beyond in a daze, Park Ye Eun fell into her thoughts.

How does this proceed? Are they scanning her brain, or are they using some more fascinating technology?

<It’s finished.>

“Already?”

It felt like she hadn’t thought much at all.

In front of her, a sheet of paper was handed out.

“Have you experienced any bad things recently?”

“Um…”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You don’t have to say anything.”

With a soft smile, the doctor waves his hand at Park Ye Eun, who has a puzzled expression.

“There’s a reason why young people get into the Management Agency.”

“…”

“If you have tough times, just consult someone. Do you have any trustworthy adults around you?”

Trustworthy adults?

Several images of adults popped up over Park Ye Eun’s head.

A scary older sister with black hair. Impossible.

A blunt older sister with white hair. Impossible.

A rude older sister with purple hair. Impossible.

An older man. Half trust.

A tired-looking older brother. Probably trust.

“…Maybe one to two people…?”

“Ask those two what you need to ask and rely on them.”

“Oh, yes…”

“Still, it seems like you don’t have any major traumas. There are some signs of anxiety, but that should be fine.”

The doctor handed over the paper with a smile.

“The Human Resources Team seems to be okay.”

“Oh…”

Is it really okay?

“Is something the matter?”

“No, thank you!”

Park Ye Eun bows her head and looks around as she exits the booth.

No one else has come out yet.

*

“…”

“…”

Silence.

Gazing at the dark-haired woman who was looking at herself with an empty smile, Kim Ji Woo still didn’t know what to say.

She wasn’t new to this work. She had seen many mentally unstable people, and there were naturally those who maintained their sanity even in this hell.

However, the person sitting before her was different.

The dark-haired girl tucked her hair behind her ear and locked eyes with Kim Ji Woo.

Her pure appearance could turn heads, and her fleeting smile evoked a protective instinct in people.

The only different point was the seemingly indifferent look in her eyes.

“…”

She looks at the paper in front of her.

Unstable mental state. Severe dependence.

She was in a state where she should be receiving treatment, not working at the company.

“Uh… if you see this sheet…”

“…”

The indifferent gaze turned towards the paper.

Only then did she find herself taking a breath.

Right. As long as I don’t have to look at her face.

As she shifted her gaze towards the paper, she began to speak.

“Looking closely…”

“Yes.”

“…It seems a bit dangerous, perhaps? The graphs and figures are really high, and usually, in this case, one should take a break from work…”

“…”

“Oh, but don’t worry too much. Your salary will keep coming in, and the reinstatement period is up to you…”

“What if I want to keep working?”

“Yes?”

Did I hear that wrong?

She turned her gaze, and—

“…”

She locked eyes with the dark-haired woman, still gazing at her with an indifferent look.

“I have no intention of quitting this job.”

“…”

“I’m just letting you know.”

“…”

The dark-haired woman, with a bright smile, looks at her.

“Absolutely not.”

“…Yes…”

“I have no intention of leaving the job.”

“Yes…”

“And if I do leave, I’ll find a way to get reinstated.”

Her eyes turn crescent-like.

Her expression and facial muscles clearly convey goodwill, but her gaze remains utterly indifferent.

Kim Ji Woo was afraid of her.

Normally, people would display some emotion in their gaze when they look at her.

It didn’t even have to be positive.

Even if they looked at her with a negative expression about something she said, that would still count as a form of emotional expression.

But Da On was different.

The gaze she directed towards Kim Ji Woo contained not a single hint of emotion.

It was like the gaze of a talking doll or someone staring blankly at a situation they found uninteresting.

That scared her immensely.

“…”

Kim Ji Woo could only nod her head.

Yu Da On stands up.

With the same bright smile as before, she bows at a right angle at Kim Ji Woo.

“Then, thank you so much for your time, teacher!”

With a radiant smile, she exits through the door.

“Oh, Jae Heon!”

Her voice came alive with emotion.

As Kim Ji Woo looked beyond the door at Yu Da On, she saw her happily conversing with the man, her eyes full of joy and affection.

“…”

While talking to the man, Yu Da On turned her head and looked at Kim Ji Woo beyond the door, nodding her head with an expressionless gaze as the door closed.

*

“Oh my, you’re so incredible!”

Oh Seok Hyung had never seen someone with such outstanding results in his life.

It was absolutely perfect.

Mental health flawless, no traumas at all.

She wasn’t at a level of an ordinary person; she seemed like someone you could send straight to the field without any problem.

“I’ll take a look at the previous records.”

Incredible, truly incredible.

He murmured as he pulled out the paper.

Every indicator was flawless.

“I guess I don’t need to look anymore.”

Where could such a remarkable person be found? Shouldn’t our employees be the ones receiving psychological counseling instead?

Muttering in wonder, he handed over the paper, and a delicate hand received it.

“…I see.”

“Isn’t it perfect?”

“No, not at all perfect.”

“Is this figure?”

How much more does he expect?

Feeling a sense of awe, he looked at her.

“Let’s see.”

She murmured as she took the paper.

“Severe self-doubt. That could happen. Falling self-esteem, I don’t quite understand. And loneliness. Hmm.”

“Yes?”

“It annoys me because it hits too close to home.”

The man looked at the paper.

With such a perfect result displayed, what was she talking about?

“Um…”

“Yes.”

The woman replied to his words while looking at him.

“I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

“Yes.”

She answered casually and rose from her seat, holding the paper.

You’re not supposed to take that with you.

Well, it should be alright anyway.

Thinking lightly about it, the man shrugged.

As he was about to step outside the booth, the woman turned to look at him.

“…Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“How do I look right now?”

“…Um.”

The man inspected her face.

Her purple hair cascaded long, and although her expression didn’t exude a submissive nature, she had a cute face.

And, above all…

“…I feel oddly fond of you.”

There was an inexplicable sense of fondness.

Not rational fondness, just a simple like for the person herself.

“…Is that so.”

With a self-deprecating smile, Song Ah Rin looked at the paper.

Rip…

Tearing the paper with both hands and tossing it into the trash, she murmured.

Leaving the man behind, who continued to deliver compliments with unfocused eyes, she stepped out of the door.

“I understand well.”

She walked into the corner, looking at the unopened doors.

Arms crossed, leaning against the wall, Song Ah Rin closed her eyes.

“You all think I look useful.”

But all of that was meaningless.

The sound of footsteps approached, along with the bright voice of a woman following behind.

Only then did Song Ah Rin straighten up and turn around the corner.

“A-Rin, you finished early?”

“When have I ever done this once or twice?”

She wanted just one thing.