---

“…”

“…”

Silence continues.

“She’s really pretty.”

Lee Eun Joo gazed at the woman in front of her, marveling inwardly.

Her hair glistened beautifully under the light, and her eyes held a faint emotional depth.

Though she hated to admit it, the woman was among the most beautiful people she had ever seen.

It was hard to fathom why someone with such a face would even work at the Management Agency.

“…”

“…”

The silence lingers.

“Excuse me.”

“Ah, yes, yes.”

The white-haired woman spoke, and Lee Eun Joo flinched, turning her gaze away.

“Are we not starting?”

“Ah.”

I guess I was staring too much.

As she began to read the paper, she subtly shifted her gaze back to the woman.

“Is this Jang Chae Yeon?”

Nod.

Jang Chae Yeon nodded her head.

“You were in the Gangdong Branch Isolation Team before moving to the Human Resources Team, right?”

Nod.

Jang Chae Yeon nodded again, silently.

“Well, looking at your mental state…”

She glanced at the paper.

“It seems there’s nothing particularly dangerous about you.”

“…”

The white-haired woman slowly nodded her head.

“You do show some slight signs of anxiety, but honestly, it’s odd not to have any while working at the Management Agency…”

Lee Eun Joo, who was scanning the paper, lifted her gaze to look at the white-haired woman.

“Among those who have worked at the Management Agency for a long time, you are quite stable mentally.”

“…”

A slight smile flickered across her expression.

So she can smile, huh? Lost in thought, Lee Eun Joo extended the paper.

Taking the paper with a stoic expression, Jang Chae Yeon read it and then met her gaze.

“Is there anything I should be careful about?”

“What to be careful about…”

Muttering, Lee Eun Joo fell into thought.

“I suppose reducing stress-inducing tasks would be ideal?”

“…What if the stress is from the people around you?”

“Pardon?”

“No, nothing.”

Shaking her head softly, Jang Chae Yeon replied.

“But you must have had a really tough time if you were part of the Isolation Team. How did you manage to endure?”

She inquired with curiosity as she handed the paper over.

“…”

“…It probably wouldn’t be appropriate to pry into personal matters, right?”

After meeting the gaze of the woman who looked at her coldly, she hurriedly corrected herself.

“I’ll hand you the results now.”

Without further ado, she collected the papers and bowed her head respectfully before exiting out the door.

“…That was scary…”

Indeed, the Isolation Team was something else.

Muttering to herself, she stared at the door.

“She is really pretty…”

I wonder who would take someone like her?

Just as she was about to close the door,

“…”

She saw the woman walk toward someone with a gentle smile.

Who on earth is that?

Before she could stretch her neck to see,

-Thud.

The door closed in front of her.

*

It’s something I always feel, but while I can’t say the Management Agency does everything well, their welfare isn’t bad at all.

Just like the mental examinations done last year and this one.

“…”

She stared at the steel tub before her.

No matter how wide she opened her eyes, the translucent window wouldn’t appear.

“Did you forget something?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

As a voice came from behind her, she bowed her head and was about to sit down.

“…Branch Chief?”

“Good morning.”

“Why are you here…?”

“Is it that strange for me to see my subordinate?”

A brown-haired woman glanced at me, crossing her legs.

Her red eyes stared at me.

“Let’s see…”

“…”

“…”

After a moment of silence, she looked up at me.

As she naturally examined her hair, she said—

“Where are you looking?”

“I’m sorry.”

She briefly opened her eyes and immediately lowered her head, avoiding her gaze.

“Is Kim Jae Heon from the Human Resources Team right?”

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Procedure, procedure.”

“Ah, yes…”

As I spoke, the Branch Chief smiled and continued.

“It seems the Management Agency job suits you well.”

“Excuse me?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

While I stared at her with a puzzled expression, she seemed to find something amusing and mumbled while gazing at me.

“You seem to have some slight obsessive tendencies, but other than that, nothing major.”

“Isn’t a slight obsessive tendency a big deal?”

“If it’s serious, then yes, but you could also just call it a habit.”

What is she saying?

As I looked at her in bewilderment, the Branch Chief shrugged and gazed at me.

“For example, do you feel unsatisfied if you don’t check something?”

“Ah.”

I quickly realized what she was talking about.

From some time ago, I had been quite focused on looking above other people’s heads.

“You know it well, don’t you?”

She nodded and began to reread the paper.

“Other than that, you seem perfectly fine. It’s almost fascinating.”

“…”

“You don’t have any major traumas or mental anxieties.”

“That’s good.”

“It’s great, but…”

The Branch Chief frowned slightly with a “hmm.”

It’s great, but what?

“Is there something strange about that, Branch Chief?”

“If someone is this stable after a long time in the Management Agency, that in itself is quite unusual.”

“But Branch Chief, you were the same.”

“I’ve surpassed that level.”

“Oh, so you’ve lived long enough?”

“Are you trying to kiss my left and right brains?”

“I’m sorry.”

The Branch Chief spread her hand wide, and I had no choice but to apologize to her.

“Anyway, you’ve adapted oddly well.”

Isn’t that kind of offensive?

“Are you saying I’m a psychopath or something?”

“No, no. I just made you worry for no reason.”

She waved her hand.

“There are usually two reasons why someone wouldn’t be shaken at all.”

She held up two fingers.

“First, the job at the Management Agency really suits you, and you think about it even during meals.”

“…”

“How do you feel about that?”

“That’s not it for me.”

I dream of leaving work while coming in every day, and when it’s time to leave, I dread coming back the next day.

Every morning, I want to hide underground!

“Right. I was also just looking at the results for others and wondering if I should just burrow into the ground starting tomorrow. My boss would probably kill me if she knew.”

“Really?”

“It sounds like a joke? But it’s true.”

Saying this, she folded one finger down.

“Second…”

“…”

I watched her with a tense expression.

She shrugged her shoulders and responded.

“I don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“These cases do occur sometimes. People with absurdly strong stress tolerance.”

She turned her gaze to me.

“Being able to step back and view a situation, understanding it first logically rather than emotionally.”

“…”

“That’s a really good personality for working in the Management Agency.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

She nodded and looked at me.

“There are, of course, downsides.”

“Pardon?”

“Those who work with you might end up evaluating you a bit more coldly.”

“…”

The Branch Chief smiled at me.

“Are you perhaps too rough on your team members?”

“Pardon?”

“People, especially lonely ones, tend to be more sensitive.”

“…”

“You need the ability to notice things even without words.”

She pointed to her eyes.

With her eyes closed, she whispered with a smile.

“I think sometimes it’s good to talk with your eyes closed.”

“…”

I seemed to grasp what she was implying.

Seeing my expression, the Branch Chief laughed aloud.

“You seem to understand somewhat.”

She handed me the paper.

“Good job.”

“…Is this it?”

“Is there anything else you need?”

“…Why did you come?”

“Because this is the last stop in the Human Resources Team.”

“And?”

“That’s all.”

The Branch Chief wore a playful smile.

“What about the necklace?”

“I’ll call you again to talk about that later.”

The Branch Chief smirked playfully.

“…You’re not planning on calling me often, are you?”

“I’m one of those who pays your salary, so isn’t it okay?”

“I only consider those five years older than me… Sorry.”

Before I could finish my sentence, she reached out and placed her hand on my forehead, and I found myself having to yield to her once more.

“Anyway.”

“…Yes.”

The Branch Chief continued to look at me, still with her hand on my forehead.

“Try closing your eyes and talking when you go out.”

“…Really?”

“Really.”

“…Okay.”

When asked to do something, I guess I should just do it.

I shrugged my shoulders, and she waved her hand, smiling.

“Then I’ll be going out.”

“Yes.”

I wanted to escape from this palm.

Quickly turning around, I left through the door.

I felt like I could feel someone’s gaze on me from behind.

*

As I stepped outside, there were Song Ah Rin and Park Ye Eun standing there.

“A-Rin, you finished early?”

“Do you think I’ve done this just once or twice?”

Song Ah Rin sighed, moving next to me.

“You didn’t manipulate the test results or anything, did you?”

“I didn’t tamper with the results.”

She shrugged.

“Thank goodness. And Ye Eun?”

“I just wrapped it up fine.”

Park Ye Eun nodded in response to my question, and just then, Yu Da On and Jang Chae Yeon stepped out, glancing at me.

“Jae Heon!”

“…”

The two approached me with friendly expressions.

“What about the Team Leader?”

-Bang,

Before I could finish my sentence, one of the doors swung open, and the Team Leader peeked out, only his face visible.

“Kids, go ahead first.”

“…Are you feeling unwell or something?”

“No. I’ve just been caught.”

“Pardon?”

“Anyway, you guys go first.”

The Team Leader said that and then closed the door.

With a strangely commanding voice, I exchanged glances with the others, and then I said,

“Well, then. Shall we go?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

*

As I walked back to the office, lost in thought.

Close your eyes and talk.

She wouldn’t mean to literally do that.

What did the Branch Chief really want to say to me?

“…”

“…”

“…What’s bothering you?”

“Pardon?”

Song Ah Rin stood beside me, looking at me with wide-open eyes.

“No, your expression doesn’t look good.”

“Bothering me…”

The image of Song Ah Rin I had seen at work came to mind.

Her desperately holding onto my arm.

Slowly shifting my gaze toward her.

“…I suppose I do have something.”

I tore my gaze away from the translucent window above her head and looked at her face.

“…What? Why are you suddenly making eye contact?”

As she said this, trying to avoid my gaze, her expression looked terribly unstable, so I said,

“…A-Rin.”

“What?”

“How about we grab a drink together after work?”

“Uh, huh?”

“…”

“…”

“Oh…”

The silence enveloped Yu Da On, Jang Chae Yeon, and Park Ye Eun chiming in carefully.

Stunned, Song Ah Rin blinked and pointed to herself with her finger.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Just me?”

“Yes.”

“Why…?”

Her voice grew smaller, almost disappearing.

“I’m a bit worried about you.”

“Oh, come on. Worrying about what? Who’s worrying about whom…?”

Crossing her arms, she turned her head away, then said,

“…I won’t drink much.”

Looking at me, she added.

“Okay, let’s do that.”

“Okay, then let’s hurry.”

“There’s no need to rush…”

Before I could finish my sentence, she strode purposefully toward the office.

Her steps looked far lighter than before.