2.3

The receptionist at the marble front desk, dressed in a black suit, greeted Oh Soohyun with a polite bow.  

Oh Soohyun gave a barely perceptible nod and headed straight for the elevator.  

Leeseo, following behind, returned the receptionist’s bow with a slight nod of her own.  

Leeseo moved mechanically.  

She pressed the elevator’s open button, waited for Oh Soohyun to step inside, and then silently followed him in. 

Her mind was occupied with Oh Soohyun’s schedule and the various tasks awaiting her in the office.  

“What time is the awards ceremony today?”  

As soon as Oh Soohyun’s words struck the air, Leeseo responded quickly.  

“Two in the afternoon. You should arrive at the venue at least thirty minutes beforehand. The Commissioner of the National Tax Service will personally present the award, and there will be a brief rehearsal. It takes about forty minutes to reach the venue, so I’ve arranged for the car to be ready an hour before departure. As for your acceptance speech…” 

Oh Soohyun raised her hand to shoulder height, signaling her to stop. Leeseo halted her report and waited for further instructions.  

“Who wrote the speech?”  

“The chief secretary wrote it. I adjusted the font size, printed it, and placed it on your desk in advance.”  

Having said that, Leeseo glanced at her wristwatch.  

“You can review it in the car on the way there.”  

“Rewrite the speech.”  

At the absurd demand, Leeseo took a moment to steady her breath. She tried her best to keep her emotions from showing as she quietly observed the back of Oh Soohyun’s head. Her hair was meticulously styled, strands lifted and fixed in place, making it obvious she had just come from the salon.  

“Shouldn’t you write it yourself? Chief Jang is a man, so it’s bound to stand out. On a day like this, with the press attending, don’t you think it should be a little different?”  

Under normal circumstances, she would have gone out of her way to make time and handle the task without complaint. But now, she didn’t feel like it.  

The chief secretary was her direct superior, and there were clear boundaries in their work responsibilities. Furthermore, the acceptance speech he had written was concise yet complete, with a logical and emotional flow that made it highly persuasive.  

What more could she possibly want?  

“There isn’t enough time, CEO.”  

Oh Soohyun, who had been facing the elevator doors, turned to look at her, scanning her from head to toe with an incredulous expression.  

“If there isn’t time, then make time.”  

She spoke as though she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  

“The chairman’s birthday is in a week.”  

“What does that have to do with the awards ceremony? Surely today’s event is more urgent than a birthday a week from now. Don’t you know that?”  

“The birthday gift for the chairman needs to arrive on time, which means I have to personally visit Icheon. There’s a lot to handle before that. I still need to confirm the venue for the dinner meeting with the National Tax Service officials, which will double as a celebratory gathering…”  

“Enough. What exactly is this birthday gift that’s causing such a fuss?”  

Just then, the elevator reached the upper floors with a soft ding, and its doors opened.  

Leeseo moved swiftly yet silently, pressing the open button to hold the doors.  

Following behind Oh Soohyun, she spoke in a low voice, reminding her of the chaos surrounding the honorary chairman Gu Jaman’s birthday last year.  

“The chairman was upset with the eldest daughter-in-law’s gift because it was a piece by a Chinese artisan.”  

As if recalling the incident, Oh Soohyun’s eyes briefly flickered with a faint smile before it disappeared. It was the kind of smile that seemed to say, “Someone else’s misfortune is my gain.”  

“Yes, Father did hate that.”  

From what Leeseo knew, it wasn’t just dislike—it was outright disdain. Anything related to China made him grit his teeth. The root of this hatred stemmed from a Chinese factory that had been painstakingly built with a 30 trillion won investment, only to face unreasonable regulations from the authorities. The resulting losses were astronomical.  

“So, what’s the gift this time?”  

“I commissioned four master artisans, all designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage holders, to create sets of traditional Korean paper, brushes, ink sticks, and inkstones.”  

Oh Soohyun suddenly stopped walking.  

Traditional Korean paper, brushes, ink sticks, and inkstones…  

Knowing how deeply his father loved calligraphy, the idea of presenting a set crafted by master artisans, especially those recognized as cultural treasures, was bound to be a hit. Without needing much imagination, she could already hear the hearty laughter of her father.  

Oh Soohyun began walking again, this time at a slower pace. 

She thought back to the immense effort she had poured into transforming a failing cosmetics business into the thriving Gaon Republic. Last year, they had won the Quality Innovation Award and the Best Brand Award. This year, she was receiving the Exemplary Taxpayer Award, personally presented by the Commissioner of the National Tax Service. And now, with a birthday gift that would surely delight her father-in-law, the picture seemed perfect.  

But…  

“That’s not something that can be prepared in just a day or two, is it?”   

Oh, Soohyun’s voice softened slightly.  

The artisans, known for their pride and dedication to their craft, were people who wouldn’t compromise their principles even with a blade at their throat. Many of them would slam the door in your face, no matter how much money you offered, if they felt slighted. Their works weren’t something you could order online and have delivered the next day. Coordinating a specific delivery date was out of the question.  

“Since the day after last year’s birthday, I’ve been in contact with them and was finally able to place the order after much effort.”  

CEO Oh Soohyun nodded, unable to hide her amazement.  

“But, Leeseo.”  

The sudden familiarity in her tone startled her, and she looked up. A warm smile lingered on Oh Soohyun’s lips as she gazed at her.  

“Let’s forget about the resignation letter. Now that Junhyung’s surgery is over, we should have a family dinner sometime. Once Junhyung is discharged, I’ll let you know the date.”  

Without giving her a chance to respond, Oh Soohyun walked down the marble-floored hallway, the sound of her heels echoing as she left.  

Left alone in the hallway, Leeseo let out a self-deprecating laugh.  

It’s only at times like this that I’m considered family.

***

The CEO’s office, which had been noisy just moments ago, was now quiet.  

After tidying up the papers on Oh Soohyun’s desk, Leeseo stacked the empty cups from the reception table onto a tray and carried them out.  

She went straight to the pantry, where she washed the cups, placing the saucers and cups separately on the drying rack. As she was wiping her wet hands, someone entered.  

“Assistant Yoon.” 

A colleague, who also worked in the secretary’s office, approached her. She was Leeseo’s immediate superior and a coworker.  

“The chief said… Is it true that you’re quitting?”  

It didn’t seem like she was asking out of mere curiosity. Her tone suggested disbelief, as if she were confirming something that couldn’t possibly be true.  

“Yes.”  

Leeseo opened a drawer and took out a green tea bag. She filled a cup halfway with hot water and dipped the tea bag in, watching the light green hue spread through the transparent glass.  

“Isn’t this one of the best jobs out there, with the high salary and excellent benefits?”  

After a long pause, the colleague cautiously asked.  

“I want to try doing something I’ve always wanted to do.”  

“That’s ridiculous. If I were you, I wouldn’t leave even if someone pushed me out.”  

Leeseo smiled faintly and gently swirled the tea bag’s white string to steep the tea. The color of the tea gradually deepened.  

“The CEO only ever asks for you, Assistant Yoon. Whenever something happens, the chief always looks for you too. And that’s not all, is it? Unlike me, stuck at my desk all day, you even go to the CEO’s in-laws’ house instead of the chief. You personally handle all their family events and sometimes even attend them. How close must you be for that to happen?”  

The colleague kept talking nonstop until Leeseo threw the tea bag into the trash and wrapped her hands around the warm glass.  

“In the end, it’s all just errands that have nothing to do with actual work.”  

“What’s your secret?”  

“It’s not really a secret… Maybe being on call 24/7 without any personal time?”  

As she took a sip of the tea, the warmth traveled down her throat, easing some of the tension from the morning.  

“No way…”  

Leeseo smiled faintly and took another sip.  

Her coworker, usually cold and distant, sometimes sent envious glances her way. But today, her words didn’t carry the same sharpness or hostility as before.  

Was it the news of my resignation that had stripped away the jealousy and resentment? Like sunlight breaking through the clouds?  

“I’ve kept all my work diaries and to-do lists in my desk drawer. I haven’t thrown any of them away. I’ll give them to you.”  

“Really?”  

“They’re all written down. Think of it as a kind of work journal. Everything from the CEO’s minor schedules to the steps for major events, details about partner companies… Even the menus from luncheons and meetings are noted there.”  

She had meticulously written everything in small handwriting, filling every blank space. If anything was missing, it was only Oh Soohyun’s personal requests.  

Leeseo poured the remaining tea into the sink.  

“But you just made that tea! The journal, you don’t have to give it to me now….”

“It was over-steeped. It tasted bitter.”  

Leeseo returned to her desk with her colleague and opened the bottom drawer.  

“Leeseo… You’re really leaving, aren’t you?”  

When she handed over several thick diaries, her colleague looked at her with wide eyes, a mix of surprise and delight evident on her face. While her coworker eagerly flipped through the diaries, Leeseo let out a quiet sigh.  

Clearing my mind does make me feel lighter… But why are there so many people who would be happy if I disappeared?