Hyena and Heejin entered the break room to get their after-lunch coffee and were greeted by female employees from other teams who had arrived earlier. During their casual conversation, one of the other team’s employees cautiously broached a topic.

“Hasn’t Manager Lee from your team been acting strange lately?”

“Why?”

Heejin asked back, tilting her head.

“He meets privately with our team leader several times a day.”

It had noticeably decreased since Gunwoo became team leader, but he was someone who often left his seat, so she’d thought he’d gone out for a smoke or something. But private meetings with another team’s leader?

No matter how actively the teams were collaborating, something seemed off about it.

Hyena perked up her ears.

“Manager Lee and your team leader are colleagues from the same year. I guess colleagues have a lot to talk about.”

“I thought that at first too, but it’s weird. Whatever secret stuff they’re talking about, they completely seal the room every time he comes.”

“I think he’s also digging into Team Leader Do’s background?”

Another female employee from a different team slipped into the conversation. Everyone’s attention instantly turned that way.

“There’s a junior from Manager Lee’s university in the sales department, and apparently that person is Team Leader Do’s high school classmate.”

“Really?”

“I just found out yesterday too. Assistant Manager Seo from sales was complaining. Manager Lee keeps calling that person out so work can’t get done.”

Hyena’s face hardened as she quietly listened to the conversation. The private meetings with another team’s leader were one thing, but tracking down Gunwoo’s high school classmate to dig into his private life—that smelled fishy.

‘If it’s a high school classmate, they might know about that ass*ult incident back then.’

She hated the thought of Gunwoo getting hurt because of circumstances he couldn’t choose. He was only just now escaping from that burden.

Unlike her growing serious, the female employees seemed to treat it like minor gossip.

“What would they even find digging around? Education, ability, looks. He’s flawless no matter what you look at.”

“Right. Unless there’s some secret about his birth or something.”

Among the giggling female employees, only Hyena couldn’t laugh.

“Come to think of it, Team Leader Do isn’t the only one having a hard time. There’s Deputy Manager Han too.”

“Deputy Manager Han’s just got hurt pride. She’s made ten passes and he still won’t fall for it.”

“I’d be hurt too. With those looks, that ability, and a wealthy family on top of it. She’s got everything, but he completely shuts her down.”

The female employee from another team who’d been talking asked Hyena.

“But is that true? That when he’s alone with Deputy Manager Han, he leaves the team leader’s office door wide open?”

“Yeah. Well…”

When Hyena fumbled her answer, Heejin stepped in.

“It’s not just Deputy Manager Han. He does that with everyone except our team’s female employees.”

The pleading she’d done with Gunwoo not to act too obviously when the team’s female employees came in seemed to be working.

“He’s really an iron wall.”

“No wonder there are so many rumors about him only working and not dating. Probably wouldn’t work with any woman you put in front of him.”

The woman it would work with, Hyena, lowered her head and swallowed the smile creeping out.

“Ah, lunch break’s almost over. Why is break time so short?”

Coffee time ended with someone’s complaint.

Because of a team leader meeting scheduled in the morning, Gunwoo had left for work first, and Hyena, who left home later, greeted everyone as she entered the office.

“Good morning.”

Unlike usual, no one responded. Something about the unsettled atmosphere made Hyena tilt her head as she approached her seat. Heejin, spotting her, gestured. 

Hyena was caught by Heejin like that and headed to the break room. Heejin opened her mouth while pouring coffee mix into a cup.

“You haven’t heard the news yet, have you?”

“What news?”

“Our team leader…”

Heejin glanced toward the door while speaking, then lowered her voice.

“He’s adopted.”

Hyena’s eyes widened in shock at the unexpected words.

“Surprised, right? I was so shocked when I heard.”

“Who said that?”

“I don’t know either. The rumor’s spreading like wildfire right now.”

It had to be Manager Lee. So after digging around behind Do Gunwoo’s back, he’d resort to such a cowardly tactic?

What followed the anger was worry for Gunwoo.

‘Did he hear about it too?’

“My gut tells me this isn’t just a simple rumor.”

Heejin muttered, but Hyena didn’t hear it. She needed to see Gunwoo right now.

“I’m going ahead.”

She left the break room before even hearing a response. But Gunwoo wasn’t at his seat. 

The team leader meeting apparently hadn’t ended yet. Hyena fidgeted restlessly, only touching her cell phone.

Manager Lee, who arrived latest, even hummed as he headed to his seat. Hyena glared at him with sharp eyes.

‘Should I just confront him?’

While she wavered between reason and emotion, Gunwoo returned to the office with a completely rigid face. He went straight to Manager Lee’s seat.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“I can’t leave my seat right now—can’t you just say it here?”

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Manager Lee, who always shrank in front of Gunwoo, even wore a relaxed smile as he spoke.

“Why did you submit the proposal on your own without my approval?”

An unprecedented anger colored his voice. Even though Manager Lee must have clearly noticed, he remained nonchalant.

“Ah, I was talking with Team 2′s leader and he asked to see it. Since we’re collaborating between teams anyway, I thought it wouldn’t matter.”

“Wouldn’t matter? Copying someone else’s proposal and submitting it?”

Employees buzzed at the bombshell declaration. A flustered Manager Lee raised his voice.

“Someone else’s proposal? I created this through months of blood, sweat, and tears.”

Gunwoo tossed the stack of documents he was holding onto Manager Lee’s desk with a thud.

“These are the proposals Deputy Manager Woo has been reporting to me. It was conducted in secret, so only Deputy Manager Woo and I knew about it.”

Deputy Manager Woo, standing in the back, kept his mouth firmly shut.

“Don’t people’s thoughts all end up in the same place? I don’t understand why I should be suspected just because I completed the proposal first…”

“You reported to Manager Lee several times but he kept rejecting it, right?”

“Are you suspecting me now based solely on the word of a mere deputy manager?”

Manager Lee’s voice grew louder. Unlike him, Gunwoo grew increasingly calm.

“Whether deputy manager or manager, they’re all the same team members to me. I have a responsibility to correct any injustice happening to my team members.”

“Who’s the one suffering injustice! This is unfair.”

Gunwoo quietly watched Manager Lee, whose body even trembled as he spoke.

“Since you say it’s so unfair, I’ll give you a chance. Do a proper presentation at the team leader meeting resuming in an hour. Since it’s a proposal you created and you seem to have plenty of materials, that should be possible, right?”

Manager Lee, backed into a corner, rolled his eyes.

“Why? Can’t do it?”

Under Gunwoo’s pressure, Manager Lee’s eyes shot up.

“Are you getting revenge because I know the team leader is adopted?”

She couldn’t watch those lips curling up nastily any longer. Hyena clenched her fists and moved her feet. Just as she was about to approach Manager Lee, Gunwoo spoke first.

“I don’t understand why that would be something to get revenge for.”

“Since your shame was exposed, obviously…”

“Why would being adopted be shameful? It’s not like I stole from anyone.”

Manager Lee seemed flustered by the unexpected reaction and couldn’t even respond.

“What does it matter even if I’m the son of a murderer?”

Gunwoo added the rest casually. Everyone watching held their breath. The same went for Hyena. She clenched her palm, now covered in cold sweat, when her eyes met Gunwoo’s.

“Value is something you create yourself.”

The gaze that had reached Hyena turned to Manager Lee.

“Not something you steal.”

“…”

“This is your last chance. Will you present in front of the team leaders, or will you apologize?”

Manager Lee said nothing.

“Either way, you’ll definitely have to take responsibility for this.”

Gunwoo spoke grimly and turned to Deputy Manager Woo.

“Deputy Manager Woo, prepare for the presentation. Let’s go into the team leader meeting together in an hour.”

Manager Lee, left alone, ground his teeth hard.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Manager Lee didn’t receive punishment at the company level. Gunwoo emphasized he must be punished, but the soft-hearted Deputy Manager Woo couldn’t refuse his tearful plea for leniency. 

Because of that incident, Manager Lee was excluded from all planning within the team. It was punishment of sorts.

Time passed and the new employee’s first day arrived. A male employee full of energy stood before everyone. In place of the busy Gunwoo, Manager Lee introduced the new employee to everyone. 

Even though he’d been excluded from planning, his position as the team’s number two remained unchanged.

“I look forward to working with you all.”

His booming voice echoed through the office. Manager Lee called out to Hyena and Heejin among the scattering employees.

“You two will handle the new employee’s training.”

“What?”

The same word popped out of both their mouths simultaneously. It was customary for new employees to be assigned mentors at the deputy manager level or above. They couldn’t help but be surprised at being dumped on two assistant managers.

“Wouldn’t it be better for kind female employees to teach him gently?”

It was such a Manager Lee way of thinking.

“Learn well from these two.”

“Yes, understood.”

The energized new employee answered loudly. Hyena and Heejin, who’d suddenly been saddled with the new employee, exchanged glances. The new employee bowed deeply to the two of them.

“Senior colleagues, please guide me well.”

The three-person mentorship relationship changed to a two-person one that afternoon. It happened to be because Heejin was sent to collaborate with another department.

A reasonable suspicion arose that Manager Lee might have known in advance.

But what could she do? She was outranked both in position and seniority, so she had to comply.

Hyena handed her secret weapon to the new employee who followed her around like a baby bird.

“These are materials I’ve compiled bit by bit while working here. Read through these first. You can learn the practical work slowly.”

The new employee answered energetically at Hyena’s words.

“Yes, senior. Thank you.”

A subtle relationship—senior in company years but the same age. But his spirited appearance somehow seemed cute.

Memories of getting thoroughly scolded by her mentor as a clueless new employee also came back. Recalling those days that were memories if you called them memories, dark history if you called them dark history, Hyena smiled.

‘I shouldn’t be like that.’

Making that resolution, she was about to return to her seat when her cell phone vibrated.

<Do>

At the caller displayed on the screen, Hyena quickly looked around. Manager Lee, who’d been putting even more effort into surveillance lately, was fortunately not at his seat.