“Weren’t you just exchanging messages with your lover?”

“No.”

“Your expression had that feeling of someone in love. I have an eagle eye for that kind of thing.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hmm. The way you’re getting all serious makes it even more suspicious.”

Persistent eyes kept turning toward Hyena, trying to figure something out. Hyena, who had nothing to hide, confidently met that gaze. Manager Lee, who’d been continuing his search for a while, raised the white flag first, probably thinking nothing more would come out.

“Ahem. Well, let’s say that’s true.”

‘It’s not “let’s say,” it really is true.’

Suppressing the urge to snap back, Hyena reached for her glass.

“Assistant Manager Yoon, be honest. You’re thinking about office romance, aren’t you?”

She couldn’t understand why both her mom and Manager Lee kept harping on about office romance.

“You remember what I said earlier, right?”

“Hey, how can I believe that? You never know what will happen with people.”

“Unlike other people, I’m someone who thoroughly keeps my word.”

Other people = Manager Lee.

Several employees who’d perfectly understood the meaning contained in her words stopped their conversations and focused their attention on the two of them.

“If you’re so confident, why don’t you bet something? In the unlikely event you end up in an office romance, you’ll post about it directly on the company bulletin board or something.”

She knew Manager Lee was deliberately provoking her. But.

“If you’re not confident, never mind.”

At the added words, her resolve not to fall for it crumbled. Her reason, soaked in alcohol, was defenseless after all. She even thought it was human nature to accept when someone begged her to play along like that.

‘You picked the wrong person to mess with, Manager Lee.’

She raised the corners of her mouth in a fishy smile and entered into a head-on confrontation.

“Then you should bet something too, Manager.”

Her bad habit that always reared its head once she got worked up showed itself again.

“Why should I?”

“It’s unfair if only I’m betting.”

“Why go that far…”

“If you’re not confident, forget it.”

Hyena repeated exactly what Manager Lee had said moments ago. Even knowing this aspect was one of the reasons she received Manager Lee’s hatred, it was hard to give up her habits.

“Why wouldn’t I be confident? I’m just wondering what to bet.”

“Since we’re already talking about the bulletin board, how about an apology on the company bulletin board? Sincerely apologizing for the wrongs you’ve done to employees throughout your time at the company, including your behavior toward me today.”

“An apology! What have I done wrong?”

His jumping up and down was quite a sight.

He apparently had no idea about Socrates’ famous saying, “Know thyself.”

“Even a saint would have at least one thing.”

“…”

“If you really have nothing to apologize for, will you bet money instead? Treating us to a company dinner or giving employees small gifts.”

“Private financial transactions between employees are prohibited. Don’t you even know that?”

Just as expected. Unlike other team managers, Manager Lee, who wouldn’t spend a single thousand-won bill on his subordinates, wouldn’t accept it easily.

“You choose, Manager. An apology that’s done with a few taps of your fingers, or a company dinner that empties your bank account.”

She threw the final bait, putting an accent on “empties.”

“If it’s a choice between the two, an apology would be better.”

How much anguish he must have gone through in that short time—it was a moment when she worried about his already half-empty, sparse hair.

“But how can I trust Assistant Manager Yoon? To put it bluntly, you could just deceive me perfectly and secretly date.”

“They say coughs, poverty, and love can’t be hidden. You know I’m the type whose emotions show clearly on my face, right?”

This had also made a tremendous contribution to receiving Manager Lee’s hatred. Her true feelings that emerged unexpectedly no matter how hard she tried to hide them.

Now in her second year of working, thanks to Manager Lee’s continued harassment, she was less obvious than in her first year, but her true feelings still burst out at critical moments. It meant she still needed a lot more practice.

“Of course I know. Assistant Manager Yoon is the gutsy subordinate who curses out her superior with her eyes, right? No~body else here does that.”

Manager Lee’s voice grew louder, probably because he had a lot of pent-up feelings.

“Oh my, how did you know?”

Hyena skillfully shot back. One step back for a leap forward, perhaps.

“Then I absolutely can’t deceive you, Manager. You read my mind perfectly.”

The pupils in his small eyes glinted sharply. After careful calculation, Manager Lee finally reached a conclusion and opened his mouth.

“I don’t know why we’re making this ridiculous bet…”

If you only heard up to here, you’d naturally think he’d concluded not to bet, but they say you should listen to Korean all the way to the end.

“I’ll gladly sacrifice myself for the employees’ small pleasure.”

“How cool of you.”

Hyena subtly praised Manager Lee.

She’d never have an office romance, so there was no way she’d lose the bet.

“How about we set the deadline until either you or I leave the department, Manager?”

Due to the nature of the department, transfers weren’t easy. Even if someone became eligible for transfer, it would be at least five years later. So she judged it appropriate. Manager Lee, who couldn’t not know this, nodded.

“Whichever side loses will post a sincere message on the company bulletin board. If you agree, let’s drink.”

She drove in the wedge so no more words could come out. Manager Lee gladly raised his glass, pleased that all his conditions had been accepted.

“Let’s do it. Let’s try it. They say there’s no tree that won’t fall after ten chops. Right, Deputy Manager Park?”

Deputy Manager Park, who’d received Manager Lee’s question out of the blue, answered evasively with a flustered face.

“Ah, yes. Well, I suppose so.”

“I feel a bit sorry that this is too advantageous for me.”

Manager Lee clinked glasses with a face that wasn’t sorry at all. Clink. The clear sound rang through the quieted company dinner.

After Manager Lee returned to his seat, Heejin asked in a worried voice.

“Will you be okay?”

“What wouldn’t be okay?”

“No matter how I look at it, those are conditions favorable to Manager Lee. You never know what will happen with people—what if something like that happens?”

“If I lose, I’ll just post something, what’s the big deal?”

It was a bet with no possibility of losing from the start. 

‘With my standards so high that everyone looks like squids, what romance? I can’t even date normally, let alone try office romance.’ 

There was absolutely no way it would happen.

“That’s our Yoon Hyena, amazing. Since we’re betting anyway, let’s definitely win and see Manager Lee’s apology. Fighting!”

Heejin even clenched her fist and cheered her on. Clink. The glasses clinked. Hot alcohol seeped into her body in an instant.

“I’ll cheer for you too.”

Deputy Manager Woo, who usually just quietly attended company dinners, unusually offered her a drink. That was the beginning.

After that, Hyena had to accept and drink all the alcohol the employees offered her. It was the way employees who had a lot of pent-up feelings toward Manager Lee supported her in their own way.

Her shoulders instantly became heavy.

The company dinner, quite different from the usual subdued atmosphere, came to an end. Since they’d sincerely exchanged drinks with each other, everyone was drunk before they knew it. Hyena was no exception.

She’d never gotten drunk at a company dinner before, but that record was broken in her second year.

‘But I drank in a good mood.’

Hyena, who’d justified her drunkenness like that, headed to the bathroom. Her reflection in the mirror was quite a sight.

Her stiff blouse was wrinkled into a mess, and traces of food splattered here and there were blatant. And what about her skirt? It had twisted to the side so much you couldn’t tell front from back.

“I can’t show Do Gunwoo this appearance.”

Hyena, who’d spoken forcefully, began straightening her clothes. Because her body wouldn’t listen, she spent longer in the bathroom than expected, and when she came out, Joohwan was standing there.

Hyena looked around for the other employees. Joohwan opened his mouth like he’d been waiting.

“Manager Lee went to a second round with the male employees, and the female employees went home.”

Seeing that even Heejin, who would normally have waited, had left first, she must have spent too much time in the bathroom. They were both quite drunk, so it made sense.

“Then I’ll be going too.”

Hyena bowed in greeting, turned around, and staggered as she walked. Joohwan followed behind her.

“You seem really drunk—I’ll take you home.”

“It’s okay. My homing instinct is so strong I can find my way alone.”

“Still…”

Deputy Manager Park, who usually only exchanged perfunctory greetings or work talk, acting this friendly felt strange.

“I’m really fine.”

Hyena spoke forcefully and quickened her pace a bit. Was it because she hurried too much? Just as she was leaving the restaurant, her feet tangled.

Normally she would have easily caught her balance, but her autonomic nervous system, soaked in alcohol, wouldn’t listen. Her swaying body fell toward the ground. Hyena squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating the pain to come.

Joohwan, who’d been following, reached out his hand in surprise, but his hand didn’t reach Hyena.

Something solid caught her body as it precariously fell downward first.

Hyena slowly opened her eyes. Do Gunwoo was right in front of her.

A cap pulled low, black horn-rimmed glasses, and a mask.

It was an outfit that should have looked strange, but since he was wearing it, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a photo shoot.

“Oppa?”

Hyena called to him carefully. Gunwoo, who smiled faintly like that call was an answer, pulled his arm. Hyena, who’d been staggering, buried her face in Gunwoo’s solid shoulder with a soft thud.

A heavy woody scent brushed past the tip of her nose. When she breathed in deeply, her entire body filled with Do Gunwoo’s fragrance. Before she knew it, Hyena had wrapped her arms around Gunwoo’s waist. She didn’t want to be released from this solid yet cozy embrace.

“I told you to drink in moderation.”

At the nagging pouring down from above her head, Hyena smiled. She’d read the worry contained in his cold voice. An unfamiliar voice dug into the time she wished wouldn’t end.

“Assistant Manager Yoon, are you okay?”

With her face still buried in Gunwoo’s shoulder, Hyena turned her gaze to check the other person. Only then did Deputy Manager Park come into view. 

Though Deputy Manager Park was tall for a man with a good build, compared to Gunwoo he only looked endlessly small. It was another moment proving that other men became squids next to Do Gunwoo.

“If it’s a problem, I can…”

At the following words, Hyena shook her head slightly.

“It’s not a problem at all.”

Her completely slurred pronunciation leaked out. She’d only shaken her head slightly, but the world swayed. The ground seemed to sink deeply, like someone was grabbing her feet and pulling her down.

“Phew.”

Hyena exhaled a sigh full of alcohol.

“But who is this person…”

Deputy Manager Park asked again, but she couldn’t hear properly because she was caught in her drunkenness.

“Hyena.”

A whisper came from above her head.

“Who am I?”

At the question digging into her eardrums, an answer reflexively burst out.

“Oppa.”

“Just oppa?”

Hyena raised her gaze and stared at Gunwoo.

Gunwoo’s eyes revealed in the streetlight were the first thing that caught her eye. She knew how those usually cold eyes changed with the occasional smile. 

At some point, she’d wished those eyes would turn only to her. Do Gunwoo, who still sparkled and shone just like when they first met.

It was ironic that she’d come to love him even knowing he was someone she could never have.

Looking straight into Gunwoo’s eyes, she thought:

‘Oppa is someone I’d want to keep by my side forever if I could…’

“A precious person.”