#16

But I couldn’t tell whether Team Leader Seohee had properly understood what Secretary Sung Yoojun had said. That was because she was covering her mouth with both hands, repeatedly exclaiming, ‘Oh my!’ over and over again.

No, is it really that shocking that I’m not wearing my jacket and coat? Does this company have some kind of absolute rule that outerwear must not be removed even indoors? Secretary Sung Yoojun didn’t say anything, though? With a confused expression, I looked at Team Leader Seohee, who was still unable to control her emotions.

“You have a completely different charm compared to when you’re fully dressed up…… Seriously, the greatest benefit of this company is the faces, the faces……”

Hearing his next words, I couldn’t help but make a blank expression.

“President, do you know? These days, I’m really happy.”

“Huh? No, I didn’t know that……”

“On top of the ‘Goo Won Entertainment Trio,’ whose decision not to become celebrities is a complete mystery, our company’s signed artist is the famous Tartarus! Lately, everyone’s saying their eyesight has improved from seeing so many handsome faces around the company.”

I don’t know…… I doubt looking at good-looking faces actually improves eyesight. And who exactly is this ‘Goo Won Entertainment Trio’ that people think should be celebrities? Don’t tell me……

With unease creeping up, I glanced to the side. Then, Manager Ahn Siwon, who was standing next to me, firmly raised his index finger and pointed at himself, Secretary Sung Yoojun, and finally me—one by one.

Ah…… So the three of us are the trio…… A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me, and I pressed my fingers against the bridge of my nose.

“Sir, sir.”

“Yes, Team Leader Seohee?”

“For the next job posting, should we include a picture of you with the caption, ‘The greatest benefit of our company is its faces’?”

“……No. Please, I beg you, don’t do that.”

If they actually put that in a job posting, I might just die of embarrassment. No joke, I might seriously die.

“I’m truly begging you……”

Just in case, I added another plea, and Team Leader Seohee burst into a bright laugh. She looked at me with an expression that screamed she found me adorable and said.

“Oh dear, what do we do with our president being this cute? I think you’re even cuter than my husband, really.”

“Ahaha, Team Leader Seohee, you’re saying that again. If your husband hears, he’s going to cry.”

“Let him cry, then. My darling looks the cutest when he’s crying, so I like it.”

“But just a second ago, you were saying the president is cute?”

“That’s that, and this is this. Everyone has their own charm.”

At Manager Ahn Siwon’s teasing remark, Team Leader Seohee responded playfully. As I watched the two getting along well, my gaze slowly shifted to Tartarus, standing behind Team Leader Seohee.

Now that I thought about it, they looked much healthier than when I had seen them a few days ago. I guess my efforts to send them nutritious meals every day paid off. Feeling satisfied, I gave a small nod and slowly got up from my seat. As soon as I stood up, Secretary Sung Yoojun immediately retrieved my jacket and coat from a hidden wardrobe in the wall and assisted me in putting them on.

“Let’s go have lunch. Team Leader Seohee, would you like to join us?”

“Oh, no, I already made plans to eat with my management support team members.”

“Is that so? What a shame.”

“I think so too. But if I break my promise and go eat with the president, my team will be in an uproar, calling me a traitor…… Personal desires are important, but I need to survive first, don’t I?”

Her voice carried a lighthearted chuckle, and I quietly nodded in agreement. If she already had plans, there was nothing to be done. Seeing my understanding, Team Leader Seohee gave a brief farewell to everyone in the office before stepping out.

Watching her leave for a moment, I then turned my gaze to Tartarus, who were staring at me blankly.

“Aren’t you hungry? Shall we go eat?”

At my gentle question, the members of Tartarus slowly nodded their heads up and down. Taking care not to make it obvious, I subtly checked if their clothes were warm enough. Fortunately, the thick padding jackets they were wearing seemed good enough to block the biting winter wind.

Thinking back, even when I first met them at Lee Yong Entertainment a week ago, it was clear that someone had put effort into ensuring they were dressed properly. Considering how stingy President Lee Yongjun was, I had worried that he might have skimped on their clothing budget, but at least this part was reassuring.

With a quiet sense of relief, I stepped out of the President’s office. It was already past 12:45 PM. If I wanted to get through today’s schedule smoothly, I needed to move quickly.

***

The restaurant Secretary Sung Yoojun had reserved was one operated by Haje Hotel’s Gangnam branch. Thanks to this, I was able to see Haje Hotel, which had once been the property of Goo Won in the game but now belonged to me, in real life.

The towering building standing tall in the heart of Seoul was, no matter how you looked at it, something a lot of money had been poured into. Just how many floors does that thing have……? I was staring up blankly, trying to count, when Secretary Sung Yoojun, who was standing behind me, spoke.

“Sir, let’s head inside.”

“……Alright.”

Ah, I had only counted up to the 15th floor so far. There were still so many floors left to go. I smacked my lips in slight regret but obediently followed Secretary Sung Yoojun’s lead. Since I had no idea where to go, he walked ahead to guide us, leading us to the 40th floor of the hotel.

“Welcome, Chairman.”

Whether they had been informed in advance or were simply highly professional, a staff member standing by the restaurant entrance immediately bowed politely as soon as they saw me. I did my best to accept the greeting as naturally as possible and followed their lead into a private room inside the restaurant.

“Wow……”

“This place is amazing.”

As soon as they entered, Lee Gaon and Nam Yisol let out awed murmurs at the breathtaking view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. I wholeheartedly agreed with their reaction. The view of Seoul from the 40th floor was simply stunning, leaving me with nothing but admiration.

“It must be even prettier at night.”

Hearing Nam Yisol’s quiet whisper, I absentmindedly rubbed my chin, lost in thought. Given this height and location, the night view was bound to be spectacular. Of course, half of that dazzling nightscape would be powered by the overtime of South Korea’s diligent office workers.

Well, in any case, since Nam Yisol seemed to like this place, there was only one thing left for me to say.

“Shall we come back for dinner sometime?”

“What?”

Nam Yisol looked surprised at my cautious question.

“As you said, the night view must be stunning. But of course, if you’re uncomfortable or don’t want to, feel free to say so. I’m not forcing anything.”

I added in a calm tone, and Nam Yisol slowly blinked at me, staring intently. His gaze was the same as when I had seen him a week ago—one that measured and assessed the other person. Hoping that I met his standards, I quietly took my seat.

Shortly after everyone in the room had settled down, the restaurant staff entered with menus in hand. The number of staff matched the number of people exactly, and they placed the menus neatly in front of each person before stepping back with precise movements.

I picked up my menu and examined it with serious eyes. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly hungry, nor did I have much of an appetite. However, in these situations, the highest-ranking person was supposed to order something expensive and high-quality first so that others could follow suit without hesitation.

With that in mind, I carefully selected the most expensive chef’s course on the menu. After I placed my order, the Tartarus members followed suit, ordering the same dish. Meanwhile, Secretary Sung Yoojun and Manager Ahn Siwon chose the A course and C course, respectively.

Once everyone had placed their orders and the staff had collected the menus, a heavy silence settled over the room. It was a silence that felt oddly uncomfortable, lasting all the way until the main dish, a steak, was served.

“Ah.”

The first to break the oppressive silence was Yoo Euiseo, who let out a small sound. Wondering what was wrong, I looked at him across the table, only to find him glaring intensely at the steak before him—or rather, at the asparagus served alongside it.

“Do you not like asparagus?”

“Uh…… n-no.”

No? Yes? His unclear response left me puzzled, but before I could say anything, he steeled his expression, picked up his fork, and stabbed the asparagus with determination.

“I don’t dislike it.”

His words were firm, but everything about his actions screamed that he absolutely did not like asparagus. As he chewed, his expression contorted more and more, making it painfully obvious how much he was struggling.

I was baffled. If he didn’t like it, he could just not eat it—why force himself? Seeing him barely swallow the asparagus and move his fork toward the plate again, I decided to intervene.

“Euiseo-ssi, if you don’t like asparagus, you really don’t have to eat it. I don’t think there’s any need to force yourself to eat something you dislike.”