All the presentations from the new employees had concluded. The last person to step onto the stage was not the woman wearing the black half-mask.
‘That person is…’
A man wearing a black gat and a modernized hanbok that resembled a suit.
He was the one I’d seen during the orientation. With an unmistakably annoyed expression, he scanned the audience before speaking.
[Well, good job. This batch is quieter and more diligent than I expected.]
Because of his tone and voice, it hardly sounded like praise. Still, quieter and more diligent than expected.
‘What were the previous batches like, then?’
I was curious but also reluctant to find out.
[It’d be great if you all keep it up like this. Ah… I had something else to say…]
He gazed into empty space for a moment, then nodded slightly.
[The time to decide your routes will come soon. I hope you think carefully and decide wisely. If possible, I recommend you quit rather than get promoted.]
‘What did he just say?’
Normally, wouldn’t they tell us to choose the promotion route? They usually advertise better benefits if you stay with the company longer.
A small commotion stirred in the auditorium, but the man on stage looked completely indifferent.
If anything, he seemed irritated by the reactions that showed they didn’t understand the deep meaning behind his suggestion to quit.
[Quit. Please, just quit.]
There was somehow a tone of bitter resentment in his shout as he clutched the podium.
After he stepped down, the woman in the black half-mask came back onto the stage.
[This concludes the new employees’ work performance report session.]
Without a trace of embarrassment, she declared the meeting closed.
Returning to reality was simpler than I’d expected. I just had to tap the back of the ID badge that the team leader had given me three times.
From what the other team members said, they tapped the front three times when they arrived.
It seemed like the invitation card given to me by Team Leader Kkae was a slightly modified version of this ID badge.
‘But… the problem is, I never received an ID badge.’
So, to get back, I’d have to find Team Leader Kkae. I really wanted to leave without seeing his face again…
[Um, excuse me. Sunny?]
At the sudden voice, I lifted my head slightly from its downward tilt.
[…Sola?]
It was Sola, who had left the auditorium earlier with the team members we had grown a little closer to overnight. When I called his name, he smiled brightly.
[It’s nothing special… I just feel like I didn’t get to talk much.]
[Um… I wanted to say something?]
Being the center of attention made me a little nervous, but he seemed like a genuinely nice person.
Though he looked like he was pushing himself a lot even now, Sola persevered and continued speaking.
[Yes…! Uh, the truth is…]
So he did have something he wanted to say to me.
[Did you want to tell me something?]
[Ah! How did you know? Was it obvious?]
[Yeah, a little.]
[Ah… I see. I’m a bit clumsy, right? Haha.]
Was it just my imagination, or did he suddenly start stammering?
[No, I didn’t mean it like that. And people usually show signs no matter what they do, don’t they?]
[Uh, yeah… I guess so…]
Sola agreed quietly, taking deep breaths one after another.
I didn’t know what he wanted to say, but it was clear he needed quite a bit of courage.
[Actually, I don’t remember clearly either, but I wanted to say it anyway.]
Instead of answering, I nodded slightly.
[I heard your presentation… It was really cool and impressive.]
[…]
[It’s just that this feeling keeps sticking with me strangely, so I wanted to say it before I completely forget.]
They say memories of who you are or whose body you’ve possessed may fade, but the feelings remain.
And the man in front of me didn’t keep those feelings to himself—he conveyed them directly to me.
Even though I’m not someone who deserves to receive them.
‘Cool and impressive.’
To me, it was nothing more than a cruel twist of fate.
I didn’t want to be actor Myung Seungho, so I quit acting and stopped living as Myung Seungho the person.
But on top of possessing someone else’s body, I had to be the worst actor possible.
I felt a little sick to my stomach.
‘Without knowing anything.’
[It’s not really something worth being called impressive. It’s just work. You have no choice but to buy your resignation rights.]
My voice lowered so much that Sola sounded flustered.
[B-But…]
[I just do it because I can. It’s not really a great effort. It’s far easier than my original life.]
Right. That was all there was to it.
[Uh, I mean…]
I stared quietly at Sola, who didn’t know what to say, and gently tapped his shoulder.
[Sola, I think it’s better if you don’t push yourself.]
[…Huh?]
[Dealing with people seems a little hard for you.]
I felt his shoulder stiffen under my hand.
[Isn’t it enough just to do the tasks assigned to you well?]
Without waiting for Sola’s reply, I left.
[Oh, running away now?]
As soon as I left the auditorium, Team Leader Kkae caught me.
…
I followed Team Leader Kkae toward the emergency exit stairs.
Honestly, I didn’t want to face him either, but I needed the ID badge from him to return to reality.
Sigh…
Why did things have to get so complicated at the last moment? I loosened my necktie to ease the frustration tightening around my throat.
‘Just get the badge and go home quickly.’
I didn’t want to stay here any longer.
The conversation with Sola still lingered in my mind, revolving endlessly.
Since it didn’t contain much personal information, it seemed hard to erase.
‘Isn’t the boundary a little blurry?’
If conversations like this accumulate, eventually one might be able to guess who the other person really is.
Though I knew it was pointless to be annoyed, I couldn’t help but feel irritated.
‘Foolish for not holding back even for a moment.’
Just as I was about to turn my gaze back toward the auditorium to apologize, a cheerful voice stopped me.
[Sola already left, Sunny.]
The voice was full of delight.
[See? Why do things you’ll regret so quickly?]
Sigh…
That was just rubbing salt into the wound. I clenched my fist tightly and suppressed the emotions.
[Still, did Sola cross the line? Well, from his perspective, he gave you a nice compliment, so he must be surprised to get this kind of reaction.]
‘He seems so pleased with himself?’ The words hovered on my tongue but I swallowed them.
I didn’t want any more reasons to dislike myself. In the end, it was something I had to endure, and it would pass.
‘I’ll apologize properly to Sola next time.’
Making that resolution, I carefully chose the words I had to say now.
[I want to go back. Please give me the ID badge, Team Leader.]
Team Leader Kkae smiled broadly and handed me the badge. I expected him to stall a little longer, but he didn’t.
[If I bother you any more today, I’ll really be hated. I don’t want to be a team leader who’s hated by his team.]
[…]
Did he not realize it was already too late?
[Not accepting it? Do you really not need it?]
Apparently, he still didn’t know. Fine, live your life in ignorance.
Swallowing the words rising in my throat, I took the badge.
[…Thank you.]
[Hehe. Don’t mention it. Oh, by the way, the employee ID will be given after the route decisions are finalized, so just a heads up.]
I probably wouldn’t come back to this company again.
[…]
[…]
Would I?
[If you have any questions, ask.]
Team Leader Kkae spoke with unexpected kindness, as if willing to answer anything.
In reality, he did answer almost all my questions, though many answers weren’t quite satisfactory.
[Next time, I’d appreciate a heads-up beforehand. It seems other employees were notified, but I was caught off guard like this, which is unpleasant.]
Instead of asking a question, I made a request.
It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was better than feeling like a fool from a senseless answer.
[Was it not fun?]
Team Leader Kkae pouted and grumbled.
‘Is that even something to say?’
I was more surprised that he did all this to entertain me.
Better not to talk more. Dragging this out would only make me more exhausted.
[I’ll be going now.]
[Take care~]
Team Leader Kkae said goodbye without resistance. Like I’d been waiting for that cue, I tapped the back of the badge three times.
I immediately felt my body lift as if floating. My consciousness grew hazy, as if waking up from a dream.
Before I fully lost awareness, I looked at Team Leader Kkae without thinking.
[…]
His lips moved as if to say something.
‘…Name?’
But when I opened my eyes again, I couldn’t even remember that moment.
….
The year was drawing to a close. A woman lying in the living room, bored, flipping through TV channels suddenly froze.
The large TV screen showed the MBS Acting Awards ceremony.
Watching the actors in suits and dresses applauding, she absentmindedly checked the date.
‘It’s the end of the year, so it’s the awards season.’
There wasn’t much worth watching, but she left it on, staring blankly at the screen.
[Well, many wonderful works have shone on MBS this year! Let’s see what star-like new works will brighten MBS in the coming year!]
After the MC’s words, a VCR played. Short previews of upcoming dramas flickered by.
Having once been interested in celebrities and the entertainment world, most of the faces were familiar to her.
Under an unusually clear sky, the school grounds appeared. Cheerful background music played, and a lively voice echoed.
[So what if he’s a supporting male lead! Supporting male lead is still a male lead!]
The face that appeared was of an actor she knew well.
‘Oh, it’s Lee Choi.’
With black hair tied high in a ponytail, wearing a summer uniform, Lee Choi looked adorable.
The woman liked the fresh, lively charm of the school drama and reached out to turn up the volume slightly.
‘Was this originally a webtoon? Who was the male lead…’
Before she could finish wondering, a man with his back turned appeared on the screen.
His brown hair shone brilliantly under the lighting and editing.
[In my life, the male lead will always be Ji-hwa! Yoon! Ji! Hwa!]
After Lee Choi’s line ended, the man turned his head. The face that filled the screen made the woman frown slightly and part her lips.
‘Yoo Chaemin?’
A dazzling face not easily forgotten, but the sight stabbed at her heart for no reason.
She watched Yoo Chaemin smile gently on screen and sighed softly.
‘It’s not like he’s some ex-boyfriend.’
Yoo Chaemin didn’t even know she existed, but that’s how it felt. Like a former favorite idol who had fallen out of favor.
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