“Chief Jeong, let’s cover it.”
A thick judgment board was thrown onto the desk. On the black leather cover, the words 'Please pay' are clearly engraved. I kept silent the whole time and asked back.
“… … Yes?"
The middle-aged man sitting at the desk sighed deeply. In his sighs, the stinky smell of cigarettes mingled with the smell of coffee. I slowly turned my head and looked out the window. I had to pretend to be watching the scenery outside to avoid being caught.
It was rush hour on the way home from work. The sky was getting dark and the cars were densely packed along the streets where the street lamps were lit one by one. Red and yellow lights flashed incessantly. As expected, I missed work on time today.
“Let’s cover this. I don't think it's a matter of procrastination.”
The manager, leaning back with his upper body buried in the back of the chair, flicked the decision board with his fingers. The materials I've collected and made with blood and sweat over the past few weeks have been treated as a lump of waste paper. I bit my lip silently. In an instant, the letters engraved on the settlement board faded into adulthood.
“The word to cover.”
“Calm it in moderation and finish it. What were the requirements here? Was it this contest? Just put it near the end of the list of winners. I wouldn't be dissatisfied with the encouragement award. They told me to take down the complaints.”
“But, boss.”
“But and only me, this bastard has already posted on a few forums. What are you going to do if you talk about it to the media? It's only a matter of an instant for the image of the company to fall to the ground once an article is published. In times like these.”
“It is a malicious complaint without any basis. It was he who broke the rules in the first place. I don’t think there is any need to respond in such a low-key way.”
“Did you not hear? Executive Director Choi's connections, that participant. Was it the son of a member of the Patriotic Peace Party? The executives' office also instructed me to pay special attention to this case. What else can we do here, how can we use our hands?”
“It would be disproportionate to put them on the list of winners for that reason. What are the other contestants who fell because of this... … .”
“Then what about us? For what sin are we doing this at this good end of the year? Let's go home too, Hohyeon. uh?"
“… … .”
“Chief Jeong, when did you join the company? Is it the second half of last year?”
“This is a public bond for the first half of this year.”
“It is still when the student water is not drained. What's wrong with your work life? uh, a few years ago. know? It's a 100-day disaster or something. I think Chief Jung was the same age as them.”
A name that I have not gotten used to even after several years has pierced a corner of my heart. A chill spread from his fingertips and toes. I gave strength to my body, which had been at attention.
“At that time, the higher up asked me to ask, so I went overboard. As soon as the virus spread, I investigated people who abandoned students and jumped out, and professors of language came out one after another. Good implementation of justice. It's nice, but after touching that, we're going to drink water. What should we do? Anyway, this case ends here.”
He glanced at me and waved his hand in annoyance. Even before I came to post the report, he was looking at his cell phone with a sad face. As they say, you probably hate being stuck in the office and not being able to go home at this good time ahead of the holidays. I did all the work, anyway.
“Go see. Leave the draft police report on my desk until the morning after the holiday.”
You mean just don't go to work? Are you saying that the Christmas holidays are spent dealing with malicious complaints? I swallowed a sigh and picked up the settlement board the manager had left carelessly behind and put it on my side. My head felt hot, whether it was because of the heating in the office or some other reason.
"Oh. Chief Jeong Ho-hyun?”
"Yes?"
“Didn’t you keep a record of connections and executive orders? If there is anything, destroy it.”
“… … Yes."
As he was looking at his cell phone, he didn't even look at me and greeted me casually.
"Merry Christmas."
There was another person who wanted to hear the words Merry Christmas for the first time this year. It's not a boss who is tired of corruption and corruption like that.
“… … .”
I tried to laugh. Moderately pretentious as always. However, he could not control his twisted mouth. In the end, I bowed deeply and bowed 90 degrees to hide my expression. And came back without regret.
An office with no one but me greeted me. With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, everyone seems to have been excitedly leaving work.
The sun has already set completely. The roads are still full of queues on the way home from work. Normally, just the thought of being caught between them would have made me shudder. But as much as today, I was very desperate. Rather than driving home after an overtime shift on an open road, in a traffic jam or whatever, I wished I could just send her home.
"ha… … .”
I lowered my head and wiped the sweaty forehead with the back of my hand. Her eyes were hot from earlier, and her throat felt cold, as if it were tightly clamped. The foreboding was not good.
