Saturday's Master

Volume 1 - Chapter 5

It was a Saturday when I didn't have to meet Team leader Han for the first time in a while. I did a deep cleaning. The general cleaning was about sweeping the floor with a small broom and dustpan and wiping the dust off the window frame, but it had been a long time since I had enough time and peace of mind to do that.

Something unknown came out of the refrigerator and I threw it away with my head turned to the side. For lunch, I ate round, colorful donut-shaped cereal with the milk I bought in front of the house. The bananas were also finely chopped with scissors. Because I bought too many bananas last time, black spots were slowly appearing on the yellow surface. I had to eat it every chance I got.

I was going to go to work in the afternoon, but the work schedule that was twisted due to a business trip for team leader had not yet been resolved, and Assistant Manager Park would not be at the company. Team leader Han who told me not to work from home was across the sea full of salt water. If you look at the earth's surface in a small scale, the round dot that tells the location of Team leader Han will be clearly distinguished from mine. Like two islands that never touch.

The physical distance was not so reassuring.

***

"No, not for that reason... It was easy when I heard the team leader's explanation over the phone, but it's difficult when I try to explain it myself."

Assistant Manager Park stopped talking and tousled his hair as if he was frustrated. Manager Kim, who had printed out the reconstructed work division table and questioned it for a long time, asked with a dissatisfied face.

"Can't we call Team leader?"

"Then, how do you think I will be scold by Team leader for not being able to properly explain?"

Assistant Manager Park held the arm of Manager Kim, who was holding the cell phone. He held on and spoke.

"As usual, when I called this early in the morning, I asked a lot of questions, and Team leader was quiet for five seconds."

Assistant Manager Park frowned at her and lowered his voice.

"'Assistant Park, should the team not return without me?'"

"Ah, I know that voice."

"So. Just wait, I'll explain more properly at the meeting. The time is up, so when Assistant Manager Kwon comes back, the meeting will begin."

Assistant Manager Yoon, who cheered up by saying 'yes!' from the side, began to move his materials to the conference table. Manager Kim still had a rough expression on her face, but she dragged her chair back to her table. Assistant Manager Park sat down leaning against the back of the chair while turning the computer screen black, and he said with half-closed eyes.

"After the meeting, just the two of us should have a meeting, Lee Seo Dan. You said you meets with Team leader Han every day."

"ah... yes."

"I took a good look at the report I gave you on Friday. I don't know if my feedback will be as helpful as that of Team leader Han, but since I wrote it down, I'll talk about it later. Lee Seo Dan also received a makeup ticket via email."

There was a click, a sound. It was the sound of someone coming from the door. I thought it must be Assistant Manager Kwon who had been to the department and raised my head reflexively.

Assistant Manager Park, who turned his head a little later than me, paused while talking. A middle-aged man who had just entered the meeting room pushed the door shut behind his back. After slowly looking around the space where the conference table and desk were placed, he bent down and tapped on the inside of the closed door with an exaggerated gesture. Assistant Manager Yoon, who was closest to the door, was already greeting him by folding his waist in half.