Please Be Quiet And Take Off Your “Something”

Meanwhile, Si-Jin took out a steel bowl out of nowhere and neatly put the veggies in. Even Yoon-Jung got distracted by the unusual sight of Si-Jin washing them one by one, before snapping out of it and continued the conversation.

“In any case, please leave me out.”

“Are you really going to be like this? By the time I arrive, Choi Jin-Ho will probably already be out of it.”

“Aren’t you a newlywed?”

“I’ve been married for 2 years, how can you call me a newlywed?”

“If the feelings of it remain, then we still are, no matter how many years pass.”

“Did your wife wiretap you? Were you instructed to say this?”

“Oh come on, Park PD.”

“Anyway, it will make Kim PD happy if you go back home after listening to his rambling. He’s been very unhappy these days.”

“I’m alright. Ah, from the editorial design team, how about Lee Seung-Jae? Last time, he was so damn… I mean, really…” Yoon-Sung glanced at Si-Jin and corrected his language, like a student conscious of using slang in front of his teacher. “Contrary to his looks, he is a heavy drinker. That’s why Kim PD adores him.”

“Lee Seung-Jae?”

“You know, the one sitting next to Na-Yool.”

“Ah, that one.”

“Yes. The Hongdae guy.”

“God, don’t even mention it. Don’t you know it’s because of him that Kim PD was all pumped and whined?”

“Why?”

“Because he said his team was having a dinner party.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

The sound of the water running in the sink suddenly stopped. Sensing a change in the air, Yoon-Sung glanced at Si-Jin again but saw nothing seemingly out of place. Only that Si-Jin was now done with washing his veggies, clean enough.

With a straight-face that no ordinary person could see through, Si-Jin shook off the excess water. He looked slightly sensitive, but again, he often did. So they had to believe they were absolutely not the reason for it.

“Half of the editorial designers are on maternity leave. No matter how you see it, it looks like they are dating.”

“Ah, now that Ye-Eun too is on leave there are only 2 editorial designers left?”

“One woman, one man. That’s how it is now.”

“True.”

“If these two youngsters want to have a dinner party, you should leave them be. But that old man, he insisted that they let him in too. He got rejected after whining for a while and that’s why he said we should have a dinner party as well.”

“Kim PD is a good person, but he can be so slow-witted…”

“A young woman and a young man, why would he get between them!”

“Saying so makes you sound rather old, Park PD.”

“Hey.”

“But is Lee Seung-Jae interested in older women?”

Although Yoon-Sung asked a trivial question, his attention focused towards Si-Jin, his ears perking up as he wondered what that sudden rattling sound was. Park PD’s gaze also followed the sound.

Where did he get that thing?…

A foreign object appeared from what seemed to be the upper cupboard. A large mixer for which most employees would think ‘Was there such a thing there?’ once they see it. Although it was not surprising to find a mixer in the break room’s kitchen (spacious enough to even have an oven), the mixer was quite different from the other utilities already shared by the employees. It was also strange that he was using it for his personal use.

Si-Jin plugged in the mixer as if used to it and put the mixing bowl in. Mesmerized and wondering what he was preparing, Park PD answered one beat late.

“She’s only one year above, you can’t really call that being older. They are more like friends.”

“Na-Yool is one year older? Then that is perfect.”

“They suit each other, right?”

The celery rattled nervously in the device. Followed by the broccoli, even louder. And on top, the carrots, as if to crush them. Even though Park PD and Yoon-Sung wanted to believe their hunch was wrong, they could not deny the worrying reality that the clues, starting to show up one by one, pointed to.

That bastard, could it be that he heard earlier when we badmouthed him…

I don’t think he is upset about calling it ‘fucked’ to be with him, or the remarks about his wealth. Yeah, that much, I’m sure he can stomach. Surely. It is not me. It has nothing to do with me.

“… They do. Although Na-Yool might be too good for him…”

“That Hongdae guy, he is a bit carefree, but lots of women like this kind of cheeky attitude, so…”

Brum-brum-brrrrrrrrrr! Just then, a loud roaring motor sound completely engulfed their voices. Speechless, they both blinked their eyes and stared silently at the green vortex formed in the mixer.

The mixing had been conducted so diligently that all the various veggies had been reduced to a lump-less liquid pulp to the point they could not be told apart, then poured into a cup.

Its color did not quite qualify as green, but it was too greenish to either call it brown… It was an unpleasant color. With a ‘He sure has a strong stomach’ look on his face, Yoon-Sung turned his head towards Park PD.

In any case, until Si-Jin left the room, the two subordinates could not halt their insubstantial conversation. All for the sake of pretending nothing had happened!

“He is indeed popular, that guy. Do you remember? Just when he joined the company, when Su-Jeong tried to make a pass at him and got rejected?”

“Was that him?”

“Yes, I am pretty sure it was Lee Seung-Jae.”

“I was there, right? Why can’t I remember? Such a funny episode.”

“You probably passed out from too much drinking. But I guess the two of them do have a little something going on? Seeing how you keep talking about it.”

Of course, the word ‘keep’ had a little tricky meaning. It implied that the talking was limited to ‘in this break room’ and ‘just between the two of us’. And also mostly that keeping talking idly was their way out of that other threatening pressure on their neck.

“That’s what Kim PD said, but I didn’t see it.”

“Ah, talking about Kim PD, it reminds me of something. Doesn’t Kim Na-Yool have a boyfriend? You know, the one with the same name as Kim PD.”

“Oh, her boyfriend? I heard they broke up a while ago.”

Just then they thought they heard a laughter, as if mocking them. A laughter that did not come from either Yoon-Sung or Park PD.

“…Don’t make me laugh.”

The literally chuckling voice was low and not that powerful, but it was enough to stick into their ears. The room got wrapped in a heavy silence.

Of course, Si-Jin did not even bother to look at them. Almost as if he knew his disdain contributed to pushing Park PD and Yoon-Sung even farther to the brink.

Before they realized Si-Jin had drunk down all the unpleasant smoothie, he was already washing the cup and the mixer as effectively as he would carry any task. The running sound of the water persisted in the silence, until Si-Jin eventually turned it off. He put back the utilities and looked at the two of them standing as if waiting for the death sentence.

“……?”

His facial expression was one of wonder at why, although he understood they would be on edge, they were standing there with a gawk on their faces.

To mock them in their face and play innocent the next second, he sure was taking toying with them too far. Park PD, particularly upset as one of the oldest employees of the company, swallowed up his resentment in front of his much younger superior.

“Keep up the good work.” Si-Jin lightly greeted Park PD’s bitter and trembling face. He then swiftly left the room without waiting for their polite answer.

“Ahh, we are fucked.”

“We are. Thank you, Park PD. Thanks for that.”

“So, should we drink or not.”

“Fuck it, let’s go!”

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