Vol 6 Chapter 54

"Even when I look at that monitor, I can't see the details well, but maybe because you all joined much earlier than me, it's amazing how you can recognize things right away. Hahaha."

"It's nothing. You'll learn everything like us once you become a regular employee soon anyway, Cheon-woo-ssi. What are you saying when you're already teaching the newbies even though you're not even a regular employee yet?"

The news that Cheon-woo would soon become a regular employee was beyond rumor, almost certain. Cheon-woo showed his teeth in a grin at those words.

"Ahaha. Is that so?"

'That expression...!'

"Ah...!"

Everyone's attention turned to Mugeon as he suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up, feeling a chilling sensation.

"Director? What's wrong?"

"Director Nam Mugeon?"

Mugeon's eyes trembled uncontrollably as he looked at Cheon-woo, who was watching him with a seemingly puzzled expression like the others.

'Just now... that wasn't my imagination.'

Mugeon had caught the brief expression that crossed Cheon-woo's face when he heard the comment about learning everything once he became a regular employee. The usual grinning smile twisted, and something eerie passed through his sharp eyes on an expressionless face. It was almost identical to the expression he had seen on Yoon Seok-ho when he had said he was one step ahead of the spy earlier in the Branch Manager's office.

A cold sneer emanating from someone with absolute confidence in themselves. Yet such a true smile that would immediately distort when hidden behind another mask.

Come to think of it, though with more varied expressions, Cheon-woo also gave the same feeling of watching an exaggerated performance artificially crafted, just like dealing with the smooth-talking Yoon Seok-ho.

'Yes... that was it.'

How many times had he watched Yoon Seok-ho's behavior like this to the point of exhaustion? By now, he could recognize such types of expressions like a ghost. That was where his sense of discomfort about Cheon-woo had come from.

Moreover, what had Yoon Seok-ho speculated about the culprit? Hadn't he said 'Neither a new employee nor a veteran. Someone who must be thoroughly hiding themselves and acting cunningly and cleverly'?

In the operations management department where part-timers made up about half the staff, Cheon-woo had built up enough experience to be familiar with various company news despite not being a regular employee. Though he could become a regular employee at any time without raising eyebrows, his current status remained temporary.

If that was deliberately maintained so he could cleanly pull out whenever he wanted...?

Mugeon felt a strong suspicion about Cheon-woo while experiencing a catharsis that made his whole body tremble. He wanted to rush out immediately to meet Yoon Seok-ho.

"Ah... it's nothing. I just suddenly remembered something I left downstairs. Haha."

Mugeon gave the best performance of his life to make this excuse believable. Fortunately, the employees accepted it without much suspicion.

"Is that so? The work hours will resume soon, so you'd better hurry."

"What's so important that you were so surprised? Uhaha. Don't tell me... a girlfriend's photo?"

"Wow. A girlfriend's photo!"

"That's not it, you all know that. Thanks for the bread. Please finish eating and clean up by the time I get back."

As Mugeon turned around, pretending to be flustered with a red face as usual, the employees responded "Yes~" and their voices could be heard moving on to other topics.

"Ah, there's yogurt in here. You bought this for yourself, right, Cheon-woo-ssi?"

"Ah, yes. How did you know?"

"Everyone knows how much Cheon-woo-ssi loves yogurt~ Come on, we won't steal it, go ahead and eat."

"Hahaha..."

After slowly closing the door with a click, Mugeon immediately sprinted down the corridor and repeatedly pressed the elevator button hard. Though he could feel people passing by looking at him strangely, nothing registered in his eyes due to his intense excitement.

Bang!

"Branch Manager!"

"Hm?"

After riding the turtle-like elevator back up and bursting into the Branch Manager's office, Mugeon rapidly explained everything that had just happened to the blinking Yoon Seok-ho, then caught his breath with a face flushed from excitement.

"So, that's what I felt and came straight here. Huff, huff. Don't you get a feeling about this after hearing it? What do you think?"

"Um... first, I think you should calm down and have some water. Here."

Yoon Seok-ho offered the water glass from his desk. Mugeon didn't hesitate to down it in one gulp before sitting down as instructed. Only after Mugeon closed his mouth and the Branch Manager's office became quiet did Yoon Seok-ho tilt his head while uncrossing his model-like legs.

"So, you felt something strange about this employee Kwon Cheon-woo?"

"Yes."

"No physical evidence, just a conviction, right?"

Though Mugeon had expected him to be as excited as himself, Yoon Seok-ho's expression was calm. Seeing those absorbing eyes, Mugeon suddenly came to his senses and stammered in confusion.

"Y-yes."

"Aren't you perhaps forcing connections with the wrong person because you're too focused on thinking about the spy?"

"What?"

Mugeon's face turned bright red at these unexpected words.

"Think about it. Has it been one hour since you went down, or two? Yet you come up suddenly saying you're certain about this person."

Yoon Seok-ho spoke so matter-of-factly that Mugeon wondered if he had really forced a connection with the wrong person. But no matter how much he thought about it, Cheon-woo was the only truly suspicious one.

'That's not it... he was really suspicious...'

Though he felt strangely wronged and embarrassed, he couldn't speak anymore. As Mugeon clenched his jaw tightly and lowered his head without continuing, Yoon Seok-ho, who had been watching while resting his chin on his hand, asked in a low voice.

"What if you're really wrong? Can you be certain it's not just something that felt suspicious by mistake? Can I trust you, is what I'm asking."

"Ah, forget it!"

Mugeon finally jumped up from his seat with a face so red it looked ready to burst.