Vol 7 Chapter 16

'As I told you, I won't give up.'

His newly strengthened resolve announced its presence with heavy heartbeats.

"Um... Director Nam. Is there something on my face?"

"What? No. I was looking at the... monitor in front of you, not at you, Kwon Cheon-woo-ssi..."

Nam Mugeon shook his head with the most natural expression he could manage toward Kwon Cheon-woo, who turned to ask him with puzzlement. It had been several days since he had started frequenting the break room he rarely visited before, trying to increase his encounters with Kwon Cheon-woo whenever possible. Though he had been trying his best not to appear to be staring too obviously during that time, he seemed to have let his guard down today. Fortunately, he had reflexively made an excuse to the question, but his heart was pounding as if it would jump out.

"Ah, I see. If I'm blocking your view, I'll move elsewhere."

'What? No way. This is barely the second time we've met in two days.'

Nam Mugeon felt his insides burning as Kwon Cheon-woo stood up as if to leave cleanly.

"No need. You don't have to do that just for me..."

"Ahaha. No, no. You were staring so intently... You must really like that program. You've been coming out often to watch it lately, right?"

"What?"

Nam Mugeon turned his gaze to the TV program playing on the monitor he had pointed to as an excuse. <Twinkle Twinkle Sparkle>, which was currently very popular with children, was being broadcast.

"Ah... no, that's not..."

"It's fine. What's wrong with watching children's programs? I think it's a wholesome hobby nothing to be ashamed of. I can keep a secret, so don't worry too much. Well then, I'll head in first."

Though Nam Mugeon tried his best to rack his brains for an excuse, Kwon Cheon-woo just grinned with his handsome face and left for the other side. Only then could Nam Mugeon bang his head on the break room desk and fully suffer from his own stupidity.

After squeezing out non-existent time for days to lower his guard and try to get closer, to have their first personal conversation turn out like this...

'You really... what am I supposed to do with you when you can't even properly handle something you started voluntarily? Your superior isn't tissue paper for you to use. Do you understand? Though I might be premium Kleenex as far as tissue goes, don't think about making me clean up after you when you can't handle one simple task.'

Yoon Seok-ho's harsh words, somewhat distorted from reality yet strangely plausible, echoed in his mind.

'This is driving me crazy. Really...'

Anger surged as Kwon Cheon-woo's final smiling face flashed by. What was all that about? Children's programs being a wholesome hobby? Nothing to be ashamed of?

'He's really someone I don't want to approach.'

Nam Mugeon recalled the information about Kwon Cheon-woo he had heard from Yoon Seok-ho recently.

"Kwon Cheon-woo.... He has quite an interesting past."

"What kind...?"

"Though he didn't write any particular awards on his resume, when I inquired separately at his school, he had an enormous number of computer-related awards just before graduating high school. He seems to have talent that would be more than enough to be scouted immediately if he'd just written about it, so why wasn't there a single word about it when he joined here? Well, it's not that surprising. You could probably fill a truck with people like Kwon Cheon-woo who have both brilliant and suspicious pasts if you looked through our company."

While looking at Nam Mugeon's very tense expression, Yoon Seok-ho smiled brightly and continued as if that wasn't all.

"But what makes Kwon Cheon-woo especially interesting is that all such records completely disappear after he entered university. Isn't it funny? How could someone who was so outstanding in high school become so ordinary after entering university? That's impossible."

"Then..."

"He deliberately stopped participating in related competitions. Though I don't know the exact reason, perhaps it's because he found something even more interesting. For instance... like that virus program that reportedly flipped several PCs right before his high school graduation. If the scale had been just a bit larger, his university admission might have been canceled, but fortunately it somehow worked out well."

"He made something like that?"

"Yes. Seems he was quite a clever troublemaker. Many past acquaintances called him eccentric. Said he was unpredictable."

"..."

"I'm investigating as much as possible currently, so I'll let you know if any useful information comes in. The key point is not to act clumsily. Whether Kwon Cheon-woo is the culprit or not isn't certain, but that culprit is extremely clever and bold. I don't want you searching too conspicuously - just let me know any personal information or impressions you can get from becoming somewhat friendly. Can you do that?"

"What do you take me for..."

At Nam Mugeon's sullen response, Yoon Seok-ho just smiled.

"Well... I worry about you. Since you have a quick temper, you might get completely played by the other side. Ah. But I assigned you this task because I think you have the strength to overcome that, so don't worry too much."

What do you mean don't worry too much? When it's gone wrong from the very start...

"Damn it!"

After holding his head and groaning for a while, Nam Mugeon jumped up from his seat and irritably turned off the TV monitor that had been endlessly playing the Twinkle Twinkle theme song.

"Whew..."

His head cleared a bit when the Twinkle song that had been mercilessly assaulting his ears disappeared.

'Right. Maybe this is an opportunity. Since he initiated conversation first, even if about an embarrassing topic, I can use that as an excuse to approach again next time.'

Think positively. Positively.... Nam Mugeon muttered what had become his motto since meeting Yoon Seok-ho while staring intently at Team 1's door where Kwon Cheon-woo had gone.

'My instincts say it's you...'

How could he draw that out? Nam Mugeon headed to his capsule while pondering repeatedly. It was time to return to being the tedious eastern region GM Mugeon again.