Ordinary Person A

#34

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“No. Thank you. By the way, what are you planning to have for lunch today?”

“Lunch? I haven’t decided that yet.”

Ho-woo chuckled. Talking about lunch when they just got to work, must be because they’re still a new employee. Was I like this too?

“Then would you like to have lunch together today?”

“Sure. But for now, let’s work.”

Ho-woo brushed off Seong-jo’s hand and returned to his seat. He needed to work as he told Seong-jo, but this morning’s events were still bothering him.

He should probably say something.

He was worried that lending him clothes might cause trouble. It seemed best to mention it before it became a problem, but he had no way to contact him right now.

Thinking about it, he realized he hadn’t gotten a phone number or any other contact information. All Ho-woo had was the pager he had put on his wrist. But even that was neatly placed on the desk at home.

Hmm….

Ho-woo opened an internet browser and browsed the Management Corporation’s website. The page with the Espers’ faces and names still had the same photos. After looking at Oh-yul’s photo with his frozen cold face for a moment, he found a number listed at the bottom of the page and quickly scanned the office. The office seemed unusually busy today, and it hadn’t been long since he’d given Seong-jo work, so the timing wasn’t good to leave his seat.

Hmm, what to do. Would it be okay since it’s just for a moment?

After contemplating for a while, Ho-woo ultimately couldn’t leave his seat and picked up his phone to call the number listed on the website. After a short dial tone, there was a small click sound, and a tired man’s voice came through the receiver.

“Management Corporation. If this is a prank call, hang up nicely, and if you have business, leave it briefly.”

Sounds exhausted. Even the faint muttering voice was perfectly unpleasant in attitude. Ho-woo lowered his voice as much as possible and whispered.

“Um, I’d like to speak with Oh-yul, the team leader of Team 1.”

“…Another prank call?”

With a small sigh and seeming about to hang up, Ho-woo desperately continued in a still small voice.

“Hey! If you tell Oh-yul it’s Lee Ho-woo, he’ll know!”

However, the call didn’t continue and ended abruptly. Whether the other person heard the last words or not was unclear. Ho-woo tapped the desk with his fingers, then thinking there was nothing more to try in this situation, he placed his hands on the keyboard to start working.

***

“I hear the cafeteria menu is good today. Shall we go there for a quick meal?”

Ho-woo nodded somewhat absentmindedly at Seong-jo’s question as he lightly tapped the desk. He had struggled to focus on work all morning.

He thought about calling the corporation again just in case, but people with similar requests would probably be calling in droves. Thinking that way, the chances of getting through seemed slim even with effort.

Even as they went down for lunch, Seong-jo couldn’t contain his curiosity and probed Ho-woo, who still looked troubled.

“Do you have something on your mind?”

Ho-woo stared at Seong-jo, who was unusually clinging to his side, then slowly shook his head. Considering how particularly hostile he had been when Oh-yul’s name came up during drinks, it wasn’t a topic he could bring up with him. He just tried to smile, forcing the corners of his mouth up as he gave a vague answer.

“It’s just, work isn’t going well.”

Why didn’t he get Oh-yul’s contact information? No, why didn’t Oh-yul think to give his contact information when he was the one following him around saying he liked him?

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Maybe it was because they lived right next door and saw each other almost every day, so there hadn’t been a need for contact information.

This time, I’ll get it.

He planned to diligently press the pager Oh-yul had given him when he got home. Even if he couldn’t come right away because of work, leaving a trace that he had looked for him might make Oh-yul come when the timing was right.

Ho-woo came down to the cafeteria, filled his tray with plenty of pork cutlet, and ate his lunch aggressively.

“Whoa, Mr. Deputy, eat slowly.”

Seong-jo, sitting across from him, was surprised at how quickly Ho-woo wolfed down his food. Ho-woo said he’d go ahead and got up.

There absolutely couldn’t be any overtime work today. He rarely did overtime on any day, but today he planned to leave work exactly on time without even a minute of extra work. To do that, he needed to make up for the absentminded morning by working during lunchtime, so he hurriedly returned to the office and sat down.

****

The office worker who finished overtime work hurriedly grabbed his coat and stood up. As summer was approaching, the days were getting longer, but outside it was already pitch dark. The twinkling night view visible through the window was pretty, but thinking that each of those lights was an office where workers were shedding tears of blood while working overtime, it didn’t look so beautiful.

Damn team leader.

Chewing and swallowing a rough curse, he pressed the elevator button. Because of the team leader who dumped work on him 30 minutes before quitting time, saying he hadn’t finished what should have been done yesterday, Ho-woo could only leave his seat long after the regular quitting time.

Whether he could have met Oh-yul right after work or not was unknown, but the feeling of having things pushed back wasn’t pleasant. The empty elevator carried Ho-woo to the bottom floor without stopping once in between.

Unlike the stuffy temperature of the day, it was quite chilly, and Ho-woo adjusted his jacket. As he was passing through the lobby and coming out of the company’s main entrance, he suddenly stopped in his tracks at the sight of a large, familiar figure leaning slightly against the flowerbed in front of the building.

“Oh-yul?”

The figure standing between light and shadow stepped out into the light at that small call.

“You’re very late.”

As it was the second time encountering him in front of his company, Ho-woo greeted him with a face tinged with curiosity and pleasure.

“I had some overtime… But you said I’m late… Did you wait for me?”

“Yes.”

The clean answer without any fluff actually left Ho-woo at a loss for words. What more was there to add to or take away from the fact that he had waited? At Ho-woo’s silence, Oh-yul rolled his eyes as if checking his reaction. A look of nervousness, like a puppy that had done something wrong, was evident on his face.

“I waited because I wanted to see you. Is that not okay?”

“That… That sounds too much like something a lover would say, doesn’t it?”

“We’re going to end up that way anyway.”

“Who is?”

“You and me, I mean.”

At these words, which were too bold and even brazen, Ho-woo was considering whether he should refute that it would never happen, but he ultimately missed the timing. This was because Oh-yul, who had been maintaining an arm’s length distance, took one big step closer and firmly grasped his hand.

“Have you had dinner?”

“…No.”

“Were you planning to go back and have 3-minute curry or jajang?”

“You’re really holding a grudge…”

Oh-yul let out a small laugh at the disgruntled complaint. The laughter died down at Ho-woo’s eyes that had narrowed upwards, but a faint smile still lingered around his eyes.

“I’m actually quite narrow-minded, more than you might think.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m also very jealous and possessive.”

“Is it okay to tell me that? What if I think badly of you?”

“Don’t I have enough good points to outweigh those flaws?”

Oh-yul raised his free hand and started listing his good points, folding down one finger at a time.

“First, I’m objectively and subjectively good-looking. I’m also tall and have a good body. I’m decent at cooking too. And I come with the dry cleaning function that Ho-woo likes.”

“…And you’re kind.”

Ho-woo added quietly, as no personality traits had been mentioned among the good points. Though it was a very small voice, Oh-yul heard it and smiled with his eyes, pleased.

“If that’s what Ho-woo thinks, then I’ll continue to be that kind of person.”

“And if I don’t think that?”

“I’ll still continue to be that kind of person for Ho-woo.”

The two stopped in front of the subway entrance. Previously, Oh-yul couldn’t even set foot in the subway and had flown through the sky carrying Ho-woo. While that experience was interesting, it wasn’t one Ho-woo wanted to repeat, so he tried to quietly let go of the tightly held hand. However, before he could release it, a large hand completely intertwined with his fingers and pressed firmly on the back of his hand.

“It’s okay, there aren’t many people.”

As if knowing what Ho-woo was worried about, he stepped down the first stair.

“What if we get photographed again?”

“While dealing with this incident, I’ve put pressure on all the media outlets, so it should be fine. I’ve made them like obedient dogs.”

The Esper who casually talked about such serious matters as media control tilted his head slightly. His expression was so nonchalant that it even created the illusion that he had done something natural.

“Uh…”

“I’m joking. It’s not control, but I did speak to them quite strongly, so there shouldn’t be any annoying incidents. That much is true.”

His usual kind and friendly expression and somewhat stiff tone remained the same. However, coupled with his subtle words, it felt a bit chilling.

Perhaps thinking that Ho-woo’s strange expression was still due to worry, Oh-yul, unlike his usual self, continued talking a bit more chatty, as if trying to ease the tension.