SECTION Manager Shin was just eyeing the young director as the latter examined the poster made for the recruitment of band members. For some unknown reason, his heart started pounding when he saw the director's right eyebrow rose.

"Is there something wrong, Director Bae?" The man asked.

Joohyun nodded, she pulled a pen from her pen holder and encircled something on the printed poster. She then showed it to the manager.

"Bassist?" He read what was encircled.

"Please remove that. I already found one." Joohyun said with a smile. "Just edit that one out and send the poster to HR to have it posted in our groupware's bulletin.

"Got it, Director." The man took the said paper from the desk of the young director. "That's all there is to report. I shall take my leave."

"Wait a minute, Shin-chajang." Joohyun halted the guy, bringing back the uneasiness to the section manager's heart. "I have a request to make regarding Kang Seulgi-daeri."

“Request? About Seulgi?”

“Yes.” The director leaned to her desk. “Kang-daeri will be working with me on this special project the Chairman gave me. With that, I want you to give less workload to her. She would need time in the evening to participate in this project.”

The man’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m sorry, Director Bae, but Seulgi is an important asset of our team. We are busy with a lot of things lately and we can’t send her to some extra-curricular activity.”

“Hm?” Joohyun leaned back to her seat and crossed her arms. “Your section is busy but only one person is working overtime? That’s interesting.”

The man was obviously taken aback. “That’s because she was slacking off. She couldn’t do her work on time—”

“And you said she’s an important asset? A slacker cannot even be considered an asset, how much more to be called important?”

Section Manager Shin wasn’t able to answer. He stood there in utter defeat. The young director then showed the man something on the big interactive board by the wall. It was their section’s organisation chart.

“So your section has–hmmm… Seven people.” Joohyun said while looking at the chart. “And then the important asset is the only one doing overtime work. How do you want me to think of this setup, Shin-chajang?”

“D-Director, it’s… uh… Well…”

The young director shook her head in disappointment. She let out a sigh which completely destroyed the man in front of her. “I believe there are more capable people from your section. This special project is called special because it was a direct order from the Chairman himself. He ordered us to win that competition for the sake of the company promotion.”

Okay, maybe not 100% for the company but she couldn’t just say that to other employees, right?

"Kang-daeri will still be working and it's for a special project. If you don’t let her join because she's an important asset just like what you said, should I request the HR to add more important assets to your section? Well, that would mean we will have to remove the unimportant ones. What do you think?"

The man's fists balled, his jaw clenched. He was completely cornered.

Joohyun removed the chart from the screen and went back to her monitor. She believed there won’t be anything to talk about so she dismissed the section manager. But before he left, she gave him one more task.

“Please tell Kang-daeri to come to my office after she finishes editing the poster. It was her who made the poster anyway, am I right?”

With that, the man rushed out of the director’s office and went straight to their section. The employees from his section, as if waiting for him to come out, immediately busied themselves with other things but their eyes were following their superior.

The said manager went straight to Seulgi’s desk. Seulgi was busy doing real work when Section Manager Shin peeked over her divider like the colossal titan. The man threw the poster to her, surprising the said girl while freezing all the other employees in the section.

“Director Bae ordered for the encircled one to be removed.” The man started with a stern voice. “After that, send the file to me and go to her room. You are being called. You better do that quickly.”

“U-Understood, Shin-chajangnim.”

With that, the man went back to his own desk, throwing a daggered stare to other employees. Seulgi let out a sigh of relief. She thought she would be scolded once again. She then looked at the said encircled word and her sight started spinning for a hot second.

“Director Bae…” She groaned as she edited the file. She immediately sent it to her Section Manager and went straight to the director’s office. With a soft knock, Seulgi made her presence known.

“D-D-Director Bae, this is Asst. Mgr. Kang Seulgi.”

“Come in.”

Seulgi entered as she was told. She carefully closed the door behind her before facing the director. “G-Good morning, Director. Y-You called f-for me?”

Joohyun’s eyes were on her monitor screen. Her desk looked rather messy because of the files she was studying, mostly about the company’s structure and other work-related processes. What took Seulgi’s attention was the big, round, rimmed glasses that the director was wearing.

“Have a seat, Kang-daeri. I’ll join you in a while.”

“Y-Yes, Director…”

Seulgi walked like a robot towards the couch and sat with her back straight while she waited for Joohyun. The assistant manager jerked at the sound of Joohyun’s chair moving quickly followed by the sound of the woman’s heels.

Joohyun then joined Seulgi as she sat on her seat. “I wanted to tell you that you did a good job for the poster but you actually added ‘bassist’ when I already removed it. I told you we’re not looking for a bassist anymore, didn’t I?”

“D-Director—”

“I also already told Shin-chajang about your participation in this special project. I am expecting you to do well since it’s an important project the Chairman entrusted me. I’ll be expecting a lot from you since you are from my department.”

“Director Bae…” Seulgi called out to the older girl once more. She couldn’t even look at her superior as she kept fidgeting with her fingers. “I-I-I’m really sorry. I d-d-don’t think I can join this p-project…”

The young director’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why?”

Seulgi took a deep breath and tried to look back at her superior but the girl was staring so intently at her that she instantly had to look away.

“W-While it’s true that I do play the bass… I-I-I don’t have any confidence to play in a competition. Also, i-it’s been so long since the l-last time I played with a band.” Seulgi’s shoulders dropped. “I’m… I’m really worried that I might not be able to meet your standards a-a-and disappoint y-you along the way…”

Joohyun leaned to her arm rest while massaging her temple. ‘This girl’s confidence is really six-feet below the ground. She works really efficiently though. What made her turn out like this?’

“I am r-r-really sorry, Director. I-I can’t play in a band anymore…” Seulgi took another deep breath. “B-But… i-if it’s instrumentalists that you are searching for, I-I can introduce you to some people…”

“Some people?” Joohyun crossed her arms. “They are also employees here?”

“Y-Yes!” Finally, Seulgi managed to look back at Joohyun. “T-They are friends from other departments. I a-am roommates with one of them."

A smile curved up off Joohyun's lips. "That's great news. When do I meet them?"

Seulgi fell deep in her thoughts. She let out another sigh. "W-Well, I believe they still don't know about this project since the poster is yet to be uploaded in the bulletin... We can't go and meet them now because for sure they are in the middle of work."

"I agree." Joohyun nodded. "I am also quite occupied as well. I need to finish a lot of things so I can have all the fun that I want at tonight's dinner."

The assistant manager bit her lower lip. "T-T-Then h-how about during lunch time? I-I can ask them to have lunch t-together..."

“Oh~” The young director leaned forward. “That’s indeed great news!”

“W-Well…” Seulgi started scratching her cheek. “I-I don’t know if they will agree. They also have a lot going in their lives recently and…”

The director watched the younger girl let out another deep, deep sigh.

“Don’t worry, Kang-daeri.”

Seulgi turned back to her director only to see the woman smiling meaningfully. It seemed like there were already a lot of things running in simulation in that magnificent head of hers.

“Just introduce them to me and I will do all the convincing.”

Joohyun stood up and went back to her desk to get something. Seulgi took that as a signal for her to leave so she also stood up only to see the director coming back and heading towards her. The sweet and sensual perfume scent of the director threw Seulgi another uppercut.

“Give me your phone.” Joohyun asked, more like an order.

“Y-Yes?” Seulgi wasn’t really sure of what she heard.

“I said give me your phone.”

Joohyun’s unamused look made Seulgi panic a bit. She hurriedly took her phone out of her pocket and handed it to the director using two hands. “H-Here it is, Director.”

Joohyun’s eyebrows rose when she saw her subordinate’s wallpaper. It was a lovely picture of a sunset. Joohyun chose not to comment and went about her business. She dialled something through Seulgi’s phone and soon after they heard something ringing from the young director’s desk.

She then held Seulgi by the hand before handing the younger girl’s phone back. “That’s my personal phone’s number. Contact me there if you manage to gather these instrumentalists that you are talking about.”

“P-P-Personal number?” Seulgi stammered.

“Yes, the company phone isn’t out yet. I have to use my personal phone for the moment.” Joohyun then grabbed her other hand by the wrist and handed her something. Seulgi’s eyes widened when she recognised it.

“M-My missing earphone!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t notice that I took it with me last night. I was really exhausted.”

Seulgi looked back at her superior and she had to gulp when she noticed how close they were standing to each other. Joohyun didn’t even let her go right away, the older girl spaced out while looking at Seulgi’s earphone.

“...D-Director?” Seulgi called with a shaky voice. “Y-Y-You’re so close…”

Joohyun snapped back to reality with that comment from Seulgi. She looked back at the girl and was amused to see how her ears were burning red. They looked like they would burn if one would try to touch them.

“And so? We’re both females anyway.” Joohyun rolled her eyes and let go of Seulgi. The younger quickly turned around to tame her nervous heart. “What’s wrong with you exactly?”

“I-I-I am not just used with p-people invading my private space…” Seulgi tried to explain but that’s how far she could say for now. Joohyun couldn’t help but to be confused.

‘I’m sure we were much closer last night while we watched that video… Why is she like this now?’

The director put her hands in akimbo. “Go back to work now. You better not leave me here during lunch. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Seulgi’s head turned back to Joohyun in such a speed that there was a very audible cracking of the bone. Joohyun looked worried but Seulgi just started malfunctioning.

“L-L-L-Lunch together w-w-w-with t-the D-Director!? D-D-Do I need to sit on the t-t-table of the o-o-other execu—-”

“What are you even talking about?” Irene gave her a smack by the shoulder, making Seulgi snap back to reality. “Of course we are going to eat with the other instrumentalists that you are talking about. I’m pretty busy and I believe that other directors will understand that I won’t be joining them in lunch for the meantime.”

Seulgi rubbed her shoulder that got hit. She still couldn’t believe how physical their new director is. “I-I-I see…”

There went the sigh of relief.

“I-I’ll see you at lunch then, Director Bae.” Seulgi then excused herself and went back to her desk. Joohyun just smiled to herself after the younger girl went out.

“Do you really think you can run away from me, bassist?”

FROM: Kang Seulgi-daeri

Director, they all agreed to meet up during lunch. They said they have seen the poster as well. I also booked a small meetin