Chapter 427: The Past
"No, I told you not to come out."
"But I can come out now. Really. Look—"
"Whether you come out or not is none of my business...!"
I kept pushing Manual's head down, while she, in turn, was pushing her head forward, trying to come out.
"What are you doing?"
The three of them were approaching me.
Song A-rin tilted her head quizzically, while Yu Daon slightly furrowed his brow as if he'd caught a whiff of something.
"Ah, just a second—"
I gave Manual's head one final shove to push her back in and then looked at the three people approaching.
Thud!
I closed the laptop lid and even turned off the monitor.
"Well, you see. I think the computer got hit with ransomware."
"How could a Management Bureau computer get ransomware? It boasts the world's best security."
Right. If the Bureau's computers were that easy to breach, everyone in the world would know what's going on.
As I stayed silent, Song A-rin slightly furrowed her brow.
"Tell me. What is it?"
"No, it's nothing."
"..."
"..."
Our eyes met, and finally, Song A-rin sighed and stepped back.
"Fine, do as you please."
"Thank you."
She probably thought something was odd, but it seemed like her own way of being considerate.
Lucky me, I guess.
Thinking that, I watched the three of them leave my desk, then opened the laptop lid again.
Manual was still lying face down, right there on the desktop.
"..."
First things first, I decided to take the laptop to an empty conference room where no one was around.
*
"What on earth are you doing in there?"
At my question, Manual, who had been lying face down on the floor, got up and answered.
"They did a database conversion of the manual this time."
"Database?"
"It means they updated it to the intranet server."
"Why?"
What if it gets hacked or something?
"Apparently, there were quite a few opinions that the manual is difficult to read."
"People just don't like reading books, huh."
"It's more that I can be a bit unaccommodating."
"Is that so?"
Isn't it convenient? It unfolds when you want it to, tells you what it wants on its own. Seems good to me.
"That's only possible for people like you."
"You're not giving me special treatment because I'm your childhood friend or anything, are you?"
"I am, though?"
Even if favoritism exists, is it okay to admit it so brazenly?
"Anyway, it really has been converted to a database. So now I can appear inside your computer too."
"Then what's with that appearance?"
I looked at Manual's form, which was hard to describe.
Weren't the clothes she usually wore about to burst at the seams?
"I analyzed your preferences using big data."
"Aren't you a book? What does that have to do with big data?"
"Shush. Anyway, after analyzing your preferences, I'll tell you what kind of woman suits your taste."
She raised a finger and continued.
"First, she has to be devoted and smart."
"Is that so?"
"And, she should listen to what you say, but you want her to respect her own opinions when it's important."
"Is that... so?"
"And finally, the better her figure, the better."
"Is that... so?"
"Isn't it?"
"I've never really thought about it."
Why would I be thinking about an ideal type?
"Anyway. As a result, the conclusion I reached is this."
Huuup. She took a deep breath.
"I thought maybe your ideal type is a combination of the good qualities of the HR team members."
"Is that so?"
"All you're saying is 'Is that so?' Is it right or not?"
"I don't think so?"
I've never really thought of anyone like that in the first place.
"...Then all my effort was for nothing."
Manual muttered.
What effort? At the very least, you should tell me what you're putting effort into before you go.
When I looked at her with a bewildered expression, she looked back at me and sighed.
"...Ha. Then just tell me one thing. What is your ideal type?"
My ideal type?
"A kind person?"
"Your answer is so cliché."
Then what does she want me to say?
"Don't you have anything more? Like looks... or, well, no. Anyway. More details."
"Is this the first time you're asking me this?"
After seeing me so much, there's no way she hasn't asked this before.
"Your answer was always the same. A kind person!"
"Then a kind person is correct."
How many more times do I have to say 'a kind person' for her to understand?
I stared at Manual, and she, who had been huffing and puffing while meeting my gaze, went "Huh?" and looked down at her own body.
"Big trouble."
"Why?"
"My energy is draining."
"What nonsense is that now?"
Before I could even finish speaking, Manual's body returned to its original form.
With a poof sound and a puff of smoke, Manual returned.
Her body, which had nowhere to rest the eyes, also returned to normal, and she shrunk back to her usual size.
This is much more comfortable to look at.
"Why are you looking at me with such a satisfied expression?"
"I didn't know where to look, that's why."
At my words, she made a pouty face.
"Just wait a bit. I'll be able to maintain it longer soon."
"What's the point of doing that in the first place?"
"Don't you remember what I said?"
At my question, she stared straight at me.
"I said I'd show you the adult version of me."
"That was your adult version?"
"How should I know?"
I roughly understood. It's a form heavily influenced by her own fantasies.
"...Anyway."
Grumbling, she clicked the mail icon next to me, and the mail program opened.
"From now on, I plan to act as your assistant inside your computer."
"Assistant?"
What kind of help? Clicking things?
"Don't make that dubious face."
Manual narrowed her eyes at me, then hopped down and sat at the bottom of the screen.
"Anyway, a mail will come."
"From whom?"
"Who do you think?"
She answered as if it were obvious, and soon, with a ding! sound, a mail arrived.
"..."
I slowly checked the mail.
<Branch Chief>
[Mr. Kim Jae-heon, if you have time, could you please come to the branch chief's office for a moment?]
"Does this mean I don't have to go if I don't have time?"
"Have you never worked a day in your life?"
At my muttering, Manual looked at me as if I were ridiculous.
But not wanting to go is not wanting to go.
"...I'll be back."
However, I am a working adult.
In a life where following orders from above is the principle, if they say jump, I jump.
Grumbling, I got up from my seat, and Manual, watching me, spoke up.
"Branch Chief Lee Ha-neul is a good person."
"I know."
"Not once has she ever been anything but a good person."
"Even if I didn't know that, I'd know."
She's always been an upright person.
"So, get along with her. She'll be a big help."
"Frankly."
Holding the door, I spoke.
"The Branch Chief I know is the type to help even if you're not particularly close with her."
"...That's true, I guess."
At my muttering, Manual chuckled.
"Come back safely."
"Yeah. I'm leaving the computer behind. I'm going out for drinks tonight."
"I'll be inside the book."
Shrugging my shoulders, I stepped out the door.
As always, I took the elevator up and entered the branch chief's office.
The Branch Chief, always in the same spot, waved at me.
"You came?"
"Why did you call for me?"
"Ah, well... I've been hearing a lot of rumors again."
Rumors? There are so many now I can't tell what's what.
"About the Gangnam Branch."
"Ah."
That is a recent one.
"You have no idea how much the Gangnam Branch Chief begged, saying 'Can't you lend me Mr. Kim Jae-heon for a bit?'"
"You didn't give permission, did you?"
"I care about my employees' human rights, you know?"
At my question, she answered proudly.
"I didn't exactly say 'absolutely not'... Instead, I decided to prioritize Mr. Kim Jae-heon's opinion above all else."
"I see."
I'd really rather not go. Really.
"So..."
I looked at the Branch Chief with eyes asking, 'So why did you call me this time?' Meeting my gaze, the Branch Chief gave an awkward smile.
"This time, it's nothing big. There's just an item I'd like you to take a look at."
"..."
"Ah, don't look at me like that. It's my fault for calling you here for this..."
Making a person come all this way. And just to look at one item.
"I just want to check one thing."
"The reason you had to call me all the way here for that is..."
"Well... It's a bit too personal..."
That makes it even less forgivable.
"But in return, if a case pops up later, I'll definitely go myself, or I'll do you a favor. No, honestly, I'm already doing you a lot of favors!"
Under my gaze, the Branch Chief said 'Just this once,' and looked at me.
"...Just this time."
In the end, I had no choice but to give in to her.
"..."
I looked at the object the Branch Chief handed me.
"A mirror?"
It was a mirror.
A mirror that looked like it could be from the Joseon Dynasty, at that.
"That's right."
At my mutter, the Branch Chief nodded.
"What is it? A memento from your past?"
If the item is a Joseon-era mirror, I can only think of that time.
"That's right."
"That's right?"
I didn't think it would actually be true.
The Branch Chief nodded, and finally, I looked at her mirror.
When I focused a little, a semi-transparent window appeared.
[Name: Yoo-san]
[Age: 400 years]
[Specialty: Prophecy/Fortune-telling]
[Talent: Prophecy/Fortune-telling]
[Background: From long ago, people believed the prophecy that a savior would appear.]
[Weakness: Break it.]
"What does it say?"
I explained the contents written there to the Branch Chief, and her eyes widened.
Her red eyes were fixed intently on the mirror.
"Hmm..."
"Do you know it?"
"Know it? I know it all too well..."
At my question, she gave a bitter smile.
"It's the very reason I ended up like this."
"Huh?"
What does that mean?
I stared at her, and the Branch Chief slowly began to speak.
"Shall I tell you a story from the past?"
"Is it a long story?"
"It's very short, so you don't have to worry about overtime."
"No. I have a drinking appointment today."
"Oh my, then let's go together and talk."
"Excuse me? No. It's fine. Here—"
"Hey, how can you say that? Let's go and talk."
Cutting me off, the Branch Chief took the lead. Because of that...
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The gazes of Yu Daon, Jang Chae-yeon, Song A-rin, and Park Ye-eun were fixed on me.
"Do you have... Gamhongno?"
"Gam...?"
The part-time worker, hearing her words, made a bewildered face, and I hurriedly spoke up.
"Just soju, please."
"Ah, yes."
The part-time worker brought the soju, and the Branch Chief slowly began to speak.
"It's a story from the past..."
"Please keep it short."
"I know."
The Branch Chief muttered, pouting.
But what can I do when she's already making me read the mood?
Ahem. "The time was... 230 years ago..."
The Branch Chief's voice echoed.
"You really have to keep it short."
"I said I know!"