Time Mansour - Chapter 62
Only Noblemtl
Episode 62: To the Deepest Place
The cup is full of worries.
The shadowy face of Manager Cho.
It rippled and swayed on the transparent waves.
It seems like Manager Cho is praying while holding Jeong Han-soo in his hands.
He stares blankly at the glass of soju with his head down.
“Manager Cho. What are you thinking? Do you have a wish?”
“Similar. I wish someone would grant my wish.”
Manager Cho smiles brightly as he looks at me.
His smiling face was still filled with depth.
“Don’t look at me. Honestly, what difference would it make if one more technician were added to such a large project?”
“That’s because we desperately need that one technician.”
Manager Cho pours alcohol into his mouth.
And then he immediately filled the glass again.
Clean chopsticks were neatly placed on the table.
“Right now, there’s only the captain on the ship. If all the crew members are captains, who on earth would row the oars?”
With a deep sigh.
Manager Cho continued to grumble.
“If everyone just gives orders, who will do the work?”
Repeating the same complaint.
Bring out the stories that have been buried deep in your heart and place them on the table.
“Please give me a bottle. I’ll pour it.”
Nana Chae Dae-ri. I don’t really have any words to comfort you.
We just poured some drinks and clapped our hands together.
Every time Manager Cho opens his mouth, the smell of alcohol wafts out.
The number of empty bottles is increasing.
And so the glass emptied and filled again and again.
suddenly.
-Jiying.
A vibration came from Manager Cho’s pocket.
“Ah… I got a call from my wife. I’m sorry. I think I should go soon.”
Then, Manager Cho stood up first.
He bows his head with an apologetic expression.
“Okay. Let’s get up now.”
I put down my chopsticks as I answered.
It’s not even seven o’clock yet.
We’re going to disband a little early today.
Thinking that way, I also tried to get up from my seat.
At that moment.
Bam.
“We’ll have one more drink and then we’ll go.”
Manager Chae lightly grabs my collar.
The deputy shook his head at me.
Do you have anything else to say?
After standing there dumbfounded at Manager Chae’s words, I sat back down.
“Okay, you go in first.”
“Okay, sir. If you ever think about working freelance, please let me know. I’ll go first.”
Manager Cho leaves with a lingering impression until the end.
I watched Manager Cho walking away and disappear.
The moment you open the door and go outside.
“What’s going on?”
I turned my head and looked at Manager Chae.
“Yes… I actually had some concerns, but Manager Cho seemed to be having a harder time.”
So I just kept my mouth shut. Manager Chae smiles awkwardly.
And then he raises his glass alone.
“···”
When Manager Cho left, Manager Chae was like that.
After wetting the soju on my lips like that.
Put the glass back in its place.
I saw him put down his glass and cautiously opened my mouth.
“Is this work?”
“Yes, that’s right. Actually, there’s a team I’ve been working with recently, and the manager there just can’t communicate with me at all.
“In what way?”
I asked casually, mumbling my food.
Honestly, I wasn’t that worried.
Because Manager Chae wasn’t the type of person to cause trouble with anyone.
I thought it was just a simple happening, so I listened to it half-heartedly.
“They keep telling me to review things that are obviously functionally impossible. And they always reject them for ridiculous reasons. So things aren’t going well right now.”
There is no energy in the voice.
His expression also looked dark.
Even though he can’t drink well, he keeps fiddling with his glass.
“Are you saying you’re going to keep talking nonsense?”
“Yes. Even if you insist, I understand if you do it once or twice. But it’s driving me crazy when you keep saying the same thing at every meeting.”
I took a moment to organize my thoughts after hearing what Manager Chae had said.
It’s actually quite common to get people to insist on doing something they can’t do.
This is quite often the case when there is a low level of understanding of the product.
‘But that only happened once or twice.’
To the point where work progress is delayed. If you keep being stubborn like that, it means you have some animosity towards someone.
“What? Did I make a mistake?”
“No. No. I don’t know. I don’t think there is one. Honestly, I don’t know. Sometimes when I see him, I think he’s just crazy. He goes crazy whenever I say something… Oh. No.”
After Manager Chae spoke harshly, he immediately shut his mouth as if he had realized something.
Instead of continuing to curse, he fills his glass.
Soju is pouring into the glass.
Maybe it was because the water was shallow. The bottom of the glass was clearly visible.
**
deep waters.
A deep, dark sea where no sunlight shines
Because we have to survive in a place without light.
So deep sea fish had no choice but to glow.
Manager Chae started his career at a mid-sized company.
Because I’ve never looked into the deep sea.
So you’ve probably never seen a real deep-sea fish that glows.
I asked Manager Chae while making a guess.
“He’s a guy who’s like Ive’s manager. It can’t just be a joke. There has to be a reason.”
“I don’t know. I don’t get it. To be honest, I’ve never seen anyone like that before.”
Unless it’s a poor environment with no light.
Ordinary fish living in shallow waters have no reason to emit light.
Well, I can’t say for sure, but that’s usually the case.
He rested his chin on his hand and stared blankly at the agent.
Manager Chae reached for the bottle of alcohol again.
Bam.
I grabbed the bottle and filled my glass with liquor.
Then he quietly put the bottle aside.
“That manager’s age. How old is he?”
He subtly said something different.
Manager Chae stretches his hand into the air, then puts it back down with an awkward smile.
“I don’t know exactly… but I think it’s over fifty.”
It’s almost time to prepare for retirement.
It is time to question your own existence.
“Not in a place where other team members are present. Not in a meeting. Separately? Have you ever reported it in a place where other team members are not present?”
“I’ve never done that before. To begin with, I rarely had the opportunity to see other team leaders. I even avoided them.”
then.
There is one thing that catches my attention though.
“Next time they say something weird, tell them it’s such a great idea. That I hadn’t thought of it. That it’s a great idea.”
“yes?”
“And then go back and report quietly. I’ve been looking into it all night, but the method you suggested seems a bit difficult.”
“Do you really need to go through all that trouble?”
“Sometimes, team leaders feel like they are being ignored by their team members… That’s why they take care of their pride. It gets worse as they get closer to retirement age. I think they want to show their team members that they are still going strong.”
But if this doesn’t work, then I don’t know.
I raised both hands up as if I were surrendering.
If, although unlikely, deep-sea fish do emerge from the water, there’s no answer.
At that time, there was no other way but to just endure and endure.
‘Oh. This reminds me of the old days.’
While talking with Manager Chae.
It reminds me of my early days as a social freshman.
Before I knew it, my hand reached for the bottle of alcohol.
So I raised my hand.
This time, Manager Chae intercepts the bottle of soju.
He smiles and pours some alcohol into his own glass.
I was too embarrassed to just put my hand down, so I just scratched my head.
As if it was meant to be that way from the beginning.
**
After the weekend.
After a few more days passed like that.
A message came to Agent Chae.
-How did you know, sir? Are you a shaman? The manager’s attitude has completely changed. When I went and reported it separately, I got a free pass. What is this?
That’s fortunate.
It seems he wasn’t really crazy.
Almost all regular customers had a reason.
Because people tend to change depending on the situation they are in.
As I was seeing all kinds of people from the bottom, I started to become useless and obsessed.
Old memories just come to mind.
While drinking coffee at a cafe, I find myself laughing to myself without realizing it.
She smiled and wiped the coffee that had spilled on her clothes.
I guess I spent a lot of time alone at home. It was even worse when you include the time I spent in my sister’s room.
So, when I felt a little stuffy, I sometimes came to a cafe.
A seat right next to the glass window.
Every time I sit here, I just stare blankly at the empty street.
I used to see the world where real people lived.
And so it came to pass.
“Sir, why are you laughing alone? Are you sick?”
Sometimes such unfortunate events occur.
The kids found me outside and came into the cafe.
Every time I passed by here, it seemed like I would just glance at it and leave.
“It’s not that it hurts. It’s just that it looks funny.”
Answer Sohyun’s words.
I didn’t say who it was because I thought it would be rude.
I have that much manners.
“Ouch.”
Hearing what I said, Sohyun blows air into both her cheeks.
Seeing that, Da-eun and Jun-woo laughed.
“Okay. Sir, give me your present. Give me your present.”
Sohyun frowns and holds out both hands, crossing them.
What the heck is that?
Why are you suddenly ripping me off?
Why on earth is he doing that?
Because I want to know the reason.
“Is today your birthday?”
I asked the most common question.
“No. Children’s Day is coming soon.”
A somewhat unfamiliar answer comes back.
Sohyun nods her head shamelessly.
Da-eun lowers her head in embarrassment.
And maybe even Junwoo shaking his head at Sohyun.
They showed different reactions.
Are their personalities really that different?
Da-eun is very shy.
It’s surprising, but at the same time
Children’s Day hasn’t even come yet.
I tilt my head and look at Sohyun’s face.
It didn’t seem like he was really expecting a gift.
maybe.
I wonder if he’s just picking a fight because he’s bored.
As usual.
So I decided to just ignore it.
“Oh. Right. I forgot. Dad asked me to tell you.”
Sohyun speaks again as if something has come to mind.
“Father? What’s wrong?”
“If you’re not busy, teacher, let’s all meet up on Teacher’s Day. Sohyun’s father said so.”
Junwoo answered instead of Sohyun.
Sohyun glares at Junwoo, asking why he got in the way.
If we just leave it alone, the two of them will bicker again.
“Okay. Tell him I understand.”
I answered quickly.
Well, I have a lot of time anyway.
He nodded as if it was no big deal.
It’s been so long since we last met, and we chatted with the kids.
Before I knew it.
Without knowing.
I noticed water droplets splashing on the glass window.
Raindrops slide down, leaving trails behind.
Looking at the falling raindrops.
I asked the kids just in case.
“Is there anyone with an umbrella?”
As expected, no one raises a hand.
Then I realized that I didn’t have an umbrella.
Only then did the sound of the rain seem loud.
**
It’s already May.
It’s family month.
Wet clothes hung askew on hangers.
I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling.
I scan the constellations on the ceiling with my eyes.
The weather got warmer and it started to rain. Mold started growing again.
Libra. Aquarius. Gemini. Pisces.
I just lay there blankly, drawing a line between the mold and the mold.
therefore.
Mother was thrown into the river.
He spent his entire life wandering around the moon village, and only after he finished his life was he able to sink to the depths.
Under the pretext of not knowing where it was buried.
I never thought about visiting there before.
Teacher’s Day. Children’s Day. And Parents’ Day. I thought they had nothing to do with me.
I lived thinking that way.
“Let’s go and see.”
Maybe it was because of the kids, but I had a thought that I had never done before.