Secretary Gwanggong's Survival Diary-Chapter 33

“...An Omega?”

“Oh. I know it’s unlikely, but you look young, Team Leader, and your physique... You just seem like an Omega... But, um, I mean that in a good way! Like, you look pretty, so don’t take it the wrong way!”

No. What you just said to clarify is actually bothering me more.

It’s true that Omegas generally have more delicate and attractive features compared to Betas. That’s just how they were designed as a group. However, I, Baek Sieon, due to my late manifestation, looked somewhat different from the typical Omega. As long as I hid my pheromones well, I thought I could pass as a Beta without much suspicion.

“Well... Alright. I’ll take it as a compliment.”

But listening to the chick’s words stirred a small unease within me. I knew that as time passed after manifestation, the traces of a Beta would gradually fade, and one’s appearance would align more closely with that of an Omega. Maybe the people at the company hadn’t noticed since they’d seen me before my manifestation, but as time went on, more people might start noticing something off. Like this chick did.

“You’re an Alpha, right, Gyuil?”

“Oh, yes... Not as dominant as our CEO, though.”

That makes sense. These days, I’d been dealing with Alphas like Yoon Taeo and Kang Seokho, who both had that rough, imposing vibe. I guess I’d missed the subtle Alpha cues in Gyuil. If I hadn’t caught that fleeting, beast-like glint in his eyes typical of Alphas, I might not have realized he was one.

“Why would an Alpha join our company...?”

“Well, Alphas come in different types, you know.”

Gyuil wore a somewhat bitter expression as he stepped out of the now-open elevator. Holding the door for me to exit, he didn’t bother to hide the obvious story lingering behind his expression. But I didn’t ask. Yeah. Every grave has its story, and he must have his share of troubles too. But my own worries are so massive that I can’t afford to shoulder someone else’s burdens right now.

“Hello.”

The cafeteria was nearly empty. I’d worried that I might have been too late and that the chicken might be sold out, but thankfully, it wasn’t. After confirming that the meal was still available, I quickly placed my order.

“Two chickens, please.”

Judging by the size, it looked like they had made the samgyetang with chicks rather than full-grown chickens. It seemed like I’d need to eat three or four to feel full, but for now, I’d start with two.

“You’re going to eat all that...?”

Ah, our little chick seems surprised. The tone of Won Gyuil’s ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) voice, trailing behind me while holding his own tray, was laced with astonishment.

“Why would I starve myself for anyone’s sake? If I’m hungry, the only one who loses is me. What glory is there in skipping meals to work? We’re all working to eat, aren’t we?”

“Are you... saying that for me to hear...?”

The cafeteria was nearly empty. Won Gyuil placed his tray across from me and scratched his cheek. He wasn’t completely oblivious, at least.

“What I mean is, from now on, even if you’re alone, come here and eat. Don’t skip meals.”

I started eating first. If the chick got the hint, he’d start eating too.

“Okay, I will.”

And as expected, Won Gyuil picked up his chopsticks. Watching him now, he didn’t seem like a complete idiot. But considering how tough working under Yoon Taeo was, even a sane person might start looking incompetent. It was a harsh reality.

“It’d be nice to have lunch with you every day, Team Leader.”

Yeah, no. I can handle having a meal with the chick every now and then, but I’m not generous enough to babysit him daily. Well... at least until the casino permit deal is settled.

“Well, I—”

I was just about to give a half-hearted response when—THUNK! A tray slammed down onto our table. Just like that.

Soup from the samgyetang splattered everywhere. Turning my head, I glared, trying to identify the bastard who’d pulled such a stunt.

“My hand slipped.”

But the sight of the person standing beside me made the anger bubbling up inside me fizzle out instantly. With one hand shoved casually into his pocket, Yoon Taeo stood there, expression calm and casual as if he was telling the most mundane lie in the world.

“President...? What are you doing here? What about your lunch?”

Instinctively, I stood up. Seeing him here was shocking. He was supposed to be at a luncheon with the other CEOs in the financial sector, and he shouldn’t have been back for at least another hour. Besides, Yoon Taeo eating in the cafeteria? Not a chance.

“Aren’t you going to wipe it up for me?”

“Huh...?”

Yoon Taeo subtly tilted his head, gesturing to his hand. His voice carried a hint of irritation. I couldn’t even see it properly, but a bit of chicken broth seemed to have splashed onto the back of his hand. What am I supposed to do with this brat?

“Oh, my... You should have been more careful, President! What if you got burned? If you’d told me, I would have brought the food up to your office.”

I quickly pulled out my handkerchief and began wiping the broth off the back of Yoon Taeo’s hand. Somehow, I felt like I was using this handkerchief more for Yoon Taeo’s sake than my own. For good measure, I made a big fuss, turning his hand over to check if he was burned. As if his fist, capable of smashing through a human skull, would get hurt by some hot soup.

“That’s enough. I’m fine now.”

“Please, have a seat, President. I’ll go get you a fresh meal.”

“No need. I’ll just eat what’s here.”

Only after I’d finished wiping his hand did Yoon Taeo’s voice return to normal. He was the one who’d dropped the tray, so why did he seem so annoyed? Yoon Taeo sat down right next to me.

“...Didn’t you eat anything at the luncheon?”

“The food there was awful. Don’t schedule me for any more luncheons at that place.”

Who the hell goes to luncheons to eat, you brat? It’s just about making connections and showing your face. How is it that he becomes such a wreck the moment I take my eyes off him for even a second?

“You’re not eating? Looks like you ordered two chickens.”

“Oh... Yeah. Let’s eat. Enjoy your meal.”

I glanced at the chick sitting across from me. He already looked like he was about to pass out. His face had gone pale, almost to the point of turning blue. Is this what it’s like when Alphas intimidate each other? When an ordinary Alpha faces a dominant one like Yoon Taeo, does it suppress them? Just to clarify, there’s no Omega here.

“By the way, what happened to the deputy team leader who went with you? Why’d you come back alone?”

“Who knows.”

“You didn’t... come here alone, did you...?”

“Who knows.”

What the hell? Are we playing word games now? I glanced up from my meal, and Yoon Taeo gave me a brief, insincere smile.

“No way!”

“3rd Team Leader took care of him. Whatever happens is up to him.”

...Great. Another vacancy. I wonder what he did wrong this time. Well, the guy had been with the company for a while, so hopefully, he won’t end up dead. I resumed eating. I really didn’t want to know any more details.

“T-Team Leader... Can I... leave now?”

Won Gyuil’s trembling voice broke through as we were in the middle of the meal.

“Go ahead.”

Before I could even respond, Yoon Taeo gave his permission. Before I could even ask Won Gyuil if he wanted to stay and finish his meal, he had already grabbed his tray and bolted out of the cafeteria at lightning speed.

“Ah... I brought him here to get him to eat a proper meal....”

“Now that I think about it, we don’t really need him for the casino permit.”

What kind of bullshit is that? The resort opening is already a problem, but getting the casino permit? That’s something even Yoon Taeo can’t handle on his own. In the original novel, everything was completely stalled without Won Gyuil’s help.

“But why bother taking the hard way when the easy way is right there? Just wait a bit longer.”

I couldn’t tell him the truth, so I said something vague. It was true, though. Using Won Gyuil to secure the resort permit was the easiest and most effective way.

“But... what are you doing...?”

“What?”

I’d been eating for a while now, but something felt... off. No matter how much I ate, the samgyetang didn’t seem to diminish. I swear I’d already eaten four chicken legs, yet there were still two more sitting in the bowl. The empty bones were piling up in the dish, but the samgyetang in front of me seemed to be endlessly replenishing itself.

“...Why aren’t you eating and just...?”

The culprit was Yoon Taeo. He was meticulously stripping the chicken meat with his chopsticks and placing it into my bowl as if he were expertly filleting a fish with a sashimi knife. I’d been so caught up in the conversation that I hadn’t even noticed.

“You didn’t really think I’d eat this, did you?”

“Well... no, but still....”

“Hurry up and eat. You have an executive meeting this afternoon.”

At Yoon Taeo’s urging, I had no choice but to keep moving my chopsticks. Meanwhile, more expertly stripped chicken meat kept getting piled into my bowl.

“So, you eat three chickens at once, huh. No wonder the house management fees have gone up lately.”

If I said I felt like I was about to start spitting out chicks, would he believe me? I couldn’t even respond to his nonsense. Whether the maintenance fees were 200 million won or 202 million won, what difference did it make? I’d bet my life that Yoon Taeo had no clue how much the management fees even were.

“I’m just trying to bulk up for the winter....”

“How many more excuses like that do you have stored up in that head of yours? I’d almost like to open it up and see.”

...Did he just say he’d crack my skull open and see what’s inside if I said one more word? And he said it with that smile. This crazy bastard.

“...W-Would you like some coffee...?”

Yeah, I need to get him out of here as soon as possible. Most of the coffee Yoon Taeo drank was brewed in the office anyway, so all I really needed to do was grab one for myself. This was just an excuse to send him away.

After seeing him off in the elevator, I went down to the first-floor franchise café and ordered an iced Americano packed with ice. There’s nothing better than sipping cold coffee in a stiflingly hot office.

“Team Leader!”

But the moment I stepped back into the office, the atmosphere was tense.

“It’s bad....”

“What now?”

The kind of news that comes with this kind of ominous atmosphere is never good.

“The President... He’s in a rut cycle.”

Ah, shit. I felt the ground spin beneath me.