The situation was resolved too easily. It seemed like I had been staring blankly into space for a moment.

“Ah, are you surprised that things are going so well?”

As if reading Hae Jin’s thoughts that had just entered her mind, Tae Hong withdrew the hand he had extended.

“Yes, it’s quite boring when things get resolved this easily. Don’t you think?”

It felt like being a marionette, moved this way and that in his grasp, as if he were playing with a person.

He made a call to someone on his cell phone, which he had brought out at some point. He switched it to speakerphone and tossed it onto the table.

Naturally, my gaze was drawn to the call recipient displayed on the phone screen.

It clearly said “Chairman”. The only person Tae Hong called Chairman was Moon Jun Tae.

Before I could compose my dumbfounded expression, Jun Tae answered the call. Tae Hong’s voice resonated loudly in the office.

“I’ve finished meeting with the dedicated mark you sent.”

Tae Hong acted as if no one was there, even though the protagonist was right in front of him. It made me self-conscious even about breathing. I had to pretend I wasn’t there, even though I was.

– Good, it should be useful.

I bit my lower lip. It felt like seeing Jun Tae’s true face hidden behind his benevolent smile. This was the moment I was reduced to a disposable item. He was saying I had value now because I had some useful elements.

“I’ll be the judge of that from now on.”

The other party was silent. The conversation was far too dry to be between father and son. The uncomfortable silence made me stand up straight, but Tae Hong’s gaze never left Hae Jin.

“If it’s not useful, I’ll cut it without mercy.”

Who was he declaring war on? Jun Tae, who had attached conditions of usefulness, or myself, who had to prove my usefulness? Hae Jin’s chest heaved greatly in response.

I had to shed the preconception of being a parachute hire and properly handle the dedicated mark I was given. I had to perfectly appeal to him that I was a necessary person.

I involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

After ending the speakerphone call, he immediately connected the intercom.

“Let’s have a Strategy Planning Team 1 meeting in 5 minutes.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

The woman’s voice coming from the intercom sounded light. It felt quite out of place in this atmosphere.

Tae Hong’s eyes, as he put down the intercom, were still unreadable. Tae Hong politely glanced over the clothes Hae Jin had worn. Hae Jin didn’t notice the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Let’s start work right away.”

At the word “work”, a deep tension appeared in Hae Jin’s eyes. Exactly five minutes later, Tae Hong opened the office door. Hae Jin quickly stood up and hurriedly followed behind him.

When he turned his head, Tae Hong smiled at the sight of Hae Jin standing closely right behind him.

“Very rookie-like. Full of spirit, aren’t you?”

In the end, it was all or nothing. I had entered the real thing, not a trial version.

I maintained my distance while matching my walking pace with Tae Hong.

Tae Hong opened the conference room door and entered. About five people were seated in the conference room. All five gazes turned simultaneously to Hae Jin, who had entered with Tae Hong.

It was a familiar gaze to Hae Jin. Looks full of curiosity and wariness, that is. But this time was different. Familiar, but absolutely not to be taken lightly.

Hadn’t the team leader’s gaze immediately identified her as a parachute hire? Would these people be any different?

To keep her livelihood intact, she had to avoid incurring jealousy. Next was gaining favor. Her only thought was that she needed to make them her allies one by one.

She had to become a parachute hire that didn’t seem like a parachute hire, only then would a safe landing be possible.

Tae Hong sat in his designated seat with familiarity. And he placed Hae Jin standing next to him. Hae Jin brought her hands close in front, fidgeting her fingers imperceptibly.

“I’m sorry this wasn’t a planned meeting.”

Hae Jin’s head turned towards Tae Hong at his words of apology.

You know how to say sorry too?

She thought it was a word that didn’t suit him, but his voice flowed naturally, leaving Hae Jin bewildered. Tae Hong continued speaking.

“The reason I called you all here today is because a new assistant manager has joined Strategy Planning Team 1.”

At the words “new assistant manager”, the five employees glanced at each other, gauging the situation. In fact, the assistant manager was practically the youngest in the team.

Last night, Hae Jin had done some research on the company on her own. In particular, she confirmed that no job postings had appeared in the hiring section until recently.

As it turned out, Yeonchang Group’s Strategy Planning Team was famous for not hiring employees. Tae Hong personally recruited people. That’s why it had been a really long time since a new employee had come.

The employees who were stealing glances fixed their gazes on Hae Jin. Noticing that the employees’ attention was once again focused on Hae Jin, Tae Hong turned around.

“Jung Hae Jin. Did you prepare a self-introduction?”

A self-introduction, huh. Hae Jin had excellent writing skills and was eloquent. Hae Jin had prepared various things over the past week. She recalled memories of preparing resumes and interviews before joining Sion.

“Yes.”

At her firm and confident answer, the employees’ eyes sparkled brightly, while Tae Hong slightly furrowed his brow.

Even though she was next to him, she could see his expression gradually hardening in real-time.

You might have thought I’d coast by as a parachute hire, but I have no intention of letting you cut off my livelihood so easily.

“Good. Then go ahead.”

As if to watch how she would do it, he pulled his chair far back. Then he turned his body completely towards Hae Jin. Hae Jin felt burdened by Tae Hong’s close gaze. So she turned her body in the opposite direction from Tae Hong.

She made eye contact with each person, one by one. Hae Jin bowed with a polite smile on her face.

This was just the beginning.

“Hello, I’m Jung Hae Jin.”

Unlike her pure and slender appearance, her crisp tone made even the employees who had their heads down look at Hae Jin.

Despite the gazes sweeping towards her, Hae Jin didn’t avoid them. Rather, she looked at each person one by one.

“It’s such a great honor to join Yeonchang Group.”

Though she had no loyalty to the company, she revved up her engine by maximizing her desperate feelings for her livelihood.

“You may misunderstand me as a parachute hire, but I won’t deny it.”

It might seem like throwing cold water, but listen to the end in Korean.

“However, I will work hard to support you all so that you don’t think a parachute hire can’t work, is dispensable, or is just collecting a paycheck.”

Additionally, I’ll take good care of the unpredictable team leader.

“I will do my best not to bring shame to the team leader’s face or become a villain in Yeonchang Group’s Strategy Planning Team 1.”

She bowed deeply and paused for a moment. She waited for their reaction.

After a while, Tae Hong’s laughter was heard above her head. That laughter acted as a catalyst, and the people in the conference room began to clap and laugh awkwardly one by one.

Hae Jin raised her eyes slightly and straightened her bent back, unsure of the situation. Did I start off well? With a heart full of worry and expectation, she examined the faces of Tae Hong and the other employees.

“I listened well to your self-introduction.”

When the laughter subsided, Tae Hong stretched his legs, then crossed them again.

Was it just her imagination that his mocking expression seemed to have faded a bit?

“It wasn’t grand, but I like your confidence.”

Tae Hong’s hand stroked his chin. The other employees were still smiling, looking back and forth between Tae Hong and Hae Jin.

“The parachute pilot who sent Jung Hae Jin would have been pleased to hear it.”

There was a deep warning embedded in it.

“I think the Strategy Planning Team might have the freest atmosphere in Yeonchang Group.”

Was my self-introduction too stiff? Hae Jin tilted her head at the mention of a free atmosphere. Tae Hong’s gaze, which had lingered on Hae Jin, turned back to the employees.

“I know you’re all working hard under the team leader.”

This time, the employees wore expressions of considerable bewilderment. The corner of Tae Hong’s mouth slightly turned up, as if he was responding in real-time to the changes in the employees’ expressions.

Hae Jin also carefully observed the team members from the front. They were reacting greatly to even small words from Tae Hong.

While some employees were noticeably agitated, others maintained an unreadable poker face.

Since they were just salary workers like herself, she felt a sense of camaraderie. Hae Jin found herself nodding along with them.

“The reason Jung Hae Jin has joined the Strategy Planning Team is to be my dedicated assistant.”

Just when they thought a new junior had come to share the workload, it turns out to be a dedicated assistant to the team leader. The team members couldn’t hide their surprise at this newly revealed fact.

Hae Jin, still standing next to Tae Hong, could read the Strategy Planning Team 1’s expressions in real-time. Expressions full of disappointment, as if to say, “It was good while it lasted.”

They must have thought a person to order around had come, but the fact that there was a direct assistant must be surprising.

Everyone’s eyes shook restlessly, seeming to experience multiple shocking situations since the morning.

“Please set up her desk right in front of my office entrance.”

But she soon realized. That she was in no position to feel camaraderie with them.

A floor plan naturally formed in her mind. So, when I came in earlier, I roughly looked around…

No, that’s not right. I saw plenty of empty desks earlier.

Even though I’m a dedicated assistant, I didn’t think the desk distance would be that close.

And it’s not attachment. I’m just an assistant. Assistant.

She kept spewing out words she wanted to say internally, but today was her first day at work.

Hae Jin maintained a gentle expression on her face, trying her best not to show any signs through her expression, and lowered her gaze.

If she made eye contact with Tae Hong now, given the atmosphere, it felt like he might order a separate desk to be set up inside his office right away.

It was nearing the end of the meeting. One of the team members raised their hand abruptly. All eyes turned to where the hand was raised. They didn’t hide their wariness disguised as curiosity.

“What exactly does a dedicated assistant do?”

It was the voice I heard on the intercom. Come to think of it, there was only one woman in Strategy Planning Team 1 besides Hae Jin.

Hae Jin was also curious about how far she would have to assist. Just as she was thinking she should buy a coffee for the woman who asked the question on her behalf…

“It means accompanying me on all my schedules, as the term suggests.”

Tae Hong emphasized “all schedules” with a point.

“If necessary, from arrival to departure, overtime to weekend special work.”

Oh. My. God.

Is this really right?

Based on labor laws, she couldn’t hold back the words floating around in her head like debris.

Her heart beat faster than before at the appearance of specific schedules. She wanted to say this wasn’t right, to escape, but this was her livelihood.

Tae Hong didn’t stop defining the scope.

“Ah. I missed something important.”

Tae Hong’s fingers tapped the conference room table.

“Business trips, from domestic to overseas.”

Hae Jin firmly pressed her lips that were about to gape open.

Don’t show signs of being flustered, Jung Hae Jin.

The dedicated mark had, in the end, become an executive assistant.