Chapter ss23: Side Story 2-3: Our team leader-nim became trash! (3)

The innocent-looking man calmly commented.

"Slowly. It will be best to approach her slowly. Her wariness will only increase if you rush it."

Cale's dark brown eyes looked into the man's black eyes.

The man smiled weakly at his gaze and continued speaking.

"Also, her dream seemed to be becoming an ability user. Kim Rok Soo, the guy whose body you are in right now, is someone with quite the abilities."

"I'm aware of that."

"Really? You're already finished analyzing the condition of that body?"

"No. I know what powers he possesses despite not finishing the analysis."

"I guess Kim Rok Soo's powers are not something you can figure out at once. That punk has multiple abilities."

The man was about to say something but closed his mouth for a moment.

He then eventually resumed speaking. His voice was even calmer as if the emotions had disappeared.

"Anyway, Kim Rok Soo's abilities should be able to help her a lot since that child wants to become an ability user."

"I see."

Cale nodded his head and asked the man in front of him a question.

"But why are you being so nice to tell me all of these things? You could have just told me where she was and left."

He asked the silent man a question.

"Did you know this Kim Rok Soo person?"

"...I."

The man who looked much younger than Kim Rok Soo, who was currently in his mid-thirties, continued with a calm look on his face.

"I am temporarily in charge of you."

"...Does that mean that you will be the one to show up if I run into any problems or there are messages to be delivered to me?"

"Something like that."

Cale nodded his head and nonchalantly asked.

"What is your name?"

"...Why do you care about my name?"

"You know my name and the truth about who I am. I should at least know who you are. It's obvious you know this Kim Rok Soo guy."

Cale, who was asking the question while standing crooked, did not hide his wariness while in Kim Rok Soo's body.

"Haaa." The man let out a short sigh before responding.

"Choi Jung Soo. My name is Choi Jung Soo."

He lowered his hat again.

He spoke to his friend who was now in his mid-thirties, no, the random person who was now in his friend's body.

"It is the name of someone who has already died here."

Cale's pupils shook slightly. Choi Jung Soo pretended not to notice as he continued speaking.

"Furthermore, I am the dead friend of Kim Rok Soo, the guy whose body you are in."

They were both silent for a moment.

Cale pointed to his body and asked.

"...Is this guy living well?"

Choi Jung Soo shook his head.

"Even I don't know yet."

"Mm."

Cale groaned before nonchalantly commenting.

"I think that I will live well."

He smiled at Choi Jung Soo, who was looking at him. He clenched the paper in his hand.

"I think that I will live very well in this body. I have a hunch that that will be the case."

The corners of Choi Jung Soo's lips curled up.

"That's a response I like."

"Right?"

Cale put the piece of paper in his pocket as he spoke.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to make a move right away."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"See you again next time."

KRS Cale quickly exited the alley. (TL: She keeps writing Cale Henituse in Kim Rok Soo's appearance. It's repetitive and annoying so KRS Cale it is).

The elegance was gone and he looked a bit excited and anxious.

Choi Jung Soo watched him for a moment before quietly mumbling.

"...It'll be better if you don't see me."

A black shadow started to cover Choi Jung Soo in the alley.

Chhhhhhhhh. A half-transparent parchment opened in front of Choi Jung Soo.

Choi Jung Soo read what was written on it before disappearing into the shadows.

"There's so much to do."

Shhhh—

A breeze brushed past the alley.

There was nobody there.

* * *

Slam!

The office door slammed over.

"Assistant Leader Kim Min Ah."

"Yes, team leader-nim."

Kim Min Ah's eyes opened wide while looking at the anxious Kim Rok Soo walking toward her.

Kim Rok Soo gave a single comment to the confused woman.

"I'm leaving early today."

"Excuse me?"

Kim Min Ah looked at him in shock but Kim Min Ah grabbed his coat and quickly got ready to leave.

"Leaving early all of a sudden?"

"Yes."

The company was currently rowdy talking about how Kim Rok Soo mentioned quitting or flipping things over in front of Director Ma. However, the person who said those things didn't seem to care about that at all.

"I already did all of my work for the day. Did you know that?"

Kim Rok Soo asked Agent Jung So Hoon once they made eye contact and Jung So Hoon evaded his gaze as he responded.

"You did do everything, team leader-nim. But to suddenly leave early like this-"

"Haaaa."

KRS Cale let out a short sigh.

He wanted to get to where his mother was as quickly as possible.

"The team leader position has so many uncomfortable things. Should I just become the CEO to do as I please?"

This Cale Henituse had lived as a noble and had even battled in the War of the Western continent and gone up against the White Star. Based on what he had observed, the person in this body, Kim Rok Soo, could easily take the CEO position if he wanted to do so.

Cale Henituse, no, team leader Kim Rok Soo, headed toward the door as if he had not said anything while all of Team 1 was looking at him in shock.

"Ah."

He stopped for a moment and patted the newbie Jang Sejong's shoulder before walking past him.

"I put in an order with the side dish store so make sure to take it."

"Ah."

Jang Sejong blankly watched Kim Rok Soo's sudden action before realizing something after hearing those words.

'He's the same.'

Although his actions and tone had changed, the things about him that made Jang Sejong listen to the team leader whom he had only known for two weeks had not changed.

He was stoic but cared about the people around him and worried about his team members. That had not changed.

"Are you going somewhere, team leader-nim?"

Jung So Hoon snapped out of him and asked Kim Rok Soo, who stopped moving for a moment.

Then an odd smile appeared on his face.

Excitement, joy, some concern, and tension were visible in that smile.

He spoke in a calm yet slightly shaking voice.

"I may end up getting a new family."

Kim Rok Soo then walked out of the office.

Silence filled the office.

"...Ha!"

Agent Jung So Hoon looked at the air and laughed.

Jang Sejong suddenly felt the mood in the office get brighter.

"Now I won't need to worry about him dying!"

His seniors showed their agreement at Agent Cha's comments and smiles appeared on their faces.

* * *

Now back to the present... Jang Sejong, who was walking with a pile of documents, watched as Team 1's office door burst open.

"That trash-like bastard!"

"Haaaaa."

Director Ma and General Manager Kim came out of the office angry or sighing.

"H, hello sirs."

Jang Sejong looked extremely scared as he greeted the two of them but they just walked past while ignoring him. The employees from the secretary's office greeted him with their eyes as they followed behind the two men.

'Mm.'

Jang Sejong, who had a pretty good idea as to what might have happened, walked through the open office door.

Team leader Kim Rok Soo was seated at a table he presumed a meeting must have been taking place until just now and waving at him.

He looked extremely relaxed and free while sitting crooked on the chair.

Of course, the hand that was holding the cup of green tea was extremely elegant.

"How about ramen for lunch today?"

"...Team leader-nim. Did you argue with them again?"

"What? I didn't say anything. All I said was that I wanted to quit."

Kim Rok Soo shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea.

Cold-blooded Kim Rok Soo was starting to get a new nickname.

'I want to quit' Kim Rok Soo.

That was his new nickname.

If Director Ma, the guilds, or foreign organizations tried to pull any kind of funny business, he would talk about quitting and put the whole company in uproar.

His superiors were saying that he was arrogant and unprincipled, and they were even cursing him out and calling him trash.

"...Hmm. What should I buy? Hey newbie, do you know what kind of books kids read these days?"

"I'm not sure, team leader-nim."

Jang Sejong thought that Kim Rok Soo seemed the same as usual.

Of course, his posture and the atmosphere around him did change, but...

"Team leader-nim, is it really okay to keep angering Director Ma like this?"

Kim Rok Soo slowly responded to Agent Cha's question.

"We should get rid of people who don't take care of their responsibilities properly."

The atmosphere around him was sharp as if he had not been lazing around. They could feel the sharpness and years of experience of a person who had been through numerous life or death situations.

Of course, these were not based on Kim Rok Soo's experiences. Cale Henituse, who was currently using this body, had also been through many battles and wars, giving him a sharp aura.

The two of their auras were similar.

Maybe this was an aura only those who had lost loved ones and continued to fight could have.

Kim Rok Soo was different but still their same team leader to the team members who had no way of knowing about that.

"Haaaaaaaaa. I want to drink. Should I ditch work?"

Other than when he acted like this that is.

* * *

"Mm."

KRS Cale opened his eyes.

"How amazing."

He looked around.

He could see the office where he had been working late until just now.

'...When did I fall asleep?'

He had fallen asleep without realizing it and had met the 'real Kim Rok Soo' in his dream. That person was the true owner of this body and the person who was in Cale Henituse's body in another world.

It was quite unconventional to meet him.

"Hmm."

He turned his head.

It was dark outside as it was night time.

He could see his reflection on the window.

"Yeah."

'I'm Kim Rok Soo now.'

He decided not to think of himself as Cale Henituse anymore.

He was now Kim Rok Soo.

He recalled the words he had said to the other world's Cale Henituse.

'I plan on living the rest of my life in this body. That's why I plan on throwing away the name of Cale Henituse and living as Kim Rok Soo.'

'I'm going to make sure to save this world I'm living in right now. I'll make it so that the people around me can live in peace.'

Ding-!

Kim Rok Soo unlocked his phone after hearing it go off.

< Uncle, when are you coming tomorrow? >

A smile appeared on Kim Rok Soo's face after checking the text message.

Tomorrow was when he was going to the orphanage to see his reincarnated mother, no, his niece. The child who had been full of wariness and fear was now listening to him and calling him uncle.

He was planning on going through the procedures to truly become family with this niece in the near future. Even without thinking about the fact that this girl was his reincarnated mother, she was a precious member of his family now.

He looked at the text and opened his mouth.

"Choi Jung Soo."

"What is it?"

Choi Jung Soo, who was still wearing the black hat and black leather jacket, was standing in a corner of the office looking at Kim Rok Soo.

Choi Jung Soo had entered without making any noise but Kim Rok Soo did not find this to be odd. Choi Jung Soo always appeared out of nowhere.

"Do you have no thoughts about going to see Cale Henituse?"

"......."

A relaxed smile appeared on Kim Rok Soo's face.

"You should live a more peaceful life too."

"I don't think you should be saying that while working late."

"I guess that's true."

Kim Rok Soo watched as Choi Jung Soo slowly disappeared into the shadow and asked again.

"When are you planning on going to meet him?"

"In the near future."

A smile slowly appeared on Choi Jung Soo's face.

"I plan on seeing him in the near future."

"The way you phrased it sounds a bit odd? Are you saying that you are going to go see him but that he might not know that you are there?"

"Who knows?"

Choi Jung Soo let out a low laugh before disappearing into the shadow.

Kim Rok Soo watched the darkness that remained before picking up his pen again.

He needed to quickly finish this late day of work and prepare to go see his niece tomorrow.

"Busy, busy."

The smile on Kim Rok Soo's face did not disappear despite his grumbling.

- Side Story 2. Our team leader-nim became trash! End -

- The next side story is 'Don't mess with the crown prince.' -

Author's Notes

Hello, it is Yu Ryeo Han.

I hope you have a nice and relaxing Lunar New Year.

I will see you again on February 28th. (TL: Well, it's long past 2/28 but I thought you'd enjoy seeing the author's note as she put it)