#062
The problem was that Jung Hwi-kyung hadn’t even considered the reason for the system window’s existence, beyond its mere presence. Lee Gyo-ha, who insisted that a system window should naturally appear in a regression story, could be excused. However, Jung Hwi-kyung, who had never finished reading a single regression novel, accepted the system window too quickly.
If he had read as many novels as Gyo-ha, he might not feel so wronged. But Hwi-kyung was a man who only finished reading self-help books.
“Why is it really like this?”
Hwi-kyung didn’t understand any of Gyo-ha’s philosophical questions about laws, rules, systems, and creativity, but he agreed that the system window was strange.
Even when he said “status window” out loud as Gyo-ha instructed, nothing happened except making him feel embarrassed. In short, the system window wasn’t something that belonged to Hwi-kyung.
“So, what do you think the system window is, Gyo-ha?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Um… some kind of divine entity?”
“What?”
“A manager from another dimension?”
“…”
“No, that’s how it usually is in novels.”
“Please stop reading novels.”
Unfortunately, Gyo-ha wasn’t much help to Hwi-kyung. He was just an otaku capable of raising questions.
Completely melded with the sofa, Hwi-kyung watched the animation Gyo-ha had put on. The system window that displayed levels and skills seemed more like a real game system window than a regression alert.
But unlike that fantasy setting, there were no monsters or dungeons in Hwi-kyung’s reality. Jung Hwi-kyung couldn’t use superpowers, nor did he have any office worker-specific skills.
If Hwi-kyung’s world was really a game, it should have failed long ago. After all, boring games usually have short lifespans.
However, from Hwi-kyung’s perspective, while the world was in decline, it would take a few hundred more years before it truly ended. Barring a sudden nuclear war or meteor impact, the closure of Earth’s beta service was truly a matter of a different dimension. You could say it was a different genre altogether.
But no matter how much he pondered, there was no immediate way to figure out the true nature of the system window.
“So, you called me to your house on the weekend to talk about this?”
“You don’t like talking about this stuff elsewhere, right?”
“…”
“Because it’s not good for others to overhear talk about regression?”
Hwi-kyung was a bit dumbfounded. This was coming from the same person who had shouted “You’re a regressor!” in a restaurant where waiters were coming and going. It was absurd that he was now being cautious.
Hwi-kyung didn’t know whether to be glad that Gyo-ha was showing some development, or to tell him he should have given a heads up if he was planning to talk about this… Everything was just confusing.
“By the way, Hwi-kyung.”
“Yes?”
“You even put on cologne.”
“…”
“Do you like woody scents?”
“This is just… I just put it on. The cologne was about to expire…”
“Really?”
Gyo-ha suddenly approached Hwi-kyung. The way he sat down next to him on the sofa was highly suspicious. Through the t-shirt he wore as home wear, Hwi-kyung could see the well-sculpted torso he had seen twice before.
His unkempt hair covering his forehead and his cheeks flushed from passionately discussing the system window kept catching Hwi-kyung’s attention. As Gyo-ha turned off the anime he had been playing, the noisy sound effects abruptly stopped.
Hwi-kyung unconsciously swallowed. Just a moment ago, they had been talking about strange things, but the atmosphere had suddenly changed.
“Did you really come to my house without any thoughts?”
They’re about to kiss.
That’s what Hwi-kyung sensed. Even though Jung Hwi-kyung had no dating experience, this atmosphere was clearly leading to that. Hwi-kyung was flustered, constantly debating whether he should close his eyes or not.
However, the unfortunate event of their lips meeting didn’t occur.
In that split second when Jung Hwi-kyung was debating whether to close his eyes or not, Yoon Marcia burst through the front door.
“Hwi-kyung!”
Hallelujah. Hwi-kyung used all his strength to push Gyo-ha to the floor, grateful for Marcia’s appearance. Gyo-ha, who had been close to Hwi-kyung, ended up rolling on the carpet.
“It’s been so long! Oh my, look at our Hwi-kyung’s face, it’s all red on one side. Don’t tell me they’re bullying you at work? Is your senior giving you a hard time?”
“Hello… There’s no hazing, and I actually got rid of the team leader.”
“How admirable. Already know how to get rid of people.”
“Thank you.”
“But why is our young master rolling on the floor?”
“Um, that’s… on the floor… uh, because the heating is on…”
“Is that so?”
While a flustered Hwi-kyung was caught by Marcia and spouted nonsense as an excuse, Gyo-ha laughed senselessly while lying on the floor without any heating. I shouldn’t have called the auntie when Hwi-kyung came…
* * *
Until the day of Kim Tae-pung’s concert, Hwi-kyung’s daily life flowed without much change. There were minor incidents after the company was turned upside down, but thanks to Lee Sung-ha becoming busier, the risk of forced regression decreased.
The system window did pop up new windows frequently, warning that he might regress soon. But strangely, there were no signs of forced regression. Hwi-kyung thought this was thanks to Kang Moon-chul becoming the team leader. At least the team didn’t fall apart because of it.
The HR team underwent a major reshuffle after Park Bong-joon was fired. Hwi-kyung briefly considered moving to another team during this opportunity. Although the HR team environment had improved as team members who secretly disliked Hwi-kyung were fired, he was worried about Moon-chul’s future actions.
Due to his weak personality, Kang Moon-chul was being cautious despite becoming the new team leader. It seemed he intended to continue operating under the system Park Bong-joon had established.
A style that respected team members’ freedom and took on all the work himself. While it might seem like a good team leader on the surface, in reality, it showed a lack of willingness to nurture juniors.
Hwi-kyung felt a sense of déjà vu at this behavior of not trusting anyone but himself. Moon-chul was acting similarly to Jung Hwi-kyung in the twelfth iteration. He had become a superior who couldn’t properly delegate anything unless it was to his closest confidants.
As a result, new tasks constantly came to Hwi-kyung, whom Kang Moon-chul favored. While new employees assigned to the HR team were playing around to the point where one might wonder if it was okay, only Hwi-kyung was given work.
“I’m really sorry, but could you take this on as well?”
However, this level was difficult to call “black company” practices. After all, Moon-chul did give work to other team members too. It’s just that all the important tasks went to Hwi-kyung, but from afar, there didn’t seem to be a problem with the work distribution.
But originally, company life is tragic when viewed up close.
“Of course.”
“I really can’t work without you now, Hwi-kyung.”
“Haha…”
“You won’t leave for another team, right? For my sake…”
Hwi-kyung realized that no matter what he did, he wouldn’t be able to apply for a team change now.
There’s a saying that the position makes the person. Hwi-kyung thought this saying was quite credible. Just as a new employee and a third-year employee can’t have the same work attitude, naturally, a long-time manager and a new team leader would be different.
While Kang Moon-chul as a person hadn’t changed, the position he obtained had changed, so the situation had changed. Originally, he should have been a pitiful manager who would have been falsely accused and driven out under Park Bong-joon’s pressure, but instead, he had become the decision-maker of the team.
Right now, Moon-chul is being cautious and holding back, but it’s uncertain how he might change. Didn’t Hwi-kyung himself evolve into an ultimate old fogy in the end, regressing after persistently recommending mountain climbing?
Suboptimal condition: Your superior depends on you.
Suboptimal condition: An unscheduled team reorganization is in progress.
Do you want to regress?
Hwi-kyung quietly looked at the system window that appeared in front of Moon-chul’s face. Only the letter ‘Y’ was written under the question asking if he wanted to regress.
The system window seemed to want Hwi-kyung to move on to another iteration quickly. The fourteenth iteration was flowing differently from before, and unlike other iterations, Hwi-kyung had become quite close to Moon-chul, who was both a colleague and a superior.
While it’s true that a workplace superior’s dependence isn’t a good sign, leaving only ‘Y’ so blatantly was unique to this iteration. Hwi-kyung ignored the system window and turned his head away.
What exactly is the system window?
Since Gyo-ha raised the question, Hwi-kyung had also become newly conscious of the system window. It was frustrating that he couldn’t directly ask what it was.
Even though the system window must know that Hwi-kyung had these doubts, it showed no particular reaction. As if it had sensed that Hwi-kyung felt it was like a meddlesome aunt, it had been strangely quiet recently. You could say it popped up nine times instead of ten.
But when there was a chance for regression like now, the system window would suddenly appear and block Hwi-kyung’s view. While it’s true that BK International was heading towards a mess, it seemed like the system window was forcing Hwi-kyung to regress.
“Team leader, about my day off…”
“The one you submitted yesterday?”
“Yes. Can I take Monday off?”
“I think it should be fine since there’s no particular schedule. Where are you going?”
But no matter how much the system window urged regression, Hwi-kyung had no intention of moving to the next iteration at this point.
“I’m taking my grandmother to Kim Tae-pung’s concert.”
Because finally! At last! He was going to Kim Tae-pung’s concert.
