DMSD | Chapter 4

It was almost time to start the workday, yet Kim Junyoung was nowhere to be seen. He was probably idling in the smoking room. About two minutes past start time, he’d always stroll in with some excuse like, “Sorry for being late, the restroom was crowded or whatever,” a routine that had practically become the opening act of Employee Kim Junyoung’s daily schedule.

“Director, I just checked now.”

Myeongeun walked over to Kim Junyoung’s desk, stalling for time. This was supposed to end with “Ah, Director Park picking on me again for no reason,” but a new variable had entered the scenario. He quickly grabbed a sticky note from Junyoung’s desk.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Looking at this, yes, really… I’m really sorry.”

8th floor PR Office printout, deliver to Director Park, Assistant Manager Go.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Did you definitely receive it?”

“Yes…”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“So, you’re admitting you forgot about it?”

“…Yes.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Of course, he had never received it. Myeongeun hung his head while holding the receiver.

“I’m really sorry, Director. I’ll go down there right away.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Bang! Clang! Thud! There were a few loud thumps, the sound of the receiver hitting something repeatedly, and then the call was abruptly cut off.

Myeongeun, pausing for three seconds, quietly set down the receiver. He couldn’t deny he felt “a deep sense of regret.” Usually, he’d calm himself by imagining things like, “See, Director, if you keep acting like this, no wonder the office phone keeps breaking. Why don’t you just use your own personal line if you’re going to be this rough? I guess you don’t want to ruin your fancy phone, huh?” He’d mentally chastise, scold, and smack down Director Park, getting out all his frustration. But this time, unlike the usual baseless nagging, it was definitely their mistake, so he couldn’t do any of that.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

In truth, this wasn’t Myeongeun’s fault. It was because Junyoung had not only dumped his task on him but also failed to pass along a crucial note. But really, there was no need to drag the PR office director into the general affairs mess.

It’s better if I just take this on myself.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That’s the kind of person Myeongeun was—a member of the in-house General Affairs Team that every department cursed multiple times a day. He had been assigned to this team the minute he became Assistant Manager, and now, two years later, he’d become a master at covertly deriding others in his mind. While tolerating unfair demands or shouting over the phone with “Yes, yes, you’re right, we’ll fix it,” he’d be mentally wrestling and grappling with the other person, thrashing them around with abandon.

Sometimes, he found himself a bit pathetic for having so much to say but never actually saying it out loud, yet he was practical enough to find satisfaction in this small way of relieving stress rather than dwelling on his situation.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sigh.

He sighed, heading to the locker room. Opening his locker, he carefully laid out his coat to avoid wrinkles and pulled out a cardigan. Already feeling his morning ruined by Junyoung, he put it on, glancing at his own reflection in the locker mirror.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

No way, is the comedy routine still going on?

But then again, Junyoung had always been a terrible worker, so it wasn’t necessarily a stroke of bad luck—just his usual incompetence. Causing issues was not an anomaly for Junyoung; it was his everyday norm.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Locking up his locker, he left the room and went to the key storage area, picking up the general affairs team’s all-access magical keycard and the key to the 8th-floor copier. Just then, Junyoung was walking through the automatic doors into the office.

“Sorry for being late,” Junyoung greeted with a half-smile. Manager Lee, seeing this, said sternly, “Try coming in on time, will you?” Another standard pattern in their office. The only reason Junyoung hadn’t been fired was because he supposedly had some connections in the company.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Manager, I’ll be heading up to the 8th floor.”

“Alright, and when you’re back, let’s discuss how we’ll tackle the year-end inventory cleanup.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The in-house General Affairs Team was mainly run by Manager Lee, Section Chief Yang, and Myeongeun. Manager Lee led the team, Section Chief Yang supervised A-Team, which had Kim Heesoo, a diligent assistant manager, and B-Team was led by Myeongeun himself, saddled with the thorn in his side, Yu Suhyeon, and the troublemaker Kim Junyoung. For Myeongeun, going into year-end closing meant doing double the work while putting up with the inconvenience of his team.

“Alright, I’ll be back shortly.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Before leaving the office, he headed over to Junyoung’s desk.

“Junyoung.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Junyoung glanced up at him with a “Yes?” then looked back at his monitor.

“Didn’t you get a message last Friday that the PR office’s copier was having issues?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, that… yeah…” Junyoung trailed off. As expected, he’d forgotten. Myeongeun didn’t want to drag this conversation out.

“I never heard about it.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He got in his words before Junyoung could make any excuses.

“Director Park is really mad. From now on, let me know right away when there’s a message like that.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

It was ridiculous having to remind an adult, a working professional, someone on the verge of completing two years at the company. Myeongeun was beyond sick of this routine, which he had to repeat at least twice a week.

“Right? I thought I told you, though… Well, okay.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Junyoung gave a half-hearted excuse, a vague answer, and a lazy nod. Myeongeun just looked at him steadily.

You could have gone to see Director Park yourself. Why’d you dump this on me?

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He hesitated for a few seconds, debating whether to say it out loud, but finally, he just said, “I’ll be back after visiting the 8th floor. Call me if anything comes up,” giving him a polite nod and turning to leave.

Can’t have him causing another mess while I’m away.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He muttered to himself as he left the office.

Two years ago, Myeongeun had been assigned as the trainer for new hire Kim Junyoung. Back then, Junyoung had been incredibly polite and friendly to his senior of the same age, even though he was slow at learning the job. He would always follow Myeongeun around with an eager, smiling face, and whenever there was food to be had, he’d make sure Myeongeun got first dibs, which earned him a lot of points in Myeongeun’s eyes.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

As Junyoung’s mentoring period was drawing to a close three months in, Section Chief Yang and Assistant Manager Kim had invited Myeongeun out for drinks. Yang had known Myeongeun since they briefly worked together in the in-house training team, and Assistant Manager Kim, a capable worker, was also someone he looked up to. The three of them, being the closest in the general affairs team, would often have such gatherings.

“So, what do you think about Kim Junyoung?” Section Chief Yang asked, prompting Myeongeun to decide to give Junyoung a favorable review.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“He works hard, has a strong willingness to learn. I think he’ll do well.”

But even as he said that, he knew that Junyoung didn’t have much of an aptitude for work. Sometimes he’d even put off tasks. But he’s not a bad kid, thought Myeongeun.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hm. I see.”

Section Chief Yang gave a neutral response, draining his glass.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

A couple more rounds in, Assistant Manager Kim let out a deep sigh.

“Assistant Manager.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She poured a drink for Myeongeun, then spoke.

“I have a colleague in the accounting department, and she’s mentoring a new hire who started at the same time as Junyoung.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Assistant Manager Kim explained that her colleague happened to glance at a chat between Junyoung and her mentee when he’d left his desk temporarily.

“And, well…”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Assistant Manager Kim hesitated.

At this point, Myeongeun had a feeling he knew where this was going.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

He smiled calmly.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“My colleague knows she shouldn’t have, but she was just so taken aback she couldn’t help it… she snapped a picture of their chat.”

She took out her phone and showed him a photo of a company chat screen. In it, the message from the new hire in HR read, “The work here is killing me, it’s brutal,” to which Junyoung had replied:

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Kim Junyoung (In-house General Affairs Team): Haha, dude, my mentor is the same age as me, right? And he does everything. He graduated from some nobody tech college but got hired real quick. At first, the manager and director kept praising him, saying he got promoted fast because he was good at his job, so I thought I’d be screwed, but nah, it’s a breeze. When I pretend I don’t get it, he just does everything himself, lol. And he’s such a sucker for food; give him a few snacks, and he just eats it up. Anyway, he’s either gay or a total player—he’s always with women. Doesn’t even eat in the cafeteria, just goes out for lunch with them every now and then. I think he even drinks with them, but he’s never invited me, what a jerk, lol.”

That was all the chat revealed.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

After a pause, Myeongeun downed his drink in one gulp.

“Assistant Manager, don’t let it get to you,” Assistant Manager Kim said, refilling his glass.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Junyoung’s a lost cause. Even in our company, where degrees aren’t a big deal, he still looks down on people over school prestige—total moron. If someone’s capable, they should be promoted fast, obviously. People like him who pretend to be nice to everyone but backstab you behind the scenes, they never go far. I just wanted to tell you not to be too nice to him; it’d be better to keep a bit of distance.”

She kept comforting him for a while, but her words barely registered in his mind.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Honestly, the fact that his kindness had turned him into a pushover wasn’t the issue. Even the mocking “kekeke”s in Junyoung’s messages weren’t what bothered him. Junyoung’s incompetence and his habit of dumping his work onto others, making Myeongeun stay late night after night, was already something he’d resigned himself to. His love for food was also a fact.

But none of that mattered.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

It was a single word in that chat that had hit him like a punch to the gut. From the moment he’d read it, his legs had started trembling.

That jerk, Kim Junyoung.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Cold sweat broke out as he thought to himself.

How did he know? How did he figure out that I’m… that I’m gay?!

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then he downed another drink, poured himself a refill, and took another long, hard swig.