Born to Be a Secretary

A moment later, the phone I was waiting for rang. I took a deep breath and pressed the call button.
“Yes, this is Kim Hee-won.”

- 1 p.m., two digits, right?
The other person asked back in a somewhat cold voice. Hee-won’s throat tightened. It was a moment as trembling as when he had been announced as a university admissions officer.
“Yes. Is that possible?”

- I know Chef Dam-yeon, right? Just a moment. I’m calling you right now, but you’re busy and not answering. Oh, Chef. Hello!
It seemed like Secretary Park was talking to both of them at the same time. Hee-won endured the anxious moment while eavesdropping on the conversation flowing in.
Others might think, “Why are you going this far?” “Why don’t you just be honest and say that it’s hard to make a reservation?”

Of course not. The higher-ups assume that my secretary will naturally carry out any instructions. Reporting failure is like revealing my incompetence as a secretary.
An earnest voice flowed through the speaker repeatedly. Secretary Park was helping Kim Hee-won as if it were his own work. He knew the hardships of the secretary, so he wanted to make room for her somehow.
And in the end.

- One o'clock, barely. I made a reservation under the name of Executive Director Kwon Young-jae. Two seats.
"Ha, thank you so much."
- Thank you, what can you do for me?

"I have to do anything."
There is one rule in the group chat room: if you receive help, you have to repay it. There is no such thing as a freebie in this world.
- You know, there is the Pheromotion from Apex. Can you get me three boxes of that?

Secretary Park was requesting a recently released hormone booster. It was so popular that it was out of stock.
"You don't want to take it, do you, Secretary Park?"
- Look, I will be forty tomorrow. Do you think I will develop my hormonal abilities if I take medicine at this age? Not me, but my nephew. He’s just growing up.

“I’ll try to find him. But it might take a while.”
- Okay, thank you!
The call ended blandly. Just relaying each other’s business was typical of secretaries who prioritize efficiency.
Hee-won put down his phone and leaned back comfortably on the back of his chair. A smile escaped his lips. Now he could finally let go of his worries.

***
He left the company on time for his lunch reservation.
Hee-won was in charge of driving at the direction of Executive Director Kwon. Unlike the music that would turn off during his commute, soft classical music flowed in the car.

Despite it being Monday, Kwon Young-jae looked a little tired. Hee-won checked his complexion by looking into the rearview mirror every now and then. When he said it would take about 20 minutes to get to his destination, Executive Director Kwon closed his eyes and took a short break.
Kwon Young-jae was a man who used even the act of eating as a business tool. He discussed important business deals and contracts, and like today, he talked about unfinished business with his employees.
Some may think that he is a dominant alpha or that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so he is making great strides at a young age, but in fact, behind his success lies a lot of hard work.

At least, Kim Hee-won, who assists him closely, knows how busy Kwon Young-je ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ is and how much time and labor he puts into it.
Despite his flashy appearance, he looks pitiful today. Hee-won drove more carefully, hoping that he could rest a little more comfortably.
He met the chief researcher who arrived in a taxi at the restaurant entrance. Executive Director Kwon, who greeted him politely, seemed to have regained his original neat appearance as if he had never been tired. He looked very refined and manly as he walked up the granite stairs with the researcher.

Hee-won, who had stayed until the end, finally relaxed his stiff posture when they disappeared into the restaurant. He checked his wristwatch. The meal will be a set course meal, so I have an hour to spare.
While the superiors are enjoying a meal at a fancy restaurant, where is the secretary doing?
Most of them are just sitting idle. Even though there are many restaurants nearby, they can’t go out to eat because they never know when something will happen. They have to be on standby within a 100m radius at all times.

Hee-won looked at the stylish exterior of Damyeon and chewed on an energy bar. Originally, slaves couldn’t eat in the same place as their masters. There was no need to feel upset or resentful.
For such times, the car always has energy bars and sterilized milk. It was a combination that didn’t smell and kept you full for a long time. It’s become a habit to just appease your hunger like this.
He finished the energy bar, which was smaller than his palm, in three bites and washed it down with sweet banana milk. The weather was so nice that I felt like I was basking in the sun while leaning against the warm car body, wondering if happiness was something special.

As I was sucking the remaining milk with a straw, a foreign car started to pull into the empty space next to me. A woman in a neat suit got out of the car that had parked smoothly. The woman who was about to put on sunglasses suddenly exclaimed, “Huh!”
At that, Hee-won’s head also turned to the side. His eyes widened as he recognized the other person.
“Kim Hee-won? Is that Kim Hee-won?”

“Senior.”
“Wow, how long has it been?”
She was Hee-won’s college senior and first job holder. She had worked as a social affairs reporter before switching to an announcer, but now she has established herself as a full-fledged anchor.

It had been almost three years since they last met. The two people who met in front of the hood shook hands happily.
“How come we meet here? Did you come to eat?”
“No. That’s….”

“Oh, right. You said you were working as my personal secretary, right? Then… I guess you’re on standby?”
She was so perceptive that she already seemed to have figured out Hee-won’s situation. She looked Hee-won up and down with a strange smile. Feeling awkward for no reason, she secretly hid the milk carton she was holding.
“That job takes longer than I thought. Do you think it suits your aptitude?”

“Yes. I can do it.”
“I still get upset when I think about myself. I feel like I lost a valuable talent.”
Hee-won wrinkled her nose and smiled.

“You’re still the same, senior. I watch your broadcasts a lot too. You’ve gotten cooler.”
“Look at your flattery skills? Is that a skill you learned while working as a secretary? Hey, stop it. It’s creepy.”
It was a time when they were exchanging pleasant greetings, and when the wind blew, the senior frowned for a moment.

“But is the person you serve, an Alpha?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of pheromone is this strong? If someone saw you, they would mistake you for an Alpha.”

“Is it that strong?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
Hee-won had nothing to say and just rubbed the back of his neck. It seemed like Kwon Young-je had released pheromones in the car again. Maybe because he had been misunderstood so often. He wasn’t embarrassed anymore.

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I’ll contact you soon. Let’s have a meal sometime.”
“Yes, Senior. Go inside.”
Hee-won buried his nose in his jacket and sniffed after she disappeared.

“What on earth is that smell?”
He had to know. Just in case, he took out the portable deodorant he had brought. Chik- The deodorant sprayed like mist soaked my entire body once again.
***

After five o'clock in the afternoon, the secretary's office became noticeably quiet. The phone stopped ringing and the keyboard keystrokes decreased.
"Aren't you going home? It's five o'clock?"
Hee-won urged her to leave work. Unlike me, who was a personal secretary, the office secretaries had clear working hours. There was no need to keep the employees under me just because I couldn't go home.

"I'll go first. Take care."
"See you tomorrow."
"Thank you for your hard work."

As soon as she finished speaking, the secretaries dropped what they were doing and left work. Before she knew it, Kim Hee-won was the only one left in the office.
Hee-won looked around the quiet office and turned her gaze toward the office. She could see Executive Director Kwon concentrating through the transparent glass.
When will she finish today? His departure from work was soon my departure from work, so I had no choice but to look at Kwon Young-je.

Hee-won slumped back into his chair. There was nothing to do, and waiting without any plan had long been a daily routine. He placed both hands on his stomach and closed his eyes for a moment.
It seemed like he had taken a break and fallen asleep. His eyes opened wide as his head tilted to the side.
At that moment, all Hee-won could see were neatly folded shirt sleeves and strong arms. Executive Director Kwon was right next to him, rummaging through his desk.

“Executive Director!”
He came to his senses. He quickly straightened his back and the backrest, which had been leaning back, rose up like a spring.
“Is there something you’re looking for?”

“I need the list for tomorrow’s breakfast meeting. Oh, here it is.”
Executive Director Kwon found the list among the mixed documents. He looked very familiar looking through someone else’s desk.
Hee-won awkwardly placed one of his buttocks on the chair. It was a bit awkward to even add a hand now.

“Wake him up.”
“I woke him up, twice.”
He answered in a dry tone.

Hee-won, who had nothing more to say, felt embarrassed and just rubbed his face.
Kwon Young-jae read the list from the spot. In the afternoon, even a perfect man showed some flaws. His slightly downturned bangs covered his tall forehead, and his shirt was wrinkled due to his frequent movements.
In the midst of all that mess, his tie was firmly secured with a pin. Even when he bent his upper body, he maintained a neat appearance, further enhancing Kwon Young-jae’s neatness. Although his expression showed a bit of fatigue, he exuded a sophisticated charm as if he was indifferent.

There was nothing wrong with the list. However, after checking it, Executive Director Kwon did not leave his seat and instead sat down on the desk. His long legs, which were touching the floor, were loosely crossed.
He looked down at Heewon with his arms crossed. His mouth naturally went dry as he tried to meet her gaze that was staring at him intently. Heewon straightened his hunched shoulders and tried to look at him with confidence.