Born to Be a Secretary

“Make sure to absolutely leave out the tomato. Especially for the sandwich at lunch—don’t forget to have it warmed up. The drink to go with it should be almond milk; if that’s unavailable, then a chai tea latte.”
Heewon looked toward the busy counter, and the newcomer diligently copied every word into his phone’s notepad without missing a beat.

The café adjacent to the company was famous for its sandwiches and bustling early in the morning. Heewon was out with Choi Jeongwoo, picking up Executive Director Kwon’s lunch.
It had already ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) been a week since the new employee joined. Contrary to worries, he was adapting smoothly. True to the care taken in selecting him, Jeongwoo was quick to grasp the work and carried out his responsibilities thoroughly.
“How’s the work going?”

“Good. It’s fun. Thanks to you, the director, and the seniors who pay a lot of attention.”
“You said this is your first job, right?”
“Yes.”

“Learn a lot. And I hope you stay with us for a long time.”
The newcomer nodded. He hoped the same.
Friends who had started working earlier often complained about their companies—saying they wanted to blow up the building or wished the world would end—but unlike them, he was having a pleasant work life. Especially, the lack of stress from coworkers was a big plus.

Lately, he was truly feeling why other secretaries called this a sweet job.
At that moment, his phone and pager vibrated simultaneously. The newcomer stepped out to pick up the sandwich, while Heewon checked his phone. His calm face instantly turned pale upon reading the message.
“Um, Director, what’s DEFCON… Level 2?”

“……”
The newcomer furrowed his brow as he read the message sent by the secretary office. DEFCON? What the heck was that? Surely not referring to a hip-hop artist.
“Director?”

“Let’s go, Secretary Choi. We have to move now.”
Heewon dashed out of the store. The situation was that urgent.
It would be nice if every day were peaceful, but sometimes incidents comparable to wartime situations occurred. The secretary office called these DEFCONs, assigning different levels depending on the situation.

From DEFCON Level 2 onward meant a visit from the owner family. Level 2 was the visit of Youngjae Kwon’s mother, and Level 1 was the visit of his grandfather—the chairman.
Their arrival alone would turn the company upside down, so for the secretaries it was almost a disaster. Especially Mrs. Im Seoran, Kwon’s mother, who was one of Apex’s major shareholders and wielded immense influence. Kwon’s meticulous personality was said to have been inherited from her.
Of all times, she was to visit while he was absent—something Heewon hadn’t anticipated at all. He was burning with anxiety. He even started to feel resentment toward Mrs. Im’s personal secretary, who hadn’t informed him.
He quickened his pace. Already, the front of the office was chaotic. Men in black suits stood guard like a fortress, as if a VIP had arrived.

The secretaries were pale. As soon as they saw Heewon, they rushed over.
“Director!”
“What’s going on? Why all of a sudden?”

“We don’t know either.”
The atmosphere was deadly serious. One secretary grabbed Heewon’s arm, urging him to hurry inside.
Heewon forced himself to take a step forward.

Ah, I’m scared too.
Honestly, did he think his going in would solve anything? It was like running into flames with gasoline poured all over him. He knocked quietly on the door with a grave face and stepped into the reception room.
The moment he entered, his eyes met Executive Director Kwon’s. The gaze was so sharp it felt like a rebuke: Where have you been? Ignoring that, Heewon silently closed the door.

Unlike Kwon, whose face was visible, his mother’s back was turned, but it was enough to recognize her. Her voluminous, lion’s mane-like hairstyle was Mrs. Im’s trademark.
“Secretary Kim.”
When the dignified voice called, Heewon immediately bowed.

“Yes, ma’am.”
“Is it true that Executive Director Kwon has been managing his rut with medication all this time?”
As expected, the questioning came. Heewon replied with a composed posture.

“That’s a personal matter, so I find it difficult to discuss.”
“Yeongjae said everything himself. But don’t you know the rumors going around?”
“……”

“They say Executive Director Kwon is impotent.”
Heewon hadn’t heard that. He bit his trembling lips.
Though absurd, he was even more shocked that Mrs. Im knew rumors he himself was unaware of. Someone had obviously targeted and spread this. Since it was so sensational, it was only a matter of time before it spread widely.

Impotent? How ridiculous….
But Mrs. Im was truly angry. Her proud dignity was crushed. Even though only her back was visible, Heewon could vividly picture her glaring at Kwon with veins bulging.
“It must be the rumor spread by Youngho Kwon.”

Breaking the silence, Kwon spoke. He sneered disdainfully and rested his chin at an angle.
“Would such nonsense spread if you hadn’t given them a reason? That damn neurosis—you’ll never fix it, will you? An executive at Apex who’s a dominant alpha but rejects omegas? Do you think that makes sense?”
“Everyone knows I dislike omega pheromones. Who doesn’t? You’re bringing up things from over ten years ago as if it’s new. It’s laughable.”

“Ah, you damned fool.”
Mrs. Im muttered curses. Each time she clenched and opened her fists, the rings on her fingers clinked sharply.
“It’s not just about disliking them. What if the chairman hears? Don’t you worry? What if the rumor about you being impotent reaches the chairman’s ears?”

“Tell him yourself. That his grandson is perfectly fine.”
“Youngjae Kwon!”
She was ready to throw the teacup she was holding. Heewon hurried over and grabbed her wrist to stop her. Carefully, he removed the cup without provoking her further.

“How long are you going to live like this? Don’t you know it’s a huge weakness of yours?”
“I already told you. I’m against marriage.”
“The problem isn’t marriage…! It’s about dating and acting normal! At least the impotent rumor shouldn’t come out! That bastard Youngho is ruining the company, and I won’t stand for it!”

Mrs. Im gritted her teeth.
Kwon’s cousin, Executive Youngho Kwon, was competing for the CEO position at Apex and had constantly tried to tarnish Youngjae’s reputation. He had pulled every trick, and this time seemed to have succeeded spectacularly, humiliating both Youngjae and Mrs. Im.
“Handle this quickly. If you can’t, I’ll step in. Be prepared.”

Mrs. Im slammed her seat and stood up. Heewon, who had been standing respectfully, locked eyes with her as she turned.
She looked exactly like Youngjae—especially the fierce eyes, like a carbon copy. She stepped toward Heewon. True to the stature of a DEFCON Level 2 visitor, her presence was overwhelming.
“Secretary Kim, you know how much I think highly of you, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”
Mrs. Im gently stroked Heewon’s cheek.
“Please don’t disappoint me. If you do, even Secretary Kim might lose her head.”

Though half-joking, she was undoubtedly a formidable person. Heewon nodded steadily.
After Mrs. Im left, the reception room fell into an eerie silence.
The fact that the rut medication was a secret even to the family was close to classified. That she confronted him about it herself meant this issue could not be taken lightly.

Kwon sat quietly, resting his chin on his hand, staring at the floor. It was hard to guess what he was thinking. Heewon cautiously spoke.
“Executive Director, should we try to stop it now?”
“No need.”

Kwon lightly rose from the sofa and straightened his clothes. His cold gaze was directed at Heewon without fail.
“If we try to stop the rumor, it’ll only hurt those who feel guilty.”
“...I’m sorry.”

Kwon was also hearing the rumors for the first time. It was nonsense unworthy of a response, but he couldn’t just watch his cousin exploit it.
“We have to respond.”
“How...?”

“It’s clear what’s needed. I have to meet an omega.”
Kwon walked to his desk and rummaged through the drawer. He pulled out a thick envelope.
Heewon opened the envelope handed to him. The first thing that caught his eye was a photo of a young man wearing a mask.

Heewon recognized him too. A recently popular omega actor. Following the photo were two pages of contract documents.
Heewon couldn’t help but hesitate after reading the contract.
“You’re… going to sponsor him? Executive Director?”

Is that even possible? Someone who goes into a rage at the scent of omega pheromones.
Youngjae approached him with firm resolve.
“Tell him I want to meet him closely.”

He added a charming smile.
“Secretary Kim, you’re not leaving work until this person arrives.”