Chapter 84
Summary of Entry: About Baek Sieon
Yoon Taeo’s perspective was somewhat monotonous.
To be more precise, everyone seemed almost devoid of distinctive features. Like mannequins with shiny faces and unremarkable voices. The vast majority of people appeared that way. If he focused all his attention and examined them closely, he could discern differences, but that was no ordinary mental effort.
Yoon Taeo was basically someone who didn’t have to try. A life that flowed according to his desires and wishes. Because of that, he knew neither earnestness nor desperation. The same went for his relationships. He never found any value worth trying for, nor did he feel any particular discomfort. To Yoon Taeo, people were no different from consumables. Parts that could be replaced and swapped out as needed.
Naturally, his interest in people waned, and he lost the will to memorize the names of others, especially when distinguishing them properly was difficult.
Therefore, he never bothered to learn who exactly he was talking to. Team Leader 1, Team Leader 2, Head of HR, Chief Secretary. Whoever was needed would appear when summoned. Of course, not everyone was like that. The closer the relationship and the longer they had been together, the clearer the facial features became.
Sometimes, suddenly, certain people’s faces stood out vividly. That “certain person” might be a bar employee, someone he passed on the street, or even someone getting beaten by some thugs. Although he couldn’t fully grasp the reason, he felt curiosity and interest in whoever instantly caught his focus.
That was how Yoon Taeo chose his beta. Or perhaps “choose” was the wrong word, since there was only one option given.
Then one day—
“Not Secretary Kim, but Secretary Baek...”
Inyoung, with a face shiny as if made halfway from rubber, said that. That he was Secretary Baek, not Secretary Kim. He knew he wasn’t the secretary he’d first seen before. It was just that, since there was no special characteristic to distinguish him from others, he hadn’t bothered to remember him.
Although he surely had eyes, nose, and mouth properly attached, it was hard to tell who he was without focusing. Secretary 1, Secretary 2, Secretary 3... just one of many employees. And since he couldn’t just call him “Hey,” he ended up calling him “Kim,” the most common surname.