The spacious Exorcism Department head's office was silent, save for the occasional sound of papers being flipped or the scratch of a fountain pen signing a document. Faint wrinkles creased the corners of Seok Juryeon's eyes, visible behind her magnifying glasses.
As Seok Juryeon's sharp eyes carefully scanned the documents, a polite knock sounded at the door. She didn't lift her gaze from the papers. If it were Han Juyoung, the purpose of the visit would have been announced along with the knock. However, the visitor remained silent even after a long pause.
Realizing it wasn't Han Juyoung, Seok Juryeon finally looked up at the door. Though she hadn't given permission to enter, the door creaked open halfway, and someone appeared.
"Knock knock."
As their eyes met, the person curled an eyebrow playfully and mimicked a knocking sound with his mouth. Seok Juryeon narrowed her eyes and asked coldly.
"What do you want?"
Yoon Taehee held up a paper shopping bag.
"Food delivery."
At his cheeky remark, the sharp edge in Seok Juryeon's gaze softened for a moment. The logo of a lunchbox shop near the main office was printed on the bag.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she realized lunchtime had long since passed while she had been engrossed in work.
"You haven't eaten, right? I brought lunch."
Without responding, Seok Juryeon returned her attention to the documents. Yoon Taehee often showed up at her office around mealtime with food in tow.
He rarely ate privately with anyone from the main office, save for mandatory work gatherings. Attending work dinners was just an extension of work, and even then, he would attend only the first round and inevitably excuse himself before the second.
This clear boundary he maintained in his workplace relationships made it notable that only two people shared the kind of rapport with him that allowed for casual meals together: Lee Youngshin and Seok Juryeon.
The same was true in reverse. Of all people, only Yoon Taehee could drop by unannounced to invite Seok Juryeon to a meal without prior notice.
Without waiting for a reply, he strode confidently into the office and sat at the reception table in one corner of the room. As he rummaged through the shopping bag, he called out,
"Hurry up, it's getting cold."
He unpacked the lunchbox and placed it at the head of the table, where Seok Juryeon would sit. He also neatly arranged a disposable spoon and a bottle of water. She signed a few more files before finally standing.
Sitting on the sofa, she asked nonchalantly,
"Where's yours?"
There was only one lunchbox on the table.
"Mine's here."
Yoon Taehee pulled a paper bag from the shopping bag. Inside was a burger set packed for himself.
Having lived with her for three years, he knew her eating habits well. Seok Juryeon didn't like fast food or instant meals.
"Eat before it gets cold," Yoon Taehee urged, gesturing with his chin.
As Seok Juryeon opened the lunchbox, she narrowed her eyes. The lunchbox was full of meat, which she rarely ate. Noticing immediately, Yoon Taehee, who had been wiping his hands with a wet tissue, spoke up.
"I know you don't eat much meat, but i asked them to include it today. Sometimes, you should eat some on purpose. If you skip protein, you'll end up with osteoporosis later."
Though she briefly looked displeased, Seok Juryeon soon began eating in silence without further comment. There were no words of gratitude or acknowledgment, but between them, there was an unspoken sense of ease born from having known each other for a long time. The absence of conversation wasn't awkward, nor did their mutual silence feel uncomfortable. It was a natural quiet.
As she ate, Seok Juryeon muttered softly,
"It's good."
"There's no extra pay for skipping meals to work, so take it easy," As he unwrapped his burger, he remarked casually.
"Sometimes you should slack off a little. Go to a sauna.
Delegate work to your subordinates. When the boss works too hard, it's the underlings who suffer."
Seok Juryeon paused mid-bite, casting him a sharp glare.
"What did you just say, you little brat?"
Despite his superior's rebuke, Yoon Taehee didn't flinch. Instead, he boldly bit into his burger and stared straight at her with his usual mischievous expression.
For a brief moment, the corners of Seok Juryeon's lips seemed on the verge of forming a faint smile.
"Are you still busy with work these days?"
As he inserted a straw into his drink, Yoon Taehee asked offhandedly.
"Because of Byeoksadan, a lot of the Undercover Department's personnel are tied up. The work that they'd normally handle is all falling on the Exorcism Department instead. It can't be helped."
Since the appearance of Byeoksadan, the Undercover Department had deployed significant manpower across the country to gather information about the group. The Undercover Department, responsible for all sorts of tasks from infiltration, information gathering, to field investigations, was stretched thin.
Naturally, the Exorcism Department, which relied on their support, was also feeling the strain. The recent cave incident was no exception.
"True. These days, the Exorcism Department even has to conduct field investigations," Yoon Taehee acknowledged with a casual nod before adding, "So, is there any progress on the Byeoksadan case?"
"There are plenty of rumors, but no matter how much we investigate, we can't trace their origin. It might even be that Byeoksadan themselves are deliberately spreading these stories."
As Yoon Taehee chewed his food, he paused for a fraction of a second. The pause was brief, and soon the sound of him crunching lettuce filled the the air again.
"We haven't found any clear leads yet. From what we've gathered so far, their leader can change their appearance at will and frequently relocates their base of operations."
So, they've figured out that much already. The pace at which they were closing in on information was faster than expected.
"Really?"
Yoon Taehee nodded indifferently.
"What do you think?"
"Hmm..."
With the straw in his mouth, Yoon Taehee asked lightly as if in passing, "What are the chances that the leader is Bangsangsi?"
Though posed casually, his gaze carefully studied Seok Juryeon's reaction.
"Without evidence, it's just a rumor."
"If it's a rumor deliberately spread by Byeoksadan, there must be an intention behind it."
"The intention is as clear as day. They're trying to undermine the legitimacy of Naryecheong by invoking Bangsangsi, the ruler of the previous era. It's an attempt to create a sense of crisis for Naryecheong."
A slow smile crept onto Yoon Taehee's face. As expected, Seok Juryeon wasn't easily swayed. Her deduction hit the mark precisely. She massaged her temple and muttered,
"Whatever their scheme, dealing with Byeoksadan is giving me a headache. We're already short-staffed, and we've been trying to set up branch offices for two years. Now, even before construction is finished, we're facing more complications."
Since two years ago, Naryecheong had been constructing branch offices in Gongju, South Chungcheong, and Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang. The goal was to expand their reach across the country, with completion planned for the end of this year.
"Oh, right. Indeed. The branch offices are still under construction."
"Since the work's only being done at night, it'll probably be finished sometime next year."
The Gongju branch office was located at Magoksa Temple, and the Gyeongju branch office at Daereungwon. To avoid public attention, construction only occurred at night, which significantly extended the timeline compared to regular projects.
A brief silence fell between them. After a moment, Seok Juryeon spoke.
"When the construction finishes next year, get ready to pack up and move."
Yoon Taehee blinked a couple of times before muttering quietly,
"Huh? Am I getting demoted?"
"How is becoming a branch manager a demotion?"
"...Branch manager?"
Yoon Taehee froze momentarily and looked at Seok Ju-ryeon.
"..."
Lost in thought for a while, Yoon Taehee finally rubbed his chin and spoke slowly.
"That's a bit much. If I become a branch manager at my age, people will point fingers behind my back."
"Since when did you care about that? Stay as branch manager for about five years, then come back when you're thirty-three."
With her usual expressionless tone, Seok Juryeon continued.
"I'll recommend you as the next head of the Exorcism Department."
"In this era where people live to a hundred? What are you saying?"
Yoon Taehee widened his eyes, then chuckled.
"Retirement is at sixty-five. Don't tell me you're already planning to quit?"
"I've done enough."
"You should aim for commissioner. Then I can comfortably take over as chief."
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
"Why not?"
Seok Juryeon stood up after finishing her meal and remarked,
"I'm sick of ghosts and all..."
It was a remark that came out as if she was talking to herself. Yoon Taehee smiled faintly. Noticing, Seok Juryeon shot him a questioning look. Shaking his head slightly, Yoon Taehee replied,
"It's just, I realized you're getting older too, Chief."
"And do you think you're not getting older? You're at the age where you should be thinking about marriage."
"Who says so? And you're not married either."
Yoon Taehee lowered his voice with a teasing grin.
"Department Head, it's not too late for you either. Find someone reasonably good-looking, debt-free, and a bit dumb, and live with him. Don't bother with marriage registration, it's a hassle with joint ownership and property division.
Honestly, you were meant to be taken care of from the start. Let someone pamper
you, and when you get tired of him, just give him some money and kick him out. Then swap him for someone new."
"..."
Seok Juryeon, momentarily speechless at the absurdity, clicked her tongue.
"Are you out of your mind?"
Yoon Taehee wrinkled his nose playfully in response.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head lightly and headed back to her desk. Opening a drawer, she took out a bottle of pills.
With practiced ease, she tapped out a few pills and swallowed them dry, without water.
"Still getting headaches?"
"It's stress-related," Seok Juryeon replied nonchalantly.
Only Han Juyoung and Yoon Taehee knew that Seok Juryeon practically lived on painkillers. She had carried the shadow of headaches her entire life. While her sensitive temperament and overwhelming workload contributed, the exact cause was an undiagnosable form of stress-induced pain.
She frequently suffered from nightmares and debilitating headaches severe enough to make daily life impossible without medication. During her worst times, she sought medical help, shuttling between hospitals in search of a solution. But at some point, she had seemingly resigned herself and stopped visiting doctors altogether.
Her suffering was endured solely through reliance on painkillers. She could have sought remedies from the purification department instead of conventional medicine, but she chose not to. Likely, she didn't want to appear vulnerable in front of her subordinates.
Yoon Taehee had once vaguely speculated about the source of those headaches.
Looking at Seok Juryeon, he thought, 'Perhaps you, too, are being punished by guilt. Perhaps you regret your past misdeeds. I hope not. Inwardly, Yoon Taehee wished for Seok Juryeon to be someone who didn't know guilt, shame, or suffering.
"..."
After a moment of silence, he murmured softly.
"Please don't get sick, Department Head."
Yoon Taehee truly meant it.