Chapter- 2

The Art of Bare Minimum Effort

Ahn Jihun had exactly three goals for the workday:

1. Avoid Chief Manager Kwon.

2. Pretend to be productive.

3. Survive until lunch.

Unfortunately, fate—or possibly the universe's personal grudge against him—had other plans.

Jihun slumped at his desk, watching the System Update: 0% Completed screen with the same energy as a man staring into the void. His computer, the ancient relic assigned to him by the company, had once taken 45 minutes to open an Excel file. He considered this update a personal attack.

Park Nayoung, his desk neighbor and occasional workplace conscience, leaned over. "So, what's your plan now?"

"Stare at the screen and hope it finishes out of pity."

"Flawless strategy," she said, sipping her coffee.

Before Jihun could properly sink into a work-induced coma, a loud ding! echoed through the office. A company-wide email had arrived, and judging by the collective groan from his coworkers, it was bad news.

He clicked it open.

> Subject: Team-Building Workshop – Mandatory Attendance

Dear Employees,

We are excited to announce a mandatory team-building workshop this Friday!

Activities will include:

Trust falls

Team bonding exercises

Group problem-solving challenges

Attendance is NOT optional. Bring a positive attitude! :)

Jihun slowly turned to Nayoung. "I think I'm quitting."

She nodded. "Same."

Before he could start drafting his resignation email (which, realistically, would stay in his drafts forever), Chief Manager Kwon's voice sliced through the office.

"Ahn Jihun. My office. Now."

A hush fell over the office. A few coworkers peeked over their cubicles, eager to witness what was surely Jihun's impending demise.

Nayoung patted his shoulder. "It was nice knowing you."

He stood up, resisting the urge to salute his fallen dreams, and trudged toward Kwon's office like a man walking toward his own execution.

Inside, Chief Manager Kwon sat at her desk, arms crossed. Her office was neat, efficient, and completely devoid of personal items—just like her personality. She gestured for him to sit, and he obeyed immediately.

"Mr. Ahn," she began, in a tone that suggested she was questioning his entire existence. "Do you know why I called you here?"

Jihun, a firm believer in workplace survival tactics, decided to play dumb. "To… compliment my dedication to the company?"

She did not look amused. "No. It's because you've been late seven times this month. It's only the second week."

Jihun opened his mouth, thought about defending himself, and then closed it again. Yeah, there was no saving that.

Kwon sighed. "And yet, somehow, your performance reviews are fine."

He blinked. "Fine?"

"Not excellent. Not terrible. Just… fine. As if you've mastered the exact level of effort required to not get fired."

Jihun nodded solemnly. "It's a skill."

"It's a problem."

She pulled out a folder and slid it across the desk. "You're being assigned to a new project. It's an important one."

Jihun hesitated before picking up the folder. The words "Client Relations: Special Project" were written in bold at the top. That… did not sound good.

He glanced up. "This isn't optional, is it?"

"Not if you value your job."

Jihun sighed. "You drive a hard bargain, Chief."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just read the file, Ahn. And for the love of god, show up on time."

Back at his desk, Jihun dropped the folder onto the table with a dramatic sigh. Nayoung raised an eyebrow. "Dead man walking?"

"Worse. Special project."

She winced. "Oof. What kind?"

He flipped it open, scanning the details. The project involved handling an important very picky client, meaning he would have to… actually do work.

He groaned. "This is workplace discrimination against lazy people."

Before Nayoung could respond, another voice cut in.

"Ahn Jihun?"

Jihun looked up—and instantly regretted it.

Standing before him was a man dressed in an immaculately pressed suit, hair styled so perfectly it looked like it had been crafted by angels. He had the air of someone who actually enjoyed work, which made him instantly suspicious.

"Uh. Yes?" Jihun said hesitantly.

The man smiled, but it was the kind of smile you'd see on a recruiter trying to convince you that their company was "like a family."

"I'm Yoo Taesung," the man said. "We'll be working together on the project."

Jihun blinked. "Cool. Can I quit?"

Taesung chuckled like Jihun had made a joke. "Funny. I like that."

Nayoung muttered, "He wasn't joking."

Taesung clapped a hand on Jihun's shoulder. "Let's do our best!"

Jihun stared into the distance, feeling his soul leave his body.

At lunch, he sat across from Haejin at their usual food stall, aggressively stabbing his rice with his chopsticks.

Haejin, happily munching on his kimbap, eyed him. "That bad, huh?"

Jihun groaned. "They assigned me to a project with a guy who actually likes working."

Haejin gasped. "A corporate overachiever?"

"The worst kind."

Haejin patted his back. "My condolences."

Jihun sighed. "I just wanted to survive work with minimal effort. Now I have to try. It's inhumane."

Haejin nodded seriously. "Have you considered faking your own death?"

Jihun leaned in. "You think I'd get severance pay?"

They sat in silence, contemplating.

Then Haejin shrugged. "Eh. Worst case, you actually work and—god forbid—accidentally succeed."

Jihun shuddered. "Don't say things like that. It's bad luck."

Haejin smirked. "Well, whatever happens, at least it'll be funny."

Jihun groaned. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

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