[React] Our Team Leader-nim became a Trash!

"I'm really curious." TCF Cale was squinting his eyes at Kim Rok Soo's direction. The latter only raised his brow in confusion.

"Curious about what?" Kim Rok Soo was currently typing on his laptop resting on his lap. He's actually doing his works between breaks. Soo Hyuk found it admirable.

"You've already seen me woke up as Cale Henituse. I'm curious on how you react."

The others who has sensitive hearing heard what he said and also became curious.

Rok Soo, when he woke up as Cale was calm and collect. How did the former young master react? They started to think and imagine his reaction.

He must've been scared and lost. They thought.

Rok Soo halted his fingers hovering over the keys as if to think of something. Then look back at TCF Cale.

"Let's ask Lex-nim to play it then."

"Did I just I heard my name?" The white fox is currently resting at Soo Hyuk's lap getting pet.

"Can we watched how Rok Soo woke up in my world?" TCF Cale asked.

TBOAH Cale stared at his counter part who was busy typing on his laptop. He looks natural doing it even though TBOAH Cale hadn't seen such technology before.

The white fox thought for a moment before snapping its fingers.

Snap!

This place that is simply called the ‘company’…

Team 1, which is said to be the most militant even in this place…

Both TBOAH and TCF side gulped unconsciously as they saw pictures of a foreign land on the screen.

Jang Sejong, the new employee and therefore the newest to this team, was walking past the employee break room with a lot of files in his hands.

"How is he?" TCF Cale asked watching the screen while Rok Soo didn't even look up from his work.

"He's doing fine."

TCF Cale clicked his tongue at Rok Soo's working pace.

He's fast and tedious. TCF Cale shook his head in amusement.

He could hear some whispers through the slightly opened break room door.

“Don’t you think that team leader Kim Rok Soo has become a bit weird?”

Flinch. He stopped walking.

Although the voice was so quiet that regular ability users would not be able to hear, this newbie, Jang Sejong, could hear it because he had a sensory-related ability.

"That's quite useful." Soo Hyuk mumbled.

“Mm.”

“Seriously, don’t you think that is the case? It looks like he might be burnt out, but… it also looks like… he might have gone crazy… Drinking at work-”

“…You talk like this is the first time that bastard Kim Rok Soo has been weird. He’s always been a crazy bastard.”

"You drink while working?" TCF Cale asked incredulously. Making Rok Soo stop what his doing while holding one finger in the air.

"Correction. I'm drinking during break. And for your information, I don't leave my work unfinished. It didn't settle right to me to leave my work." Rok Soo pointed out before going back to his work while mumbling about 'how dare they question my work'.

Soo Hyuk let out a laugh while TCF Cale only stared at him blankly

The brusque voice was Park Kyung Ho’s voice.

He had joined the company at the same time as team leader Kim Rok Soo and was the Team 2 leader right now. However, he was said to be promoted soon.

“No, he is a crazy bastard, but… He’s never been a crazy bastard in this way. Something, something seems weird.”

"Someone actually noticed?" TCF Hannah mumbled but still loud enough to be heard by others.

“I thought you were busy? Stop being nosy and focus on your own work.”

Screeeech. Park Kyung Ho stopped talking and the break room door opened immediately.

Jang Sejong flinched after making eye contact with Park Kyung Ho. Team 2 leader Park Kyung Ho, who was called the Spearman of Thunder, scowled after looking at Jang Sejong.

Flick.

However, he simply motioned with his head for Jang Sejong to move along and Jang Sejong bowed while curled up in fear and quickly walked past the break room to his office.

“Haaaaa.”

Jang Sejong let out a light sigh.

He could not brush aside what he had heard in the break room.

“…Somewhat-”

As the person talking to Park Kyung Ho had said…

Team leader Kim Rok Soo…

“He really has somewhat become weird.”

TBOAH Cale clicked his tongue.

"Of course. We maybe similar in some ways but we're completely different person."

Jang Sejong thought about Kim Rok Soo’s odd changes that the whole company was talking about and then recalled the moment two weeks ago when it had started.

* * *

Two weeks ago was the first time that Kim Rok Soo missed work at the company without notice.

“What? Team leader-nim is not here yet?”

Assistant Leader Kim Min Ah, who had been dispatched in the morning, frowned while looking at Jang Sejong. Jang Sejong looked a bit scared as he nodded his head.

“Yes, yes ma’am. The team leader-nim has not come yet.”

“Wasn’t his time off until yesterday?”

"Aren't you enjoying your vacation too much?" TCF Cale grumbled.

"Don't worry, you'll reached you slacker life... Soon... In the near future... I think." Rok Soo's statement was shot like an arrow to TCF Cale.

"This bastard." TCF Cale whispered.

TCF Alberu and TCF Choi Han stifled a laugh.

A Support Agent, Jung So Hoon, chimed in as well.

“Yes, ma’am. It was until yesterday and he should have been back at work today.”

“…Something is weird.”

Agent Jung So Hoon immediately picked up his coat.

Assistant Leader Kim Min Ah quickly scribbled something and handed it to Jang Sejong.

“Hand this to Agent Cha. I’m going to go see the team leader-nim.”

Jung So Hoon and Kim Min Ah… The looks on their faces were quite serious.

Jang Sejong could clearly hear their extremely quiet whisper as they left the office.

“Do you think the team leader-nim fainted after pushing himself too much these days?”

“Agent Jung, have you ever seen the team leader-nim faint? He’s the type of person who would call first even if he was going to faint. This… Something must have happened.”

"So you also faint in there?" TCF Bud asked making the others look at TCF Cale.

"Unlucky bastard."

TCF Cale sank on his seat.

“…Do you think one of the illegal guilds attacked the team leader-nim’s house?”

Soo Hyuk's eyes squinted.

Agent Jung So Hoon’s voice was slightly shaking from anxiety.

“Or maybe an assassin dispatched from overseas abducted the team leader-nim. Ah, I have a bad feeling about this. Doesn’t the team leader-nim live in the outskirts of the city? I’m sure the security there isn’t good either. Should I contact the Team 2 leader?”

"Why the hell are you living at the outskirts? That's dangerous." Soo Hyuk scolded.

"It's far away from other people and safe." TCF Cale reasoned.

Soo Hyuk then turned to Rok Soo who was too submerge on his laptop.

"Don't tell me you're also living there?"

That question made the others look at him. Especially the Henituse Family. Even though he said he's happy on the other world, they can't help but be worried for him.

Rok Soo look up from his work.

"I don't live there anymore. I have a child under my care, and I can't let anything happened to her."

Soo Hyuk was taken aback. They forgot that Rok Soo was now taking care of a child.

“Calm down. We will decide after going to the team leader-nim’s house.”

“Haaaaaaaaa. Okay. But why does someone like the team leader-nim who makes a ton of money living in the outskirts of the city?”

"So you're wealthy?" TCF Alberu look at TCF Cale.

"I'm not. I'm poor."

“Who knows? He said he needs a lot of money to become a farmer later.”

Jang Sejong looked around after watching two of his company seniors leaving.

There was nobody in the office.

Jang Sejong was the only newcomer this year.

“Mm.”

He looked at team leader Kim Rok Soo’s seat with an anxious look on his face. There weren’t even many office supplies in that empty spot.

Kim Rok Soo.

Jang Sejong had not really known that name prior to coming here. In fact, Team 2 leader Park Kyung Ho was the famous one while the name, Kim Rok Soo, was unfamiliar.

However, gathering information about the company after deciding to come here, he was able to learn that Kim Rok Soo was quite famous not just in the company, but also throughout the industry and with the government and guilds.

"Ho." TCF Alberu scoffed in amusement. "Work is not gonna leave you at this rate."TCF Alberu shook his head then threw a pity look at Rok Soo who was typing seriously on his laptop.

Although he had not known the name because this person doesn’t show himself in the media, he was the leader of Team 1, the greatest force in the company, as well as implicitly the leader of the company’s battle agents in the ‘Body.’

Furthermore, even the people in charge of the ‘Head’ were said to be unable to hold in their admiration at Kim Rok Soo’s abilities.

One of the nicknames they had for Kim Rok Soo was cold-blooded.

"He is." Rok Soo mumbled while typing.

"I don't want to hear that from you." TCF Cale threw a pillow on his direction. TBOAH Cale had to dodge since he's sitting between the two.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rok Soo threw the pillow at him.

"Don't act like an innocent lamb. Don't you think I don't see what you're doing right now?" TCF Cale scoffed looking at the laptop resting on Rok Soo's lap.

TBOAH Cale look at the device that was seating on his counter part's lap. The language written was unfamiliar and he can't decipher. SGT Rok Soo shook his head when he had a glimpse of it. Soo Hyuk smirked at the written works display on the screen.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. It's a love letter for our beloved Director Ma."

The smirked on Rok Soo's made the TCF side shiver. They knew that kind of smile.

TCF Alberu who also saw this shivered. He thought the way TCF Cale and Rok Soo was different. He's so wrong when he saw that smile. TCF Alberu look at his counter part who was watching what was happening at the VIP area. He mouthed good luck making the other look confused.

The others who saw the exchange between TCF Cale and Rok Soo was curious.

Jang Sejong had thought that this was a negative nickname for him.

However, he couldn’t help but gasp after learning the reason for this nickname.

Team 1’s mortality rate was 0% since Kim Rok Soo became team leader.

They had also not failed any of the missions they were assigned.

Kim Rok Soo was said to come up with a thorough plan and complete the mission under any and all circumstances, even if he was lacking the resources to do so.

Furthermore, many people’s abilities developed even further when they were in his team.

That was why he was said to have received this evaluation.

‘Kim Rok Soo truly is the person to follow after Lee Soo Hyuk.’

That was what they were saying.

"Yes. And that's quite a pressure you gave me." Rok Soo said talking about the eyes and ears around him.

"Was it hard?" Soo Hyuk wanted to ask if it was hard filling his dongsaeng's shoes but realized that the words was inappropriate question.

"Are you underestimating me?" Rok Soo smirked at Soo Hyuk. "The war that I have survived for the past twenty years, is also like the missions we do outside. Twenty years of fighting I've seen a lot of abilities in the battlefield and ways to improve them. My experience on the twenty years war wasn't just for nothing." Rok Soo winked turning back to his work again.

Twenty years of war. We must prevent it. TBOAH people was determined.

Both Ron look at their former young master.

Jang Sejong could feel Kim Rok Soo’s amazingness after hearing the name, Lee Soo Hyuk.

Lee Soo Hyuk.

That was a name that was brought up every time the history of Korea after the cataclysm was mentioned. Furthermore, that person was the foundation of this company and the source of its creation.

Of course, he has passed away now.

Team leader Kim Rok Soo was said to be the person who survived the battle where Lee Soo Hyuk passed away.

“Mm.”

Jang Sejong recalled that moment when he heard that Kim Rok Soo truly is the person to follow after Lee Soo Hyuk. Team 2 leader Park Kyung Ho had said something when he heard that.

He had been mumbling as if he was discontent about something. Jang Sejong had been the only one to hear it.

‘…There were two people who were supposed to follow after Lee Soo Hyuk.’

Jang Sejong wondered if Park Kyung Ho was talking about himself, but it did not sound that way. It sounded more like there was someone else in addition to Kim Rok Soo.

"Please don't tell me it's me." Jung Soo mumbled.

“…Anyway, I hope it is nothing serious.”

Jang Sejong tried to suppress the worry in his heart.

When he was assigned to the cold-blooded Kim Rok Soo’s Team 1… Jang Sejong had been quite nervous. However, Kim Rok Soo had been a bit different from what he had expected when he met him in person.

‘Nice to meet you, Mr. Jang Sejong.’

“Hello, Team leader-nim! Please speak informally.’

‘Okay then.’

Kim Rok Soo had called him by name and greeted him as soon as he saw him, even though Jang Sejong had not introduced himself.

He had a cold look on his face and had a mysterious aura about him. He gave off the aura of a leader who had gone through many life-or-death situations and successfully completed missions?

"You're the same." TCF Cale said to Rok Soo who nodded at his statement.

A somewhat relaxed yet sharp aura was surrounding him.

‘Let’s survive here a long time, make a lot of money, and retire.’

"Ha." TCF Eruhaben scoffed.

However, there was at least a little bit of warmth in the words he nonchalantly said to this new employee.

‘What about food? You must make sure to eat.’

‘Go home. Newbies can slowly learn.’

‘You’re living on your own? What about your meals? You just eat whatever?’

In his cold and nonchalant face with his stoic voice… Kim Rok Soo looked after Jang Sejong, completely unlike his cold-blooded nickname.

Jang Sejong was still in his probationary period and could not be a part of the strategy meetings or go out to mission, making him not work with the team leader yet, however…

Kim Rok Soo had said the following to Jang Sejong after stopping by the office a few days ago, completely covered in blood after a mission.

‘There’s a side dish shop not too far from here. I paid for a few side dishes there. Make sure to take them when you go home.’

‘You need to eat properly. I heard you were a support but wanted to be in the field? Fitness is a basic requirement for that.’

"And yet your physically unfit." Soo Hyuk said looking at TCF Cale.

Kim Rok Soo seemed like a good leader.

That must be why all of Team 1 follows Kim Rok Soo.

Jang Sejong prayed that there weren’t any issues with the team leader.

“…Assistant Leader-nim?”

However, Assistant Leader Kim Rok Soo’s face looked quite weird after returning from going to see Kim Rok Soo.

She had a serious look on her face but also seemed to kind of be blanking out while also having an oddly iffy look.

Jang Sejong called out to her again.

“Assistant Leader-nim?”

“Huh? Ah, ah. What is it?”

“Is the team leader-nim okay?”

“Ah.”

Kim Min Ah smiled awkwardly.

“Yes. He’s fine. I think he was just tired from pushing himself too much.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“Then will he be coming to work tomorrow?”

Kim Min Ah had an odd look on her face after hearing that question before shaking her head.

“No. I think he will be resting for about a week.”

"Ho." TCF Cale huffed in amusement. "I was preparing for something and I need to adjust myself to a advance world." Rok Soo said.

She then left the office saying that she needed to check how much PTO the team leader-nim had left.

Jang Sejong heard about it later, but this was the first time Kim Rok Soo ever used over a week’s worth of PTO at once.

Jang Sejong was able to hear the things Kim Min Ah was mumbling extremely quietly as she left the office.

“…My goodness, it makes no sense.”

She did not say anything else after that.

However, Jang Sejong was certain that although Kim Min Ah was saying the team leader was fine, something more serious than he had expected must have happened to Kim Rok Soo.

"What did you do when you woke up?" TCF Cale asked.

"Didn't I tell you I read the book after waking up?"

That had to be the case.

One week. Something was different about team leader Kim Rok Soo when he came back after his time off.

“Team leader-nim! Welcome sir!”

Jang Sejong unexpectedly jumped up and greeted Kim Rok Soo because he was happy to see Kim Rok Soo.

At that moment…

Smile.

Kim Rok Soo smiled at him.

"Ugh." TCF Cale covered his face with his hands.

Jang Sejong couldn’t help but flinch. He had seen Kim Rok Soo smile coldly a few times, but he had never seen him smile like this before.

He had a hard to approach aura just like before, but something seemed different.

He was cold and rational before but now, he seemed a bit different.

‘…He seems elegant?’

Jang Sejong’s mind blanked out after having that thought about Kim Rok Soo’s smile.

‘No.’

Rather than elegant-

‘Class-’

It seemed full of class.

Kim Rok Soo’s smile seemed extremely noble.

“Long time no see.”

Although it was definitely Kim Rok Soo’s voice and he was greeting him the same way as usual…

The tone was a bit different.

It was still cynical but somewhat elegant.

"It was because he grew up as a noble." TCF Alberu commented.

‘What the hell?’

Jang Sejong pupils were shaking. He looked around.

Team leader Kim Rok Soo who had returned to work after a week off… The reactions from the team members were the same as Jang Sejong’s if not worse.

All of their pupils were shaking.

TBOAH Cale wheezed at the situation at the VIP area. Soo Hyuk and Jung Soo was amused. SGT Rok Soo was shaking his head. TCF Cale was hiding behind his fingers. Rok Soo was smirking while typing. And TCF Alberu and TCF Choi Han was laughing at the situation on the screen.

Team leader Kim Rok Soo sat down on his chair.

Screeeech.

“Ho.”

Someone gasped.

Kim Rok Soo leaned back on the chair almost as if he was lying down. It was different from how he usually sat up straight because he needed to take care of documents as soon as he got to work.

Shhhhh.

The way Kim Rok Soo slowly reached his hand out to grab a payment document oddly caught people’s attention.

Kim Rok Soo looked around the office at that moment. He frowned.

“What are you all looking at?”

Jang Sejong wondered if this expression was right, but the way he slightly frowned seemed a bit trashy unlike Team leader Kim Rok Soo’s usual stoic and cold expression.

“Are you not going to work?”

However, his slightly annoyed tone of voice, the movement of his hands, and his gestures all seemed full of class. This was the only way to describe it.

"I knew this will happen." TCF Cale muffled through his fingers.

‘What the hell?’

Jang Sejong subconsciously turned toward the two people who came to work with Kim Rok Soo.

Assistant Leader Kim Min Ah and Agent Jung So Hoon.

The two of them smiled awkwardly as Jang Sejong and the other team members turned to look at them.

That was the beginning.

“Delicious.”

“Excuse me?”

Jang Sejong blankly watched as Kim Rok Soo sliced a piece of tonkatsu. Everybody else had left for work and only Jang Sejong and team leader Kim Rok Soo were in the office.

That was why the two of them ended up eating lunch together.

“This is new.”

“Excuse me?”

“Mm. I won’t have to worry about it suiting my taste.”

“Excuse me?”

Slice. Slice.

Kim Rok Soo looked extremely relaxed and experienced as he sliced through the tonkatsu as if it was steak.

The royalties and nobles present can't help but to gape at the scene.

The way he wiped his mouth with the napkin was so overflowing with class that it seemed too much.

TCF Cale lays lifeless in the couch in embarrassment.

(A/N: Before I give you guys the angst like you wanted, let's have this first. 😂)