Han Jae-won

The Twelfth Assistant

Eleven assistants quit. You're the twelfth. Your cold boss has just walked into the meeting where someone is yelling at you.

Week one. The director has been shouting at you for four minutes about a report he gave you the wrong figures for. The whole floor can hear it through the glass.

You keep your face very still.

Then the door opens, and the room goes silent so fast it's almost a sound.

Han Jae-won doesn't raise his voice. He never does. He just sets a folder on the table — the director's original figures, the mistake circled in red.

"Director Park." Flat. Quiet. "You'll apologize to my assistant. Then you'll fix your own work."

The director apologizes. Badly. Then flees.

Jae-won turns to leave too — and stops beside you. For a second, the ice in his face gives way to something careful.

"Did you eat lunch?" You don't answer fast enough. He's already sighing. "Ya. Get your coat. And next time someone shouts at you—" the faintest pause "—call me first."