Love Is .........

3 장

Daegu

Son Eon Jin is busy with the latest order inventory from the franchisee when her manager, Seo Ji Hye called her up to her room. She grabbed her notebook and ballpoint and head to the manager's room. She knocked on the door and Ji Hye's voice can be heard asking her to come in. 

"Nae, Team Jangnim."

"Have a seat, Son Eon Jin ssi," she showed to the seat in front of her and Eon Jin took a seat there. 

She grabbed a file from her desk and take something out of the file. She put those pieces of papers in front of her and Eon Jin is shocked to see what is exactly those papers are. It was her sketches. Her drawings of interior designs. 

"I found those in between your files when I was searching for the inventory list last week when you are on leave. I believe you drew that provided by the initials at the right-hand corner. Do you want to explain what is that?"

A pang of guilt suddenly hits Eon Jin. She thought she did wrong by doing something else in the office. "Chosong hamnida, Team Jangnim. I should not do any work during office hours but I swear that I do the drawings during lunch break and after office hours when I already completed all my works. Sorry, I promise it won't happen again." 

Now, it is Seo Ji Hye's turn to be shocked by her reaction. It was not her intention to frightened Eon Jin. She was surprised and shocked to know that her subordinate has an amazing talent. By the look of the sketches, she knows it is a work of professional or at least someone who has designing background.

"Son Eon Jin ssi, relax. I am not mad, not at all so you don't have to be terrified. Just relax and take a deep breath, ok?" she reached for her subordinates hand to try and calm her down.

"I am really sorry, Team Jangnim. It won't happen again." 

"Eon Jin ssi, this is not a work of an amateur or just by someone who can draw. Do you by any chance learn interior design or taking a class on it?"

Eon Jin looks contemplating to answer that question. She did not know to be honest or keep hiding about her education background to Seo Ji Hye. Her team leader is such a nice person and she feels bad for lying to her all this while. But, if she came clean would she be able to keep this job? 

"Eon Jin ssi? You can be honest you know. You know I can easily find out about your background, right? All I need is as Chae Won." 

Moon Chae Won is Seo Ji Hye's sister in law and also Eon Jin's childhood friend and neighbour. She is also Kang Hoon's homeroom teacher. Chae Won is the one, who introduced her to Ji Hye and tell her about the job opening in the company. So, she knew she cannot hide any longer.

"Actually, I am a graduate in Interior Design from Yonsei University."

"What???" Ji Hye cannot believe what she heard though she already expected it. What shocked her is not whether she is a graduate or not but she graduated from one of the top university. She can only sigh as she was looking at Eon Jin's resume which she got from HR.

"Why didn't you write down your tertiary education? You only wrote that you are a high school graduate. Do you know that you are underpaid because of this? This job definitely did not suit your qualification."

Eon Jin kept looking down. She can't look at Ji Hye's eyes as she felt really guilty for lying. "If I put my real education background, I know I won't get this job. I know my application will be rejected even before I got an interview because I am overqualified and companies won't hire me as they thought they need to pay me more. I need this job. I need a steady job that gave me sufficient monthly pay for me to support myself and my son. That's why I did not put my tertiary education. It's not that I can apply for a job as an interior designer too as I had left the field for a decade and I only had 2 years experience before quitting. With the high competitions, I do not have much of a choice."