New Normal - Chapter 48

Juwon was about to say, “I don’t really like delivery food. Want to go out to eat instead?” But he stopped when she spoke first.

— “If you have ingredients, I could cook something. Do you have anything to eat at home?”

It was the first time a woman offered to cook for him, and stranger still, it didn’t feel like a burden. Juwon told her honestly there wasn’t much food at his place, and she replied as if she’d been expecting that.

— “I’m done with everything I needed to do. I’ll grab some groceries and head to your place around 5. Text me when you’re off work. And… good luck today.”

After hearing that, he suddenly had a reason to hurry home.

You’re supposed to feel happy when the person you like is this open and enthusiastic, especially when things are actually going smoother than expected. But instead, he was just… out of it.

This was supposed to be something simple, easy. So why did it feel like things were getting tangled? He couldn’t get her off his mind the whole day. It felt like he was getting pulled deeper into whatever this was.

Was I always this crazy over a woman?

Juwon let out a self-mocking sigh and kept checking the time. Why the hell won’t time move? Fvck. Time, run faster…

A lyric from some corny old song popped into his head. He used to think it was lame, but now, damn, it hit hard. His leg bounced restlessly. He wanted the day to be over already. He wanted to see Shin Jisoo—check in on how she was doing. And do what they hadn’t had time to finish last time…

“Hey, Chief Chae. We have to make sure we stay within the budget the client gave us. But at this rate, construction costs are gonna explode. We can’t do it like this.”

Snapped back to reality, Juwon looked up sharply. A middle-aged man with a cigarette dangling from his lips was glaring at him. Juwon masked his nerves with a polite smile.

“…I know. I understand. But we can still make it work. Even with the high-end materials.”

“It’s not about the material costs,” the man cut in. “With this design, we’d need a ton of formwork. That’s where the real cost is.”

“If we adjust the construction method, we can cut costs. Sir, this is more about how we divide the construction process, right?”

Tension sparked between them, their words overlapping. Juwon stayed calm, smiling carefully, while Manager Jo had long since dropped the niceties.

Manager Jo crossed his arms, cigarette still unlit between his lips, his expression stiffening.

Architectural firms usually got treated like subcontractors to construction companies. And even in a joint consortium, that hierarchy never really changed.

In most joint projects, someone high up—like a VP or director—from the design firm would be the one negotiating. So Manager Jo hadn’t bothered hiding his irritation from the start when he saw Juwon show up in that seat.

That attitude hadn’t changed. With Manager Jo’s eyes still locked on Juwon, he flicked a finger. A nearby rep from the construction company immediately stepped in with a lighter.

“Chief Chae… you know that when it comes to technical proposals, the client cares more about efficiency than fancy designs. You really think just using premium materials will win them over? At the end of the day, it’s all about profit.”

He lit the cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke. Juwon didn’t flinch. He kept his smile and responded patiently.

“Sir, I get that. But this project isn’t just any building—it’s an art museum. Symbolism and the space’s meaning matter. We need to make an impression. Just keeping to budget or undercutting competitors won’t be enough.”

“I know, I get it. Symbolism’s important. But from our side, if we go over budget, that’s a huge risk. Look at where we are—we’re barely staying within the limit. Your design is good, but if we can’t actually build it, it’s meaningless.”

Manager Jo ground his cigarette into the ashtray, then cleared his throat and sipped his instant coffee.

“What I’m saying is, we need a clear plan on how we can realistically do this under budget. That’s the most important part. You understand what I’m saying, right, Chief Chae?”

Juwon twirled a pen in his hand, pretending to think.

God, this bullshit construction industry culture is what I’ll never get used to.

This whole absurd hierarchy—A lords over B, B over C, and on and on. The constant power trips, the alpha-male pissing contests. Not a speck of professionalism in sight.

And don’t even get him started on these never-ending meetings.

He wanted to grab the guy by the collar and slam him into the table. But instead, he twirled the poor pen harder and turned his brain back on. His eyes flicked to the clock. Time’s really not fucking moving.

He needed to play it smart. Give what he had to give, get what he needed, and get this damn meeting over with.

“Understood. I’ll check to see if the budget can be reworked. But I’d really like to keep the curved exterior. That’s a key part of the concept. The client wanted something iconic—something that stands out.”

Manager Jo paused mid-sip of his coffee, then scratched his back lazily and leaned forward to peer at the blueprints. The stale odor on his breath hit Juwon in the face, making him shut his eyes.

Fvck. Seriously?

“See, that’s the problem. That curve is what’s making the costs shoot up. If we switch to straight lines, we can cut a ton of cost. Your design is cool, I admit that—but you know it’s a pain in the ass to build. Look here—if we just smooth it out with exposed concrete, look how much cheaper it gets.”

Juwon met Manager Jo’s eyes directly and said firmly,

“Sir, that curve is what defines the identity of the building. If we switch to straight lines, it’s just gonna fade into the background like every other building. But we’re actually working on a new construction method at RSTA. We think we can dramatically cut the cost while keeping the design.”

“RSTA’s doing that kind of thing too? You sure it’s doable? That cost cut better be legit.”

Juwon smiled, but cursed inwardly. Jesus. This guy doesn’t trust a damn word.

RSTA actually had a small in-house tech team—a rare thing for a design firm. It was just a few researchers with graduate degrees juggling whatever was thrown at them, but hey, it sounded official.

He kept the truth to himself, smiled again, and sketched something in the empty space beside the blueprint.

“Yes. With this method, we can keep the curve, speed up the build, and reduce materials. The simulations came back way cheaper than we expected. But we’ll need close coordination. Adjusting the construction process will take some discussion.”

Manager Jo Hyunjoong stared at the sketch for a while, then finally nodded.

“Alright. Run the numbers again using this method. Let’s see if we can pitch it to the client. But we don’t have much time—the deadline’s tight, so get me the results ASAP.”

“Of course. I’ll work on it right away and send you a draft by tomorrow.”

That last bit made Jongmin—sitting next to Juwon—widen his eyes. Juwon tapped the table lightly, signaling him to stay quiet.

“Tomorrow, then. Good job, everyone. How about we go for a drink?”

While people were gathering their things, Manager Jo gestured at Juwon like he was raising a toast. Never mind that he’d just asked for the revised plans by tomorrow—what was this guy, senile?

Yeah, drink on your own damn corporate card, assh0le, Juwon almost said.

Right then—

“Alright, alright, let’s take it easy. Hey? Are we all done here?”

A husky baritone rang out.

Manager Jo Hyunjoong, who had been leaning back lazily, shot up from his seat.

“Oh! Our Executive Director!”

Everyone turned toward the door. An unexpected figure stood there. Juwon shut his eyes and muttered quietly under his breath.

Fvck.