The morning sun filtered through the dusty windows of the Busan district office, glinting off stacks of files and metal filing cabinets. Soojin adjusted the strap of her modest shoulder bag, smoothing the crisp lines of her freshly purchased blazer. Today was her first day as a civil servant, and despite the excitement, a flutter of nerves danced in her stomach.
She stepped into the office lobby, where a few employees were already settling at their desks, scribbling on paper, typing on old dot-matrix printers, or answering ringing phones. The faint clatter of typewriters and the soft hum of overhead fans created a strangely comforting rhythm.
A woman in her forties, with a tidy bun and glasses perched on her nose, approached. "You must be Soojin, right? I'm Ms. Park. I'll be your supervisor here."
"Yes, ma'am. It's so nice to meet you," Soojin replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
Ms. Park smiled warmly. "Don't worry, your first day will mostly be introductions and settling in. Come, I'll show you your desk."
Soojin followed her through narrow corridors lined with notice boards plastered with charts, memos, and announcements. "This will be your station," Ms. Park said, gesturing to a small desk tucked between two filing cabinets. A neatly stacked pile of reports waited, and a shiny black rotary phone sat to the side. "You'll mostly handle departmental reports, summarizing data, and coordinating with other divisions—housing, social welfare, local taxes, that kind of thing."
Soojin nodded, glancing at the neat rows of files. "I understand. I'm ready to start."
"Good," Ms. Park said. "I'll introduce you to Mr. Lee in accounting and Ms. Kim in social services—they'll often coordinate with you. Oh, and don't worry if things seem confusing at first. It takes a few weeks to get the rhythm."
Just then, a young man at the desk next to her looked up. "Hi, you must be the new recruit! I'm Jinho. Don't worry, the first day is mostly figuring out where the photocopier and stamp pads are." He chuckled, tapping the heavy stamp on his desk. "Oh, and if Ms. Park asks for a photocopy of any forms, you'll soon know that it's basically your new best friend."
Soojin laughed softly. "Noted. I'll befriend the photocopier, then."
The morning flew by in a haze of introductions, filing procedures, and trying to remember the names and departments of everyone she met. At noon, she joined a few coworkers in the cafeteria, a small, slightly noisy room with plastic chairs and steaming trays of rice and side dishes.
"So, what made you join the civil office?" one of the ladies asked, spooning kimchi onto her tray.
Soojin hesitated, then smiled. "I wanted stability, and I wanted to challenge myself. I passed the exams, and this felt like a place where I could grow and contribute."
"Good answer," Jinho said, nodding. "You'll see, the work is steady but meaningful. Plus, you get to know the city from behind all these reports and data sheets."
The afternoon was spent shadowing Ms. Park, learning how to draft summary reports, fill in forms, and double-check figures before forwarding them to the head of the department. Soojin scribbled notes quickly, her handwriting neat, as she tried to absorb every instruction.
"Remember," Ms. Park said, peering over her glasses, "accuracy is everything here. A single misfiled report can cause weeks of delay for someone else. Don't rush, but don't hesitate either."
"Yes, ma'am," Soojin replied, feeling a quiet sense of purpose bloom inside her.
By the time the clock ticked past five, she leaned back in her chair, stretching. The office was quieter now, some employees already heading home. A soft orange glow spilled through the windows, and the hum of the city outside drifted in.
Jinho looked at her and smirked. "Not so bad, huh? First day done. Tomorrow, you'll actually get to do real work, not just observe."
Soojin laughed softly, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. "I think I can handle it. It feels... right, being here."
Ms. Park called from across the room. "Don't forget, tomorrow morning at nine sharp. Be on time, and bring yesterday's notes."
Soojin nodded, gathering her bag. As she stepped out into the brisk evening air of Busan, she felt a strange mix of exhaustion and excitement. Her first day was over, but this—this new chapter—was only just beginning. She adjusted the strap of her bag, squared her shoulders, and walked toward the street, imagining the week ahead filled with reports, coordination, and the steady rhythm of a life she had worked so hard to earn.
Day 2 – Settling In
The next morning, Soojin arrived at the office promptly at nine, her bag neatly packed with notebooks, pens, and a fresh determination. Ms. Park was already at her desk, reviewing some documents.
"Good morning, Soojin," she said, glancing up. "Today, you'll start handling some real files. Don't panic if you make mistakes. That's why you're learning."
"Yes, ma'am," Soojin replied, her voice steady.
As she walked toward her desk, she passed Jinho, who waved from across the room. "Morning! Today, you get to play with the typewriter. It's more temperamental than any pet I've owned."
Soojin laughed. "I'll treat it gently."
Her first task was summarizing a stack of reports from the housing division. She carefully typed up the numbers on her dot-matrix typewriter, listening to the clatter of the keys echo in the quiet office. Every now and then, she paused to double-check figures, scratching notes on the margin of her papers.
"Don't forget to make a copy before submitting," Ms. Park reminded. "If anything goes missing, we go hunting in every corner of the office."
During lunch, she sat with Jinho and a few other new recruits in the cafeteria.
"So, what did you do before joining the office?" Jinho asked.
"I worked part-time at a bakery and a small office," Soojin said. "It helped me stay organized, I guess."
"That's handy," one of the ladies chimed in. "You'll need that here. There's a lot of cross-checking, and files disappear faster than lunch in this room."
Soojin smiled, feeling the camaraderie slowly form.
Midweek – The Learning Curve
By Wednesday, she was starting to recognize the rhythm of the office: the clack of typewriters, the ringing of telephones, and the soft shuffle of papers as coworkers moved from desk to desk.
Jinho leaned over one afternoon. "Hey, don't panic if the fax machine eats your papers. It's its way of welcoming new people."
Soojin frowned at the steaming fax paper she had just retrieved. "It ate half the document."
"See?" Jinho said with mock solemnity. "It's official now. You're part of the office family."
Her cheeks flushed, but she laughed. By the end of the day, she had successfully coordinated a few small inter-departmental forms and even managed to file reports without losing a single page—a personal victory.
Friday – Small Victories and Bonding
On Friday afternoon, Ms. Park called her over. "Soojin, you've been doing well. Let's try something a bit more complicated: summarizing these monthly statistics and forwarding them to the local tax division. I'll guide you."
Soojin nodded, rolling up her sleeves. As she worked, Jinho peeked over. "You're like a machine, but... a polite one. The type that doesn't spill coffee on reports."
Soojin giggled, and for the first time, she felt at ease in the office. She realized that even if the work was repetitive and sometimes tedious, it had a rhythm—a purpose—and she was learning to flow with it.
By evening, the office cleared. Soojin packed her things, feeling tired but accomplished. Ms. Park patted her shoulder. "Good job this week. Keep observing, asking questions, and you'll master the routine faster than you think."
Outside, the Busan streets glimmered with neon signs, the smell of street food mingling with the salty sea breeze. Soojin walked home slowly, her mind replaying the clatter of typewriters, the warmth of brief smiles, and the satisfaction of completing her first full week. She felt... at home.
After a week of paperwork, reports, and careful coordination with other divisions, there was a quiet satisfaction in the rhythm of being a civil servant.
Next month on a weekend
She glanced at her bank passbook, noting her first month's salary had arrived. It wasn't extravagant, but enough to cover rent, groceries, and even a small treat. And then there were the benefits: the health coverage, pension contribution, and the paid leave she could take later in the year. The stability of it all felt almost luxurious after the unpredictability of part-time jobs. She smiled and got ready to go to cafe.
The weekend morning sunlight filtered gently through the café's windows, painting warm patterns across the wooden tables. Soojin sipped her tea, the faint aroma of coffee mingling with the sweet scent of pastries. Across from her, Kyungmi leaned back in her chair, smiling, while the bakery lady — Mrs. Park, who had always been like a second mother — fussed lightly with a small plate of freshly cut scones.
"I still can't believe it," Soojin said softly, stirring her tea. "Being a civil servant... it feels so stable. I can breathe on weekends without worrying about shifts or tips."
Kyungmi chuckled. "I knew you'd love this. You were always organized, even when we were running the bakery. Now all that precision actually pays off."
Mrs. Park nodded, her eyes warm. "And the benefits, Soojin-ah... health coverage, pension, paid leave... you'll see, it's a kind of peace money can't buy."
Soojin smiled, feeling the weight of the past months lifting. "I never realized how comforting it would be to have these... small securities. Last week, when I saw my first paycheck and checked the passbook, I actually relaxed for the first time in years."
Kyungmi leaned forward, teasing, "And no late-night shifts for bread deliveries or standing in that tiny office room for hours. You get weekends to live, not just survive."
Soojin laughed softly. "Exactly. I feel... grounded. Like all those years of hard work, the exams, the viva... they led to something that isn't just about money or recognition. It's about knowing I have space to plan, to rest, to enjoy life."
Mrs. Park reached across and patted her hand. "That's why I was happy when you got the letter, Soojin-ah. You've earned not just a job, but dignity and peace."
Kyungmi smiled, raising her cup. "To new beginnings, serene weekends, and a job that gives you both security and satisfaction."
Soojin clinked her cup with theirs, a warm sense of calm settling over her. "To feeling... truly steady," she said, her eyes reflecting quiet gratitude.
They shared a small breakfast together, cutting into a tiny celebratory cake Mrs. Park had brought, feeding each other little bites with laughter and chatter. Afterwards, they lingered over light refreshments, the gentle warmth of the sun and the serenity of her new life seeping into Soojin's heart.
For the first time in a long while, she felt that she didn't have to chase life — life was balanced, steady, and waiting for her to step into it fully. And in that weekend, with Kyungmi and Mrs. Park by her side, she realized that stability could be joyous, simple, and profoundly satisfying.
Soojin leaned back, a gentle smile tugging at her lips, watching the sunlight dance across the café table, and thought to herself, "Now I have this job. Even if my parents don't fully understand, with the stability, benefits, and steady growth it offers—and with Min Hyun's support and experience beside me—we can truly build a life that's secure, fulfilling, and happy. I am certain of it."
"Between cake crumbs and cheerful chatter, she understood that stability could be joyful—and perhaps, just perhaps, her real story was only starting now."