The three having finished the last schedule climbed into the minivan.
"Candidate, Assemblyman. Thank you for your hard work."
"Ah, yes. Jihun, you've worked hard too."
Gang Seungtae, buried in the vehicle's seat, replied to Jihun's greeting.
Jeong Hyeonseok, seated in the back, gazed at Jihun through the rearview mirror as though fascinated by something, then opened his mouth.
"Hey, have you ever worked on an election campaign before?"
At Jeong Hyeonseok's words, Jihun ran all sorts of thoughts through his head about what answer he should give, but when nothing came to mind, he decided to improvise.
"No, it's my first time."
"Dealing with old folks is no easy task, but for a first-timer, you did well..."
"Ah, I grew up in the countryside, so I'm used to dealing with elders."
Jihun said so and gauged Jeong Hyeonseok's reaction. Upon hearing the answer, Jeong Hyeonseok stared out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
**
In the meeting room of Candidate Jeong Hyeonseok's office, key figures of the camp, including Gang Seungtae, had gathered for a meeting.
While listening to a recent approval rating survey, Jeong Hyeonseok looked at Jihun, who was outside grappling with a computer, and asked Bak Jumi,
"Chief Bak, how is he?"
Bak Jumi looked to where Jeong Hyeonseok's gaze was pointed and answered his question.
"He's polite and surprisingly sharp. He's even started managing the candidate's SNS."
"What's SNS?"
"Uh, well, if you think of it as posting news about the candidate on the internet..."
"Ah, like a minihomepage?"
"Yes..."
Bak Jumi was exasperated by Jeong Hyeonseok's ignorance but went along with what he said.
"Give that guy some real work in the camp. We can just call Father's driver for the driving."
"Candidate, do you like him?"
Gang Seungtae asked back, surprised by Jeong Hyeonseok's words.
Jeong Hyeonseok turned his gaze to Gang Seungtae.
"I've taken him around for a month, and he's got sense, just like Chief Bak said. He deals politely with the old folks, and he takes me to spots with unbelievable crowds."
"Yes, I've felt that recently too. Strangely, whenever he took the lead, it would be a place where people were gathered."
"Right, that's what I'm saying. He's also quick-witted when dealing with reporters. When those pen-wielding bastards try to ask weird questions, he steps in and cuts them off. Give him a position and let him try handling something."
Everyone was puzzled by Jeong Hyeonseok's words, but those attending the meeting knew better than anyone that once Jeong Hyeonseok decided something, it rarely changed. So they said nothing and simply nodded.
**
'Let's see, followers... Oh! I hit 100!'
After returning from the campaign rally, Jihun had been intermittently editing photos and uploading them to a Twitter account made in Jeong Hyeonseok's name.
Before his regression, Twitter had been a place to follow the political currents of the world. From the President of the United States to the presidents of various countries, they had tweeted their thoughts. But in Korea in 2008, its market share was low.
'In a few years, advisory firms that manage Twitter on behalf of others will appear...'
By starting Twitter quickly, Jihun wanted to highlight that Jeong Hyeonseok was a young candidate who adapted rapidly to new trends.
And finally, today he had achieved 100 followers. The small wish he had when he started—to reach just 100 followers—had come true.
'Let's see, 14 mention notifications, 40 retweets, keuheu...'
@Candidate, I saw you in front of Dangyang University today. Thank you for the good words. Please win the election!
@Candidate, I saw you campaigning on the street, and you look so likable! Jeong Hyeonseok, fighting!
@All this time, Dangyang's National Assembly candidates have all been old, so it was underwhelming, but it's nice to see a young candidate!
@Tsk tsk.. Look at this guy with no political experience putting on airs about doing politics
The overall reactions were overflowing with goodwill, but here and there, a few malicious comments were visible.
This much was ordinary. Once elected and his name started appearing in the news, people with different ideologies would attack him with mentions.
He had experienced that sight several times while working as Jo Jaeman's aide.
Jihun sorted out only the good reactions, captured them, and printed them. And just as he saw Jeong Hyeonseok about to leave for campaigning, he tried to follow.
"Hey, don't follow me."
As Jihun was making an ironic expression at Jeong Hyeonseok telling him not to follow out of nowhere, Gang Seungtae spoke with a smile.
"Jihun, stop escorting the candidate and try taking charge of the publicity team for once. We've been unable to even treat the reporters properly because we're short on people. You seem quick-witted, so you'll probably do well. Give it a try."
Jihun cleared his doubts at Gang Seungtae's words and once again bent his head at a 90-degree angle as he answered.
"Yes! Understood. I will work hard."
"Bastard, is your waist a folder?"
Toward Jeong Hyeonseok, who was smiling at him, Jihun handed over the bundle of printed papers.
"What's this?"
"These are messages from people supporting the candidate. If you read them, you'll be able to start the morning campaign in a good mood."
"Really?"
As Jihun gauged Jeong Hyeonseok's reaction, Jeong Hyeonseok wore his characteristically arrogant expression as he looked over the papers.
"There are this many? You didn't make these up, did you?"
"No! Recently, your image on the internet is quite good. With your likable appearance and your youth..."
"Haha, right, I'm better than that old man Go Pipseung."
Jihun looked at the smiling Jeong Hyeonseok and thought,
'Yes, he may be ignorant about politics, but he's a different breed from people like Jo Jaeman.'
Jeong Hyeonseok had no political sense and was childish like a rich family's young master. But he thoroughly distinguished between what he shouldn't do and what he should.
In a way, he was the type of person who often heard, "He's a good kid, but..."
After seeing Jeong Hyeonseok off like that, Jihun approached Bak Jumi.
"Chief Bak, what should I start with?"
"Thanks to you, my workload will decrease a bit. Sit here and answer the phones, respond to reporters' questions. Ah, and occasionally when local papers send question sheets, just answer the pledges in writing."
Jihun was confident. Even when he first sought out Jo Jaeman, he had been in charge of publicity.
"Yes. Understood. I will work hard."
"Good, I've been worried because our office lacks smart people these days, but watching you puts my mind at ease. Keep managing that SNS diligently too."
Answering Bak Jumi, Jihun sat down and recalled what he had organized in advance, then began writing down the thoughts he had prepared regarding Dangyang County.
'Was it 2012... or 2013 when it gets promoted to a city...'
Dangyang County had too large a population for a county and was connected to Gyeonggi-do by a tidal embankment, so it was emerging as a new industrial area in place of saturated Gyeonggi-do.
Last year, several steel mills had moved their bases to Dangyang, and factories were currently being built in an industrial complex. Its population would increase further, and it would be promoted to a city.
'It would be good to throw out preemptive pledges to prepare in advance... but how do I explain this...'
While worrying about how to convey it, Jihun wrote down the things Dangyang County needed and the pledges corresponding to them.
Jihun printed the completed document file and approached Bak Jumi.
"Excuse me, Chief, is there a policy officer in the camp?"
At Jihun's question, Bak Jumi rolled her eyes upward as if thinking.
"Policy? Why?"
"No, there's something I'd like to ask."
"We don't have a separate person in charge of policy in our camp; Assemblyman Gang handles it all."
Having heard that answer, Jihun returned to his seat.
'I've been running around outside for the past month, so I had overlooked that this camp is a complete amateur group.'
Jihun was displeased. A rookie candidate with no political sense, and a former county assemblyman shouldering all the overall work as a camp administrator.
The strategy Jihun had grasped over the past month was simply that Jeong Hyeonseok was the son of a local notable; there was no one who didn't know who his father was.
However, he thought Bak Jumi, sitting next to him, was a capable person. The reason this camp was running at all was thanks to that chief.
From odd jobs to publicity before Jihun took it over today, to entertaining people who visited the office, to accounting—she was covering every aspect alone.
'What kind of person was she?'
Jihun knew that Bak Jumi would soon follow Jeong Hyeonseok to the National Assembly.
He had met her several times at conservative party secretary and aide gatherings, and had frequently run into her at party conventions. But having experienced her abilities, she was more versatile than he thought, and he had begun to grow curious.
Jihun glanced at Bak Jumi's face, reading her expression with the art of gauging moods that he had honed for 13 years.
'She looks like she's in a good mood... Should I ask...?'
"Chief Bak, may I ask you something?"
Without giving a definite answer, Bak Jumi looked at Jihun.
"What did you do before coming to the camp? How did you end up here..."
"Why are you curious about that?"
"I mean, the camp wouldn't run without Chief Bak, would it? You're incredibly capable..."
Jihun asked what he was curious about while gauging Bak Jumi's mood with his characteristic flattery.
"I worked under the candidate's father, the Chairman."
"Ah, you were a secretary."
"Not a secretary, just... managing his assets?"
"Ah, then... an accounting major..."
"Yes, yes, it's true I majored in accounting. You seem very curious?"
Bak Jumi spoke to Jihun with an interested expression; Jihun tried to end the conversation by waving his hands, saying he wasn't curious about anything else.
"I have something I'm curious about you, too... How did you know to find your way here?"
"As I told you before..."
"No, if you look at the candidate, you'll know he's not the kind of person you described. You could have run away, so why are you working so hard here?"
At Bak Jumi's persistent questioning, as if she had to know, Jihun began to rack his brain.
Though he wished she would lose some interest, Bak Jumi continued to look at him.
"I want to succeed."
"Success?"
"Yes, my dream is to make a president. Since I can't be one myself, I support someone else from beneath..."
"And that's our candidate?"
"It wasn't like that from the start; I just looked mainly for young candidates. As you know..."
"Right, seasoned veterans in this field have their own organizations, so our candidate must have looked easy."
"Easy..."
At Bak Jumi's words, Jihun jumped up from his chair as if surprised and waved his hands in denial.
"You, because of you today, my work that was 140 out of 100 decreased to 80 thanks to you, so I'm telling you this because I'm in a good mood."
Having heard the reason Bak Jumi was in a good mood today, Jihun waited for what came next.
"Our candidate is a picky person when choosing his people."
"Huh? Picky?"
"Yes. He likes people who have abilities he lacks. And once he's sure someone is his person, he gives them everything. You know? That type of person."
The moment he heard that, Jihun recalled the figure of Jeong Hyeonseok from before his regression, who had entrusted everything to Jo Hyeonlyong.
"The candidate telling you today to try working in an office position means you passed the first test."
"The first test?"
"Yes, he made up his mind after seeing you work while taking you around; now he'll test you by watching you work here. If you do well here, you become Jeong Hyeonseok's person, so do your best."
"How could I..."
"Hey, why are you acting like a sly fox? You don't need to do that in front of me. More than half the people in this camp don't even properly grasp their own work. So if you have the chance, take the fruit. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes, I understand. Thank you for the advice."
Jihun answered Bak Jumi briefly and fell into thought again.
'Fruit... fruit... Right, even if I can't eat it, I should covet it. I'll stop acting while watching others' moods and just focus on catching Jeong Hyeonseok's eye, since I've already made up my mind.'
Jihun made that resolution and began reviewing the materials he had prepared.
< 004. Jeong Hyeonseok's Camp (2) > End
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