Episode 11. It’s Not My Fault You Fell Flat on Your Face 4.
As soon as Kim Byeongjun entered the office, he called Mancheon Food Distribution.
He judged that Jin Seonghun, who knew little about the meal service operations industry, would have needed Mancheon Food Distribution’s help to find a company in such a short time.
As expected, Kim Byeongjun’s judgment had not been wrong.
They said Jin Seonghun had come directly to Mancheon Food Distribution yesterday and asked them to recommend an experienced company of a suitable size.
The companies they had recommended totaled three.
Kim Byeongjun immediately called those three companies and, with remarkable skill, found out which one Jin Seonghun had colluded with.
“This is SHS. Could you tell me your business address?”
At that question, two companies were flustered, not knowing what it was about, and asked for the reason. One company, however, gave it to him as if it were nothing.
Of course, the company that gave it to him as if it were nothing was the one colluding with Jin Seonghun.
Just as he had even found out the company’s name, Yang Gyeonghun came inside the partition.
“Assistant Manager Kim, did you find anything out?”
“Yes, Team Leader. I think the company they colluded with is Dami Food. What do we do now?”
Just then, Song Gaeun cut in urgently.
“Team Leader, the Sales Team 11 leader just came in.”
Everyone shut their mouths, and Jin Seonghun came walking over leisurely with an approval folder in hand.
He raised the corners of his mouth, swept his gaze over Sales Team 9, and spoke as he walked past, as if making sure they heard.
“You told Mancheon Food Distribution to prepare the ingredient supply contract, right?”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“The company will be going through them, so tell them to be ready.”
“Yes, understood.”
When Jin Seonghun entered his own partition, Song Gaeun looked as if she were about to cry.
“What do we do? It looks like the department head approved it.”
Yang Gyeonghun clenched his molars and furrowed his brow.
“Fuck, I told him to wait a little…”
Kim Byeongjun opened his mouth.
“What should we do? Should we just blow it open and see?”
“And if we blow it open? Do we have evidence? They’ll deny everything, so we need to secure at least some evidence before we expose it.”
The atmosphere, which had heated up with the feeling that something might work out, cooled in an instant.
Hyeonu, who had been watching quietly, felt sorry for his team members.
The reason they were frustrated was because they did not know in detail what sort of trick Jin Seonghun had pulled.
When he had stormed into Sales Team 11 with Song Gaeun and provoked Jin Seonghun, the inner thought he had heard was this.
“The person eavesdropping would be one of your subordinates, Team Leader. I was simply worried and asking how someone who steals from others could possibly be competent.”
[Not competent? Heh, if that’s what you want to think, go right ahead. I’ve already arranged to receive a rebate of 3% of the profits every year from the intermediary company. Idiots, spend the rest of your lives clinging to other people’s coattails. That’s the life of losers like you.]
Three percent of the profits every year…
Because they did not know such specific details, they did not know how to approach the matter.
If he told them this, they would move in one smooth rush, but this much he could not say.
There was no way to explain it.
He could hardly say he had heard Jin Seonghun’s inner thoughts.
But this was something they could solve sufficiently even without stating that fact.
They were simply wavering, obsessed with something as trivial as evidence when the matter was already as good as settled.
Now was the time for him to step forward again.
“Um, Team Leader.”
“What?”
“If we secure evidence and expose it, wouldn’t Assistant Manager Kim’s proposal itself be thrown out?”
“What?”
Kim Byeongjun and Song Gaeun, who had their heads lowered, slowly raised them and looked at Hyeonu.
“If the corruption is revealed, the leader of Sales Team 11, the person in charge at SHS, and Dami Food will all be taken down, but Assistant Manager Kim’s proposal will be taken down at the same time. Once it becomes a problem, we won’t be able to do business with a company whose corruption has been exposed. That isn’t our original goal of getting Assistant Manager Kim’s proposal back.”
“So? Are you saying there’s a way to get Assistant Manager Kim’s proposal back when approval has already gone through?”
“I don’t know much about work matters, so I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I think I understand people’s psychology fairly well.”
Everyone listened closely to Hyeonu, as if he were about to say something.
“I watched a movie before, and there was a line like this.”
Song Gaeun asked in a hushed voice.
“What was it?”
“If you get caught colluding, you save yourself first.”
One of Yang Gyeonghun’s eyebrows slid upward.
“If you get caught colluding, you save yourself first?”
“Yes.”
“Go on.”
“If we tell the person in charge at SHS and the president of Dami Food that we know, it’s obvious how they’ll react, isn’t it?”
After hearing everything Hyeonu had to say, Yang Gyeonghun thought for a moment, then asked,
“What do you think, Assistant Manager Kim?”
“Is there even a need to ask me? It’s a plan that gets my proposal back and takes down Team Leader Jin and Assistant Manager Park together.”
“That’s true… But will those bastards really move along obediently the way we expect?”
“If what the newbie said is right—that if you get caught colluding, you save yourself first—then they will.”
“What do you think, Associate Song?”
Unlike Yang Gyeonghun, who was serious, Song Gaeun was cool about it.
“I think it’s a good plan. I already feel relieved just imagining the looks on those people’s faces when they’ve bitten into shit.”
Yang Gyeonghun lowered his head and worried for a moment, then raised it again and looked around at his team members.
“You know if this fails, our team is finished, right?”
“Even if it just ends like this, you’re already in danger in this performance review, Team Leader. It’s going all the way up to the president’s report.”
“Why are you worrying about me? After twenty years of corporate life, it’s practically retirement age anyway. But you guys are different, aren’t you? If this goes wrong, you could all get hurt…”
Kim Byeongjun cut off Yang Gyeonghun with an annoyed expression.
“Let’s just do it according to the newbie’s plan. If we back down like this after coming this far, we’ll get hit with such a reality check that we won’t be able to work properly either, you know?”
Song Gaeun chimed in as well.
“That’s right, Team Leader. If I have to look at Assistant Manager Park’s smug face, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep coming to work either. Let’s just try it, okay?”
“…”
Yang Gyeonghun slowly looked around at his team members.
Kim Byeongjun, looking indifferent; Song Gaeun, who seemed confident instead; and Hyeonu, expressionless.
‘Fuck… What is this? Am I the only one who got scared?’
“Damn it, let’s do it. We’ll do it. That’s all there is to it, isn’t it?”
Hyeonu’s face was expressionless, but inwardly, he gave a faint laugh.
Because they had spent far too much time worrying over something they obviously had to do.
But it was not bad.
After all, the reason for that worry was his altruism toward his team members.
The team leader worried that his team members might get hurt, and the team members tried to protect their team leader.
He had felt it yesterday too, but this was quite a likable team.
* * *
Yang Gyeonghun opened the door to the Sales Division 3 department head’s office.
“You don’t knock?”
Only then did he knock on the open door.
Knock, knock, knock.
“You really never listen.”
“Isn’t the same true for you, Department Head?”
“Am I in a position where I have to listen to you, you bastard?”
“Still, if I said that much, you should’ve figured there was something to it and listened a little.”
“What something?”
As if telling a secret, Yang Gyeonghun narrowed his eyes and covered his mouth with his hand as he spoke.
“That bastard Jin Seonghun seems to be doing some business on the side.”
“What?”
“Isn’t it strange?”
“That he decided to supply ingredients to the subcontractor? Team Leader Jin introduced the company, and…”
“No, Jin Seonghun’s attitude. That bastard has been walking around smiling all day. Even though his proposal got cut in half. Is he the kind of guy who would do that?”
Kim Inseop had also found that a little strange.
It might have been unavoidable, but considering his proposal had gone awry, he had seemed far too relaxed.
“…Do you have evidence?”
“I’ll bring it to you. But you need to help me a bit, Department Head.”
“How?”
“In about twenty minutes, I’ll call you. When I do, call that bastard in and keep him with you for just twenty minutes.”
“Why?”
“So he can’t pull anything else. You can do that, right?”
“······Is there really something there?”
“I told you, there is.”
“······If you can’t bring anything back, you’re dead.”
Yang Gyeonghun let out a short laugh.
It was because he was already prepared to die.
“I’ll die for you, then. Isn’t office life something you stake your life on, after all?”
* * *
Yang Gyeonghun entered the Mancheon Food Distribution office.
Department Head Jeong Sucheol, who had assisted with Kim Byeongjun’s proposal, acknowledged him.
He was the de facto person in charge at Mancheon Food Distribution.
“Welcome, Team Leader Yang.”
“Hello, Department Head.”
“What brings you here without any notice?”
“I came because of Assistant Manager Kim’s proposal.”
Jeong Sucheol made a flustered expression.
“That is, uh······ Sales Team 11 suddenly barged in······.”
“I know. They haven’t come from Dami Food yet, right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. They should be here soon. But why from Sales Team 9? I understood this matter was being pushed by Sales Team 11.”
“That’s, well, um······ There’s a somewhat complicated story behind it, so could we talk in your office?”
“Let’s do that.”
Just then, a phone rang.
“One moment. Ah, Assistant Manager Kim. (······) Got it. (······) I’ve arrived too. Good work.”
Yang Gyeonghun ended the call and immediately made another.
“It’s me, Department Head. You can call Team Leader Jin now.”
* * *
SHS Holdings Administrative Support Office······.
Kim Yeongho, head of the Administrative Support Office, was busy.
The media reports on the company cafeteria food poisoning incident had died down somewhat, but there was more than one or two things he had to deal with.
He was so busy he could barely keep his head straight, but his mind was continually uneasy.
The money that would come in annually—300 million won—through the contract with Dami Food.
He could finally buy the luxury imported SUV he’d wanted so badly, and if he added the money he’d saved to a loan, he could buy a rural house with a fairly large garden to spend his retirement.
Just thinking about it made him grin from ear to ear.
But on the other hand, he was also trembling.
What if he got caught?
If he got caught taking a cut, he’d obviously be fired and end up in jail······.
Still, it was worth trying.
High risk, high return.
High expectations always came with danger.
There was no need to overthink it.
He just had to meticulously handle what was right in front of him, carefully tying up every loose end so he wouldn’t get caught.
Just then, he heard a female employee calling him.
“Director.”
He turned his gaze, and she asked.
“It’s an Assistant Manager Kim Byeongjun from Sales Team 9 at Mancheon Trading.”
Mancheon Trading, Sales Team 9?
Hadn’t Jin Seonghun said Sales Team 11?
He didn’t know what was going on, but he had to take the call.
Since it might be related to that matter.
“Put him through.”
“Yes, Director.”
As soon as the line rang, he picked up.
“Yes, this is Kim Yeongho.”
[Hello, Director. This is Assistant Manager Kim Byeongjun from Sales Team 9, Mancheon Trading.]
“What is this regarding?”
[I’m calling regarding the company cafeteria matter.]
“I was under the impression that matter was already settled.”
[Settled? It’s only just begun.]
“No, someone from your side came by yesterday······.”
[Team Leader Jin Seonghun? He’s in the audit office right now.]
For a moment, he thought his heart would leap out of his mouth.
“Wh-what do you mean by that······.”
[He’s being investigated after getting caught on the Dami Food matter.]
Wh-what? He got caught?
Suddenly dizzy, he nearly dropped the receiver.
But something was strange.
If there was something to ask, it should obviously be the audit office, so why someone from the same sales team?
As this doubt crossed his mind, the voice came through the receiver again.
[It’s not official yet, so I’d like to meet before it becomes so.]
“Pardon?”
[I’m at a cafe called Angel Bene in front of the company right now. Please come immediately. Before it’s too late.]
*Click.*
“H-hello? Hello!”
*Brrr. Brrr. Brrr. Brrr.*
The call disconnected.
His head went blank; he couldn’t think of anything.
He tried to regain his composure but couldn’t escape the panic.
He ran to the water cooler and gulped cold water.
“Hah, hah, hah, hah······.”
What do I do? What do I do? What do I······.
First things first, he had to check with Jin Seonghun.
* * *
“Our kid is in the Philippines. So our family went to the Philippines every vacation. But after going a few times, there was nothing left to see. It was all the same. So this time, I’m thinking of calling the kid back······.”
Jin Seonghun was listening to Sales Department 3 Head Kim Inseop’s story with a languid face.
He didn’t know why he’d been called out suddenly to listen to such pointless babbling.
Had something good happened?
He was listening with one ear and letting it out the other when the phone in his pocket vibrated.
It was Kim Yeongho from SHS Holdings.
Since it was awkward to take the call right now, he switched it to silent.
“Who is it?”
“A spam call.”
“Keh, spam calls are a real problem these days. They come at all hours; it’s driving me crazy.”
“······.”
“Where was I just now?”
“You said you were going to call your son back to Korea for vacation······.”
“Haha, yes, yes. That kid, you see. This time his grades······.”
“Excuse me, Department Head. I need to use the restroom for a moment.”
“The restroom? Was my story too tedious?”
“No. I really need to go.”
“Really? Then go ahead. I called you because I have something to discuss, so let’s talk about it when you get back.”
“Yes, Department Head.”
As Jin Seonghun got up and started walking away, Kim Inseop called out.
“Team Leader Jin.”
“Yes, Department Head.”
“Let’s go together. I need to piss, too.”
“······.”