Episode 8. It’s Not My Fault You Fell Flat 1.
Jin Seonghun was sitting in a consultation room at SHS Holdings, waiting for the person in charge.
The person Jin Seonghun had originally contacted was the management team leader at SHS Shipbuilding.
But only a few hours later, someone else contacted him.
They said the operation of the company cafeterias would no longer be handled by each affiliate, but by SHS Holdings, the group’s holding company.
There was nothing bad about that.
If anything, it was an opportunity.
Because if he landed business with this one place, it would be the same as landing all the SHS affiliates.
A short while later, a man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, looking rather shabby but giving off a bureaucratic impression, entered the consultation room.
“Team Leader Jin Seonghun?”
“Ah, hello.”
“Good to meet you. Would you like some tea?”
“I’d appreciate a cup of coffee.”
“Just a moment.”
He went over to the desk where brewed coffee and various teas were laid out and poured two cups of coffee.
Jin Seonghun stood up, handed over his business card, and greeted him formally.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jin Seonghun.”
“Good to meet you. I’m Kim Yeongho.”
On the business card was written, “Kim Yeongho, Head of Management Support Office, SHS Holdings.”
As a head of office, he was in the position with the greatest practical influence among working-level personnel.
Somehow, he had to win him over.
There had to be more than one company approaching them with this situation in mind.
“You must be swamped.”
“It’s an emergency, basically.”
“I hope you manage to settle things quickly. As I mentioned briefly on the phone earlier······.”
“Uh, just a moment, Team Leader.”
Kim Yeongho cut him off and looked at him with his mouth slightly open.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ll be able to sign this contract with Mancheon.”
“Pardon?”
“I should have told you in advance, but I was only just notified as well. I sincerely apologize for making you come all this way for nothing.”
“May I ask what the reason is?”
“One of this year’s management goals is win-win management with small and medium-sized enterprises, and the higher-ups came down hard, asking how we could possibly do business with a major corporation even for something like operating company cafeterias.”
Jin Seonghun was flustered.
He had even stolen someone else’s proposal, and now this?
But there was nothing he could do.
He knew well that, by the nature of large corporations, working-level employees could not do anything about directives that came down from above.
If he had time, he might be able to think of a way, but this was not that kind of situation.
It was being covered heavily in the media, and since it was related to serving meals to employees, they would have to wrap it up as quickly as possible.
“I’m sorry, but then I’ll be going······.”
He was about to stand.
Was there really no way?
It was only a brief moment, but he thought desperately.
It was a proposal he had obtained after going so far as to curse it out with Yang Gyeonghun; he couldn’t just go back like this.
Just as Kim Yeongho lowered his head with an apologetic expression and was about to take a step, Jin Seonghun abruptly raised his head.
“Wait a moment, Head Kim.”
“······.”
“Could you tell me when the deadline is for deciding on a company?”
“Pardon? Hmm······ We have to finish it by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.”
“For this contract, you’re the one with practical decision-making authority, correct?”
“Well, that’s true, but why do you ask?”
“Then please spare me some time this evening.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking you as a favor.”
Kim Yeongho wondered whether there was any need to meet again, but since he felt sorry, he simply agreed.
And that day, Jin Seonghun had an extremely busy day.
* * *
The third day of work.
Hyeonu arrived at the office.
It was such a large office, but because it was so early, there were only three or four people inside.
He walked over to Sales Team 9, sat down, and immediately opened his TOEIC book.
After studying for quite a while, he felt something strange and raised his head.
At some point, Song Gaeun had arrived and was looking down over his shoulder.
She was even wearing heels, but because he had been so focused on studying, he hadn’t heard her footsteps.
“Oh! When did you get here?”
“Just now. You came to work early and were studying English?”
“I thought it would be good to at least get a TOEIC score.”
“Don’t say things like that carelessly. It wouldn’t be good if other people heard you don’t even have a TOEIC score.”
After what happened yesterday, Song Gaeun seemed to have completely become his ally.
In truth, if one thought about it, none of his team members had been hostile to him from the beginning.
Kim Byeongjun didn’t care about things like parachute hires at all, and Yang Gyeonghun and Song Gaeun had merely been wary, not hostile.
“You really seem to hold your liquor well. Even though you drank that much yesterday······.”
Everyone had drunk a lot yesterday.
“Is your stomach okay?”
“It’s not okay. My stomach’s queasy, and it feels like my head’s going to split.”
She flopped down into her chair, pressed her temples, and groaned.
“Ugh······. I’m never drinking again. I feel like I still smell of alcohol. Even though I changed into fresh clothes.”
The smell of alcohol wafted heavily out every time she spoke, yet she was blaming her clothes.
It was coming from her mouth······.
“Do you want a cup of coffee?”
“Yes. I think I need a strong cup. This foul smell keeps coming up.”
“······.”
When Hyeonu stood, Song Gaeun stood as well.
“Just sit there. I’ll make it for you.”
“It’s okay. Let’s go together.”
“I don’t want to. I’ll go by myself.”
You don’t want to?
Song Gaeun tilted her head, finding it strange that he said “I don’t want to” instead of just “No.”
As he walked toward the break room, he saw Yang Gyeonghun approaching with bloodshot eyes.
“Hello. Good morning, Team Leader.”
“Bad morning.”
He couldn’t tell if that meant it was bad because he’d drunk too much yesterday, or if it was a joke.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Are you on your way to make coffee?”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“Then get me one too. Make it strong.”
Holding three cups of warm coffee, he returned inside the partition of Sales Team 9.
In the meantime, Kim Byeongjun had also arrived at work.
“Good morning, Assistant Manager.”
“Bad morning.”
“Kheheh.”
“Keheheh.”
Yang Gyeonghun, who was drooping as if he were sitting in a sauna, and Song Gaeun, who had been collapsed over her desk groaning, snickered.
It seemed like a joke that wasn’t funny at all was funny to them.
When he handed out the coffee to each of them, Kim Byeongjun asked,
“Isn’t this the one you were going to drink?”
“I drank some earlier. I made this for you, Assistant Manager.”
“Oh, thank you. But did you come early again today and study English?”
“I just woke up early.”
“You’re seriously impressive. Even though you drank so much······.”
Song Gaeun chimed in.
“Right? I was surprised too when I saw him studying English this morning.”
The corners of Yang Gyeonghun’s mouth, as he slouched in his chair with his eyes gently closed, rose slightly.
It was because he remembered what Hyeonu had said yesterday.
“Actually, I’m a squid too, just like you, Team Leader. Believe it or not, I don’t have connections or power.”
The guy he had thought was nothing but the chairman’s parachute hire might really be a squid like himself.
* * *
When working hours began, Sales Team 9 worked as usual, as if nothing had happened.
They held meetings, made calls to companies, drew up documents, researched proposals······.
But not a single person mentioned what had been said at yesterday’s drinking party.
Everyone remembered, but they deliberately ignored it.
Something that wouldn’t change anything even if discussed. Just words spoken over drinks.
Because bringing it up would only make everyone feel worse for no reason.
In that hushed atmosphere, Hyeonu approached Song Gaeun.
“Supervisor Song.”
“Yes?”
“Will you come with me to Sales Team 11 for a moment?”
Song Gaeun’s deer-like eyes went round.
“Sales Team 11? Why there?”
“We have to go bark at them.”
With her round eyes, Song Gaeun glanced at Kim Byeongjun and Yang Gyeonghun.
Whether they had heard or not, both of them were looking at their monitors and working.
‘What is with this guy...? Wasn’t that over?’
As Song Gaeun hesitated, unsure what to do, Hyeonu spoke again.
“Yesterday, everyone on the team agreed we wouldn’t just let it slide.”
“Th-that’s true, but... why with me...”
“We’re going as the advance party to bark at them. It’d be a bit awkward if the team leader or assistant manager went.”
“......”
By this point, Yang Gyeonghun and Kim Byeongjun must have heard too, but they were still pretending they hadn’t noticed.
Seeing the two of them like that, Song Gaeun felt a strange surge of stubbornness and sprang to her feet.
“Fine. Let’s go. Whether we bark or bite, let’s give it a try.”
She really didn’t want to go, but she had done wrong, so she had no choice but to be pushed into it.
If she went and did something, then at least she would be paying for her mistake to some extent.
Once Hyeonu and Song Gaeun left like that, Kim Byeongjun spun his swivel chair around toward Yang Gyeonghun.
Of course, Kim Byeongjun had heard everything too.
He had considered stopping them, but since Yang Gyeonghun stayed still, he had simply kept quiet.
“Is it okay to just let those two go?”
“Let’s see what they do.”
“What if they cause trouble?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility.”
“Haa... Ever since the new hire came in, the team atmosphere has gotten really weird.”
Yang Gyeonghun chuckled.
“Right? The team atmosphere really is flowing in a strange direction.”
“Exactly. It’s like we’ve somehow become combative.”
“Combative?”
“Isn’t that right? Just look at them charging into Sales Team 11. Yesterday, you charged in alone and even cursed them out. And the new hire keeps saying terrifying things at drinking parties about mutts tearing out throats and whatnot.”
“Keke, now that you mention it, you’re right. Well, it’s not a bad atmosphere. This shitty company life where we only ever get pushed around... I’m starting to think we should’ve been like this a long time ago.”
A memory from eight years ago flashed through his mind: Jin Seonghun had stolen a major proposal from him, and he had been passed over for promotion.
And now that he was a team leader, one of his subordinates was suffering the exact same thing, yet he had been unable to do anything.
Because he simply couldn’t think of a way.
He had been sitting there with a heavy heart, not knowing what to do, when the new hire stepped forward.
“Honestly, I want to step in too, but I don’t have the nerve, so I’m just sitting here like this. You’re probably the same. But that guy is actually doing it. Good grief... Do you know how surprised I was inside when the new hire suddenly brought it up earlier? It does feel a bit wrong to send the kids out, but I just want to watch and see what happens. With the chairman and president backing him, he won’t end up like me, a grilled squid crushed so flat he can’t even move.”
“......”
Kim Byeongjun gave a faint laugh.
He felt the same way as Yang Gyeonghun.
The new hire, who was only on his third day, was oddly taking charge of the office atmosphere.
Just as Yang Gyeonghun had said, he simply wanted to see what the guy would do.
Even if something went wrong, the guy had backing.
Hyeonu and Song Gaeun walked side by side.
Song Gaeun whispered as if sharing a secret.
“What are you planning to do when we get there?”
“I’m going to poke them once, like yesterday.”
“How?”
“Ask Horsehead what happened with the SHS matter.”
“And after that?”
“We just come back. Like yesterday.”
“What?”
“I told you, we’re just giving them a little poke. This actually puts more subtle psychological pressure on them than you’d expect.”
“......Does it?”
Song Gaeun took it at face value, but it was a lie.
He had to talk to Horsehead in order to hear the guy’s inner thoughts, so he had assigned that task to Song Gaeun.
He did feel a little sorry to her, but in any case, this had happened because of her slip of the tongue, so he figured it was fine for her to handle at least this much.
Song Gaeun and Hyeonu stood in front of Sales Team 11, just like yesterday.
Only the team leader and Horsehead were there, whispering about something between themselves.
But for some reason, the atmosphere did not look very good.
He had thought they would be quite cheerful over the stolen proposal...
Just then, his eyes met Horsehead’s.
Horsehead’s gaze fixed on Song Gaeun, and his face twisted.
“What is it now?”
Song Gaeun output exactly what she had been input with, without preamble.
“What happened with the SHS matter?”
“What? Good grief... What are you going to do if you know?”
Perhaps because there had been no further input after that, she said something strangely.
“You can’t even tell us that?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“You stole our team’s proposal, so you can at least tell us that much.”
“Haa......”
It was a strange logic, close to throwing a tantrum.
But it worked.
“It’s so-so.”
“What do you mean, so-so?”
Horsehead burst out angrily.
“I mean it’s just so-so!”
At that moment, Hyeonu’s eyes deepened.
Because he had seen an amoeba-shaped mass of light.
What Horsehead’s amoeba-like mass of light said was this.
[Fuck, why does she keep asking and pissing me off? It really is just so-so! That bastard Team Leader Jin went to the meeting by himself and failed to win the company cafeteria operating contract. All he got was the food ingredients supply contract!]