Chapter 90
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Resignation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning, Choi Seok-il arrived at the office with a resolute expression on his face and quietly submitted his letter of resignation.
His boss, Team Leader Kim, couldn't hide his panic upon receiving Seok-il's resignation without any prior notice.
"Come on, Seok-il. How can you just quit out of the blue like this? What about the streamers you're managing?"
Team Leader Kim tried to persuade him in a hurried voice, but Seok-il responded with a calm expression, as if his mind was already made up.
"Jin-su, who just got promoted, can take over. And we've hired quite a few newbies lately, right?"
Team Leader Kim stared at him in disbelief.
"Seok-il, those new hires are all total rookies to this industry. You'd have to train them one by one as their senior! How's the company supposed to function without you right away? Is there... something that upset you?"
At those words, Seok-il replied coolly in a quiet voice.
"Upset? Yeah, there were plenty of things. But what's the point of talking about it now? It's all in the past anyway. I'm quitting, so just process it."
Team Leader Kim felt frustrated.
In truth, no one in the company had as much expertise and experience in streamer management as Seok-il.
As the company grew, the new hires were mostly from entertainment agency management backgrounds, but the streamer industry was fundamentally different from the entertainment world.
It was clear the company would take a major hit if Seok-il left suddenly.
Team Leader Kim quickly continued.
"Seok-il, hold on a sec. Even if you're quitting, you should at least say goodbye to the president. There's the severance pay to sort out too. Just wait a moment."
Seok-il nodded indifferently, showing no emotion.
"Got it."
Team Leader Kim clutched the resignation letter and rushed to the president's office.
"President!"
The door flew open as Team Leader Kim burst in.
The president looked up from his documents with a puzzled expression.
"Team Leader Kim, what's going on?"
Gasping for breath, Team Leader Kim shouted urgently.
"Big trouble! Seok-il just turned in his resignation!"
The president's face hardened instantly.
He asked again, unable to hide his shock and confusion.
"What? Seok-il did?"
The president's mind raced.
In fact, Seok-il had been with the company from the very beginning, working day and night to help it grow into what it was today—a key contributor.
The president knew better than anyone that the company's current success was thanks to Seok-il's efforts in recruiting and managing streamers.
For a moment, the president wondered if he'd been neglecting Seok-il too much.
'Has Seok-il been feeling resentful all this time...'
The president stood up, moved to the sofa by the central table in the office, and instructed Team Leader Kim as he sat down on the plush cushions.
"Bring Seok-il here."
"Yes, sir! I'll get him right away."
As Team Leader Kim hurried out, the president personally brewed some coffee and waited calmly for Seok-il.
A knock came soon after, and the president said,
"Come in."
The door opened cautiously, and Seok-il entered.
The president gestured to the sofa.
"Seok-il, have a seat first."
"Yes."
Seok-il sat down on the sofa with a stoic expression. The leather seat felt luxuriously soft the moment he sank into it. He thought to himself, 'Fancy stuff.'
The president spoke quietly.
"I heard. You're really planning to resign?"
Seok-il answered firmly without hesitation.
"Yes, President. I am."
The president looked at him regretfully and spoke carefully.
"Seok-il, the company didn't appreciate you enough, did it? If you just hold on a bit longer, you could get promoted... You really want to leave like this?"
Seok-il gave a bitter smile as he listened.
"President, I've been hearing that same line every year for several years now. There's no more love or passion left for this company. So please, just process my resignation."
The president's words failed him at Seok-il's cold, composed demeanor.
After a pause, he asked cautiously,
"Is this... because of Jin-su?"
"........."
Seok-il pressed his lips together tightly.
The silence was affirmation, and the president knew it.
He let out a deep sigh of frustration.
"Ha... Yeah. I get why you'd feel resentful..."
Jin-su had joined the company two years after Seok-il and was far inferior in competence.
But because he was the president's cousin's son, he'd been parachuted in and even outranked Seok-il.
And perhaps because of that, Jin-su often acted arrogantly at the office, subtly belittling Seok-il using his position.
The president was already aware of it, so he had nothing more to say to Seok-il.
A heavy silence filled the awkward atmosphere between them.
"Seok-il, what if... we raise your salary? Would you stay then?"
The president played his final card, cautiously but earnestly. Desperation showed on his face.
From his perspective, Seok-il's departure would leave a huge gap in operations.
Finding someone to handle Seok-il's workload immediately wouldn't be easy.
The president figured 50 million won might change his mind. That equated to over 4 million won a month—far more than Jin-su or most team leaders made. He was confident Seok-il would be satisfied.
Seok-il pretended to think it over.
"Well... I'd at least like to hear what figure you have in mind."
The president's face lit up with hope.
"Hmm... How about 50 million in annual salary? That's way more than Jin-su, and above the other team leaders for sure. I've thought about it a lot."
He proposed it confidently.
But Seok-il just smirked.
"President."
Seok-il met the president's eyes steadily and spoke calmly.
"Just settle my severance cleanly, please. Considering all the time we've worked together, I'm asking you to handle it properly."
The president's voice caught in his throat at Seok-il's even tone.
He realized no more words would sway him.
With a deep sigh, the president said,
"Sigh... Alright. Your heart's completely gone from here. Fine, I'll handle the severance properly. You can go now."
Seok-il stood, bowed deeply to the president.
"President... no, hyung. I've learned a lot from you all these years."
At Seok-il's words, the president nodded, unable to hide his mixed emotions.
"Yeah, I fell short. I believe you'll do great wherever you go. You worked hard."
Seok-il left the president's office calmly.
Back at his desk, he packed his things and exchanged brief goodbyes with his colleagues.
They all looked regretful, but knowing how firm his resolve was, they didn't try to stop him.
As he walked out of the company, Seok-il felt a mix of relief and bitterness.
Memories of the past three years— the hardships and achievements—flashed through his mind.
'Still, I learned a lot here... Now it's time to start fresh somewhere that truly values me.'
With that, Seok-il stepped toward his new life.
Jin-seong sat across from the executive director in the office, issuing instructions.
Until now, J.S Asset had focused on real estate rentals and investments in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, but with the new MCN venture, they decided establishing an office in Seoul—where most streamers congregated—made more sense than staying local.
Jin-seong flipped lightly through the documents on the table and said firmly,
"Director, we'll need space for streamers inside the MCN anyway. Why not just buy a building outright?"
The executive director cautiously objected.
"Chairman, it's a good idea, but MCN won't generate revenue right away. Considering the risk of failure, wouldn't it be safer to rent for two years and see how it goes?"
Jin-seong shook his head lightly, firmly countering.
"Director, property values in Seoul only go up over time. Better to buy a small three- or four-story building. Renting means moving again if we succeed later, which is a hassle."
The executive director still looked concerned.
"Hmm... Even so, I'm not sure about this business model's profitability..."
Jin-seong smiled confidently and spoke decisively.
"Director, I'll take full responsibility. Don't worry—just have the company buy a suitable property in Seoul and set it up nicely as our headquarters."
Unable to argue with his firm decision, the executive director accepted.
"Understood, Chairman. I'll send staff to Seoul immediately to find an appropriate building."
Only then did Jin-seong smile brightly.
"Yes, please take care of it. Oh, and I've already lined up an MCN director, so coordinate with him to flesh out the business plan."
The executive director nodded.
"Got it, Chairman."
Just then, the office door opened cautiously, and a man entered.
Looking a bit tense, he glanced around and asked carefully,
"Um... is this J.S Asset?"
Recognizing him, Jin-seong stood up immediately, approached with a bright smile.
"Ah! Hello. You're Seok-il, right? I'm Kim Jin-seong, the Coin King. Nice to meet you."
Jin-seong extended his hand with a welcoming expression, and Seok-il hurriedly shook it.
"Ah, yes! Nice to meet you. I'm Choi Seok-il. Looking forward to working with you."
The executive director, watching their awkward first meeting, smiled and gave Seok-il a brief bow.
Jin-seong gestured toward the conference room.
"Let's head to the conference room and talk details."
And so, Jin-seong, the executive director, and Seok-il moved to the conference room together.
For a new beginning ahead.