Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: The Scout Proposal
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"No, Deputy Manager. What are you talking about?"
Noh Se-hee swallowed her boiling frustration and forced the words out.
"We made it clear from the start. This project carries huge risks, and no matter who takes it on, it could fall apart at any moment..."
"Manager Noh. Does anyone not know that?"
The deputy manager cut her off sharply.
"That's exactly why I handed it to you. Didn't you say you'd give it a shot?"
Noh Se-hee felt the retort rise to her throat: *'When did I ever say that? You dumped it on our team without asking.'*
She clenched her fists and bit her lip hard. The rage clouding her mind began to cool slightly.
*It's hopeless. He has no intention of listening.*
Noh Se-hee coldly assessed the situation.
The project had come down from above out of nowhere. After bouncing around various departments, it landed on the sales team due to the deputy manager's ambition to impress the higher-ups.
And among them, her Sales Team 3 had been saddled with it almost by force.
There was a reason other departments had shied away.
In Noh Se-hee's eyes, this was a project doomed to fail. It was a hollow balloon, puffed up with grandiose words and the bosses' greed, devoid of any real substance.
*But we've managed to cobble it together so far, adjusting schedules and negotiating somehow!*
That feeling of knowing the end but having no choice but to run toward it anyway.
She'd racked her brains every night, piecing it together like a patchwork quilt.
And now?
"Hey, forget all that! Isn't the most important thing in this company results? Manager Noh, you're the one in charge of this project. Do you even realize how much damage you've caused the company?!"
The deputy manager bellowed unnecessarily.
"Why do you think there's a person in charge? Because they have to take responsibility!"
"......"
"Anyway, just know that! Do you have any idea how disappointed the executive director is over this project's failure?"
"......"
"It's not just you. Your team has tarnished Hyunmu's name too! So don't expect that promotion this time."
The deputy manager waved his hand dismissively, signaling her to leave.
Noh Se-hee stood frozen, staring down at him. He flinched for no reason and abruptly turned his head away.
Noh Se-hee let out a thin breath, then slowly closed and opened her eyes.
"Understood."
"Ahem. About time you got the message."
"Deputy Manager. Thank you for everything."
"Uh, yeah. You can head back no— What?"
The deputy manager's eyes widened as he lifted his head. Noh Se-hee pulled a white envelope from her pocket.
Neat handwriting boldly proclaimed "Resignation Letter" on the front. The very one every office worker supposedly keeps tucked in a corner of their heart.
"I'm resigning."
*Clink.* The sound of glasses touching mingled with the sizzle of grilling meat.
"Argh!"
"Manager! This meat is perfect right now. Dig in!"
"Thanks, Park."
Noh Se-hee stared at the piece of meat on the small plate in front of her, then suddenly looked up.
"And who's a manager? Didn't I just say I'm quitting?"
She tossed it out casually, meaning they didn't need to worry about it since everyone was trying so hard to act cheerful.
But her team members gazed at her with faces on the verge of tears.
"Don't say that!"
"Exactly! Whenever Sales Team 3 got beaten down out there and pushed around, who always had our backs? It was you, Manager!"
"Once a manager, always a manager!"
"Cut the nonsense. What's the point of sticking with a manager on their way out? You'll just get on the deputy manager's bad side."
Noh Se-hee chuckled softly and popped a piece of meat into her mouth.
"You all had your names on this project too, so I'm not sure you can completely dodge the blame."
"Hah!"
Park slammed his glass down, his face flushed red. Silence fell over the table in an instant.
"Manager. Isn't that going too far?"
"Easy, Park. You're drunk."
"No. How could the deputy manager say that to us? Sure, office politics is nothing new, but this time he really crossed the line."
"Right!"
"Preach!"
"I'm sick of Sales Team 3 being treated like a headache! And I don't welcome some other manager replacing you either!"
"You tell him, Park!"
As the other team members cheered him on, Park raised his voice even louder.
"And so~! I want to go wherever you go, Manager Nooo!"
"Right... Huh?"
Even those chiming in froze in surprise, staring at Park.
Noh Se-hee looked at him, still holding her glass.
"Hey, hey. You're drunk. What are you saying?"
"Don't stop me! Manager No, you're so capable. You've probably gotten headhunting offers from elsewhere. I can't stand Hyunmu anymore—it's filthy and petty."
As Park poured out his heartfelt rant, even those trying to stop him hesitated.
"Manager No, I'm quitting Hyunmu and coming with you toooo!"
"Me too! Me too!"
"Ah, whatever. Count me in!"
As her team erupted in chaos, Noh Se-hee chuckled and set down her glass.
It was just drunken talk, but seeing them ready to follow her like this made her feel the past years hadn't been in vain.
"Sorry, Park, but you're wrong. I haven't gotten any headhunting offers right now..."
It was right then.
"That headhunting offer... How about I make it?"
"That headhunting offer... How about I make it?"
I cut in abruptly, and Noh Se-hee startled, turning her head. She tilted her head quizzically at my face.
Hmm. She looks about fresh out of college, so it's no wonder.
"Who might you be?"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Song Woo-yeon."
I introduced myself and handed out my business cards all around. Seeing their familiar faces brought back a flood of memories. They all look so young back then.
"The Song's CEO...?"
Noh Se-hee murmured the words on the card. She probably had no idea what The Song even was right now.
"The Song?"
"What's that?"
"One of our clients? Never heard of it."
"Me neither."
The team buzzed among themselves. Noh Se-hee turned back toward me without joining in.
"This is a private gathering. I don't know how you found us, but please leave."
How did I find you?
*'You told me.'*
*-After getting fired from Hyunmu, I was so lost...*
I pictured her from a time when her wrinkles were deeper, flecks of gray starting to appear in her hair.
In a dimly lit bar under yellowish lights, over glasses of some unnamed whiskey, we'd shared that conversation.
*-I barely managed to stop my team from all quitting with me. Told them to hang on there. I still remember it vividly. Down the alley behind Hyunmu, there's a place selling gull meat. Nothing fancy—just a shabby sign reading 'Gull Wing Chicken' or something. With a si-ot at the end.*
Thanks to that, I found it easily.
*-You struggled on your own for about five years, bouncing around... until you met our President Song.*
*-I should've brought you on sooner. I'm not one to dwell on regrets, but that's my biggest one!*
*-Haha! Yeah, if we'd met President Song back then, I would've dragged the whole team over right away.*
Noh Se-hee toyed with her whiskey glass, eyes cast down.
*-One by one... You worked hard pulling my people out of Hyunmu. I know you went to bat for us, even on their terms.*
*-No big deal. Snagging talent feels good for me. But collaborating with Hyunmu this time is awkward—their HR folks are all here. Haha.*
*-......Yeah.*
*-Come on, shake off the past and fly free from now on. Cheers! Cheers~!*
She'd smiled faintly as our glasses clinked awkwardly.
She'd seemed like she had something to say. But it probably wasn't good news, and I didn't want to see her face fall even more, so I let it drop.
Maybe sensing my intent, Noh Se-hee just tilted her glass without another word.
Now, I wanted to ask.
*'What were you going to say back then?'*
To the you from a past I can't reach.
"I want to take a break from work for a while."
The current Noh Se-hee was rejecting me outright.
She looked much younger than in my memories, but she was just as sharp even now.
If Jo Yi-ruk was the one putting brakes on me, Noh Se-hee was the one letting me safely hit the accelerator.
She was like lubricant oil, smoothing the gaps between tasks.
When I came up with a brilliant idea and charged ahead recklessly, she'd follow, cleaning up the path so I wouldn't get lost.
Noh Se-hee.
You're perfect to sort out this chaotic time and lead us forward.
Her cool profile looked like an impregnable fortress. No words seemed able to pierce it. But I can cheat.
I have a hint from the future you.
"Wherever you go, you'll be at the mercy of superiors, saddled with work you never wanted."
"......"
"Don't you want to work freely?"
Noh Se-hee flinched at my words.
Just as I thought.
"You plan and execute your own projects. No peeking over your shoulder at other departments, no groveling for collaborations, no pointless reports or procedures."
"......"
"How about it? Starting to get interested?"
Noh Se-hee looked at me with wavering eyes.
It must be a sweet temptation. Fresh off being tossed around by the bosses and quitting.
The Song is small, but that means freedom. Nothing could be more precious to Noh Se-hee than that.
*'This time, I'm not too late.'*
I'll keep the promise we made too.
"And it looks like the rest of you are thinking of jumping ship too..."
I glanced over the other team members. They startled at the sudden turn, averting their eyes as they held their breath.
"We're hiring right now, and it matches perfectly. Ideally, come as a group."
"Whoa, really?!"
"Does that mean we can keep Sales Team 3 intact?!"
Before anyone could stop him, Park—face beet red—shot to his feet and shouted.
"I'm in!"
That's right—a keeper!