The Memory of a Dream
"Wait, isn't this all a bit too early?"
"You need to start preparing now, General Manager."
"...? Right."
Eunbyul filed the documents, placed them on her newly acquired personal desk, and sat down to look at him.
"Not everyone in this world can like you, General Manager."
"..."
"That’s why you have to prepare quickly, starting now. Honestly, looking at the timing, I feel like you could have been promoted to Senior Managing Director already... I’m not sure why you haven't been."
Well, obviously, it’s because I keep refusing...
"But once you become a Senior Managing Director, and spend two more years there, you’ll be a Vice President by the time you're thirty-one. And before you turn forty, you’ll be the Chairman."
"On what... basis are you saying that?"
"It’s my guess. That’s usually how the succession process goes."
As the daughter of a conglomerate family, she knew a thing or two about these things, but she never let it show. It was fascinating that he still didn't know these facts.
"Anyway, so?"
"When you become Chairman, you need to be able to place your own people as heads of the right departments. Especially in a massive corporate group like Doowon, General Manager. Just think about it."
Eunbyul began to speak as if she had memorized the entire organizational chart. First, the Chief of Staff, the Chief of the Annex Office, and the Head of the Planning Office were the key positions. They were ranked 1st, 3rd, and 2nd, respectively. Following that, there was the Head of Business Management Control. She also mentioned that the Head of the CRM division was crucial.
"The CRM division, in particular, isn't in the top-tier rankings, but its influence is immense."
"That's true. It handles risk assessment for the entire group..."
"Yes, exactly! If you, General Manager, suggest starting a pharmaceutical business like Chairman Han did, but the CRM division blocks it by declaring it 'unmanageable risk,' there’s nothing you can do about it."
"You're right."
"Then, for that division head? You have to appoint someone who is both capable and close to you. Obviously."
CRM stands for Combine Risk Management. Any project of a certain scale conducted by the headquarters, all affiliates, subsidiaries, and even sub-subsidiaries must pass through here. Large-scale financial movements also require CRM approval. For example, suppose Seok Jong-hwan, President of Doowon Trading, donates 10 billion won to the Doowon Foundation under the corporate name. Even though it’s an internal transaction and wouldn't normally be a problem, it exceeds the 300 million won limit for donations, so it must be reviewed by CRM. Suppose Chairman Han Juwon selects personnel from DW Chemical to establish a new pharmaceutical company, Doowon Therapeutics, and the Trading, Electronics, Chemical, Life, and Fire Insurance companies each contribute 10% of the capital, while the holding company contributes 50%. Even in this case, even if the person implementing the project holds the title of Chairman, it’s impossible without CRM approval. That is why CRM forms one of the two pillars of power alongside the Finance Department. Even if the Finance Team approves a project, if CRM doesn't stamp it, it can't proceed; and even if CRM says it's fine, if the Finance Department shakes their head, it's impossible. It was a structure designed to spread power across various areas and force them to keep each other in check as the company aged.
"Come to think of it, the Head of the Finance Department is also important."
"Of course! You have to be the one to select all the C-level executives, General Manager."
"Hmm... Come to think of it, I can't just live my company life as if I'm playing around. I thought it would be good if I could just be friends with everyone..."
He had known that, but since Eunbyul joined as his secretary, those thoughts had started to weigh on him more and more. He wanted to believe in a structure where it was good to be friendly at work and achieve results while working as if it were play, but that was just a utopia—something that could only happen in a dream.
A dream... A dream?
"Eek!"
"Why... are you acting like that?"
Shit, fuck...
"Eu, Eunbyul, you... you...!"
"...? Wow, speaking informally all of a sudden? General Manager, if you do that, I’m going to start calling you 'Senior' at work too! Seriously!"
Secretary. The bathroom next to the office. A capable secretary, someone who was attending university, and a woman who waited until he got divorced...? He remembered a woman in his dream, her face obscured, speaking to him in a suit. A woman showing him a pregnancy test with two clear lines. Could it be Eunbyul?
'No, if that was a precognitive dream, then why... why would I be with her...?'
"General Manager, what’s wrong? Should I go buy you some medicine? The driver mentioned he went to the pharmacy this morning..."
"...."
"Or do you want to go to the hospital? You’ve had a hard time today..."
"Eunbyul."
He called her name in a low voice. Then, he asked a question that was slightly... missing a few screws.
"You, when... are you going to resign?"
—
"No, I’m telling you, I’m really fine."
"Go to the hospital quickly. Stop working!"
"No, really... It’s just that my dream was unsettling today, that’s all."
"The way you talk as if you want me to leave, this isn't General Manager Han Suhyun. It’s a ghost. Just yesterday, you were so... you even listened to my stories...!"
As he was being dragged toward the door, he suddenly became curious about something and asked.
"Wait. Eunbyul, you said you came into my house yesterday."
"Who did?"
"....."
He paused for a moment. How was he supposed to explain this 'female' to someone else? But his worry soon vanished. He assumed she knew he was divorced.
"....My ex-wife."
"Why would your ex-wife be at your house? She’s... your ex-wife!"
Seeing Eunbyul argue the moment he answered, he let out a deep sigh and said,
"Never mind that, circumstances were such that it couldn't be helped. So tell me quickly. Did you have any conversation with Seo Jia yesterday?"
"Didn't the person you call your ex-wife say anything?"
"No. That’s why I don't know. She didn't mention you even once until I came to work today."
After saying that, he looked strangely at Eunbyul’s rolling eyes, wondering what on earth she was thinking. In the midst of that, Eunbyul suddenly took a step closer to him and said,
"....Do you really, not know?"
"Uh... yeah, well, you know, that... I don't know. When I get drunk, I lose my memory pretty quickly..."
"Then why didn't you forget that I kissed you?"
"No, that was... I hadn't drunk that much then. And I was almost sober by the time I got home."
With a nasal "Hmph—," she wore an expression that suggested she wasn't pleased. He wanted to change the subject, saying there was too much work to have this kind of conversation, but because he had been so diligent today, the remaining tasks could be pushed to next week. The distribution of work was important. If he finished everything today for no reason, next Monday would be truly, deathly boring. However, Eunbyul seemed lost in other thoughts; even though he was staring at the computer, she didn't say a word. Then, suddenly, she walked over to the office door, the sound of the lock clicking echoed, and she slowly pushed him back into his chair. Then, she slowly climbed onto his lap and said,
"....Shall I help you remember?"
Why are you like this, you again...!
Eunbyul’s eyes were trembling faintly as she looked at him, as if just grabbing his arms was enough to make her incredibly shy. After saying those last words, Eunbyul remained silent for a long time, then suddenly,
"...Yesterday, yesterday... it’s a bit long, but, to put it as briefly as possible."
"...."
"Why, why don't you remember...! It’s so, so embarrassing..."
I’m screwed. What is she talking about that’s so embarrassing?
"Yesterday, I was trying to leave after dropping you off at your place... I was just going to leave, but since you were in a suit, I thought I’d at least take off your dress shirt. But you... you suddenly grabbed my hand, and then you started speaking in this scary voice, and you told me not to touch you as I pleased..."
"I, I did?"
"Exactly. You’re such a good person, General Manager... You’re not that kind of person, so maybe it’s because you get like that when you drink, but even so, it wasn't the kind of drunken behavior where you’d hit me, get really angry, or throw things. When you’re drunk, how should I put it... you’re usually a bit brighter than me, right?"
"But after you drank... you were fine in the car. You seemed a bit sleepy, so I thought I should get you home quickly, but the moment we arrived and you laid down, you completely changed... Um, how should I put it. A feeling of extreme restraint? And you were very scary... and dark, the most frightening aura a person could possibly show. ...Pfft, to put it a bit funnily, it felt like I had walked into a tiger's den of my own volition."
He was so surprised by words he was hearing for the first time that he gripped Eunbyul’s shoulders tightly. Hearing her ask him to let go with a pained expression, he realized his mistake and loosened his grip slightly.
"And you grabbed me so I would sit on your lap, and when I asked you to let go, you suddenly kissed me... I really didn't expect that, and my lipstick had all worn off from eating... But you just held me tight like this, and you did all those things..."
He wanted to say, 'Stop making up novels, you prankster,' but the expression on her face as she recounted the events held not a shred of falsehood; instead, it was filled with a feeling of embarrassment and shame at having brought up yesterday’s events herself.
"And, after that..."
I didn't really want to hear it anymore.