Hey, Buddy! Did You Know? On Halloween...
Hey, buddy. Did you know? On Halloween…
That was the exact thought that crossed my mind as I watched my junior try to snatch a fish-shaped pastry off the floor and shove it straight into her mouth. Honestly, I wondered if shouting “Accepted!” during her interview had been a bit hasty. And it wasn’t even in some empty corner—this was right in the lobby and elevator hall where people from the building constantly came and went.
“It’s the three-second rule. You know that, right? It’s fine if you pick it up right after it falls.”
“No. If you eat that, I’ll become the perpetrator of workplace harassment. Hand it over.”
“B-but… the fish bread you gave me, sunbae… I’m so sorryyyy……”
With no other choice, the moment the elevator doors opened I snatched the dusty pastry from her hand and shoved her inside with a full-body tackle. There was no way my small frame and weak arms could have pushed her otherwise.
“Eek!”
Seung-yeon stumbled backward and leaned against the inner wall of the elevator. I let out a long sigh, gave a quick bow to the security guard as an apology for the commotion, and hurried inside after her.
Clunk. Clack.
The elevator slowly climbed toward the eighth floor. Seung-yeon, still pressed against the wall and stealing glances at me, finally mumbled hesitantly.
“I-I’m sorry……”
“It’s fine. Thanks to you, I’ve become the terrible senior who makes her junior eat food off the ground. What can I do about it now?”
“No, that’s not—absolutely not—”
“Quiet.”
Unlike before, my stern expression had almost no effect now. The three other candidates during the interview had been perfect examples. No matter how much I frowned, narrowed my eyes, or stared them down, not a single one stopped smirking. That was one of the reasons I’d barely spoken during the process. The CEO must have noticed, because she deliberately avoided calling on me during those three interviews.
The only reason Gong Seung-yeon was here riding the elevator with me was that she had met every single condition I wanted.
“I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“No, it’s the way you’re staring… It feels like something’s coming, if that makes sense……”
Maybe I was the one being too observant now. Still, someone who reads the room is better than someone who doesn’t. At this rate, I was worried she might quit, saying working here was too difficult. I’d gone through so much trouble to find this MK-II. I couldn’t just let her go back to being an ordinary hardcore fan.
I’d have to think of various ways to ease that tension of hers. At least she got fired up whenever we talked about the first-generation members. I hoped that chatting while watching the broadcast later would help her relax naturally.
‘This isn’t going to be easy……’
How exactly do you manage a junior employee? I’ve only ever been the junior myself, so I genuinely have no idea.
After dropping Seung-yeon off with the HR manager—who would explain the employment contract and all the general onboarding procedures—I headed straight to the CEO’s office. I’d been planning to grab coffee on the way, but she’d told me to come immediately, so I figured it must be urgent.
When I arrived…
“From now on, you’re Manager Ma. Here.”
She held out a brand-new employee ID card.
Ma Jia
Assistant Manager / Streaming Part Leader
Me? A part leader?
“Me?”
“That’s right. Congratulations on the promotion, Manager Ma Jia.”
Our company originally had thirteen employees. With three new hires, I’d heard rumors that three people would be promoted to part leader. But one of them was me? This was completely out of the blue. Was the work I did really enough to warrant a title like that?
“Is there really a need to go as far as part leader? I only have one junior under me.”
“The head of finance only has two team members including herself, yet she still holds the title of team leader, doesn’t she?”
“…Fair enough.”
“Everyone acknowledged your abilities, so this is the resulting personnel decision. Don’t feel too burdened by it.”
The first thing that came to mind was the salary increase. Our company wasn’t exactly rolling in money—we were always walking a tightrope between labor costs and revenue. If my title jumped to assistant manager, wouldn’t my monthly pay naturally go up as well?
“If you’re thinking about money, talk to the HR manager in detail later. It’s already been decided, so there’s no going back.”
“Dictat……”
I almost blurted out “Dictator Momo” exactly the way the viewers said it on stream. The quick-witted CEO narrowed her eyes at me with a fierce expression.
“Dictator what? I can’t yield on this one, Jia.”
“You look as majestic as an eagle today, ma’am.”
“Wow, your skill at dodging the subject is truly outstanding, huh?”
The CEO let out a small laugh and handed me a folder. When I opened it, it was filled with recent advertising proposals. One, two, three… how many were there?
“Thanks to all the hard work you’ve put in lately, we’ve received a ton of ad offers targeting the first-generation members. It looks like we’ll have some breathing room with our finances for a while. So don’t worry and just accept the promotion, okay?”
“It’s not like the ads will keep coming in forever.”
The CEO’s face crumpled.
“Hey. Just leave. Go see the HR manager right now.”
“But CEO, if we think about the future of our company—”
“HR Manager! Come take Jia—er, Manager Red Bean Paste—away!”
—Yes, I’ll be right there!
Before long, the HR manager came running over, gently pushed my shoulder, and dragged me to his desk. I shot the CEO a glare that clearly said ‘You dictator,’ but she was too busy grinning triumphantly to care.
No, seriously. She usually listened to everything I said. Today she was a real dictator. What a shitty Parallel this was turning out to be.
“What about Seung-yeon?”
“She’s already signed the employment contract. The operations team leader will probably handle basic company training for her all day today. You can keep doing your usual work until she gets to her desk, Manager Red Bean Paste.”
Red Bean Paste again? These people really love their nicknames. The HR manager soon handed me a document placed on an acrylic board.
“This is the new employment contract reflecting your salary increase. You’ve done this once before, so you know the drill, right? Just read it and sign. The documents after that are for opening a corporate card, so fill those out carefully too.”
“A corporate card?”
“Yeah. You’re a part leader now. You need your own company card. Return the old shared one. From now on, when you have to go handle broadcast issues at night or travel for the kids’ streams, you can use your personal corporate card.”
“Ah. Understood.”
“The limit isn’t super high, so don’t go buying merch or sending Super Chats and donations with it. Got it?”
“I never did that with the old card either.”
“See? That’s our Red Bean Paste. So smart—one word and you understand everything.”
If I kept playing along, the HR manager would never stop talking, so I focused on filling out the documents.
The employment contract. This was my second time writing one, but just like the first time, it was still full of difficult legal jargon. Since I trusted the company and the CEO, I immediately jumped to the salary section.
Article 6 (Overtime Work)
Due to the nature of the business, overtime work occurs regularly. Party A hereby obtains consent from Party B for overtime work beyond the standard working hours stipulated in Article 5, and agrees to pay Party B comprehensive overtime, night, and holiday allowances as stipulated in Article 7 regardless of explicit consent.
Article 7 (Matters Concerning Wages)
1) Wage Amount
— Base salary (including standard hours and weekly holidays): 2,612,500 won (209 hours/month)
— Fixed overtime allowance: None
— Fixed night work allowance: 375,000 won (60 hours/month)
— Fixed holiday work allowance: None
— Additional overtime, night, and holiday allowances: Paid according to actual hours worked
= Monthly salary: 2,987,500 won
The monthly salary listed on my previous employment contract had been 2,509,500 won. This was an increase of nearly 500,000 won. A simple calculation put it at a 19% raise. Since we were already maxing out the legal 52-hour workweek with weekends, holidays, and overtime, it wasn’t uncommon for my paycheck to hit around 4 million won on some months. And lately, I’d been getting separate bonuses every time I appeared on stream—nearly 1.5 million won in bonuses alone for the month of October.
…Weren’t they raising it too much? Did all part leaders get paid this much? I was glad that my hard work had brought in more advertising revenue, but they really needed to have enough financial leeway to justify raising salaries like this. Since even the usually honest CEO became cautious when it came to money, all I could do was assume it would be fine.
After quickly signing everything and handing it over, the HR manager asked me,
“Any complaints about the salary?”
“It feels like a lot.”
“Oh, just as expected. The CEO told me to pass this on if you said that. Listen carefully…… ‘Take what you’re given.’”
Yeah. If the CEO wants to give more, she can. In that case, I’ll just work even harder for the company. Hatchlings, Leafies, Puddles, and Roundies! I’ll lift the log just a little higher. You all pitch in too! The money we gather together becomes original songs, cover songs, and new outfits!
“Here, take one copy of the contract. Let’s only have good things happen from now on, Red Bean Paste.”
“Hearing you call me Red Bean Paste all the time makes me feel like I’ve turned into red bean filling.”
“Well, what can you do? Koreans have that ‘quick quick’ personality, so nicknames have to be fast and snappy to taste right.”
“I see, Mr. In—spector.”
“Wow, skipping three whole syllables with ellipses. Impressive. As expected of our multilingual talent. Alright then, Manager Ma Jia. See you later.”
What a confusing man. The HR manager had such a scary face but such a strange personality. I shook my head and returned to my desk.
“…Hmm.”
When I stood on my tiptoes for a peek, I could see the team leader and Seung-yeon sitting in the conference room, chatting warmly. Unlike the little scuffle we’d had over the fish pastry earlier, they seemed to be getting along great. As expected of the team leader—she’d been managing people for a long time and had already won Seung-yeon over.
‘Still, I’m her senior, so I should be the one to make the first move.’
The only seniors I knew were the CEO and the team leader. How about we start by eating dinner together tonight? We couldn’t leave the office because of the Halloween special broadcast, so pizza—the universally liked, nutritionally balanced option—would be perfect.
Several hours later, inside the conference room at Parallel headquarters.
After finishing the basic company orientation, Team Leader Kang spoke with a satisfied smile.
“As expected from someone with a proper education. She catches on so quickly.”
“Thank you!”
“So you’re an Oshi for Komari?”
“Yes!”
“Then, do you happen to like cute people?”
“Yes… Is that a bit weird…?”
“Not at all. Who could possibly dislike cute things? Then you must like our Manager Ma too, right?”
“Yes!”
Only then did a proper hierarchy form inside Gong Seung-yeon’s head. Although she was a new employee who had tried (and failed) to memorize the entire company organizational chart, thanks to her parents she at least knew how to map out the chain of command from her own position up to the CEO.
‘Me, Employee Jia-nim, Team Leader-nim, and then the CEO.’
For now, Seung-yeon felt relieved. She had been confused about whether Jia was executive level, department head level, or deputy department head level. Learning that Jia was her direct superior and that there was a team leader above her brought her great comfort.
But wasn’t it surprising? For someone who wasn’t in a particularly high position within the company to have participated in the interview meant she also received that much favor from the CEO. She had joined Parallel after working as Momo’s manager. It seemed she had grabbed onto a truly golden rope.
“Above all, I still remember how kindly the part leader treated me when I showed up at the crack of dawn on the day of the interview! Thanks to her, I was able to rest comfortably before the interview!! She really is a wonderful person!”
At those words, Team Leader Kang burst out laughing.
“So the person who came at two in the morning was you, Seung-yeon?”
“Yes……”
The strictness Team Leader Kang had tried to maintain completely melted away. The more they talked, the more upright and polite Seung-yeon seemed. Her voice was a little loud, but that was something that could be improved over time. And unlike some people who shrank like hamsters whenever Jia raised her voice, Seung-yeon didn’t seem to do that either.
‘If it’s like this, there’s really nothing to worry about.’
Whether Jia was good at picking people or whether only this type of person gathered around her, I couldn’t tell. Either way, there didn’t seem to be any reason to keep her here for a whole week. The CEO’s top priority was for these two to work together without awkwardness and divide their tasks properly.
“My main job is accompanying the kids when they go outside—to studios or labels and such. So you probably won’t be working with me much in the future. Just listen carefully to Manager Ma.”
“Ah, yes. I understand. Still, I’ll make sure to greet you every day!”
“Good. Even though Manager Jia looks a bit slow, she takes a lot of pride in her work and is extremely strict, so don’t give her any reason to nitpick. Work hard and diligently, okay?”
“Yes!”
“Okay. Then let’s head back to our seats.”
Since that was Team Leader Kang’s opinion, Seung-yeon also felt her to be as gentle as a warm spring breeze. Now the only thing left was to improve her relationship with Jia for a smooth company life.
‘Ugh… because of that fish pastry earlier……’
She probably wasn’t actually angry, right? I really hope she greets me with a smile the next time we meet……
“You’re here? Sit here. This will be your seat from now on, Seung-yeon.”
Just as Seung-yeon had hoped, Jia was smiling brightly. She was already cute normally, but when she smiled she became even cuter—to the point where Seung-yeon had to stop her hand from automatically reaching for that fluffy head.
Seung-yeon sat down, gently rolled her hips, pressed her back against the chair, and turned it this way and that. The way it supported her back and seat so perfectly was incredibly comfortable.
“The chair is so comfortable.”
“Since we have to sit for long periods, I asked them to get the best one possible.”
“Whoa. The benefits are top-tier.”
“Right?”
Jia’s expression seemed much better than earlier, and she followed up with a suggestion.
“Also, since we’ll be working together from now on, it still feels a bit awkward. How about we grab dinner together later? What do you think?”
If Jia had stayed upset, Seung-yeon had been planning to suggest dinner first. Even though she had no real social experience, she had plenty of practice buttering up seniors during meals and drinking parties. But since Jia had suggested it first, Seung-yeon was overjoyed.
“Whoa. I’d love that. I’ll definitely be there.”
“Well, the kids’ Halloween broadcast is starting soon, so we can’t go out. We’ll have to order delivery.”
“Oh. That’s still great. Eating at the company for the first time in my life!!”
The atmosphere was warm and friendly. Jia glanced over at the team leader. Since they were doing this anyway, it would be nice to make it a team dinner.
“Would you like to join us, Team Leader?”
“Hmm? Should I? What’s the menu?”
“Pizza.”
The moment she heard that, Team Leader Kang subtly avoided eye contact.
“Ah, now that I think about it, I have to go pick someone up today. Sorry. Let’s eat together another time.”
Jia looked genuinely disappointed. Team Leader Kang asked Seung-yeon in a slightly worried tone,
“Seung-yeon, do you happen to like pineapple?”
Seung-yeon was the type who could eat almost anything. The only things she couldn’t eat were overly sweet or sour foods. But pineapple was a sweet-and-sour fruit, and she genuinely loved it whether fresh or canned.
“Yes!”
Jia smiled even wider than before.
“Wow. You like pineapple?”
“Yes, yes. I love it. So much!”
Team Leader Kang knew there was a massive misunderstanding between the two, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She couldn’t tell Seung-yeon that Manager Ma was a die-hard pineapple pizza fanatic. Most people in the company adored Jia, but at the same time they were horrified by that particular taste of hers.