Zero Base (1)

The next day, having resolved to tell my team I was leaving Iljin Group to start my own company, I arrived at the office to find Jin pacing in front of the door, looking as if she were about to cry.

"Jin, why are you standing out here?"

"D-Deputy Kang!"

Her face was deathly pale, as if she might collapse at any second. Trembling like a leaf, she seized my sleeve and pulled me toward the far end of the hallway.

"What's going on? What happened?"

Jin glanced back at the office door she'd left slightly ajar, then leaned in and whispered against my ear.

"The HR Director just came by. I was curious what they were talking about, so I brought them tea and deliberately left the door cracked open. But then..."

"But then?"

"They've decided to disband our team. The standby assignment stays in place. And Team Leader Kim..."

She bit her lip, the words catching in her throat. Then, on the verge of tears, she forced them out.

"Today is Team Leader Kim's last day..."

So it's finally here.

I'd seen this coming the moment Lee Jungwan got promoted to Department Head. I'd been planning to recommend that the team resign as soon as possible. I just hadn't expected the day to arrive this fast.

This felt even more like shit than I'd thought it would.

Fat tears rolled from Jin's bloodshot eyes. I patted her on the back, trying to calm her down.

"Go rest in the women's lounge for a bit. If anyone asks for Team Leader Kim, I'll handle it."

Jin shook her head violently.

"No!"

The reaction was too intense. Had something happened in there?

A bad feeling crawled up my spine. It was like watching a little sister throw a tantrum about not wanting to go to school because she was being bullied.

Jin composed herself quickly, then clenched both fists, trembling with anger.

"...Do you know what the other women are whispering about our team's office?"

"What are they saying?"

"They're calling it Crown Prince Sado's rice chest. The kind of place they send you when they can't fire you outright — so you'll take the hint and quit on your own."

The moment I heard that, the rage I'd been swallowing — telling myself to just keep my head down until I walked out — boiled over.

"Who the hell is spreading that garbage?"

Jin Sun-mi spoke with the air of someone who'd already given up.

"They're not wrong, though. Once Team Leader Kim is gone, there's nothing we can do. It's not like we have anywhere else to go back to..."

Unlike Section Chief Seo and me, who'd been pulled in from other teams, Jin had been assigned to New Business Development the moment she joined the company. She had every reason to feel anxious.

The door creaked open, and the HR Director stepped out of the office. I quickly approached and bowed, but he walked right past me as if I didn't exist, disappearing down the hallway at a clip that said he couldn't get away from this place fast enough.

When I entered the office, Team Leader Kim looked at me with a hollow expression and offered a faint smile.

"Deputy Kang. You're here."

"What did the Director say?"

"Ah..."

Team Leader Kim let out a long, heavy sigh.

"He said everyone should just stay on standby for now."

"And you, sir?"

His gaze wavered. Then he let out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a dry chuckle and stared into the empty air.

"Deputy Kang. Life really is... bitter."

Once Section Chief Seo had arrived last, Team Leader Kim called a meeting.

At Team Leader Kim's request, Han Ha-jin had gone out for coffee. When our eyes met as he came back, he locked the office door.

Team Leader Kim, his throat clearly parched, downed half his iced americano in one gulp and spoke in a strained voice.

"Looks like... today is my last day."

Section Chief Seo, who'd come in later than usual and had no idea what was going on, startled.

"Team Leader, what are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"I've just decided. No matter how hard I scramble, it doesn't seem like there's a place for me here."

The HR Director had clearly used the team's livelihoods as leverage in some kind of deal, but Team Leader Kim seemed determined to shoulder even that alone, and kept the details to himself.

"What will you do after you leave?"

"I don't know. I figured I'd rest for a while. I've been running nonstop for nearly twenty years since I graduated college. About time I recharged."

Section Chief Seo let ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out a heavy sigh, but he didn't have any better ideas either. The company motto of being a warm, family-like workplace had long since become a fucking joke of a cutthroat corporation. This was a survival game — if you didn't have connections, ability, or money, you didn't last.

Every one of us had been handpicked as recognized talent. We'd barely adapted to the work, barely caught our breath, only to find that the workplace we'd thought of as a safe nest had become a war zone without gunfire.

Especially the three months since Han Se-ah took office. Lately, it had been hell.

The Eco-friendly Plastic Container Project. I'd planned to go out in a blaze of glory with that as my final flourish. Even that...

To think she's completely burned away even that last fingernail of lingering attachment I had for my first love. Han Se-ah, I really ought to thank you.

The scheme you cooked up to drive me off a cliff is going to come back as a noose around your own neck — and it's going to tighten.

"Team Leader, I have one last request."

I pulled the resignation letter I'd been carrying against my chest and laid it in front of him.

Han Ha-jin swallowed hard, as if the moment he'd been waiting for had finally arrived.

"Deputy Kang. Why are you doing this all of a sudden too?"

Section Chief Seo scolded me, sounding angry.

"This isn't sudden. I've been preparing to start my own company for a while now."

"Starting a company? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is in a recession like this?"

Team Leader Kim agreed.

"He's right, Deputy Kang. If you really want to start a business, shouldn't you at least have enough money to last three years? And a concrete business idea?"

"As for money, I already have more than enough. And Han Ha-jin here has agreed to come on as an investor."

"What???"

"And as for business ideas, aren't we overflowing with them? We've had more than five high-potential projects shot down already."

Sensing that something unusual was unfolding, the team members swallowed and waited for what I'd say next. They were probably thinking that if Han Ha-jin was investing, it meant Han Seung-woo, CEO of Iljin Food, was setting up a subsidiary. I'd clear up that misunderstanding in due time. Right now, getting them to commit was the priority.

"I want to recruit every member of this team into my company. I promise you far better terms than anything Iljin Group has to offer."

Jin Sun-mi, the one I'd expected to be the most hesitant, raised her hand first. Today's events must have shaken her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠more than I'd thought.

"I'll follow you, Deputy Kang."

Nobody tried to stop her. They knew better than anyone the potential of those projects Han Se-ah had killed.

New Business Development Team 1.

In other words, the employees who'd been banished to a basement storage room had submitted their resignations as a group.

The person who brought this news to Han Se-ah was none other than Lee Jungwan, recently promoted to Department Head.

"Cutting Team Leader Kim first was a stroke of genius!"

"Heehee. Wasn't it, though?"

"This is all thanks to your foresight, Director, isn't it?"

"Heehee. Listen to you go on. Heeheehee."

Han Se-ah's laughter was more cheerful than it had ever been. Like a toothache that had finally been pulled.

It had been Department Head Lee Jungwan who'd suggested firing Team Leader Kim, but his flattery made it sound as if the idea had sprung from Han Se-ah's own brilliant mind. His political instincts were impressive.

"Well, it worked out. I didn't even have to get my hands dirty. Oh! But Han Ha-jin is leaving too?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't that look a little... off?"

"From what I heard..."

Lee Jungwan leaned in and lowered his voice.

"The psychological blow seems to have been pretty severe. His first assignment ended up going through termination proceedings, after all. Apparently he's going to take a year off abroad, then transfer to Iljin Food for management training."

"Heehee. Is that so?"

Han Se-ah's eyes curved into pleased crescents. And why wouldn't they? A rival who'd been a thorn in her side had taken her counterpunch, gone wobbly, and was now backing away.

I guess that's a chaebol young master for you. Doesn't have much of a chin.

"Well, nothing we can do about that. Process him with the rest."

Han Se-ah called Oh Seung-won in and gave him instructions: the moment New Business Development Team 1's resignation letters landed on her desk, he was to approve them immediately under her delegated authority.

After Oh Seung-won left with his orders, she called him back.

"How long does it take from processing the paperwork to the resignation being finalized?"

"Handovers are already complete, so if the termination notices go out today, they'll have to turn in their access cards immediately."

"Got it. Tell them they have to stay until six no matter what, even if they have nothing to do. We're paying them through today anyway, aren't we?"

"I'll pass that along."

Once Oh Seung-won and Lee Jungwan had left, Han Se-ah wore a vicious little smile.

"Kang Minhyuk. You talked back to me like that when you weren't even going to last? Things were just starting to get fun. What a shame."

Wanting to burn the image of Kang Minhyuk's pathetic figure into her memory, Han Se-ah ordered Song Jiho to intercept him the moment he left for the day.

6:05 p.m.

Kang Minhyuk stepped out of the office. Song Jiho, waiting in the lobby, called out to him.

"The Director wants to see you for a moment."

"Me?"

"Watch your tone."

"I'm resigning. Don't see much reason to bother with manners."

Song Jiho smirked at Kang Minhyuk's cute little last stand.

"Pretty cocky for a guy who's running away. Today's the last day I have to look at that disgusting face of yours, so I'll let it slide."

"You stalked me this hard and now you can read my mind too? You should set up a fortune-telling stall."

"What?"

"The Director's office is on the twenty-third floor, right? If she wants to see me that badly, she can come down herself instead of sending her errand boy to fetch me. What a pain."

Kang Minhyuk's casual register sent Song Jiho into a genuine rage. He wanted to beat him right then and there, but they were in the lobby. Too many eyes.

Fuck. You son of a bitch. Watch your back at night. Next time I catch you, it's you or me.

Song Jiho's left fist clenched tight, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Han Se-ah sat behind her desk with her legs crossed in haughty composure, watching me walk into her office.

"Deputy General Manager Song, wait outside."

"Yes, ma'am."

Deputy General Manager Song shot me a glare, closed the door, and left.

I looked at Han Se-ah, a victorious smile playing on her lips.

"You look like you're in a good mood."

"Heeheehee. Why wouldn't I be? Everything's gone exactly the way I wanted."

Drunk on her sense of victory, Han Se-ah seemed to have momentarily forgotten who she was dealing with. Namely, the person who understood Fire Fox better than anyone else alive.

It would take just one minute to wipe that rising smirk right off her face.

I deliberately turned my back on her and settled into the seat of honor on the reception sofa. If she wanted to look me in the eye, she'd have no choice but to leave her desk and come over to the seating area.

"Nice leather. Being a director really does have its perks. Getting to work ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in an office like this. So why'd you call me?"

I muttered it with feigned nonchalance. Click, click — her uncomfortable heels approached, and Fire Fox came to a stop at a diagonal, arms crossed, looking down at me. Apparently she didn't want to sit anywhere else.

I draped both arms over the back of the sofa with arrogant ease and tilted my chin up.

"Keep it short. Once thirty minutes are up, I'm filing for overtime and sitting here for three hours before I go home."

Han Se-ah burst out laughing, as if she found me ridiculous.

"That beggar mentality of yours hasn't changed a bit."

"Says the woman who's a parasite by nature."

Fire Fox's expression went ice-cold.

"Funny. Now that you're quitting, you think you can say whatever you want?"

"No. I can see it perfectly clearly, actually. Your bleak future. You're going to crash into the ground like Icarus."

"Same as ever — all mouth. You just got fired from Iljin Group. How exactly are you going to bring me down? If you're so confident, stop talking and show me."

"I was just about to."

My phone vibrated. I checked the message and grinned.

"Oh~ Han Se-ah. The remaining balance just came through? I'll be sure to enjoy the alimony."

"What are you even talking about?"

"What do you think."

My phone vibrated again. Bzzz. Bzzz.

Team Leader Lee Jungwan — or was it Department Head now?

"Let me take this. It's a very important call."

Her permission didn't matter. The line was just to make what followed more dramatic.

I hit the call button and put it on speaker. Lee Jungwan's shout exploded through the phone at the same instant.