Refusing the Overseas Assignment (1)

Kim Chirok decided to put his mother's mind at ease first. Anything arriving from the police or a prosecutor's office was enough to set a person on edge.

"Oh, that's probably just a notice telling you not to fall for voice-phishing scams."

"But it says not to open it unless you're the addressee."

"That's just a standard line they stamp on everything. You're not supposed to open other people's mail anyway."

"Alright. I'll leave it on your desk. Check it when you get home from work."

That evening, Kim Chirok came straight home the moment he left the office. He tore open the mail from the prosecutor's office before he'd even washed his hands.

It was not a voice-phishing warning. It was a fine notice issued as a summary order.

He had expected the prosecutor to dismiss the charges. When a fine came down instead, Kim Chirok was stunned.

Th-this... because of that fucking bitch!

He wanted to run straight to Oh Ha-young and slap her across the face. She had grabbed his hand, telling him to hurry home — and then she'd twisted that into a sexual harassment charge. What kind of woman did something like that? Rage boiled up in him.

What kind of bullshit order is this? What kind of prosecutor signed off on this?

The notice did state that if he objected to the order, he could file a Formal Trial Request within seven days. Kim Chirok's hands trembled as he gripped the envelope. He was that furious.

He decided to file the Formal Trial Request. He wanted Oh Ha-young's false statement laid bare for the whole world to see.

He was so angry he ran to the convenience store and bought a can of beer. He sat in his room drinking it with dried squid and peanuts, but the fury wouldn't subside. All he could hear was Oh Ha-young's cackling laugh.

Then it occurred to him — what if Bang Mihee sued him too? But Bang Mihee, even when she'd linked arms with him, had never taken a photo together. She wasn't obsessed with him the way Oh Ha-young was. She was still hedging her bets between him and Jeong Chan-young.

The problem was, he had no idea where to go or how to actually file. He figured the civil affairs desk at the prosecutor's office would have Formal Trial Request forms, at least.

Damn it. I've got the worst luck.

All he could think about was what to do with that woman, Oh Ha-young. But if he just barged in and slapped her, he'd be looking at an assault charge this time. He felt like he'd been well and truly trapped.

Kim Chirok searched the internet for what to do in a situation this unjust. He even looked up lawyers who specialized exclusively in sex crimes, and left an inquiry asking what he should do after being fined over someone else's false accusation.

If he needed a lawyer, there was always his old classmate Lim Jae-geun. But there was no way he could go to Lim Jae-geun with a case like this.

He found a legal forum dedicated to sex crimes and posted there — a woman had falsely accused him, a fine had been issued, and he intended to request a formal trial. Several comments came in.

If he was actually going to sue, it was going to cost money. There wasn't a lawyer on earth who would argue his case for free.

The next day, Kim Chirok went back online. He'd left a written inquiry with someone who billed himself as a sex-crimes specialist, and the lawyer's reply was waiting.

It was the obvious answer. Get a withdrawal from the accuser, Oh Ha-young — as if Kim Chirok didn't already know that. The question was whether she'd actually write one. Oh Ha-young was nursing a grudge. The idea was laughable.

She was the daughter of a wealthy family, after all. For all he knew, she already had a high-profile lawyer in her corner.

Kim Chirok called Oh Ha-young. She didn't pick up, as expected. He sent a KakaoTalk message.

No reply, of course. Kim Chirok's temper finally exploded. He sent another message.

Still nothing from Oh Ha-young.

Kim Chirok decided to visit the sex-crimes lawyer the next day. But taking early leave when he'd only just started at the securities firm felt wrong. And once a trial started, it wouldn't just be the money — he'd have to keep going to court. That meant frequent absences from work. He could hardly tell the company he was going to court for a sex-crime case.

A lawyer could appear on his behalf, of course, but that would cost a fortune. And there was no guarantee he'd even win. Hadn't someone on that legal forum already said it? In a trial, innocence doesn't win — money does.

What the hell am I supposed to do? This is giving me a headache.

Kim Chirok's head really did hurt. He wanted to go outside and smoke a cigarette.

Should I just pay the 1.5 million won and be done ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with it?

Then he wouldn't need to visit a law office or keep going to court. And he wouldn't have to make some awkward excuse about taking time off from a firm he'd barely started at. But paying the fine would mean admitting he'd committed sexual harassment.

Oh Ha-young knows I didn't harass her. If she's got even a shred of conscience, she knows.

Kim Chirok went back to searching the internet. He looked up whether a fine still left a criminal record. A sexual harassment fine would expire after a certain period, but the record itself remained. In other words, it could still be pulled up if needed for an investigation.

It's not like I'm going to commit some other sex crime. Should I just pay the fine? It expires after a while, so I'll just pay the 1.5 million. I've still got the studio deposit I got back from Incheon. I'll pay it.

So Kim Chirok started leaning toward just paying the fine. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He hadn't sexually harassed anyone, but it was a hassle, and he was tired of it. He wanted to pay up and get back to his life.

Still, even if a sexual harassment fine wouldn't show up on a civilian background check, the fact that it would come up in a police inquiry left a bad taste in his mouth.

I don't like this. If that record stays, it's a stain I'll carry for the rest of my life.

Kim Chirok took early leave from work and rushed to the courthouse. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Since he lived in Gwanak-gu, he went to the Seoul District Court.

If the prosecutor had just issued a non-prosecution, I wouldn't be going through this hell.

At the court's general civil affairs office, he filled out a Formal Trial Request form and submitted it. He decided to go it alone — no lawyer.

As he stepped out of the courthouse, a thin rain began to fall. Kim Chirok resolved to throw himself into his work at the securities firm and nothing else.

Securities firms didn't like their employees trading stocks on the side. They didn't outright forbid it, though. Kim Chirok figured that once he'd built up some skill, he might try investing himself.

One of the overseas hires who'd joined at the same time already seemed to be trading aggressively. There'd been no word of him making money, though. That was how hard stock investing was — even for people who worked at a securities firm.

About a month passed. Then the Division Head called Kim Chirok in. His expression was more serious than usual.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Have a seat."

Kim Chirok sat down.

"You came over from H Group, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"You went through the Planning Office at H Chemical, the Strategic Planning Office at H Group headquarters, and the Administration Department at the H Heavy Industries Changwon plant, correct?"

"That's right."

"H Group is a major conglomerate. Plenty of listed companies, but also a lot of unlisted subsidiaries under the affiliates."

"I'm aware, sir."

"The truth is, our firm handles work for H Group as well. There hasn't been much lately, but one of their subsidiaries is going public, and we've been appointed as the lead underwriter."

"Is that so?"

"That means we'll be handling association registration for H Group's unlisted affiliates, trade brokerage, mandatory quote submissions, disclosures — all of it."

"That's good news."

"Which means we'll naturally be in much closer contact with H Group. And they'll find out that you're working here."

"I... I suppose they would."

"Based on what we've looked into, you didn't leave that company on good terms..."

Ah. So they heard the rumor that I got chased out for hitting on the Chairman's secretary — the one who already had a boyfriend.

"I left of my own accord. If there's a rumor, it's fake news."

"Oh, we know that. We do. But rumors have a way of hardening into fact as time goes by. So we..."

We? Are they about to fire me?

"Reacting this strongly to a rumor isn't the right thing to do."

"I know. I know that. And I know you're a capable man. But we're looking to pull you out of the Securities Analysis Team."

"Excuse me? Pull me out?"

"India?"

"Every securities firm is pouring everything into overseas localization right now. Korean firms have already opened some seventy foreign branches."

"So I'm being sent to the India branch?"

"India uses Hindi, but English is an official language as well. You scored a perfect mark in English, so we expect you'll do well there."

Ah. So this is them kicking me out to India.

"You know Mirae Asset Group, don't you?"

"Of course. They're one of Korea's leading comprehensive financial companies."

"That's right. The founder is Chairman Park Hyun-joo, a self-made man. He learned the art of investing from a legendary investor known as Grandma Baek."

"I think I heard that story back in school."

"There's even a web novel about Grandma Baek. It's called Grandma Baek, the Stock Market Whale."

"I haven't read it."

"Even Mirae Asset has set up an India branch. That's why we established ours before we fell any further behind. Go there and put your talents to full use."

What talents? This isn't Grandma Baek's era anymore.

"I understand. Please give me some time to think it over."

Kim Chirok went back to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his desk. He couldn't focus on a thing. He left the office and walked alone toward Yeouido Park, following the wooded path from the King Sejong statue toward the Samojeong pavilion.

If I go to India, there'll be the stress of hitting targets. And I'd be leaving my aging parents behind. That's a problem too.

If he went to India, his parents would worry, and getting married would become that much harder. India was a place with a different culture, inhabited by people who looked nothing like him. Married men who brought their families along might manage. Going alone would be brutal. He would drown in loneliness.

Why is my luck with women this terrible? Do I have to keep paying for Bang Mihee? And Oh Ha-young — she actually sued me as a sexual harasser. Why do I only ever run into women like this?

He really did feel like he was taking damage from women he didn't even care about. Kim Chirok sat on a park bench and looked up at the blue sky. A single cloud drifted across it.

I should quit the securities firm too. This isn't my path.

Kim Chirok decided to quit. Sitting on the bench, he started thinking about where to go next. Then the idea of private tutoring came to him. It wasn't even his major, but he'd heard a rumor that a Seoul National University math graduate was raking in a fortune at a private academy in Daechi-dong.

Should I try tutoring? See if I can become a Star Lecturer? Once you make it as a Star Lecturer, they say you pull in hundreds of millions of won a month.

He was a Seoul National University graduate. That would sell in the tutoring market.

Alright. I'll go to Daechi-dong and tutor. High school math? I can teach that in my sleep.

A new hope seemed to open up before him. Kim Chirok stood up from the bench, dusted off his pants, and headed back toward the office.