Chapter 37
I’m translating the chapter directly into publication-ready HTML, keeping the narration flowing and converting the in-universe system pop-up into a styled block. I’m also preserving the chapter title format exactly as requested.CHAPTER_TITLE: The Warmth of a Year-End Bonus
Mid-December had come and gone before I’d even noticed, and Christmas was suddenly only ten days away.
Outside the window, couples were everywhere.
The stronger the wind blew, the tighter they seemed to cling to each other. Watching them, I could feel the slightest tug of loneliness in my side.
Maybe I am a little lonely after all.
I’d always thought I wasn’t the type to get hit by that sort of feeling. But once a person crossed into their thirties, things really did feel different.
In my twenties, if I was bored, I could just meet friends and have a drink or two, so it never seemed like a problem. If anything, I’d thought dating had its own downsides, since a lover could end up tying you down.
But once I got a job and started living in a blur, the story began to change. Even if I met up with college friends once in a while, if our jobs had drifted too far apart, there was hardly anything we could really talk about anymore. Catching up with high school friends by rehashing old school stories or hearing what everyone was up to was fine once or twice, but after repeating it over and over, it got stale.
Before long, you drifted away from your friends without really meaning to, and being alone started to feel more comfortable. People at work, who all shared the same daily concerns, began to feel more reliable by comparison.
I lifted my head slightly over the partition and saw that every one of my teammates had the same broad, beaming smile on their face.
I leaned over and asked Deputy Manager Park beside me, “What’s the good news? Why is everyone in such a great mood?”
“What, Deputy Manager Kang, you still haven’t checked your account?”
“Huh...?”
“Open it. Now.”
Still puzzled, I opened the app.
Main Account
-Deposit: 3,087,083 won (HR Vision base salary)
-Deposit: 13,281,250 won (year-end bonus)
“Hyeow, damn...”
The admiration slipped out before I could stop it.
“This is happiness right here...”
Friends, strangers, loneliness, all of it could go hang.
When money dropped into your account, that was happiness. Simple as that.
This is why I can’t quit this company.
Usually the bonus ran at around 200 to 300 percent of base pay. This year, Planning Team 3 had done exceptionally well, and because I’d also spent time with the TF team, I ended up getting a full 500 percent.
Honestly, that was where the reason for my main job came from.
With side jobs, no matter what field you were in, the only time you got paid was when you actually finished the work. But at a company, as long as you held on and kept showing up, compensation found a way to come around somehow.
“What a warm winter.”
Even if snow came pouring down and icy wind howled through the streets, this winter felt warm.
At this rate, maybe I should swing by duty-free before the trip.
Maybe I should buy my mother a bag or something.
I hadn’t exactly been the model of filial piety so far, so I ought to give her something she could brag about to her friends.
I glanced around at the people nearby.
“Deputy Manager Park, you’re going to throw your bonus into crypto this time too, right? What are you buying?”
“Ah, I quit crypto.”
“What? So you’re not doing it anymore?”
“No, I’m going into stocks.”
“Stocks are good too. Domestic market?”
“No, I heard overseas futures are really juicy.”
“You do know a thing or two. I put some into Tesla at 3x leverage recently myself...”
Deputy Manager Park, who had supposedly quit crypto, had already moved on to stocks without me even noticing. On top of that, Director Kwak was busy looking for his next car, and Team Leader Kim was on the phone with his daughter, discussing which color iPhone she should get.
In other words, it was the perfect moment for no one to care about anybody else.
The perfect time to slack off and look busy.
In a normal company, this was the season for year-end closings and New Year planning. But HR Vision was an advertising agency, so instead of laying out and executing some grand internal strategy, our job was mostly to handle whatever came in from outside, one contract at a time. There wasn’t much of a plan to make in the first place.
Click.
With that justification in place, I opened an airline site while still technically on the clock.
[Search: Incheon-New York round-trip ticket]
All right, this time I’m going all out and flying business class.
[Round-Trip Ticket Prices]
-Economy: 3,154,000 won
-Business: 9,482,600 won
-First Class: 30,155,900 won
“What the...”
I let out a dry laugh the moment I saw the prices.
“It’s not even a travel package. It’s just a plane ticket, and they want nearly ten million won?”
First class was over thirty million.
Should I just fly economy?
That thought came first, but then...
No. What’s the point of splurging if I’m going to pinch pennies here too?
A real man had to spend money once in a while to learn how to make more of it, or so the saying went.
Fine. Business class it is.
I went straight to the purchase screen.
But after entering my information a few times, my head, unlike my warmed-up heart, began to cool off fast.
Shuddering, my hand trembling on the way toward the payment window, I found myself hesitating.
“No matter how I look at it, I really can’t buy this...”
However you looked at it, a million won was a million won.
“My salary is only 3 million won...”
This felt wrong.
Maybe I should only fly business on the way there...
It would be nice to keep that pleasant excitement intact on the way to New York. But coming back, I’d probably be exhausted and sleep the whole way anyway. It would make more sense to fly economy home and rest properly once I got back.
Right. Business going there, economy coming back.
That was the sensible choice.
[Payment completed.]
Done. Let’s go.
***
“Knock knock.”
Team Leader Han Su-a approached me, making a knocking sound with her mouth.
“Deputy Manager, are you busy?”
“No.”
I jumped, but managed to Alt-Tab without making it obvious.
Fortunately, the “recommended U.S. travel destinations” tab seemed to have escaped her notice.
“What is it?”
“It’s about work. Can I sit here for a moment?”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
“We just got a new assignment.”
“Is it the pop-up store ad that was in the group chat?”
“Yes, that’s the one. I’m in charge of it.”
“Ohhh, I see.”
Honestly, pop-up stores were the kind of assignment advertisers tended to dread. They were driven mainly by a younger crowd, so the sense for them had to be razor-sharp. In other words, this was the kind of advertising field that ran on talent more than effort. On top of that, because success or failure showed up so clearly, the person in charge couldn’t help but feel the pressure far beyond a simple performance target.
“If possible, I’d like to work on it with Deputy Manager Kang. How about it?”
“...With me?”
“Yes. From what I saw in the China project last time, your creativity was excellent, and you were outstanding across the board in other tasks as well. I thought it would be reassuring to have you with me.”
“Even so, a pop-up is a bit of a burden for me.”
“Don’t worry too much. I’m sure you can handle it, Deputy Manager Kang.”
“Ah...”
Once she said it like that, I couldn’t really back out anymore.
“When is the pop-up?”
“In February next year. The main ad push won’t start until about two weeks before that, so it won’t interfere with your vacation schedule.”
“Ah, so you already saw the leave request I put in.”
“Yes. Anyway, what do you think?”
“Understood. I’ll do what I can.”
“Good. Then I’ll file a report saying this campaign will be handled by just the two of us, you and me.”
“Yes.”
A pop-up, huh...
It sounded like it could be a real headache.
Still, if I was doing it with Han Su-a, maybe it wouldn’t feel quite so suffocating.
Han Su-a stood up with a bright smile.
Just as she was about to leave, she paused and turned back.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“Yes?”
“At the festival last time, I saw that cosplayer... was it Yu So-ra? You seemed really close with her.”
She lowered her voice as she asked, “Are you two dating?”
“Oh, no.”
I waved my hands frantically.
“We met for business. She’s just a really high-energy, very proactive person, so we got close quickly.”
“Oh, I see. I only asked because you two were together in the break room for quite a while...”
“I was trapped.”
Even now, just thinking about that day made me feel drained all over again.
“I see. So your vacation request for Christmas this time is...”
“I’m traveling alone.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Team Leader Han’s face brighten, as if she finally understood.
“Still, this vacation of yours is pretty long, isn’t it? You took the whole week off.”
“Yes. I used up all my remaining leave for the year.”
Including the weekend, that made it an eight-night, nine-day trip. The actual travel was only four nights and five days, but I needed time for the time difference, time to prepare, and time to get my head back on straight after returning.
“Where are you going? Is it all right if I ask?”
“I’m going to New York.”
“Oh, New York!”
Han Su-a’s eyes lit up as she sat back down.
“It’s always been one of the places I really wanted to visit. Isn’t it pretty expensive?”
“It already looks like even my year-end bonus won’t be enough, ha-ha.”
“How much planning have you done?”
“I’ve only just started. Do you have any recommendations?”
“A friend of mine said the street slices of pizza there are insanely good...”
***
Incheon Airport, Terminal 2.
The moment I finished security and stepped into the lounge, a breath of admiration slipped out of me.
“Business-class lounges really are on a different level...”
It was a world apart from the place I’d gone with Deputy Manager Park. That one was free if you had a credit card, so there were lines at the entrance and the dining area was crowded like a buffet.
This place is so comfortable it’s almost absurd.
It really felt like what a lounge was supposed to be: a place to rest.
They even have shower rooms?
It was a completely different experience from the days when I only flew budget airlines.
I settled into a seat, brought back a glass of some unnamed white wine, and relaxed with cheese, biscuits, and the sort of leisurely snacks that made time feel slower. Before I knew it, boarding time had arrived.
Heading toward the gate, even the boarding line felt different.
Passing the people lined up for economy made me feel a little guilty, like I was cutting in line somehow.
Still, I’d decided to fly business today, so I let myself enjoy it without overthinking.
The seat’s comfortable too.
Forget the spaciousness and the comfort; it even reclined all the way flat.
I was pressing buttons here and there, fascinated, when a flight attendant came up to me.
“Hello. I’m flight attendant Park Hye-ran, and I’ll be taking care of you on this flight.”
“Ah, yes.”
My face heating, I folded the seat back into place.
“W-what is it...”
“I came to let you know about today’s meal service. If you’re busy, I can come back later.”
“No, go ahead.”
“For lunch, we’re serving both Korean and Western options. The Korean meal is grilled alfonsino with rice in a hot pot, and the Western meal is roasted lamb barbecue with...”
Just hearing the menu made me smile with quiet satisfaction.
All right. I might as well enjoy business class to the fullest.
***
[Our flight has arrived at New York JFK Airport.]
After fourteen hours in the air, the only thought I had as we landed was this:
I don’t want to get off.
Back when I flew low-cost or economy, all I could think about was getting off as fast as possible. But after being spoiled like this, I felt like I could stay on the plane for another twelve hours.
Unfortunately, the aircraft refused to stay airborne just for me.
The privilege of business class continued even after we landed.
“The bags came out so fast.”
While other people were still waiting for their suitcases, I was already rolling mine out.
Thanks to that, I could get in line for immigration early too.
“Ugh, my back.”
“I feel alive now that I’m standing up.”
“It’s daytime, but I’m sleepy...”
“It’s nice now that I’m actually here, but how am I supposed to make it back?”
Everyone else was complaining about how tired they were, but after such a long flight I actually felt better.
Thanks to sleeping soundly in business class, my jet lag wasn’t bad either.
So this is why rich people fly business.
There were reasons besides simple comfort and luxury.
No wonder you have to experience it for yourself.
But immigration was a different story.
Everyone had to stand in the same line here, from economy to first class, with no exceptions.
There are a lot of people here.
Since it was winter, the heater was also cranked up way too high.
It’s a little hot.
I’d worn a long padded coat to prepare for the cold, but I took it off and tied it around my waist.
After waiting for a while, my turn finally started to approach.
I’m a little worried.
The immigration officer at my booth looked especially grim.
The Chinese man ahead of me had been shouting at the top of his lungs until security arrived and hauled him away, and the Southeast Asian man currently at the front of the line had been explaining something for fifteen minutes straight before he, too, was dragged off to secondary inspection.
Damn it. Am I going to get flagged before I even enter?
It reminded me of arriving in Shanghai.
Back then, Chief Kim had also been pulled aside for some ridiculous reason and suffered through the whole mess...
As I mulled over one worry after another, the officer finally waved me forward.
“Next!”
I greeted him as warmly as I could and handed over my passport.
“Hi.”
“First time in the U.S.?” he asked, and once again I felt grateful for my translation ability.
His pronunciation was slurred and the English was fast, but the meaning still landed in my ears as clearly as my native language.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“What are you here in New York for?”
“Tourism. I’m on vacation in Korea.”
“How long are you staying?”
“Four nights and five days.”
“You’ve got your hotel and ticket, right?”
“Yeah. Do you want to see them?”
“No, that’s fine.”
Without the slightest hesitation, the immigration officer slammed the stamp down.
“...?”
“You’re good to go. Entry approved.”
It took less than thirty seconds for the stamp to be issued.
“...That easy?”
I was honestly more flustered than relieved.
“That’s really it?”
“What, did you want me to keep you longer?”
“No, it just felt too quick.”
At that, the officer snorted a laugh and jerked his chin toward my outfit.
“Take a look at what you’re wearing.”
“...?”
When I turned to the side, I caught sight of myself reflected in the mirror.
Sunglasses perched on my forehead.
A loose Hawaiian shirt revealed when I took off the long padded coat.
And on my chest, in bold letters, the words “I Love New York.”
To top it all off, I was wearing the kind of expression that said I was thrilled to the point of being visibly aglow with excitement over this New York trip.
“You look exactly like a tourist.”
“...Ahahaha!”
It was embarrassing, but I couldn’t deny it.
“Thanks.”
“Have a good trip.”
And that was how this country bumpkin from Seoul finally made it into New York.
***
The first place I headed was Times Square.
Since it was called the heart of New York, I’d dropped my bags at the hotel and come straight here.
And the moment I arrived on the scene...
“Wooooow...”
I was completely overwhelmed by the sight.
Pure white snow was falling in thick, endless sheets.
Billboards flashed in every direction.
Countless people were singing happiness into the cold air and enjoying the street.
And in the middle of it all, the commercials on the screens featured Samsung and LG, which made me swell with a ridiculous surge of national pride.
“This is New York...”
My chest tightened with excitement.
I really had come here. Me.
I sat down on the red steps in Times Square.
Local performers on the street, tourists taking photos, employees hawking their wares, all of it felt strangely wonderful.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the bright, glittering screens overhead.
Could I ever make an ad that ended up playing up there someday?
Working in advertising, it was impossible not to start dreaming like that.
I watched the images flicker by for a while longer when...
Ping!
The Ninth Talent has been unlocked.
Angel’s Editing.
Angel’s Editing
-Rank: C+
-Passive effect: When reconstructing video, you can adjust the flow of time and scenes to edit in a way that maximizes the intended impact.
-This talent can be upgraded.
“Uh...”
To put it simply, it was a talent for video editing.
In other words...
“...Isn’t this basically a YouTube setup?”