Deputy Hong's Humiliation (1)
When Young-hoon's party stepped into the conference room at Sinabro Production, a man who had no business being there was planted squarely in the seat of honor.
"Chairman, what brings you here?"
"What, am I not allowed to come?"
"It's not that, but won't the others here feel uncomfortable?"
"Oh come now! CEO Kim, who is the single largest investor in this drama?"
"You are, of course, Chairman. But what does that have to do with guests arriving from China?"
"Come on, man. We're selling the drama rights to those people at a premium, aren't we? Which means I ought to pitch in wherever my strength can help. Isn't that right, President Joo?"
President Joo did not look entirely pleased to have Chairman Jang in the room, truth be told. But what could he do, with an ultra-super gapjil boss-of-all-bosses in attendance?
"Of course. Naturally the Chairman should be here."
"You hear that? CEO Kim, introduce those friends of yours."
"Certainly. First, this is President Lee Jae-man of Girin Entertainment. And these are Director Kim Jong-seok and Team Leader Park Sung-ho."
Lee Jae-man and the other two introduced themselves with ringing voices.
"It is an honor to meet you, Chairman."
"I know President Lee Jae-man. That one must be Director Park's son, and the other one I'm seeing for the first time."
President Lee Jae-man answered quickly.
"Chairman, allow me to explain. Director Kim Jong-seok speaks both Chinese and English at a native speaker's level. He is scheduled to handle interpretation when the guests arrive from China."
"Then he's a capable man indeed."
It was Kim Jong-seok's first time meeting Chairman Jang that day, yet he had never in his life found anyone so difficult to face. The man's presence simply blazed off him from mere sitting. Before he knew it, his own head was bowing under the Chairman's praise.
"You flatter me, Chairman."
Once the introductions were more or less finished, PD Shin Hye-yoon, who was chairing the day's meeting, took the reins.
"Shall we break for a meal and then hold the meeting, or finish the meeting first even if it runs late?"
Most of the group favored the latter. They had apparently been meeting since before Young-hoon's party arrived, and there were no major agenda items left afterward.
PD Shin Hye-yoon delivered the closing remarks to wrap up the meeting.
"Then let me summarize what we've discussed. First, the two companies will jointly handle the Chinese buyers as a matter of principle. Overall care will be managed by Sinabro Production, while each side handles its own domain separately — in other words, Sinabro Production covers the drama rights, and Girin Entertainment covers the music and other rights. Second, attendance at joint meetings will be capped at five people per company. Third, Sinabro Production will bear the costs of joint events, though each company covers its own costs for solo events. Fourth, meetings will use Sinabro Production's conference room, and the room will be made readily available whenever Girin Entertainment requests it. That concludes the summary. Are there any objections?"
Chairman Jang, who seemed broadly satisfied, added a word.
"We've already discussed at length the purpose behind the Chinese buyers' visit to Korea, so I have nothing more to say there. But even if these buyers are China's number one and number two media companies, see that everyone stands tall and never cowers — and make absolutely certain we're paid what we're worth."
President Joo Young-ki, clearly galvanized, added his own piece.
"For Chinese buyers to show interest even before the drama airs is highly unusual. And given that it's the number one and number two companies — bitter rivals at that — doing the visiting, I ask that everyone take the utmost care in handling them. Well, I believe we're all done here. Let's go have a meal together."
After the meal, Young-hoon's group and PD Shin Hye-yoon gathered separately at a draft beer joint nearby.
Park jumped in first, brimming with excitement.
"A while back, Assistant Manager Kim said he'd run into Song Hye-kyo outside, and I thought he was joking. But now that I see her, PD Shin Hye-yoon really is every bit as beautiful as Song Hye-kyo."
"Hohoho, thank you. Unlike some people, Team Leader Park certainly knows how to appreciate a person."
That remark made Young-hoon bristle.
"PD Shin — surely that 'some people' isn't me?"
"Who's to say."
"PD Shin, Team Leader Park is famous around our company as a regular Casanova. Don't fall for his honey-dipped flirting lines."
"Hmph, and why shouldn't I fall for a charmer like Team Leader Park? CEO Kim, mind your own business!"
Sensing the mood taking a strange turn, President Lee Jae-man decided he had to defuse this awkward situation.
"Now, now~ let's not fight… So, PD Shin, what's the plan for tomorrow?"
"Honestly… you have no idea how much I hold back for your sake, Jae-man oppa. That's actually the problem. The two delegations' chiefs are bitter rivals, so I'm worried about how to handle them. The only silver lining is that their arrivals are staggered by two hours."
"PD Shin, so when do we need to be on standby from?"
"Please be on standby from tomorrow evening. What worries me most is that one of the delegation chiefs is a music company executive. I have this ominous feeling that the purpose of this visit isn't the drama at all, but a demand to purchase Five Girls' music rights."
"Really? Then we'll stand by — give us a heads-up in advance if anything unexpected comes up."
"Got it. I will."
Since PD Shin Hye-yoon had to prepare for the guests the next day, the drinking session didn't last long. The group settled the bill and each headed home. And yet, in the way Park watched Young-hoon and PD Shin, a peculiar glint of amusement had gathered in his eyes — as if he'd caught on to something.
Parting from the others and arriving home, it was a little past ten. Sure enough, Su-jin peppered him with rapid-fire scolding, her face twisted in venom.
"Seriously… should I tell Mom? Drinking every single day."
"Hey, hey, calm down. Your big brother drank for business. It counts as work."
"The apple doesn't fall far from Dad's tree, huh? Skip the excuses, go wash up and get to bed. It's drama time."
Pushed along by Su-jin's nagging, Young-hoon went into the bathroom, washed up quickly, then headed to his study to sort through the day's work.
Maybe I was too hasty pulling Manager Kim and Assistant Manager Park in. And the business with Kim Gi-hyun is something to look forward to… so much happened today, really. I should leave work early tomorrow and prep for the meeting… Ah, forget it — tomorrow's worries can wait until tomorrow.
As Young-hoon looked back over the day's events, his thoughts drifted, of all things, to PD Shin Hye-yoon.
But why does PD Shin keep getting pricklier? I'd like us to get along well, but it's genuinely tricky. And Sung-hoo playing up to her gets on my nerves too…
Young-hoon, you see, understood a woman's heart not one bit.
Young-hoon rose early the next morning and received round two of Su-jin's scolding.
"Hey~ sister, let's call it quits."
"The only reason you don't have a girlfriend, big brother, is that you're out drinking every single day."
The jab hit a sore spot dead-on, and Young-hoon snapped back.
"Hey! What about you, then?"
"Oh please~ do you know how many single doctors at our hospital are chasing after me?"
"Hmph, spare me the details. Eat breakfast and get yourself to work. Oh, and I might be late again today."
"What do you even do every night that you're late every single day?"
"Business. Knowing would only hurt you, so quit asking."
Bantering back and forth with Su-jin, Young-hoon fixed himself breakfast and headed to work. First in the office, as always. There was no longer any need to come early, but it had become habit, and there was no helping it. Today being the last day of October, it should have been a frantic rush — but Marketing Team 3 had no special internal schedule. Well, even if there were one, he'd resolved not to care.
He was waiting for Park to return with the coffee when a text from President Lee Jae-man arrived.
While Young-hoon was texting Jae-man, Park walked into the office carrying the coffee.
"Coffee for you, CEO Kim. And a small donation of magic herb powder for your humble subordinate, if you please."
"Cut the nonsense, and be careful it doesn't leak."
"Got it. Oh, and you know Kim Gi-hyun? He called last night. Said his father gave the final confirmation. He wants to meet once — when's good for you?"
"Strike while the iron's hot, I always say. Let's tell him this afternoon."
"What time? Same coffee shop as yesterday?"
"No. I have an office on Teheran-ro in Gangnam. Let's meet there around two. The address is Synergy Building, 35th floor, Teheran-ro xxxx, Gangnam-gu."
"Whoa~ Assistant Manager Kim, you scare me. Since when did you have an office set up?"
"Not long ago. People are coming in, so let's cut the chatter here."
A little later, Manager Kim arrived at the office looking remarkably bright. Apparently yesterday's events had pleased him immensely. Park hurried over to greet him.
"Good morning, Manager Kim."
"Oh, morning to you too, Park. Let's have a meeting in a bit — around nine thirty."
"Yes, sir!"
Just past nine, that bastard Hong sauntered into the office, and the moment he sat down, he summoned Young-hoon.
"Assistant Manager Kim, I have a favor to ask… can you help me out?"
"And what favor would that be?"
"It's just… I'm swamped. Could you sort out the delivery paperwork for me?"
"Excuse me? Why on earth should I organize your delivery paperwork, Assistant Manager Hong? I'm pressed for time myself, so that won't be possible."
Rejected on the spot, Hong flared up and got snippy.
"What's that supposed to mean? I asked Jin-man, and he said you've only got three tasks to handle this month."
"I'm out on field calls a lot, so do your own paperwork, Assistant Manager Hong."
"No, when a senior tells you to do something, you shut up and do it! What's with all this yapping? Have it all sorted by tomorrow!"
"Assistant Manager Hong, don't run your mouth and do your own damn work. Did you win that 'Assistant Manager' title in a game of go-stop, or in rock-paper-scissors? How is it that you never do a single thing properly? That title's wasted on you. I'm begging you — act like you've earned it. What could Jin-man possibly learn from a waste of space like you?"
For a moment, Hong's blood boiled to the crown of his head. Normally, Young-hoon disliked him, sure, but he almost never came at him this hard. Ever since that blowup in the conference room the other day, though, there had been this strange streak of defiance creeping in.
"Did this punk get up on the wrong side of the bed? Where do you get off cursing at a senior? You looking to get hauled before a disciplinary committee?"
"Go ahead and do whatever you like about that. All I'm saying is do your own work. I've been coddling you, and now you've got no sense in those eyes. What? Feeling wronged? If you're so wronged, take off the rank badge and settle it with me on the rooftop."
"Why, you little…"
Hong's face burned crimson with rage. But he couldn't very well lunge at Young-hoon's words, either — if things came to blows somewhere without witnesses, there was no telling what would happen to him. In the end, he flung his anger at a safer target.
"Manager Kim! What is the meaning of this! Is it acceptable for a junior to insubordinate a senior like this?"
But today, even Manager Kim was not his usual chuckling self.
"Assistant Manager Hong, you get yourself in order. What kind of man dumps his own work on a junior? Or have you never committed insubordination against me? You reap exactly what you sow. Look at yourself first, Assistant Manager Hong."
With even the Manager Kim he'd counted on raking him over the coals, Hong didn't know what to do. Grumbling to himself, and finally pushed past his limit, he stormed out of the office with a parting shot.
"You sons of bitches! If I let you people get away with this, I'm not a man!"
The office, roiled by the commotion, slowly settled. Hwang from Team 2 looked over at Young-hoon and said, clearly astonished.
"Hey~ Kim Young-hoon, that was legendary. My chest feels ten pounds lighter. A lunatic like that needs to get stepped on every now and then, or he just keeps crawling right back up."
Park muttered under his breath, hamming it up with mock dread.
"Wow, Assistant Manager Kim is scary when he's angry. This is trouble. How am I supposed to survive serving a man like this?"
"Shut up, everyone, meeting room. Now."
Manager Kim brought the whole thing to a clean close.
Hong had stormed out in a fury, but he had no other moves left. No — to put it precisely, he had no choice but to walk back into that office.
Just yesterday morning, after finishing the meeting and lounging in a sauna, he'd gotten a call from Deputy General Manager Cho. No matter how much of a formality the audit had been, how foregone its conclusion, he was told to prepare the documents anyway. President Hong Sang-gyu was coming in as Vice Chairman of LK Electronics, and the last thing needed was something to pin on anyone. So with no alternative, he'd come into the office in the afternoon — and apart from Jin-man, there'd been no one there.
Facing a full year's worth of delivery paperwork he himself had piled up, he couldn't even fathom the task. You had to know something before you could sort anything. He'd tried to make Jin-man do it, but Jin-man fumbled through it hopelessly, so that went nowhere. Left with no choice, he'd planned to dump it on Assistant Manager Kim today — and the bastard had bitten his head off. He'd raised his voice in sheer shock, but… the truth was, he was scared of getting beaten. He'd scrambled to Manager Kim for backup, and that bastard had railed at him too.
He couldn't stand in that room a second longer and bolted, but walking back in now would be mortifying beyond words, and writing off the whole day meant leaving the delivery paperwork nagging at him. Ah, the hell with it.
In the end, Hong watched the situation from outside for a while, then steeled himself to go back in.