Chapter 32: Scandal? Let It Come

A sudden question.

My fork froze mid-air before I even realized it.

"No. It's barely been any time since the divorce. And I've been so buried in work I haven't had a spare thought for anything like that."

"Really? Hmm..."

She swirled her wine glass with an unreadable smile.

"Then what do you do on weekends? You were free enough to have dinner with me today, weren't you?"

"Well, yes. I work out, meet up with friends now and then..."

"Then let's have dinner together when you find time from now on. I get bored too whenever my schedule clears up. Eating with my manager gets old, you know."

My heart thudded.

A top star saying she wanted to grab meals with me because she was bored? The line of men waiting their turn had to stretch to the dozens, trucks' worth of them?

Wondering what kind of signal this was supposed to be, I studied her face — but my senior calmly picked up a slice of sashimi and ate it, the picture of composure.

"What? You don't want to? I'll pay for the food. Your noona's rich."

"No, it's not that I don't want to... I'd be honored. But what if a scandal breaks out?"

"A scandal? Then let it break. I'm in my late thirties now. I'm well past the age where I'd get torn apart just for dating someone."

She flashed a grin.

That smile was so devastatingly charming that, for a moment, the breath caught in my throat.

What is wrong with this noona today?

No — wait, am I the problem here?

Is the Fashion King ability making me so brimming with confidence that I'm misreading everything?

Fine. Let's find out.

What's really in noona's heart.

Does she see me as a junior she genuinely treasures?

Or does she see me as a man?

'I Hear Your Voice!'

Charges remaining: 2.

Over a crackle of static, her inner thoughts began layering themselves over her expression like subtitles only I could see.

'Ah... my heart's about to burst. Why am I shaking like this? Kim Dong-su, you absolute— why does he have to look this good today? Of all days. He's making my heart flutter on purpose, isn't he?'

Her true feelings were the polar opposite of that relaxed smile on the surface.

'Was asking him to dinner... too forward? A scandal? Hah — honestly, I half hope one does break. If a tabloid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠article actually hit, I could use it as an excuse and just straight-up start seeing him.'

'When did he grow up like this? That clumsy kid who burned my hair with a curling iron in the Daehangno rehearsal room all those years ago... He became a banker and turned into a real man. Just my luck.'

'No. Get it together, Song Hae-in. Stay calm. If I show it too much, he might bolt. His divorce is still fresh. Don't pressure him. Slowly... let yourself seep into his life, naturally.'

"......."

I could only stare at her, dazed.

My heart didn't just pound — it hammered against my ribs like it was trying to break out.

She liked me.

And not just now — she had, a very long time ago, and now she did again.

It wasn't simple fondness, either.

Korea's top star felt her heart flutter because of me.

"Dong-su? What's wrong? Did I get something on my face?"

When my gaze lingered too long, Hae-in fidgeted, touching her cheek in flustered embarrassment.

A master actress, playing it cool on the outside even as her inner voice sang a completely different tune.

That performance alone pulled a snort of laughter out of me.

"No, it's nothing. It's just... you're right, senior."

"About what?"

"That a scandal would just break if it breaks. So what?"

I lifted my wine glass and looked her dead in the eye.

"I'd love having dinner with you, senior. Let's see each other often from now on. Buy me lots of good food. Senior."

In that instant, Hae-in's eyes wavered.

Her cheeks flushed a warm pink.

'Oh my... what was that? That look just now? I nearly died of a heart attack. Is this guy a player or what?'

Her inner voice rang vividly in my ears.

I feigned ignorance and took a long sip of wine.

It tasted unusually sweet.

Well — taking things slow wouldn't be so bad.

It wasn't like we were getting married.

Dating? I could do dating.

Maybe it was the wine, but the heat in my face just wouldn't fade.

Monday morning.

My steps felt light as I walked into the Main Branch Business Department.

Part of it was the lingering glow of my weekend "date" with Senior Hae-in, but today was also the day of reckoning — the day every shot I'd fired last week finally landed.

"Team Leader Kim, good morning, sir!"

Assistant Manager Choi In-sung greeted me a full octave brighter than usual. A mountain of paperwork stood stacked on his desk.

"Morning, Mr. Choi. You look pleased about something. Good news?"

"Good news doesn't even cover it! The Main Branch Review Division just called. The rate reduction and conditional extension for Seoul Systems — approved!"

"Really? That was faster than I expected."

"And there's more — Mirae General Construction too! The extension was approved on the condition that the West Coast land be secured as collateral. The review officer literally said, 'I couldn't believe someone had the nerve to draft an extension backed by vacant wilderness, until I saw how brilliantly he worked the regulations.'"

Mr. Choi was beaming ear to ear.

It was only the natural outcome.

Time-Pass me had constructed every argument down to the last detail.

Banking is a war fought with justification and regulation. Satisfy both, and even the impossible becomes possible.

"And Donggwang Electronics?"

"Ah, they're still coordinating with the consulting team, but word is the recommendation as an S-Electronics supplier is looking positive. It's practically a matter of time."

Flawless.

I had taken the three bombs that the Branch Manager and the two runaway team leaders had abandoned — and turned them into geese that laid golden eggs.

Just then, the door burst open and Branch Manager Park Tae-jin came charging in, approval documents clutched in his hand.

"Team Leader Kim Dong-su! A word. Now!"

His voice was trembling.

Impossible to tell whether it was rage or shock.

I rose unhurriedly, buttoning my jacket.

"Of course. Coming."

The moment I stepped into the branch manager's office, Park slapped the documents down on the desk.

"Just... who exactly were you at headquarters? What did you do there?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Seoul Systems, Mirae General Construction... You got all of these approved? Those stone-faced bastards in the Review Division signed off on this?"

The branch manager looked me up and down as if I were some creature he couldn't quite believe existed.

These were the deals he'd been refused on again and again — the ones he'd given up on after even getting threatened with a golf club.

And a fill-in team leader dispatched barely a week ago had solved them all.

While booking the credit on top of it.

"I did tell you, sir. I simply followed the regulations."

"Ha... unbelievable. You followed the regulations and this happened?"

He slumped back into his chair, deflated. I could watch the venom draining from his eyes — replaced, improbably, by something close to awe.

"Branch Manager. Will this do something for the branch's performance evaluation?"

"Do something? It'll do everything! Seoul Systems' payroll accounts are transferring to us, plus Mirae Construction's deposits came in on top — our numbers this month are locked in at Grade 1. Guaranteed."

"Yes, sir. That was negotiated as part of the loan extension terms."

"Ha... incredible. Hahaha."

Park Tae-jin let out an empty laugh and sank fully into his chair. He pulled out a handkerchief, dabbed the sweat from his forehead, and looked up at me.

His eyes had changed completely.

The contempt and dismissal from our first meeting were gone without a trace, replaced by the greedy gleam of a man staring at a windfall.

"Team Leader Kim... no — Manager Kim Dong-su. You're the real deal. They didn't just send anyone down from headquarters."

"Thank you for the kind assessment, sir."

"Kind assessment? This is beyond that! At this rate our branch rating jumps from Grade 7 straight to Grade 3 — maybe even Grade 2! The year-end evaluation is right around the corner, and you've saved me... I mean, saved our branch!"

Excited, he'd started to say "saved me" before hastily correcting it to "saved our branch."

His true motives were written all over his face.

When a branch's performance rises, the one who pockets ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the biggest gains is, of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠course, the branch manager.

His personnel review, his performance bonus — and his promotion.

I didn't let the moment slip by.

"Branch Manager."

"Yes, yes. Go on."

"I was only able to push these deals through so boldly because I knew you were standing firm behind me."

At my words, Park's eyes went round.

He'd caught on immediately — I was handing him the credit.

"Is... is that so? Ahem. Well, I have emphasized certain principles around here, so I suppose you picked up on them very well indeed."

"Yes, sir. That's why, when I submitted the performance report, I made sure to highlight your management directives throughout. I expect headquarters will speak highly of your leadership."

It was, in truth, a lie.

Not a single line of the report mentioned any such thing.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Park Tae-jin would want to believe it with all his heart.

No — he had to believe it.

Only then could he shamelessly ladle himself a serving of the credit.

"Hahaha! That's our Team Leader Kim Dong-su! What instincts — what instincts! I always said my eye for people never fails me. Come, come, don't just stand there — have some tea with me."

He produced the premium green tea he reserved exclusively for VIP clients.

The man's pivot had Usain Bolt-level speed.

But I politely declined.

"I appreciate the offer, sir, but I still have final paperwork to close out on the Donggwang Electronics deal. I'd like to wrap it up properly first."

"Of course, of course! Work comes first. If you need anything — anything at all — just say the word. A corporate card? A team dinner? Should I book a full dinner for the whole Business Department tonight?"

"I'll ask the staff and get back to you on that, sir."

"Okay, okay! I'm putting my trust in you!"

When I emerged from the branch manager's office, the employees who'd been holding their breath outside all turned to stare at me.

They'd heard the shouting earlier and assumed I was about to get torn apart again.

But my expression was so serene that everyone looked bewildered.

"Team Leader... are you all right, sir?"

Assistant Manager Choi In-sung crept closer, wary.

I grinned at him and winked.

"Mr. Choi, we're having a nice lunch today. On the branch manager's card."

"The... the branch manager's card, sir?"

"Yep. He told me to spend as much as I like. Our team's earned it, so book the most expensive place you can find."

A small cheer went up around the office.

The suffocating atmosphere transformed, in an instant, into something warm and festive.

I returned to my desk and sank deep into my chair.

So this is office politics.

Crushing people with sheer results is one way — but feeding their ambition just enough and turning them into your allies is another.

That was the cleverer revenge, and the smarter survival strategy.

After all, the actual performance would be recorded in the system under my name anyway.

'Phew... I can finally breathe, can't I?'

Morning work wrapped up, and lunchtime arrived.

I was at a sushi restaurant near the branch with the rest of the staff when the phone in my pocket buzzed.

An unknown number.

"Excuse me for a moment."

I excused myself, stepped out of the private room, and answered.

"Hello? This is Kim Dong-su."

"Ah, Manager Kim Dong-su? This is Lee Seok-woo, team leader of Corporate Finance Team 1."

Lee Seok-woo?

Now I remembered.

The team leader who'd bolted on parental leave the instant this crisis erupted.

My predecessor.