New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 25

Wednesday morning, team leader meeting.

Managing Director Yoo Young-sik called Team Leader Yang Chun-sik as soon as he entered.

“Yes, Managing Director-nim.”

“How’s the puffed rice snack machine project going?”

“Well, the buyer suddenly refused to sign the contract……”

“Just tell me the result.”

Yang Chun-sik’s eyes widened due to the starkly different atmosphere of Managing Director Yoo Young-sik compared to a few days ago.

‘What’s going on?’

“It fell through for now, but we’re trying to……”

“Manager Yang.”

With those words, Managing Director Yoo Young-sik addressed him with the title “Manager” instead of “Team Leader” in a low voice.

It was a way he spoke only when he was angry, and all the team leaders started to get nervous.

“Yes, Managing Director-nim.”

“Why did the deal fall apart when the negotiations with the buyer were almost finalized?”

“Well…… We are currently investigating the cause……”

“Manager Yang. Why are you handling things this way? You said you could confidently handle it and asked for it! Now that I gave it to you, you’re messing it up like this?”

At those words, Yang Chun-sik looked around at the other team leaders gathered in the conference room with a wronged expression.

This project was simply thrown at him by Managing Director Yoo; he never said he would take it.

However, the other team leaders avoided Yang Chun-sik’s pleading gaze.

The evaluation of team leaders was the responsibility of Managing Director Yoo Young-sik, so they didn’t want to get on his bad side when he was angry.

“Th-that’s…… What do you mean? Managing Director Yoo-nim, you……”

“Why did you entrust it to a new employee? Didn’t I say it would be too much for a newcomer to handle? You’re ignoring my words?”

“Th…… That’s……”

“This incident will be reflected in your performance evaluation. Keep that in mind. How are you going to handle this mess? Do you know how many machines are currently filling up the Han-Young Logistics warehouse?”

“W-Well…… M-Managing Director-nim……”

Manager Yang was sweating profusely with an almost desperate look in his eyes.

Then, Ahn Jeong-gyu, who had been silent, spoke up.

“Managing Director-nim. If you give that failed project to our Team 5, we will take responsibility and revive it.”

Hearing that, Yoo Young-sik looked at Ahn Jeong-gyu and said,

“Do you know how difficult it is to revive a failed contract?”

“I am well aware. We, Team 5, initiated it, and we will finalize it, and we will take responsibility.”

“Take responsibility? Are you serious, Team Leader Ahn?”

“Yes, Managing Director-nim.”

After listening to Ahn Jeong-gyu, Yoo Young-sik turned his gaze to Yang Chun-sik.

“Manager Yang. What are you going to do? Will you hand it over to Team 5, or will you take responsibility?”

Yang Chun-sik’s face flushed red with all sorts of complex emotions, but he knew that his team couldn’t handle this project.

If that was the case, he had to give it up for the sake of the team’s performance.

‘Damn it!’

Yang Chun-sik lowered his head and said,

“I will hand it over to Team 5.”

He admitted his incompetence in front of everyone.

‘Fuck!’

******

After the team leader meeting, Ahn Jeong-gyu, carrying the project proposal file he received from Yang Chun-sik, hummed a light tune as he walked towards Team 5.

He then tossed the file onto Kim Chul-soo’s desk. Startled, Kim Chul-soo turned his gaze to the file.

“Kim Chul-soo.”

“Yes, Team Leader-nim.”

“Handle this properly. If you can’t fix it, I’ll grind you to dust.”

At those words, Manager Pyo Il-soo and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak approached Kim Chul-soo’s desk.

“This is the one that fell through……”

“If it fell through, you have to set it back up.”

Lee Jun-hak, seemingly in a good mood, hummed as he watched Ahn Jeong-gyu return to his desk and thought,

Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu had never failed a project he took on.

That meant he must be confident that Kim Chul-soo could handle this.

‘No way?’

During that short business trip? Is that even possible?

Lee Jun-hak looked at the back of Kim Chul-soo’s head with a surprised expression.

Ahn Jeong-gyu sat at his desk, touching his bruised eyelid, and thought about Managing Director Yoo Young-sik.

‘To resolve the situation without revealing whose line he belongs to in that situation…… He’s certainly not an ordinary person. And to think he got rid of Manager Yang like that.’

“Ouch…… Damn…… Manager Yang…… It still hurts. Ahem……”

Let’s maintain a good relationship from now on.

Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak, who met at the main gate early in the morning, smoked cigarettes on a bench near the company.

“How’s it going with Assistant Manager Park?”

“Don’t even ask. She’s extremely prickly.”

“Seeing as you’re still dating her, I guess you like her.”

Pyo Il-soo grinned at those words.

“Thanks to you, my life has gotten a bit more tiring. But I like her when I see her. Thanks, Jun-hak.”

“No problem. I should at least do that much for you!”

“As expected of our Jun-hak!”

Pyo Il-soo took a drag of his cigarette and continued,

“Why did you reject the Team Leader’s offer?”

Lee Jun-hak brushed off the dust from the bench, sat down next to Pyo Il-soo, and opened his mouth.

“It’s because of the Team Leader.”

“What do you mean? Because of the Team Leader?”

“Manager Pyo, you know what my dream is, right?”

Pyo Il-soo nodded at Lee Jun-hak’s words.

He was content with supporting and rising under Ahn Jeong-gyu, but Lee Jun-hak’s gaze was always fixed on something further.

“Of course, I know.”

“If I stay under the Team Leader, I think my dream will be realized too late.”

Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu was smart, worked well, and managed people quite well.

In Pyo Il-soo’s opinion, it was a given that he would become an executive if nothing went wrong, and under such a leader, there was a high chance that Lee Jun-hak would eventually become an executive, albeit later.

“What’s the rush?”

“My personality is a bit impatient, isn’t it? After my overseas assignment, I’m thinking of gaining some experience in another department. So, I want to climb the ladder in a place unrelated to the sales department. I don’t want to fight with Manager Pyo for a position in the sales department.”

━That guy will step on you someday. Get your act together!

Recalling Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words, Pyo Il-soo thought that Lee Jun-hak’s idea was much more impressive.

The idea of going to another department to avoid a power struggle with his close colleagues in the sales department.

“As expected of our Jun-hak. You think deeply.”

“It’s nothing, Manager Pyo.”

“But who will I smoke with if you leave?”

“Isn’t there the Team Leader?”

“He always nags. I don’t like it.”

“Take Chul-soo with you.”

“Should I?”

Lee Jun-hak checked his watch and quickly got up.

“Let’s go up, Manager Pyo!”

******

Kim Chul-soo, who was put in charge of the puffed rice snack machine project again, called Assistant Manager Gong Jeong-hoon of Han-Young Logistics and explained the situation.

Assistant Manager Gong Jeong-hoon immediately contacted Kennedy and relayed Han-Young Corporation’s position.

Kennedy rushed to Buhoho immediately.

Kim Chul-soo checked his watch and immediately tried to contact ATC.

Although it was a failed deal, he explained the situation as best as he could, and within an hour, he received a call back.

Directly from the CEO, Buhoho Kenyatta.

━If you want to proceed with this deal again, I’ll have to add one more condition.

━Let’s hear it.

━I’d like you to come to Kenya for my birthday every year while the contract is in effect.

One business trip to Kenya per year.

Since it was on speakerphone, Kim Chul-soo turned around and looked at Ahn Jeong-gyu.

Ahn Jeong-gyu nodded repeatedly as if asking what he was thinking about, and Kim Chul-soo opened his mouth.

━Okay. No problem.

━Alright. Then send me the contract via fax. Add what I just said as an option.

━Thank you. Let’s maintain a good relationship from now on.

━Of course. I’ll always welcome you, Kim.

As Kim Chul-soo finished the call successfully and pressed the end call button, Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu, Manager Pyo Il-soo, and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak hugged each other and shouted “Hurray!” at the top of their lungs.

Kim Chul-soo also scratched his head and stood up, and Manager Pyo Il-soo pulled him in for a hug, and they shouted endlessly.

The moment a contract was signed was the best drug for salesmen.

When Sales Team 5 cheered, the other teams looked at them with envy.

“Wow. The new guy saved the deal that fell through.”

Manager Cha Sang-hyun of Sales Team 4, separated by a partition, clicked his tongue and clapped his hands.

“It looks like the new guy will lead the project. A record has been broken in our company. Wasn’t that record held by Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu? Landing a solo contract within six months of joining the company.”

“That’s right. But he not only landed a solo contract within four months of joining the company, but he also saved one that fell through, so it’s a huge deal.”

“It seems the HR team’s evaluation isn’t reliable either, Manager Cha.”

Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun, who was next to him, subtly glanced at the new employee, Lee Jung-seok, and said,

“I don’t know when our new guy will become useful.”

At those words, Lee Jung-seok, who was looking at the computer screen, clenched his lips tightly and made a fist. Manager Cha Sang-hyun looked at him and said,

“It’s not that he’s incompetent. The new guy in Team 5 is just too good. It’s the first time I’ve seen a business plan made by a new employee get approved by the finance and risk teams in one go.”

At that moment, Vice President Shin Byung-hoon, accompanied by his secretary, entered the office and turned his steps towards the noisy Sales Team 5.

“Something good must have happened.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu, who had his arm around Kim Chul-soo, quickly released him and bowed his head when he saw Vice President Shin Byung-hoon.

“Welcome, Vice President-nim.”

At the word “Vice President”, the team members also quickly bowed their heads.

“It’s a rare sight to see grown men hugging each other and shouting for joy in the office. What’s the occasion?”

“Yes, Vice President-nim. We landed a difficult contract. It’s the happiest moment for our salespeople.”

Shin Byung-hoon nodded his head in satisfaction at Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words.

“Ah! That’s great.”

“Yes! Vice President-nim. What brings you here?”

“I came to see how the sales department is doing.”

As he was about to turn around after saying that, Shin Byung-hoon turned his head again and looked at Kim Chul-soo.

“You’re employee Kim Chul-soo, right?”

“Yes! Vice President-nim!”

Shin Byung-hoon looked at Kim Chul-soo silently and then nodded with a smile.

“Yes. You were the one…… Thanks to you, I’m not confused and I’m doing well at the company.”

“Oh, no, Vice President-nim.”

Shin Byung-hoon patted Kim Chul-soo’s shoulder and looked at Ahn Jeong-gyu.

“Alright! I hope I didn’t interrupt. Keep up the good work.”

As Shin Byung-hoon walked away with his secretary, the team members’ eyes all turned to Kim Chul-soo.

Manager Pyo Il-soo clung to Kim Chul-soo.

“What’s going on, Chul-soo? What do you mean he’s doing well at the company?”

“A few days ago, I came to work early in the morning and saw him wandering around the company alone, so I showed him around.”

Manager Pyo Il-soo patted Kim Chul-soo’s head in disbelief.

“Wow, this guy! You’ve got it! Is it luck or skill?”

Lee Jun-hak answered for him.

“This guy comes to work every day at 7 am, even on weekends, and leaves late at night. It must be skill. It’s strangely not annoying to see hard-working people succeed.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu, who was listening quietly, gathered the documents he needed to report and thought,

‘Does this mean he’s caught the Vice President’s eye?’

“As a new member of Team 5, you should at least do that much, Kim Chul-soo.”

“Yes! Team Leader-nim.”

“Finalize the contract and send the documents to Han-Young Logistics immediately to prepare for forwarding. And we’ll have a team dinner tonight, so choose the place you want to eat. Don’t hesitate.”

“Yes! Team Leader-nim.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu picked up his documents and said,

“Then I’ll go meet the Managing Director-nim.”

Today, Team Leader Ahn’s backside seemed unusually light and bouncy.