New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 26

“Welcome, Vice President-nim.”

Park Joon-hyung, who had been appointed as the team leader of the HR team as of June 1st, quickly greeted Shin Byung-hoon.

“Yes. Are you Manager Park Joon-hyung?”

“Yes, Vice President-nim.”

“I’ve looked over Han-Young Corporation, and you’re the best in terms of personnel. I understand why the Chairman likes you.”

“You’re too kind, Vice President-nim. Please have a seat.”

“Alright.”

Park Joon-hyung offered Shin Byung-hoon a cup of tea and asked him the purpose of his visit.

“Well, about the top employee of the first half of this year. Would you be able to tell me who it is?”

Park Joon-hyung quietly looked at Shin Byung-hoon and thought hard.

Although he was a vice president, he was someone who had closely assisted Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon.

Why was he curious about the top employee of the first half of the year, which was selected at the discretion of the HR team?

“Is it perhaps because of the new team you’re creating?”

“As expected. You’re quick-witted, as the HR team leader.”

“Hahaha. No, sir. We are planning to select Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak of Sales Team 5 as the top employee of the first half of the year.”

“Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak?”

“Yes. He is currently ranked first in individual performance, and he is an excellent and decent employee to the point that no one in the company dislikes him.”

“I see.”

Seeing that Shin Byung-hoon didn’t seem very pleased, Park Joon-hyung quickly opened his mouth.

“Do you have an employee in mind, sir?”

Shin Byung-hoon nodded at his words.

“The new employee who brought me to this company. I think we should give him some kind of reward for providing such an idea.”

At those words, Park Joon-hyung thought of Kim Chul-soo.

Manager Yang had been targeted by Managing Director Yoo, and the situation was already frustrating, so the thought of the guy who caused it all made him feel a surge of annoyance.

However, he didn’t show it on his face.

“I haven’t looked into it. The HR team will come up with an appropriate reward plan.”

“Alright. If there’s an employee who works hard, we should reward them accordingly. That’s how the Chairman runs the group as well. What else is there for office workers? Salary, promotion, rewards, bonuses. Otherwise, what fun would there be in coming to work?”

“Don’t worry, Vice President-nim.”

“Alright. By the way, I’d like to see the performance evaluations of the sales team employees. I need to form a team to handle a huge project.”

Only then did Park Joon-hyung realize the real purpose of Shin Byung-hoon’s visit.

That meant he was looking after Kim Chul-soo out of personal interest.

‘This is going to be a problem.’

“Understood. I will have the relevant records sent to your office, Vice President-nim.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

******

“Oh dear, how much did this kid drink?”

Yoon Jin-sook said, covering her nose as soon as she opened the door, overwhelmed by the strong smell of alcohol.

“My superiors made me drink a lot. But I’m perfectly fine.”

“Seeing as they made you drink so much, it seems you’re well-liked.”

Kim Chul-soo, slightly staggering, handed a black plastic bag to Yoon Jin-sook.

“What’s this?”

“It’s Gopchang Jeongol. It was delicious. You really liked this, Mom, right? I felt bad eating it alone, so I bought some.”

“Why did you buy so much?”

“I thought about all the times I couldn’t buy it for you. You should eat plenty while you’re still healthy.”

“Going to work has made my son grow up, hasn’t it? Stop with the silly talk and go wash up.”

“Okay.”

As Kim Chul-soo went inside, Yoon Jin-sook wiped her eyes with her sleeve, looking at the wall in front of the house.

After her husband died and the family was struggling, she lived solely for her two sons.

Now, they were starting to touch her heart, one by one.

She thought her tears had dried up after her husband’s death, but it seemed she was wrong.

“Damn kids.”

Yoon Jin-sook stood there for a long time, composing herself before closing the door.

After washing up in the bathroom and entering his room, Kim Chul-soo saw Young-soo, already in dreamland.

Looking at Young-soo sleeping like a baby with his fluffy mustache, Kim Chul-soo turned on the computer and launched the stock trading program.

Today, it was marked with red arrows.

Total investment amount: 16.5 million won.

Estimated assets in the current account: 22.1 million won.

Current rate of return: 33.9%.

After a period of blue arrows, it was on an upward trend again.

To have 20 million won in his account after only four months of working……

Kim Chul-soo chuckled and turned off the computer. Lying in bed, he pondered.

Vice President Shin Byung-hoon.

It seemed his appointment had been moved up a year because of the 6-Sigma presentation materials.

He was sent from the group to create and stabilize a team related to resource development and project organizing.

Both fields involved large-scale projects, so if successful, the results could be equivalent to the performance of one team’s work for an entire year.

The company-wide special business plan submission was also likely to be handled by the team that would be formed next year.

‘A perfect business plan isn’t good, a business plan that only I can do is good.’

Kim Chul-soo drifted off to sleep, imagining the streets of Kenya.

How about joining hands with me?

“Did you watch the news yesterday, by any chance?”

Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, looked at Kim Chul-soo.

Having flawlessly handled the popcorn machine issue on his own, Kim Chul-soo had begun to gain a voice within the team.

“What news?”

“There was a special feature on ‘Gireogi Appa’.”

Kim Chul-soo’s words made Pyo Il-soo tilt his head.

“What’s ‘Gireogi Appa’?”

Kim Chul-soo glanced at Lee Jun-hak and spoke.

“It refers to fathers who live in Korea alone while their wives and children are abroad for education.”

“Ah! Why do they do that? What’s family? It’s ‘Sik’ (eat) and ‘Gu’ (mouth)! You’re family if you eat together, right? Can a family be maintained when they’re separated?”

“It’s probably because of the stifling reality in Korea.”

Lee Jun-hak took a drag of his cigarette, recalling his conversation with his wife.

‘Why is this guy suddenly bringing up the topic of ‘Gireogi Appa’?’

“What’s so stifling? It’s usually those who haven’t been abroad that have these strange fantasies. Where else can you find a place as safe and with such a good public education system as Korea?”

“That’s why they go to places that are even better than Korea.”

“Those places are expensive, aren’t they? The cost of living must be outrageous, right? What are they going to do when they get old if they focus so much on their children? Ah, that reminds me of one of my colleagues. He went to England as an expat with his family and then came back alone. But less than two years after returning to the company, he got divorced, became alienated, and quit. I wonder what that guy is doing now.”

At those words, Lee Jun-hak smiled bitterly.

“If you get married, Pyo Gwa-jang-nim, you won’t be able to say that so easily.”

“Is this kid acting like he knows everything because he’s married?”

“Reality is quite different.”

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

“What? Are you a ‘Gireogi’ too?”

Lee Jun-hak protested with an aggrieved expression.

“Why…… are you making me into a ‘Gireogi’ for no reason? We just had dinner together recently.”

“Ah, that’s right. But why are you so serious?”

“I’m worried that I might become like that if I go abroad.”

“Just don’t do it then. What do you mean ‘become like that’?”

At that, Lee Jun-hak took a drag of his cigarette with a bitter expression.

“You’ll understand how I feel when you get married, have kids, and go through the whole process, Gwa-jang-nim.”

Kim Chul-soo looked back and forth between Lee Jun-hak and Pyo Il-soo.

He felt the conversation was getting too serious, so he changed the subject.

“Are you seeing anyone, Pyo Gwa-jang-nim? That Park Eun-sook……”

Pyo Il-soo covered Kim Chul-soo’s mouth.

“Hey! That’s a secret, so don’t go blabbing about it. How did you know?”

Lee Jun-hak chuckled.

“He showed Chul-soo pictures of several people, and he said Park Eun-sook Dae-ri was the best.”

“Did you tell the Team Leader too?”

“No way. If I did, he’d be pestering you every day asking how far you’ve gotten.”

“That’s a relief. But does Chul-soo have a girlfriend?”

Kim Chul-soo shook his head at the question.

“No, I don’t.”

Lee Jun-hak spoke up.

“I think he has a ‘something’.”

“Who?”

Kim Chul-soo looked at Lee Jun-hak with a bewildered expression. Lee Jun-hak answered Pyo Il-soo’s question.

“You know the new employee in Team 2? The pretty one.”

“Ah, Jang Yoo-mi Sa-won? Is it true, Chul-soo?”

“No, Gwa-jang-nim.”

“What do you mean no? You’re flustered, aren’t you?”

“It’s really not true. She’s just a colleague I can talk to, Gwa-jang-nim.”

Pyo Il-soo grinned mischievously at Kim Chul-soo and put out his cigarette butt in the ashtray.

“Chul-soo, if my rumors reach the Team Leader’s ears, yours won’t be safe either.”

“It’s really not true, Gwa-jang-nim.”

Pyo Il-soo scratched his ear with his pinky finger and turned around.

“Let’s get to work.”