New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 29

Around 10 o’clock.

After finishing the executive meeting, Choi Young-joon headed to Blue House, thinking about having a drink and seeing his sister. Kim Chul-soo, who was singing on stage, saw Choi Hye-na greet Choi Young-joon warmly as he went up the VIP stairs.

It was as Kim Chul-soo expected.

Meanwhile, Choi Young-joon entered the VIP room with Choi Hye-na and spoke as he sat on the sofa.

“The business is doing well, huh?”

“It’s only busy at this hour. You’re going to drink, right?”

Choi Young-joon nodded, looking at the young man singing.

“Yes. Prepare something simple.”

Then he turned his head and looked out the window.

He watched the young man, who looked like a celebrity, singing soulfully, and then said,

“Most of the customers are women. It’s understandable.”

“He’s our ace. He has to be able to do at least that much.”

“Father’s birthday is next week. You’ll come, right?”

Choi Hye-na pouted at those words.

“Just thinking about his nagging all day long…… Well, I still have to celebrate his birthday.”

Choi Hye-na said that and then called a waiter to place an order.

Choi Young-joon was about to mention that his father had a man he wanted to introduce her to, but he closed his mouth.

If he brought it up, she would obviously not show up at home, and that would ruin a pleasant birthday.

Choi Hye-na, who didn’t care about the people Choi Kyung-hoon introduced and only dated those she wanted to, didn’t seem to be seeing anyone lately, so he asked a different question.

“Are you seeing anyone these days?”

“When did you become interested in your sister’s love life?”

“Because you’ll get annoyed if I talk about the company.”

Choi Hye-na looked out the window quietly and said,

“There is someone I like, but he’s a clueless idiot.”

She could have pretended there wasn’t, but Choi Hye-na wasn’t the type to hide her feelings.

Choi Young-joon burst out laughing and said,

“I’ve seen men agonizing over you. This is the first time I’ve seen you like this.”

“That’s why I’m so pissed off. Should I just jump him?”

“Are you serious?”

Choi Hye-na chuckled at that.

She thought it would be fun to wait and see when the idiot in front of her would realize her feelings.

“You don’t need to know. Don’t start unnecessary rumors in the family.”

“Of course.”

“There’s an executive from your company in the next room.”

“Huh?”

“That’s right. They seem to be talking about something suspicious.”

“What are they saying?”

“I don’t know. Ask them yourself if you’re curious. I’ll be resting, I’ll come up later.”

“Okay.”

When Choi Hye-na left, Choi Young-joon got up and headed to the next room.

He peeked into the next room through the heavily tinted window and saw Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang, the head of the Planning Department, and next to him was Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun from Sales Team 4.

‘The head of the Planning Department and a Sales Team employee?’

Since Senior Managing Director Jeong was Yoo Ji-hoon’s man, he didn’t bother opening the door and going in. Instead, he turned around and went back to his room.

******

“Are you free tomorrow?”

At Choi Hye-na’s words, Kim Chul-soo quickly shook his head.

“I have to go to work because of work.”

“Really…… What a bad company.”

“It’s a good company. It’s thanks to that company that I can make a living.”

“This seems like clear labor exploitation?”

Kim Chul-soo shook his head and looked at his watch.

“Thanks to it, I moved to a bigger apartment and have hope. I have to go now because of the bus.”

Seeing Kim Chul-soo escape like that, Choi Hye-na bit her lower lip.

‘So that’s how you’re going to play it, huh?’

Kim Chul-soo felt uncomfortable with her constantly giving off a strange vibe.

He had seen with his own eyes that she was in a relationship with Choi Young-joon, so it could be troublesome to get close to her.

There would be no executive who would stand by and watch an employee touch his mistress.

While walking toward the bus stop, Kim Chul-soo turned his head, wondering if Choi Hye-na was following him. He saw two people staggering drunkenly.

Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang and Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun.

Kim Chul-soo was slightly surprised, but nodded as if he had expected it.

‘As expected…… That’s how it was.’

Then he quickly turned around and headed back to the bus stop, in case they recognized him.

Don’t stress too much

After parting with Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang and getting into a taxi, Shin Dong-hyun frowned and imagined what had happened during the day.

[After seeing that, I don’t think I can just cover it up or ignore it. I want you to resolve it, Assistant Manager-nim. I keep talking to you because I don’t want to disrupt the teamwork, but if you don’t resolve it, I’ll have to tell the Team Leader-nim.]

[Stop talking nonsense and get lost!]

Shin Dong-hyun was on the verge of a nervous breakdown because of Lee Jeong-seok’s constant nagging to confess until right before leaving work.

He thought he was just a quiet guy, but he was persistent.

‘Ah, that bastard, why doesn’t he just be persistent with his work? Damn it. Why is he clinging to me? Ah, this is driving me crazy.’

And this wasn’t a simple matter.

‘Confess? Are you crazy? Does he think this is a simple rebate case! I’d rather it was just a simple rebate. Then I could just return the money and be done with it. Ah, damn it, I feel like I stepped in shit.’

Worried, he consulted with Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang.

Senior Managing Director Jeong told him not to worry, but who knows how people will change?

And when he remembered the conversation between Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak and Kim Chul-soo, he became extremely anxious.

It was because the grain corruption case they talked about was similar to what he had done.

Shin Dong-hyun was biting his nails and fidgeting nervously.

Based on his experience in the company, he felt that Senior Managing Director Jeong would likely put all the blame on him if this incident came to light.

He had a history of doing that in the past.

He would probably say he’d get him a good position somewhere else after he took the fall and got fired, right?

‘Bullshit. Assistant Manager Song also got fired like that and is now running a chicken restaurant!’

But he couldn’t discuss this with anyone.

Judging by Lee Jeong-seok’s behavior, it was clear he would report it to the Team Leader as soon as he returned from his overseas business trip.

The Team Leader, who hated taking responsibility, was more likely to make this public than to resolve it within the team.

If it became public, the Ethics Management Department and the Audit Department would get involved, and a full-scale investigation would be launched.

‘Ah!!! That can’t happen. It’ll be the end. I have to do something.’

******

The next day, Shin Dong-hyun woke up early and went to work, and started searching Lee Jeong-seok’s desk.

He wondered if there was any evidence that he had received rebates.

If he could just get rid of that evidence, it would be a piece of cake to bury Lee Jeong-seok within the company.

He opened Lee Jeong-seok’s desk and was thoroughly searching it when he heard a loud greeting from behind.

“Good morning, Assistant Manager Shin-nim!”

Startled, Shin Dong-hyun tried to jump up, but the office chair he was holding onto slipped, and he fell on his butt.

“Ouch.”

Kim Chul-soo quickly ran over and helped Shin Dong-hyun up.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. But what are you doing here so early?”

“Ah, I always come to work at this time.”

Shin Dong-hyun’s face darkened at those words.

‘This is not good.’

“You’re really hardworking.”

“No, I’m not. I have to work hard because I’m a new employee.”

“Yes, that’s a good attitude.”

Kim Chul-soo finished talking and put his bag on his desk, and Shin Dong-hyun also sat down at his desk, looking around cautiously.

When Kim Chul-soo took out his workout clothes and got up, Shin Dong-hyun asked,

“Are you going to work out?”

“Yes. The company’s workout facilities are quite good. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.”

As he was leaving the office, Kim Chul-soo glanced back and saw Shin Dong-hyun still searching Lee Jeong-seok’s desk.

Since joining the company, Kim Chul-soo had never seen Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun come to work this early, unless something unusual was happening.

But seeing him come in so early and search Lee Jeong-seok’s desk like that meant he was anxious.

Kim Chul-soo thought of Lee Jeong-seok, who was always quiet and obedient.

‘Mr. Lee Jeong-seok. You’re doing better than I thought, huh?’