New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 8

Friday evening, 6 PM.

Although the five-day workweek had been implemented this year, granting Saturdays and Sundays off, for Ahn Jeong-gyu, it was Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday, Friday.

Aiming for an executive position, he had to spend his weekends, unless something urgent came up, on the golf course, hiking in the mountains, or at the fishing grounds, essentially acting as an assistant to the executives.

Therefore, Friday evenings were the only time he could have dinner with his family.

Since they always dined out on these occasions, his children eagerly awaited their father.

He never scheduled meetings or conferences after Friday evening.

Thinking of his children, Ahn Jeong-gyu’s mood brightened. He massaged his stiff neck and shouted,

“Hey! Let’s get out of here! Ah, I’m exhausted!”

Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak also stretched and stood up.

They were well-adapted to Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu’s style of working tirelessly from Monday to Thursday to ensure leaving on time on Fridays. Consequently, all urgent and important tasks had already been completed.

Lee Jun-hak, while organizing his desk, noticed Kim Chul-soo diligently sorting receipts.

“Chul-soo, aren’t you leaving?”

“Please head out first. I’ll finish this and then I have something else to do!”

“What?”

“I have an exam in three weeks.”

“Exam? Ah! Right, turn off the lights when you leave.”

“Yes, Assistant Manager Lee.”

As Ahn Jeong-gyu left the office with Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak, Kim Chul-soo stood and bowed deeply.

“Good work! See you next week!”

Observing this, Pyo Il-soo chuckled.

“This guy’s the best at bowing amongst the new recruits. He bends his waist like it’s about to break every time he sees someone. Isn’t that right, Team Leader?”

“That’s how all new employees should act. It’s abnormal if they don’t. Back in my day…”

Ahn Jeong-gyu, in the midst of preaching about his good old days, stepped onto the elevator and asked Lee Jun-hak,

“By the way, what exam is Chul-soo taking?”

“Ah, I told him to get a TOEIC score of 900 by April, Team Leader.”

Hearing this, Pyo Il-soo shook his head and said,

“A guy who barely scraped by with a 700? Getting a 900 in two months? Assistant Manager Lee, if you push him too hard and another new employee quits, I’m not going to stand for it anymore.”

Among all the new employees he had seen, Section Chief Pyo Il-soo liked Kim Chul-soo the most.

No complaints. No dissatisfaction. No change in expression even when yelled at.

No typos in documents.

Actually, the no typos in documents part was what he liked the most.

“I’m pushing him appropriately, Section Chief Pyo.”

Lee Jun-hak said with a smile.

However, upon hearing about Kim Chul-soo, Ahn Jeong-gyu felt irritated.

His promotion was on the line!

‘…Kim Chul-soo? He was sitting in the very back. The instructor said he seemed completely unfocused…’

“What do you mean appropriately? Push him hard! If he doesn’t get over 900, kill him.”

At Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu’s outburst, Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak and Section Chief Pyo Il-soo exchanged glances, wondering what was going on.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

‘I don’t know.’

******

8:30 PM.

Blue House.

Kim Chul-soo opened the door marked “Blue House Staff Only” and stepped inside.

Several people were bustling around.

Choi Hye-na, dressed in a stylish dress with delicate lace, spotted Kim Chul-soo entering in his suit and waved him over.

Her heavy makeup gave her the appearance of a sophisticated, high-class hostess in her early thirties.

“Kim Chul-soo-ssi, over here.”

Kim Chul-soo approached Choi Hye-na.

She crossed her arms and scanned him from head to toe, then sighed deeply.

“Performing isn’t a joke, you know.”

“I came straight from work.”

“If your talent wasn’t so good, you’d be out the door already. Sit in that chair in front of the mirror. I need to fix you up a bit.”

If you go around like this, how good would it look?

Kim Chul-soo knew how to dress neatly, but he didn’t know how to be stylish.

Choi Hye-na looked at his reflection in the mirror and sighed inwardly.

‘Ordinary from this angle, ordinary from that angle, ordinary from every angle. Just an office worker, through and through.’

“I understand.”

Kim Chul-soo turned his gaze towards Choi Hye-na at her words.

“With that kind of talent, I wonder why you didn’t become a singer.”

“Because of my head.”

“It’s not a head problem. Well, your head is a problem too. First, the tie.”

So saying, Choi Hye-na roughly loosened the tie around his neck.

Then she unbuttoned the top button and spread the collar wide.

“Hmm. A little better… Take your shirt out of your pants, too.”

Kim Chul-soo pulled his neatly tucked-in shirt out of his pants as instructed.

“Take off your suit jacket.”

He transformed from the quintessential office worker into a man with the air of someone who had just been through a breakup.

However, her gaze was drawn to his neatly combed hair.

‘The beginning and end of men’s fashion is hairstyle.’

Choi Hye-na, who had studied fashion in France, thought so and applied a generous amount of gel to his hair, then began styling it, following an image that came to mind.

His soft, slightly brown, wavy hair was easy to work with.

The neat hairstyle was replaced with artfully tousled hair, and the combination of his handsome face and melancholic eyes drew glances from passing female staff members.

Finally, after securing the styled hair with strong hair mousse, Choi Hye-na nodded in satisfaction.

“If you go around like this, how good would it look?”

Kim Chul-soo, looking at his dramatically changed appearance, replied to Choi Hye-na’s question,

“If I go to work like this, it’ll be chaos.”

Choi Hye-na scoffed at his answer and glanced at her watch.

“Well, it’s 10 minutes before your turn, so get ready and go in. You’ve prepared your song, right?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to stick to the script. Just sing naturally with the flow.”

“Yes, I will.”

******

“So, the upcoming assignment is definitely related to team tasks?”

“It doesn’t seem like it. The topic is free, but it would be easier if it’s related to your assigned tasks, right?”

Jang Yoo-mi meticulously noted down every word spoken by Instructor Kim Geun-wook.

‘This isn’t how it was supposed to be.’

Hwang Dae-hoon had intended to use this opportunity to foster a connection between Jang Yoo-mi and Cha Soo-young, but Jang Yoo-mi was completely engrossed in Instructor Kim Geun-wook.

She radiated a strong determination to excel in the upcoming presentation.

“We’ve finished our meal and had a bit to drink. Shall we go somewhere for another round?”

Hwang Dae-hoon’s suggestion was met with nods from Assistant Manager Cha Soo-young and Instructor Kim Geun-wook.

Jang Yoo-mi wanted to ask Kim Geun-wook more questions, but she reluctantly got up.

“There’s a newly opened, very stylish live cafe. It’s not too expensive and has a great atmosphere. I’ll take you there. What do you say, Yoo-mi-ssi?”

“If the instructor is going…”

At Jang Yoo-mi’s words, Cha Soo-young pulled Kim Geun-wook along.

“He’s going.”

They followed Hwang Dae-hoon to a live cafe with a sign that read ‘Blue House.’

“Oh, this place is new? Have you been here before, Dae-hoon?”

“Yes, I came here once with Manager Park.”

“Lucky you. The ace gets looked after by the manager.”

“Hahaha. Not at all.”

“It looks expensive.”

“It’s a bit pricier than the surrounding bars, but not outrageously so. Don’t worry, it’s on me tonight, so please enjoy yourselves.”

When Hwang Dae-hoon said that, Cha Soo-young patted him on the shoulder and said,

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Upon entering the cafe, they were greeted by a spacious interior with stylish decor.

On stage, a woman with a delicate voice was singing and playing the piano.

They took a table and ordered beer and snacks.

Choi Young-joon, seated in the VIP area on the second floor of Blue House, sipped expensive wine while watching the woman playing the piano and singing.

Soon after, Choi Hye-na opened the door and entered. Choi Young-joon raised his hand.

“You’re here? But why alone?”

“Why? Can’t I come alone?”

“You can’t drink much by yourself, you know.”

Choi Young-joon chuckled.

“Don’t worry. Even if I drink alone, I’ll pay as if 10 people were here.”

“Well, then, welcome.”

“The interior is fantastic, the atmosphere is great, and the piano sounds lovely, but the singing is quite lacking.”

“I knew you’d say that. You’re so picky. Wait, our Blue House secret weapon is coming up next.”

“Secret weapon? I doubt it.”

Choi Hye-na took out a glass, filled Choi Young-joon’s empty glass, and then her own.

“Something on your mind?”

“Why?”

“It’s written all over your face.”

“Pfft. You’re observant. It’s about that CEO, Yoo Ji-hoon, that father brought in.”

“What about him?”

“He’s good. We made a bet, and I foolishly fell for it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It means my player for the bet is a moron. Someone jumped in saying they’d support me, but if I lose this bet, I might lose that support as well.”

Hearing Choi Young-joon’s sigh, Choi Hye-na took a gulp of her wine and said,

“Why do you live your life with so much stress? Just live comfortably like me. If you sell your shares, you’ll have enough to live on for generations.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Father only cares about results. If you think you can’t win, just give up.”

“Not yet.”

Choi Young-joon clinked glasses with Choi Hye-na and turned his head.

As the woman playing the piano left the stage, the audience applauded softly.

Then, a new figure with a guitar walked onto the stage, exuding a charismatic aura.

“Is that him?”

“Yes.”

“A singer?”

“No. An office worker.”

Choi Young-joon chuckled at Choi Hye-na’s words.

“An office worker, not a singer, despite making you so excited?”

Choi Hye-na was about to tell Choi Young-joon, ‘He works at your company,’ but she stopped herself.

There was no rush in surprising him.

“Just listen. There’s a reason I asked you to come at this time.”

******

Kim Chul-soo’s vision was slightly obscured by his hair, which fell over his eyes, but it didn’t hinder his guitar playing.

Having performed numerous times with his college band, he wasn’t nervous about being on stage.

However, he was slightly bothered by the sight of Hwang Dae-hoon and Jang Yoo-mi in a corner.

They occasionally glanced his way, but seeing them quickly return to their conversation, he realized how much Choi Hye-na’s styling could transform a person.

‘As expected, people who work in this kind of place are different.’

He looked up at the second floor, but it was like a magic mirror; he couldn’t see inside from the outside.

‘So this is why I can’t find Managing Director Choi Young-joon?’

It would be fantastic to meet and get acquainted with Managing Director Choi Young-joon here, but just being able to work part-time here was valuable enough.

Because he could earn money.

“Hello. I’m Eddie, an amateur singer.”

Instead of his real name, Kim Chul-soo introduced himself using his stage name from his college band days.

His voice, lowered deliberately, drew the attention of the audience.

However, as he started playing the guitar, they went back to their conversations.

He started with familiar and easy-to-understand songs.

Yesterday – the Beatles.

The moment the man on stage sang the first line, Jang Yoo-mi instinctively turned her head, and it wasn’t just her table.

Many people turned their attention to the stage.

The voice was husky, sweet, and possessed an unknown depth.

Choi Young-joon, who had been talking with Choi Hye-na, fell silent and fixed his gaze on the stage until the song ended.

When the song finished, Choi Hye-na asked,

“How is he?”

Instead of answering, Choi Young-joon smiled in satisfaction and gave a thumbs-up.

“Then, enjoy your drinks. Boost my sales.”

“Okay.”

As the man on stage began to sing, Jang Yoo-mi couldn’t take her eyes off him. Cha Soo-young and Hwang Dae-hoon exchanged glances.

‘This isn’t going to work.’

‘Should we move to another place?’

Cha Soo-young nodded, and Hwang Dae-hoon spoke up.

“It’s almost 11 PM. Shall we head out?”

Jang Yoo-mi looked disappointed, but after checking her watch, she was startled and stood up.

“We should.”

Outside, Jang Yoo-mi quickly bid farewell to the three men.

“I have a curfew, so I have to go. I learned a lot today, and I had a good time.”

Jang Yoo-mi hurriedly hailed a taxi and disappeared. The three men were left speechless, watching the departing taxi.

“If only we hadn’t gone there.”

Cha Soo-young grumbled as he lit a cigarette, looking back at Blue House.

“Assistant Manager, I’ll make another opportunity for you later.”

“Dae-hoon, I might not be much, but I’m also from HR. My love life with Yoo-mi is like parallel subway lines, destined to never meet. Oh, this sorrowful life!”

“What’s wrong with you, Assistant Manager?”

Cha Soo-young responded by puffing out white smoke.

******

Kim Chul-soo received an encore request but left the stage.

He needed to conserve his voice for the next two hours of performance tomorrow.

When he entered the staff room, Choi Hye-na was waiting for him.

She handed him a fancy envelope with gold foil.

Kim Chul-soo checked the amount inside and tilted his head.

“There’s more than usual?”

“A customer who enjoyed your singing gave you a tip.”

“Ah!”

“Don’t be late tomorrow.”

“Of course. But is there a place where I can wash my hair?”

“Why? That hairstyle suits you.”

Even as she asked, Choi Hye-na pointed to a door.

“You can shower in there.”

Kim Chul-soo neatly washed and dried his hair, combed it neatly, tucked his shirt back into his pants, put on his tie, and put on his suit jacket.

Then, he picked up his briefcase and checked his appearance in the mirror once more.

Choi Hye-na silently watched him.

‘Funny. Why is he going back to that dull style? Does he think that dull style is better than the one I gave him?’

Choi Hye-na felt inexplicably offended.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

Choi Hye-na nodded at him.

“You’re not coming back with that dull style tomorrow, are you?”

“I’ll try my best.”

“I’ll be expecting it.”

As Kim Chul-soo was about to leave, Choi Hye-na called out to him.

“Kim Chul-soo-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“Do you like your current look?”

“For an office worker, this is the most appropriate attire.”

“…I see. Go on in.”

While his words made sense, Choi Hye-na was still not feeling good and ended up taking her frustration out on the innocent staff.

Leaving Blue House, Kim Chul-soo put his hand in his suit pocket and felt the thick wad of cash again.

‘600,000 Won!’

He couldn’t help but smile and immediately took out his phone to call home.

━Hey, brother? What’s up?

━Want to eat chicken?

━Payday already?

━No, I just came into some money.

━I’ll order two chickens.

I already know.

“You’re working on Saturday too?”

“Yeah. I need to make more money, so I have to work hard.”

Kim Chul-soo sat on the doorstep, putting on his shoes, and nodded.

“Right, you should. Someday, your superiors will recognize your efforts.”

“I’m leaving now.”

“Take care. Will you be late again today?”

“Yes.”

After Kim Chul-soo left, Yoon Jin-sook was about to clean up the breakfast dishes when Young-soo came out, freshly showered, holding five 10,000 Won bills.

“Mom, is this my allowance?”

Yoon Jin-sook looked at the bills in Young-soo’s hand and shook her head.

“Your brother must have left it.”

“Wow, it’s nice having a working brother.”

“That kid hasn’t even received his first paycheck yet. What’s he up to?”

“So this is mine?”

“Yes. Hurry up and get ready for school.”

“Yay! Awesome!”

As Yoon Jin-sook was cleaning the table, she noticed a white envelope under her chair and picked it up. There was writing on it.

━Mom, the heels on your shoes are worn out. Your legs will hurt if you wear those. You know I’m in trouble if your legs hurt, right?

Yoon Jin-sook unconsciously wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

‘This darn kid. Why does he keep making me cry?’