New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 9

Kim Chul-soo arrived at the office at 7 a.m., warmed up at the gym, and entered his office around 9 a.m.

By this time, rumors about Kim Chul-soo had spread throughout the company.

That an unqualified person got hired just for memorizing HYMS during the interview and was even assigned to the sales team, the core department of Han-Young Corporation.

Most people thought Kim Chul-soo was a parachute.

However, no one knew who the parachute was that had dropped him in.

“Hello, Manager Kim.”

“Hello, Assistant Manager Yoo!”

“Hello, Assistant Manager Park!”

There were three people sitting in the large, long office, and Kim Chul-soo politely greeted each of them.

However, they all just looked at Kim Chul-soo with cold stares.

Kim Chul-soo didn’t mind much.

He had already made a good impression on Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu, Manager Pyo Il-soo, and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak.

Because when someone who was thought to be incompetent starts to show growth and begins to achieve things that were considered impossible, the unexpected effect seen from the outside is greater than imagined.

Sitting at his desk and turning on the computer, Kim Chul-soo checked the team members’ anniversaries he had organized in a file.

‘Hmm. Monday is Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu’s wedding anniversary. Next month is Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak’s wife’s birthday.’

To properly navigate office politics, one must build relationships that go beyond interests.

It doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to flatter them, but just show that ‘I am very interested in you.’

Just the act of remembering someone’s anniversary makes it difficult for them to be hostile.

It doesn’t have to be an expensive gift.

Especially Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu was surprisingly indifferent to these anniversaries.

There was no way Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu would be in a good mood after being nagged at home for forgetting his anniversary.

And it was natural for him to be irritable at work.

If the team leader is irritable, Manager Pyo Il-soo and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak could also get agitated over trivial matters.

And the youngest has to bear the brunt of it.

It was essential for his own sake as well.

Next, he accessed the internet and started collecting data related to the Han-Young Group Chairman’s family.

Kim Chul-soo meticulously noted down all the rumors about the Chairman’s family, scattered here and there, passed on from employee to employee.

He also scraped news articles, local newspapers, etc., and saved everything on his computer.

A company is not a democracy.

Therefore, power is not 1/N.

You don’t gain power just because you have the support of the majority.

Even if you receive attention from your colleagues, it’s not as valuable as the attention from Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak alone. Even if you are loved by all of Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak’s colleagues, it’s not as valuable as the attention from Manager Pyo Il-soo alone. Even if all the managers in the company like Kim Chul-soo, one word from Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu holds more power.

If you keep going up like this, ultimately the core of power is Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon of Han-Young Group.

Even if everyone opposes, it’s fine as long as the Chairman approves.

Even if everyone dislikes you, if the Chairman likes you, your company life is set.

That’s what office politics is all about.

A prime example is Manager Park Joon-hyung.

On the other hand, if he built such a huge corporation from scratch, it also meant that his capabilities surpassed those of ordinary people.

If you want to admire someone in the company, that person must be the Chairman, who holds the strongest power in the company.

If you want to learn from someone, that person should also be the Chairman.

That’s because only then can you think like the Chairman when you reach the manager level or above.

You need to be able to think like that in order to be chosen by the executives.

Kim Chul-soo started to focus in order to truly find something in Choi Kyung-hoon.

******

That evening at 8 p.m., Kim Chul-soo entered Blue House, and shortly after, Choi Hye-na came into the staff room.

Choi Hye-na scanned Kim Chul-soo with a disapproving look.

He was wearing jeans that didn’t fit his leg length and sagged around his hips, with a horizontally striped shirt that didn’t match the color of the jeans. His hair looked like he tried to style it, but it just looked messy.

‘And white socks with black shoes!!!’

“Is that the best you can do?”

Kim Chul-soo scratched his head and smiled at Choi Hye-na’s words.

“Yes.”

“Your fashion sense is really terrible. Don’t you have any other clothes?”

“I do have a suit.”

“Go change into that. Change and sit over there.”

Choi Hye-na grumbled, but it didn’t sound unpleasant to Kim Chul-soo.

Not long after Kim Chul-soo went on stage, almost all the tables on the first floor were filled with people.

Most of them were savoring Kim Chul-soo’s singing rather than chatting drunkenly.

Choi Hye-na, who had lived in France for a long time, didn’t like the idol songs that were popular in Korea.

And while in Europe, she could listen to live music whenever she wanted, there weren’t many places to listen to live music in Korea.

So, it was a bar she ran to make a decent living, but also to listen to live music.

And unexpectedly, a shining gem had walked in, still attached to the vine.

In the VIP room on the second floor, Choi Hye-na sipped champagne and had become Kim Chul-soo’s audience.

******

Sunday.

Night.

“Honey! I’m home. Water!”

Ahn Jeong-gyu opened the apartment door and entered, panting.

Today, he had climbed Soyosan Mountain with the Vice President and executives, and he was thirsty because he hadn’t been able to buy a bottle of water while driving the executives home.

Song In-sook looked at the clock, which was almost 11 p.m., and gave Ahn Jeong-gyu water from the water purifier.

Ahn Jeong-gyu took the water without a word of thanks, gulped it down, and plopped down at the entrance.

“Phew…. Where are the kids?”

“They’re asleep. Don’t sit there with all that dirt on you, get changed and wash up.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu instinctively sensed the rising tone in his wife’s voice.

“Oh, right.”

“You’re working all the time, even on weekends, but when will that belly of yours disappear?”

Song In-sook poked and stretched Ahn Jeong-gyu’s soft belly, and Ahn Jeong-gyu quickly got up, knowing his wife was angry.

“You’re right. I’ll wash up quickly.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu didn’t delay any longer. He put his hiking backpack down on the floor, took off his hiking clothes, and dashed into the bathroom in his underwear.

If he had been even a little later, a sharp voice might have erupted from his beautiful wife, who was eight years younger than him.

After showering, Ahn Jeong-gyu stealthily slipped into the bed where his wife was lying.

To appease the sulking Song In-sook, he hugged her from behind.

“Sorry. I’ll make more time once I get promoted to Manager.”

“You say that, but don’t you know you’re busier than when you were an Assistant Manager?”

“This time I’m serious. If I become a Manager, my salary will increase by about 20 million won. Then, we should sell this house, get a bigger loan, and buy an apartment in Gangnam. We’ll send the kids to high school in Gangnam too.”

At those words, Song In-sook’s anger subsided a little.

“When will you become a Manager?”

“It should be finalized this year.”

“Are you sure?”

Ahn Jeong-gyu thought of Kim Chul-soo but quickly erased him from his mind.

“Of course. I’m Ahn Jeong-gyu. Ahn Jeong-gyu.”

Song In-sook’s mood lifted at Ahn Jeong-gyu’s confident whisper.

She hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in a few days.

Song In-sook was slightly excited and tried to turn around.

But then she heard a sound.

“Snore…. Phew….”

Song In-sook fiercely pulled the blanket.

A fierce light flashed in her eyes.

‘This guy. Really···. Let’s see what you do tomorrow.’

“Good morning, Team Leader!”

At Kim Chul-soo’s energetic, almost gangster-like greeting, Ahn Jeong-gyu yawned and waved his hand.

After Manager Pyo Il-soo and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak received their greetings, they placed their briefcases under their desks and changed into slippers.

“Team Leader, would you like an Americano?”

Ahn Jeong-gyu’s eyes sparkled at the cold, store-bought coffee Kim Chul-soo offered him.

Seeing everyone sipping their coffee, it seemed Kim Chul-soo had bought it.

He had been craving a cool coffee.

“Thanks.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu said thank you and put the straw in his mouth, taking a long sip.

‘Ah, that’s good.’

“Alright, let’s have the meeting.”

When Ahn Jeong-gyu called out, everyone gathered at the meeting table.

Ahn Jeong-gyu asked, observing Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak’s expressions.

“Why are you all so cheerful?”

“Isn’t it that day today?”

“That day?”

“Payday!”

Manager Pyo Il-soo said with a laugh, and Ahn Jeong-gyu nodded.

“Did the pay slips arrive?”

“Yes, they came by email.”

“Seeing you all smiling from this morning puts me in a good mood. Where’s Chul-soo?”

When Ahn Jeong-gyu called for Kim Chul-soo, he came over with something from his desk drawer.

Everyone’s eyes were on what Kim Chul-soo was carrying.

“Congratulations, Team Leader.”

Kim Chul-soo handed it to Ahn Jeong-gyu, who looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“What’s this? What congratulations?”

“Isn’t it your wedding anniversary today?”

“Ah!!!”

Ahn Jeong-gyu realized what day it was upon hearing Kim Chul-soo’s words.

He suddenly remembered his wife filing her nails with a strange expression this morning.

If Kim Chul-soo hadn’t reminded him, he would have gone home without knowing what day it was.

Then it wouldn’t have been just nagging.

‘Gulp!’

“Ahahaha!! That’s right! Today is my wedding anniversary! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. It’s sparkling wine, I hope your wife likes it.”

At that, Manager Pyo Il-soo nodded and said.

“Your wife likes sparkling wine. Let’s see.”

Manager Pyo Il-soo examined the wine bottle inside.

━Cremant de Bourgogne

“Jun-hak, isn’t this your wife’s favorite wine?”

Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak also nodded after seeing the wine bottle inside the paper bag.

“Yes, it is. This was her favorite.”

“Our Chul-soo is quite thoughtful.”

“Indeed he is.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu hadn’t known his wife liked this wine until he heard Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak’s words, and he engraved it in his mind once more.

He looked at Kim Chul-soo with an appreciative expression and said again.

“Thank you, Kim Chul-soo. How did you know it was my wedding anniversary?”

Kim Chul-soo answered with a truly sincere expression.

“You’re welcome, Team Leader. I’ve always been grateful for your kindness towards me, despite my lack of basic skills when I joined the team. So I was thinking about how to show my appreciation. Thank you always, Team Leader.”

Of course, they couldn’t tell it was all an act.

Because he looked like nothing but an enthusiastic and passionate new employee.

Ahn Jeong-gyu felt a lump in his throat at Kim Chul-soo’s sincere tone and earnest expression.

‘This kid…’

“Alright, I understand. Now, let’s start the meeting.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu put the wine gift he received from Kim Chul-soo under his desk and said, looking at his team members.

“Let’s try to leave work on time at 6 p.m. today. Is that possible?”

At Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words, Manager Pyo Il-soo and Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak’s faces brightened.

“Of course!”

******

After the team meeting, when Team Leader Ahn Jeong-gyu went into an executive meeting, Manager Pyo Il-soo tapped Kim Chul-soo’s shoulder as he sat at his desk.

“Yes, Manager Pyo.”

When Manager Pyo made a gesture like he was smoking, Kim Chul-soo quickly got up from his seat.

Seeing him neatly grab the lighter and Xylitol gum from his desk drawer, Manager Pyo Il-soo nodded and left the office.

Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak, who came out later, wrapped his arm around Kim Chul-soo’s neck and said.

“Hey, rookie. You’re pretty good.”

“You’re too kind, Assistant Manager Lee.”

“If you had missed our Team Leader’s wedding anniversary, you would have learned just how powerful the Team Leader’s mouth can be when it’s loaded with all the frustrations in the world. Not a pleasant experience.”

‘I already know.’

“You still don’t smoke, right?”

“No, Assistant Manager Lee.”

“Don’t start. It’s bad for you. And don’t get complacent just because you got praised. You know about the TOEIC 900 score, right?”

Kim Chul-soo replied to Lee Jun-hak’s words.

“Yes, Assistant Manager Lee. I’m working hard on it.”

At those words, Lee Jun-hak released his arm and quickened his pace towards Manager Pyo Il-soo, who was walking ahead.

‘He even comes to work on Saturdays and Sundays? This kid… his passion is impressive.’

The corners of Lee Jun-hak’s usually expressionless lips curled up slightly.

I don’t know, maybe you’re sick

“Why are you home so early?”

Kim Chul-soo looked at his watch at Yoon Jin-sook’s reproach.

It was a little past 7 p.m.

“The Team Leader said he’d kill me if I didn’t leave at 6 p.m. today.”

“What kind of Team Leader is that?”

Kim Chul-soo turned his eyes to the neatly placed new shoes.

They were the same shoes he had seen before.

The 10,000 won ones sold at the market.

“Why don’t you buy some decent shoes?”

“Those are the best shoes for Mom.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

“Are you hungry? I have some tofu, so I’ll make you tofu doenjang-guk. Go wash up quickly.”

“Okay.”

As he entered his room to take off his suit, he saw a white envelope on the bedside table.

━Son, use the rest for your wedding.

He had put 100,000 won in it, and there was indeed 90,000 won left.

“Oh, really.”

Kim Chul-soo looked at his mother preparing dinner outside the door and shook his head.

Even his deceased father couldn’t change her stubbornness.

But Kim Chul-soo put 300,000 won back into the envelope.

After washing up and sitting at the dinner table, Kim Chul-soo handed over the white envelope.

“For your wedding?”

“It’s rent. Rent.”

“What?”

“I’m living in your house, right? I have to pay rent.”

“Oh, come on. Forget it.”

When Yoon Jin-sook adamantly refused, Kim Chul-soo changed the subject.

“I heard Young-soo got a low number for his high school entrance, like number 5?”

“Why?”

“He’s short because he doesn’t eat well.”

Yoon Jin-sook frowned at Kim Chul-soo’s words.

“Why are you suddenly changing the subject?”

Kim Chul-soo handed over the envelope again.

“Add some meat to Young-soo’s lunchbox. He’s a kid who can eat a whole chicken by himself and still be hungry. What if he doesn’t grow tall because he doesn’t eat enough?”

Yoon Jin-sook’s eyes softened at those words.

“This kid. Did you not eat well?”

“No.”

“But, something seems different about you.”

“I’m always the same.”

“No, something’s strange.”

“Are you not going to add meat to Young-soo’s lunchbox?”

When Chul-soo asked again, Yoon Jin-sook reluctantly took the envelope.

“If Young-soo doesn’t grow tall, it’s your responsibility from now on.”

“What? This kid.”

Kim Chul-soo stuffed his mouth full of rice and chewed, then drank some doenjang-guk.

“Ah, delicious. As expected, Mom’s cooking is the best.”

He couldn’t do it in the past, but now Kim Chul-soo could easily overcome Yoon Jin-sook’s stubbornness.

“Hey, why did you put so much money in here?”

Yoon Jin-sook asked after checking the contents of the envelope.

“It’s payday. I told you to buy some nice shoes, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“It was your first payday? Time flies.”

“You don’t have to give me allowance anymore. I’ll manage on my own.”