Chapter 14

Chapter 14. Deputy Manager Kim Is Getting Demoted (2)

Kim Seokhun sat in front of his computer and picked up the phone.

“Department Head Lee. Doing well?”

He was calling his former team leader.

Now, Lee Junseok worked in the Future Strategy Office.

“Wow, look who it is. Isn’t this Deputy Manager Kim Seokhun, the hottest man in Seongun these days?”

It was a misunderstanding.

People believed the Commercial District Analysis Team had pulled off both Étoile and Baristers.

Frustrated, Seokhun told him everything that had happened.

“Wow. Kang Jinhyeok really hasn’t changed. But you’ve got a bigger problem, Deputy Manager Kim. From what I know, that director is unbelievably rigid. Maybe that’s why he gets along with Kang Jinhyeok?”

“I’m dying here. Seriously. When are you taking me with you?”

“Hahaha. Wait a little longer. More importantly, why did you call? I doubt you called just to complain.”

It was lunchtime.

After checking that nobody was nearby, Seokhun revealed his purpose.

“You know about the chairman’s order, right? The Seongun landmark project?”

“Of course. We were the ones who decided on the massive mixed-use shopping mall. Why? Did the commercial district analysis request come down? Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal?”

“Yes. But they also mentioned Mullae-dong 4-ga.”

“Mullae-dong? Is there even that much land there? Didn’t we give up on it last year when looking for the fashion outlet site?”

“Exactly. So why do you think they told us to analyze it too?”

There was silence on the other end for a moment.

“That must be it.”

“You have an idea?”

“I do. Not sure if I should say it though...”

“Come on, Department Head Lee. This is me, Kim Seokhun. I’ve served you my whole career, and I’m still working hard so I can join you again.”

“Hahaha. Right. Then listen carefully. Everyone in the Future Strategy Office has already settled on the Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal. There’s no other site that large in Seoul. Then why would Mullae-dong come up? Can’t you guess? Think about someone stubborn who constantly talks about mutual growth.”

Seokhun’s eyes widened.

He remembered the first reason the director had noticed him.

The Mullae-dong Commercial District Analysis Report.

At the time, the director hadn’t mentioned the chairman’s order.

But it was obvious he had been considering Mullae-dong from the beginning.

The puzzle came together instantly.

The Mutual Growth Support Fund Jinhyeok had used for Baristers.

Two people with similar beliefs were now trying to push Mullae-dong.

“The Future Strategy Office decided on Yangjae-dong?”

“Yes. There’s nowhere else. We searched all of Seoul for a month.”

“Will you attend Monday’s briefing?”

“No. The head of the Future Strategy Office is going personally.”

Seokhun’s mind began working rapidly.

He had already been marked by the director.

Even aside from that, their styles didn’t match at all.

It was time to move to another ship.

This assignment would let him earn the favor of the Future Strategy Office head.

He had once dreamed of becoming department head, then director.

But judging from the director’s recent behavior, that path seemed unlikely.

Time to switch sides.

At that moment, Seokhun decided he would completely destroy Mullae-dong in his report.

After ending the call, he opened the report he had recently stolen and rewritten from Jinhyeok.

There was no need to visit the site.

He already knew what answer the other side wanted.

He opened the Mullae-dong report and began selecting only the disadvantages.

People saw only what they wanted to see.

By taking the existing risks and adding plenty of rotten flesh around them, he produced a surprisingly convincing report.

Kang Jinhyeok would move in the opposite direction, right?

He would criticize Yangjae-dong and praise Mullae-dong.

In Seokhun’s eyes, Jinhyeok and the director were working together.

A little later, Jinhyeok returned to his seat.

Seokhun wanted to secure victory early.

“Kang Jinhyeok. Follow me.”

Seokhun pushed Jinhyeok into the emergency stairwell and checked his surroundings.

“What did the director say?”

“He assigned me analysis work for the mixed-use shopping mall. The Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal site and Mullae-dong 4-ga. I heard you received the same assignment.”

“Ha. Exactly. Manager Kang, you’ve really grown, haven’t you?”

Jinhyeok looked away, wanting to avoid unnecessary conversation.

“Does this make sense? Setting you and me against each other?”

“I don’t know the reason either...”

“What reason? He wants to make subordinates compete and squeeze better results out of us. So what about you? Which place are you planning to recommend?”

“I’ll need to visit the sites first. I’m only analyzing them. I’m not planning to recommend one side.”

“Really? The director seems to want Mullae-dong.”

Seokhun deliberately leaked the information.

But Jinhyeok already knew.

“You know my style. No matter what anyone says, I just do my job.”

“Must be nice. Never having to worry about reading the room. Tch.”

Seokhun mocked him, then paused.

The Future Strategy Office head, who wanted Yangjae-dong, would attend the presentation.

It would be better if Jinhyeok gave the opposite opinion there.

“I’m going to strongly recommend Yangjae-dong. No matter what the director says, there isn’t a better site.”

Jinhyeok stared at him, surprised.

Which one he recommended didn’t really matter.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“So you don’t copy me.”

“Hahaha. That’s the reason?”

“What? You laughing?”

“It’s funny. You used to treat me like some errand boy, and now you’re this cautious around me. What’s wrong? Not confident?”

“You... crazy bastard. Are you acting like this because you trust the director? You think he’ll protect you forever? He’s a setting sun! Think about who you’ll be working with longer!”

Jinhyeok struggled harder and harder not to laugh.

He already knew.

He knew exactly who would be around longer.

The diary entry about Monday hadn’t changed at all.

“I’m not recommending either side, Deputy Manager Kim. Like I said, I’ll visit the sites and report exactly what I see and feel, same as always.”

“You hopeless idiot. I’m presenting first anyway, so manage yourself properly. Don’t repeat what I already say. I’m telling you clearly now. I’m strongly recommending Yangjae-dong.”

Jinhyeok sensed that Seokhun was planning something.

He checked his smartwatch.

The future entry was still unchanged.

“What? You bought a smartwatch?”

“...Yes. Everyone wears one these days.”

Seokhun noticed it was newer than his own model and laughed in contempt.

“Save your money. Save it. Plenty of people win the lottery, start spending like idiots, and end up buried in debt.”

Once again, Jinhyeok lowered his head to hide his laughter.

Part of him almost felt disappointed.

It was unfortunate that such an entertaining person would be leaving in only a few days.

He wanted to keep him nearby and torment him slowly.

That part was a shame.

“Yes, Deputy Manager Kim. I’ll remember that.”

“Good. Don’t pretend you’re rich and destroy yourself. Live the way you always did. Understand?”

“Yes, Deputy Manager Kim.”

Jinhyeok had no idea what Seokhun would do to get demoted.

So he decided to simply leave him alone.

It was Jinhyeok’s own form of consideration.

Seokhun didn’t have much time left at this company anyway.

He might as well do whatever he wanted before getting thrown out spectacularly.

Jinhyeok had absolutely no intention of becoming a variable that prevented Seokhun’s demotion.

Friday afternoon.

The parking lot of the Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal.

Assistant Manager Park Jongil breathed heavily and groaned like he was dying.

“Ugh... Manager Kang, I can’t do this anymore. Can’t we rest for a bit?”

Jinhyeok looked at his smartwatch.

Fifty thousand steps.

That was how far the two men had walked since Thursday morning, over a day and a half.

“Hmm... I wanted to finish today so we could have the entire weekend free.”

“That’s not true. You said we were going back to Mullae-dong too. Didn’t you say we’d go there this weekend?”

“Don’t worry. I inspected Mullae-dong recently. We just need to revise the report a little.”

“Oh! Really? Then I don’t have to come out this weekend?”

“Huh? You don’t want beef? I was planning to eat it in Mullae-dong.”

Jongil’s huge eyes blinked rapidly.

“You were serious about that? More importantly, we really don’t have to go anywhere this weekend?”

“I can write the report at home. I want to rest as much as possible on weekends too.”

Jinhyeok meant it.

The company was only a playground where he could do whatever he wanted.

Every moment outside working hours would now belong entirely to himself.

Especially this weekend.

His first proper period of healing was about to begin.

Just thinking about the camping equipment arriving Saturday made weekend overtime unbearable.

I’ll just write the report inside the Indian tent.

If Jongil heard that, he probably would have argued that writing a report was still work.

But to Jinhyeok, doing the same work inside property he personally owned sounded enjoyable.

“All right! Let’s finish quickly. We absolutely have to complete Yangjae-dong today.”

“Understood, Manager Kang! I’ll quickly look around the remaining area, so you stay here and start writing the report.”

Jongil, who had been dying moments earlier, suddenly burned with determination and headed toward the car.

In truth, most of the basic research was already done.

They had already checked company server data.

Jinhyeok had even read Kim Seokhun’s report, even though he hadn’t wanted to.

They had visited the district office and government agencies to check legal restrictions and documentation.

They had also completed data analysis of traffic congestion on surrounding roads over the last three months.

All that remained was cross-checking the data with the actual site.

As expected, Yangjae-dong seemed to have no major problems.

That was fine.

Jinhyeok’s goal had never been to find problems with Yangjae-dong.

He analyzed every commercial district by the same standards.

He wanted to remain worthy of being called a commercial district analysis expert.

From that point of view, the Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal site looked quite suitable for a mixed-use shopping mall.

A massive piece of land that was rare in Seoul.

Permits would be difficult.

But with the strength of the group, those were political problems that could be solved.

Traffic congestion was a risk every major shopping mall had to accept.

After directly comparing the two locations, Yangjae-dong honestly looked more suitable than Mullae-dong.

If he forced Mullae-dong to be selected, the buildings he had purchased there would gain enormous value.

But he didn’t want to make money by throwing away principles he had maintained for ten years.

I’ll make money anyway.

I’m more than capable of that.

With that thought, Jinhyeok walked around the Freight Terminal area, recording vehicle flow and foot traffic by time period.

As expected, there was nothing unusual.

Should I head back?

He had completed every item on the checklist.

Just as he took out his smartphone to call Park Jongil...

Bzzzt.

What? Am I not supposed to finish the investigation like this?

The sudden alert made him open the diary app.

Bright red text flashed like a warning.

I-Is this real?

Jinhyeok frowned in disbelief after reading it.

His eyes trembled as he stared at the Freight Terminal parking lot covered completely in concrete.