Chapter 20. An Unprecedented Special Promotion (3)
Blue text had appeared in the diary app.
It was becoming difficult to control the corners of my mouth.
[Wednesday, April 22.
I finally became team leader.
I skipped deputy manager and was promoted directly to department head.
I reached the department head position that all four team leaders had been competing for before anyone else.
Deputy Manager Geum Seokcheol fled with his tail between his legs.
Fun.
Company life was unbelievably, unbelievably fun.]
The diary entry was written in a surprisingly calm tone.
It didn’t sound like future me was particularly excited.
But honestly, this was an incredible entry.
Ten years at Seongun Group.
Because I couldn’t tolerate unreasonable orders, everyone had expected me to remain a manager forever.
Geum Seokcheol, currently irritating me right in front of my desk, had thought the same thing.
Even after Kim Seokhun disappeared, he had been looking down on me, saying someone else might take the team leader position.
What kind of expression would he make once he learned the truth?
The department head position all four team leaders had wanted.
I would reach it first.
But why did this entry appear?
Because I decided to drive Geum Seokcheol away?
That didn’t make much sense.
My desire to get rid of him had nothing to do with becoming team leader.
Either way, now that I knew what would happen today, there was no reason to attack Geum Seokcheol right now.
He would taste despair in just a little while.
“What are you doing? Why are you staring at your smartphone like that? Are you ignoring me?”
Apparently Geum Seokcheol couldn’t see the diary app either.
“No. I was just thinking for a moment.”
“Ahem. Even so, your superior is speaking. Tch.”
Superior?
The moment I heard that word, I almost burst out laughing.
I was trying to hold it back and generously forgive him when Seokcheol looked around the office.
“What? Why is everyone looking like that?”
The team members were staring at me with their mouths wide open.
It didn’t take long to see why.
A company intranet notification had appeared at the bottom of my monitor.
Apparently, the result had arrived at the perfect moment.
Leaving the confused Geum Seokcheol behind me, I clicked it.
[Special Promotion Notice]
·
Name: Kang Jinhyeok
·
·
Appointment: Commercial District Analysis Team Manager → Commercial District Analysis Team Department Head (Team Leader)
·
[The above promotion is hereby announced.]
Short.
Powerful.
The diary app had become reality with unbelievably perfect timing.
“What is that?”
Standing behind me, Geum Seokcheol practically fell into the monitor.
His expression showed complete disbelief.
He looked back and forth between the notice and my face.
His mouth kept opening wider.
“D-Department head? Not deputy manager, but department head? What in the...”
The pupils of the man who had just told me not to act like team leader started shaking.
I was surprised too.
Still, I forced myself to remain calm and looked at him.
“Looks like the decision has been made, Deputy Manager Geum.”
Usually I would have called him Team Leader.
This time, I deliberately called him Deputy Manager.
I wanted him to understand.
You’re a deputy manager.
I’m a department head.
The shock seemed severe.
But he was a master at changing sides.
He quickly hid his pale face and spoke in a completely different tone.
“Hahaha! So the decision was finally made! Straight to department head... That’s incredible! No, wait. With achievements like yours, this makes perfect sense. Anyway, Manager Kang becoming the first department head among us is good news for everyone. Hahaha.”
Truly amazing.
Not only the speed at which he changed sides.
Even the way he mentally reinterpreted the situation.
With skills like that, he could probably work until retirement without suffering stress.
“Congratulations, Manager Kan... No. Department Head Kang! Hahaha!”
An awkward laugh forced out to hide his frustration.
I could feel his true emotions so clearly that I decided not to brag.
“Wouldn’t Team Leader Kang be more comfortable than Department Head Kang?”
“Yes. Just speak comfortably. Becoming team leader was already more than enough, so suddenly becoming department head has left me a little confused.”
“Huh? No, no. This is exactly right! Preventing the Yangjae-dong disaster alone was enough. You stopped losses of more than a trillion won! Department head isn’t even enough. It isn’t enough!”
I already knew his personality.
But wasn’t this a little excessive?
He was already treating me like his superior.
“Weren’t you pretty negative earlier? I thought you said someone else might take the team leader position.”
“Come on! What are you talking about? That was a misunderstanding! I might have said it that way, but if they tried to put someone else there, I was planning to be the first one to protest. I was only trying to help by considering every possible scenario. Don’t misunderstand my pure intentions.”
The team members watching shook their heads in disbelief.
Geum Seokcheol ignored their gazes completely.
“All right! Now that the structure is settled, I should return to my team. You can report your work directly from now on. And if the Store Development Team can help with anything, tell me anytime. Team Leader Kang Jinhyeok! Congratulations again! Hahaha!”
With that, Geum Seokcheol returned to his team.
Only then did the Commercial District Analysis Team members finally burst out laughing.
Had they noticed that I wanted to embarrass him a little more?
Their loud congratulations began.
“Congratulations, Department Head! Not deputy manager but straight to department head! This is huge!”
“Are we having a company dinner tonight? You skipped two levels, so pork won’t do. Let’s finish quickly and go for beef, Department Head!”
Starting with Assistant Manager Park Jongil and Senior Staff Oh Ilman, everyone congratulated me together.
Fun.
The louder my team became, the redder Geum Seokcheol’s face grew on the other side of the glass wall.
A little later...
I received a call from the director’s office.
I didn’t know why he wanted me.
But unlike the first time I was summoned, I wasn’t nervous.
Now I knew I could openly look at the diary app even in front of him.
Jinhyeok entered the director’s office, subtly placed his smartphone between his thighs, and sat down.
“Congratulations on the promotion. You can lead the Commercial District Analysis Team without any problems, right?”
Jinhyeok nodded calmly.
Kim Seokhun had resigned.
That meant the team’s only real problem had disappeared.
“Yes. There should be no problem. I’ll work to make it a stable and efficient team.”
“Haha. Good. I like the confidence.”
Becoming team leader hadn’t made Jinhyeok decide to work harder.
If anything, he planned to use the diary app properly and make his company life far more comfortable.
He had plenty of personal things to do.
He needed to buy Seongjin Logistics as soon as possible and start construction.
He also needed to persuade his father and turn the future diary entry into reality.
But Kangjin had no intention of leaving him alone.
“Good. Then shall we move to the main topic?”
“The main topic?”
“Yes. A capable man became team leader, so you should show us performance worthy of that position.”
Jinhyeok swallowed dryly and lowered his head to check his smartphone.
The diary app was running properly.
No new entries.
He had no idea what the director was about to ask, but he hoped it wasn’t troublesome.
As Jinhyeok silently prayed, Kangjin pushed a file toward him.
It contained the official excavation results from the Yangjae-dong Freight Terminal.
“Yangjae-dong became impossible because of the relic problem. Mullae-dong was also put on hold because the risk is too large. We need to find a new location.”
“...I suppose so.”
Kangjin’s eyebrow twitched at Jinhyeok’s uninterested reaction.
“What I mean is, I want the Commercial District Analysis Team to handle that. What do you think? For someone who just became team leader, it sounds like quite a good opportunity.”
Jinhyeok bit his lip.
Good opportunity? This is just troublesome.
The words reached his throat.
The project had been ordered personally by the chairman.
Anyone else would have immediately accepted, thinking it was a chance to climb higher.
But Jinhyeok had no intention of climbing any further.
Still, he couldn’t openly refuse.
He desperately searched for an escape route.
“Wasn’t the Future Strategy Office responsible for selecting the area? We usually went to analyze it after they selected a location. I don’t think the Future Strategy Office will like us taking that role, Director.”
“You don’t need to worry about them. The instruction came from the Future Strategy Office.”
“The Future Strategy Office?”
“Yes. They believe those of you with actual field experience may provide better ideas. Do your best. This could also be a chance to build a connection with them.”
There goes the plan.
Jinhyeok’s plan to spend the time until independence doing only what he wanted had just exploded.
“When is the deadline?”
“Next Monday. All four teams under the Integrated Development Division will give the same briefing.”
“The other teams too?”
“Yes. It’s a good opportunity for everyone to show headquarters what they can do.”
I really don’t want to do that...
Were they deliberately forcing the teams to compete?
If so, they had chosen the wrong person.
Nobody could become my competition.
No.
Actually, I didn’t even want to beat them.
I just wanted to run my team decently and live my life.
I didn’t want to throw all my passion and energy into work like before.
Excluding the weekend, there were only two days.
I understood that things were urgent.
But I was absolutely resting on the weekend.
I wouldn’t do overtime even if they paid me extra.
Why would I do it for free?
“You want us to choose a new location, finish the analysis, and submit the report by Monday? There isn’t enough time.”
“It isn’t a report. It’ll be a briefing. The Future Strategy Office Head will attend again. You know something? Your special promotion was also pushed by the head of the Future Strategy Office. Who knows? Show another good result and there may be another gift.”
“...”
After department head came executive.
A position Jinhyeok absolutely did not want.
Unable to find an escape route, Jinhyeok’s face grew serious.
Kangjin misunderstood the sharp expression.
His motivation is burning. I suppose a position really does change a person.
After tasting an unprecedented special promotion, Kangjin was certain Jinhyeok would work as hard as possible for even more rewards.
But Jinhyeok was desperately thinking about how to reject the offer.
He already had plans for the weekend.
Remodeling of the triangular building had begun.
His father would also return from his month-long stay in Jeju, and Jinhyeok needed to begin persuading him.
Executive position?
Completely useless to him.
That wasn’t the only issue.
This assignment was practically a poisoned chalice.
It looked like an attractive opportunity from the outside.
But if it failed, all the responsibility could fall on him.
With both Yangjae-dong and Mullae-dong eliminated, time wasn’t the true problem.
Jinhyeok had already visited almost every decent piece of land in Gyeonggi Province.
He knew better than anyone that there was nowhere else suitable for a massive mixed-use shopping mall.
The entire concept itself needed to be reconsidered.
Even if it was the chairman’s order, pushing ahead with a project that couldn’t succeed wouldn’t help the company.
I’ll explain reality and politely refuse. This isn’t something the current me can do.
The moment he decided that...
Bzzzt.
The diary app, which never ignored Jinhyeok’s future misery, lit up between his legs.
Pretending to be deep in thought, Jinhyeok touched his eyebrow and lowered his head.
For the first time in a while, red text had appeared.
A record of regret.
[XX/XX.
Why did I only notice this now?
Looking down over Mullae-dong from the rooftop of my new building, regret hit me hard.
I should have recommended Mullae-dong 3-ga as Seongun’s landmark instead of 4-ga.
I hate my past self for being trapped by the words "massive mixed-use shopping mall" and refusing to think differently.
If Seongun’s landmark had been built there, the value of my land would have shot into the sky too.]
Jinhyeok’s narrowed eyes blinked rapidly.
The value of my land would shoot up? There’s land in Mullae-dong that can do that? 3-ga is across the main road...
Jinhyeok had walked through Mullae-dong dozens of times.
He couldn’t believe the entry.
“Why? Is there some problem?”
“N-No. I just think I may have a good idea.”
“Really? What is it?”
Jinhyeok couldn’t answer.
He knew it was somewhere in Mullae-dong.
But he had no idea what location future him was looking down at when he wrote the diary.
He needed to visit Mullae-dong again.
But first, there was one problem to solve.
If Seongun built its landmark in Mullae-dong exactly as the diary described, the value of Jinhyeok’s land would rise instantly.
The only concern was that only the Audit Team knew Jinhyeok owned property in Mullae-dong.
The Audit Team was almost excessively good at maintaining confidentiality.
There was no procedural problem.
But if Jinhyeok took this assignment, he felt that at minimum he should tell the director.
Jinhyeok stared at the director’s lips.
Thick on both top and bottom.
They looked like the heaviest lips in the world.
