I’d Rather Live as a Villain

I’d Rather Live as a Villain – Episode 31

(That’s mine, you know)

“Oh Ji-won! Oh Ji-won! Oh Ji-won!”

4 PM.

The European Division office, bustling with a festive atmosphere, welcomed Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won, who had just arrived from the airport.

An anticipated billing turnover of 20 million euros.

Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won, having sealed a contract worth roughly 30 billion Korean won, returned straight to the company from Andalusia, Korea.

The mood in the European Division office, which had been skeptical of Oh Ji-won’s official ‘My Way’ just three months ago, was now celebratory.

After lightly thumping his chest a couple of times, Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won put his index finger to his lips and then pointed skyward, a gesture far removed from his ‘My Way’ image.

Director Choi Jang-ho quelled the relentless welcome for Deputy Chief Oh and suggested,

“So, it’s chilly today. How about eel for the company dinner?”

“Eel again? Who is this dinner really for?”

“What does being chilly have to do with eel? When it’s hot, you say it’s because it’s hot, and when it’s chilly, because it’s chilly.”

Complaints about the director’s taste began to erupt from all corners.

“Is there still some of the company dinner budget left from the big boss?”

“Even if we suggest beef, it’s always eel, tripe, sashimi… That’s why there’s always money left. Director! Let’s grill some meat today!”

“Meat? Did everyone say meat? Okay! Deal! Since it’s chilly, let’s go for Korean beef!”

“Wow!”

Meanwhile, in the European Division’s second partition of Bulldog, Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu began to calm the welcome for Oh Ji-won.

“How long are we going to just stand by and celebrate?”

The team leaders smiled confidently in front of Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu’s determination, suggesting it was time to show why Bulldog was Bulldog.

Bulldog.

Before establishing the Madrid branch in the Spanish team, Bulldog was responsible for over 70 percent of the entire European Division’s billing turnover, the most powerful team not just in the division but across the entire trading sector.

“Manager Jo.”

“Yes, Deputy Chief.”

“How’s the coffee machine situation with Marco?”

“We can make contact as soon as the reference from the previous Korean license company comes in.”

“Do you think they’ll send the reference just because we ask? It’s a business they have to regurgitate once the license contract ends. Would you be proactive in handing over references to another company if you were them?”

“I’ll check on it again.”

“Don’t just check; bring it in. It’s Taekyung’s side, right?”

“Yes.”

“Whether you have to cling to their coattails or threaten them with overlapping business items, get the reference from Marco’s side within this week and grease the wheels on the proposal.”

“Yes!”

Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu turned his gaze to the partition next door.

“Hey, Manager Kim.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“…”

“Right now, your team’s bread and butter, the wine, has been snatched by the Spanish team, with the full backing of Daeyoung Distribution. Don’t you think it’d be utterly embarrassing if our Bulldog team gets outdone in wine by the Spanish team?”

“Yikes! I’m getting nervous.”

“But we’re all one family. Even if we compete, let’s share channels when it comes to distribution.”

“Yes.”

This time, after looking around the entire Bulldog team, Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu said,

“There may be surprises, but no reversals. I can’t tolerate being outdone by Division 1 in billing turnover. If you can’t bring in profitable deals like the Marco coffee machine, then squeeze what you can from what we have. What are we, as traders?”

“We could sell dirt!”

“We could even sell the underwear we’re wearing. Congratulations. But enough of that, let’s get serious, shall we? How long are we going to just congratulate others on their performance?”

It feels like the European Division office has reverted to its state from 12 years ago, all in just three months.

Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu, after surveying the entire office, is deep in resentment over his own behavior three months ago, during Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won’s promotion, when he had shown his worst.

This is the European Division.

It was 12 years ago, before the overseas construction sector had landed its big contracts.

Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu had joined Daeyoung Corporation back then.

The pride of Daeyoung Corporation was undoubtedly the trading division, and within it, the European Division played the role of the heart.

The competition between teams was fierce enough to draw blood, yet paradoxically, the European Division boasted a team solidarity that proclaimed, “We are the best!” unmatched by any other department.

If an office colleague suffered a loss, even on weekdays, they would take turns keeping vigil, and strategically select who would accompany them to the gravesite, fulfilling their duty to their colleague.

It feels like a return to those times.

It had been too prevalent.

Lines and factions were drawn, and envy and jealousy over performance, rather than fair competition, had become all too common in the European Division.

Regret and reflection.

The atmosphere in the European Division had been flowing in a negative direction, and Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu realized he had contributed to it to some extent.

As Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu looked around the office, his eyes met Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won’s.

As soon as their eyes met, a smile spread across Son Jae-gyu’s face.

And with him, a smile also appeared on Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won’s face.

He gave a thumbs-up of recognition to Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won.

Chief Oh Ji-won gave a brief nod towards Deputy Chief Son Jae-gyu.

All the employees of the European Division watched, engraving into their hearts the image of the division that now seemed like a legend from the days when tigers smoked, the pinnacle of Daeyoung Corporation.

***

Had it been any other time, I would have declined and told them to enjoy themselves, but today’s dinner was one I couldn’t refuse.

The first thing I did as the head of Daeyoung Corporation wasn’t even meeting with the president, but issuing the promotion order for Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won.

And now, just two months later, Deputy Chief Oh Ji-won had achieved near-miraculous results and returned. How could I refuse the celebration dinner in her honor?

She had managed to seal the deal with just the fourth inspection.

Such a short period of two months.

Compared to the Olive contract five years ago, this was practically a freebie.

The dinner started at 7 PM.

Of course, I only had two glasses of soju mixed with beer at the first stop, a Korean beef restaurant, before excusing myself early.

I hardly ate, fearing I might end up stuck at the dinner if I really started to dig in.

At these dinners, my role as the head was simply to offer congratulations and support for the achievements, and secretly hand over the corporate card to the manager.

“Will you be heading straight home?”

Joo Dong-jin, who always took the wheel during these official dinners, asked cautiously as we were almost home.

It sounded like he was asking if I would stop by the convenience store in front of my house for instant noodles again.

“Dong-jin, you hardly had any dinner either, right?”

“Yes, I’m a bit peckish.”

“Then shall we do instant noodles and a triangle kimbap each, like usual?”

“Yes! Sounds good.”

There’s a 24-hour convenience store near my house, which is quite nice.

Since my house is a large townhouse, the nearby commercial area isn’t very developed.

So even if I go to the convenience store at this hour, there’s hardly anyone who recognizes me, and even if they do, it rarely leads to any situation that requires my attention.

It was a little past 8 PM, and if I tried to have a proper meal at this hour, it would only delay Joo Dong-jin’s return home. So, usually after these dinners, I’d grab a quick meal at the convenience store and head home.

We were sitting at the bar-style table attached to the glass wall of the store, each with our instant noodles, triangle kimbap, and a microwaveable sausage, when suddenly…

What could it be?

A strange feeling washed over me.

It felt as if someone was watching me.

I looked around, but aside from Joo Dong-jin, who was eagerly slurping his noodles, there was only the convenience store clerk.

No one else was in sight.

But then…

As I nonchalantly turned to eat ramen again, I caught the executive director outside the glass wall, looking at me with an incredulous smile.

What’s this?

What exactly is this situation?

Why is the executive director here at this time, and in such casual clothes?

And what exactly startled me?

Was it the sight of the executive director, who I thought only wore that cardigan at home, standing there so casually, or was it the shock of being caught eating ramen alone when I had told him to have dinner by himself because I would be late due to the company dinner?

Joo Dong-jin, busy stuffing food into his mouth, would have no idea that the executive director is watching us from outside and is about to come in.

“Welcome.”

Wow, he really came in.

“Weren’t you supposed to be at a company dinner until this time?”

Joo Dong-jin, with his mouth full of food, stood up and bowed to the executive director.

I remained seated, perplexed about how to react to this embarrassing situation I had been caught in.

But there was something suspicious about Joo Dong-jin’s behavior.

It was as if he knew the executive director was coming, as if he had deliberately inhaled his ramen to hand over the car keys to him.

“Take your time eating, slowly.”

“I’m sor…”

Joo Dong-jin covered his mouth with one hand, forced down the food, and then spoke again.

“No, I should also head home soon.”

It was clear that Joo Dong-jin had reawakened his spy instincts.

I looked at Joo Dong-jin as if to say, “What is this all about?” but he quickly grabbed an unopened sausage and a triangle kimbap, suggesting I should hear the detailed explanation from the executive director, and left his seat.

“That, that…”

I muttered to myself, watching Joo Dong-jin hastily greet me and then flee the convenience store.

To me, the executive director said,

“What’s that about now?”

“How did you get here?”

The executive director took the seat Joo Dong-jin had vacated.

“You think I came to buy something at our company-branded convenience store?”

“Exactly.”

“Every time I tell you to have dinner alone because I’ll be late for a company dinner, the person who’s supposed to be at the dinner comes home smelling like ramen.”

As he spoke, he began to unwrap the triangle kimbap that Joo Dong-jin had left for me, claiming it was my share.

“My nose isn’t that of a dog’s, but if I can smell it, it means you ate it right before coming home, and that makes me curious. So I asked Secretary Joo. Every time there’s a company dinner, you come home after eating ramen and triangle kimbap here.”

“…”

“That’s why, as soon as I heard there was a dinner today, I called Secretary Joo and told him to text me right away if you did the same today.”

Ah… so that was when.

You parked in front of the convenience store and hurriedly sent a text somewhere…

“Why…”

“Why? Because I wanted to eat with you.”

With an expression that said that was indeed the reason, the executive took a bite of the triangle kimbap and began to chew it thoroughly.

Then, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar table, and asked me as if collapsing.

“Is home still… uncomfortable for you?”

“Uncomfortable? No, not at all.”

“Then is it out of consideration for me that you eat outside before coming home? To avoid making noise in the kitchen late at night, to not create food smells?”

That had to be the main reason.

After all, the executive uses the first floor, and it was true that wandering around his space at this hour was uncomfortable.

“Tae-sik.”

I thought I heard wrong.

Tae-sik?

The executive suddenly called me Tae-sik, not Executive Yoon.

“What did you… just call me?”

“Tae-sik… I called you that. Why? Is it awkward?”

“…”

I was the one who had the company dinner, so why does it feel like the executive is the one who’s drunk?

“It’s awkward for me. But from now on, when it’s just the two of us, I thought I’d call you Tae-sik, by your name. How can a person live 24 hours as Executive Yoon? I can live like that, but you need to have time to clock out from being Executive Yoon.”

It was awkward to be called by my name, Yoon Tae-sik, but it was even more awkward to be looked at and called ‘you’.

Whether he knew of my awkwardness or not, the executive took another bite of the triangle kimbap.

To say he took a bite is an understatement; he nibbled at it as sparingly as his chopstick movements were delicate.

“It doesn’t matter what other people think. But if we’re not going to a decent restaurant, or if you’re not going out to eat something you crave, if it’s just to lightly fill your stomach because you can’t eat, then just come home and eat.”

“…”

“The clinking sounds, the food smells. I don’t mind them at all. In fact, it’s more caring for me if you come home 5 or 10 minutes earlier, reducing the time I wait for you to arrive. That’s how I am. I can’t sleep until the person who’s supposed to come home arrives, whether it’s… Tae… sik, or not you.”

“Director.”

“Yes?”

“Please give me that kimbap. That one’s mine.”

“…What?”

“If you’re going to eat, go buy some. Why are you eating what I bought for myself? I bought it to eat with ramen.”

Suppressing a laugh at the director’s half-open mouth, which seemed to express disbelief, I deliberately made up such a joke.

It must have taken a lot of courage for the director too.

How much courage did it take to try and call me by my name?

The part where I couldn’t muster the courage first.

The director had the courage for me.

That’s why I had no choice but to make more jokes.

To make that courage seem natural, as if it were a given.

“Did you not bring your wallet? Shall I buy it for you?”

“Forget it. I don’t even drink water at this time. I thought about pretending to eat with you so you wouldn’t feel awkward eating alone.”

That’s why I asked.

I wanted to see the sincerity in the gesture, offering to eat with me so I wouldn’t feel embarrassed eating alone.

“So, when it’s just the two of us… can I just call you by your name?”

“Do you think you can?”

“When have I ever done only what I’m capable of in front of you?”

“I’m already feeling awkward and it’s difficult, can I really do it?”

The director’s tone.

It felt like a challenge disguised as a necessity.

“I mean, I do what the director tells me to, and I don’t do what I’m told not to, right?”

“Then try it… Go on, let’s see how naturally you can do it.”

“Moon-jung.”

“…”

“Moon-jung?”

“What? Why?”

“Give me the kimbap. That’s mine.”