Real Man

Chapter 39

He settled in a shelter and started a conversation with the third part’s gossip.

“I don’t know if you know this, but…”

“That’s how it is.”

He didn’t say it outright, but he was insulting them.

According to him, the people in the third part were all idiots who couldn’t do their jobs properly.

Kim Hyun-min, the manager who didn’t do any work.

Choi Min-hee, the section chief who lost her touch after taking parental leave.

Kim Young-gil, the deputy who couldn’t speak English well.

Park Seung-woo, the deputy who never finished a project successfully.

He didn’t even mention Lee Chan-ho.

He also sprinkled some tiny boasts about himself, who received rewards from the company and got promoted early.

Yoo-hyun just listened to his story.

He remembered having a similar conversation in the past.

Of course, it was not now, but after a long time had passed.

At that time, Yoo-hyun was swayed by Shin Chan-yong’s words.

There was one fact that made him do so.

The one who was praised by Jo Chan-young, the director, and recognized by Oh Jae-hwan, the team leader, was not the people in the third part, but Shin Chan-yong, the section chief.

The image of the third part that Yoo-hyun saw as a new employee who couldn’t speak English well was not much different from Shin Chan-yong’s words.

That judgment was the reason why Yoo-hyun accepted the dirty hand that Shin Chan-yong offered him.

But?

It was absolutely not now.

Yoo-hyun took a sip of coffee and asked calmly.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Was it because of his unexpected reaction?

Shin Chan-yong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re clueless. You looked like you had some sense.”

“Thank you for your compliment.”

Shin Chan-yong nodded his head and continued his words.

“I’m giving you an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?”

“A chance to cross over from a rotten rope to a rope of success.”

“What do you mean?”

Yoo-hyun pretended not to know and asked. Shin Chan-yong chuckled.

“You know very well that you won’t get anywhere under Park deputy. “

“Is that so?”

“Of course. You’ll work yourself to death and get no results, and eventually end up in the factory. I wonder if you can even get promoted.”

“Is that really so?”

Yoo-hyun feigned ignorance and flattered him.

The factory?

Did he think he would be scared by something like that?

He had a knack for making cheap remarks without much effort.

“Just wait and see.”

“…”

Shin Chan-yong drank his coffee and answered calmly.

Then he tried to set the mood and continued his words.

“Honestly, I don’t usually say this to a newbie like you. I’m just saying this because I feel sorry for you.”

“Can I ask you why?”

“You’re like me.”

“…”

“I can see your ambition to succeed in your eyes. There’s nothing wrong with having ambition. You have to know how to seize the opportunity if you have ambition.”

Ambition to succeed?

That was a ridiculous thing to say.

That was the first goal that Yoo-hyun discarded when he came back.

Yoo-hyun was so dumbfounded that he looked at Shin Chan-yong.

He was looking down at Yoo-hyun with his chin up.

‘Come on, take the rope I gave you. If you follow me, I’ll make you grow.’

His eyes seemed to say that.

If it was in the past?

He would have grabbed the bait that he offered before hearing a proper proposal.

Of course, there was no way he would do that now.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I have much ambition.”

“Really? I don’t think so. Isn’t helping others first and foremost for recognition? You’re doing your work on purpose right now.”

“…”

Work?

Yoo-hyun hadn’t done any proper work yet.

He just answered some phone calls and helped with some errands.

What kind of ambition would he have from that?

He must have noticed his skillful response and paid attention to him.

This guy was funny too.

Yoo-hyun shrugged his shoulders and Shin Chan-yong spoke with patience.

“You’re skillful and relaxed for a newbie.”

“Thank you.”

“But I know. A duck may look calm on the surface, but it’s paddling hard under the water. How about it? Am I wrong?”

Yoo-hyun sneered inwardly.

What a bullshit.

When he didn’t get the answer he wanted, Shin Chan-yong checked the time on his wristwatch.

He pretended not to, but his patience was running out.

Well, it wasn’t easy for him to talk so much to persuade a subordinate.

And he was wasting his precious time with meaningless questions.

This was the situation that Shin Chan-yong hated the most.

It was time for Yoo-hyun to end it.

“Thank you for your kind words, but I think you’re overestimating me.”

Shin Chan-yong’s brow twitched at Yoo-hyun’s answer.

“…I’ve said this much, and you still can’t give me a proper answer? Do you not know anything because you’re a newbie? Or are you just clueless?”

You’re too quick to catch on.

He was trying to stress him out on purpose.

“I’m lacking a lot as a newbie.”

He finally revealed his intention.

“That’s why I’m offering to help you.”

“Thank you. But I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand? Is it that hard to answer? If you don’t like it, just say no.”

His tone of voice rose before he knew it.

Unlike his usual calm expression, his face was flushed with anger.

It was impressive to see him lose his composure.

Yoo-hyun decided to wrap it up here.

“I appreciate your offer, but I like my mentor right now.”

“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

“Yes. I’ll do my best not to.”

Yoo-hyun uttered a cliché and Shin Chan-yong laughed in disbelief.

“I can see your level by seeing that you give me such an answer even after I’ve said this much.”

“…”

He must have overestimated him.

“…”

Yoo-hyun didn’t flinch at the fierce gaze.

‘Go to hell.’

He felt sorry for him.

He was honestly one step ahead in terms of career advancement.

But he maintained a poker face.

Yoo-hyun blinked his eyes as if he didn’t know anything.

Then, he heard a deep sigh from Shin Chanyong, the section chief.

“Let’s stop here.”

“Thank you for your time, sir.”

But he had different thoughts inside.

Suck it up.

That was his true feeling.

Yoo-hyun’s inner thoughts were unknown to Shin Chanyong, who shook his head and got up from his seat.

“That’s enough.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yoo-hyun’s eyes sparkled.

Shin Chanyong returned to his office with a look of anger on his face.

He had taken the time to treat him to coffee, but the only answer he got was vague and ambiguous.

He couldn’t tolerate it, given his personality that demanded success and superiority.

But there was nothing he could do about it.

Yoo-hyun was still a new employee.

From Shin Chanyong’s perspective, there was no proper way to deal with him.

It was the same now.

Their eyes met, but Yoo-hyun acted nonchalant and calm.

It was obvious what he was thinking inside.

Yoo-hyun smiled brightly.

Park Seungwoo, the assistant manager, tilted his head at him.

“Why? Did something good happen?”

“No. Just curious. How did the meeting go?”

“Ha, don’t even ask. It was hell.”

Park Seungwoo looked exhausted as he placed his laptop on his desk.

But he didn’t have a moment to rest.

He had to prepare for the preliminary report to the team leader before the main report to the director.

As expected, Oh Jaehwan, the team leader, called him as soon as he saw him.

“Park!”

“Yes, sir.”

“When are you going to do it?”

“I just finished the meeting. I’ll get ready right away.”

It was understandable that he was annoyed, but Park Seungwoo smiled at Yoo-hyun.

He showed his concern for his junior colleague.

Yoo-hyun felt a pang in his chest.

He was such a person.

He was so kind and yet he…

It hurt him.

Yoo-hyun bit his lip secretly.

He seemed to worry about Yoo-hyun being alone, so he handed him the report materials as well.

“Here, take a look at this while you’re bored.”

“Thank you.”

Park Seungwoo patted Yoo-hyun’s shoulder and left his seat.

Meanwhile, Yoo-hyun hovered his mouse button over the file that came in by email.

He had a rough idea of what it was about, but it was his first time seeing the details.

His face hardened as he checked the report contents.

“…”

Click. Click.

It was a report with about 100 pages of attachments.

It showed how much he had worked hard between the clients, the development team, and the sales marketing for half a year.

The core of this report was about the production issue of PDA panels and how to deal with it.

Yoo-hyun shook his head at Park Seungwoo’s conclusion on the summary page.

“This won’t work.”

Of course, it was impossible to postpone the agreed schedule with the clients.

Cho Chanyoung, the director, would surely think so too.

It was a tight schedule from the start, but once they accepted it, they had to make it happen.

To do that, they had no choice but to pass on the unreasonable schedule to the development team and the vendors.

But Park Seungwoo had prepared a plan to ease their responsibility out of moral guilt.

It was realistic and righteous, but risky for him as a manager.

Cho Chanyoung would never accept it.

And he was right.

“Park! Are you really going to keep doing this!”

At that moment, a loud voice came from the team table.

Oh Jaehwan had started yelling at him just five minutes into the report.

Oh Jaehwan’s position was understandable too.

He would be the one who suffered the most if things went wrong in the main report.

“Ha, this is not easy.”

Yoo-hyun sighed at the expected scene.

It was a doomed project from the start.

They would somehow produce a result, but the hardship would be indescribable.

He had experienced that in his past.

The most serious problem was that the product they had made with such difficulty eventually failed miserably.

The train was already speeding towards the wall.

Yoo-hyun wanted to get Park Seungwoo out of there somehow.

Not by force, but by finding a natural way to do so.

That was what he was thinking about.

Park Seungwoo came back to his seat with a blank expression.

He had been scolded all morning in the meeting and the report.

He was not in his right mind.

On top of that, Oh Jaehwan had ordered him to prepare the report again from scratch.

The main report was imminent, but what was Park Seungwoo thinking?

His eyes were unfocused.

Yoo-hyun knew the answer, but he asked him directly.

“Do you need any help?”

“Do I look that weak to you? Don’t worry. I’m Park Seungwoo.”

“I know. You’re my mentor.”

Yeah, he admitted that he had the mental strength to joke in this situation.

Yoo-hyun gave him a thumbs up and Park Seungwoo looked embarrassed and changed the subject.

“Let’s go eat.”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

They got up from their seats at the same time.

Hansung Tower basement floor.

There were not only company cafeterias, but also various franchise restaurants and famous restaurants.

They could eat at any restaurant they wanted and pay for their lunch on a monthly basis.

Park Seungwoo and Yoo-hyun preferred the company cafeteria.

It was cheap and fast.

The taste of food was not that important to them.

Park Seungwoo didn’t have a refined palate anyway.

In fact, Yoo-hyun had eaten a lot of high-end food in his past, so he didn’t see much difference between the company cafeteria and the outside restaurants.