Real Man

Chapter 61

Manager Choi Kyunghyun squinted his eyes and scanned the screen.

Then he asked Yoo-hyun, who was waiting silently.

“Why did you change the video playback frame rate (the number of still images shown per second) for the year after next? It’s half of what it was before.”

“I changed it because it didn’t seem right.”

“Really? I told you to research the evidence, but you just manipulated it as you pleased.”

Yoo-hyun, who had been listening calmly, asked Shin Chanyong, the senior manager who snorted.

“Manager Shin, do you think the original frame rate was fine?”

“What? Are you trying to trip me?”

“No, I just want to hear your opinion. It seems like you disagree.”

“Of course. TV is already doing 240Hz (sending 240 still images per second) and thinking about 480Hz. Mobile should follow suit.”

Yoo-hyun pressed the screen.

Then the page changed and the TV side’s technical roadmap appeared.

It was as Manager Shin said.

“Yes, I see that the TV technical roadmap is getting faster.”

“So?”

“But I found something strange while researching the data.”

“What is it?”

Manager Choi showed interest as Yoo-hyun spoke.

Yoo-hyun looked at his serious expression and knew that he had hit the core point.

This was the reason why Executive Director Jo Chanyoung had thrown away his report.

“The mobile division’s roadmap doesn’t have any plans to increase the video output frequency of the AP (central processing unit).”

“No, that doesn’t matter. The panel frame rate can be increased regardless of the AP. That reduces the video lag phenomenon. Don’t you know that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then why did you change it on your own?”

Manager Shin asked as if he was accusing him, but Manager Choi’s eyes narrowed more and more.

Yoo-hyun switched the data at the right timing.

It was the panel trend data that foreign companies, including Nokia and Motorola, wanted.

It was also a well-known data.

“But if you look here, customers want screen brightness or battery life more than frame rate.”

“So you changed it based on that?”

“I changed it based on the customers.”

As soon as Yoo-hyun finished speaking, Manager Choi remembered the moment when he had reported to Executive Director Jo Chanyoung a while ago.

Executive Director Jo had pointed out that the frame rate was a mess.

Manager Choi had asked him if that was the reason, citing the same reason that Yoo-hyun had just said.

But Executive Director Jo had snapped his tongue instead.

-Tsk tsk, think a little. Isn’t it our duty to suggest trends to customers? Do you think it’s just because of that?

That was the end of his scolding.

Manager Choi couldn’t find the answer.

He still didn’t know what part of his pitch was off.

If he kept going like this, he would be doomed to fail again.

He hardened his face and said to Yoo-hyun.

“Yoo-hyun, your idea has some merit. But it’s also our duty to suggest trends to customers.”

“Manager Choi, there’s no need to listen to me.”

“… Manager Shin, what do you think?”

After giving him a brief pause, Yoo-hyun asked.

He added a slightly tense voice.

Then Manager Shin jumped in eagerly.

“It’s simple. It’s a lack of quality. A lack of quality. If you were planning to change the TRM for such a reason, there would have been no innovation until now.”

“I see.”

“Besides, why did you make the data like this and waste time? The direction was wrong from the start.”

“The direction?”

“Yes. You were wasting your time on something irrelevant. And then you say you’re done? You’re not even close.”

“…”

If Manager Shin had seen Manager Choi’s face right now, he wouldn’t have said that so easily.

Manager Choi realized that he had to correct not just the evidence for the roadmap, but also the wrong part.

And Yoo-hyun had brought him close to that answer.

Manager Shin said it was absurd, but that was what Executive Director Jo wanted.

He just lacked a reason.

Manager Choi asked in case he might have missed something.

“Is this all? Honestly, I can’t change the TRM for such a reason.”

“Yes, it is. That’s why I’m going to explain it to you now. If you look here…”

Yoo-hyun pressed a small box on the screen as if he had been waiting.

At the same time, reports from the development team popped up and a summary data combining them appeared as a chart on one corner.

It was the number of ICs needed when increasing the resolution and frame rate according to the TRM.

“Eight ICs per panel?”

“Yes. It’s an absurd number. TV might be able to split the ICs on the top and bottom, but it’s hard for small mobile panels.”

“No, that’s based on the current standard. You have to calculate the increasing IC integration and communication speed.”

“Yes, I did. So I adjusted it according to the IC roadmap.”

As Manager Shin threw a tackle, Yoo-hyun pressed a button proudly.

It was the information on how much the integration and communication speed would increase according to the IC company’s roadmap.

Most people didn’t pay attention to it, but it was data that the development team had shared before.

At that moment, Manager Choi’s head flashed.

-Manager Choi, think a little. Are you a kid? You should be able to distinguish between what’s possible and what’s not by now.

He finally understood what Executive Director Jo had said to him like a quiz.

It was impossible to increase both the frequency and resolution to that level at the same time.

He brought that to him, so there was no way he could catch Executive Jo’s eye.

“None of the three companies I surveyed had less than four. To attach four ICs to a mobile panel…”

“No, you can’t do that.”

“Manager Choi, there’s also a way to attach them on both sides.”

He looked at Manager Shin like he was just that.

He thought he was good at his job, but he threw a tackle with something that made no sense.

He thought of himself standing in front of Executive Director Jo and felt annoyed.

At the same time, his rough personality that had been hidden for a long time came out.

“Hey, Manager Shin! Why are you so stubborn today?”

“What? What did I do…”

“Think rationally. Do you think customers would want something that’s thicker and hotter?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“How can you be more short-sighted than a newbie? More than a newbie!”

Yoo-hyun flinched for a moment.

It was to see Manager Shin’s dumbfounded face more clearly.

He didn’t even know why he was being treated like this by his friendly part leader.

He found it very amusing.

Manager Choi, who was very excited, got up from his seat.

Clang.

“That’s enough for the report.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Manager Choi turned his head and looked at Kim Hyunmin, his senior colleague who had entered the company with him.

“Manager Kim, thank you for your help.”

“What, I didn’t do anything. It was this guy who did it.”

He spat out some flattery and pointed at Yoo-hyun with his chin.

Manager Choi looked at Yoo-hyun with a complicated expression.

It was already a known data.

He had simply fit it in, but he had hit the core point.

He was just a newbie.

He suppressed his embarrassed feelings and patted Yoo-hyun’s shoulder.

“Good job.”

“Manager…”

“Manager Shin, come with me for a moment. I need to talk to you.”

And his anger was directed at Manager Shin, who didn’t even know it.

“What are you doing? This is not a training for a newbie…”

“You’re the one who needs more training. Come on.”

“…”

Manager Shin, who had a twisted face, got up and glared at Yoo-hyun.

Yoo-hyun responded with a slight smile.

He had seen something amusing, so he thought he should be generous.

Well, he would be quiet for a while, right?

Yoo-hyun smiled contentedly at Manager Shin, who was walking away.

“…”

Kim Hyunmin, the Manager, looked at Yoo-hyun with a strange expression.

About 30 minutes later?

Just when he felt like having some coffee, Kim Hyunmin came to him.

“Do you want some coffee?”

“Yes. Sure.”

Yoo-hyun followed Kim Hyunmin to the outdoor terrace on the 20th floor.

Whoosh.

A cool breeze that signaled the arrival of autumn blew his hair.

Kim Hyunmin leaned his body on the railing and looked far away.

Yoo-hyun, who was looking at him, also turned his gaze to the same place.

“…”

Silence filled the air for a moment.

It felt like the atmosphere of the drinking party a while ago continued.

Yoo-hyun didn’t say anything first.

He wanted to open his heart with his feelings, not his senses, this time.

At least for this person, he wanted to do that.

The wind soothed the awkwardness of having no conversation and Kim Hyunmin opened his mouth.

“It would be nice if I could smoke a cigarette here.”

“Do you smoke?”

“No. I’m just saying. I feel like smoking again after quitting for seven years.”

“…”

He couldn’t take his words lightly after knowing the reason why he had to quit smoking as well.

Yoo-hyun calmly waited for his next words.

“Do you know when you prepared that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The report from earlier. You didn’t have much time.”

“Oh, I found it quickly because Assistant Manager Park gave me some data.”

“Don’t lie, kid.”

Kim Hyunmin chuckled and said something absurd.

“I think I know everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“See? I knew you would pretend not to know.”

“…”

What does he know?

He didn’t give him any hint to overthink it.

But why did Kim Hyunmin make such a meaningful expression?

“I thought you were different from the start.”

Yoo-hyun hid his expression and answered.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s amazing. How can a newbie be so calm?”

“…”

Kim Hyunmin turned his body completely toward Yoo-hyun and continued.

“And you seem to have some experience too.”

“You’re too kind.”

“It feels like we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“…”

Could it be?

He didn’t think he had given him any reason to suspect him.

But why did Kim Hyunmin look at him like that?

“I know, buddy.”

“What?”

“Tell me?”

“Yes.”

He couldn’t just brush it off as a joke. His expression was not good.

For a moment, Yoo-hyun checked his body language carefully and felt sweat on his hand.

‘He’s not lying.’

The movement of his eyes, the wrinkles around his eyes, the shape of his mouth, his heart rate, the position of his legs.

His body language showed that his words were true.

What is it?

Kim Hyunmin opened his mouth then.

“You…”

“…”

Gulp.

“Were you from psychology department?”

“Huh?”

“So that’s how you know people’s psychology so well?”

“No, that’s not…”

“I see. No wonder I told you everything. You made me more curious about you.”

“Oh…”

Yoo-hyun let out an exclamation and breathed a sigh of relief inside.

Unlike Yoo-hyun’s feelings, Kim Hyunmin had just grasped at straws.

“Is it something like the art of conversation?”

“Yes. Something like that.”

Yoo-hyun responded quickly.

Kim Hyunmin seemed to be completely hooked on Yoo-hyun’s psychology background.

“I studied psychology once too, you know? People’s psychology is…”

“I see.”

Yoo-hyun chuckled at that sight.

‘It was only for a short time…’

He was in psychology department for only two years. 

And that was when he was in freshman and sophomore years, so he didn’t study properly.

Even if he had learned something, he would have forgotten it all after going to the army.

“Right? Am I right?”

“Yes. You seem right. And that part is…”

“Wow, really? I knew it!”

He felt like he was hitting the mark and rambled on.

Yoo-hyun looked at his brightened face with a good feeling.