Vol. 1 - Ch. 3 - In the Midst of Resignation

Could it have been a build-up after all? Is he trying to find out about my mother by slowly scraping at my wounds until now? No. It doesn’t feel that way, but maybe they revealed their joker card. If my mother is the joker card, it means they want to settle the game quickly. Just how much do they know, and to what extent? Isn’t this game too stacked against me?All sorts of thoughts were floating around in Jae-Yoon’s head. He quickly erased the speech bubble that only he could see and answered naturally, “Wow. Isn’t it foul to bring up my mom here? We’re not high school kids playing games. Suddenly attacking my family is a bit much.”

“I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry if I offended you. It’s just that it seems like the only story that can keep Lee Jae-Yoon firmly in check.”

Everyone had a reason for living. For example, a spouse or child to take care of. For others, it was personal achievement or the sweet paycheck that hit the bank every month.

However, Jae-Yoon was a little different. The reason he worked so hard, even taking a weekend job at the logistics center, was the harsh reality that was crumbling around him. His confident tone and attitude might have been a defense mechanism to hide his complicated feelings.

However, at an unexpected moment, the weak heart, that he had been barely holding on to, collapsed.

“It kinda hurts.”

“I know. My mother passed away when she couldn’t even remember me. I guess you’re a little better off than I am, Jae-Yoon.”

“Whoa... Wait a minute. Seeing you pull out this kind of convo, clearly, you guys came here with a plan.”

It was strange. It would not have been strange if he got angry or stubborn, yet, Min Ho-Jun’s story made Jae-Yoon curiously want to know more. Knowing what Jae-Yoon’s mother meant to him, what exactly were those two trying to achieve by digging into his painful memories?

“You’ve worked hard. Seven years, right? It must not have been easy with your mother being sick.”

“If you’ve already investigated everything... Let’s not say it out loud; it’s heartbreaking.”

“Let me just say the key points. If you accept our offer, all your worries will be taken care of. Money, your mother, and your desires.”

“Why are you going to such lengths? Why are you doing this?”

To Jae-Yoon’s response, which was neither affirmative nor negative, the two section chiefs exchanged suspicious glances. As Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong was about to speak up, Min Ho-Jun quickly answered,

“Because we need you, Lee Jae-Yoon. The same face. The ability to recognize good products. Experienced leadership in handling employees. The management skills to run a company frugally. The calmness to perfectly handle any situation. What else? Ah, the confidence to stand unflinchingly even in front of a third-generation chaebol? There’s not a single thing about you that we don’t like.”

“Wow... Mr. Min Ho-Jun. I didn’t know you could talk this much.”

Direct insults were one thing, but such blatant flattery was equally uncomfortable. Moreover, Min Ho-Jun’s characteristically gentle, yet blunt tone made it difficult to read his true intentions.

No matter how hard one tried to conceal, engaging in conversation for this long inevitably led to revealing one’s true feelings. However, Min Ho-Jun was truly an enigmatic figure. Jae-Yoon’s keen sense of observation and insight seemed insufficient to penetrate Min Ho-Jun’s facade.

“The term is two years. The position is CEO of It’s Home Shopping. If you wish, we could start as quickly as tomorrow.”

“Team Leader Min, there is the issue of the contract and other things I need to know. It’s impossible to start tomorrow…”

Ignoring Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong’s protests, Min Ho-Jun quickly continued, “That’s just a figure of speech. It also shows how urgent this is. Well, this is TMI, but the annual salary for the CEO is 300 million won, bonuses excluded. Of course, the dividends are all included. What else is there... An apartment, Nine One Hannam. It’s self-owned, of course. An unlimited credit card, and…”

“Please go on.”

“The condition is full authority over the operation of the home shopping network.” As if reading from a prepared script, Min Ho-Jun quickly poured out everything he had to say.

“So, what do I get out of it?”

“What more do you need?”

“No. That’s not it. Just because I’m acting as Min Ho-Jun doesn’t mean I’m becoming the real Min Ho-Jun. I might end up getting the short end of the stick.”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong handed over a thick stack of documents as if he had been waiting for this moment. It was a clever move, calculated to change Jae-Yoon’s mind.

“This is a special provision that states that if It’s Home Shopping achieves the number one sales position within two years, Team Leader Min Ho-Jun will transfer all of his shares to you. That means you could become a real chaebol, not just acting as a third-generation chaebol. You can take your time and decide.”

“It’s not an insurance policy, it’s a special provision.”

“The important details are all in the first three chapters. The economic benefits you can gain from this, as well as common sense things, like the confidentiality pledge.”

“This whole situation isn’t very common sense…”

Jae-Yoon took out the documents and skimmed through them on the spot. There was nothing special in the first and second chapters. He quickly flipped through the remaining chapters with his thumb and put them back in the envelope.

Who should I give this to? Min Ho-Jun? Or Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong? Hmm... The final decision is probably up to Min Ho-Jun.

Jae-Yoon turned around and handed the stack of documents to Min Ho-Jun.

“Can I add a special provision?”

“A new condition?”

“New, yes. I’ve never said a word about this contract. Well... If you add that condition, I’ll think about it.”

Jae-Yoon’s condition was simple: To have his mother admitted to the newly established Silvertown. It wasn’t a facility that anyone could enter, regardless of the cost, because it was a membership-based type of facility.

People said that children were their parents’ little fingers. Jae-Yoon was a little different. If only his mother could stay in a good facility, he was desperate enough to rip out his heart and hand it to her.

For the past seven years, all of Jae-Yoon’s salary and the money he had saved up had been poured into his mother’s hospital and nursing home bills, not to mention the palm-sized Gyeonggi apartment that his father had left him. Jae-Yoon could not take care of his mother, who needed 24-hour care, so he had recently moved her to a nursing home.

“I’ll try. It won’t be easy. As you know, it’s a membership-only facility…”

“You’re a chaebol. Can’t you make anything happen with a snap of your fingers? Anyway, if you accept my condition, I’ll consider it positively. Please add that to the contract and contact me again. It’s almost 5 o’clock. I should head back now. As an ordinary citizen, I have to clock in and out of work. Well, then.”

Leaving behind the Section Chief’s rambling, Jae-Yoon returned to his old Avante. The Avante’s engine made a rattling noise as he started it.

All the way back to the company, he couldn’t contain his bewilderment. He had only gone to It’s Home Shopping to reschedule the canceled broadcast, but he had received an absurd offer that would change his life completely.

At 5 p.m., the streets of Seoul were already in rush hour. During the annoying traffic light wait, Jae-Yoon briefly opened his smartphone and searched up Min Ho-Jun.

Min Ho-Jun. It’s Group Min Ho-Jun. It’s Home Shopping Min Ho-Jun.

After checking the few articles at the bottom, Jae-Yoon was able to roughly guess the reason. He also felt a strange sense of pity for Min Ho-Jun.

You’re a lonely person, just like me.

When he returned to the office, a thunderous voice rang out, “Why are you coming in now?!”

Did he eat a live train?

Hearing his voice, which was as loud as his size, Jae-Yoon suddenly realized that this was his reality. An office made of cheap sandwich panels. Robot-like employees. The heat from the stainless steel. It was an omen for bad weather.

He was now returning to reality.

It was as if he had woken up from a trance, his mind still a little hazy. Jae-Yoon shook his head once and answered, “I changed the broadcast to next week.”

Even after sitting down, Managing Director Oh’s sarcasm did not stop.

“You’re a great talker. What? What is this? You come back just moving dates around and acting all high and mighty? Anyone would think you landed some huge deal.”

“Can you change that date, Managing Director? Or rather, who’s in charge of It’s Home Shopping, and why was the broadcast canceled in the first place… You don’t even know that much, do you?”

“I have seen it all in my long years, seen it all! This is why I said black-headed beasts should not be domesticated. I judged people poorly. Who was it that looked into everything when your mom collapsed back then? And you treat us like this…”

“Managing Director Oh. Not all words count as actual words.”

It was not you, but your father who helped back then, was it not? Jae-Yoon shoved down the words he desperately wanted to say and continued, “Let’s just discuss work matters at the office.”

“Team Leader Lee Jae-Yoon, again, again, don’t get mad, be a man. That’s what I’m saying. It’s all because I care about you…”

“I’ll quit, as I said before.”

As soon as the word ‘quit’ came out of his mouth, all eyes in the office turned to Jae-Yoon. It was definitely out of fear. It was not the worry of what he would eat and how he would live if he quit his job, or the sense of loyalty of his colleagues, it was because they had a gut feeling that they might have to do all the work that Jae-Yoon was doing.

“Whoa, whoa. Relax. I’m really saying this because I care about you. Why don’t we go out for some meat that you like after work today? You worked hard today.”

The sight of him picking up his designer clutch makes me feel disgusted.

“You can have dinner with the other employees. Here’s my resignation letter. And this is a business plan for the home shopping and online channels that OhGa will be joining next…”

“Resignation letter? This kid, you’re not joking, are you?”

“You know very well that I don’t joke about these things.”

“What is this? You have lost it, completely lost it! If you want to leave, just go. Don’t put on airs. There are idiots all over dying to write proposals like that.”

I debated whether or not to give him the proposal. Even if I pass it on, there may not be anyone who can understand this plan anyway. Since he came out like this, there is no need to worry.

Jae-Yoon snatched the business plan from Managing Director Oh’s hand, then walked briskly to the corner and unceremoniously put the business plan in the shredder.

“Whoa…! Hey! What are you doing?”

“I guess you’re right. What’s the point of a plan that I wrote? We have a great leader like you, Managing Director Oh.”

_Whirr~ _

The quiet office was filled with the noise of the shredder.

Jae-Yoon stared at the shredder silently, trying hard to settle the complicated feelings in his heart. It felt as if seven years of hard work disappeared along with that pile of paper.

Don’t get hung up. You were bound to leave someday, anyway. The timing just came a little early.

He left the noisy office behind and headed to the subway station. The scent of forsythia flowers drifted in with the March wind. It smelled like spring.

After Jae-Yoon left, there was a commotion in the office. Managing Director Oh snorted like a bull, grumbling. Even though it was past 6 o’clock, no one got up from their seats.

“Manager Yang, come here.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think Lee Jae-Yoon is really going to quit?”

She nodded his head rapidly like a bobblehead dog ornament in a car. Having worked under him for three years, she knew very well, this was no joke. She made up her mind that she would have to find another job soon as well. Without Team Manager Jae-yoon, the bankrupt OhGa Kitchen was guaranteed to shut down even tomorrow.

“Most likely.”

“Answer me properly! Damn it. Won’t we be screwed if Jae-Yoon resigns?”

“It would be fortunate if only Team Manager Jae-Yoon resigned.”

“Wow, Manager Yang, you were crying and whining earlier, but now you’re talking like you mean it.”

Manager Yang’s lips quivered. Then, she swallowed her words.

“Go on, speak up if you have something to say. Don’t be shy just because we’re the royal family.”

Pfft. She barely held in her laughter. This level is madness, sheer madness.

“I’m quitting too.” { E/N: Let’s go, Si-Hyun!!}

“Yeah, quitting... Huh? What did you just say?”

Manager Yang sent a message to Team Leader Jae-Yoon as she headed to the subway station. Her thumbs were quite fast. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴ0velFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

[ Team Leader. I got smth to say. U free? ]

After a while, a message came back.

[ Team Leader Jae-Yoon: What is it? ]

[ Quitting too. NBD. Just wanna give u a present b4 I go. ]

[ Team Leader Jae-Yoon: Hit up Han Young Po Cha @ subway station. ]

Manager Yang smiled, put her cell phone in her pocket, and headed to the pub, Han Young Po Cha. Her steps were unusually light. If she followed Team Leader Jae-Yoon, she would be able to catch some crumbs. This was certain. Unbeknownst to many, Manager Yang was surprisingly quick-witted.