#055
Despite his mental state improving slightly, Hwi-kyung achieved the remarkable feat of being late on his second day of work.
This was something that would never happen twice in Jung Hwi-kyung’s life. Being late? It was unthinkable for Hwi-kyung, who would only take a sick day or a half-day off even when he felt like he was dying. Jung Hwi-kyung was originally an exemplary employee who would be seated at his desk 30 minutes before the start of work.
“Late on your second day, you’ve got it made.”
“…”
“New hires these days are so laid-back. Right, Manager Kang?”
“Huh? Yes…”
To make matters worse, Park Bong-joon had, for some reason, arrived on time today. Park Bong-joon had an uncanny knack for catching the perfect moment to scold his subordinates.
In the thirteenth iteration, Park Bong-joon was a team leader who flexibly adjusted his arrival time. After all, Park Bong-joon’s attendance records were managed not by himself but by Kang Moon-chul. Not just Park Bong-joon, but other HR team members he had placed also came to work as they pleased, though their departure times were less flexible.
Viewed positively, it meant that Kang Moon-chul was a highly trusted junior. Negatively, it meant that all important HR work before 11 AM fell solely on Kang Moon-chul’s shoulders. Hadn’t Hwi-kyung called Kang Moon-chul, not Team Leader Park Bong-joon, when he needed to take a sick day?
A team where a mid-level manager like Kang Moon-chul played the role of the youngest member couldn’t possibly function properly. It was Kang Moon-chul single-handedly keeping things afloat with his herculean efforts; contrary to outward appearances, the HR team was in shambles internally.
If Hwi-kyung were to poke around a bit, Park Bong-joon had many vulnerabilities. While the recruitment corruption issue couldn’t be easily exposed due to involvement of higher-ups, finding records of bribes he had taken for personnel evaluations alone would be enough to get him fired without much effort.
The problem was that if such a thing were to happen, Park Bong-joon would drag Kang Moon-chul down with him. Hwi-kyung still couldn’t believe that Park Bong-joon, who seemed so personable, would throw Kang Moon-chul under the bus to save himself.
Hadn’t he repeatedly praised Kang Moon-chul, calling him his most valued subordinate? As far as Hwi-kyung knew, Moon-chul had even learned golf at his own expense to please Park Bong-joon.
Despite not enjoying going to the golf course, Moon-chul would accompany Park Bong-joon whenever he wanted to hit the links. At first, Hwi-kyung couldn’t understand why Moon-chul was so attentive to Park Bong-joon’s moods.
Kang Moon-chul was capable enough to do his fair share of work in any team, not just HR. He was a bit indecisive but diligent, and although it took him a long time to learn new skills, once he mastered them, he could do anything proficiently.
His self-esteem, consistently crushed over the years working under Park Bong-joon, was a major obstacle to Kang Moon-chul’s promotion and job change prospects. Park Bong-joon would treat Kang Moon-chul exceptionally well at times, only to casually remark in a gentle tone, “Where else could you work if not in our team?” as if he had never been kind.
Since he behaved the same way towards Hwi-kyung, this kind of conditioning must have gone on even longer with Moon-chul. Even knowing it was strange, with his livelihood at stake, agreeing with those words would have ingrained the thought that he couldn’t work anywhere else but here.
Park Bong-joon had no qualms about tearing others down while maintaining a friendly facade. Hwi-kyung was terrified of Park Bong-joon’s social skills. How did he so precisely choose vulnerable targets and undermine their self-esteem? It wouldn’t be surprising if he secretly attended gaslighting workshops.
“I wish Hwi-kyung would be even half as good as our Manager Kang.”
“…”
“Look, our Manager Kang comes in early and leaves late even with his manager title. But here you are, just on your second day, coming in 30 minutes late without even a call. Is that acceptable?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“From tomorrow, come in 30 minutes early. Manager Kang! Please check Hwi-kyung’s attendance.”
“Yes…”
Even while scolding Hwi-kyung, Park Bong-joon subtly kept mentioning Kang Moon-chul. Moon-chul, caught between Park Bong-joon and Jung Hwi-kyung, could only nod uncomfortably.
Seeing such a mountain of a man cowering like this, other team members also looked down on Kang Moon-chul. If they were to physically fight without regard for rank, Kang Moon-chul could probably take down Park Bong-joon in one go. That’s how frightening corporate hierarchy could be.
“Hwi-kyung…”
“I’m sorry for being late without notice today. The traffic was bad.”
“No, it’s not that. Our team leader usually doesn’t come in on time… You just had bad luck, that’s all.”
“I’ll come in by 8:30 from tomorrow.”
“If you do that for about a week, the team leader will probably forget about today. Don’t worry too much.”
The truth was, Hwi-kyung’s tardiness was entirely due to Lee Gyo-ha. Although Hwi-kyung didn’t want to complain since Gyo-ha had prepared his meals and picked out his clothes, he had to break a sweat from the morning trying to stop Gyo-ha from insisting on dropping him off right in front of the company.
Yesterday was his first day at work and it was early, so it was understandable. But today, with work hours approaching, the company lobby was bustling with people. It wasn’t a good idea for Lee Gyo-ha to park in front of the company when all the elevators on the first floor were packed.
Moreover, the Vice President of BK International was no longer the friendly Jung-hye, but Sung-ha, who wanted to bash his brother’s head in. If word got to him that Gyo-ha was lurking around this area, it would surely cause trouble.
But unlike Hwi-kyung, armed with all sorts of worries, Gyo-ha just wanted to see Hwi-kyung off safely. Although his intentions were good, Hwi-kyung resolved never to accept a ride from Gyo-ha again.
Spending the night at Gyo-ha’s officetel had been a mistake. While his body was comfortable, his head ached from considering various things on behalf of the thoughtless Gyo-ha.
Having arrived drained from dealing with Gyo-ha’s insistence on picking him up at the end of the workday, it was also a problem that Park Bong-joon had come to work on time.
“By the way, Hwi-kyung…”
“Yes?”
“Are you really the Vice President’s lover or something?”
“Pardon?”
“No, nevermind. Don’t pay too much attention to what I said.”
“Where did you hear such…”
Not only was it a problem that Gyo-ha had insisted on parking in front of the company, but it seemed that yesterday’s altercation with Sung-ha in the company cafe had already become gossip. Hwi-kyung pondered on how office scandals spread faster than rumors without legs. Confining employees to the company for 8 hours a day only made such talk spread quickly.
Although Kang Moon-chul tried to change the subject as if it were nothing, the fact that he brought it up meant the rumors had spread quite a bit. No wonder Park Bong-joon’s lecture was shorter than expected given how much he had griped yesterday.
Condition Not Met: You were late on your second day of work.
Condition Not Met: Your superior thinks poorly of you.
Condition Not Met: You are caught up in office rumors.
The system window that Hwi-kyung hadn’t properly checked, having been called by Park Bong-joon as soon as he entered the office, finally caught his eye. He thought multiple notifications had popped up because of his tardiness, but other issues had already piled up.
For this to happen just two days into his job. Hwi-kyung suddenly realized that this iteration was properly ruined. Even in the thirteenth iteration, he had managed to last a year before forced regression, but this time it felt like he would be regressing very soon.
Hwi-kyung’s intuitions like this were usually spot-on. Thinking that the brothers’ actions were exactly the same, Hwi-kyung subtly glared at Lee Sung-ha, who visited the HR office during lunch break.
Condition Not Met: Your superior shows personal interest in you.
Condition Not Met: Your superior thinks poorly of you.
It was truly grateful that the system window obscured Sung-ha’s face. Lee Gyo-ha and Lee Sung-ha, being brothers, had an odd resemblance, so Hwi-kyung felt doubly annoyed when Sung-ha spouted nonsense. He wanted to grab him by the collar and tell him not to say bad things with that face.
Moreover, what on earth was this “personal interest”? Hwi-kyung was certain that the emotion Sung-ha felt towards him was hatred. Having broken the nose of such a prideful man, he was surely trying to get back at him like this.
“I heard you were late today?”
“…Yes.”
“That’s quite bold for someone on their second day of work?”
“…”
“I’ll buy you lunch today. Let’s go out together.”
“That’s alright.”
“What? You don’t like me acting friendly at work?”
As if you’d like that?
Kang Moon-chul had long since fled, and only Park Bong-joon was left watching Hwi-kyung and Sung-ha with distaste. Hwi-kyung sensed the familiar signs of an office scandal brewing.
Unlike Lee Gyo-ha, who lacked prior information, Lee Sung-ha was already infamous for being crazy, so a greater scandal was sure to break out soon. Hwi-kyung was one step away from becoming the legendary beauty who had enchanted chaebol brothers across two iterations.
“Now that you’re my employee, wouldn’t it be better for you to get along with me?”
“…”
“You have something to return to me, don’t you?”
Condition Not Met: Your superior shows personal interest in you.
Something to return? Hwi-kyung unconsciously frowned slightly at those words. As far as he remembered, he had nothing to return to Sung-ha except perhaps a punch.
All Lee Sung-ha had given Hwi-kyung were miserable feelings, stretched ligaments, and a torn temple. He had given him a handkerchief at the family dinner, but Hwi-kyung had long since passed that on to Gyo-ha.
Given Gyo-ha’s personality, he wouldn’t have simply accepted and kept a designer handkerchief with Lee Sung-ha’s initials on it. So Hwi-kyung dismissed Sung-ha’s words as complete nonsense.
“Anyway, I’ll treat you to a meal. Let’s go.”
“…”
“Hm?”
As if to prove they were brothers, Sung-ha’s methods were similar to Gyo-ha’s. Because Lee Sung-ha resembled Lee Gyo-ha slightly, Hwi-kyung failed to maintain his default office worker expression #1 in front of him. He ended up half-frowning instead.
Condition Not Met: Your superior shows personal interest in you.
However, Lee Sung-ha just smiled broadly at Hwi-kyung, who was looking at him with annoyance. By this point, Jung Hwi-kyung had become exceptionally detached. It would be surprising if he didn’t face forced regression right away.
