The incident occurred two days before the project presentation, on Wednesday. As the morning meeting started, Han Team Leader, who had gone upstairs due to an abrupt call from Director Kim, did not return. Deputy Kwon and Yoon returned to their seats and started working, while the rest either leaned on the table or rested against the chair backrests to begin their tasks. I, too, dozed off uncomfortably, resting my cheek against the cold surface of the folder. About twenty minutes later, Deputy Park’s phone vibrated. Next to me, Supervisor Kim, who had awakened abruptly, frowned. Deputy Park, fumbling, picked up the phone, and his expression gradually hardened.
“What?”
Before he could even put down the phone, Supervisor Kim hastily asked, but Deputy Park was already getting up.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Going upstairs for a moment.”
“Is it Han Team Leader?”
Perhaps too preoccupied to even respond to that, Deputy Park simply left the meeting room. As the sound of his footsteps quickly faded away, Supervisor Kim looked puzzled.
The meeting seemed to have been disrupted. Returning to their seats dragging chairs, Supervisor Kim murmured uneasily.
“This doesn’t look good.”
Deputy Park returned to the meeting room after twenty minutes. I quickly raised my head, but there was no one following him inside. The threshold of the meeting room and the corridor beyond it were empty.
“What happened?”
“What’s going on? Where’s Han Team Leader?”
Despite the questions flying from all directions, Deputy Park did not immediately open his mouth. He carefully chose his words with a thoughtful expression as he pulled a chair next to the meeting table and sat down. Then, Deputy Kwon, spinning his chair around, asked directly.
“It’s Director Kim, right?”
It was as if he was ready to rush upstairs and grab him by the collar. Deputy Park glanced up briefly and replied.
“Han Team Leader is in a critical situation, so let’s wait for now.”
“That guy has finally lost it. Just when we thought this year was a bit quiet, he’s planning to cause chaos with the presentation just two days away.”
“Deputy Kwon.”
“Let go, just go up for now.”
Deputy Park did not release his grip on the arm he held. Pulled along by the strength of Deputy Kwon, he was dragged like a rolling chair. Deputy Kwon, who had demanded to be let go of, bit his lip and tried to pull his arm free. It was an unexpected hand-to-hand combat situation in the bright meeting room.
Even so, Deputy Park was a man of both height and stature. Despite Deputy Kwon’s efforts, it was futile as Deputy Park held onto the desk with one hand. Looking up at Deputy Kwon with a fierce expression, Deputy Park spoke quietly.
“It’s not gonna help, so stay here.”
“So, did Deputy Park come back down because he seemed unhelpful? Not because he can’t talk back to Director Kim in front of him?”
“Deputy Kwon.”
“That guy is determined to drag down Han Team Leader, and it’s obvious. Knowing that, you’ll calmly resolve it, won’t you?”
“Han Team Leader said to leave, so what should I do? Go up there and do what?”
Deputy Park’s voice also rose.
“So, Deputy Kwon, are you going up there to grab him by the collar?”
“At least, you need to know what the problem is, even if you can’t solve it. If you step forward, and Deputy Kwon continues to make a fuss, it might end up canceling the presentation, and then you could take responsibility.”
Supervisor Kim, who had been watching absentmindedly, seemed to finally come to her senses and intervened. Perhaps Deputy Park was an easier opponent; Supervisor Kim first grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away. Deputy Kwon, with his arm still held, continued to glare at Deputy Park behind Supervisor Kim.
“Why are you grabbing me when he’s the one going up there?”
Deputy Park said irritably. Trying to get up again, he was blocked by Supervisor Kim and suddenly pointed at me.
“Is Seodan sitting there for show? Hold Deputy Kwon back, so he can’t go out.”
“Ah…”
Deputy Kwon’s sharp gaze immediately turned toward me. I stood frozen in an awkward posture, neither sitting nor standing. I couldn’t figure out whose side I should be on. Even though I wished I could go up alone to where Han Team Leader was confronting Director Kim, I also knew that it wouldn’t be of any help to him.
Before I could make a decision, Deputy Kwon yielded first. Mumbling words indicating his defeat, he turned away. Interrupting Deputy Park, who was about to call him again, he said, “Don’t bother me since I’m not going upstairs,” and left the meeting room.
Supervisor Kim quickly followed him, responding to Deputy Park’s gestures. The creaking door and abandoned chairs slowly revolved. The meeting room seemed to crumble in a short moment. Deputy Yoon, who had been unable to move from her seat all this time, finally approached Deputy Park.
“Are you okay?”
“…Deputy Yoon, go get some fresh air. It won’t help to proceed with work right away anyway.”
“Yes. Then, let’s just finish what we were doing…”
“Things have gotten so tangled up, and I don’t know where to start or what needs to be redone. What’s the point of continuing to work? Isn’t that right?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
His words were sharp. When Deputy Yoon apologized with a stiff voice, Deputy Park, now realizing it was an outburst, bowed his head and sighed.
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“…Tfr.”
Gfqeas Tbbc tjv jigfjvs gfjmtfv atf atgfrtbiv bo atf wffalcu gbbw. Qjamtlcu tfg vlrjqqfjg, Gfqeas Ujgx weaafgfv rboais, “Yt ws,” jr tf klqfv tlr obgftfjv. Ktf jgfj ecvfg tlr fsfr kjr wblra, jcv atf rxlc jgbecv tlr mtlc kjr ktlafcfv klat vgscfrr. Pa kjr mifjg atja fnfc atbrf afjw wfwyfgr ktb tjv rqfca atf qjra ofk kffxr klatbea j qgbqfg ygfjx kfgf cbk gfjmtlcu atflg wfcaji ilwlar.
I didn’t feel like going out, so I remained seated. Holding my phone with the vibration set to the highest, anticipating that I might not receive any messages, I occasionally raised my head towards the open door. Deputy Park, with his head tilted back, sat leaning against the backrest of the chair, motionless, as if asleep.
“Seodan.”
Without opening his eyes, he spoke. I raised my head.
“Do you think Han Team Leader will be okay?”
“…Yes?”
I couldn’t understand why he was asking me. Even Deputy Park, who had gone to check the situation for a moment, wouldn’t know what had happened. Looking at his closed eyes, I cautiously replied.
“I think he’ll resolve it and come back.”
“……”
“You’re always like that… Even though Han Team Leader seems to do things as he pleases at first glance, he tends to compromise appropriately when it comes to decisive matters.”
It was meant to be a positive remark. However, unexpectedly, the lingering bitterness in my mouth turned sharp and acerbic when spoken out loud.
In the ensuing silence, Deputy Park opened his eyes and looked at me. His expression was odd. As if he had received some wounds in my place, he spoke quietly with a stern expression.
“Since Seodan says so….”
“……”
“It somehow sounds very impudent.”
I couldn’t ask what that meant. At that moment, Deputy Kwon and Supervisor Kim entered the meeting room. Supervisor Kim, placing a tray filled with cups on the conference table, called in a cheerful voice, inviting everyone for coffee. Without looking at me again, Deputy Park stood up first.
***
Lunchtime came, but Han Team Leader still didn’t return. Deputy Park received a call in the middle and spoke briefly. Even without hearing the words through the receiver, it was evident that the situation was not going well.
Under Deputy Park’s judgment that there was no need to wait starving, the team members who had been dozing off slowly descended to the cafeteria or headed to the snack bar. Deputy Park grabbed my arm when I tried to get up to follow. Without any particular expression, he asked.
“Shall we have lunch together?”
“…Yes.”
It didn’t seem like he was suggesting to join the others. As expected, Deputy Park took his coat and wallet, then led me out of the company.
Cherry blossoms were still blooming profusely on the trees along the main road. While waiting to cross the street, thin petals fell gently and clung to my face. Suddenly, I remembered what Deputy Park had said.
“Where would you like to go for flower viewing?”
“Flower viewing?”
“I think you mentioned going with your wife on the weekend.”
“Oh… did I?”
The pedestrian signal turned on. Deputy Park, who had started walking, suddenly furrowed his brows.
“I don’t know, it might happen. Honestly, I don’t want to go anywhere this weekend. I just want to rest at home. But my wife said the cherry blossoms are already falling next week… Also, because of that work, yesterday…”
I thought I shouldn’t have asked and kept my mouth shut. Deputy Park entered a narrow alley across the street without saying anything. After glancing at the signboard of a restaurant in the alley, he spoke.
“We should eat something simple, is tonkatsu okay?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“I haven’t been here before, but since I don’t know when Han Team Leader will contact me, I can’t go far.”
Deputy Park pushed open the glass door, and remnants of the corners of attached flyers still clung to the glass. He held the door for me. Steep wooden stairs stretched downward. Walking down into the underground, Deputy Park muttered.
“It feels a bit gloomy here.”
It was quite dark without lighting. The stairs creaked loudly. When we finally opened the door, a dimly lit and slightly oily-smelling spacious area came into view. There were no customers.
At the sound of the bell attached to the door, a man in an apron from the kitchen raised his head.
“Are you here for a meal?”
“Yes, for two.”
“Pick up the menu next to the entrance and sit wherever you like.”
The plastic chairs were faded in color. Deputy Park ushered me to a seat in the inner corner of the restaurant, glanced through the greasy-coated menu with a suspicious look, and ordered two tonkatsu. I wasn’t particularly fond of fried food, but I kept quiet.
While waiting for the food, Deputy Park was busy throughout. Without looking at me, he either glanced around the walls adorned with old movie posters or brought cups and a kettle, or wiped the table, which had sauce stains, with a napkin. I quietly set the table with a fork and knife, wondering what he wanted to say.
A large plastic plate with rice shaped like a bowl, topped with tonkatsu and sprinkled with sauce, arrived. There was also a cabbage with orange sauce. Deputy Park checked his phone again and put it aside.
“Eat.”
“Yes, thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
I waited until Deputy Park cut a piece of tonkatsu and put it in his mouth. I used a fork to cut the corners of the rice hill and ate. The rice grains were not like Korean rice, being fluffy and elongated. Under the dim and murky light, the rice appeared yellow.
Deputy Park slowly chewed a few bites of tonkatsu. Mixing the finely shredded cabbage with the tip of the knife, he spoke.
“Team Leader mentioned that you’ve wanted to do TF (Task Force) for a long time.”
“Ah… yes. Since I joined the company…”
“It’s fortunate that you got to do it this year. The atmosphere seems like TF might disappear from next year. Waiting until you gain proper experience and readiness, you might not have been able to do it at all.”
It seemed to have a straightforward meaning. I nodded and replied quietly.
“Yes, I also consider it fortunate.”
Deputy Park ate silently again for a while. I cut the tonkatsu into small pieces and tried a bite. It tasted of being soaked in oil.
“So, how was it?”
Deputy Park asked. When I looked up, he was tilting his head and looking at me.
“…Yes?”
“It wasn’t as impressive as you expected, right? The reasons might be different, but most people are disappointed. Too much work, too trivial, opinions not being accepted as expected, not liking Han Team Leader…”
Deputy Park lifted the cup and gulped down the water like alcohol. I strongly felt that if it weren’t for the situation of waiting for a call from Han Team Leader, Deputy Park might have ordered a bottle of soju. His gestures were big, and his slightly slurred speech made him look like someone already drunk.
“Deputy Kwon probably doesn’t know much yet… probably because of not knowing. If he doesn’t fix his attitude, he probably won’t last long in the company.”
“…”
“When you work for a company, even if you don’t agree, depending on the situation, you have to say ‘Yes, that’s correct,’ smile without hesitation, right? Like how Director Kim did last year, coming to every meeting and treating Supervisor Kim as a secretary, and we couldn’t say anything. …Doesn’t it look pathetic while I’m saying this to you, Lee Seodan?”
“Yes?”
The restaurant was thankfully empty. Deputy Park’s disheveled hair on the top of his head looked like a magpie’s nest. After casually checking his phone, he refilled his glass with a chuckle. Extending the spout of the teapot into my cup, I instinctively reached out with both hands, receiving the drink.
“Lee Seodan, it would have been better if you had joined three years earlier. Well, is there no use even now? Is it because of lack of experience?”
If I had joined three years earlier, I would have just finished my second year of university. Although it was a mismatched story, I felt I needed to endure it with patience, like listening to someone’s drunken story, so I adjusted my seat.
Deputy Park leaned his forehead against his hand and continued, “TF wasn’t like this originally. It wasn’t so focused on detailed technical aspects… Originally, three years ago, it was created to correct systemic issues in the company, things that were going wrong, old and inefficient structures. So, at that time, Han Team Leader, who was an external hire, and I, along with young team members from various departments, were gathered to openly discuss and identify deep-rooted structural issues…”
“Yes, I understand.”
“So, Lee Seodan, do you think there are still parts in Raewon that are going wrong, or do you think everything is fine?”
Unable to answer immediately, Deputy Park laughed. He stared at me intently, tapping the edge of the metal cup with his blunt fingernail.
“You should have seen it for yourself, Lee Seodan. Even if you tell someone who hasn’t seen it, they won’t understand it well. Han Team Leader from three years ago… he was less polished and somewhat more extreme than now, but there was an assurance, and that kind of certainty emitted from him like madness, overwhelming everyone. Even though I’m only a year younger than that person… I couldn’t sleep that night after meeting him for the first time. While that person was becoming like that, what was I doing… Most of the other team members were similar, even those older than Han Team Leader… Saying it like this doesn’t make much sense, right?”
I nodded quietly. Deputy Park supported his cheek with one hand and exhaled a long breath. His gaze toward the wall behind me had no focus.
“Once we started digging, endless flaws came out. To the point of wondering how the company had been running until now. Coding the company’s internal software with ten-year-old code… how sloppy the HR department is… When merging the job-grade system, more than half of the departments haven’t sorted out their titles. In the end, those who get promoted through the ranks are predetermined, and female employees always face disadvantages… Business entertainment and drinking culture… things that have been carelessly covered up, unbelievably irrational things, they come out one after another like sweet potato vines. It’s so overwhelming that you’d panic when you think about what to do with all of this.”
“…”
“At that time, Han Team Leader was truly extraordinary. Even working several nights a week, I couldn’t figure out where he got that energy. Being next to him, you’d start to believe like you were possessed. It felt like extracting rotten pus; that we could truly make the company better, that it would run much more smoothly if we fixed it this way, and even though we knew what was wrong, there was no need to stay silent or turn a deaf ear. A sense of attachment that hadn’t existed before emerged… It seemed genuine, not a lie. Everyone worked tirelessly day and night, yet it wasn’t difficult at all; it was fulfilling and…”
The air inside the restaurant felt heavy and pungent. The taste of oil lingered in my mouth, making it bitter and unpleasant. Deputy Park, abruptly stopped talking, as if signaling the end of the conversation. Without looking at me, he absentmindedly touched the edge of the plate, causing a piece of soggy fried food to fall onto the table. Deputy Park leaned his neck back slowly.
“When I think about it now, we were all so naive. Even if NEB supports us, deciding to overhaul a Korean company with a history of only thirty years… Most of the problems to be addressed were either created by or entwined with the upper executives, involving systemic issues. That’s why, from that time, there were too many people who saw Han Team Leader as a thorn in their side. On top of that, executives from NEB clashed with the executives from Raewon, and TF was swayed in that power struggle. It wasn’t like a drama; one by one, team members were called into a gloomy room and confronted with executives. And what did they hear there…”
Deputy Park waved his hand vaguely, as if he couldn’t find the right words. His tone was relatively indifferent.
“Change the focus of TF, resign, or something like that. Don’t present TF data, dispose of what you’ve found, and if you do it smoothly, we’ll give you a good position, negotiate your salary under favorable conditions, get out of the sinking ship without hesitation…”
The words being spoken didn’t feel real. I clenched the lower part of the fork, which had warmed up uncomfortably.
Taking a sip of water, Deputy Park coughed dryly.
“Do you remember the person who came in with Director Kim during the mid-term presentation? The one sitting on the right.”
I tried hard to recall.
“That person, other than Director Kim and Director Lee?”
The face of the man who hadn’t said anything the whole time didn’t come to my mind. Among the three, he seemed the youngest and gave off a reasonably decent impression.
“That person is the head of Consulting Team 1.”
Deputy Park said. I nodded my head slightly; when I visited the department, I passed by Team 1.
“There’s no concept of a director in the Consulting Department, but they have priority in projects over Team 2, and…”
“Yes.”
“He was also a TF team member at that time, directly under the supervision of the head of the Consulting Team.”
When I looked up, Deputy Park’s expression subtly twisted, almost as if he were smiling. His clenched fist on the table showed tension in every knuckle.
“There were eight members, including me and Han Team Leader. Surprisingly, not a single person among them talked about quitting instead of covering up TF. Despite knowing all the problems with the company, who was involved in what misconduct, and who suffered because of it, they all prioritized their livelihoods. Taking these seemingly ordinary people, Han Team Leader decided to fix the entire company…”
Deputy Park’s eyes, with veins showing, quickly blinked. His voice seemed to contain suppressed breath. I suddenly didn’t know what to do and lowered my head, trying not to hear the uneasy breathing.
“And what’s funny… what’s funny is that I did the same as the others. I just couldn’t give an immediate answer there, but in a few days, everything settled… I vacillated, and now I’m still next to Han Team Leader. Han Team Leader probably knows. He knows, and he’s been pretending not to know until now…”
“…”
“I’m really… I’m really sorry, and what I regret the most is… in the end, even though we worked overnight together, no one was seeing the same thing as Han Team Leader. When I realized that, how Han Team Leader must have felt… even then, without saying a word of disappointment, he just quietly let us go. That moment, my face… until now…”
I struggled not to blink and stared through the spotted wooden table. My chest ached with unwarranted sympathy.
There was a long silence. The underground restaurant was dark and quiet. Across the table, Deputy Park’s uneasy breathing gradually subsided.
“I talked too much. Looks like you couldn’t even eat, Lee Seodan.”
“No, thank you for sharing.”
I couldn’t lift my head. As if realizing that the story needed to come to an end, Deputy Park adjusted his posture and cleared his throat.
“Judging Han Team Leader just by the current appearance might be premature. I felt like I should say that, just in that sense.”
“Yes, what I said earlier…”
“I can’t speak for others, but considering Lee Seodan’s opinion, Han Team Leader might pay attention.”
I looked up. Deputy Park hesitated a few times and carefully chose his words.
“I always wondered why Han Team Leader, breaking his own rules to bring you in and protect you, didn’t seem to fit. But as I observed you while working, I began to think that maybe Han Team Leader saw a resemblance to his younger self.”
Seeing my expression, Deputy Park clapped his hands. “It’s just pure speculation, so don’t take it too seriously. Whatever the reason, just know that Han Team Leader cares a lot about you. He asked me several times if you were adapting well… There are books in the library, the ones you used in the early days of studying. Do you know they all came from Han Team Leader’s personal collection?”
“Ah…”
At that moment, Deputy Park’s phone vibrated with a text. After checking it, he pushed his chair back immediately.
“Finished eating?”
“Yes, thank you for the meal.”
“Let’s go then.”
Leaving almost untouched pork cutlets on two plates, we settled the bill and left. Going up the dark and steep stairs, the early spring street seen through the glass door still felt unrealistically bright. The high-rise buildings across the street seemed to stand out even more in the subdued light.
Standing at the intersection, waiting for the signal, I found myself asking unintentionally, echoing the previous question.
“Is Han Team Leader okay?”
Deputy Park’s gaze turned to me. He raised his eyebrows, as if knowing the answer, and smiled.
“I honestly don’t know about this year. I’m a mess right now, and I can’t imagine Han Team Leader being any different.”
It was an unusually clear day. The early spring street looked surreal, as if the tall buildings on the other side of the road were intentionally clustered together.
The light reflected on the passing cars’ windows as if the sun were scattering. “Anyway,” Deputy Park said, “no matter how the presentation goes, you’ve worked hard. I thought it was absurd when Han Team Leader mentioned it at the end of the year… but trying it out, it turns out hardworking people are easy to exploit.”
“…What?”
He interrupted Deputy Park’s attempt to explain the joke. “End of the year?”
