Chief Kim and Assistant manager Choi

Chapter 14: Story 2. Chapter 14.

“Chief Seulgi, what do you think you are doing? What is wrong with you?”

Marketing team’s leader Soojin Yoon was known for her excellent work. Marketing department had wide range of responsibilities, including some in the business and policy divisions, so the members of the marketing team had much higher workloads than most.

Despite this, Team Leader Soojin was known to complete her work with perfection and on time. She had a strict policy against unnecessary overtime because she didn’t want her people to be overworked.

Soojin Yoon said to Seulgi in frustration, “I told you several times not to forget to include the amended points on the team report, didn’t I?”

“I apologize.”

“Chief Seulgi, aren’t you up for a possible promotion next year? This is a very important time for you, so don’t you think you should avoid such easy mistakes?”

Shin Kim glanced at Seulgi who was being harshly reprimanded by the team leader. After a short hesitation, he grabbed his coat. In the afternoon, there was going to be an advertisement-related business seminar at Gwanghwamun Gate. He already submitted the paperwork to take the afternoon off for this seminar, but he was planning on telling the team leader in person before leaving. But now he hesitated, wondering what he should do.

Soojin seemed to know Shin’s dilemma because without turning towards him, and still looking at Seulgi, Soojin asked Shin, “Mr. Shin Kim, you may go. Don’t you have to attend that seminar?”

“But Chief Seulgi was also supposed to go...”

“I know. I will let her go in a minute, so you go ahead first.”

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Soojin rarely became angry, but when she did, it was a frightening sight. Shin bowed lightly and left the office quietly. In the hallway, Yeonwoo was waiting for him.

“What are you still doing here? And why did you leave the room so early?”

“I was waiting for you, Shin oppa, so we can go together.”

Yeonwoo smiled adorably and stood beside him.

This seminar was one of the mandatory courses for many workers in the company. In fact, the entire policy department was to attend it today. When Shin glanced at the policy room, he saw that Woojin’s chair was empty. He must’ve left already.

Yeonwoo asked as they walked to the elevator, “Is Chief Seulgi being scolded?”

“I guess so.”

“Why?”

“I guess she forgot to include a few details or something.”

“Wow, so I guess even Chief Seulgi makes mistakes sometimes.”

“Do you know her very well? Have you worked with her before?”

“Yeah. She works a lot with Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang, remember? And since Assistant Manager Kang is my direct superior, I get to see her work. She is a total perfectionist. A stickler for sure. She and Assistant Manager Woojin would get along very well, I’m sure.”

Shin frowned as Yeonwoo continued, “Last time I missed something in my paperwork, Assistant Manager Woojin was so rude to me. So cold and harsh... Sometimes he doesn’t even act like a human. He is more like a robot.”

“...”

“Our chief always complains how Assistant Manager Woojin has no warmth.”

Hmm... It seemed Yeonwoo didn’t like Woojin at all. Based on Shin’s assessment, Chief Seulgi Kim was a quiet yet very hard worker, a type that wasn’t popular with her co-workers. Seulgi Kim was blunt and very detail-oriented, and she enforced her high standards onto everyone, even her superiors. Many hated her, but Soojin appreciated Seulgi’s work ethics. This meant that Soojin also had higher expectations from Seulgi.

Shin asked, “Is being a good employee a bad thing? Something to be hated for?”

“Well, it’s true that Chief Seulgi produces high quality of work, but when it comes to sociability... She is just as bad as Assistant Manager Woojin. Zero social skills, the both of them.”

Why did she bring up Woojin Choi again?

The way Yeonwoo talked about Woojin was so annoying. Shin stopped paying attention to her words.

***

“Today’s seminar will focus on how to quantify the power of marketing in businesses. We will also be discussing how to utilize the statistics and analytical data from other departments for this purpose.”

The part of the seminar prepared by the policy department wasn’t as boring as Shin expected. The presenter today was Jihoon, who stood in front of everyone.

Jihoon Kang was a talented public speaker. His low baritone voice helped, but the most impressive part of him was the very organized and clear way he explained himself.

“What a neat presentation. The powerpoint slides look so great.”

“I know. Very easy to read for the audience and to explain for the presenter.”

When their coworkers whispered, Yeonwoo explained, “It was made by Assistant Manager Woojin Choi. I think he worked very late last night to finish it for today.”

Shin glanced at Yeonwoo quietly. She mentioned Woojin’s name again and for some reason, it made him feel annoyed again.

Minjae asked, “Then why is Assistant Kang doing the presentation?”

Yeonwoo answered, “This was supposed to be Assistant Manager Kang’s task. He was supposed to make the PPT as well, but he said he wasn’t very good at it. So our chief ordered Assistant Manager Woojin to make it for Assistant manager Kang.”

“And Assistant Manager Choi was ok with that? Doing the job for another person?”

“Well, he didn’t say much about it. He just did it.”

What? Shin frowned as he heard the conversation. Did the policy department run in such a sloppy manner? Did they not have clearly divided duties for everyone?

Shin remembered his first day where the intern orientation took place. On the PPT, the presenter was written as Jihoon Kang, but Woojin Choi ended up being the speaker. He heard Jihoon Kang had to go to an emergency business trip, and at the time, Shin didn’t think much of it. But after a few weeks of working here, he realized that Woojin Choi did a lot of Jihoon Kang’s duties.

One of the coworkers said to Yeonwoo, “It sounds like Assistant Manager Woojin Choi must do most of the work in the policy department.”

Yeonwoo frowned and replied, “It’s not like that. Assistant Manager Jihoon does a lot too.”

Shin asked, “What kind of work does HE do?”

“Umm... Like contacting the other departments or other companies. Going to the meetings with the advisory council, and...”

Shin interrupted her, “Isn’t that just meeting different people?”

Yeonwoo frowned even more and explained, “Assistant Manager Jihoon does a lot of work.”

“That’s what he is telling people, I’m sure.”

Suddenly, Minjae said to Shin, “Hey, Shin, stop dissing Assistant Manager Kang. He seems like a nice social person as far as I could tell.”

Shin frowned. What did being “nice and social” have to do with anything? What did that even mean?

Shin opened his mouth, about to say something else, but when he noticed people starting to stare at him, he shut his mouth. He turned towards the presentation again, but something about Jihoon’s voice annoyed him. He stared at the PPT and knew that it required a lot of work to complete it, which made him feel even more annoyed.

“....”

Shin sighed angrily. What he felt right now... It was such a new unfamiliar emotion and he couldn’t get used to it. Shin turned a bit to see Woojin, who was standing on the stage near Jihoon Kang. Watching his weary face, Shin felt a sudden and inexplicable thirst.