Chapter 2 : The Only Suitable Candidate (2)
The Only Suitable Candidate (2)
I went up to the chairman's office, the highest place in the company building. For the first time in my company life, I had a private meeting with the chairman.
But in the end, if I was going to come to the chairman's office anyway, he could have just summoned me.
Did he come down just to check my face faster, no matter what?
He was someone close to seventy, but his temper was still fiery and impatient.
At the same time, how should I put it?
Most office workers in this situation would probably feel similar to how I did.
As far as I knew, the chairman's schedule was organized by the minute.
I'd heard that, in the process of dragging the market cap back up to 30 trillion won after it dipped under 10 trillion, he gave his entire self.
Recently, there were even rumors that he was hardly ever in the country because of investment deals.
No matter how urgent the theme park project was, a person like that came to see me in person?
Honestly, my heart raced and excitement welled up from the feeling of being acknowledged.
I didn't want to let him see the sweat on my hands, so as I wiped them on my pants, the chairman looked straight at me and said.
"Your HR evaluations are quite impressive."
He's bringing up HR evaluations here? My HR evaluations, which never once reached S grade?
I naturally thought, given his personality, that he would mention the theme park first.
"I'd say my HR scores have just been decent. Hardly impressive, though..."
"Seven years straight with A grades. In some ways, that's impossible."
"Getting S for seven years is hard, but A... I even heard there was someone in the company who never missed an S grade."
"That's right. There was just one person. That's why I made him an executive before he turned forty. Think about it. I've lived as a manager for decades. And I'm so busy that I barely get any sleep. Do you think a person like me would come running just because you're the only applicant?"
He must have checked every bit of my personnel records and reviews. Maybe even all the work I've done.
He really is full of energy.
And at the same time, another thought occurred to me.
He's this interested in me? Am I really being recognized?
"If people keep getting just A grades, they usually get desperate and try to get an S at least once. If not, they get exhausted and fall to B or C. But you get an A every year. This means only one thing. You have talent—in fact, more than enough—but you're holding back, not using all your abilities. In other words, you're only running at partial combustion. Why?"
Even though the two of us were alone, the chairman spoke in a voice loud enough to hurt my ears.
"Let's figure that out starting now."
The instant I met the chairman's piercing gaze, I realized why this busy man set aside time.
He wanted to see what kind of person I truly was.
Yes, it was true that I'd hesitated until I sent a message to Min Ji-na today.
Honestly, I was scared.
To give your all to something can also mean to fail spectacularly in something.
What if you don't get the results you hoped for in something you put all your heart into?
Or if you fall short of what others did?
It would be so depressing and miserable.
So I wanted a life that was moderately ideal and moderately realistic.
But that didn't mean I truly lacked the desire to go all out. I'd avoided it over and over, but deep inside I was always shouting.
I want to move forward. I want to move forward. I want to move forward.
A choice that would turn my stable life's path upside down. The resolve to change my very way of being.
I must achieve these two things sincerely.
What could make that possible? A huge raise? Sure. A remarkable promotion? That would help too.
But there's something even more important. Before the chairman could speak to seek that crucial thing, I opened my lips first.
"Why are you doing the theme park business?"
The chairman started to reply, then stopped, and brought his tea to his lips.
After putting down the teacup, he was silent for a moment.
Was the chairman flustered because my question was too bold?
Or because I seemed disrespectful?
I didn't care. I would say what I wanted regardless.
"Everyone knows Next Global could keep growing without running a theme park business. So why are you fixated on a theme park with no chance of success?"
What is most important to me right now?
The chairman's true intentions.
If I don't get this resolved, I'll back out of joining the TF team.
"And why did you build the theme park in a place where it shouldn't be?"
There are two clear requirements for a successful major theme park.
It needs to be located in a large city or somewhere with convenient transportation.
There need to be other attractions or tourist resources nearby.
But the place where the chairman built the theme park had none of those.
Of course, the chairman had to have known that. That's why conspiracy theories were circulating both inside and outside the company.
The mayor of the city where the theme park was built was the chairman's old school friend.
People said he built it there to back that mayor, and later to have a base for entering politics himself.
That mayor used the park as a career achievement and is now serving as the provincial governor.
If the reality behind our company's theme park was simply for the chairman's personal gain, then I had no reason to join the TF team.
To me, a theme park was a place of romance and dreams, not a place twisted by greed.
"I really want to hear the reason."
I never thought a day would come when I, just another employee, would dare to state my demands so confidently to a CEO.
The chairman stared at me for a while, then gave a sly grin as if amused.
"I suppose I'd better check, too. Whether you're someone who deserves the answer to that question or not."
His voice rang out powerfully.
"Why do you think I built the theme park there? Use your skills to find out. Submit the answer in your own report to me. Of course, I don't intend to make you work for free. I'm the CEO of a company, after all. I have my pride."
Pride, huh.
To think he'd try to test me. I've got my own pride, too. If even a part of the offer didn't suit me, I'd refuse outright.
"Ten million won."
The chairman raised his index finger.
"If you can't figure it out, just put a period on the report. I'll pay you ten million won even if that's all you submit."
It's a bit much to refuse just for pride, isn't it?
***
No sooner had I finished my meeting with the chairman and returned to my desk than the team leader called me. Even before I could sit down.
I entered the meeting room.
With a troubled look, the team leader spoke urgently.
"Hyunmin, did I do something wrong?"
"Sorry? What do you mean?"
"Have I overloaded you with work lately? You wanted the T5 dungeon project, but I gave it to someone else. Is that why?"
"Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"
"Well..."
The team leader gave a deep sigh, scratched his head, and spoke as though confessing.
"I'm really sorry. I'm the team leader but I didn't notice your concerns or dissatisfaction. Please just tell me honestly. I'll take care of anything I can."
"I seriously don't understand what you're talking about."
"You're unhappy with me, so you applied for the theme park TF team. You want to leave our team. Ah! I'll do better, just please stay. And..."
"I think there's a misunderstanding. I applied because I wanted to."
"Who in their right mind would apply for that team voluntarily?"
This time there was a touch of irritation in his voice.
Did the team leader really think I was lying to him? So joining the theme park TF team was that preposterous after all.
"If you truly can't work with us and need to switch, just name your desired team. I'll try to help. We've worked together, after all."
The team leader's consideration was touching... but what was I supposed to do here?
The whole day was one surprise after another.
When I sat down at my desk, I was startled.
So many messages had arrived. It wasn't an exaggeration to say everyone in the company who knew me had sent me messages.
[Hyunmin, did you lose all your money on crypto? You're still young. If you work hard at your job, you can recover everything. Don't rush into disaster out of panic.]
[Look at you picking out your own rope to hang onto. Out of all the rotten options, you picked the worst one.]
[Sunbae, I don't think this is right. Really. Maybe it's none of my business, but I learned a lot from you, and I'm saying this out of gratitude.]
At this point, I think I can say I've done a good job as an office worker.
[I really applied because I wanted to.]
But when I replied like this, everyone started to treat me like I was incompetent, depressed, or socially maladjusted.
It's a bit sad.
"Hyunmin, I know this may be the wrong time to ask, but... why did you apply for the theme park TF team?"
Even while I was in the restroom, I had to fend off endless questions.
People I barely knew, from other floors, came looking for me, so the team leader ended up banning visitors from other teams for a while.
A message came from Min Ji-na.
[Min Ji-na: How does it feel to be the company superstar?]
[Me: Today I got more attention in one day than I've had in my whole life. The life of a celebrity isn't easy.]
[Min Ji-na: Want to grab a drink tonight?]
Yeah, how could I not have a drink on a day like today? I was sure I'd be exhausted come quitting time.
***
I went out drinking with Min Ji-na.
As I had some sashimi, I said,
"A period on a report gets you ten million won?"
"Yeah..."
"That's amazing. Oppa, you really got recognized by the chairman."
"I mean, ten million won is... a lot."
"That's not the point. There was once a director who jokingly asked at a drinking party why the theme park was built in such a weird place. He ended up getting cussed out by the chairman and fired—the story is legendary in the HR department."
Thinking about it, the chairman didn't show a hint of anger toward me.
"So, what will you do now?"
"I'm not sure. At first, I was just enticed by the ten million won. But if I accept, I don't think I'll be able to back out of the theme park TF team."
"Just do it."
"What if it really was for political reasons or the chairman's personal greed? What should I choose then?"
She looked straight at me and flashed an enchanting smile. Just like when she hinted I should apply to the TF team.
"Take your time worrying, but act first. Why not check it out this Saturday? If it turns out the chairman built the park out of pure greed and it doesn't fit your ideals, just put a period on the report. What's there to hesitate about?"
Thinking it over, she had a point.
"Yeah, if it doesn't sit right with me, I'll just hand in a report with a period."
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
The Only Suitable Candidate? More like, the only candidate...
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