An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 333

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 332
Part 6. Are You Feeling a Bit More at Peace Now? (3)
“Merchandise?”
After visiting a client with Namgoong Min-ah and returning, I spent a leisurely moment with Gwak Young-ho on the building rooftop.
It was past 5 p.m., and the sun, stretched longer than usual, showed no sign of setting.
Gulp.
After taking a sip of coffee, Gwak Young-ho moved a cigarette to his lips with an expression of deep contemplation.
“Wow, this is complicated. Why merchandise specifically? Why?”
“It seems she had an interest in it even before joining the company.”
“I don’t know much about merchandise. Do you know a lot about it, Manager Kang?”
I didn’t know much either.
I only knew that it was a product designed to appeal to fan sentiment.
“This is driving me crazy. Of all the things out there….”
“Should I ask her about other options?”
“No! You saw Min-ah’s expression too.”
From the moment we returned to the office, Namgoong Min-ah’s expression and eyes were no joke.
Her eyes didn’t just sparkle—they gleamed like someone who had found a reason to live. How could I suggest looking into something else?
“Sigh, I’ll study it myself for now.”
“I’ll look into it as well.”
“Merchandise is basically small-batch, made-to-order products, right? Like limited edition items.”
“That’s probably it.”
“There’s probably some demand for it, and even if we can’t do large-scale deliveries, it seems like a sustainable market. Alright, I got it.”
I watched Gwak Young-ho’s expression for a moment before speaking.
“Then would it be alright if I provided support?”
“Who else would do it if not you, Manager Kang?”
Gwak Young-ho asked as if he’d received an absurd question, his eyes widening, and I answered with an awkward smile.
“Then I’ll do that.”
“Looking at Min-ah now, she seems like she’ll voluntarily work overtime for a while. Watch out for her health, and whenever she says she’s visiting a client, go along with her as much as possible.”
“Yes.”
“Sigh, it really feels like raising a daughter.”
Gwak Young-ho burst into hearty laughter and leaned his body diagonally against the railing.
“Do well.”
Then he muttered as if to himself, and I answered softly with a “Yes.”
***
Gwak Young-ho’s gloomy prediction had not missed the mark.
Namgoong Min-ah truly stayed late of her own volition, and I found a reasonable excuse to remain at the office as well.
Tap-tap-tap-tap! Tap-tap.
Perhaps this is what happens when someone discovers work they can pour their passion into.
Listening to the enthusiastic keyboard typing—a sound I hadn’t heard from her in recent times—I rose from my seat.
I then extracted two cups of decaffeinated coffee in the break room and returned to my desk, setting one down at Namgoong Min-ah’s workstation.
“Oh!”
Startled by how deeply she’d been concentrating, Namgoong Min-ah clutched her racing heart and looked up at me as I settled into my chair.
“Ah, yes. Thank you, Manager.”
“It’s decaffeinated. I added a bit of syrup too.”
“Manager….”
It’s rare for emotions to be expressed so honestly through someone’s eyes, yet Namgoong Min-ah manages it every time.
“How’s the work coming along?”
“Well, I’m still conducting market research, but honestly, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be easy.”
Namgoong Min-ah dragged her chair and shifted to the side.
The gesture seemed to invite me to look at the monitor with her, so I dragged my chair closer to her.
“You’ve organized this quite meticulously.”
“I’m planning to show it to the Department Head later!”
“If it goes well, it could open up a new market, so it would be good to reinforce this material further.”
I explained which sections could use more development and then scrolled the mouse wheel.
“Are you looking to approach emerging companies?”
“Yes. Established ones seem like they’d be difficult. And if any issues arise, it could create a negative image for our company as well.”
“…Even if we don’t participate in the production?”
“Of course! Do you know how sensitive this is! It’s all built on respect and consideration, so it’s incredibly delicate.”
Namgoong Min-ah’s expression grew serious, and she reacted as if to say, ‘This is why amateurs shouldn’t get involved!’
‘What exactly is merchandise anyway….’
I suppressed my growing confusion and scanned through the list of companies Namgoong Min-ah had separated out.
“What kind of place is this one?”
“Ah, I found it on social networks. These days, some places don’t launch funding immediately—they identify potential customers first like this.”
“Is that so…?”
It seemed she’d excluded places that could become sensitive due to copyright issues, and officially licensed fan merchandise production companies appeared to be excluded as well.
So Namgoong Min-ah’s list contained only small, barely-emerging companies.
“Diaries, keychains, stamps? Eyeglass cases? These are merchandise?”
“If you want to own it, it’s merchandise.”
For some reason, Namgoong Min-ah answered as though she’d been asked an obvious question.
Difficult. Merchandise.
I lightly touched my throbbing temples and shifted my gaze back to the list.
Setting aside the unfamiliar term “merchandise,” if I looked coldly at just the products themselves, there was certainly sufficient room for contact.
“We have production and processing companies among our clients too, so introducing them could be a good approach.”
“There are places that handle direct production as well.”
“Is that so? Where?”
“Here. It’s a glasses case. They say it’s made with mother-of-pearl inlay too.”
Namgoong Min-ah brought the mouse over and clicked the left button a few times, filling the monitor with image files.
It was the kind of photograph that made me understand why people wanted to own merchandise like this.
“What do you think, Manager? It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yes. This one definitely seems to have market demand.”
It was a glasses case made with mother-of-pearl inlay, but not a luxury item.
Of course, considering it was a sample, the hinges on the glasses case and the material and texture didn’t convey a sense of premium quality.
However, the color of the mother-of-pearl adorning the surface and the contemporary pattern certainly possessed an aesthetic that could tempt even me, Kang Hyung-seok, who didn’t wear glasses.
“But the pattern is quite unique. It’s not traditional mother-of-pearl lacquerware.”
“Isn’t it better because it’s contemporary?”
That was true.
The design clearly showed it didn’t look like the work of someone who majored in mother-of-pearl craftsmanship.
Put kindly, it was a contemporary sensibility; put harshly, it felt rootless—but it was undoubtedly a design that would appeal to modern people.
“People showed a lot of interest. I thought it would be good to have a meeting once….”
Namgoong Min-ah gauged my reaction with eyes showing too much white, like a puppy that had made a mistake.
“Why? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“It’s just that I was wondering if I’m focusing too much on work that doesn’t bring much profit to the company.”
I shook my head firmly, as if dismissing needless worry.
“Not everyone can do work they enjoy, but what you’re doing isn’t wrong, Min-ah.”
“Ah….”
“Even conducting sales in places like this and connecting companies with each other is already doing something significant. And depending on how you handle it, it could lead to further introductions.”
“Really?”
“Yes. So have confidence. I’ll support and back you up.”
“Yes!”
Namgoong Min-ah looked at me with eyes wide enough to be burdensome and nodded emphatically.
***
Two days had passed since then.
It was Friday, and Kang Hyung-seok and Namgoong Min-ah naturally gathered their belongings and rose from their desks after finishing their morning work before lunch.
“Oh? Was it today?”
Shin Jung-ah, who had been staring at her monitor, spoke up, and Namgoong Min-ah answered with spirited confidence.
“Yes!”
Creak.
It was then that Gwak Young-ho emerged from the Manager’s Office.
“You’re heading out now?”
“Yes, Manager.”
“Perfect timing. I’ll give you the corporate card—have lunch with the client and come back.”
Gwak Young-ho pulled out the corporate card from his wallet and handed it over, Namgoong Min-ah’s eyes widening in surprise.
“Really? The corporate card too?”
“You’re going to a meeting with a new client. Of course you should have lunch together.”
Gwak Young-ho waved the hand holding the corporate card, and Namgoong Min-ah trotted over to receive it.
“Thank you so much, Manager.”
“Don’t mention it! This is only natural. Since it’s a field we don’t know much about, do well in the meeting, and if things go smoothly, it’ll be a valuable experience for our company too. Go with confidence.”
Gwak Young-ho spoke like a father figure, offering Namgoong Min-ah a warm and reassuring smile.
“Do well out there. Fighting!”
“Yes! Fighting!”
Namgoong Min-ah clenched her fist in echo of Gwak Young-ho’s words and rushed toward Kang Hyung-seok.
“Have a good trip….”
Lee Jin-pyung called out to see them off, but the door closed before he could finish his words.
A look of ‘should’ve spoken a bit faster’ was directed at him, and only Baekseol at his feet whimpered and licked his ankle.
Thud.
In the meantime, the two heading to the Underground Parking Lot got into the car and punched the destination into the navigation system.
“The company isn’t too far, is it?”
“No. According to the map, it should take about thirty minutes.”
A distance they could cover with a light heart.
Kang Hyung-seok fastened his seatbelt and began driving toward their destination.
Vroooom.
I didn’t ask if she was nervous.
This wasn’t Namgoong Min-ah’s first time visiting a client to secure a contract, and I had watched her prepare diligently from beside her.
To be frank, it didn’t seem like it would be a major deal, but I hoped this endeavor would serve as a small lubricant for Namgoong Min-ah’s future.
Likely, everyone in Sales Team 1 felt the same way.
“Phew!”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yes….”
Kang Hyung-seok laughed as he exhaled and increased his speed a bit more.
Having arrived at the location marked on the map—which should have taken thirty minutes—in just twenty-five minutes, I parked in a nearby Public Parking Lot and surveyed the surroundings.
So this was a small-scale artisanal workshop.
Such thoughts were inevitable precisely because this was an ordinary residential district.
“I’ll contact you once we arrive.”
“Understood.”
Namgoong Min-ah clearly understood as well.
That she was the one who needed to take the lead in this situation.
She immediately pulled out her phone and made a call, beginning to walk as she spoke.
“Yes! I’m outside now. I’m heading up.”
Namgoong Min-ah entered the apartment building first.
As Kang Hyung-seok moved to follow, he felt a sudden sense of dissonance and furrowed his brow.
“Manager, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Kang Hyung-seok shook his head and followed Namgoong Min-ah toward the second floor.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Excuse me. I’m Namgoong Min-ah from Daejeong Materials.”
It was after Namgoong Min-ah rapped on the thick entrance door marked Unit 201.
Creak.
The door opened, and a young woman of similar age to Namgoong Min-ah appeared.
She was striking with a checkered blanket wrapped around her waist and thick-framed glasses.
“Oh, hello. I’m Choi Yu-ri.”
The moment her gaze met Kang Hyung-seok’s as she greeted Namgoong Min-ah simply.
“Huh?”
Choi Yu-ri’s expression stiffened almost imperceptibly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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