An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 55

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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 55
Part 2. We Recognized Each Other (1)
A week later.
“Yes. Then I look forward to working with you.”
Kang Hyung-seok gathered the signed contract and rose from his seat.
The man across from him stood as well, offering a warm smile and words of anticipation for their future partnership as he saw me off.
The contract was sealed.
Click.
Inside the car, Kang Hyung-seok exhaled a sigh of relief and wiped his face.
While not with a major corporation, this was certainly a partnership that would prove beneficial to the Company in the long term.
Beep, ring ring ring.
I called Gwak Young-ho to report, and he picked up as if he’d been waiting.
“Oh, Kang! How did it go?”
“We secured the contract. They were more enthusiastic than I expected.”
“Excellent work! Any unusual circumstances?”
“No. Everything proceeded according to standard protocol.”
“What about your afternoon schedule?”
“Just some phone calls to make.”
“So you’re heading straight back to the office?”
“Yes. Is there anything you’d like me to do?”
Gwak Young-ho was certainly susceptible to this sort of thing.
“Kang…”
His voice grew thick with emotion as if he were deeply moved.
“Should I pick up some snacks on the way?”
“Oh, that sounds great. You have the corporate card, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then just grab about 50,000 won worth from that bakery over there. I’ll handle the receipt.”
Technically, this wasn’t supposed to happen.
But Daejeong Materials’ workplace atmosphere wasn’t so rigid, and there was an unspoken rule that successful contracts earned certain allowances.
“Understood. I’ll pick up your favorites and some snacks.”
“Make sure you get the receipt!”
“Of course.”
Not that it would ever come to that, but I’d need to categorize it as office supply expenses if questions arose.
Kang Hyung-seok purchased bread from a nearby franchise bakery.
Bread prices these days were absolutely outrageous.
I bought exactly 50,000 won worth, and it barely filled one bag.
“I’m back.”
Returning after lunchtime, Kang Hyung-seok opened the bag and laid the bread out on the table.
“I’ll brew some coffee!”
Namgoong Min-ah brought coffee from the Break Room, and Gwak Young-ho retrieved small plates and forks.
“Where’s Manager Shin?”
“She went out on business. You know how hard she’s been working lately.”
“Ah, she must be quite busy.”
Sales Department work.
While the tasks within the office mattered, the real workplace was beyond these walls.
“How are things going with Namgoong Min-ah these days?”
“I’m staying in regular contact with the places I was assigned to before. Some of them have even sent samples.”
“If you need to go to any meetings, coordinate your schedule with Kang Hyung-seok and go together. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Namgoong Min-ah answered brightly, and Gwak Young-ho laughed as if looking at a young relative.
Then he placed the bread he’d cut himself on a plate and passed it around, collecting a receipt from Kang Hyung-seok.
“Now, eating bread while working is slacking off, but when you hear announcements, it’s a work meeting. Everyone got that?”
“Huh? Is that how it works?”
Namgoong Min-ah asked in surprise, and Kang Hyung-seok answered.
“Yes. That’s how it works.”
“Ah.”
Gwak Young-ho opened his mouth with a smile, clearly enjoying this lighthearted atmosphere.
“There might be a department reorganization sometime next month.”
“A reorganization?”
“Yeah. It won’t directly affect our department. Right now we have Sales Team 1 and Team 2, right?”
“Yes.”
Kang Hyung-seok was in Sales Team 1.
Team 2 existed too, but it felt like a rival division, and since there were no real points of contact, I hadn’t encountered them much.
“This time, they’re creating a Team 3.”
This was the first I’d heard of it.
Kang Hyung-seok narrowed the space between his brows and shifted his gaze from the sweetly-scented bread and coffee to Gwak Young-ho.
“This is sudden news, sir.”
Understanding his reaction, fine wrinkles accompanied the smile at the corners of Gwak Young-ho’s mouth.
“It seems they’re planning to run it temporarily. Rather than forcing new hires, they’ll fill positions through reorganization.”
“If it’s a reorganization, our team will….”
“They’ll pull people from here and there. For what it’s worth, no one from our team is going to Team 3.”
If that’s the case, it doesn’t matter.
The family-like members of Team 1 wouldn’t be separated.
“It seems the higher-ups are seriously thinking about expanding the company. You all know about the direct import discussion from before, right?”
“Yes!”
“I’m aware of it.”
“Right. Team 3 will be handling direct import operations temporarily.”
System construction and concrete business direction.
If they were to create an in-house shopping mall connecting overseas products directly to buyers, the workload would expand considerably.
They’d need to manage everything from selecting sellers and merchandise for the online store to payment systems.
And most importantly, the selection of products would be crucial.
The direct import business could only establish itself if we sold decent goods at reasonable prices.
“Just be aware that depending on the situation, there may be some work overlap with us.”
Kang Hyung-seok suddenly noticed Shin Jung-ah’s empty seat.
Important matters were being discussed.
Yet I wondered if it would be alright without Shin Jung-ah present.
“I’ve already gone over everything with Manager Shin separately.”
Gwak Young-ho, noticing Kang Hyung-seok’s thoughts, smiled and pointed upward toward the smoking room.
Indeed, smokers had their own way of doing things.
The smoking room wasn’t called the second conference room for nothing.
“Anyway! Just be aware of the situation. And Team 2 is going to get fired up.”
The smile faded from Gwak Young-ho’s face as he broached a more serious topic.
“Temporarily, our work differs, but now Sales becomes three teams total, doesn’t it? Everyone will be competing fiercely to make a good impression, so we should stay sharp too.”
Unlike the dazed Namgoong Min-ah, Kang Hyung-seok nodded quietly in understanding.
A new Team 3 was being created.
Though Gwak Young-ho hadn’t said it outright, from the context and atmosphere, it seemed someone would be transferred from Team 2 to Team 3.
It wasn’t a good atmosphere, but I couldn’t simply call it bad either.
Despite the “temporary” label, it was still a new Team 3.
To shed that temporary tag and use the new team as an opportunity for promotion, they would desperately strive for excellent results.
‘We need to produce better results too.’
Being compared to other teams and criticized for performance was a bitter thing.
“I’ll scout out the best places I can find, so just trust me and follow my lead.”
Gwak Young-ho spoke with conviction, and Namgoong Min-ah, who had been about to bring bread to her mouth with a fork, nodded vigorously while reading the room.
“And Manager Kang, your new business cards came in.”
“Pardon?”
“Since you’re going to be promoted anyway, I went ahead and requested your cards. From today on, when you’re out on sales calls, introduce yourself as Manager.”
Kang Hyung-seok looked at Gwak Young-ho with surprise, then smiled and nodded.
“Understood.”
“Having the manager title will make work easier for you.”
“Yes, I understand.”
In sales, rank was a weapon.
People naturally wanted to speak with someone of relatively higher rank, and everyone harbored the desire to sign contracts with someone bearing a title ending in “manager.”
‘Manager Kang Hyung-seok.’
It still felt a bit unfamiliar.
But it didn’t feel bad.
“Just smile brightly, Manager Kang!”
“But you said the cards only came in first.”
“You’ll be officially promoted before next month anyway! The higher-ups already told me to promote you because of that warehouse contract deal.”
Namgoong Min-ah, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s from the bread, quickly set down her fork and began clapping.
“Congratulations!”
“Min-ah, swallow that and then we’ll talk.”
“Uh….”
Kang Hyung-seok smiled and nodded to Namgoong Min-ah and Gwak Young-ho.
This promotion had its reasons.
I’d been performing well, and I’d made a good impression during the warehouse contract negotiations.
And now, with competition heating up against other teams, this was like handing me a powerful weapon.
“I’ll work hard.”
“As a fellow manager, I shouldn’t be outmatched by Manager Shin, right?”
“Of course! I understand completely.”
I burst out laughing at Gwak Young-ho’s sudden quip and answered him.
Even as I did, my mind was already spinning with other thoughts.
‘A major contract….’
It would be nice to land one.
It would save face for Gwak Young-ho, and it would elevate our team’s standing.
‘Once we promoted Kang Hyung-seok, the guy started flying!’ — that’s the kind of impression I could plant with the higher-ups.
But such contracts don’t just fall from the sky, nor do they suddenly spring up from the earth.
“It looks like I’ll need to be out in the field for a while.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll cover your fuel expenses, so make sure you get a receipt every time you fill up.”
Daejeong Materials wasn’t the type of company to support fuel expenses generously — they’d only reimburse if you filled up at specific gas stations.
“Yes.”
“Do you have anywhere in mind?”
Gwak Young-ho’s eyes gleamed with anticipation, but I pressed my lips together for a moment before speaking.
“Nothing concrete yet.”
“Hmm…?”
“But there are a few places worth probing. Once I’m certain, I’ll let you know.”
I was thinking of making a push into the construction company sector.
Construction sites consume enormous quantities of concrete, sand, and rebar over years of work.
If I could crack even one site, it would be a jackpot.
But existing suppliers have such a tight grip on the market that breaking in isn’t easy.
“Why do I have a good feeling about this?”
Gwak Young-ho asked with a face that was half-joking, half-hopeful.
“If it works out.”
I answered with an awkward smile.
***
(Kang Hyung-seok!)
It was after Kang Hyung-seok had gotten into his car to head home from work.
Shin Jung-ah called, and when he pressed the answer button, her voice flowed through the vehicle’s Bluetooth speaker.
“Yes, Manager.”
(So you’re enjoying the bread without me, huh?)
Word travels fast, it seems.
Kang Hyung-seok chuckled silently and set his destination to the Rental House on the navigation system.
In truth, I could find my way there without the GPS.
But with traffic cameras everywhere and this having become routine, I don’t feel like I’m truly leaving work unless I turn on the navigation.
“I set aside some for you, Manager, but you never showed up before leaving.”
(Don’t even get me started. These guys here drink like there’s no tomorrow.)
Now that she mentioned it, I could detect a hint of alcohol in Shin Jung-ah’s voice.
“Are you alright?”
(I’m not that far gone. Besides, you got your business card too, right? We’re both managers now.)
“I only received the card first, though.”
(You’re essentially promoted. Congratulations!)
Kang Hyung-seok smiled faintly as he exited the Parking Lot and drove along the main Road.
I’d deliberately left about fifteen minutes late, yet traffic on the Road remained heavy.
“Thank you, Manager.”
(Oh, and the director was saying something. Do you know of any big projects coming up?)
“You heard about that?”
(He asked me if I knew anything about it.)
“He asked you that too?”
(You know the director has high expectations for you.)
That’s true enough.
Sometimes it feels like a burden.
(So you’re not going to tell me either?)
“There’s no reason to hide it. I suspect you’ve already figured most of it out anyway.”
(Me?)
“Yes. This whole situation started because of my Uncle, didn’t it?”
(Oh? Yeah.)
“My Uncle works in construction. If things go well, I might be able to get an introduction through him.”
(Ah… How likely do you think it is?)
“Since he’s helped me before, he’ll probably pull some strings.”
A safety manager isn’t exactly a high-ranking position.
But with connections to headquarters and exposure to many people, I thought that with the right approach, anything might be possible.
(I hope it works out for you, Kang Hyung-seok—or should I say, Manager Kang.)
Kang Hyung-seok laughed awkwardly, just as awkwardly as she’d spoken.
Beep beep beep beep beep.
“Oh, I apologize. Another call is coming in.”
(Huh? At this hour?)
“Yes. It’s my Uncle.”
(Pick it up quickly!)
Shin Jung-ah ended the call first, so I didn’t even need to hang up.
That was how I began my conversation with my Uncle.

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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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