Private Secretary - Chapter 1

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

Private Secretary Episode 1

The interview was surprisingly bland yet comfortable and enjoyable.

From the atmosphere, it seemed like the acceptance was already decided, and they appeared to be conducting the interview as a formality due to procedure.

Lee Seol, with her tension relieved, cautiously asked a question.

“Then who will I be serving?”

“Oh, well… that’s the thing.”

The conversation that had been flowing endlessly suddenly hit a snag for the first time.

Was there some kind of problem?

“Starting next week, a new Department Head will be coming to our Strategic Planning Department. He’s the youngest son of the Chairman, and until recently he worked as the branch manager of the New York Branch.”

Since this was information Lee Seol had already familiarized herself with, she just nodded quietly.

“But the Department Head’s official secretary has already been assigned.”

“…Already completed?”

Flustered, Lee Seol blinked her eyes.

It was bewildering to hear such words just when she was confident of passing, but the expression ‘official secretary’ particularly bothered her.

Then does that mean there’s also a separate ‘private secretary’?

As if confirming Lee Seol’s prediction, the other party answered hesitantly.

“Yes. So we’d like to propose an unofficial secretary position for the Planning Department Head to Ms. Han Lee Seol.”

“…”

“I’m afraid the word ‘unofficial’ might cause misunderstanding, so let me clarify – our company will definitely be hiring you, and you’ll work as part of the secretarial office just like other secretaries. However, your work format will be a bit different.”

“May I ask in what way it will be different?”

“The duties Ms. Han Lee Seol will handle are ‘assistance with the Department Head’s private affairs.'”

“…Excuse me?”

“While the already assigned secretary handles official business, you’ll handle private matters. For example, you’ll be comprehensively in charge of extremely private areas like making reservations for the Department Head’s private gatherings or purchasing gifts for friends on his behalf. Like a manager who stands by a celebrity 24 hours a day.”

Since this was something she hadn’t expected at all, Lee Seol fell silent for a moment.

At this, the Team Manager hurriedly and politely handed Lee Seol a document file. When she opened it, there was an employment contract inside.

The Team Manager pointed specifically to the annual salary at the top. It was an amount that was easily more than twice what she had received at her previous company.

“Incentives are separate from this. The Department Head will autonomously determine the incentives.”

“Does that mean he might give me a lot if he recognizes my work ability, or might not give me any?”

“If the Department Head finds Ms. Han Lee Seol unsatisfactory, you wouldn’t be able to work for long, so you can consider it as something you’ll definitely receive as long as you’re working.”

“…”

“For reference, our Department Head is very meticulous. But his compensation is just as certain. I checked with the New York Branch where the Department Head worked, and the secretary who worked the longest was there for about 2 years and received 500,000 dollars in incentives alone during that time.”

Before Lee Seol could calculate 500,000 dollars into Korean won, the Team Manager provided the answer first.

“At the current exchange rate, it’s over 700 million won. Excluding salary, just in incentives.”

“…”

It was such a large amount that her jaw dropped.

Lee Seol was just bewildered about how she had come to catch such an opportunity.

* * *

Just two days ago.

“I’ve decided to close the business after all.”

“…Excuse me?”

“As you know, the bigger problem than recent sales is my health, isn’t it? I’m thinking of just wrapping everything up and living comfortably with the money I’ve saved up.”

No, Chairman. What on earth are you saying.

Those words rose to her throat, but she quietly waited for what would follow.

“Chairman, isn’t there room for reconsideration?”

“It’s a decision I made after long deliberation. I’m sorry about this.”

Lee Seol had gotten a job here right after graduating from university due to her parents’ sudden unemployment long ago.

And she had lived diligently as the head of a household until now.

The secretary job was more manageable than expected. However, since everything she earned went to her parents’ medical bills and living expenses, she had no savings even at thirty.

So she was in a situation where she had to work without rest for several more years, but suddenly there was closure. She had become unemployed.

“However, I hold Secretary Han’s abilities in high regard, so I’m thinking of introducing you to a friend of mine. A high school classmate is running a fairly large company. Here, a business card.”

The business card the chairman handed over read ‘Hogan Group Chairman Kang Shin-jae.’

Hogan Group? The company that makes cars and airplanes? That large corporation that even owns a professional baseball team?

Lee Seol turned the luxury business card with only a name and no contact information back and forth.

She couldn’t believe it. The chairman she had served was friends with the Chairman of Hogan Group?

“I heard that friend’s son is coming to Korea soon? Until recently he worked as the New York branch manager of the American corporation.”

“…Chairman.”

“If Secretary Han is okay with it, how about I write a letter of recommendation to them? Are you interested?”

“I enjoyed serving you, Chairman, and it was an honor.”

“Oh, don’t make such a sad face. I’m not going to die, I’m going to live enjoyably, right? If you don’t want to, forget it.”

“Please write the recommendation.”

The chairman laughed heartily, but Lee Seol couldn’t laugh at all.

Even if he wrote a letter of recommendation to that tremendous company, it didn’t necessarily mean unconditional acceptance.

If he wrote a letter of recommendation but things didn’t work out well, how would she job hunt in this recession?

Considering the monthly rent and utilities that went out regularly, plus the living expenses she gave her parents every month, she couldn’t afford to rest even for a single month.

A sigh escaped naturally.

“Oh, but you know what. I heard my friend’s son is quite meticulous. He seems to be more of a performance-oriented, results-oriented person than his father.”

“…”

“But our Secretary Han is famous for working well, so there’s nothing to worry about. You’ll be able to work while easily earning two or three times the salary you receive here.”

Lee Seol’s eyes widened.

Just recently, there had been many stories about demanding bosses posted on sites used by people in the same profession.

She had just sympathized thinking it must be difficult since it was other people’s business, but now it might become her own situation.

Lee Seol, who thought she had worked comfortably under a good-natured chairman for the past 5 years, suddenly became afraid.

What if she failed the interview even after receiving a recommendation?

She didn’t mind being criticized herself, but what if she tarnished the reputation of the chairman who trusted and recommended her?

“Anyway, it was good to work with Secretary Han all this time. Fly away to a wider world. Go for it.”

In the end, Lee Seol cried quite a lot on the day she officially finished work.

Because she felt sad. Because she was afraid. Because she was scared.

* * *

Day 1 of officially being unemployed.

Yesterday she had a farewell dinner with all employees, and it was the first time in her life she’d had such a sad company dinner.

She couldn’t just rely on the letter of recommendation the chairman had sent, so she needed to look into other companies as backup.

It was while she was eating ramen as hangover food and browsing job sites.

A call came from a number starting with 02.

“Yes, this is Han Lee Seol.”

Stating her name first even for calls to her personal number was Lee Seol’s occupational habit.

[Hello, Ms. Han Lee Seol. This is the Management Support Team of Hogan Group. We’d like to schedule an interview date for the secretary position hiring. Would that be possible?]

“Yes, that’s possible. If there’s a scheduled interview date, please let me know.”

Lee Seol, who had answered the phone while rubbing her barely opening eyes, suddenly came to her senses.

The other party said they wanted to proceed with the interview as quickly as possible and mentioned a date just two days away.

As soon as the call ended, a text message arrived with the interview time and location.

‘Wow, the day has come when I’m interviewing at such a big company.’

Lee Seol, whose last interview had been a full 5 years ago, felt her heart flutter anew.

Lee Seol hurriedly brought her laptop first.

Although they said it would proceed as a light conversation format, she felt she needed to prepare something to feel at ease.

She spent two days with nervous feelings, as if she had returned to being a new graduate after a long time.

And finally, the interview day.

“…received 500,000 dollars just in incentives for the first half of this year.”

Lee Seol listened to the continuing explanation with a dazed expression.

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