Chapter 180
Chapter 180
That evening.
As Yoo-hyun was heading home after working out at the gym, his phone rang.
-I’m going to Seoul.
-You’re coming to Seoul? What do I do? I have a business trip this time.
Jung Da-bin quickly sent a reply.
They had to meet this year-end.
-When are you coming back from your trip? Let’s meet if we can.
-Okay. I’ll check and let you know the time.
-Yes, okay. Please contact me.^^
Jung Da-bin took a breath.
She had passed one hurdle.
The problem was what came next.
A little later.
Ding.
The person she had been waiting for logged into the messenger.
Jung Da-bin immediately sent a message.
-Da-hye, why are you coming in now?
-Sorry. I just woke up.
-No. Well, it’s dawn there now. So? When are you coming?
-I’m going in next week.
-Okay. Make some time for me at the end of the year.
-Hey, I’m busy. I have to go back at the beginning of the year.
She remembered her schedule all at once.
Jeong Da-hye was planning to stay in Korea until the end of the year if she came next week.
There was no promise of when she would come back next.
Jung Da-bin made a quick decision and took action.
-So? You’re not going to see your beloved cousin’s face?
-Why are you so nagging? Is it something related to Yoo-hyun again?
-No, it’s not.
She said no, but it was true.
It was a strange thing.
Jeong Da-hye didn’t know who Han Yoo-hyun was, but ironically, Yoo-hyun knew Jeong Da-hye.
The photo he took at the European exhibition was the proof.
When she asked Jeong Da-hye, she said she was in Germany that day.
How did they miss each other?
She thought about asking Yoo-hyun, but she wanted to see for herself.
Jung Da-bin typed quickly.
-Anyway, clear your schedule. Got it?
-You’re still so pushy.
-Well. I’m Jung Da-bin. Let’s see when you come. I’ll buy you something delicious.
-Okay.
Jung Da-bin closed the messenger window and chuckled.
“What am I doing?”
Contrary to her empty words, a smile hung on her lips.
It seemed like something fun was going to happen.
The first snow fell, and at the same time, the year-end party season opened.
The company supported each organization with welfare benefits, and they usually used them at the end of the year.
In the case of the mobile sales marketing department, they had a lot of money left over from the organizational reward.
The product planning team and the third part had nothing to say.
Thanks to that, they had separate parties.
They had already finished the department party at the most expensive beef restaurant nearby.
And now.
Yoo-hyun was enjoying the team party at a tuna restaurant.
He ordered the most expensive menu among the unlimited refills.
The drinks and food were piled up with expensive dishes as they talked about tuna tears and whatnot.
Go Jae-yoon, the deputy manager, resigned and Shin Chan-yong, the manager, was absent with the excuse that he was busy, so everyone had a good time.
Kim Young-gil, the deputy manager who was running the event, spoke in a loud voice.
“We’ll use the remaining money to give out gift sets. Do you agree?”
“Wow. Good idea.”
“Awesome.”
No one hated getting gifts.
Jo Chan-young, the senior manager who had a hot face from the atmosphere, said a word.
“It’s all thanks to you that I can keep my position. Especially the product planning team, you worked the hardest this year.”
“No, sir.”
“Hehe. Not really. Come on, raise your glasses.”
“Yes.”
It was always a good thing to be praised.
Especially the recognition of Jo Chan-young, the senior manager who was their direct boss, made everyone’s hearts flutter.
Was that why?
Everyone raised their glasses in unison at Jo Chan-young’s words.
Even though the internal cohesion was not established after the new team leader took office, the team members looked very united.
“For the product planning team, which will do even better in the future, cheers.”
“Cheers.”
As if to prove it, the team members shouted in unison.
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, hit the peak.
“Guys, you drank a lot today, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Rest well until the end of the year.”
“Wow, can we use our vacation as we please?”
Hwang Dong Sik, the deputy manager of the second part, asked and Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, said coolly.
“It’s either people and work, or work and people. Rest hard when you rest.”
“Kim team leader is awesome.”
“Ahem.”
People reacted well to even a trivial word because Jae-hwan, the team leader, had been controlling the vacation.
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, definitely knew how to lift the mood.
The department and team parties were good, but the best one was the part party.
The third part took a seat at the Baekje Hotel buffet, which started with 150,000 won per person.
This was enough.
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, looked around and admired.
“Wow, we’re coming to a place like this.”
“Right? It feels like we’re royalty or something.”
Choi Min-hee, the manager, was also intoxicated by the atmosphere.
‘They’re used to this place.’
Yoo-hyun was about to say something, but stopped himself.
He knew the truth better than anyone, having spent a long time by the side of the royal family.
But it was not necessary to talk about it now.
They each filled their plates with food.
Lee Chanho, who had piled up his plate with beef, raised his thumb.
“The food here is amazing.”
“Why did you come here if you’re only going to eat beef? You should have gone to a beef restaurant.”
“The beef here might be different, you know.”
Park Seung-woo, the assistant manager, said nothing, and Lee Chanho was confident.
Then, the waiter came over and poured wine.
Glug glug glug.
Lee Chanho immediately picked up his glass and savored the wine.
“The wine tastes good too.”
“Hey, Chanho, you have to toast before you drink that.”
“Really?”
“You wouldn’t know unless you came here often. Tsk tsk.”
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, clicked his tongue, and Choi Min-hee, the section chief, hit the nail on the head.
“Team leader, it’s your first time here too, right?”
“No. I’ve been here a few times.”
Behind the two people who were bickering, the pianist’s live performance began.
Yoo-hyun laughed as he watched the mismatched ensemble.
The atmosphere was sweet, but this table was like a sitcom.
Choi Min-hee, the section chief, subtly egged on Kim Hyun-min, the team leader.
“The mood is nice, why don’t you propose a toast?”
“Should I?”
“Come on, gracefully… No, wait. This is the part leader’s job.”
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, lifted his glass, but then passed the baton to Choi Min-hee, the section chief.
She waved her hand.
“Team leader, just do it. Why are you excluding yourself?”
It was obvious that he wanted to do it, but he was too embarrassed.
So Yoo-hyun stepped in.
“Since this is a part dinner, it’s right for Choi section chief to do it.”
“See? Choi section chief, say something.”
Choi Min-hee cleared her throat and raised her glass.
“I won’t say much. You all know what to do. But just remember this one thing.”
“…”
Everyone paid attention to her sharp voice.
“We’re all in this together from now on. If someone is struggling, help them. If someone is doing well, pull them up.”
“That’s a bit long…”
She ignored Kim Hyun-min’s remark and lifted her glass higher.
“So let’s make a better result next year. For the third part, cheers.”
“Cheers.”
Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink.
Everyone’s glasses collided.
Yoo-hyun smiled as he saw Choi Min-hee’s bright smile.
‘People change a lot.’
Choi Min-hee, the section chief, used to be as individualistic as Yoo-hyun in the past.
Of course, she was ambitious about her performance as much as she was good at her work.
But now that she was a leader, she showed a completely different side of herself.
It wasn’t just that her character had changed through a series of events.
The formula for success that they had shared was deeply engraved in her mind.
The same was true for the other part members.
“Third part as a team.”
“Hey, Park, is that something you say in front of the team leader?”
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, said something, but the team members didn’t care.
“Third part as a team.”
“Third part as a team.”
Kim Young-gil, the assistant manager, and Lee Chanho, who were drinking together, also shook off their passive past selves. Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, who saw them, laughed and said.
“Wow, I can’t believe it. Fine, you guys eat the team. I’ll be in charge.”
“That’s cool.”
Yoo-hyun replied, and Kim Hyun-min scratched his head.
“I’m just saying.”
“No, you’re not. You can do it.”
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, who suddenly showed his ambition, was the same.
They were all people who shared the success DNA.
“Hahaha. Even words are good. Come on.”
“For Kim Hyun-min in charge.”
“Park, you crazy guy.”
“Puhahaha.”
Clink.
That’s why they could laugh through the hardships.
As long as they kept this in mind, they would be able to create a better result in the future.
That’s what Yoo-hyun was thinking.
Choi Min-hee, the section chief, called Yoo-hyun and Kim Young-gil, the assistant manager.
“Yoo-hyun, and Kim.”
“Yes, section chief.”
“Have a good trip to San Francisco. You two are the key figures that we can’t do without in our part. Don’t you dare get hurt and come back.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Park Seung-woo, the assistant manager, who was listening, made a loud noise.
“What about me and Chanho?”
“You two are also key figures. The third part itself is the core, right?”
“Hey, that’s…”
Just as Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, was about to intervene, Yoo-hyun lifted his glass again.
“For the core third part.”
“For the core.”
Clink.
Everyone’s glasses collided.
The last dinner of the year ended with a warm laughter.
Time passed and it was the day of the San Francisco business trip.
Yoo-hyun, who got off the airport bus, received a call from his father.
His father’s company had finally succeeded in winning the Hansung Construction contract, and the factory was busy running.
He even told Yoo-hyun about it.
“Yes, dad. That’s great.”
-Yeah. I owe a lot to your senior at the company.
“Doesn’t your company have competitive technology or price?”
-Of course we do.
Yoo-hyun gently asked his father, who was proud of his words.
“Can you still thank him?”
-Of course. I have to. No. I…
“The senior feels burdened. I’ll just do well.”
-…Okay. Please do. Let me know if you need any help.
Yoo-hyun smiled and answered his father.
“Yes, I will.”
-You have to listen to your senior.
“Of course.”
-Hmm, hmm. Then hang up.
His father’s voice sounded a bit regretful.
He felt like he knew what he wanted to hear, so Yoo-hyun called his father.
“Dad.”
-Why.
“Let’s have a drink when I come back.”
-Do that.
He got a nonchalant answer, but he could imagine what his father’s face looked like.
Click.
Yoo-hyun looked at his disconnected phone and smiled.
When did he start talking so kindly with his father?
The change that had been happening little by little came to him at some point.