Awakening Of Grace: Kyung Jin-ju II (4)
While Do-kyung was inwardly surprised by how interestingly things were unfolding, Director Lee Myung-sun spoke to him again.
"For this task, I will let Manager Seo form a team and proceed."
Do-kyung first organized his thoughts and asked Lee Myung-sun again.
"Is the project urgent?"
"There's no need to rush. Just consider it as a year to determine if there's potential or not."
A year, indeed, was not a short time.
However, seeing that they were given a year to venture into the entertainment side, he thought that perhaps there was some hidden agenda from above. No, he felt quite certain about it. But as a mere manager, there was no reason for him to be curious about it.
"Will you do it?"
"Um… yes. I'll take it on."
Do-kyung clearly saw traces of his involvement in Kyung Jin-ju's debut through the Subordinate Foresight.
And, Mister, thank you! Because of you, I am who I am today! Mister, I love you!
This was exactly that part.
He thought that the "Mister" mentioned was definitely him. What if he didn't intervene? The Jin-ju he knew wasn't particularly interested in celebrities, just casually watching TV if anything came up. That was about it. Without Do-kyung's push, she surely wouldn't step foot in that direction.
So he decided to give it a try.
It was because not long after seeing the Subordinate Foresight, a proposal for an entertainment project came in, making him feel like everything was falling into place inevitably.
'I'm afraid of whether the end will be ruin or happiness… But it's okay. I can at least protect Jin-ju in that manner.'
With the power of the Subordination Imprint, even if the world criticized her, it would make her smile while looking only at him. Because he had something to believe in, his anxiety was greatly diluted.
"You made a good decision. Phew, now let's stop talking about work and have a personal chat, shall we?"
"A personal chat?"
Would the meticulous Lee Myung-sun talk about personal matters during work hours? He tilted his head in curiosity, but she was already sitting comfortably and called him.
"Do-kyung."
Do-kyung.
When Lee Myung-sun called him Do-kyung instead of by his rank, it was only when she referred to him as an entry-level colleague, not as a department head. So Do-kyung also relaxed his posture immediately.
"Yeah?"
"You've really changed a lot recently. I was genuinely surprised the last time I saw you; what happened?"
"What do you mean what happened? I'm just trying to live like a decent person."
It was true.
He no longer wanted to live as a pitiful, faraway father, but simply as a human being. Of course, the change in his body was due to the Goddess's power, not Do-kyung's effort, but he didn't mention it since no one would believe him anyway.
"Since you came back from vacation, right?"
"Yeah, since then."
"Hehe, it's a good change. Oh, I also heard about the Jeong So-young incident. You made quite a scene, didn't you?"
"Oh, that?"
It seemed like she was referring to the day Jeong So-young challenged Do-kyung. That day, he was truly angry, and that energy spread widely. As a result, she was caught in the Subjugation Imprint, and now he was steadily changing her to his liking. Of course, he had no intention of mentioning this either. As he made a slightly bitter expression, Lee Myung-sun smiled and spoke again.
"These days, there are a lot of rumors about you, Do-kyung. People say your face has become much younger, you're taking care of your body, and some thought you would just end up as a typical old manager, but now they're watching you."
"Watching me?"
When Do-kyung asked back, Lee Myung-sun nodded while lighting a cigarette.
"Yeah, who wouldn't be watching with such changes?"
"The Executive Director's line?"
"That's right. In the past, you said you didn't want to get involved in office politics, so I didn't push you into anything."
"I just wanted to stay quiet."
"Yeah, but that changed when you crossed paths with Assistant Manager Jeong So-young. Team Leader Moon Jae-hee's side probably thinks you're starting to get interested in office politics, right? Especially since you openly criticized Assistant Manager Jeong So-young, who's part of Team Leader Moon Jae-hee's line."
"..."
Damn, what a mess.
Do-kyung still had no interest in office politics.
He wondered what kind of minds would think so deeply just because he reprimanded a subordinate.
Phew…
Lee Myung-sun exhaled smoke and asked subtly.
"Didn't you think the same, Do-kyung? You could have just let the whole Chairman Jo Deok-jae incident slide without saying anything. Then Team Leader Moon Jae-hee would take the blame."
"I didn't. I spoke up because I couldn't just stand by and watch. And as for the Chairman Jo Deok-jae matter, it involves not only Team Leader Moon Jae-hee but you as well. That's why I mentioned it. And you know, right? I just want to work quietly at the company."
"I do know, but the problem is that others don't see it that way anymore."
"Yeah, that's the problem. Mind if I smoke one, too?"
"Sure."
Feeling frustrated, Do-kyung lit a cigarette. As he exhaled the smoke, the irritation that had been creeping up slowly subsided.
"So, still no thoughts?"
"Sigh, about what? Politics?"
"Yeah, even if others don't know, I know you. You have talent. From what I've seen, you're a hidden gem. I've been keeping you out of sight because we're peers, but it might be difficult to continue like that."
"Hmm… is something going on?"
Unless something was happening, Lee Myung-sun wouldn't provoke him like this after leaving him alone for years.
'Does she need power?'
By now, someone like Lee Myung-sun would have already gathered enough power for herself. As far as he knew, even Team Leader Moon Jae-hee and the executives were honestly no match for Lee Myung-sun. If she wanted, she could have already joined the head office group. Thinking about it, he became curious about why she hadn't joined. Should he ask? Just as he was pondering, she continued speaking.
"Not yet, but it seems like things might get a bit noisy soon. So, I'm trying to clearly decide who I need to take care of."
"Is it that serious?"
"Maybe? It's not immediate, so don't worry."
Forcing a choice wasn't Lee Myung-sun's style. Yet, the fact that she said it meant that her words weren't a lie. Do-kyung realized that, regardless of his will, he was already as good as having one foot in.
It would have been nice if a flash of Reality Foresight popped up at times like this, but unfortunately, it didn't. He stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette and gave Lee Myung-sun the answer she wanted.
"I'll decide soon."
"Good thinking. I hope you make the right decision."
"Yeah, I don't want to get fired at my age either."
"Hehe."
In truth, he didn't have much attachment to the company. Once things were settled with Lee Yujin, there would be no need to send money there anymore. With Chairman Jo Deok-jae's incident, Jun-young would have surely made some money, and combining that, unlike before when he lived without any leeway, he could now lead a leisurely life. However, getting fired from a company where he worked for over 20 years was an entirely different issue.
'I can't become unemployed in my forties, especially not because I lacked the ability.'
It was also a matter of pride.
"Can I go now?"
"Yeah."
"Alright, take care."
"You too."
After gathering the documents and standing up, Do-kyung left the director's office and returned to his desk. Having been in a private meeting for quite a long time, all eyes focused on him as he emerged. He could distinctly feel that the attention was different from before, especially after hearing Lee Myung-sun's words. His heightened senses, revived as he came back to life, seemed to read the emotions within those gazes.
'Curiosity and wariness.'
Those were the exact categories of the gazes.
'Ah, this is going to be tiring…'
Ignoring those looks, Do-kyung checked the documents and called for Lee Joon-seok.
"Assistant Lee Joon-seok?"
"Yes, Manager!"
He handed the documents to the person who had quickly run over.
"Copy these and prepare for the meeting. Also, call Assistant Manager Shin Na-kyung and Employee Park Joon-woo."
"Yes!"
Do-kyung's words made Lee Joon-seok's eyes sparkle.
Quick-witted as he was, he surely sensed something from the fact that Do-kyung was leading the meeting for the first time in a long while. And it wasn't just Assistant Lee Joon-seok. All the staff in the office started to look at Do-kyung. Usually, Team Leader Moon Jae-hee led the meetings, and Do-kyung rarely attended them. He only participated if it was a very important project. But now, he had met with the Director and called a meeting? Excluding all of Team Leader Moon Jae-hee's line, but including Assistant Lee Joon-seok, Assistant Manager Shin Na-kyung, and Park Joon-woo, who knew nothing yet?
Though slightly embarrassing, it was indeed a significant event for them.
Lee Joon-seok returned in less than 20 minutes.
"Preparations are complete, Manager!"
Smiling broadly and intentionally speaking loudly, Lee Joon-seok didn't seem too annoying to Do-kyung. Rising from his seat, Do-kyung followed him into the meeting room. As he entered, he discreetly pressed the remote control button in his pocket to turn on the power.
"Hah…"
In the distance, Jeong So-young shuddered as if struck by lightning and looked at Do-kyung with eyes full of resentment and pleading. Regardless, the moment she looked, Do-kyung stepped into the meeting room.
Sparkling! Lee Joon-seok, who followed Do-kyung well, and Shin Na-kyung were eagerly waiting for Do-kyung to speak. Sitting at the head of the table for the first time in a while, he looked around at the three people and began to speak.
"Have you reviewed the documents?"
"Yes! I've checked the entertainment case!"
At Lee Joon-seok's enthusiastic response, Do-kyung nodded and looked at Shin Na-kyung and Park Joon-woo. Shin Na-kyung smiled, while Park Joon-woo answered energetically with a tense expression.
"It's an order from the Director. I think it's due to various complex reasons like internal events or advertising, and they're considering reviving the entertainment business. But what's the point of us knowing such detailed things? It'll just give us a headache. So, we just need to find a suitable entertainment company to acquire, secure actors and singers, and achieve results that are reportable to the higher-ups."
"Is that the extent of our role?"
In response to Deputy Manager Shin Na-kyung's question, Do-kyung nodded.
"We're not professional managers, are we? I think once the results start coming in, headquarters will issue instructions. I believe they'll send managers and those who will oversee the entertainment."
"Hmm, what's the deadline?"
To Lee Joon-seok's question, Do-kyung repeated what Director Lee Myung-sun had said.
"It's not urgent. We just need to achieve some results within a year, so there's no need to focus solely on this. First, find a suitable entertainment company within the budget listed in the documents. Make sure it's not associated with dirty money."
"Got it!"
"Okay."
"Yes, sir!"
Various responses came to Do-kyung's words.
Lee Joon-seok and Shin Na-kyung were reliable resources in Do-kyung's eyes. While Assistant Manager Lee Joon-seok openly flaunted his abilities, Shin Na-kyung quietly did only what was asked. However, Do-kyung saw her strategy in that.
Not standing out, but not underperforming either.
Maintaining a solid 70 out of 100, doing just a bit better than average.
This was how Do-kyung perceived Shin Na-kyung.
When her colleague, Jeong So-young, was the first to be promoted to assistant manager, she quickly showcased her abilities at the next promotion opportunity and secured the position herself. Moon Jae-hee didn't notice, but Do-kyung certainly did. At the time, he feigned ignorance due to a lack of interest in office politics. But now, that was no longer the case. If he wasn't planning to leave the company, preparation was necessary, and he decided to bring Shin Na-kyung into his circle first. What about Park Joon-woo?
For now, he was just a side player.
After the brief meeting, Do-kyung emerged back into the office where once again, all eyes darted towards him. Walking silently to his desk, Team Leader Moon Jae-hee emerged at the right moment and approached him.
"Manager Seo?"
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Can we have a moment?"
"Sure."
As expected… the interference came immediately. Do-kyung, who watched Moon Jae-hee turn and head to her room, followed her. On the way, he saw Jeong So-young, who was sweating and giving him a pleading look. Seeing her like that, he grinned and put his hand in his pocket to turn the remote control's intensity to 'strong'. Modern devices were good; they made no buzzing sound, even at high settings. Thus, he could torment Jeong So-young with ease.
"Hmph…!"
Jeong So-young, who gasped with shallow breaths, buried her head on the table, and Do-kyung diverted his gaze from her and entered the Team Leader's office.