Real Man

Chapter 475:

What could he say to him, who knew everything?

Instead of answering, Yoo-hyun asked an irrelevant question.

“Manager Kim, when are you getting married?”

“I should do it soon. Why?”

“You remember what I said, right? That I practically set you up with her.”

“I remember. If it wasn’t for James, there would be no Eileen either.”

“Then think of it as a matchmaking fee and just let it go.”

“What?”

Yoo-hyun looked at the bewildered Manager Kim and recalled the memories he had with him.

Instead, he remembered how they shared their dreams while preparing for the Apple product review.

Everything they said back then became reality now.

Manager Kim, who led the process, stood tall in the LCD business unit, unmatched by anyone.

Yoo-hyun smiled at him and said.

“Manager Kim, I can leave with peace of mind because of you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s true. Come on, have a drink.”

Yoo-hyun grinned and drank his canned beer, while Manager Kim shook his head.

“Sigh. You and Manager Park are so unpredictable.”

“Haha. Like mentor, like mentee. Let’s get together when Manager Park comes.”

“Sure. There will be a lot to talk about when the three of us from different teams meet.”

“Of course. You need some fun in your work life.”

He didn’t know if they would ever meet again, but he felt that his bond with Manager Kim would continue.

Yoo-hyun spent some time on the swing, chatting with his old friend.

Manager Kim Hyun-min, who was watching them from afar, muttered.

“What is that kid up to?”

“He wants to get promoted, right?”

Manager Choi Min-hee, who was standing next to him, was immediately refuted by Manager Kim Hyun-min.

“Does that make sense? If he had any ambition for promotion, he would have left long ago.”

“I’m just kidding. He must have a deep reason.”

“Huh? Are you calm? Don’t you feel bitter?”

“Of course I do. But I can’t say anything because I owe him a lot.”

Manager Choi Min-hee looked at Yoo-hyun with a complicated expression.

Manager Kim Hyun-min, who was fuming, also stuttered because of the alcohol.

“No, what did I owe… I owe him a lot. Right. I might have quit my job if it wasn’t for him.”

“Me too. No, many people would feel the same.”

Manager Choi Min-hee nodded as if agreeing, and Manager Kim Hyun-min jumped out.

“Kid. I can’t take it. I have to drink with him.”

“Hey, they are having a conversation, don’t interrupt.”

Manager Choi Min-hee’s words were lightly ignored by Manager Kim Hyun-min, who shouted loudly.

“Hey. Han Yoo-hyun. Don’t date by yourselves, let me join you.”

Manager Choi Min-hee, who followed him, also said as if she couldn’t lose.

“It’s not a men-only gathering, right? Let me in too.”

Yoo-hyun got off the swing with a chuckle, seeing the two people who popped out.

Then he pointed to the dormitory and suggested.

“A group date is best with alcohol. Come on, let’s go inside.”

“Han Yoo-hyun, a drinking date will be especially more intense. Be prepared.”

He grinned at Yoo-hyun, who shook his head.

“Wow, scary. Let’s see who can last longer.”

Yoo-hyun’s words became the seed.

The drinking party with all the members of the previous three parts lasted until late at night, and they ended up skipping all the activities on the second day.

They laughed and said it was just like the Germany business trip, and they gathered again to relieve their stress on the second night.

They brought up many memories that had accumulated over the years, as many as the bottles of alcohol.

They safely finished the hectic picnic and were on their way back on the bus.

Kwon Se-jung, who was sitting next to Yoo-hyun, rubbed his protruding belly and muttered.

“Oh, I ate so much I can’t breathe.”

“You threw up everything, and you still say that?”

“I ate more after that. Anyway, this picnic was awesome.”

“That’s for sure.”

Yoo-hyun nodded, and Kwon Se-jung asked.

“Yoo-hyun, who contacted you from the group strategy office?”

“That’s a quick question to ask.”

“I was too busy drinking. Can’t you tell me?”

He couldn’t say that he hadn’t talked to the group strategy office yet.

But he couldn’t ignore his curious colleague, so Yoo-hyun gave him a hint of what was going to happen.

“It’s not that, it’s someone high up.”

“Really? Who? The director?”

“Maybe, I guess?”

“Wow. Amazing.”

Yoo-hyun looked at Kwon Se-jung, who opened his mouth wide, and picked up his phone.

On the screen was a message he had sent to a number he had saved a while ago.

This one message would naturally lead Yoo-hyun to the group strategy office.

There was someone across the ocean in New York who was moving according to Yoo-hyun’s thoughts.

Shin Kyung-soo received a document from his subordinate who was in charge of investigating Paul Graham.

He had already heard the name of the target.

But it was his first time seeing his resume.

“Han Yoo-hyun’s position is an assistant manager?”

He raised his eyebrows and quickly flipped through the document.

There were many interesting parts.

Not only Paul Graham, but he was also behind the scenes of Apple’s movement.

It was an absurd resume, but the photo he took with Steve Jobs proved it.

“No wonder. You had a very interesting friend.”

He smiled and picked up his phone.

He had to snatch such a talented person by any means.

Of course, there was someone else who would do that role.

Soon, Shin Kyung-soo’s thoughts echoed through the phone’s microphone.

The eventful year passed and the new year of 2011 dawned.

The spin-off schedule was approaching, and the moving schedule was not far away, so the 13th floor office of Hansung Tower was busy.

There was nothing for Yoo-hyun to do there.

He had already finished all the remaining work, so Yoo-hyun met Park Doo-sik, the deputy head, with a light heart.

The deputy head, who faced him in the conference room, didn’t look so light-hearted.

He stared at Yoo-hyun and opened his mouth.

“I heard you had a fight with the executive director over your early promotion.”

“You’ve worked hard, Chief.”

“People don’t really know what you’ve been through. That’s why there are many who feel betrayed by you.”

Han Yoo-hyun had already received a call from Choi Kyu-tae, the chief.

When he admitted it, he gave a disappointed answer.

It would be noisy for a while in the Innovation Strategy Office, but he had no reason to care.

“It’s okay. Misunderstandings will be cleared someday.”

“Yeah. I hope so. But do you think it will be enough to just announce it internally?”

“It will be. There must be some moles inside.”

“Hmm, do you really think so?”

“Yes. You have a guess, don’t you?”

Park Doo-sik, the chief, looked thoughtful, but it was undeniable.

He could easily guess by looking at some cases that the Group Strategy Office could never know unless the information leaked from the Innovation Strategy Office.

Park Doo-sik nodded his head and sighed.

“Sigh. Why don’t you use your smart head to help us here?”

“You have the chief here. And we have two smart guys going. One of them has an MBA degree.”

“Yeah. I met Joon-sik a while ago.”

“What did he say?”

“He was full of will. To be honest, I was worried when I checked his personnel evaluation. It was not good. But now, he has a good reputation around him.”

If Park Doo-sik, who came from the personnel team, evaluated him like that, there was no need to worry about Jang Joon-sik’s adaptation.

Still, Yoo-hyun left a word of advice for his junior who he cared for.

“He’s meticulous and passionate. Please take good care of him, chief.”

“If he learned from you, he must be reliable.”

“He’s better than me.”

“Haha. Okay, don’t worry. By the way, why do you want to go there?”

To the same question as his team members, Yoo-hyun gave a different answer.

He had no reason to beat around the bush to him, who had spread the rumor.

“It’s fun, isn’t it? Going into the tiger’s den.”

“Are you a Trojan horse or something?”

“Do you think I have such a great mind? I have nothing to gain from dismantling the Group Strategy Office.”

At Yoo-hyun’s words, Park Doo-sik, who had been thinking for a while, nodded his head.

“Well. That’s true. That’s why I don’t understand.”

“I also want to see the true faces of those people. I also have a thought of wanting to change them if I can.”

“It won’t be like the Ulsan factory. I think it’s impossible to revive them.”

As he had told Park Doo-sik, he had no intention of using a soft method, but Yoo-hyun agreed that it was difficult.

Maybe it would be a meaningless time that would only drain his energy.

-Does it matter? It will be a fun experience when you look back.

But his father’s advice on life made Yoo-hyun’s shoulders very light.

“It doesn’t matter. This is also a fun experience, isn’t it?”

And he added one more thing in his mind.

‘I also have some debts to pay back.’

Yoo-hyun finished his preparation to meet his old acquaintance with a bright smile.

At that moment, Yoon Joo-tak, the executive director, who was sitting on the sofa in his office, was looking at the documents that investigated Yoo-hyun.

This young deputy had a much more colorful career than when he had investigated him before.

Maybe that’s why Shin Kyung-soo, the director who held his leash, wanted to scout Han Yoo-hyun.

It was something he had to do anyway, but the problem was that Yoo-hyun had a grudge against the Group Strategy Office.

“How did this happen?”

Song Hyun-seung, the senior manager, who was troubled by Yoon Joo-tak, bowed his head as if he was a sinner.

“Executive director, I’m sorry. If only Kwon Sung-hoe didn’t mess with Han Yoo-hyun…”

“Sigh. There’s nothing we can do about the past.”

It was when Yoon Joo-tak sighed.

The door opened with a bang and Shim Byeong-jik, the chief, came in.

“Executive director, I have some additional information about Han Yoo-hyun.”

“What is it?”

“He has a big conflict with Shin Kyung-wook, the executive director, over the promotion issue. It was a big issue inside the Innovation Strategy Office.”

Song Hyun-seung, who was listening, clapped his hands.

“He’s already fast enough to be a senior manager at thirty. But still, is Shin Kyung-wook that narrow-minded?”

“He’s a stickler for principles. It could happen.”

Yoon Joo-tak agreed with his words and clenched his fist with determination.

“Anyway, this is an opportunity. I’ll make a move this time.”

“No. Let me do it.”

Yoon Joo-tak, who had lowered his head, flashed his eyes.

Yoo-hyun met Yoon Joo-tak the next day.

He sat in the VIP conference room and greeted Yoon Joo-tak, who he faced, with admiration in his heart for Shin Kyung-soo’s speed.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Han Yoo-hyun.”

“You must be surprised that I called you so suddenly.”

“Not at all. It’s an honor that you called me. I wanted to meet you anyway.”

Yoo-hyun’s polite attitude made Yoon Joo-tak’s lips curl slightly.

“Why?”

“Because you’re the head of the Group Strategy Office that controls Hansung Group.”

“Weren’t you disappointed by us?”

“Not at all. What does the past matter to a company employee?”

When Yoo-hyun dropped a hint, Yoon Joo-tak caught it right away and smiled.

“You don’t like to beat around the bush. So I’ll be straightforward.”

“I’m ready to listen to anything.”

“Being a senior manager at thirty is good enough. It’s hard to achieve that level without a PhD degree.”

“That’s good news.”

Yoo-hyun raised his eyebrows as if it was unexpected, and then quickly regained his calm expression.