Chapter 25: What Made Him Smile

“Team Leader Cha? Why?”

Manager Kim, clearly feeling stifled, loosened his tie and reached out. Assistant Manager Yang handed him a coffee. Perhaps it was because his meeting with his superior had dragged on, leaving him parched, but half the coffee disappeared in an instant.

“He sent back the meeting materials for Monday’s Tenuto Coffee meeting. Again. I swear, I’ve lost count of how many times this has happened…….”

“……Again?”

“And he wants me to reflect his instructions and bring it back within two hours. He said he wants to check it before he leaves for his business trip to Busan.”

It was Thursday lunchtime. Three staff members from the New Business Team were taking a quick coffee break at the outdoor lounge on the 7th floor of the Hyungyeong Commerce building. Manager Kim’s voice was particularly loud as he had just discovered that the meeting materials he’d submitted for approval had been rejected while checking work notifications on his phone.

“He’s nitpicking at everything over nothing. I mean, he was always a pain, but he’s been especially unbearable these past few days. Why the hell is he like that? Am I the only one who doesn’t get it?”

“……Maybe something happened to put him in a bad mood?”

“If he’s in a bad mood, that’s his problem. Why is he taking it out on me?”

The team leader, who was already fastidious, had been pursuing perfection regarding the <Tenuto Coffee> launch. The Korean launch of <Tenuto Coffee> was a project the team leader had planned and dived into himself. It was only natural he’d put more effort into it than other tasks, but for Manager Kim, who lacked the knack for work, it was pure agony.

“That’s strange……. I went in just before you earlier, Manager. I saw the Team Leader smiling when I came out…….”

“Smiling? That guy?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you misread him frowning?”

“No. I organized the request form from Tenuto Coffee and gave it to him, and while he was looking at it, he smiled like someone who was excited. I’m serious…….”

“Ugh, that’s even creepier. What is there to smile about while reading work emails?”

Manager Kim, sitting next to Employee Im who was tilting her head in confusion, shuddered as if the mere thought was horrifying.

“I thought I’d misread him too. But wow……. The way he smiled, it was like, I felt my heart melting.”

“……What good is it if only the outside is decent? Look at that personality. How much could he possibly know!”

Manager Kim put down the coffee cup he’d already finished, his face full of annoyance. Even though he’d had a latte loaded with condensed milk, his mouth felt terribly bitter, perhaps because he’d been pointedly criticized by a superior he’d never liked.

The guy had joined the company six months ago and snatched a manager position in just two months. Then, a month later, he became the leader of the newly formed New Business Team. It was irritating enough that a guy nearly a full zodiac cycle younger than him held the same manager title, but the reality of having to use honorifics to that kid made him feel suffocated.

“Manager, someone might hear you.”

“Ah, let them hear! Acting all arrogant when he’s just a greenhorn who doesn’t know anything.”

Assistant Manager Yang and Employee Im gasped at the remark that crossed the line. They pulled their bodies away from the fuming Manager Kim and glanced around.

“People praise him for being good at work, so he probably thinks he’s something special, but is he doing it because he’s so great? He’s just taking the credit because the team members do the work!”

“Manager, keep your voice down!”

Unable to watch any longer, Assistant Manager Yang gave him a warning look, and Manager Kim scrubbed his reddened face roughly. His jaw protruded sullenly as he chewed on the ice he’d dumped into his mouth, trying to cool the heat that wouldn’t fade even in the mid-winter cold.

Team Leader Cha, with his flawless, handsome appearance, was a source of deep self-loathing for Manager Kim, who was middle-aged with a protruding belly and a receding hairline. On top of that, everyone makes mistakes, but the fact that Cha never let one slide meant Kim could never look at him favorably.

Every word Cha said was correct, so Kim couldn’t even talk back and just had to bow his head, but it still pissed him off. He wanted to flip the table, but the problem was that Cha was a “gold spoon.”

A gold spoon who wouldn’t fall no matter what Kim did; the only grandson of Chairman Cha Mooyoung, who led not just Hyungyeong Commerce but the entire Hyungyeong Group. That was Team Leader Cha.

“Huu…….”

“What can you do? If they tell you to jump, you jump.”

“Yeah. If they tell you to jump, you jump. But this kid, this fresh kid…….”

“Chief Choi is here too, so please endure it.”

Manager Kim clamped his mouth shut. Chief Choi from the same team was even older than him. He was a Chief, for heaven’s sake. It must be even more of a torture for him to work under a young gold spoon team leader. Of course, the gentle-natured Chief Choi didn’t show it.

“We’ll go in first. Please cool off and come in.”

When Manager Kim waved his hand as if he understood, Assistant Manager Yang, who was walking away, added one more word.

“Manager.”

“What.”

“Don’t stay out too long. You’ll get an earful again.”

“……I know.”

Leaving Manager Kim with his mouth tight shut, Assistant Manager Yang and Employee Im left the lounge.

“Um…… do you think so too, Assistant Manager?”

“Think what?”

“About the Team Leader. He doesn’t seem like the person the Manager says he is…….”

At Employee Im’s cautious words, Assistant Manager Yang chuckled as she went down the stairs.

“Don’t pay attention to what the Manager says. Just go along with him appropriately. Manager Kim is the real ‘young old man’ (kkondae). Why does he keep making the same mistakes? He misses instructions every time, too. I wouldn’t have anything good to say either if I were the Team Leader.”

“That’s true…….”

“I like Team Leader Cha. Even if he’s young, he distributes work accurately, and his instructions are clear. He also actively reviews and reflects our requests. Just you wait. He’s a manager now, but he’ll climb up quickly. He might be a gold spoon, but this is a case where his ability is giving him wings.”

Employee Im nodded at the words of Assistant Manager Yang, who was known for being good at work within Hyungyeong Commerce. Then, she tilted her head cautiously again.

“But why is he a manager? When I see dramas, gold spoons usually start as Managing Directors…….”

“I don’t know. Maybe reality is different. But looking at his ability, I think he’ll be a Managing Director soon, too. The fact that he snatched the Korean business rights for Tenuto Coffee, which was leaning towards Dooseong Food, is practically something he did all by himself.”

“Ah…….”

“We’re lucky to be in the New Business Team with the Team Leader. Just know that and let’s follow him well. I’m already looking forward to the first-half bonus.”

Assistant Manager Yang hurried her steps, laughing.

No matter how much Manager Kim threw a tantrum, she was having a great time working lately.

If her eyes got tired from working, she would lift her head and tilt it at a 45-degree angle to observe the team leader’s office. Just doing that felt like it relieved her eye fatigue.

It was because “Cha-ddo”—either “Cha Team Leader Psycho” or “Cha Team Leader Being a Pain”—was an eye-purifier whose very existence was a welfare benefit.

Assistant Manager Yang suddenly envied Employee Im, who had seen the smiling face of the usually expressionless man.

****

Kangeun, who had arrived in Korea on Thursday evening, stayed at the temporary accommodation, Hotel HK Seoul.

It wasn’t until this Saturday afternoon that she had moved her luggage to the company-provided residence.

She’d heard Hyungyeong Commerce provided housing, but she hadn’t expected it to be this nice.

“Oh my god! This is even better than my place in Italy!”

Jihwan’s excited shout wasn’t an exaggeration. The office-tel, as clean as the room she’d stayed in at the HK Hotel, was provided to all five Tenuto Coffee Korea staff members from Italy. It included most of the necessary appliances and furniture for daily life, and everything looked brand new.

It was a space with no shortages for one person to live. Moreover, the office-tel was on the same main street as the Hyungyeong Commerce building, where the Tenuto Coffee Korea office would be located. It was close enough to walk back and forth as a light stroll.

“Alright, let’s all enjoy our weekends! See you Monday at work.”

Seeing the staff cheering after seeing their accommodation, Hyunwoo smiled with satisfaction, gathered his hands, and the bright-faced people dispersed. Kangeun also smiled and walked toward the elevator, following Hyunwoo.

“The office-tel is better than I thought, right?”

“Yes, I’m glad everyone is satisfied. It seems Hyungyeong Commerce really put some serious thought into it.”

“Indeed. Um……, are you not tired? Did you get some sleep?”

“Yes.”

As Kangeun smiled as if she were fine, Hyunwoo smiled and pressed the elevator button.

“Oh……, are you going up?”

Kangeun looked up at Hyunwoo with a puzzled expression. It was said that the penthouse provided only for the Branch Director was in a different office-tel across the street. Hyunwoo, whom she thought would go back there after checking the staff’s accommodation, had pressed the ‘up’ button instead of the ‘down’ one.

“Let’s check the condition of your room, Kangeun.”

“Ah……. It’s fine. I’ve already checked everything myself.”

“No. I still need to check and look over it myself. Is it this way?”

Saying that, Hyunwoo accompanied Kangeun to her accommodation on the 9th floor—the only one assigned to the 9th floor, unlike the other staff assigned to the 5th. Since she had gone down to the 5th floor after receiving a call just as she was unpacking, it was uncomfortable to return to her accommodation with Hyunwoo. Especially since she was in the middle of organizing her underwear in the bedroom.

“I guess they prepared a slightly better house because you’re a Lead Manager? I didn’t know they would pay such close attention. How about you, Kangeun?”

“It’s good.”

As Hyunwoo said, Kangeun’s accommodation was larger and nicer than the others. Unlike the 5th-floor office-tels, which were in a comfortable studio format, the bedroom and living room were separated. Furthermore, a large dressing room and bathroom were attached to the bedroom. It was to the extent that Kangeun thought it was a bit excessive.

“I actually thought about having you move to the office-tel where I’m staying, Kangeun.”

“Me……?”

Hyunwoo smiled brightly and reached out to Kangeun, who lifted her round eyes, unable to hide her surprise.

“Yes. It’s convenient to be close by. I think that place is better than here. I also feel bad being the only one staying in the penthouse. Do you want to move? Actually, I can handle that much.”

“No. I like it here. Please contact me if there’s anything I need to help with. Where you’re staying, Director, it’s just a quick walk across the street. More than that, Director, you must be tired, so now…….”

Checking the lock on the door, he let out a light sigh and turned around.

“It hasn’t even been long since I became Branch Director. You use that title so well, even though I’m not used to it myself.”

Kangeun lowered her gaze at Hyunwoo’s voice, which was filled with disappointment.