CHAPTER 10
“You came back to Korea after a long time, so you must have gone drinking with your friends?”
“That’s not it.”
“And I haven’t had alcohol in a long time.”
“That’s good.”
“Then don’t drink.”
“It’s bad for your health.”
“There you go nagging again.”
Although Jeong Hye was disappointed that Hee-mok would not do as she wished, hearing that he did not drink seemed to ease her mind somewhat.
The relationship between those two was far too close.
So close that even her own son could not squeeze himself between them.
Gijeong shook off the unpleasant feeling that kept rising inside him and led Hee-mok out of the CEO’s office.
“Our mom is really strange.”
“Whenever she’s with Uncle, it’s like she becomes a completely different person.”
“Really?”
“I don’t see it at all.”
“Do you know that it gets a little upsetting sometimes?”
“It feels like you’re her son instead of me.”
At Gijeong’s words, Hee-mok gave a hollow chuckle as though he found them ridiculous.
“I’m not joking.”
Gijeong added the words, making Hee-mok stop in his tracks.
“Your mother changed hundreds of my diapers, you know.”
“So don’t take it too hard.”
“No, it’s not exactly that I’m upset…”
After soothing him just enough, Hee-mok asked with a gentle smile.
“By the way, what meeting did you say you had today?”
At that affectionate gaze, Gijeong quickly put his jealous feelings aside and answered.
“Oh, it’s a briefing on the Hangeul rebranding prepared by the Public Relations Planning Team.”
“It’ll be helpful for you to sit in on it, too, Uncle.”
—
In the conference room, where the heads of each division and Executive Director Seo Gi-jeong were all present, Do-yoon straightened his voice and confidently looked around the room.
“That concludes the materials prepared by our Public Relations Planning Team.”
“Thank you all very much for taking the time to attend.”
He bowed his head, and applause immediately broke out.
With the tension easing, Do-yoon grinned and raised his head.
Judging by the response, today’s presentation had been a success.
Of course, there had never really been a time when things were unsuccessful in Kang Do-yoon’s life.
Do-yoon was good with words.
Whatever else he might lack, he was confident when it came to stepping forward and taking the lead.
Thanks to that, he had joined the fashion division under Chaseong Group without much difficulty and quickly risen to the position of team leader.
Of course, he could not say that he had done it without Han Seo-eun’s solid support.
“But lastly, I’d like to introduce the candidates selected by the Public Relations Planning Team for Hangeul’s main model.”
But now, he felt as though he could do well even without Han Seo-eun.
Wasn’t the trust in him evident in all the eyes looking his way?
“Actor Han Sang-hyeok, who is causing a sensation around the world with his entry into Hollywood.”
A photograph of an actor who could easily be considered an A-list star filled the screen.
Seo Gi-jeong would not be able to oppose this model either, right?
The men’s brand Hangeul was Chaseong Fashion’s representative brand of over thirty years and was receiving generous investment from its holding company.
After becoming team leader, Do-yoon learned that he no longer had to tremble over model fees.
From then on, he only recruited expensive models.
As expected, the response to the new model was positive.
Although he had been unable to hear Han Seo-eun’s opinion because she had missed the final meeting, Do-yoon had no doubt that his judgment had been correct.
“Our Hangeul brand has always emphasized a consistent heritage, just like its name suggests.”
“One day, I suddenly had this thought.”
“If a popular actor becomes the model, does that mean the brand’s traditional identity disappears?”
“But I don’t think so.”
“I believe that what is trending now is the future.”
“That concludes my presentation.”
After finishing his speech proudly, Do-yoon looked around the room before stealing a glance at Seo-eun.
Oh, what should I do?
If things went like this, Han Seo-eun would have even more trouble letting me go.
It was obvious that she had come dressed so sexily today because of him, too.
“Lastly, I’ll take any questions.”
Do-yoon had thoroughly prepared answers in case Executive Director Seo Gi-jeong raised an objection, so he remained confident until the very end.
Just as he was about to end the presentation because no one had any questions, someone spoke.
“I have a question.”
Someone raised a hand from one corner of the conference room.
Looking closely, Do-yoon realized it was Seo-eun.
Why are you asking a question?
With a stiff expression, Do-yoon called on her.
“Yes, Assistant Manager Han Seo-eun from the Public Relations Planning Team.”
He had assumed she would not say anything significant, but the moment Seo-eun actually stood up, a sense of unease washed over him.
“I’m confused about whether the main point Kang Do-yoon, the team leader, is emphasizing is to preserve the heritage or to abandon it.”
Her brazen tone immediately drew the distracted room’s attention.
“Pardon…?”
Do-yoon was flustered.
Han Seo-eun must have lost her mind after he dumped her.
“There’s no doubt she’s gone crazy.”
“I’d like a clear answer on this matter.”
Seo-eun’s expression and even her tone were completely different from before.
“And your days of making me do your dirty work end here.”
“You’d better do your job properly at the company starting tomorrow.”
Had she only said that to scare him, or was she really trying to humiliate him?
“Haha, what do you mean by that…?”
“We’re on the same team, so I think Assistant Manager Han would know best.”
Do-yoon tried to brush it off subtly, but Seo-eun seemed determined.
“Being on the same team doesn’t mean we have to have the same opinion.”
In an instant, the atmosphere in the conference room turned cold.
Conscious of all the eyes focused on him, Do-yoon stammered on.
“The rebranding proposal was something Assistant Manager Han also agreed with…”
Click, click, click.
Before Do-yoon could finish speaking, Seo-eun stepped forward.
Sensing danger, Do-yoon pulled his mouth away from the microphone and quietly asked her.
“What are you doing right now?”
Seo-eun looked at Do-yoon and gave him a faint, almost imperceptible smile before fiddling with the laptop connected to the beam projector.
The screen changed in an instant.
What filled the enormous screen was not the proposal Do-yoon had prepared.
It was a detailed sales graph that anyone in this conference room could not help but find sensitive.
She really intends to stage a rebellion against her superior.
Having realized what Seo-eun was up to, Do-yoon quickly spoke into the microphone.
“Haha, it seems our Assistant Manager Han Seo-eun has something to add.”
“Anyway, the meeting is already over, so anyone who wishes to leave may do so…”
“No.”
“I’d like everyone to stay and listen.”
Seo-eun’s firm voice made the atmosphere in the conference room grow even more taut.
“This screen shows Hangeul’s sales performance over nearly the past ten years.”
The graph, with its figures meticulously divided into categories, showed a clear downward trend at a glance.
While Do-yoon was distracted by the stark figures, Seo-eun gently pushed him aside and took his place.
“These are sales comparison figures between Hangeul, its rival brands, and newer brands.”
“While the other brands are gradually rising, you can see that Hangeul has remained just as it is, true to its name.”
“In one sense, it may look as though we’ve maintained our position extremely well…”
“But have we really?”
“I believe we’re facing a crisis.”
“Our market share is steadily declining.”
The conference room immediately took on a chilly atmosphere, as though someone had poured cold water over everyone.
Do-yoon’s anxiety surged.
The words of Seo-eun, who had always only supported him, carried weight.
“What does it mean for a brand to lose market share in the relatively small men’s clothing market within the fashion industry?”
“Doesn’t it mean that more people are choosing other brands over Hangeul, or that they no longer feel the need to wear Hangeul’s menswear?”
“If that’s the case, why?”
“Why have people started turning away from Hangeul?”
Sensing everyone’s growing attention, Seo-eun continued.
“Because there’s no difference between Hangeul and the other brands.”
No one raised an objection, but someone lifted a hand.
The room was dark, so Seo-eun could not properly see the man’s face.
But whoever he was did not matter.
“Yes, please speak.”
“It seems that opinions are divided within the same team.”
“Then, Assistant Manager Han Seo-eun, do you have any particular solution in mind?”
It was exactly the question Seo-eun had been waiting for.
“Thank you for the question.”
“This is the solution I came up with.”
Seo-eun paused for a moment before presenting her specific alternatives.
As she slowly looked around the room, the days when she had been forced to suppress herself flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
Because Do-yoon enjoyed cleverly dressing up even unfavorable results, he had always emphasized only the aspects that would satisfy his superiors.
He also refused to accept alternative opinions from his team members.
In such circumstances, all Seo-eun could do was record every single one of those opinions and organize them whenever she had time.
While waiting for the day when her turn might finally come.
And today, that opportunity had finally arrived.
Seo-eun poured out everything she had been bottling up all this time.
She laid bare the reality hidden beneath the plausible packaging.
A short yet precious moment meant only for her was passing by slowly.
—
As soon as the meeting ended, people streamed out like the ebbing tide.
At the same time, the tension drained from Seo-eun’s body, leaving her completely limp.
“Haa.”
With her palms damp from nervousness, Seo-eun removed the USB drive from the laptop.
I must be crazy.
I actually did something like that.
As she kept replaying in her mind how she had dared to push Kang Do-yoon aside and take over, a voice came from behind her.
“Assistant Manager Han.”
Kang Do-yoon had remained in the conference room, waiting for her.
“Seo-eun…”
“No, Assistant Manager Han.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He approached her with a distorted expression.
She did not even have the strength to deal with him, but Seo-eun answered as calmly as she could.
“I simply stated my opinion.”
“Ha, that’s not what I mean!”
“You didn’t even come to the meeting you were supposed to attend, and then you caused this whole mess on your own.”
His brow furrowed deeply.
“You don’t give me a chance to speak during meetings.”
“What… what did you say?”
“Was I wrong?”
She had once called herself his supporter, but she no longer had any reason to do so.
“You.”
“If you keep acting like this, I’m not going to sit still either.”
“Then don’t sit still, Team Leader Kang Do-yoon.”
“What?”
“What?”
“Wow, you’re really going off the rails.”
Does he still think I’m in the palm of his hand?
Seo-eun was the one who found the whole thing absurd.
“Hey, Kang Do-yoon.”
She called his name in a cold voice.
“Are you… are you crazy?”
“How dare you casually call your superior by his name?”
A faint trace of fear could be read on his face as he stared at Seo-eun, seemingly doubting his own ears.
How light he seemed.
Could it be because of the aftermath of last night that the Kang Do-yoon she had once admired so much now seemed as light as a feather?
“Do I still look like someone who cleans up after you?”
“What?”
“Who, who said that?”
Seo-eun’s materials were flawless.
There was no doubt that Do-yoon had been defeated by her, and all he could do was point a finger at her.
He could only fume helplessly.
“Pfft.”
A laugh came from somewhere.
There was someone else here, even though they had thought they were alone.
The conference room was still dark, with the lights not yet turned on.
A man was standing there with his head lowered, quietly chuckling to himself.
