Mistaken for an S-Class Employee - Chapter 13

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: LilGuyBlastoise

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Mistaken for an S-Class Employee ◈

Chapter 13: Talent Recommendation

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“Assistant Manager Go Min-hyeok?”

Director Han thought for a moment, then gave a short laugh and asked,

“Why do you consider that employee talented?”

Director Yoon had clearly called Min-hyeok talented.

“Ah... Well.”

Under Director Han’s sharp gaze, Director Yoon quickly thought of Min-hyeok’s strengths.

“First, he has a real knack for work.”

“Does he?”

“Yes. He’s been here for four years, and whenever Team Leader Kim is absent, Assistant Manager Go occasionally fills the Team Leader role. His ability to handle work is remarkable for his experience level.”

“Specifically?”

“He has a talent for reading his superiors’ intentions. I suppose insight would be the right word.”

Min-hyeok was only in his second year as an Assistant Manager, but his novels had produced three company chairmen. He was a max-level office worker.

Researching bosses for his writing had taught him to understand their intentions, and he had especially good instincts for office politics.

“I’d say he seems better than someone who has held a Team Leader position for four years.”

“So he has good instincts. There are people like that sometimes. Is that all?”

Since Director Yoon had brought up recommending talent, they had to do their best.

If they wrapped things up with vague answers, there was no telling what blunt remarks Director Han might make.

Director Yoon blinked and squeezed out more of Min-hyeok’s merits.

“I think he works well with others.”

“Works well with others? Either he does or he doesn’t. What do you mean, you think?”

“I don’t work in the same space as him.”

“...”

“His 360-degree reviews are excellent, and people around him say good things about him.”

Min-hyeok was not selfless, but he had at least worked without inconveniencing those around him.

More than anything, he had always been careful not to come across as authoritarian. He did not want to live his office life like Team Leader Kim.

A protagonist in his novels who stood up for the weak and went head-to-head with superiors.

It was a character that embodied Min-hyeok’s ideal by doing what he himself had not dared to do.

“Does Team Leader Kim like him too?”

“At the very least, I don’t think Team Leader Kim has badmouthed him.”

“If that person doesn’t badmouth him, he must be pretty decent.”

Director Yoon nodded at Director Han’s words.

Team Leader Kim made a habit of talking behind people’s backs to make himself look better.

“Hmm.”

After thinking for a moment, Director Han spoke.

“I wouldn’t call him talented based on this alone, but he certainly seems like a solid employee. And you aren’t someone who would tell me things that aren’t so.”

“Yes, Director.”

“But then...”

Director Han’s large eyes gleamed coldly.

“If he’s so good, why are you trying to send him away?”

Director Yoon was left speechless, but Director Han continued.

“He works well, and he gets along with the team. If an employee like that wanted to leave, shouldn’t you be trying to keep him?”

Director Yoon had tried to keep him several times.

But because of the deal they had promised, they had no choice but to let him go.

“Explain it. I don’t understand.”

* * *

“Um... Well.”

Trying to move a capable employee?

It was not a logical thing to do.

They could not honestly say they had made a deal to leave the Operations Team Leader position vacant, and Director Yoon could not think of a suitable answer.

“You’re not sending him away because he’s troublesome, are you?”

“Pardon?”

“Assistant Manager Go is the one who went head-to-head with his Team Leader, right?”

Director Yoon could not say anything, and Director Han gave a short laugh.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

It was surprising that Director Han knew about it, but that was not why they were trying to transfer Min-hyeok. Since that was unquestionably true, Director Yoon answered without hesitation.

“It is true that Assistant Manager Go confronted his Team Leader, but that is not why we are trying to send him away.”

“...”

“The fundamental problem lies with Team Leader Kim. I think you know what kind of person Team Leader Kim is as well, Director Han.”

Director Han had joined the company at the same time as Team Leader Kim.

Director Han knew well how defensive and timid Team Leader Kim was.

Those traits had only worsened with seniority. Being around Team Leader Kim had become so exhausting that Director Han had recently started avoiding him instead.

“So you’re not passing off a hot potato?”

“Yes. I can say that with certainty. Absolutely not.”

“Fine. Then explain why you’re trying to send him away.”

Director Yoon had been considering an answer ever since they received that question. They knew that a clumsy lie would not work on Director Han.

So they decided to add a little embellishment to facts they could reveal.

“Because Assistant Manager Go wants it desperately.”

“What? That’s your reason?”

Director Han gave a short laugh.

“You transfer an employee because they want it desperately? Isn’t it just because you don’t need them on the team?”

“I understand it may be hard to believe, but it’s true.”

Director Yoon spoke calmly.

“Assistant Manager Go has been very interested in the Content Team for a long time. He persistently expressed his desire to transfer, and he took on all sorts of difficult work in hopes that we would grant that wish.”

It was a roundabout way of describing what Min-hyeok had done to create the Operations Team Leader vacancy.

“He worked without weekends and kept asking, so it became difficult to keep pretending not to notice.”

“Was Yoon Hyeon-su always such a humane person? I find that hard to believe.”

Director Yoon felt a twinge of guilt, but continued explaining.

“That is how much effort Assistant Manager Go put in.”

“...”

“So I told him I would at least discuss it once, which is why I came here. Even if I say I’ll send him over, there is nothing I can do if you won’t take him, right?”

Director Han stared at Director Yoon, then asked casually.

“So if we do not take him, you will keep him in Operations? You are not looking for another place to move him?”

“Yes. Assistant Manager Go only wants the Content Team. To be honest, if he can’t transfer, I’ll be happy.”

It was completely sincere, and Director Han sensed it.

‘I don’t know the exact circumstances, but they really are trying to send someone away despite not wanting to.’

Director Han gave a short laugh and spoke as if joking.

“It sounds like a third-rate love story where you want to hold someone back, but let them go for their own good.”

“Haha. That is an apt comparison.”

Director Han nodded.

“I’ll put in a word, so talk to Team Leader Jo.”

“Pardon?”

“Team Leader Jo-nim’s opinion matters more than mine.”

‘Team Leader Jo?’

There was something subtle in Director Han’s wording.

Director Han was not someone who used respectful titles for subordinates.

* * *

To do pre-screening before content intake, I naturally had to watch the content.

GoPlay had aggressively entered the sports broadcasting business last year, and this year it had secured Major League Baseball broadcasting rights.

“Wow, this is incredible. Seriously. This is insane.”

Assistant Manager Jeon approached with a grin.

“What is it, Senior?”

“Choi Tae-oh. Why are they so good? They’ve already reached base multiple times, and we’re barely into the game.”

A large number of Korean players had entered Major League Baseball last year, and Choi Tae-oh was the one I rooted for most.

“Haha. Are you sure you’re pre-screening, Senior? It looks like you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I’m doing both.”

Assistant Manager Jeon pulled over a chair and sat beside me.

“May I do some pre-screening with you?”

“Sure. There are a lot of subscribers watching Major League Baseball these days, so we can’t make mistakes. It’s very important. Help me out.”

I said it with a wink, and Assistant Manager Jeon gave a salute.

“Yes, Senior! I’ll watch carefully!”

Tuesday, 10:40 a.m.

From then on, we monitored the Major League game.

We worked without even having lunch.

The office was empty while everyone else had gone to eat.

We even shouted cheers while we worked, and the Dodgers won thanks to Choi Tae-oh’s outstanding performance.

Assistant Manager Jeon and I high-fived and cheered.

“Ah, that feels good! I’m full without even eating!”

“Haha, this feels amazing!”

I smiled and spoke to Assistant Manager Jeon.

“Want to go get food?”

“There are only ten minutes left in lunch break.”

“We can eat quickly and come back. Smokers go out for twenty minutes whenever they feel like it. We don’t even smoke.”

“Haha. Shall we? If you say it’s fine, Senior, then let’s go.”

We went to the fast-food place right in front of the company.

It was not like we were taking a huge break, doing this every day, or letting it interfere with work.

Couldn’t taking it easy once in a while be one of the little pleasures of office life?

Assistant Manager Jeon took a bite of their burger and spoke.

“It would be great if I could work at the company like this.”

“Seriously. Things had been suffocating for so long.”

Team Leader Kim was the type to make people feel self-conscious even about going to the restroom.

“Isn’t this the reward we got because everyone found their courage?”

I meant that this was possible because Team Leader Kim was gone.

Assistant Manager Jeon smiled and agreed.

“It’s thanks to you, Senior.”

I smiled but did not particularly deny it.

“Why don’t you just become the Team Leader?”

“...”

“Well, it’s not bad having the Director handle both positions like this... I’m just worried some strange person will suddenly come in as Team Leader.”

I was waiting to see whether I could transfer to the Content Team.

Still, after spending several days in the Operations Team without Team Leader Kim, I found myself wavering a little.

There was no one to watch out for, I was familiar with the work, and all my teammates were good people.

“I’m not senior enough to be Team Leader.”

Assistant Manager Jeon sighed briefly, then focused on their burger again.

They would probably be very disappointed if I transferred.

But I really wanted to experience the Content Team.

That was why I had not quit, even while earning 100 million won in royalties every month.

I could leave the company any time. Before I quit, I wanted to have a variety of experiences. Besides, Assistant Manager Jeon and I would work in the same building, so we would see each other often.

* * *

1:15 p.m.

I returned to the office about fifteen minutes after lunch break ended.

I often did not submit claims for overtime pay anyway, so I could consider it even.

“Coffee’s here.”

I had bought it at Moonbucks on the way back.

- Thank you, Assistant Manager Go. I’ll enjoy it.

- Thank you~

- Aren’t you buying us coffee too often these days?

There were three team members. Even at 6,000 won per coffee, that was only 18,000 won.

At the end of the month, I would receive more than 110 million won in royalties. Eighteen thousand won would not even make a dent in that.

“It’s fine. Enjoy it. I’m buying because I want to.”