WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Potter
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Regressed Assistant Manager Kim Can Read Minds ◈
Chapter 10
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“I’ll go.”
The conference room fell silent for a moment.
The people watching me all had different reactions.
[Whew. I didn’t want to go to Cambodia anyway. This works out nicely.]
[Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun is more ambitious than I thought. Maybe Seo Jeonguk had a reason for bringing him onto the task force.]
I didn’t care what they thought.
Seo Jeonguk looked at me.
“We can’t send you on an on-site inspection alone. Who’ll go with you?”
The faces of my Team 2 colleagues came to mind, one after another.
I ruled out our resident problem child, General Manager Oh Sangcheol, immediately.
If Manager Han Gyeongsu was away for several days, the accounts under the manager’s care would suffer first. If I took Choi Yeongjin and Park Soyeon too, there’d be no one left to handle the day-to-day work.
After crossing them off one by one, I had only one person left.
Kang Minho.
Someone who would follow my instructions without arguing and carefully record everything we saw on site.
It wouldn’t hurt to use this chance to provide some proper training and gain an ally within the team.
“I’ll take Kang Minho.”
“You’re taking the new recruit?”
“Minho keeps careful records and doesn’t pretend to know things. It’ll also be a good chance to learn how things work in the field.”
Seo Jeonguk’s brow furrowed.
[Given Team 2’s situation, Kang really is the only option.]
Seo Jeonguk glanced at Chairman Han Myeongcheol.
The chairman turned a page without raising any objections.
“All right. Take Kang.”
“Thank you.”
After the meeting, I returned to Team 2 and brought up the business trip.
Kang Minho’s eyes widened.
“I’m going on a business trip to Cambodia?”
“Yes. With me.”
Choi Yeongjin and Park Soyeon looked back and forth between us.
I heard a jealous thought from Choi Yeongjin.
[Why Kang Minho? I’m an assistant manager!]
Oh Sangcheol, on the other hand, nodded as soon as I named my companion.
“Kang has the least work out of everyone here. You two need to handle Team 2’s work. Isn’t that right?”
“...Yes.”
“Kang, listen to Assistant Manager Kim and learn as much as you can.”
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
[Doesn’t even know what a nightmare Cambodia will be. Honestly, why bother going somewhere like that?]
“But do they even have coffee there?”
I gave a bitter smile.
Unexpectedly, Oh Sangcheol had asked the most basic question, one that nobody on the task force had raised.
At the time, Cambodia wasn’t known as a coffee-exporting country.
Mekong Green claimed to have modeled its operations on Vietnamese farms and even built processing facilities.
But that claim itself was a lie.
“We’ll have to go and see.”
I explained to Kang Minho what we needed to prepare before the trip.
A digital camera, spare batteries, and supplies for collecting and sealing samples.
Minho wrote down every item in a notebook.
Perhaps because this was Minho’s first overseas business trip, the excitement was plain to see.
“Oh, you have a passport, right?”
“Yes. Though I’ve never been abroad.”
“Good.”
* * *
Inside a luxury sedan leaving Taeseong Trading, Chairman Han Myeongcheol sat in the back seat, rereading Kim Seongjun’s presentation materials.
[Proposed Four-Step Verification Process for Overseas Green Coffee Suppliers.]
Kim hadn’t simply gathered examples from overseas. He’d turned them into procedures Taeseong Trading could apply right away.
This wasn’t a report summarizing past failures. It was an action plan they could immediately send people out to put into practice.
“Hmm. Eunho, what do you think?”
Jeong Eunho glanced at the back seat through the rearview mirror.
He understood who the chairman meant without being told.
Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun of Overseas Sales Team 2.
“He hadn’t particularly stood out until now. Then Deputy General Manager Seo Jeonguk selected him for the task force.”
“So, like Seo Jeonguk, he doesn’t belong to either side?”
“That’s correct, as far as we know.”
“He’s only an assistant manager, but he presented something like this without a hint of fear. Team 2 means General Manager Oh Sangcheol, doesn’t it? An odd fellow working under another odd fellow.”
Jeong Eunho hesitated for a moment.
“Isn’t it a pity, sir?”
Han Myeongcheol’s lips twisted into something that might or might not have been a smile.
From the start, he hadn’t cared if this project failed.
He’d even uncovered signs that the employee who introduced Mekong Green had taken a kickback. He hadn’t stopped it because Cha Myeongguk and Baek Seungwon had pushed the project together.
If things went wrong, Cha Myeongguk would go after Purchasing, which had vetted the supplier, while Baek Seungwon would surely blame Sales for forcing the project through.
While the two tore at each other, Han Myeongcheol could fill the empty positions with his own people.
That plan hadn’t changed while he listened to the presentations from Teams 1 and 3.
Not until he heard Kim Seongjun’s presentation.
“If there’s a capable fellow who doesn’t belong to either side, of course I should bring him in and help him grow.”
Saving the project and gaining Kim Seongjun would be more profitable.
There would be plenty of other chances to shake Cha Myeongguk and Baek Seungwon.
The car stopped outside a café with a dark wooden sign and large plate-glass windows.
Han Myeongcheol’s sharp gaze softened, leaving behind his calculations about the company’s factions.
[MOOD BEAN]
“This is Ara’s café?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Looks good. She gets her taste from me, doesn’t she?”
Han Myeongcheol entered the café with Jeong Eunho.
Han Ara’s eyes widened when she spotted them.
“Dad? Uncle Eunho?”
“Hahaha. I don’t know who decorated this place, but it’s lovely. Just like my daughter.”
After serving a customer’s coffee, Han Ara brought over a menu.
Han Myeongcheol scanned it, then stopped his finger at the last line.
[Ssanghwa Tea.]
“Eunho, look at this.”
“What is it, sir?”
“Ara put ssanghwa tea on the menu because she knows how much I love it.”
“Is that so?”
“She’s followed her dad around since she was little. Hahaha.”
Han Myeongcheol took out his flip phone and photographed the menu.
Han Ara parted her lips, then decided not to correct his misunderstanding.
A little later, she brought out ssanghwa tea and yakgwa.
Admiration spread across Han Myeongcheol’s face after one sip.
“Shall I set up a café franchise for you? If it tastes this good, we could open a hundred stores.”
“Where did that come from?”
“If you’re going to do this, you should become the best franchise in Korea. Now that I’ve tasted it, I know you can.”
“Oh, stop flattering me.”
“I mean it. When have I ever lied to you?”
Han Myeongcheol could barely take his eyes off his daughter.
“Did you come all the way here just to say that?”
“I came to see my Ara.”
Han Myeongcheol picked up another yakgwa.
After stealing a look at his daughter’s expression, he held out the presentation materials he’d brought.
“Taeseong Trading is going to import green coffee beans. Have a read of this. You know all about that sort of thing.”
Han Ara took the papers.
Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the author’s name on the cover.
[Prepared by Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun, Overseas Sales Team 2]
A moment later, she turned the page as though nothing had happened.
The report included the things Seongjun had asked about last Saturday and the materials she’d sent him.
But he hadn’t simply copied them. He’d added his own practical experience to create a complete verification plan that Taeseong Trading could use immediately.
After reading to the end, Han Ara murmured,
“...That’s neatly done.”
“Is it? What about the content? Is it all correct?”
Han Myeongcheol asked as he chewed his yakgwa.
Han Ara nodded.
“It’s perfect.”
“That good?”
“Yes. How can it be so perfect?”
Had Seongjun been there, he would have heard the words Han Ara kept to herself.
[...From his looks to his abilities, everything about him is perfect...!]
On the drive back, boxes of desserts from Mood Bean were piled high beside Han Myeongcheol.
His daughter’s description of the report as perfect stayed in his mind.
“That Assistant Manager Kim looks like a pretty boy, but apparently he’s capable too. Ara has high standards, just like me. For her to call it perfect says a lot.”
“I’ll keep a close eye on him.”
“And look into the franchise business too. Once the green coffee imports are established, we could supply Ara with good beans at a low price.”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
The day before the business trip, I went through my ongoing work to make sure nothing would go wrong with our accounts while Kang Minho and I were away.
Minho stayed after hours too, checking the paperwork with me to the very end.
By the time we closed the last file, it was already late in the evening.
I stood, stretching my stiff shoulders.
“Where do you live? I’ll give you a ride.”
“That’s all right. It’s close, so the bus is easier.”
“Okay. Get home safely, then.”
“Yes. See you tomorrow.”
Only a few cars remained in the parking lot.
I got into my Avante and started the engine. A familiar vibration traveled through the steering wheel.
I drove home without even turning on the radio.
I kept thinking about my presentation in the conference room.
Even with Chairman Han Myeongcheol and people from several teams watching, I hadn’t been as nervous as I’d expected.
At times like this, the memories of General Manager Kim, who’d survived twenty-eight years at the company, were quite reassuring.
‘Did I do the right thing?’
After my presentation, Seo Jeonguk had adopted my verification plan as the project’s common standard.
From now on, incoming green coffee beans would go through much stricter procedures.
At the very least, we wouldn’t fall victim to the scam like we had in my previous life.
I stopped at a red light, and a café across the road caught my eye.
More people still preferred instant coffee mix, but consumption of coffee brewed from beans would rise every year.
If this project succeeded, Taeseong Trading could claim that market before its competitors.
The hundred-billion-won contract I’d boasted about in my interview at twenty-five.
Maybe that bluff wouldn’t end as empty words after all.
“Not that I’ll get a bonus for it.”
I let out a hollow laugh as I spoke to myself.
An office worker only needed to work as hard as they were paid to.
The lights were off at home.
As I closed the front door, I heard a soft rustling from the kitchen.
I turned on the light, and Suyeon flinched. She was wearing paint-stained work clothes and a bandana.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh my gosh! You scared me!”
A pot was bubbling on the gas stove.
She’d been painting until late, gotten hungry, and started secretly cooking ramyeon.
“Why are you sneaking around to eat?”
“Because it’s nighttime. Anyway, why are you home so late?”
“Because I’m an office worker.”
“...That’s sad.”
“Cook another packet. I’ll eat with you.”
For once, Suyeon took out another packet of ramyeon without complaining.
“Keep the noodles firm?”
“Sounds good.”
While Suyeon divided up the noodles, I opened the sketchbook on the dining table.
A rainy alley. A small café with tables outside.
A few pages later, I found our family sitting around the dining table.
Beside Dad, who had a newspaper open, Mom was nagging about something.
I was shoveling food into my mouth while Suyeon sat among us, smiling to herself.
Even the sunlight coming through the window felt warm.
“Do you like drawing that much?”
“Yeah. I think it’s both what I’m best at and what I like most.”
“I think so too.”
“Are you taking a dig at me for being bad at studying?”
I chuckled.
“What about English?”
“I’m working on it. But it’s hard.”
“Do you want to take classes?”
“What kind?”
“Art or English. Either.”
“Where would you get the money? You’re already struggling after buying the apartment.”
I looked down at the open sketchbook again.
In the future, not a single drawing like this would remain in Suyeon’s room.
I took a card from my wallet and held it out to her.
“Don’t worry about me. Go sign up for classes tomorrow. Your big brother can afford that much.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And you know Mom’s birthday is coming up, right? Buy her a present too.”
Even after taking the card, Suyeon looked at me as though she couldn’t believe it.
With ramyeon broth around her mouth, she still looked every bit a little kid.
I ruffled her hair.
“Suyeon. Take as long as you can to grow up.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll worry about the money. You just do what you love.”
“Are you sick or something?”
“Want to give that back?”
“No, sorry!”
Suyeon quickly broke into a grin.
“You’re doing the dishes.”
“Gladly!”
I went into my room, washed up, and came out to find a text on my flip phone.
It was from Han Ara.
[Did your presentation go well? ^^]
I replied while rubbing my hair with a towel.
[Yes, thanks to you. Tell me anything you want to eat. I’ll treat you to all of it.]
Her reply came quickly.
[Wow. I’d better make a list.]
[I’ll treat you when I get back from Cambodia.]
This time, her reply took a little longer.
[Okay. I’ll be waiting. Have a safe trip.]
* * *
The next morning, at Incheon International Airport, I was supposed to meet Kang Minho in front of the airline’s check-in counter.
When I arrived, Minho was already there, waving.
Dressed in a suit, Minho had brought just one briefcase.
“Is that everything?”
“I’ve packed my passport and all the supplier documents. Underwear too.”
I shook my head.
We were going all the way to Cambodia, but Minho had packed as though this were a business trip to another part of Korea.
“Did I pack something wrong?”
“No. You’ll see when we get there.”
After completing the departure procedures, we boarded the plane to Phnom Penh.
As the plane sped down the runway, Kang Minho couldn’t stop looking out the window.
I opened Mekong Green’s company information again.
After a long flight, the plane began to descend.
The outline of an unfamiliar city gradually came into focus.
A moment later, an announcement came over the cabin speakers.
-We’ll shortly be arriving at Phnom Penh International Airport.
Footnotes:
Ssanghwa tea is a traditional Korean herbal drink. Yakgwa are traditional fried honey cookies.
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