WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Potter
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Regressed Assistant Manager Kim Can Read Minds ◈
Chapter 4
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“I’ve looked over Taeseong Trading’s terms.”
Yun Gwangho took a preliminary quote out of their bag.
It listed the unit price and supply terms for the sensor modules Gwangjin Precision had asked about.
“To be honest, they weren’t cheap.”
“That’s right. We don’t offer the lowest prices.”
Yun Gwangho had come in person despite Taeseong Trading’s higher prices.
That meant there was something more important to them than price.
I focused on their thoughts.
[They’re 10% more expensive than Hando Trading. But I can manage that much if I get a reliable person handling our account.]
At the time, even when an order was entered into the computer system, the person handling the account still had to make sure the goods were supplied. When stock ran short, a person also decided which company would receive its shipment first. Small companies often had their orders pushed back.
Yun Gwangho didn’t want cheap goods. They wanted someone who wouldn’t avoid their calls when a problem arose, someone who would see things through.
I nodded as if I understood everything.
“There’s something you value more than price, isn’t there? Someone who’ll listen to you, for example.”
Surprised that I’d hit the mark, Yun Gwangho nodded.
Then they began telling me about their troubles.
“Yes, exactly. At our current supplier, the person handling our account has changed three times in one year.”
The handovers hadn’t been done properly, and sometimes their goods hadn’t arrived.
Even when they called to complain, the person in charge had changed, so it took a long time to get a call back.
“Once, I got so frustrated that I went to the warehouse myself. But the new person told me to send the purchase order again. The goods were right there, yet they wanted me to start from scratch just because someone else had taken over.”
[They can just apologize and be done with it. But if our orders dry up, so does the pay for our twenty employees.]
“That must have been frustrating.”
“Frustrating doesn’t begin to cover it. For a small company like ours, missing a deadline means losing the next contract.”
There was something I’d learned from meeting countless clients over twenty-eight years.
Sales wasn’t just about quoting lower prices.
It meant identifying what the other person valued most and selling them that value at the lowest cost.
For one person, that value might be the lowest price. For another, it might be trust.
It varied from person to person, so figuring it out took time and effort.
Usually, anyway.
[If I can be sure who’ll handle our account, I can sign with Taeseong Trading even if they’re 10% more expensive.]
With Yun Gwangho’s thoughts reaching my ears, the process was all too easy.
“You don’t have to keep dealing with a supplier that’s slow to respond just because your company is small.”
“Is Taeseong Trading any different?”
“At the very least, I won’t leave you worrying about it alone. The person handling your account is there to help you find a solution when something goes wrong.”
I smiled and wrote a number on the back of my business card.
Yun Gwangho looked between the number and my face.
“That’s my number. I can’t promise twenty-four-hour availability, but you’ll be able to reach me right away if there’s a problem.”
The corners of Yun Gwangho’s mouth twitched.
This was clearly different from how their current supplier treated them.
“Are you saying you’ll handle our account yourself?”
“Well, meeting like this must count for something. It’d be a shame to hand a client I brought in over to someone else.”
[I like what he’s saying. But can I change suppliers on the strength of one assistant manager?]
“What if the company replaces you after we sign?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
That was exactly what I’d been waiting to hear.
If I simply brought back a contract, Oh Sangcheol would take credit for it as if that were only natural.
Even if that didn’t happen, they would probably hand the account to someone they liked.
I’d spent enough of my previous life putting up with that like a fool.
“Make keeping me on the account a condition of the contract.”
I answered without hesitation, and the corners of Yun Gwangho’s mouth twitched again.
“...Taeseong Trading really is different. I didn’t expect things to move this quickly.”
“You act quickly yourself. You went straight to your supplier because a single part was delayed. That’s impressive.”
“I can’t let the people depending on me go without their wages.”
Gwangjin Precision still had only around twenty employees.
But it wasn’t a company that simply put its brand on goods made by someone else.
They built their own equipment, found clients, and exported it overseas.
That determination would make them one of Hando Trading’s major clients in a few years.
Knowing that future, I saw Gwangjin Precision as a gem still lying on the ground.
All I had to do was put it in my pocket, and my sales figures would grow on their own.
“Gwangjin Precision will become much bigger than it is now.”
“How do you know that?”
“Not many company representatives go running around in person when a problem comes up.”
Yun Gwangho looked at me for a while.
[Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun... He didn’t look down on us for being a small company, either. Maybe I can give him a chance.]
They didn’t deliberate for long before making their decision.
“All right. Let’s sign. On the condition that Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun handles our account.”
“Of course. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
I took a standard supply agreement from the document tray in the meeting room.
I copied over the items and terms from Yun Gwangho’s preliminary quote, then wrote my name in the contact field on the last page.
[Sales Contact: Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun, Overseas Sales Team 2]
“I’ll send you a copy as soon as Taeseong Trading approves it and applies the company seal.”
Yun Gwangho read through the agreement again.
Then they took a stamp case out of their bag.
Thump.
Gwangjin Precision’s red seal appeared on the contract.
“I’m putting my trust in you, Assistant Manager Kim.”
“I won’t make you regret it.”
Yun Gwangho checked their watch.
“We’ve gone a little over ten minutes.”
“You can forgive me that much, can’t you? You did change suppliers.”
They smiled and stood up.
* * *
As soon as I returned to the office, Oh Sangcheol raised their voice.
“Assistant Manager Kim! Why did it take you so long to buy a pack of cigarettes?”
“I signed a contract while I was out.”
“What contract? Were you off dreaming somewhere?”
I placed the contract on their desk.
Oh Sangcheol stopped talking.
“...Gwangjin Precision? This really is a contract.”
“Yes. I met their representative in the lobby and closed a deal.”
Everyone around us looked over at once.
Park Soyeon leaned out from their seat to look at the contract, while Choi Yeongjin put down the work schedule they were holding.
Even Manager Han Gyeongsu, who had been looking only at their own fax, glanced over through their glasses.
“Assistant Manager Kim signed a contract?”
“Wasn’t he out buying cigarettes?”
Oh Sangcheol quickly flipped through the pages.
[A new client will give me something to report this month.]
Their hand stopped on the last page.
[Sales Contact: Assistant Manager Kim Seongjun, Overseas Sales Team 2]
Oh Sangcheol’s brow furrowed.
“Why are you listed as the contact?”
“Representative Yun stamped it on the condition that I handle the account myself.”
“You decided who’d handle the account before the contract was even finalized?”
“That was the only way they’d agree to sign.”
Oh Sangcheol looked between my name and Gwangjin Precision’s seal.
[Tsk. I can’t take his name off when the client specifically asked for him. Still, it’ll count toward the team’s sales.]
“Please approve it today, Department Head. I promised Representative Yun I’d get back to them.”
Oh Sangcheol smacked their lips.
“Fine. Leave it here. I’ll check the terms first.”
“Yes, Department Head.”
I bowed and started to turn away, then stopped and took out the cigarettes.
“Oh, these are your cigarettes.”
I put them on the desk.
Oh Sangcheol picked up the pack and frowned.
“Arirang? I’m not that old. Why would I smoke these?”
“That was all they had.”
“What? There’s no way that’s the only brand the shop has...”
I looked at Oh Sangcheol with an innocent expression, as if I knew nothing.
They started to say something, then glanced at the contract and waved me away.
“Never mind. Go.”
As I turned away, they glared at the Arirang pack again.
[Ugh, that idiot. I should send Jaeho for cigarettes next time.]
* * *
That afternoon, the contract came back with the Head of Sales’ approval and the company seal.
Just then, I heard repeated heavy noises from the copier.
Clunk.
Clack.
The noises stopped for a while, then started again.
I went into the break room to copy the contract for Gwangjin Precision.
Kang Minho was crouching in front of the copier with their sleeves rolled up.
Both hands were black with toner.
“What are you doing?”
“The paper jammed while I was making copies.”
They were copying meeting materials for Assistant Manager Choi.
When Minho saw the contract in my hand, they grew even more flustered.
“I’ll fix it right away.”
Kang Minho peered into the copier with a troubled expression.
They tried fiddling with various parts, but had no idea what was wrong.
I crouched beside them.
“Go wash your hands first.”
“I’ll finish this first.”
“If you touch the paper with those hands, you’ll have to print everything again.”
Kang Minho looked between their hands and the white paper.
Only then did they run to the sink.
The copier wasn’t broken.
The toner cartridge had needed replacing, but Minho hadn’t pushed the new cartridge all the way in.
In the process, a sheet of paper had become caught at an angle inside.
When Kang Minho returned, I opened the cover and showed them.
“Watch carefully. Press here first, then take the paper out. If you pull too hard, it’ll tear.”
“Yes.”
“Now pull it out slowly.”
Kang Minho held the edge of the paper with both hands and carefully pulled.
The crumpled sheet came out in one piece.
I pointed to the new cartridge beside us.
“Push it in to this line until it clicks.”
Kang Minho fitted the cartridge into place and closed the cover.
The copier hummed for a moment, then spat out a clean sheet.
Their face brightened.
“Oh! It works now!”
“It’s an old copier, so changing the cartridge is tricky. But now that you know how, you won’t make the same mistake again.”
“Yes. Thank you, Assistant Manager Kim.”
Back then, it was common to dump chores on new employees under the excuse of teaching them.
People often called it breaking them in.
To me, it was nothing more than bullying.
Lately, Assistant Manager Choi had been using that excuse to pick on Kang Minho.
Though they held the same rank, Im Jaeho, who had joined a year earlier, was different.
They had first learned who they could ask without getting scolded, and which jobs to do first to please their superiors.
Kang Minho, on the other hand, worked away at whatever they were given, as dogged as a bear.
They reminded me of my old self.
I copied the contract and returned to my desk.
Kang Minho came back later and received another scolding from Assistant Manager Choi.
“Why does it take you so long just to make copies?”
“I’m sorry.”
“How do you expect to learn anything when you can’t even do something this basic?”
[Damn it, I can’t learn unless someone teaches me. I want to learn how to do my job, too.]
Kang Minho stood silently with their head lowered. I called them over.
“Minho, send this fax for me.”
“Yes, Assistant Manager Kim.”
The office finally fell quiet.
Assistant Manager Choi gave me a displeased look, then returned to their desk.
In the past, it would have bothered me. Not anymore.
At worst, they would sulk and gossip behind my back.
A little later, Kang Minho returned after faxing the contract and confirming that Gwangjin Precision had received it.
With the contract wrapped up, I stretched and got to my feet.
“Assistant Manager Choi, cig break?”
“Cig break? What’s that?”
“A cigarette break. Want one?”
“...Why do you have to shorten everything? I’ll pass.”
[One sale, and he’s already full of himself.]
Neither Park Soyeon nor Im Jaeho smoked.
And I wasn’t interested in smoking with Oh Sangcheol.
I left the office.
When I reached the roof and put a cigarette between my lips, Jeongho called.
- “Hey, did the engagement party go well?”
“Not well, exactly. It’s just over.”
- “Huh? What does that mean? Was it that bad?”
“I called off the engagement.”
The other end went quiet.
- “Where are you? Should I come over?”
Even twenty years later, this friend had been the first to come running.
I didn’t need to hear Jeongho’s thoughts to know what they were thinking.
“I’m at work.”
- “You called off your engagement and still went to work?”
“What else would I do? Sit around at home?”
- “Let’s meet after work.”
“Are you buying?”
- “...Fine. Order something expensive tonight, just this once.”
* * *
Seven in the evening.
A street food tent near the office.
The smells of fish cake broth and alcohol mingled beneath the canvas.
At every table, people fresh from work were drinking.
It was a good place to talk freely without spending much.
I took an empty seat and ordered fish cake soup and two bottles of soju.
“Hey, I said you could have something expensive.”
“It’s fine. I felt like coming here today.”
Jeongho filled my soju glass first.
They had done exactly the same thing on the day my company and my wife abandoned me in my previous life.
The difference was that back then, everything had already ended. This time, it hadn’t begun yet.
The sharp soju slid down my throat.
“Ahh. That’s good.”
“What’s good about it? Why on earth did you call off the engagement?”
“Hyejin met another man at a hotel the day before the engagement party.”
Jeongho’s expression hardened.
“Who?”
“A guy who was her senior in college. They used to date.”
“...She’s out of her mind.”
[I knew that bitch Yun Hyejin would do something like this. Maybe it’s for the best?]
Jeongho refilled my glass.
“That’s not all. Her family was planning to use my credit and my house to cover Boseong Distribution’s debts.”
“How much?”
“160 million won.”
Jeongho set down the glass they were holding with a clack.
“Those crazy bastards! You’re just going to let that slide?”
“That’s why I ended it.”
“A clean break?”
“I got the ring back, and I agreed to return the deposit Hyejin paid.”
Jeongho studied my face for a while.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m relieved. I ended it before it was too late.”
[...Look at him, pretending he’s fine. He was planning to marry her. He must be falling apart inside.]
Jeongho didn’t try to comfort me any further.
“What are you going to do about the newlywed home?”
“I’m going to live there.”
“In that big place, all alone? Didn’t you say you’d need a pretty big loan to pay the balance?”
“I can manage it.”
The Dongseo Line extension plan would be announced soon.
I couldn’t simply wait for the announcement with only the deposit paid.
I’d arranged an earlier payment date with the seller and already paid the 10 million won interim installment.
Once news broke that a station would be built in front of Saebit Apartments, listings would disappear and prices would climb rapidly.
Knowing the future, I had no reason to sell that home.
But money wasn’t everything.
I’d lived in that home for twenty years in my previous life.
Right now, my place at Saebit Apartments was empty.
Who would come in.
What I would fill it with.
This time, the choice was mine.
I would fill it with better things.
“Fine. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Just don’t come asking me for money if your loan falls through.”
“You just can’t keep being comforting to the end, can you?”
“I’ll do anything for you except lend you money.”
[Still, don’t struggle through it alone. Don’t pretend everything’s fine again until it festers.]
I lifted my glass and clinked it against Jeongho’s.
“Jeongho.”
“What?”
“I’m going to listen to you more from now on.”
“Why are you suddenly giving me the creeps?”
“But you have to tell me if you’re having a hard time, too.”
“Unlike yours, my life is all sunshine.”
[Sunshine, my ass. I’m barely hanging on myself. If that client’s payment is late again this time, I won’t even be able to pay my staff.]
“Okay. Got it.”
I raised my glass without asking anything more.
Jeongho silently touched theirs to mine.
* * *
After leaving the bar, I walked slowly.
I’d left my car at work, and home was only a few bus stops away.
As I rounded a corner out of the alley, an unfamiliar light caught my eye.
A cafe had opened in a shop that had been empty just a few days earlier.
Yellow light spilled through the glass door.
Every time it opened, a rich, slightly bitter smell drifted into the alley.
I’d often gone to cafes to meet clients.
If the other person ordered an Americano, I ordered the same. If they stood up, I followed.
I’d never gone into one alone and chosen something I wanted to drink.
‘Should I try it?’
One cup of coffee seemed harmless enough.
I pushed open the glass door.
Ding.
Along with the bell, a strong coffee aroma washed over me.
A young woman behind the counter looked up.
Her dark, striking eyes and light brown hair gave her a slightly foreign look.
She glanced at the employee ID hanging around my neck, then watched me stop in front of the menu.
“Would you like to order?”
“Well...”
Espresso.
Cappuccino.
Caffe latte.
They were all drinks I knew.
But when it came to choosing one, I couldn’t think of what I liked.
I cleared my throat and asked,
“Do you have anything like ssanghwa tea?”
Footnotes:
Ssanghwa tea is a traditional Korean herbal tea, more typical of an old-fashioned tea shop than a modern coffee shop.
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