WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Potter
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Regressed Assistant Manager Kim Can Read Minds ◈
Chapter 7
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Seo Jeonguk's eyes were cold.
After giving me a brief look, they gestured toward the roof with their chin.
“Want to have a smoke?”
“Yes.”
I followed Seo Jeonguk up to the roof.
When I joined Taeseong Trading, Seo Jeonguk had been an assistant manager.
They had moved to another team before I’d had much chance to learn from them.
After that, while I was busy cleaning up after Oh Sangcheol, Seo Jeonguk had been promoted to manager, then deputy general manager.
A cool breeze greeted us as we stepped through the rooftop door.
When Seo Jeonguk took out a cigarette, I automatically lit it for them.
Hiss.
Seo Jeonguk let out a long stream of smoke before asking a question.
“I heard you stopped Gwangjin Precision’s representative from leaving the lobby, Assistant Manager Kim.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Why?”
The question was needlessly serious.
Even when other people would have put something down to luck, Seo Jeonguk always asked about it. That was why they had risen faster than everyone else.
In the past, the sudden question would have caught me off guard. But now I was Assistant Manager Kim, who had already lived long enough to become Department Manager Kim.
“A company like Gwangjin Precision that’s survived in the industry for so long could grow at any time.”
“Have you looked into them?”
“I saw that their sales have been rising every year. Representative Yun Gwangho has a good reputation, too.”
Seo Jeonguk nodded.
“That’s right. We don’t need to look only for companies that are already big. Spotting a company’s potential and securing its business early is part of sales, too. Not many people have an eye for it, though.”
[So he looked at their potential for growth rather than their current sales. Has he managed to learn something even under that idiot Oh Sangcheol?]
I nearly burst out laughing at the open contempt for Oh Sangcheol in their thoughts.
I gave a small cough, pretending I’d choked on the smoke.
Seo Jeonguk asked no more questions while we smoked. But I could still hear their thoughts now and then.
[I heard Team 2 has been the first to turn its lights on lately. That was Assistant Manager Kim, wasn’t it?]
Lately, I’d been coming to work an hour early.
I spent ten minutes chatting with Mrs. Park, then used the rest of the time to study stocks on the company’s internet, which was faster than mine at home.
I had knowledge of the future. There was no reason not to use it.
Unlike what Seo Jeonguk imagined, I hadn’t been throwing myself into my work.
But there was no need to clear up that misunderstanding.
Seo Jeonguk ground the half-finished cigarette out in the ashtray.
“Keep up the good work.”
“Yes, sir. Go on ahead.”
Seo Jeonguk gave my shoulder a light pat and headed for the rooftop door.
Just before it closed, I heard one last thought.
[So Team 2 does have someone halfway useful.]
After eight years at the company, I’d finally received praise from Seo Jeonguk.
It left me with a different kind of satisfaction from Oh Sangcheol’s empty compliments.
When I returned to the office, Oh Sangcheol shook an empty cigarette pack.
“Hey, Assistant Manager Kim. Some cigarettes…”
The eyes watching me narrowed slightly.
[If I send this guy, won’t he just bring back Arirang again?]
Oh Sangcheol turned toward Im Jaeho.
“Ahem. Shall we leave it to our Jaeho today? Don’t be clueless and bring back something like Arirang.”
“I’ll get your usual brand right away, sir!”
“Oh, nice enthusiasm.”
Im Jaeho answered eagerly, without knowing what was going on.
I paid them no attention, sat down, and turned on my monitor.
I entered NVIDIA into the Yahoo Finance search bar.
The current share price was $0.44.
‘How high did this go again?’
In my previous life, I hadn’t been interested in stocks at all.
Even when I heard about someone making money from something, I’d thought it had nothing to do with me.
Getting paid and paying off my loans had kept me busy enough.
But this time, I intended to try.
If I wanted to make the most of my second life, a change in attitude wouldn’t be enough.
Whether I wanted to protect my family or live the life I wanted, I would need money in the end.
My notebook was packed with company names besides NVIDIA.
[NVIDIA, Netflix, Apple, Amazon…]
If I bought them now, they could set me up for life.
* * *
Mood Bean.
The café, which had been rather chaotic just after opening, had settled down nicely.
Following Seongjun’s advice, Han Ara had moved options that office workers could easily choose to the front of the menu. She removed overly bitter or acidic coffees from her recommendations and paired easy-drinking coffees with less-sweet desserts.
The response came faster than she’d expected.
At lunchtime, it was hard to find an empty table. She was also starting to recognize a few regulars and remember their orders.
Han Ara sorted through the new orders.
Jingle.
The door opened, and a woman in sunglasses walked in.
Her elegant clothes looked expensive at a glance. A man followed her inside, set a shopping bag on the counter, and quietly stepped back toward the door.
The woman was Seo Migyeong, wife of Taeseong Trading’s chairman, Han Myeongcheol, and Han Ara’s mother.
“Mom. You’re here?”
Seo Migyeong took off her sunglasses.
“Your father’s making a fuss because he can’t reach you. He kept getting worked up, saying it’s harder to see you now than when you were overseas.”
“That’s why I asked you to buy me a cell phone.”
Han Ara opened the shopping bag.
Inside was the new flip phone she’d requested.
“Thanks. I knew I could count on you.”
“Goodness. You’re still a child, even now that you’re all grown up.”
“Look at the menu and pick anything you want to drink.”
Seo Migyeong opened the menu.
There were far fewer choices than on her first visit.
Her daughter had studied coffee and baking overseas. She was very stubborn about her own tastes and methods.
Seo Migyeong wondered why Han Ara had changed the menu so much so soon after opening.
“What do you think? I’ve narrowed it down to things customers can choose easily.”
“You did this on your own?”
“One of my customers helped a little.”
Seo Migyeong’s eyes stopped at the last item on the menu.
[Ssanghwa Tea]
It looked strangely out of place among the coffees.
“Oh, did you put this in for your father and me?”
“Oh, that?”
“I just thought I’d try adding it.”
Seo Migyeong’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Does that customer like ssanghwa tea?”
“Yes. It was the first thing they asked for when they came in.”
A smile crossed Han Ara’s lips.
“Is this customer a man, by any chance?”
“Oh, come on. A customer’s a customer, man or woman.”
“Well, look at you. You’re smiling.”
“Am I?”
Han Ara touched her lips.
“No, I’m not.”
“Whenever I told you to date, you said you were busy. Now there’s a man as soon as you come back to Korea?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh my, is that why you kept begging me to buy you a phone so quickly?”
“No!”
“If your father finds out, he’ll tell you to bring the man over before anything else.”
“Then don’t tell Dad anything.”
“I thought you said there was nothing between you.”
“Dad would call him over first even if there wasn’t. Absolutely not.”
Han Ara shook her head firmly.
Seo Migyeong closed the menu.
“Forget the coffee. Give me a cup of ssanghwa tea. Let’s see what sort of taste this man has.”
“Honestly, it really isn’t like that.”
Despite her grumbling, Han Ara prepared the tea.
Seo Migyeong took a sip and nodded in satisfaction.
“It’s good. I’ll have to tell your father you’ve found a man who likes ssanghwa tea.”
“Mom!”
The café only quieted down after Seo Migyeong left.
Han Ara took her new flip phone out from under the counter. When she turned it on, an empty contact list appeared.
Even while serving customers, she kept glancing at the class schedule on the wall.
[Saturday, 2 p.m. Weekend Beginner Barista Class.]
She didn’t even know whether Seongjun would come.
Still, she found herself looking forward to Saturday a little.
* * *
The newspaper I bought on my way to work had a story about Seoul’s subway extension plans on its front page.
[Dongseo Line Extension Confirmed.]
My finger stopped as I traced the route map on the front page.
The new station would be a three-minute walk from the main gate of Saebit Apartments.
Before I could even fold the paper, the real estate agent called.
- Mr. Kim, the seller is offering to return everything you’ve paid so far and add another twenty million won. They’d like you to agree to cancel the contract.
“No.”
- They might be willing to offer a little more.
“I won’t agree, no matter how much they offer. Just confirm the date for the final payment.”
I’d already made the interim payment.
The seller couldn’t cancel the contract at will unless I agreed.
After hanging up, I looked at the route map again.
The offer of extra money meant the apartment’s value had risen that much.
Even the seller, who didn’t know the future, had recognized its value in a single day. There was no reason for me to let it slip away.
But as soon as I ended the agent’s call, I heard from someone I wanted to talk to even less.
[Do you have time today? Let’s meet and talk about our newlywed home.]
It was Yun Hyejin.
Her goal was obvious.
I started to reply that the apartment had nothing to do with her, then stopped.
If I left things like this, she would clearly find some way to show up and keep pestering me.
[Let’s meet near my office.]
I deliberately chose a quiet café.
Hyejin was already there.
When I sat down across from her, she studied my face for a while.
“You look well.”
“I doubt you came to ask how I’ve been. Just say what you have to say.”
The awkward smile disappeared from Hyejin’s lips.
“About our newlywed home. Did you hear the subway’s coming?”
“And?”
“We looked at that apartment together. I liked it, too.”
“So you want money?”
Her lips twitched at my cold response.
“Just giving me my money back doesn’t settle everything. We got that apartment as our newlywed home in the first place.”
[The price is going up this much, and Seongjun wants to keep it all for himself? I helped choose that apartment.]
Her ridiculous thoughts made me laugh.
Would she have come to see me if there hadn’t been an announcement that would raise the apartment’s value?
I didn’t need to ask.
“I ended things with Junseok, too.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“You liked Junseok enough to go to a hotel the day before our engagement ceremony. Why not keep seeing each other?”
Hyejin sighed in frustration.
“I’m putting all my pride aside to say this. After thinking it over, I realized there’s no one as good as you, Seongjun. Can’t we give this another chance?”
“Hey. Yun Hyejin.”
“Yes?”
“Stop being pathetic and leave me alone.”
Her eyes widened at my blunt words.
Her lips moved, but no answer came.
I stood up.
“Don’t contact me about things like this again.”
“…”
“And don’t pretend you know me even if we pass each other on the street.”
I left just enough money for my own coffee in front of the speechless woman and walked out.
* * *
I passed Mood Bean.
I hadn’t come to visit. It was on the way to our team dinner.
Through the glass, I could see Han Ara clearing tables. Coffee cups and plates covered every table.
I was about to keep walking when she spotted me.
Han Ara opened the door with a bright smile.
“Mr. Ssanghwa Tea!”
“So that’s officially my name now?”
“It’s easier to remember than your real name.”
She smiled and glanced around the changed café.
“I changed the menu a little, like you suggested. Thanks to you, we’re getting a lot more office workers.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“My mom says it looks much better now, too. She likes the ssanghwa tea as well.”
I looked through the glass door.
Customers were waiting to order, and there weren’t many empty seats at the tables farther inside.
“You look busy today.”
“It finally looks like a proper café, doesn’t it? Want to come in for some ssanghwa tea?”
I shook my head.
“I can’t today. We have a team dinner, and I’m treating everyone.”
“That’s a shame. Oh, wait a second.”
Han Ara ran back into the café.
A moment later, she came out holding a small silver flip phone.
“I have a cell phone now.”
[Come on, ask for my number again!]
Her direct thoughts made me chuckle.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing.”
I took my flip phone out of my pocket and handed it to her.
Han Ara entered her number and pressed the call button. The new phone in her hand rang right away.
She handed mine back.
“Make sure you come on Saturday.”
“I will.”
I tried to answer casually, but the face reflected in the glass door was a little red.
I slipped the phone into my pocket.
“I’ll be in touch, Ara.”
“Okay, Seongjun.”
Han Ara waved.
I gave her a small bow and headed to the team dinner.
Footnotes:
Ssanghwa tea is a traditional Korean herbal drink often associated with older customers, making it an unusual choice among a modern café's coffees.
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