Chapter 2 - It's a Mess (2)

The atmosphere was as cold as ice, not just any ice, but a thin layer of ice that could shatter at the slightest touch.

"Didn't you know about what happened yesterday?"

"Ah, I know that well."

"You know it well? Really? You know exactly what the situation is?"

The section chief's eyes twitched as he asked, but he didn't really expect an answer.

He soon took a deep breath and turned to the deputy manager.

"This employee claims to know the situation well, so we need to have him explain it properly."

"Yes, I understand."

The deputy manager, who seemed quite angry, had a fierce look in his eyes. However, he restrained himself in front of his superior and continued while checking the documents.

"The contract in question has a price that is a staggering 70% lower than the previous one. This will result in an estimated loss of about 130 million won."

At this, not only the team leader but also the senior employee who was the culprit swallowed hard. However, Lee Kyung-bok looked at the deputy manager with a calm gaze.

"Even if we cancel the contract immediately, the penalty would be 100 million won. Moreover, it's inevitable that our reputation will be tarnished."

"So, in this situation. Do you, Lee Kyung-bok, know all this well?"

It was a question in form, but the intention was to mock. Because of this, the section chief didn't wait for an answer and turned to the team leader.

"How are you going to take responsibility for this?"

But before the team leader could answer, Lee Kyung-bok interjected.

"Is that so?"

The section chief's face contorted as he slammed his hand on the table, reacting to Kyung-bok's skeptical attitude.

The sound of the slam made everyone, except Kyung-bok, flinch.

"Hey! What the hell are you saying? You said you knew it well!"

"I didn't know what you just said."

The calm response triggered another outburst from the section chief, who didn't care if other employees outside could hear.

"You damn fool! This isn't something a mere employee can take responsibility for! Are you going to say this to the CEO too!? We need to figure out how this problem occurred and come up with a solution!"

The team leader couldn't even answer and just trembled. The senior employee pretended to be shocked and only observed the situation. However, Kyung-bok remained calm.

The section chief's anger soon turned to the two of them.

"Hey, you bastards! How do you do your job on-site that such a problem arises!? What? Did you drink and sign the contract while entertaining someone!?"

The section chief, unable to contain his anger, panted heavily. During this, the deputy manager watched the section chief's reaction.

The section chief nodded lightly, and the deputy manager glared at Kyung-bok.

"First, explain why the contract price is like this. This isn't just a mistake in numbers, right?"

Now a proper question was asked. Kyung-bok answered with a clear voice.

"That's not a contract I prepared."

"What?"

"After the meeting yesterday, I received a call from Mr. Jung. He said he would complete the contract in my place."

Kyung-bok briefly explained the situation. The three men's eyes turned to the senior employee.

"What! That's nonsense!"

Naturally, he immediately denied it. His act of feigning innocence was impeccable.

"I finished work and went home to rest after work yesterday!"

His words were full of confidence. Kyung-bok could guess the reason.

'He probably thinks my smart link can't record calls.'

Kyung-bok's smart link, made by 'Pineapple' company, did not have a call recording function.

He was sure of this, so he had confirmed it again yesterday.

But there was a way. By using a method not recommended by the manufacturer, a call recording app could be installed.

"Then what does this mean?"

"I don't know. Or, can't we just call the client to find out?"

Since it wasn't a wrong statement, the three men all nodded. The team leader quickly spoke up.

"Kyung-bok, as you heard, lying won't change the situation. And if you're going to lie, at least do it properly. Did you really think this would work in this situation?"

"Damn, if you can't even lie properly, you're a complete fool..."

"Unbelievable. Who hired this guy? Is the HR team even paying attention to their work?"

The deputy manager and the section chief continued their mocking comments. They had already branded Kyung-bok as incompetent.

Throb.

The sudden pain made him want to curse.

'As expected...'

It seemed the problem wasn't just one person.

A cold smile appeared on his lips, and the voice that followed was equally cold.

"You're the one who's out of it."

"What?"

The section chief's eyes widened.

The flustered team leader interjected.

"Hey! Are you crazy!?"

"You're the same."

Kyung-bok clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"You can't even manage your subordinates who are skimming off the top, you can't judge people, and you can't even tell what's real. I don't know how you became a team leader."

Kyung-bok alternated his gaze between the team leader and the senior employee.

"Did you get promoted using the same tactics as your senior?"

"Lee Kyung-bok! Are you really out of your mind!?"

The team leader was furious, but Kyung-bok had no intention of playing along with this farce anymore.

"Are you saying this because you're confident you can handle it?"

The section chief's face turned red as if steam was rising from it.

"Of course. Look at my smart link."

As Kyung-bok spoke, everyone reflexively looked at their smart links.

A buzzing sound and a notification beep rang out simultaneously.

Everyone's eyes widened in confusion as Kyung-bok spoke.

"It's an email I sent."

"What?"

"More precisely, a scheduled email. I sent it to report the situation, which seemed serious. Now I see that more people are involved than I thought."

"What is this...?"

Kyung-bok smiled.

The team leader and the senior employee's expressions grew uneasy. Why was he so confident?

At that moment, rough footsteps approached from behind Kyung-bok. Soon, the conference room door burst open.

Seeing the sudden arrival, everyone jumped to their feet.

"CEO, CEO!"

"Welcome, sir!"

The four of them bowed deeply. However, Kyung-bok merely stepped aside instead of greeting.

The CEO's gaze turned to the senior employee.

"Mr. Jung."

"Y-Yes! CEO."

"Are you really not involved in this contract at all?"

"Of course not!"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Can you take responsibility for what you just said?"

The calm tone, but the deep anger beneath it, made the senior employee tremble.

'He's testing me. He won't know!'

Thinking his plan was perfect, the senior employee put more force into his voice.

"CEO, haven't you seen how hard I've worked for the company? Isn't that right, team leader?"

"Mr. Jung is a very capable person. CEO, I think this treatment is unfair."

The CEO ignored the team leader's words and turned to the section chief.

"Manager Cha, how did you manage your employees?"

"Excuse me? What mistake did I make?"

"There is, a big one."

The CEO held up his smart link. When he pressed a button, a voice that was clearly the senior employee's began to play.

"The CEO just needs to say that the contract was made with Lee Kyung-bok. And we both need to take a cut, right? After all, that guy will take the fall."

The excited tone made it clear to everyone what had happened.

The expressions of the section chief, deputy manager, and team leader, who had been defending the senior employee moments ago, changed rapidly.

The CEO sighed, looking at the three men whose faces were cracking. He approached Kyung-bok, who had stepped aside.

"Is this a decision you've made after careful consideration?"

"Yes. No matter how I think about it, if we quietly end this, there will be other victims besides me. I thought it would be better to clean up before leaving."

The CEO, who had been glaring at the section chief and team leader, apologized to Kyung-bok.

"Lee Kyung-bok, I'm sorry. I apologize on behalf of the company. We will handle this matter properly and compensate for the damage."

"Thank you, given the circumstances."

Saying this, Kyung-bok handed the CEO an envelope.

It was his resignation letter.

"I don't think this job suits me."

"No, suddenly resigning...?"

Kyung-bok's gaze swept from the section chief to the team leader and then to the senior employee, who looked like he was about to die.

"The company is full of bad luck. The CEO will have a tough time. But at least I've removed one source of trouble, so as a favor, please give me a proper severance package."

"Hmm. I have no choice. I promise."

The CEO didn't try to persuade him further. Whistleblowing often leads to such outcomes. This was a relatively good case.

With that, his ties with the company were severed.

As he left the conference room, the door slammed shut.

Even through the closed door, the CEO's angry voice could be heard.

* * *

After completing the resignation procedures and stepping out, the street was quiet. Kyung-bok started walking.

"I thought this job would last longer. But with the investment, the bad luck came too. Tsk."

He felt relieved but also worried. Lost in thought, his body followed the familiar path to the bus stop.

A bus caught his eye. More precisely, the advertisement on the side of the bus.

["Escape the tiring daily life with Domhwancha!"]

[The best virtual reality capsule!]

[It's different when made by 'Reality'.]

[-Streamer Daltanyang-]

The exaggerated and comical face of the streamer and the text. It was an advertisement for a 'capsule', a virtual reality access device.

"Streamer..."

Kyung-bok couldn't help but smile faintly.

Was it because the text resonated with his current sense of fatigue? He recalled his school days, when games were mainly played on PCs and consoles.

'Those days were carefree.'

Like many Korean students, Kyung-bok had been deeply into games.

'If things had gone well, I might have been a professional gamer or a coach after retiring.'

He wasn't just a casual player; he was quite skilled.

But before he could fully immerse himself in the memories, his smart link vibrated.

"What..."

Thinking it might be from the company, he checked, but it wasn't.

"What is it?"

<Hey, are you on a business trip? Can we talk?>

The caller was his childhood friend, Choi Byung-hoon.

"What business trip? There's no such thing anymore."

<What? What do you mean?>

"I resigned."

<Resigned? Again?>

"Why do you look so happy?"

<Wow, this is great.>

"Is my unemployment so good for you?"

<No, I got laid off too.>

"But you were boasting about how well your channel was doing last time?"

Choi Byung-hoon was a freelance video editor.

<Damn. I should have listened to you and been more careful with the contract. I made a mistake by believing a fortune teller who said my horoscope was good.>

"That fortune teller seemed like a fraud too."

<Ah! Anyway, it's good timing. I was going to suggest we have a drink. Let's talk in person.>

"Really, who's going to meet me?"

Kyung-bok pretended to be serious, but he had no reason to refuse.

He was actually craving a drink with a friend, but he was just teasing.

<Well, we're both unemployed, so why not? Let's meet for dinner. No, since we don't have jobs anymore, let's meet earlier. I need some advice on my life. I'll buy dinner. Call?>

"Call. And, let's get one thing straight."

<One thing? What?>

"I wasn't laid off; I quit."

<Did you have to point that out? Fine, you're great!>

Kyung-bok chuckled at his friend's reaction.

"Alright, see you later."

It had been a day full of events.

A day's rest would be sufficient.

* * *