Chapter 71

“The SongYoung proposal is not a problem in the first place. Right now, there is something else which really doesn’t please me.”

“Yes?”

“Lee Seung-Jae, everything that he did on Friday, we must scrap it.”

Na-Yool first got startled hearing the name, then kind of embarrassed when she realized it was actually related to work. Since it was the case, she could not keep on sulking scornfully, so she inquired in an awkwardly stiff tone.

“Is something wrong?”

“Wrong. A lot.”

“…What exactly…”

“From start to finish.”

Na-Yool’s somewhat prudent eyes narrowed with dark suspicion. Just as Si-Jin’s mouth slightly opened along with a “What, should I enumerate it for you?” look, she spoke first.

“If you say so Mr. President, then of course we have to do it over from the beginning.”

Since Si-jin was her boss, it was better to generally understand the underlying meaning of his blabbering. And, even better, to understand it before having to listen to it.

His comments were likely to drag forever if she got stuck in, and he was harsh, even if not directed at her… Because he would say it all, anyway.

As if satisfied with Na-Yool’s answer, Si-Jin quietly stroked his chin and continued.

“The video was more of a problem, so it already got scrapped……”

By him, undoubtedly.

“Which means, we have to do the video over again, for real?”

“Is there ever a time when what I said wasn’t ‘for real’?” Si-Jin mumbled like talking to himself. It did not seem directed at her but, as his subordinate, she could not help but shut her mouth.

“It’s obvious that you got in cahoots together with the ridiculous idea to roughly modify it just to avoid it being scrapped, and not only were you caught, but even the client was the first to find out that the source was wrong…”

“……”

“If ‘we’ had found out on our own, it would not have been noticed by the client. Don’t you think so?”

“……”

“After being criticized by a client so disgracefully, then what? Lee Seung-Jae changed everything with the wrong source as reference? And he dares to hand over that sloppy work to the client?”

“You just have to wait a bit longer. It turned out this way because the client said the source to use in the video was slightly wrong, but then the Video Team said they could not fix it all until the weekend and…”

“So that’s how you decided to fix all the spaces in the brochure with the same info and match it with the video?”

How different the same words sounded depending on who was speaking. When Seung-Jae told her the very same idea, she could only agree to it out of sympathy as a fellow designer. But in Si-Jin’s mouth, she sounded like an unreliable, irresponsible, and almost corrupted employee who he must root out.

Na-Yool hopelessly rolled her eyes.

“From what I know, that is probably because, since the Video Team said they could not process it until the weekend, we asked the client for their understanding and to correct it instead…”

“Firstly, the video was first negligently handed over to the customer without any appropriate inspection. Secondly, the client caught on to it. Thirdly, though it was humiliating enough, there was a chance to make up for it properly, yet you shamelessly went crying to the client to make a few corrections themselves. Fourthly, Lee Seung-Jae just accepted it as it was. Fifthly, Lee Seung-Jae ultimately put up all the wrong content stupidly compiled by the Video Team all over both the website and the brochure. And lastly, I barely caught on it, before it got sent to the client. That’s where we are now.”

“……”

“Should I say all is good and let it go too?”

Na-Yool’s guilty face sank at once, and she shook her head sideways.

“Maybe, because he heard they would cooperate, so that’s why Seung-Jae too… You know about the mood over at the Video Team. How they pressure you to accept a request with killing intent…”

“They can’t kill me anyway.”

With him cutting her off like that, what more could Na-Yool say to wrap things up? Right, the President must not die… She surrendered with a nod, as if showing understanding. A few scenes flashed through her mind like a déjà vu.

These moments when she had to take over all of Seung-Jae’s failed projects…

“Then, first, I will discuss with Lee Seung-Jae where and how to proceed with the redoing…”

“Re-do it all over.”

“…Do you really have no room for consideration?”

“No, the design that Lee Seung-Jae has put in so far already had too many details to revise.”

“If it is the details, I can fix it right away simultaneously with the progress of the Video Team. It would save all of Seung-Jae’s original draft, and even if he doesn’t have to do it all…”

“I’m telling you it’s better to put it together from scratch.”

“……”

“Especially if you’re going to mess around with it.”

A classic sting… While maintaining a respectful attitude toward her superior, Na-Yool sent Si-Jin a resentful gaze.

“It happened because I could not fully review it… I am sorry. The draft was definitely good though.”

“It’s not your fault if Lee Seung-Jae’s details are lacking.”

“Still, Lee Seung-Jae works well at times…”

Just as Na-Yool tried to defend Lee Seung-Jae as if she had never complained about him, Si-Jin glared back at her with squinted eyes. She unconsciously flinched and awkwardly blinked.

“…So you mean we should discard the original draft as a whole, and rethink the proposal from the start, is that correct?”

“Show that to Lee Seung-Jae. The time for him to learn has been long overdue.”

It was as good as berating Lee Seung-Jae for being a slacker unmindful of his own position.  What could he be taught, without a proper learning attitude?

“But Lee Seung-Jae, because he has such a definite style…”

“So what? You also have your own specific style.”

“… It is my first time hearing such words from you, Mr. President.”

“That’s why your proposals always get turned down.”

“……”

“The same goes for Lee Seung-Jae.”

It was clear that she had made a mistake, but somehow… there was something more, like the shadow of something akin to a grudge. [T/N: She can subconsciously feel that Si-Jin is being a prick because he is sore about her relationship with Seung-Jae. Finally!]

Yes, there was something. Na-Yool’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s that look for?”

“Why do you ask?”

“It looks impure.”

“Right back at you, Mr. President.”

It was a tight ‒ almost but not quite neck and neck ‒ match of unyielding. They stared suspiciously at each other for a moment until, upon hearing footsteps coming from beyond the wall of the break room, they in concert turned their head away from each other.

“Hello.”

Lee Seung-Jae, the troublemaker himself.

“Hello.” Na-Yool greeted him back out of habit. Seung-Jae noticed Si-jin standing behind her and vaguely bowed his head one more time. Though he looked happy when he first saw Na-Yool, a frown had appeared when he then saw Si-Jin. He must have already heard from the Video Team, so surely, he would not be in a pleasant mood from this early morning… Si-Jin curtly nodded back as usual. Taking pity on the dejected looking Seung-Jae, Na-Yool spoke up first.

“Seung-Jae, would you like some coffee?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’ll brew some, then.”

“Thank you, Ms. Na-Yool.”

Si-Jin casually walked out, passing by the bowing Seung-Jae’s side. Truly, he was a born master at making people around him feel self-conscious. Although he did not care much himself, of course.

“Wow, chilly.”

Without a word, Na-Yool handed Seung-Jae her own mug of already brewed coffee. He sipped it right away and said:

“The President seems in a bad mood for good this time.”

“Has he ever been in a good one?”

Despite his glumness, Seung-Jae snickered and burst out laughing.

“You’re here early today.”

“I am definitely going to get scolded… He probably will call me in a bit.”

“If it’s about your work from Friday, I heard about it too.”

“Already? From whom? Did the Video Team snitch to you?”

“Of course not. The President just told me.”

“Ah……”

“I think I’ll have to do it again while referring to your original proposal. Since the draft was fine.”

Of course, Si-Jin thought otherwise. But, at the moment, Seung-Jae did not need to know that his design had been completely rejected at once. Because Na-Yool knew the best how painful it was.