Série: The All-Rounder Employee Becomes a Legend
Título: The All-Rounder Employee Becomes a Legend Chapter 12
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12 : Team Leader, I Quit
Tae-seok pushed his chaotic thoughts aside and tried to think clearly.
He then reached his own conclusion.
‘No way… it can’t be… right?’
But all signs pointed to one answer.
‘It’s you, Dad, isn’t it? It’s really you, right?’
The one-sided help and the occasional threats.
Yet every outcome was meant to help him.
And the message that revealed emotion.
But there was no reply to Tae-seok’s words.
‘Mr. Kim Hyeong-gon! Dad! It’s you, Dad. Isn’t it?’
He asked again.
After several attempts, a reply finally came.
[System Message: I cannot answer that question.]
Even so, a grin spread across Tae-seok’s face.
‘I knew it. I’m right, aren’t I?’
The unknown entity returned to its silence.
‘No? Should I drop the formalities then?’
Tae-seok didn’t press any further.
He saw no point in wasting energy on something that refused to answer.
In truth, when he thought about it, it didn’t matter whether the unknown entity was his late father or not.
If it had its reasons for not speaking, he could find out gradually over time.
And regardless of whether this being was his father or not, he had no intention of being led around by the nose.
The choice he made for this quest was his own.
Right now, he was more curious about how things were going with his mother and the middle-aged man.
He peeked into the hospital room.
A smile was blooming on his mother’s face, one he had never seen before.
Of course, the same was true for the middle-aged man, Kim Han-ul.
The entity sharing Tae-seok’s vision broke its silence and sent a message.
[System Message: That was a good choice.]
Tae-seok just grinned without a word.
He waited in the hallway for the middle-aged man and his mother to finish their conversation.
But one hour passed, then two, and even at 9 PM, their talk showed no signs of ending.
At 10 PM, their conversation finally seemed to be over, and the middle-aged man came out of the room.
Tae-seok asked him.
“Are you heading out, sir?”
“Did you… hear our whole conversation?”
“No. Nothing at all.”
“I was just….”
“You don’t have to say anything. It’s okay.”
“I got a little heated earlier, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, sir.”
“Okay. I’ll be going now.”
The middle-aged man was about to leave, his face dejected.
Tae-seok asked him in a steady voice.
“Do you still like my mother?”
At that, Kim Han-ul turned around and looked at Tae-seok.
An awkward silence.
And a serious gaze shared between them.
Kim Han-ul was the first to break the silence.
“I’m not sure anymore.”
Tae-seok said to him.
“I start at the training center in three days.”
“Then what about Hye-jeong?”
“My aunt will come by sometimes.”
“I see. That’s a relief.”
“Yes. But sir.”
“Hm?”
“I hope you’ll stay by my mother’s side, too.”
“……”
“My mom… she’s been through a lot. If you sent money and my old X-ray not just because you were my dad’s friend, but because you like her, then I hope you’ll stay with her even more.”
“Tae-seok.”
Tae-seok shook his head. Though he was confused himself, he spoke his mind.
“I don’t know how I feel either. So you should be the one to decide.”
“Right. I understand what you mean. I’ll go home and think about it. This isn’t something I can answer easily.”
“Okay. Get home safe.”
The man in the white coat patted Tae-seok’s shoulder, then walked out of the hospital.
Tae-seok went back into the room and looked at his mother.
She was asleep with her eyes closed, likely exhausted.
But seeing the faint smile lingering on her gaunt face, Tae-seok was lost in his own thoughts.
* * *
Three days until he had to go to the new employee training center.
The Team Leader, completely unaware of Tae-seok’s situation, spoke up.
“Starting tomorrow, we’re moving to the new construction site for Plant 2. Let’s pack up early and head home today.”
At that, Cheol-seong shouted.
“Oh~ You landed a new job right away, Team Leader! You’re the best!”
“Of course I did. Mr. Kim, are you taking the day off?”
“Ah, my wife’s been chewing me out. Told me to rest on the weekend.”
“I get it. We don’t have much to do tomorrow anyway, so take the weekend off and come in on Monday.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. See you on Monday.”
They organized the materials at the construction site and even swept up.
As they were packing up their equipment to leave, Tae-seok spoke to the Team Leader.
“Team Leader. I have something to tell you.”
“What? You want the weekend off too?”
“No. It’s not that.”
“Then what? No way! You have to come in. Mr. Kim is taking off, what am I supposed to do if you’re gone too?”
Tae-seok felt conflicted, but he knew it was time to speak up.
“I have to quit now.”
“What?”
“I found a job.”
“A job? Hey! How much do you think a regular job pays? You can make 40 million won a year here. Where are you going?”
“I should have told you sooner, I’m sorry. I was hired for a general position at Elseong Group.”
“Elseong Group? But you don’t even have a proper degree!”
“Somehow, things just worked out. So I don’t think I can come in starting tomorrow.”
“Hah! You son of a bitch! Hey! Kim Tae-seok!”
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
A moment of silence fell.
It was about a five-minute walk from the completed Plant 1 to the truck loaded with their equipment.
The Team Leader was silent the entire way.
To break the awkward silence, Cheol-seong spoke to the Team Leader.
“Team Leader! Since Tae-seok is leaving, we should have a farewell dinner, right?”
“How can you even mention a farewell dinner? When he’s leaving like this?”
“……”
But then Mr. Kim also spoke up.
“Team Leader, I called my wife. Told her I’d be a bit late. Why don’t we go get some hangover soup before we head home?”
“……”
“Come on! Why are you being like this? We’re all just people living day to day. At least Tae-seok is giving us notice before he quits.”
“……”
* * *
The four of them got into the truck.
Tae-seok was driving, with the Team Leader in the passenger seat.
In the back were Cheol-seong and Mr. Kim.
The Team Leader broke the silence.
“Hae-woo’s Gamjatang.”
“Sir?”
“Go there! We have to have a farewell dinner.”
“Team Leader.”
“I’m not doing this because I like you. I’m doing it so I can curse you out for being so infuriating.”
“……”
Tae-seok knew that despite his harsh words, the Team Leader was looking out for him until the very end, and he lowered his head.
The men paired their pork bone stew with soju.
The four of them, covered in dust from cleaning all day, tossed back their drinks with the fiery red broth as a chaser and talked.
“It’s going to be tough when you get there.”
“Yes. I’m prepared for it.”
“It’s not something you can just be prepared for. Those people are educated. I know you barely graduated high school, Tae-seok. You think they’re going to let that slide?”
“I still have to give it a shot.”
“If it doesn’t work out, just come back. Anytime. I’ll always keep a spot open for you — even if I have to make one.”
“Thank you, Team Leader.”
“Right! Ma’am! A bottle of makgeolli over here!”
“Makgeolli?”
“Yes! A whole kettle, please.”
“Alright.”
The makgeolli arrived, and the Team Leader filled a bowl to the brim before handing it to Tae-seok.
“Drink it all in one go!”
“Yes, sir.”
Gulp, gulp.
Then, Mr. Kim handed Tae-seok an envelope.
“If you’d told me earlier, I would’ve gotten you something better…”
“What is this?”
“Something good for your body.”
“Pardon?”
Inside the envelope was a little blue pill.
“Medicine? What kind of medicine is this?”
“It’s good for… *that*.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s good for what’s down there.”
“Ah, I don’t need this. It’s okay.”
Tae-seok tried to return the Viagra to the middle-aged man, but Cheol-seong, who was sitting next to him, snatched it away.
“Then I guess you can just give it to me.”
Upon seeing this, Mr. Kim suddenly became angry.
“Why are you taking it? You don’t even have a woman! Give it back!”
“……”
“Tae-seok! You take this! If you don’t, I’m going to get seriously angry.”
“I understand.”
It was a simple gathering, but it was filled with genuine warmth.
That day, Tae-seok said his final goodbyes to the team members he had worked with.
* * *
The day he would finally join Elseong Group arrived.
Tae-seok, dressed in a suit and carrying a suitcase, went to the meeting point.
In front of Bangbae Elementary School in Seoul.
The bus for the training center was waiting there.
“I’m Kim Tae-seok.”
“Kim Tae-seok, you’re on Bus 1.”
“Yes!”
But the employee in front of him spoke again.
“Wait a moment. Were you born in ‘92?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Then ‘94?”
“Yes. Born in ‘94.”
“Please go to Bus 3.”
“Okay. Understood.”
Tae-seok turned from Bus 1 and headed for Bus 3.
‘There must be someone else with the same name as me.’
A common name, a common surname.
Tae-seok dismissed it as nothing important and took a seat on Bus 3.
“It looks like everyone is here. We will now depart for the Elseong Group New Employee Training Center in Sokcho. Please fasten your seatbelts!”
The bus driver announced.
Tae-seok thought to himself.
‘I’m a new employee now.’
Just then, his phone buzzed with a text message.
[Tae-seok, don’t worry about Hye-jeong. Just go and work hard.]
It was a text from the middle-aged man, Kim Han-ul.
Tae-seok nodded and sent a reply.
[Okay. I’ll be back soon, sir!]
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