Series: The All-Rounder Employee Becomes a Legend
Chapter: 36
Title: A Smooth Job Fair
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It was the weekend, a welcome break.
Taeseok boarded the bus, reading through the materials his seniors had prepared for the new graduate job fair at Seoul University next Monday.
It was a glimpse into the diligence of a new employee, determined not to waste even a moment of his bus ride.
The bus sped toward its final destination.
An hour and twenty minutes later, he arrived in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
After getting off the intercity bus, Kim Taeseok transferred to a city bus and headed somewhere.
To the place where his mother's wedding was being held today.
At a church in Gyo-dong, Cheonan, the bride and groom had already finished their preparations and were waiting for Taeseok.
Taeseok saw his mother and the man.
He felt a strange mix of emotions.
Did the man feel the same?
The middle-aged man, Kim Hanul, spoke to the young man who had just arrived.
“Taeseok, you’re here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“My son. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course. Mom, you look really beautiful today.”
The man, Kim Hanul, was in a black formal suit, and his mother was in a wedding dress.
Looking at the beautiful couple, Taeseok forgot everything else and smiled.
Perhaps because it was his mother's second marriage?
It was a lonely wedding, with him as the only guest.
But the man, in his early fifties, and his mother, in her late forties, had wanted it this way.
To others, it might have seemed like a very humble wedding.
But neither of them had any complaints.
They had both agreed they wanted a quiet ceremony.
And so, the simple wedding they had arranged was about to begin.
A man in his late sixties standing before them smiled.
He was the officiant for today's ceremony.
The man's solemn voice echoed through the church.
“Love one another. And remember. The person standing beside you now is the one who loves you.”
At the officiant's words, Kim Hanul and Kang Hyejung nodded.
“A husband and wife must support each other completely. Just as you have weathered difficult times together, I hope your bond will continue.”
The sermon was not long.
“The groom, having confessed the feelings he had hidden for so long, must now do his best.”
“Yes.”
“And the bride, as she begins a new life, must be even better to her husband.”
“Yes.”
“Now, will the bride and groom please share a kiss.”
A light kiss.
And with that, Kim Hanul and Kang Hyejung promised their future to each other.
And…
“This concludes the ceremony.”
The wedding was over.
The man in his late sixties who had officiated patted Kim Hanul's shoulder.
“You’ve grown up so much. Our Hanul, you’ve really grown.”
“Director, thank you so much for coming to officiate for us.”
“I should probably stop being the Director now. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”
“What are you talking about? You have to keep going as long as you’re healthy. There are so many children looking up to you.”
“Haha, still. A fellow who became a doctor, why would you ask me to officiate instead of one of your medical school professors?”
“You’re special to me, Director. You took in and raised me and Hyunggon when we were orphans.”
That was right. His father and the man had grown up together in an orphanage.
Was that why? The man in his sixties, the Director, recalled the past and spoke in a calm tone.
“Haha, that’s all in the past. By the way, are you alright with this, madam bride? Having a nobody like me officiate your wedding, on your second marriage no less.”
At the words of the Cheongwon Orphanage Director, Kang Hyejung shook her head and expressed her sincere gratitude.
“Please don’t say that. You have no idea how grateful I am to you.”
At that, Director Choi Deokdong smiled.
“You have a very kind heart. Very kind. So, where are you two headed now?”
“First, we were thinking of going to the memorial park where Hyunggon is resting.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. We have to go say hello to the guy.”
“Right. That Hyunggon fellow, leaving before I did. Breaking people’s hearts.”
To the Director's words, the man replied.
“Yes. He’s a truly bad guy.”
Taeseok sincerely congratulated them on their wedding.
After the wedding, on the way to the memorial park in Kim Hanul's car, the man spoke.
“Taeseok, before your father met Hyejung, he paid for all of my medical school tuition.”
At that, Kang Hyejung asked with a surprised look.
“He did?”
“Of course. You know how you have to leave the orphanage when you turn 20 with just the settlement fund. Hyunggon and I were the same age, so we left at the same time, knowing nothing about the world.”
“That must have been difficult.”
“Haha, I studied for another year to retake the exams because I wanted to go to medical school, and Hyunggon said he had no talent for studying and went out to work and earn money.”
“Ah...”
“And that punk! He said I’d need money to study and gave me a lot. Hyejung, did Hyunggon never tell you about that?”
“He never said a word about it. And you, Hanul, you only ever said you were just friends with my husband.”
“That’s because he liked you so much, Hyejung, that I couldn’t express my feelings. Anyway, thanks to that guy Hyunggon, I became a doctor… but I never did anything for him. I wonder if he resents me….”
“Don’t worry. My husband was always a kind-hearted person. He couldn’t harm a fly.”
At her words, Kim Hanul said to Hyejung with a charming smile.
“Hyejung, your husband is me now, not Hyunggon. Haha.”
Listening to their conversation, Taeseok thought of his own father.
He had been such a gentle person, now that he thought about it.
A man who was always devoted to his family, who worked silently and dedicated himself to his mother and him.
That was why Taeseok had always been proud of his father.
Cheonan Memorial Park.
The place where Kim Hyunggon's ashes were kept.
A corner of the building. The lowest niche.
Seeing his father's niche, Taeseok felt his heart tear apart.
The other niches were visible at eye level, but to see where his father rested, you had to look down.
On top of that, it was in such a corner that the light didn't reach it properly.
Even in death… his father couldn’t see the light.
All because of that damned money.
‘It’s upsetting. So upsetting and infuriating.’
Was that why? He felt a little resentful toward his mother and the man for suggesting they come here today, of all days.
Taeseok made a resolution.
That he would earn a lot of money and move his father's remains to a better place.
Now that she was no longer in pain.
Now that everything was okay, he would earn a lot of money and be a dutiful son for the rest of his life.
Just then, Kim Hanul spoke to the nameplate on the niche.
“Hyunggon, are you doing well? I married Hyejung.”
As he spoke, Kang Hyejung stood beside him holding his hand, and Kim Hanul continued.
“We’ll live well. It seems like you’re helping us from heaven. The doctor said Hyejung’s cancer is all gone. We still have to go to the hospital for check-ups, but it looks like she’ll be able to live a long life. So I’ll be by her side in your place. That’s okay, right? Don’t you come back to haunt me, you hear?”
Then, his mother spoke.
“My husband! You said it before you died, didn't you? That I had to live well even without you. While I was fighting my illness, I had a thought. I’m going to raise Taeseok well and support him properly. So you just watch over us from heaven without any worries. Got it?”
His mother and the man's sincerity.
Taeseok felt a lump in his throat again.
Then, the man said to Taeseok.
“Taeseok, you should say something to your dad too, right?”
“Yes.”
“Dad, please be well, and please help our family. We’ll live happily.”
The precious weekend.
Taeseok immediately boarded a bus back to Seoul.
The new couple looked at Taeseok, seemingly sad to part ways.
“Why are you leaving so soon? You could at least have a meal with us before you go.”
“It’s okay. You two need to go on your honeymoon.”
“What honeymoon? We’re just going to look around the beach and get some fresh air.”
“Have a good time. I’ll head back and do my best as well.”
“Alright. Take care of yourself.”
As they parted, Taeseok thought to himself.
Family. He couldn't deny it anymore.
He had a new family.
He had to accept the man, Kim Hanul.
‘I’ll have to call him Dad someday, won’t I?’
He wasn't ready for that yet.
When would that day come?
* * *
Monday arrived.
Taeseok came to work early in the morning and loaded equipment into the company car.
A projector, a laptop, promotional pens, and even a microphone and amplifier.
There was a lot to pack.
Team Leader Kang Minyul spoke to the two new employees who were working hard.
“Nothing’s ever easy, is it?”
“No, sir. But it’s fun, Team Leader.”
“Fun? It’s probably fun because it’s your first time. We still have 15 more places to go.”
Fifteen places.
Ten were universities in Seoul, and the other five were in metropolitan cities in the provinces.
Perhaps because today's event was at Seoul University, considered the top university in the country, the Team Leader and the section chief were also present.
Taeseok and Donghoon arrived two hours early and began setting up in the auditorium.
『Mic test, one, two, three. Donghoon! How's the level?』
“Yeah! Taeseok! I can hear you clearly!”
『Okay, go check the left side too. I’m going to check again if there are any spots with reverb. We need to check everything in case we get feedback.』
“Okay, but how are you so good at this? You’re a total pro.”
Taeseok smiled at Jang Donghoon's words.
[Sub Quest: Check the broadcast system at Seoul University and prevent audio feedback.]
[Reward: 2 Points]ㅣ
'Sorry, I'm a little special.'
But he couldn't say that out loud. They'd think he was crazy.
So Taeseok said to Donghoon.
“It’s only fast because you’re helping me.”
“Hey~ That’s so cheesy.”
“Haha, just hurry up and go to the left. I need to check if the amp is causing any reverb.”
“Got it.”
Once all the settings were complete, Taeseok reported to the Team Leader beside him.
“Team Leader? The computer, broadcast system, video files, microphones, and even the entry and exit routes—everything is set up.”
“Alright. And you! You're an incredibly good worker.”
“That's high praise. It's only because Donghoon helped me out so much.”
The Team Leader realized as he looked at Taeseok.
Though his English was lacking, he was far superior to Jang Donghoon in every other area.
Excel, document organization—you name it.
On top of that, he wasn't afraid of physical work and was meticulous in checking everything.
He was flawless.
The assistant manager felt the same way.
‘This Kim Taeseok is really sharp. Personable and a hard worker, too.’
And so, the preparations were completed smoothly.
Kim Jungmi, an employee one year Taeseok's senior, took a sip of water, cleared her throat, and began the presentation.
“Hello, everyone. My name is Kim Jungmi, and like many of you, I'm from Seoul University, class of '13.”
『Clap, clap, clap, clap』
“I'm sure among you job seekers, there are some who are my seniors, some who are my juniors, and some who are from the same class year. Shall we see how many of my seniors are here today?”
At that, more than 60% raised their hands. Of course, since most of the men had completed their military service, nearly 100% of them raised their hands.
“Ah, it looks like all the men here are my seniors. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'll be sincerely rooting for all of you to pass—my seniors, my classmates, and my juniors.”
Another round of applause followed.
『Clap, clap, clap, clap』
Kim Jungmi was also an excellent employee.
Her voice, clear and sharp, echoed through the auditorium.
“I assume most of you are already familiar with El Sung Group. So, rather than going into minor details, I'll start with what you're most curious about: our hiring numbers. In the first half of this year, we hired about 260 people, and we plan to hire around 300 in the second half. Last year, we hired about 560 in the first half and 660 in the second, so our hiring scale has been reduced quite a bit this year.”
She continued speaking naturally.
“But please don't be too disappointed. If you're a prepared and talented individual, you certainly have a chance to join our company. Now, shall we start by watching a video about our group?”
Kim Taeseok and Jang Donghoon watched their senior's presentation with smiles on their faces.
A flawless presentation.
Perhaps because she had experience from last year, she completed the recruitment session without a single mistake.
After the first, second, and third recruitment sessions all ended successfully, the assistant manager no longer attended the subsequent ones.
And then, on Friday of that week.
Kim Jungmi reported to the Team Leader and the assistant manager with a troubled expression.
“Assistant Manager, I'm on summer vacation starting next week. Who should I hand the recruitment presentation over to?”
“Oh, really? You're on vacation, Jungmi?”
“Yes. I'll be gone for about a week.”
“Who do you think would do a good job?”
“Um… are you asking me to choose between Jang Donghoon and Kim Taeseok?”
“Yeah. We have to give it to one of them. It wouldn't be right to ask the Team Leader, given his position, right?”
Kim Jungmi thought for a moment.
‘If I consider academic background, I should definitely choose Jang Donghoon. But why do I find Kim Taeseok more reliable?’
She trusted her gut. So she told the assistant manager.
“I'll hand it over to Kim Taeseok.”
And her choice was the right one.
“Right. That kid is better. Tell Kim Taeseok to handle the recruitment session next Monday. Of course, the Team Leader will be there to supervise.”
“Yes. I'll pass that on to the Team Leader. I'll have a good vacation, Assistant Manager.”
“Alright. Let's proceed with that plan.”
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