**The Genius Manager Who Sees Algorithms, Episode 2**
— — —
2. What Only I Can See
— — —
Early morning.
I woke up to the sound of a blaring alarm.
As soon as I sat up, I blinked and hurriedly scanned my surroundings.
Daylight was breaking outside the window of my shabby studio apartment.
‘Wait? How did I get home? I clearly remember drinking with Sungho….’
My brow furrowed instinctively due to the incoming hangover.
I blinked and tried to retrace my memories, but it felt as if they had been wiped clean.
However, that bizarre moment I experienced last night remained vivid.
The faintly glowing rhombus, the rectangle, and the arrows connecting them.
‘What on earth was that?’
Could it be the "system" I’d only ever seen in novels?
But I shook my head immediately.
‘Nah. I’ve been reading too many novels.’
It must be some cutting-edge technology, like augmented reality or a hologram.
I mean, we live in a world where 3D billboards have popped up in Gangnam.
Or maybe… I just saw things because I was drunk….
I tried to rationalize it, but the uneasy feeling wouldn't go away.
*Vrrr- Vrrr-*
At that moment, my phone vibrated in the darkness.
Given the atmosphere, I flinched involuntarily.
It was Sungho.
‘Right. I was supposed to start work today.’
What mattered now wasn't some strange hallucination.
I hurriedly checked the time.
Thankfully, I wasn't late.
-You’re up, right?
"Of course, I’m up. When have you ever seen me be late?"
-Team Leader Dokgo has a rather prickly personality, so you absolutely cannot be late. You got that?
"Don't worry. Just trust me."
My tone was casual, but my hands and feet were moving frantically.
-But don't show up too early, either. He hates it when people waste time for no reason.
Just hearing about him, I could tell he wasn't the easiest person to deal with.
With someone like that, the first impression was even more critical.
‘I absolutely cannot be late.’
I couldn't afford to get on his bad side on my first day.
I hurriedly opened my closet and scrambled to get ready for work.
Recalling the outfit Sungho wore yesterday, I changed into the neatest, most comfortable clothes I had.
‘He said there’d be a lot of running around, so sneakers should be fine.’
I hadn't been given any specific instructions as a new hire, but I dressed with as much sense as I could muster.
*Buzz- buzz-*
Just as I was about to leave the house, my phone vibrated again.
This time, it was Mom.
‘Sigh, Mom always calls at times like this.’
When I’ve caused trouble.
Or when something big is happening.
Mom always called at the most impeccable timing.
‘What will she say if I tell her I got fired and am becoming a manager?’
I was already worried about the nagging.
I took a deep breath before answering.
"Hey, Mom."
-Son, did you have breakfast?
Why do moms always ask if you’ve eaten first?
"Who eats breakfast these days? How about you?"
-I ate, of course.
"And Dad?"
-He went to the mountain behind the house at the crack of dawn. He’s walking around just fine now.
"That’s a relief."
Just then, I heard Dad’s voice over the phone.
-What’s this, is our son looking for me? Give me the phone. Yeah, son. I’m doing fine now. Your mom and I are getting along great these days, no fighting at all.
-Stop talking nonsense.
I could clearly picture Mom’s expression as she snatched the phone away.
They were still the same as ever.
After chatting about this and that, Mom asked tentatively.
-By the way, how’s work lately? Is everything okay?
Damn it.
She never asks when things are normal, but she hits the nail on the head when it matters.
‘Is this "mother’s intuition"?’
But since the topic had come up, it was better to get it over with.
I smacked my lips and opened my mouth.
"Actually… I got fired."
-…What? No way, did that department head bastard give you a hard time again?
Excited, Mom’s regional dialect slipped out.
"He promised to make me a permanent employee, then completely went back on his word… Anyway, it’s a long story, but that’s what happened. I’m sorry."
As I answered, I braced myself.
I expected Mom’s long lecture to begin, but….
-It’s for the best. There’s nothing to learn under a jerk like that! Besides, a man is bound to face all sorts of things while working.
Huh?
The development was quite different from what I expected.
"…Really?"
-Yes. You’re going to do well anyway. So don’t let a little thing like that get you down, straighten your shoulders!
Can she see everything in my eyes?
I quickly puffed out my chest and straightened my shoulders.
"But Mom, how are you so sure I’ll do well?"
-How many times do I have to tell you? Your birth dream was no ordinary dream. The dragon’s wings covered the entire sky. I’ve never heard of anyone else seeing a dragon like that.
I suppose my birth dream was quite grand.
Even now, whenever the topic of birth dreams came up, Mom would brag about it to the whole neighborhood.
"I’m sorry. I should be filial enough to match that birth dream…."
-What are you talking about… You paid off your tuition all by yourself and send me pocket money every month. Is that all? You take care of yourself and never cause any trouble. If that’s not being filial, what is?
After Dad suddenly collapsed from a heart attack, we struggled to get back on our feet.
Mom, who had only ever been a housewife, had to step up, and it hadn't been an easy life.
Because of that, Mom still felt heartbroken that she hadn't been able to pay for my tuition properly.
-So stop worrying about your mom and dad, and just live your life doing what you want. Got it? You’re someone who will succeed no matter what you do.
"Mom…."
There really was no one like Mom to lift up her good-for-nothing son.
My heart swelled with a lump in my throat from the overwhelming emotion.
But then….
-Though, the one thing Mom hopes for is that you’ll start thinking about marriage soon….
It started.
Mom’s signature nagging.
"Uh, Mom, my department head is calling for me."
-What department head? You said you got fired!
"Ah, anyway, I’ll call you later."
-Hey, hey!
I forcibly pushed away Mom’s voice and hurriedly hung up.
‘Man, I was in such a rush to hang up that I didn't even get to mention I’m becoming a manager.’
That wasn't a big deal, though.
I could tell her next time.
‘Anyway, Mom is still the same.’
Maybe because she’s from the countryside, she was already deeply worried about me finding a wife.
Of course, it wasn't that I had no thoughts of dating at all.
But reality wasn't easy.
Twenty-eight.
When I was younger, I thought by this age I’d naturally have a house, a car, and a girlfriend.
‘That was just a naive delusion.’
I had nothing to show for it, and as I grew older, I only felt more anxious.
The face reflected in the mirror looked worn out, too….
‘But wait, why did I wake up like this again?’
In an instant.
I remembered one fact I had forgotten.
I absolutely cannot be late.
* * *
6:00 AM.
I ran frantically while checking the bus arrival time on my phone.
The cold dawn air brushed against my cheeks, but I had no time to care.
One minute until the bus arrived.
Pushing away the hangover that clung to me like a leech, I barely made it to the bus stop.
‘Phew, thankfully I won't be late.’
A moment later,
As the bus approached, the people around me became restless.
I, too, took out my wallet and prepared to board.
But at that moment.
A strange sensation enveloped my body.
‘Huh? This feeling….’
It was the exact same feeling that had visited me last night.
At the same time, a large rhombus shape appeared above the bus number.
‘That… it wasn't a dream?’
Just like last night, there was text written inside the rhombus.
[Q: Did you board the bus?]
[Yes] or [No]
A very intuitive and simple question.
As my gaze naturally followed the "Yes," I saw the following content.
[Tardy]
I saw it clearly.
I hadn't misread it, and I wasn't drunk.
Yet, no one else around me paid any attention to the text.
‘…Is this, by any chance, only visible to me?’
Given the reactions of those around me so far, it was a logical conclusion.
*Thump-thump.*
My heart began to race.
I couldn't be sure exactly what was happening.
But instinctively, I felt I needed to interpret this meaning.
‘It seems like if I board this bus, I’ll be late….’
"Are you not getting on?"
The kind bus driver asked, looking at me as I hesitated.
‘If I miss this, I might be late… should I just get on?’
It was already a tight situation.
But it would be foolish to board the bus after seeing the algorithm so clearly.
It felt similar to when I first entered Adon Ad.
‘Right. I have to skip this bus.’
It was a conclusion I could reach because I had experienced firsthand what happened when I made a hasty choice.
"I’m sorry. I mistook the number."
At my words, the driver closed the doors and pulled away, as if to say it happens.
Watching the back of the bus, I still wondered if I had done the right thing.
A while later.
I boarded a bus on a different route that arrived shortly after.
‘Did I do something unnecessary?’
Calculating the time, I realized I could still be late if I wasn't careful.
A precarious situation.
I kept lingering on the bus I had let go.
But….
While driving down the road, a familiar bus number caught my eye through the window.
‘Oh? That’s….’
It was the very bus I had intended to board earlier.
Smoke was rising from the engine,
And the driver was on the phone, looking troubled.
The passengers were also getting off the bus with scrunched-up faces, stamping their feet in frustration.
"What on earth…."
Surprised, a short gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it.
"Is this for real…?"
* * *
Thanks to the system, I was able to arrive at the entrance of the PJ Entertainment headquarters right on time.
The receptionist who had been waiting greeted me kindly.
"You arrived right on time. However, one person hasn't arrived yet. Could you wait just a little longer?"
"Yes. Understood."
I was smiling, but my mind was filled with what I had just experienced.
‘If I had boarded that bus, I don't know how many minutes late I would have been, let alone five….’
I took a slow breath to calm my nerves.
Once I felt somewhat composed, I began to retrace the phenomenon I had experienced.
‘It definitely said God's Algorithm.’
I couldn't be certain I had heard it with my ears, but I had heard it clearly.
Thinking about it, the shapes that appeared before my eyes were all related to flowcharts.
‘Could it be that I’ve gained the ability to see God's Algorithm?’
It was clear that something bizarre and inexplicable had occurred.
Excited, I wanted to test this ability once more.
‘Let’s see… what should I try?’
I scanned my surroundings, looking for a suitable subject.
As luck would have it, the desk clerk who had guided me earlier caught my eye.
I stared at the clerk in silence.
‘…….’
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Oh, no, I’m fine.”
However, there was no reaction.
Next, I looked at the woman cleaning the lobby.
‘…….’
Again, there was no reaction.
Huh?
I shifted my gaze to a car parked in front of the lobby.
‘…….’
Still, nothing.
‘Is this not something I can see whenever I want?’
It seemed the activation timing was random.
‘That’s a bit disappointing….’
But at that moment, a woman caught my eye as she cut through the crowd and walked past me.
With a pleasant scent and long, straight black hair swaying, she looked like she had stepped out of a commercial.
I noticed she was holding a script in her hand.
‘Is she an actor under PJ?’
With unrealistic proportions and a striking appearance, she stood out immediately.
Just as I was staring at her, lost in a trance, a strange sensation washed over my body.
‘Yes, this is the feeling….’
It was the moment I had been desperately waiting for.
Simultaneously, an Algorithm appeared before my eyes.
Inside a rhombus, the following text was displayed:
[Q: Did she continue acting?]
[Yes] or [No]
‘Look at that, the rhombus is a shape representing a choice.’
Below it, arrows connected to numerous rectangles.
‘The rectangles represent the output—no, the results—of a choice.’
Ultimately, the rhombus signified a moment of decision, and the rectangles signified the outcome of that choice. The arrows were flow lines, serving to connect the processing flow and the symbols. The unfortunate part was that most of it was obscured by question marks.
‘This must be related to the synchronization rate, right?’
My current synchronization rate was 3%.
It meant I could only see the Algorithms corresponding to that level.
‘But why can I see that woman’s Algorithm?’
It was a natural question to ask.
However, the reason wasn’t hard to guess.
It was because she was someone connected to me.
‘That’s it. It only shows people I have a connection with….’
In other words, it seemed to only appear for targets I could influence.
Only then was I able to clearly organize my thoughts about the system.
‘God's Algorithm is, in the end, an algorithm that reveals a target’s destiny.’
Depending on what choice is made, the next step becomes visible.
Of course, I couldn’t see everything, but this alone was an incredible ability.
‘It’s the same as being able to peek into destiny.’
It was the moment the system’s performance was truly verified.
Suddenly, I remembered what Sungho had said.
‘“This kid is a winner, this project is a hit. If you do this, it works; if you do that, it fails. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just see it all at a glance? You wouldn’t even have to worry about these things.”’
It was an ability every manager dreamed of.
And I could do it.
‘This is a goldmine, isn’t it?’
My heart pounded.
For the first time in my life, I had an opportunity like this, and the corners of my mouth kept twitching.
In the meantime, the woman moved further away and soon disappeared into the crowd.
I had thought about approaching her, but there was no need to rush.
‘If we are fated to meet, I’ll see her again someday.’
Besides, I didn’t know the ropes of being a manager yet, so I couldn’t just act recklessly.
I might end up getting on someone’s bad side if I moved too hastily.
‘Still, I gained something thanks to her.’
I had gained confidence in my ability.
Even if it was random, it was highly useful whenever it activated.
‘And the fact that there are grades means there must be higher ones.’
My current grade was Great Virtue.
If I just raised my grade, I could naturally increase my synchronization rate as well.
‘Good.’
I took a casual look around the lobby.
Security was tight, and there were so many people coming and going.
‘They must all be big shots in the industry.’
Far from feeling intimidated by my sudden ability, I felt a surge of motivation.
With this ability and my tenacity… I could become the best.
I felt like I had finally found the stage where I could shine.
‘Yes, whatever this is, let’s start over with this ability.’
Just as I was resolving this to myself, two people approached from behind me.
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