“Tell me, sweetheart, why do you only come when I call for you myself?”
Chairman Yoon Jongu asked in a grumbling tone as he looked at Yun Sola, who had just entered his office. As though she had expected such a greeting, Yun Sola puffed out her cheeks slightly and replied,
“Grandpa, I only came back to the country four days ago.”
“Four days is enough time to fly to America and back twice.”
“Oh, Grandpa. I was swamped with preparations for the internship interview until yesterday.”
“With your qualifications and abilities, shouldn’t an interview like that be child’s play?”
“Even monkeys fall from trees sometimes.”
“And why do you always have to answer back?”
“What can I do? That’s just how I am. How long are you planning to keep me standing?”
“Oh, my mistake. Come, sit down.”
“Okay, Grandpa.”
Answering in a bright voice, Yun Sola sat down beside Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun. Wearing a gentle smile, Chairman Yoon Jongu addressed his granddaughter.
“What did you think when you heard my order that you had to apply as an ordinary intern?”
“At first I felt wronged, but once I understood your intention—to give me a chance to compete fairly with everyone else—I stopped caring.”
“I’m glad you understood my intentions. Do you think you can overcome the competition?”
“I think there’s one person I could never beat, even if I gave it everything I had.”
“Oh? And who might that be? Tell me.”
“Now isn’t the time. Later, the day will come when you understand for yourself.”
“Very well. Since I summoned you, let me tell you why. I hope you’ll answer my questions honestly.”
“I will.”
Realizing the atmosphere had turned serious, Yun Sola answered in a much calmer and firmer voice.
“I have a friend I’ve been close with for over seventy years. Not long ago, he asked me to arrange an internship interview for someone he had taken a liking to.”
“You’re talking about Cha Jiham?”
“What?! You know him?”
“We spent quite some time in the same room. How could I not notice him?”
“Then this will be easier. My friend told me that after the interview, Cha Jiham was rewarded with nothing but humiliation from the interviewers. Your father, on the other hand, insisted that it was all lies. I called you here to find out what really happened in that room.”
“Cha Jiham was telling the truth.”
“I see...”
The spacious office fell into a heavy silence. Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun, who had essentially given Chairman Yoon Jongu a false report, lowered his head in shame. The old man shot him an unhappy look before turning back to Yun Sola.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“There were five interviewers in the room. After we greeted them and sat down, the interviewer seated in the middle stared at Cha Jiham with an extremely displeased expression.”
“Is that so? And how did Cha Jiham react?”
“Even though he clearly noticed the cold stare, he remained completely relaxed.”
“Go on.”
“The moment the interview started, the interviewer in the center suddenly asked Cha Jiham what the proverb ‘beautiful outside, rotten inside’ meant.”
Chairman Yoon Jongu immediately understood why such a question had been asked. It was an obvious taunt aimed at Cha Jiham’s meager credentials.
“And what did Cha Jiham answer?”
“With a completely calm expression, he explained the meaning perfectly. But immediately afterward, another interviewer asked him what ‘casting pearls before swine’ meant.”
Without hiding anything, Yun Sola recounted everything she had witnessed with her own eyes.
“...The interviewer dismissed Cha Jiham’s answer as a lie. Unable to tolerate it, I stepped in and confirmed that his answer was correct, but I was rudely told to mind my own business.”
“What?!”
Chairman Yoon Jongu roared in genuine fury.
“But even after that, Cha Jiham didn’t lose his composure. However, right before the interview ended, something happened that would have angered anyone.”
“What happened?”
“They claimed time was running out and asked Cha Jiham only one question.”
“What question?”
“They asked why he had even applied for the internship when he knew perfectly well that his credentials couldn’t compare to those of the other applicants.”
“Oh, good lord...”
A dark foreboding swept over Chairman Yoon Jongu, and he pressed a hand to his forehead with a heavy sigh. At that moment, Chief Secretary Song Dosok, unable to suppress his curiosity, spoke up.
“And what did Cha Jiham answer?”
“He asked them in return: if the company already knew his qualifications were lacking, then why had his application passed the screening stage in the first place?”
“And what did the interviewer do?”
“He glared at Cha Jiham for a long time, then simply stood up and walked out.”
“Chief Secretary Cho, bring me the list of interviewers.”
“Yes, sir.”
Answering in an overly tense voice, Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin shot out of the office like a bullet. Watching him leave, Chairman Yoon Jongu turned his gaze toward Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun and scolded him sternly.
“Did you ever stop to think how Cha Jiham must have felt after being insulted by your people?”
“...Please forgive me.”
“And if Sola hadn’t been in that room, do you have any idea how this might have ended?”
Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun shuddered just imagining it.
“Tsk, tsk. Fool.”
Clicking his tongue, Chairman Yoon Jongu turned back to Yun Sola.
“Tell me, what impression did Cha Jiham leave on you?”
“I can’t speak for everything, but his composure and courage were simply astounding.”
“In what way?”
“At lunch, we were given boxed meals. Everyone else was so nervous they couldn’t swallow a single bite. But Cha Jiham calmly finished every last crumb. On top of that, while we were waiting, he even managed to take a peaceful nap.”
“Really?”
Smiling brightly, Yun Sola answered her grandfather.
“Yes, Grandpa. But something truly amazing happened.”
“Amazing?”
“While he was sleeping, his head eventually rested on my shoulder. Every time he breathed, I could smell a faint aroma of medicinal herbs. The moment I inhaled that scent, my mind became clear and all my anxiety vanished.”
“How strange.”
“I actually felt sorry waking him because I was afraid the staff would catch him sleeping. Thanks to that herbal scent, I wasn’t nervous at all while answering questions, and even words I rarely use came back to me naturally.”
“Hm...”
Chairman Yoon Jongu tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest of the sofa. Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun and the others sat quietly, trying not to disturb his thoughts. After some time, the old man stopped tapping his fingers and asked,
“Tell me, could it be that Cha Jiham simply took some calming pills?”
“I’ve taken those pills plenty of times myself, and I know exactly how they smell. The herbal scent coming from Cha Jiham was completely different.”
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock sounded, and Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin entered the office, breathing heavily. He handed Chairman Yoon Jongu a file folder and sat down on an empty sofa. Without delay, Chairman Yoon Jongu passed the file to Yun Sola and ordered,
“Point out the interviewers who humiliated Cha Jiham.”
Opening the folder and comparing the photographs with the names, Yun Sola answered,
“Grandpa, they were Executive Director Lee Myeongjeong and Director Seo Insok.”
“Vice Chairman Yoon, you know what to do with those bastards, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then get lost. You’re busy.”
Receiving the order to leave, Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun and Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin hurriedly exited the office. After finishing the last of his tea, Chairman Yoon Jongu curiously asked his granddaughter,
“Sola, is this Cha Jiham really that handsome?”
“Yes. He looked like a movie star with an incredible physique.”
“Hahaha. Is that so?”
Yun Sola immediately understood the meaning hidden behind her grandfather’s warm laughter.
“What’s the point? I tested the waters just in case, but his heart already belongs to someone.”
“You mean he’s married?”
“No. He said he has a girlfriend.”
“Tch, and here I thought otherwise. So, shall we have lunch together after being apart for so long?”
At that moment, Chief Secretary Song Dosok interrupted, clearly having something important to add.
“Chairman, before lunch, I believe you should calm Chairman Park’s anger.”
“Ah! I completely forgot about that. Call him and hand me the phone.”
Chief Secretary Song Dosok called Chief Secretary Kang Inhan, exchanged a few words, and handed the phone to Chairman Yoon Jongu.
“Chairman, Chairman Park is on the line.”
Taking the phone, Yoon Jongu offered a formal apology to Park Yeongil, but the latter’s response was icy.
[I have no intention of letting this matter slide.]
“I’ll fire the scum who insulted Cha Jiham immediately. And we’ll accept Cha Jiham as an intern.”
[I never asked you to hire Jiham.]
“I’m a man who knows how to separate business from personal matters.”
[And what exactly does that mean?]
“My decision to accept Cha Jiham has nothing to do with your request.”
[If that’s the case, then fine. I’ll let it pass this once.]
“That’s good to hear. We should meet sometime and share a drink.”
[We’ll see. I’m extremely busy right now, so I’m hanging up.]
Click.
Putting down the phone, Chairman Yoon Jongu let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew... Looks like we won’t be losing two hundred billion after all.”
***
Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun sat down on the sofa and asked Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin,
“Chief Secretary Cho, how should we deal with these people?”
“I believe the problem doesn’t lie solely with Executive Director Lee Myeongjeong and Director Seo Insok. The real issue is President Kim Jinho.”
“Why President Kim?”
“Those two are his university juniors. They act so arrogantly and shamelessly because President Kim secretly shields them.”
“Hm... Is that so?”
Knock, knock.
As soon as Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun nodded, three men entered after knocking. The moment they saw the expression on the man seated at the head of the table, all three froze. His face was red with anger, like a ripe apple. As they shifted uneasily, his thunderous voice exploded.
“Get over here and sit down!”
Startled by the furious command, the three men hurriedly occupied the empty seats on the sofa. Yoon Sanghun examined each of them with an icy stare before speaking in a dry, lifeless tone.
“Executive Director Lee, surely I don’t need to explain the meaning of the saying that walls have ears?”
“Of course not.”
“Then let’s get to the point. Tell me, does an interviewer have the right to trample on the dignity of an applicant?”
“No, of course not.”
“In that case, explain to me the meanings of ‘beautiful outside, rotten inside’ and ‘casting pearls before swine.’”
“......”
Bang!
Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun slammed his fist onto the table and roared in a terrifying voice.
“Answer me!”
“...I’m sorry.”
Knowing he was at fault, Executive Director Lee Myeongjeong answered in a tiny voice.
“How would you feel if your son, or Director Seo’s son, were smeared like that during an interview?”
“......”
“You asked Cha Jiham questions that bordered on outright personal insults, then claimed his answers were insincere?!”
“......”
“Why were you so determined to fail Cha Jiham, and why did you feed me a false report?!”
Executive Director Lee Myeongjeong desperately wanted to say, Because his credentials aren’t worth a damn, but fearing the consequences, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“...I sincerely apologize.”
“I can tolerate many things, but I will never tolerate false reports and disobedience. You two may leave. Get out.”
As though they had already foreseen their fate, Executive Director Lee Myeongjeong and Director Seo Insok opened the door and left with expressions of utter despair. Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun, whose anger had not yet subsided, immediately turned toward President Kim Jinho.
“President Kim, how much longer do you intend to turn a blind eye to your subordinates’ actions?”
“...Even if I had a hundred mouths, I would have nothing to say in my defense.”
“Considering our past relationship, I’ll give you the chance to resign voluntarily. What do you say?”
“I will accept your decision.”
President Kim Jinho answered in a hopeless, lifeless voice.