Chapter 2: Like the Protagonist (2)
- Let's go quick! Quick!
- Where?
- Curation Team! It's popcorn time right now!
Rumors spread fast in a company.
It's a place where even secret affairs get exposed, so there was no way people wouldn't know about the commotion that was loud enough to be heard outside the meeting room.
- What popcorn time?
- Didn't you hear Deputy Manager Go from the Operations Team had a huge fight with the team leader? He even went over to the Curation Team, apparently.
- No way, to pick a fight?
The news spread by word of mouth even to those who didn't know, and Min-hyuk's performance spread in an instant.
Employees gradually gathered in front of the Curation office.
- Why did he do that?
- Isn't he the type who works diligently and modestly?
- Exactly. I thought he was someone who just did his job without drawing attention.
Min-hyuk was an employee who wasn't bad at his job.
Meaning, he was at least a sincere type who didn't burden others.
To get this kind of reputation even while writing early every morning before coming to work meant he had a certain level of responsibility and work sense.
- The Operations Team Leader was a bit too much.
- A yes-man to cooperating departments, but treats his team members like dirt.
- He should have managed his reputation moderately. In the end, what was bound to explode, exploded.
The employees gathered around the Curation office listened intently, but it was surprisingly quiet.
- I thought all hell would break loose, but it's surprisingly quiet?
- He probably can't raise hell in the Curation Team, it's the core department of the Planning & Management Division.
The employees' eyes flickered with anticipation.
Something unusual had happened in the quiet company, and there's nothing as fun as watching a fight.
‘Haa…… This bastard, really.’
Of course, there was also someone in the Operations Team nervously biting their nails.
***
Curation Team office.
Everyone stared at me with bewildered eyes.
A quiet morning hour.
It was understandable they'd be bewildered since I suddenly barged in and loudly called for the team leader.
My back felt slightly sweaty, and it was a bit embarrassing, but.
I shouted once more with momentum.
“Team Leader Seo Jong-sik!”
Hee- hee-
My breathing was rough.
The aftermath of arguing with Team Leader Kim still lingered.
Team Leader Seo came out of the meeting room.
He adjusted his glasses and looked at me.
“Deputy Manager Go? What brings you here?”
I bowed deeply and greeted him.
“Good morning.”
“Oh, I thought something had happened.”
“Something did happen.”
Team Leader Seo had a puzzled expression.
It seemed he had been in the meeting room ever since he arrived at work, so he might not have heard about the commotion.
“First, have a seat.”
Team Leader Seo studied my face carefully, then chuckled and said.
“What's with that expression, like a soldier heading into a battlefield.”
As I remained standing, he spoke again.
“I said sit. Want a cup of coffee?”
“I'm fine.”
“Drink up~ I'll make it for you.”
Hmm…… The flow is a bit strange.
The excitement felt like it was gradually subsiding.
My fighting spirit shouldn't drop…….
No.
I didn't come here to fight.
I just need to say what I need to say and get what I want.
“Thank you, I'll drink it well.”
I expressed my thanks as I received the coffee cup.
“Alright, what is it?”
Slurp-
I took a sip of the steaming coffee and spoke.
“It's about the QA server testing our team leader agreed to cooperate on.”
In OTT, once the logic is completed, it undergoes testing in QA, and if there are no issues, it goes commercial.
“Right.”
“That's something we cannot do.”
“Suddenly?”
“…….”
Team Leader Seo thought for a moment, then asked.
“There are two things I'm curious about.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“First, why is Deputy Manager Go saying this? It's something that was already fully discussed with your team leader?”
“It seems he momentarily forgot that our team currently doesn't have the capacity to handle testing for other departments.”
“So, why are you the one saying that?”
“Team Leader Kim Se-jun said he felt sorry to say it himself,”
Talking behind someone's back openly isn't good for me.
For my own image, I acted calmly.
“He asked me to relay the message instead.”
“…….”
“I came here in the role of acting team leader. You can check if you're doubtful.”
Team Leader Seo tilted his head and said.
“Okay. Then second, why are you telling me about your team's situation?”
“…….”
“That's not cooperation; it's something you should rightfully be doing. It seems Team Leader Kim faced resistance from his team members due to insufficient manpower.”
Indeed, he wasn't the Curation Team Leader for nothing.
Even though I hadn't said much, he had already grasped the situation.
“Still, you shouldn't push work away like this.”
“Didn't the Curation Team request the automatic logic development? The place that directly requested it should complete the testing before commercialization. Does the Curation Team just make the request, and the cleanup is the Operations Team's task?”
Team Leader Seo said with a smile.
“Haha, that's not the logic, Deputy Manager Go.”
“…….”
“Isn't it the Operations Team's job to handle everything from pre-emptive management (pre-content delivery inspection) to post-content exposure inspection?”
The work our team does is invisibly broad; it can be interpreted however one wants.
If the team leader is a yes-man, he's bound to bring in all sorts of tasks.
“What we requested is automatic logic designed to expose content tailored to each user's taste on the platform. Fundamentally, this is related to operations work. In other words, the very act of requesting the logic means we were doing your team's work for you.”
“Wait a moment. Team Leader Seo.”
A slippery eel of a man.
Definitely high-level.
For a moment I was speechless, but I couldn't just stay silent at this timing.
I thought of Hyeok, the protagonist of my novel.
What would he have done right now?
“So, who benefits from this?”
***
Hyeok's words always hit a nerve.
Readers were often impressed because of that,
There's no rule saying I can't do as Hyeok did.
All the lines Hyeok spoke in <The Office Worker Who Came From the Apocalypse> came from my own head.
“Hmm…….”
Team Leader Seo was flustered.
It seemed what I said had an effect.
“Isn't the Curation Team the biggest beneficiary once the automatic logic is implemented? Because you won't have to manually curate content.”
“…….”
“But testing isn't your task, so another team has to do it? Is the Operations Team your servant!”
I yelled suddenly, and Team Leader Seo flinched.
“Task or not, let's think logically. Team Leader Seo. This isn't right.”
“…….”
“You're developing it to make your own lives easier. Isn't that so?”
Was that a bit harsh?
No.
When it's time to act, you act.
If you've drawn the sword, you must subdue the opponent completely, as Hyeok said…… no, wait, those are lines I wrote.
Anyway.
“It wasn't discussed with us from the initial development stage. You cooked it up amongst yourselves without a word, and now testing is your responsibility? This kind of dog…….”
For a moment, I almost cursed, saying 'dog-like situation'.
This isn't a novel.
It's reality.
Some level of filtering is necessary.
“Ahem. Is this enough of an answer to the second question?”
I looked Team Leader Seo straight in the eye and said.
“If you have more questions, ask away. Third, fourth, as many as you like.”
I'm doing something logically reasonable.
As long as I don't back down myself, it can work.
I was ready to retort whatever Team Leader Seo said, sharpening my senses, but,
“No more questions. It seems you're right.”
“…….”
“We will handle the QA server testing.”
***
This easily?
It was the situation I wanted, but I was bewildered.
So this works.
Hyeok, thank you.
“Since I've given you the answer you wanted, would you please leave now? I have face to save too, you know.”
The Curation Team members were busy typing away as if busy, but they must have heard the entire conversation between me and Team Leader Seo.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Not at all. Hurry along now.”
“You'll send the email right now, correct?”
I mustn't weaken here.
I need to drive the blade in firmly until the very end.
Just like Hyeok did.
“…… Do I really need to send an email too?”
“Isn't it better to clearly define the tasks? Since you've decided to do it anyway.”
I planted both feet firmly on the ground, not budging an inch.
Team Leader Seo must have sensed that I wouldn't move until I got the desired answer.
“Alright. I'll send it now.”
“Then, please excuse my intrusion this morning.”
I bowed my head in greeting and left the office.
Phew-
Coming outside, I took a deep breath.
Until just moments ago, there were many murmuring voices around the office, but now there wasn't a single person.
Thump. Thump.
I walked slowly.
What did I do today?
Only now did my hands tremble slightly.
The thought of what if people avoid me because rumors spread that I'm crazy crossed my mind,
but then I thought, what does it matter?
‘Operations Team’
I see our team's sign.
What impact will my actions, done according to my convictions, have?
Will I get into another fight with Team Leader Kim as soon as I get back to my seat?
Before entering the office, I turned on my phone.
【Megamedia : 100,643,231 Won】
A sense of peace comes over my mind.
It's okay.
“Team Leader, I'm here to report.”
As soon as I arrived at the team area, I went straight to Team Leader Kim, but,
“I saw the email.”
He spat out the words without even looking at my face.
Did Team Leader Seo send it already?
As I sat down, Deputy Manager Jeon approached and spoke in a low voice so the team leader wouldn't hear.
“Senior, just a moment.”
I followed Deputy Manager Jeon to the break room, and the working mom, Deputy Manager Song, was also there.
“Oh, what's up?”
“What's up with you, Senior? How did you do it?”
“Did the email come from the Curation Team?”
“Yes. It came addressed to our entire team. How did you do it, I'm asking?”
So Team Leader Seo is someone who keeps his promises reliably.
I shrugged my shoulders and said.
“How else? I just said what needed to be said based on common sense.”
Deputy Manager Jeon's eyes shimmered as he looked at me.
“Thank you. That was super cool.”
The working mom, Deputy Manager Song, also gave me a thumbs-up from her seat.
How long had it been since I saw those two smile?
For a moment, I felt a warmth spreading in my chest.
‘This is fun.’
The wall I thought was impossible to break wasn't as solid as I expected, and breaking it down was strangely enjoyable.
‘Actually, it wasn't a big deal.’
I even wondered what it would have been like if I had lived my company life like this from the start.
***
The next day, morning.
Ding.
From : Director Yun Hyeon-su.
To : Deputy Manager Go Min-hyuk
[When you get to work, come to my office.]
As soon as I turned on my laptop, an email with a single sentence arrived.
I glanced at Team Leader Kim.
I thought, what was coming has come.
Well, after the ruckus I caused yesterday.
I'll probably get chewed out.
Or maybe asked to write an apology letter.
Could I get fired for something like this?
Well, if I get fired, I get fired.
It doesn't matter.
“Team Leader, the Director asked to see me. I'll be back.”
“The Director? Oh, alright.”
Acting like he doesn't know.
For a moment, I felt annoyed and wanted to say something, but I held back.
Director's Office.
I knocked and then said loudly.
“Deputy Manager Go Min-hyuk reporting!”
[Come in~]
Click.
When I opened the door and went in, Director Yun greeted me with a smile.
“Good morning.”
“Oh, welcome. Sit down.”
I sat on the sofa with a stiff face,
Director Yun sat opposite me and said with a bright smile.
“Why the long face? I called you for something good.”