The Parachute Hire is Too Competent Chapter 17 : Bluff and Bluster (3)

Bluff and Bluster (3)

I went to the HR team.

Everyone in the HR team stopped what they were doing and stared at , probably because of my unexpected visit.

A hefty, middle-aged man greeted . This was Jang Min-sam, the HR team leader.

"Why, the division director from the Reform Division, what brings you here...?"

"I'm here because there's a matter to discuss."

Although Jang Min-sam, HR team leader, looked flustered for a mont, he soon regained composure and responded calmly.

"Let's go into the eting room."

He must have known I ca regarding the Marketing & PR Team matter. He just probably didn't expect to co so quickly.

We sat in the eting room. Opposite sat Jang Min-sam, HR team leader, and a young man with long hair.

The young man had quite a stylish appearance, but for so reason there was a subtle sense of incongruity.

Generally, HR teams are pretty conservative by nature.

Maybe it's just a bias, but he looked like he'd be more fitting in a creative area like the Marketing & PR Team, rather than HR.

[HR Deputy Kang Dae-hyun]

He must be here to assist the team leader and to take the minutes of the eting. The team leader would handle everything else.

Usually, in such etings, soone brings in tea, and there's so small talk before things get going.

This was one of the strategies that Choi Hyena tipped off about.

Bluff and bluster.

She said that Jang Min-sam, HR team leader, had a tendency to be overwheld by authority and a strong presence.

Our strategy was to exaggerate my leverage as much as possible, to push forward strongly and quickly so as to give him no ti to think.

"Team leader, I'd like to process the Marketing & PR team mbers' resignations as quickly as possible. Is there any procedural issue that might hinder this?"

"Well... unless it turns out the resignations were forced or due to workplace bullying... If that's not the case, then there shouldn't be any major problem. They resigned voluntarily."

"Then as long as we have the Legal & Audit team's opinion and the chairman's approval, we can process them right away today, right?"

The HR team leader looked startled.

"Usually, people do an exit interview to find out why they're leaving..."

"You already know the reason. It's probably written in the resignation. They said they don't get along with , their boss. The reason is clear—do we really need an interview? Is it in the company policy that interviews are mandatory? As far as I know, it isn't."

"Th-That is the custom... But there are other things as well..."

Here's why I was rushing.

To my perspective, what I feared most was them stalling for ti.

If they used that ti to let wounds fester and disrupt company operations, all the bla would fall on my shoulders.

The executive vice president would drag things out as long as possible and then step in to get the resignations withdrawn.

He'd say that he'd smoothed everything over, healed the wounds, so the company could be one again.

If things ended like that, it would be the worst-case scenario for .

That's why I was trying to drain the pus right away, so to speak.

"I'm not the division director of the Planning & Strategy Division, but I am a division director, and it's the Reform Division. What's the reason for having a Reform Division? Isn't it to respond imdiately to special situations in the company?"

"Th-That's right."

There's no such founding principle.

I just made it up to sound plausible.

But bluff and bluster!

Pressing the issue, I saw Jang Min-sam, the HR team leader, begin to panic.

But sothing nagged at .

The deputy sitting next to him.

Why? He was oddly calm. Strange. That's not the kind of poise that soone of his experience would show.

"A whole, fully functioning team is about to disappear. Isn't this an ergency?"

The HR team leader didn't say it out loud, but his face told exactly what he was thinking.

That's your fault!

He's right.

I know.

"To sum up, it's simple. The standard procedures are for non-ergency situations, aren't they?"

"Y-Yes."

"This is an ergency, so I'll go to the Legal & Audit team. If they confirm the Marketing & PR team mbers resigned willingly, then those procedural customs can be skipped, correct?"

"That should be...right. Then the rest is just for the chairman to approve the resignations..."

"After that, there's no problem with imdiately suspending their company IDs and escorting them out, right?"

"Uh...that..."

He faltered.

Ti to apply more pressure.

I slamd both hands down on the table.

"Team leader Jang Min-sam, you are the HR team leader. Please answer quickly. I am a busy person. I have a call scheduled with the chairman in thirty minutes."

I never made such an appointnt.

In reality, I hadn't even sent the chairman a thank-you ssage for all the ss I'd caused coming here.

Why?

Because I was scared!

"Y-Yes."

"I'll take that as your official answer as HR team leader. It's a eting, so the entire conversation is being recorded."

"Yes... yes... that's... correct."

"Thank you."

***

As soon as Lee Hyunmin and Choi Hyena heard the HR team leader Jang Min-sam's answer, they left the eting room.

It was only then that Jang Min-sam started to show his anger.

"That...that... brat, so rude."

Deputy Kang Dae-hyun barely managed to stifle his laughter at the sight.

"Dae-hyun."

"Yes, team leader."

"Why haven't I heard from the executive vice president? I need to report what that rude bastard is up to."

"I believe he's having drinks with the Marketing & PR team staff who resigned."

"At the usual place?"

"Yes, our regular spot."

"I'll have to visit him myself and talk about that irresponsible conduct of his."

Once again, Kang Dae-hyun had to hold back a smile.

'Division Director Lee Hyunmin seems to be engaged in a speed war. My team leader is just trying to curry favor with the executive vice president at a drinking party.'

Jang Min-sam left the eting room.

Kang Dae-hyun raised the blinds. The bright sunlight revealed a panoramic view of the the park.

'I'm not aiming for promotion. But they really do pay pretty well here. And I truly like this view.'

He planned to keep working at Next Planet if he could.

'Division Director Lee Hyunmin. He doesn't look much older than . He's got style. The executive vice president and my team leader seem clueless about what's happening. Maybe if I side with Division Director Lee Hyunmin, I'll have better job security here.'

***

Heading for the Legal & Audit team with Choi Hyena.

Hyena was looking at with dazzlingly bright eyes, raising both thumbs in the air.

"Wow. Division director, your bluff was amazing. As expected, a cunning vassal in troubled tis."

"Wait a second... wasn't the cunning vassal in troubled tis Cao Cao?"

She nodded vigorously.

How ridiculous.

I'm not soone cool-headed and action-driven like Cao Cao.

Besides, Cao Cao is too ruthless.

I want to be a virtuous leader, that sort of position.

There was one thing I couldn't tell Hyena.

This was the first ti I had raised my voice at soone older than . I almost died of stress.

My palms and back were soaked in sweat.

"You said you had a call scheduled with the chairman—wasn't that off script? Did you co up with that on the spot? Your spontaneity is top-notch."

Yeah, well... that was a lie. My heart was pounding like crazy in the mont.

I never want to play a part like that again.

We were walking quickly.

Off in the distance, I saw a tall man in glasses with the build of a gymnast.

I recognized him. Soone I'd been observing closely recently.

"You're Park Seok-min from the Event & Performance Team, right?"

The man looked surprised for a second, then took my outstretched hand.

"I'm Lee Hyunmin, Division Director of the Reform Division. This is our first formal introduction."

"Yes. I'm Park Seok-min from the Event & Performance Team. Nice to et you."

"I'm no expert, so I don't know much, but I've heard the parades and performances at Next Planet are of very high quality. I suspect it's because the troupe mbers are real professionals and practice a lot."

"Thank you for giving our mbers such praise."

"I'll put my trust in you."

I looked him straight in the eyes as I spoke. If he picked up on my intent, he'd understand exactly what I ant.

He was the one who'd managed to train the previously unruly mbers.

I didn't know if he had done it for Next Planet, but I was sure he was sincere in his work.

I respect people like that. That's all I wanted to convey.

We arrived at the Legal & Audit team's office.

"Whew..."

First, a deep breath.

Among all factions in the company, the Legal & Audit team was famous for never siding with anyone. They followed only the chairman's orders.

This ant, in so ways, they were even harder to deal with. Bluff and bluster wouldn't work here.

Entering the Legal & Audit office, they simply gave a light nod and continued their work, as if expecting my arrival.

"Division Director Lee Hyunmin, we were expecting you."

The Legal & Audit team leader, Shin Seung-rak.

A man of about fifty with a sharp, cool look who wore a suit perfectly.

They were waiting for . As expected.

We moved into a eting room, and I explained everything that had happened in the HR team.

Team leader Shin Seung-rak answered in a low voice.

"The chairman already gave instructions. Division Director Lee Hyunmin will be visiting the Audit team soon. When he arrives, have him call in via video."

Ugh...

So flustered, I accidentally spilled the iced green tea I'd been drinking. Tea and ice cubes poured all over my pants.

"D-Division director. Please, calm down. Just relax. It'll be fine if you're calm."

Beside , Choi Hyena tried to wipe my pants with tissues, but her lips and hands were shaking, too.

This was so unexpected.

That's the weight of the word "chairman."

"It looks like it was all calculated."

Hyena... we never planned any of this. It must be obvious from the way we're bluffing in every action we take right now. But there's no need for that.

This is bad. My mind went blank—I had no idea what to do.

"D-Do you think he'll answer if I call now?"

He's in a eting.

Team leader Shin Seung-rak checked his watch.

"Yes, I believe so. You can call him now. As you know, I have to remain here as well."

Ah... now my stomach's hurting, too.

This is so much pressure. I just want to run away.

I looked at Choi Hyena.

She looked on the verge of tears, her eyes trembling.

"G-Good luck?"

"Why is that a question?"

"I-I don't know, either."

With trembling hands, I dialed the chairman.

I heard a ring tone that could have lasted forever, and then the chairman's face appeared on screen.

I couldn't breathe.

"Hyunmin, you're quicker than I expected. I thought you'd visit the Legal & Audit team tomorrow at the earliest. So you know how to do speed managent."

"Y... Yes, chairman. Have you been well?"

"All this ti? We haven't been apart for that long. How long's it been since you went down there? Just over two weeks, right?"

"Yes... that's right."

"Then why are you worrying about my health?"

A mont of silence.

I had no idea what to say. I wished the chairman would speak first.

He kept his mouth shut, as if he was hiding so agenda.

Damn...

"You've heard the news about , right?"

"Of course. I heard you declared you'd erase all IPs from the the park except for Battle Fire."

Damn, damn...

"Well... that was kind of like a campaign pledge, you know?"

"I didn't send you there as a politician. There are plenty of those already. I sent an actual worker. And yet you did that kind of stunt without even asking my permission? You've got guts, I'll give you that."

Damn, damn, damn...

"Well, that's..."

"And as soon as you arrived, you fought with the executive vice president and blew away a whole team. Do you like the UFC by any chance?"

"I watch it sotis..."

"That explains why you keep picking fights everywhere. So what's your specialty? A devastating high kick to the temple? Or an unfair left jab? To what I see, you enjoy finishing off your opponents all at once."

Damn, damn, damn, damn...

"You told to go crazy, didn't you?"

"I ant go all-in with your body and spirit. To focus completely. Not to do sothing insane."

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn...

What am I supposed to say now?

If I don't get the chairman's approval here, it's all over.

"I'll process the Marketing & PR team resignations."

"Yes?"

That was so unexpected.

"I said I'll process them. Why? Did you go crazy and lose your hearing?"

"No, sir. I did go crazy, but not in my ears—I can still hear fine."

Ah!

Why do I always try to get in the last word?

Am I really going mad?

But I said it while trembling, quietly... it should be fine, right?

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

The Chairman is the best!

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】