The Parachute Hire is Too Competent Chapter 57 : These Days, the Division Director is So Mean (2

These Days, the Division Director is So an (2)

"Oh! The king crab here is really delicious. But it's a sha—we probably can't bring it to Next Planet."

Lee Yunjung tasted the king crab. She was satisfied with the taste.

"Division Director-nim gave a mission."

Park Seok-min and Kang Dae-hyun listened attentively to her as they had king crab and drinks together.

"The lineup for bread and tea has been organized, so he told to find one restaurant and one snack shop for kids. He said the choice of nu is entirely up to , but here's the difficult part—he said it can't just be sothing delicious."

At those words, Park Seok-min reacted.

"Wouldn't taste be the most important factor? Why is that?"

"Hey! Why are you talking so harshly? You're going to scare Yunjung."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't an it like that."

"Yunjung, please understand. He just has a lot on his mind these days."

Lee Yunjung raised her glass. The three clinked glasses.

"Ah... soju is so bitter. But these days, life feels even more bitter."

She stuck out her tongue slightly and continued.

"Just kidding. Apparently, due to the circumstances at Next Planet, we need sothing that visitors will see and instantly have it imprinted in their minds. For example, in my case, they brought in because I had the combination of Nonsan and strawberries."

"Ah...."

"As for the tea house that Division Director-nim wants to open, the owner is Korean but won at a famous tea contest in Japan."

"So, he's looking for sothing with a definite marketing point."

"Yes, exactly. To put it even more precisely, he said it needs to be an experience unique to Next Planet."

Park Seok-min nodded.

He understood all too well that ordinary thods wouldn't work to overco Next Planet's regional limitations.

Lee Yunjung continued her story. It was about Lee Hyunmin wanting to bring her mother's shop into Next Planet.

She made a sulky face and spoke.

"He went ahead with this even though he knows I don't like it. Honestly, back then, I was a tiny bit—just a tiny bit hurt. No, it was actually quite a lot. Anyway, do you know what he said to after that? He said he'd impose trials on or sothing like that."

Park Seok-min kept nodding.

Maybe it was because he had been in a similar situation and shared the sa feelings as Lee Yunjung.

Kang Dae-hyun simply found the situation amusing.

"But Division Director-nim is the one who has to save Next Planet. It doesn't make sense not to do what's needed for Next Planet just because of my personal issues."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"He said he'd keep helping right by my side. He even rode the Tempest Boat in the rain and caught a cold. There are many things I should be grateful for. So I started thinking like this."

Park Seok-min looked at her with serious eyes. He was very curious about what she would say next.

"Well, since I'm going to do it anyway, let's bring a result that's even beyond the level Division Director-nim wants. That way I'll beco soone he needs. Then maybe, later on, he'll listen to everything I say."

Kang Dae-hyun chuckled.

"Yunjung, you're more mature than you know."

"Shut up."

"What happened with you and the team leader anyway?"

Park Seok-min confided his concerns to Lee Yunjung.

Maybe it was because he had drunk more soju than usual—he spoke quite freely.

"I kept thinking about what the essence of a parade and performance is at a the park. That's because what Division Director-nim is requiring of , from my perspective, is sothing that completely deviates from the essence."

"What's the essence as you see it?"

"It's a synthesis of the arts."

A parade and performance involve several art forms operating simultaneously within a single experience.

Music, dance, drama, visual and spatial arts all blend into a single work.

Park Seok-min loved the process where those elents combine organically and are elevated into art.

He spoke seriously about his romantic ideals—sothing he normally never did.

If you aren't in the sa field, it would just be a boring story.

But Lee Yunjung nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. She, too, saw dessert as a form of art.

"Team leader, your serious philosophy about your work is really cool. But Division Director-nim denied that? He was wrong. He's definitely been an lately."

Park Seok-min slowly realized.

Lee Yunjung had struggled with worries similar to his, and had already reached her own answer.

"But isn't making children smile also part of the essence?"

Because of this, he was able to genuinely understand the true aning of Lee Yunjung's words.

"Yes, my essence cos from the creator's perspective, while Division Director-nim's essence cos from a manager's point of view. I did know that, but...."

"Okay, cheers!"

Sensing the mood darkening, Lee Yunjung quickly raised her glass. After clinking glasses, she gulped down the soju.

"Ah... bitter. Team leader, for , I just don't want to regret the decisions I make."

"What kind of decision did you make?"

"To stay by Division Director-nim and watch him save Next Planet with my own eyes. And to be the very best help to him."

Park Seok-min quietly organized his thoughts.

'That's right, Division Director-nim has always produced achievent sohow even when given no resources. Even enduring ridicule or criticism from those around him.'

He resolved to change his perspective in his own work as well.

'To produce results beyond even what Division Director-nim demands... I'll have to think hard about what that is. Achieving that is what would give aning to my choice to stay here instead of going to Arica.'

Park Seok-min bowed his head to Lee Yunjung.

"Thank you. What you said helped . I'll try to ensure that I don't regret my own decisions."

Seeing this, Kang Dae-hyun smirked.

'Yunjung did more than I did.'

In fact, Kang Dae-hyun had his doubts. Could Lee Hyunmin really save Next Planet?

'Even if he's amazing, won't he soon hit a limit?'

It was inevitable. Next Planet was born with fundantal problems that made it impossible to survive as a the park.

'But more and more people are gathering to work with Division Director-nim. They each have their own perspectives, but they're all moving toward one direction. Organizations like this are rare—special.'

He had another drink.

'You start wanting to watch and see what happens. Miracles happen in situations like this.'

***

Sumr deepened.

The number of visitors peaked at the 115km mini-concert, then began to trend down.

It couldn't be helped. After all, we didn't even have fireworks or evening opening events.

Drone shows are popular these days—just how much do those cost? I wonder.

A ssage ca from Kang Dae-hyun.

[Kang Dae-hyun: Seok-min will do a good job on his own. Just check in now and then. Even though he's had a kid, he secretly likes a bit of attention.]

As expected from Kang Dae-hyun. There was probably no need to hear detailed reports.

He always gets things done.

- Ding!

[Kang Dae-hyun: Actually, Yunjung did most of it rather than .]

Huh? Lee Yunjung?

I heard all about what happened. I really should thank Lee Yunjung—from the bottom of my heart.

Even though I had hurt her feelings recently, she still helped out like this.

It's 11:30 AM now. I headed to the main gate to greet the guests.

"Oppa, how have you been? Whew! It's seriously hot today."

Min Ji-na walked up to waving her hand.

Today was the start of the music video challenge project.

Min Ji-na, unlike usual, wasn't wearing a suit.

She had on an oversized white shirt and light blue shorts, looking both cool and energetic.

"Tada! How do I look?"

She showed the sunglasses she'd been hiding behind her back.

Then she put them on, and after a mont, took them off and shook her head.

Her hair fluttered, revealing her face.

"I want to do a performance like this at the start. Be honest—am I pretty?"

"You really prepared a lot, huh."

"Of course. I'm the glorious first participant in the music video challenge project, so I need to give my best."

We had lunch and headed to the place where 115km held the mini-concert.

There, the equipnt packed with Next Global's technology was all set up.

"Division Director-nim, Min Ji-na-nim, you're here."

The project manager, Kim Junho, greeted us politely.

Soon after, Choi Hyena and Lee Yunjung arrived as well.

"Unni, you look so pretty today."

Choi Hyena was over-the-top to the point her complints hurt your ears.

The three girls treated each other like old friends.

Min Ji-na handed her phone.

"What's this for?"

"Film the video with this."

"Do you really need to do that?"

"I want to keep it as a mory."

She'd get the original video, and we'd make a music video for her anyway, so why was she so insistent about using her own phone?

I didn't get it... but I did as she asked.

The music video challenge hadn't been promoted yet. That's because we planned to start promotions using Min Ji-na's video as the kickoff.

Min Ji-na stood on stage, sunglasses on.

Because the weather was so hot, only a handful of people, all insiders, were watching the challenge.

The song "Your Touch" began to play, and Min Ji-na's challenge started.

She perford the sa move she'd showed earlier—taking off her sunglasses, and letting her hair fly as she shook her head.

That's when Choi Hyena, right next to , scread.

"This is it! I'm obsessed! Ji-na unni, you're so pretty. Your image right now is forever saved in my heart!"

What is up with Choi Hyena today?

Lee Yunjung gasped with her mouth wide open.

"Ji-na unni, you really do look like the star of a music video. I could tell just from the start—this is going to be a hit."

As Min Ji-na sang, people started to gather.

"Who is she? Is she a celebrity? She's so pretty."

"I don't think she's a singer, but she's good at singing."

"Wow! Who is that person? Total Goddess."

Maybe because she'd seized everyone's attention?

Even though the sun was beating down and there was little shade, more and more people kept coming.

The highlight of the song arrived. She did a move where she bent her waist while holding the stand mic to the side.

She's having so much fun. She really prepared a lot.

And when the highlight ended,

She tilted her head slightly, pointed her right index finger forward, then stuck out her tongue a bit and winked one eye.

"Waaaah!"

The cheers exploded like it was a real idol concert.

People took pictures everywhere.

"Seriously, who is she? Search for her."

"No clue. Must be a rookie actress if there's no info yet."

Choi Hyena showed her wild side again.

"Unni, you're the best. Please take . I'll forever be your fan."

Now, well over a hundred people had gathered.

It was peak heat, and there usually aren't that many people at Next Planet, so where had they all co from?

People asked Kim Junho.

"What kind of event is this?"

Kim Junho sincerely explained what Next Planet was planning to do.

"Can I participate too?"

"Can I get an autograph from the one singing right now?"

"How do you make the music video?"

Interest was blowing up, and soon, Kim Junho couldn't handle it alone. So Choi Hyena and Lee Yunjung stepped up to help.

After her performance, Min Ji-na walked up to .

"How was it? Did I do well?"

"Yes, it was the best first challenge."

We checked the video.

The stage that started with her alone gradually filled up.

Before we knew it, she had beco the band's vocalist. Her midsumr concert was complete.

Sotis, you don't have to check the results to know.

"What's a better expression than 'great success'?"

That was my honest feeling.

Kim Junho said,

"I want to rush back to the office right now and edit the promo video. My heart is pounding from curiosity about how it'll turn out. I think I'll even enjoy working late tonight."

Happy to work overti...

Junho, sorry for that.

"Division Director-nim, with just a cool tagline, this will be perfect. Got any ideas?"

The concept of this challenge is: 'Beautiful Tis, I Am the Main Character of My Life.'

Choi Hyena, excited, spoke up.

"An angel has descended on Next Planet. Let's go with that. I t an angel today."

"Stop with the weird stuff, please."

I pondered for a mont. What slogan fits best? Kim Junho will definitely edit the promo video to maximize his own emotions.

If the tagline is also sentintal, it won't feel like the festive celebration we want.

So sothing simple and morable would be best.

"How about this: 'Your Stage. Your Story. Your Ti.'"