Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 353



Ideology

It had been about a week since Kim Woo-jin became a member of the Wooju Global Digital Marketing Team.

During that time, really.

There had been no incidents at all.

No, it wasn’t that there were none at all.

Starting with the department head, it was as if the higher-ups were getting their heads chopped off, one by one, from the director, managing director, executive director.

Even the vice president came to greet Kim Woo-jin or took him away for a chat.

Thanks to that, the digital marketing team suddenly became the hottest department.

“Manager Yoon, I’m going out for a bit.”

“Oh, yes. Go ahead.”

In fact, he was going out absurdly often.

Kim Woo-jin going out on business trips had become a familiar sight.

He wasn’t handling any work, but he was the one who went out the most.

“What on earth does he do when he goes out?”

As soon as Kim Woo-jin left, Deputy Oh, who was always angry, opened his mouth.

His eagerness to curse was somewhat unsightly, but it wasn’t incomprehensible.

“Well, he’s probably going to a PC room or something. He’s at that age.”

At Deputy Choi’s taciturn words, Deputy Oh scratched his head.

Is that really the case?

A week passed, and it was Monday again.

“Assistant Manager Jung, how many times has he gone out on business trips?”

“Except for the Mondays and Fridays he came to work, all the time.”

“Huh.”

At that moment, Kim, who had at least shared some conversations over coffee, raised his hand slightly.

“He said he’s going to school.”

“Hmm? School?”

“Yes, he said he’s still a sophomore at Gahyeon University.”

“What? So he’s going out for external work to attend lectures?!”

What kind of nonsense is this?

Is it really right to attend lectures while working at the company?

At that moment.

Chief Jung, realizing something, clapped his hands and shouted.

“Ah! So that’s why he didn’t go out for external work on Fridays!”

“Why Fridays?”

“Usually, college students have a lot of free time on Fridays.”

“Ah.”

The team members finally understood why Woojin Kim often went out for external work.

“Tsk, he doesn’t even know how hard it is for us because of him. He’s so selfish.”

And it was Manager Yoon of the Digital Marketing team who couldn’t see it nicely.

* * *

“Should this also be considered moonlighting?”

Yoo Arin, who was attending the lecture with me, glanced at me and asked.

“Who goes to school while working at a company?”

“I do. And Jina did it too, didn’t she? Going around concerts while attending college.”

“That’s because Jina was in that department.”

“So what. It’s similar for me too. They use a lot of English there as well.”

At my sharp tone, Yoo Arin frowned and then immediately pulled my cheek.

“What’s wrong with you today? Did you get scolded at work?”

Did I look like I was pouting?

I did feel like I was reacting more sharply than usual.

“Sorry, I guess I was just tired from going back and forth between school and work.”

When I apologized honestly, Yoo Arin finally let go of my cheek. Then she started asking more with a smile.

“It doesn’t seem like that’s the only reason you’re having a hard time, though?”

You have a good sense.

I’ve thought about it before, but the kids have become too sensitive to my slightest changes.

I was grateful for that, but also a bit sorry.

“Well, that’s it for today.”

The lecture ended just in time.

I glanced at Yoo Ah-rin and suggested we talk over coffee.

* * *

We were supposed to talk over coffee.

But somehow, we ended up in my room, on my bed.

Originally, I was planning to go back to the office right after the lecture, but now I’m lying here with Yoo Ah-rin.

“I just wanted to have coffee.”

I muttered to myself, and Yoo Ah-rin, who was nestled in my arms, pinched my waist.

“I’m trying to comfort you in my own way.”

“Comfort me?”

“You’re having a hard time.”

“No, it’s not that hard.”

I answered awkwardly, and Yoo Ah-rin placed her ear against my chest with a ‘thud’.

“Really?”

“Yeah, the security team handles the back and forth. They’re the ones having a hard time because of me.”

“Hmm, I see.”

I thought I explained it well enough.

But it didn’t seem convincing to Yoo Ah-rin.

This time, she turned her head and rested her chin on my chest.

Since she was lying on top of me, I could see her with just a slight tilt of my head.

“Did you gain weight? Your chin is folding.”

“Hey, if your chin doesn’t fold when you look down, you’re too skinny.”

“You seem to have gained some weight compared to when you were working out a lot. Do you eat late-night snacks?”

“……”

Choi Jin-ah……

“Eat moderately. It’ll be hard to lose it later.”

“Yeah, I should do that.”

As I answered nonchalantly, Yoo Ah-rin changed the subject again.

“Isn’t there something else bothering you besides what’s already tough?”

“Do you have some kind of mind-reading ability? I said I’m fine, so why are you like this?”

“You don’t look fine. Yerin and Iseo also said you haven’t been looking well lately.”

If all three of them know, there’s no way to hide it.

It’s only been a week.

I thought I was managing my expressions well, but it seems that wasn’t the case.

In the end, I gave in to Yoo Ah-rin’s pressure and opened up.

“Sigh, honestly, I don’t mind going to work. I just go and kill time doing nothing.”

Sometimes, people from above come down unnecessarily to have tea or ask me to eat.

Every time that happens, it’s annoying and frustrating, but I just let it slide.

In the end, I know my position well, and I acknowledge that everyone has to be mindful of me.

“But the problem is the team members.”

“Where was it again? Digital Marketing?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Why? Are they too cautious around you?”

“That’s part of it… but they’re going through unnecessary hardships because of me.”

“Hardships?”

Office politics are surprisingly deeply rooted and intricately intertwined.

Especially at Wooju Global, one of the core businesses of Wooju Group.

I suddenly ‘plopped’ into such a place.

It could be interpreted as me slowly starting to get involved in the management rights battle.

If I start achieving results here and catch my father’s eye, the game might start rolling differently.

“Wooju Group is generally conservative. So they hate leaving even a bit of room for maneuver.”

“Hmm.”

“If I achieve something here, it becomes a kind of stepping stone. It creates an opportunity for me to show my abilities.”

From noble mtl dot com

Naturally, those who dislike this would be…

“The people on my eldest brother’s side, the vice chairman, would obviously find me annoying.”

“Oh.”

“So, I’m intentionally putting pressure on the digital marketing team. I don’t really like it.”

In the end, there is only one throne.

Even in the old days, weren’t there kings who strengthened their royal authority by purging their brothers once they sat on the throne?

With a faint hope, the people on the eldest brother’s side are putting pressure on the digital marketing department.

I really didn’t like that.

“If I move recklessly, it might seem like I’m threatening the eldest brother.”

I don’t have the ability to do that in the first place.

It’s not a joke, but I couldn’t understand most of what was being said during the week I was there.

“Wow, listening to this, it seems like there’s nothing I can do.”

Yoo Ah-rin laughed helplessly.

Yes, that’s not wrong.

There was nothing Yoo Ah-rin could do.

It was the same for Seo Ye-rin and Choi Yi-seo.

So I just hugged her tightly.

Yoo Ah-rin also came into my arms.

“It’s time to go.”

When I said it like a complaint, Yoo Ah-rin looked up at me and asked.

“You’re standing like this down there?”

“…This is your fault. It’s not my fault.”

“Okay, you b*stard. Before you go, take some Hershey’s from the fridge. I bought a few.”

When did she come?

After giving her a kiss, I got up and changed back into my suit.

“What’s with the red color? Why did you buy something like that?”

While I was changing, Yoo Ah-rin, who was drinking chocolate milk from the fridge, sneered.

“An ambitious aspiration to stain everything with blood if touched.”

“Pfft.”

“It’s like a red light. It’s a warning.”

“Sigh.”

It was supposed to be a joke, but it didn’t seem very pleasant.

As I was going out, Yoo Ah-rin trotted to the front door.

But isn’t he going?

“Are you leaving?”

“Pfft.”

“How was it? Did I seem like a wife? Would it have been better if I had said it with an apron on?”

“Nice. Yes, I like it.”

He kisses her again before leaving.

Yoo Ah-rin didn’t refuse and gently accepted it.

“It feels like I’m gaining some strength.”

“That’s a relief. Don’t stress too much. After all, you’re the boss.”

“Right.”

“Don’t worry too much about the big brother. I don’t know much, but if his position is shaken just because you did something, isn’t that strange?”

“……”

“Fighting!”

Thud.

He closes the door and heads out of the dormitory.

It wasn’t wrong.

If the big brother’s position is shaken just because I did something, isn’t that strange?

‘Was I too conscious?’

Even though I’m the chairman’s son, I’m still a novice in society.

As I thought about how they were overly conscious of me, I felt my head clear up a bit.

* * *

All five members of the digital marketing team were now called into the meeting room.

The executive suddenly called them.

The digital marketing team’s performance last quarter was somewhat poor, so it was to hear about internal circumstances, budget, and future work direction.

“That’s all.”

Manager Yoon’s presentation was quite impressive.

Even though he couldn’t prepare properly due to the sudden call, he pulled out the work content as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Manager Yoon was somewhat timid, but he wasn’t an incompetent man.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

“Our manager may have fallen out of favor, but he’s very capable.”

Assistant Manager Oh and Assistant Manager Choi quietly whispered and gave Manager Yoon a thumbs-up.

Chief Jung and Employee Kim might not have noticed, but the Executive Director had called the entire digital marketing team to criticize them.

The plan to preemptively suppress them wasn’t going as smoothly as expected, so the Executive Director pondered for a moment and then,

“Ugh, Manager Yoon, are you playing children’s games?”

He started nitpicking.

“Pardon?”

“Is this how you do your work? Do you think we’re running a neighborhood convenience store? This is a company, a company!”

“Ah, yes. Could you tell me which part made you feel that way?”

The content itself wasn’t bad.

Manager Yoon had some confidence in his work.

Although he could get angry at being suddenly criticized like this, he calmly asked back.

“Don’t you know? Do you think this is some school essay contest? Putting your personal preferences into your work? We are Wooju Global. The giant of South Korea! A member of Wooju Group!”

“……”

“Work efficiency? Performance? Those are important too, but isn’t there a path we must follow? The royal road unique to Wooju Group! The direction the Chairman has walked!”

“……”

Bang! Bang!

The Executive Director, gaining momentum, slammed the table and continued.

“This is a marketing method that only some third-rate company would use. Why should we bow our heads and follow it?”

“……I’m sorry.”

This wasn’t the first time Manager Yoon had faced unreasonable orders since becoming a manager.

Through experience, he knew that agreeing and adjusting to them was the best way to survive rather than resisting.

“Remember, Wooju Global is ultimately Wooju Group. So you must not forget the ideology of this place. Are you missing such basic things while working? Employee Kim, do you know the company’s mission?”

“Ah, that-.”

“See! Not knowing such basic things is why you produce such results! Manager Yoon, get a grip.”

“Understood.”

Manager Yoon repeatedly apologized, bowing deeply.

At that moment.

“Executive Director, please say something.”

A voice was heard from the entrance.

The lights that had been turned off because of the PPT flickered on, illuminating the entrance that had been shrouded in darkness.

Then, a non-regular employee in a deep red suit standing at the entrance came into view.

“Huh?”

The executive’s expression immediately darkened.

He had heard that Kim Woo-jin had gone out for external work, so he was pressing the digital marketing team.

“No, I’m curious too. The chairman’s ideology! The way the chairman has walked! Well, the chairman’s royal road!”

Kim Woo-jin, who approached with an exaggerated gesture and a smile, sat opposite the executive, on the digital marketing team’s side, and asked again.

“So.”

To correct it again.

“What is it like to do it like my father?”