Real Man

In front of the grand explanation that involved the chairman and Shin Kyung-soo, Yoo-hyun erased the smile he had put on.

“Do you want to say that you postponed the choice for the employees in order to win the competition?”

“My choice affects the hard work of many employees in the Innovation Strategy Department.”

“What about the countless people below? Where are the employees in the future of Hansung that you envision?”

“Why do you say there are no employees? If we work together to make a better company, the employees will naturally benefit from it.”

It was not long ago that they had united their hearts for the sake of the employees.

But in the meantime, Shin Kyung-wook vice president had become heavier after meeting the chairman, and Yoo-hyun had changed his mindset after seeing the bottom.

One person went up, one person went down.

As their perspectives diverged, so did their opinions.

He would have backed off as usual, but Yoo-hyun was in a position where he could not do that.

The reason came out of Yoo-hyun’s mouth.

“The reality that the employees are facing is too serious to postpone. It’s much more than you think, vice president.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but that’s probably just a partial view. Sometimes you have to put aside petty emotions for the sake of the greater good.”

The greater good?

Petty emotions?

The words that Shin Kyung-wook vice president had spat out to Park Doo-sik chief a while ago came back to him with a completely different meaning.

Shin Kyung-wook vice president was captivated by an ideal, not reality.

He was oblivious to the internal factional problems, and while he claimed to be for the employees, he did not see the reality below at all.

Yoo-hyun expressed his feelings more directly to Shin Kyung-wook vice president, or rather, to himself a while ago.

“Petty emotions? That’s something you can say because you can’t see the reality that the employees are facing.”

“Are you saying I can’t see the employees? I’ve always thought of the employees first, as I told you.”

“I’m not saying I don’t trust your goodwill, vice president.”

“Then why do you think otherwise?”

“Don’t you know? You have a different status from the other employees. You can’t understand the feelings of the employees who are at the bottom, even if you try hard with your head.”

As Yoo-hyun finished speaking, a scene flashed through Shin Kyung-wook vice president’s mind.

His father, who had always been strict, had thrown more sharp criticism than praise at him.

-Kyung-wook, you say you’re for the employees, but you’ve never experienced the bottom. You’re just talking. Don’t you think so?

The words he had thought were absolutely wrong came back to him through his most cherished colleague.

Had he been mistaken?

Shin Kyung-wook vice president suppressed his sore chest and spoke coldly.

He had a determination in his eyes that he had never had before.

“We have to win the fight to save the employees. You know better than anyone how Shin Kyung-soo treats the employees.”

“I know. That’s why I’m saying we should save the employees first.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do you think will happen if we compete with Shin Kyung-soo in the same way, with external growth? He’s an M&A expert. He’ll come at us with much more ruthless methods than we expect.”

“Haven’t we prepared and prepared for that?”

The colleagues of the Innovation Strategy Department had blocked Shin Kyung-soo’s strategy to secure the management rights early, and made the board for the acquisition of Shinwa Semiconductor to be the decisive factor.

They also drew a picture of Hansung’s future that would grow along with the holding company.

Yoo-hyun did not deny this part.

“Yes. We’ve worked hard together and got results. If we push on like this, we might win after a fierce fight.”

“But?”

“In the process, Hansung will suffer a big fatal wound. It will be too late to turn back then.”

He just thought that it would be hard to get the future of Hansung that he wanted in the same way.

A completely different approach was needed.

Yoo-hyun realized that through a series of recent events.

-I’ll make them move from below even if they don’t move from above. Thank you for teaching me that, who only blamed the superiors and the environment.

As Cha Mi-kyung senior had said, the employees were not parts that only did what they were told from above.

If given the opportunity, they had a desire to move forward even if they had to change the top.

They also had the ability to create results beyond expectations.

The fact was proven by the people who had changed their lives through Yoo-hyun.

“So you’re giving up?”

To the sharp question, Yoo-hyun answered with the enlightenment he had gained.

“No. I’m saying we shouldn’t compete with external growth in the same way. You should find your own way, vice president, and walk on that path. If that direction is right, the employees will follow you.”

“…”

“If you truly look at and understand the employees at the same level, if you give them fair opportunities and rewards, the employees will make you the chairman.”

What if the things that held back the employees’ ankles disappeared?

What if they could get rid of useless things like office politics and focus entirely on their work?

There was no reason for Hansung not to stand up if the employees showed their abilities and created more amazing results.

There was even less reason for a leader who had grown the company and won the hearts of the employees not to sit in the chairman’s seat.

Yoo-hyun thought the answer was here.

He conveyed his will to Shin Kyung-wook vice president, who seemed to have a lot on his mind.

“Vice president, please trust and move forward with the employees. The process may be difficult. But I will help you in any way I can.”

But he could not hear the answer.

What decision would Shin Kyung-wook vice president make?

Yoo-hyun, who had parted with a stiff expression, could not know the answer.

He only knew indirectly through Park Doo-sik chief’s message that he was going through a lot of pain.

-Chief Han, how can you push him like this? Don’t you know how big of a political risk this is for the vice president?

Did Yoo-hyun not know?

This internal innovation that would move the entire group would inevitably clash with the existing practices.

To persuade this part, he had no choice but to face the resistance of the executives, including the management.

It meant turning the people who were not enough to be on the same side into enemies.

‘It’s not easy.’

He looked out the window of his office, immersed in his thoughts, and Kwon Se-jung assistant approached him.

“What are you thinking about so much?”

“Just. It feels like the fur is flying all over the grass doll.”

The grass that had only been on his head was now climbing up his eyes, nose, and mouth.

Kwon Se-jung assistant patted the head of the grass doll and shook his head.

“That’s the limit. No matter how much you trim it, it won’t work. You have to bury it in the ground or something.”

“I thought it would last forever, but I guess it can’t always be good.”

As Yoo-hyun looked at the grass doll with a bitter look, Kwon Se-jung assistant smiled faintly.

“That’s meaningful. By the way, Park Seung-woo chief asked me. Are you okay?”

“Why did he ask you?”

“He must be careful because you came back in a mess. You’re someone he cares a lot about.”

At Kwon Se-jung assistant’s words, Yoo-hyun chuckled.

“That’s a bit of an overstatement. It wasn’t that bad.”

“They were all close. That’s why I guess.”

“That could be possible.”

Yoo-hyun nodded his head, recalling the sharp confrontations he had faced.

Then, Kwon Se-jung, the assistant manager, asked him out of the blue.

“What will you do if the vice president doesn’t follow you?”

“Well, I’ll have to push harder.”

“What if he still opposes?”

“Then I’ll have to come up with another compromise. But I think he’ll do it.”

Even if Shin Kyung-wook, the vice president, disappointed him, he was still a trusted colleague.

It was better to support Shin Kyung-wook than to let Shin Kyungsoo become the president.

Still, Yoo-hyun believed that Shin Kyung-wook would make the right decision.

He knew his sincerity for the employees better than anyone.

On the other hand, Kwon Se-jung shook his head.

“Really? I honestly don’t think so.”

“Why?”

“He won’t be able to because of the president’s eyes. It’s the time when he raised the flag of converting to a holding company. Do you think the president will like it if the inside gets noisy?”

Yoo-hyun chuckled at the word president that came out of nowhere.

“Do you know the president well and talk like that?”

“I don’t know him well, but I can tell by his actions. He’s a person who cares a lot about management efficiency.”

Looking at how he had led Hansung so far, Shin Hyun-ho, the president, was close to a selfish gambler.

But this was a half-baked statement.

-When I was the factory manager in Wonju, I promised the employees. I won’t let them starve even if the company goes bankrupt. I don’t know if I kept that promise.

As Shin Hyun-ho, the president, said in his last interview before his death, he cared deeply about the employees.

‘People are business.’ Following the first president, he had worked with the employees in the factory since he was young, and that experience remained in his heart.

Yoo-hyun had reconfirmed this part while sorting out the Wonju factory strike.

Wouldn’t his heart be the same now?

As Yoo-hyun was about to answer, his phone rang.

Jiing.

He checked the message from Seo Changwoo, his colleague from the personnel team, and smiled.

“I think the vice president will choose the employees rather than the president’s eyes.”

“What do you mean?”

Kwon Se-jung, who was facing him, blinked his eyes.

That evening, Yoo-hyun received a call from Park Doo-sik, the section chief.

A grumpy voice came to Yoo-hyun, who was walking on the street.

-I’m only going to check the employee status through the subsidiary personnel team.

“Yes, I understand.”

-It’s not like I’m going to overturn everything and change it as you say. The vice president is just curious and following along.

“Yes, yes. You’ve already told me several times.”

Yoo-hyun nodded his head, and Park Doo-sik, the section chief, poured out his frustrated feelings.

He was more excited than when Yoo-hyun had betrayed him in the past.

-Ah! I really don’t know why I have to do this because of you and Seo.

“Why Seo?”

-I don’t know. He thinks mentoring is a joke and tries to boss me around.

Because of this incident, Park Doo-sik, the section chief, contacted Seo Changwoo, his junior from the personnel team.

It seemed that Seo Changwoo, who had been waiting, scratched him gently.

Yoo-hyun laughed and coaxed him.

“Haha. How could that be? You know how much I respect you, mentor.”

-Enough. Anyway, you’ve made a mess, so take responsibility.

“You think he’ll do it, right?”

-If you know the vice president’s personality and status, you’ll do it. It’ll probably get noisy. The vice president can’t handle it alone. You have to support him from the subsidiary.

Park Doo-sik, the section chief, who had a broad vision, was already looking ahead.

Yoo-hyun also responded to him.

“Yes. I’ll make sure we can be on the same side as Hansung Display.”

-Yeah… Phew! I don’t know why I have to do this, but anyway. Wait. I’ll come up with a strategy to persuade the executives.

“You’re reliable as always. Thank you.”

-Buy me a drink when it’s over.

Had Park Doo-sik, the section chief, ever asked him to buy him a drink before?

He was not the type to reach out to his juniors because of his pride.

That meant he had become closer to Yoo-hyun psychologically.

Yoo-hyun’s lips curled up at the unfamiliar experience.

“Of course. Anytime.”

Was it because he heard the news he had been waiting for?

Yoo-hyun’s steps became a little lighter.

As he walked, he saw a building with a Double Y logo and a gym sign.

Yoo-hyun had a chocolate cake that Nadoha liked in his hand.

He didn’t have enough time to consider Park Young-hoon’s taste.

“It doesn’t matter, we can eat it together.”

Yoo-hyun chuckled and crossed the crosswalk.

Bang!

Some crazy car ignored the signal and cut across the crosswalk.

Yoo-hyun was fine, but an old lady who was crossing the road was almost hit.

Twist.

She lost her balance, startled, and staggered.

“Oh my!”

She tried to hold on to the basket on her head even as she fell.

She looked like she was going to fall completely, so Yoo-hyun threw himself at her.

Grab.

He didn’t have time to worry about the cake right now.