I’d Rather Live as a Villain

I’d Rather Live as a Villain – Episode 39

(The real game begins now)

“Still, since the executive personally called the division head and even asked for it, wouldn’t it be better to just say okay because it’s good to be good?”

Inside the car heading to Daeyoung Trading’s headquarters.

In it, two representatives of Daeyoung Distribution’s FP Division were struggling to persuade the principled Division Head, Lim Hyung-jun.

But no matter how hard they tried, it was to no avail.

The two representatives felt like they were talking to a wall.

“What promises do we make to potential franchisees when we conduct franchise acquisition sales?”

“…”

Those darn principles.

No matter how much they prodded, the deputy manager wouldn’t budge, leaving the two in charge feeling utterly drained.

“It’s the role of the franchise headquarters to create an environment and system where franchisees can make money, and to help maintain it. It’s not about squeezing the wallets of the franchisees for the sake of one individual’s performance.”

Who doesn’t know that?

But the one who requested this was none other than the chairman’s only son-in-law, Yoon Tae-sik, the head of Mulsan.

And the person who relayed the request was none other than Executive Director Kang Moon-jung.

Yet, this principled deputy manager didn’t even blink an eye.

Instead, he was even more adamant about the principles, leaving the in-charges feeling bloodless.

“When this project is connected to us, identify every single risk we’ll take on. Don’t miss any, and tear into those risks. This is a project we should not be involved in. The moment we are, it’s the franchisees who will bleed. Where do you think that blood will eventually go?”

“But…”

“There are no buts. What can’t be done, can’t be done. Even if it were the chairman’s grandfather, not his son-in-law, it wouldn’t change. You, Manager Jung.”

“…Yes.”

“Imagine you quit the company and opened your own store with a franchise brand. What would you think if the brand headquarters forced you to replace a machine that’s less than two years old and still perfectly usable?”

“…”

“It’s not just a matter of twenty thousand won. Even if they give you the same margin they’re getting, it’s fifteen hundred, fifteen hundred. Do you know how many of our franchisees are still struggling to drop even four hundred won into their hands after a month of hard business, with labor costs, rent, and everything else? Do you know, or not?”

“Yes, I know.”

“And they want to force a fifteen hundred won item through us to the franchisees? And we should pass it through with our hands? Hey, Manager Kwak. You answer this. Do you think the franchisees will talk about this, or not?”

They were truly in agony, unable to move forward or back.

“…They will.”

“But what are you both worrying about? Does it make sense to worry about a problem that already has an answer? We’ll attend because Executive Director Kang secured the spot, but our role today is to find the exact loophole to reject the involvement of this project with us. You both understand what I’m saying, right?”

With that, the people from Daeyoung Distribution FP Division were heading to the Daeyoung Mulsan headquarters.

At the presentation venue.

Im Hyung-jun from Distribution made his appearance.

On either side of him were the current managers of the brands ＜Goldline＞ and ＜Black Bean＞, matching his pace as if to assist him.

Yoon Tae-sik, the head of the headquarters who had arrived at the presentation venue first, spotted them.

With a bright smile, he rose from his seat and approached them, and Deputy Manager Im Hyung-jun internally reaffirmed his role upon seeing Yoon Tae-sik approaching.

“…”

For Im Hyung-jun, Yoon Tae-sik was a consistently difficult person to deal with, regardless of his position, then as a deputy manager and even now.

Back when he was the deputy director, playing the shadow to Executive Kang Moon-jung.

Despite being an executive assistant, ‘despite’ rather than ‘because,’ his business acumen was cruelly sharp.

From the planning to the launch of the coffee shop brand “Goldline,” there wasn’t a place his suspicion didn’t follow.

So much so that people, tired of the doubts he cast, would sometimes irritably beg for information about Yoon Tae-sik, not as Executive Kang’s shadow, but as an individual.

He was as knowledgeable as the division head himself, especially regarding the launch of the coffee shop brand.

That’s why Director Lim Hyung-jun couldn’t afford to be careless or relaxed about the brand launch in front of Executive Kang.

If he ever let his guard down, even slightly, Deputy Director Yoon Tae-sik’s sharp criticism would inevitably whisper into the executive’s ear, soon to be voiced by the executive himself.

He was said to be from the European division, one of the two pillars of the conglomerate.

A star player, no less, who had been the ace of the Spanish team.

A conglomerate man who could sell anything, even dung.

And among them, the best talents gathered at Daeyoung Conglomerate, Korea’s number one, to hone their skills.

Lim Hyung-jun knew well what it meant to be called an ace in such a place.

“Have you arrived?”

“I hurried to come early, but it seems we’re the last to arrive.”

“Well, we just have to take the elevator, so it’s only natural for us to wait.”

And now, Yoon Tae-sik, as a member of the owner family, overseeing the European division of Daeyoung Conglomerate as the head director.

His demeanor, exuding both confidence and ease, made him an even more formidable presence to Lim Hyung-jun.

But today, Lim Hyung-jun hadn’t taken the difficult steps here just to be intimidated by the head director.

“This gentleman here is our Finance Director Kwon Cheol-yong. I’ve been bothering him for over a month with this project, haha. Director, please exchange greetings. This is Lim Hyung-jun, the head of the distribution division.”

A medium-sized conference room.

Before the presentation started, Lim Hyung-jun was introduced to several of the conglomerate’s key players by Head Director Yoon Tae-sik and exchanged greetings with them.

On one side, the presenter was carefully checking the microphone volume.

Even then, Lim Hyung-jun didn’t know that today’s presentation was prepared solely to persuade the FP division of distribution.

But then…

“Oh? Mr. President!”

Someone exclaimed the title “Mr. President.”

At the same time, President Min Byung-jin of the conglomerate was actually entering the presentation hall.

A look of surprise appeared on Head Director Yoon Tae-sik’s face.

“May I observe today’s presentation?”

At the same time, in the director’s office of Songam Art Hall.

Director Joo Yeon-hee sat behind her desk, holding a pregnancy test with two distinct lines visible in her hands.

After enduring an unspeakable insult from her grandfather at the family home in Pyeongchang-dong and even considering divorce…

She felt the shame rise to the top of her head when he compared her to a collected piece of art, a regrettable acquisition brought into the house.

But now.

Looking down quietly at the pregnancy test with its two clear lines, the insults and shame of that day seemed to vanish.

Her grip on the test tightened.

Holding it firmly in one hand, Joo Yeon-hee took a deep breath, then pulled out her phone.

She placed the pregnancy test with the two lines on her desk and took a photo with her phone.

She sent it to her husband, Kang Young-jin.

No text accompanied the photo.

Less than a minute after sending it, her husband called.

“What’s this picture you just sent?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“Is it yours?”

“Do I look like a lunatic? Taking a picture of someone else’s pregnancy test to show you?”

Her husband fell silent for a moment.

“Oh… haha, have you not been to the hospital yet?”

“I need confirmation before going.”

“Clear your schedule. I’ll leave now, let’s go together.”

Joo Yeon-hee inhaled deeply while looking down at the pregnancy test she was holding.

“Are those tests usually accurate?”

Her husband’s anxiety caused one corner of Joo Yeon-hee’s mouth to creep up eerily.

“Perhaps.”

“Then let’s do the check-up at Pyeongchang-dong tomorrow morning.”

At that, Joo Yeon-hee finally burst into laughter.

She threw the pregnancy test she was holding into the trash can under her desk and spoke into the phone.

“You. You’re just too predictable.”

-Huh? What are you talking about?

“I had a rough idea that this would be your reaction, but it’s a bit disappointing that it’s exactly as I expected.”

-What do you mean?

“Is it right for the Pyeongchang-dong story to come up first at this timing? Usually, you’d ask why I did such a test, or if I’ve been feeling unwell these past few days, wouldn’t you?”

-…

“And then a greeting like ‘congratulations’ or ‘good job’ should follow. There’s no need for you to come. I’ve already made a hospital reservation, and I thought I should tell you in advance before I leave.”

-Don’t go alone, wait, let’s go together. Or at least tell me the name of the reserved hospital. We can meet there.

At that, Joo Yeon-hee took another deep breath.

“Is it an emotional issue, or is it an intelligence issue? I just kindly explained everything to you. At times like this, you should know how to respond to me.”

-…

“If it were me, even if I was a beat late, I would have asked if you’re okay. I really feel like bowing down to you right now. At this point, it’s not about emotional or intelligence issues, it’s about sincerity towards me as a person. Do you also think of me as just a collectible in your family’s house?”

-How can you say such a thing?

“Even if it was a marriage of necessity, I at least think of you as my husband who I will continue to live with. Do you feel the same? Do you think of me as your wife who will continue with you?”

-You call that speaking?

“Then from now on, I’ll go to Pyeongchang-dong when I think it’s necessary, not when you need me. Seeing you with problems in emotion, intelligence, and sincerity, I can’t just trust and follow you anymore. Instead of coming here, find a decent restaurant for dinner tonight and make a reservation. Unlike you, I’ve always made sure to celebrate even the smallest good fortune for someone, and when it happened to me, I was celebrated first. I’ve lived being respected, and I will continue to live that way. If you can’t even manage that basic level of life, what’s the point of being the lady of Daeyoung? Hmph! It doesn’t change the quality of my life without you. But you without me? I doubt it.”

-…

“I’ll talk to mother. So, until I speak to her, pretend you don’t know anything and just stay quiet.”

***

As the presentation is reaching its climax, Division Manager Im Hyung-jun looked at the staff he came with and thought to himself.

There’s no doubt that it’s a pretty good business.

A robust project with planning, progress stages, and a full arsenal of bullets ready to be fired from the Mulsan side.

Especially the part where Daeyoung Mulsan offers to buy back the coffee machines currently in use at the Goldline franchise stores was unexpectedly attractive.

Given the nature of the Mulsan organization, which deals with a wide variety of business areas, they have already prepared a market to digest the coffee machines bought back in bulk.

For this part alone, he couldn’t help but acknowledge its merit.

Im Hyung-jun, as always, thought that this young man named Yoon Tae-sik was no ordinary person, focusing on the presenter’s content until the end.

“The current 2-group couch machines set up by Goldline, depending on their condition, are being traded second-hand between 600 to 800. For this part, we’re keeping about a 15 percent brokerage margin…”

Interrupting the presenter, Division Manager Im Hyung-jun raised his hand.

“Yes.”

“Sorry for interrupting your presentation.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“I understand the part where Daeyoung Trading is offering to handle the bulk trade-in of our currently used two-group espresso machines, and the part about incorporating the Marco machines into the Gold Line at the same margin cost, with a 36-month installment billing to the franchise owners.”

“Yes.”

“And what the 36 months signify is essentially a guarantee of a three-year service period, which is two years longer than the existing brands.”

“Yes, in fact, for coffee machines, the standard warranty period is usually only one year. So for the franchise owners who will receive the Marco machine after deducting the trade-in value of the old machine, the cost of paid service for consumable replacements or the monthly installment of the new machine will feel similar.”

With the presenter’s detailed explanation, Hyungjun Lim, the division manager, nodded in agreement and then asked,

“So, I’m curious. From the franchise owners’ perspective, there’s not much difference in benefits, so why should they switch from the machine they’re accustomed to, when that content is not being discussed at all?”

At that, the presenter finally nodded as if the time had come and opened his mouth,

“Another presenter will start explaining that content.”

“Another… presenter?”

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the presentation hall was stirring.

Someone from one side began to speak.

It was the director of the European Division.

“The real show is about to start.”

And next to him, a man known as the deputy director of the European Division chimed in,

“How many years has it been? Seeing the director’s presentation in person.”

Just then, Yuntaesik Yoon, the director who had been merely observing, stood up from his seat.

Minbyungjin, the president looking at Director Yoon, had an interesting emotion spreading across his face, as if he had attended this presentation specifically for this sequence.