Série: The All-Rounder Employee Becomes a Legend
Título: The All-Rounder Employee Becomes a Legend Chapter 5
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05 : Interview Evaluation
[A quest related to the interview is available.]
‘An interview quest?’
[Opening interview-related quest.]
[Normal Quest: Prepare for the Stress Interview]
A stress interview awaits you. Before the stress interview, you must meet with the site Director.
A stress interview? He’d never heard of it.
Honestly, Tae-seok was completely in the dark.
He wanted to get into a big company, but he had no idea what he could do there, or what he even wanted to do.
He was willing to do anything as long as it paid well and wasn't manual labor.
That was how reckless his attitude was.
It was nice that this mysterious system was giving him information, but….
‘Meet the Director? Are you kidding me? That guy of all people?’
As soon as he had the thought, letters appeared.
[Reward for meeting: Unknown.]
[Penalty for refusal: Construction site changed (Cheonan -> Jinju, Gyeongnam)]
Tae-seok hated how this mysterious entity kept trying to order him around.
He hated how it fed him information and pushed him in a certain direction through a status window without ever showing its face.
But it was forcing his hand.
‘Jinju in Gyeongnam…? This is insane. What about Mom? What about our house?’
Just then, the Team Leader called.
“Yes, Director!”
- Is Tae-seok there?
“Yes, he is. What's going on?”
- Bring him over. I need to talk to him.
“Understood. I'll send him right over.”
After hanging up, the Team Leader spoke carefully to Tae-seok.
“Tae-seok… about the Director…”
But Tae-seok's reaction was different from usual.
“I'll go. He's asking for me, right?”
“Yeah. What’s gotten into you? You’re actually willing to go see the Director?”
“He's the one who pays me, after all. I have to go. I can't avoid him forever.”
“Right. Good thinking. And Tae-seok.”
“Yes.”
“Let's try to keep working together, okay?”
“……”
Tae-seok sighed.
It seemed the Team Leader already knew he might be sent to the new construction site in Jinju.
‘Fine, let’s go! I’ll settle this once and for all!’
The container office where the Director was.
The clerk, Jeong So-mi, was sitting there.
“Tae-seok, you're here?”
“Yes, So-mi! Where's the Director?”
“He went to take care of some business with the facilities team. He should be back within 30 minutes. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“That'd be great.”
Jeong So-mi brought him a cup of coffee.
A woman whose kind heart was even prettier than her face.
She had always treated Tae-seok with kindness.
Inhaling the sweet aroma of the steaming coffee, Tae-seok fell deep into thought.
Joining Elseong Group.
So far, everything was going smoothly.
He began to ponder his future.
What do I really want to do? Is my goal just to make easy money? Or… do I want to succeed?
Nothing was clear.
And that uncertainty made him more anxious.
But that's what being in your twenties is like.
Watching him, someone spoke.
“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”
“Huh?”
Jeong So-mi's face was filled with concern.
And she put that feeling into words.
“Please don't fight with the Director this time.”
“…Did I seem like that?”
“A little.”
They had already clashed several times before.
The Director wanted to use him as a carpenter, and Tae-seok adamantly refused—a constant point of conflict.
Having witnessed these situations up close, So-mi was now conveying her concern to Tae-seok.
Just then, the Director walked in.
“You're back?”
Ignoring Tae-seok's greeting, the Director walked past him and spoke to So-mi.
“So-mi, could you step out for a bit? Just for 30 minutes!”
“Yes, Director! Please, talk.”
After Jeong So-mi left, Tae-seok and the Director were alone in the container.
The atmosphere felt heavy and awkward.
The Director said nothing.
and simply stared at Tae-seok, deliberately dragging out the silence.
Tae-seok felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
So, Tae-seok spoke first.
“Just say what you have to say, Director.”
“Alright. I've thought about it, and starting tomorrow, you'll be doing carpentry with Team Leader Go.”
“Director! That's not right!”
“Hey! Kim Tae-seok! 'That's not right?' Hey! Hey! You little punk! A guy with your skills wasting time on painting? How long are you going to keep doing whatever you want?”
“Painting is good work too.”
“Hey! We can find painters easily! We can't find carpenters! And there's a carpenter right here! I know him!”
As he raised his voice, Tae-seok's heart pounded.
Anger surged, and his emotions flared.
Normally, he would have stormed out by now.
But today was different.
That annoying entity was trying to control him again.
[A linked quest has been opened.]
[Linked Quest – Listen to the Director's Story Until the End]
Show the Director your human side and have a calm conversation.
Tae-seok was caught off guard.
The unknown entity was telling him to endure and talk it out.
Tae-seok bit his lip and lowered his gaze.
“Director, please calm down and explain the situation first. Then I…”
“Hey! We don't have a carpenter for the second floor, so we're about to miss the contracted deadline. If we go past the deadline, we lose millions of won a day, and you can't help with that?”
“This is the first I'm hearing of it.”
“Tae-seok, you're the only one. Please do it.”
“Sir… you know my back is bad, don't you?”
“I'm begging you. I'm really asking. Please do it. Just for a few days, no, just for one week.”
In the end, Tae-seok gave in to the Director’s desperate plea.
“Alright. Is one week all you need?”
It was clearly a losing deal for him, but for the sake of the team and the company, he decided to compromise.
“You're really doing it? Will you do it? Tae-seok! Hey, Punk!”
“Yes. I don't go back on my word. One week, just one week.”
“Alright! You brat! You should have just said so from the start. Tae-seok, do you know how much I value you? I'm only saying this now, but because you've been such a pain, I was even thinking of sending you to the Jinju site. But I'm so grateful you've come around like this. You know how I feel, right? Just this once! Just do it this one time.”
“Understood.”
A wide smile instantly spread across the Director’s face. He immediately made a phone call.
It was to the company president.
“President! Yes! It looks like it's been resolved. We'll finish the construction within a week. I'll leave the rest to you, sir.”
- Understood. I can trust you on this, right?
“Yes! We will absolutely finish the work within a week.”
* * *
Tae-seok took painkillers and worked as a carpenter.
Cutting lumber, fitting it into frames, and securing it.
He had to work bent over, squeezed between walls.
‘Ugh… this sharp pain is killing me.’
Waves of pain shot through his back, shattering his concentration.
Nevertheless, he held on.
He had to finish the job quickly so he could rest.
He thought that was the only way to be free from the back pain.
Watching Tae-seok handle the tools with such skill, Team Leader Go smiled in satisfaction.
Tae-seok was actually even more skilled at carpentry than Team Leader Go himself.
It would be great if the kid could stay with him, but unfortunately, today was the last day.
As the construction was wrapping up, the site Director from Elseong Group came to see Team Leader Go.
“Team Leader Go? How did you get it all done? I thought you said it was going to be delayed?”
“Yes. Luckily, Tae-seok, who used to be on our team, came in and we finished it up nicely. Tae-seok!”
“Yes?”
“Come down for a second. Greet Director Choi from Elseong Group.”
“Okay. I'm coming down.”
Tae-seok climbed down the ladder and offered a two-handed handshake to Director Choi, who stood before him in a hard hat.
“I'm Kim Tae-seok. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ah, you've worked hard. I'm Choi Gi-dong.”
Choi Gi-dong handed Tae-seok a business card.
And he continued.
“I was really worried because this site wasn't getting finished, but thanks to you, Tae-seok, I can breathe a little easier.”
“I'm glad I could help.”
“Team Leader Go!”
“Yes.”
“I'm heading to the head office the day after tomorrow.”
“The head office?”
“Yes. I've been transferred. Today is my last day here.”
“Ah….”
“Let's go for a drink. Tae-seok, how about you join us?”
Tae-seok looked at Choi Gi-dong with a regretful expression.
“I'm sorry. I have plans this evening.”
“Is that so? Well, I'm sure we'll have another chance to meet. Thank you so much.”
“Not at all. You've worked hard as well.”
That evening, Tae-seok headed straight to the hospital
Because of the excruciating pain in his back.
Kim Han-ul, the middle-aged man, scolded Tae-seok.
“Hey, you idiot! Didn’t I tell you not to strain your back?”
“…I'm sorry.”
“What are you going to do if your mother finds out about this?”
“I'm sorry, sir… Aaaargh, gently… please be gentle.”
“You Punk, if you keep this up, you'll never be able to use your back again.”
“That’s why I need you to fix me up, sir. It’s not a herniated disc, right?”
“How should I know, Punk! Ugh! Go up to the second floor for physical therapy before you leave.”
“Ah…! Sir, I said be gentle!”
"Ugh! This kid! Really~"
* * *
And then, the day of the interview.
Tae-seok went up to Seoul.
Out of all the applicants, Tae-seok was called first.
The interview began with groups of three.
The format was three interviewers standing, with three job applicants sitting in chairs before them, answering questions.
Tae-seok bowed to the interviewers, his sore back protesting with every movement.
“Good morning. I'm Kim Tae-seok.”
At that, one of the interviewers smiled.
Tae-seok knew who he was.
Choi Gi-dong. The site director from Elseong Construction he had worked with just a short while ago.
With a perfectly calm expression, he spoke to Tae-seok.
“We're all meeting for the first time, right? Please, have a seat!”
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