Chapter 19: Manager Kim Jang-bung, are you really going to resign?

Manager Kim stared at Jangbung, disbelief in his eyes.

“Manager Kim Jangbung, are you really going to resign?”

“Yes, Manager.”

“No! Did I disappoint you in any way? Why are you suddenly acting like this because I said something?”

Jangbung looked down.

“I just want to take a break.”

Manager Kim frowned.

“If you want to rest, use your vacation days and rest. Manager Kim Jangbung doesn’t even use his vacation days. Why did you quit to rest?”

Jangbung’s voice was steady.

“Well, you keep in touch with work even on your days off, so it’s the same whether you use your vacation days or not.”

Manager Kim fell silent.

Manager Choi stepped in.

“Manager Kim Jangbung.”

“Yes, Manager Choi.”

“I know it’s tough these days, but that’s the kind of position a manager is supposed to be in. If you just endure a little longer, you’ll be promoted to assistant manager. Assistant managers have to step up and leave with all their might. If you leave now, you won’t get anything.”

Jangbung shook his head.

“No. I’ve just made up my mind.”

Manager Kim sighed.

“Yeah. It does seem that way. Okay, then. I have to submit my resignation to HR, so I’ll go and submit it and start looking for a successor tomorrow.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Okay, I understand.”

Jangbung handed over his resignation letter.

“Here is my resignation letter.”

The HR staff glanced at it.

“Please give me this a little earlier. It’s almost time to leave.”

“I’m busy.”

“Okay. I’ll contact you separately once the approval goes through.”

“Okay.”

Manager Kim overheard, turning to Manager Park.

“Did you see what Manager Kim just said? You can’t use your vacation days just because you have a work-related call? When I was a manager, if I got a call, I’d turn around and go to work while I was traveling!”

Manager Park nodded.

“That’s right.”

Manager Choi chimed in.

“Kids these days really have no tenacity. I told you it’s because their parents raised them with a lot of patience. What did you do when you worked a six-day workweek? How can you quit because it’s a little hard? Isn’t that right, Manager Park?”

Manager Park agreed.

“That’s right. It’s thoughtless. There are fewer male-oriented jobs these days, so it must be easier, but I see you quitting because it’s hard. Work is already busy these days, and if he’s looking for a replacement, oh my gosh.”

Manager Kim added.

“You don’t seem to have any plans, but he must be busy looking for someone to hand over everything.”

Manager Choi scoffed.

“There are plenty of people who can replace that kid. It’ll be hard to find someone worse than him.”

Manager Kim called out.

“Manager Kim Jangbung.”

“Yes.”

“This is the new manager who just joined. Please handle the entire handover to him.”

The new manager smiled.

“Hello!”

Jangbung nodded.

“It’s nice to meet you. I was worried because my departure date is approaching, but you’re here anyway.”

“Please take care of me.”

“Since you’ve already gained practical experience at another company, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle the handover without any problems. That’s good. My departure date is approaching, so I need to give you a crash course, so please follow along.”

“Yes!”

Jangbung began.

“When making initial contact with writers, it’s like this… When it’s a work you’re aiming for a Topple launch, through a conversation with the writer… To maintain a good relationship with writers who seem promising… This is how you discuss contacts with other platforms. Here’s a manual listing the items you need to organize each week. You should keep these items in mind for a regular series. When receiving warnings from the Publication Ethics Committee, many people get tired. Please read through popular works once in a while. It’s also important to check the comment responses. This is how you should organize Topple sales under our management. There are so many monthly reports and they change from time to time, so I just made a manual for the main items.”

He continued.

“This is… That is… This is…”

The new manager interrupted.

“Excuse me, Manager Kim Jangbung.”

“Huh?”

“Have you really been doing all this?”

“Yes.”

“When I was at another company, my workload as a manager wasn’t like this…”

“You get used to it as you go.”

“Yes…”

Manager Kim looked around the meeting room.

“Manager Kim, isn’t Manager Park coming to the meeting?”

Jangbung shrugged.

“I heard she was on the phone with her boyfriend in the document storage room.”

“What, the meeting time is up, but you’re on the phone with your boyfriend? Why didn’t you tell her to come?”

“I tried to talk to her last time when it was time for the meeting, but she just said she’d know how to go in. This time, she was on the phone with her voice dripping with honey, so I just assumed she’d know how to do it.”

Manager Kim sighed.

“Ha, she really is.”

Manager Park rushed in.

“Sorry I’m late!”

Manager Kim glared.

“What were you doing, Manager Park?”

“I was swamped with work.”

Manager Kim raised an eyebrow.

“You weren’t late because you were on the phone with your boyfriend?”

Manager Park stammered.

“Uh, who told you…”

“That’s not the point!”

“Sorry, sorry!”

“Do your dating at home!”

“I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.”

Manager Kim waved at the screen.

“The presentation PPT is up, thanks to Kim. Where’s your material, Manager Park?”

Manager Park turned to Jangbung.

“Jangbung-ssi?”

“You finalized it. Didn’t you print it?”

“I thought you’d print it, of course.”

“You finalized it. Why would I print it?”

“You always printed it before…”

“I’m not doing that anymore.”

Manager Kim slammed his hand on the table.

“Great job, just great! What a mess. Manager Park, go print it now!”

“Yes, sorry!”

Manager Kim turned to Jangbung.

“Kim, I know you’ve got things to say, but you’re holding back because you’re leaving.”

“Yes.”

In the meeting, Manager Kim announced.

“Our company’s novel award this year will be exclusively for women’s genre novels for the first time. Any objections?”

The team responded.

“No, Director.”

Manager Choi smirked.

“Kim Jangbung, no complaints for once?”

Jangbung nodded.

“Focusing on women’s genres seems right. Men’s genres don’t make money. Our company should focus on women’s genres.”

Manager Park laughed.

“Oh, now that you’re leaving, you finally sound like one of us. Why not just stay?”

Manager Choi shook his head.

“No way, Manager Park.”

Manager Kim chuckled.

“Kim Jangbung’s getting sharp, like he could cut someone.”

Manager Park giggled.

“He’s scary now~”

Manager Kim handed Jangbung a card.

“Stop the nonsense. Meeting’s over. Kim, take this card and buy some coffee.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Manager Park leaned over.

“Director, did you see Kim Jangbung’s intense look?”

Manager Kim nodded.

“He’s acting like someone who’s leaving.”

Manager Choi added.

“He doesn’t even react anymore, no matter what you say.”

Manager Park agreed.

“Exactly. Yesterday, I asked him to take on some work, and he didn’t even respond. You saw today—he just did his presentation and didn’t say a word.”

Manager Kim sighed.

“Why even bring a guy who’s quitting to the meeting?”

Manager Park shrugged.

“He’s got to wrap things up.”

Manager Choi frowned.

“He presented today, but didn’t Manager Park finalize it? Why’s Kim presenting?”

Manager Park stammered.

“W-Well, Jangbung’s good at presenting.”

Manager Kim turned to the new manager.

“That guy’s got an edge now. Look at him sharpening up because he’s leaving. Don’t be like him, got it?”

The new manager laughed.

“Haha, got it.”

Manager Kang waved from across the office.

“Ugh, is that team gossiping again?”

Jangbung looked up.

“Oh, Manager Kang.”

“This company’s passive skill is badmouthing anyone who steps away. Makes you scared to leave your desk.”

Jangbung shrugged.

“I’m used to it now.”

Manager Kang raised an eyebrow.

“Who gets used to gossip? If you’re getting coffee, let’s go together.”

“Yes.”

At the café, Manager Kang set down his cup.

“Let’s sit and drink.”

“It’s a coffee errand.”

“What’s the worst they’ll say about a guy who’s leaving taking a break? Let’s just chill.”

“Alright, then.”

“So, you’re really leaving.”

“Yeah, that’s how it turned out.”

“Got a place lined up, or just walking out?”

“Just walking out, figuring it’ll work out.”

Manager Kang smirked.

“Your face says otherwise. You’ve got something lined up, don’t you?”

“I won’t starve, at least.”

“Good. I thought when you first joined, you wouldn’t last long like the others.”

“Really?”

“That team’s got a ton of work, low pay, and the people aren’t exactly great. New hires always leave crying.”

Jangbung nodded.

“That’s why there was no one to hand over the job when I started.”

“Exactly. No handoff means no clear standards. Higher-ups dump their work on the junior, and new hires cry and quit. Then you came along.”

Jangbung sighed.

“At first, I wondered how I’d handle it all.”

“But you did.”

“Yeah. Staying late, studying, getting chewed out, fixing things, coming up with workarounds, making my own manuals—it was a busy time.”

Manager Kang nodded.

“Impressive. That department looks busy, but everyone’s dodging work.”

“So I worked harder.”

“From our department, you seemed passionate, like it was your own company.”

Jangbung smiled faintly.

“This was a company I loved since I was a kid.”

“Oh, like a dream job?”

“Not quite. More like a nostalgic place. As a student, I’d read novels at rental shops, then got curious about online serialized novels. This company’s site was where I ended up.”

“How long ago?”

“My first favorite on my personal account was a novel from 17 years ago. Watched it serialize live.”

“That’s ancient.”

“I’d enjoy the site, then when they’d delete novels for publishing, I’d run to the rental shop to ask them to stock it. The shop lady didn’t get it at first, but later she was happy when those novels sold well.”

“So you applied because of that childhood connection?”

“Partly. And my college days.”

“Huh?”

“I was scraping by, paying for rent and tuition. Barely had any money and felt down about it. Then I found this site had gone subscription-based, like a treasure trove.”

Manager Kang grinned.

“Talking about the company’s golden age?”

“Yes. I paid for the flat rate with that little money. Back then, I truly enjoyed what I had. Even when I was exhausted from school and part-time work and wanted to sleep, I waited for midnight, when a new story would appear every day. Back then, this company was the source of my energy.”

“Now that I think about it, it was fate.”

“Yes. That’s why I mentioned that experience when I applied, and I think they made a good impression, and I was able to get in. I joined when the company was in decline, but I still believed that if I worked hard, I could share the joy I found back then with my readers.”

Manager Kang nodded.

“Manager Kim Jangbung really worked hard. That’s why we’ve had another revival.”

“That’s not me, it’s the writers and readers. What I wanted to do was maintain that momentum…”

“Is that easy? These people are like ice castles, frozen in their positions, focused only on their own self-preservation.”

Jangbung sighed.

“I thought my passion could break through even an ice wall… but eternal snow doesn’t melt.”

“Yes. That’s how it happened. Thank you for your hard work.”

“I’m also grateful to Manager Kang for being so kind to me.”

“I was treated well because you were the only person I could communicate with at this company.”

“Haha, but still. Thank you.”

Jangbung turned to the new manager.

“Manager Lee.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve organized the work manual for you and explained how to deal with variables several times.”

“Yes.”

“I showed you the tricks that were hard to explain in words and taught you everything I could. And this is the file that documents everything I explained to you as much as possible.”

“Even this… Thank you so much.”

“I documented it, but absolutely! Don’t! Share this with your teammates.”

“Huh? Why?”

“If you think you can perform your work comfortably, this company gives you more work, not more money. Don’t be like me.”

“But what if you don’t know something?”

“Just in case, I’ll give you the messy, outdated work manual I received when I joined the company. Show it to them, say you don’t know, and learn. It’ll be much better for your future, Manager Lee. Did you understand?”

“Uh, Manager Kim Jangbung.”

“Yes.”

“Can I handle all this?”

“I struggled, too, but I’m getting used to it. Don’t worry too much.”

“Yes.”

“My work is finished for today. The handover is over. Thank you for your hard work.”