Chapter 42. Expectation
In the second meeting room arranged by the PR team, Yooa was chatting with the employees.
“We even got a generous budget thanks to the Executive Director speaking directly to the Planning Office.”
The employee, speaking softly with a hand near the door since the executive office was close by, looked like he genuinely enjoyed his work. He said the participants were thrilled Yooa was joining, and the company expected her presence to enhance the brand image.
“That’s a bit overwhelming.”
“Since we’re an outdoor company, the image of our promotional models can really sway our stock. If something like a DUI incident happens, it’s a major headache.”
The employee argued that nothing paints a better picture than a wholesome image of an ordinary person spending time with their family. Everyone present agreed that the “wholesome ordinary person” he referred to was Yooa.
“Just show people what they want to see. This trip, we’re emphasizing a family-friendly image.”
“That sounds great. Since there’ll be beginners, how about setting up a small pop-up store where they can easily get hands-on experience with tents and gear?”
“Oh, that’s a fantastic idea.”
Yooa had merely made a casual comment, but the employee took it seriously and even jotted it down in the meeting minutes.
With about 20 minutes left until the video call, the conference room door opened. Secretaries Kim and Gong entered, their hands full of drinks.
“These are from the Executive Director.”
Even though it was cold outside, those stuck indoors were craving iced Americanos the most.
Lee Jun sent Yooa a strawberry latte, a hot Americano, and an iced Americano — and even a box of finger foods to go with them. The employee’s jaw dropped in awe.
“I’ve been at Grip Company for over five years, and this is the first time I’m drinking coffee sent by the Executive Director. Probably the first and last time, huh?”
“Oh, Assistant Manager Hong. Come on!”
Sung-han, who had been joking around, looked on the verge of tears with emotion. The team leader pressed down on his shoulder with an elbow and added sternly:
“The lady of the house is here too. Keep it in check, yeah?”
“Yes, sir.”
He explained to Yooa that Sung-han had admired and respected Lee Jun since his early days at the company — even during his interview, he had recited articles about Lee Jun opening new trade routes and integrating innovative items into tents and campers.
“Please feel free to be comfortable. I’m just an outsider here.”
At the title “lady of the house,” Yooa’s cheeks turned red.
Hearing others talk in detail about how amazing Lee Jun was and what they admired about him felt almost like receiving a love confession, making her heart flutter.
“He said not to be nervous and to relax.”
Secretary Kim adjusted his glasses and gave a gentle smile. Yooa felt a slight sting in her nose at his thoughtfulness.
“Alright then. Let’s show the Executive Director our gratitude by doing our best on this trip. Here’s to the success of our PR team’s hard work and this project!”
“…If only the Executive Director himself showed up and said a word or two, I’m sure it would be a huge success.”
Sung-han, overcome with emotion, couldn’t even touch his drink and trembled slightly. Yooa shook her head.
She wanted to tell them that Lee Jun was just as human as anyone else — not some sacred being.
“You’re Mr. Sung-han, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Let’s skip the ‘ma’am.’ Don’t expect too much from Executive Director Kang. He’s someone who prioritizes high efficiency over time. That’s just his habit.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Just as Secretaries Kim and Gong were about to leave after delivering the snacks and message, they paused and shut the heavy glass door they’d half-opened at her words.
Yooa took a sip of her sweet strawberry latte and couldn’t ignore Sung-han’s eager eyes. With ten minutes still left, she gently shared some cautionary advice about working with Lee Jun.
“The Executive Director has firm boundaries and principles. If he feels those boundaries are crossed, he won’t hesitate to cut ties. That personality probably ties into his work ethic too.”
“Absolutely!”
Secretary Kim reflexively agreed out loud, then coughed and stepped back discreetly.
Yooa shared a few personal anecdotes, careful not to overstep, and suggested that maybe not seeing Lee Jun too often might actually help one get along better at work.
“Wise words, ma’am.”
Secretary Gong even clapped in admiration. Yooa bit her lip, her stomach ticklish with the effort of suppressing laughter.
“You secretaries work so hard. Since the Executive Director’s personality won’t be changing anytime soon, for your mental health, try not to take things personally.”
Secretary Gong pleaded with Yooa to join the secretarial office, only to be dragged away by Secretary Kim.
Yooa caught a fleeting moment of relief on Kim’s usually stiff face and smiled faintly.
***
They created a random list of participants for the video call and held a mini-event with small gifts. People who correctly answered the company name won knee blankets, thermos bottles, or flashlights.
With so many people involved, a variety of ideas came up.
As it happened, many of the participants had young children. Some parents hoped there would be entertainment to keep the kids from getting bored.
“Activities for kids, huh… that’s tough.”
Sung-han turned off his mic and scratched the back of his head with his pen. The team leader folded his arms and tilted his head away from the camera, looking stumped.
Just as they were at a loss, Yooa recalled raising Sejin and spoke up.
“Since we’re camping on Mount Yunak, which is a forest, how about inviting a forest experience specialist?”
They could also prepare traditional games for the remaining time — things like yutnori, pitch-pot, or trying on hanbok that families could enjoy together. At that, the team leader motioned to an employee.
“You heard her? Relay that exactly.”
The parents responded enthusiastically. While they loved the photo ops and marshmallow roasting around the campfire arranged by the PR team, they especially appreciated Yooa’s idea — it gave the impression their kids would actually learn something.
A parent’s heart is the same everywhere.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the praise and support, Yooa looked away, unsure where to rest her gaze.
That’s when a message popped up in the chat that caught her attention:
[Isn’t the heir of the Taekyung Group’s fiancée coming too?]
The user, whose ID was all in English, kept posting non-stop.
[No matter how I think about it, this whole thing just doesn’t make sense.]
He suggested this could all be a big corporate publicity stunt.
[Passing by at just the right time? Sounds like noise marketing to me.]
Other users started defending Yooa, but the chat quickly filled and scrolled faster than anyone could read.
Seeing the commotion, an employee quietly called the team leader over, and they began reading the messages.
The user used words designed to confuse and provoke, suggesting this was a scam and possibly even unfair business practice.
Yooa’s face went ghostly pale. She hadn’t even imagined something like this could happen.
[I mean, I’m just saying. I’m a person too — I have thoughts. Couldn’t this all be staged? When did I ever say I wanted to pick a fight? Can’t I just speak my mind?]
From behind the screen, the commenter cleverly stirred the crowd. People ignored the staff’s attempts to shut it down and eagerly read the inflammatory posts.
[I read somewhere that she’s the daughter of a servant. Who knows if she didn’t use the same tricks to snag the heir and stage this whole thing too?]
