Episode 23
“These are the ginseng sticks we’ll be selling on the live broadcast.”
Inside the factory, where the ginseng sticks were being made in a line, the smell of ginseng was much stronger than
outside.
Tae-jun took a stick, looked it over, unwrapped it, and began to taste it. Ha-yoon followed and sucked on one too.
It might seem odd to eat products in the middle of a factory, but before live broadcasts, it was normal for the staff to
try out the products—taste them, wear them, or use them. It was a basic step to prepare.
“If you haven’t tried it yourself, how can you describe its taste, feel, or function to the customers? Selling something you’ve never used is no different from false advertising—so check everything carefully.”
This was one of Tae-jun’s most important rules: use the product yourself and give an honest explanation of its pros and cons.
“How is it?” the factory manager asked.
“It’s not too bitter, so I think it’s good. I usually don’t like ginseng, but I ate all of it without a problem.”
The manager’s face lit up. Getting a product into KJ Home Shopping was a huge opportunity for a small business.
Thinking this chance might never come again, the factory manager rubbed his hands and pleaded with Tae-jun.
“We worked really hard on this product. Please help us. I didn’t care about profit—I just wanted to make something great.”
Watching the manager, Ha-yoon nodded. But she didn’t know what was really hiding behind his bright smile.
The taste suited younger people, the factory looked fine, and the overall vibe seemed good. So to Ha-yoon, everything
felt fine. But Tae-jun’s face was serious and unreadable. The mood didn’t seem right to ask why, so she kept quiet.
Even after lunch and walking around the whole factory, Tae-jun’s face didn’t lighten up. Finally, near the end of the
tour, Ha-yoon asked carefully:
“Director, did you find something wrong? You look uncomfortable.”
“It’s just… something feels a little off.”
“What do you mean? The sticks were good, the ginseng tasted nice, the factory was clean, and the workers seemed
happy. Nothing seemed strange…”
“Exactly. Nothing seemed strange.”
Ha-yoon tilted her head. His words made no sense.
She wondered if she had missed something and thought hard, but she couldn’t come up with anything. Even her notes
and photos didn’t show anything strange.
With his hands in his pockets, Tae-jun looked around and said softly,
“Everything looks too perfect. There’s nothing wrong. That’s why it feels weird.”
“Weird…?”
“It all feels staged, fake. I don’t like the feeling.”
Just then, the factory manager called Tae-jun to explain something. Tae-jun gave Ha-yoon a look, signaling that he’d
go alone.
“I’ll come too,” she said.
“No need. Just take a break. I won’t be long.”
“Are you sure it’s okay to go alone?”
“You think I’m a kid or something, Jung Ha-yoon?”
“Come on, who said that? Fine, I’ll just rest over there.”
There was a bench behind the factory, which seemed like a break area for workers. She didn’t want to hang around
inside the factory and distract the people working.
Tae-jun nodded and walked away.
Watching him disappear, Ha-yoon finally let herself smile. She liked the fact that she got to go out with Tae-jun like
this. Who knows how many chances she’d have like this?
This feels nice.
Trying not to hum out loud, she walked toward the bench.
The factory manager’s office wasn’t big, but it had everything it needed.
He handed Tae-jun a cup of tea with a friendly smile.
“What did you think, Director? Our factory’s pretty good, right? I think it’ll be a hit on the live show. If there’s anything else you need, just say so.”
“Well… I don’t really need anything else. But…”
“But…?”
“I just want to take one last close look before making a decision.”
“Didn’t you see enough already? We’ve worked really hard. Can’t you just trust us?”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’ll decide soon, so please wait a little.”
The factory manager leaned back with a “hmm,” saying nothing more. He must’ve realized that more talking wouldn’t change Tae-jun’s mind.
Everything looked fine, but until he could figure out why something felt off, Tae-jun had no intention of signing a deal.
“Please, Director, I really hope you consider us kindly. I built this business myself, and I want to give my employees
better benefits. That’s why I’m so worried. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way.”
“There’s nothing wrong with what you said. Anyone would do anything to keep their business going. I understand.”
“Thank you. I feel more at ease knowing you get it.”
The factory manager’s expression relaxed a little.
“Our top priority is cleanliness. We always keep things spotless. We’ve never received complaints about hygiene.”
“I see.”
“So if you help our business, I’m sure…”
At that moment, Tae-jun’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He politely excused himself and checked it—it was a message
from Ha-yoon.
That’s strange. She said she’d wait outside. Why is she messaging me?
He read the message and suddenly stood up.
“Director…?”
Leaving the confused factory manager behind, Tae-jun turned and quickly walked out.
“Director!”
“We’ll continue this conversation later. Something urgent came up.”
“Wait! Hold on!”
Even though the manager called after him, Tae-jun didn’t stop.
Director, emergency! Please get out of there now. I have something urgent to tell you.
The message was from Ha-yoon. Worried something had happened to her, Tae-jun’s face grew tense.
“Director! Over here! This way!”
Ha-yoon was crouched in a corner of the factory. As soon as she saw Tae-jun, she waved him over.
What in the world is she doing over here?
When he reached her, she quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her, making them stand very close.
Seeing her face so suddenly up close, Tae-jun looked startled and quickly backed away.
“What? You don’t even want to be near me?”
Ha-yoon pouted, annoyed that he moved away so fast.
“You didn’t bring me here just to chat, right? So what’s that message about?”
“Geez, what’s the rush?”
“Wait… don’t tell me…”
He glared at her, thinking it might’ve been a joke.
“No! I would never joke about something like that. It’s just…”
She looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then leaned close and whispered softly.
There was no one around—not even an ant—so Tae-jun didn’t understand why she was being so secretive.
“I found something really surprising. Remember how you said the place felt off? I thought you were just being picky,
but now I think… you’re amazing, Director.”
