Promotion Or Commotion

After receiving the amazing news from my manager, I was so happy that though it was lunch time, I couldn't even recall. Humming a song whilst getting my bag, I was in an elated mood. However, once I stepped out of the store, I met Miss Bong.

She looked at me intensely and I was quite scared. Out of the blue, she asked: "Are you the talisman?"

"What?" I asked since I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Can I have a word with you? It won't take long", she asked.

I didn't know whether to say yes or no, but since she was older, I said: "Alright", out of respect.

Miss Bong then made an inspection of our environment and after she was done, said: "Come with me then."

Taking me to the backyard of her department store, she asked: "How long have you worked at Manager Heo's department store?"

"Five years", I replied. And that was the truth, I had poured out my bloody sweat to help the store grow to its height.

"Five years? Have you received any promotion?" she asked since that was enough time to be given a massive promotion, especially with the rate of my success. I'm sure she was expecting me to say no, but due to her wrong timing, I replied, "Yes, I just received one now."

"Right now?" she asked with disappointment and I nodded in reply.

Turning her head away, she muttered to herself: "Those cheap crooks. It seemed like they didn't plan on giving her one. How could they change their minds now?"

Looking back at me, she said: "The truth is that I wanted to scout you."

"Scout me?" I was amazed. No one had ever said that to me before.

Miss Bong replied, saying: "Yes. I thought that in case your company refused to hire you as their permanent employee or give you a promotion, then you could come to our side."

"I'm sorry but I can't. As I told you earlier, I received a promotion", I reminded her.

Though she was really disappointed, Miss Bong still said: "Alright. It's quite unfortunate that we didn't meet earlier. But if you ever need this opportunity, come to me. I will be promoted soon and need someone as capable as you to become the manager of the department store. So, if you ever change your mind, please contact me. People like you deserve better and I wanted to give you an opportunity based on your merits."

Though I already had a job opportunity coming up, I still went ahead to show my gratitude. "Manager Bong, thanks for considering me", I told her.

After ending the conversation with Miss Bong, I got on a cab and headed to the headquarters. As I was on my way, Manager Heo received an unexpected call.

"Hello! Managing Director, I just told her about it. She's even on her… what? She didn't get the promotion? Was it a mistake? But you told me to tell her that you… hello! Hello! Darn it!" Manager Heo loosened his tie after listening to the news. He sighed several times and took his phone.

He found my number but could not make the call. Finally, he gathered the needed momentum and made the call, only to hear my phone ring in his office.

"Aish, why didn't that girl take her phone? Will she be okay there?" he asked himself but could do nothing about the current situation. He was really frustrated.

Elsewhere, a lot of arrangements were being made for Joon Jin Ho's proposal. He had rented an entire restaurant and paid the workers to make his proposal special. Everything was ready except the presence of the citadel of this occasion, Jin Ho's girlfriend.

A waiter came over to Jin Ho and asked, "Sir, won't she come?"

Jin Ho, the pervert I met on the bus, replied: "Maybe something is delaying her at work. Let me try calling her."

"Yes sir", the waiter responded and walked away.

Virel, Jin Ho's buddy, called V for short, drew near Jin Ho and said: "That's right! I think you should try calling her."

Jin Ho was surprised when he realized that V heard what he told the waiter since he was quite far from him. Therefore, he asked his friend: "V, how did you hear what I said?"

V smiled and said: "It's now working bro."

"Really? Man, you are a genius", Jin Ho commended the college student and rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Aish, don't mess up my hair", V said after which he added: "Won't you call her?"

"I will. I'm calling her now", Jin Ho replied and made the call.

On the phone, he was heard saying: "Mi Rae, will you be coming? Yes. I will wait for you. Yes, goodbye." After which he hung up.

"She's coming right?" V asked to which Jin Ho replied, "She's on her way."

"Nice! It's showtime", V said and winked at Jin Ho. He also replied back with a wink.

But unbeknownst to them, when Mi Rae received the call, she was with her friends. They were having lunch together and one of them asked her: "Mi Rae, do you really have to go? Think of it, he's just a night courier. How long can love make your relationship work? No matter how much you love each other, money always matters. Just accept Hyung Bin. He loves you, he has the money, and his parents like you too. Don't go in for something that will make you stressed all the time."

Mi Rae sat quietly and began to meditate on her friend's words.

As she drew closer to the restaurant where Jin Ho had rented, she continued to think about what her friend said and reasoned: "Min Ja has a point, I might love Jin Ho but he can't provide for me."

She then looked inside the restaurant and saw Jin Ho happily smiling. "I'm sorry Jin Ho, but this will be our last meeting."

V also spotted her from outside and alerted Jin Ho, saying: "She's coming, she's coming!"

Immediately, Jin Ho also ordered all the waiters, saying: "Everyone get into your various positions. Hurry, hurry!"

He then muttered to himself saying: "Today is going to be a great day."

"Yes, today is going to be a great day", I mumbled to myself before stepping out of the taxi. At the headquarters, I knew a few employees but out of them all, my heart raced to give the news to Ra Ra, my best friend.

She was in the Design Department but since it was lunchtime, I knew where to find her. Walking into the cafeteria, I saw her seated with a few colleagues.

Though they were many, she stood out. Tall, pretty and modest, it was impossible to ignore her.

Having a strong bond, Ra Ra felt my presence though I had not drawn closer to her. Seeing me in the cafeteria, she left her colleagues and ran to meet me.

"Amy!" She called me out loud.

"Ra Ra!" I responded.

Everyone stared at us but we didn't mind. Running to meet each other, I hugged my friend whom I had missed for a whole lengthy day.

"Amy, what are you doing here?" Mi Rae asked me.

Being the dramatic type, I wasn't going to give her a plain and simple answer. Rather, I told her: "About forty minutes ago, Manager Heo called me to his office and relayed a message to me."

"A message? What did he say?" Ra Ra asked.

In reply, I said, "Manager Heo said: "Today, you shall receive a promotion."

"Really?" Ra Ra asked and I replied: "That was how I reacted but he added: 'I spoke with the Managing Director and he already has a spot for you. All that's left is that everything goes through and you will be transferring from the lower ground to the higher one."

"Oh my! Congratulations my friend", Ra Ra said with excitement. She looked happier than I did.

"Thank you", I replied. To this she asked, "What did you say afterwards?"

"So I replied: 'Really? Thanks manager. I'm really grateful.' Then he said, 'Come on, you have done your best to achieve this.' I then told him: 'Then, I will be heading to the office right now.'"

"And that's how you came here", Ra Ra concluded.

"Ra Ra, I'm so happy", I told her.

"Me too. Hey, let's have a party tonight", she made a good suggestion.

"Sure", I agreed. I wished we could talk more but I had to see the Managing Director hence I told her: "Ra Ra, I will be going now."

She smiled at me and hugged me one more time. After letting go, she said: "Sis, fighting!"

"Fighting!" I replied.

Finally my day had arrived.

Finally, the long awaited moment was in. Happily smiling, I went to the general office. It was a busy room with about twenty employees seated with their computers before them as they worked before their desks. I too wanted this kind of work. And I had the requirements. Yet, because I didn't graduate from what they term as a prestigious university, I had become a low level worker.

But on this day, since I had just helped increase the company's sales by twenty percent, I was surely going to receive a huge promotion. Besides, this wasn't the first time I was achieving such a great fear for the company. Finally, my time had arrived.

However, after meeting the managing director who also had his desk in the main office, he asked me: "Amy, didn't you hear the news from Manager Heo?"

"What news?" I asked.

Seeing that I had not heard a thing, he told me: "Amy, we know that you have the skills. Look, you just increased our sales by twenty percent overnight. Just be patient, we will soon hire you as a full-time employee but right now, some need to climb up the ladder."

I couldn't believe that he just said that. I replied back, saying: "Manager, but that's what you told me last year, and in fact, last two years."

Yet, he insisted: "Amy, you know how this work is. There are a lot of people seeking places in this workplace. We need to consider them…"

"And neglect me?" I asked as I felt left out. "Is that what you are saying? Apart from you, I started working here before all those behind the desks", I reminded the Managing Director.

"I know, I know. But I am not in charge of hiring…" he tried to defend himself but I broke his defense by saying: "But you have been recommending them."

"Well that…" he was unable to explain before I unleashed the counter attack.

"Does this mean I have never been recommended?" I asked with a lot of seriousness on my face. I was never going to be stepped over this time around.

"Amy, don't get angry!" He tried to appease me. However, this counter attack had just begun and nothing could stop it. Therefore, I asked: "Do you think I am some sort of pushover? Ever since I started working here, the company's sales have increased by seventy five percent. That's not all, five new branches have been opened and a lot of investors are now backing it up. And yet… I can't even receive a full-time position. Tell me, what more should I do?" the attack was reaching its success.

"I'm sorry Amy", he apologized but I told him: "Don't. There's no need to say you are sorry."

Now, it was time to complete the attack. "You know what? I quit. But that's not all. In the next two years, all of you will bow to me. Mark it on the wall."

After making such a brave attack, I stormed out of the office with nowhere in particular to go. The Managing Director was so shocked with my attitude and smirked in disbelief.

At this point, I felt betrayed and it seemed to me that I was the only one who could get betrayed but elsewhere someone was also about to receive his biggest blow.