Chapter 19
19. I'll Never Let Go2021.07.03.
With one problem resolved, Jeong Ji-heon felt much lighter. Tuesday afternoon. After finishing one schedule and heading back to his office, Ji-heon glanced at the production team's area. All the seats in Production Team 2 were empty. Ji-heon, taking advantage of a brief break, went to the conference room where the liquor advertisement production meeting was supposed to be held. He could hear two voices from outside the room.
"Assistant Manager Lee, you always have a notebook in your hand. Do you record everything in your daily life?"
"No, there's not much worth writing down. I'm just constantly thinking."
"Assistant Manager Lee, you're the best copywriter I've ever met. Acknowledged, acknowledged. (Acknowledged, acknowledged.)"
"Gi-hoon, you keep acknowledging everything I do."
"There's just so much to acknowledge."
It was Song Gi-hun and Lee Jung-oh's voices. He opened the door and saw the two of them sitting side by side at the far end of the conference room. Gi-hoon, who had stopped talking, greeted him energetically.
"Director Jeong, hello."
Jeong-o only nodded slightly.
"When does the meeting start?"
"In 10 minutes."
"Song Gi-hun, please print out the minutes from last week's meeting."
"Yes."
Gi-hoon got up and left the conference room. Ji-heon and Jeong-o were the only ones left in the room. An awkward silence fell. Ji-heon felt complicated seeing the woman who had been so actively conversing with Gi-hoon now pressing her lips tightly shut in front of him. Was her name Yena? The way she looked down reminded him of that smart kid from yesterday. That child also said she didn't have a father. Ji-heon thought about a situation he couldn't empathize with for the first time in a long time. He wanted to do something for her, but he didn't know exactly what to do. However, if there was even a slight excuse, he should use it. He didn't want to be Lee Jung-oh's father, but if that was the only connection, he didn't mind. Ji-heon said quietly.
"Come if you miss your dad."
"Pardon?"
"You said I look like your father. If I'm okay, come and see me."
"Director Jeong?"
Jeong-o frowned deeply and asked again.
"Director Jeong's face?"
Are you crazy? I'm already uncomfortable in this seat, why would I go see you?
"Do you dislike it? I said it because I was thinking of Assistant Manager Lee."
But this man was serious. It seemed he was fixated on the word 'dad'. Anyway, it would be helpful to understand his close associates, so his suggestion might be helpful.
"Thank you for the thought."
His lips stretched into a smile that barely showed at the lukewarm thanks. With those words, he left the conference room. Shortly after, Gi-hoon returned to the conference room and, after confirming that Jeong-o was alone, asked.
"Where's Director Jeong?"
"He left."
"Did he ask you to print out the meeting minutes?"
"I guess so."
Gi-hoon sat back down with a deflated expression. Soon, all the team members gathered in the conference room. By chance, Jeong-o ended up sitting across from Eun-bi again. Eun-bi, meeting Jeong-o's eyes, gave a formal smile. The meeting began with a general explanation from the AE.
"Since the client has set the target and concept, we requested production last week. You've all checked the additional product specs and competitor analysis data, right? Today, I'd like to share ideas, and once we have a consensus, the planning team will revise the proposal."
Everything is difficult to start. The team members, not wanting to be the first to be criticized, were watching each other's reactions. At that moment, the door opened and Ji-heon re-entered the conference room. The conference room was large, and there were many empty seats, but Ji-heon didn't sit in the front and instead headed to the back. His choice was the seat next to Jeong-o. It was also in front of Eun-bi. Jeong-o, with a tense expression, hunched her shoulders, but Eun-bi, meeting Ji-heon's face, smiled softly.
"Shall I go first?"
Eun-bi, energized, was the first to raise her hand.
"People in their 20s and 30s are physically at their peak, but mentally they're often exhausted."
Ji-heon was strangely distracted. While listening to Eun-bi's presentation, he moved his legs and bumped Jeong-o's knee, and when Jeong-o moved her chair slightly to the side, he started tapping the pen he was holding. This distracted behavior was like a strange magic. None of the other team members paid any attention. Only Jeong-o kept getting distracted.
"There are many things they want to do, but they have to do what others tell them first, they get scolded at work, and they get pushed around on the subway on the way home. The couples they pass in the park look so affectionate that they're envious..."
Thud. Eventually, Ji-heon dropped the pen he was holding on the floor. Eun-bi's gaze also briefly lingered on Ji-heon. The pen fell under the table, close to Jeong-o's seat. The man who had been so distracted became silent after dropping the pen on the floor. Jeong-o was dumbfounded. That bastard. He dropped it on purpose. Telling me to pick it up.
"...That's why when those tired youths return home, the first thing they look for faster than food is a beer in the refrigerator. When they take a sip of beer, they feel like, 'Ah, this is why I work.'"
Resigned, Jeong-o lowered herself from her seat and reached for the pen. But at that moment. A large shadow approached and covered her hand.
'Gasp!'
It seemed they had both reached for the same thing and touched, but Jeong-o flinched and pulled her hand away because the warmth that covered her hand was so hot. Ji-heon stared at her blankly and picked up the pen that had fallen on the floor. Jeong-o also returned to her seat.
'He didn't do that on purpose too, did he.'
Chae Eun-bi is sitting right there. Thump, thump, thump, thump... Her heart was pounding so loudly. She was so anxious that someone would hear her. It wasn't because she was excited. This wasn't what she wanted, it felt like she had done something bad. But the man who had committed the act was sitting there shamelessly without even changing his expression. Jeong-o also struggled to concentrate on the meeting again.
"I thought of two main taglines: 'Single? You need beer' and 'This taste is youth.' The keyword is healing. That's all."
Some members of Production Team 1 applauded Eun-bi's idea. Eun-bi also smiled contentedly. Mi-ran was the first to comment.
"It's good. But I think it's a bit too ordinary. The idea that youth is hard has been covered too much in all kinds of content. And Director Chae's direction is healing, but healing feels too quiet."
Eun-bi's smile faded slightly at Mi-ran's comment. Yeong-gwang added his opinion.
"Actually, there's also a visual and auditory problem. Existing beer commercials usually show a bustling pub full of young people, and a model coolly drinking beer and saying 'Ah!' (Kya!)'. Would breaking that be a good idea? Isn't it risky?"
Following that, Jeong-o raised her hand. It was now Jeong-o's turn.
"I think the point of that commercial is the moment when the model gulps down the beer. The bustling pub full of young people is seen through the TV. You think, 'Is it a noisy pub?' but the volume gradually decreases, and the commercial is filled only with the sound of gulping down beer. You're comfortably drinking beer alone while watching a movie in the living room. It's like, 'I'm enjoying this time alone to the fullest.' And then we finish with a scene that shows the unique features of our product as much as possible."
"That's good. There are a lot of fake commercials these days. You think it's a food commercial, but it's a cell phone commercial, or you think it's an apartment commercial, but it's an air conditioner commercial."
The AE reacted to Jeong-o's idea. As Jeong-o's idea gained traction, Eun-bi's lips twisted.
"But would the client like a fake commercial? The commercial time is only 15 seconds, and if we waste time by making the first 5 seconds look like another commercial, I think there would be a lot of resistance."
"It would be possible if we prepared a more powerful 10 seconds, right? People are enthusiastic about twists. And I don't want to limit the model to singles. I feel like we're reducing the target audience too much."
Jeong-o immediately responded. Mi-ran nodded.
"True, there are lonely people even in couples, while there are people who are content even when they're alone."
"Yes. I don't want the time when customers drink alone to be sad or miserable. I want it to shine."
The AE, nodding vigorously at Jeong-o's opinion, wrote down what Jeong-o had said in her notebook. Shortly after, Gi-hoon also offered his opinion.
"Since we're talking about singles, what about couples? Since the concept is 'alcohol to keep stocked and drink alone,' they drink alone while constantly thinking about their lover. You always want to share good things with the person you love."
"Gi-hoon, are you really single? You have a complete couple mindset?"
The team leader of Team 1 teased Gi-hoon. Everyone laughed lightly. It was a fairly friendly meeting. Many useful ideas came out, so the meeting was able to end quickly.
"All the ideas that came out today are good. It would be good to develop the ideas further so that the sales points are tailored to the product."
The employees were all satisfied with Ji-heon's overall review. In fact, the employees didn't really care. Just the fact that Director Jeong Ji-heon, who had only shown a cold appearance like a Siberian field, had smiled like this made them feel properly appreciated. It also felt like someone who had felt so distant had suddenly become closer. Of course, Jeong-o wasn't swayed. Jeong-o organized her things with a nonchalant expression. She wanted to leave the conference room quickly. Why was Jeong Ji-heon moving so slowly today? Meanwhile, Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae, who had gained courage from the thought that she had become closer to Ji-heon through today's meeting, cautiously spoke to Ji-heon.
"Director Jeong, when you drink delicious alcohol, do you want to share it with the person you love? Do you keep thinking about them even when you're alone?"
A question that clearly had Eun-bi in mind. Jeong-o secretly snorted. Would Jeong Ji-heon really answer? Really.
"I wouldn't be alone."
But it was unexpected. Jeong Ji-heon answered.
"I'd keep them by my side. I'll never let go."
"Kyaa." The female employees of Production Team 1 let out small cheers. Jeong-o immediately left the conference room. She couldn't confirm who Ji-heon's eyes had been on the whole time.
* After the meeting, Eun-bi remained uneasy. Jeong Ji-heon was acting strange. Jeong Ji-heon wasn't the type to smile like that at her. He was so stiff, one might suspect he was a robot. She could be sure that she had been his closest woman for the past few years, but even so, Eun-bi had never heard Ji-heon crack a joke. Even less so a joke that required affection. But today, out of nowhere, Jeong Ji-heon had attended the meeting, laughing and joking. Was it just her imagination? Jeong Ji-heon had been acting strange ever since Lee Jung-o appeared. The atmosphere when they ran into each other in the break room was suspicious, and it was also strange that he had looked for Lee Jung-o and left a note. And in today's meeting, he sat next to Lee Jung-o instead of her. Most of all, it was extremely strange that the two of them had suddenly disappeared under the table when she was giving her presentation. Although it seemed like Ji-heon had dropped the pen he was holding. But she had a feeling that might not be the case. Jeong Ji-heon shouldn't be like that. He was the type to keep women at arm's length, to the point where his orientation was questionable. Eun-bi suddenly became anxious. She didn't know about Ji-heon, but she was serious. She had thought she would eventually give up on her feelings because of his rigid attitude, but now she couldn't give up. She had started growing her hair long because he seemed to like long hair, and she read management theory books to have even one more word to share with him. And how well she treated his parents. She put twice as much effort into his parents as she did her own. The time and effort she had invested made her even more obsessed. There was no other way now.
"Manager Chae, is something bothering you?"
Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae asked, finding Eun-bi leaning against the sink in the restroom, lost in thought.
"No..."
Eun-bi trailed off and sighed deeply. Hooo.
"What is it? Tell me."
"Haa..."
"It's okay. Tell me."
Eun-bi reluctantly began to speak.
"...Then you have to keep it to yourself. This is a secret. Got it?"
"Yes! Of course."
Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae willingly played along. Eun-bi lowered her voice.
"It's about Assistant Manager Lee Jung-o from Team 2."
"The new copywriter? What about him?"
"Actually, he's my high school classmate."
"Oh, really? But you two use formal language with each other."
"He told me not to act like we know each other at work. I guess it must be uncomfortable for him. But I'm not feeling too good about it either."
"Ah, so that's what that atmosphere was about. Assistant Manager Lee Jung-o is surprisingly prickly. I noticed that he's especially like that with you, Manager Chae."
"Right? Other people can't help but notice."
"..."
"Actually, I know Lee Jung-o's mother."
"Ooh! Are your families close?"
"No, not really. Lee Jung-o's mother worked in the cafeteria at my high school back then. She quit because of a bad incident."
"What incident?"
"I think she was embezzling food from the school."
"Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my!"
Si-nae exclaimed dramatically. Eun-bi smiled inwardly.
"His family was always a bit poor. So I tried to be nice to him. But as I got closer to him..."
"Why? What was he like?"
"You know those types, right? The kids who always think other people's things look better and try to copy them."
"I know, I know! When I was going to cram school for college entrance exams, there was this kid who kept copying my drawings, and it was so annoying. I heard recently that she got fired from her company for having an affair."
Of course, Eun-bi also knew that story. Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae had mentioned it several times before. Si-nae herself seemed to have forgotten, as she talked about it so much.
"Old habits die hard, and you can tell what a person is like from the start. She had it in her from the beginning."
"Hearing that makes me feel even more uneasy. Actually, Jeong-o visits my Ji-heon Oppa often."
"Why does he visit him?"
"I don't know. I guess he has a lot to talk about. But it's a bit unsettling."
Eun-bi sighed deeply again, and Si-nae put her hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her.
"Hey. But Director Jeong is different. What kind of person is Director Jeong?"
Of course, Si-nae didn't really know what kind of person the director was. All she knew was what she had heard from Eun-bi.
"He treats all women like rocks except for our manager. Right? Look at him today. 'I have to keep her by my side. I'll never let her go.' I almost screamed today. It was the first time I'd ever seen him like that."
Eun-bi flinched when Si-nae brought up what happened in the conference room. Jeong Ji-heon hadn't been looking at her then. He had been looking at Lee Jung-o. But she couldn't say that.
"...Right. That's true. But Ji-heon Oppa is different..."
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him, Manager Chae. If I see even a hint of that, Assistant Manager Lee will have to be prepared to be buried in this industry."
Si-nae clenched her fist and burned with fighting spirit.
"Director Jeong Ji-heon is Manager Chae Eun-bi's man."
Thanks to Si-nae, Eun-bi was able to cheer up and smile again. Now there was one more pair of eyes watching Lee Jung-o. After finishing their conversation, the two of them left the restroom and sat down at their desks. A little later, Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae ran up to Eun-bi and whispered in her ear.
"Manager Chae, I think Team Leader Seong Mi-ran was in the restroom. What should we do?"
Mi-ran could be seen leaving the restroom and returning to her seat.
"Assistant Manager Lee Jung-o is going to be hated. Team Leader Seong Mi-ran divorced her husband because he cheated on her with a colleague."
"I know. What should we do..."
Eun-bi trailed off worriedly. It was a different reaction from what she really felt. Seong Mi-ran's past. Eun-bi had also heard about it through rumors. She felt like she had killed two birds with one stone. Of course, that stone would also kill a frog.
