Chapter 22: The Internship Offer

Seeing Choi Kwang-hyun’s joyful laughter, Kang Jin opened her mouth:

“Knowing that I might fail to get this internship, Gwanghyun hyung shouldn’t be so excited… But is there any reason for me to succeed?”

“Bingo!”

“How?”

“Our professor did something at Taegwang Motors last time. It seems the chairman viewed our professor favorably then. As a result, they decided to select one intern from our department.”

“If it’s just one from our department… Based on grades and qualifications, I doubt it would be me. Unless you’re pulling some strings, hyung?”

“As a teaching assistant, do you think I have such influence over your selection?”

“Well, maybe?”

“The professor specifically mentioned you.”

“Me?”

The professor Choi Kwang-hyun was referring to was Lim Sang-ok from Social Psychology. There wasn’t any particular closeness between us. I had taken her class twice, and that was it. The only other times I saw her were when I visited Choi Kwang-hyun’s research lab for social psychology. It was strange why she would specifically ask for me.

“Why me?”

“I was surprised too when the professor asked me to contact you.” Choi Kwang-hyun continued with a smile. “So, I asked her why Kang Jin? She replied that she had never met anyone as quick-witted as you.”

“Quick-witted?”

“Yes, you’re known for your sharp intuition,” he affirmed.

“Well…I suppose so,” Kang Jin acknowledged.

Having worked various part-time jobs involving interactions with people, Kang Jin indeed developed keen observational skills.

By observing guests, she could roughly guess their needs.

“As I mentioned earlier, psychology is half about intuition. In some ways, it can be seen as evolved from keen perception.”

“That’s just our inside joke among psychologists.”

“I thought so too. But apparently, Professor Lim believes intuition encompasses all of psychology. That’s why he seems intent on sending you to this internship.”

“Because of my intuition?”

“He’s quite eccentric, isn’t he?”

“Well, yes.”

Lim Sang-ok was known for his quirks. Although his specialty was social psychology, he also had a strong interest in criminal psychology and other branches of the field. This led him to frequently participate as a profiler in solving police cases.

Kang Jin briefly interrupted Choi Kwang-hyun’s explanation.

“Is Taekwang Trading a big company?”

“Yes.”

“But wouldn’t someone from the business school be more suitable for trade-related work?”

It wasn’t the type of industry typically associated with psychology majors.

“Dude, who follows their major when choosing a career these days? Civil engineering grads end up selling insurance, and business administration students become cops.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“It’s just an internship anyway. Who cares about your major during the hiring process?” Choi Kwang-hyun poured himself a drink, took a sip, and looked at Kang Jin.

“This internship isn’t anything special either. Although it’s higher than average for interns, it only pays around 1,400,000 won per month. You know better than me that even part-time jobs offer more.”

“But even part-time jobs pay more than that these days.”

“You’re right.”

“And sure, they call it an internship, but you’ll end up doing all sorts of menial tasks like cleaning and photocopying. Even the janitor lady will delegate her chores to you, saying, ‘Hey, kid, could you empty those trash cans for me?’”

“Really?”

“In reality, interns serve as office assistants. Companies hire capable individuals at a lower wage under the guise of internships. Plus, interns work extra hard hoping to secure full-time positions eventually. However, only one out of many interns gets hired, if any at all.” Choi Kwang-hyun shook his head while explaining.

“In any case, it’s a great opportunity for you. It’s better than doing part-time work while attending school. Plus, having internship experience will look good on your resume when applying for future jobs.”

Kang Jin nodded at Choi Kwang-hyun’s words. However, the problem was…

Working overtime is common in companies…

If he had to do overtime, it would interfere with One Meal Restaurant’s operations.

“What? Is there some issue?” Choi Kwang-hyun seemed puzzled. He thought Kang Jin would be thrilled by this offer. His younger sister always struggled financially and hadn’t settled on a clear career path even after graduation. Since she needed to work part-time during her studies, this was an excellent chance to earn money and build her résumé simultaneously.

“Well, actually…”

Kang Jin began explaining about the restaurant, omitting any mention of ghosts. She didn’t want to risk being labeled as crazy if she revealed everything.

Of course, Kang Jin omitted mentioning the ghost part. Honestly, if he told her everything, he’d likely think he was crazy.

Choi Kwang-hyun laughed at Kang Jin’s news.

“Wow! You nutjob! That’s fantastic!”

Whack!

Accompanying his curse, Choi Kwang-hyun playfully slapped Kang Jin on the shoulder before grabbing it firmly.

“You rascal… Keep working hard, and good things will happen.”

Despite being called names, Kang Jin didn’t feel offended because Choi Kwang-hyun wasn’t genuinely cursing him; rather, it was his rough way of expressing congratulations.

“Thank you very much.”

“What am I thanking for? Anyway, that’s great news. If even a small piece of land were available in Gangnam, it would be worth billions. This is excellent.”

Seeing Choi Kwang-hyun genuinely happy as if it were his own success, Kang Jin smiled and nodded.

“It truly is wonderful.”

“So, you’re not doing any more part-time jobs now?”

“It’s small, but it’s my restaurant, and I’m selling food there.”

“How is business? Doing well?”

“No, not yet.”

“At least you don’t have to pay rent… Still, your business should pick up soon.”

“I’m managing thanks to some helpful people.”

“Where is it located? Later on, I’ll bring my family over to boost your sales.”

“Don’t worry about that; just come by for a meal whenever you like.”

“Well then, moving on from that… Are you planning to continue running this restaurant?”

“I need to operate the restaurant for four more years before it officially becomes mine.”

“Why? Isn’t it already yours if inherited as part of an estate?”

“To make it truly mine, I must run the business between 11 PM and 1 AM every night for four years.”

“But why?”

“That was the condition set forth in the deceased person’s will.”

“If they intended to give it to you, why put such restrictions…” Choi Kwang-hyun pursed his lips, clearly displeased.

Choi Kwang-hyun pursed his lips and frowned. “But…that means you have to work until you’re thirty-three years old. What about your career?”

Kang Jin should be preparing for employment at this stage of life instead of running a restaurant.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead since I’ve only been open for a few days. And as you said earlier, not everyone follows their university major after graduation… For now, I’ll run my food stall for four years. If it does well, then great; if not, I can reassess later.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“At least I’ll still have the building.”

“You mean the small two-story one?”

“As you said, it’s small…but it’s located in Gangnam.”

“Oh! You’ll be a landlord!” Choi Kwang-hyun grinned and gave Kang Jin a thumbs-up before expressing his disappointment. “So no internship?”

“You won’t have to work late, right?”

“Where can you find a job without overtime in South Korea? Although, they mentioned their business hours start at eleven p.m., no?”

“That’s correct.”

“Even if there is overtime, it shouldn’t last that long. Besides, since you’re not a full-time employee but just an intern, they’ll likely let you leave by nine even on busy nights. And if it’s really late, feel free to clock out on your own.”

“On my own?”

“Do you think interns get paid for working overtime? Even permanent employees don’t receive extra compensation.”

“Then why do they stay late?”

“They linger because other regular staff members are still around, hoping to make a good impression during evaluations.” Choi Kwang-hyun glanced at Kang Jin. “In any case, you’re only doing this food business for five years, and you’re not aiming for a permanent position. If others work late, hang around for a bit, then head home when appropriate.”

“But then won’t the professor who recommended me get blamed?”

“Do you know what our professor firmly believes?”

“What is it?”

“Passion should only be applied to your own children.”

Kang Jin pondered Choi Kwang-hyun’s words for a moment before nodding.

“I still want to do this internship.”

“Think carefully. You might not earn as much money compared to running your food stall.”

“You said I should take it, though?”

“It’s just that…I’ll regret missing out on such a great opportunity…but we can’t let your studies suffer.”

“I planned to operate only at night once classes start anyway.”

“That makes sense since you have classes during the day except Wednesdays.”

For Kang Jin, his schedule was focused primarily on afternoon classes, with the exception of Wednesday. Since he needed a nighttime part-time job after school started, he intentionally arranged his university courses to begin after lunchtime.

This meant he couldn’t work lunch or dinner shifts. So, once classes started, Kang Jin planned to only sell from eleven at night onwards.

However, interning would allow him to gain experience and earn money simultaneously—a win-win situation.

“So you’re doing it?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go greet the professor.”

As Choi Kwang-hyun stood up, Kang Jin followed suit. They left the department office and headed for Professor Lim Sang-ok’s research lab.

Knock, knock, knock!

“Come in.”

Upon hearing the response, Choi Kwang-hyun opened the door and entered.

“Professor, I’ve brought Kang Jin with me,” announced Choi Kwang-hyun.

Lim Sang-ok, who had been examining some documents, rose from his desk and took a seat on the sofa.

“Please sit down.”

As Choi Kwang-hyun and Kang Jin sat down on the couch, Lim Sang-ok glanced at his documents.

“Should I come back later?”

“No, just give me a moment…”

While speaking, Lim Sang-ok peeked at Kang Jin as he continued reviewing the paperwork.

“You’ve studied applied psychology before, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell me about my current state of mind.”

“My state of mind, sir?” At Kang Jin’s response, Lim Sang-ok put down his papers.

“You saw me when you entered the room. Just describe what you observed.”

Kang Jin looked closely at him before replying.

“It feels too sudden…”

“Psychology is inherently about interpreting spontaneous cues. There isn’t necessarily a correct answer…just describe what you see.”

“Then…it seems like you feel comfortable with Gwanghyun hyung.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Your toes are pointing towards Choi Gwang-hyun. In your lecture on body language, you mentioned feet can reveal one’s likes or dislikes. By observing which direction someone’s toes point, we can gauge how they perceive their counterpart.”

“Anything else?”

“It appears you’re not pleased with the document you’re reading.”

“What makes you think so?”

“The paper is subtly trembling, indicating your emotions are unsettled. Additionally, you’re pressing your chin with your hand, a sign of stress. This suggests that the emotional disturbance may be due to stress. Oh! And by any chance, am I saying something problematic?”

“Problematic?”

“You pursed your lips just now. This gesture often occurs when someone feels discontent, doubtful or disagrees with what their counterpart is saying.”

Lim Sang-ok observed Kang Jin and replied, “First…you’re correct. However, tell me something you’ve noticed yourself, not from reading books.”

“Something I’ve noticed myself?”

“There have been many students who scored higher than you in psychology, so why did I recommend you specifically? Forget theories; share what you personally perceive.”

Kang Jin looked at Lim Sang-ok for a moment before responding.

“If I were a bartender…

“A bartender?”

“I would serve you a refreshing pint of draft beer along with squid beaks.”

“Do I look tired to you?”

“No, you don’t appear tired.”

Lim Sang-ok looked at Kang Jin and asked, “I understand you want me to enjoy cold beer, but why squid beaks?”

“They taste good, but they’re inconvenient to eat. You have to peel each one individually, and if your mouth gets cut during peeling, you must separate the flesh from the shell. It’s quite challenging.”

“You’re right about that. Sometimes, squid beaks can be tough, making them difficult to chew. When they come pre-cut in half for easier peeling, it actually makes the process more cumbersome.” Lim Sang-ok then turned to Kang Jin.

“Why would you offer something so troublesome?”

“When I feel frustrated, I find myself absent-mindedly peeling squid beaks, which helps clear my mind as if all thoughts vanish. From what I observe, Professor, it seems like you have many complex thoughts swirling around in your head.”

Lim Sang-ok looked at Kang Jin and nodded understandingly.

“Gwanghyun.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Please have someone bring some squid beaks and beer to the research lab.”

“The research lab, sir?”

“It’s been a while since I had a drink with my team. Seems like I’ve been working too hard lately.”

With that, Lim Sang-ok handed Choi Kwang-hyun his credit card, and he left with Kang Jin.

As they exited, Lim Sang-ok gazed into the mirror hanging on one side of his office.

He said there were many thoughts…

Lim Sang-ok scanned himself from head to toe, trying to pinpoint where these thoughts might be originating.