Chapter 72

“No, what do you mean by that? Are we really supposed to fight?”

“Fight might be too strong of a word; it’s more like a competition.”

“A competition?”

“The winner will receive all our votes. At least one intern can secure popularity and become a full-time employee through this method.”

Wo Chuljin’s words sparked excitement among the interns.

Indeed… If we compete, at least one person could gain enough support.

Right. We’ll never get any votes just talking like this.

Well… Even if we discuss matters, who would vote for someone when their job is on the line?

What kind of competition would favor me? How can I ensure victory?

As the interns pondered internally, Kang Jin observed Wo Chuljin with keen interest.

He seems to be thinking along similar lines.

Kang Jin nodded as he observed Wo Chuljin.

Is this the ease of someone taking a step back?

Wo Chuljin wasn’t directly involved in this chaos, so he could afford to take a step back and think calmly. This detachment allowed him to consider more objectively. Kang Jin silently leaned back in his chair, intrigued by how the conversation would unfold.

Among the interns pondering their options, Hwang Eunmi from the same department as Wo Chuljin and supportive of him decided to speak up.

“What type of event do you suggest?”

Hwang Eunmi’s question carried multiple implications. Although she didn’t explicitly state it, her query implied: “Considering there are women here, surely you won’t choose a strength-based event?” and also hinted at the need for gender equality in the chosen activity.

In other words, she meant, ‘Shouldn’t we choose something that everyone can participate in?’

The two other female interns nodded at Hwang Eunmi’s suggestion.

Wo Chuljin responded to their gestures, “Firstly, we need a fair method of competition for all the interns present here.”

Everyone agreed with Wo Chuljin’s statement. There was no reason to oppose if it ensured fairness.

“Secondly, there are five interns not currently present. We must decide whether to contact them and include them in this process or not.”

“If they’re absent, let’s just consider them out. Is there any need to reach out to them? Besides, we have enough interns here already to gather the tickets.”

Hwang Kyusik’s firm and swift response elicited nods from the other interns.

Currently, their chances stood at one out of twelve. However, if five more joined them, it would become one out of seventeen, significantly reducing their odds. Moreover, becoming the popular intern required only nine votes, so they didn’t need the support of those additional five interns.

In short, the current group was sufficient. Considering Kang Jin, Choi Donghae, and Wo Chuljin were abstaining…it all came down to winning among these nine.

So then…

‘The probability is 9 to 1.’

‘A chance of approximately 11 percent…’

As everyone mentally calculated the probabilities, Wo Chuljin spoke up:

“If we proceed without involving the remaining five interns, they might later protest or raise issues.”

“Let them try,” replied Hwang Kyusik dismissively.

“We don’t care if they complain or not,” Wo Chuljin retorted.

Kang Jin rubbed his chin as he listened to the interns murmuring among themselves.

There’s one problem though…

Shf!

He glanced at Wo Chuljin, who sensed Kang Jin’s gaze and looked back at him.

“Do you have something to add?” asked Wo Chuljin.

Kang Jin regarded him for a moment before responding. “There’s one issue I’d like to bring up, just wondering if you’re aware of it.”

“What is it?”

“The twelve of us here have reached a consensus on this matter: We’ll select our representative through competition.” The other interns nodded when Kang Jin glanced their way.

“But…once the competition concludes, there will be only one winner while eleven others will fail…or rather, eight excluding myself, Donghae, and Cheoljin.”

The mention of elimination caused their faces to harden. Everyone wanted and needed to win this competition, but there would inevitably be winners and losers. Any one of them could end up on the losing side.

“The eight eliminated contestants can challenge any five interns not present here today. They may request another match.”

“But that’s…”

“It goes against our agreement!”

With no guarantee who would emerge victorious, everyone protested loudly at such an absurd proposition.

Kang Jin clicked his tongue at their expressions.

Relief and anxiety…

He sensed two distinct emotions from the interns’ faces. One was relief, knowing that even if they lost and faced elimination, they still had a chance by challenging others later.

On the other hand, their anxiety stemmed from the possibility of being betrayed by others even if they emerged victorious.

If I get eliminated…it means there’s still a chance for me.

There’s another opportunity?

What if these people betray me after I win?

I feel like they might betray us too…

Seeing the interns deep in thought, Kang Jin discreetly poured soju and offered it to Wo Chuljin. In turn, Wo Chuljin accepted the drink and returned the gesture by pouring some for Kang Jin.

“Are you hoping this gathering ends in chaos, Mr. Kang?”

Had Kang Jin not spoken up, things would have progressed swiftly. All they needed was to agree on a game to determine the winner. But now, because of Kang Jin, everything had come full circle.

“Of course not. I’m just trying to prevent any issues by addressing potential problems beforehand. And…judging from your expressions, it seems like my concerns might be valid.”

At Kang Jin’s words, the interns quickly tried to hide their emotions, but his observation confirmed that many shared similar thoughts. This realization heightened their anxiety further.

“But if you hadn’t said anything…”

“We’re all desperate here. Even without me mentioning it, someone would have come up with this idea upon hearing about the eliminations.”

People involuntarily nodded at Kang Jin’s statement. It was true; had they faced elimination, they likely would have considered alternative strategies regardless of his warning.

“So what should we do now?”

In response to Hwang Kyusik’s question, Kang Jin suggested, “Firstly, let’s invite those five individuals here. And…we should give them a chance as well.”

“Then their chances…

“It’s better to resolve this now. If they find out later that we made decisions amongst ourselves, it could give them justification to rally the rejected candidates against us. They might argue they never had a fair opportunity.”

Kang Jin’s words caused everyone to look at each other, their unease deepening on their faces. The source of this anxiety stemmed from two factors: the decreased probability due to more people joining and the possibility that this truly was their last chance.

“The choice is yours. Wo Chuljin and I will merely observe, taking a step back.”

Sip!

As Kang Jin took a sip of soju, the interns exchanged glances without saying a word. They sighed and pulled out their phones.

“I’ll call Hwang Seok. He’s probably with some other interns nearby.”

Shortly after, Hwang Kyusik spoke up.

“Hwang Seok and others are drinking nearby; they’re on their way here.”

Kang Jin looked around at Hwang Kyusik’s words.

“We might need to move tables again when we switch sides later.”

“Let’s arrange them in pairs then,” suggested Wo Chuljin.

Everyone nodded, and they rearranged four tables into a square formation. With the setup complete, Kang Jin sat next to Wo Chuljin as he poured another round.

“Let’s have a drink together, fellow observers.”

Wo Chuljin looked at Kang Jin before standing up.

“Let’s have a smoke.”

Kang Jin rose and followed Wo Chuljin outside.

Outside, Wo Chuljin smacked his lips.

“It’s almost October, yet it’s still quite warm.”

“You could say summer is lingering on.”

“In comparison, your restaurant is cool inside, which is great. Plus, with its prime location and delicious food, it’ll soon become a popular spot.”

“Thank you.”

Wo Chuljin glanced at Kang Jin.

“Do you not smoke?”

“What about you, Cheoljin?”

“I don’t smoke.”

“Me neither.”

Wo Chuljin chuckled as he took in Kang Jin’s response. Despite neither of them smoking, they had stepped outside for a cigarette break.

Wo Chuljin noticed the store nearby and asked, “What do you think will happen?”

“It’ll likely cause quite a stir.”

“That’s obvious… But what method should we use to decide who goes first?”

Kang Jin looked at Wo Chuljin curiously. “It seems like you had some thoughts about this situation even before arriving here, correct?”

“I did ponder it a bit.”

“So, what were your ideas, Cheoljin?”

“The best approach would be to leave it to chance. It avoids any gender bias or reliance on skill… How about flipping a coin?”

“Flipping a coin… That truly relies on luck.”

“And you, Kang Jin?”

“I was thinking of rock-paper-scissors.”

“Rock-paper-scissors…”

Some argue that being good at rock-paper-scissors is a skill… but luck still plays a significant role.

“That works too. Then we can let them choose between flipping a coin or playing rock-paper-scissors.”

Kang Jin nodded in agreement with Wo Chuljin’s suggestion.

“But…why specifically Hwang Eunmi?”

“She’s from the same department as me.”

“Is that the only reason?”

Wo Chuljin looked at Kang Jin before responding.

“I believe you’re not someone who will stay long at this company, nor would you spread rumors about others easily.”

“You’re right.”

Wo Chuljin glanced around the store before continuing.

“Taekwang Trading is a great company, especially when it comes to employee welfare.”

“I agree.”

“Taekwang Trading’s employee evaluations not only assess practical skills but also personal character significantly. Regardless of one’s abilities, if they don’t have good relationships with their team members, they won’t advance to higher positions, as I’ve heard.”

“It seems you’ve given considerable thought about the company?”

“Yes, this is my top choice; it’s where I most wanted to work.”

Kang Jin observed Wo Chuljin and responded, “By helping Hwang Eunmi, you’re trying to create a positive image among your team members.”

As the closest colleague to Hwang Eunmi, assisting her would garner favorable impressions from others in the same department. Realizing what was going on, Kang Jin nodded, prompting Wo Chuljin to continue:

“I might be coming across too presumptuous, right?”

“Isn’t it?”

“It’s not harming anyone; rather, this will benefit Hwang Eunmi. Even if Wo Chuljin has his own agenda, it still helps her. However…it would be best to keep this between you and Ms. Hwang.”

“Of course, I understand.”

As they continued their conversation, Wo Chuljin raised his hand.

“Here they come!”

Following Wo Chuljin’s gaze, Kang Jin spotted four men and one woman approaching.

Inside the store, seventeen interns had gathered to discuss matters. Specifically, Wo Chuljin was sharing details of what transpired earlier at the office and seeking their opinions.

“So, we’re settling this with a competition?” asked Hwang Seok, speaking on behalf of the five interns.

Wo Chuljin nodded affirmatively. “That’s correct.”

“It sounds simple enough, but…I feel compelled rather than convinced.”

“Is this coercion?”

“If persuasion worked, I’d willingly give my vote to someone else and concede defeat, but since we’re going head-to-head, isn’t it more accurate to say you’re forcing us to participate?”

Wo Chuljin looked at Hwang Seok, who seemed displeased that such discussions had taken place without him being present.

“So…among these seventeen interns, do you think you can persuade nine of them to vote for you, Mr. Hwang Seok?”

Hwang Seok’s expression hardened slightly at Wo Chuljin’s question. He lacked confidence. Despite trying hard to secure votes from the four interns he arrived with, he hadn’t managed to gain even one yet… How could he convince twelve others?

‘Damn…’

Whether through persuasion or coercion, he had to admit there was no choice. In a contest to determine the most popular intern, competing directly against each other was both the quickest and most reliable method.

“Well then…what competition should we choose?”