(Jiho is Korean Japanese here.)

 

“Don’t worry too much. Kim Mihyun gwajang will be a good manager for you. I know her well since she’s my colleague as well as my friend too. I introduced you to her as the ace of this branch… haha.”

Manager Choi Hyojung, who will transfer back to the Headquarter in Korea, is comforting her secretary, Kim Jiho who is about to cry as her manager is leaving her.

 

 

Kim Jiho intended to work as an accountant in the Korean Company based in Japan, but since she is fluent in both Korean and Japanese as she is a half-Korean so Manager Choi decided to hire her as a secretary.

 

 

She’s now at the airport, holding the board with their company name on it. She saw a woman, a Korean woman to be exact (she can distinguish between Korean and Japanese easily), approaches her but she didn’t think that woman would be her new manager because she seems like she’s in her early 30s. (Manager Choi is a lot older.)

“Kim Jiho-ssi?”

“Oh, Hello, are you perhaps our new manager, Kim Mihyun?”

 

 

 

Jiho used to compare Manager Kim with Manager Choi, a lot.

New Manager Kim Mihyun looked sweet like their former manager Choi Hyojung, for the first two weeks.

 

 

 

“Jiho-ssi, is that what you called ‘checking’?”

Jiho is sensitive to being scolded. Her former manager complained a lot but never scolded her like her current Manager, Kim Mihyun.

“I think this whole branch has the problem. I wonder how Manager Choi worked. Maybe she is the problem too.”

Jiho hates that kind of person, who talks about someone behind their back.

“Manager Kim, if you want to blame that much, blame on us. Please don’t blame Manager Choi who is not here,”

Jiho talked back and it could make Manager Kim stopped talking to Secretary Kim for a second. Jiho thought that day would be her last day at that company because of how she talked her manager back but it didn’t happen.

Manager Kim pressed Manager Choi’s number on her phone and started to blame Manager Choi; for how she faced so many problems because of the way manager Choi worked.

 

 

“Jiho-yah.”

Manager Kim stopped calling her ‘Jiho-ssi’ as Jiho is 10 years younger than her. It’s already one month since Manager Kim came to Japan but Jiho still can’t get used to being scolded. She pressed her left chest where her heart exists; she’s sure she’s not gonna die from being scolded but she felt like dying whenever her name was called.

“Bring your notebook and a chair.”

Manager Kim Mihyun told her to sit beside her, both of them are now looking at Manager Kim’s computer screen. Manager Kim started to teach everything from the start; and told what she wants Jiho to do from now on.

 

 

 

Jiho is pressing her heart, with her head on her table. Should I resign? I don’t think I can work here anymore. She will never get used to working with Manager Kim. That’s what she thought.

“Jiho-yah.”

Here comes again.

“Nae.. gwajang-nim.”

Manager Kim told Secretary Kim to sit beside her as usual. Jiho prepared her notebook and a pen to write.

“Jiho-yah, aren’t you feeling well?” It was the first time Jiho was asked by Manager Kim with care.

“N-no, why?” Jiho stuttered at Mihyun’s question.

“You don’t look fine. Wait, is that because I scold you a lot?” Jiho didn’t answer back. Just staring at her hand with her head down but could sense Manager Kim is looking at her.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel bad. My only intention was to make your work better. I hope you understand.”

“Nae…”

“I want you to enjoy yourself at your workplace. I scold you so what? Just fix it and make sure not to make the same mistake again.”

“Nae…”

 

Secretary Kim became a religious person; she prays every night not to get scolded by her Manager Kim.

 

 

Jiho compared Manager Kim with Manager Choi, still.

Manager Kim doesn’t look like she works as hard as Manager Choi. Manager Choi can work without leaving her seat for the whole day but Manager Kim leaves her seat at least 10 times a day to go to the rooftop; to smoke.

But Manager Kim is good at her work.

Manager Kim passed most of her work over, which was previously done by manager Choi, to Jiho to focus on bigger projects.

 

 

 

It’s been a year since Manager Kim came to Japan.

“Jiho-yah”

Jiho doesn’t need to press her heart when she heard her name like before, but still approaches her manager with caution.

"Nae?"

“Are you free on coming Sunday?”

“Nae, gwajang-nim. Is there anything you want me to do?”

“It’s a personal errand. It’s been a year I’m in Japan but I’ve never been anywhere besides my room and the office. Can you go out with me?”

Go out?

“Will you be my…”

Date?

“tour guide?”

 

Mihyun and Jiho are now on the Tokyo Tower. Jiho thinks it’s the best time to ask some personal questions since they don't really talk about any personal things at work.

“How long will you stay here, gwajang-nim?”

“Every manager has to transfer after 3 years but I want to work here longer, like for 7 years? I requested it to my superior too.”

Manager Choi worked in Japan for only 3 years too. Jiho started to pray for her manager Kim could work longer in Japan.

 

 

 

It’s been 2 years since Manager Kim came to Japan.

It was 3 a.m.; Jiho was in her dreamland when she received a call from her Manager Kim.

“Jiho-yah”

Jiho wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or not.

"N-nae, gwajangnim." Oh my god. What happened? I'm scared.

“Please bring me to the hospital."

 

 

While the manager Kim was lying on the hospital bed, the secretary Kim was talking to the doctor. Manager Kim is sick because of a kidney stone. Manager Kim said it hurts like she's having labour pain although she has no experience in giving birth.

“Her blood pressure is quite high too. It’s not a serious one but she still, needs to take care of it. Doesn’t she drink enough water?”

“I’m not sure about it but she smokes 20 cigarettes a day and she skips her meals a lot too,” Jiho said while glaring at her manager. Mihyun was laughing on the hospital bed although she didn't understand what Jiho said.

"Isn't she staying with her family to take care of her? She won’t stay long if she continues to stay like that.”

 

Secretary Kim makes sure Manager Kim drinks 2.7 liters of water a day.

“Gwajang-nim, can’t you stop smoking? The doctor already said you won’t live long if you keep smoking.”

“But I can’t live without cigarettes.”

“Please. I don’t want you to die too soon. Can you at least reduce your smoking, like smoke only 10 cigarettes a day?”

“Ok. Deal.” Hope it will help to manage her short temper too.

 

 

 

It’s been 3 years since Manager Kim came to Japan.

Jiho still gets scolded but not as much as before. She is still sensitive to it so she can’t smile on the day of being scolded but always make sure to go to her office wearing a smile the next day. Manager Kim also never absents to greet her Secretary Kim with a smile although Secretary Kim made a mistake the day before.

“Gwajang-nim, it’s been 5 years I’ve been working in this company. Should I jump to a new place when you go back to Korea?”

“Is there a reason for you to jump? Is that because of your salary?”

“N-no. Not because of the salary. Most of my friends say that the employees won’t develop their skills if they stay in one company for years. This is also my first job. I came here right after I graduated. That's why."

“Mmm… want to know what I think?”

“Yes.”

“For me, the reason I work here is, of course, the pay attracts me but the other reason is I like working with you and the staffs here. You are like my family now. And this is the most important thing for me to decide if I should jump to another place or not.”

 

 

 

It’s been 4 years since Manager Kim being in Japan.

“My superior is asking me to come back to Korea but I refused to go back.”

“But gwajang-nim, can you say 'no' to your superior that easily?”

“No. But I will refuse as much as I can but if I happened to go back, I will tell to you first.”

 

“Don’t worry too much. The next manager will do well since he has a good secretary like you. I know you can do it. Just believe in yourself.”

Manager Kim happened to go back after 4 years of service in Japan.

Jiho couldn’t hold her tears.

“Why are you crying Jiho-yah? You can come to Korea to see me or I can come back as a director although it’s impossible for now haha.”

Jiho thinks Mihyun is used to Goodbyes.

 

 

Secretary Kim didn't move to another company although Manager Kim left her. They still contact each other; Manager Kim still scolds her former secretary on the phone from Korea. Jiho still reminds Mihyun to drink water and keep their promise about '10 cigarettes a day'.

 

 

Jiho congratulated Mihyun for getting promoted to ‘Chajang’.

 

 

 

It’s been 3 years since Manager Kim left Japan and even it’s time for the new manager to leave Japan too.

This time there will be a new director as well as a new manager.

 

Jiho is now at the airport waiting for them. The flight was late.

Finally, the passengers are coming out from the arrival gate after a long wait.

Jiho dropped her company board; ran towards where her former Manager, Kim Mihyun who comes out of the arrival gate; and hugged her.

“Is that how you greet your superior?”

Seems like Jiho has no intention to release Mihyun.

“Hey, my parents are watching.”

Jiho releases Mihyun immediately; bowed to Mihyun’s parents.

“Do you come for a visit with your family?”

“No. We are moving here.” Jiho was amazed at Mihyun’s answer but she suddenly remembers her forgotten duty.

“Oh, sorry chajang-nim. I’m on my duty to wait for our new director. Let's meet on coming Sunday. It’s nice to see you again.”

Jiho bids goodbye and goes back to where she dropped her board.

“Hey… but I’m your director.”

Jiho runs back and hugs Mihyun again.

 

 

 

“So, cha-,no, boojang-nim, it means you are staying here and work for our branch?”

“Of course!” Mihyun answers with a sweet smile. She looks like she's still in her 30s. Wait, did she stop smoking?

Jiho felt happy before she remembered something.

“Oh my god, I forgot to pick up our new manager.”

They were already on the way back from the airport. Jiho heard Mihyun laughed at her and said,

“Maybe I need to train our Manager Kim from the start again.”

 

 

 

Author's note:

부장 Boo Jang Boo (부) = Division, Department, Section Jang (장) = Chief Department / Section Head

차장 Cha Jang Cha (차) = Vice; Deputy Jang (장) = Chief Vice Head of a Department / Section

과장 Gwa Jang Gwa (과) = a unit smaller than a “Boo” Jang (장) = Chief Department / Section Head It’s hard to translate Korean Titles.

I work in a Korean company and we call our Director, Boojang-nim, and Manager, Gwajangnim so I translate like that.