I'll Definitely Keep My Promise (1)
Why is corruption so hard to catch?
First off, just obtaining evidence is extremely difficult.
And if there's anything else even more problematic: if those higher up brush it off, there's no way to resolve it.
That's why I chose this stage.
Of course, Lee Siwon would try to weasel out of this to survive.
From now on, I'm going to crush every single one of his desperate attempts.
I displayed the material Choi Hyena had prepared on the screen.
I glanced at her expression—it looked pale.
She knows well too. If even a single step goes wrong, we're done for.
I looked over at Lee Siwon.
He was just as pale as Choi Hyena.
He had no idea. That I had climbed to a position where I could chop off his head.
"First, here's a list of representatives of the agencies Team Leader Lee Siwon used. They all turned out to be his high school classmates."
A murmuring rose in the room.
Even though the air conditioning was fine, Team Leader Lee Siwon was sweating heavily from his forehead.
He wiped his forehead and spoke.
"Well, that's just how local communities work. Everything gets outsourced to acquaintances. And the reason I used companies run by people I know is because the transaction amounts were large. You need to leave it with someone you can trust."
"Oh! Is that so? Then why did all those agencies close down after about three years? Wasn't it to get rid of evidence that might prove corruption?"
"Sometimes businesses fail—that's just how it goes. There's nothing strange about small agencies going out of business, is there?"
Just as Team Leader Lee Siwon was regaining his composure,
Choi Hyena displayed the prices of the large parasols and other products purchased via the agencies, alongside the market prices for comparison.
"Team Leader Lee Siwon didn't choose to raise the agencies' commission rates. Very shrewd and cunning. Instead, you had the agency inflate the unit price of the goods from the start."
"You're really making that an issue?"
"Yes, we are."
"In that case, I'd say you're the one being unreasonable."
At this unexpected counterattack, everyone looked even more intrigued.
"Wasn't it the Reform Division who rushed the project? I only tried to meet their demands, even paying a premium if necessary. It's true the items were bought at a high price, but actually it's the Reform Division who should be blamed for this."
The crowd began murmuring again.
People chimed in:
"Isn't Team Leader Lee's point valid?"
"Isn't it the Reform Division that went overboard?"
"If they can't prove corruption after making such a spectacle, it'll be a massive blow to them."
Vice CEO Choi Younghoon smirked. He must have felt relieved.
Lee Siwon's triumphant air reminded me of the proverb, 'The ground gets hard after the rain.'
Manager Park Miran also had a broad smile on her face.
Sorry, but I'll turn your relief back into anxiety, unleash a downpour before the ground can settle, and wilt that smile.
"Hyena-nim."
"Yes, Division Director."
Choi Hyena distributed the prepared materials to everyone.
I put a summary of their contents on the screen.
"We've been continuously monitoring the prices of products sold by the agencies. The handouts you received today show the price history of products sold by date, along with detailed supporting data. All materials are guaranteed by the vendors."
I played a recording.
At this, Team Leader Shin Seung-rak from the Legal Audit Team, who'd been quiet until now, spoke up.
"This is certainly highly suspicious."
After saying this, he sent a message via his phone.
The Legal Audit Team would now rush here with the Business Strategy Team—to thoroughly investigate Lee Siwon and his team.
"Wa...wait a moment."
Lee Siwon shouted in a voice strained to breaking.
"I'll prove everything. I'm a victim here, too. I trusted my friend, but that bastard was the one committing corruption. I really didn't know he'd pull such a trick. I was incompetent, yes, and my supervision was lacking. I admit that."
Lee Siwon bowed deeply.
"I'll take full responsibility for my mistakes. But it really wasn't corruption. Please trust me."
So, he was going to sacrifice someone else to save himself.
Lee Siwon's corruption would eventually be revealed. Since suspicious circumstances had come out so publicly, a full-blown investigation would begin.
If they trace the money flow through the agencies Lee Siwon used, they'll catch the tail.
Since it's a case of embezzlement on the job, law enforcement would get involved no matter what.
I didn't choose a public stage for nothing.
But that can take a long time.
Normally, companies don't want to air their dirty laundry. Especially with a vice CEO—he could just reach a settlement with Lee Siwon.
Lee Siwon might quietly resign with some severance pay.
But I can't stand for that. I'll make sure the "corruption" charge is nailed down, and make him cough up every cent he's pocketed.
"The Business Strategy Team certainly worked hard."
Everyone's attention returned to me.
"They helped the agencies with a lot of their work."
Lee Siwon still didn't seem to get what I was implying, just frowning.
The agency in question operated with only a single president. Since he couldn't handle everything, Lee Siwon would have had to help.
"One of the companies that did business with the agency: Sungard Systems."
At that moment, manager Park Miran exclaimed.
"Wa...wait a second."
Choi Hyena, now certain of victory, mercilessly advanced to the next slide.
A video played—showing Park Miran finalizing a contract at Sungard Systems.
"How could Manager Park Miran say she didn't know the price when she did the deal herself? That doesn't make sense, does it?"
How did I get this video?
Back when I was on the phone with Min Ji-na.
[Oppa, should I help a bit more?]
"Huh? How?"
[One of the companies that works with Next Global deals in leisure goods.]
"A company that works with a game company is in the leisure industry?"
[That's not important. What if I told that company to buy, say, about 200 large parasols on the market?]
"You're trying to make the agency Lee Siwon uses do business with that company?"
[Yeah. That way, you can secure even more solid evidence, right?]
"I appreciate it, but won't that company be hurt by this?"
[It's a friend of the chairman-nim's, so they'll be okay. It's catching company corruption—they'll take care of it.]
Honestly, I hadn't expected Park Miran herself to turn up and do the transaction.
That was pure luck. But so what? The important thing is to use luck when I have it.
"Manager Park Miran, you can have the floor."
Park Miran looked at Lee Siwon with pleading eyes. But what could Lee Siwon do now?
Then, Lee Siwon's teeth chattered audibly as he raised a finger and pointed at Park Miran.
"This is Manager Park Miran's private corruption. I... I know nothing about it."
"Oppa! No... Team leader...."
Park Miran shrieked, and, realizing her slip, immediately covered her mouth with her hand.
Lee Siwon spoke quickly.
"Everyone in the office already knows we're involved. Even the water purifier knows about office romances. But this issue is separate from our private relationship. I still can't believe Manager Park Miran would do something like this."
He shot Park Miran a look. He was probably thinking,
Take the fall alone. Then I can take care of you later.
But would that work?
Park Miran's face was already painted with betrayal. At this point, she saw nothing else.
"What are you talking about? You're the one who ordered this. I got 30 million for it. You pocketed 70 million. Why are you lying? What the hell is this? What are you doing? Want to watch me go mad?"
She screamed, overcome with rage and tears.
"Shit... I'm totally screwed."
Lee Siwon slumped to the floor.
"Fighting between couples is like cutting water with a knife, so I hope you two work things out smoothly."
I bowed.
"That's all from me. Thank you."
***
"Nobody goes home tonight! Nobody! Everyone's joining the company dinner, and we drink until at least 3 a.m!"
Choi Hyena, despite not having drunk a single drop, was already acting drunk.
At that, Lee Yunjung jumped over and hugged her.
"I'm in, unni! I'll stick with you to the very end."
"How far's the end?"
"Heaven?"
"No, all the way to our apartment. Hehehe."
"Well, that's heaven for me."
"Oh, Yunjung, you're too cute."
Kim Junho looked exasperated but clenched his fist.
"On a day like this, I'm going all out."
"Division Director, let's invite everyone who helped us. Contact Deputy Kang Dae-hyun and Team Leader Kang Sangsu in finance, and have Team Leader Shin Miyoung bring the kids, too."
I said, unable to keep from expressing my disbelief,
"Why should she bring the kids...?"
"Invite Team Leader Kim Woo-young from Facility Management, too. In fact, invite Division Directors Oh Kang-il and Lee Ji-young. Invite them all."
"Are you crazy, human?"
"I'll pay for everything, from the first round till the very end tonight."
Kim Junho tried to rein in the rampaging Choi Hyena.
"Hyena-nim, if you do that, the bill's going to be well into the hundreds."
"It's fine. Everything's fine today! I'll just fast from tomorrow. Oh, Division Director!"
"Invite that Ji-na unni, too."
"You hardly know her—why 'unni'?"
"She helped us out, so she's unni now."
"How do we bring someone from Pangyo? Even if tomorrow's Saturday, still."
As I headed out of the office,
Choi Hyena shouted,
"Division Director, where are you going? You're not running away, are you?"
"I need to meet Team Leader Kim Woo-young."
Her mood was infectious, but I needed to keep calm—there was still more to be done.
I went to find Team Leader Kim Woo-young.
"Division Director Lee Hyunmin, your actions exposing Team Leader Lee Siwon's corruption were very impressive."
"Team Leader Lee Siwon got what he deserved."
"So, why did you want to see me?"
"I wanted to talk about maintaining employment for the landscaping staff."
His face grew serious.
He was probably worried I'd change my mind.
"Team Leader, Team Leader Lee Siwon and Manager Park Miran will be fired, right?"
"It's so clear-cut, I expect it'll happen immediately."
"I hear there are one or two more in the Business Strategy Team who were involved."
"I see."
"They're all high-salary employees. If all of them are let go, think of how much will be saved on labor costs."
He seemed to grasp what I was getting at.
"You're planning to use the personnel budget saved from the Business Strategy Team as justification for keeping the landscaping staff employed, aren't you?"
"Exactly."
I smiled.
He looked at me in disbelief.
"Don't tell me you had this all calculated from the start? When I first made the suggestion, were you already plotting to tie it in with the corruption case?"
"I'm not that impressive. As things played out, I just thought, 'Hey, there might be a way to do both.'"
"Ha... You're really something. I'm lost for words."
He extended his hand.
"Division Director Lee Hyunmin, as I said before, I intend to raise the voices of frontline Next Planet personnel. But that doesn't mean I plan to pick a fight with you."
"I know."
"I want to work together for the good of Next Planet."
I finished my meeting with him and was about to head back to the office.
It was 5 p.m.
There was no point going back; no one would get any work done now. So I messaged Choi Hyena to say we should wrap up and head to the company dinner.
I strolled around inside Next Planet for a bit. I sat on a bench under one of the big parasols set up for shade.
"The shade's nice."
"It feels good to eat ice cream sitting here."
A couple nearby were having a conversation.
It was hot. I was starting to sweat.
But I was in a good mood. I decided to sit longer.
I texted a thank you to Min Ji-na. Then I remembered what Choi Hyena had said.
[Me: Hyena-nim is on another level today. She's so hyped, she even said we should invite you, too.]
[Min Ji-na: Oh really? Sounds fun. I can probably get there around nine. After all, I'm Challenger #1 for Your Touch. I should thank you formally. See you then.]
Huh? What's going on here?