Chapter 196:

Words : 1480 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Yoo-hyun checked his email right away. There was one email. -Hansung Group Research and Development Award. Yoo-hyun Han. “...” Yoo-hyun received a research and development award for his contribution to the color phone. The research and development award was not an easy one to get. The salary increase for one year was bigger than the prize money. If he was a candidate for promotion, he would have been promoted without question. Yet, this award went to a newbie who had not even received a personnel evaluation. No matter how talented he was, it was impossible without someone pushing him from behind. Park Seungwoo, the deputy, asked Yoo-hyun with a flustered expression. “Huh. What is this? There is such an award?” “That’s right...” “Yoo-hyun, you too? You did well.” “Deputy, thank you.” The research and development award went to Yoo-hyun and Park Seungwoo, the deputy. The award was too big to be given for working hard. This was an award that was hard to get even for the development team members who had worked for decades. Considering their careers, other members would have been greedy enough. Why did they do this much for him? Yoo-hyun worked hard, but people didn’t know the process. Looking at the visible results, Yoo-hyun’s portion of the work was small. That’s why he didn’t understand. Yoo-hyun got up to ask Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, when it was. Bang. A sound came from behind the partition. “Damn.” Shin Chanyong, the senior, jumped up from his seat and went straight to the team leader’s seat. Then he started to argue in a rough voice. “Team leader, what is this?” “What?” “Why did I lose to Choi, the senior? I have a better personnel evaluation.” Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, asked back in disbelief. “Shin, senior, do you know Choi, the senior’s evaluation?” “There is no way he is better than me. He didn’t do anything.” “Heh. He didn’t do anything...” Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, laughed sarcastically. It was then that Choi Kyunghyun, the leader of the second part, stopped Shin Chanyong, the senior. “Hey. Shin, senior, stop it. You know this won’t do you any good.” “Leader, you too. You know how hard I worked.” “But the project was canceled. There is nothing we can do.” “Why? I worked hard.” The more he did, the more Shin Chanyong, the senior, resisted. -Do you know who the most foolish people are? The ones who brag about working hard on a project that didn’t work. They are like losers in life. Yoo-hyun remembered what he had said in the past. Now Shin Chanyong, the senior, was getting back what he had said. It was an ironic situation. Then, Shin Chanyong, the senior, said as if he had made up his mind. “I will move to another team if this goes on.” “Calm down. Calm down and talk later.” Bang. “That’s it.” Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, tried to persuade him, but Shin Chanyong, the senior, kicked the team leader’s desk and turned away. The mask of Shin Chanyong, the senior, who was selfish and cold in the past, was peeled off. Now he was just a childish company employee. This behavior would be more poisonous and come back to him. What if it was Yoo-hyun? He wouldn’t have done that, but he would have found another compromise. It was a situation that anyone could feel unfair, so he could have gotten enough rewards or other promises. But Shin Chanyong, the senior, kicked his own opportunity away. It was the most foolish thing to do. Park Seungwoo, the deputy, said with a pitying expression. “Shin, senior, must have been very angry.” “That’s right. There is nothing we can do.” “Is that so? Anyway, you worked hard, but it’s a shame.” “How could I have known that HPDA3 would fail so badly.” “Well...” Yoo-hyun smiled faintly as he saw Park Seungwoo, the deputy, trailing off. ‘Deputy, that could have been your situation.’ Then he looked at Shin Chanyong, the senior’s receding back. He couldn’t be happier. The good news didn’t stop there. A little later, Hwang Dongsik, the deputy of the second part, handed Yoo-hyun a paper envelope. “Yoo-hyun, do you have any mail?” “Ah, thank you.” “Do you have anything from San Francisco? Is it a promotional material?” “I don’t know.” Yoo-hyun tilted his head in wonder as he looked at the mail address. He was more puzzled after checking the sender’s name. “How could I have known that HPDA3 would fail so badly.” “Well...” Yoo-hyun smiled faintly as he saw Park Seungwoo, the deputy, trailing off. ‘Deputy, that could have been your situation.’ Then he looked at Shin Chanyong, the senior’s receding back. He couldn’t be happier. The good news didn’t stop there. A little later, Hwang Dongsik, the deputy of the second part, handed Yoo-hyun a paper envelope. “Yoo-hyun, do you have any mail?” “Ah, thank you.” “Do you have anything from San Francisco? Is it a promotional material?” “I don’t know.” Yoo-hyun tilted his head in wonder as he looked at the mail address. He was more puzzled after checking the sender’s name. Yoo-hyun tore open the paper envelope he had received. There was a stiff paper inside. The content was long, but the core was simple. -Airbnb Steve Han, 5 percent stake acquisition. It was not an official document yet. Still, Yoo-hyun couldn’t help but know what it meant. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia founded Airbnb, and they wanted to transfer 5 percent of their stake to Yoo-hyun. Why? “...” As Yoo-hyun stared blankly, Park Seungwoo, the deputy, leaned his head and asked. “Huh? Where did you invest?” “No.” “Then what is Airbnb?” “That is...” As Yoo-hyun was about to open his mouth, Kim Younggil, the senior, who appeared from behind, was faster. “Huh? Yoo-hyun, aren’t they the ones you met when you went on a business trip to San Francisco?” “Yes, they are.” “What’s the story?” “Well, it’s like this...” Kim Younggil, the senior, told them what had happened at that time. Park Seungwoo, the deputy, nodded his head with interest and said casually. “So, you advised them and they started a business, right?” “Not really. They were planning to do it anyway.” “Anyway, they were grateful and sent you this?” “That’s right.” It was an unbelievable thing. But Park Seungwoo, the deputy, didn’t know the value of it. “Are you feeling burdened?” “A little.” “Hey, only one percent of the ventures in the US survive. And it’s only 5 percent of the stake. Don’t worry. I know because I’ve done stocks...” Yoo-hyun ignored his words. 5 percent of the stake. In ten years, it would become a huge amount of 1.5 trillion won. The Airbnb founders didn’t know the value of it either, so they gave it away like this. Swish. Yoo-hyun looked at the note that was enclosed with the paper. -We want to share the great success of Airbnb with you. From your friends ‘Brian & Joe’. It was an answer to the note that Yoo-hyun had left at the end of his trip to San Francisco. Yoo-hyun’s eyes trembled slightly. He was more grateful for their hearts than the money. It was a miraculous thing that a small act of kindness had brought. There was so much good news that the part atmosphere was great. The members of the third part and Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, gathered in the conference room on another floor. It felt like old times. Park Seungwoo, the deputy, joked. “Team leader, you’ve been neglecting our part lately, haven’t you?” “Neglecting? I’m taking care of you like this. Look. Kim, senior, can’t say anything.” “Team leader, thank you.” Kim Younggil, the senior, still bowed his head in awe. Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, smiled and nodded. “Thank the deputy.” “Deputy, thank you.” “I did well thanks to you too.” “Quiet. How about dinner today?” In a warm atmosphere, Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, summed up the situation. At that moment, Kim Younggil, the senior, said. “I’ll pay for the dinner as a celebration of my promotion.” “No. I’ll pay for it as a celebration of becoming the best employee in charge.” Lee Chanho raised his hand to compete. Kim Hyunmin, the team leader, laughed at the two people’s ridiculous expressions. “How come there are only people who want to pay here? Anyway, you’re all going, right?” “Of course.” Everyone agreed. Yoo-hyun also answered happily. They were chatting

Chapter 196:

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