AAE -- For Better For Worse

Chapter 24

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

 

With a light knock as a warning, Hyung-Chul's office door swings open and Sun-Dal steps in.

 

 

At his desk in a phone conversation, Hyung-Chul waves Sun-Dal in with his free hand as he continues talking ...

 

"It sounds like a good match. Let's talk further on this tomorrow ... Bye."

 

He places the handset back on the base and turns to face his visitor.

 

 

"Who was that?" Sun-Dal asks as he sits down on the arm of the leather upholstered couch jammed up against the desk.

 

"My English friend, John White," Hyung-Chul tells him. "We met at Cambridge, back in the day. He works for the BBC now."

 

"Didn't you collaborate with him on Right Foot, Left Foot?" Sun-Dal recalls. "So what are you cooking up now?"

 

"It's still in concept," Hyung-Chul keeps his cards close. "There are details to work through first."

 

 

Accepting that his boss isn't going to reveal more, Sun-Dal moves on to the reason for his appearance ...

 

"I have something for you ... Joo-Hee was seen talking with Sun-Mi in the canteen the other day," he passes along the information, "but I don't know what they were discussing."

 

"I can guess that for myself," Hyung-Chul deduces. "Joo-Hee has been jealous of Sun-Mi since she first found out about our relationship. I wouldn't put it past her to slant things a bit to give Sun-Mi doubts."

 

"But Joo-Hee isn't a vindictive person at heart," Sun-Dal defends his former fiancee. "She wouldn't deliberately want to hurt someone."

 

Hyung-Chul nods in agreement. "Still, she's unhappy with the recent turn of events, and misery loves company."

 

"So what are you going to do?"

 

"I'll talk with Joo-Hee first, and then see if I can't clear things up with Sun-Mi. She's cut off all communications, and makes every effort to avoid me, so it'll take some doing."

 

"Why not come to one of the program planning meetings?" Sun-Dal suggests. "She can't avoid you there."

 

"Good point," Hyung-Chul concurs as he checks the time on his watch. "Do you have anything else?"

 

 

"Yes. Our decision to replace Huh Young-Mi with Lee Mi-Ra isn't sitting well with the team. They'd hoped to have Sun-Mi permanently," Sun-Dal relates the current issue troubling Eve's Morning. "Although by all standards, Mi-Ra is the better choice, she is resented just because she isn't Sun-Mi. Plus there's this longstanding rivalry with Announcer 2 Team to overcome."

 

He sighs dispiritedly.

 

"Frankly, I'm at a loss of what to do. We don't have a choice concerning Sun-Mi, but it's affecting the team's performance."

 

 

"Mi-Ra officially starts next week?"

 

"Yes, the day after Sun-Mi leaves for London," Sun-Dal confirms. "But I want to introduce her to the audience this week, to ease the transition. So I'm having her sit in Sun-Mi's former seat next to Choi Jin-Soo, and do the Arts corner."

 

 

Hyung-Chul ponders the situation carefully before giving his advice ...

 

"I have another idea. Why not put Mi-Ra in the seat next to Sun-Mi, as a guest anchor?" he suggests.

 

 

Sun-Dal is perplexed. "In my seat?"

 

"Yes. I have something I want you to do, that will take you off the program for several days," Hyung-Chul reveals his intentions.

 

"Like what?"

 

"Officially, it's a short vacation, in Jeju," Hyung-Chul replies vaguely. "That is, unless you don't want to go."

 

"Who would turn down a vacation in Jeju?" Sun-Dal gives his assent. "Now, will you tell me what it's all about?"

 

"MBS will soon need a new Director of Planning and Programming, and I nominated you for the position."

 

"What?" Sun-Dal gapes at him, stunned. "But ... I thought you refused to marry Joo-Hee!"

 

"Whether we marry, or not, my tenure in this position was going to end," Hyung-Chul states. "You have tentative approval for the promotion, subject to passing a series of interviews and aptitude tests, and receiving the requisite training. All you have to do is accept it."

 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll do my best," Sun-Dal confirms his consent. "But why Jeju?"

 

"To get you out of Seoul, avoiding rumors. This way, should the promotion not go through for any reason, there's no blowback on you."

 

"But who takes a vacation on such short notice?" Sun-Dal questions the scheme.

 

"Didn't you tell me that coming to work each day was a struggle, for fear you might see Joo-Hee?" Hyung-Chul reminds him. "Everyone knows about your breakup, so a rumor about taking a little R&R time to recover will seem plausible."

 

"Okay, I'll buy that," Sun-Dal agrees. "Now about pairing Lee Mi-Ra with Sun-Mi ... are you sure that will work?"

 

"Why not? With you away it creates a natural opening to bring Mi-Ra in early. And two female anchors is not unprecedented for a woman-oriented program," Hyung-Chul points out.

 

"Also, concerning the team, if Sun-Mi is seen welcoming her replacement, the others have no reason to oppose Mi-Ra. And with a representative from each Announcer Team side-by-side as co-hosts, it might finally put an end to their petty rivalry. This way, we might kill two birds with one stone."

 

"It's a great idea. I wish I'd thought of it," Sun-Dal commends his boss. "Looks like I have a long way to go before even starting to fill your shoes."