Time Mansour - Chapter 4



Only Noblemtl

Episode 4 Developer’s Grave

It’s spring.

Instead of the scent of flowers, a subtle scent of coffee fills the office.

The atmosphere in the cloud operations team has been really good lately.

Is spring coming? Is winter coming?

There was only one reason why the atmosphere in any company’s office was good.

There is no work.

A relaxed atmosphere emanates from all over the office.

“Vice President Kim. Can we be this relaxed? You said you’re going to release two more banking apps by next year. The schedule must be tight, right? Hasn’t there been any word from above about when construction will start?”

While drinking the coffee the new employee gave me, an idea suddenly occurred to me and I asked Manager Kim a question.

Kim Tae-hyung, deputy manager of Joongang Bank.

He is the team leader of the cloud operations team.

Unlike mere engineers like Manager Jo Jin-woong, he is one of the few working-level staff members who can talk to their superiors.

“Ah. That. I didn’t tell you. We haven’t chosen an SI company yet.”

“Yes? Weren’t we going to do it in the British system like before anyway?”

“That’s right. Also, Daeyoung is the only one bidding. Since it’s a solo bid without any supporters… we had no choice but to re-bidding next time. Well.”

“Then. The schedule will continue to be delayed.”

“That’s right. Just think of it as resting. Oh my. It’s so hard to find a company.”

Then, Vice President Kim sighs deeply.

18 years ago.

A developer from an SI partner company committed suicide due to the bullying by Joongang Network, an IT subsidiary of Joongang Group.

It was a big enough incident to be covered on the front page of the newspaper at the time.

Naturally, since then, Joongang Bank has developed the image of being a graveyard for developers.

Strictly speaking, Chosun Bank had nothing to do with the incident, but Chosun Bank was ultimately the most famous of the Chosun Group affiliates.

This was one of the many reasons why JoongAng Bank was treated as a latecomer in the IT industry.

**

11:30.

I get up from my seat and pick up the coat hanging on the chair.

I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve gone to lunch on time.

The lunch menu was decided upon by a new employee who said he found a good restaurant in Rick Talk.

While all the team members were following the new recruit towards the elevator.

“Oh! I enjoyed watching Vice President Kim’s presentation.”

I ran into Manager Park in the hallway.

Manager Park gives Vice President Kim a knowing look with a bright smile.

The head of the IT Center Systems Department at Joongang Bank. He may be called a head of department, but he is the second-in-command after the vice president at the IT Center.

“No. It’s all thanks to my teammates.”

“It’s all thanks to Vice President Kim’s good leadership. Oh. Are these people from the company? Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Manager Park Yoon-cheol.”

And then he reaches out to us, just employees of a company.

“hello.”

“hello.”

He hesitated, then lowered his head and took her hand. Then, he glanced at the new employee with an uneasy feeling.

Please don’t get into trouble. He’s not your typical manager at another company. He’s a person who’s been promoted to executive level. If you get out of favor, you’ll get tired.

“Yes, hello. This is Song Seo-yeon from Daeyoung System.”

Have you heard my true feelings?

A new recruit with a bright smile and a cheerful appearance.

Fortunately, the manager doesn’t seem particularly upset.

“Okay. Thank you all. Please bear with it a little longer.”

The manager smiles brightly.

After patting the shoulders of other employees a few more times, the manager disappears into the private elevator.

“I see the manager smiling all the time.”

“I felt a sense of accomplishment. I heard that you even received an award from the government for IT innovation.”

The deputy manager’s shoulders also tense up as he says that. It is something to be proud of. It is the first time in Korea that a new technology has been introduced to an important banking task.

Technological innovation is something that higher-ups consider as important as sales.

“If this continues, even the deputy manager will be promoted.”

“Will you congratulate me when I get promoted?”

“As long as you don’t transfer departments.”

When I shook my head with a determined expression, Vice-Chairman Kim smiled awkwardly.

If even the vice president disappears, there will be no one to work. After all, Chosun Bank itself is an organization close to a public enterprise.

Five employees of Jo Seong Bank were assigned to the cloud platform operations team.

However, there are only two people doing the work: Manager Cho and Deputy Manager Kim.

This is the second reason why Joongang Bank is treated as a latecomer in the IT industry.

Unlike other banks, Chosun Bank had no owner.

A job guaranteed until retirement.

It’s an organization where only hard-working people become strange.

We chat like that and then we get on the elevator and go out.

Joongang Bank IT Center on the outskirts of Ansan.

It is far from downtown Ansan and there are no other large facilities nearby.

It’s a neighborhood where you can do business by visiting the IT center.

however.

“There’s a Thai restaurant here?”

“Yes! The chef is Thai!”

Was there a Thai restaurant here?

When I asked because it was a little strange, Song Seo-yeon nodded and answered.

“Don’t you know? It’s really famous here in Ricktok. The chef is a former chef at a Thai hotel.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never even installed Rick Talk.”

“What does the real CEO do at home? He doesn’t drink much and he doesn’t meet people.”

Deputy Manager Chae supports Song’s words.

I couldn’t answer what they said.

At some point, I forgot how to rest. It was completely forgotten in my memory.

“I found it. It’s over there!”

After wandering around for a while, employee Song Seo-yeon spots a restaurant and raises her finger.

It turned out well as I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to change the subject.

Let’s go quickly without talking nonsense. That’s how I changed the subject. I pushed Manager Cho’s back and walked towards the restaurant.

**

As soon as we entered the restaurant and sat down, employee Song Seo-yeon started taking our orders.

I fold up the menu that I can’t read and pour water. I’m setting up the cutlery with Manager Chae.

“What? Manager Chae, you’re already here for lunch? As expected, the operations team has a lot of free time.”

“Yes, there are three engineers in the operations team. They are not as busy as we are.”

A voice came from behind the chair.

SI company developers.

They are developers belonging to the same Daeyoung System as Manager Chae.

Their sarcastic tone made me feel slightly offended, so I asked back without realizing it.

“Three people?”

There are a total of 9 employees working in the Joongang Bank Cloud Operations Team.

Five employees from Joongsung Bank. One employee from Whitesoft, me. And three employees from Daeyoung Systems.

There are three partner company employees on one team.

It may seem like a lot at first glance.

“There are three, right? Assistant Manager Chae Shin-ah. Employee Song Seo-yeon. And… none today. Employee Choi Dong-hoon.”

“… Mr. Choi Dong-hoon and Ms. Song Seo-yeon are in their first year?”

I unconsciously make a dumbfounded expression and ask a question at the attitude of the SI development company manager who answers confidently.

Are you saying that you’re going to give it your all to the two first-year rookies?

Which country’s calculation method is that?

These are kids who just graduated from college. They are being raised with an eye on the future. They are not the type of people who can be of help now.

“Director Jeong, you too… I guess you don’t know because you’ve only worked at foreign vendors. At a partner company like ours, you have to do one person’s share the moment you join.”

“Of course. Where would you look after someone like a newbie like a vendor?”

Developers who laugh at my words. They look at me as if they don’t know what I’m talking about.

“Huh? Do you know anyone who hasn’t worked for a partner company?”

I was so angry at their attitude that I found myself asking back nervously.

Contrary to what they think, I am not an elite who works for large corporations or foreign companies.

I started my career in a small, medium-sized business with less than 10 employees, which was essentially no different from a sole proprietorship.

And not even as a developer, but as an office assistant.

“Director Jeong. Just ignore me. Stop listening to that nonsense.”

I turned my head at the sound of Manager Cho’s voice from the side.

When I show signs of being about to explode, Manager Cho grabs my arm and shakes his head.

Bullshit.

It’s a strong word, but the developers still can’t bring themselves to get angry at Manager Cho and just blush.

Anyway, Manager Cho is a customer.

Actually, more than that.

He was famous for having a unique personality within the bank.

So the developers couldn’t speak to me as they did to me. They just hesitated and watched without saying anything.

“Let’s just go. We’ll be together on the next project too. There’s no need for us to blush among ourselves, right?”

“Ah···well···I understand.”

The developers leave with displeased expressions on their faces at Vice President Kim’s one word.

We deliberately sit at the table furthest from ours.

After I confirmed that they had gone to another seat, I muttered quietly.

“Really. If you can’t do your job, you should at least be aware of it···”

“That’s right. I feel this every time, but you’re really shameless.”

Manager Cho frowns at my words and answers.

It’s been more than a day or two that the operations team has been struggling due to the developers’ lack of ability.

As much as technical ability is required for technicians in the field.

Customer service is just as much in demand.

They both couldn’t do anything properly.

“No sense. No development… No. Oh my. Who would blame me? That’s why I came to Jo Seong Bank.”

Vice President Kim takes a sip of cold water and speaks in a self-mocking voice.

Developers’ Graveyard Bank.

A client company where only developers with nowhere to go are pushed out.

Deputy Manager Kim, in his early forties.

Because he had worked at Chosun Bank for nearly 20 years.

I knew all too well that this was the reality of the Composition Bank.