마케팅부 내에서도 세 개의 팀과 디자인팀, 홍보팀, 소비자상담팀의 업무보고와 개인면담이 마치 회오리 몰아치듯 급박하게 진행되었지만, 신대리는 그 어디에도 속할 수가 없었다. 그는 마치 이 조직에 있지만 없는 것 같은 보이지 않는 유령 같은 존재로 인식되고 있는 것만 같았다. 이팀장은 신대리가 끼어들기 전에 민이사와의 끈을 확실하게 잡는 것이야말로 지난 번 실수를 만회할 수 있는 유일한 길이라고 생각했는지, 과거 그를 궁지에 몰리게 했던 신대리가 민이사를 만날 기회를 철저하게 배제하였기 때문이다.
그 동안 신대리는 때론 포장개발팀 김대리와 때론 자재팀 이대리와 함께 구로, 부천, 안산 등을 누비며 포장재 개발 거래선을 방문하여, 포장재 개발 과정뿐만 아니라 협력업체들의 영세한 현실도 몸으로 느낄 수 있었다. 결국 협력업체들을 만나면 만날수록 그들이 디자인팀에 끌려갈 수 밖에 없는 회사의 프로세스와 갑과 을의 지배구조적인 현실 속에서 과연 얼마나 경쟁력 있는 양질의 제품이 생산될 수 있을까 하는 의문은 갈수록 더 커지기만 했다.
또한 협력업체를 방문하고 사무실에 돌아온 신대리는 늦게까지 사무실에 홀로 남아 M&C의 브랜드숍 사업계획을 마무리하는 일을 해야만 했다. 어쩌면 신대리도 자신이 처한 환경을 회피하다시피 일부러 밖으로 더 나다닌 것일지도 모르겠지만, 이팀장 입장에서 이렇게 거의 사무실에 붙어있지 않는 신대리를 민이사로부터 눈에 띄지 않게 하는 것은 그리 어려운 일도 아니었을 것이다.
갓 인쇄되어 나온 따뜻한 종이 한 다발을 가지런히 철한 후, 신대리는 깊은 한숨을 내쉬었다. 갑자기 엄청난 피로가 몰려오는 것 같았다. 벌써 밤 9시가 넘었다. 안산의 금형 거래선을 방문하고 사무실에 들어온 때가 오후 7시였다. 사무실은 오늘따라 모두 일찍 퇴근했는지 아무도 보이지가 않았다.
오늘에야 말로 꼭 브랜드숍 런칭 품의서를 끝내고 말겠다는 욕심에 저녁 식사도 거른 채 너무 일에 몰두했나 보다. 그리고 마침내 신대리는 책상 위에 품의서와 각종 첨부문서들이 수북하게 쌓여있는 것을 대견스레 바라볼 수 있었다. 그러나 그는 일 하나를 드디어 끝냈다는 기쁨보다 더 이상 어쩔 수 없는 막다른 길목에 처해 있는 자신의 모습이 스스로도 안타까울 뿐이었다.
‘이제 런칭 품의도 다 끝났는데, 이팀장의 결제를 받아야만 하니….’
나오는 것은 한숨뿐이었다. 그때 고요한 적막을 깨고 전화벨이 울렸다. 함께 안산에 다녀온 김대리였다.
“아직 안 들어 가셨어요?”
“응, 런칭 품의서를 마무리 하느라고, 그런 김대리는 왜 여태 있어?”
신대리는 그간 협력업체를 함께 다니며 김대리와 매우 친해져서 세살 터울인 그에게 자연스럽게 말을 놓게 되었다.
“저도 들어와서 일 좀 정리하다 보니 그렇게 되었네요. 근데 식사는 했어요?”
“아, 그러고 보니 밥을 안 먹었네?”
갑자기 시장기가 몰려오는 것 같았다.
“그럼 지금 같이 나가시죠. 남들은 거창하게 회식도 한다는데….”
“응? 회식이라니?”
“몰랐어요? 오늘이 민이사님 환영회라던데….”
순간 신대리는 꽝 하는 듯한 충격에 말문이 막혔다. 뭐라 말하는지 전화기 넘어 김대리의 목소리가 아득하게 멀어져 가는 듯 했다. 그러나 이내 이제는 이런 어처구니 없는 상황에 익숙하다는 듯이 어느새 그의 입가에는 외로운 웃음만이 번졌다.
“그래? 어쩐지 아무도 없더라고? 어디 이런 일이 한 두 번인가, 뭐? 우리도 같이 소주 한잔 하고 들어갈까?”
“그러죠, 정문에서 봐요.”
식당들이 벌써 문을 닫은 관계로 둘은 통닭 한 마리를 시키고 차가운 맥주를 크게 한 모금 들이켰다.
“근데 어떻게 알았어?” 뜬금없는 소리에 김대리는 의아해 하며 물었다?
“네? 뭘요?”
“오늘 민이사님 환영회 있는 거 어떻게 알았냐고?”
“아까, 8시쯤인가? 심대리가 퇴근하면서 얘기해주던데요? 신대리님이랑 안산 다녀왔다고 했더니, 신대리님은 회식 안 간데? 하면서….”
신대리는 한동안 아무 말도 없이 맥주 한잔을 다 비우더니, 500 한잔을 더 시켰다.
“김대리, 내가 지금 거래선을 이리 뛰고 저리 뛰면서, 밤 늦게는 사무실에서 혼자 남아 이렇게까지 일할 필요가 있을까? 민이사님 오신지 2주 동안 난 만나보지도 못했고, 심지어는 회식하는지도 모르는 철저한 왕따인데 말이야. 나 혼자 잘났다고 이렇게 설친다고 뭐가 잘 될 수 있겠어? 어차피 이팀장이란 큰 벽이 딱 가로 막고 있는데 말이야.”
신대리의 체념 섞인 말에 김대리가 펄쩍 뛰며 말했다.
“무슨 소리에요? 벌써부터 약한 소리하시면? 이제 막 시작인데요. 우린 갈 길이 아직 한참 멀었어요. 아직 민이사님이 상황 파악하시느라 정신 없어서 그러시겠지만, 결국 M&C와 신대리님은 다시 표면 위로 부상될 겁니다. 회사의 미래 주력 브랜드와 사장님이 신임하시는 신대리님을 이팀장이 언제까지 막을 수 있겠어요? 걱정 마시고 자 술 한잔 하시죠?”
그 때였다. 왁자지껄한 소리와 함께 한 무리의 사람들이 호프집으로 몰려 들어왔다. 마케팅부 사람들이었다. 1차를 끝내고 2차로 이곳에 온 것임에 틀림없다. 신대리는 애써 그들을 외면하려고 하였지만, 이내 그들에게 발견되었다. 누군가 신대리를 부르며 손짓을 하였지만, 바로 이팀장에게 제지 당하는 것 같아 보였다.
“김대리 그만 나가자.”
신대리는 얼른 일어나 입구 쪽 계산대로 달려갔다. 그때 마침 문을 열며 민이사가 들어왔다. 신대리는 얼떨결에 고개 숙여 그에게 인사하였다. 민이사도 바로 인사를 받으며 고개를 갸우뚱하며 물었다.
“어, 그래. 근데 누구지? 어느 부서에 있나?” ( 계속 )
————-
Within the Marketing Department, three teams, along with the Design Team, PR Team, and Consumer Consultation Team, were conducting their business reports and individual meetings at a whirlwind pace. However, Assistant Manager Shin found himself unable to fit in anywhere. It felt as though he were an invisible ghost—present in the organization but not truly acknowledged.
Team Leader Lee seemed determined to secure a solid connection with Director Min before Assistant Manager Shin could get involved, perhaps seeing it as the only way to redeem his past mistakes. As a result, he completely shut out Assistant Manager Shin from any opportunity to meet Director Min—just as he had once cornered him in the past.
In the meantime, Assistant Manager Shin spent time with Assistant Manager Kim from the Packaging Development Team and Assistant Manager Lee from the Materials Team, traveling through Guro, Bucheon, and Ansan to visit suppliers involved in packaging material development. Through this, he not only learned about the packaging development process but also witnessed firsthand the harsh realities faced by small partner companies.
The more he met with these suppliers, the more he questioned how a company’s process, which forced them to comply with the demands of the Design Team, and a hierarchical power structure where they had little control, could ever produce competitive, high-quality products.
Returning to the office after supplier visits, Assistant Manager Shin often stayed late, working alone to finalize the M&C brand shop business plan. Perhaps he was unconsciously avoiding his difficult workplace situation by staying outside the office more often. But from Team Leader Lee’s perspective, keeping Assistant Manager Shin out of sight from Director Min was not a difficult task, especially when he was rarely in the office.
After neatly binding a warm stack of freshly printed documents, Assistant Manager Shin let out a deep sigh. A wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over him. It was already past 9 PM. He had returned to the office around 7 PM after visiting the mold supplier in Ansan. The office was completely empty—perhaps everyone had left early today.
Determined to finish the brand shop launch proposal that night, he had skipped dinner and worked relentlessly. Finally, he looked at the pile of documents—his proposal and various attachments stacked on his desk—and felt a sense of accomplishment. However, rather than feeling joy at completing the task, he felt more disheartened by the realization that he was at a dead end with no way forward.
“Now that the launch proposal is done, I still need Team Leader Lee’s approval…”
A sigh escaped his lips.
At that moment, the silence was broken by the ringing of his phone. It was Assistant Manager Kim, who had accompanied him to Ansan.
“Are you still at the office?”
“Yeah, I was finishing up the launch proposal. What about you, Kim?”
Having traveled together to meet suppliers, Assistant Manager Shin had grown quite close to Assistant Manager Kim, who was three years his junior. It felt natural to speak informally with him.
“I was just tidying up some work after getting back. But have you had dinner?”
“Oh, now that you mention it… I haven’t eaten.”
Suddenly, he realized he was starving.
“Then let’s grab something to eat. Others are having a big company dinner anyway.”
“Huh? A company dinner?”
“You didn’t know? Tonight is Director Min’s welcome party.”
Assistant Manager Shin felt as if he had been struck by lightning. For a moment, he was speechless. The voice of Assistant Manager Kim on the other end of the phone seemed to drift further away.
But then, as if he were already used to such absurd situations, a faint, lonely smile spread across his face.
“I see. No wonder the office was empty. Well, it’s not like this is the first time something like this has happened. Want to grab a drink with me instead?”
“Sure, I’ll meet you at the main entrance.”
Since most restaurants had already closed, they ordered a whole fried chicken and took big gulps of cold beer.
“But how did you know?”
At Assistant Manager Shin’s sudden question, Assistant Manager Kim looked puzzled.
“Know what?”
“That there was a welcome party for Director Min tonight?”
“Oh, around 8 PM, I ran into Assistant Manager Shim as he was leaving work. When I mentioned that I had just gotten back from Ansan with you, he asked, ‘Is Assistant Manager Shin not coming to the dinner?’”
Assistant Manager Shin remained silent for a moment, finishing his beer in one go before ordering another 500cc.
“Kim, do you think there’s any point in me running around meeting suppliers all day, then staying late in the office working alone like this? It’s been two weeks since Director Min arrived, and I haven’t even met him once. I didn’t even know there was a welcome party for him. I’m completely ostracized. How am I supposed to make things work when Team Leader Lee is such a massive obstacle standing in my way?”
Hearing the frustration in Assistant Manager Shin’s voice, Assistant Manager Kim immediately responded with determination.
“What are you saying? How can you sound so defeated already? This is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go. Director Min is probably too busy assessing the situation right now, but soon enough, both M&C and Assistant Manager Shin will rise to the surface again. You are in charge of the company’s future core brand, and the CEO trusts you. There’s no way Team Leader Lee can keep blocking you forever. Don’t worry—just drink up!”
At that moment, a lively commotion erupted as a group of people entered the pub. It was the Marketing Department. They had likely finished the first round of drinking and were now moving on to a second round.
Assistant Manager Shin tried to avoid looking at them, but it wasn’t long before someone spotted him and called out to him, waving. However, before he could respond, Team Leader Lee seemed to intervene, stopping them.
“Kim, let’s get out of here.”
Assistant Manager Shin quickly stood up and headed toward the register to pay.
Just then, as he reached the entrance, Director Min walked in.
Caught off guard, Assistant Manager Shin instinctively lowered his head in greeting.
Director Min acknowledged the greeting but tilted his head slightly and asked,
“Oh, hello. But… who are you? Which department are you from?”
(To be continued…)