Absinthe

"I'll be straight-to-the-point," Vice Chairman Lee spoke, "We need you."

"Who's in charge of the project?" I asked, ignoring his comment.

"It's Cho Hanbi, Jaeyi." Gunho-hyung answered.

"Jaeyi," I repeated. "That name feels like it belongs to a different lifetime."

Minsu and Gunho-hyung exchanged looks.

"Cho Hanbi," I continued. "The guy who forced me to go and relieve myself inside the lady's room. On my last day."

"Don't worry, Bi-Kwajang. That issue will be dealt with accordingly."

"Bi-Kwajang?" I asked. "In case you forgot, I'm no longer working for you."

"What title should we call you then?"

It really does feel like a lifetime since I last had this kind of word games with people from the corporate world.

"Ms. Twinkle Little Star." I said. "I go by the name Twinkle now. You know, gay guys like me have fab names like that."

Faye laughed so hard it made people from the nearby tables give us weird looks. But none of the three gentlemen in front of us did.

"Jaeyi," Minsu-hyung said appealingly. "It's us. Your hyungs! We tried reaching you for months but you couldn't be reached!"

"Hyung, I just told you I don't go by that name anymore. There wasn't anyone named Bee Jae Yi in the first place. It's always been BJ Alvarez. I don't really know why I let Samsong Group dictate that much of my life... that I actually made a new name just to fit in."

"BJ," It was Gunho-hyung this time. And although he tried pronouncing my name well, it still carried traces of Bee Jae Yi with it. I guess that can't be helped since I've been called that more a decade.

"Ms. Twinkle," Vice Chairman Lee said, cutting Gunho-hyung short. "We need you. Let us know your terms."

My terms? Samsong Group must be really desperate. Let's try playing his game for just a little bit longer.

"Let's see..." I said, pretending to be deep in thought. "Fire that asshole of a CEO for what he did to me. And fire Cho Hanbi."

What are your

Let's take it

an expert from

the useless people on

surprised that you know and have done nothing about it until now."

Gunho hyung

answered after a few minutes of silence. "And these people that you want removed

ratio of people who set the company's direction at the

a small number of people at the bottom carry the full weight of useless men

I answered. "I want you to clean up Samsong Group's corporate ladder and increase the

looked deep in thought. "And what about

I answered. "Once it's started at the

my father, Ms. Twinkle. I agree to your terms. But

Lee short. "Three years. That's my

out a heavy sigh.

shitty for him to agree to that. I need to know what

you my final condition," I started before any of them could even

"As you know, this year's not over yet so we only have the FS until the 3rd quarter. We do have last year's,

bound file in hardcover and another set

year's

before Vice Chairman Lee told them to hand it

of training and the invaluable experience and insight of an endless nights'

pointing at a questionable figure scheduled for 30 years

rumors of a bid from LJ Electronics." Gunho-hyung explained. "At least, according to Cho Hanbi's

that,

as the next chairman of Samsong Group," he explained calmly. "This was my plan to

that's why it's equally important to make

Vice Chairman Lee nodded.

sum as premium for a company that wouldn't be making money in the next,

saw the colors of Mr. Lee's face turn to

been steadily losing market share." I began. "And besides, this market has been

"You're right, the products have been steadily reducing their sizes – from 250g