The rude driver flinched again.

The young man's tone was as flat as it could humanly get. Even though he wasn't trying to be intimidating, his voice held this mysterious power to cower anyone listening to him.

“W-well, I, uh…”

Before the rude driver could say something, Kang Jin-Ho abruptly raised his hand and interrupted him.

“Hold on.”

“…?”

“Wait.”

Kang Jin-Ho didn’t say anything else and backed away while taking his phone out of his pocket. Unsurprisingly, he began calling someone.

Shuffle, shuffle…

Kang Jin-Ho left the stupefied rude driver behind and trudged back to his original spot below the orphanage's wall. While walking there, he mouthed a fresh cigarette. Just as he lit it up, the other side answered the call.

The rude driver frowned in confusion.

‘Who is he talking to?’

He tried to eavesdrop, but the distance meant he couldn't hear much of anything. If someone had called that young man first, there shouldn't be much to worry about here, but that wasn't the case this time.

The young man was the one who made the call first. This could only mean that the contents of the phone call were related to this situation…!

Eventually, Kang Jin-Ho hung up before glancing in the rude driver’s direction. “You can go now.”

“...Say what?”

“You can go. You’re dismissed.”

“What do you mean, dismissed?”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Is your Korean bad or something? You can go now. We don't need you anymore as we've already called for a replacement.”

“…!”

The rude driver’s face grew beet-red from anger. Uncle Choi noticed all the signs and sneakily stepped toward Kang Jin-Ho’s front. He could tell that this rude driver had lost his bloody mind and was about to pounce on the young man.

‘This rude bastard! Maybe he’s a nutcase?’

Not only did the rude driver get into an argument with his customer, but he was even getting ready for a throwdown, too! Uncle Choi definitely couldn't overlook this situation.

Since there were never enough workers and not enough vehicles, Uncle Choi should be safe from getting summarily dismissed due to this incident. Even so…

‘We’ll be the one paying for your mistake, you f*cking bastard!’

The unrelated bus drivers minding their own business would have to bear the brunt of this situation. Not to forget, they were in an orphanage, too. Imagine a bus driver insulting some poor orphans and even getting violent with them!

Now that would be the perfect material for a newspaper article, no?

The starving pack of hyenas, also known as reporters searching for the next story, would never let such a juicy opportunity slip through their fingers. Uncle Choi's failure to adequately handle this situation could lead to the birth of a new national pastime of,

‘Let’s bash bus drivers together!’

“Hold on, everyone. Let's calm down and…” said Uncle Choi as he stepped between the rude driver and the young man. But then…!

Rumble, vroooooom!

A sedan viciously rushed past the orphanage’s gates while issuing ear-screeching engine noises.

‘What is it this time?’

Uncle Choi blinked his eyes. He couldn’t help but think that all sorts of strange things were happening today.

The sedan slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt. The driver's side door was flung open, and a man kitted out in a smart-looking business suit hurriedly exited the vehicle.

This man rapidly scanned the surroundings and then approached Kang Jin-Ho while smiling brightly. “Mister Jin-Ho! Is he the driver?”

“Yes.”

“My sincerest apologies. We were in a rush to find drivers, you see…? We should’ve been more selective with the candidates.”

“No, it's fine,” said Kang Jin-Ho. “Besides, it's about time we get going, so what's happening with the new bus?”

“It’s en route as we speak. I’ll take care of everything.”

“Got it, thanks.”

The man in the business suit looked back, then bowed slightly at the orphans. “I’m sorry, everyone. It’s my fault for not doing my job right.”

The children quickly defended him.

“It’s okay, Chief Jo!”

“It’s not your fault, you know! Please don’t apologize!”

“It’s alright, Chief Jo. Don’t say that.”

The man, now identified as Chief Jo, sighed in relief and gently smiled at the children. “Thank you for saying that. Still, allow me to apologize. Now that’s sorted out…”

Chief Jo slowly turned around and faced the rude driver next.

‘Heol…!’

Uncle Choi reflexively took a step back.

‘What is up with this dude?’

Maybe this Chief Jo guy suffered from a split personality disorder?!

He looked like the kindest man on Earth while talking to these orphans, yet the moment he turned around… His expression became as chilling as a serial killer’s. Chief Jo scanned the rude driver from top to bottom with eyes reserved for an ugly insect invading his home, then pulled out his phone to call someone.

“What's going on now? Give me an update,” Chief Jo snarled into his phone.

Urgent replies came out of the phone’s speaker. Even Uncle Choi could hear them by paying closer attention.

-Sir! The replacement is headed your way. Chief, it was my…

“Did I order you to do something beyond your capabilities?”

-No, sir!

“In that case, are you trying to punk me because I told you to find buses on a weekend?”

-Definitely not, Chief!

“I see. Does that mean I should take this situation as you not having enough ability to do something as simple as finding a proper bus driver with all the time I’ve given you?”

-...My apologies, sir.

“Do you think a salaryman, such as yourself, can resolve everything with an apology? You think you can mop up all the spilled milk with your apology! Is that how you always handle your business?”

-No, sir! I’ll make sure the same thing never happens again!

“Fine. Where are you right now?”

-At the office, sir. I'm on standby, just in case.

“Don't go home and wait for me. I'll be there as soon as I wrap up my business here.”

-...Yes, sir.

“And all the bus companies we called. They have contracts with us, right?”

-Yes, they do.

“Cancel the contract of the company this driver belongs to.”

-I’m sorry?

“Do not re-sign the contract and shut them out of all the available commissions. Not just buses, either. Cancel everything related to transport with that company. Do you understand me?”

-C-Chief, sir! Their operation is rather formidable in scale, so…

“So what?” Chief Jo coldly retorted back, prompting a nervous saliva-swallowing sound to leak out of the phone’s speaker.

-We’ll get right on it, sir.

“Request the cooperation of the sales department using my name. If someone still says no, connect me to that moron.”

-Yes, sir.

“Hurry up with the bus.”

-Sir! We’ll call them again right away!

“I'm hanging up now,” said Chief Jo, and he ended the call there. Then, he glanced at the rude driver and smiled "kindly". “So. Your name is Mister Kim Gang-Cheol, yes?”

“...Y-yes, I am,” said the rude driver with a faltering nod, his expression stupefied and lost. Even he could tell the situation was rapidly devolving into something really bad.

Chief Jo continued to speak. “I'm sorry, but it seems there was a problem somewhere. I've already ordered for you to be paid for today's work, so you can go home now.”

“I, I don’t understand?”

Jo Gyu-Min maintained his bright smile. “What I'm saying is that you can leave now. You're no longer needed. And you'll get paid for your troubles. My apologies for making you come all this way.”

“N-no, hang on…”

The rude driver was about to say something, only to be interrupted by his phone angrily blaring at him. And when he confirmed who was calling him…

“Uht?!”

The rude driver saw the name on the screen and hurriedly answered the call while covering the mouthpiece with one hand and distancing himself from the crowd.

“Y-yes, director. I'm listening. Yes. Yes… C-come again?!”

The rude driver's voice progressively lost strength. Uncle Choi couldn't hear what exactly the 'director' was saying other than some high-pitched yelling. Although, he could faintly hear the frequent mentions of the rude driver being a son of humanity's most loyal pet companion, plus lots of variations of arguably the most-used four-letter word in history that started with the letter F.

“...Yes, director. Yes.” The rude driver bowed over and over again at the director, who wasn't even here, then carefully ended the call. Then, his trembling eyes shifted over to Chief Jo. “Ah, uh… It seems I was…”

“Has your director told you all you need to know?” Chief Jo continued to smile away. “Now... do you understand that you should leave?”

“N-no, please hold on. It seems I’ve made a mistake somewhere, so let me apologize and…”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

“Mister Kim?”

“…”

“Please leave.”

Chief Jo maintained his smile, but the strictness in his voice was not something a mere bus driver like Kim Gang-Cheol could fight against.

Unable to say anything else, Kim Gang-Cheol lifelessly climbed aboard his bus, then obediently drove out of the orphanage's gates, eventually disappearing from everyone's sight.

Chief Jo, also known as Jo Gyu-Min, grinned in satisfaction, then turned around to face the kids. He was half-expecting a round of applause or praises, something simple but still enough to make him happy.

“Wow, that’s scary.”

“Did you see him talking on the phone? He totally chewed the other guy out!"

“Is this that thing called workplace bullying?”

“…!”

Unfortunately for Jo Gyu-Min, the responses he got couldn't be called positive at all. The Seongsim Orphanage kids were staring weirdly at him while whispering to each other.

“I didn’t take him for such a person, too…”

“That bus driver, though! He looked so sad, you know?”

“Right. I almost cried, too!”

“…!” Jo Gyu-Min couldn’t help but stumble back at the nonstop whispering.

‘This… This isn’t what I envisioned…!’

His actions should've been met with much fanfare, yet all he got was a barrage of criticism instead! He tried to figure out what he had done wrong here but couldn't think of any.

‘M-maybe… I didn’t take care of this situation properly?’

That was when Kang Jin-Ho lazily trudged over to where the kids were. One of the little kids trotted over to Kang Jin-Ho and then held onto the older man's sleeve with his little hand.

“Hyung, hyung!”

“Yeah?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.

The child innocently asked, “Is that what they call a power trip? I heard I mustn’t go on a power trip, you know? In that case, was Chief Jo being naughty?”

STAB!

For a moment there, Jo Gyu-Min felt a super-sharp dagger mercilessly stab him in the heart. His jaw fell in sheer stupefaction and panic.

‘P-power trip?’

But that wasn't Jo Gyu-Min's intention, though? However, the children's eyes were pure and uncorrupted. If that was indeed what they saw, no excuses would be good enough to defend Jo Gyu-Min!

Kang Jin-Ho went down on one knee, patting the kid on the head. “Listen, Jong-Seok.”

“Ng?”

“That wasn’t a power trip, okay?”

“...It’s not? Then what is it?”

“You know Chief Jo isn’t the type to go on a power trip and stuff, right?”

“Ng. I know!”

‘M-Mister Jin-Ho! Yes!’

Jo Gyu-Min almost broke down and cried just then. Even though Jo Gyu-Min was instantly thrust into the people's court, Kang Jin-Ho still graciously offered a hand of salvation.

‘I’ll remain loyal to you till the day I die! I swear it!’

Men were supposedly prepared to give their lives to someone who acknowledged them. For the sake of someone who'd acknowledge a man's true heart even in this unforgiving, harsh world, Jo Gyu-Min would…

“Listen, that’s not a power trip, but more like a personality trip,” said Kang Jin-Ho. “Chief Jo isn’t the type to go on a power trip, you see? It’s just that he has a poor personality, that’s all. Let’s say his humanity hasn’t developed fully.”

“Ah, ah~. So it’s not a power trip?”

“You got it.”

“Ah!”

The kid trotted over to Jo Gyu-Min next and bowed to him. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood, Chief Jo.”

“…!” Jo Gyu-Min’s cheeks twitched ominously.

Misunderstood? Who misunderstood what now?

Was this kid trying to say he now knew Jo Gyu-Min wasn’t a villain who abused his position to oppress other people but simply irredeemable trash of a man with a rotten personality?!

What kind of rubbish misunderstanding was that?!

Other kids began chiming in just then.

“Yup, I knew it. I knew Chief Jo wouldn’t go drunk on power trips.”

“That’s great, though. Now I know it was just his bad personality.”

“You know, I think I’ve actually noticed his bad personality quite a while ago.”

“That’s why he still doesn’t have a girlfriend yet.”

‘Why the heck are you bringing up my lack of a girlfriend here?!'

Jo Gyu-Min began shuddering in indignation. Of course he knew these kids were merely joking. That they were only teasing him. Even then, he felt like he might vomit blood right now!

Especially the last jab at his heart! Now that hurt him right down to his soul.

It wasn’t as if he was single because he chose to. To think these kids had the cheek to say something like that when they were making him work on weekends! Were they not scared of heavenly tribulations?!

Before Jo Gyu-Min could say something, Kang Jin-Ho raised his voice first. “Chief Jo?”

“...Yes?”

“It’s true that that bus driver was in the wrong, but hurting his company because of his gaff seems a little excessive. Let’s be civil about this, shall we?”

“Oh…”

“Also…” Kang Jin-Ho sighed deeply. “You’re not setting a good example for these kids by chewing out the subordinate you summoned to work on weekends like that. If it’s nothing important, please let that guy go home. It doesn’t even sound like he’s done something wrong, after all.”

“…”

Kang Jin-Ho didn’t wait for Jo Gyu-Min’s response and brushed past the latter, then shouted at the kids. “Okay, everyone! Let’s get going!”

“Okay!”

The Seongsim Orphanage kids rushed toward the waiting buses. Kang Jin-Ho watched that scene before turning his head slightly and glancing at Jo Gyu-Min. A subtle, unreadable smirk formed on his lips just then.

“You should work on your personality more, you know?”

After leaving those words behind, Kang Jin-Ho leisurely shuffled toward one of the buses.

While Jo Gyu-Min stood there all alone, older kids approached him and held his hand in an attempt to cheer him up.

“It’s gonna be okay, Chief Jo.”

“That’s how the cookie crumbles, right? Chief Jo?”

“…”

Jo Gyu-Min wordlessly watched the kids finish their comfort-Chief-Jo session and head to the buses, then looked up at the pristine Sunday sky.

For some reason, that sky seemed especially clear today.

What was that about summoning a subordinate to work on weekends?

What was that about working on his personality?!

Jo Gyu-Min’s head slowly fell back to Earth, allowing him to witness Kang Jin-Ho leisurely climbing aboard the bus.

‘I hope you trip on your feet and break your nose!’

Since he couldn’t say those words out loud, the best Jo Gyu-Min could do was timidly think that to himself.