Chapter 72 – We Will Inform You of the Interview Results

Clack, clack, clack.

“Oh, Assistant Manager Kim! How have you been?”

As soon as the office door opened, Cha Ra-ri greeted him with a welcoming face.

“Well, Ms. Ra-ri. Why did someone who left to find her dream come back?”

When Assistant Manager Kim smiled as if surprised, Cha Ra-ri smiled brightly.

“Sometimes, you know.

I think it’s right to leave dreams as just dreams.

Even my mother, Madame Kim Mal-hui, told me, ‘You finally know your place.'”

Assistant Manager Kim laughed as if dumbfounded at those words.

“Oh, you’re here?”

As soon as Director Kim Mi-yeong spotted Cha Ra-ri, she warmly grabbed her arm slightly.

“It feels like it’s been a while… but also like it hasn’t.

A month is enough time for students to spend a full winter break.

But Attorney Geum is really… too much.

You’re experienced and the person who knows our business operations best… Why not just hire you back? Why does he insist on doing an interview?”

“No, I know well that Attorney Geum is a stickler for rules. If it’s a no, it’s absolutely a no.

So today, I’m going to appeal to that. ‘The one who understands Attorney Geum’s order and regulations best is me!’ Like that.”

When Cha Ra-ri spoke with a smile, Ju Yong-hae, who was standing nearby, folded his arms and spoke.

“But Ms. Ra-ri, you’re lucky today after all.”

“Lucky?”

“There are three interviewees today, but one can’t be reached at all. No word on whether they’re coming, no reply… It seems they’re just not coming.”

“Really?”

Director Kim Mi-yeong clapped her hands and said.

“Then that’s great! Hohoho! Oh, there’s a cake in the pantry fridge that a client brought this morning as a thank-you, so get some sugar in you before you go in for the interview.”

And Director Kim Mi-yeong lowered her voice and added.

“It’s a one-in-two chance, so without a doubt, you’ll get it. I’m so glad.”

Laughter spread in the office for the first time in a while.

But at that moment,

there was someone who listened to the conversation indifferently while pretending to look at the interview materials they had brought.

It was Kim Ae-ri, another interviewee sitting on a chair near the open waiting room door.

She sat in an impeccable posture, wearing glasses and a neat black suit with a clean bob cut. Kim Ae-ri glanced at Cha Ra-ri and thought.

‘Aha. I guess there are only two interviewees. Is my opponent that woman? Cha Ra-ri? Her name is similar to mine, which is annoying.

Looking at her face, she clearly looks like the vain and pathetic type.

But here… the attorney is said to be a stickler for rules, but the staff’s discipline is very loose.

Someone like her won’t even be a match for me.

You just eat your cake and go home. Fufu.’

Kim Ae-ri opened her notebook.

She quickly scanned the expected questions and answers with her eyes as if to memorize them once more. Her preparation was perfect.

***

Geum Nae-yeong’s office.

Ju Yong-hae poked his head in and announced the interview.

“Attorney, the interview is ready. You can go to the medium meeting room.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded and gathered the resumes.

Click.

Geum Nae-yeong opened the meeting room door and walked in.

A moment later, Cha Ra-ri and the other interviewee, Kim Ae-ri, entered the meeting room.

They sat side by side in the two chairs opposite Geum Nae-yeong.

As the interviewees entered the meeting room, the staff began to whisper among themselves again.

“Cha Ra-ri’s face looked as bright as ever, did she just decide she didn’t want to be an announcer anymore?”

“From what she said earlier, her mother opposed it. But still, I didn’t expect her to quit in less than a month.”

“True. I guess she realized it didn’t suit her temperament while preparing. Haha.”

Office Manager Yeom asked curiously.

“But Brother Ju, what kind of person is the other interviewee? At a glance, her face looks neat, and her behavior and attitude are so precise that I got a strong feeling she’d do the job really well.”

Ju Yong-hae nodded.

“Her resume was very impressive. She has a lot of related certifications. However… it seems she has moved from company to company quite a bit.”

“Moved a lot?”

“Yeah. She wrote in her self-introduction letter that she couldn’t work long because her parents were sick. Looking at her major and the many certifications, she seems diligent, but her impression is a bit…”

Office Manager Yeom leaned forward with interest.

“Let me have a quick look.”

Ju Yong-hae nodded and handed over the resume.

[Resume]

Name: Kim Ae-ri

Education: Graduated from Gayul University, Department of Law (Major) / Public Administration (Double Major). [GPA 4.2]

Experience

– Jan. 20, 20** ~ Intern at Law Firm Kim & Chang

– Sep. 12, 20** ~ Law Firm Yulchan

– Feb. 10, 20** ~ Law Firm Jepyongyang

Certifications

– Computer Literacy Grade 1

– Word Processor Grade 1

– Office Automation Industrial Engineer

– Korean History Proficiency Test Grade 1

– Trade English Grade 1

– Secretary Grade 2

– Psychological Counselor Grade 2

Languages

– TOEIC 780

– JLPT N2

“Heh… What is this? Why is her resume so flashy?”

Office Manager Yeom’s eyes went wide.

“With this level, it makes sense she was an intern at Kim & Chang. Why did someone like this come here? Ms. Cha Ra-ri is going to fail, isn’t she? Hahaha.”

Office Manager Yeom shook his head and laughed.

“Even I would hire this person. She has a lot of experience at top-tier law firms. No matter how experienced Ms. Cha Ra-ri is, she only has two certifications that aren’t even related to the job, right?”

“This person seems like a talent who could find a job anywhere even without us. Did she apply here because Attorney Geum pays well?”

At Office Manager Yeom’s words, Ju Yong-hae wore an uncomfortable expression.

“Her specs are solid… but I don’t really like her. I don’t like her physiognomy. I have an uneasy feeling.”

Director Kim Mi-yeong clicked her tongue.

“Oh dear, why are you reading physiognomy? Physiognomy is for Attorney Geum to read.”

Ju Yong-hae muttered as if to himself.

“Somehow… there’s a reddish tint between her eyebrows and in her pupils, yet they look hazy… and the corners of her mouth are tight. No matter how I look at it, she has a lot of fire () energy.

Her energy seems way too strong too… I can’t explain it clearly, but something feels off… Anyway…”

Office Manager Yeom habitually cut in.

“Come on, at first glance, Ms. Ra-ri’s energy looks a hundred times stronger, doesn’t it?

This person has a neat bob, is quiet, and is just perfect. Anyway, I wonder if Attorney Geum will ask strange questions again?”

Although it was noisy outside the office, the interview inside the interview room was proceeding in a completely different atmosphere.

***

“Please introduce yourself.”

Geum Nae-yeong asked calmly.

“Hello! Having grown up as an only daughter, I received a lot of love from my parents.

Thanks to that, I have come to value relationships with people, and I believe that is my greatest strength.”

When Cha Ra-ri finished her highly energetic self-introduction, Geum Nae-yeong nodded.

“Next, Ms. Kim Ae-ri.”

A fluent self-introduction flowed from the mouth of Kim Ae-ri, who was sitting neatly.

“Hello. I am Kim Ae-ri. Hi, my name is Kim Aeri. . .. I’m fluent in English and Japanese.”

She greeted in English and Japanese with clear pronunciation, and then began her self-appeal.

“I believe my language ability will be of great help to you in the globalizing legal environment and various litigation duties.

Not to mention basic English and Japanese translation, I can also respond to clients according to their language background.

Also, the most important point. With the experience I gained working at several large law firms, I am confident that I can flexibly cope with various cases.”

When Kim Ae-ri’s self-introduction ended, Geum Nae-yeong nodded, looked back and forth between the two resumes, and wrote down their respective scores with a pen.

Cha Ra-ri: 5 points

Kim Ae-ri: 20 points

After a moment, Geum Nae-yeong looked down at the questionnaire and asked calmly.

“Do you have many dreams you wish to achieve?”

Cha Ra-ri answered confidently.

“Attorney! We are living in a centenarian age, and life is long.

As you blaze your own trail, it is natural to occasionally feel curious about other paths.

However, I realized at the end of my wandering that this legal administrative job is indeed the perfect work for me!

I do not remember my past dreams.

My, Cha Ra-ri’s, current dream is a legal administrative position at Teum Law Office!”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded for a moment, then wrote down the score expressionlessly.

‘Pupillary dilator muscle activation, lying reaction through pupil shaking.’

Cha Ra-ri: -5 points

Kim Ae-ri looked sharply at Geum Nae-yeong’s fingertips, then opened her mouth without hesitation.

“I have never once imagined myself not working in a legal administrative job.

As you can see from my career, I have walked only one path so far, and I will continue to do so in the future.

In this field of legal administrative work, I want to walk the same path as Attorney Geum Nae-yeong and grow steadily.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded briefly at Kim Ae-ri’s precise answer.

Glancing at that, Cha Ra-ri muttered to herself.

‘Ha…? Look at this? She even knows how to speak Japanese?

I wasn’t going to use this cheat key, but since you’re coming out this strong, is that how it is?’

Cha Ra-ri caught her breath and said confidently.

“For me, forming rapport with clients takes just one minute. As you saw in my career, winning the Miss Chunhyang Friendship Award is proof of that.

And in my very last company, I successfully obtained a confirmation letter for a case the attorney was about to lose, using my friendly personality. As a result, a case that was almost a marriage annulment was changed to a cancellation.”

As soon as she finished her answer, Geum Nae-yeong corrected her immediately.

“It was not a marriage annulment, but a divorce lawsuit that was changed to a marriage cancellation lawsuit.”

“Yes, well… anyway. It turned out for the better.”

When Cha Ra-ri laughed sheepishly, Kim Ae-ri curled up the corners of her mouth. It was clearly a smirk of looking down on her.

“During my college days, I was active as a broadcasting club producer. I also worked as a JTBS college student supporter.

I think my experience will be of great help in terms of support and planning assistance during your broadcast appearances.

I also hold a Grade 2 Psychological Counselor certification.

I can help you as much as you need with preliminary consultations with clients, and even mental care for the attorney who has a busy schedule.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded.

“Alright, very well. Then we will end the interview here. The successful applicant will be notified via text message later.”

Thus, the interview for the office clerk of Teum Law Office ended.

When Geum Nae-yeong left his seat, Kim Ae-ri rose from her chair.

Kim Ae-ri glanced at Cha Ra-ri and walked out of the meeting room with a mockingly sneering expression.

Cha Ra-ri also looked at Kim Ae-ri with a confident attitude, as if refusing to back down.

‘Still, since we won many cases because of me… I will probably be picked. I did well.’

After the interview ended, Attorney Seong Seok-ju, who saw Kim Ae-ri and Cha Ra-ri leaving from the end of the office hallway, asked.

“Huh? That person…? Did something happen today?”

Ju Yong-hae answered Attorney Seong’s question.

“Ah. We had the interview for Attorney Geum Nae-yeong’s administrative staff.”

“The person standing behind those two… isn’t that Ms. Cha Ra-ri?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Uh… but, she took an interview again?”

“Yes. The person in front also came for an interview, and since Attorney Geum’s personality is so clear about his standards… I think that person might pass. Her specs are incredible.”

Seong Seok-ju narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“Ah… is that so…?”

Seong Seok-ju watched the two of them leave until the end, then entered his office without a word.

***

That afternoon, Geum Nae-yeong left the office holding a folder and said to Ju Yong-hae.

“Please notify this person of their acceptance by text.”

Ju Yong-hae looked at the resume Geum Nae-yeong handed over.

– Successful Applicant: Kim Ae-ri (79 points)

And Geum Nae-yeong handed over another note.

“And please send a text message as written here.”

“Yes, I understand, Attorney.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded and added.

“And when Attorney Seong Seok-ju returns from court, please tell him that I went to a broadcast schedule to settle a ‘debt that is not quite a debt.'”

“A broadcast?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Geum Nae-yeong walked out of the office. Ju Yong-hae looked again at the resume and note left by Geum Nae-yeong.

Behind the resume of Kim Ae-ri, who passed, lay Cha Ra-ri’s resume.

On top of that resume, the score was written in red.

– Cha Ra-ri (78 points)

“Oh dear… Ms. Ra-ri… it was a one-point difference…”

A moment later, Ju Yong-hae’s fingertips moved quickly.

Vrrr.

“Oh, a text message must have arrived.”

Cha Ra-ri, who was lying down at home eating puffed rice snacks while watching a variety show, picked up her phone.

‘Of course it is an acceptance text, right? There is no way Attorney Geum would miss out on a talent like me.’

Thinking it would naturally be a text message saying she had passed the interview, Cha Ra-ri smiled.

Manager Ju Yong-hae:

[Web Send]

Hello. We inform you of the interview results for Teum Law Office.

You have failed the screening. (1st on the waiting list)

In the event of a future staff increase or if a candidate gives up their employment, we will contact you again.

We at Teum Law Office sincerely support your future endeavors.

Thank you for applying.

Cha Ra-ri’s smile slowly faded.