“Episode 2”
Today, I got rejected from another part-time job interview. It’s already the fifth time. Seeing the message starting with “Thank you for applying” on my phone screen made me feel despondent.
“Even though it’s post-apocalyptic times, you didn’t even finish high school, and there’s quite a gap in your employment history. What were you doing during that time?”
I don’t understand why they ask such questions. Shouldn’t it just matter if I can do the job well?
“Sigh…”
A sigh escaped my lips. If I save money as much as possible, I can last for two months. If I break my savings, I can manage comfortably for a year. I have to find a new job no matter what before then.
I should be an ideal worker to hire for a decent wage, so why do I keep getting rejected?
Feeling sad wouldn’t change the reality. I am a lowly person in this society without a college degree, an awakened certificate, or a hunter registration. Moreover, I had neither time nor money. As I struggled to take responsibility for my life, I ended up being a 23-year-old without a decent certificate.
No matter how bad things are, it’s ridiculous that I can’t find a job. Some places didn’t even bother to respond to my resume.
After being rejected in a series of interviews, my self-esteem hit rock bottom. I closed the internet browser I was looking at.
Today doesn’t seem to be the day. Let’s read a novel instead.
[Ban Hyun-woo made a resolution. He would never forget this humiliation, not even in death. If he gets another life, he will surely take back everything….]
As I was engrossed in the novel, a small window popped up on the screen. It was a message from someone.
“Ha-young, are you really not thinking about coming to the association? I’m telling you, they treat you well.”
I ignored the message. Who was she trying to fool? Then, notifications kept coming in, with messages like “ㅠㅠ,” “They really treat you well, you know?” and “The pay isn’t great, but the work is manageable, right?”
I tried to ignore it, but when Min-young unnie called me, I ground my teeth in frustration.
I can’t even read my novel in peace!
“Are you really not thinking about coming to the association?”
“No thanks, I don’t need low wages.”
I didn’t even bother with the polite formalities. It made me click my tongue in annoyance.
“They provide room and board…”
“Oh.”
The thought of cramped rooms and unappetizing food made me frown.
Min-young unnie, who was calling me now, was one of the association’s staff who had taken care of me when I returned to this world. Thanks to that connection, she was one of the few people I still kept in touch with. She remembered how I had drunkenly called her a few days ago, crying, “I got fired, hnghh,” and had been fervently trying to recruit me to the association ever since.
The Korea Awakened and Hunter Protection and Supervision Association, commonly referred to as “the Association.” It’s a government-affiliated organization that supports the awakened individuals, but it’s infamous for the staff getting beaten up all over the place.
Although the civil servants there are known for their job security, the work is tough and they get a lot of flak, so the association is always short on manpower.
Min-young unnie, who has been with the association for over 10 years, has always tried to get me to work there. In my naïve and younger days, I would have said “yes” without knowing it was the whisper of a devil.
“Are you really not thinking about coming?”
“Nope. I’d rather work at a construction site than go to the association.”
“That’s harsh. We don’t exploit you that badly!”
They do exploit you that badly, and the pay is low.
They do exploit you that badly, and the pay is low. Although civil servant jobs are known for their job security, the situation is different if you’re not an awakened person.
Why? Because instead of being a full-time employee, I’d be a part-time administrative assistant.
Despite the official work hours being stated as 8 hours, they exploited the fact that they provided room and board to make me work around the clock. Even if I had just taken a bite of dinner, they’d call me to do some task. Of course, I had to handle all sorts of miscellaneous tasks among the overworked staff who often did overtime.
“I’ll try to negotiate for a higher salary somehow.”
“No thanks. I know the other employees are underpaid too.”
“We’re not that underpaid, really!”
Yes, they are. Even with room and board, the pay barely met minimum wage.
Moreover, there was another reason I didn’t want to work at the association: meeting high-ranking hunters.
High-ranking hunters were notoriously terrible in terms of personality. Why do hunters lose their decency once they become one?
They were worse than the worst troublemakers. They treated non-awakened individuals worse than roadside pebbles and expected special treatment just because they were hunters. If they didn’t get it, they’d get angry.
Of course, not all hunters were like that. But most of them were.
The already busy staff assigned me tasks like making coffee and entertaining guests, and I had to endure all sorts of experiences while serving coffee to hunters.
I’ve been doused with coffee or subjected to relentless personal insults, making me never want to go back to such a place.
Recalling the uneasy meals I had at the association, I spoke wistfully.
“No, thanks… Find another assistant.”
“How could you be so stubborn when we raised you so well?”
Min-young unnie let out a deep sigh at my wistfulness. “How we raised you? It was like a big circus.”
But this unnie really has no conscience. Despite always complaining about how tough it is to work at the association whenever we meet for drinks, she still tried to convince me to take a job there as an assistant.
After numerous attempts to persuade me, Min-young unnie finally gave up trying to convince me. Instead, she sent me a link to a website.
“If you’re so averse to it, there’s nothing I can do. How about this instead?”
I was curious, so I checked it out.
[(Urgent) Tianlang Guild Assistant Office Part-time Job]
#NAME?
#NAME?
#NAME?
– Resume required]
It was a job posting from Tianlang. I couldn’t believe it.
“Why are you sending this to me?”
“It’s better than nothing. Tianlang rarely hires people!”
I could feel her concern for me as keenly as ever. But I was still incredulous.
“Unnie, Tianlang even checks if you’re awakened for an office assistant position…”
That’s right. With the guild leader being ranked first, Tianlang held a lot of prestige.
Which means, even for an entry-level office job, they have high standards. I heard they even require awakened registration certificates and various qualification exams.
Even with my sigh, unnie remained unmoved.
“Still, you never know. Just give it a try. They said they’re really hiring without any conditions this time.”
“Who’s saying this?”
“A Tianlang guild member who came to negotiate with the association today, looking as pale as a ghost.”
Oh, for crying out loud, believe it or not.
My eyes narrowed, but unfortunately, I couldn’t convey this expression through the phone call. Min-young unnie, anticipating my reaction, laughed out loud. It was something she always did, but her laughter sounded really odd.
After that, there was some pointless small talk. When she asked how work was going lately, I replied with a dramatically hoarse voice, “Let’s meet up sometime. I’ll buy you some meat.” A massive complaint was duly registered. Despite feeling annoyed, I couldn’t turn down the offer of meat, so I reluctantly accepted with a nod.
After hanging up, half in jest, I submitted my resume to Tianlang. I had to force myself to write something as there was not a single word written. Feeling hungry after putting in the resume, I retrieved the instant noodles I had bought from the ceiling and ate them.
That submitted resume haunted me.
“Oops…”
Rubbing my swollen eyes due to eating the late-night noodles, I blinked at the phone screen. No matter how many times I wiped, the words didn’t change.
The message from Tianlang was an invitation for an interview.
I never thought that my shabby resume would actually be considered. Would the experience of working as an office assistant at the association be of any help?
While foaming at the mouth from brushing my teeth, I silently stared at the screen. There were so many things I wanted to say about Tianlang, but the gist of it was one thing: the fact that they’re a massive guild that wouldn’t consider hiring me.
+
I’m gonna fail.
Koi
Even though I knew I was going to fail, I couldn’t just wear any clothes to the interview, so I rummaged through my closet and pulled out my most cherished outfit. That’s how I went for the interview. The competition was fierce, with awakened individuals applying for an office assistant position for some reason.
I, too, answered promptly whenever the interviewer asked something. It was almost like a reflex.
After stumbling through the interview messily, I walked out into the hallway with a blank expression.
Somehow, I felt like it was a waste to let this day go by like this. I even wore nice clothes.
I thought about contacting a friend for a meal.
At that moment, I bumped into someone.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see where I was going…”
I apologized first and then looked up. The other person was so tall that they blocked my entire view.
Their voice was soft.
“No, it’s okay. Interview?”
It was a pleasant voice. And a familiar one.
Surprised, I looked up and saw Chun Shin-woo.
The Chun Shin-woo, ranked first.
“Uh, uh, Ch-Chun, Shin-woo?”
“…You recognize me.”
Stupid words escaped me.
He continued walking without looking ahead and didn’t even get mad at me for bumping into him.
“Yeah…?”
A stupid answer slipped out of my mouth. Chun Shin-woo’s gaze seemed oddly fixed on me. What, did I have something on my face?
“Guild Master! Regarding the recent gate we conquered…”
At the same time, a man who had been running from behind stopped abruptly upon seeing Chun Shin-woo.
“Do you know him?”
“…No.”
The brief response passed over me. I wanted to say something more, but my whole body stiffened, leaving me unable to do anything.
“I have nothing more to say about this gate. Handle it yourselves.”
“Yes. Yes?”
“I hope to see you again.”
With those words, Chun Shin-woo casually reached out and patted my head. Thanks to his tall stature, his hand was also quite large.
“What? You said you didn’t know him, wait! Wait, Guild Master!”
After the indifferent touch came an indifferent walk. Since he was moving at such a fast pace, the man who had been following Chun Shin-woo had to rush after him again.
I just stood there, numbly watching their retreating figures.
