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The Annual Jumadeung Awards is an awarding function that recognizes the contributions of employees and teams who went above and beyond to serve South Korea’s souls and uphold its value as the best afterlife partner. This is also the time where the company honors and gives its final respects to those reapers who have already decided to reincarnate and live a new life.
Every employee in the company is always excited during this time, as it is also the time for them to honor themselves for a job well done for the previous year because the awards day is also the time they will receive their annual performance-based bonus. This year, the HR Team did the selection differently. Instead of letting the senior board decide who to award, a poll was prepared by the selection committee, which weighs 40% of the criteria alongside the performance appraisal at 60%. But there is a rule regarding the poll: you cannot vote for yourself for the employee awards, and you cannot vote for your team for the team awards, and they were only given 24 hours to cast their votes.
Last year, the escort team won via landslide both the team and employee of the year awards, which seemed unfair according to the Jade Emperor because the escort team has the most employees. which was the reason why the awards ceremony this year is going to be different. It's not that Park Joong-Gil deserves the employee of the year award, which he has won almost every year since the company started the awards; there’s no doubt about that, but they must also give a chance to other reapers who are deemed deserving but are on the ranks.
Besides the Employee of the Year, Team of the Year, and Service Awards, the selection committee added several awards, namely, Rookie of the Year, given to the employee who has just five years of service or less but has already shown fantastic performance in his or her current position. Second is the Team Leader of the Year, which will be voted on by the Team Leaders themselves. Also in addition to the team awards, there will be awards for the Most Improved Team and the Best in Quality Assurance Team, or the team with the fewest or no rules broken, which the audit team will select, and of course, the Risk Management team will never win.
This year’s ceremony was grander than ever. Coincidentally, two renowned celebrities who hosted several awards in their lifetime passed away and were offered to host the program. And instead of just cash prizes, the employee winners are granted a wish they could use whenever they wanted.
Everyone was in attendance. It seems like a wish is more valuable than money, and of course, now that awards aren’t limited to one, there are more chances of winning.
“Tell me why are we here again? Clearly RM isn’t going to win an award. Are you fidgeting?”
“I guess. I haven’t felt like this since I knew my mom was at the red light.” Ryung-Gu was certain that he wouldn't win an award. Given that RM’s manpower is only two people, except for Ms. Koo, no one will vote for him. A part of him wanted to go to the department store to check on her but couldn’t because of the mandatory attendance and also because she wasn’t on the red light app. Ryeon allowed him to check on her, but Ryung Gu refused. Their team already has a negative rating, and he doesn’t want to jeopardize it further by not attending. Anyway, this will only last for two to three hours, so if anything happens, it won’t be too late. Ryeon was also worried about him, but a part of her wanted him to stay because of the little hope she had that he would win an award.
With the auditorium fully packed and most reapers hopeful that they would have a chance to win an award, the ceremony commenced. There were several performances in between the awards by talented employees and idols who volunteered without favor.
Most Improved Team was awarded to the Book Management Team. “Deserving,” said Ryung-Gu, who was a former employee before transferring to RM. “Thank God they systematized everything already. Now even the company isn’t having a hard time finding records.”
The Best in Quality Assurance is given to the Spirit Management Team. “This is already unquestionable. For what else will they break the rules?” said Ryeon.
Team of the Year is awarded to the Tech Support Team which is deemed to be very deserving of the award. Jumadeung’s operations have been seamless all thanks to their innovations, namely the newly upgraded RM’s Red Light App, Book Management’s Portal, which is now accessible to every reaper in the company, and the Sales Team’s improved Salesforce CRM.
The Rookie of the Year award was given to the Tech Support Team’s intern, who was the brain behind the upgrades. Young and geeky, who only lived 30 years of his life. The cause of death? Heart disease due to stress from overworking.
Team Leader of the Year was awarded to Maeng Jang Hyun. Ryung Gu was skeptical about the winner. He bluntly told his boss that it is she who should be awarded but still applauded anyway. To that, Ryeon jokingly replied. “By the number of times I broke the policy, it would take another millennium for me to win.”
The much-awaited announcement of the Employee of the Year award is near. The reapers were nervous, hoping that they'd be the ones who would win.
Alright, settle down! ”The director started. “Whoever is going to win this award must’ve done something not any reaper could do. So if that’s not you, do next year so that you will win too.” She opened the envelope, her eyes growing wider upon seeing the results, which made her employees more anxious. “Deserving indeed,” she said with a wide smile that reached her eyes. “Employee of the Year is none other than...” She pauses. She really knows how to play with her employees’ feelings. “Manager Lim Ryung Gu!”
He covered his mouth in surprise, dismissing the fact that his alarm is already ringing and it’s time for him to go home. Ms. Gu turned it off and arranged his hoodie to be more presentable.
Ryeon didn’t know this either. She was like a proud big sister as Ryung-Gu received his trophy. He’s the most deserving to win that award; that is unquestionable, but she didn’t expect that the whole of Jumadeung would agree.
“Thank you! I was not expecting this. As you can see…” showing his OOTD: pants with a gray hoodie and a leather jacket on top, just his usual fit in the office. “I wasn’t prepared for a speech either,” he laughs. He’s really not expecting this. “To the Jade Emperor, ma’am, thank you. I honestly think that being promoted was the last recognition I will get for several decades. Thank you for that, Ma’am and for everything! To my team leader, Ms. Gu. Everything I am today is because of you, and I am grateful for that. Also, to team leader Park, who supported Ms. Gu in hiring me. I hope this made you proud too. And to all of you who supported me, thank you, and I will promise you won’t regret this.”
Ryeon hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes when Ryung Gu went down the stage. As a supervisor, the success of her employee is her success too. She was just so proud of him.
“So this is why you’re anxious.”
“I just can’t believe it, Ms. Gu.”
“Well believe it already! You deserve that award more than anyone here.”
They thought that was the final award because the director didn’t go down anymore, but they were wrong. She was there to introduce a new award. An award for someone who exudes excellence throughout his service and embodies the values of the company.
The Director’s Award, or Hall of Fame, is awarded to Park Jung Gil. The second the name of the award was announced, everyone in the room already knew who would receive it. The awardee did not expect this, so for the very first time in history, the whole of Jumadeung saw him unprepared.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to be awarded after what happened. That's why I am beyond grateful to all of you for this. Especially to the Director, Ma’am, words of gratitude wouldn’t be enough to compensate for the trust, support, and guidance you gave me over the past centuries.”
“To my fellow team leaders, drinks on me," the ever-sociable team leaders laugh. They’re already thinking about how many bottles of alcohol they’re going to consume tonight. “To my dear escort management team, I owe this to you. I can’t be a Hall of Fame awardee without your support. Thank you very much.”
“And lastly, to my beloved...” He paused and looked in Ryeon’s direction with great affection. If the cameraman was smarter, it would be best if he zoomed in on the direction he was looking in, but he was not. “Who keeps me motivated and inspired everyday. I regret how I treated you badly in the past for having forgotten you, but I promise to make up for all those times now that we have an eternity to spend together.” He thanked the audience once again and bowed. The reapers were murmuring about what they just heard. What? He is in a relationship? With who? The gossip mill is on field trip today.
“Another reason why you’re here, Ma’am.”
“Oh shut up!” Miss Koo couldn’t help but smile, knowing that it is she who this Hall of Fame awardee is referring to and that it is she who owns this man’s heart, but she held herself from being celebratory because she couldn’t bear to expose their relationship. Not now. It hasn’t been a decade. But on the lighter side, everyone now knows that Team Leader Park is already off the market. Now, they just have to be extra careful not to be discovered by Jumadeung Dispatch.
It would be weird if Ryeon didn’t join the team leaders for the celebration, so she went there and sat at the far end of the table, away from Jung Gil, so that his team would not get suspicious, which the team leaders found inappropriate. After all, they already knew their connection. All thanks to the director’s briefing before helping Jung-Gil in hell. But they all got the unspoken message and understood it.
Ryeon went home after a few drinks. She excused herself from her colleagues and the escort team by saying her child needs her. The escort team thought it was her pet, but she didn’t have one. Jung Gil laughed He knows she’s referring to him. It’s just that Ryeon knows how messy Jung Gil is when he is drunk, and she’s afraid they might get exposed. So she decided to go home earlier and also prepare some hangover soup for him.
“You have a...” Mr. Bang curiously whispered. The hall of famer laughingly shook his head and pointed towards his chest, which made the team managers laugh.
She’s tired, but she can’t sleep. Maybe it’s just the alcohol kicking in, but for some reason Ryeon kept on reaching for Jung Gil’s pillow. It smells like him—woody, warm, deep, intimate. She decided to watch TV and just wait for him to come home from dinner. He walked towards her and flopped into her arms. It’s already past two in the morning. The smell of smoke and alcohol still reeked on him, although he wasn't as drunk as she expected him to be and was still a little bit sober.
“There’s hangover soup in the pot.” She spoke with a soft voice. He might be so tired of socializing, especially since he isn’t that much of an extrovert. The man just nodded and continued to enjoy this woman’s embrace. Congratulations, Team Leader Park!” Ryeon tightened her embrace; she could feel him smile against her chest. “But I can't believe my boyfriend..."
"Husband!” Jung Gil corrected.
"Yes you! Whoever you really are in my life.”
He looks into Ryeon’s eyes with the same look of love he had while giving his speech and says “The love of your life."
“I can't believe you outed us.”
“I didn’t mention your name, Honey.” He kissed Ryeon and grabbed the sleeping clothes she had prepared.
Yes, but you only looked in my direction. Thankfully the cameraman isn’t smart enough to record where you’re looking at!”
"Just sleep Honey. You need some rest."
"Good night, Dear!"
The next morning…
“I want Ryeon’s threads of fate to be repaired.”
His boss just looked at him. She already expected that Joong-Gil would ask something for himself. "I thought you would ask for reincarnation.” She wasn’t serious about what she said.
“Reincarnation is the last thing I would wish for, ma’am. The only time I would wish for that is when she reincarnates. But she wouldn’t; she already found her purpose here, and I respect that. And if she reincarnates, I wouldn’t be with her because our threads are already severed.”
“Don’t you want to wish for yourself?”
“I already have everything now that I regained my memories. Ryeon is my life, and I want her to be truly happy.”
“The two of you couldn’t reincarnate anymore! How does the thread of fate matter? Isn’t she already happy with you?”
“We are happier than ever, ma'am, but nothing beats the assurance that whatever happens, we will find each other again, and that will make her even happier.”
“The man that you are! Very well, if that's what you want.”
But truth be told, this was only a leeway for him not to be nominated for an award anymore.