Chemistry

3. Old steel(7)

* * *

A safety inspection team wearing green helmets with the mark “Safety First” climbed up onto the Han River Railroad Bridge main line.

The lead member held a walkie-talkie in his hand.

Click.

“Department head, we are entering the bridge.”

-For Line A, adjust the train interval to 10 minutes for the next hour. Move for 7 minutes and wait for 3 minutes.

“Understood.”

The railway inspection team leader shouted to everyone.

“Be careful until we enter Noryangjin Station! Everyone, depart according to my signal!”

Jeong-woo stepped onto the railing and climbed up to the outer part of the bridge.

The bridge stretched across the Han River along four tracks.

‘Does it look old? It feels like walking on an old road.’

The scenery of this moment, walking in step with the rail tracks he had only ever ridden on a train before, was unfamiliar yet brought a new feeling to Jeong-woo.

In the distance, even the flowing water of the Han River appeared different than usual.

“Ah-choo!”

Song Boyeong sneezed loudly from behind, waking Jeong-woo from his thoughts, and he was now faced with a practical problem.

“The view is nice, but it’s cold here.”

Upon Jeong-woo’s words, Song Boyeong, whose nose turned red, nodded her head.

“Yes, it is. It wasn’t this chilly in the morning. It’s getting colder as the evening approaches. Ugh.”

“You didn’t have to follow me, though.”

“How could I not follow Mr. Parachute? Plus, I am a senior.”

“Even if you catch a cold?”

“I’ll catch a cold.”

Jeong-woo shrugged and noticed Team Leader Joo Hana climbing up behind him, fully equipped with a thick padded jacket.

‘She was prepared.’

It was a completely different outfit compared to Song Boyeong, who wore a thin suit.

“Senior.”

Song Boyeong, who had just climbed up the railing, looked up at Jeong-woo when he called her.

“Take this, at least.”

Jeong-woo handed over the scarf around his neck to Song Boyeong.

“How about Mr. Parachute?”

“It’s cold for me too. But, Senior, you seem like you’ll lose your nose right now.”

Taking the scarf that still had some warmth, Song Boyeong looked at Jeong-woo’s back, who was staring at the Han River, and smiled.

“Now that I think about it, Mr. Parachute and Dr. Cheon have one big difference.”

“What difference?”

“I guess you’re a bit more kind?”

Jeong-woo looked at Song Boyeong, who was putting on the scarf with a bright smile.

“Don’t get snot on it. It’s a new one.”

“Ha, that’s funny! I won’t!”

Following the inspection team leader, everyone started moving.

About 7 minutes later, a subway train passed by.

Standing in the safety zone under the bridge and on the metal ladder, Jeong-woo glanced briefly at the upper structure and focused on the bolts that were being magnified.

‘Ah, they look good.’

Feeling relieved that he didn’t have to worry about the mayor inspector noticing him, Jeong-woo breathed a sigh of relief.

“Team leader.”

Jeong-woo spoke to Joo Hana, who was holding a high-performance camera.

“Please take a picture of over there.”

“Where?”

“Over there… Oh, I’ll take it. Just press the shutter button, right?”

Holding a DSLR camera with a telephoto lens, Jeong-woo began to search for areas where corrosion of the bolts might be suspected.

5 PM. Noryangjin Station staff waiting room.

The door opened with a creak, and a woman with a Rudolph-red nose entered.

As soon as she saw the warm electric heater, she rushed over and put her face close to it, shivering with delight.

“Ah, warmth. Feels like I’m alive again.”

“Did you just return?”

Yoon Jaegil, who was waiting with her, asked Song Boyeong, who nodded in response.

“What about the others?”

“They’re talking to the reporters in the hallway.”

Yoon Jaegil, who had been looking out at the noisy outside, asked Song Boyeong,

“What were the inspection results?”

“There seem to be about three areas of danger. There’s a possibility of collapse within 10 days. Oh, my ears almost fell off.”

“Were there a total of five defective bolts? If that’s true, the recovery process will be simple.”

Yoon Jaegil muttered with relief.

Song Boyeong rubbed her flushed cheeks and ears before turning her head to speak.

“When we start using our semi-crystalline coating material next year, we won’t have to worry for the next three years. We’ve adjusted the particle size to be able to seep into the gaps between the bolts.”

“You sound very confident.”

“I didn’t exactly develop it… but I contributed a lot.”

Showing two fingers, Song Boyeong grinned, finally finishing the bragging she didn’t get to do during the seminar.

“I’m looking forward to KG Chemical’s new product. Even so, Yujin Chemical’s ranking in the paint industry won’t be shaken.”

“Just wait and see!”

Having finished his work well and thinking about the awkward clash during the morning seminar, Yoon Jaegil opened his mouth.

“I was a bit harsh in the meeting room, Boyeong.”

“Don’t you call me a pretty young lady anymore?”

Seeing Boyeong’s disappointed expression, Yoon Jaegil asked.

“You didn’t like that title back then, did you?”

“I was upset because I got scolded by the center director. But pretty is pretty. You should accept compliments humbly.”

Boyeong’s lively tone and temperature were out of the ordinary, and Yoon Jaegil chuckled at her words.

The passion for chemistry that the young researcher had was overwhelming, almost overflowing just by watching her.

Yoon Jaegil even envied her a little, as he had mainly worked with a team leader who was sharp and extremely realistic.

“I won’t lose in the next discussion.”

“As much as you want. But does that ‘next’ include Han Jeong-woo?”

“That’s… well…”

“In that case, I’m a bit worried. I’ve never seen someone with such excellent chemical intuition as that young man.”

“Ahem, I have.”

With Yoon Jaegil’s curious gaze, Song Boyeong only gave a meaningful smile.

“Tiririk.”

Upon her phone ringing, Song Boyeong apologized to Yoon Jaegil and moved towards the window.

“Hello?”

-Song. Where are you?

It was the voice of Lee Dong-gil, a senior of Jeong-yeon.

“I’m at the office at the station.”

-We’re having a party with our team in the research room 1, and we want you to come back here. Senior Seung-ju is also here.

“Right now?”

-Bring Han Jeong-woo with you. We have something to ask him.

In front of the station office.

Five journalists surrounded Jeong-woo with a recorder.

“Except for those three places, there is no immediate danger, right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

In response to the journalists’ skeptical eyes, Joo Hana, who stood next to Jeong-woo, spoke up.

“Based on the discovered risk factors, a second precise inspection is scheduled for the night. We have prepared to be able to conduct the construction during the time when there is no traffic. We believe that we can prepare for urgent risks by utilizing our company’s total care system and through continuous safety checks in the future…”

Joo Hana skillfully appealed to the advantages of Total Care and even indirectly advertised.

‘Is crisis an opportunity? Wow, this woman is scary.’

The interview continued for a while. Unlike at Yongsan Station, there were no broadcast cameras, so Jeong-woo felt more comfortable with the journalists.

“Mr. Han Jeong-woo. As an expert on corrosion, can you tell us a story that will raise citizens’ awareness of this situation?”

“Oh, I’m not that kind of expert.”

Journalists holding notepads and eagerly jotting down anything. They looked like hyenas wandering around looking for something that could become an article.

‘People were disappointed because they thought there wouldn’t be any accidents.’

In terms of disappointment, Jeong-woo felt the same. He didn’t notice it because he was in a hurry at Yongsan Station, but he didn’t see any famous newspapers around.

Later, even if his friends or Chan wanted to brag to him, saying “I was featured on the internet news on page 13,” it was a bit funny. He had even done an interview, but that was all he could say.

Jeong-woo saw Song Boyeong, who had entered the office, raise her head in a gesture that indicated there was no more time.

“Journalists, I think I have to go.”

“Mr. Han Jeong-woo! Just one more thing to say before you go!”

Since he didn’t have much to say, Jeong-woo was about to decline, but then he saw Joo Hana boasting about their company’s products and raising their stock price.

‘Well, they paid me to help, so why not pretend to be a real expert?’

Jeong-woo thought of some chemical information related to this accident. He could quickly recall several analogies.

“Um… Old iron is like that. Most of them have a weakness of corrosion. The metal that makes up the Han River Bridge is strong, but in fact, it is living a life that is destined to die someday. It quickly ages, weakens, and becomes an unreliable existence. Painting it won’t cover up its wrinkles either.”

As Jeong-woo spoke about the bridge as if it were alive, Joo Hana and the journalists who were interviewing him turned their heads in interest.

“The bolt that fell off at noon today was weakened to the point where it couldn’t withstand the active movement of free electrons. Storms, cold, heat. It’s hard to endure the storms of the world with just our naked bodies.”

Joo Hana, who was in the middle of an interview with the journalists, looked bewildered when she saw them all writing down or recording Jeong-woo’s words.

Song Boyeong held up her watch as she approached Jeong-woo. After looking up at her, Jeong-woo spoke.

“When it comes to corrosion, we can’t turn back time, but there are ways to stop the clock. Like the quasi-crystalline coating developed by KG Chemical. Now, I’m really leaving. Thank you for your hard work, Team Leader.”

Jeong-woo said goodbye to everyone and followed Song Boyeong, disappearing down the corridor.

The reporters whispered among themselves.

“Won’t what Han Jeong-woo said just now be enough to earn him a headline?”

“Being a chemist feels different from being a doctor or lawyer, but he sounds strangely professional.”

“He said he’s from KG Chemical, right? He looks young, but he speaks well.”

As Song Boyeong walked away, she covered her mouth with her hand and quietly asked Jeong-woo.

“You even advertised the quasi-crystalline project?”

“The team leader suggested it too. Did I do well?”

“Very well.”

“For once, you’re complimenting me a lot. Huh? Wait a minute.”

Jeong-woo pointed to the scarf Song Boyeong was wearing.

“Is it dirty? You’d better wash it… tsk tsk. But you can’t do laundry.”

“Oh, no!”

As they were about to walk down the stairs in the station, a man approached Jeong-woo and Song Boyeong.

“Are you leaving?”

It was Yoon Jaegil. Jeong-woo bowed his head and pointed to Joo Hana.

“We’ve talked about what we found. Oh, how about the operating costs…”

“We’ll process it properly after the detailed inspection is over.”

There was no need to confirm it again, but Jeong-woo nodded his head. Then, he was about to say something like “Do you want my bank account number?” but he had to swallow his groan at Yoon Jaegil’s next words.

“Our management support team and KG Chemical’s finance team should have left for the day, and it’s the weekend tomorrow, so we’ll pay you on Monday. Is that okay?”

“Ah…that’s fine.”

‘To the company? That 15% is not my money.’

Some of the consulting and operating expenses that Yoon Jaegil promised to provide was money that couldn’t be received in the name of Han Jeong-woo. Looking at it, pursuing personal income during work hours is not tolerated in a company, so it is impossible to receive such money under his name.

‘I hit the jackpot, no, the company did.’

Jeong-woo said bitterly to Yoon Jaegil.

“I’ll go, Director.”

“Mr. Han Jeong-woo.”

“Yes?”

“When your internship at KG Chemical is over, consider Yujin Chemical as well. I will strongly recommend it.”

“That’s…”

Song Boyeong, who was next to him, widened her eyes at the sudden scouting proposal.

As he said goodbye to Yoon Jaegil and walked out of the station, Song Boyeong asked Jeong-woo urgently.

“Are you really going after your internship?”

He might not be able to go, and he didn’t want to go right away. Jeong-woo was about to answer no, but his mischievous side was activated.

“A rival disappearing is something you should like, isn’t it?”

“Well…that’s true, but…”

Song Boyeong hesitated, touching the scarf still hanging around her neck, then decided.

“I have to admit it. Right now, Mr. Parachute is a little bit ahead of me. It’s frustrating, but I have to learn what I need to.”

“Teach you what?”

“Ha ha.”

Song Boyeong walked away with her cheeks puffed out.

‘This senior is cute when she’s sulking.’

Song Boyeong, who was standing on the street calling a taxi, turned to Jeong-woo.

“Oh, there’s a company dinner, so come along.”

“A company dinner?”