In the sixth episode of "The Art of Negotiation," Jin-su encounters his counterpart from SHIMIZ, who expresses contrition for placing him in a precarious position. Their conversation takes a warm turn as they share common experiences; she had once resided in South Korea as an exchange student, fostering a connection between them. Over a delightful dining experience at some exquisite restaurants, she unwittingly divulges crucial insights into SHIMIZ's internal political landscape. She confides that the project lead is strategically delaying negotiations to fulfill his quota, thereby securing his transfer to the Tokyo office.
Armed with this invaluable intelligence, Jin-su promptly informs the M&A team, inspiring Joo-no to conceive a novel strategy. He proposes an increase in the down payment, an idea that could potentially appeal to the project lead's ambitions. To expedite this plan, Joo-no bypasses CFO Ha and directly seeks approval from WIND's CEO, who surprisingly grants his consent. Joo-no then engages in private negotiations with the SHIMIZ team leader, who, in exchange for the enhanced down payment, acknowledges that Sanin is entitled to a 50% discount according to their internal policies. It seems as though the deal is gradually coming together.
Meanwhile, CFO Ha convenes a meeting of the company's executives, attempting to shift the blame onto Director Lee Dong-ju for the delay in WIND's listing. He also dredges up Joo-no's past involvement with a failed pharmaceutical company, an effort to tarnish his reputation. Simultaneously, we discover that Joo-no's brother had advocated for Sanin to invest in the same pharmaceutical company, but Joo-no had wisely refrained, recognizing it as fraudulent.
Just as the deal is poised for signing, SHIMIZ's production manager abruptly withdraws, citing a breach of trust due to the alteration in order quantity. Despite the company having surplus supply, he remains steadfast in his refusal to sign the contract. In a desperate bid to salvage the deal, Joo-no and his team visit SHIMIZ's factory, yet the production manager remains intractable and unwilling to negotiate.
At this juncture, Joo-no uncovers a pivotal fact: the CEO of WIND had previously acquired the company belonging to the production manager's father. The manager harbors resentment, convinced that his father's craftsmanship was degraded when the blueprint of their cherished product was surrendered. Yet, Joo-no enlightens him, clarifying that WIND did not displace DAICHI (his father's legacy); rather, they upheld his father's dream by persevering in the production of high-quality bows, precisely as his father had envisioned. Finally, swayed by this revelation, the production manager assents to ink the contract, cementing the deal.
Returning to Sanin, a board meeting convenes with the intent to call Director Lee Dong-ju to account for the delay in WIND's listing. However, Joo-no's proclamation of the deal's triumph disrupts CFO Ha Tae-su's scheme. As the episode draws to a close, a bombshell drops—the CEO has procured the down payment loan by pledging company stocks as collateral, orchestrated through his secretary. This cliffhanger teems with tension, heralding deeper complexities and turmoil on the horizon.
