“How may I help you?”
It was an elderly gentleman wearing a fedora.
“I came to see my daughter-in-law.”
“What?”
The female employee at the gallery asked in confusion. At that moment, another staff member, who recognized the elderly gentleman’s face, hurriedly ran out and bowed.
“Chairman, you’re here.”
At the word ‘Chairman,’ the jaw of the employee who first responded turned slowly, almost in slow motion. There stood Chairman Wang, smiling playfully.
“Father, why didn’t you come with Secretary Choi?”
“Come on, I’m not a child. It’s not bad to come alone once in a while.”
“Father, I’m sure the new employee must have been startled. It’s a relief that Mihyun recognized you quickly. If she hadn’t, you would have kept teasing the new employee, wouldn’t you?”
Chairman Wang moved on without denying the accusation. The gallery was filled with works by renowned artists.
Chairman Wang stopped in front of a painting with a blue dot on a pure white canvas.
“This would look good in the entrance hall.”
“You have a good eye, Father.”
Even though it was a piece worth billions of won, Chairman Wang picked and chose items as if he were at a local market. Since it was a gallery under the Jeil Foundation, in a way, it was almost like Chairman Wang’s own property.
“You said you wanted to take charge of the foundation?”
“Yes, Father.”
Chairman Wang liked his daughter-in-law. She had significant ambitions. Taking charge of the Jeil Foundation was akin to holding the financial lifeline of the Jeil Group.
If she were just greedy without the ability to back it up, it would be shameless, but she was highly competent. If she had been born a man, she would have already been a major figure.
“You know that Hyun went to Seocho-dong today, right?”
“Yes, Father. But why did you send Hyun to Seocho-dong?”
“To judge what kind of person he is. There’s a big difference between theoretical knowledge and real-life experience.”
The Jeil Group, with its numerous subsidiaries and countless employees, could paralyze an ordinary person upon seeing its true scale.
“I just got a call from Ilseon. Do you know where Hyun wanted to go first?”
“The management planning department, perhaps?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised by that. He said he wanted to go to the strategic planning office.”
Chairman Wang let out a pleased laugh.
The strategic planning office was the real brain of the Jeil Group. It was a department shrouded in secrecy within the group.
Chairman Wang was extremely curious about how Kang Hyun would perform there. At that moment,
“Why is it so noisy?”
From outside came the sound of someone speaking English. Chairman Wang and Im Hyera walked outside.
There stood Kim Mihyun facing a white woman who looked like a model.
“It’s been a while.”
The structure was old and faded, but it was essentially the same as before. The Jeil Group headquarters had Chairman Wang’s touch in every aspect, from construction to internal structure.
There were even rumors that a famed geomancer and a fortune teller had arranged the department locations.
Perhaps because of that, even with organizational restructuring, departments rarely moved.
“Hmm.”
If you walked past the left corner from here, you would reach the management support department, and if you went up the stairs, you would find the management planning team.
In a past life, I was on friendly terms with the general affairs staff. They handled welfare support and funds, so speaking well with them could upgrade an airplane seat from business to first class.
“Hyun, have you been here before?”
Oh no, I must have walked excitedly, lost in old memories. President Son Ilseon was looking at me curiously.
I shook my head and calmed my excited steps. But President Son Ilseon still looked puzzled. And then,
“The strategic planning office, huh.”
In my past life, it was the place I had so wanted to visit.
It was the most mysterious department within the Jeil Group, akin to Area 51 in Nevada’s Mojave Desert.
It was so mysterious that you rarely saw their faces, and they didn’t even talk to other employees.
Moreover, there were no new hires in the strategic planning office.
Most of the staff were experienced professionals, making it an unusual department with no entry-level positions. Rumor had it that an ordinary-looking middle-aged man there was a former colonel from the military intelligence, and that the strategic planning office was tightly controlled by former Federal Reserve employees.
It was similar to the rumor about aliens being in Area 51.
“It’s fortunate that the planning chief is giving a report today.”
It was my first visit to the strategic planning office. While I had a rough idea of its location, I had never peeked inside.
Because of this, I imagined it to be filled with advanced gadgets straight out of a sci-fi movie, using AI and big data like in Minority Report.
But it turns out people are the same everywhere. Besides, it was still the ‘90s.
“Impressive.”
Even with President Son Ilseon’s visit, the strategic planning office was bustling.
The employees varied in age, but they all had sharp eyes.
Only exceptional talents could set foot in this place.
“President, you’re here.”
Seeing the planning chief bow to President Son Ilseon, I tried to hide my surprise.
I knew him. In my past life, he was someone I frequently saw while preparing to run for Congress under my three-term assemblyman’s father-in-law.
A man with a chiseled jaw and sharp eyes. Why was I surprised? Because this man was the Prime Minister back then.
“I’ll now discuss the future directions for Daehan, Daeseong Group, and the foreign companies listed in the prepared proposal.”
It looked like an ordinary presentation.
But the people present weren’t ordinary, including President Son Ilseon and some unknown executives.
The presenter was none other than the chief of the strategic planning office.
I, wearing a school uniform, also sat among them, but no one questioned it since I was with President Son Ilseon.
“Impressive.”
As the presentation progressed, I couldn’t help but be amazed. I had heard so much about the strategic planning office’s reputation, but I didn’t expect it to be this impressive.
They were boldly predicting the downfall of leading companies like Daehan and Daeseong, as well as future market trends as if they were fortune-telling.
Moreover, their future assessments of foreign companies matched much of what I knew.
“Hyun, what do you think? Do you agree with Planning Chief Kim Sang-guk’s analysis?”
President Son Ilseon looked at me. All eyes in the meeting room focused on me. I knew why President Son Ilseon was asking me this.
Planning Chief Kim Sang-guk looked puzzled. What should I do?
“I don’t agree entirely. Let me explain my thoughts on the future assessments of the foreign companies mentioned by the chief. Regarding the LAS company’s future assessment, you gave it a failing grade as an investment target, but I disagree. There’s a point you overlooked.”
Chief Kim Sang-guk looked bewildered at my counter-argument. The other executives were equally surprised.
But President Son Ilseon listened intently without a word, so Chief Kim Sang-guk erased his expression and listened seriously to my explanation.
How much time had passed?
The debate continued. The meeting content could easily be mistaken for an intellectual discussion.
The other executives couldn’t hide their astonishment anymore.
“President, may I ask a question?”
When President Son Ilseon nodded briefly, Chief Kim Sang-guk looked at me. His gaze was oddly similar to Chairman Wang’s, filled with ambition beneath his sharp eyes.
“Who is this student? Did he study the presentation material beforehand? He’s good enough to be recruited into the strategic planning office.”
“Chief Kim, didn’t the chairman give you the foreign investment draft directly?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
At that moment, President Son Ilseon looked straight at me. Chief Kim Sang-guk still seemed confused.
Of course, I couldn’t say it myself. That I was the one who wrote the foreign investment draft.
“Noona, are you okay?”
Did something happen that I didn’t know about? Did the work wear her out? Kim Mihyun looked several years older.
The reason was simple. Today, right before a rare golden holiday, unexpected visitors came.
“By the way, Hyun, there was a foreigner here to see you.”
“A foreigner?”
“She was a woman with incredibly long legs, like a supermodel. She didn’t leave a business card and just said you’d know her if I mentioned a noisy lady.”
A noisy lady? That’s news to me.
At first, I thought it might be Anna from Russia, but she didn’t describe her as a model. Anna had good proportions but lacked the height for modeling.
“Also, there’s another guest who’s been waiting for you for a long time. She seemed quite upset.”
“Another guest?”
Kim Mihyun nodded with a playful expression. She didn’t tell me who it was, but I had a good guess.
“Oppa!”
Sure enough, as soon as I opened the studio door, a large cat leaped into my arms.
Son Yooha looked up at me. I was now a bit taller than her.
Son Yooha pouted adorably. I knew why the Ice Queen was acting this way.
“Sorry, I should have spent more time with you while you’re in Korea, but I’ve been busy lately.”
If only it were just the recital preparations. Unfortunately, my school schedule in Korea didn’t align with the spring break, so I had to attend classes on weekdays.
“It’s okay as long as you know.”
Son Yooha continued pouting. Like in my past life, I had no clue how to handle a woman’s feelings. But I couldn’t just do nothing. And then,
Growl.
Son Yooha’s stomach growled loudly. Her pouting face turned red like a ripe persimmon.
I smiled and patted her head.
“Oppa will make you dinner.”
“Make dinner?”
Yes, despite appearances, I have a solid background in living alone. Even after getting married in my past life, I traveled abroad frequently. My wife wasn’t the type to cook either.
In the annex of the gallery, there was a place where Director Im Hyera enjoyed brunch every morning. It had a kitchen.
“Is it good?”
“Yes!”
I didn’t make anything fancy. Just soybean paste stew with chopped green onions and large chunks of tofu, and fried eggs.
But Son Yooha ate happily as if she were enjoying a feast. It was as if she had forgotten her earlier sulkiness.
When she shyly asked for another bowl of rice, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sure, eat a lot so you can grow quickly.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be taller than you soon!”
Sorry, but this oppa is going to have a growth spurt soon.
After finishing the delicious dinner, we returned to the studio.
“Oppa, teach me the violin.”
“What?”
“I’m learning the violin again. I want to play the piece you played for me.”
Come to think of it, Son Yooha also learned the violin.
I handed her one of the practice violins in the studio. But the piece she wanted to play was quite challenging.
Her fingers and posture were awkward. Understandable, given she hadn’t played in a long time.
“Oppa, help me.”
I nodded and was about to correct her posture.
“No, hold me from behind and play like you’re guiding me. I heard that helps you learn faster.”
“What?”
Son Yooha continued speaking, suppressing her embarrassment.
It seemed her goal wasn’t just to play the violin. Who showed her “Ghost” anyway?
But her shy expression was quite cute. I suppressed a laugh and moved behind her, aligning my shoulders and arms with hers.
As if we were one body playing together.
