“Ajumma―!”
It was a piercing high-pitched sound. Yoo Chairman’s third child came to Ichon-dong early in the morning.
“Ajumma, I’m thirsty, so please give me some cold water. Take this quickly. I brought some herbal medicine that’s good for father’s health, so feed it to him if he comes to his senses.”
It seemed like he was preparing for insurance. He had to at least pretend to show some sincerity in case Yoo Chairman suddenly regained consciousness.
Of course, the third child wasn’t the only one calculating such shallow schemes. The second child, Yoo Beom-kyung, was no different.
“Ajumma, why is the soup so bland?”
“Exactly, food is all about the seasoning, but you really can’t get it right, Ajumma.”
“Father is too out of it to eat anyway, so make it tasty for those who are still around. We’re starving since we came here so early.”
It was a sight that couldn’t help but make one frown. The third and second children acted as if Ichon-dong was their own home.
The same went for meal times. Yoo Beom-kyung was now sitting in the seat where Yoo Chairman always sat. He was certainly audacious.
Despite these siblings’ antics, Kang Hyun’s father just ate silently with a stern face. Perhaps because of the previous dispute with Yoo Beom-kyung, they didn’t exchange many words.
After breakfast, Kang Hyun’s father went to work, but Yoo Beom-kyung and the third child remained as if they were glued to their spots. The third child, with his cunning mouth, started talking to the housekeeper and the youngest child, Yoo Hyun-ja.
“Hyun-ja, go grocery shopping with Ajumma for a bit. There’s not much to eat for breakfast anyway. If you have to go, it’s better to go early in the morning.”
It felt like they were being evicted. Kang Hyun’s mother, who didn’t want to cause a scene while Yoo Chairman was bedridden, and Yoo Hyun-ja reluctantly left.
Just then, Yoo Beom-kyung came out after checking on Yoo Chairman’s condition, nodded briefly, and sprawled his legs on the sofa in the living room.
“Father still isn’t conscious. What are you going to do from now on?”
“What else can I do? I’ll follow whatever you say, oppa. So, what’s the plan?”
The background of their collaboration was this: They had received a proposal to sell their shares to the foreign investment company, VH Company. Yoo Beom-kyung furrowed his brows as if he was deep in thought.
“Tikhonov, that Russian guy, said that the results of the commercialization of the new material were insufficient. There’s no real possibility of it being pushed forward. The eldest brother is obsessed with the company and would never let go, but not us. If the new material development falls through, we’ll be like dogs chasing chickens.”
“I don’t have any lingering attachment to Dongju either. It’d be enough to just open a hospital for my husband. But wouldn’t it be better to sell to the eldest brother than to some strangers?”
“You fool, do you think the eldest brother will pay more than the foreigners? He’s just as stingy as father. If we threaten to sell our shares to a foreign company, he’ll try to stop us. We should sell it off if we get the chance.”
Yoo Beom-kyung and the third child didn’t have much affection for Dongju Chemical, which their father had built over his lifetime. They were more worried about the stock price dropping due to the failed new material development.
At that moment, the morning news was playing on the TV in the living room.
“News from Barbara Mining, a subsidiary of the Barbara Group in the US, has discovered a gold mine in the Turpka region of Nepal. Although the exact distribution has not been investigated, experts estimate that based on the purity and yield extracted from the ground, it could be the world’s greatest gold vein of the 20th century.”
It was news about finding a gold vein in a faraway country. Yoo Beom-kyung and the third child couldn’t take their eyes off the TV screen, fascinated by the experts’ excited voices and the unimaginable estimated gold reserves.
“Oppa―!”
Son Yooha’s face was full of excitement. Today was the day she was supposed to go to the amusement park with Kang Hyun.
On the other hand, Kang Hyun’s face was filled with unexpected tension. It was a place he had decided never to visit again after an experience in Korea.
Moreover, the amusement park they were visiting this time was famous for its roller coaster that plunged vertically at a 90-degree angle.
“Director, I’ll take good care of you today.”
Manager Kim Sang-guk, wearing sunglasses, jokingly said. Son Yooha looked curiously at the two of them at the word “director,” but Kang Hyun didn’t offer any explanation.
There was a reason why Kim Sang-guk called him “director.” He had been experiencing a series of surprises without a single day off recently.
Especially when he heard that Kang Hyun had signed a contract with Barbara Mining, he was so shocked he could barely breathe.
Barbara Mining was one of the hottest companies in America right now. Seeing Kang Hyun’s capabilities, it was fitting to call him “director.”
“Oppa, let’s go quickly―!”
Son Yooha pulled Kang Hyun’s hand as if she were a triumphant general. As always, Kang Hyun followed her and wandered around.
He wanted to give Son Yooha, who had been struggling alone in America for so long, a day of fun.
But he was still as unfamiliar with amusement rides as ever.
“Yooha, should we take a break and have some ice cream?”
“Hmm, shall we?”
“Alright, I’ll go get the ice cream.”
As Kang Hyun stood up, Son Yooha quickly followed. Manager Kim Sang-guk watched them from a distance with a satisfied smile.
“Oppa, you have ice cream on you.”
“Where?”
“Hold still―!”
Smooch.
Sometimes, picturesque scenes were created. It was as if they were making a teen movie, imitating something they had seen somewhere.
Even Kim Sang-guk, who didn’t know the first thing about romance, felt his heart’s love cells sprouting unconsciously.
“I actually don’t like riding roller coasters, but I think it’s not scary at all when I’m with you, oppa.”
“Do you really dislike roller coasters? You did well in Korea last time.”
Isn’t it said that a woman’s heart is like a reed? Especially for a teenage girl, there could be countless reasons for riding a roller coaster.
Without expecting an answer, Kang Hyun sat in the roller coaster seat.
Of all places, it had to be the front row. The roller coaster that plunged vertically at a 90-degree angle started to move.
Though she said so, Son Yooha felt her heart pounding uncontrollably. At that moment, Kang Hyun firmly held Yooha’s hand. As if telling her not to be afraid, he held it tightly.
How much time had passed?
“Yooha is sleeping well.”
Son Yooha had fallen asleep in the car while they were driving back, as if she had enjoyed her day to the fullest. Of course, she was leaning comfortably on Kang Hyun’s shoulder.
She seemed to be having a happy dream, occasionally smiling like a baby making cute faces.
At that moment, Kang Hyun paused for a moment and then spoke to Manager Kim Sang-guk, who was driving.
“Manager Kim, have you ever met my uncles and aunts?”
“If you’re talking about the Yoo Chairman’s children, I haven’t seen them in person. I don’t have any connection with them.”
“Right?”
As if he had expected it, Kang Hyun nodded. He had no idea that Prime Minister Kim Sang-guk, whom he had met while preparing to run for Congress, was a scholarship student of the Jeil Group. Indeed, he was a student personally groomed by Chairman Wang.
“Manager Kim, when we return to Korea, I think you should meet with my uncles and aunts.”
“Your uncles and aunts?”
“Yes, it’s time to cast the fishing rod.”
Manager Kim glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Kang Hyun smiling meaningfully.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that my grandfather would have made a great actor.
He was quite tall for his age group and had a sharp, Western look. Even his voice had a unique gravity to it.
Most importantly, he was giving a performance so convincing that anyone would be fooled.
“Grandfather.”
At my voice, my grandfather, who was lying on the bed, slowly opened his eyes. His skin was surprisingly glowing for someone who had been bedridden.
Realizing that I was the only one in the room, he got up.
“Hyun, when did you come back from America?”
“I just got back. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even think about changing my clothes and came straight to greet you.”
“You rascal, I heard you met Yooha in New York?”
How does news travel so fast? He even knows that I met Yooha in New York. No matter how much I run, I’m still in Buddha’s palm.
Many emotions flickered across my grandfather’s wrinkled eyes. After all, he had gone through a lot while bedridden.
“Your little uncle and aunt seem to be planning to sell Dongju. They think I’m really bedridden and spout all sorts of nonsense, making me so angry I can’t stand it.”
“Why don’t you get up and scold them like you used to?”
“You rascal, why say something you don’t mean? We’ve come this far, and if I get up now, it will all be for nothing.”
Indeed, the movie isn’t over yet.
Grandfather was curious about my time in America. He especially asked a lot about my lunch with the chairman of the Barbara Group.
Grandfather’s eyes had turned into those of a curious child. Meeting the Jewish chairman who wielded immense power in the gold standard system must have sounded like the adventures of Sinbad in One Thousand and One Nights.
“You said you gave three reasons to the Barbara chairman for doing business?”
“Yes, grandfather.”
“Goodness. Hurry and tell me. I can’t stand the suspense.”
Grandfather seemed eager to know what wishes I had made to the genie of the “Barbara” magic lamp.
Just then, there was a newspaper on the bedside table with the headline boldly stating, “The greatest gold vein of the 20th century discovered.”
“I have no intention of purchasing shares in Dongju.”
It was like a bolt from the blue.
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean by what?”
“What do you mean you have no intention of purchasing shares in Dongju?”
Yoo Beom-kyung’s face was quite desperate. He raised his voice enough to forget that he was in a hotel lobby.
Manager Kim Sang-guk found the situation quite interesting. Who would have thought that Kang Hyun was the real owner of “VH Company”?
“It means exactly what I said. Our representative has decided not to purchase shares in Dongju. I think you know the reasons better than anyone. The biggest downside is the potential failure of the new material development.”
“Isn’t the representative making a mistake? Missing out on such a good investment opportunity because of such petty concerns—!”
“You’re being too harsh.”
Kim Sang-guk’s sharp tone made Yoo Beom-kyung quickly apologize.
The conversation continued in the same vein. When things didn’t go his way, Yoo Beom-kyung tried to bring up any tiny flaw in VH Company.
“Mr. Yoo, you know about the greatest gold vein discovered in Nepal recently, right?”
“Are you talking about the one discovered by Barbara Mining?”
“Yes. Barbara Mining, part of the Barbara Group, is famous for not accepting external investment support. They have an endless supply of funds. However, this time, they made an exception and accepted investment from one external company for the Nepal mine. That company is VH Company.”
Yoo Beom-kyung’s eyes widened. He had thought VH Company was an empty shell, but it was actually a golden goose.
If what Kim Sang-guk said was true, then he was the one who should be worried now.
“Sorry, but can I meet your representative in person?”
“The representative?”
“Yes, I have something important to discuss that will interest him.”
At that moment, Yoo Beom-kyung grabbed Kim Sang-guk’s hands, as if not to let go.
Kim Sang-guk felt that Yoo Beom-kyung’s hands were free of calluses, as if he had never worked hard in his life.
‘Interesting.’
Old habits die hard, and the term “interesting” surely referred to some confidential documents about Dongju.
Kim Sang-guk marveled internally. Yoo Beom-kyung was exactly as Kang Hyun had described.
It was as if Kang Hyun’s thoughts were being played out in front of him without any deviation. What kind of blueprint did Kang Hyun have in his mind?
“Alright. I’ll arrange a meeting.”
“Huh?”
“Then you can meet our representative in person.”
Now it was time to reel in the fish, whether it was small fry or a big catch.
