“Engagement ceremony?”
The reception room was filled with an old fragrance.
“Son, you mentioned this before, but don’t you think it’s time to hold an engagement ceremony?”
“Old man, you seem quite eager all of a sudden. Is it because you really like Yooha?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Such a kind and well-mannered child is rare. Besides, Hyun seems to like Yooha quite a bit too.”
The smiles never left the lips of the grandfathers conversing.
Indeed, just seeing their grandchildren brought immense joy to their lives.
Chairman Wang sipped his tea thoughtfully and began to speak.
“Do you remember Judge Jung?”
“Are you talking about the Judge Jung from the Supreme Court? Isn’t he a friend of yours?”
“He’s retired now and spends his days at the university. He always lacked greed and even declined the position of department head. He’s a man of principle, and we often have candid conversations. Recently, he told me an intriguing story.”
“An intriguing story?”
As Chairman Yoo listened intently, Chairman Wang’s lips moved. The story that the old law professor from Korea University shared was as fascinating as a folk tale.
“He said there’s a student attending his lectures who possesses exceptional legal knowledge, far beyond the average law student. It would be understandable if this student were a senior, but surprisingly, this student is a freshman. Furthermore, the student isn’t even in the law department. Judge Jung was taken aback after a discussion on legal interpretation with the student. The student was as knowledgeable as a seasoned judge.”
“Did that strict Judge Jung say that?”
“Yes, he said it felt like he was conversing with an equal, not a student. I wouldn’t have been interested if it were just that, but I was speechless when Judge Jung told me who it was.”
Chairman Wang couldn’t hide his surprise when he heard about “Kang Hyun” from Judge Jung.
Not only was he impressive as a musician and manager, but he also possessed outstanding legal knowledge.
Even Judge Jung, who had spent his life wrestling with the law in the Supreme Court, acknowledged him.
“Hyun?”
Chairman Yoo, surprised, soon recalled the Jeon Wanyong case from a few years ago and nodded. From that time, Kang Hyun had shown exceptional promise.
“My son-in-law sure has a knack for surprising people. Isn’t he the only one in Korea who is close to Chairwoman Barbara? By now, Chairwoman Barbara should be arriving in Korea. I heard it will be broadcast live on national TV.”
Indeed, not only the major corporations but even the Blue House was paying close attention. The broadcasting stations were live-streaming the airport scene.
The two grandfathers turned their attention to the large TV screen.
Gimpo International Airport was bustling from the morning. Chairwoman Barbara was visiting Korea.
Not only journalists but also broadcasting stations and government officials were present. It was practically a state visit.
Considering the potential investment from Barbara Group in a country with declining credit ratings post-financial crisis, it was indeed a huge opportunity.
“She’s coming out—!”
With someone’s shout, Chairwoman Barbara emerged from the arrival gate.
Though middle-aged, her sharp features and deep brown eyes were as striking as any Hollywood actor.
Moreover, the entourage of dozens of staff and security personnel resembled a royal procession from the Joseon Dynasty.
The sound of camera flashes intensified, and the government officials’ faces grew more tense. After all, no one knew the exact reason for Barbara’s visit to Korea.
Barbara was currently the talk of the global stock market. She was said to be harder to meet than the President of the United States.
Some speculated that she was visiting the Blue House in Korea, the Chinese government, the Japanese Ministry of Finance, and various Asian countries in sequence.
“Chairwoman Barbara, what brings you to Korea so suddenly?”
A brave reporter from a broadcasting station asked in English. Although the security guards immediately blocked the way, Barbara responded with a gentle smile.
“I came to meet a friend.”
“A friend?”
The unexpected answer threw not just the reporter but also the other journalists off guard.
Amidst the confusion, Chairwoman Barbara suddenly moved forward. The broadcasting station’s camera, which was live-streaming, hastily followed her.
Oh?
Chairwoman Barbara was heading towards someone with a broad smile on her face.
As government officials and journalists watched in puzzlement, Barbara stood in front of a man with a deeply pulled-down hat.
“It’s been a long time, Hyun.”
Kang Hyun couldn’t hide his surprise. He never imagined that Chairwoman Barbara would recognize him immediately from afar.
Just a moment ago, he had been hugging Son Yooha. With wide eyes, Son Yooha looked up at Kang Hyun.
Kang Hyun thought he should probably introduce them to each other.
Journalists stared in astonishment at Chairwoman Barbara and the man with the hat. Barbara, famous for her stoic expression, was smiling brightly while conversing with an unknown man.
Someone who recognized the man under the hat shouted.
“Violinist Kang Hyun!”
In an instant, the crowd buzzed, and camera flashes went off. No one expected that the person Chairwoman Barbara was so friendly with would be Kang Hyun.
A few years ago, he had stirred the world by conducting for the British Royal Family at a young age, and recently, he had made headlines in Korea for achieving a perfect score on the college entrance exam.
“Chairwoman Barbara, what is your relationship with Violinist Hyun?”
“Have you always been close with Chairwoman Barbara, Kang Hyun?”
Questions poured in like an open floodgate. The cameramen zoomed in on the faces of the two.
Chairwoman Barbara smiled and answered.
“I am friends with Violinist Hyun.”
The unexpected answer brought a moment of silence, but soon the camera flashes went off like fireworks.
Under the bright spotlight, Chairwoman Barbara, Kang Hyun, and Son Yooha were being broadcast live across the nation.
“What’s Chairwoman Barbara’s schedule?”
The presidential office was bustling. Chairwoman Barbara had officially started her visit to Korea.
Her domestic schedule was undisclosed. Barbara Group hadn’t specified the reason for her visit either.
“She has a luncheon scheduled with the President. Several ministers will attend, and they will discuss signing an MOU for investment in Korea.”
It wasn’t unusual for the head of state to be involved. Barbara Group was a giant corporation with significant influence even in the U.S.
If Barbara Group started investing in Korea, which was struggling post-financial crisis, it would be a golden opportunity.
“Chief, several domestic conglomerate heads, including Dongshin Group, have requested a dinner with Chairwoman Barbara.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes, they seem reluctant to miss this opportunity. However, Barbara Group doesn’t seem very interested in meeting corporate heads. They haven’t given a clear answer yet.”
Despite being leading companies in Korea, they still struggled to stand shoulder to shoulder with global corporations. Barbara Group was among the top in the world, so it was no wonder. At that moment,
“Chief, a reply from Barbara Group has arrived.”
“Now?”
“Yes, regarding the dinner with the conglomerate heads. Chairwoman Barbara has agreed to the dinner but with specific conditions.”
Specific conditions?
“Let me see the document.”
The subordinate handed the reply document from Barbara Group to the Chief.
Initially, the leading domestic conglomerate, Jeil Group, had not stepped forward.
However, in the additional attendees listed by Chairwoman Barbara, Jeil Group and Dongju, known for its chemical industry, were included.
The Chief’s eyes widened in surprise at the last sentence of the document.
“VH Company?”
“Hyun, was that person next to you your girlfriend?”
The day after being photographed with Chairwoman Barbara, Kim Daewoo seemed more curious about whether the woman in the picture was Yooha than about Barbara calling me her friend.
It was understandable since Yooha’s face was cleverly hidden by my profile in the photo. Even the live broadcast cameras mostly captured me and Chairwoman Barbara.
Just then, the old professor entered the lecture hall.
“Today, we will discuss the legal interpretation of criminal cases. We will base the discussion on real cases from the past, so I hope students will share their honest opinions.”
The professor’s eyes were sharp. Though it was a general education course titled “Modern Society and Law,” it had increasingly delved into advanced legal topics.
Today was no different. We were discussing the legal interpretation of a past case of implied intent murder.
It was a case I had studied while preparing for the bar exam, a heavy topic for first-year students.
“Any student willing to discuss the legal interpretation of the case I just mentioned? It doesn’t matter if your answer is legally incorrect. Law should always be based on common sense.”
The professor was staring directly at me. The students’ gazes also naturally turned towards me like jurors in a courtroom.
By now, it had become almost routine for the professor and me to engage in a debate during class.
When I finally raised my hand, the professor smiled contentedly.
“Hyun, you really seem well-suited for the law department. Did you see the law students earlier? They were amazed. Are you planning to transfer to the law department?”
No way, I didn’t want to major in law again in this life.
Not only Kim Daewoo but also the old professor from the law department subtly brought up the idea of transferring every time after class. He even offered to help me with the transfer exam.
Each time, I firmly shook my head, making it clear that law was just a hobby, not a major.
“Hyun, all the classes are over for today. How about some makgeolli?”
“Makgeolli?”
“Yes, do you know how many female classmates want to talk to you? There’s a freshman gathering today.”
Considering Kim Daewoo’s position as the class representative, I thought I might attend for his sake.
“Junior!”
In front of the college building, a familiar figure was waiting for me. Manager Kim Sangguk, dressed up, greeted me.
“You need to go somewhere right now.”
“Right now?”
With Manager Kim’s urging, I had to part ways with Kim Daewoo. As I got into the car, Manager Kim glanced at me through the rearview mirror.
“First, you need to change into a suit.”
“Wait a minute, Manager. Where are we going?”
“There’s a dinner meeting hosted by Chairwoman Barbara with the heads of major corporations.”
A dinner meeting with the heads of major corporations? What did that have to do with me?
At that moment, Manager Kim got to the point.
“You have been invited as the representative of VH Company.”
