“Oppaaa─!”
As soon as I stepped into the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, Son Yooha came running out barefoot to greet me. Anyone watching would think we were long-lost family members reunited.
When I handed over the gift I brought, her smile grew so wide it seemed like it would split her face. That look of pure joy—it’s probably because she’s a child that her emotions are so easily readable on her face. If I hadn’t bought snacks at the duty-free shop, there might have been trouble.
“Hyun, did you have a good time in Japan?”
Chairman Wang came out with a hearty laugh. Behind him, Son Ilsung bowed his head towards his grandfather but seemed quite uncomfortable.
It was probably because Son Yooha was sticking to me like glue. Understandable—I would be annoyed too if my daughter was this infatuated with another guy.
“Son family, come on in.”
Grandfather and Chairman Wang were clearly old friends. They seemed to have a lot to talk about, having not seen each other in a long time. It’s hard to find friends who truly understand you as you get older, so it’s a good thing for them.
“Oppa, was Japan fun?”
Son Yooha clung to me, not thinking of letting go, and with Son Ilsung watching, it was a bit of a nightmare.
Drip drip drip.
Chairman Wang personally poured tea into the teacup.
The rich aroma tickled my nose; it was the Pu’er tea that Chairman Wang loved so much. Pu’er tea harvested from deep mountains has a stronger astringent and bitter taste the higher its grade, but the aroma and lingering aftertaste that slowly reveal themselves over time are considered the pinnacle of tea.
“Oh, Hyun knows how to appreciate tea?”
Chairman Wang’s eyes widened as I sipped the tea, relishing its aftertaste. The reason was simple. Even adults find it hard to truly savor this tea.
Grandfather, seemingly reminded of the ramen shop incident, showed a strange smile. Chairman Wang took a sip from his teacup and looked at Son Ilsung.
“Ilsung, there’s been a lot of talk about the factory site recently, hasn’t there?”
“Yes, father. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
Chairman Wang frowned deeply. Seeing this, Son Ilsung immediately tensed up.
In some ways, Chairman Wang and my grandfather were similar. Their philosophies on education at the dinner table were also alike.
No matter how young the children were, they talked openly about company matters in front of those they had earmarked as successors. But Son Yooha seemed to have no idea what the conversation was about. Anyway.
‘Factory site.’
Ah!
I remembered.
It was the incident where Jeil Electronics faced intense local opposition over relocating their factory, leading to unprecedented regional conflict.
It was frequently discussed in corporate litigation papers and remained Son Ilsung’s sole blemish.
“How do you plan to resolve the political aspect?”
At Chairman Wang’s sharp inquiry,
“I’ve already handed over the goods to a ruling party member. It will soon be confirmed that the factory will move to the Hwaseong site.”
Son Ilsung answered without hesitation. Chairman Wang and my grandfather’s expressions simultaneously became subtle. They probably had their concerns, and I knew the reason why.
‘Tch.’
Son Ilsung of this era was not yet a tiger. He had enthusiasm but lacked experience.
Ultimately, the problem arose because Son Ilsung only lobbied the ruling party in the Gyeonggi region. Eventually, the opposition party controlling the local small cities protested.
No matter if it was for regional development or whatever, most of it was just about lining their own pockets. Just then, I felt a piercing gaze. Chairman Wang was looking at me?
“Hyun, let grandpa ask you a question.”
The moment Chairman Wang and my eyes met.
“If two thugs each wanted to take your stuff, what would you do?”
What an analogy.
There was an old saying.
If you’re caught by gangsters, you’ll get beaten, but if you’re caught by politicians, your life is over.
Son Ilsung looked at Chairman Wang and me with a puzzled expression. Grandfather quietly held his teacup. What should I do about this? If I don’t answer, he’ll keep staring at me.
“Um, to avoid getting my stuff taken.”
Oh well.
“I’d satisfy both of them.”
Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo were sitting across from each other. Their children and grandchildren had all left. In the reception room, only the sound of placing Go stones filled the air along with the lingering aroma.
Chairman Wang, holding a black stone, was deep in thought.
“Where’s the guy who plays Go?”
Chairman Yoo joked, holding his teacup. At that moment, white was gaining the upper hand in the battle on the lower side.
Click.
Chairman Wang, holding a black stone, tried to complicate the situation as much as possible to gain an advantage on the right side.
“Thank you, Son family.”
Eventually, the large black group from the upper side to the center was captured, and the tide completely turned. Of course, capturing a large group doesn’t mean the game is over. Even in professional games, there are times when players make a comeback after losing a large group. However,
“Old man, do you do nothing but play Go after meals?”
Chairman Wang finally threw in the towel. Even without counting the points, it was clear he was significantly behind. Further fighting was meaningless.
Chairman Wang, picking up the remaining black stones on the board, started talking. “When I see things like this, Hyun really resembles you.”
Chairman Wang pushed all the black stones into the container.
“Ilsung is still immature.”
A statement that would shock anyone who knew Son Ilsung. But Chairman Wang believed his son was still inexperienced.
“Whether it’s azaleas or pine trees, they’re both nurtured with the same fertilizer. If you only give fertilizer to one, the other will get jealous. Such fundamental issues aren’t understood with the head. In that sense, Hyun is a natural.”
During the military regime, countless companies were crushed by political forces. Chairman Wang had survived such turbulent times. His sharp survival instincts were invaluable.
It was just a question out of curiosity. But the answer surpassed his expectations, even outshining his own son.
Just like Son Yooha, Hyun was still just a boy. But the key point was that he fully understood all the adult conversations in the reception room in that short period. How could a child his age do that? It was almost supernatural.
Chairman Yoo silently smiled. He had also been surprised by his grandson many times, just like Chairman Wang.
“Old man, what about Hyun’s schooling?”
“As soon as the vacation ends, he’ll study in Seoul.”
Chairman Wang nodded briefly. Hyun was a smart kid, so it was right to give him more opportunities. But his brows soon furrowed.
“This is a big problem! Yooha will visit Ichon-dong frequently.”
Considering how Son Yooha typically behaved around Kang Hyun, it wouldn’t be surprising if she decided to study abroad in Ichon-dong. Being so attached to a guy from such a young age, what good could come of it?
“Old man, you haven’t forgotten our promise, right?”
Wouldn’t Kang Hyun be a good match?
Chairman Yoo, sitting opposite, picked up a white stone instead of answering. Click.
The crisp sound of Go stones echoed in the reception room.
“Hyun, thank you, thank you so much!”
Park Sunyoung was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed with gratitude. I hadn’t forgotten to bring something for her too.
The gift was a famous album containing Hirose’s performances, with a handwritten autograph. For a violinist, it was a treasure.
I told her to take good care of it because its value would only soar over time.
“How was Hirose’s performance?”
The difference between a live performance and a recording is like night and day. Hirose, being a world-renowned maestro, had naturally piqued Park Sunyoung’s curiosity.
“She was the queen of strings, absolutely.”
A simple yet perfect answer. There couldn’t be a better review. Hirose indeed seemed like she was born to play the violin.
Park Sunyoung’s eyes were filled with envy. If I mentioned that Hirose had made an offer to me, she might faint on the spot.
Moreover, Park Sunyoung didn’t even know that the chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra had sought me out.
By the way.
“Ahem.”
I felt Son Yooha’s sharp gaze. She was pouting, arms crossed, clearly showing she was upset about being left out of the conversation.
Sometimes she seemed more like a puppy than the ice queen. I’m beginning to worry that the future might change.
As the tutoring session progressed,
“You’re really fast.”
Park Sunyoung was amazed. My speed in grasping musical knowledge was beyond imagination. Even I was surprised, so how much more would Park Sunyoung be?
Originally, Son Yooha was the one getting tutored, but she was now just eagerly waiting for me to play the violin. The roles had completely reversed.
“Hmm.”
Park Sunyoung’s eyes were filled with contemplation. It had reached a point where she couldn’t even call it teaching anymore.
From violin techniques to interpreting sheet music, I lacked nothing. More often than not, she was the one asking me questions. Ever since the curse that had entangled my mind was lifted, Park Sunyoung had trusted my words entirely.
“Hyun.”
Park Sunyoung called me, seemingly having made up her mind.
“Would you like to enter a competition?”
I was puzzled by the sudden suggestion. A competition out of the blue? But Park Sunyoung continued.
“To be honest, your age and experience might be an issue, but if you prove your skills, I think a recommendation letter can make it possible. No matter how I look at it, you’re not someone who should just be learning theory. It’s an international competition with a very high level, and it would be a valuable experience for you.”
I wasn’t particularly interested. I was learning the violin because I loved music, not to compete with others.
What’s the point of ranking in art? Some said Mozart was better than Beethoven, while others said Schubert was better than Beethoven. It was all subjective.
“And if you win, the benefits are immense.”
I had no problem earning money. In my previous life, I had lived so harshly, chasing after material wealth and power. I didn’t want to live such an empty life again. Benefits? Forget it.
“You get exempted from military service.”
