Dongju (垌州).
A leading company in South Korea’s chemical industry.
Yoo Dongyul, born as the only child of a wealthy family in Chungcheongbuk-do, moved to Seoul during the Japanese colonial period and established a rice mill, which became the foundation of the company.
After the Korean War, acquiring a factory abandoned by the Japanese and starting a soap factory marked the beginning of what is now Dongju Chemical.
Grandfather Yoo Dongyul was a patriarchal person.
Even if they were his children, women couldn’t participate in business matters, and during family gatherings, daughters-in-law always had to prepare food with the housemaids.
His deep Confucian beliefs were evident even in the separation of dining tables for adults and children.
At the table where Kang Hyun was sitting, all the cousins were quietly eating, as if they had honey in their mouths.
This was partly because of their grandfather, but also because they had seen Kang Hyun’s previous behavior. As evidence, Yoo Jinseok couldn’t even look Kang Hyun in the face.
“Sir, this crab dish was made by your youngest daughter. Please try it.”
It was the housemaid who had been living in grandfather’s house for a long time. She served the crab dish I had brought in a fancy-looking bowl, and the eyes of my uncles and aunts momentarily changed.
Grandfather stared at the crab dish for a long time before picking it up.
“The seasoning is well done.”
It was just a short comment.
Nevertheless, my uncles and aunts showed signs of discomfort on their faces.
I struggled to hold back a smirk. Aren’t humans always anxious about losing their own bowls?
‘Tsk.’
After grandfather passed away.
Those fools couldn’t even properly manage their own assets and ended up going bankrupt.
Dongju Chemical, which grandfather had built over decades, was broken up and absorbed by foreign capital within just ten years.
After that, I never heard from my uncles again. The last I heard of my eldest uncle was that he was in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do.
“Father, why don’t you take a break at home and enjoy your grandchildren’s company?”
My eldest uncle cautiously started the conversation. Grandfather, who held onto management rights even in his seventies, put down his chopsticks with a loud sound and alternately looked at my eldest and youngest uncles.
The tense atmosphere, akin to facing a tiger, descended.
“Beomjin, Beomkyung.”
Grandfather softly called the names of my eldest and youngest uncles. Despite being over forty, my uncles straightened their backs like students receiving a scolding. My aunts and uncles-in-law also showed tense expressions.
“Recite the manufacturing process of Donghwa Detergent.”
It was a liquid detergent released by Dongju Chemical. My eldest and youngest uncles couldn’t easily start talking.
Donghwa Detergent was a liquid detergent, not a powder. At a time when most used powder detergent, liquid detergent was rarely used due to its weak cleaning power and high price.
However, grandfather predicted that liquid detergent would surpass powder detergent in the future.
“Executives who don’t even know what their company makes want me to step down?”
“Father, that’s not what I meant…”
“Enough!”
At grandfather’s stern command, my aunt was so startled that she hiccupped.
Grandfather alternately looked at my eldest and youngest uncles and said,
“If you can’t handle things properly, Dongju Chemical will be entrusted to professional managers. I cannot leave the company I’ve built my whole life to ignorant fools. You should always think of yourselves as salaried employees while working for the company.”
My eldest and youngest uncles’ faces turned bright red in an instant. They were visibly angry but tried to hide their expressions by lowering their heads.
I was inwardly surprised. I never imagined grandfather would come out so strongly.
‘And yet, they will still ruin the company in the future?’
The saying that people can’t be fixed was spot on. Despite grandfather’s stern reprimand that shattered their pride, my eldest and youngest uncles would still be the ones to ruin Dongju Chemical in the future. My aunts were just adding fuel to the fire.
Dongju Chemical.
Hearing the now-faded company name, I swallowed a bitter smile.
Chirp chirp chirp─!
The sound of cicadas echoed clearly even in the wealthy village.
Sunlight streaming through the window warmly greeted the morning. It was the first time I lay on this bed since coming back to the past. They said it was the room my mother used to use.
It was neatly organized and dust-free, reflecting grandfather’s heart that seemed to always be waiting for mother.
“Hyun, what do you want to do in the future?”
At the breakfast table, grandfather asked me.
Unlike the bustling night before, it was just grandfather and me at the table.
I couldn’t easily answer grandfather’s question.
If I wanted to, I could re-enter the law department at Korea University and even pass the bar exam. I had lived as a legal professional for decades. Although I wasn’t a righteous guardian of justice.
“I want to make my parents happy.”
Grandfather’s eyes showed a peculiar expression at my unexpected answer.
“You are a filial son. Do you mean you want to make a lot of money?”
Money…
I had the confidence to become rich just by using the knowledge I had. But I didn’t want to live a life obsessed with money.
In my previous life, I ran headlong, obsessed with materialism and power. When I stripped away the vanity, nothing remained. Moreover, my parents weren’t people who were tied to money.
“I want to live a happy life, as it is. Having a lot of money doesn’t necessarily make you happy.”
At Kang Hyun’s firm voice, grandfather nodded. The grandson he had seen years ago and the one now were too different.
He thought Kang Hyun had matured because he was the top student in his class, but his tone, actions, and even his eyes had changed.
Just in time, the housemaid brought the morning newspaper. Grandfather had a habit of reading the newspaper and drinking coffee towards the end of breakfast.
“Hyun, would you like some orange juice?”
Perhaps considering my age, the housemaid asked about orange juice. I nodded in gratitude.
On the front page of the morning newspaper was a large picture of Son Ilsung, the president of Jailelectronics, standing next to Prime Minister Ko Jinwoo.
The company would later be known as the Jaeil Republic. Even decades ago, its power was immense.
“It seems our country will join the OECD.”
Grandfather said quietly while reading the newspaper.
We would join the OECD. The good times as an advanced economy were only for a few months. Our country didn’t have the power to fend off the foreign exchange speculators.
Knowing the future, grandfather’s exclamation didn’t sound so good.
“Hyun, let’s have lunch with an old friend of mine today. He insists on showing off his granddaughter.”
“Yes, grandfather.”
In the past, I never had such one-on-one time with grandfather. It was my first time sleeping over at grandfather’s house in this life. In my previous life, I almost despised my grandfather and relatives for not helping our family.
“Mother had a surprisingly girlish side.”
The wallpaper was pink. The bedspread had delicate lace.
Mother had lived in a wealthy family until her mid-twenties. It’s hard to believe she now makes a living doing other people’s laundry. It must mean she loves father that much.
Knock knock.
With a knock, the door slowly opened.
“Hyun, would you like a snack?”
The housemaid brought in a tray with white milk and biscuits.
“Ma’am, do you know who grandfather’s friend is?”
I asked the housemaid while picking up a biscuit.
“Hmm, I don’t know.”
The housemaid didn’t seem to know who grandfather’s friend was either.
Thud.
Even after the housemaid left, I continued to look around mother’s room for a while. Her belongings and clothes were neatly organized. Grandfather’s affectionate heart made my chest feel tight.
“Huh?”
Under the desk, something caught my eye. It was a case.
I reached out and pulled out the case.
“A violin case?”
It was an old violin case. But it was spotlessly clean, as if someone had been constantly dusting it.
“Mother used to play the violin.”
Maybe that’s why she was so happy when I learned to play the violin.
I carefully opened the violin case.
Inside were the bow, the violin, and a hygrometer, all neatly arranged.
Thump thump thump.
Seeing the violin made my heart race.
It was like when I listened to Beethoven’s symphony.
I was staring at the violin for a long time when,
“Hyun, your grandfather is calling you.”
The housemaid’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I carefully closed the violin case and put it back in its original place.
We drove for a long time in a luxury sedan that was rare in the 90s. The housemaid had given me a new outfit to change into. Though young, I was dressed formally, like wearing a suit. Grandfather was smiling contentedly.
“Mr. Kim. I bragged to my friend that my grandson was the top student in his class. Do you know what that old man said to me?”
The driver smiled and briefly answered.
“He bragged that his granddaughter was also the top student. We ended up arguing about whose grandchild was better. Today is the day to settle that. Haha.”
What?
So today’s meeting was about that?
Grandfather looked at me with a proud smile. I reflexively smiled back at him. It was my first time seeing grandfather like this.
The driver skillfully navigated the roads without being told the destination. He must have been there more than once. But why…
‘It feels familiar somehow.’
These were the streets of Seoul from decades ago. Many things had changed, but the roads felt familiar.
Could it be?
No way. A hypothesis formed in my mind, but I quickly shook my head.
However, as the car entered a street with many luxurious Western-style houses, my suspicion grew stronger.
‘Could it be.’
A huge Western-style house came into view outside the car window. The tall red brick wall hid the inside, but the size of the property alone was incomparable to the surrounding luxury homes.
“We’ve arrived, Chairman.”
I had been here in my previous life.
Though it would no longer be used in the future, in this era, the owner should be living there.
Gulp.
No way.
Grandfather’s friend.
