“What are you doing with Daeil Group?”
Only the scent of age lingered in the reception room.
“It was my mistake. I will retrieve all investment funds as soon as possible.”
“Leave it be.”
“Pardon?”
Son Ilsung looked up at Chairman Wang. It was a mistake that deserved rebuke. He had ruined things by being swayed by petty thoughts.
Despite his age, Chairman Wang’s eyes were as sharp as ever, like a sword honed over a long time.
“If you try to retrieve the investment funds now, it will backfire. The political and business circles are on edge. At times like this, you need to take a step back and move cautiously. If you act rashly, you might end up falling, so be careful.”
“I will remember that.”
There was a brief silence between the two. It was none other than Chairman Wang who broke the silence.
“Ilsung.”
“Yes, Father.”
“They say a stone Buddha once said this: a mistake made out of ignorance doesn’t leave much of an impression, but a mistake made recklessly leaves a lasting memory. In the future, Daeil Group will be uprooted, and South Korea, connected to that root, will be shaken. Never forget today’s mistake.”
Son Ilsung’s throat gulped heavily. Talking with his father made him feel like a child again. His father felt as insurmountable as a great mountain, both then and now.
Even though South Korea was in turmoil like a yacht caught in a storm, his father remained calm and unshaken, like a Go master who could see hundreds of moves ahead.
“Father, I’ve confirmed that Chairman Yoo’s second son is listed on the Kim Dae-sik list.”
The Kim Dae-sik list referred to the list of funds lobbied by Kim Dae-sik, the head of Daeil Group.
The document would inevitably come to light once Daeil Steel went bankrupt and Daeil Group collapsed, and it would bring another bloody storm to South Korea.
If that happened, even Dongju Chemical, marked with a scarlet letter, wouldn’t be safe. However…
“Ilsung, do you know why Chairman Yoo and I have been able to hold our positions until this age? We decided never to extend a hand to each other, no matter who falls. Don’t let personal feelings ruin your management. Always remember that the name of Jeil Group follows your choices!”
It was a sharp, knife-like piece of advice. But Chairman Wang’s lips seemed to hold a faint smile as he brought the teacup to his mouth. His piercing gaze was directed at someone beyond.
“I wonder how you will navigate this crisis.”
Damn!
The notes on the staff sheet twisted roughly as if they were shouting angrily.
It was a series of musical phrases imbued with complex and difficult emotions, much like Schubert’s Erlkönig.
It must have been reflecting my current state of mind.
The notes flowed smoothly without any pauses, like reading a novel without commas, and finally, a fermata was written on the double bar line, marking the end.
“People who don’t believe in the stories of Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert will nod in agreement once they see you, Hyun. You’re filling the staff sheet as if you’re pouring out musical phrases. In that sense, may I take a look?”
It was Baek Jung-hoon, who had been quietly sitting in place until now. Did he have a teacher on his study abroad who taught him to read the room? His timing was impeccable.
Before I could say a word, he had already approached. But he was someone I couldn’t dislike.
Baek Jung-hoon accepted the sheet music I handed over with great care, as if holding a newborn baby.
His gaze followed the notes on the staff sheet. The moment his eyes reached the fermata on the double bar line.
“Ha.”
An involuntary exclamation of admiration escaped him.
“I understand why record labels are so eager to find you, Hyun. If the sheet music you wrote in one go, based on your swirling emotions, is this good, what about your other pieces? If they knew about the sheet music piled up in your studio, people from all over the world would come with blank checks.”
Baek Jung-hoon had been asking me a lot of questions for some time. From the repertoire for a solo recital to comprehensive music theory and abstract concepts.
His serious attitude felt as if he were treating me like a teacher, so I couldn’t easily answer.
“You want to add ‘Blood and Iron’ to the repertoire?”
Baek Jung-hoon nodded without hesitation. A repertoire is not something that can be easily changed like flipping a pancake. It is a list completed after long contemplation.
Moreover, it was his first solo recital after returning to Korea. Baek Jung-hoon was a pianist who received the expectations of many audiences. Performing an unfamiliar piece at such a venue was practically a gamble.
“Please, Hyun.”
“Until it’s perfect?”
Baek Jung-hoon smiled brightly as if he had been waiting for this.
Dudududung―!
His fingers moved incessantly on the keyboard. It was then.
“Again.”
It was a fleeting moment, but the pitch was off.
The adjustment was as delicate as the relaxation of the fingers, to the point where an ordinary person might not notice any difference. But to me, it sounded as loud as the creaking of gears.
Baek Jung-hoon stuck out his tongue at my ability to pinpoint the mistake but paradoxically looked more delighted than ever.
“Again.”
One might feel humiliated, but Baek Jung-hoon listened to me silently.
From the first movement, Adagio sostenuto, playing each note with strength, to the second movement, gradually building tension like a fog settling in, and finally to the intense third movement.
Baek Jung-hoon’s breathing became rough, and his arms were already trembling slightly. But I didn’t stop.
“Again.”
The solo recital was not far off. As Baek Jung-hoon said, adding ‘Blood and Iron’ to the repertoire required that much effort.
I found the mistakes and helped interpret the sheet music.
Even a genius could not completely interpret the sheet music in a short time. As Baek Jung-hoon said, receiving the composer’s help was a rare opportunity.
Who knows how much time had passed, his shirt was already soaked with thick sweat. It was as if he had been caught in a downpour.
“Hyung.”
I unconsciously grabbed Baek Jung-hoon’s hand, which was moving toward the first note of the sheet music. “It’s complete.”
Despite being exhausted, Baek Jung-hoon’s eyes were clearer than ever.
Indeed, he was the maestro of ‘Blood and Iron.’ From the middle of reviewing the piece, he had been crazily immersed in playing, as if he had fallen into his own world. It was to the point where I almost felt time had stopped.
His deep gaze and passion cleared my complicated mind. The moment Baek Jung-hoon’s ‘Blood and Iron’ was completed,
- History repeats itself, Hyun, where will you stand?
I also figured out where I needed to go.
Blub blub―!
As fish food was scattered into the pond, golden carp rushed forward, poking their mouths out. Chairman Wang looked down at them with a peculiar gaze.
“Father, it’s cold. Shouldn’t you go inside?”
The weather was cool for summer, just after the rainy season ended. Occasionally, a cold wind blew, making his daughter-in-law worry that her father-in-law, dressed in linen, might catch a cold.
Chairman Wang did not take his eyes off the golden carp gathered together.
“Isn’t it fascinating, daughter-in-law? These carp, no matter how much time has passed since they were fed, they still rush forward with their mouths open. That’s how it is. Human greed is endless. Daeil Steel has collapsed, and soon there will be a hearing for Kim Dae-sik of Daeil Group. I wonder how many will be caught by that bait.”
“Father, Chairman Kim isn’t someone who easily opens his mouth, is he?”
No wonder Kim Dae-sik’s nickname was “lock.” He was famous for never opening his mouth, no matter where the pressure came from, whether it was the prosecution or a hearing.
At that moment, Chairman Wang emptied the remaining fish food into the pond. By now, they should be full, but the carp still rushed forward with their heads raised.
“Kim Dae-sik is just a human, and a very greedy one at that. In the end, to save himself, he will spill everything. Someone has to die anyway.”
Among the chaebols, the list of names on the Kim Dae-sik list was being confirmed.
But it wasn’t yet public knowledge. No wonder protests were being held.
The beat of the drum demanding the disclosure of the list of corruption was getting louder every day. It was safe to say that anyone whose name was on the Kim Dae-sik list was finished.
“Then won’t Dongju Chemical also be in danger?”
“Of course, it will be marked with a scarlet letter.”
Im Hyera was puzzled. She knew that her father-in-law and Chairman Yoo of Dongju Chemical were close friends, but his current attitude made them seem like strangers.
Perhaps it was this thorough personality that made Chairman Wang’s Jeil Group what it is today. At that moment, Chairman Wang smiled mysteriously.
“He can’t be a gentleman.”
“Pardon?”
“Just wait and see, everything depends on that child.”
At that moment, a familiar boy was walking over from beyond the garden.
I headed to the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong early in the morning. Although it wasn’t a day for playing Go, Uncle Kim drove me quietly to Pyeongchang-dong without saying a word.
Compared to the disarray in the Ichon-dong mansion caused by my little uncle, the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong felt serene, like the tranquility of a morning forest.
“Hyun, warm green tea is good in the morning.”
Chairman Wang greeted me as if he had been waiting. He even poured the green tea he had brewed into a cup. After some time had passed, I spoke first.
“Grandfather, I hope you can make Uncle Bumkyung’s issue disappear.”
Chairman Wang couldn’t hide a smile on his lips.
He had known me for a long time, so he wouldn’t be surprised by this. Instead, he acted as if he had anticipated this situation.
“Why should I do that? Your grandfather and I never interfere in each other’s family matters or business.”
“There are two reasons.”
Two reasons? Chairman Wang nodded with interest.
“First, you are the only one who can resolve this issue. My grandfather cannot.”
My grandfather did not have extensive connections in politics and business like Chairman Wang. Furthermore, Chairman Wang had long established deep roots in politics and business under the guise of scholarships.
Nothing in South Korea was impossible through the hands of this old fox.
“Second, it is a transaction that will benefit you.”
“A transaction?”
“Yes, a transaction.”
Chairman Wang’s eyes were filled with interest, mixed with an unmistakable sharpness. He looked like an old fox coiled up, ready to strike.
“The task you’re asking is not as simple as flipping your hand. Your grandfather will need to gain significant profit from this transaction. Can you assure that?”
Of course, I would make sure to add a considerable margin to the price.
“South Korea will collapse in the future.”
“Although Daeil Steel has collapsed, it’s not something to conclude hastily.”
“It’s not a hasty conclusion.”
My firm answer made Chairman Wang gesture for me to continue.
“Daeil Steel is just the beginning of the fuse. The current conglomerates all maintain irrational structures. Accounting fraud, as well as massive financial debts due to government-controlled finance, are evidence of that. Eventually, the suspension of operations at financial companies and the bankruptcy of many businesses will start to occur one by one, like dominoes falling. The pace will reach a level that news can’t keep up with.”
Chairman Wang tried hard to conceal his astonishment. His eyes shook uncontrollably, revealing his inner turmoil.
What I said must have already been simulated by Jeil Group’s strategic planning office.
But he couldn’t have imagined that such detailed matters would come smoothly from the mouth of a child.
“Hyun, are you certain?”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Then why are you telling me this?”
He didn’t ask how I knew these things. He had been observing me for the past two years.
“Because I don’t want Dongju Chemical to go under.”
It was a simple answer, but Chairman Wang looked as if he had expected it.
It might seem trivial that Dongju Chemical was marked with a scarlet letter on the Kim Dae-sik list, but it was a significant issue in this era.
In the future, the power of the political world would remain strong. Moreover, it was the conservative 20th century.
There was an old saying that if a thief catches you, they only take your money, but if the political world catches you, they take not only all your assets but also the money you will earn in the future.
Dongju Chemical, with its unparalleled new material, Graphene, was an irresistible feast.
So far, it was a draw.
I played my final card.
“For once in the future, I will never refuse a request from Chairman Son Jangwon.”
I didn’t call him grandfather. In a transaction, understanding the other party’s position is crucial.
Chairman Wang burst into hearty laughter. Although I had faced this old fox for a long time, it was the first time I saw him laugh so heartily.
“In all my life, I’ve never been this envious of an old man. To propose such a profitable deal.”
A businessman never loses his composure in any situation. “Who could refuse?”
