“How did it feel meeting Uncle in person?”
“Vice Chairman Jin Dong-gi?”
“Yes.”
“Well, nothing special. Just another second-generation chaebol.”
“That’s it?”
“All those second-generation chaebols are the same. They grow up living like royalty, so they seem special, but once you dig deeper, they’re just like anyone else. Except…”
Oh Se-hyun blinked, trying to recall something.
“His attitude is a bit different. He acts cautious and humble. That makes him stand out.”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
“It’s an accurate assessment. Saying someone is ordinary isn’t an insult. Even smart people are just ordinary. Vice Chairman Jin is a smart ordinary person. But he looks special because he’s wearing the chaebol second-generation suit. I’m just an ordinary person too.”
With Miracle’s investment returns ranking high, many people with money to invest gathered around. Among them were clients from chaebol families, and a dedicated team was set up for them. Oh Se-hyun compared Uncle to these clients.
“You’re the only special one. Oh, and your father too, but in a completely different way.”
I’m considered special because I’m wearing the chaebol third-generation suit. Underneath, I’m just an ordinary person with a slight edge of knowing a bit about the future. Oh, and my fierce determination is a bit special too.
“Is it hard to work with Uncle? His probing must be intense.”
“He’s four years older than me, but he still uses formal speech. I’ve suggested several times that he speak comfortably, but he doesn’t change his attitude. That’s refreshing. People like him usually look down on others.”
Unless you become close, casual conversations don’t happen. It’s all official business talk. No probing, which is surprising.
“By the way, he openly calls you a competitor?”
“Really?”
“Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi wants to crush you, right? But this guy seems to want to bring you to his side. Is it the difference between the eldest and the second son?”
“Probably just a personality difference. Let’s wait and see.”
At that moment, a manager knocked on the office door with a report. It was about the stock status of New Data Technology.
Listed at 1,480 won, New Data Technology’s stock price shot up. It seemed like it would quickly reach 15,000 won after surpassing 10,000 won, but it couldn’t break away from around 10,000 won.
The stock market buzzed with the consensus that this price was a success, and the prevailing expectation was that it would settle in the 5,000 to 6,000 won range once the initial hype died down.
“Once people start selling off their stocks, the game will start again. The price will fluctuate around 50,000 won, and each time, those who lost money will regret not buying when the price rises, buy again, and then panic sell when it drops, continuing to lose money.”
That’s the typical behavior of retail investors. Instead of selling when prices rise and buying when they fall, they do the opposite, which is hard to understand.
Experts like Oh Se-hyun, on the other hand, profit by trading in the opposite pattern of retail investors.
But even these experts didn’t expect the stock price to soar above 50,000 won.
I was eagerly waiting for my aunt to make her move.
If President Lee’s words were true and Sunyang Electronics invested, she would definitely get that information in advance. She wouldn’t miss out on such a lucrative opportunity, especially when she’s short on funds.
Has Sunyang Electronics’ investment not been confirmed yet?
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did your brother decide this?”
“I don’t think so. Would a 20 billion won investment require the vice chairman’s approval? Last year, he just ordered aggressive venture investments, and since then, the working-level staff have been handling it. He probably only approved the total investment amount.”
Jin Seo-yoon was intrigued by the information the management director shared.
“But Director Lim, wasn’t Sunyang Electronics only investing in internal ventures? How are they investing in external companies?”
“I’m not sure about the details. But the few people who know this information are scrambling to buy stocks under borrowed names.”
Director Lim’s eyes darted around.
He reported this to Jin Seo-yoon for two reasons.
One, to confirm through her if Sunyang Electronics’ investment was certain, and two, to showcase his information-gathering skills and abilities if the investment did happen.
“Did you find out the announcement date for the investment?”
“That’s a bit…”
“Why?”
Jin Seo-yoon focused intently, trying to discern any hidden intentions as she watched Director Lim’s eyes dart around.
“They haven’t set a date. They plan to announce it when the stock price hits 20,000 won.”
“20,000 won? What’s the price now?”
“It’s fluctuating around 10,000 won. Some people have already cashed out…”
“Director Lim!”
“Yes!”
At her sharp tone, Director Lim instinctively stood at attention.
“If you’re going to find out, get it right! What is this? Isn’t this about covering the company’s financial shortfall? If this goes wrong, it’ll only cause bigger problems. How can I trust you if you keep spouting nonsense like this?”
“I’m sorry, President.”
“I’ll give you two days. Get accurate information. If you show any uncertainty, I’ll reconsider my opinion of you. Remember, an executive is just a one-year temporary position.”
Director Lim bowed his head and retreated, trying to hide his flushed face.
Jin Seo-yoon focused on the two numbers, calculating in her mind.
If the stock price reaches 20,000 won, Sunyang Electronics will invest. This means the price will definitely rise to 20,000 won. And once Sunyang Electronics’ investment is announced, the price will skyrocket again, at least doubling.
In other words, reaching 40,000 won is no problem.
“Four times the return…”
Missing this opportunity would be foolish. But given the tight financial situation, she had to be cautious, very cautious.
She grabbed her handbag and pressed the intercom.
“Get the car ready. I’m heading to Yeouido.”
My aunt burst into the office without even a greeting, immediately mentioning the company’s name. She must be in a hurry.
“New Data Technology. I hear this company is hot right now?”
Oh Se-hyun chuckled at Jin Seo-yoon’s audacity, even letting out a cough in disbelief.
“Mr. Oh, are you unaware? If so, I’m disappointed.”
“President Jin, there are always hot stocks. That company is just one of them. It’s nothing special.”
“This time it’s special, but you’re late on the information.”
She looked between Oh Se-hyun and me, waiting. She clearly wanted us to share something before she revealed what she knew.
But Oh Se-hyun shook his head with a firm expression.
“President Jin, let me warn you, don’t be fooled by rumors. You’re probably getting those 500-won rumors, but believing them could be disastrous.”
“Mr. Oh, it’s not a rumor. It’s leaked from somewhere else…”
“No matter how accurate the information seems, don’t even think about investing in stocks. Your personal assets are already tied up, and so are the company’s shares. If you touch the company’s money, it could be irreversible. Just focus on management. I’m saying this not as a creditor, but as an investment expert and a close associate.”
I was grateful for Oh Se-hyun’s caution. The more people try to dissuade her, the more certain she becomes of her own thoughts—typical of reckless second-generation chaebols.
As expected, my aunt’s voice rose in indignation.
“Mr. Oh, are you mistaken? You’re just a creditor, not a shareholder. And using company funds temporarily isn’t illegal, is it?”
“What if there’s a loss? You can’t cover it.”
“That’s why I’m here to confirm the facts. No need to get angry!”
Seeing that reasoning didn’t work with her, Oh Se-hyun sighed.
“Instead of arguing, why don’t we exchange opinions? If we check the facts, you might change your mind…”
As I suggested this, watching Oh Se-hyun’s reaction, my aunt’s face lit up.
“What do you think, Mr. Oh? Isn’t Do-jun’s idea good? Let me tell you first. Sunyang Electronics is about to invest 20 billion won. The stock price will rise again. Knowing this, isn’t it hard to just sit back?”
“President Jin, we already know that. But as investors, we can’t trust anything until the cash is in the account. Even with signed investment contracts, things often fall through in this business.”
Oh Se-hyun spoke as if explaining to a novice, but my aunt just snorted.
“Mr. Oh, you’re so frustrating. I’ve signed and canceled investment contracts myself. I know the basics. That’s why I’m confident. 20 billion won, they’re investing. For Sunyang Electronics, 20 billion is like a design fee for a phone. Why hesitate?”
She came here only to hear what she wanted. And we had to give her the answer she wanted. That’s exactly what I wanted.
“Interestingly, they plan to announce Sunyang Electronics’ investment when the stock price hits 20,000 won. Doesn’t that mean it will definitely reach 20,000? And once the investment is announced, it will double. Am I wrong?”
“You want to buy at 10,000 and sell at 40,000, right?”
I looked at my aunt, who only heard what she wanted, with disapproval.
“Exactly.”
“Then why tell me? Why not just proceed?”
“To ease a bit of anxiety… That’s the reason.”
Oh Se-hyun let out a short sigh and spoke.
“President Jin, have you invested in stocks often?”
“Of course. If you see me as an amateur retail investor, you’re making a big mistake.”
“I don’t see you that way. But have you ever squeezed out funds to invest, where a failed investment would have serious repercussions?”
My aunt grinned and nodded.
“Since you understand what I’m saying, let’s leave it at that. Don’t gamble when you’re on the edge of a cliff; it’s not just money you could lose, but your life. Isn’t that what they say?”
When you stare at stock charts with desperation, you lose your senses, whether you win or lose money. If you lose, it’s obvious, but even if you win, you can’t walk away from the table until you’ve lost it all.
“Since you get it, I won’t repeat myself. Sell everything when it hits forty thousand won. That’s all I have to say.”
Oh Se-hyun spoke curtly, as if he couldn’t be bothered to say more.
“Forty thousand won, right? It’s been a while since we agreed on something. That’s about what I was thinking too. Haha.”
“Yes, that’s fortunate. But remember, there’s a powerful force at play here. If you chase the rising stock price, you never know when it might crash. Even at forty thousand won, that’s four times your investment. Don’t get greedy.”
“I told you, that’s as far as I was planning to go. Enough with the nagging.”
Her aunt finally heard what she wanted. With confirmation from an expert like Oh Se-hyun that her judgment was sound, she would gather all the funds from the subsidiary to buy shares in New Data Technology.
And once she reaps fourfold profits, she’ll be swept up in excitement and likely forget Oh Se-hyun’s warning.
She might hesitate for a moment about going all-in with her newfound wealth, but the sight of the dancing stock prices will ignite her greed once more.
And so, she’ll rush headlong down the path I’ve been hoping for.