[016] The Era of Ordinary People 1.

The celebration was grand.

It wasn’t just because a first-term assemblyman had been elected; the place was teeming with people eager to make an impression on Chairman Jin, the real power behind the event.

Our family arrived at the banquet hall and first greeted Aunt Jin Seoyun, who was welcoming guests with a bright smile at the entrance.

“Congratulations, sis. You’ve climbed another rung on the ladder.”

Despite the pointed remark from my father, Aunt Seoyun couldn’t hide her joy.

“Oh, come on. Why are you always so cynical?”

She gave him a light pat on the back and a knowing look.

“Your brother-in-law is here, so make sure to greet him. Stay out of trouble, and if you feel uncomfortable, just slip away quietly.”

“Becoming a congressman’s wife has made you more generous, hasn’t it? Ha ha.”

While my father laughed, my mother and older brother, Sangjun, still looked tense.

“Congratulations, sister-in-law.”

“Hello.”

Even as my mother and we siblings offered our greetings, Aunt Seoyun kept smiling.

“Oh, Sangjun’s mom, I have a small favor to ask.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“There’s someone very important from the party leadership here. Could you greet him personally?”

At this, my father’s eyebrows twitched.

“Sis, what are you saying? Are you suggesting she should sell her smile?”

“Honey!”

My mother tugged at my father’s sleeve, trying to avoid unnecessary trouble, which always seemed to fall on her.

“Hey! That person is just a fan of Sangjun’s mom. He just wants to say hello. What are you talking about?”

“Yes, sister-in-law. Don’t worry. I’ll greet him separately.”

My mother linked arms with my father and quickly moved into the banquet hall, leaving Aunt Seoyun’s scolding behind.

“Honey, don’t get worked up over trivial things. Do you know how anxious I get every time?”

My father, who was hard to tell if he was a devoted husband or henpecked, smiled and held my mother’s hand tightly.

“Alright. Let’s make a quick round and then slip out.”

Perhaps because of my mother’s urging, my father kept smiling and greeting people. Then he spotted the guest of honor, my uncle, and waved.

“Congratulations on your election, brother-in-law. So, how does it feel? Is being an assemblyman better than being a prosecutor? Ha ha.”

“Thanks, brother-in-law. Who knows yet? Besides, I’ve been demoted from chief prosecutor to a first-term assemblyman. The hard work is just beginning. Ha ha.”

When my brother Sangjun and I greeted him, my uncle patted our heads and nodded slightly to my mother.

“The reason this place is so bright is all thanks to you, sister-in-law. How do you keep getting more beautiful with age?”

“Congratulations, uncle.”

I didn’t miss the way my uncle’s eyes scanned my mother from head to toe.

Creepy bastard.

I thought I might get closer to him for future use, but I just can’t warm up to this guy.

“Oh, brother-in-law, there’s someone I need to introduce you to. Can you help?”

“I heard from my sister. Who is it that has you so on edge?”

“He’s a key figure in the Sixth Republic.”

“What? The Sixth Republic just started, and there’s already a key figure?”

“He’s President Roh Tae-woo’s right-hand man. He’s already been crowned the crown prince!”

Despite his excitement, he kept his voice low.

“Sangjun, Dojun, you two stay here and enjoy some good food.”

My uncle led my parents into a group of people a little distance away.

I couldn’t see who it was because of the crowd. I tried to listen for a name, but an interruption made it impossible.

“Oh? Kangjun hyung.”

At the familiar name, I turned to see Jin Kangjun, now a middle schooler, and his younger sister Jin Youngkyung standing there.

Jin Youngkyung is just a year older than me.

I waved with a smile.

“Hi, noona.”

But they didn’t return the greeting. They must have remembered the broken leg incident because of me.

“Kangjun hyung, is your leg okay? I heard you were on crutches.”

I gave a sly smile and looked over Jin Kangjun’s legs.

His face turned red with anger at my demeanor.

“Maybe your other leg needs to break to balance things out… When would be a good time?”

Though my words were gentle, my gaze was not. I stared him down until he couldn’t hold my gaze and scurried away.

As expected, he’s a coward. A pampered rich kid like him wouldn’t have any guts.

“Dojun, why do you keep picking on Kangjun hyung?”

As the two disappeared, my brother Sangjun spoke, looking scared and tense.

“Hyung, don’t be afraid of that jerk. He can’t fight. He has no guts. Next time, just step on him.”

My rough words made Sangjun blink in surprise.

I was considering him as my first ally… but he’s too soft. He’s only in sixth grade, so maybe I should give him more time.

Once he’s in middle school, I can train him harshly.

“Have you eaten anything?”

Our parents returned from greeting someone and held our hands tightly.

“Since we’ve made our appearance, why don’t we leave? There’s nothing suitable for kids to eat here.”

“We should at least say goodbye to Father before we go.”

“We haven’t seen Father.”

“What?”

My mother’s head tilted in confusion at my father’s cryptic words.

“He’s probably having private talks with politicians who came under the guise of this celebration. In a special suite in this hotel. Father isn’t attending this party. It’s obvious since Mother didn’t come.”

No matter what anyone says, the real host of this party is the newly elected assemblyman. The group chairman is just the father-in-law, so he doesn’t need to show his face at the banquet.

“Shall we, then? Let’s go have something delicious.”

With a bright expression, my mother linked arms with my father again.

Their cheerful faces made Sangjun jump with excitement.

“Dad! Let’s go to McDonald’s. McDonald’s!”

Damn it. I wanted to have dim sum at the Shinyang Hotel’s Chinese restaurant, but I was too late. Having a kid as a brother means these things drive me crazy.

Since the 1980s, chicken and beer places started popping up, and in 1984, KFC appeared. Then, McDonald’s, the epitome of fast food, opened its first branch in March this year, right across from the Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong.

With only one in Seoul, it was hard to access unless you lived in Apgujeong. Sangjun, having tasted it a few times thanks to our driver, kept singing its praises whenever he could.

“Shall we?”

My father looked at me for confirmation, and I forced a happy expression. After all, no child should dislike hamburgers and cola.

As we quietly slipped out of the banquet hall, holding our parents’ hands, a man suddenly blocked my father’s path and bowed slightly.

“The chairman is asking for you.”

When the man’s gaze pointed at me, my father’s brow furrowed.

“Dojun?”

“Yes.”

“They’re really going after the kid. Couldn’t you just say you couldn’t find him?”

“I’m sorry. There are too many eyes watching, so a false report would be difficult.”

The man bowed again.

“Dad, it’s okay. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, he mentioned it might take a while. The chairman said he’d take you home… You can go ahead without him.”

It was essentially a message to leave me behind.

Judging by my father’s expression, he seemed ready to confront Grandfather.

“Dad. Go to McDonald’s and enjoy it with hyung. I’ll have dinner here. I’ll ask Grandfather to get me a gourmet burger.”

As soon as I finished speaking, my father looked devastated, and I realized my mistake. He must have misunderstood.

From my perspective, getting closer to Chairman Jin was important, and hotel food was far better than McDonald’s.

But to my father, who didn’t know my thoughts, it must have seemed like I was reluctantly trying to appease Chairman Jin for my parents’ sake.

This misunderstanding is unavoidable for now. I’ll clear it up once I’m no longer a child.

I turned away, putting on the brightest face I could to ease my parents’ worries.

---

The room the staff led me to wasn’t the royal suite I had imagined. It was a modest room, about the size of a standard room, without a bed. The 28th floor was supposed to be the royal floor, so why was there a room like this?

On the large round table, a variety of delicious-looking dishes were laid out, tempting my appetite.

“Wait here and have dinner. The chairman will call for you after he’s done with his business.”

Once the staff left, I glanced around the room.

“Huh?”

I thought it was completely enclosed, but there was a slightly open sliding door on one side.

Through the gap, I could see the real royal suite.

Ah, this must be an annex to the suite.

I could see the back of Chairman Jin sitting in a chair, talking to someone obscured by his figure.

First, I needed to fill my hungry stomach.

I ate carefully, trying not to make any noise, while straining to catch the conversation from the next room.

“The era of great ordinary people and the Northern Policy. It was mentioned in the President’s inaugural address. He’s very determined.”

“Yes, I was deeply impressed as well.”

“The Northern Policy is about improving relations with communist countries. He especially wants to establish diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union and China.”

Who could it be?

Judging by the conversation, it was clearly someone very close to the President, but I had no way of knowing who.

To me, this era is just a distant past, and all I remember are the general trends.

“Of course, Congressman Park will be handling the groundwork.”

“Yes, the first target is the Soviet Union.”

“The Soviet Union, huh…”

A moment of silence hung in the air. For a presidential aide to share such a plan with a conglomerate leader meant more than just passing on information.

There was undoubtedly a request involved, and an expectation of something in return.

“How can I assist you?”

“The Cold War era is over. Today’s diplomacy isn’t about ideology; it’s about economics. Maximizing mutual benefits is the best form of diplomacy, wouldn’t you agree?”

“While that might be true for China, the Soviet Union is an economic powerhouse compared to us. From a business perspective, the Soviet Union is a market I’d like to tap into.”

At that time, the Soviet Union’s per capita GNP was $9,300, far surpassing our country’s $5,800. Of course, it would plummet to a tenth of that in five years.

“His Excellency has instructed me to entrust everything to Chairman Jin of Sunyang. I’m merely conveying his intentions.”

A mix of carrot and stick.

Cooperate unconditionally with the government’s grand plan.

However, the method of cooperation is left to your discretion.

What would my grandfather say to this?

Everyone wants to avoid the stick and take only the carrot, but that’s not how it works. I leaned in closer, eager to hear his response.

“Well… I’m not sure how to respond to such a generous offer. Ha ha.”

Was he dodging the question? Or was it something else?

“Sunyang is just a humble merchant, after all. How could we possibly grasp the grand designs of state affairs? We’ll simply follow the guidance of Representative Park.”

What?

Could this be surrender?

That can’t be right.

The Sunyang ship is not one that can be easily overturned by government power.

If the top conglomerate bows to the regime, the second and third will have no choice but to follow. Conglomerates are always ready to form a powerful alliance against any threatening regime.

The status of being the number one in the business world means representing the conglomerates.

And a representative doesn’t easily forfeit, does he?