The Era of Ordinary People 2
“Wow! You’re giving me quite the assignment, aren’t you? Haha.”
The boisterous laughter of that man, Representative Park.
It was a laugh that revealed just how pleased he was.
“With the chairman making such a generous decision, I feel a lot lighter. Alright then, I’ll draft something appropriate.”
“I’m prepared to go a certain distance… but our dear representative, you must avoid any reprimands from the Blue House. Make sure the President is satisfied with the outcome. Hoho.”
A strategic retreat, a concession. What exactly is the old man’s game here?
“Oh dear, I must be slow on the uptake… I’ve only just realized. Please, go ahead, Chairman.”
Ah, I was slow too. There was a reason for such a concession!
Though I couldn’t see his face, I imagined the old man was smiling.
“Then, if I may be so bold, let me say this. Last year, with all the talk of democratization, now even the workers are taking to the streets. It’s like when the minnows jump, the gobies follow. Just when things are starting to get better.”
“Ah, you’re talking about that issue?”
“Yes. With all this talk of general strikes, no factory is running smoothly. If the company shuts down, it’s those very workers who will be out on the streets… It’s quite a situation.”
Riding the wave of democratization, workers were also pouring into the streets to claim their rights.
What Chairman Jin is asking for is to put a stop to this.
“Hmm… that issue is a top priority for us as well. Don’t worry too much. While we’re refraining from harsh crackdowns early in the administration, we’ll resolve it before the Olympics.”
“Is holding out for a few months really a problem? Just steer things in the right direction.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Is there anything else?”
“The National Intelligence Service must be quite busy these days, right?”
“Have they ever not been busy? Ah! There I go again, not picking up on things… Haha.”
Representative Park slapped his forehead and burst into laughter.
“Seems like the unions are causing quite a stir.”
“I’ve received several reports that their movements are unusual.”
“I’ve heard that Sunyang’s intelligence is on par with the NIS. What can our guys do?”
“Comparing a few quick-footed employees of a merchant to a national intelligence agency? That’s absurd.”
Using the NIS just to track union activities?
The power to use such a formidable state institution for personal gain comes from the money invested over the years.
How much election funding did they provide?
“I’ll run a few lines. You’ll have the results soon.”
“Thank you for your great consideration.”
With the grandfather’s final words, the secret conversation ended. After exchanging pleasantries, the sound of the door opening and footsteps fading away could be heard.
And then.
The sliding door opened with a soft sound, and Chairman Jin appeared.
“Do-jun, have you been waiting long? Did you eat well?”
He pulled a chair closer and sat next to me.
It had only been two months since I last saw him during winter break, but Chairman Jin asked about the past two months as if we hadn’t seen each other in years.
Studying hard was the only correct answer I could give.
While I spoke, Chairman Jin checked the table.
“Do-jun.”
“Yes.”
“Be honest with me. You heard everything your grandfather said in that room, didn’t you?”
There were hardly any empty plates or much food gone. He immediately noticed I hadn’t been eating.
This time, I should probably admit I heard everything, right? It’s obvious he left the door slightly open so I could hear.
But eavesdropping isn’t a good thing. I lowered my eyes and hung my head like a child caught doing something wrong.
“You rascal. Lift your head. A man shouldn’t bow his head so easily.”
I felt Chairman Jin’s hand patting my bowed head. His hand was devoid of warmth. This man is aging.
“Did you understand everything this grandfather of yours discussed?”
His eyes were filled with expectation.
If I nod now, that expectation will turn into joy, but I can’t do that. I shook my head.
I’ve already given him enough joy. It’s best to dole it out little by little to make it more rewarding. Besides, the conversation was too political for an eleven-year-old to fully grasp.
But I wanted to give him a small gift. I’m not heartless enough to completely ignore those disappointed eyes.
“But there is something I’m curious about.”
“Curiosity is a good thing. What is it?”
“The person who was with grandfather earlier, he’s one of the President’s men, right?”
“One of his men? You could say that.”
Chairman Jin was visibly curious about what I would ask next.
“Why does grandfather meet with one of his men? Shouldn’t the chairman of the country’s largest company meet with the President himself?”
I was genuinely curious. Even though he’s the crown prince of the Sixth Republic, the chairman of Sunyang Group shouldn’t have to meet someone of that rank directly.
I wanted to know the reason.
“Do-jun.”
“Yes.”
“When you’re at school, you hear all sorts of rumors, right? Someone is nice, someone is aloof, someone is a good fighter. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes. I hear a lot.”
“Especially if the person spreading the rumor is someone close to you or someone trustworthy like the class president, you’ll think the rumor is accurate. That’s the trap.”
The trap of accurate rumors. Or rather, the trap when you trust the messenger.
“You shouldn’t believe what others say. No matter how close a friend they are. Especially for important matters. Always verify for yourself.”
“So you verified it yourself?”
“Yes. I checked how grateful they are for the help I’ve given. And… for various other reasons.”
“Yes.”
Chairman Jin watched me nodding thoughtfully and then confirmed with me again.
“Do-jun, do you remember what this grandfather of yours said before? Something important?”
I quickly racked my brain. What would he want to confirm at this moment?
“Grandfather said, ‘You don’t need to understand what I’m saying, but don’t forget it. And remember it when necessary.’ Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. Similarly, you must not forget and remember what I just said.”
“Yes, grandfather.”
“And one more thing. You should be the one who listens, not the one who explains.”
One more thing, you should be the one who listens, chooses, and decides. Today, Chairman Jin didn’t surrender to the current regime’s power.
His words about following the government’s grand plan were in this context. It’s not too late to listen to Representative Park’s plan and decide. If it doesn’t suit him, he can simply express practical difficulties and change it.
Chairman Jin’s tone was polite, but he was essentially instructing Representative Park to submit a plan, as one would to a subordinate.
The one who proposes first is the weaker party.
Realizing Chairman Jin’s true intentions, a smile naturally formed on my face. I couldn’t tell how he interpreted my smile, but Chairman Jin also looked satisfied.
“Unfortunately, I’ll have to be content with just seeing your face today, Do-jun. This grandfather is a bit busy. But make sure to come to my house on Children’s Day. Let’s have some fun together.”
“Yes!”
I had to answer as if I was very happy. After all, what child doesn’t love Children’s Day?
After sending his grandson home, Chairman Jin returned to the main room. A middle-aged man, who had appeared at some point, stood up as soon as Chairman Jin entered.
“Just stay seated. You’re too stiff. Why so formal?”
“No, it’s just a habit, I suppose? Haha.”
“Did you take good care of Representative Park?”
“Yes. I escorted him to a special room downstairs. I also arranged for a new singer to keep him company while he relaxes.”
“Good job. That man loses his mind around women. How’s the banquet hall?”
“I handed out a card to each of the newly elected representatives. And…”
The middle-aged man added with a slight smirk.
“I’ve identified those who were getting too friendly with the models we placed in the banquet hall. I’ve instructed to set up a meeting for them after the banquet.”
It’s a place where you can identify those who love money, those who love women, and those who love both.
Of course, there will be those who shun women and refuse money.
That’s the advantage of widely distributing bribes. You quickly create a list of those to filter out and identify those who need focused management.
How many days has it been since they were elected, and they’re already accepting money and drooling over women?
Such careless individuals will only serve one term as a lawmaker. There won’t be a second chance.
The focus should be on nurturing and turning the key targets into docile lambs. They are the vanguard of Sunyang, after all.
“Well done.”
It seemed today’s matters were roughly concluded. Chairman Jin picked up his teacup with a more relaxed demeanor.
“What do you think? What will Representative Park bring to the table?”
“Does it matter what he brings? As long as Sunyang secures the natural gas resources from the Soviet Union, that’s all that matters.”
“Are you confident?”
The middle-aged man didn’t shy away from Chairman Jin’s steady gaze.
“LNG is coming in steadily. Since Sunyang set the table, we should have the feast to ourselves. I’m confident.”
Chairman Jin’s eyes, as he looked at the smiling middle-aged man, were filled with boundless trust.