Spring Has Come, Part 2
The halo effect, charisma, awe, respect, perhaps even a primal envy of wealth…?
I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.
But as soon as my grandfather walked into the auditorium, everyone who met his gaze instinctively bowed their heads in greeting.
Trailing behind him were my parents, my brother, and my aunt. My father wore a slightly displeased expression, while my mother looked visibly flustered.
My aunt, on the other hand, seemed to relish the attention, flaunting her expensive fur coat.
“Min-young.”
“Yeah?”
“Run.”
“What?”
Too late.
My grandfather, moving with surprising agility for his age, was suddenly beside me and Min-young.
“You rascal. When you see your grandfather, you should come running. What are you doing just standing there?”
Though his scolding was directed at me, his eyes were already on Min-young, scanning her like an eagle eyeing its prey. Then, in a softer tone, he said, “You’re quite pretty. Nothing like your father. Your mother must be a beauty.”
“Excuse me?”
Caught off guard, Min-young forgot to greet him and instead tried to decipher his words.
“Never mind. What’s your name, dear?”
“Oh, I’m Seo Min-young. Sorry for the late introduction.”
Something felt off. Did he already know?
“Grandfather, do you know Min-young’s parents? Did you know from the start?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know what you’re up to? I even know what you had for lunch, you rascal.”
This was strange. Was he having me followed? That seemed unlikely… How did he know?
I wanted to ask more, but the congratulations from our family surrounding us made it impossible.
“Congratulations on graduating. You managed to pull it off despite not focusing on your studies,” my father said, patting my shoulder with a proud smile.
“Managed? He just knew how to play the game at school,” my aunt chimed in.
“Watch your mouth,” my grandfather snapped, and my aunt fell silent, her attention shifting to Min-young.
“Is this Do-jun’s girlfriend?”
“Yes, for now, that’s the case. I’m Seo Min-young,” she said, bowing to my aunt and the rest of the family.
“For now? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sensing an onslaught of questions, I stepped in.
“This is my girlfriend, Seo Min-young. We’re classmates, and she passed the bar exam last year. She’s currently training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute and will return there after the ceremony.”
“Impressive! Passing the bar while still in school. Congratulations on that as well,” the family exclaimed, offering their congratulations.
“Hello, Chairman.”
A middle-aged man approached Min-young and bowed to my grandfather.
“Ah, Judge Seo. It’s been a while. Is your father not here? I don’t see him.”
“No, he’s not well enough to travel. If he’d known you were coming, he would have made the effort, but it’s a shame.”
What was this? Did they know each other well?
Then again, with a family full of legal professionals, they might have crossed paths.
“Judge Seo’s father was the Chief Justice,” my grandfather explained, drawing murmurs of admiration from everyone.
“He once fined our Sunyang Group 20 billion won. I even treated him to a meal, hoping for leniency, but he was unyielding. Haha.”
“Chairman…”
Judge Seo stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment, while Min-young laughed and said, “Chairman, people might misunderstand. Bribing a public official is a crime, you know.”
“Bribe? You still don’t know your grandfather well.”
“What?”
“The day after that meal, he sent someone with an envelope containing 14,000 won. I didn’t say anything, but do you know how angry I was?”
“Why would you be angry, Grandfather? That’s how it should be.”
I interjected, aware of the many ears around us. I wanted to end this conversation quickly, as the attention from everyone in the auditorium was overwhelming.
“The special dish was 17,000 won. He shorted me 3,000 won. I was sure the Chief Justice had the special.”
His jokes were always on the edge.
Fortunately, the arrival of the university president put an end to the story of attempted bribery.
“Chairman, I thought you’d stop by the president’s office, but you came straight here.”
“I’m here to see my grandson in his cap and gown, not to see your face.”
“You’re as straightforward as ever. Haha. Anyway, thank you for your generosity.”
“Generosity? What generosity?”
“The dormitory construction. I was just informed.”
I knew he had donated a significant scholarship when I enrolled, but a dormitory too? No wonder the president was beaming.
“Think of it as the price for letting a troublemaker graduate safely. I didn’t do it for the thanks.”
My grandfather shot me a look and grinned.
“Actually, it’s not my money. You might not know, but Daehwa Construction is making the donation. Give President Oh a call later.”
“Is that so?”
Daehwa Construction? Isn’t that my money? I was dumbfounded, but my grandfather whispered in my ear.
“Making a name for yourself with someone else’s money is also business. Remember that.”
He extended his hand to the president.
“I’ll be off now. Take care.”
“Why leave so soon? You should stay for the ceremony.”
“No need. I’ve seen my grandson in his cap and gown. Staying longer will only cause a commotion. Look over there, the flies are already gathering.”
Sure enough, reporters were already swarming the entrance, and people eager to catch the chairman’s eye were trying to push past the security guards.
Since he rarely left the house, this was a rare opportunity for the press.
They must have guessed he’d show up for his grandson’s graduation.
“Come with me for a moment,” my grandfather said as he walked away.
“She’s got a strong spirit. She’s a good one.”
“Who? Min-young?”
“Yes. It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t waver in front of me. She’s a lot like her grandfather. Don’t lose touch with her. She’ll be an asset to you.”
“Grandfather, don’t we need a slightly more cunning judge than a steadfast one? Haha.”
“You fool. A wife should be steadfast. That’s how a household stays calm in tough times.”
Will I ever get married and start a family?
Whoever becomes my wife will inevitably be drawn into a difficult battle. Knowing that, should I really involve someone in it?
“And what will you do after the ceremony? Going for drinks with friends?”
“No, I’ll take some photos and head straight to the office. There’s a lot to do with the personnel changes.”
“Personnel changes? You mean firing all my people?”
I thought he might scold me for dismissing three presidents without warning, but his expression said otherwise. He was still smiling.
“I’m sorry. I should have informed you in advance…”
“No need. It’s good to cut out those who seem unfit quickly. Well done.”
He stopped walking and patted my back.
“It’s good not to get too involved in personnel matters, but leaving everything to the managers is risky. Employees have their own networks. When those networks become too strong, it’s dangerous.”
He was referring to Vice President Jang. Just as I relied on President Oh, he was concerned about me relying on Jang.
“I’ll be careful. And I’ll remember to apply the brakes occasionally.”
“Good. Enough with the nagging.”
“I’ll visit once things settle down.”
“You fool, when will things ever settle down? Make time to visit.”
“Haha. Yes, I’ll come by right after the ceremony.”
He nodded and continued walking.
The security guards rushed out of the auditorium to hold back the reporters.
It was a bit overwhelming.
Thinking about the reporters who would surround our family after the ceremony gave me a headache.
“This is a gift for you, Grandfather.”
“A diploma?”
“Yes.”
“Forget it. What’s so special about a diploma?”
Contrary to my expectations, my grandfather seemed indifferent, showing little interest. It was a stark contrast to his reaction when I got into Seoul National University’s law school.
“You fool. Do you know what Seoul National University’s law school is?”
“Excuse me?”
“Getting in is like reaching for the stars, but graduating is easy, isn’t it? How many of your classmates didn’t get their diplomas?”
A few dropped out, but none were expelled for failing to keep up.
“The real value is in this.”
He pulled a small frame from his drawer.
“Is that…?”
“Yes, your acceptance letter. This is worth thousands of times more than a diploma from a school where anyone can graduate. This is enough for me.”
He put the acceptance letter back in the drawer and smiled warmly.
“You’ve already given me plenty of gifts. The only gift left is to expand the company with the Sunyang name. You understand?”
“Yes. I’ll grow it two, three times over.”
“Make sure I see it before I die.”
I could do it right now. Just rebrand the HW Group under the Sunyang name—it’s not difficult.
Perhaps that’s what he was hinting at.
“Yes, I promise you. You’ll definitely see it.”
“You catch on quickly, I like that, haha.”
As expected.
That’s it.
With what Grandpa has given me, I must keep my promise. I should start preparing now.
“So, is it my turn now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your graduation gift. I think it’s time you had someone by your side.”
Grandpa picked up the phone.
“Come in.”
Almost immediately, as if he had been waiting outside, a man who looked to be in his forties opened the door and entered.
I knew right away what kind of person he was.
“Introduce yourself. This is Director Woo Byung-jun.”
I stood up and bowed to him.
“Hello, I’m Jin Do-jun.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Woo Byung-jun.”
His tone was dry, his face expressionless. He was definitely from Sunyang Security.
As I took the business card he offered, Grandpa spoke up.
“Save Director Woo’s number on speed dial.”
“Oh, okay.”
Director Woo watched me save his number, then spoke in a businesslike manner.
“For convenience, I’ll address you as Chief. Is that alright?”
“Uh… yes.”
“From now on, one of our staff will drive your car. They’re already waiting outside. And your security team consists of four members. They’ll be stationed at the entrance of the Sunyang Group headquarters and the Yeouido Miracle office, and will stay with you until you return home. They’ll be in a separate vehicle, so you won’t need to worry about them.”
After quickly finishing his explanation, Director Woo bowed to Grandpa.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright. You’ll have your work cut out for you.”
“Just doing what needs to be done.”
With that, he left the study, his words as dry as ever.
“You know who he is, right?”
“Yes, he’s from Sunyang Security, isn’t he?”
“That’s right. I’ve put together a team to work for you. Director Woo will be in charge, and there are about 40 to 50 people involved.”
You don’t need 40 to 50 people just for security. Even with shifts, 10 would be enough.
That’s when I realized what their real mission was.