The Tycoon’s Birthday, Part 2
My brother and I sat quietly in the backseat as we made our way to Pyeongchang-dong. For me, it was a trip down memory lane, while my brother was too busy gauging my mood to say a word. Our silence only deepened the frowns on our parents’ faces. What did Pyeongchang-dong mean to this family, anyway?
A plot of 1,100 pyeong. Four buildings. Two stories above ground, two below. Parking for fifty cars. A fortress with a 380-meter perimeter wall. This was the residence of Jin Yang-cheol, the founder and head of the Sunyang Group. The high walls and dense landscaping made it an impenetrable stronghold. As two guards saluted and opened the gate, our car glided inside.
The expansive garden, where I had once pulled weeds, came into view. Guests were already mingling, enjoying the early summer weather. The main building, a pristine white, complemented the lush greenery. We stepped out of the car and walked toward it. A few guests acknowledged us with slight nods, but most turned away, pretending not to notice.
I tried to recall who they were, but these were faces from a generation ago, and I only knew their appearances thirty years into the future. It felt like a daunting task to identify who among them were the chairman’s closest allies.
We entered the living room through the wide-open front door. My heart began to race. Our family, the black sheep in the chairman’s eyes. What would happen? Would we be ignored like the guests in the garden? Treated as complete outsiders?
Eight people were already seated on the living room sofas. Hungry wolves and foxes. My uncles, aunts, and their spouses. They were waiting for their father to die so they could claim the juicy piece of meat that was Sunyang.
Eldest son, Jin Young-gi. Second son, Jin Dong-gi. Third son, Jin Sang-gi. And the only daughter, Jin Seo-yoon. My father, Jin Yoon-gi, the youngest son, tried to avoid their sharp gazes.
An awkward silence lingered until my mother spoke up. “Hello, we’re here.”
As she bowed deeply, a sharp, irritated voice cut through the air. “Still have that habit from your modeling days? Think you’re a star? Why do you always show up last?”
The voice belonged to the woman who had been caught with a young playboy in a department store fitting room. She was in her forties now, still presentable, but I couldn’t help but laugh, seeing her as she would be thirty years later.
“Pfft. Heh.”
My father squeezed my hand in alarm, but it was too late.
“Are you laughing? Did you just laugh?”
She shot up from the sofa, eyes blazing.
“Hello, Auntie,” I said, stifling my laughter and bowing my head.
“You laughed, didn’t you? How dare you… when an elder is speaking…”
“Enough. What are you doing to the child?” My uncle, Jin Young-gi, tried to calm his wife, but it only fueled her anger. She looked ready to smack me.
This was a disastrous first meeting.
“Who dares raise their voice in my house? Where are your manners?”
All eyes turned to the source of the voice. An old man stood at the top of the stairs. Jin Yang-cheol, the ruler of Sunyang Group and my grandfather.
Iron Face. A nickname earned for his steely resolve and the coldness he showed when he ousted his own brother to take over the company. Whatever the nickname, he was someone I had never met. But the king’s arrival froze the princes and princesses in place.
Even his children feared him. The source of their fear was his wealth. The future that awaited if they didn’t inherit it. The share that would go to another sibling. The fear of losing their status as part of a chaebol family.
Jin Yang-cheol slowly descended the stairs and stood in the middle of the living room. I swallowed hard. How would the emperor react to our family?
I glanced at my parents. They were visibly tense, bowing silently. Jin Yang-cheol cast a cold glance at my parents, treating them as if they were invisible. When his gaze landed on my brother, Sang-jun, it was as if he were looking at a bug.
Now it was my turn. Would he see me as just another insect? Or…?
I was so tense that I was shocked by the chairman’s reaction.
“Oh, my boy! How long has it been? Didn’t your grandpa tell you to visit more often?”
The Iron Face was gone, replaced by the warm expression of an ordinary grandfather. What was going on?
Jin Yang-cheol didn’t even acknowledge my parents as his children. So why was he so kind to me?
Our family wasn’t involved in managing the group, so I had no idea about my relationship with the chairman. How should I react?
There was no time to ponder. The chairman had already pulled me into a hug and lifted me up.
“Come on, I have something for you. Aren’t you curious?”
What on earth was happening?
The chairman took me to a small room on the second floor. Small, only in comparison to the rest of the house, it was the size of a modest apartment. In the center of the room was a pony. Not a real one, of course. It was mounted on a stand, resembling a rodeo practice device. A wire protruded from the base, suggesting it would rock back and forth with the flip of a switch.
The room was filled with toys. It was clearly a space for grandchildren.
“How do you like it? Your grandpa got you the pony you wanted. Do you like it?”
Jin Yang-cheol set me down as he spoke.
Though I wasn’t entirely sure, it seemed the old man liked me.
I tried to understand his feelings. Even if he had disowned his child, could a parent truly be indifferent to their own flesh and blood? Despite his steely demeanor, he must have some lingering guilt. He was channeling that tiny bit of remorse toward me. He couldn’t do the same for my brother, Sang-jun, who was the reason his child was cast out.
And I was the youngest grandson. Was he trying to absolve himself by being kind to me?
This was a crucial moment. How much affection did the chairman have for me? I needed to gauge it. I had to act accordingly, showing just enough presence and playfulness.
Time for the first test!
I patted the plastic pony and gave Jin Yang-cheol a gentle smile. It didn’t quite suit me, but…
“I like real ones, Grandpa.”
“What?”
“I prefer real horses to plastic ones. And I like real cars that zoom around, not toy ones. I want a real boat that sails on the sea, not just a bath toy.”
He must have been surprised. No, very surprised.
Jin Yang-cheol’s expression hardened.
He was a man who smiled when angry and hid his emotions when shocked. Iron Face concealed his feelings well.
“Real ones… Do you know what that means, Do-jun?”
What should I say? What answer was he looking for?
I had to respond without hesitation, as if it were spontaneous. Like a child.
“Yes.”
“What is it, then?”
“Yours, Grandpa.”
His face showed surprise. This time, he couldn’t hide his emotions.
“The cars, boats, and TVs you make are all real, aren’t they? I like those things.”
Adults translate children’s words into adult language.
This was my first genuine statement.
How did Grandpa interpret my words?
His surprised face turned stern again.
“Hmm, Do-jun.”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
“To have the real things you mentioned, you’ll have to do a lot of hard work. You might face terrifying challenges. But if you like fake things, you won’t have to deal with that. It’ll just be fun and enjoyable.”
Terrifying challenges?
When I faced death, I was scared, but more than that, I felt wronged.
To claim the genuine article that was Sunyang Group, wasn’t it worth enduring such trials?
Unaware of my thoughts, Grandpa continued his advice.
“To ride a real horse, drive a car, and sail a boat on the rough seas, you’ll need training and education.”
“Do you mean school?”
“School? Yes, for now, that’s right.”
“Then how well do I have to do to get a real horse?”
“What? Haha.”
Jin Yang-cheol let out a hearty laugh.
My words must have sounded like asking how much bonus one could earn with good performance.
“Horses are very expensive animals… Let’s see… Alright. If you get top marks in all subjects for a year, I’ll give you one as a birthday present next year. How about that?”
A predictable answer.
After all, what else could he expect from a ten-year-old but to study hard?
I put on a slightly exaggerated, incredulous expression.
“What? Not confident? Haha.”
He seemed amused by my expression.
“No, it’s too easy. I thought you’d say I couldn’t have it if I didn’t get top marks until I graduated. A year… that’s really easy.”
Chairman Jin looked surprised once again at my beaming smile.
I know that before I came into this body, Jin Do-jun was a quiet and ordinary child.
A kid with average intelligence, strength, and personality—nothing out of the ordinary.
That was Jin Do-jun. So, it’s no wonder my grandfather is taken aback by the sudden change in his youngest grandson.
“Is that so? Well, this grandpa will look forward to it. Let’s see if our Do-jun can surprise us. Haha.”
He extended his hand, his face warm with a gentle smile.
“Come on, let’s head downstairs. You should have dinner and play with your cousins.”
I grasped my grandfather’s hand firmly.