[090] Who’s the Boss of the New Household? 3
“Convincingly? Reporters are already asking questions. What are you going to say in the press release?”
“We’re going to sign a contract with the best image consulting firm. The experts will craft something that fits my initials.”
“What? An image consultant?”
“Yes. They’ll be responsible for managing our company’s public image. They’ll also handle image-making for Chairman Song and the CEOs of our subsidiaries.”
“Image-making? Are we raising actors now? Are we in the entertainment business?”
“The 21st century is all about image. A company’s image directly impacts its sales. Anyway, don’t worry about it today. Just enjoy yourself. Isn’t it a good day?”
The TV broadcasted the end of CEO Jo Dae-ho’s inauguration speech, followed by introductions of the subsidiary CEOs.
The reception was about to begin.
“Uncle, you should make an appearance. You’re the undisputed ruler of this group, aren’t you?”
“What about you? Aren’t you going to greet anyone?”
“I’d rather not get caught up in all that. I saw the uncles are here. I’ll just slip away.”
He wanted to avoid the uncomfortable stares he would receive. After all, wasn’t today a special day?
A-jin, or rather, HW Group, left the building.
The building still bore the name A-jin, but that would soon change.
It was a day to celebrate, but also a day to pay the right compliments. He couldn’t forget his grandfather, who loved to show off.
Many have died giving honest advice, but no one has died from flattering too much, right?
“Director, where should I take you?”
Kim Yoon-sik opened the car door.
“Let’s go to the chairman’s house.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and if we pass a store, could you pick up a bottle of Jinro soju?”
“Soju? You don’t usually drink much…”
“On a day like today, I should have a drink.”
He felt so proud and moved that he wanted to drink to his heart’s content, but since it was just the beginning, he decided to limit himself to one glass.
A light toast for congratulations. A full toast for success.
“Huh? Why are you back so soon? The banquet must be in full swing by now.”
As he opened the study door, his grandfather was watching the news. The second founding ceremony of A-jin Group was quite a newsworthy event, continuously being broadcasted.
“How could I celebrate alone when it’s thanks to you that I became the owner of A-jin Group? I came to share a congratulatory drink with you.”
He pulled a bottle of soju from a black plastic bag.
“What’s this? Why bring the unlucky drink from a failed company?”
His grandfather frowned at the sight of the red-labeled Jinro soju bottle.
“Isn’t it a drink with 70 years of history? Even Jang Hak-yeop, the founder of Jinro, wouldn’t have imagined that a single soju brand would last 70 years. The company may have failed, but this product is still sold. Jinro soju won’t disappear.”
“A product that won’t vanish even if its owner changes… I like that. Haha. Pour me a glass.”
Did he sense that I was hinting Jinro soju was the future of Sunyang? Ah, it’s a bit different. Just because the bloodline continues doesn’t mean the owner changes, right?
“Congratulations, my grandson. You’re remarkable. When I was your age, all I had were a few pieces of gold, but you’ve achieved what I did in my forties at the age of twenty.”
“Well, you didn’t have a grandfather who gifted you a vast ranch when you were ten, like I did. Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”
His grandfather shook his head.
“No, there are plenty of chaebol grandsons in Korea who had ranches worth millions at ten. They’re now in their twenties and thirties. Many squandered what they received, but you’re probably the only one who multiplied it a thousand, ten thousand times. What you have now isn’t because you had a good grandfather. You made it with your own strength. You can be proud. Haha.”
His grandfather filled his glass with soju and clinked it lightly.
We both downed our drinks in one go.
“I’ve drunk this soju a lot, but it doesn’t taste the same anymore.”
I felt the same. How much soju and pork belly had I consumed? But it wasn’t the same taste. I couldn’t even recall the thrill of the first glass of soju.
For a brief moment, my grandfather and I silently stared at the red soju label, lost in reminiscence.
It was a bit amusing. An old man and a young man lost in memories of the same color.
My grandfather, breaking out of his reverie, spoke first.
“How’s the progress with Dae-ah Construction?”
“The negotiations with the bank are proceeding smoothly with some concessions, and the team is calculating the specific amounts. We’re also in the process of recovering the funds embezzled by President Kang Moo-sung as we discover them.”
“The prosecution is doing their job, then.”
“I’ve given them a generous fee.”
My grandfather scrutinized my expression.
“But it seems President Kang is stubbornly refusing to hand over the proceeds from the stock sale.”
“Yes. Even when threatened with the arrest of his children and grandchildren for embezzlement, he remains unmoved. Money… it’s truly frightening.”
Seeing my exasperation, my grandfather spoke sternly.
“No, that’s a wrong way of thinking.”
“Sorry?”
“The proceeds from the stock sale are President Kang’s last weapon. He believes it’s not yet time to wield it. He can only use it once, so he’ll wait for a more decisive moment.”
Here, wielding means giving up even the proceeds from the stock sale.
“Really? Is there still a chance for President Kang?”
“If his entire family is arrested and found guilty, the stock proceeds will likely be confiscated as fines, right?”
“That’s correct. But how does he still have a chance?”
“Meanwhile, you won’t be able to touch that money either. It’ll go to the national treasury.”
I still couldn’t grasp my grandfather’s intention.
If the stock sale proceeds were returned to Dae-ah Construction, it would prevent the arrest of President Kang and his entire family.
But if he continues to hold out, the stock sale proceeds go to the treasury, and the family gets arrested.
Anyone would see that the former is a wiser choice than the latter.
There’s no more opportunity.
Seeing the confusion on my face, my grandfather smiled gently.
“You’re about to let money slip away because of unnecessary emotions. Isn’t that right? You’ve forgotten the mindset of a businessman.”
“Unnecessary emotions? I don’t have any. I’m only thinking about the money. That money would be a tremendous help in normalizing Dae-ah Construction. That’s why I’m using your influence to threaten and persuade President Kang, isn’t it?”
Despite my lengthy explanation, my grandfather summed up my emotions in one word.
“Justice.”
“Sorry?”
“You’re angry because of a sense of justice. You can’t tolerate President Kang’s family living in luxury with the embezzled money from a failing company that can’t even pay its employees. You think such a person should end up penniless, don’t you?”
I had no words to defend myself, and my face turned red.
It’s a strange world. The word ‘justice’ feels awkward, and being angry at injustice has become an unnecessary emotion. Whether it’s just in this family or the world at large, the boundary is unclear.
“President Kang sees you as a businessman. He believes you’ll make another offer to recover even a penny more. If he holds out, you won’t get a penny. And there’s no deal without a second offer.”
My grandfather accurately conveyed President Kang’s intentions to me.
“Isn’t it a bit funny for a businessman to judge and criticize others? What does it matter how others live or what they think? A businessman is someone who moves money from someone else’s pocket to their own.”
For a while, I sat there, unable to respond or react, just staring blankly.
My feelings towards President Kang stemmed from past experiences. I saw my past self in the employees of Dae-ah Construction.
“Think about it. What if you propose to split the money with President Kang? If you offer to leave him with some, he might accept your proposal.”
“So you’re saying I should leave some money and help President Kang’s family avoid arrest?”
“If he offers to give half of the stock proceeds to the company, you could argue that he’s showing remorse and get him out on probation. It’s a good scenario.”
Seeing my continued hesitation, he added one more thing.
“Don’t entertain any other thoughts.”
“What other thoughts?”
“Thoughts of taking the money first and then punishing President Kang later. As I said, focus only on the money. As long as President Kang isn’t a threat to you, don’t even look his way.”
His intuition was spot on…
“Well, in any case, since Dae-ah Construction is already in your hands, recovering President Kang’s money would just be a bonus. I’ve done everything I can for you. The choice is yours.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll make a decision like a true businessman.”
With that, the business talk ended.
My grandfather refilled our glasses, celebrating what I had achieved, and I expressed my gratitude as we continued our conversation for a while.
“Let’s head to Anyang Detention Center.”
“What? Why there all of a sudden…?”
“Is there anywhere I can’t go if I want to move money from someone else’s pocket to mine?”
Kim Yoon-sik still looked puzzled as he took the wheel.
Isn’t there a way to both secure the money and leave that shameless man penniless?
Lost in thought, we soon arrived in Anyang.
Despite being a social elite, I was assigned a spacious meeting room.
“How’s the detention center food treating you?”
“Thinking of it as the price for underestimating a company like Miracle, it’s bearable.”
He still seemed composed.
Was he, as my grandfather said, still holding onto a weapon he hadn’t yet wielded?
“Since the visiting time is short, I’ll just relay what our CEO wants to say.”
President Kang closed his eyes and nodded slightly.
“If you invest all the proceeds from your shares into Dae-A Construction, or simply hand over the shares to the company…”
“I know what you want, so why don’t you skip the preamble and get to the point?”
“The prosecution will cut the investigation short, and you’ll get a suspended sentence. Then, we’ll offer you a position as an advisor at Dae-A Construction. The salary for that role can be quite generous, provided you cooperate.”
President Kang Mu-seong hesitated. My proposal had a hidden bonus.
“You’ll shed the label of a shameless embezzler who bled a failing company dry. Instead, the narrative will be that it was all a misunderstanding, that you were just a little dusty from working for the company’s benefit. The media will spin it beautifully, saying you’re being brought on as an advisor because of your good intentions.”
Reputation.
As people age, they cling to their name’s worth. Even a businessman who only thinks of money knows the weight of the business card he carries.
The title of advisor at Dae-A Construction might not be heavy, but it’s better than being branded a convicted embezzler.
And Kang Mu-seong is a businessman, too.
He must have realized that if he pushed things to the extreme with me, he’d lose both money and reputation.
“Hmm… That friend, Director Oh, is thorough, isn’t he? Planning to use the money I should get as company expenses? Isn’t that a bit stingy?”
The money he would earn as an advisor would all be salary.
If he took all the proceeds from the shares and only a portion as salary, it wouldn’t be too bad. And who knows the hidden history of Dae-A Construction better than him?
He could make use of it somehow.
“Come on, where’s the big-hearted businessman? Even those who donate large sums do so after careful calculation, using it as a tax write-off and a way to boost their image.”
“For an advisor’s salary, it should be quite substantial, right?”
“In return, you’ll be paying a lot of income tax.”
“Paying taxes diligently is also a citizen’s duty.”
Seeing him smile, I knew all that was left was to negotiate the annual salary.
“Then I’ll prepare the advisor appointment contract.”
As I stood up from my chair, President Kang extended his hand.
“Looking forward to working with you.”