Hanyeong Auto's Han Juhyeong (3)

Seo Minjae ran into Han Juhyeong as he came back from the terrace.

His face was so bright it was hard to believe he had just spoken with Lee Jaseung. Han Juhyeong spoke to him without preamble.

"You were right."

"······Huh?"

"About Lee Jaseung. You said it, didn't you? That Lee Jaseung wanted to apologize to me."

"······Huh?"

Seo Minjae was flustered.

"Don't tell me Lee Jaseung actually apologized to you?"

"Has he gone insane?"

"Ah, right? I thought maybe..."

"But you know. His personality seems a bit softer somehow?"

"······."

Calling Lee Jaseung soft.

That poor little lamb had been reeled in again.

It looked as if the day he became the second client was not far off.

Gazing at him with pitying eyes, Seo Minjae patted his back.

"Yeah. Good luck with that."

After Han Juhyeong disappeared with a spring in his step, Seo Minjae headed for the terrace.

Lee Jaseung was still standing there.

Seo Minjae took his place beside him and asked,

"Looks like the fishing was a success?"

Lee Jaseung's casual nod was indifferent.

Watching him act as though the result were only natural, without so much as a scrap of pride, Seo Minjae shook his head in exasperation.

He's something else in every way, really.

"What now? You've got a buyer, but no seller."

Lee Jaseung had strategically spread word of the "Yuseong Steel sale" to create demand.

But a market does not form with buyers alone.

The seller, Yuseong Group, still had to make a decision.

"I'm going to take it."

"······What?"

Seo Minjae's mouth fell open.

He had at least expected Lee Jaseung to go to the Yuseong Group chairman and "persuade" him.

Isn't that the normal way?

But skipping every intermediate step and going straight to "taking" it!

It was a thoroughly Lee Jaseung-like idea, at least.

"You say take it, but can you really just take it?"

"Yeah. It's possible in the current situation. Think about it. The homeowner took out a loan with the house as collateral and couldn't repay it. Do you have to persuade the homeowner? Please sell the house? No. That's far too inefficient."

Lee Jaseung smiled faintly.

"You just seize it."

"Crazy bastard."

"I know."

Seo Minjae laughed hollowly. Sometimes it was exhausting trying to keep up with this guy's way of thinking.

"How are you going to seize it?"

"First, let's put pressure on my uncle."

The ones debtors fear most are always the creditors.

And his uncle owed a full two hundred billion won to Seoseong Securities.

Lee Jaseung smiled faintly.

"Will you do the pressuring?"

Within a few days, Han Juhyeong's daily life had changed completely.

His desk was buried under reports on the special-steel industry.

Yuseong Steel's client roster, market trends, directions of technological development, the synergies an acquisition would produce—he examined every last detail with care.

This time he would not move rashly.

The bitter taste of his last two failures still lingered on his tongue.

Besides, M&A was a project of an entirely different order.

It was a challenge that could not be compared with startup investments or new-business ventures.

I'll prepare perfectly and persuade Father properly this time!

Han Juhyeong, who had been quietly taking management lessons, felt dopamine flood his system for the first time in a long while.

Requests for materials from the secretariat grew more frequent, and external meetings piled up.

Word of his sudden diligence spread through the group and, as if inevitable, reached the ears of the chairman of Hanyeong Auto Group.

Chairman Han flung open the door of the directors' office and strode in.

"Han—Ju—hyeong??!"

"Ah, Father!"

Dozens of reports lay scattered across the desk—materials Han Juhyeong had prepared by staying up several ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nights. Chairman Han picked up one of them.

[Plan for Vertical Integration and Business Diversification of Hanyeong Auto Group Through the Acquisition of Yuseong Steel]

The moment he saw the title, Chairman Han spoke with finality.

"No."

"Father, at least hear me out."

"Have you forgotten what happened to every business you've pushed so far?"

Han Juhyeong's face stiffened.

The failed autonomous-driving startup investment, the digital-transformation project that had collapsed.

Both ventures he had attempted in his twenties had gone down in spectacular flames.

The money burned ran into the hundreds ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of billions of won.

It had been more than a simple financial loss; he had lost the trust of the management as well. Even so, this time he was certain.

"Chairman, fifty percent of a car body is made of special steel. And with the push to lighten car bodies these days, research on the special-steel side is essential. We would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠secure a stable supply of raw materials, and Yuseong Steel's technical capabilities would greatly strengthen Hanyeong Auto's own competence."

Han Juhyeong pressed on in a heated voice.

"And that's not all. Yuseong Steel is a genuine cash-cow company with a considerable share of the steel market. Acquiring it would dramatically expand our influence in that market. We could even diversify our business portfolio."

Chairman Han let out a deep sigh. His son's words had merit.

The high barriers to entry in the special-steel market, the stable profitability, the relationships with existing clients······ everything was perfect.

On top of that, the timing was optimal right now.

"As it happens, the group has already been reviewing an acquisition. Of course, if you want, you can join the project. It would be a good opportunity to learn the work."

"Really? Then······."

"But someone else will take charge."

"Father!"

"No."

Since graduating from his MBA, Han Juhyeong had driven two projects, and both had failed.

If a large-scale acquisition project failed on top of that?

Just imagining it made Chairman Han's head throb.

Two times he could overlook.

A third failure must never happen.

Looking at the son who stared at him with eyes full of expectation, Chairman Han deliberately spoke with cruelty.

"Juhyeong. Nothing is worse than being incompetent and diligent."

Han Juhyeong's gaze dropped.

Traces of the past nights' effort still filled the room, but none of it mattered anymore.

It was truly a night that called for a drink.

A message arrived from Han Juhyeong.

The clock showed eleven at night.

For Lee Jaseung, who slept at dawn and rose late in the afternoon, it was practically midday.

After a pause that suggested hesitation, another message arrived.

Lee Jaseung rolled a ball under his fingers and muttered,

"Han Juhyeong, huh. Would he make a decent second client?"

Seo Minjae and Han Juhyeong.

The two men possessed opposite portfolios.

Seo Minjae, as an illegitimate son, lacked everything.

What he needed was a strategy for climbing "from the bottom up."

Han Juhyeong, by contrast, already possessed everything—except himself.

He had to be managed so that he would not "fall downward."

In terms of difficulty, Han Juhyeong is far easier. As long as he himself does well, the results will show immediately.

In exam terms, if Teacher Lee Jaseung invested the same effort: Student Seo Minjae would rise from rank nine to rank eight, while Student Han Juhyeong would rocket from rank nine to rank five.

Han Juhyeong's before-and-after will be clear-cut.

Which meant he could demonstrate the advertising effect of succession consulting in full.

Useful for marketing, isn't he?

Worth the investment of time.

Having finished the calculation without difficulty, Lee Jaseung set out for the address that had appeared on his phone.

It was a high-end bar with private rooms, tucked into a quiet alley in Cheongdam-dong.

Inside, Han Juhyeong was drinking in a pitiful state.

When Lee Jaseung sat opposite him, Han Juhyeong, still fidgeting with his glass, mumbled in a defeated voice,

"You're thinking I'm a total loser right now, aren't you?"

The paranoid look made him seem exactly that.

Yet instead of answering with the truth, Lee Jaseung calmly issued a command.

"Just talk."

Han Juhyeong sighed and launched into a long story.

To Lee Jaseung there was nothing new in it. He had already known Han Juhyeong was desperate over the succession issue and had put him on the list for that very reason.

After listening to the drawn-out tale, Lee Jaseung summed it up cleanly.

"I can see why."

"······Hey."

Han Juhyeong stared at him with an incredulous face, then shook his head.

This guy was never going to be any good at consolation.

What had he even expected by calling him?

But then an unexpected remark followed.

"Still, you're continuing to receive management training. That means Chairman Han does not regard you as completely incompetent."

Han Juhyeong's expression turned ambiguous.

······Was that a compliment?

"Then why did Father say those things?"

"Fear."

"Fear?"

"The fear that you might prove yourself so incompetent that succession becomes impossible."

"······."

······Was that an insult?

Yet Lee Jaseung remained as calm as if he were merely stating facts.

"The chairman must be anxious too. He wants nothing more than to hand the company to his only son, yet he cannot bring himself to trust him."

"Am I that unreliable?"

"Of course."

Han Juhyeong glared. Lee Jaseung gave a short laugh and continued.

"The chairman would have wanted to play it safer. He probably meant to give you a project that would offset past failures and reverse public opinion just enough. Then you suddenly volunteered for an acquisition project."

"So I shouldn't do it?"

Lee Jaseung shook his head.

"No. You simply chose the wrong direction."

"Direction?"

"You should have presented a plan that not only guaranteed business success but also firmly secured your succession. Instead of sitting here sniveling."

Han Juhyeong was left speechless.

The last phrase would have been better left unsaid, yet overall the argument was persuasive.

He even found himself understanding his father's heart, feeling somehow comforted, and above all experiencing a sudden clarity about everything.

That alone made his mood improve markedly.

Come to think of it, Lee Jaseung had come running at this late hour after receiving his call—despite loathing alcohol so much.

Discovering this unexpected side of him brought a strange sense of emotion.

"Thanks."

Lee Jaseung accepted the gratitude with a light nod.

The reason he had invested time tonight was to confirm Han Juhyeong's value as a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"client."

Overall it was not bad.

If the group actively reviewed the acquisition, support would be plentiful, and given how thoroughly trust had already been lost, the story of a dramatic turnaround would be excellent.

Most of all, the man himself was desperate.

That kind of feeling was always worth exploiting.

He does show a shockingly pathetic side from time to time······. Which is probably why he came looking for me.

A man who was somehow lacking yet wanted to inherit the group.

He was perfectly suited to become a client.

"Want me to help you?"

"······What?"

Feeling the alcohol drain away in an instant, Han Juhyeong stared at him. He thought he had just heard something completely unrealistic······.

"You'll help me? You? Me?"

"In exchange for an appropriate consulting fee under contract, of course."

"······."

Figures.

The wind gone out of his sails, Han Juhyeong replied halfheartedly.

"What, you mean like coaching? I'm already getting that."

Management coaching for large-corporation heirs was systematically organized, and many successors received it privately.

"And you're the same age as me! I mean, coaching should come from experts with more experience."

Lee Jaseung clicked his tongue.

Listening to this outdated age nonsense here of all places.

Yet he willingly exercised patience.

He had long known the man was lacking; that was precisely why he was needed.

"So those elderly gentlemen are actually useful, then?"

"······Huh?"

"I'm asking whether you think they will make you chairman. From the look of things, if you paid them incentives you'd have every right to feel ripped off."

Han Juhyeong was so dumbfounded he could only open and close his mouth.

Lee Jaseung's words sounded exactly like a rebuke: Is this the mess you ended up in because you trusted them?

No—it was certain.

"So what, you're saying you can make me chairman? Something like that?"

"Exactly."

"Are you crazy? You? Me? How? If you know how to do that, what was all the education I've received for?"

"What those people taught you is how to become a proper manager."

"And you?"

"How to succeed at succession."

For the sake of his prospective client, Lee Jaseung explained with uncharacteristic kindness.

"Becoming a good manager and successfully inheriting are different things. Even someone with outstanding management ability can fail at succession, and conversely someone short on management skill can still succeed. Succession is a strategic and political domain."

Han Juhyeong swallowed hard.

"Then how are you going to make me chairman?"

"First I'll make you the person in charge of the Yuseong Steel acquisition project. Then I'll make the acquisition succeed. Once Yuseong Steel becomes Hanyeong Steel and you become president of Hanyeong Steel, it will serve as your independent power base within the group."

"······."

"From that point on you only need to avoid screwing up and simply hold on to what you have. After all, you're the only heir Hanyeong Auto Group has."

It was neither overflowing confidence nor an attempt to curry favor.

It was the matter-of-fact attitude of someone for whom this outcome was only natural.

Which was why even the outrageous nonsense began to sound plausible.

Somehow his fighting spirit drained away and Han Juhyeong felt the energy leave his body completely.

If you were going to run a real con, maybe this was how you had to do it.

Honestly, it sounded sweet. Part of him even wanted to believe it once.

In the end he asked like a sigh,

"You think it's possible?"

"Han Juhyeong, that isn't a particularly difficult job for me. And I already have a plan."

"······A plan?"

Lee Jaseung smiled more deeply at this naive friend who revealed his every thought so openly.

At this point he had as good as taken the bait.

He rose from his seat with a faint smile.

"Think it over carefully."