Manjae Faction (3)
The story from the Manjae Faction vice president was longer than expected.
"Stock manipulation?"
The Manjae Faction had teamed up with Gong Isa for insider trading, using news of the Phase 3 trials to buy low and sell high, pocketing the profits. The explanation dragged on because the method was so complicated. In any case, Gong Isa and the Manjae Faction had maintained a collaborative relationship for a long time.
The trigger for the incident was President Kang Cheonho. He suddenly announced he was liquidating Cheonho Pharmaceuticals, a company that had been going well for both the Manjae Faction and Gong Isa. From their perspective, they had to stop Kang Cheonho's actions at all costs. If the CEO liquidated the company and a new one was elected, the new management would audit the books, potentially exposing traces of insider trading and suspicious fund flows.
That's why the "tragic accident" befell President Kang of Cheonho Pharmaceuticals due to the Manjae Faction's actions.
"...But Gong Isa called in the Yakuza to wipe out the Manjae Faction too?"
"That bastard Gong Isa is completely insane when it comes to money."
The vice president's voice, which had been calm up to that point, even trembled here.
"He wasn't satisfied with splitting billions with us—he quickly turned on us."
"Hmm..."
I pretended to listen intently and finally stepped outside. My eyes met Shay's. We seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"So, what now?"
"I get the story, but something feels missing, right?"
We knew the conspiracy and betrayal straight out of a gangster drama. But was that really what mattered?
"The organization... that Seibul thing—nothing much on them."
He'd believed I was from Seibul, so it wasn't easy to get him talking about them. The little he did say didn't differ much from what I knew: an assassination group operating in a cell structure. The only new bit was that they contacted Choi Manjae, the Manjae Faction boss, separately.
Shay and I stood there, unsure what to do next. Luckily, Blackie stepped in to sort things out.
"Right. Then..."
Shay pointed to the exit.
"I'll clean up here and make the report. You head back."
"...I'll take off first."
It was already 11 p.m. I rode in the vehicle Blackie controlled partway, then took the subway home.
My parents weren't there. My sister was out too, it seemed. I threw my clothes aside and dove into bed.
The next day, I didn't go to Cheonho Pharmaceuticals. Instead, I rolled around on the living room floor.
This job... it's more complicated than I thought.
When Conal first approached me, I figured it'd be like my days at Korea University: just run well, shoot well, that kind of thing.
...Can I really keep doing this job?
"Whatcha doing?"
"Uh... rolling around."
I turned my head and there was Sua. My sister was dressed in a white T-shirt and shorts. She perched on the sofa edge and looked down at me tumbling on the floor.
"Not going to work?"
"You?"
"It's my day off."
"Mine too."
"You started less than a week ago?"
I didn't answer her pointed question. I just kept rolling silently on the floor. Sua watched me for a while before speaking.
"The job... manageable?"
"..."
Normally I'd brush it off, but the words wouldn't come.
"No... maybe not."
"Really?"
"Sis, do people all live this complicated?"
I asked Sua, who had more life experience than me. She tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said,
"Most do."
"I see..."
"But why do we have to?"
"Huh?"
I sat up without thinking and looked at Sua. Sitting on the sofa, she seemed more like an older sister today than ever.
"You don't have to follow what everyone else does. Do... what you've always done, bro."
"Can I?"
"...You can do it well, right?"
Sua's words sounded irresponsible. Dangerous, even, for a shut-in like me. But my head cleared up.
I stood, grabbed both her hands, and shook them. Her skin was soft—she must take good care of it.
"Thanks. I'll do it my way."
I rushed to my room, changed clothes, and came back. Sua was sitting there, head bowed low.
"I'm heading to work."
"Yeah..."
I left after her slightly delayed reply.
The first thing I did outside was grab my employee badge labeled "Proxy Ibitu."
"Blackie, Blackie—you there?"
Blackie's voice sounded tired. I could guess why, so I got straight to the point.
"Can you connect me to Conal? Like last time."
There was a clattering sound, then keyboard tapping before her reply.
"Please."
There was a brief static crackle, then Conal's voice came through.
"You get the report on this job?"
"You know..."
I hesitated, then remembered what my sister had said. Mustering courage, I spoke up.
"Can we buy the company?"
"Cheonho Pharmaceuticals—the whole thing. Can we buy it outright?"
No hint of refusal, so I got excited.
"The Yakuza want it, the gangsters want it, that weird assassin group wants it too, right? So if we buy it..."
Surprisingly, Conal accepted my proposal readily.
"Th-three... 300 billion? That's a bit..."
"Huh?"
I wondered if that would even work, but Conal said it was feasible.
"So... you're coming to Korea? Or are you already here?"
Conal was still in the US. So who would handle buying the company?
"No way... right?"
A heavy responsibility for a former NEET like me—I dropped my badge. But reality didn't change.
Time passed, and the emergency shareholders' meeting Shin Daeri had mentioned arrived. It was in Cheonho Pharmaceuticals' conference room.
"I-it'll be fine, right?"
"Don't worry. Just follow my lead."
I glanced at Ma Yongtaek, the Cheonho Pharmaceuticals executive trembling beside me in fear.
...Truth is, I'm shaking too. But with him freaking out next to me, mine wouldn't show. Small relief.
As we entered the building, familiar faces appeared. Shin Daeri spotted me, started to wave, then dropped her sandwich.
Probably because I was heading into the shareholders' meeting.
Inside, there were many elderly folks I'd never seen. They ignored me at first, but when I took the head seat, they straightened up.
I beckoned to Shay, who was playing secretary beside me. In my calmest, most relaxed voice, I said,
"Please verify the proxy voting documents."
"Y-yes, sir..."
A man took the papers casually, then his eyes bulged. They stated that Ryushin Gumi's shares and Vanguard Investment's representative had delegated their shares to me.
"Shares... 51 percent?"
"What?"
"..."
All eyes turned to us. Choi Manjae, the Manjae Faction boss sitting off to the side, glared sharply—not just at me, but at Ma Yongtaek too.
I lightly patted Ma Yongtaek's shoulder and said,
"Then, let's proceed with the agenda. It's tragic about the late President Kang, but we need to fill the company's vacancy promptly, don't we?"
"R-right. Next, we'll elect new directors. First candidate..."
"I-Ibitu. Ibitu as candidate."
As the meeting progressed, my name came up as a director candidate.
"Do you think this is right?"
"Then you step up."
No one could object. Some questioned my credentials, but the cover identity had no flaws. Plus, with over 50% of the shares, they were powerless.
Conal had prepared everything in advance via a law firm: agenda, proxies, board convening consent.
"Then, the new director will be Ibitu."
Silence fell over the conference room. Then someone glanced around and started clapping.
Clap... clap!
Clap! Clap!
Everyone stared at me. No one—not even me—had imagined a third-year shut-in becoming a Cheonho Pharmaceuticals director.
"Ma Executive Director, let's hold the board meeting immediately."
"Y-yes. Yes!"
Ending here meant we hadn't really started. Next, Ma Yongtaek and I convened the board and elected the CEO.
"Our... Cheonho Pharmaceuticals' new CEO will be... Ibitu."
"I'll urgently normalize the company and make Cheonho Pharmaceuticals greater than ever."
I said what a CEO would and sat down. People clapped again—this time with genuine force.
And so, from Proxy Ibitu, in less than a week, I became Cheonho Pharmaceuticals CEO Ibitu.
"Ha..."
Choi Manjae gave a hollow smile despite the absurdity, staring at me. His glare suggested he might lunge any second. But when the shareholders' meeting ended, he left quietly, surprisingly.
...Something felt off about that.
In any case, we'd taken Cheonho Pharmaceuticals—what everyone wanted—into our hands.