Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: I Made a Mistake
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‘I made a mistake.’
Kim Jong-chun quickly admitted it.
In his own mind, he was a step slower than others and had plenty of foolish tendencies, but one of his few strengths lay right here.
Accepting his own mistakes without delay.
And using that to take one step forward.
Just like back when he’d grown sick of his daily grind that felt like a hamster wheel, only to snap out of it after Song Woo-yeon gave him a harsh wake-up call.
Kim Jong-chun felt a chill run down his spine, like a herbivore facing a predator.
A fierce gaze was scrutinizing him closely.
‘If I spout nonsense, it’s over.’
He knew it instinctively. Kim Jong-chun realized he’d let his familiarity with Song Woo-yeon blind him into overstepping.
He didn’t know how they acted in private, but business-wise, this was clearly headquarters and franchise relations. Bringing up a sensitive issue like this in a casual setting without proper procedure was wrong from the start.
‘I knew it. Even though I knew...’
Kim Jong-chun’s face fell sheepishly.
After years in corporate life, how could he not know this basic principle? Sure, running his own business the last few years had worn away much of that office worker edge, but he wasn’t a complete idiot.
But what had clouded Kim Jong-chun’s judgment wasn’t ignorance or a gap in experience.
‘It’s because we’re so close that it blinded me.’
That was it.
People always go easy on those they’re close to. That’s why terms like “connections” exist.
So Kim Jong-chun had unconsciously assumed as much.
‘He’ll forgive a little rudeness and let it slide.’
But that was a huge miscalculation.
Lee In-cheol’s words from some time ago echoed in his mind. No matter how Song Woo-yeon appeared on the surface, he’d built a massive company, so he was no ordinary guy.
Those words rang true a hundred times over.
If it had been anyone else, Kim Jong-chun’s presumptuous remark might’ve stayed casual chit-chat over drinks.
But Song Woo-yeon had scolded him mercilessly the moment he crossed the line.
Gulp.
He’d felt it before, but just facing Song Woo-yeon when he was serious brought immense pressure.
He’d prided himself on his fair share of corporate experience. For a moment, he’d even thought this was like facing a seasoned veteran.
But standing before Song Woo-yeon, his heart pounded like a rookie soldier’s first time on the battlefield, cold sweat breaking out.
“Woo-yeon, no... Song CEO.”
Kim Jong-chun urgently called Song Woo-yeon’s name, then corrected himself.
Song Woo-yeon’s eyebrow twitched.
‘Now I get why the other franchise owners say they can’t even meet his eyes.’
Those business meetings he’d had with other owners—they must’ve faced this side of Song Woo-yeon. Kim Jong-chun bit his lip, regretting learning something he wished he hadn’t.
“I’m sorry. I just realized it’s a huge rudeness to bring this up without following proper procedure.”
The silver lining was that Kim Jong-chun wasn’t the type to let pride get in the way or hesitate to bow his head just because the other guy was young.
He cleanly admitted his fault and apologized without hesitation.
Song Woo-yeon’s expression softened a bit.
Kim Jong-chun kept his head bowed low as he continued.
“I won’t let this happen again. I apologize sincerely.”
“Really? I still have a lot of questions.”
A hint of playfulness crept into Song Woo-yeon’s voice. Kim Jong-chun, still on high alert, didn’t quite catch it.
“Questions like...”
“What you planned to do if I didn’t accept the proposal. Things like that. If you were willing to go as far as a group strike, I’d be in quite a bind. Oh, did a union form behind my back without me knowing?”
“Group str...”
Kim Jong-chun’s face drained of color. He’d never meant to escalate to full-blown labor conflict.
“No! I never even thought of that! Really!”
Kim Jong-chun jumped up in denial, reverting to his natural speech in his panic.
“Pfft.”
“...?!”
“Hahaha!”
Song Woo-yeon couldn’t hold back his laughter, leaving Kim Jong-chun staring in bewildered shock. Seeing that face made Song Woo-yeon burst out laughing again.
“Ow, my sides. Thought I was gonna die laughing.”
“...Song CEO?”
“Just call me Woo-yeon, like always.”
Only then did the tension drain from Kim Jong-chun’s face. His legs wobbled as he collapsed back into his seat.
“Ugh. What was that? You were messing with me?”
“Half and half.”
“So the other half was serious.”
Kim Jong-chun muttered, deflated.
A group strike? He couldn’t fathom how far ahead Song Woo-yeon was thinking.
“You think I’d do that? Stab you in the back, and if you don’t budge, threaten a mass walkout?”
Kim Jong-chun asked in disbelief. They didn’t meet often with their busy schedules, but they were close enough to carve out time together.
Countless drinks shared with Han Mi-ae, nights spent hanging out.
‘Did I really seem that insincere?’
He’d gotten so caught up in their closeness that his vision had blurred. Yet Song Woo-yeon had considered the possibility of betrayal.
It was all so foreign that, even knowing he shouldn’t ask, he had to.
Song Woo-yeon’s answer was simple.
“No. Not at all.”
“Right?”
“Yeah. Of course. If you had stabbed me in the back, I’d have given you a standing ovation. Impressive how perfectly you fooled me all this time.”
Was that a compliment or an insult?
Either way, it meant Song Woo-yeon saw their friendship as genuine.
Kim Jong-chun let out a deep sigh of relief. He’d truly thought his heart would drop.
“Then why say something so scary?”
Crossing a line out of stupidity was one thing; deliberately testing boundaries was another entirely.
Kim Jong-chun rubbed his chest, relieved he hadn’t come off as the latter. If he had, they wouldn’t be chatting amiably like this.
‘No, if he thought I was a traitor, how would Woo-yeon have handled it...’
Kim Jong-chun shuddered, chills running through him. He’d only glimpsed it briefly, but it was enough to know crossing Song Woo-yeon would end badly.
The beaming smile, the youthful look like a fresh grad, the slight build that seemed it’d blow away next to Kim Jong-chun’s bear-like frame.
None hid Song Woo-yeon’s true nature.
‘A born predator, maybe.’
He had an aura that put people on edge.
Song Woo-yeon did.
‘I’ll never mess with him again. Ever.’
As Kim Jong-chun silently vowed this over and over, Song Woo-yeon lowered his gaze briefly before looking back up.
“You never know what people are really thinking. Just because they don’t seem like it doesn’t mean they aren’t.”
“...”
“But I’m glad.”
Song Woo-yeon met Kim Jong-chun’s eyes and smiled brightly.
“That you didn’t betray me, old timer.”
Song Woo-yeon clamped his mouth shut, as if swallowing the rest. But Kim Jong-chun felt like he knew what it was.
‘This time... it’s fine, right?’
In Song Woo-yeon’s silent profile, Kim Jong-chun glimpsed an unending unease.
‘It’s weird. You’ve never failed once, always succeeding without a hitch.’
Why did he look so much like someone who’d been through utter defeat?
Shouldn’t a young genius be more arrogant, confident, carefree? Yet Song Woo-yeon shattered that notion completely.
Kim Jong-chun knew he worked hard.
Staying up all night quantifying recipes, working nonstop until The Song was established.
But even after the company stabilized, Song Woo-yeon kept whipping himself.
‘Reading betrayal potential from a single word of mine—is that even possible for someone who hasn’t been backstabbed?’
That line of thought always left him speechless at Song Woo-yeon’s contradictions.
Could something so illogical just be chalked up to him being a “genius”?
Wasn’t that too unfair?
‘...Does that kid have to wear that lonely face forever?’
If it was innate, it was cruel.
“Better safe than sorry.”
Song Woo-yeon switched expressions like it was nothing.
The loneliness and solitude that had seeped into his face vanished like it was washed away. Kim Jong-chun even wondered if he’d imagined it.
“Anyway, like I said, you should keep some distance from the people egging you on. Not because what you said pissed me off, but for your sake. You get that, right?”
“Of course.”
Kim Jong-chun nodded vigorously.
“I’ll head out first.”
“Why? Plenty of drinks left. Stick around till Owner Han wraps up?”
“Nah. You need rest too, thinking about tomorrow’s business.”
“Tch. True, but.”
Even as Kim Jong-chun tried to hold him back, Song Woo-yeon insisted he was fine and stood.
“I’m off.”
He waved casually, flashing his usual smile as he said goodbye.
Watching his back recede, Kim Jong-chun leaned against the doorframe.
‘Feels like I saw something I shouldn’t have.’
An odd aftertaste left Kim Jong-chun scratching the back of his head.