The School's True Colors
Yoo Jae-won had never really known how complete strangers viewed him. He assumed most people saw him as nothing more than a young computer prodigy or a businessman who had made it big in America. For the most part, that was true. The media's repeated spotlight on major events in Korea and the United States had painted him with a vague, positive image. But not everyone saw him that way, and he learned as much in middle school. To put it bluntly, they saw him as a mark—an easy target to be fleeced at the gambling table. That was how the middle school teachers regarded him.
On the day of the entrance ceremony, after the formal proceedings concluded and students were returning to their classrooms, Yoo Jae-won was summoned by the school principal. When he arrived, he found a table set with snacks and cola. The principal greeted him with an ingratiating smile and offered the refreshments. After some small talk, the man expressed regret that the school buildings were so old. He especially lamented that the gymnasium was in such poor condition that the entrance ceremony had to be held outdoors in the chilly weather. He added that the lack of a proper lunch program must be inconvenient for parents, and other similarly odd remarks followed.
Stripped of polite phrasing, the principal's intent was glaringly obvious: he wanted Yoo Jae-won to build a new gymnasium and lunch facilities. Jae-won had already considered providing lunch service. It would ease the burden on parents, allow him to eat food made with trustworthy ingredients, and help students who might otherwise go hungry without making them feel indebted. The gymnasium, however, was another matter. He told the principal he would think about it and returned to class.
School life proved different from what he had imagined. The infamous "middle school disease" that only time could cure was a terrifying affliction, and even its early stage—first-year middle school syndrome—could not be ignored. A group of boys who had somehow banded together began picking fights with him. They resented the special treatment he received from the teachers. After school, they told him to come to the back of the school grounds, and he agreed. When he showed up, expecting the worst, fists flew. The boys clearly did not realize that the old "strike first, win first" tactic only worked in elementary school. Jae-won blocked the punches with ease and countered. At the same time, the two bodyguards who shadowed him like ghosts stepped in and thoroughly trampled the attackers.
The principal was a problem, the delinquent students were a problem, and expecting the teachers to behave normally was asking too much. Their favoritism toward Jae-won was extreme. Unlike elementary school, where one teacher handled every subject, middle school assigned a different teacher to each class. Their teaching styles and attitudes toward students varied, yet their fawning treatment of Jae-won remained consistent. He was always exempt from corporal punishment and group penalties. Though he had the highest grades among the new students and could solve any difficult question the teachers posed, he was far from a perfect student. Company matters often kept him from completing homework, yet he was still excused. Even during physical education, when the class was told to pull weeds instead of playing ball games, the same exemption applied.
Such kindness came at a price. The teachers expected white envelopes filled with cash. A few tens of thousands of won were not enough to satisfy them. Suspicious, Jae-won had Kang Chan-ho investigate discreetly. The report was staggering: the teachers believed Jae-won had given the Deokjin Elementary teachers tens or even hundreds of millions of won and expected the same treatment themselves. They had mistaken the dividends and investment returns from ID Technology for bribes.
Jae-won disliked watching his friends endure daily beatings, and he had grown tired of school staff who treated him like an easy mark. The troublemakers who had attacked him on the day of the entrance ceremony and still failed to learn their lesson could not be overlooked either. Already disillusioned with the regular curriculum, the triple blow he suffered in middle school only hastened his decision. He would drop out and take the fast track through the qualification exam. If he quit early, he could sit for the middle school graduation equivalency test in August. At the time, it was still called the high school entrance qualification exam—the test that determined whether one was eligible to enter high school.
At the same time, he no longer wished to witness the school's behavior. One of the guiding principles Jae-won had set for this life was simple: he could not involve himself in everything, but he would do his best with whatever lay directly before him. That was why he had provided lunch service at Deokjin Elementary and helped Soo-kyung's father. The same applied now. Though he could escape via the qualification exam, the friends and decent students left behind would still suffer the school's abuses. His father's complaints added the final push, leading to the decision to acquire the school foundation.
Yoo Bong-man was not an active man by nature. The previous year, when ID Investment was established, he had run himself ragged helping his son, meeting new people constantly and forcing himself to build connections he did not enjoy. That year, the sudden change in the family's circumstances had kept him busy, but this year the burden felt heavier. He had not been able to bring himself to tell his son directly, yet Hwang Jae-hong noticed and reported it. Kim Mal-sook, on the other hand, was naturally outgoing and enjoyed meeting people, so she felt no strain from ID Investment's activities.
"So you're telling me to run a school? You little rascal, have you forgotten your father only graduated from elementary school?"
Yoo Bong-man was clearly tempted by the title of chairman. Yet his elementary school education remained the sticking point. The position of middle school chairman was appealing, but he doubted whether someone with only an elementary diploma could handle it.
"Father, there is no educational requirement for the chairman position. The principal, vice principal, and staff handle the actual operations. The chairman's role is simply to provide financial and personnel support so they can do their jobs properly. Since the money comes from your pocket, no one will dare ignore you. The most important duty is to punish any staff misconduct decisively so the same mistakes are never repeated."
Yoo Jae-won's explanation brought a look of temptation to his father's face.
"But which school's foundation are you talking about? Surely not the one you're attending?"
His mother's sharp question followed. Jae-won took the opportunity to explain in detail everything he had experienced over the past few weeks. With each word, his parents grew increasingly outraged. They had expected middle school to be less comfortable than elementary school, but the level of corruption here was far worse.
"Good heavens. I never mentioned this before, but something happened on the day of the preliminary assembly as well."
She explained that Teacher Kwon, who had greeted them at the school gate and introduced himself as a temporary instructor, was not the homeroom teacher assigned to Class 1 after the entrance ceremony. Their connection had not ended, however; as the ethics teacher, Kwon still appeared once a week. When Jae-won asked what had happened, the answer was exactly what he feared. Teacher Kwon had offered to show the parents around the school facilities, but his real purpose was to create an atmosphere in which he could solicit a bribe. The parents, caught off guard with nothing prepared, had been forced to return to the car and hastily assemble an envelope.
"Good heavens. So that's why you can acquire Yeoju Middle School?"
With their own impression of the school now thoroughly soured, the parents listened carefully to Jae-won's plan.
"Yeoju Middle School is a private institution. The foundation can be purchased outright. The current owners are ready to sell the moment they receive a lump sum."
The school's culture was shaped by its teachers and students, but it was also inevitably influenced by the private foundation that owned it. The foundation that ran Yeoju Middle School was not large. Its only assets were the school grounds and buildings. Unlike major educational foundations that had accumulated vast wealth, this one possessed nothing more. The true prize and revenue source for private foundations was a university, with its high tuition and substantial government subsidies. Since Yeoju Middle School's foundation had neither a university nor even a high school, it had never been able to amass significant wealth.
Jae-won had already set Kang Chan-ho and Choi Kang-wook in motion to contact the foundation chairman. Upon learning the details, Chief of Staff Choi Kang-wook had been deeply indignant. At the same time, he sympathized with Jae-won's purpose and moved aggressively to realize the bold solution of purchasing the foundation. He did not simply accept an inflated price. Sellers naturally raised their demands when a buyer appeared desperate, and Jae-won had no intention of handing his hard-earned money to the people who had created such a wretched school. He left the negotiations entirely to Choi Kang-wook.
The shrewd chief of staff chose a different approach: leverage. There were other small private foundations in Yeoju besides Yeoju Middle School. Among them, Deokjin High School stood out. It had no connection to the Deokjin Elementary School Jae-won had attended, yet its condition was remarkably similar to that of Yeoju Middle School. Choi Kang-wook created a situation in which two comparable foundations were placed side by side, forcing them to compete.
After hearing the full story, Yoo Bong-man pondered briefly.
"I understand. I'll do it."
The hesitation did not last long, and permission was granted.
"Then if I become chairman, I can fire all the rotten teachers, right?"
The personality Jae-won had inherited came from his father. Decisions made after minimal deliberation were pursued with full commitment—that unyielding determination was Yoo Bong-man's original trait.
"Yes! That's exactly what I want! The other children shouldn't have to suffer what I went through. Once the cleanup is complete, I'll support your scholarship projects wholeheartedly."
His father's straightforward answer swept away the worry that had clouded Jae-won's face.
Yoo Jae-won Drops Out!
Nothing Left to Learn in Middle School!
Regular Curriculum Cannot Accommodate a Genius!
Considering the High School Entrance Qualification Exam This August!
The news of Yoo Jae-won's withdrawal spread nationwide through the newspapers. No press release had been issued by the company or personally, yet somehow the information had leaked with uncanny speed. Given how much attention Yoo Jae-won and ID Technology attracted, some reporters had likely been following his movements, or perhaps someone from Yeoju Middle School had tipped them off. As a result, his phone rang constantly. Calls came from elementary school friends and even former teachers at Deokjin Elementary. Some friends felt hurt, while others understood. Those who were disappointed were Jumin and Yeong-sik, who remained at Yeoju Middle School; those who said they had expected it were students who had moved on to other schools.
The teachers at Deokjin Elementary, especially the principal, expressed deep concern that Jae-won had left the regular education system. Yet once they understood that he had made the choice after careful consideration, they did not pressure him to return.
The acquisition of Yeoju Middle School's foundation proceeded rapidly. The price was settling around 300 million won. Land values in Yeoju were still at rock bottom, and the aging school buildings could not command a high price. Even so, some might argue that 300 million won was too cheap for an entire middle school foundation. However, the foundation also carried 300 million won in debt. Interestingly, the lender of that substantial debt was a relative of the current chairman. The man had deliberately created the debt and collected high interest from the school to increase his personal wealth. Since Jae-won preferred a clean acquisition, he decided to pay off the debt immediately as well, bringing the total price to 600 million won.
The transfer process was expected to conclude quickly once reported to the education office, likely finishing within April. Yoo Bong-man, Jae-won's father, had already entered the school like an occupying force and was collecting evidence of various irregularities. He was preparing to dismiss and prosecute the corrupt teachers and staff immediately upon assuming the chairmanship. The teachers, suddenly confronted with their changed circumstances, were at a loss. Some even tried to visit Jae-won's home to beg on their knees, but the bodyguards turned them away before they could meet either Yoo Bong-man or Jae-won.