A Monster in the House
Japanese cuisine was laid out along a long table.
The Vice President spoke first.
"Everyone must be hungry after that meeting. Please, let's eat."
At his words, the executives reached for their chopsticks in unison.
Vice President Jo Sung-woong had been with Hansan Securities for as long as the company had existed.
They say people used to call him a monster back in his younger days...
He had first made his name during the IMF crisis, when the whole country was dying on its feet. Government bond and corporate bond spread trading had announced his existence to the world. In the IB team, he strung together one major IPO and M&A deal after another, earning promotion to the youngest Director in the firm's history. From there he rocketed through Managing Director to Vice President at blistering speed, becoming nothing short of a living legend at Hansan Securities.
But how does he know my name...?
He had known Siyoon's name precisely — and even that he was running a special team.
While everyone ate quietly, Siyoon did nothing but sip at his soup.
"What are you doing? Eat."
The Head of Division seated beside him asked.
How was anyone supposed to swallow food in an atmosphere like this? Even with sushi sitting right in front of him, his hands simply wouldn't move.
"I may have eaten something bad at lunch. My stomach's a bit off."
"Is that so?"
At that moment, the Vice President's gaze swung toward Siyoon.
"Don't feel awkward — eat up. I hear you've been working hard lately. You need your strength."
"......Yes, sir."
He reluctantly picked up a single piece of sushi with his chopsticks.
The Vice President continued.
"I heard the rough outline from Cha. You're running the team in a way that's never been done before?"
"I'm working with talented employees. Thanks to them, we're maintaining consistently high returns."
Siyoon answered.
The Vice President nodded with a satisfied look, then turned to Managing Director Cha.
"Business doesn't need to be confined to a mold. If it helps the company, we shouldn't hold back on support. Take charge of it and push it through, Cha."
"Yes. We're moving forward in a positive direction."
He mentioned growing the business a moment ago — was that what he meant? We posted high returns in a short period, so of course a report would have gone up to the Vice President.
Still, it felt fast. The special team had only just gotten started.
Then a man who had been eating in silence set down his chopsticks and let his words drop like knives.
"A positive direction... I'd say we're lucky if no one else loses their head this time."
The voice belonged to Managing Director Gil Young-han.
There was poison in every syllable. It was clearly aimed at Director Cha and Siyoon.
The whistleblower incident was gradually being forgotten, but the Director Park who had ended up behind bars afterward happened to belong to Gil Young-han's faction — and Gil ran the entire IB division. Cha had brushed off Gil's remark lightly and let it slide, but that seemed to have only provoked him further.
"Nothing to say, Managing Director Cha? Well, I suppose keeping your mouth shut is the wiser play in a situation like this."
Despite the sharp edge in Gil's words, Cha only smiled faintly.
"Haha. If I engaged, it would only make things uncomfortable for you, Managing Director Gil. After all, Director Park sitting in a cell right now — wasn't he an employee you favored so dearly?"
"......!"
Gil's eyes went frost-cold.
Cha remained perfectly composed.
"Let's stop here. We didn't gather at this table to drag out the past."
Even at the Vice President's words, Gil still seemed to have more to say. This time, his target was Siyoon.
"Forgive me, Mr. Vice President, but some things need to be settled plainly before we move on. I'm not sure it's right to be backing the business of an employee who threw the entire company into chaos and dragged us into disciplinary action from the Financial Services Commission. And a wet-behind-the-ears rookie at that."
"Managing Director Gil has a point."
Another executive chimed in to second him.
The Vice President set down his chopsticks, his expression hardening.
"Honestly. People can be so small-minded. Do you really find it so satisfying to crush young employees under your heel?"
"Now that the floor's been opened, I'd like to hear it. Was it truly necessary to go that far?"
At Gil's words, every executive turned to look at Siyoon. He had intended to sit quietly through the meal, but it seemed he would at least have to offer a few words.
He lowered the sushi in his hand back onto the plate and spoke.
"I hadn't realized it was such a serious matter — an employee who did wrong receiving punishment."
The temperature in the room dropped as if a door had been opened onto a freezer.
Perhaps it was Siyoon's expressionless face and flat voice, but everyone looked startled. He continued.
"I'm human as well, so one day I may well make a mistake of my own. When that happens, I ask that you deal with me just as strictly."
Siyoon bowed his head.
Silence settled over the room.
No one opened their mouth.
Then, from the far end of the table, the Vice President burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Even Cha said you were no ordinary fellow — we've got ourselves a genuine monster on our hands. Managing Director Cha, work must be fun these days?"
He asked, looking over at Cha.
"Yes. I hardly notice the days going by anymore."
Cha Seung-jin smiled with easy grace, drained his glass in one go, and fixed Gil Young-han with an unreadable look.
On the way out after the meal, his thoughts grew heavier with every step toward home.
So there really are factions here.
Managing Director Gil Young-han had wrecked the dinner atmosphere because of Director Park, the man he'd once coddled. And Park was the very director Siyoon had cast down into ruin — while Siyoon, meanwhile, was winning Director Cha's trust. A feud between the two managing directors was simply unavoidable.
"Complicated. So complicated."
That aside, Cha's words kept circling in his head.
Expand the business, he says.
Come to think of it, it was the obvious move. For Cha, who oversaw the entire Trading Division, there was exactly one way to overtake his rival Gil: money. How much more the company earned — that alone would decide the contest.
Right now, across every trading team at Hansan Securities, the highest returns belonged to the SST team. If Cha wanted to climb higher, backing Siyoon was the fastest road there.
In truth, Siyoon had already sketched it out in his head. SST Team 1, SST Team 2, SST Team 3... As the teams expanded, his own returns would multiply several times over — and the company's returns would climb right along with them.
And who stood to gain?
Jeong Chan-soo, Head of Division supervising the trading teams — and Cha Seung-jin, Managing Director over all of S&T.
He had drifted into Cha's faction without ever intending to. He had no interest in playing politics, but there was no reason to refuse an arrangement that made money either.
At this rate, I might actually end up buying an entire building.
His thoughts were running ahead of him. Still, it wasn't impossible. If the special team expanded, the money would come pouring out like he'd been handed a genie's lamp.
He was walking along, lost in thought, when someone bellowed behind him.
"HEY! Kang Siyoon!"
He turned to find Team Leader Oh Joo-han, face flushed with drink — clearly fresh off a company dinner. A few Trading Team employees stood with him.
"If you're drunk, you should head home, sir."
"Drunk? This? You little punk!"
"Whatever you say, sir."
"Cheeky brat, talking down to me. What, why are you just heading home now? Worked late?"
I'd rather have worked late, honestly. He'd spent the whole dinner drinking soup while staring at a table full of executives' faces.
Assistant Manager Min, cheeks pink, slipped in beside them.
"Siyoon, since we ran into each other, why not grab a beer with us? Everyone's heading home except me and the Team Leader."
"Hmm..."
He had missed dinner, and he was hungry.
"Will you buy me chicken?"
"Deal!"
And so the three of them headed to a chicken place around the corner.
Beer and chicken arrived at the table. Siyoon took the chicken; Oh Joo-han and Assistant Manager Min lifted their beer glasses.
Glug, glug.
Oh Joo-han downed half a 500cc glass in one pull, then set it down and looked at Siyoon.
"Ahh, that hits the spot. Come to think of it, this is the first time I'm drinking with you."
"It is."
He'd never once attended a Trading Team dinner. Every member had given him those icy stares, so no gathering was ever going to be comfortable. Sitting here as three, it felt strange — almost like a first team dinner.
After a few more beers, Oh Joo-han's head began to wobble.
"Team Leader, that's enough for tonight. You're really drunk now."
"Drunk... this... punk..."
Then, as if forcing himself to focus, he planted both arms on the table and stared steadily at Siyoon.
"Looking at you like this... you're not such a hateful guy. Can't figure out why everyone disliked you so much..."
"People don't need reasons to dislike someone. They dislike you because they dislike you."
With that, Siyoon took a swig of his own beer.
"I fell short... A team leader's supposed to act like a team leader, and I didn't do that... I'm sorry, kid."
"Sorry, sir?"
"I said I'm sorry... all of it... I'm sorry."
And then Oh Joo-han's enormous head dropped straight onto the table.
Thud.
Assistant Manager Min startled.
"Oh my — Team Leader!"
"Just leave him. He'll be fine after a nap."
"He barely drank anything at the first dinner, so why..."
Then, abruptly, she asked,
"Oh, right — the Team Leader's never actually said this to you, has he?"
"Said what?"
"That he's sorry."
"Hmm. I don't really remember..."
"He always says it when he drinks too much at a company dinner. That he's sorry he couldn't protect you. That he should've stood up for you before you got exiled to the warehouse, and couldn't."
"......"
Siyoon knew Oh Joo-han quietly looked out for him. He just hadn't known the man was still apologizing for it.
"Could you tell him for me tomorrow, Assistant Manager? That he doesn't need to be sorry anymore. That I'm doing better than I ever have, and the warehouse is as comfortable as my own home."
"Pfft. And you think he'll believe that?"
"Whether he believes it or not, it's true. I actually enjoy my life these days."
Min tilted her head, not quite following. Siyoon bit into a piece of chicken and said,
"Crispier than usual today. Not bad."
A week later.
Siyoon arrived at work and headed for the warehouse office.
Today was a special day for the SST staff — the day each of them would be handed their own capital and begin investing freely. Perhaps that was why there was something fierce in everyone's eyes.
"You all look scary today."
"We're fully prepared. Today's the day we finally become real traders, isn't it?"
Go Gu-hyeon said it with burning intensity in his eyes.
"That's right. The day you become real traders. So — is everyone ready?"
"Yes!"
"You've each identified your own picks?"
"Yes!"
Their determination was good to see, but they were all clenching their eyes a little too hard.
"Good. Ten minutes to the open. As I've mentioned before, each of you will start with 10 billion won in capital. Watch your risk management, and don't hesitate at your stop-loss or take-profit levels."
"Yes!"
"One more thing. If you maintain returns as high as what you've shown so far, a far greater reward will follow down the line."
"What... do you mean by that?"
Ahn Hyeok-su asked, eyes going round.
"I can't promise anything concrete yet. But there is one thing I can say for certain — someone up there, very high up, is watching you all."
"......!"
"So throw everything you have into it. Trade as if today were your last."
"Yes! Understood!"
Their voices rang with strength. All three of them looked like soldiers heading to the front line.
Siyoon glanced at his clock and spoke.
"It's nine. Let's go."
"Yes!"
And with that answer, the SST staff's buy orders began pouring out without pause.
Watching his people on the monitors, Siyoon murmured to himself.
"Expanding the business, huh... There are worse things I could be doing."