Campus Date with a College Girl
Go Yun-jeong's face looked somewhat relieved as she wrapped up all the conversations and headed back. The dice had been cast now. All that remained was approval from the Ministry of Education.
And regarding that approval from the Ministry...
"...It's a bit much to hand it over to a brand-new foundation that hasn't even been properly vetted."
"Ahem. You're right."
The committee members in charge of the review voiced their negative opinions.
But that was only during the first day's meeting.
By the next day, their stance had shifted.
"Even so, it's better than just letting it close down..."
"It's better to keep it open as a place of learning for those precious students. Besides, the new foundation has plenty of funds, doesn't it?"
"Exactly. Let's approve it as is."
Their words had flipped like that.
Still, a few committee members looked utterly baffled by it.
No way—these guys took bribes or something?
Why the sudden change?
If they'd been saying similar things since yesterday, it might have made sense. But yesterday, their reactions had been completely different. They'd changed their attitudes overnight.
"Heh heh. All good things are good, right?"
The one preaching the "everything's fine" mindset had been the fiercest opponent just yesterday.
—How could some young punk possibly know how to run a foundation? Just because he has money doesn't mean acquiring a university is simple...(etc.)
He'd been the one standing there with veins bulging in his neck.
"That's right, that's right."
And now, the committee member chiming in agreement nonstop. His attitude was consistent with yesterday in a way—he'd just been heh-hehing and nodding along back then too. Except yesterday, he'd been agreeing with the no-acquisition stance.
So, did you guys really take bribes or what?
They'd flipped their positions in an instant.
Amid the bewildered stares from those around them, the former naysayers pushed forward with enthusiastic affirmations, as if none of it mattered.
"Well, it seems no one's opposing now... No other opinions? Shall we vote on it then?"
Yesterday, the votes had been split roughly evenly.
Today: one against, one abstention, and the rest unanimous approval.
"You've all worked hard. As chairman, I hereby declare that the motion for the Daniel Foundation to take over operations of Baekje University, previously managed by Baekje Academy, has passed."
Bang bang.
The chairman struck the gavel.
Everything was decided.
It was a textbook case of slipshod administration.
But there was no helping it.
Phew.
Good thing.
A few of the committee members who'd switched sides sighed in relief.
Soon, other agenda items came up.
And after all the meetings wrapped...
***
Congressman Baek Yun-seop. Cold sweat was trickling down his back right now.
"Hahaha. These are people I know well. Manager Lee, no need to act all high and mighty anymore—let's have a drink."
He was a five-term congressman from the ruling party. A heavyweight who'd even served as floor leader for the current party before.
With his vast network in politics and business, he was now glancing nervously at the man before him.
How did someone like this even show up... And of all things, Kim Dong-su had to be the problem. I never should have gotten close to a thug like that.
Kim Dong-su. The man who'd been attacked by Hwang In-su was now under fire from public opinion via the media.
The backlash hadn't died down yet. Stories of illegal interest rates squeezing the life out of ordinary folks; if they had daughters, dragging them off to work in sex establishments. Sending thugs to break into homes, smash furniture, kidnap kids, assault or threaten debtors—the rumors were endless.
Some true, some false, no doubt.
But what mattered was that public opinion treated it all as fact.
And that Kim Dong-su? Baek Yun-seop had taken bribes from him directly.
Proof of it was right there in the other man's hands.
"...It's done."
He'd ignored Baek Yun-seop's words, silently checking his tablet.
Only after confirming the desired email did he finally speak.
"Haha. See? The approval document should've gone straight from the Ministry to your foundation by now."
Lee Jinmyeong stood from his seat at the congressman's words.
He bowed his head.
"Thank you so much for your help this time, Congressman Baek Yun-seop."
"Heh heh. No need to make a fuss over something like this..."
"This is a personal token of my appreciation. Please accept it."
Lee Jinmyeong held out a white envelope.
Baek Yun-seop startled at the words.
"No, no—this is dangerous talk. I'm not the kind of person who can take things like this."
"You don't have to say that to me."
"Ahem."
Baek Yun-seop cleared his throat awkwardly.
Lee Jinmyeong knew full well about the bribes from Kim Dong-su.
Pretending otherwise in front of him would have been ridiculous.
Baek Yun-seop pocketed the bribe.
"...This makes you my accomplice now."
He figured it was better to just take it outright.
Bribery was a crime for both giver and receiver, after all.
"Of course."
Lee Jinmyeong nodded eagerly.
"I hope you'll ride this boat all the way to the end."
"Heh heh heh."
The congressman chuckled.
"I hear you're running for party leader this time."
Lee Jinmyeong addressed him casually.
The previous ruling party leader had just been elected president.
Naturally, the position was vacant, and the party needed to fill it.
Baek Yun-seop was one of the big names in the running.
"...Ahem. You know your stuff."
"Anyone following the news would."
"But I'm worried this time. Too many heavy hitters besides me."
Baek Yun-seop frowned, naming rivals.
Lee Jinmyeong replied.
"I can't offer direct help. But personally, I'd like to see Congressman Baek become party leader."
"Even empty words are appreciated."
"That's all I can say."
The conversation ended there.
They finished eating, and Lee Jinmyeong left.
He immediately reported to Shin Jaewoo.
"The university acquisition approval process is complete."
Now they could truly kick off Shin Jaewoo's public welfare projects.
Shin Jaewoo smiled at the news.
"...Good."
***
Lee Jinmyeong's report had come in.
I didn't think approval would come this fast.
It hadn't even been a month since Go Yun-jeong visited.
The Ministry must have been eager to find an acquisition candidate quickly.
Well, yeah—better than letting it shutter completely.
Since it had come to this, he should head to Daejeon.
More precisely, to Gongju, where Baekje University was.
Might as well visit Grandma while I'm at it.
His maternal grandmother, Park Halmae, still living in Daejeon.
Now that he thought about it, with all this money, she should've been his first priority over even his aunt.
Grandma's probably still slinging gukbap there.
Park Halmae's Gukbap. It was something of a local favorite in Daejeon.
But Park Halmae was getting on in years now.
It was time to let her retire and rest.
As he prepared to head to Daejeon, a message came in.
It was KakaoTalk, precisely. From Nyanbyeol.
The girl whose nickname Nyanbyeol was starting to feel less familiar than her real name, Moon Sojeong.
What's up with her all of a sudden?
It wasn't even an Excel day today.
Yet here she was, reaching out.
Why?
He replied lightly.
Come to think of it, he suddenly remembered they'd gone to the same school.
He sometimes forgot.
And this junior of mine...
A thought flashed through Shin Jaewoo's mind.
She'd told him that when they first met—originally a Baekje University student, currently on leave.
Why else? Got a good idea.
Instead of a streamer dinner date, he'd swapped it for a campus date with a college girl.