Now I Was a Real Chairman
I went into the broadcast for the first time in a while.
Seola was there, smiling brightly.
Hmph.
Yeah, I was definitely not a good guy. Not even close.
Just a little while ago, I’d been feeling guilty toward Ji-hyun and even wondering whether I should have started dating her yesterday after all.
But the moment I saw Seola, that thought vanished without a trace.
In fact, I wanted to pat myself on the back for having the sense to refuse to make it official yesterday.
Thanks to that, I could naturally meet Seola like this—and think about what came after, too.
What a pathetic bastard.
I’d already known that about myself.
At this point, it didn’t sting much.
I stopped thinking and focused on the broadcast.
Maybe because ordinary people and BJs kept different schedules, she was only eating dinner at ten at night.
Even then, the chat never stopped moving.
The only thing I found regrettable was that the attention wasn’t on me, but on another top donor.
Probably because I’d caused such a stir during Excel, the viewers recognized me now.
- Eeeek, oppa, you’re here? I was seriously so grateful during Excel. Thanks to you, I even got promoted to associate rank.
While she was thanking me, another top donor fired off Star Balloons.
This bastard has no manners.
At least wait until we’ve exchanged greetings, would you?
- Ah, oppa. Please! I haven’t even had my first meal yet!
- ObsceneRichBoy oppa! Thank you so much! But... sob. I don’t think I’ll be able to eat.
Again, a million Star Balloons were sleeping in my America TV account.
He’d just sponsored 1,414, so that made 998,586, right?
That bastard?
This was obviously picking a fight, wasn’t it?
Seola checked the Star Balloons and covered her mouth with both hands.
I’d seen this before.
Cute.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Over this?
At last, a surrender declaration came in.
.. I can’t beat you. Eat a lot.
Where the hell do you think you’re acting up?
***
The next day.
I left the house.
I got into the Rolls-Royce.
“May I ask when you plan to move in?”
“Hmm... I’m staying at someone I know’s place, so I just want to use it as a place to drop by now and then.”
“...Understood. I’ll arrange the interior separately and furnish it with the finest pieces.”
“Yes, please do that. Honestly, meeting you, Chief Secretary, has been a real stroke of luck.”
“You flatter me. I’m the one who should be grateful that you trust me with it.”
It really was luck. I had nothing but money to my name, and yet...
Shit. That thought just gave me goose bumps. I couldn’t believe I’d ended up thinking like that.
Anyway.
The fact that I’d made it this far without any problems, despite knowing next to nothing, was entirely thanks to the Chief Secretary.
Where else was I ever going to find help from someone like him?
“I’ve also set up a meeting with a famous chef. The chef is...”
“Oh, isn’t he the one who appeared on variety shows too?”
“That’s right. He says he has the Michelin dream and wants investment.”
“Nice.”
I’d be doing some filial good deeds soon enough, then.
“If you have the time, could you handle one more thing?”
“Please feel free to give me instructions. I don’t handle everything myself—I have a separate team for that.”
“Oh? Then I’d like to buy a building in a good location.”
“...May I ask what your budget is?”
Hmm. Let’s see. The house and office, plus basic taxes and labor costs...
Let’s be conservative and set this year’s budget at around 40 billion won.
Then add another 60 billion, plus the 100 billion I’d just made this time.
I still needed to think beyond that, though...
“Around 100 billion won would be good.”
“...That’s more than sufficient.”
If I bought a building, it would bring in monthly rent. I could cover fixed expenses with that.
Making money itself could be left to asset appreciation.
“I’m curious what you think about establishing a corporation. If you buy and sell a building, it should generate a substantial monthly income, and considering the labor costs for the current staff plus any additional hires...”
“Sounds good. Please go ahead with it.”
I’d actually been thinking about it already. I’d just given up because I couldn’t get a feel for it.
The Chief Secretary would take care of everything properly.
I had no reason to withdraw money from the corporation separately, so setting one up made sense.
“How would you like the company name to be handled?”
“Hmm... let’s go with DE Holdings.”
“I’ll proceed accordingly.”
DE, my initials.
Yeah. Now I really was a chairman.
***
I picked up Ji-hyun and arrived at Lotte Department Store.
Well, it was really just returning to Lotte Tower again.
Since I lived in the Signiel Penthouse, they’d even given me a card.
Soon, a dedicated staff member came out to meet us.
“Sir, today I’ll be assisting with your shopping from the side...”
I didn’t particularly feel like memorizing the man’s name.
As before, Ji-hyun’s eyes lit up at this completely non-ordinary situation.
Honestly, so did mine.
Money really was the best thing in the world.
I followed the staff member into the department store.
“First... do you happen to have a bag that a college student could carry around?”
“It would probably depend on whether it’s for meetings or for going to class.”
“Both.”
“Right this way.”
I followed him, and Ji-hyun looked flustered after overhearing us.
“O-oh, oppa. What is this? I feel bad... We came to look at furniture.”
“Don’t feel bad. This is nothing to me. I don’t want you getting looked down on wherever you go.”
“...”
“And look at that Benz guy from before. Trying to get ideas above his station...”
“...You absolutely never remember names, do you?”
“It’s hard.”
Seriously.
I wasn’t exactly blessed with a great memory.
Of course, women’s names were different.
Was that what they called a woman chaser?
It sounded like a term someone had coined just to roast me.
I had no idea how I’d held back all this time.
That was how strong my hunger for success had been.
“Sir, this bag here is from Dior...”
I could use it as a school bag. It was a little small, though...
It wasn’t high school anymore—it was college, so it should be fine, right?
I’d never been to college, so I honestly didn’t know.
“Would you be able to carry this? It’s not too small, is it?”
“...That’s not the issue here.”
“It is the issue.”
“I don’t have that much stuff...”
What kind of woman would turn down a bag as a gift?
Bring any woman in the world here, and she’d be delighted.
Except for women who had more money than I did.
“Get that one. And I heard Chanel is something women need too.”
“Yes, that is true. It’s usually hard to get ahold of, but in your case...”
“Get that one too.”
“O-oh, oppa!”
This time, her voice really did get louder.
The bag the staff member had shown us cost about ten million won.
And I’d made 100 billion won yesterday.
It was nothing.
“It’s going to be cold once college starts, right? Do you have a brand you want?”
“...”
“You’re quiet. Shall we start with Chanel?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ah, no. Actually, please get Yves Saint Laurent instead.”
“That’s a brand that’s been very popular lately with younger customers.”
“We can do both.”
“You won’t regret it.”
We looked at clothes next. I remembered where Ji-hyun’s eyes had lingered.
“Get me that one and that one too.”
“Yes, sir. The total comes to 3.5 million won...”
“Yes, please get them.”
After repeating that a few times, the total came close to 30 million won.
At this rate, it should be enough repayment for taking her first time.
And we weren’t even dating.
The guilt that had eased when I looked at Seola started raising its head again when I saw the bright-eyed Ji-hyun.
But this gift dulled it right back down.
Cheap, all things considered.
Instead, Ji-hyun started feeling guilty.
“It’s okay. This much is nothing to oppa.”
Damn.
Who knew I’d ever say something like that?
“...Oppa, just how rich are you?”
“Hmm... enough that this isn’t a burden, I guess?”
For someone with assets in the 200-billion-won range, this wasn’t much of a burden at all.
Was I the only one who felt that way?
The longer time passed, the more astonished Ji-hyun became—and the more the staff member stared at us in outright disbelief, his attitude growing increasingly reverent.
Shopping was fun, too.
Other men hated going shopping with women, didn’t they?
Probably because they didn’t have money spilling out of their ears.
I’d made another 100 billion won yesterday, so for today at least, I was going to enjoy myself.
***
Before the broadcast started.
“Haah...”
Han Seonhwa couldn’t hold back a deep sigh.
She was worried about tomorrow’s dinner date.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful.
Still, she was afraid she might not be able to keep her expression under control.
Last time, some pot-bellied middle-aged man had shown up.
Looking bad wasn’t the problem.
The real problem was that kind of man wanting more than a meal.
“Please...”
She just hoped he’d be a decent person, so she could feel pure gratitude.
“He’s not doing anything illegal, right?”
He was famous even among the other girl streamers.
Most big spenders were either shady guys doing something illegal or middle-aged men who’d gone all-in on their savings just to sponsor Star Balloons.
Rarely, there was a young businessman.
Men like that got snatched up and married quickly by the more successful girl streamers.
“Let’s do our best!”
She tried to steel herself.
Still, this was the man who would soon be carrying vice chairman status.
If you counted the Star Balloons he’d sent during Excel, he would’ve been chairman already.
She’d been planning to at least go as far as a café.
---