The Double Life Begins
Now I was certain.
This was only the beginning of the drop.
Everyone else figured it had already fallen enough to rebound soon, but I had the sinking feeling there was a much bigger crash still waiting in the wings.
It had to be that way.
The difference between me and everyone else was simple: I knew what Bitcoin had been like when it was worth 1,000 won. They’d only learned about it when it was already worth tens of millions, even hundreds of millions.
This wasn’t a shocking decline. What was shocking was that it had soared to absurd heights in the first place.
Still.
“There’s also a chance I’m wrong.”
I couldn’t afford to become too certain of my own judgment. In the end, I’d only gotten these results because luck had been on my side; this had nothing to do with skill.
Every mistake and every failure was born from confidence.
For now, I decided to set aside about 10 billion won separately.
Even if I was wrong and got wiped out, I wanted to make sure I still had 100 billion won left.
With the remaining 28 billion won, I used leverage to make a 300 billion won investment.
If it went up by ten percent from here, I’d lose the 28 billion won I’d put in, but...
In the mood the market was in now, it didn’t look like it had any chance of rising ten percent.
Losing it was fine.
It would sting, sure, but I’d still have far more money left over.
“Putting in more money would be safer, of course.”
The way to reduce liquidation risk was simple: just keep more money on the exchange.
But I wasn’t going to do that.
Wasn’t the whole reason I’d started investing with spare money so my entire life wouldn’t get swallowed by it?
If I put in any more than this, I had a feeling I’d spend all day staring at the charts.
Besides, I probably wouldn’t have even made the 23 billion won I’d already earned.
By the time I’d been up about 1 billion won, I probably would’ve gotten scared and taken profits.
After I’d finished all the investing, I checked my bank account.
“Back to 100 billion...”
I clenched my fist tightly.
When I was making the profit, it hadn’t felt real, but seeing the money sitting in my account made it sink in at last.
I really made 23 billion won in just a few days...
That night, I decided to go to sleep holding on to that happiness.
***
The next day.
When I arrived at my part-time job, the older guy I hadn’t seen all weekend greeted me.
He even bowed all the way at the waist.
“I hope you had a good rest!”
“Why are you acting like that?”
“Because I’m grateful.”
“Hey, I wasn’t expecting something like this.”
When I pulled him upright, he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug.
Ugh.
I really don’t like being hugged by anyone who isn’t a woman.
“I checked Bitcoin yesterday and it absolutely tanked. Seriously, you saved my life.”
“How much did you put in?”
“I started with 20 million won and got up to about 40 million in profits.”
“Whoa... that’s insane.”
“Kid, are you really saying that after spending 10 million won at a hostess bar?”
Come to think of it, I really wasn’t in a position to say anything.
He didn’t know it, but I’d turned a few hundred million won into 100 billion.
“But... you’re not thinking of going back there again, are you?”
“Who knows? If I feel like it, maybe. If not, then probably not.”
“R-Really? Well, I guess you did spend way too much.”
“Rather than that, if I was going somewhere, I figured a joint like Jum-o or Tenpro would be better.”
“You must’ve really made a lot of money. I hear those places cost hundreds of thousands every time you go, and sometimes even millions.”
“We should go together sometime.”
“R-Really?”
He looked so shocked I honestly worried his eyes might pop right out of his head.
Was he that happy?
Well, if someone had told me they were taking me to Tenpro, I would’ve practically bowed to the floor, too.
In fact, he looked like he was about to do exactly that.
“Don’t do that.”
“I seem to have offended you.”
We were having a fun conversation while getting ready to open when Jihyun, who had just arrived, came over to us.
What was this? She usually didn’t come talk to us like this.
“Um, oppa.”
“What is it, Jihyun? Want oppa to help you with something?”
“Ew, why are you being so creepy?”
“I just thought maybe you needed help. What’s up?”
While talking to the older guy, she kept glancing at me, so I figured it had to be something related to me.
Was she asking me to move something heavy?
“Well... do you have time this weekend?”
“This week?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Are you asking me out on a date?”
“No, it’s not that...”
Jihyun explained why she’d come to us.
Apparently, there weren’t many part-time jobs she could do during vacation, and this place had been one of the few that accepted her.
As a college student, she didn’t have much money, so this job was essential.
She said she was just trying to work hard, but the owner seemed to have feelings for her, and she didn’t have the courage to reject him outright.
So she’d turned to a male friend from the same department who drove a nice car.
If it were just some ordinary male friend, the owner might think she was easy.
At first, she thought the problem was solved.
But this time, the male friend had become the problem.
Jihyun had had a few meals and cafe outings with him after he helped her out. Then he’d asked her to go to a pension with him this time.
She said she couldn’t reject him easily because he’d already helped her so much, and because he would definitely spread rumors that she was throwing herself at people in the department.
No matter what his intentions actually were, there was room for other people to see it that way.
So the best excuse she could come up with was telling him she already had plans for drinks with the other part-timers.
“That guy looks pretty handsome.”
“He’s seriously sleazy.”
“Ah.”
“And since he’s in the same department, even if it goes well and then we break up, weird rumors would spread.”
“Mm-hmm. But what are you going to do if the same problem comes up again?”
“So... could either oppa or Doyun oppa maybe pretend to be flirting with me?”
That strategy for taking a man down was awfully consistent. Then again, she was only twenty-one. Maybe that was why.
The older guy glanced at me cautiously.
“Ahem. Would there be any other ladies there?”
“One or two more will probably come, but... the girls might also be brought in by my male friend.”
“Wait outside for a moment. I’ll talk it over with Doyun and let you know.”
“Okay. Please, I’m really counting on you. I’ll make sure I never drag you into anything troublesome again.”
“Got it.”
After Jihyun stepped out for a bit, the older guy asked for my opinion.
“What do you think?”
“Me?”
“To be honest... it sounds like her family isn’t exactly ordinary, and I think I’d feel intimidated too. I figured someone like you would be more appropriate. Besides... heh. How do we know Jihyun and you won’t end up with some sort of thing going on?”
“What about you? Weren’t you interested in Jihyun?”
“Me? I was interested in pretty girls, not in Jihyun specifically. Besides, didn’t you hear her say her friends are coming too?”
“I think it sounds fun.”
It really did sound fun.
And now I had no reason to feel inferior.
Suddenly, I remembered the look in that guy’s eyes when he’d come to pick Jihyun up.
That bastard who’d looked down on all of us, not just the owner.
He’d picked the wrong people.
I wasn’t the same guy I used to be.
I called Jihyun back in.
“When and where should I go?”
“R-Really? Thank you so much! I’ll buy you a meal sometime!”
“Just one?”
“T-Two?”
“Fine.”
She gave me the schedule.
***
The part-time shift ended.
“Oppa, seriously, thank you. I feel a lot better now.”
“I think it’ll be fun, too.”
“That... guy might pick a fight, though. I’m sorry in advance.”
“I can handle a fight.”
“I just don’t want it to become a burden for you...”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for what I do.”
“...Yes, oppa.”
Was that cool?
There was no doubt that my experiences at the hostess bar had helped a lot.
After receiving her thanks, I headed to the meeting place.
I’d set the time pretty tight, so he might already be there.
Is that him?
A man in a suit was waiting in front of the cafe where we’d agreed to meet.
He looked to be in his late forties, and rather than seeming old, he gave off a sense of weight and gravitas.
“Hello. May I ask if you’re the one I was introduced to by the headhunter?”
“Ah, you must be Mr. Lee Doyun. It’s an honor to meet you. My name is Kim Seokhwan. I’ll escort you inside.”
“Ah, yes.”
I took the drink he handed me and sat down.
“I understand you’re looking for a secretary, sir. I’ll start by briefly introducing my background.”
“Yes...”
Just as I’d been told, his career was dazzling. He’d graduated from Seoul National University, which meant his academic background was already more than proven.
“That’s good.”
“I assume the headhunter has already informed you of my circumstances.”
“That part doesn’t matter to me. I have no intention of starting a separate business. Even if I did, I doubt it would have much to do with a conglomerate.”
“Thank you. But you never know what life will bring, do you? If the day comes when you want to run a business and work with a large company, and my existence becomes an obstacle... I’ll walk away without looking back.”
“...”
“I don’t want to be a burden to you. More than anything, I want your trust. I’ve been so frustrated at my previous job because I never earned that trust. In return, I’d like to set a condition worthy of that.”
“...What condition?”
“Please hire me. And start my salary at 1 million won a month, increasing it every month after that. If I’m unsatisfactory, fire me whenever you wish. I’ll accept it.”
“...”
“I’m not begging. And I’m not trying to burden you. I’m simply confident. If you need a secretary, I’m confident there’s no one more suited to that role than me.”
Oh...
Accepted.
I was jealous of that confidence I didn’t have, and it looked cool as hell.
I knew it came from real ability, which made it all the more impressive.
“Let’s work together.”
“I’m honored.”
And just like that, I’d gained a chief of staff.
“To start with, I want the most stylish and luxurious house in Seoul.”
“...May I ask what budget I’m working with?”
“Less than 30 billion won.”
“...The boss I’ll be serving—no, the chairman I’ll be serving—is even more extraordinary than I expected. I may need a team later. For now, I’ll prepare a list.”
And that was how my double life began.
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