Chapter 7
Chapter 7
The Truth Behind the Rumor (3)
“Wow~ Our Minhyuk, the instincts of a man are still alive! How did you know? I heard she’s really pretty.”
Damn it!
Why is it that my bad premonitions are always right?
That Fuyu-shi woman is bound to show up here and shake things up.
‘Should I just quit the company?’
Originally, I had planned to stick it out until the end of the year.
No matter how much money I had, I didn’t want to experience failure right after starting a business.
Over the past three years, I’d been involved in countless new business development projects.
But in reality, the ones that actually succeeded could be counted on one hand.
Even large corporations struggle, so what about small and medium enterprises?
In South Korea, the three-year survival rate for startups is 39.1%.
Startups close not simply because of lack of money, but because there’s no certainty they’ll succeed even if they keep going.
I wanted to start properly, with full preparation.
Moreover, the most crucial factor in a startup is people.
It’s ultimately the people who make things work.
You can grow quickly if you hire competent talent, but finding those people is no easy task.
Luckily, I worked at a large company.
Where else could you find such a reliable pool of talent?
By the end of the year, someone would inevitably get pushed out by office politics.
I planned to select like-minded people from them, assemble the founding team, and kick off the business in earnest.
I even scoured the company intranet to dig up those hidden gem business ideas buried in the mud.
But with Fuyu-shi showing up, all my plans were on the verge of being ruined.
‘Seriously, this woman brings zero benefit to my life.’
Seeing my sour expression, Woo Junhwan let out a sigh.
“They told each team to prepare a business report, so our team’s in chaos. Another hellish round of overtime starts.”
“I see.”
Of course, the workload increased.
It always did before or after a change in management.
But that’s not my problem.
At this point, I should carry my resignation in my heart, ready to pull it out at any time.
Seeing my suddenly calm expression, Woo Junhwan asked with a puzzled look,
“What’s with that damn carefree attitude?”
I didn’t know.
Maybe it was the confidence that it didn’t matter if I got fired.
I was going to leave work on time no matter what.
I stood up and patted Woo Junhwan on the shoulder.
“Take care.”
For the past week, I had a relaxed routine of arriving early at work and leaving promptly at 6 PM.
No one—team leader, colleagues, no one—scolded me.
With no one personally nagging me, my work efficiency soared.
Besides, Woo Junhwan had been busy spreading the news of my divorce for me.
‘Still, how does the whole Future Strategy Office know about it in less than half a day?’
Of course, it was intentional.
That guy, Woo Junhwan, was such a social butterfly that he got assigned to the PR team right after joining.
The employees still didn’t know Yang Mijeong was part of the Iljin Group’s ownership.
Even less did they know she was going to be the head of the Future Strategy Office.
I’m only speculating, of course, but it was better to handle it in advance.
So I responded to every sarcastic comment from coworkers pretending to console me.
Silently reminding them that my divorce wasn’t my fault but the materialistic heart of Yang Mijeong.
By the time employees learned Yang Mijeong was an owner, the news of our divorce would have spread throughout the company, with all sorts of added gossip.
And all of it would be unfavorable to her.
It was all thanks to her, actually.
She had made our wedding so grand.
Our wedding was dubbed “Beauty and the Beast,” a huge company event.
We rented the large banquet hall at the Pearl Hotel, owned by the company, with top-class cuisine and countless events.
Even famous celebrities these days avoided such extravagance.
But Fuyu-shi got all sorts of sponsorships, turning our wedding into a full-blown event.
Ugh—thinking about it again makes me mad.
Anyway.
Our team leader, upon hearing about my divorce, pitied me and even encouraged me to leave work early.
Claiming he was happier now that he was divorced himself.
But his expression didn’t look happy at all. Probably the alimony he paid every month to his ex-wife.
Honestly, our team leader was as pitiful as I was.
Tricked by a gold-digger, misunderstood, divorced, and even lost the children he raised dearly to his ex-wife.
It was lucky that Fuyu-shi and I were distant in bed.
Thanks to that, I could sever ties completely without lingering regrets.
“Team leader, I’ve updated the requested report and saved it on the server.”
“Ah, good. Thanks. Oh! It’s already 6. Deputy Kang, go home.”
“Yes!”
I packed my bag and left the office without looking back.
Leaving early didn’t mean I would laze at home.
A body gained without effort could slip back into its old state with just a little laziness.
So, I went straight to the fitness center.
Also, I had a lot to study for when starting an investment company after quitting.
After a hectic week, Friday finally arrived—the day I promised to visit home.
‘My parents will be shocked to see the changed me.’
I was born a good child.
The first time I exceeded 80kg was probably around middle school.
Except for a brief period in the military when my body fat dropped below 20%, I had always been overweight.
Mom always thought I was outstanding, but imagining her happy to see me healthy again made me smile.
She might be slightly disappointed I came alone…
But I’d cover it up with a story about my wife being overseas on a business trip with her mother.
“Hmm… Should I buy them a new house while I’m down there?”
But going around to find a house seemed tedious. Maybe there’s no other way.
I contacted Lawyer Jeong immediately.
Lawyer Jeong Jihyeon had never disappointed me, so I expected perfect service again.
“Ah, lawyer. I want to buy a house for my parents in Busan, with a sea view in Haeundae. If it looks good, I’ll sign the contract immediately. It should be empty. Around 60 pyeong, not too high, maybe 20 floors would be perfect.”
The next morning.
Just by saying I wanted a house in Haeundae, Lawyer Jeong was sitting in the plane next to me.
“You really didn’t have to come.”
“A dedicated lawyer ensures the client’s convenience.”
“I feel bad you came on your day off.”
“You said you’d also handle the interior, right? I need to see it myself to be at ease.”
“Ah… yes.”
Lawyers these days didn’t earn as well as before. Competition was tough everywhere.
Considering Lawyer Jeong’s age, she probably had only 2–3 years of experience.
Having her with me wasn’t a bad thing, though.
Later, when I quit and start my company, I’d try recruiting her.
Even if Im & Jeong treated her well, entry-level lawyer benefits wouldn’t be great.
At the airport, the car was already prepared. Im & Jeong’s customer service really was impressive.
“I’ll drive.”
“No, it’s your family reunion, so you should relax. I’ll drive. I’m good at driving.”
“But driving in Busan can be hard for outsiders… the roads are complex.”
“Don’t worry. I have 7 years of experience and a GPS. What’s the worry?”
But her confidence disappeared as soon as we passed the Busan tollgate.
I convinced her to stop, and she got into the passenger seat.
“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to act out.”
“Haha, it’s fine.”
Even I, who lived here before, sometimes got confused by these roads.
Arriving at the hilltop villa area of Munhyeon-dong, where my parents’ house is, Lawyer Jeong’s expression stiffened.
“The slope is a bit steep, right?”
“Feels like a rollercoaster.”
“Once you see the real rollercoaster road, you’ll understand. It’s on the way to the airport. Want to try it?”
She gripped the handle tightly and shook her head.
“I think I saw that on video. No way!”
“Hahaha, it’s actually thrilling.”
On the hilltop with a view of Busan, we arrived at the shabby apartment complex at the summit of Munhyeon-dong.
My parents were waiting.
I rolled down the window and called out to my mom.
“Mom! Over here.”
At first, squinting at me, unsure, she finally recognized me and ran over.
“Son? Why does your face look half…? And this woman with you…?”
Seeing a stranger in the passenger seat, she awkwardly smiled.
“She’s the lawyer helping with the real estate.”
“Lawyer?”
“Get in. I’ll explain on the way.”
“Ah… okay.”
Mom and dad got in the back seat, and an awkward silence followed.
For some reason, even the usually talkative Lawyer Jeong looked tense—was she angry?
The first to break the ice was my dad.
“Why buy a new house when you have a perfectly fine one? If you have money for us, why not your newlywed home?”
“I bought one too. Recently.”
“Really? Where?”
“Cheongdam, 70-pyeong luxury apartment.”
“What?”
Mom was surprised.
“Cheongdam? Isn’t that crazy expensive?”
“It’s fine. I have plenty of money.”
“You? Plenty of money? You always borrowed from your wife’s allowance.”
Ah… right, I had borrowed money from mom before. I really was crazy.
“I hit the jackpot in Las Vegas recently. Now I have 20 billion won in the bank.”
“20 billion?”
“Yep. I’ll repay the money I borrowed from you with the house.”
Arriving at Haeundae via Gwangan Bridge, the sea view was breathtaking.
The ocean has something the river can’t provide. It makes you wonder what lies beyond.
Of course, daily views might get boring.
Arriving at M-City, the most luxurious apartment complex in Haeundae, Lawyer Jeong called the real estate agent.
Mom whispered in surprise.
“You’re buying here? With that money, you could buy thirty apartments in our neighborhood!”
“You also have to consider investment. Even after 20 years, the price of that place barely changes. You always said that. If we had bought in the reclaimed area, prices would rise, but dad said the land was unstable. Now buying an expensive place ensures future appreciation.”
“Is that so?”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I’d never bought such an expensive house. I just wanted them to live in the best house in Busan.
A 5 billion won apartment would barely increase in value.
After a while, we entered the apartment with the sea surrounding it.
Mom’s eyes widened as she saw the spacious living room.
“How many pyeong is this?”
“92. Too small?”
“No, it’s too big; cleaning will be hard…”
Seeing her intimidated, I asked the agent,
“There’s a cleaning service for this place, right?”
“Of course. 5 million won a month, and experts maintain it like a brand-new home.”
“Perfect. Include that in the contract.”
“Ah, no need—”
“It’s fine. Do it.”
“Then… shall we sign?”
“Dad, do you like this house?”
He looked at the sea view contentedly.
“Perfect for morning fishing.”
“Darling!”
“The house will be in my name, so don’t worry about management fees. Use it comfortably.”
“Well… in that case.”
Hearing that management fees were included, mom reluctantly agreed.
After living on hilltops all her life, she could finally experience sea-level living.
All the complaints about knees hurting from market trips… now they could live comfortably.
Even my sister, who couldn’t come because of the flight, would be thrilled.
After the contract, we went to a famous Korean beef restaurant nearby for lunch.
Of course, talk naturally turned to my wife.
“Why didn’t Sae-Agi come?”
Dad’s eyes weren’t casual.
Sometimes, his seemingly slow instincts were sharper than mom’s.
Right now, for example.