The Tiger's Visit
“You don’t need surgery, but you still shouldn’t push yourself for a while. You’ll have to stay hospitalized for about three weeks until the bone knits properly.”
“Three weeks?”
I asked, startled.
I was in a cast, yet I felt no pain at all.
I’d assumed I’d be discharged any day now. Was I simply not feeling anything because of the painkillers?
“Yes. Even so, you’re extremely lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“Ah… I understand.”
“If you need a nurse, just press the call button on the left.”
The doctor kindly pointed to the button on the side table.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Get some rest, then. Eat well and rest well if you want to heal quickly.”
“I will.”
The doctor left the room, and the nurses stayed behind to go over a few additional notes.
Because it was a VIP ward, the amenities available to me were extensive—a large picture window facing south, a big-screen TV, a private bathroom, even a small kitchen where I could cook if I wanted.
“VIP rooms really are something else.”
I stared blankly out the window for a while, watching the warm sunlight pour in.
I had never known this kind of leisure on a weekday afternoon, and the feeling left me strangely unsettled.
Vrrr— Vrrr—
An unknown number rang.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon. This is Hong Miye from the LK Telecom secretary team. Am I speaking with Mr. Noh Hoojin?”
“Ah, yes. That’s me.”
The secretary team?
“The President will be stopping by briefly in about an hour. Will you be in your room then?”
“Ah—yes, yes! I believe so.”
I answered half in a daze.
“Understood. We’ll see you in an hour, then.”
The call ended in an instant.
I stared blankly at the number still displayed on the screen before sinking back into thought.
Is he really coming? Does this mean I’ve firmly stamped my name in the President’s memory? A promotion, maybe? No—they wouldn’t promote someone just for saving a life… Still, this is a good thing, right? What good is it, though? There’s a time bomb sitting in my brain. Ah, forget it. Don’t think about anything. Just rest.
I closed my eyes calmly and allowed myself a moment of quiet.
About thirty minutes must have passed.
Knock knock! Rattle—
Someone knocked, then opened the door and stepped inside.
Familiar faces.
There were three of them: Deputy General Manager Jeon Yonggi, Associate Kim Seungho, and Staff Member Kang Bitna. Kang Bitna was carrying a fruit basket.
“Assistant Manager Noh Hoojin!”
Deputy General Manager Jeon Yonggi called my name in his booming voice as he strode over.
He was a big man with an open, straightforward personality who looked after his people well.
“You came, sir. You really didn’t have to.”
I sat up and greeted him.
“One of our team members gets into an accident and ends up in the hospital—of course we come. Manager Park and Assistant Manager Jo are out on field work, so they couldn’t join us. Are you really all right?”
Deputy General Manager Jeon frowned as he looked me over from head to toe.
“Yes. I’m fine. They said the fibula has a slight crack.”
“Wow, that’s incredible. I heard you saved the President?”
“Ah, well… it just sort of happened…”
I gave an awkward laugh and scratched my head. Deputy General Manager Jeon let out a hearty laugh and clapped me on the shoulder.
I’m a patient, Deputy General Manager.
“Ha! To think we have such a reliable employee on our team! I’m in a fantastic mood! Hahaha!”
“Hello, Assistant Manager Noh.”
“Hello…”
While Deputy General Manager Jeon was still laughing, Associate Kim Seungho and Staff Member Kang Bitna took turns greeting me.
Kang Bitna still couldn’t quite meet my eyes.
“I should be at work… I’m sorry. I’ll recover as quickly as possible and come back as soon as I can, sir.”
I dipped my head slightly. Deputy General Manager Jeon waved both hands and raised his voice instead.
“Hey now! Don’t say such disappointing things! Just take your time and come back when you’re ready. We’re not that heartless. We’ll divide your work among ourselves just fine.”
“Thank you, Deputy General Manager Jeon. When I return, I’ll work twice as hard.”
“Haha! Assistant Manager Noh, really…”
“Of course I will.”
I lightly clenched a fist as I spoke.
“All right, all right. But your family…?”
“Ah, it wasn’t serious, so I deliberately didn’t tell them. Home is far away, and I didn’t want them fretting over nothing. That would only tire me out more.”
“Hmm. I suppose that makes sense.”
“…”
A brief silence settled. The atmosphere suggested they were about to leave, yet Deputy General Manager Jeon still remained where he stood.
“Wow, nice room.”
He made a show of looking around the ward and drifted toward the window.
What is this? Wait—did he hear that the President is coming?
Just then Kang Bitna quickly went to wash the fruit she had brought, and Associate Kim Seungho took the opportunity to approach me.
“Have you heard the story about the truck?”
“No. Everything was too chaotic.”
I shook my head. He looked pleased and leaned in closer.
“Apparently they were rushing a clothing delivery and speeding. A car waiting to turn left in the first lane suddenly swerved into the second lane, so the truck swerved to avoid it and plowed straight into the main entrance of the company building.”
“Ah… so that’s what happened.”
“It was a miracle. A few seconds later and both you and the President would have been in real danger.”
“Well, we’re both fine, so that’s what matters.”
I shrugged. Associate Kim Seungho’s face lit up with admiration, and he began clapping silently.
“Wow, you’re truly amazing, Assistant Manager Noh. How can anyone stay that calm? Most people would freeze solid. You’re the best!”
He gave me a thumbs-up with a solemn expression.
At that moment Kang Bitna finished peeling the fruit and came over holding a single slice of apple out to me.
“Please… have some.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I took the fork. Kang Bitna immediately turned and headed back to the sofa.
Watching her, Associate Kim Seungho glanced back and forth between the two of us, eyes narrowing slightly.
“You two… something going on, by any chance—”
Knock knock!
A knock sounded at the door.
“Ah! Is he already here? Come in.”
The door opened the instant I finished speaking, and a tall, elegant-looking secretary entered first.
She swung the door wide and stepped aside, and Choi Kangho, President of LK Telecom, strode in with long, purposeful steps.
True to his nickname “Choi Tiger,” he radiated an overwhelming presence.
“Uh!”
“Huk!”
“P-President!”
The employees in the room shot to their feet to greet him.
President Choi Kangho swept his gaze around the interior. The moment his eyes landed on Kang Bitna they lingered for the briefest instant before shifting back to me.
I didn’t miss that glance.
“So you’re Assistant Manager Noh Hoojin.”
His deep voice cut straight through to my ears.
“Yes. That’s right.”
I started to get down from the bed, but Choi Kangho hurried over and gently pushed me back down.
“Stay lying down. You’re not in any condition to be up.”
“Ah—yes. Forgive me.”
I had no choice but to lift my feet and lie back again.
The other three stood in a neat line on the opposite side, watching the scene unfold.
“Assistant Manager Noh Hoojin. Thank you for saving me. If it hadn’t been for you, things could have gone very badly.”
The President’s sincere expression and words pressed a heavy weight onto my chest.
“It was nothing, sir. It was just an instinctive reaction…”
“Which makes it all the more remarkable. You are the man who saved my life. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
He gave my shoulder a light pat and nodded.
“Ah—yes. I understand. Thank you.”
I answered with a bitter smile. There was nothing I particularly needed. The President couldn’t remove the bomb inside my head, after all.
“Your expression doesn’t look good. Are you in a lot of pain?”
“No, not at all. In any case, thank you very much for coming all this way.”
“Of course I would. You got hurt saving me. I shouldn’t stay too long and make you uncomfortable, so I’ll be on my way. We’ll meet again.”
As he turned to leave, I raised my upper body slightly and bowed.
“Please take care on your way out.”
President Choi Kangho raised a hand in a brief acknowledgment and left the room.
“Holy crap! That was insane!”
“Whew…”
Associate Kim Seungho and Deputy General Manager Jeon Yonggi dropped onto the sofa one after the other. They had clearly been wound tight with tension.
Kang Bitna, on the other hand, wore an utterly unreadable expression.
There’s definitely something there, isn’t there?
I looked at her for a moment and fell into thought.
“Ha! I couldn’t even get a single word out.”
Deputy General Manager Jeon’s sigh-laced voice came from the sofa.
He had been so overwhelmed by President Choi Kangho’s presence that he hadn’t dared speak.
After leaving the hospital, Kang Bitna received a phone call.
The caller was none other than “Uncle Kangho.”
“Bitna?”
“Yes, Uncle. Hello.”
Kang Bitna’s voice was flat, while Choi Kangho’s sounded oddly careful—surprising, given his usual imposing exterior.
“Yes. Have you been well?”
“I have. You’ve been well too, Uncle?”
“I’m always well. I heard you returned to Korea recently and joined our company.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t contact you first.”
She said she was sorry, yet neither her expression nor her tone carried the slightest hint of apology. Choi Kangho, however, showed no reaction and continued speaking.
“It’s fine. I should have called you first. Anyway, it’s been about two weeks now, hasn’t it? How are you finding it? Manageable?”
“Yes. It’s manageable. Interesting, even.”
Kang Bitna spoke with a meaningful tone. Choi Kangho seemed to grasp her meaning at once and answered immediately.
“I heard about it. There was an incident a few days ago.”
“It was nothing.”
“You’re still not considering coming in as an executive? Then you wouldn’t get tangled up in unpleasant matters like that.”
Genuine concern colored his voice. Kang Bitna’s remained cold.
“No. I’m not particularly interested. It’s also one of Grandfather’s conditions. I’m fine, so please don’t worry about me, Uncle.”
“Mm… All right. If you ever need help, call me anytime. Let’s meet and talk later.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
After hanging up, Kang Bitna stared for a long moment at the words “Uncle Kangho” still glowing on the screen before finally turning it off.
Three days later.
“Hmm…”
I studied the stock chart displayed on my smartphone screen with careful attention.
The stock was, of course, Exco—the company developing smart glasses.
After three years of steady decline, it had recently been holding a flat line within a fixed range.
So this is what’s called a box range?
I searched my memory.
The concept unfolded clearly in my mind.
Box range: a situation in which the price repeatedly fluctuates between a fixed support line and resistance line.
Neither rising nor falling—simply moving sideways.
The longer the sideways period lasts, the more critical a breakout becomes.
And I was certain a breakout was coming soon.
Belief in a single stock.
It was the most common mistake made by “stock rookies” just starting out, but I was different. I had synthesized every piece of information and arrived at a rational conclusion, then watched steadily without rushing into an investment.
Of course, lying in a hospital bed was so boring that I had been staring at charts and the order book, but this was absolutely not an impulsive decision.
It really wasn’t.
“Invest only with spare money first.”
I opened the LK Securities app and used the twenty million won I had already deposited to buy Exco shares.
A total of 480 shares. Purchase price: 41,000 won. The lowest price on the chart had been 39,900 won, so I had essentially bought near the bottom.
There was no guarantee it wouldn’t fall further, but even if it did, it wouldn’t matter much.
It was a reasonably rational investment, and I hadn’t gone all-in.