Homecoming
After nearly ten days on the road, walking through the door of his beloved home brought a sudden wave of fatigue crashing over him.
Of course, thanks to the elixir there was nothing wrong with his health — it was simply that all sorts of mental wear and tear had piled up, he supposed.
Besides, he couldn't remember getting a proper night's sleep once during the entire trip. On flights he'd spent every waking moment admiring his Eastern paintings, and when night fell, he'd unleashed the passion he'd been stockpiling in one massive eruption. It was an itinerary that would have been flatly impossible without the benefits of the elixir.
Looking around the house, he found it oddly empty — Su-jin was presumably at the hospital. Deciding he might as well catch a little shut-eye, he stretched out on the bed.
But whether he was dreaming or awake, he could feel someone poking at him. Annoyed, he cracked his eyes open to find Su-jin trying to wake him.
"Huh? Oh, Su-jin, you're home? What time is it?"
"Past eight. I figured you'd be hungry, so I woke you up to eat dinner before going back to sleep."
Young-hoon thought he'd only closed his eyes for a moment, but he'd in fact slept straight through for well over six hours.
He hauled himself up with an effort, and over dinner he asked Su-jin what he'd missed while he was away. He had, of course, kept tabs on the situation back in Korea through the internet, but he needed to confirm the fine details.
As it turned out, there was nothing special to report. His parents were safe and sound, and the relatives had no particular problems either. The only noteworthy item was that Hee-joo and her husband had been curious about his return schedule.
Then, out of nowhere, Su-jin put on a sickeningly sweet voice and tried to act all chummy.
"Big brooother~ Did you forget something, maybe?"
Young-hoon knew exactly what she wanted. The gifts he'd received from Chairman Steven and Chairman Richard were already crammed full into a giant duffel bag. It had cost him a fortune in customs duties at the airport coming into Korea, but since everything had been free, he'd come out ahead regardless.
Still, with Su-jin pestering him, something in him simply balked at handing things over without a fuss. So he decided to tease her a little.
"What? Ahh~ Gifts? Well, I did pick up a few souvenirs at the tourist spots. Is there something you need?"
In that instant, Su-jin's expression transformed into the Siberian tundra, cold winds whipping across frozen wastes.
"Who asked you for souvenirs? Your one and only little sister — wouldn't it hurt to buy her even ONE designer bag, you stingy bastard of a brother?"
"Hey, you know full well what your brother's salary is. Aren't you the one in the wrong for demanding luxury bags that cost millions of won? Go earn your own money and buy them yourself."
"Who asked for a multi-million-won one? You could easily afford a two- or three-hundred-thousand-won wallet!"
"Does money in a luxury wallet multiply and spawn babies? There are plenty of perfectly good wallets made in Korea! And besides, you already have a wallet!"
"Don't you know owning a luxury item is every woman's dream? No wonder you've never had a single girlfriend."
"And how did the conversation just turn to my love life?"
"That's how little tact you have."
"Fine then. Just assume there are no souvenirs for you."
"Great! Your gifts are too filthy and stingy to accept anyway! What could you even call a souvenir? Knowing your taste, you probably hauled back a mountain of keychains!"
Su-jin seemed to have properly lost her temper. If he pushed her any further, she looked ready to flip the dinner table outright.
"Still, you never know. Maybe there's something you actually need."
"Forget it! I know exactly what level of gift-giving to expect from you."
Young-hoon switched on his phone's voice recorder and cast the bait one more time.
"Say that again. I want it on record."
Su-jin caught on to his little trap and sensed something was up. And just like that, her expression bloomed into a spring garden, flowers opening and butterflies dancing in the March air. How many times had that girl's face changed in a single day?
"Big broooother~ So there IS something! Well, obviously. It'd be pretty stingy of you to just gift your beloved little sister some random souvenir, right? What is it? What is it? Can't you tell me?"
"Let's talk after we finish dinner. And you'll make me a cup of coffee."
"Okay, big broooother~"
"Save the aegyo for your boyfriend. It's making my skin crawl."
"Hmph. A stone-hearted blockhead who doesn't even understand a woman's charms."
"Hey~ Sister. Keep it up and don't you see your gift flying off into the sky?"
"Big broooother~ Please forgive this oblivious little sister of yours."
Young-hoon took his time over dinner, then savored his coffee slowly, letting the flavor linger on his tongue. All the while, Su-jin fidgeted restlessly like a puppy desperate for a walk.
"Big brother, can't you drink your coffee any faster?"
"Why? Coffee is meant to be savored. Don't you know any coffee etiquette?"
"Oh, this girl! I let you have your way and there's no end to it."
"Okay, okay, my bad. Just give me a moment."
With a second round threatening to break out, Young-hoon hurried into the study and dragged out the enormous travel bag.
"Big brother, what's that? Don't tell me that entire bag is full of gifts?"
Young-hoon spread the bag open on the living room floor with all the flourish of a showman.
"Yep, that's right. Pick out whatever you need and take it."
The moment Young-hoon unzipped the massive travel bag, Su-jin's jaw dropped. It was stuffed to bursting with every kind of luxury brand imaginable. The instant she laid eyes on the very items she'd been coveting for ages, her eyes spun with greed. Now it was time to deploy her aegyo arts and claim the prizes she wanted.
"Big broooother~ Can I take everything in here?"
"Hey~ Sister. Planning to open a bag shop? I said pick what you need."
At that, Su-jin pulled a sulky face but kept one eye on his reaction as she slipped out one coveted item after another. Repeating this maneuver several times, she swept up nearly all the women's luxury goods, leaving behind only a handful of men's items.
"Hey~ Sister. Those clothes you took look like they'd be too big on you. Can't you give them to Hee-joo?"
"Not my problem what I do with them. I'll bake them, boil them, whatever — they're mine. Butt out. Besides, unni has a husband who brings home plenty of money."
"Good grief, the greed on this girl. Hee-joo knows I went on a business trip to the States, so set aside at least one thing for her as a gift."
Even as he said it, Young-hoon winced. He'd assumed he'd simply watch Su-jin pick through things one by one — instead, she'd made off with every single women's item. Only then did his thoughts catch up to Five Girls and Hye-yoon.
Wait a minute. This is a problem. The Five Girls and Director Shin all knew I was traveling to America — and now there isn't a single women's gift left to give them. It's not like I can take back what she's already grabbed... If I force the issue, she'll bawl and scream and turn the whole house upside down.
The more he thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed.
I can't exactly give them the men's gifts either, and if I demand a few of them back, she'll obviously interrogate me about who they're for. Stuck between a rock and a hard place either way. Ah, whatever. It'll work itself out somehow.
Young-hoon finally emptied his mind, letting it all go like setting down a heavy load. In the middle of it all, Su-jin was giggling to herself, delighted beyond measure, snapping photos of the luxury goods with her phone.
"Why are you photographing everything?"
"Seriously, big brother? Obviously I'm posting them on SNS to show off. This bag hasn't even been imported into Korea yet — a brand-new release! If you don't flex at a moment like this, when will you?"
"Women's inner minds — the more I learn, the less I understand. Anyway, I'm off to bed. Pack everything up neatly, will you?"
"Got it, big brother. Good night."
Young-hoon showered and climbed into bed. Whether the leftover fatigue hadn't fully worn off or it was the jet lag, the moment his head hit the pillow, he was out cold. And so passed the night of his return from abroad.
Young-hoon decided to spend the entire day resting at home. When he finally dragged himself out of bed and wandered into the living room, Su-jin was already gone — off to work, apparently. But whether it was the effect of yesterday's bribe-by-dinner, the table was laden with a lavish spread. After fortifying himself with a hearty breakfast, Young-hoon collected his thoughts and ran through the list of things he needed to do: a meeting with the drama production team, checking progress on the liquor division, checking progress on the beverage team (coffee & tea), reviewing operations at Girin Entertainment, and confirming whether CEO Wang Mimi was planning a visit to Korea. Apparently, a life of leisure simply wasn't in the cards for him.
At ten in the morning, a storm of KakaoTalk messages began pouring in.
Before long, messages started arriving from the Five Girls members too, and the group chat with the girls was so much fun that thirty-odd minutes flew by in a blink.
Chairman Xu Jiayin of China Media Group was, at this very moment, pacing like a caged tiger.
Rumors that the Wang family's Shanghai Media Group would acquire the American broadcaster TBS had been drifting his way for a full year. Then, two or three months back, word came that the acquisition had run into serious trouble, and he'd been able to breathe a little easier. When he learned that Chairman Michael — holder of TBS's controlling stake — had fallen gravely ill and halted all sale negotiations outright, it felt as if a ten-year-old weight had slid right off his chest.
But then this morning, newspapers and television announced that the Wang family had become TBS's largest shareholder. Footage on the TV news showed a fully recovered Chairman Michael posing for photos with the Wang family and signing the contract.
The instant he saw that broadcast, two figures flashed through Xu Jiayin's mind: Korea's Chairman Choi and Chairman Jang. He was absolutely certain the two elder brothers had something to do with Michael's miraculous recovery.
So he placed a call to Chairman Jang in Korea. Someone who sounded like a secretary answered and said the Chairman was with an important guest and could not come to the phone. He scrambled to dial Chairman Choi instead — and this time, miraculously, got through. He tried to press for the full story, but the man would give him nothing. Only after pandering to his every whim and doling out flattery by the barrel did he finally dig out the truth.
Honestly, he couldn't have cared less whether the Wang family bought the American TBS network or not. It was just that, like the old saying goes — when your cousin buys land, your belly aches — the whole thing grated on him for no good reason.
But the moment his two elder brothers and Representative Kim entered the picture, the situation changed entirely. Imagining how shamelessly the Wang family must have groveled and buttered up Young-hoon's party during their trip to America sent his blood pressure soaring past containment. When Representative Kim and the two elders had visited China, he'd believed the scales were tipping slightly in his favor — but the Wang family had swept the group off to America, and the balance had come crashing down squarely on their side.
He needed to make up the lost ground, yet no plan presented itself. So he called his brother-in-law, Li Keqiang, and asked whether there was a good way forward. It happened that Li was already planning a trip to England for the black tea export deal, and Xu urgently asked him to come along. Chairman Choi said he'd give his answer — yes or no — by this evening. And so Xu Jiayin sat waiting by the phone.
Young-hoon was in the middle of a lively group chat with the Five Girls when a call came in from Chairman Choi.
"Chairman, did you rest well yesterday?"
"Of course. I'm still a spry seventy-something, aren't I? Anyway, where are you right now?"
"I'm at home."
"If you've got nothing on your plate, could you come by my office? Jang's fellow said he'd come too."
"Is something the matter? Seeing as you're calling for Chairman Jang as well, I can't help feeling a little nervous."
"Ah, well... it's nothing major. Come on over and we'll talk."
In that instant, Young-hoon could sense that Chairman Choi was in a bind. For a man who was always so commanding and forthright, trailing off at the end of his sentences could only mean one thing: there was something he couldn't resolve with his own power. So Young-hoon decided to hurry.
"Yes, sir. I'll head over as soon as I'm ready."
Young-hoon rushed through a shower and made his way to the Teheran Building, where Chairman Choi kept his office. When he arrived, the two old men were in the middle of bickering furiously.
"Good morning, Chairmen. Did you both sleep well?"
Chairman Choi, who had been trading verbal jabs with Chairman Jang, turned to welcome Young-hoon.
"Good to see you, Representative Kim. You're not too worn out, are you?"
The voice was oddly feeble. Something was definitely up.
"You two are in perfect health — a young fellow like me is bound to be fine. Although, Chairman Choi, it sounds like something's troubling you."
"This damned old coot started it all."
Young-hoon couldn't make heads or tails of Chairman Jang's remark, so he asked again.
"Chairman Jang, if you put it that briefly, there's no way I can understand. Please explain in detail."
"Choi, you rascal. You tell him yourself, since it's your mess."
An inexplicable air of foreboding settled over Young-hoon.