The Unexpected Encounter in Florida
Since I had lived as a member of the Korean people from my past life to this one, it was only natural that I wished for the independence of Joseon—or rather, the Republic of Korea. Of course, that didn't mean I was so passionate that I would sacrifice my own life for the independence of my motherland, but it was impossible not to feel a bit uneasy seeing [JAPAN] written over the Korean Peninsula on a world map.
Besides, it was something my parents in this life desired, so even if it wasn't everything, using a portion of my abilities for it was a worthwhile endeavor. Of course, I had no intention of pouring water into a bottomless pit indefinitely.
At the very least, shouldn't I check if the other party is truly a bottomless pit or if they at least have a toad to plug the hole?
"Mr. Lee, are you trying to test me right now?"
"Rather than a test, I would be grateful if you viewed it as a businessman wanting to know more about his investment target."
"Independence as an investment target... Mr. Lee, you have truly become an American."
"I simply wish for my investments to be used in a meaningful place, if possible."
It wasn't intentional, but for now, my current investment for independence was directed toward the Provisional Government. In a situation where the Provisional Government hadn't exactly been trolling me, if I were to shift that support to Dr. Rhee, there had to be a compelling reason to do so.
"Haha... Very well. I shall make sure to convince you, Mr. Lee."
Perhaps my intentions were conveyed; Dr. Rhee set down his mug, nodded, and continued.
"First, I have the justification. I am an intellectual who received a doctorate from Princeton, and I was taught directly by the late President Wilson. The spirit of national self-determination he taught me still lives in my heart. The people in Washington understand that fact and recognize me as a partner qualified for dialogue."
Hmm, he’s emphasizing his academic connections first. Certainly, a doctorate from a prestigious university like Princeton holds significant value even to Americans. It was an undeniable fact that it held even greater meaning for a Korean who wasn't even an American citizen. The problem, however, was what came next...
"If you don't mind me asking, didn't former President Woodrow Wilson... pass away quite some time ago?"
"...What are you trying to say?"
"It is true that former President Wilson was a great figure who practiced excellent politics, but isn't there a Korean proverb for that? They say that when a minister's dog dies, people go to pay their respects, but when the minister himself dies, they ignore him."
It’s not like he’s standing behind Dr. Syngman Rhee like some kind of Stand; how much influence could a man who had been dead for over five years possibly have on the political world? Especially when he wasn't even family, just a student.
"Of course, the academic achievements you have attained are something all Koreans would praise in unison, but I find it difficult to invest in you based solely on that reason."
Independence isn't about checking academic degrees, and if the job required a PhD, I could just pay money and hire an American doctor. What I wanted from him wasn't a degree, but the substantial, meaningful influence he could exert on the people in Washington. Verifying the reality of that influence was one of the purposes of this meeting.
"Ahem."
"I apologize if my words were uncomfortable for you."
"No, the thirsty man must dig the well."
With his smile already vanished, Dr. Rhee continued.
"Secondly, I have interacted with many people in the government and Congress in Washington. Among them were those who thought positively of Joseon's independence. For instance, Senator Borah, who is currently on the Foreign Relations Committee, or Senator Jones of the Committee on Commerce."
This was more useful information than I had expected. It would be ideal if he were truly close enough to influence the government, not just at the level of having shared a few words, but even if not, receiving a letter of introduction or two would be useful someday.
"Then, there must be some progress regarding those individuals."
"Of course. The two senators gave speeches in Congress for the independence of Joseon, and thanks to that, all of Washington has come to know of Joseon's will for independence. It is something only I can do, something that cannot be done in Shanghai."
...Speeches? Anything else?
"Then, have there been any actual movements for Joseon's independence from the White House or the State Department?"
"...That is not the case. It is not easy to break the will of the State Department, which speaks of peace with Japan."
"Then, surely the two senators must have at least introduced a bill for Joseon's independence."
"That is... not easy. As I said before, the power of the State Department is so strong in foreign affairs... but if I were given just a little more time and budget, I could do anything...!"
That’s a line I’ve heard many times in cartoons. Anyway, I suppose I have a rough estimate now. It was a well-known fact to me that the current United States did not want a conflict with Japan. It would be a long time before a war broke out between the two, and in this terrible economic depression, causing a dispute with a country they were getting along with would only result in a plummeting approval rating.
Dr. Rhee seemed to have tried his best in his own way, but his limitations were clear as long as he couldn't move the State Department and the White House. If I invested more money here, I might be able to garner the support of one or two more senators, but that would still be woefully insufficient to achieve anything for Joseon's independence. In that case, it might be more effective to give even a penny more to Roosevelt.
Then, the conclusion was simple.
"Having heard what you said, I can see how hard you have worked for the independence of our motherland. I truly feel a sense of respect."
"Then..."
"However... it seems a bit different from the method of independence I am thinking of, so it would be difficult to make an investment that would satisfy you."
"...I see."
He looked a bit too disappointed, didn't he? Watching Dr. Syngman Rhee, whose complexion didn't look very good, I placed the envelope I had prepared in advance on the table.
"It’s not much, but I prepared this in the hope that it might be of some help to your activities."
"This is..."
"It is 10,000 dollars. It is money I prepared from my own private funds, not the company's, so there should be no problem in accepting it."
There was no need to get rid of Dr. Rhee, nor was there a need to provide full-scale support. Just maintaining the status quo like this and staying quiet until Japan scored an own goal was enough. This money was, so to speak, a bone thrown to him to keep him quiet until then. Of course, it wasn't free.
"If you feel burdened, I would be grateful if you could at least get me a letter of introduction to the senators you mentioned earlier."
10,000 dollars for two letters of introduction was a bit expensive, but I had to save face. Politicians, by nature, are best at ruining things even if they don't know how to help.
"...I understand. I will not forget Mr. Lee's help. It was a truly meaningful time to be able to meet and talk with you, Mr. Lee."
I smiled at Dr. Syngman Rhee, who was accepting the money envelope on the table with a bitter expression.
"I, too, was impressed by your insight, Doctor. I will continue to watch and cheer for your activities for independence."
So, please continue to stay quiet.
After sending Dr. Syngman Rhee off, I prepared to return to Chicago. Having experienced the harsh New York winter, I was starting to miss the pleasant weather of Chicago. My father-in-law would be doing well, and I wondered how Rita and Jay were doing. It was the end of the year, so if I went back, I’d have to prepare for Christmas...
"Consigliere."
It was then that Rizzo brought me a yellow envelope.
"It is a telegram sent by the Boss."
"The Boss?"
I thought I had already told him I was returning tomorrow?
I immediately tore open the yellow telegram envelope and checked the contents.
[When you finish work, let's spend winter vacation together.]
[Come to Florida.]
[Rita, Jay, and the rest of the family are all here.]
[A.C]
"...Suddenly?"
No, if he was going to do this, he could have told me in advance.
"Consigliere?"
"Ah, I was just talking to myself."
I shook my head at Rizzo, who had a bewildered expression, and continued.
"Cancel the ticket to Chicago for tomorrow, and get me the fastest train ticket to Florida."
"Florida, sir?"
"The Boss is calling."
My family is already there anyway, so if he tells me to come, I have to go.
Florida. Thanks to being in the tropics, it was the only place in the United States where you could enjoy the summer sun even in December, making it a refuge where people with some money in the U.S. flocked every winter to escape the cold. Naturally, that included my father-in-law, the 'person with the highest annual income in the world.'
That was why my father-in-law's villa was located in the center of Palm Island, near Miami, an artificial island where the villas of the upper class were gathered.
"You've arrived, Lee!"
I hadn't exactly imagined my father-in-law lying on a sunbed on the villa terrace wearing a straw hat—no, a Panama hat—sipping an iced cocktail through a straw, though.
"I've returned, Boss."
"Lee, did you turn into a snowman in New York? You're so stiff even after coming all the way here; we're here to rest, so let's be comfortable. You received the room guidance from the butler, right?"
He seemed to have changed 180 degrees... well, maybe 110 degrees from when I saw him in Chicago. Is the sun stronger than the wind after all?
"Yes, Boss."
"Rita and Jay... they should be in their rooms by now. If you go down, they'll be there."
"Understood."
"Come on, come on, smile a little. This is Florida, not New York."
I really couldn't adapt to this. Leaving my father-in-law, whose tension seemed to have gone up two levels, behind, I went down the stairs. Before long.
"Honey?"
"Kyaaa!"
"Rita!"
The moment I discovered Rita coming out of the room holding Jay, I ran over and hugged them both tightly.
"Have you been well?"
"Of course, it's already been three days! Jay was uncomfortable at first, but it seems he's adapted now."
With those words, Rita brought her lips to my ear and whispered.
"It won't work today, but shall we have dinner together tomorrow evening? I found a place."
"...What about Jay?"
"The nanny agreed to watch him for a while. And..."
She paused for a moment, then made a mischievous expression and continued.
"They said there's a decent hotel nearby. They said it's a suitable place for the two of us to spend time?"
"Uh... uh."
Is this... Florida?
Florida was a much better place than I thought. The weather, which would have been sweltering if it were summer, had turned into a cool spring breeze thanks to the blessing of December, and thanks to being adjacent to the sea, I could eat as much freshly caught seafood as I wanted, which was hard to see in inland Chicago. I still had to do my company work using phones and telegrams here, but at least my body was comfortable, so what more could I ask for?
"..."
Although it was still a bit awkward with Mrs. Mae Capone, Rita's stepmother and my mother-in-law, there was nothing particularly uncomfortable other than that. If there was one thing, it was that the parties my father-in-law threw every night were a bit noisy?
Like that, while I was basking in the warm Florida sun with Rita for a few days.
"Lee, do you know how to play golf?"
"I don't know it well."
"Tsk."
When I shook my head at the sudden question, my father-in-law clicked his tongue and continued.
"It would be good to learn it while you're at it. If you're in a position like yours, you should learn things like golf as a matter of cultivation."
"Understood."
"So, let's go for a round with me tomorrow. I'll lend you the golf clubs."
...Suddenly?
Like that, I headed to the golf course from dawn to play my first round of golf in my life with my father-in-law. And.
[The Ormond Golf Links]
When we arrived at the destination golf course after driving for a whopping 7 hours.
"As expected, he came today too."
At my father-in-law's words, I looked in the direction he was gesturing with his chin while grabbing my golf bag from the trunk. There stood an old man with such a gaunt physique that he looked like he couldn't even lean on a cane, let alone hold a golf club. But why were the reporters taking pictures of that person?
"Boss, do you happen to know him?"
"...Lee, you're joking, right?"
At my question, my father-in-law replied with an absurd expression.
"That man is Rockefeller."
"...Pardon?"
"John D. Rockefeller, the Oil King."
...No, why is Rockefeller here?