The Enlistment Announcement
"Seon-woo, how's school?"
A day in our house always began with Mom, my sister, and me sitting down at the table for lunch together.
When Father was alive, it hadn't been an obligation. More often than not, we ate separately, each following our own packed schedules.
But after he passed, it became the one rule Mom made for our family.
All three of us had come to understand that the time we spent talking as a family was more precious than any other.
"It's going well."
It was going well. No, it had been spectacular.
Even after enrolling in university, I'd been genuinely busy juggling my double life.
Seo Min-seung, true to our agreement, had gone down to Ulsan.
Once he settled in and began recruiting talent in earnest, he ran into the geographical reality of Ulsan — researchers in Seoul simply wouldn't relocate there.
The answer was higher salaries and better research funding.
Once he offered exceptionally generous terms, candidates started trickling in, and with a decent pool of researchers now assembled, full-scale research was finally underway.
Every time I read the reports Seo Min-seung sent, my expectations grew. The pace was exactly what you'd expect from someone destined to become the best in the world someday.
"And you, Mom? The company seems a lot more stable these days."
Mom nodded at my question.
Her face was far more at ease than before.
Last year it had always carried an air of exhaustion, but lately she smiled often.
"The company has stabilized, and the restructuring I told you all about is progressing nicely."
Sunjin Group was overhauling its ownership structure to secure its defenses once and for all.
Choi Dong-soo was leading the restructuring effort, and Kim Seok-jun, despite having retired, had returned to help — breaking apart the circular shareholding web and steadily building a solid governance structure.
It seemed there would be nothing to worry about on the company front for a while.
"I'm doing great too. School's going well."
My sister Seon-a answered before anyone even asked her.
She was a born model student, unlike me — no need to worry about her at all.
She was the same age I'd been at the moment of my regression, yet she carried herself with far more maturity than I ever had.
"Well, break is coming up. What are your plans?"
"Our school has self-study sessions during break, so I'll have to go in."
The moment Seon-a finished answering, both of their gazes swung to me.
Naturally, the next question would be mine to answer.
I set down my chopsticks and looked at the two of them.
"I'm going to be... after the semester ends."
I brought out the words I had been turning over for a long time.
The instant the vacation plan left my mouth, Mom's chopsticks froze, and Seon-a's eyes went wide.
I could see surprise spreading across both their faces.
"How's Ulsan?"
At my question, Jung Tae-sung set a document down in front of me and began his briefing.
"As for Shinhwa Weltech, as I reported previously, we've established the joint venture with Shinei of Japan. Site selection is complete, and the factory expansion is underway."
Shinhwa Weltech had invested a hefty 300 billion KRW into the JV.
Securing 51% of the shares gave us control of management, and once Shinei's technical expertise combined with Shinhwa Weltech's domestic production and sales capabilities, the synergy would be enormous.
"And Synapse Robotics is currently conducting research out of the Shinhwa Weltech headquarters building."
Synapse Robotics.
The company Seo Min-seung had built.
He'd even kept the same name as the company he founded in his previous life — I had to wonder if fate was simply a fixed thing.
"When will the building be finished?"
"Director Seo has a long list of requirements for the environment, so even if the office building goes up first, adding the interior work will take about five months."
"Talk with the contractor and pull the schedule forward. We can spend more on the construction costs."
I set the document down as I spoke.
"The robotics staff won't be comfortable. Working out of someone else's office isn't a good look."
"Understood. I'll see about shortening the timeline."
I nodded and moved on to the next agenda item.
"The Ribbon Capital account — you've liquidated it?"
"Yes, per your instructions, all positions have been closed. After repaying the loan from Chairman Kim Jong-soo and the investment in Shinhwa Weltech, the remaining cash comes to 113.3 billion KRW."
"Convert all of it into dollars."
"Dollars, sir?"
Jung Tae-sung's face registered surprise.
Converting over a hundred billion won entirely into dollars — it was enough to throw anyone off.
"Someone's coming shortly, and I'll explain then. What else is on the list?"
"That concludes the briefing."
"Is that all? There really is a lot going on."
At my words, Jung Tae-sung was looking at me with something like suspicion on his face.
He wore the expression of a man debating whether or not to say something.
"Something on your mind?"
"...No, sir."
"It's fine. I trust you, Director Jung. Honestly, I'd be a little hurt if you didn't feel you could speak freely around me."
Jung Tae-sung was an exceptionally loyal secretary.
There were times he could have asked about something that genuinely piqued his curiosity, yet he executed every order I gave without questioning it.
I was grateful for that — but at times, it also felt a little stifling.
"...You seem rather rushed lately."
"Me?"
"Yes. You've been handling multiple matters all at once, and most of your orders to me come with a request to expedite the timeline."
"Ah, well, that's..."
Just as I was about to offer some kind of explanation—
Knock knock—
With the sound of knuckles on the door, the office swung open and a welcome face stepped inside.
"This is... yeah, right place."
The person who'd walked through the door was Han Jae-yi.
Our eyes met, and she came over with a face full of delight.
"Seriously, what kind of college kid sets up an office like this? Right next to campus, no less."
She was chatting away breezily when she apparently noticed Jung Tae-sung standing nearby, and her manner turned reserved as she gave a small bow.
"Ah, this is Director Jung Tae-sung. He assists with my work — he's a director at SJ Holdings."
"Oh! Hello. I've received a lot of help from you. The, um... scholarship."
"The pleasure is mine. I've heard a great deal about you from the boss. And the scholarship came from him, not me."
At that, Han Jae-yi looked over at me.
Ah, this guy. So even when I told her SJ Holdings was mine, she only half believed it.
"Anyway, Director Jung, exchange phone numbers with my senior here."
At my words, Jung Tae-sung immediately produced a business card and handed it over.
"From now on, if you ever need anything, senior, just call Director Jung and put in a request. He'll take care of it."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Director Jung will look after you just as he does Seo Min-seung or CEO Park Jin-hyuk."
"Yes, understood."
"Now then, come over here."
Guiding a visibly confused Han Jae-yi by her expression alone, I led her to a workstation in one corner of the office.
"This is your desk from now on."
The desk held several computer monitors, and on one side stood a distinctive piece of equipment.
"What's this? Wait — that's a Bloomberg terminal, isn't it?"
Han Jae-yi's eyes went round.
The Bloomberg terminal.
A professional terminal providing real-time data on financial markets around the world.
Stock prices, bonds, exchange rates, commodity prices — plus corporate financial statements, analyst reports, news — every piece of financial information lived inside it.
It was indispensable gear for Wall Street traders, and the annual subscription alone ran into the tens of millions of won.
Well, of course — as Han Jae-yi was implying, in 2005 it was true you'd be hard-pressed to even lay eyes on one outside a securities firm.
"Isn't this thing hard to get? Last I heard..."
"Hard, but not if you have the money. They installed it the moment I paid the subscription fee."
"So this is really my spot?"
"Yep. You'll be trading stocks here from now on. What salary seems fair? How many part-time jobs are you working right now?"
"Uh...? Two."
"What do the two of them pay you combined?"
"Around 700,000 won..."
"Then we'll double that. And if your trading results are good, there'll be a performance bonus on top. Think of it as incentive pay..."
"Hey, quit talking about yourself and actually explain what's going on here."
I winced. Had I really been monologuing that whole time?
"I have a company."
"SJ Holdings?"
"No, not that one. It's called Ribbon Capital — an investment firm — and I need someone to run it for the time being."
SJ Holdings' assets had their own dedicated team; they'd manage things capably.
Ribbon Capital, on the other hand, was my personal money. Even if Han Jae-yi failed, I could forgive it — but SJ Holdings' assets were the funds meant to grow Shinhwa Weltech and Synapse Robotics, capital I couldn't afford to lose.
"I'd like you to manage Ribbon's assets. Director."
At my summons, Jung Tae-sung handed a document envelope to Han Jae-yi.
"There's information about the company in there, so review it carefully. You'd have to do this work after graduation anyway — getting a head start now and building your instincts seems like a good move."
"Really...? Well, if I think of it as replacing my part-time jobs, it's not a bad deal."
Stocks were something she genuinely loved, after all.
"But it will be a little different. What you love can turn into what you hate. The stress of managing someone else's money on a salary is immense. Think of it as early adaptation."
"Got it. Thanks. For giving me this chance. So how much capital am I managing?"
"Around 110 billion won — all of it getting converted into dollars."
"Wh-what? How much?"
"110 billion won."
Han Jae-yi's face went completely blank.
Her mouth hung open, and no words came out.
"From now on, you'll be trading not in the domestic market but overseas — the American stock market especially. That's why I had the terminal set up."
"I mean... that kind of money..."
"Senior, nowhere else is going to hand you an opportunity like this. You said you want to work in finance after graduation — what other place offers you this while you're still in college?"
"..."
"Give it your best shot. But if it gets to be too much, you can quit anytime."
"...If I quit?"
Her face showed a flicker of worry.
"Nobody's going to claw back the scholarship or anything like that, so don't worry. That's that, and this is this."
It might well be a grueling ordeal for Han Jae-yi too.
But she was destined to become the fund manager who would bend Yeouido to her will.
She had more than enough mettle to weather a trial of this scale.
"So — will you do it?"
Asked point-blank, Han Jae-yi deliberated for a moment, then gave a firm nod, her face settling with resolve.
"I'll give it a shot."
"Good. Then as I said, you start studying the US market today. You can use this office whenever you need. Director Jung."
"Yes, sir."
"The US market often needs managing late into the night, so assign one driver to Jae-yi's senior here."
"Hey, no. The late-night subway runs these days, so—"
When I glared at her, Han Jae-yi clamped her mouth shut.
"Please arrange it."
"Yes, understood."
I led the two of them over to the sofa at the center of the office.
"Now then — shall we sit?"
Once they were seated, I opened my mouth with a serious face.
"You mentioned earlier, Director, that I seemed rushed these past few days. I owe you an answer on that. It's also the reason I chose Jae-yi's senior as the one to manage my trading."
Jung Tae-sung and Han Jae-yi fell silent, focused on my every word.
Their eyes were fixed on me.
I took a slow breath and spoke.
"I'm enlisting in the military when the semester ends."
Jung Tae-sung's eyes went wide.
Han Jae-yi froze, her mouth still hanging open.