Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Comfort and Gift
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Jin-hyuk prided himself on being diligently prepared for the war in his own way.
First, he had sketched out a blueprint to keep his family safe while he grew stronger and his dad built up his influence during that time.
However, Hong Gi-jun's scenario made the war Jin-hyuk was preparing for look utterly shabby.
'This isn't a report.'
It was a plan that only someone who knew the future could prepare.
Or perhaps he had kidnapped an alien and extracted the information.
Either way, it wasn't content commonly seen in the current era.
There were countless other reports as well. He couldn't examine the details, but it wasn't like Son Jin-hyuk had reviewed just one or two reports. From the table of contents on the first page alone, he could grasp the general content and timeline. Hong Gi-jun's report-writing skills were that exceptional.
Jin-hyuk felt a sensation as if his head was floating, like he had come down with a severe fever.
There was no reason to be shocked anew at this point. However.
'It's ambiguous.'
From the perspective of Jin-hyuk, who had lived through the future, it was hard to call it groundbreaking, but he could at least think it didn't quite match the era. On the other hand, it was an idea that pioneers who predicted the future and moved ahead could come up with. Jin-hyuk analyzed the reason it felt ambiguous to him.
'Chairman Hong is skilled at walking the tightrope.'
In the past as well, Hong Gi-jun had strengths in psychological warfare and political maneuvering. He figured the man was hiding the fact that he knew the future while playing the role of a pioneer.
However, seeing how he detailed the strategy of preemptively securing engineers even for technologies like software and unmanned aircraft that hadn't appeared yet, there was no longer any room for doubt about his possession of future knowledge.
'For coping with changes in the market environment, he'll seek advice from Dad, and for technologies unrelated to the market, he'll swiftly secure engineers or establish research labs to develop them directly.'
Hong Gi-jun's intentions seemed visible.
Huuu-. It was while he took a deep breath to calm his churning stomach.
Chairman Yu Myeong-seon, who had approached unnoticed, placed a hand on Jin-hyuk's shoulder.
Despite his advanced age, strength emanated from his grip.
"Heh heh, do you understand it? This old man from the old days doesn't get half of it."
"Ah, sorry."
"No, no."
Yu Myeong-seon gestured freely as if to say look all you want. His eyes conveyed that Jin-hyuk wouldn't understand anyway.
Son Gwang-yeon approached, looking curiously at Jin-hyuk with puffed cheeks.
"Elder, may I take a look too?"
"Of course. We're not outsiders, and we're not going to go blabbing about it anywhere, right? Jun-sik and Mun-sik already know. When Hong explained it, even if I didn't understand the technical terms, the business methods and viability themselves were solid."
Son Gwang-yeon, who had glanced at the report, also puffed his cheeks like someone struggling to breathe. It wasn't just solid; if realized, it was a business that could monopolize the future.
Yu Myeong-seon enthusiastically ramped up his praise for his son-in-law. Since it was a report requiring security, he said his son-in-law spent many days living in his study. He added that the man hand-wrote it and took copies out.
"This is what's regrettable. He met YS and even had a frank talk, but got brushed off saying don't spout nonsense, just tell us how much election funds you'll provide."
What Yu Myeong-seon held was a report related to internet network construction. Even Hong Gi-jun, who hated dealing with politicians, had reluctantly arranged a meeting but ended up disappointed.
"You don't like pulling strings in politics either, Elder."
"That's right. Hong feels the same. But since it needs to be pushed as a national key industry, he said we have to talk to the presidential campaign—what can I do? It's our Hong's work, so I have to trust him. But this guy just stood up when the money talk came up. Heh heh heh. Sometimes his personality reminds me so much of myself that he feels like a son rather than a son-in-law."
Jin-hyuk nodded inwardly. Indeed, he must have liked that temperament, which was why in his previous life, Chairman Yu Myeong-seon had passed it on to his son-in-law in the form of inheritance to his daughter. In any case, it seemed advancing the internet network rollout would be difficult.
'Too bad.'
At this point, Jin-hyuk wanted to ask how he had snatched the telecommunications business rights. The reports he examined didn't contain such details; it was structured as handing over a few businesses with low profitability but substantial assets. However, Jin-hyuk lacked the boldness to directly question the chairman he had met less than two hours ago. He wasn't a reporter, and it would be overstepping.
'Not knowing the future, they must have been tempted by the tangible assets and agreed to the trade.'
Not knowing what move Hong Gi-jun had pulled, Jin-hyuk could only form plausible hypotheses.
Jin-hyuk quietly stepped away, signaling for the two elders to converse comfortably. He wanted to skim more reports, but it felt impolite.
Son Gwang-yeon, who had been skimming the reports, shook his head.
"I get the gist of what he's planning, but there are too many unfamiliar areas. I need to study how the world works more."
"Exactly, exactly. A person has to study until the day they die to avoid falling behind."
"But why did Gi-jun meet that YS fellow?"
"He must have seen him as the next in line for the presidency. He seems to hate politics, but he monitors it sharply and has an eye for reading the currents. Nothing he's said hasn't come true so far."
"As expected, position shapes the man. That naive bookworm who only read books is now reading the world."
"Heh heh heh. Exactly my point! If a talent like Hong were still at Daejeong, I wonder how things would have turned out—it gives me chills just thinking about it."
Yu Myeong-seon laughed so heartily his face turned red with delight. Since his son-in-law had come to relinquish a position, Daejeong Group probably hadn't utilized that talent, but who could predict people's affairs?
Son Gwang-yeon pointed to a newspaper headline and turned his eyes to Yu Myeong-seon. It was an article about the next presidential frontrunner.
"But what about Chairman Jeong in this election?"
"Aigoo, that guy's saying the chaebol will dismantle the chaebol? Tell him to go to Pyongyang and do some self-criticism. Even if he's sincere, voters won't buy it—how many people would fall for words like that?"
The elderly chairman pouted his lips in a comical manner, causing Son Gwang-yeon to cover his mouth with his fist to stifle his laughter. To an outsider, they would look like father and son.
"Gi-jun isn't getting into politics? He'd do well if he did."
"He says his dream is to make Sein the world's number one group without dirty backing. Politics is something to utilize—if you mess up, you just get used and discarded. Capitalists influencing politics is tantamount to altering the course of history, he said. The influence of a mere citizen and a capitalist is different."
"I need to learn how to see the world from Gi-jun too."
"Exactly. A frog in a well—even the smartest person struggles to truly understand the world they live in, let alone others'. Peering into the outside world is that difficult."
Yu Myeong-seon tapped one of the newspaper headlines with his finger.
"That's why all sorts of nonsense like 'history will judge us despite the chaos' gets traction despite being so irresponsible. Trample on the people of your own era and expect posterity to evaluate you? Nonsense. Those with feet planted in the present must responsibly steward today and tomorrow. Judgment, evaluation, responsibility—all borne by the living. For the living are the true masters of the world."
Yu Myeong-seon gazed into Son Gwang-yeon's eyes as if seeking agreement.
"The young must live in the country made by the old, but shouldn't they at least know to reflect? No need to feel aggrieved that they don't appreciate our hardships. Eras are different. Share memories of suffering with those who suffered alongside you—that's enough. What's with the campaigning like you're some official?"
Pretending to have heard difficult words, Jin-hyuk scratched the back of his head. Rather than nodding along without understanding, feigning ignorance despite comprehending was Jin-hyuk's preferred way of navigating life.
Even so, an ineffable resonance echoed in his chest.
'No one ever said things like that to me.'
It was a novel experience.
Politics and such—they were others' stories, discourses from another world.
To a child preoccupied with survival, what did politics even matter? He had no teacher, let alone anyone worthy of being called a mentor. Thus, whether mundane or worth pondering, such conversations among elders imbued new meaning for Jin-hyuk.
The feeling of being recognized as a member of the world arrived just like this—unintentionally, in an unexpected situation.
His dad's reaction also warmed Jin-hyuk's heart.
'He likes it like a kid.'
Well, the man often acted childlike anyway, but seeing him respond like a child while mingling with an adult was endearing.
Usually without anyone to talk to, Dad would blankly stare at the fields during idle times. Jin-hyuk couldn't miss that he was waiting for his vacation friends. Witnessing him happily converse with an elder about worldly affairs made his dad's loneliness from growing up alone feel transparent.
In this moment, Yu Myeong-seon's study felt as cozy as a space existing solely to comfort the Son father and son.
'Now, if only they'd have the conversation I want.'
Jin-hyuk shot his dad a meaningful glance.
Son Gwang-yeon gave a slight nod, grasping the intent.
However, the elderly host welcoming his guests didn't grant Son Gwang-yeon an easy opening.
Glancing at Jin-hyuk browsing the bookshelves, Yu Myeong-seon quietly asked.
"But...... did you end up moving there because of the kids' mom?"
"Yes. Pretty much."
Son Gwang-yeon scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile, and Yu Myeong-seon nodded with a smile while continuously stroking or patting his back.
"Well done. Hearing you're living well—you did very well. Extremely well."
Yu Myeong-seon kept nodding and laughing.
Not interfering in his children's romances, yet Yu Mun-sik and Yu Jun-sik had brought spouses who resembled the family, as if seen somewhere before. It made him wonder if blood had some function commanding them to find lookalikes. Apparently, Son Gwang-yeon was no different.
'Remarkably found a woman the spitting image of his own mother.'
They said he met her by chance during college farm volunteer work.
Meeting in a place with no prior connections—truly the pull of fate.
Crunch crunch-.
It was a smooth eating motion, as if Yu Se-ra had possessed her.
To reiterate, these were fate's cookies.
Yu-jin slapped her mom's shoulder.
"Mom, Mom. Stop eating~."
"Huh? Why?"
"No cookies left for Yu-jin~......"
Seeing her daughter on the verge of tears, Han Yu-young vigorously shook her head.
For some reason, whenever these cookies went into her mouth, her hands and mouth wouldn't stop, as if possessed. She was the mom who always prioritized her family—especially making sure Yu-jin finished eating first. Yet now, it was like she was waging a cookie war with her daughter, minus the gunfire.
Snapping to her senses, the cookie plate was empty, and her daughter was gazing up at her with the world's most aggrieved eyes.
"Ah...... What to do, I'm sorry. Want this at least?"
Yu-jin silently accepted the half-eaten cookie piece from her mom.
Then she turned her back to her mom and began nibbling away bit by bit.
At that moment, the auntie who had overheard the mother-daughter exchange appeared.
"Hohoho-. Your daughter is so cute. Shall I bring more cookies?"
"Yes! Mom ate them all, right? Yu-jin didn't get any!"
Yu-jin eagerly tattled on her mom as if she had been waiting.
The war escalated into mudslinging in an instant.
"Shameless as it is, could I trouble you for a little?"
Thanks to the housekeeper auntie, Han Yu-young could shed some of her guilt.
Han Yu-young brushed off the crumbs from her mouth and hands and sat back. Her tightly clenched fists trembled to restrain herself from lunging at the cookies, while her tongue uncontrollably probed her lips.
Still uneasy, Yu-jin—who had turned her back to her mom and hugged the cookie plate—stopped eating and fidgeted.
Peeking in, Han Yu-young saw her stuffing cookies into her bunny bag.
"Yu-jin, what are you doing? You should eat them now."
"For General. General likes cookies~."
Ah, Yu-jin-ah.
Whenever food appeared, she was the child who always shared with General.
Han Yu-young was too embarrassed to lift her head.
The auntie, who had watched it all, cast a comforting gaze.
Still, you're a wonderful mom.
This house's daughter Yu ate everything while Su-jeong starved.
"Yu-jin, where are you going?"
"To eat cookies with General~."
Misunderstanding that her mom might try to snatch them, Son Yu-jin sped up her short legs and da-da-da-ran off.
The outside was dark, so the worried Han Yu-young chased after her daughter, afraid of losing her.
Finally seizing a gap to slip in, Son Gwang-yeon posed the question he had coordinated with his son beforehand. It had been a long time since they met, and the age gap made his manner cautious, but the content itself was direct.
"Did Chairman Park Un-cheol leave any particular words about me?"
At the unexpected question, Yu Myeong-seon's eyebrows drew together.
The sound of Jin-hyuk flipping pages came to a quiet halt.
Finally.
At the summit of fate's mountain, Jin-hyuk perked up his ears.
'Eavesdropping mode.'
Along with the delusions of a fourteen-year-old boy.