Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Comfort and Gift (3)
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Jin-hyuk had noticed it too.
The conversation had been lively, going back and forth, but at some point, Dad's voice was the only one missing. That old man's watching me. Jin-hyuk calmly crossed his arms and stared at the bookshelf.
Even as he tried to immerse himself in thoughts of Grandma, Grandpa, and Daejeong Group, Yu Myeong-seon's gaze pierced through the barrier of his concentration, prodding at Jin-hyuk.
Aw-, this is uncomfortable.
From what he'd heard in the car, this man was the benefactor who had helped Dad in his time of need. Yet the atmosphere made it seem like Dad was the one being treated as an honored guest. The way he looked at Mom and Jin-hyuk didn't feel like the gaze of a chaebol either.
He'd obtained a solid clue about the existence threatening Dad. There was no reason to stay any longer.
I should get out of here.
First, it would be best to regain some peace of mind. Earlier, through the window, he'd seen General marking his territory and putting on quite the display. Might as well take care of that too.
As he thought that and turned to leave—
"Kid."
Yu Myeong-seon called out to Jin-hyuk.
"Yes. Sir."
"Hahaha, you young rascal, what's this 'sir' business? Call me Grandpa."
"Ah······, yes. Gran······pa."
Jin-hyuk scratched the back of his head.
It was a term he'd used maybe once or twice with Cheon Gil-ryong—a title he couldn't imagine using more than a handful of times in his life. Yu Se-ra's image flickered briefly, but this was a stranger—an old man, the owner of Yu Myeong Group. He never could have imagined calling someone like that "Grandpa."
"We've been given this precious time like a gift to meet like this, but we haven't even exchanged a few words. Tell me a bit about yourself?"
Yu Myeong-seon pulled out one chair, then another to sit in, tapping on the first one invitingly.
Jin-hyuk obediently sat down next to him.
Whoa, my heart's pounding like crazy.
Was this old man dangerous? He'd been perfectly calm facing Mun-seok and his crew, who were at the limits of human capability, but in front of Yu Myeong-seon, he felt strangely intimidated. Apparently, Jin-hyuk's resistance only extended as far as Chairman Hong Gi-jun. Come to think of it, he'd felt subtly cowed even talking with Grandpa Cheon Gil-ryong.
Maybe it was because he rarely dealt with real adults. He could excuse the dads and uncles since their souls were younger than his own. Jin-hyuk figured that might be it as he stared steadily at Yu Myeong-seon.
"They say you're good at both studies and sports?"
"Yes, well. So-so······."
"Hahaha-. I thought you were just tall, but your speech is mature too."
*
In that not-so-long time, he shared quite a few stories with Yu Myeong-seon. He caught sight of Dad's back as he stood by the window gazing at the garden, and their eyes met while Yu Myeong-seon gently patted his hand.
The topics were mostly about Jin-hyuk, and it felt just like chatting with a grandfather he actually lived with—comfortable and relaxed. The vague tension melted away, leaving a warm, fuzzy feeling in his heart.
Yu Se-ra and Hong Su-jeong came up in conversation too, and Yu Myeong-seon gave an awkward smile as he said to take good care of her.
What kind of request is that to a teenager?
Su-jeong's mom really was an odd one. The chairman's wife had passed away not long after giving birth to Yu Se-ra, so it made sense that her daughter was precious to her.
"No requests for this old grandpa?"
What kind of request could he have on a first meeting? Even if it was about security, it would be better for Dad to ask Chairman Hong directly.
"Nothing like tha-t···."
Jin-hyuk smiled slyly as he spoke. He felt it would be tough to use casual speech like "-yo" with a chairman.
Perhaps finding his hesitant expression amusing, Yu Myeong-seon burst into laughter that shook the study.
"I heard you don't have a proper place to exercise."
"I'm just in the same boat as the other students."
Yu Myeong-seon nodded, pursing his lower lip thoughtfully.
"Re-cently-, I had a similar talk with your- mo-ther. We deci-ded to judge based on your third-year records-."
"Still, it seems you have a mind for sports."
"Yes. It's fun."
That much, he could say with confidence.
Jin-hyuk always imagined himself sprinting down the track. It was borderline obsession, and he didn't even know why himself, but just thinking about the track made him happy. The thrill of crossing the finish line and turning to the scoreboard was beyond mere pleasure—it bordered on ecstasy.
"Grandpa will find a way to help."
"Pardon?"
"A talented young man shouldn't hold back his name."
Like our Gi-jun. Yu Myeong-seon murmured.
Shouldn't it be about not holding back his talent? What did sparing his name mean? Was it about handing out business cards?
Jin-hyuk simply nodded with a blank expression.
"Hiding your talent and living cooped up is a waste of life. Didn't your dad say he won't do that anymore? It's like missing out on potential gains. Whether it's money or influence. This isn't just help. It's investing in a worthwhile prospect."
It was the words of a true merchant.
At the mention of "hiding," Son Gwang-yeon, listening from afar, flinched and trembled slightly.
Eh, just like Yu-jin and our baby. He pretended to focus on the garden.
Yu Myeong-seon, still holding Jin-hyuk's hand, spoke softly.
"Many people envy me."
Jin-hyuk nodded silently in agreement.
Indeed, people in the world would look at a chaebol chairman with envy. They believed there was nothing money couldn't buy. And that was largely true.
As Jin-hyuk's time passed, Yu Myeong-seon's stories flowed through the study like the sound of a babbling brook.
"I envy you."
Yu Myeong-seon patted the back of Jin-hyuk's hand.
Just like Chairman Hong Gi-jun had before the accident.
"At this age, your strength and greed aren't what they used to be. Your mind darkens faster than your eyes, and all that's left is an old man's stubbornness."
He had been aging into that stubborn old man without much fuss.
But then his son-in-law had ignited a fire in the old man's heart.
— "Without any dirty backing, I'll make Sein the world's number one. I'll make it so that just working at Sein feels like a successful life."
Even if it was just empty words, it sent a shiver through him, like pouring hot oil on a man's chest. It was a passion that couldn't be bought for billions. Yu Myeong-seon lacked the talent to harness it himself, so he'd handed full authority to his son-in-law.
And now, a similar passion had been reignited upon seeing Jin-hyuk.
Past connections played a part, but so did greed for future ties.
It was possessiveness.
He'd lost Son Mun-ye, whom he'd cherished like a younger brother, and had only just found Son Gwang-yeon. Just when he wanted to forge more bonds, the perfect piece had appeared. Even if it was the greed of an old man's dotage, there was no need to nitpick—Hong Gi-jun had chosen him. Yu Myeong-seon's trust in Hong Gi-jun was absolute.
"If sports are fun for you, this grandpa will send you a fun gift."
It was a small investment to secure the boy his son-in-law had marked and his precious granddaughter sleep-talked about. It was a compulsion as a grandfather to do at least this much. And the lingering attachment of a greedy old man staring down the end of his life.
"We'll discuss the rest with your dad."
"Yes······."
Jin-hyuk nodded with a sullen face. He didn't even know what the gift was, so thanks wouldn't come out. Well, maybe he'd buy him a car like in novels? It wouldn't be something like a Game Boy for a "fun gift," would it?
Says he's giving a gift, but then mentions discussing with Dad. The Yu family really is quirky down to their butts.
Watching Jin-hyuk nod, Yu Myeong-seon chuckled heartily. He truly looked delighted.
Son Gwang-yeon's mutter as he skimmed the report was buried under Yu Myeong-seon's laughter.
"Why'd this kid handwrite it when there's a typewriter and computer right there?"
'One million won.'
Leaving Yu Myeong-seon the chairman's house and heading to Hong Su-jeong's in the car, Jin-hyuk held the crisp check and just blinked.
It was pocket money that Yu Myeong-seon had pressed into his hand.
When a ten-million-won check had come out of his wallet, Jin-hyuk had wondered for a moment.
— "Oopsie-daisy-, old age makes me do this. Hahaha-."
Yu Myeong-seon had fussed that it was the wrong one, and it felt oddly friendly.
Thanks to his rich dad, he'd gotten a peek at a ten-million-won check—something most middle schoolers could only dream of. But having a one-million-won check actually in his possession was a first, even after being reborn. His friends would gawk at a mere hundred-thousand-won bill.
True to being a chairman, the man was generous. With this big sum in hand, tension coursed through his body, which had grown languid from the long car ride and food coma. Where should he spend it? What could he do to become the rich oppa?
Sell roasted sweet potatoes in winter? Rent out tubes at the beach in summer? Picking and selling watermelons from the fields would make decent money too. Ah, he'd have to steal them first.
Jin-hyuk squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them and turned toward Mom in the back seat.
"Here."
"Yeah. Mom will keep it safe."
She really was a mom who could be trusted with it. She'd even handed over his elementary school savings passbook from the post office for him to manage himself.
Han Yu-young stroked her daughter's head and asked,
"Shall Mom keep Yu-jin's too?"
"Nuh-uh- nuh-uh-."
Yu-jin shook her head vigorously and twisted her body away.
What did a five-year-old know to act like that? But recalling the cookie wars made it understandable. So Han Yu-young proposed a traditional trade.
"Look at this, Yu-jin. Let's trade these two for that one."
Han Yu-young waved two thousand-won bills.
Jin-hyuk, who had turned to watch mother and daughter, gaped. Trying to buy a million-won check for two thousand? Mom seemed to have some serious merchant blood in her too. Surely Dad hadn't gotten rich that way?
"Wan-na, ehehe-."
But Yu-jin wasn't a pushover. She still clutched the check tightly. She definitely knew and was refusing. Yeah, bills and checks felt totally different.
The silent Jin-hyuk stepped in.
"You'll lose it. Give it to Oppa."
"Okay-."
Jin-hyuk took Yu-jin's check and handed it back to Mom.
Watching her bewildered mom, he thought,
Maybe I should take a broker's fee.
Was he on the verge of becoming a slave to money?
This was probably just hormones commanding neurons to form wild bonds too.
Swallowing the nonsense, Jin-hyuk shook his head vigorously to banish the greed.
He was a student right now, with Mom handling everything from head to toe. What use was money?
Hehuk-.
General, who hadn't gotten any pocket money and had stuffed himself full of rice in the meat soup, let out a satisfied sigh.
*
The most excited one upon arriving at Hong Su-jeong's house was General.
There was a Golden Retriever in the garden, but the dog was so gentle that even as General went wild, fooling around, it just sat there watching placidly. Even when General stole its food or bit its ear and yanked, same thing.
The worried Jin-hyuk issued a warning.
"General, you'll get bitten."
He was muscular and tough, but teeth would still hurt.
"It's fine, Oppa. Woody Pomi's gentle."
"Pomi? That's a girl's name."
"Boy."
He stopped himself from asking why a male dog was named Pomi.
General was General, but Pomi being Pomi—was that a big deal? The pink ribbon around its neck was probably tied by Hong Su-jeong.
She liked pink even as a kid.
Hong Su-jeong was the type to favor pink knits in private.
A single ribbon bringing back the past—maybe it was a memory he'd carry in his heart forever.
Just then, Hong Gi-jun's car pulled up. He worked weekends and day and night lately, but he'd made a big decision to come home early because Jin-hyuk's family was visiting.
Jin-hyuk caught sight of the man driving Hong Gi-jun's car and momentarily held his breath.
Manager Kim Cheol-min.
The fifties manager who drove Chairman Hong Gi-jun's car. He'd been in the same vehicle during the accident. He must have worked under Hong Gi-jun for a long time. Even generously, he didn't look a day over twenty-five. Greeting from the driver's seat, he looked nothing like a mere tall bodyguard.
This feels weird.
But he couldn't act like he knew him, so he just nodded with friendly intent. Come to think of it, the last time he'd seen team member Manager Min Yong-rak, he must have been around that age too. Wonder what he was up to now. In the military maybe.
While Jin-hyuk was lost in reminiscence, Hong Gi-jun handed several checks to Kim Cheol-min, saying to get some late-night snacks. It was an amount believable as a monthly salary, not snack money.
"Can't even rest on weekends because of me. Let's meet late morning tomorrow."
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
Jin-hyuk sucked in a sharp breath.
Vice Chairman? At thirty-nine?
He'd been publicly announced as the successor from the start, and it wasn't strange for him to hold the president title while being called the honorary group vice chairman.
The reason Jin-hyuk was shocked was that the group was Sein.
The vice chairman of Sein Group carried a symbolism different from other companies.
This uncle really made it big.