Frost on Snow
*** Athena.
[The Gwak Hee-do investment firm scandal continues to snowball. Police investigations reveal that the bonds circulating in the market total at least 150 billion won or more...]
[Legal battles, including refund lawsuits and CD verification suits, now seem inevitable.]
[Authorities are now fully probing Gwak Hee-do's activities before his death. The investigation into the mass circulation of fake CDs...]
Yeouido was buzzing amid the massive shitstorm unleashed by Gwak Hee-do. Lawyer Choi Jong-hoon stared at the news in a daze, his face blank with shock. No matter the reasons, it was a gut punch—his senior colleague, someone he'd spoken to face-to-face just days ago, now a cold corpse.
Kang Min-ho patted the lawyer's shoulder. "Your emotions must be all tangled up right now."
"I never dreamed something like this could happen."
"The flashy king of bonds meets a pathetic end."
"Senior Gwak... he had money, fame—everything. I just can't understand why he'd do something like that."
"Greed knows no bounds. He got away with stealing a needle, so he went for the cow."
Choi, still glued to the news with a stunned, disbelieving expression, murmured low, "The fake CD scandal... his death... it's all too shocking for me."
"If the funeral's set up properly, go pay your respects. Take a few days off if you can't focus."
"No, sir. Whatever the cause, the fallout will hit Yeouido hard. I'll stay by your side."
Suddenly, a comment Min-ho had made days earlier flashed through Choi's mind. "Young master, do you remember the question I asked you last time?"
"About Gwak Hee-do?"
"Yes. When I asked why you were proposing this deal to President Kang Myeong-seon, you said we'd confirm it through the news."
"Right. That's what I said."
"Don't tell me... you knew something about this too?"
No matter how sharp Min-ho was, he couldn't predict a man's death. If he had, it'd point to some supernatural gift.
Min-ho perched on the edge of his desk and continued. "You think I have some psychic powers or something?"
"How else do you explain this? Please, tell me. Did you see something coming?"
"Sorry to disappoint—no crystal ball here."
Min-ho grabbed a notepad and started sketching examples as he explained. "I happened to check a few bonds issued by Branch Manager Gwak Hee-do. Same paper, but up close, they were a bit sloppy."
"Everyone knows banks have different formats. That's not enough to verify authenticity."
"They smelled off. But hard evidence? Super vague. If he'd stuffed them in his back pocket, there'd be marks—no doubt. So I checked the most important thing."
"You didn't... look into his travel records?"
"Yeah. Through Butler Moon. He was in and out of Southeast Asia way too much for business trips. Reasons are as reported."
That explained proposing the Gwak Hee-do CD investment to President Kang Myeong-seon. "So that's why you pitched it to her?"
"Of course. A dud grenade's gotta blow eventually."
"Considering most were '91 bonds, you were betting on a wildcard timer."
"Just putting chips on a long shot. It hit by chance."
It was a plan impossible without prior knowledge of Gwak Hee-do. Min-ho had known and deployed it perfectly. Despite the slim odds, everything clicked into place, leaving Choi unable to hide his awe.
"The vaults are emptying, and they're in full panic. Give it a few days—they'll wave the white flag."
"We're quietly buying up JK Credit Info shares under proxy names right now. Chairman will catch on to your plan soon. Any countermeasures?"
"You'll see."
*** JK Group Chairman's Office.
[Gwak Hee-do is said to have embezzled public funds for overseas gambling and stock investments.]
[Police confirmed no foul play based on taxi driver testimony and autopsy...]
[The Gwak Hee-do former Sangmyeong Bank branch manager scandal continues to escalate.]
Kang Jin-gwang watched the news with a heavy heart, finally turning away with a sigh of regret. "A guy swimming in cash, chasing what glory...?"
Butler Moon turned off the TV with the remote and cautiously continued. "Never imagined the embezzled sum would be this massive."
"Even the biggest dam crumbles from one ant hole... Still, I watched that bastard for years. Seeing him end like this doesn't sit right."
"Planning to visit the funeral?"
"I'd like to, but showing up might just rub elbows with his other victims. No need to stick my finger in that hornet's nest."
"Understood."
It was bigger than anyone imagined. Moon pondered deeply, but too many pieces didn't fit. "Chairman, one thing puzzles me."
Kang set down his pipe and nodded.
"Could Gwak Hee-do really move that much money alone? I doubt it without accomplices."
"I warned them at the FKI meetings, even tipped off those assemblyman bastards. Knew it'd blow someday. He's run things slapdash for years."
"So you're saying the bond format doesn't matter much in typical corporate-bank deals?"
"Exactly. Who'd dare touch tens or hundreds of billions? You'd have to risk your neck."
Gwak Hee-do's scandal tanked related companies' stocks. The bond market froze solid. No one knew how many fake CDs were out there. Firms scrambled to verify their holdings.
"Think we should check ours?"
"Yes. Just in case."
"No need for busywork. I wrapped that up ages ago."
"Got it. Chairman, and..."
As Moon started to speak, the office door flew open. Secretary Chief Jeong Dong-gyun burst in, gasping for breath. Barging into the chairman's office without knocking? Unthinkable.
Moon bristled, but Jeong's face stopped him cold—pupils shaking, skin ashen, fidgeting without a word.
Kang subtly waved Moon back and asked calmly, "Dong-gyun, rushing in like this means something big..."
"I... Chairman, it's bad."
Stammering from shock. Kang sensed real trouble—this was unprecedented.
"No tiger's chasing you in broad daylight... Take it easy and spill."
"A call just came from Seocho-dong."
"Seocho-dong... Not a raid at the regime's end, I hope..."
Jeong exhaled sharply and dropped the bomb. "They say President Kang Myeong-seon is linked to Branch Manager Gwak Hee-do."
The fake CDs circulated in secret—even the great Kang Jin-gwang couldn't know. "Myeong-seon involved? What the hell?"
"She invested days before he died."
"Amount?"
"Confirmed so far: 15 billion total. More turns up, I'll report immediately."
Unbelievable. Kang squeezed his eyes shut against the rage, veins bulging on his forehead. He staggered from the shock.
"Chairman!"
Moon swiftly supported his waist and eased him into the chair. "You okay?"
"Just dizzy... I'm fine."
15 billion meant nothing to Kang. Pocket change. The real wound? The stain on his reputation. Myeong-seon's blunder was like smearing shit on her father's face.
For decades in Myeong-dong's loan shark world, he'd been a bond market whale. A quick check via his office or secretaries would've prevented this. Word spreading that his own daughter lost 15 billion? He'd be a laughingstock.
Kang's pipe trembled in his grip. He finally flipped the table. "That insolent wench—defacing her old man's face is one thing..."
He knew her greed, her tailing of Min-ho. He'd overlooked it because she was his favorite youngest daughter. But no more. Ignoring this would invite disaster. His patience had run dry.
As he sighed deeply, another blow landed. Jeong, watching quietly, added, "Chairman, terribly sorry... but there's more."
"Worse than this? I'm braced. Out with it."
"Someone's buying up shares to seize control of JK Credit Info."
Earthquake, then tsunami. As Jeong finished, Kang hurled his pipe at the wall. His breathing grew ragged. Moon handed him a door key? Wait, no—quickly offered water? Source: "문 집사는 재빨리 문을 건넸다." Wait, probably "물" (water). Typo? In context, "water". Assuming "water".
"Chairman, please—your health."
"That bastard kid's gonna ruin everything I built... Got it. Dong-gyun, you're dismissed. Report anything unusual."
"Yes, Chairman."
Jeong handed the report to Moon and slipped out quietly.
Ever worried for Kang, Moon checked his color and reached for the phone to call the doctor. "Sang-oh... I'm fine."
"No, sir. You look awful."
"Later. First, review Dong-gyun's report."
"Yes, sir."
Moon frowned at the report. Shares were being scooped up under dozens of individual names—not firms or brokers. "Over 20 personal names. Proxies for sure, but no trace of who's behind it."
"Twenty... No obvious suspects. Your take?"
"None, sir. No reason to target JK Credit Info anyway."
"True... Spotty profits, zero appeal..."
Something clicked—Kang shot up, grinning as he scanned the list. Fury gone, smile spreading. "Knew it... Pieces falling perfectly. Familiar handiwork..."
"Pardon? Someone in mind?"
"One thing you didn't report... Who ordered the tail on Min-ho?"
Kang knew everything. "Sorry. Didn't want to worry you."
"Myeong-seon's doing, right?"
"Yes."
Kang nodded with a satisfied smile. "Fox wagging its tail while gripping a blade."
"You mean the young master?"
"No one but Min-ho could pull off a bold play like this."
If Min-ho moved in earnest, things would tangle. Yet Kang felt no worry. Min-ho never acted without a plan—and always saw it through.
Moon thought otherwise and voiced caution. "Chairman, it's too soon."
"We'll see. Anyway, that Seo Gwang-hun slapping Myeong-seon around?"
"Yes."
Kang sighed long, resolve set. "Summon Myeong-seon now. Grab that Gwang-hun punk and park him on the roof. Call Pocheon too."