Secret Strategy: The Road to Seongbuk-dong
On the way to Seongbuk-dong, a heavy silence hung inside the car where the two men sat. Moon Sang-oh focused silently on driving, while Min-ho sat quietly in the back seat. Staring blankly out the window, Min-ho finally broke the silence with a loaded question.
"How much do you know, Butler?"
It seemed like a vague question, but it carried layers of meaning. Even though Moon Sang-oh understood the intent, he responded in kind.
"Everything except what I don't know."
"That's like saying nothing at all. Let me be more specific."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Grandpa knows everywhere I go, everyone I meet, and everything I do, right? Company work included."
Moon Sang-oh was Chairman Kang's hands and feet. Without explicit orders, he couldn't speak freely. Instead of an answer, he offered an apology.
"I'm sorry. I can't answer anything not directly instructed by the Chairman."
"Whatever you say won't reach Grandpa's ears. You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you."
After shifting gears, Moon Sang-oh quietly spoke up.
"Please ask more specifically, and I'll answer accordingly."
"Grandpa knows I went to Pocheon, right?"
"He does."
As expected, Chairman Kang was tracking even Min-ho's minor movements.
"Why pretend not to know?"
"I don't know the exact reason for that. I'm sorry, but I can't answer further on this."
The more he spoke, the greater the risk of slipping up. Moon Sang-oh shut down the line of questioning to guard against any mishaps. Min-ho, satisfied with confirming Grandpa's awareness, didn't press further. Instead, he brought up circulating rumors.
"This isn't my opinion, so hear it without misunderstanding."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Rumor has it you're biding your time to serve Grandpa and eventually take over. What do you think of that?"
People knew little about the enigmatic Moon Sang-oh. But everyone knew of the butler, so rumors about him were endless. The most prominent one claimed he'd get a line in Chairman Kang's will, securing a share of the inheritance later. It sounded absurd, but given Chairman Kang's trust in him, there was a sliver of plausibility. It was also the root of his poor relations with Kang Du-seong.
"I don't mind it. My salary is generous enough; I have no interest in money."
"I only asked because it sounded so far-fetched."
"I've never even considered it. We've arrived. I'll park the car."
***
Seongbuk-dong. If Chairman Kang's attitude had changed, Moon Sang-oh's behavior must follow suit. Curious how he'd be treated now, Min-ho sat still in the car instead of getting out as usual.
Moon Sang-oh quickly exited, opened the back door, and bowed his head.
"At the company back gate, I deliberately skipped the greeting and didn't open the door. Please forgive my earlier rudeness."
"No, that was fine. You did well. Thanks for the drive."
"I'll escort you inside."
The change in Moon Sang-oh's demeanor clearly proved Chairman Kang's orders. Moon Sang-oh moved ahead, opening the gate and leading the way. They passed a long driveway lined with stylish lights and pretty stones, arriving at the front door.
"Young Master, the Chairman is waiting."
How much someone thought of you showed in the smallest actions. If Chairman Kang had been eagerly awaiting Min-ho, he wouldn't just sit idly. The opposite went without saying.
As Moon Sang-oh reached for the door, it swung open from inside. There stood Chairman Kang himself.
In that fleeting moment, Min-ho was certain. The look in his eyes was utterly different from the last visit. He must have been in a rush—socks forgotten, his gaze brimming with overflowing affection.
No wonder, after Min-ho had saved him 360 billion won. Moon Sang-oh seemed quite flustered by the unprecedented sight. Min-ho, as if expecting it, responded with a playful whine laced with a nasal hum.
"Grandpa, what if you come out without socks? You'll catch a cold!"
"A cold's nothing—a day in bed and it's gone. But our grandson kept me waiting so long, I thought my neck would snap from craning it."
"Go back in first. I came empty-handed; let me run to the supermarket nearby and grab something."
"You've already given me plenty of gifts. No need—come in."
"Yes, Grandpa."
They moved to the living room. Once again, a feast of lavish dishes lay spread out, jaw-dropping in its extravagance.
"I had the staff prepare a mountain in case our grandson was hungry. How's it look?"
"If you do this every time I visit, the maids will start hating me."
"I slipped them extra bonuses separately. No worries there."
"You must be hungry too from waiting, Grandpa. Sit down."
"Alright, then."
The meal began. Rather than picking up his chopsticks first, Min-ho politely filled Chairman Kang's glass from the liquor bottle.
"How's work at the company?"
"It's the department I wanted, so everything's fun so far. Lots to learn."
"Good to hear. By the way... you still using that Lee name instead of Kang, the one I gave you?"
Min-ho set down his chopsticks calmly and replied.
"You told me when I was young: the respect you earn from a boss you sweat with hauling bricks alongside is different from others."
"Exactly. Nothing beats that for true respect."
"If I reveal I'm your grandson from the start, no one will judge my abilities fairly, and no one will call me out on mistakes."
Chairman Kang nodded in satisfaction at his grandson's answer.
"A hundred, a thousand times right. That's how you earn real respect later. Of course."
"I'd rather be like King Sejong, revered by all, than Prince Yeonsan, remembered as a tyrant."
Min-ho picked exactly the responses Grandpa wanted to hear, smooth as the tongue in his mouth. Chairman Kang's smile stretched ear to ear, refusing to fade.
"If you ever change your mind, just say the word. I'll put you anywhere you want. Promise."
"I'll let you know after I gain more experience."
"Speaking of... you heard the news, right?"
"Yes. What about the funds you invested there?"
"What about them? Thanks to our sharp grandson, I escaped that sinking ship without a drop of water on me."
Min-ho resolved to credit everything to Chairman Kang. He continued cleverly.
"No, if you'd brushed off my advice, this wouldn't have happened."
"Handing the credit to Grandpa? You're a clever one."
Pleased, Chairman Kang downed his glass and dove into the real talk.
"Japan pulling the loan regulation card was beyond even my expectations. How'd you know?"
"I flipped a coin. Heads came up for years. What would people predict?"
"Heads, obviously."
"No party lasts forever, no matter how wild. The Japanese were so drunk on liquor they couldn't imagine tails existed."
"Even the wine of debauchery runs dry eventually. So you thought the opposite while they drowned in it?"
"Yes. Plus, Japan always plays its worst card at the worst moment. After two rate hikes, I expected a big backlash."
Chairman Kang chuckled for a while as if struck by a thought, then nodded and continued.
"Right—even in wartime, they charged into India insisting herbivores like them could survive on grass alone, dying not from bullets but starvation."
"They probably thought they could tough it out."
"If our Min-ho were there, he'd have decided differently, eh?"
"Of course. With you in charge, Grandpa, it'd have been far better policy."
Chairman Kang set down his chopsticks, lit his pipe out of habit, and asked Min-ho.
"Investments wrapped up nicely. Now it's Grandpa's turn to give a gift. I promised to grant your wish last time, right?"
"Yes, Grandpa."
"Tell me what you want. Whatever it is, I'll get it for you in spades."
He beamed widely, but Chairman Kang had two possibilities in mind. First, typical young man stuff: an expensive car or watch. Second, some unimaginable proposal. The former was fine, but he secretly hoped for the latter.
Sensing this, Min-ho cut straight to it without hesitation.
"There's a huge fish swimming right in front of me. Too big to eat alone. I was wondering if you'd join me, Grandpa."
"So our boy has some scheme brewing."
"You'd be more disappointed if I didn't."
"Investment, huh... How much do you need? Spit it out."
"As you always say, more money is always better. If I had to pin a number, at least 50 billion. More is better."
Min-ho boldly demanded enough for over 50 luxury Gangnam apartments without blinking. It exceeded Chairman Kang's expectations—his grandson's ambitions were far grander than imagined. Even for royalty, no twenty-something should utter such a sum.
Moon Sang-oh, stunned, quietly set down his tray and stared blankly at Min-ho.
Like grandfather, like grandson. To an ordinary person, it was a staggering fortune, but not to Chairman Kang. He was just curious where it'd go.
"That's a hefty price for a whale... Be specific this time, or Grandpa won't bite."
Min-ho gathered his thoughts and answered.
"People fear you, Grandpa. They bow in front but talk behind your back. What do they say?"
"Just some rich old geezer."
"Let me add one more."
Min-ho pulled a Seoul city map from his bag, drew a straight red line with a marker from Dobong-gu to Gwangjin-gu. Chairman Kang and Moon Sang-oh were baffled, question marks on their faces. Min-ho explained to his puzzled Grandpa.
"I'll change that to 'rich and land-rich Chairman.'"
The red line Min-ho drew was the route of Seoul Subway Line 7, from Dobongsan Station to Konkuk University Station, set to break ground in a few months.