Chapter 19
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Purging the Old Guard, Kangyul Chairman
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Mun Seyun felt alive after selling the school and the land. He'd gotten a hefty sum for the school itself, and factoring in the land value, it was an even bigger windfall.
Best of all, it shut up his wife, who'd forbidden him from setting foot in the house until he brought back the cash.
'And the variety of side dishes at home has increased too.'
Lately, though, his annoying little brother Mun Segwang had been getting on his nerves.
Ever since the school sale, the guy showed up in the chairman's office every single day, spouting nonsense.
"Ahem. So what is it you're trying to say? Buy land nearby and build the exact same school again?"
"That's right. The staff will follow us wherever we go, anyway. And there's nothing in the contract that stops us."
"Do you even know how much land in Seoul costs?"
"Just take out a loan."
"You still haven't learned your lesson, you bastard!"
Mun Seyun snatched up the nameplate like he was about to hurl it at him.
Remembering the ordeal they'd just been through, he wanted to beat his brother half to death, blood relation be damned.
"If it weren't for Midas Corporation, this school and everything would've gone under the hammer at auction! How can an educator be so rotten?!"
"But does that mean we just give up the school business our family ran for generations?!"
This time, Mun Segwang raised his voice, convinced he was in the right. And he had a point.
Midas Corporation hadn't interfered at all since the deal closed.
If they really wanted, they could poach the prime assets and set up shop elsewhere.
'Hmm. Still, that's not the way to go.'
Knock knock—
As Mun Segwang pondered, someone rapped on the chairman's office door.
"Ahem. Don't go blabbing that around carelessly. Got it?"
"...I won't. I'm not some rat."
Mun Segwang warned his brother to keep quiet, then called out for them to enter.
Click—
The door opened, revealing Jang Deokcheol and Kangyul.
Kangyul followed Jang Deokcheol's lead to the chairman's office. A staff member approached midway but backed off upon recognizing Jang.
"You've met the chairman and principal before, right?"
"Yes. They didn't seem like bad people."
As Jang reached for the door, Kangyul tugged his sleeve.
A harsh voice erupted from inside.
"Hold on a moment."
Kangyul stood by the door, listening carefully to the voices within.
"Ahem. So what is it you're trying to say? Buy land nearby and build the exact same school again?"
Kangyul's expression hardened at Mun Segwang's words.
Jang's face twisted in fury beside him, and he moved to fling the door open. But Kangyul stopped him, leaving Jang standing there uncertainly.
'For people you just called decent, that's some trash talk.'
After hearing the full exchange, Kangyul's mind raced. It was time to drain the swamp before the stagnant water turned putrid.
"Let's go in."
Knock knock—
The noisy office fell silent at Jang's knock.
"Come in."
Click.
Jang opened the door at the sound of Mun Seyun's voice.
Two balding old men came into view.
Their tightly pressed lips betrayed their stubbornness.
'Heh, these geezers sure have a lot of greed left in them.'
"Ah, you've come."
Mun Seyun rose and extended a hand to Jang, but Jang merely glanced at it before plopping down in a chair.
He left the head seat empty.
"Such insolence from a young pup!"
"Ahem, quiet down. What brings you here so suddenly?"
Mun Seyun took the head seat himself and addressed Jang.
Jang grimaced again at the sight.
'These guys still don't get their place.'
Kangyul walked slowly toward the occupied head seat.
"Oh? Vice President Jang's grandson? My, what a cutie. Enroll him in our school, why don't you?"
"Ahem, we can't just let the chairman's grandson in willy-nilly."
Mun Segwang grumbled beside him with a sour look.
Kangyul smirked and spoke up.
"I'm a student here."
"Whatever. Adults are talking, so step out for a bit."
"Me? Why?"
"Hey, mind your manners. Want a spanking?"
As Mun Segwang's voice rose, Jang's expression soured further.
He fidgeted like he might leap up and yell any second.
'...I have no face to show Young Master Kangyul. And I called these people fine.'
Kangyul hardened his expression, done playing around.
"Excuse me, that's my seat."
"What?"
"Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Kangyul, president of Midas Corporation."
Mun Seyun chuckled, thinking it a joke, and glanced at Jang.
But Jang was dead serious.
"So you're saying you're the president of Midas Corporation?"
"...Watch your tone and grasp the situation. Then get up. Being young doesn't mean your legs don't ache."
Mun Seyun felt bewitched. Jang's gravity suggested no prank. He stood reluctantly and moved to a lower seat.
Only then did Jang's face ease slightly.
"First time seeing your faces, right? Mun Seyun, former foundation chairman. Mun Segwang, principal."
"Ahem!"
Mun Segwang whipped his head away, offended at having his name called so casually.
He said nothing due to his brother, but the situation grated on him.
"No more, no less—straight to the point. By end of day, both of you are expelled from Hwijeong Elementary."
"What? Who says?!"
Mun Segwang jabbed a finger at Kangyul's face and bellowed. Jang could hold back no longer and shot to his feet.
"Who do you think you're pointing at? Still haven't figured it out?!"
Kangyul sighed lightly and shook his head.
Dealing with stubborn old-timers was exhausting.
'Slow on the uptake and convinced they're always right.'
"Former Chairman Mun Seyun knows this well: personnel authority belongs solely to the foundation chairman. Right?"
Mun Seyun nodded. He'd wielded that power himself.
"...Even so, a sudden purge like this is hard to swallow..."
Mun Seyun hesitated, then switched to informal speech. He couldn't bring himself to honor an elder to a kid.
Kangyul took it in stride, as expected.
"Plenty convincing after hearing your grand plans to poach the entire staff. I'm not idiot enough to let that slide."
Kangyul gave the flustered brothers a wry smile.
"Vice President Jang. Deploy the full audit team here. Gather every speck of corruption. Oh, and that illegal loan using the Gimpo land as collateral last time?"
Kangyul looked up at Mun Seyun.
Mun Seyun swallowed hard, speechless.
'This one's catching on, but the principal's the problem.'
The man still glared at Kangyul with fiery eyes.
Figured as principal, he had nothing to lose.
"You're such old fogeys, I bet you'd stir trouble from the shadows if I just let you go. FYI, I'm not that merciful. Better use the sale profits to hire top lawyers."
Kangyul waved dismissively, signaling them to leave.
Mun Seyun grasped the gravity the moment he exited the office.
The graft they'd skimmed over generations wasn't trivial. A deep dig would unearth major scandals.
"That brat's got some nerve! Bro! Let's rebuild the school right away?"
Mun Segwang still yammered about the school, clueless.
"You still haven't learned!"
Slap!
Mun Seyun finally lost it and backhanded his brother.
He hadn't hit him once since turning sixty.
"You moron! Still don't get it? Once your bribes and perks come to light, we're both prison-bound! Know that?!"
"...H-how would those punks know about that?"
"Idiot. That's why you can't cut it. I buried it all as chairman!"
Mun Segwang clutched his stinging cheek, mumbling incoherently.
Dawn finally broke for him.
"...That kid won't actually sue, right?"
"How the hell should I know?!"
Mun Seyun stormed out of the school, fuming.
Unfortunately, Kangyul wasn't merciful as claimed.
He mobilized the audit team immediately, combing Hwijeong Elementary down to the last flea on a hair.
'They skimmed more than I thought.'
Kangyul filed charges with the prosecutors based on the evidence.
Now that he'd drawn blood, he'd sever them at the neck.
Jang bowed deeply to Kangyul. If not for the surprise visit, they might've lost the school oblivious.
"...I'm sorry."
"No worries. Can't read hearts. Anyway, found a new principal?"
"Yes. Picking from qualified staff inside. Less backlash that way."
Kangyul nodded.
The private school matter was thus settled.
"By the way, wanna see this?"
Kangyul pulled out his phone and handed it to Jang.
It played the edited first episode of 'What's Up Man' that Park Junhyeong had filmed. Not yet uploaded to YouTube.
Jang's expression darkened as it ended.