The Art of the Compromise

What on earth is this guy's deal?

That was the only thought running through Department Head Kim Seong-tae's mind.

Some freakish nutjob had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, babbling about Korean lawn grass versus Taechen grass.

To be perfectly honest, Kim Seong-tae had completely forgotten that the grass had even been changed.

It was only natural; a detail like Korean grass versus Taechen grass was far too trivial. Who on earth would remember something like that?

Thinking back, had they switched to Taechen grass because the Korean grass supplier called to say their unit price had gone up?

But this wasn't an air conditioner or a washing machine. It was grass. Just grass.

How different could the product really be just because it came from a different supplier?

Besides, wasn't a picnic table better than a three-seater bench anyway? It let parents sit with their kids, eat snacks, and play.

He recalled they had used picnic tables left over from another construction site. Who could have guessed that would turn into a liability?

The picnic tables were actually more expensive!

As for the change in paint formula, he had never even heard of it. It must have been a minor decision approved at a lower level without ever crossing his desk. That was how insignificant it was. Yet this guy had gone so far as to verify it with the supplier. It was utterly absurd.

"Th-this sort of thing isn't a defect, sir," Kim Seong-tae said, looking deeply wronged.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with its functionality! You can't just nitpick things that aren't defects and act like there's a problem with our construction!"

"Then what about the security cameras that fail to function at night? Is that a defect?"

A simple, devastating counter-punch. Kim Seong-tae was instantly struck dumb.

"Manager Kim, let's be honest with each other," Yun-hyeok said, suddenly patting the department head's shoulder in a soothing, patronizing manner.

"You must be incredibly annoyed coming out here every single week just to repeat the same lines. Let's face it—the company basically sent you here to be their human shield. Honestly."

"..."

"Headquarters has absolutely no intention of replacing the cameras, so they're just using you to absorb the residents' anger, stall for time, and prevent this from blowing up into protests or news articles. Isn't this a massive waste of time for everyone? Why should you have to suffer like this? And besides..."

He leaned in.

"Deep down, you know this is wrong too, don't you?"

Kim Seong-tae's lips parted slightly.

Honestly?

Honestly, he did.

Who on earth used 500,000-pixel cameras these days? Installing such garbage and claiming there was no issue just because it matched the outdated construction plan was a total scam. The builder was acting like a bunch of thugs.

"If you lived in this apartment, and the playground where your children play, or the school bus zone they use when coming home from academy..." Yun-hyeok continued, "...had 500,000-pixel cameras installed, wouldn't you be anxious? You think replacing them is the right thing to do too, don't you?"

"I... I don't have the authority to make that decision."

"Then could you connect me to someone who does?"

Kim Seong-tae hesitated before dialing the planning division at headquarters. After being transferred through several employees, each higher up than the last, he finally reached the right person.

"Yes... Understood."

Without hanging up, Kim Seong-tae handed the phone to Yun-hyeok.

"They want to speak with you directly."

Yun-hyeok wasn't the official representative of the apartment complex, but he had naturally assumed the role of lead negotiator at this table.

"Hello, this is Lee Yun-hyeok."

- This is Choi Jun-taek, Executive Director of Finance for Raymi Castle. I hear you conducted a self-audit using our construction plans?

"Yes."

- If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living? Are you a resident?

"No," Yun-hyeok replied calmly. "I'm planning to run for Mayor of Mir City early next year. Currently, I'm unemployed."

- ...

"According to my calculations, if we play a game of chicken, the residents will have to replace the security cameras at their own expense, costing a total of 790 million won. On the other hand, Raymi Castle will have to tear up and redo everything from the lawn to the paint job, which will cost you around 4.84 billion won."

Yun-hyeok had already run all the numbers.

The replacement cameras he was demanding were high-end Quad HD models.

"What would you prefer to do?"

- I will have Department Head Kim Seong-tae submit a proposal, review it, and sign off on it. Before the day is out.

"A wise decision. Thank you. Now, I have one more proposal I'd like to make."

Yun-hyeok gestured for the residents' representative and Department Head Kim Seong-tae to gather closer to the speakerphone.

The Raymi Castle group chat erupted.

Yun-hyeok's older sister excitedly spilled the details of his method.

She explained how he had single-handedly reviewed nearly 8,000 pages of documents to compile a list of over a hundred minor discrepancies made by the builder. He then used that list to pressure them into a settlement. She detailed how he had pointed out "defects that weren't really defects"—things the residents hadn't even noticed, like the change in the lawn grass manufacturer or the microscopic difference in the paint formula—and traded those chips for brand-new cameras.

Of course, he hadn't actually read all 8,000 pages word for word. Yun-hyeok had simply cross-referenced the bill of materials with the construction plans and audit logs to isolate the product lists. This made the task relatively straightforward. Still, it was undeniably backbreaking labor. On top of that, he had conducted the physical inspections himself, making it a grueling, jam-packed week.

But that's how a politician is supposed to work.

It was one of Yun-hyeok's core political philosophies.

A politician is not an office worker. They are a field worker.

And there was another crucial rule in politics.

Avoid making ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enemies whenever possible.

Wasn't that exactly why Park Dae-man had gone out of his way to have a farewell drink with Yun-hyeok when he left?

Yun-hyeok's final proposal to Raymi Castle had been designed with exactly that in mind.

With the consent of Department Head Kim Seong-tae, the residents' representative, and Raymi Castle's executives, Yun-hyeok had an article published.

He ran it through a reporter he had kept in touch with since his time on the general election campaign.

Yun-hyeok did not monopolize the victory.

He needed votes, and he would get them from the apartment residents. The residents received the cameras they desperately needed, and Executive Director Choi Jun-taek successfully spun an 800 million won loss into a brilliant corporate marketing campaign. After all, the director also needed a story to present to the CEO. And the results spoke for themselves.

The residents' response was explosive.

"Oh! If it isn't Yun-ge Liang!"

A few days later, Yun-hyeok's older sister teased him the moment she stepped through the front door of their parents' house.

"You are incredibly hot in our apartment group chat right now. Subin, say 'Thank you, Uncle!'"

"Tank you, Uncoo~"

Yun-hyeok's niece, Subin, was a five-year-old child whose pronunciation was still a bit clumsy.

"..."

His niece was adorable, but the moment Yun-hyeok looked at her, his heart suddenly sank.

Because she reminded him of the children he had raised in his previous lives.

In his second and third lives, Yun-hyeok had raised two and three children, respectively.

One fascinating thing was that the two children from his second life were born as his first and second children in his third life, completely identical.

It really is mysterious.

The timing of their conception had been different, and even the location was different—he had lived in the United States during his second life.

Yet, the babies were born with the exact same genders, faces, and personalities.

His firstborn, his son Lee Hae-won.

He had grown up as a mischievous boy who loved soccer, but by the time he grew taller than his mother, he had become a mature, reliable young man who looked after his younger siblings.

His second, his daughter Lee Se-ha.

When she was Subin's age, she had so much to say that she babbled non-stop. When she grew up, she became famous for her beauty at a certain engineering college—according to her own claims, at least.

And the youngest he had raised in his third life.

Lee Ha-eun.

She had grown into a quiet, brilliant child. Born with a frail constitution, she had suffered from frequent illnesses and was only a high school freshman when Yun-hyeok's third life came to an end.

"..."

Yun-hyeok's children would be much older than Subin now, but in his mind's eye, their five-year-old selves overlapped with his niece.

He missed his kids.

And he worried about them.

Especially his youngest, who had still been so young.

I will never lose them in this life.

Lee Yun-hyeok hugged his niece tightly in place of his own son and daughters, making a silent vow.

This time, Daddy will protect you no matter what.

To do that, Yun-hyeok first had to go meet his wife.

At this point in time, the two of them had never even laid eyes on each other.

She was still a college student right now. There was a bit of an age gap between them.

A cradle robber?

Guilty as charged.

But first, I need to get some work done. I'll go find her later.

Yun-hyeok was running out of time.

Mir City was called a city of 500,000 for convenience, but it actually fell slightly short.

491,000 people.

Even though the residents of Raymi Castle had sided with Yun-hyeok, they wouldn't vote for him with a 100% turnout during the local elections.

Assuming the adult population living in Raymi Castle was around 7,000, it was safer to conservatively estimate his secured votes at around 4,000, excluding those who would go on trips on election day or vote strictly along party lines.

He still had a long way to go.

He needed to make his name known and expand his influence across the city.

"Perhaps it's time to meet the local power brokers of Doma-myeon."

Yun-hyeok decided on his next target.