Professor Im Dong-min's Problem
After the stock investments wrapped up, Heerin suggested we grab dinner together. I could feel her strong desire to spend time with me. If I just said yes, it felt like we could end up sleeping together again tonight. But not yet... my feelings weren't sorted out. Still, dinner didn't seem like a bad idea. Instead of just the two of us, I decided to invite Ye-rin along.
The mood at the table was great. How could it not be, with two beautiful women flanking me? As the atmosphere warmed up, we even started drinking.
"Heerin, I've got a question for you."
"Yeah? What is it?"
Heerin answered my question readily.
"Say you marry someone, and they cheat on you with your close friend and stab you in the back. What would you do?"
"What else? Kill them all."
"Hahaha, exactly!"
"Of course."
"But what if you could go back in time to before they knew you—back to when they haven't wronged you yet? Would you still get revenge on people who haven't done anything wrong to you?"
"They wouldn't know me? Like, your husband from the past?"
"Yeah."
"Pfft, as if that could happen. I only think about realistic stuff."
"I'm saying, what if."
"Hmm... so they'd be people who haven't wronged me yet?"
"Right."
"What's there to overthink? That person from the past is different from the one who hurt you. Not the one you knew."
Her answer cleared the fog in my chest like a breath of fresh air. Maybe that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I was speechless for a moment.
"What? Why the face? Was that a trick question or something?"
"Nah... let's drink. Haha."
Time slipped into the late night, and we were all pleasantly buzzed.
"Hyun-su... one more round?"
Heerin gave me a sly, suggestive look. I glanced at Ye-rin. Even if she knew about my other women, this felt too bold with all three of us here.
"I can't stay out too late, so I'll head back first. You two have fun."
Ye-rin's eyes looked a little sad, like a wife turning a blind eye to her husband's affair. As I hesitated, she came over and took my hand firmly.
"Hyun-su, like I said before, you're too radiant for me to keep to myself. I'm happy just basking in the light you shine on me. It's okay."
Her confession hit me hard, stirring something deep inside. How could I even think of seeing another woman with someone like her?
"Heerin, sorry. Not tonight."
Heerin, hearing it all, looked stunned, then shook her head with a wry smile.
"Wow... Hyun-su, you're one hell of a man. Fine, I give up for tonight. Just tonight."
Her passionate words left my heart racing, refusing to calm.
"Hyun-su... I think I'll head home early too."
Only after seeing our reactions did Ye-rin seem to realize what she'd said, her face flushing bright red. Then she bolted away in embarrassment.
And so we each wrapped up the night on our own.
On Wednesday and Thursday, my stock trades netted another 2.3 billion won in profits. My total assets now stood at 4.6 billion. Excluding 3 billion, I'd invested the rest in stocks of top conglomerates like Hanseong Electronics—companies I could buy because I knew the future.
From now on, I'd grow the 3 billion through stocks, while using the remainder to buy land in redevelopment hotspots or shares in major corporations.
Finally, Friday arrived. The thought of subduing that arrogant bitch Ga-young had my cock twitching already. But I needed to stay cool. It wasn't just about breaking her—this was a problem crafted by Korea's top mathematicians after deep deliberation. Solving it without proper study? To them, I'd be a genius prodigy. I could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, absorb their networks.
A few things matter most in Korea. First, money—no need to explain that. In a capitalist society, nothing's impossible with cash.
Second, power. Why do crowds flock to politics for scraps? You need influence.
Third, the judiciary—prosecutors, judges, lawyers. Befriend them or pull them to your side, and you've got an ironclad shield.
Fourth, the underworld. Small compared to the rest, but essential for dirty work you can't touch in the light.
Fifth, the media. It seems weak now, but its power will explode in the future. That's why everyone fights to control it.
Finally, intellectuals—professors, doctors, writers. Their direct power is minimal, but the disciples they raise and their connections are not to be ignored.
I could make money hand over fist from here on. So my goal was to acquire those six powers.
At the appointed time, I entered the office of Korea University's top professor. As expected, Ga-young was already seated.
"Hello, sir. Cha Hyun-su."
I bowed politely to Professor Im Dong-min.
"Ho ho, a well-mannered young man. No wonder Professor Kim Ga-young praised you so highly."
"She's always looked out for me."
I glanced at Ga-young and smiled. She didn't show it, but her fists were clenched tight—fuming.
"I've heard plenty about your skills. Shall we see you tackle the problem?"
"Yes, please."
Professor Im handed us each a problem sheet. We started solving simultaneously.
I could have scribbled the answer instantly, but I held back. This time, I needed to be meticulous. I pretended to ponder deeply.
"Heh heh... how's this one? I heard you did the others mentally..."
"Ah, yes. The previous ones were straightforward, but this feels profound. Different from what I knew."
Knowing it was made by the nation's best, I phrased it to flatter them. Professor Im looked pleased.
"Ho ho ho, is that so?"
As I wrote an equation and began filling in answers, his eyes widened at that single line.
"What? How did you know to use that equation?"
"No, I haven't studied math formally, but Euclid's proof is so famous I knew it. It felt like the starting point."
"Impressive... deducing the proof from the problem form... ho ho."
As he kept marveling, Ga-young grew agitated beside us, stuck while I progressed.
I built on that equation, nailing the core solution step by step.
"Ho... hoo..."
Professor Im just kept gasping in awe. Finally, I finished.
He clapped excitedly.
"You've truly never studied math properly?"
"No, sir. Just what I did for the college entrance exam."
"My god... I've heard of geniuses, but seeing one with my own eyes... this is beyond prodigy—pure genius."
His excessive praise made me a bit shy. I was just leveraging the future, after all. But I hid it.
"You're too kind. The answer just came to me looking at it."
I played humble.
"It was a secret, but this problem came from top professors across our universities developing new theory. No need for modesty."
I feigned exaggerated surprise, though I knew.
"Ho ho... so, why not join our group and explore math with us?"
There it was. But I couldn't bite too eagerly—make them hunger for me.
"But I've never studied math. What role could I play?"
I hinted I was an uncut gem.
"That's why it's impressive. Someone ignorant of math solving this is near impossible. We need your fresh perspective."
Now, it wasn't me needing them—they needed me. I held the leverage. My voice would carry more weight; they'd hang on my words.
I'd study math gradually to build my edge. Couldn't bluff forever.
"We meet every other Friday evening. Last week, we finalized the theory and made this problem—never thought it'd be solved so fast... ho."
"Ah, I see. I'll join starting next week."
"Good. I'll let you know the place and time."
"Thank you, sir."
Ga-young and I left his office. She'd been dazed throughout our talk.
"How the hell did you solve it? I couldn't even get a foothold."
Out in the hall, she snapped at me, furious.
"That? Wasn't so hard."
"Huh? Wait, you're talking casually now?"
My sudden shift irked her.
"I won our bet, remember? Got a problem with that?"
"What? Ridiculous."
"I'm the ridiculous one? A Korea University professor reneging on a bet? Loser becomes the winner's slave, right?"
Reminding her of the terms left her speechless for a second. She recovered quickly.
"You really thought I'd honor that absurd bet? Naive."
"Beating a math professor without studying—aren't you embarrassed? Pretty bold."
She glanced at my crotch, then replied.
"Fine. You won fair and square. Do whatever you want today. Let's go."
She seemed to accept, excited for a night with a young guy. I saw through it but had no intention of playing along as expected.
I got in Professor Kim Ga-young's car and directed her to Hyun-sook's apartment.
"Your place? Sure, let's go."
Ga-young didn't bat an eye at heading to another man's home. Probably thrilled at the thought of me.