Who Is the Winner? (2)
It was a mundane story about his father being unwell. If Park Ki-ho had said this under normal circumstances, everyone would have simply nodded and begun the board meeting. But the atmosphere now was entirely different. Twenty burly, menacing men stood guard, and Park Ki-ho wore a chilling expression. The words he had just spoken hit the directors like a bombshell.
“My father has instructed me. He said to proceed with today’s board meeting without him. I will be presiding over this meeting as his proxy. If anyone has any complaints, please speak freely.”
At Park Ki-ho’s words, the twenty thugs took a synchronized step forward. The already stifling, intimidating atmosphere deepened, and most of the directors could only roll their eyes, too terrified to speak.
“May I ask what the agenda is for today? Has the Chairman finalized the successor, or is this a meeting to decide how to overcome the current crisis facing Seth?”
A first-generation director who had shared the ups and downs of Seth with the Chairman asked the question. Park Ki-ho smiled, as if he found the question satisfactory.
“Both. We will first settle the matter regarding the successor, and then we will address the agenda concerning Seth’s crisis.”
At Park Ki-ho’s answer, the director nodded and closed his mouth.
“Now, assuming there are no objections, I will begin with the first agenda. My father has designated me, who has faithfully worked by his side until now, as the successor to Seth.”
Most of the directors squeezed their eyes shut, thinking, ‘Of course he did.’ The sudden health issues of the Chairman, the thugs Park Ki-ho had brought into the conference room, and the declaration of succession. Based on all this information, the directors deduced exactly what was happening within the Park family.
“Now, if any directors have complaints regarding the first agenda, please speak without hesitation.”
Park Ki-ho stood in the seat that should have been occupied by Park Do-cheol, his palms pressed flat against the table. His demeanor, like a teacher looking down at students from a podium, was 180 degrees different from how he had treated the directors before. Some directors even pinched their own thighs to see if this situation was a dream. Of course, they only groaned, trying not to distort their faces from the unnecessary pain.
“Well then, assuming no one has any complaints, we will proceed with the written—”
Just as Park Ki-ho’s smile was about to deepen, the first-generation director who had spoken earlier raised his hand again.
“Director Kim, do you have something to say?”
Park Ki-ho glared at him. Despite the menacing look, Director Kim spoke his mind with conviction.
“I cannot agree to a decision on succession made in the Chairman’s absence. Since the Chairman is still in good health, I believe it is right to adjourn this meeting and reconvene once he has recovered.”
Open defiance. Park Ki-ho was slightly flustered by the situation, which differed from his expectations, but he soon put on a savage expression and pressured Director Kim.
“I told you my father is unwell, didn’t I? Does Director Kim lack the ability to grasp the situation?”
Director Kim did not yield to Park Ki-ho’s intimidation.
“Even though I’m just a guy who rolled around beside the Chairman with nothing but my bare body, I have enough sense to have climbed this high, even if I don’t have much in my head. Do you think I’m so stupid that I can’t grasp the current situation?”
Director Kim, in his sixties, had dark, sun-weathered skin covered in age spots and wrinkles, but he was strangely robust. His voice, ringing through the conference room, gave courage to some of the other directors.
“Anyway, I oppose this. Everything that has brought Seth to where it is today is due to the Chairman’s foresight. And you dare to decide the succession in his absence? You call it succession, but isn’t this just taking the Chairman’s seat right now? Do we serve a new king while the old one is still alive? This is nonsense!”
“Hey, Director Kim. That’s not right.”
A gaunt director of the same age, Director Choi, stood up, sneering at Director Kim.
“Director Choi, what is that supposed to mean?”
“It seems Director Kim doesn’t know much, but King Sejong the Great also took the throne while the King was still alive. In fact, if a new king is born at this opportunity, Seth’s current crisis could be resolved easily.”
Since Park Ki-ho had been faithfully building points beside Park Do-cheol, there were quite a few directors who followed him. In Director Choi’s calculation, if Park Ki-ho did not become the successor here, he would be completely out of the succession structure. Whether Park Do-cheol kept the chairmanship or Park Ki-soo inherited it, he would be pushed out of the line, so he decided to support Park Ki-ho here. And this action by Director Choi gave momentum to the pro-Ki-ho directors.
As all sorts of criticism poured down on him, Director Kim trembled with rage and shouted.
“You ungrateful bastards! The clothes you’re wearing! The spoons you use! They are all things the Chairman bestowed upon you while building the foundation of Seth and growing it to this point! And you dare to betray the Chairman? Are you even human?!”
A few first-generation directors joined in Director Kim’s shouting, finding courage, but because the pro-Ki-ho faction was larger, they were quickly drowned out.
“Boys, escort them out politely.”
At Park Ki-ho’s command, the elder loyalists, led by Director Kim, were forced out of the conference room.
“Hey! Park Ki-ho! You’ll regret this later! There is no history in this world of a son who betrayed his father succeeding!”
Park Ki-ho’s face twisted at Director Kim’s final shout, but he had no way to sanction him further.
The maximum line Park Ki-ho could cross. With the eyes of the police and the media fixed on them, committing something like murder would be truly irreversible.
‘Let’s secure my position first. After that, even if those guys are released from confinement, there’s nothing anyone can do.’
Park Ki-ho smiled grimly to himself and began to proceed with the board meeting again.
* * *
“You’ve worked hard.”
“In that case, ask if they have any intention of selling Seth Hotel.”
[Understood. I will do so.]
Choi Deok-bae asked Yoon-gi, who had hung up the secret line.
“If you only think about the financial part, it’s definitely profitable to buy it only with your own assets.”
Yoon-gi nodded.
“To some extent. And if I proceed with this acquisition only in my name, the loyalty of Secretary Ryu and my uncle is likely to fade.”
“Why?”
“They each have a 5 percent stake in YK Department Store, don’t they? That means as Seth Samgang grows in the future, their share grows as well. But if I take over Seth Samgang with 100 percent of my own assets again? Then their power will inevitably wane.”
“That’s true.”
“The scale difference is so large that they couldn’t touch it. Seth Confectionery doesn’t even have 100 percent of its stock controlled by Seth. Of course, even being a major shareholder is enough to sway a company, but as long as I have to hide myself, Seth Confectionery is a company that would give me indigestion if I tried to swallow it.”
Yoon-gi smiled at Choi Deok-bae’s insightful words.
“That’s right.”
“But isn’t it fun to watch from the sidelines?”
Yoon-gi nodded at Choi Deok-bae’s laugh.
“Then, shall we go watch again? It’s about time to meet Masao.”
* * *
The moment Yoon-gi saw Masao, who had arrived at the high-class restaurant, he knew why Masao had asked to meet him. Because Genji was kneeling and sitting quietly in the corner of the room.
‘Is he trying to resolve the matter he had pushed to the back burner now that he has regained his father’s attention and his work with the broker is going well?’
In other words, having his cake and eating it too. But Yoon-gi didn’t show it and quietly waited for Masao to speak.
“This place is also famous for its excellent sashimi. How is the taste of the food?”
“It’s not bad. Some Japanese food feels too oily, salty, or sweet to me, but sashimi is the natural taste of the fish, so I don’t feel any resistance.”
Yoon-gi had hinted that he was uncomfortable with the meeting disguised as a meal, but Masao perceived it as Yoon-gi liking sashimi, so the atmosphere was warm. Although, he had delivered the meaning so indirectly that an ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed.
“I will continue to look for masters of sashimi. I must serve you whenever you visit. Hahahaha!”
Yoon-gi shrugged his shoulders at the boisterous Masao, smiled slightly, and began to chew on the sashimi.
“That aside, I actually have a favor to ask.”
“Is the arms deal not going well?”
“No. It’s going very well. The reason I asked for this meeting today with such difficulty is because of my son, Genji.”
At the mention of his name, Genji looked at Yoon-gi with a desperate smile. But Yoon-gi appropriately brushed off Genji’s gaze and looked at Masao.
“What is the problem?”
‘Damn, is he trying to take the initiative in the negotiation?’
Masao, facing Yoon-gi who pretended to know nothing, had no choice but to bring up the main point first, and directly.
“It’s nothing else, but if you could use your influence so that Genji can become an Hermes model again…”
“No.”
Yoon-gi refused point-blank. Genji flinched at the refusal, but seeing the wooden sword placed behind Masao, he bit his lip and just watched the situation.
“No, but please listen to what I have to say…”
“I already consider the weights on the scale to be balanced. Did you think you had already gained everything you could?”
Masao hurriedly shook his head.
“No. Absolutely not. It’s just that if you help Genji return as a model, I am trying to show you this sincerity.”
Masao opened a money bag and showed Yoon-gi the money full inside.
“I am not a person who moves for money. And I also dislike bringing up past matters again.”
“Even so, please think about it once more…”
“You are truly a master at being annoying. If you keep bothering me, I will have to seriously reconsider the deal itself. Do you think our relationship is equal?”
Yoon-gi put down his chopsticks and stood up from his seat.
“H-hey, wait a minute…!”
But Yoon-gi coldly walked out.
“Grrr!”
Left alone, Masao began to seethe with anger, thinking that the arms deal might be jeopardized if he wasn’t careful.
“Didn’t I tell you it wouldn’t work!”
He had gone to great lengths to arrange the meeting because Genji kept whining, and now that the situation had arisen where even the arms deal might be hit, Masao was furious to the point of exploding.
“F-father!”
Masao began to slowly approach Genji, who was having a fit, holding the wooden sword.
* * *
Vroom-! A slightly low engine sound. Genji drove the car and looked at Masao, who was fast asleep in the backseat, through the rearview mirror.
[Since I drank, I can’t drive, so you drive home. And do you think I hit you because I really hate you? You can never live a successful life if you are so stubborn. I have to fix your habits early. You know better than anyone that the power of the family is more important than some model job, don’t you?]
His father’s attitude, patting his shoulder while drunk, came to mind. Thinking of his father, Genji’s legs went weak, and he trembled, shedding tears. And soon, he realized that his dream of being a model had been practically shattered.
‘Ugh-!’
The hatred for his father, which Genji had been suppressing, began to burst out from within, mixed with his dream of being a model.
‘Father, I resent you…’
Genji’s face, shedding tears, was heavily distorted, and the needle on the dashboard, which had been constantly heading to the right, had already passed 160.