Who Is the Winner? (5)
For a fleeting moment, Jung Dong-yoon’s movements froze completely. As the president of Seth Holdings, he certainly didn't trust Yoon-gi, who sat before him. However, he was also a man capable of grasping the implications of what he had just heard.
“……Is that the reason you approached me?”
The expression on Jung Dong-yoon’s face as he looked at Ryu Geun-tae was a complex mix of emotions. Ryu Geun-tae, meanwhile, continued to act out his role with a genial smile. It wasn't that Ryu Geun-tae wasn't a smiling person by nature, but he had been maintaining this specific persona for so long that the muscles around his mouth felt stiff from the effort of keeping the right expression for the atmosphere.
“Huuu……”
A heavy sigh escaped Jung Dong-yoon. Seeing this, Yoon-gi spoke up again.
“It seems you had some inkling of the truth?”
“Well…… it was only a faint suspicion. Things started going too well after President Ryu arrived. My biggest doubt was……”
“Your doubt?”
“It was when the marriage with the daughter of the Umi-guchi-gumi was being pushed forward. I actually thought it was a scam at the time. I kept a close eye on you, thinking you would pull off something big and run away right before the wedding.”
“But the wedding actually took place, didn't it?”
Jung Dong-yoon nodded.
“Yes. Once that marriage became a reality, the President…… no, Park Ki-soo, effectively gained the Umi-guchi-gumi as a shield. That’s why I let my guard down a little. Of course……”
Jung Dong-yoon’s eyes wavered as he looked at Ryu Geun-tae. Although he had stopped calling Park Ki-soo "President" and was now using his name, he couldn't help but harbor a resentful gaze toward Ryu Geun-tae, the man who had snatched away his stable position.
“Phew. Anyway, I couldn't say anything directly to Park Ki-soo. He wasn't like this before, but for the last ten years, he’s refused to listen to anything he didn't want to hear……. I was planning to gather physical evidence to back up my suspicions and report it then, but to think I’d find out the truth like this……”
Jung Dong-yoon clicked his tongue.
“Judging by your tone toward President Park Ki-soo, it seems you’ve lost any lingering attachment to Seth Holdings.”
“It’s a company that’s going to disappear anyway, isn't it? The news is that the headquarters intends to sell Seth Holdings. Once it’s sold to a new owner, the existing line—people like me—will definitely be crushed. And that new owner will likely be YK Department Store. Since I’ve already been cynical toward President Ryu, well……”
Jung Dong-yoon sighed again and spoke to Ryu Geun-tae.
“Since things have turned out this way, could you pour me a drink?”
“Of course.”
Ryu Geun-tae filled a glass with whiskey and handed it over. Jung Dong-yoon, feeling suffocated, downed the drink in one go.
“Huuu, it’s bitter, yet sweet. Is it because I’ve let everything go?”
“Well, I wouldn't say you’ve let everything go.”
At Yoon-gi’s playful smile, Jung Dong-yoon looked puzzled.
“What do you mean by that?”
Jung Dong-yoon, who had been speaking in honorifics without realizing it, watched as Yoon-gi smiled at him again.
“I believe I asked if you wanted to become the president of Seth Holdings?”
Jung Dong-yoon’s brow furrowed for a moment.
“As I just said, I’ve already gotten on President Ryu’s bad side…… wait. Why are you the one asking me that? No, why am I still using honorifics……?”
He had assumed he was using honorifics because Ryu Geun-tae was present, but upon reflection, that didn't seem to be the case.
'Am I subconsciously thinking of this kid as the real power behind the scenes?'
His survival instincts, honed over a long career in the corporate world, had kicked in automatically, and Jung Dong-yoon was quite flustered by the realization.
“Secretary Ryu always listens to me. So, the things you did earlier are not a problem at all. And Secretary Ryu isn't the type to hold a grudge over such things.”
Having grasped the situation a bit better, Jung Dong-yoon asked with a suspicious look.
“Secretary Ryu……? No, setting that aside for a moment, why are you trying to seat me as the president of Seth Holdings? Honestly, there doesn't seem to be any reason to appoint me.”
“To be precise, it’s Seth Samgang.”
“No, why Seth Samgang all of a sudden……. I know President Ryu bought that for a pittance, but I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Of course you don't.”
At Yoon-gi’s smile, Jung Dong-yoon almost made a sound of frustration, but he desperately held it in and waited for the next words.
“Because, to begin with, we have no interest in the Japanese market.”
“Then why Seth Holdings……?”
“I should start by explaining why we got involved with Seth in the first place.”
Yoon-gi began to explain everything, starting from the small land dispute with Seth in Jamsil up to the present day. Of course, he only shared what Jung Dong-yoon needed to know.
“Wait, hold on. Are you saying YK recruited Park Ki-ho’s shadow organization? And that all the information President Ryu gave to Park Ki-soo came from there?”
“Ho-ho, do you know Manager Im Si-chan? Though he’s currently called a section chief in the shadows of YK.”
“Even though I’ve been keeping a low profile, I was Park Ki-soo’s right-hand man. Naturally, I investigated his competitor, Park Ki-ho, quite thoroughly. Of course, I ended up having my limbs cut off because of that reckless expansion into Japan……”
“So you’re saying you were monitoring Park Ki-ho to some extent back when you were still whole.”
“I didn't know the specifics of what he was doing. I just knew about the ‘private soldiers’ Park Ki-ho kept—people like Manager Im. Well, I believe he wasn't called Manager Im back then, just ‘Si-chan’……”
As he said this, Jung Dong-yoon’s expression turned to one of shock.
“No, are you saying you proceeded with this based solely on the word of Manager Im, or rather, Section Chief Im? Even though Section Chief Im was the vanguard of the operation pushed by Seth?”
Yoon-gi laughed at the sheer disbelief in his voice.
“If you’ve recruited them, you have to trust them. How can someone become a ruler if they don't listen to or trust their subordinates?”
“My god……”
Jung Dong-yoon was starting to believe that the boy in front of him was truly the real owner of YK Department Store. He began to evaluate him not as someone who just had his name registered on his parents' wealth, but as someone who possessed genuine individual capability.
“But I have one question. Why do you say you have no interest in the Japanese market? If you’ve managed to pull off a marriage with the Umi-guchi-gumi, you could easily solve the biggest hurdle in Japanese business: connections.”
“I don't really know any Japanese people who could be called ‘connections.’”
“Then how on earth did the marriage……”
“I had a bit of luck.”
Yoon-gi began to tell him about Genji.
“Huh…… I had no interest in luxury goods, so I had no idea. So he was a model for Hermès Japan. Well, if that’s the reason, I can see why you wouldn't be interested in Japanese business. But then, isn't there no reason to keep Seth Holdings? It’ll probably be sold for a pittance, but I don't see why you’d bother buying it……”
“I can't tell you that right now. In seven to ten years, Seth Holdings will withdraw from Japan. Your job is to manage Seth Holdings until then. After that, you will become the president of Seth Samgang.”
“Hmm……”
Jung Dong-yoon began to genuinely deliberate. However, before he could even dive deep into his thoughts, Yoon-gi cut to the chase.
“There are only three possible outcomes from your deliberation. First, take this information and report it to Park Ki-soo or another power player to gain some other benefit. Second, dismiss what you’ve heard as nonsense and live in quiet retirement. Third, join me and open the second act of your life.”
“Uh…… well…… that’s certainly true.”
Yoon-gi said, watching Jung Dong-yoon blush slightly.
“Actually, it would have been easier to recruit you if I hadn't revealed myself like this.”
“Hmm…… I suppose that’s true.”
A teenager behind the scenes. Who would believe it?
“But I did show myself. That means I want to recruit you that much, doesn't it? Furthermore, it means you become one of the few people who know in advance that I will eventually step into the spotlight. You know what that implies, don't you? Well, that’s all I have to say. I’ll give you three minutes. If it’s a refusal, open the door and leave. If you accept, let’s have a drink.”
“Aren't you afraid that I might walk out of here and tell Park Ki-soo or Chairman Park?”
Yoon-gi burst into loud laughter on purpose.
“Hahahaha! Not at all.”
“Why…… is that?”
“Who would believe you? Even if you did, it would just be treated like a poorly written novel.”
Listening to him, Jung Dong-yoon had no choice but to agree. 'It’s certainly a shocking fact, but I don't have the ability to prove it’s the truth. The chaebols would definitely keep an eye on YK Department Store, but it would be impossible for me to extract a reward commensurate with the information.'
A bitter smile began to leak from Jung Dong-yoon’s lips. And a moment later.
“President Ryu, could you pour me a drink?”
“From now on, most instructions will be relayed through Secretary Ryu. Well, aside from the initial tasks, it’s mostly just managing Seth Holdings, so there won't be much need for direct contact anyway.”
At Yoon-gi’s words, which clearly established the hierarchy, Jung Dong-yoon bowed his head politely.
“Understood. I will handle the tasks you’ve assigned quietly and without causing any friction.”
As soon as Jung Dong-yoon left, Ryu Geun-tae asked.
“Chairman, is Jung Dong-yoon worth that much?”
It was a pure question, not born of jealousy. Since Ryu Geun-tae had almost no prior interaction with Jung Dong-yoon, he knew little of his value.
“You trust my eye for people, don't you?”
At Yoon-gi’s words, Ryu Geun-tae gave a sheepish smile, but his eyes were filled with trust. He could hear the grumbling of Choi Deok-bae in his ear. In truth, Yoon-gi had carefully observed Jung Dong-yoon while staying in Japan through the spirit. He had observed not just Jung Dong-yoon, but the chatter of Seth Holdings employees and even Jung Dong-yoon’s family, and concluded that he was quite useful.
The reason he gave him the highest marks was that Jung Dong-yoon had never once spoken about Park Ki-soo to outsiders. The second reason was that when he occasionally talked to himself, most of it was worry for Park Ki-soo. He was truly the type of person who, once he decided on someone to be loyal to, would push forward with unwavering dedication. He had lived quietly, overshadowed by Park Ki-soo’s greed for expansion into Japan, but he was a man who could display significant ability depending on how he was utilized.
'But thanks to that, you got to eat a lot of delicious things, didn't you?'
'The blood of a manager flowing in my veins seems to have been inherited from my grandfather.'
It was a high-level jab. Choi Deok-bae had enough brainpower to understand it perfectly.
'Well, I wonder?'
Watching Yoon-gi smile softly, Ryu Geun-tae concluded that Jung Dong-yoon might be a much better person than he had initially thought.
“Hiroko, what is all that?”
Park Ki-soo asked, frowning as he saw Hiroko enter the room with a line of yakuza trailing behind her.
“Can’t you tell by looking? I’ve been shopping.”
Expensive items began to fill the room. One could tell at a glance that an enormous amount of money had been spent.
“You bought more when you haven't even finished organizing what you bought a few days ago? To begin with, the room is full of clothes you bought but never even wear!”
At Park Ki-soo’s words, Hiroko looked at him with an incredulous expression.
“No, what am I supposed to do if I don't have clothes when I actually want to wear them? Do you want to see me sad because I have nothing to wear?”
“No, it’s just that there seem to be quite a few clothes you’ll never wear……”
No matter how strong the influence of men was in 1980s Japan, Park Ki-soo was a son-in-law living in his wife's house. In the end, he tucked his tail between his legs, gave a bitter smile to Hiroko, and returned to his room.
'Haa, I’m enduring this because I don't have the power yet.'
Park Ki-soo’s heart ached when he thought of the amount of money Hiroko was spending like water, but he tried to endure it, thinking of the support his father-in-law was providing.
"You have to consider that your daughter has a bit of a big spending habit."
The money Hiroko was currently spending was entirely Park Ki-soo’s. Park Ki-soo had thought about complaining to his father-in-law, but he couldn't bring himself to do it for fear that it would cause problems for his business. Furthermore, since his father-in-law, who had already found out about the sale of Seth Holdings, had remarked, 'It seems you’ll have to start the business from scratch,' Park Ki-soo had no choice but to keep his head down even further. After all, Yasuda was the only line he could cling to, for better or worse.
'Endure it, endure it. I’ve endured for a long time, haven't I? A few more years of enduring is nothing.'
Park Ki-soo comforted himself, thinking that if his money ran out, his father-in-law would just provide more anyway. However, a moment later, when a very loud commotion began at the front gate of the mansion, Park Ki-soo felt a strange sense of unease.