Try Experiencing Failure (3)
Is this what a person looks like when their Adam's apple pops out? Ryu Geun-tae witnessed Jung Taeryong’s startling appearance firsthand, yet Jung Taeryong remained oblivious to his own state. Why? Because he was competent. Or rather, because he thought he was competent. In truth, Jung Taeryong was competent—at least, when he was in a "peaceful state." But the current Jung Taeryong was anything but peaceful.
He was in a state nearly identical to the one he’d been in when he investigated Lee Jae-seo, the son of Kim Ryeon. He was just one step away from reaching that same level of instability.
"You mean to tell me there’s absolutely nothing...? Rumor has it that you, President Ryu, have been purchasing shares in companies like Sega. Is that not the case?"
It was a topic that should never have been broached. Even if one were to bring it up, it should have been done while setting a trap for the opponent. Jung Taeryong had blurted it out at the absolute worst possible moment.
"Excuse me? Me, buying Sega shares? I have no idea what you’re talking about..."
It was Yoon-gi, not Ryu Geun-tae, who had bought the Sega shares. Therefore, Ryu Geun-tae spoke the truth to Jung Taeryong without a hint of discomfort.
"Oh, come now. Why act like that? The rumors are rampant. They say you, President Ryu, have a great interest in Sega."
One of the reasons Jung Taeryong had come straight to the point was, quite simply, time. His removal from his position was already finalized, and he was soon to be reassigned to a provincial post. He had to finish this business before then; he didn't have the luxury of time to calm his emotions or devise a long-term plan. If Jung Taeryong had been in his peaceful state, Yoon-gi would have had to step in personally, but against a Jung Taeryong at this level, Ryu Geun-tae—or even Ma Seok-il—would be more than enough to handle him. In fact, Ryu Geun-tae had already begun to toy with him.
"Well, I suppose I have had an interest in the Nintendo Famicom in the past, but I have never had an interest in Sega."
Hearing Ryu Geun-tae’s answer, Jung Taeryong let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
"Oh, doesn't that just mean you have an interest in the gaming industry?"
"Pardon?"
"You just said you were interested in the Nintendo Famicom."
"Ah, it seems you misunderstood me."
Ryu Geun-tae continued with a bright smile.
"I was interested in Nintendo personally, not YK."
"What is that supposed to mean...?"
"When you asked earlier, you asked if YK Department Store was interested in the gaming industry, didn't you? YK Department Store is not interested. I am the one interested in the gaming industry."
"But if the President is interested in the gaming industry, then naturally..."
Ryu Geun-tae deliberately cut Jung Taeryong off.
"Oh, that’s a completely different story. Me being interested means I’m buying shares with my own personal wealth. Just because I’m interested, does that mean I can just misappropriate company funds as I please?"
The moment he heard this, Jung Taeryong was plunged into absolute confusion. 'What? Did he really visit Nintendo just to use his personal wealth?' Watching Jung Taeryong’s reaction, Ryu Geun-tae drove the nail home.
"I wanted to buy some Nintendo shares personally, but President Yamauchi told me it was absolutely impossible. I pestered him persistently, but he refused to the end, so I eventually gave up. I hung on for nearly a month... The only silver lining is that I managed to get a girlfriend in Japan."
The word "girlfriend." In a normal conversation, it would be a topic that piques immense interest, but Jung Taeryong couldn't react to it at all. 'He tried to buy Nintendo shares, not import the Famicom? And I saw that and assumed it was an official activity of YK Department Store? Did I misjudge the situation? Me? Of all people, me?'
Suddenly, the sound of teeth grinding—'grrrk'—echoed through the President’s office.
"Director...?"
Despite Ryu Geun-tae’s question, Jung Taeryong’s thoughts continued to spiral.
'This guy in front of me answered that he went to Japan to buy Nintendo shares. But YK Department Store bought Sega shares. If that’s the case, the only time they could have bought those shares was around September. And if they bought them in September...'
With another grinding sound, Jung Taeryong stood up from his seat.
"Oh, why are you getting up? You still have coffee left..."
Jung Taeryong glared at Ryu Geun-tae, who was teasing him with a nonchalant expression, and ground his teeth again.
"You. You will deeply regret making me your enemy."
But until the very end, Ryu Geun-tae merely wore a look of feigned confusion.
"I have no idea what you’re talking about..."
"Shut up!"
Ryu Geun-tae watched Jung Taeryong storm out of the office, slamming the door behind him. He stood up, closed the door, and shrugged his shoulders, speaking to the empty room.
"He’s the one who made us his enemy first, yet he’s blaming me."
Yoon-gi emerged from under the desk, pushing his chair aside.
"That’s just how this world works; you have to be that selfish to survive. It’s a daily occurrence for a partner company that was sharing drinks with you yesterday to unilaterally notify you of contract termination or go bankrupt and run away. Shouldn't he be at least that much?"
Even as he said this, Yoon-gi’s expression mirrored Ryu Geun-tae’s. Ryu Geun-tae offered a mischievous smile and took a seat on the three-person sofa instead of his usual single-seater.
"By the way, I looked into it personally, and Director Jung Taeryong was quite a competent figure, but seeing him today, he seems quite desperate. I suppose it’s inevitable given the circumstances?"
"That’s right. People lose their composure when they run out of time. One of the reasons chaebols seem competent is because they have that composure. Even you, Secretary Ryu, aren't you more relaxed now compared to the past? You’re busier, but you have a more relaxed life, don't you?"
Hearing this, Ryu Geun-tae thought for a moment and nodded.
"Busier, but a more relaxed life... That’s a very clear way to put it. It’s certainly true. I’m much busier now than when I was a secretary under the Chairman of the Samwoo Group, but my mind is much more at ease."
"When your mind is at ease, you can think more broadly and deeply. Just like how someone working at a large corporation doesn't have to think about the price when buying groceries, while someone working at an SME has to."
"So, someone at a large corporation can think about other things while they’re thinking about groceries."
"Exactly."
"Jung Taeryong must have a lot to think about right now, starting with his own downfall. It seems there was a reason I was able to toy with him."
"Individual talent certainly exists, but having a lot of money gives a person mental breathing room. That is a common sense that cannot be denied."
Yoon-gi said this with a smirk, but inwardly, he gave a bitter smile. Because he himself was the very example of that statement.
'I used to have no room to think about anything, but now, even while doing an immense amount of work, I can think about even more. I never even dreamed of having a family back then, but now, even while this busy, I’m dreaming of a family with Merrill...'
Seeing a gentle smile form on Yoon-gi’s lips, Ryu Geun-tae waited until it faded before continuing cautiously.
"By the way, someone of Jung Taeryong’s caliber will eventually realize that it was you, Chairman, who purchased the Sega shares."
"Well, obviously. Because the top executives from YK who entered Japan at that time were you and me, Secretary Ryu."
"I’m worried that Jung Taeryong might try to harm you, Chairman."
"Ah, don't worry. I have a very competent bodyguard by my side named Cha Pil-gyu."
"If it’s Bodyguard Cha, he’s certainly trustworthy."
Just as Ryu Geun-tae was nodding, Choi Deok-bae suddenly popped up from the floor.
"Heh, you could use this opportunity to turn him into a useful pawn instead of just discarding him. It’s what that lady Kim Ryeon wanted, after all."
'Oh, I see.'
As soon as he heard Choi Deok-bae’s words, an idea struck Yoon-gi. While Jung Taeryong had fallen compared to his former status, he hadn't fallen in a social sense. All he had lost was the title of Managing Director at Daehan Chemical. He might be out of his grandfather’s favor right now, but with Jung Taeryong’s ability, there was a high possibility he would regain his original position within ten years.
'Since it’s also Kim Ryeon’s wish, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take this chance.'
In fact, Choi Deok-bae bringing this up now was an indirect way of expressing his desire to grant Kim Ryeon’s request, so Yoon-gi nodded inwardly and spoke to Ryu Geun-tae.
"Shall we go fishing?"
"Fishing, sir?"
"Though, I suspect Jung Taeryong will be the one to cast the line first."
A sinister smile began to spread across Yoon-gi’s face in the office.
Infinite standby. Following his removal from his position and provincial reassignment, hearing the news that he was now on "infinite standby" made Jung Taeryong feel like he was going insane. If his grandfather’s anger grew as time went on, there would be no turning back. Of course, he could hope that his grandfather’s anger would naturally subside over time, but given Jung Taeryong’s personality, that was impossible. Because Jung Taeryong could never stand being slower than others.
Reinstated in ten years? That would just mean being at the same rank as people he considered inferior; he would never be able to get ahead. That was why Jung Taeryong couldn't simply accept the disciplinary action that others might have taken in stride, and he struggled to rack his brain to find a way out.
'Since it’s come to this, I’ll dig into the inside of YK Department Store and tear it apart. And if they don't accept my offer...'
Jung Taeryong quietly began to dial the phone.
"Hello? Ah, yes, President Ryu. I am truly sorry about earlier. It’s nothing else, but I was wondering if you might be interested in purchasing our Famicom stock at a low price... And if possible..."
Jung Taeryong spoke into the receiver with a desperate voice. However, his expression was that of a demon, and it was a stroke of good fortune that no one was there to see it.
A high-end traditional restaurant in Seoul. Back then, these "yojung" were recognized as the most exclusive dining establishments, so the meeting between Ryu Geun-tae and Jung Taeryong took place at one. And surprisingly, Yoon-gi was also seated next to Ryu Geun-tae, which was due to Jung Taeryong’s earnest request.
Jung Taeryong had rejoiced at the fact that Yoon-gi had shown up, but he no longer had the mental capacity to infer what that meant.
"Thank you so much for coming to this meeting."
Jung Taeryong bowed politely and began the conversation with light topics. Yoon-gi and Ryu Geun-tae responded with demeanor that was just as pleasant as Jung Taeryong’s outward appearance. And a short while later, Jung Taeryong brought up the main point.
"The reason I arranged this meeting today is, as I mentioned, to talk about the transaction of the goods currently owned by the Daehan Group."
"You said you were selling them at a low price, right?"
At Ryu Geun-tae’s response, Jung Taeryong nodded with a smile.
"Of course, that is the case. However, I have a proposal for you."
Jung Taeryong began to lay out the first of his two prepared proposals and his final resort.