Huh? An Elementary School Student CEO? (2)

"Good!"

Choi Ki-hyun was inwardly surprised by the answer that came out faster than he had imagined. Does he really, purely want to become like me? As the Samwoo Group grew larger, Choi Ki-hyun had felt a profound sense of loneliness watching his children become blatantly materialistic. Of course, there were exceptions like his eldest son, Choi Cheol-ho, and his daughter-in-law, Park Yeon-ji, but he had come to realize that all his other children were busy engaging in backstabbing schemes behind his back. That was why, when Yoon-gi had made the bold demand for the *Jeil Spinning* company today, it was true that he had wondered, "Has he already been tainted?" given how sharp the boy was.

However, looking at Yoon-gi's reaction, there was no sign ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of disappointment; instead, he seemed genuinely happy. If Cheol-ho or my daughter-in-law had put him up to this, there is no way he would react like this... Some of his other children had already demanded massive financial support under the guise of wanting to run businesses in their own names, or had asked to be moved immediately into key positions within the group. He had, of course, rejected them flatly.

It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen such pure aspiration. A smile spread across Choi Ki-hyun's face.

"Having absolutely no connection to the Samwoo Group means you won't be able to receive any support from Samwoo whatsoever. Are you still okay with that?"

"I'm okay with it! I want to become someone who builds many things on their own, just like you, Grandfather. Of course, it's hard to compare since you've already given me so much."

Before he knew it, Yoon-gi was sitting on Choi Ki-hyun's lap.

"Good. If that is truly what you think, I will help you. Starting a business is actually not that difficult. Unlike in my day, there are legal documents you have to submit, but even a minor can certainly become a CEO."

"But, as you said earlier, it's a story about how minors can't give others a sense of trust, so they fail easily, right?"

"Yes, that is exactly the problem. Who would trust a minor?"

If he went deeper, he would have to bring up the culture of entertainment and bribery, but Choi Ki-hyun didn't bother bringing that up. What he had said just now would be enough.

"What I will help you with is the submission of documents related to starting the business, and I will assign one subordinate to teach you what a company is. You can learn what company management is from that person. I doubt even your teachers would be able to teach you such practical matters."

"Thank you! Grandfather, then is it okay if I use my allowance for that kind of thing from now on?"

"Wasn't the allowance given to you to use freely in the first place?"

"I just didn't want it to look like I was wasting the money you worked so hard to earn."

At his grandson's heart-melting words, Choi Ki-hyun hugged him and patted his back. There are few who acknowledge that I earn money through hard work, but of them all, your words are the most pleasing. In Choi Ki-hyun's heart, which had grown colder in recent times, a warm candle flickered for the first time in a while.

"Hello, Young Master. My name is Ryu Geun-tae, and I will be assisting you with your business starting today."

A man in a neat suit who looked to be in his mid-30s. With pomade in his hair and a 2-to-8 part, he was the picture of a typical professional.

"Hello. I look forward to working with you starting today."

Once they finished greeting each other in the room, Yoon-gi was the first to ask what he was curious about.

"What kind of work did you do at Grandfather's company originally?"

"Yes. I was in the Chairman's secretary office."

"Are there not multiple secretaries?"

It might not have been appropriate for a grown adult to be asked this, but since Yoon-gi was clearly a third-grade elementary student, Ryu Geun-tae smiled and answered.

"Yes. Because secretaries must assist the Chairman 24 hours a day, having only one person makes it impossible to provide proper support. Therefore, we must rotate shifts to be on constant standby, and for someone as high-ranking as the Chairman, there are many places that contact him, so a minimum of two or more permanent staff members are required."

"How many secretaries does Grandfather have?"

"I apologize, but I cannot disclose that, even to you, Young Master. It is a corporate secret."

"I understand."

Watching Yoon-gi nod, a flash of interest crossed Ryu Geun-tae's eyes. Usually, when children become curious about something and don't get an answer, they throw a tantrum. But seeing him accept it the moment he heard it was a corporate secret, he realized anew that the Chairman wasn't keeping an eye on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him for no reason.

"Are you not upset that you are by my side instead of in the secretary office?"

A very bold question. However, Ryu Geun-tae was not flustered at all, nor did he lose his smile.

"As long as the Chairman has entrusted me with the work, I will do my best to assist you, Young Master. To me, you are the same as a 'Little Chairman'."

Listening to Ryu Geun-tae's answer, Yoon-gi was certain that he was an incredibly competent person. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to maintain a professional yet polite attitude without showing any signs of annoyance in front of someone as young as himself.

Even looking at my homeroom teacher right now... Park Seon-ja, who became endlessly servile in front of him, and adults who forgot their place and acted insolently at times. Furthermore, before he died, he had seen many people in his adult life who couldn't hide their emotions in their speech. Yet, the man in front of him, Ryu Geun-tae, could have easily thought he had been 'demoted,' but he showed no signs of it, so Yoon-gi was honestly a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠little drawn to him.

Samwoo Chemical, if I recall...?

Ah! The third son of his grandfather, Choi Cheol-kyu. He was currently a deputy at Samwoo Chemical and would later become the Chairman of Samwoo Chemical.

My second uncle is going to have this man as his Chief Secretary? Yoon-gi cut off the thought of that situation forming in his head.

I want to take him with me. As he had made a vow never to let the Samwoo Group fail, he had also developed a greed for competent talent. Therefore, now that he had met Ryu Geun-tae, Yoon-gi was determined never to let him go.

"Mister. I prefer someone who tells me the truth so I can avoid the worst-case scenario over someone who tells me what's wrong just to please me. Which one are you?"

"It is the job of a secretary to adapt to whichever one you need."

"Then I will ask you one thing. I told my grandfather I wanted to start a business, but right now, I have no knowledge related to startups and I don't know the methods."

"I will listen carefully."

"But I want to leave behind the fact that I started a business. In other words, I want to be able to move whenever I want to move. In this case, what would be the best thing to do?"

"In that case, I think it would be best to start a business in an industry where you don't have to do much work, and then change it to the industry you want to pursue later."

"Is that possible?"

"Yes. The world of startups is more flexible than you think. Of course, there is just as much competition."

Yoon-gi felt once again that he really knew nothing about this field.

"Mister."

"Yes."

"As you can see, I really don't know anything at all."

Ryu Geun-tae avoided answering by maintaining an attitude of listening rather than responding. He wasn't ignoring the question, but he was avoiding a dangerous answer. At that sight, Yoon-gi's trust in him grew even more.

"Can you teach me about management from 9 PM to 11 PM every night starting today?"

"Wouldn't you be tired, Young Master, since it's quite late? And it will be very difficult."

"I'd like to think about that while I learn. Do I need to know the previous stages like in mathematics?"

Ryu Geun-tae shook his head.

"No. Economics might be different, but there are many parts of management that are possible as long as you have logical comprehension. Shall we start from this evening then?"

"If possible. Instead, for the rest of the time, you are free to act as you please unless I have a separate request. It's no problem if you rest at home."

"I understand. Then I will go to the bookstore first. I need to find books that suit you, Young Master."

"I'll give you the money later."

"The money is fine. The books aren't that expensive."

Yoon-gi shook his head.

"No. I have to use my own money so I'll work hard, and I have to use my own money so you won't hesitate to pick the best books."

Upon hearing that, a faint smile hung on the secretary's face.

"I understand."

As soon as it hit 9 PM, talk of difficult management theories began ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to flow from Yoon-gi's room. Naturally, Choi Cheol-ho and Park Yeon-ji also tilted their ears toward the sounds coming from the room, but soon Choi Cheol-ho shook his head.

"Phew, I can't understand a single thing."

"I feel relieved thanks to Yoon-gi."

"That kid, he could play a little more since he's still a child."

"But you're happy inside, aren't you?"

At Park Yeon-ji's smiling words, Choi Cheol-ho laughed sheepishly, hugged her, and went into their bedroom.

School breaks are incredibly noisy, even at a science high school. How much more so at an elementary school? Amidst the noise that was reminiscent of a chaotic marketplace, Yoon-gi was busy reading the introductory book he had received from Ryu Geun-tae yesterday.

"Yoon-gi, what are you reading?"

Jin-su moved to the front of Yoon-gi's desk, saw the title, and squinted his eyes.

"Management... Introduction...? Doggy...? Is it a book with doggies in it?"

Jin-su went to Yoon-gi's side, looked at the book, and made a puzzled expression at the squiggly worms on the white paper.

"Why, aren't there any doggies?"

"Hey, you idiot! It's a book related to management!"

Won-hui, whose family was on the wealthier side, knew the word 'management'.

"Then what is an introduction?"

"Th-that's..., anyway, there's such a thing!"

"What, you don't know either, do you?"

"I do know!"

"Then, tell me!"

"Even if I tell you, you won't understand."

"Pfft, you don't even know yourself."

If it were noisy from a distance, it might be fine, but having them make noise right next to him was honestly a bit difficult, so Yoon-gi explained it briefly.

"Summarizing the contents and explaining them is called an introduction."

"Summarizing?"

At Jin-su's follow-up question, Yoon-gi made an "Hmm..." sound and turned his head back to the book.

"Won-hui, what does summarizing mean?"

"I told you, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"You don't know either, do you!"

In the end, Yoon-gi had no choice but to maximize his concentration and read the book.

He had started reading the book according to Ryu Geun-tae's advice, but Yoon-gi's day was so packed that the word 'intense' was an understatement. After school, he studied at Won-hui's house, and practiced the violin for a bit for leisure and potential social activities. From 7 PM to 8 PM was physical training. At 8 PM, he returned home, finished a short dinner with his parents, and then studied until 12 AM before sleeping. The tutoring with Ryu Geun-tae from 9 PM to 11 PM had been squeezed into this schedule. Because he had to digest the study with Ryu Geun-tae while maintaining his basic study load, he couldn't waste a single scrap of time, and as a result, Yoon-gi's concentration continued to improve.

"You have worked hard even on your own."

Seeing the traces of wear on the introductory book, Ryu Geun-tae nodded.

"Let's start."

At Yoon-gi's words, which seemed to imply that small talk was unnecessary, Ryu Geun-tae also did his best to teach Yoon-gi. Two months had passed like that. After observing Ryu Geun-tae for over 100 hours of pure time, Yoon-gi was finally certain that he could entrust him with work.

"Mister. Are you my grandfather's secretary, or my secretary?"

"As long as the Chairman's orders continue, I am your secretary, Young Master."

"Then, can you listen to my request?"

"If it is an instruction related to work, I can carry it out as much as you need."

"Then, please purchase as much land in Cheonggyecheon as possible with my assets."