The Spokesperson of the People?
The second-ranked, Chairman Han Ho-jun of Cheonma. The third-ranked, Chairman Park Hae-chan of Haeseong. The fifth-ranked, Chairman Yang Yi-yun of Gangsin. The eighth-ranked, Chairman Jeong Woo-ho of Haesin. Since their last meeting, the personal ties between these four had deepened significantly. They had effectively become the leadership group guiding the conglomerates that stood in opposition to YK. Because many other chaebols followed their lead without question, it was highly likely that the upcoming course of action would be decided under their command.
“We did say at the last meeting that we would all pool our funds and offer them to His Excellency, but thinking about it again, I’m honestly anxious. Don’t you all feel the same?”
At the words of Han Ho-jun, whose defining feature was a smooth, bald head just like JD’s, Yang Yi-yun, with his remarkably thick lips, nodded in agreement.
“I feel the same. If we consider the possibility that His Excellency might just take the money and not listen to us at all…”
Although JD had tried to save face by claiming he hadn’t given an immediate answer at the luncheon, the fact remained that he had lost a degree of trust from the chaebols simply by not committing. After all, every choice in this world came with risks.
“Currently, we have four options available to us.”
“There are as many as four?” Han Ho-jun asked, echoing Jeong Woo-ho’s statement.
“Yes. One is the bribe for His Excellency that we are currently discussing.”
“What are the other three?”
“The second is to use the bloodlines of Dae-young to pressure Chairman Kim.”
“The first and second are effectively things we’ve already discussed.”
As Han Ho-jun showed signs of disappointment, Jeong Woo-ho offered a bitter smile, as if he had expected this reaction. Perhaps because he possessed the most benevolent appearance of the four, this bitter smile provided a subtle sense of psychological stability to the other three.
“Some of the four are things anyone could think of.”
“Are the third and fourth methods a bit different?”
Jeong Woo-ho nodded.
“Yes. The third method is to impeach His Excellency.”
In an instant, the other three, including Han Ho-jun, jumped to their feet.
"W-what did you say?"
Their reactions were identical, down to the last syllable. That was how much power the word ‘impeachment’ held against JD. To impeach JD, who reigned as the supreme leader under a military dictatorship? Was such a thing even plausible?
“It is certainly possible legally. However, realistically, it is absolutely impossible.”
At Han Ho-jun’s words, Jeong Woo-ho nodded.
“But it is also a ‘radical’ method. From that perspective, doesn’t it fit?”
“That may be so, but…”
While Han Ho-jun was nodding, Park Hae-chan interjected. Because he always kept his mouth slightly open, his actions always felt more urgent.
“Then what is the fourth method? That one sounds like it would be even more special.”
“It’s similar to the third method. However, it’s a softer approach.”
“A softer approach?”
Jeong Woo-ho nodded, took a sip of his coffee, and opened his mouth again.
“Yes, it’s bribing the National Assembly members, not His Excellency.”
“Ah!”
Park Hae-chan nodded as if he understood immediately. The other two had the same reaction.
“In the end, you’re saying that the law itself must pass through the National Assembly.”
At Yang Yi-yun’s words, Jeong Woo-ho nodded.
“That is correct. In any case, His Excellency will be heavily swayed by YK’s influence. In such a situation, going all-in on His Excellency carries too much risk.”
“It is certainly a decent method. But it’s still too difficult. The problem starts with which assembly members to persuade, doesn’t it? The ruling party is entirely under His Excellency’s influence, and they gain benefits through YK’s mini-department stores. If we try to persuade the opposition members, His Excellency might dissolve the National Assembly if things go wrong, or use the ANSP to kidnap them and force a vote with only the ruling party members…”
At Yang Yi-yun’s rational analysis, Jeong Woo-ho offered a soft smile again.
“That is correct. It is very difficult. It will never be an easy task. However.”
Everyone looked at Jeong Woo-ho, focusing intently.
“Didn’t you all expect that dealing with YK would be difficult from the start? If this could have been solved easily, we wouldn’t have let YK grow to this point. We stayed still until the situation reached this state precisely because they are a formidable enemy.”
"*Sigh...*"
A collective sigh erupted. In truth, they were regretting having left YK alone until now. They felt that they should have blocked it somehow when the YK Department Store was being built, or even when construction first began.
“When the Daehan Group collapsed, we shouldn’t have looked away.”
At Han Ho-jun’s sighing words, Park Hae-chan nodded.
“That’s right. We didn’t pay much attention because it wasn’t our business, but to think it would flow to this point…”
To the three who were clicking their tongues bitterly, Jeong Woo-ho spoke again.
“Now, now. This is no time for us to just be sighing. We need to show action, even a little bit faster.”
Even though Jeong Woo-ho was clearly the lowest in rank among those present, he began to feel like he was leading the three.
“As expected, perhaps because Chairman Jeong is the youngest, he is full of vitality. That’s right. We must move.”
At the sight of Han Ho-jun forcing a hearty laugh to muster some strength, the other two began to laugh as well.
“Oh, and I have one more suggestion.”
At Jeong Woo-ho’s words, everyone leaned in again.
“I said we couldn’t trust His Excellency, but doesn’t it seem wrong to completely rule out that option?”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“In that sense, dialogue with His Excellency must continue. We need to weigh various things, such as what amount His Excellency wants, or if he would pass this bill if we granted him something else.”
“Hmm… Then that means we have to meet His Excellency in person…”
At Park Hae-chan’s muttering, Jeong Woo-ho smiled and nodded.
“That is correct. How about Chairman Park meets him directly? I still vividly remember your display of confidence at the last luncheon.”
Though it was a compliment, Park Hae-chan recoiled and shook his head.
“Oh, no. I acted that way because I was excited back then, but I’m sure I’m in the negative in His Excellency’s books right now. Me going there might just stir up trouble.”
“Then, how about you, Chairman Han?”
“I also find facing His Excellency one-on-one a bit…”
At Han Ho-jun’s displeased expression, Jeong Woo-ho looked at Yang Yi-yun.
“Um… That, I also…”
All three were in a difficult situation. At this point, Jeong Woo-ho could have said, ‘I will do it,’ but Jeong Woo-ho also closed his mouth with a low sound of ‘Hmm.’ Thus, the silence continued. After some time had passed, Park Hae-chan spoke as if he couldn’t take it anymore.
“How about Chairman Jeong taking the lead?”
But Jeong Woo-ho wore a troubled expression, for a reason different from the other three.
“There are people more seasoned and capable than me, so I worry if I dare represent everyone.”
Since it wasn’t a flat-out refusal, Han Ho-jun’s face brightened.
“Hahaha! What does that have to do with anything? Isn’t it you, Chairman Jeong, who just gave us such an excellent proposal right here?”
Park Hae-chan also chimed in.
“At the very least, you’ll be better than me. Imagine me losing my temper again in front of His Excellency. Oh my.”
Following Park Hae-chan, who shook his head vigorously, Yang Yi-yun added his voice.
“I agree as well. I think Chairman Jeong will do a good job.”
It was a situation that looked just like a university group project. Thus, Jeong Woo-ho was awkwardly assigned the task of having a private meeting with JD.
“Uh… If you all say so, I will give it a try. However, since I am still lacking, I hope you will help me a lot with what I should say to His Excellency and what I should avoid.”
“Of course. Of course.”
Han Ho-jun answered for himself and looked at the other two, who also smiled and nodded.
“Then, I’ll be counting on you.”
With those words, Jeong Woo-ho bowed his waist and head deeply. A subtle expression lingered on his face.
Yoon-gi’s villa, which he had purchased for his hobbies. There, Yoon-gi and N met for the second time.
“To ask to meet here. I don’t know what it’s about, but for some reason, I’m happy.”
Yoon-gi, who had seated N in the seat of honor and himself in the lower seat, bowed his head politely.
“Hmm… Do you really not know why I called you here?”
There was no ‘anger’ at all in N’s expression, but there was a bit of an ‘uncomfortable’ look. No, perhaps ‘anxious’ would be more accurate than uncomfortable. However, Yoon-gi simply offered a soft smile in response to N’s words.
“You’ll be a high school senior soon, too.”
The eventful year of ’85 had passed, and the era was already looking toward 1986. The snow falling outside was proof of that. Even though the snow was falling quite heavily, N had come all the way to this villa.
“I apologize for calling you here on such a day with bad weather.”
“Not at all. A private meeting with the assemblyman is quite enjoyable. There aren’t many people in the world who know how to listen to others, are there?”
It was polite, but he never bowed more than necessary. N knew this as well.
“You must have heard from your grandfather, right? About what happened at the luncheon.”
“Yes.”
At Yoon-gi’s calm response, N felt a bit frustrated, but he let it slide. Because he had something on his mind.
‘Even though he promised to make me president last time, the other party doesn’t trust me 100 percent. In that case, I have no choice but to reveal my true intentions.’
Today, N had come here to tie up the loose ends after making his own judgment. Therefore, N began to reveal his inner thoughts. To a minor, much younger than himself, who would soon be 19.
“I, you see. I had a complex about JD. No, I have one. Even now, in the present progressive tense.”
Yoon-gi didn’t answer and listened quietly.
“It is a clear fact that I am on intimate terms with JD. However, power is something that cannot be shared even with family. How much more so for me, who is a friend, not even a brother? That is why JD treated me well, but he didn’t give me power. You know what this means, right?”
Yoon-gi still didn’t answer, just looking at N with a polite attitude.
“JD, who had treated me so poorly, started calling me to the Blue House a while ago. It was after Heo Do-il and Heo Cheong-won went to the United States. And I started to be treated well. I stepped down from the title of ruling party leader, but my voice within the party became stronger, and I was even allowed to appear on TV. Furthermore, I reached a position where I receive and carry out JD’s orders directly. Did these things happen suddenly because I was lucky? I don’t think so.”
N’s words continued immediately.
“No, you could say I was lucky. Because you picked me.”
When the conversation reached this point, Yoon-gi’s smile changed slightly. Should one call it a somewhat mischievous smile? Seeing that, N judged that he had to bring out the ultimate weapon he had prepared.
“Could you wait a moment?”
N, who went out to the villa’s entrance, received the item he had prepared in advance through the aide he had told to wait in the car. It was a tape recorder. N openly showed the somewhat large tape recorder in front of Yoon-gi. Then, N turned on the TV in the villa’s living room. He fixed the channel to the news and lowered the volume slightly. Just enough so that the news report could be heard as background noise.
“From now on, I will show you my sincerity.”
N, who calmly pressed the record button on the tape recorder, uttered an incredible statement.
“JD is a son of a bitch.”