Chaebol

When my brother returned home, he immediately went to see our grandfather. 

He must have expected to be scolded. 

But grandfather said something unexpected. 

"Tell Ji-hoon to come, too." 

Thanks to that, my brother and I stood side by side in my grandfather's study. 

Unlike my brother, who had his head down, expecting to be scolded, 

"You both did well," 

Grandfather didn't scold us. 

Of course, he wouldn't. 

He is the chairman of Hyungang Group; why would he reprimand us for negotiating a deal based on price? 

He probably saw it as part of growing into a businessman. 

However, it seemed that the fact that we went to Sonus lingered strongly in his mind. 

"Whose idea was it?" 

"Mine." 

Grandfather's eyes naturally fixed on me. 

He already knew, but he asked anyway, so I answered without avoiding it. 

Perhaps because of that, 

Grandfather nodded and then asked, 

"If things had gone wrong with me, were you really planning to sell to Sonus?" 

"That would be up to my brother's discretion." 

"...?" 

"I entrusted him with full authority." 

This time, Grandfather's gaze shifted to my brother. 

"Yoo-geon, what were you thinking?" 

"…I would have followed the principles." 

"Principles?" 

"I went there representing the company. Naturally, I should prioritize the company's interests. If I let personal feelings get involved, there could be grounds for misconduct…" 

But his words trailed off in surprise. 

It was probably because he had referred to his relationship with Grandfather as "personal feelings." 

My brother quietly checked for any reaction. 

"...." 

Once again, Grandfather didn't seem to mind. 

No, rather, his expression seemed to welcome my brother's words. 

As if proving my thoughts, a broad smile appeared on Grandfather's face. 

"Alright, so how do you plan to run that great company from now on?" 

My brother briefly looked at me. 

He seemed to wonder who should answer. 

When I nodded, my brother slowly began to speak. 

"For now, I plan to focus on developing card packs and also try creating other games. For example…" 

"...?" 

"You know, the idea you mentioned, Grandpa, about navigators who sail ships and make a profit through trade. That concept stayed with me. I think something good could come out of it if we do it right." 

"What about you, Ji-hoon? What will you do?" 

Grandfather was likely asking if I would continue to work with my brother. 

"I'm in charge of distribution. If the game turns out well, I'll welcome it with open arms." 

Was this the answer he wanted? 

Grandfather immediately continued with more questions. 

"What's the company's ownership structure?" 

"My brother and I, 50-50." 

"Then how about you both sell me 16% each?" 

"Sorry?" 

"I've invested 60 billion won in the company. Isn't it reasonable for me to buy some shares? Why? Is that strange?" 

Caught off guard by the unexpected suggestion, 

"...." 

My brother and I could only look at each other without answering. 

*** 

A few days later, in Chairman Jung's office at Daebo Group. 

It's said that public opinion was stirred after a new poll was released. 

Of course, it would be. 

A business tycoon is entering politics. 

And his image is favorable, too. 

A worker who will set the country's economy straight! 

The right person to ease the strained relationship between the North and South! 

With a smirk, 

After hinting at things through the opinion poll, now it's time for the storm to hit. 

Sure enough. 

Various media outlets started competing to be the first to report the news. 

Given the situation, he squeezed in an interview with a public broadcaster despite his busy schedule. 

He didn't talk about politics. 

He only discussed the future of the country and foundational industries. 

However, the gossips will surely start spreading rumors, claiming it's all part of my path to the presidential election. 

"Maybe it'll be featured in a special report." 

It might not be the top news, but… 

It'll probably get at least 10 minutes of airtime in the middle of the news. 

He sat in front of the TV with pleasant anticipation. 

"The first news story is…" 

It has begun. 

"We previously reported the explosive success in both the U.S. and Japan. Now, Hyungang has acquired the rights to the game 'Dream Quest.'" 

'What? Of all things, the first news story is about… Hyungang again?' 

As the screen changed, the reporter continued with a polished voice. 

"Hyungang plans to establish a new game division soon and will likely feature developer Park Yoo-geon as the main figure…" 

Ha! 

First, they hailed the youngest as a genius, and now they're trying to promote the eldest too? 

"According to Hyungang's announcement, two new card packs will be released each year… (abridged)… and they plan to maintain an honest sales model, as before…" 

The news that followed was even more absurd. 

It was about Chairman Park acquiring shares in the company his grandsons founded. 

'Of course. I wondered why they were hyping up the grandsons, and it turns out… they were openly preparing for some tax evasion scheme.' 

Sure enough, the news pointed out that angle. 

But then, a slew of so-called experts aligned with Hyungang came forward to oppose that view. 

"The idea that a world-class game is being made in Korea just for the purpose of illegal inheritance doesn't make sense…" 

"If the goal was simple illegal inheritance, there are many other practical and less complex methods available, as is well-known…" 

"Fine, let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say it's not about illegal inheritance." 

"Even so!" 

The fact that Hyungang news flooded the broadcast right before his own interview… 

Is that just… coincidence? 

Not once, but twice! 

'Are you telling me this isn't Park Yong-hak's doing?' 

At least this time, being the second occurrence, he wasn't as furious as before. 

Unlike last time, when he violently yanked the power cord out of the TV. 

"Let's see how far this goes." 

Gritting his teeth, he stared at the TV. 

As a result, he ended up hearing five more segments about Hyungang. 

The flood of Hyungang news was overwhelming. 

Contrary to his expectations, his in-depth interview aired for less than a minute… 

"Damn it! If I ever trust those broadcasting people again, I'm no better than a fool!" 

With that unfortunate vow, 

Snap! 

He yanked the cord out again. 

*** 

Time passed, and winter break arrived. 

Fortunately, my brother maintained his top rank in school, keeping his promise to our grandfather. 

As for me? 

Well, I'm doing… okay. 

I've managed to keep a grade that neither draws attention nor criticism. 

At least, that's how I see it. 

Who knows how others view it… 

Anyway! 

I've been living a remarkably quiet life. 

Maybe it's because I've far exceeded expectations. 

Even my grandfather hasn't said much. 

He did share some company shares with me, though, under the condition that he acquires shares of the game company. 

"But it's not a big deal." 

At this rate, I'll just become the guy behind the scenes, shaping my brother's story… a so-called kingmaker… who's also a jobless (but rich) guy! 

"Hehe." 

Anyway. 

Now that the storm has passed, I feel like I can finally relax. 

To be fair, I had been running pretty hard lately. 

There's an odd emptiness in my heart. 

It makes sense. 

I've earned an incredible amount of money, but I haven't spent a single penny on myself! 

Now that I think about it, what's the point of making all that money if I'm just hoarding it? 

Having a fat bank account only benefits the bank, right? 

"Yeah, money is meant to be spent… just hoarding it is a burden." 

With that thought, I made up my mind. 

I've worked hard, so I deserve a reward! 

Before long, I called Jo Soo-deok. 

When I explained the situation, 

(Ah, great decision.) 

Jo Soo-deok responded as if he had been waiting for this. 

"Can you come out now?" 

(Of course.) 

"Then bring your passport with you." 

(Passport…?) 

"We're heading to Japan for a bit." 

(Ah, Japan…) 

"Not interested?" 

(No, it's just that you said it so casually, like you were talking about Jeju Island, so I was a little confused.) 

Hehe. 

"You're coming, right?" 

(I've already packed my things in the trunk.) 

***

Once we arrived in Japan, we headed to Akira 's house. 

As Jo Soo-deok took the wheel, he asked me, 

"Didn't you say he's busy with his serialization?" 

"He finished his deadline yesterday and said he's taking today off." 

"I see." 

But he still looked curious. 

He was probably wondering why I was taking him to see Akira all of a sudden if I was the one giving the gift. 

Did he really need an explanation? 

He'd find out soon enough. 

Vroom! 

The car we rented was a first-generation Volkswagen Golf. 

It's often considered a legendary car, so I was curious about how the original model handled. 

Every time I turned the wheel, the car responded instantly, 

And that lively feeling during acceleration… it was perfect. 

"Not bad." 

We would soon arrive at Akira 's house once we got on the ring road. 

As Jo Soo-deok gradually picked up speed, I pointed out, 

"There, the yellow house." 

We parked next to Akira 's yellow 911. 

Jo Soo-deok glanced at the vintage Porsche, seemingly intrigued. 

"Do you like it?" 

"No, it's just…" 

Jo Soo-deok was about to stop there but then continued. 

"Cars from the '60s didn't really care about things like aerodynamics. They didn't care about fuel efficiency; if it looked good, that was enough. It was a kind of ignorant romance, you could say." 

I asked him again, "So, do you like it?" 

"Well… it's definitely cool. But something like that must be pretty expensive, right?" 

"Who knows? No matter how expensive, it's still just a car, isn't it?" 

Clap, clap, clap! 

"Bravo. You're always sharp, boss." 

With a smirk, I headed toward the front door with a teasing laugh. 

Ding-dong. 

"Akira -san, it's Park Ji-hoon." 

A moment later, the door unlocked with a click, and Akira , wearing a long coat, appeared. 

"Oh, it's been a while. I've heard a lot about you. I heard the game you launched has caused quite a sensation…" 

"It's thanks to the illustration you did for us." 

"My illustration? It was just one picture." 

"Well then, how about a few more for the next one…" 

After exchanging pleasantries, he turned to Jo Soo-deok. 

"And who is this?" 

"My name is Jo Soo-deok. I'm a professor at an art university." 

After the introductions, Jo Soo-deok must have thought we'd go inside. 

But then… 

As Akira pulled his coat tighter and stepped outside, 

"...?" 

A large question mark appeared over Jo Soo-deok's head. 

"My car only seats two… Wouldn't it be better to use your vehicle, sir?" 

"Let's do that." 

Jo Soo-deok's confusion only deepened at the cryptic conversation, and the question mark above his head didn't seem to disappear. 

As if to clarify the situation, Akira continued speaking. 

"The place we're going to isn't a business. It's a private collector's collection… so the prices might be higher than usual." 

"Are they very expensive?" 

"Since they're all vintage cars and highly regarded models, paying five times the market price isn't uncommon. However, all of them have been driven less than 5,000 kilometers. You can consider them to be in pristine condition." 

At this point, Jo Soo-deok seemed to have pieced the situation together. 

"Boss… are you buying a car?"