The Chairman Who Wants to Play and Eat

Episode 11. We decided on America.

“Semiconductors?”

Chairman Hyun’s lips moved slightly, then he uttered three words and stopped. A heavy silence followed.

The conference room felt as if a beehive had exploded.

Everyone looked at each other,

“Semiconductor?”

“Did the young master just say semiconductor?”

“I heard it too. Isn’t this too much?”

“There’s no way advanced countries would easily transfer their technology, and even if they did, could we handle it? It seems the young master is being a bit excessive.”

They exchanged these glances.

Tilting their heads.

But because of Chairman Hyun’s stern expression, as if he was mulling over my words, they couldn’t bring themselves to speak.

“Just say it!”

I cursed them with my eyes.

Quickly denounce my mistake with words, and tell the chairman that this is absolutely impossible.

Only then will the chairman scold me for my clumsiness.

That’s what I intended from the beginning.

That’s what I was hoping for.

In this situation, I need to appear like a reckless young master who doesn’t know the fear of a tiger.

Isn’t that what you’re paid to do?

Not just looking at each other.

But,

Something felt off.

“Why is President Lim smiling so contentedly?”

Of all people, shouldn’t President Lim be shocked by my words? Since he’s the president of Seonghyun Electronics.

But the more surprising thing happened next.

Suddenly,

“Hahaha!”

Chairman Hyun burst into his characteristic hearty laughter.

“Chief Joo!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Did you hear what that kid said?”

“I heard it.”

“Isn’t it absurd? Semiconductors, you say. Hahahahaha!”

The ominously hearty voice of Chairman Hyun calling for Chief Joo, and the even more ominous voice of Chief Joo responding softly, followed.

They get along well.

Something is definitely going wrong again.

Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Chairman Hyun’s loud voice pierced my ears once more.

“Sang-yoon, you.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Well said. Thank you!”

He suddenly changed his tone.

“You’ve boldly said what your uncles, aunts, and numerous executives here couldn’t say.”

“······.”

“You are right. Our electronics division has not only been overtaken by Jeongsang and Geosan, but also by the newly established Hou Electronics. We’ve become a paper tiger. As I said, we can’t continue like this.”

Wait a minute, I never said anything like that.

Grandfather continued.

“We must revive our electronics division in one go. Ordinary methods won’t work; we need a drastic measure. I also thought that challenging semiconductors was the only way out. It’s commendable that you recognized that.”

What on earth is he talking about?

Was Grandfather also planning to challenge semiconductors?

‘Yes, that’s right.’

I looked at President Lim, who nodded with a knowing smile.

This is ridiculous.

Did I really guess Grandfather’s intentions?

Even though I had no such intention?

It was then.

A voice from an unexpected place saved me.

“Semiconductors are an ultra-precise, ultra-advanced industry that is difficult to implement with our technology, from materials to equipment and production facilities. Astronomical amounts of money will be sunk. It’s not just an issue for the electronics division. It’s a matter of life and death for the entire group.”

It was my eldest uncle, Hyun Seung-jae, who started the counterattack.

Well done, well done.

“So, what else do you have to say? Speak up.”

“Ch-chairman!”

“What did I say? Challenges come with risks, and if you don’t take them, you’ll just slowly die.”

Chairman Hyun’s voice was low but sharp.

“Impossible challenges only eat away at the future of the group.”

“How do you know if it’s impossible or possible without even trying?”

“Father!”

The two gazes clashed.

“I heard that your nephew has been studying hard with the employees of Seonghyun Electronics for the establishment of a semiconductor nation, and has acquired skills comparable to those of undergraduate students.”

“······.”

“You say it’s a matter of life and death, but why can’t you think about living instead of just dying? Your twenty-year-old nephew, a law student, is doing it, and yet you, a grown adult, are giving up in advance saying it’s impossible. Aren’t you ashamed?”

It was a disgrace.

There was no greater shame than this.

He was told he should be ashamed in front of a crowd of people. Hyun Seung-jae’s face turned red.

But he couldn’t say such things in front of Chairman Hyun.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

“······No, I don’t.”

He shriveled up immediately.

“And the others!”

“······.”

“Is there anyone else who will stand in the way of Seonghyun becoming the number one electronics company in our country, surpassing Jeongsang and Geosan?”

Wherever Chairman Hyun’s gaze reached, people lowered their heads.

No one answered.

His uncles and aunts were the same.

Second uncle Hyun Woo-jae turned his head, and aunt Hyun Hee-jae’s lips curled up slightly as if mocking, but that was all.

No one was foolish enough to openly rebel in front of the chairman.

Now is not the time.

“Good.”

It was a few minutes later that Chairman Hyun’s voice softened.

“Let’s end today’s meeting here. Everyone worked hard.”

“Thank you for your hard work! Chairman!”

The answering voices were loud.

But this time, the voices of the three uncles and the aunt were not in that voice.

‘That guy, he’s cheeky, isn’t he?’

‘He’s not even twenty years old, and he’s already beating his uncles? Just wait and see.’

I watched their expressions as if I were watching a fire.

Wait a minute?

This isn’t right?

‘Isn’t this a bigger problem for me?’

This is not the time for this.

The bait I threw to ruin things had snowballed.

While watching the uncles’ fire, I didn’t even notice that my own house was burning. Foolishly.

“Sang-yoon, you.”

Chairman Hyun’s voice called me.

“Come to the chairman’s office. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

There was nothing I could do but answer meekly.

*

At that time,

‘Is this guy doing well?’

Vice Chairman Hyun Deok-jae was biting his lips in his office right next to the chairman’s office.

There was only one reason he did not attend the meeting.

It was because of Chairman Hyun’s stubbornness.

In other words, the group’s control tower had to be manned 24/7, 365 days a year.

So, while Chairman Hyun Byung-gun was in the meeting, the vice chairman had to stay in his office to prepare for any emergencies that might arise.

Hyun Deok-jae had no complaints.

He just thought it was the right direction.

Rather, other people were more upset.

It went like this.

The control tower is just an excuse, it’s the chairman’s arrangement to sideline the vice chairman from frontline duties, it’s a deliberate attempt to maintain a tense succession structure,

These were the views.

Of course, Hyun Deok-jae didn’t care about such nonsense.

‘But today is a bit different.’

It was because of his youngest son.

‘I should have been there to see and hear what was said.’

But there was no choice.

His fingers tapped on the desk, making a clicking sound. It was a habit that emerged whenever he was anxious.

After a moment,

“Vice Chairman.”

Knock, knock, the sound of someone knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

His expression was full of questions as he looked at Cho Hyung-man, the chief secretary of the vice chairman, who attended the meeting instead of the current vice chairman.

“So, how did it go? Is it over?”

“Yes, it went well.”

“Why didn’t my son, Sang-yoon, come with you?”

He had thought they would come together after the meeting.

“The young master.”

Cho Hyung-man said.

To the current vice chairman, that moment felt like an eternity.

“Hurry up and tell me. What about the young master?”

“The young master was called to the chairman’s office. During the meeting, he proposed semiconductors as a new business for Seonghyun Electronics. The chairman seemed to have a lot of questions.”

He was surprised too.

“What, semiconductors?”

“Yes.”

“…He said he was going to study, but it seems he had such plans.”

He thought he couldn’t understand his son.

Suddenly, he entered Korea University’s law school, and asked for a library building as an entrance gift.

Though he didn’t say it, every step seemed precarious, as if he might stumble.

At least, from his father’s perspective, it felt that way.

But it wasn’t so.

He always had the support of the current chairman.

As if he knew that, his son was achieving what he wanted without any hesitation.

It was time to leave work.

“Vice Chairman, shall we leave now?”

“No.”

That was impossible.

“My son has been called to the chairman’s office. How can a father leave before his son? Let’s wait a bit. He’ll be out soon anyway.”

“Then I’ll wait and prepare the car as soon as the young master arrives.”

“Alright.”

Jo Hyung-man left.

‘He’ll do well.’

The worry that had been bothering him earlier had already disappeared from his face. A warm smile had taken its place.

It was thanks to his son.

‘He’ll continue to do well, just as he has been.’

He believed in his youngest son, Hyun Sang-yoon.

He felt sorry for even worrying for a moment.

*

He returned home.

“Then, please rest.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Assistant Lee. You may go now.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

After sending Assistant Lee Beom-seok off, he entered the house.

It was already well past dinner time.

Because his grandfather’s words in the chairman’s office had been long, he had dinner outside with his grandfather.

It was a Japanese restaurant in Samcheong-dong called ZEN.

‘Choose.’

In the chairman’s office, his grandfather had given him a task.

At least, it wasn’t about choosing a menu.

‘What do you mean?’

‘America or Japan, choose one.’

‘I don’t understand what you mean all of a sudden.’

In fact, he knew.

We were talking about semiconductors, so if you ask whether to choose the U.S. or Japan, the answer is obvious.

It means to choose the country from which we will receive technology transfer.

There are only two countries with facilities for mass production of ultra-high-density integrated circuits.

I knew it as soon as I heard it.

But there is only one reason why I am delaying my answer.

Why should I be the one to choose?

I am neither an executive nor an employee.

It is a decision for the many smart people in Seonghyeon to make, and I have no reason to decide.

However,

‘Don’t pretend you don’t know. There’s no need to be coy. I know everything.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I heard from President Jang before the meeting that you hinted to a Dongseon Ilbo reporter that you were studying semiconductors.’

So that’s how it was.

It was all a prearranged game.

Even so, my grandfather supported and believed in what I said about semiconductors during the meeting.

…I almost thought.

But that’s not it!

Shouldn’t you be giving a presumptuous grandson a lesson?

A child said something they couldn’t take responsibility for!

But it wasn’t.

Rather,

‘So choose. There are no other options.’

My grandfather laughed, saying I had to choose between going on a semiconductor tour or being kicked out of Seonghyeon naked.

He was serious.

100% serious expression.

It seemed he had made up his mind. This was no longer a request. It was a notification.

Ah, this is also a lesson.

Training for the future successor.

Reflecting on what happened outside, I entered the house. My father, Vice Chairman Hyun, was waiting for me.

“Come to my room.”

I went in and sat quietly across from him.

“I heard about the meeting. You brought up the semiconductor issue?”

“Yes.”

“I heard you even used the media to pressure the chairman’s decision. Is that true?”

It seems that word had already reached the vice chairman’s office.

I hurriedly explained.

“······I didn’t use the media, but that’s how it turned out. The chairman wants me to take a leave of absence after finishing my first year. He plans to send me to a semiconductor company in either the U.S. or Japan for training, and he wants me to go with you to study together.”

My father’s eyebrows moved.

“So, have you decided?”

“Yes.”

“Where to?”

I answered.

“I’ve decided on the U.S.”

The conversation ended.

As I was leaving the study, I suddenly heard a growling sound from somewhere. It was a long, deep sound.

It wasn’t me.

“Father, have you had dinner······.”

“I have.”

“No, I mean······.”

“Didn’t I say I have! Go upstairs quickly!”

My father’s face looked strangely gaunt as he said that.

It must be my imagination.