The Former Chaebol Heir Excels as President

Chapter 11: The Scorching Season (1)

The meeting place was a coffee shop in Yeongdeungpo.

Orange juice cost 1,500 won.

‘Even if we can’t have parfait, at least we should get orange juice.’

Yang Seok‑gu’s words buzzed in my ears.

I only had 1,000 won left.

Since I didn’t have to go to school for a while, I didn’t need to worry about self‑study.

But I was 500 won short.

I wondered if Mom had hidden some money, so I ripped up the floor mat.

“Damn!”

A few dead cockroaches lay crushed flat.

I roughly cleaned them up with newspaper, then stared blankly at the clothes hanging on the wall.

I didn’t have anything to wear to go out.

‘I shouldn’t have said I’d go.’

I sat on the floor with a heavy sigh just then Yeonhwa came in.

“Why are you sighing like that? You’re going to a meeting today, right?”

“How did you know?”

“The whole neighborhood is buzzing. Didn’t you know Seok‑gu oppa is shouting it all around?”

“Anyway, that guy…”

“You don’t have clothes to wear, do you?”

“Just throw something on and go.”

Yeonhwa was sharp.

She saw my expression and sensed what I was worried about.

“I heard Hyungmin oppa got jeans and a T‑shirt for his birthday. Go ask to borrow them.”

Do Hyungmin was a friend living next door who attended vocational school.

Like our house, his bathroom was outside, and his younger sister Do Hyung‑kyung and Yeonhwa were friends.

Moreover, Do Hyungmin’s mother used to do cleaning work just like my mom.

She wasn’t feeling well now, so she was resting.

“Do you think they’ll lend it to me just because they got it as a gift?”

“Shall I ask Hyung‑kyung? She likes oppa, so she’ll help.”

“Do you think I’d like going to a meeting?”

“Think of it as going out. Wait and see.”

Even a nine‑year‑old had avoidance skills.

About thirty minutes passed.

Yeonhwa brought jeans and a black T‑shirt printed with “Today.”

“Wear this and go.”

“Did Hyungmin lend it?”

“Hyungmin oppa isn’t home. Hyung‑kyung promised to take responsibility and lent it.”

“That’s a burden.”

“When Hyung‑kyung comes over later, make dalgona for her.”

I wasn’t thrilled about having to butter up a nine‑year‑old, but I had no choice.

It was my first ever meeting and I didn’t want to go out all scruffy.

“Thanks.”

“Do you have money?”

“A thousand won.”

“What can you do with a thousand? You’ll just make a fool of yourself.”

Yeonhwa rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out two thousand‑won notes.

“I’m lending it to you. Pay me back when you get your allowance.”

“Is it mom’s money?”

“It’s what’s left from New Year’s money.”

“Thanks.”

I went into my room and shrugged off my outerwear.

Even though she was nine, having her stare at me while I changed was embarrassing.

“What are you staring at?”

“It fits perfectly. Oppa, you look great. You looked great in uniform too, of course.”

“I think I look great too.”

“Tch. Is your butt okay?”

“No problem.”

I fixed my hair in the mirror.

Since it was shaved, there wasn’t much to change.

“Let’s go.”

“Find a pretty girlfriend.”

“I’m going out just out of curiosity.”

“Taking advantage of an opportunity, huh?”

“Huh.”

I wondered where she got that phrase.

Anyway, wearing new clothes made me feel like anything was possible.

I chose the main road instead of the narrow alley to keep my clothes clean.

When I passed by the supermarket, the girl next door walked out with beer.

“Hello?”

“Kang Cheonmyeong! You’re dressed neatly—where are you headed?”

“I have an appointment.”

“You going to a meeting?”

“No.”

If I told the truth, the conversation would definitely get long.

“Have fun.”

As I passed her, she grabbed my wrist.

“By the way, I heard you got suspended from school?”

“It’s not expulsion, it’s just a suspension.”

“Whatever. So, you’re not going to school?”

“Just until next week.”

“That’s great. Hey, want to do a part‑time job?”

“A part‑time job?”

“There’s a place that supplies lunchboxes to our store. One of their workers suddenly quit, so they need help for a few days. If you work from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m., you’ll get 6,000 won.”

6,000 won a day was a lot of money.

But if I worked until 3 a.m., there wouldn’t be any buses.

“Where is it?”

“Daerim‑dong. It’s about a 20‑minute walk.”

Just three days of work would earn me nearly 20,000 won.

And I’d be home before the milk delivery, which was nice.

“I’ll do it!”

“Good decision. No use playing around. Better to earn even a little. I’ll tell them today, so start tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Was it the power of new clothes?

Something good had happened.

A basement coffee shop where a DJ made comments and played songs.

Oh, wow!

Could this be real?

The girl sitting across from me—

It was Woo Ah‑mi, the one who had held my bag on the bus.

Would she remember me?

In the 4:4 group date, all the boys’ attention focused on the prettiest girl—Woo Ah‑mi.

The girl who arranged the meeting spoke.

“There’s one of each of our belongings here. If you boys choose one, that becomes your partner.”

She opened a pouch and dumped it on the table.

Keychains, handkerchiefs, laminated singer photos, wallets.

A fierce guessing game began.

Which item belonged to Woo Ah‑mi?

Yang Seok‑gu picked the red wallet.

I thought the floral handkerchief suited her because she had a graceful image.

Snap—

Just as I reached for the handkerchief, another hand landed on top of mine.

I smiled at the friend next to me.

“I touched it first.”

Looking forward, I saw a smile spread across Woo Ah‑mi’s face.

Could it be hers?

Judging by her gentle smile, maybe she was hoping I’d pick it.

I wanted to know the result quickly.

The girl who arranged the meeting said,

“The partners are decided. If you want to leave, you can.”

Woo Ah‑mi looked at me and said,

“Let’s go.”

A lucky day.

This was surely the power of new clothes.

I picked up the handkerchief and followed behind her.

The song playing as we left the coffee shop:

— I can do anything if it makes you happy

I wanted to do that too.

Where should we go?

There was a theater nearby, and a roller rink not far away, but I didn’t have that kind of money.

Should I suggest going to the Han River?

Outside, Woo Ah‑mi looked at me and smiled brightly as she asked,

“Wanna go to the metal workshop?”

“Metal workshop?”

“My dad runs a shop.”

“But why there?”

“Don’t want to go?”

“It’s not that…”

“Follow me.”

From the start, I was overwhelmed.

Since I wasn’t in any position to lead, I just trailed behind her.

Past Yeongdeungpo Station came rows of metal workshops.

Sparks flying here and there, the sounds of machines turning up the heat of the midday sun.

It was hot.

I unconsciously wiped my forehead with the handkerchief in my hand.

Oh no! It’s not mine.

“Um… sorry, it was hot, so I wiped my face with your handkerchief.”

“Keep it. I made it, so don’t lose it.”

“You want me to keep it?”

“It was originally meant to be given to my partner. I’m glad it’s you.”

“Huh?”

What did she mean?

My imagination soared on its own.

Woo Ah‑mi giggled.

“We met before, remember?”

“Oh… on the bus.”

“That’s right.”

“So you remembered.”

“We’re here.”

She stopped in front of a sign that read “Ah‑mi Pipe Trading Company.”

A huge pile of pipes was stacked at the entrance, and just as many were inside.

Woo Ah‑mi walked up to a man grinding metal at a polishing machine.

“Dad! I’m here!”

When she called loudly, a man wearing safety goggles stood up.

“What brings you here?”

“I came with the boyfriend I made today.”

She really catches me off guard.

Boyfriend?

He walked over.

“Handsome. His eyes are bright—he must be clever.”

“Hello?”

“Nice to meet you. Ah‑mi, what should I do? I’m really swamped with work right now.”

“I just came to visit for a moment. We’re going to Grandma’s snack shop.”

“Okay.”

The man smiled widely at me.

“Be good friends with Ah‑mi. I like you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dad, I’m leaving.”

“Get whatever you want to eat.”

He pulled 5,000 won out of his pocket and gave it to Woo Ah‑mi.

“Thanks. See you tonight.”

“Goodbye, sir.”

“Have fun.”

I had no idea what was going on.

I was being dragged around like a calf with a nose ring.

The place she led me to was a snack shop tucked into an alley.

“Grandma runs this alone, but the black bean sauce tteokbokki is great. Let’s get gimbap too.”

“Okay.”

Woo Ah‑mi ordered and then stared deeply at me.

Was she planning to tease me?

I decided to play it strong from now on.

I couldn’t be dragged around forever.

“What are you staring at?”

“These are my eyes. Can’t I use them however I want?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

The food came out quickly.

I had never eaten black bean sauce tteokbokki in my past life.

Black tteokbokki?

The look of it was shocking to me.

“Amazed? Never had it before?”

“Nope.”

“This will be the best tteokbokki you’ve ever had.”

She was right.

It tasted like eating sweet black bean noodles.

“Good, right?”

“Yeah.”

Woo Ah‑mi dipped gimbap into the tteokbokki sauce and ate it refreshingly.

She had no pretense at all.

Even with black sauce around her mouth, she didn’t care at all.

Suddenly, I got curious.

“Can I ask you one question?”

“Anything.”

“Why did you go to business high school?”

Her family seemed rich, running a metal shop and all. She even got 5,000 won as pocket money.

Her answer was unexpected.

“Because the bank clerk uniform is really pretty.”

“Huh?”

“Why? Is it weird?”

“It’s not exactly ordinary.”

“I plan to study later if I need to. Right now, I want to earn money.”

“If you go to a good university, you’ll earn more money.”

“I just want to wear the uniform while I’m still pretty. Let’s stop talking about studying.”

Woo Ah‑mi, chewing on her gimbap, stared intently at me.

“What now?”

“I heard you got suspended for knocking out the class president?”

“How do you know that?”

“There’s a church friend from our neighborhood who goes to Single High School. Her name’s Ahn Jin‑su. Don’t you know her?”

“No.”

“She’s short, round‑faced, and looks cute.”

“Nope.”

Woo Ah‑mi nodded as she said,

“You’d know her if you saw her. Anyway, she said it felt satisfying.”

“I didn’t knock him out. Things just ended up that way.”

“Villains need to be taught a lesson. You did well.”

How did she know our class president was a villain?

Did she hear that from her church friend too?

“Which class is your friend in?”

“Class 9.”

“How does she know my name?”

“Your friend on the bus called your name twice.”

“Oh.”

She remembered that?

Was she interested in me?

It felt good.

We cleared the plates of tteokbokki and gimbap completely.

Today’s meeting was led entirely by Woo Ah‑mi.

“Wanna go to the Han River?”

“Sure.”

Good thing, since I didn’t have much money.

We left the tteokbokki shop and walked into the alley.

“This way’s a shortcut. We’ll come out at Yeongdeungpo Rotary. From there, we can take a bus to Yeouido.”

“You know the area well.”

“This is my turf.”

After turning three corners and nearing the main road—

A sharp, acrid smell pierced my nose. It matched the smell I’d once noticed on my eldest brother.

A few steps later, I was met with a shocking scene.

College students were breaking and throwing paving stones, while on the other side, riot police stood with gas masks, shields, and batons.

Bang— Tsshhh—

Tear gas and Molotov cocktails exploded, flames and smoke shot up, and rocks flew through the air.

I couldn’t breathe.

My skin stung, and tears and snot poured from my face.

I turned to look at Woo Ah‑mi. Her eyes were red and teary too. I covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief and said,

“Let’s get out of here—quick!”

Wiii‑ooo— Wiii‑ooo—

Sirens wailed loudly, and suddenly a riot officer with a baton came running toward me.

“Huh?”

No time to panic.

Right in front of me, I saw a college student get grabbed by the hair by another officer.

The fear that I could die here.

A chill crawled up my spine and made my hair stand on end.

“Ah‑mi! Run!”

I grabbed Woo Ah‑mi’s hand and ran with everything I had.