The Former Chaebol Heir Excels as President

Chapter 24: Turning Point (4)

Somangwon.

It was an orphanage located in Jongno-gu.

I had joined the school’s volunteer club and was now at Somangwon for the third time.

Our tasks included cleaning, laundry, and repairs.

I looked at a part of the building wall where cracks had formed.

“Cheonmyeong!”

I turned my head and saw the director approaching.

In her late thirties, she ran Somangwon, continuing her father’s legacy.

“Yes, Director.”

“The crack keeps widening. What do you think we should do? It won’t collapse, right?”

“It won’t collapse just from this. If we fill it with cement and paint over it, it won’t look bad anymore.”

I knew this well from having worked in construction in my previous life.

This was a non-structural crack caused by evaporation of moisture inside the concrete, leading to shrinkage.

If the crack had formed horizontally, that would have been a warning sign—but that wasn’t the case here.

“It’ll really be okay?”

“Of course.”

“By the way, you sent us a donation again this month. That must be a lot of money for a student. Thank you so much. Now we can feed and clothe the children well.”

“I’m earning money, so there’s no need to feel burdened.”

I donated 500,000 won to Somangwon every month.

When I first came here and saw the children in ragged clothes, I was reminded of my friends from the shantytown.

Clothing was like a class indicator shown to others.

Wearing torn and dirty clothes labeled you as part of the poor class, making you an easy target for disdain.

That’s why I had the wish to buy clothes for the children, and started donating regularly.

“I haven’t told the club president.”

“You absolutely must not tell. I could get scolded for being arrogant.”

“Okay. I’ll keep it secret.”

Just then, Song Min-chae came over carrying a rubber tub and a bucket filled with water.

“They’re not here yet?”

“They should be here soon.”

Right after I spoke, Ryu Jong-min and Oh Guk-woo arrived, carrying cement and sand on their shoulders.

“Good work.”

“Whoa! That was really heavy.”

The three of them were fellow members of the volunteer club.

Song Min-chae from the Department of Journalism and Broadcasting, Ryu Jong-min from the Department of Economics, and Oh Guk-woo from the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy.

Song Min-chae asked,

“What do we do now?”

“I’ll take care of it from here.”

I poured the cement and sand into the tub, then added water.

Crouching down, Song Min-chae asked,

“Cheonmyeong, how do you know how to do this?”

“I lived in the Harlem area, so I’m used to it.”

“Harlem area?”

“I’m from the Harlem side.”

I gave a sly grin and mixed the cement and sand evenly with a shovel.

“Cheonmyeong, let me do it now.”

Ryu Jong-min rolled up his sleeves and approached me.

Meanwhile, Oh Guk-woo was sitting in the shade, resting.

“I’ve done this before, so leave it to me. You already did the hard part carrying cement and sand. It’d be helpful if you did some laundry.”

“Got it.”

Ryu Jong-min headed toward the building where laundry was being done, and Song Min-chae turned to me and asked,

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just pour a little water.”

“Okay.”

Song Min-chae tilted the bucket into the tub.

“That’s enough.”

“Alright.”

“You’re strong.”

“This much is nothing. Besides, my family is naturally tough.”

Carrying a tub in one hand and a water-filled bucket in the other wasn’t something easy for a girl. And it wasn’t like she had a large build either, which made it all the more surprising.

“Looks like you’ve got a tenacious streak.”

“I’m a mastiff.”

“Mastiff?”

“If I bite, I don’t let go. Be careful.”

Song Min-chae squinted at me.

“Guess I really do have to be careful.”

“I’m scarier than I look.”

I stopped shoveling and picked up sandpaper.

“Min-chae, watch how I do this.”

“Okay.”

I used the sandpaper to rub around the cracked part of the wall, smoothing it out.

“If you rub it like this to make it smooth, then I can apply the cement neatly.”

“Got it.”

I handed the sandpaper to Song Min-chae and looked over at Oh Guk-woo, who was sitting in the shade.

“Guk-woo, you’ve rested enough now. There’s nothing for you to do here, so help with the cleaning and laundry.”

“Hey! Just mind your own business. Who do you think you are, anyway?”

“Alright.”

I really couldn’t understand why Oh Guk-woo had joined the volunteer club.

Even buying the cement and sand was only done after Ryu Jong-min barely managed to persuade him. Last time, too, he only half-heartedly swept the floor and left.

Was it because there were many girls in the club? Did he come here to flirt?

Whatever the reason.

It wasn’t like we were close anyway.

I used the wooden trowel to fill in the cracks and smoothed out the surface around it.

Song Min-chae grumbled in a low voice.

“I don’t get why he joined our club. It’s not like we get any credit for volunteer work.”

“Maybe he’s trying to find a girlfriend.”

“Who would like someone like that? If that’s the case, he’s definitely barking up the wrong tree.”

“No one likes Guk-woo?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

I exchanged a laugh with Song Min-chae as I continued plastering.

By the time I had filled all the gaps, Oh Guk-woo was nowhere to be seen.

Song Min-chae turned her head to look and twisted her lips.

“I just don’t understand how Jong-min and Guk-woo are friends. They’re total opposites.”

“Maybe that’s why they get along well.”

Just then, the club president approached.

“Amazing, seriously.”

“Looks clean, right?”

“I don’t know what your deal is. You were good at setting up the laundry line, and now you’re even good at plastering.”

“I just work hard, that’s all.”

“Great job. Let’s take a break and then go do some educational volunteering.”

“Yes.”

I grabbed the tub and tools and headed to the tap, and Song Min-chae followed carrying the bucket.

“Cheonmyeong.”

“Yeah.”

“Among the kids you teach, there’s that boy, Hyeok-min, right? I heard he ranked first in his class. Isn’t that impressive?”

Kwon Hyeok-min.

He was in his first year of middle school and the oldest among the students I taught.

He was very eager to study, and the director once said it was a shame they couldn’t afford to send him to an academy. That’s why I visited here when I had time and taught him for about two hours.

“He’s got a lot of drive to study. He’d do even better with some support.”

“I heard there’s talk of adoption. Since he’s good-looking and smart, I guess someone wants to take him in even though he’s older.”

“I hope things work out for him.”

I turned on the tap and scrubbed the tub thoroughly.

Ryu Jong-min walked up from the front.

“Cheonmyeong, you’re really amazing. Have you done manual labor before?”

“Does it look alright?”

“It’s perfect.”

“What’s Guk-woo doing?”

At Song Min-chae’s question, Ryu Jong-min tilted his head.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have brought him. I thought coming here would change his mindset.”

Oh Guk-woo was Ryu Jong-min’s friend from middle and high school. They had both graduated from a school in Gangnam and became close because their fathers were friends.

Ryu Jong-min had said he brought Oh Guk-woo to join the volunteer club together because he was selfish and greedy.

Of course, people could change through experience, but I didn’t think he would.

His dismissive tone and self-centered behavior had remained consistent.

“Everyone lives by the standards of their own world. When he steps out of that world someday, he’ll change—whether by choice or not.”

“Yeah, probably.”

Ryu Jong-min nodded in agreement.

I was close with Ryu Jong-min, but we had some differences in thought.

He was thoughtful and had good intentions, but his mindset was conservative.

‘You’re such a warm person. It’s strange that you think so conservatively.’

That was something I had said to Ryu Jong-min once.

‘I love our country, so I believe we need to protect its unique values.’

That was how he answered.

I saw it as a difference shaped by the environment we grew up in.

In my previous life, I wasn’t any different from him either.

“Teacher, let’s go to class!”

Kwon Hyeok-min came running with a bright smile.

“Did you study hard?”

“Of course! I’ve been waiting for today.”

Song Min-chae looked at Kwon Hyeok-min with a gentle smile.

“Hyeok-min, I heard you got first place in the midterms? Congratulations.”

“Cheonmyeong teacher taught me a lot. Thank you.”

I truly wished for this kid to break free from his depressing environment.

Reward those who make the effort!

“Let’s go.”

I took his hand and headed to the study room.

The day Big Oppa was discharged.

Mom took a day off and busied herself with food preparations.

In the living room, meat sizzled on the grill, filling the air with a savory aroma.

“Mom, is there anything I can help with?”

“It’s all done.”

“Oppa, it’s your day off, so just relax.”

Yeonhwa was helping Mom.

Kang Daemyung was focused on assembling the LEGO set he’d recently received. Though he had an intellectual disability, he wouldn’t respond to noise around him when he was immersed in something.

The fighter jet was nearing completion.

He’d been at it since last night, and it was finally almost done.

“Daemyung, that looks awesome.”

“Hyung‑ah, I did well, right?”

“Yeah.”

His pronunciation was clear now.

Thanks to consistent speech therapy, art therapy, and physical therapy, he had improved significantly.

He no longer got the wrong change at the supermarket either.

“Wow!”

Before we knew it, Yeonhwa came over and exclaimed.

“Daemyung, you did all this by yourself?”

“Yeah. I did it.”

“You’re really good. It looks just like a real fighter jet.”

“Hehe.”

Then the doorbell rang.

“Big Oppa is here!”

Yeonhwa hurried out and opened the door, and Big Oppa came in.

Wearing his military uniform, he had filled out a bit, and unlike during his last leave, his eyes sparkled.

Mom beamed when she saw him.

“Welcome home. You’ve worked hard.”

“Big Oppa!”

Kang Daemyung ran to him and hugged him tightly, bursting into tears.

Yeonhwa also smiled warmly at the sight of him.

I still doubted whether she, too, had regressed. It was hard to believe a fifth grader from Elementary School could smile so gently.

“Wow! Our Big Oppa, you’ve gotten so cool.”

“Sit down. Let’s eat.”

And so we sat down to a late lunch with the family.

Just one person had returned, but I couldn’t understand why it brought such a sense of stability and peace.

Mom told Big Oppa he’d done well, and Daemyung and Yeonhwa pestered him to share stories from the military.

Big Oppa had served in an engineering unit, working on mine removal. Mom had always worried because of that, so it was only natural this moment felt like happiness.

After we ate some fruit, Big Oppa looked around the room.

A single bed, a large bookshelf, a desk, and a computer.

All of it was prepared for him by me.

“You really made it. Can I use this room?”

“It’s the firstborn’s privilege. I have to go to the military anyway, so until then, you can share a room with Daemyung, Hyung.”

“Sorry. And thank you.”

“No need to thank me. You’re the one who worked hard.”

Big Oppa was surprised by the bookshelf full of books.

“You’ve read a lot.”

“Thanks to you, I picked up the habit of reading.”

“There are a lot of history books.”

“I find them interesting.”

“How’s your business going?”

“Great.”

“I didn’t know you had such talent.”

“Hyung.”

There was something I had to say.

While I was in the military, I had to stop Big Oppa from causing trouble.

“What is it?”

“Focus on your studies now. Stop joining protests.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t dump everything on me anymore. Don’t forget that you’re the firstborn.”

“Got it.”

Still, I felt uneasy.

The intense look in his eyes reminded me of when he came home covered in tear gas from Ahyeon-dong.

And now, Big Oppa had that exact same look in his eyes.

“You promised me, remember?”

“I said I got it. By the way, is becoming a businessman your dream?”

Short-term goals and long-term goals.

Over the past month, I had established a long-term goal.

That was politics.

In my previous life, it was the political ambition of a successful businessman, but this time it was different. I wanted to make South Korea a powerful nation and raise the self-esteem of its people. And as I read more history books, I found myself dreaming of being remembered as a wise ruler.

But I hadn’t told Big Oppa yet.

“Of course. I’m going to make a ton of money.”