Sitting in the passenger seat, Namsan Leech crossed his arms.
“Hyung, about that snot-nosed brat. He really wasn’t ordinary, right?”
“Excuse me? You mean the Young Master, the kid who looks refined and handsome?”
“Are you blind? Can you not tell the difference between looking refined and being spoiled? What about that poison and madness in his eyes that chills people, at his age? He’s definitely not normal.”
Even thinking back, that kid—everything from his eyes to his presence—was anything but ordinary.
“That crazy brat, he looked straight into my eyes, you know? Didn’t avoid them even once, not a hint of surprise or fear.”
That was why it felt so strange.
“He even looked at me with disdain, like he was better than me. Just like our Grandfather. Those eyes were mad, but in a cold, elegant way.”
“You must be mistaken. No matter who he is, how could you compare him to your Grandfather?”
“Can you even look into my eyes for more than a minute?”
Their eyes met in the rearview mirror, and the attendant flinched and looked away.
One eye had a white sclera, the other was bloodshot.
At the age of fifteen, those eyes held a murderous spirit and hostility sharp as blades.
Standing before those eyes, you’d get goosebumps and could never keep your gaze for long.
“See, you can’t do it. That’s the normal reaction, isn’t it? That brat is the abnormal one.”
Namsan Leech rested his chin on his hand.
“What is that kid, really? That cocky attitude and laid-back composure, I hate every bit of it.”
For some reason, that little punk got on his nerves.
It’s strange, but that’s just how it was.
“How dare he target the house I had my eye on? I’ll have to teach that reckless brat a harsh lesson about the real world.”
If that kid loses the house he wants, he’ll be so frustrated he’ll probably die of rage, right?
I have to see him throw a tantrum, wailing and rolling on the ground.
“Hyung, over there—a payphone! Call Mom first!”
Screeech.
He was uncharacteristically impatient.
Somehow, he felt like he might lose the house right in front of his eyes.
Even though he knew that made no sense, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.
Brrrr. Click.
[Hello?]
“Mom, it’s me! I found a house I want more than an apartment for my birthday present this year!”
[What?]
[It’s a house in Hannam-dong. If I’m going to sign the contract right away, I need the money—! Ack!”]
[@#$^#&&$^%%@$&%!!!!!]
Suddenly, a torrent of curses loud enough to burst the receiver poured out.
[Do you even know what kind of house that is?! @!^@^&%$&^%&%!!!!]
What the heck?
“Mom, I haven’t even explained anything yet………….”
[Be quiet! If it’s about that haunted house, I don’t need to hear another word!]
Flinch!
‘Wait, how does Mom know? I only said it was a house in Hannam-dong!’
Not every luxury home in Hannam-dong is haunted.
‘How did she know exactly which house I was talking about?’
It was enough to make even a ghost gasp.
[Definitely not! That place brings nothing but bad luck! Just buy an apartment! As an investment!]
“That’s all superstition and nonsense! I’ll just bring in an excavator and demolish the whole building……….”
[Grandfather’s election is just around the corner! Stop messing around and come home right now! If you keep being stubborn, you won’t get an apartment or anything else! That’s final!]
Click.
Namsan Leech struggled to hold onto his composure.
She said she’d let me choose an apartment in advance for myself, so why the sudden foam-at-the-mouth opposition?
“Unbelievable. Wow, how did things get so tangled all of a sudden?”
If Mom doesn’t give me the money, I can’t buy the house!
Namsan Leech grabbed his hair in frustration.
“If nothing else works, I’ll just lie down and protest in the street back home.”
He had no other option but to persuade his mother right away and get the money.
“Hyung, let’s go home! Floor it! As fast as you can!”
Vroom!
Namsan Leech and his attendant sped off in their car.
A bloody negotiation was about to begin.
***
Songolmae Pawnshop in Myeongdong.
As I walked inside, a flood of faded memories washed over me.
‘I survived ten years here.’
Trying to train my eye for valuables, I stuck by my master for fifteen hours a day, handling all kinds of odd jobs.
Sometimes, other people came seeking a lesson or two, but all of them gave up halfway.
In the end, I was the only one who received all of my master’s teachings.
But it was never easy from the start.
I was so nervous in my first meeting that I stuttered, made mistake after mistake, and repeatedly messed up while trying to fix things.
In the end, my master decided I wasn’t up to snuff, and I spent ten years doing grunt work, constantly getting scolded.
‘This time, I’ll definitely make a strong impression on my master!’
I was more than ready.
“Hey, hey~. Kids, out!”
A grumpy old man with white hair and a gray hanbok waved his hand.
He was famous for his cantankerous personality.
“Send the kid out. Let’s talk among adults.”
“You’re mistaken. The customer isn’t over there, but here. Me.”
I gave a polite bow and grinned.
“I want to put something up as collateral and get a loan.”
“Oh my, the little Young Master knows some tough words, eh?”
‘What about me looked like a Young Master?’
My clothes were hand-me-downs from local boys, and my new sneakers were cheap ones from the market.
Aha.
“You called me Young Master after seeing the attitude of the man behind me, didn’t you?”
“Hoho.”
“Exactly. Judging by appearances is meaningless. If you’re fooled by fancy packaging, you’ll miss the pearl hidden in the mud.”
“Oh my, oh my.”
My master pushed up his monocle.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had such an entertaining customer. Alright, shall we begin the bargaining? For the record, I don’t go easy on children.”
Like I wouldn’t know that.
[I was his assistant for ten years!]
“I must have brought in something valuable, then.”
“What do you think you brought?”
“Never mind that, just take out what’s in your right pants pocket.”
A fortune teller, that’s what he was.
But only half right.
“I have two things to put up as collateral.”
“Good, good. I’m already curious to see what our little customer has prepared.”
I placed my father’s watch on the counter.
“Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 1970 Special Edition. It’s authentic.”
“……”
“This is a special edition crafted in limited quantities by the renowned Swiss watch company founded by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755, offering top-quality, refined design, and master craftsmanship.”
“……”
“It’s in excellent condition. You can tell from the watch strap that it’s hardly been worn—almost no signs of use at all.”
My master glanced at Kim Secretary with a dumbfounded look.
“Am I the only one bewildered by this situation?”
“I feel the same way.”
“How old is he again?”
“He’s seven years old this year, as far as I know.”
“……”
Regardless, I pressed on.
“So, how much will you give me for this?”
“Two hundred!”
My master said flatly.
“Even items you bought for a high price go for pennies when resold secondhand.”
“So you thought a seven-year-old would be easy to rip off? Shall we continue?”
“Excuse me?”
“I want five hundred. Honestly, two hundred is way too stingy.”
“……”
My master snapped his head toward Kim Secretary.
Kim Secretary played dumb.
“Should I explain in detail why five hundred is the fair price?”
That’s what I learned from you, after all.
It’s not like I can’t do it.
I began pointing out each detail, just as I had been taught.
With every word, my master’s jaw dropped wider and wider.
By the time I got to the polish, he finally threw up both hands.
“Did this little Young Master sell watches since he was in diapers? Alright, I give up! Five hundred it is!”
“Let’s be honest. If I’d gone somewhere else, I could have gotten eight hundred easily. You know it, yet you act otherwise.”
“……”
“Am I wrong? Should I keep going and explain again why I’m right?”
“Ahem! Let’s move on to the next item, shall we?”
Glancing over, I noticed Kim Secretary had a faint smirk on one side of his mouth.
‘He must think I have nothing left to offer as collateral except the watch.’
Not a chance.
Thud.
I held out the business card I’d received earlier from Kim Younggeol, Secretary’s Office Director of Taeseong Group.
“This business card is worth five million won.”
“What could you possibly get for a scrap of a business card? You could just get one printed at a local shop for pocket change.”
My master pushed Kim Secretary’s business card back toward me.
“For that reason, I can’t give you a single penny for it.”
“Even with the person in question right there?”
I gestured with my thumb over my shoulder.
Kim Secretary watched our exchange with interest.
“Correct. That is my business card. Allow me to introduce myself. Kim Younggeol, Secretary’s Office Director of Taeseong Group.”
“There are swindlers everywhere these days. If you want money, prove it properly.”
“Is proof necessary? You seem to already know who I am.”
My master clicked his tongue.
“Alright. Out of respect for you, I’ll take the card. Two thousand won!”
“Two thousand?”
Kim Secretary frowned.
“I didn’t know my business card was worth so little.”
His tone was dissatisfied.
So the Secretary’s Office Director’s card isn’t even worth the price of seven bowls of black bean noodles. That’s rough, even for Taeseong Group.”
“Sir.”
“Trying to get free money? You should be grateful if you can even trade a card like that for a bowl of noodles. Two thousand won is generous.”
I added a word of my own.
“I made a bet with this gentleman. The loser has to grant the winner one request. I’d like that included in the card’s value.”
“Hmm, well, that changes things.”
My master looked at Kim Secretary.
“Honestly, how many times could I possibly need Taeseong Group’s power for my affairs? It’s not like I’m Chairman Cha. Even borrowing the Secretary’s Office Director’s help—one hundred thousand won is already generous.”
This guy always tries to lowball!
Before Kim Secretary could twitch his eyebrows and open his mouth, I spoke up first.
“Fine. Let’s just forget about getting on Taeseong’s good side.”
“But just this once, I’ll value this business card at five million won!”
That meant he’d recognize it as worth the same as a top luxury watch.
“This little Young Master really is something else, huh?”
Only then did Kim Secretary curl his lips in satisfaction.
My master clapped his hands.
“Good. That’s all the business, then?”
“Not yet. There’s an eight-million-won job left.”
“Eight million? You’ve got something worth more than that watch and a favor from Taeseong Group’s Secretary’s Office Director?”
“Of course.”
“But you said you only had two things for collateral.”
“It’s not a thing. I said it was an eight-million-won job, not collateral. Are you not listening?”
“……”
My master looked dumbstruck for a moment, then let out a hollow laugh.
“I’ve seen it all. Now I have a customer asking for a loan without leaving anything for collateral.”
“Sometimes information is worth more than items, you know.”
I slapped a black file folder on the counter.
It was the document Uncle Cheolgu had written.
‘Uncle, didn’t I tell you? You should’ve made extra copies.’
Of course, this was the original.
I swiped it when Mom and I were packing our bags to leave.
“This is internal material from the Central Intelligence Agency.”
My master and Kim Secretary both dropped their jaws at the same time.
“Central Intelligence?”
“You stole internal documents from Central Intelligence?”
Normally, things like this are called top secret or classified information.
But so what?
Honestly, I was more confused by their reaction.
“Why are you making such a big deal? Isn’t this level of skill pretty standard for everyone?”
“……”
“……”
My master pointed at me and turned to Kim Secretary, asking the same question again.
“How old is he again?”
What’s age got to do with negotiation?
What matters is how much you can squeeze out of them.
So, should we get down to a real negotiation now?
Like I said, today’s goal is to ‘get the money without giving up anything!’