Chapter 30: Grandfather’s Generous Promise

“What? You want to take Tae-seong Chemical away from Woo-gwang? Do you think this is like taking a toy from a friend or something?”

“If I could do it?”

“Business isn’t something that easy.”

“So, hypothetically—if that 30 billion won shackle wasn’t there, would you allow Mom and Dad to get married?”

“Hmm, then I’d have no real reason to oppose their marriage, would I?”

Alright!

“But the problem is that it’s not as easy as it sounds. With all the money, people, and interests tangled up in a business, things get complicated and difficult in ways you don’t understand yet.”

A 30 billion won business.

By the standards of the 21st century, that’s a company worth about 1.5 trillion won. Just how heavy is that shackle?

Grandfather patted my head.

“One day, when you grow up a bit more, you’ll understand. Maybe then you’ll be able to see why this old man does things the way he does?”

“No matter how complicated and difficult it is, it’s still something people do in the end, isn’t it?”

Grandfather’s hand, which had been patting my head, paused.

“If you have the courage and determination to unravel it, there’s nothing you can’t do.”

I grabbed Grandfather’s hand.

I gently tapped the back of his hand.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

It was a small bit of encouragement from me.

“Just trust me. Me, and Dad too.”

This was my little comfort.

‘I’ve already got my plan all set to gobble up Tae-seong Chemical!’

Grandfather looked at me with a curious expression.

He stared at his hand, which I was patting.

A big, wrinkled hand and a small, chubby one like a fiddlehead fern.

Their size, color, and thickness were all different, but somehow, we looked alike.

“Of course I believe you. Why wouldn’t I trust my own son? I’ve believed in him, even when he was always out and about…”

Grandfather trailed off in a mutter, then stubbornly shut his mouth.

Instead, he put his other hand on top of mine.

It was warm.

“I’d best get going now.”

“But you said since you came all this way, you’d play with me!”

This time, I decided to use my privilege as a child.

After all, I was the one who’d made Dad show that face—so as his son, I should help ease the mood.

No matter how close a family, actually, because you’re family, you need more delicate after-service.

“Let’s build a snowman together. I’ve never made one before, you know? Please?”

Of course, that was a lie.

Grandfather Kangwoo used to make snowmen for me all the time when I was little.

“Do it with your dad. It’d be too much of a waste to give your first snowman to your grandfather, don’t you think?”

“What’s there to waste? I can make one with you, and another with Dad.”

“Ahem!”

“Are you busy? Then just make one with me. Please? Is that still not okay?”

“Ahem! Then… just one, alright?”

Grandfather glanced at the snowy yard.

“If there’s one thing this old man’s good at, it’s rolling things. I can roll snow pretty well, money too, business even better, and I’m pretty good at getting my subordinates to roll, too.”

Grandfather rolled up his sleeves.

Just then, Kim Secretary rushed over with a stern face and pulled his sleeves back down.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’m not so frail as to get sick from something like this.”

Kim Secretary took out some leather gloves.

“At least wear gloves, sir.”

“I don’t need gloves. I’ll be fine.”

I shook my head as well.

“If Grandfather doesn’t wear gloves, I won’t either. If you roll up your sleeves, I’ll roll up mine too. I’m your grandson, after all.”

“Ahem! I’ll be fine, but my precious grandson mustn’t catch a cold. Kim Secretary, gloves!”

“Here they are.”

Grandfather and I put on our gloves side by side and stepped into the snowfield.

While the two generations worked together to build a snowman.

Kim Secretary and Director Go stood under the eaves, watching the scene unfold.

Director Go, a giant of a man, crossed his arms with a satisfied look.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the President looking so happy.”

Kim Secretary agreed.

“Yes, he looks very pleased.”

“The vitality and energy children bring are amazing. Just watching them puts a smile on my face.”

“I’m not so sure.”

This time, Kim Secretary didn’t agree.

“The reason the President smiles like that is because the Young Master is the one with him.”

Director Go gave Kim Secretary a second look.

“That’s not like you, Kim Young-geol.”

“You’ll see if you keep watching.”

The eyes behind his silver-rimmed glasses, usually so cold and sharp, seemed gentle today.

Seeing him like this, Director Go wore a strange expression.

“Is he that special?”

“He’s a very special person.”

“Hmmm.”

Grandfather dusted off his hands.

“I think I’ll stop here.”

“We’ve only made seven snowmen! There’s Grandfather, Grandmother, Dad, Mom, me, Big Uncle, and Little Uncle. You said there was an aunt too!”

“Finish the rest with your dad. Do you have any idea how many snowballs this old man’s rolled already?”

“We made seven bodies and seven heads, so only fourteen in total.”

“Well, I meant to roll just two, but ended up rolling fourteen, huh?”

Grandfather dusted off my coat as well.

Before I knew it, our gloves were soaked, our clothes wet, our sneakers damp, and my hair dripping.

Whenever the cold winter wind blew, I shivered all over.

“This won’t do. My precious one mustn’t catch a cold. Let’s go inside.”

“I don’t mind getting a little wet.”

“You can always make more snowmen next time. I really have to get going.”

“Then, a promise!”

I held out my pinky finger.

Normally, I’d prefer a thumbprint over a pinky promise, and documents over words, but—

I’ll just count this as a child’s privilege.

“Next time, while we build our family’s snowmen, will you tell me stories from Dad’s childhood?”

“Ask your dad for those. My throat is dry from all this talking!”

Grandfather’s face was full of relief.

It wasn’t a forced smile, but the genuine, sweaty kind.

Only then did I smile brightly too.

“Thank you for the Christmas Tree present, Grandfather.”

“Then hurry inside and open your present. Kim Secretary!”

“Yes, sir.”

Grandfather scooped me up and carried me out of the snow.

Kim Secretary was already waiting with a big bath towel to dry me off.

Director Go attended to Grandfather.

“Go inside and drink some hot honey water first. You need to warm up, or you’ll get a stomachache.”

“You’re just leaving like this? Don’t you need this?”

I took out the Coin Purse from my pocket.

He’s always stuffing important things into his pockets, so he gave me something like this.

Yujongtae, the ever-perceptive security team leader who calls himself my number two and right hand, had offered it to me as a bribe.

I took out the paper I’d folded neatly.

It was perfectly clean, not a drop of moisture on it.

Oops! I’d been so caught up in playing with Grandson that I forgot. Kim Secretary!”

“Yes, sir.”

Grandfather handed the document I offered to Kim Secretary.

“We should give our bribe too.”

“Here it is, Young Master.”

Kim Secretary passed me an envelope.

“It’s 1% shares of Taeseong Construction.”

“Grandfather, isn’t this a bit of a rip-off?”

Taeseong Construction’s stock was in the gutter lately, thanks to its incompetent CEO and executives’ wasteful management.

“It might not look like much now, but if we win the Subway Line 2 construction bid, its value will soar.”

“Even a million-won first-place lottery ticket is worth only a hundred won before it’s a winner.”

Either way, at the current market value, 1% of Taeseong Construction stock wasn’t even worth 100 million won.

“So you’re basically giving me something worthless?”

“Taeseong Construction is your dad’s share. So, it’s much more valuable than shares from any other subsidiary.”

So it’s a limited-time offer, huh?

“Are you giving it to me just to look good, instead of giving it to Dad directly?”

“The company’s major shareholder is king. If the shares are from me, your dad won’t be able to say anything to you.”

Grandfather said shamelessly.

I clicked my tongue.

This wasn’t my style.

“I have no intention of taking away my dad’s rice bowl. So I’ll take something from another company instead.”

I pushed the envelope with Taeseong Construction shares back toward him.

But Grandfather didn’t take it.

“That won’t do. No matter how much I adore my grandson, I can’t take away my own child’s share.”

The other subsidiaries were for his other children.

“Whether it’s under someone else’s name or not, if I transfer 100 million won worth of shares in another Taeseong Group company to a single person, the whole group would flip upside down. So that’s a request I just can’t grant.”

As if I didn’t know that.

“I shouldn’t put Grandfather in a bind. In that case, can I get something from a non-Taeseong company instead?”

“A different company? Are you hoping Tae-seong Chemical might fall into your lap?”

It’s no use fishing like that.

Tae-seong Chemical is the company I’m planning to secure for my mother’s dowry.

I’ll handle my own share myself.

‘My cut will be way bigger than that. Soon, because of the oil shock, a dinosaur of a company will come up for sale and turn this whole country upside down.’

Grandfather subtly tried to scare me off.

“If I gave you Tae-seong Chemical, your Big Uncle, Little Uncle, and your aunt wouldn’t just stand by. Your mom and dad would be in real trouble.”

“Then not Tae-seong Chemical, either.”

I decided to nudge Grandfather along as well.

“A new company, or a bankrupt one—those aren’t expensive, right?”

“Oh-ho, you want me to buy you an unlisted company or one suitable for a merger? That’s a pretty common way to make a gift.”

Even though I’d phrased it vaguely, he understood perfectly!

Only then did Grandfather nod readily.

“Alright. That, I can do. I’ll buy you another company instead of Taeseong Construction shares!”

Perfect!

This is exactly what I was waiting for!

The reason I started by demanding a bribe that would need negotiation was because I wanted to hammer out this promise with Grandfather himself.

“You promise?”

“Of course. I have that much capability.”

Excellent! That’s it!

“By the way—”

I smiled and took out a new, neatly folded paper from the Coin Purse.

“Please write down that promise here.”

“…….”

“I trust documents more than words, and a signed, stamped agreement more than a pinky promise.”

“……”

Grandfather turned to Kim Secretary.

Just look at that. My own grandson! See? Blood doesn’t lie.

He looked strangely happy.

Kim Secretary nodded with a pleased smile, while Director Go’s face went pale and his mouth dropped open.

Oh well.

“You’ll hand the company over to me completely, right? Every last bit?”

“So, you want 100% of the shares, hands-off from everyone else? Fine by me. An unlisted or failed company doesn’t cost much. I could set one up for you today if needed.”

“If necessary, you’ll really help me—wholeheartedly, no matter what?”

“You want my full and sincere cooperation? Of course. I never treat company business lightly. To raise even one company properly, you have to put in the effort.”

A satisfactory answer.

I pulled the Mongblanc Fountain Pen out of my coat pocket and handed it to Grandfather.

“Please write that down, too.”

“…… ”

Grandfather turned to Kim Secretary again.

“My kid, I love you to death. That’s right, at seven years old, this is how you should be.”

At last, Director Go dropped the bath towel he was holding.

“President, are you really sure about this?”

“Why not? Transferring an unlisted company, arranging an acquisition? Don’t think I can manage a gift of that level?”

Grandfather wrote it out without hesitation.

He finished with a signature and stamp, and handed me the agreement—no, the promissory note.

‘Wow!’

It was shining a hundred times brighter than any document in this mansion.

A light far beyond any incandescent bulb—so dazzling it almost blinded me—radiated from that sheet of paper.