I had already anticipated seeing Yoo Jinsang’s face a few more times.
But I hadn’t expected it to come this soon.
I calmed my pounding heart and cooled my head.
I had to prevent myself from greeting his face with a fist the moment I saw him.
But upon second thought, there was no need for that.
“I was mistaken. Yoo Jinsang wouldn’t come to a place like this.”
Yoo Jinsang didn’t particularly enjoy meeting people.
That’s why, as the representative of Spectrum, meeting people had always been my role.
Yoo Jinsang just listened to results in the office and created new technologies.
If that position was maintained, there was a higher chance of meeting the new CEO today.
Han Yeri spoke calmly, as if agreeing.
“I think Representative Yoo Jinsang is on an overseas business trip, so the new CEO will come.”
“What did that person do before?”
“You didn’t look into it?”
“I did look. Just not deeply.”
A lie.
When Jeong Yuha joined Ribbon, I had already checked everything—from that person’s career to which university they graduated from and who they were close with.
To win, you must know everything about the enemy.
Of course, not letting the enemy know this fact is also an essential virtue.
Han Yeri stared at me intently and drank her champagne.
“They have a brilliant career. They’re good at growing ambiguous companies and selling them off.”
“That’s how all professional managers are.”
No innovative management methods or groundbreaking improvements—just people trying to make a quick buck during their term.
Han Yeri seemed to agree to some extent.
“But this person seems a bit different. They accepted the offer after seeing Spectrum’s growth.”
“There are many peculiar people in the world.”
“Maybe Spectrum will grow even more than when President Kang was there?”
This person really knows how to scrape at my insides.
I smiled and scraped back just the same.
“By then, I’ll have eaten Kangseong Hotel or Shinse-sang Department Store and grown bigger, so what.”
“…Don’t eye them.”
“A kind word out brings a kind word back. Get up, it’s time.”
“Hmph.”
Han Yeri snorted and stood up.
She linked arms with me for escort and left the waiting room.
On the way to the party hall, Han Yeri added a small request.
“If grandfather asks what our relationship is, answer appropriately.”
“I’ll say I’m not the son-in-law.”
“You don’t have to say it so harshly.”
“Even if it’s not me, no one will believe it anyway?”
No matter how many times I say no, if we’re arm-in-arm walking around, everyone will think that.
Whether this rolls a positive snowball or produces negative results, we’ll see.
Well, I’ve already prepared countermeasures for negative situations.
Either way, I just need to use it.
Rather than that, it’s better to think about the profits to gain here.
Most likely, many business world figures will be here.
Ribbon Corporation is pursuing business diversification, so even if they’re unrelated to current businesses, making connections now will definitely help later.
Thinking that way, this is clearly a board where I gain more than Han Yeri.
“Oh my, isn’t that Yeri?”
Just as I was thinking who to greet first.
I ended up meeting the person I least wanted to make acquaintances with first.
“Aunt, it’s been a while.”
“Yes, you must be very busy lately? I haven’t seen your face.”
“Managing two places is so busy.”
“That’s right, why did your father hand it all over to you so early? When the child can’t even handle it.”
At Han Kyungsook’s words, Han Yeri’s smile wavered slightly.
But for her poker face to break from such words, she too was from a chaebol family.
“Father has no interest in this kind of management. He handed it to me because I’m good at it.”
“Still, that’s not right. The youngest is so irresponsible.”
“Our father lives doing what he wants, so you don’t need to see it that way, Aunt. Isn’t Aunt having a hard time lately? How about handing food over to Jae-hee?”
“Hey, I’m still full of energy. What’s there to hand over already.”
The two didn’t yield an inch, subtly cutting each other down.
But watching from the side, this was Han Yeri’s clear victory.
Han Kyungsook doesn’t have many cards, so she can’t exert power.
At best, just badmouthing Han Yeri’s father.
Of course, it seemed Han Yeri’s patience was being chipped away by that personal attack.
Before their power struggle turned into an emotional fight, Han Kyungsook stepped back half a step.
“But who’s the kid next to you? Tall and handsome.”
“President Kang. Greet her. She’s my aunt.”
Now it’s my turn to step in.
“My greeting is late. I’m Kang Jisung.”
“Kang Jisung? Maybe the son of some group? I’m bad with names.”
“Haha, that makes sense. Because I’m not the son of any group.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Han Kyungsook’s eye and mouth corners curved.
It was exactly the look of someone who found a proper weakness.
“Yes, our family doesn’t have to only meet chaebol kids. You should date celebrities or models when young, right?”
“Hahaha, thank you for saying I’m handsome. But what to do. I have no interest in the entertainment side.”
“Then?”
“I run a small company called Ribbon Corporation.”
The moment my company’s name was mentioned, Han Kyungsook’s face hardened.
Then slowly, with a chilling pressure, she asked again.
“…Where?”
“Ribbon Corporation. I don’t know if you’ve heard.”
How could she not know.
Our company was the one they tried to screw over with other companies.
If she doesn’t know this, it’s safe to call it dementia.
Han Kyungsook grabbed champagne from a passing waiter.
Her hand trembled slightly as she glared at me frighteningly.
“Yes, it was you? The one who caused the mess.”
Han Kyungsook had only thought Han Yeri was the one plotting against her company.
But now she learned I was behind it.
“Mess, I don’t know what you mean.”
“You….”
“It’s just what we did to survive. For small businesses like us, we have to do anything to survive.”
To survive the pressure of conglomerates, dropping a nuclear bomb on someone’s home base is nothing.
Grind.
For the first time, a crack appeared on Han Kyungsook’s calm face.
It seemed the sound of her grinding her teeth reached even here a bit away.
“Yes, such small companies are like candles before the wind. Right?”
“We’re careful not to go out.”
“Try hard. Though I don’t know if you can stop natural phenomena.”
Han Kyungsook turned and left as if she didn’t want to hear more.
Seeing her back filled with malice, it seemed Kangseong Food would cause a ruckus again soon.
It was worth solidifying the internals in advance.
If it was right after moving offices, I would have been swayed by a few of Kangseong Food’s tricks, but now it’s solid.
A limited company not even listed, so Kangseong Food can’t do much.
No need to worry about them now.
“You could have let it pass quietly, but you did it on purpose?”
“She was an opponent I had to clash with anyway. No need to be scared.”
“Good thinking. Kangseong Food can’t do anything at this timing anyway.”
Han Yeri took a wine glass from the waiter and handed it to me.
“Because the chairman said a word?”
“Yes. We’ll lose some shares soon.”
“That’s big.”
“Let’s call it a disaster from greed. And we used it well.”
My credit.
“My credit.”
“You’re trying to squeeze one more somehow.”
“That’s what a businessman does.”
If opportunity comes, you have to fleece it.
Han Yeri smiled at my boldness and said.
“Don’t direct that boldness only at me. Let’s stay as business partners.”
“õtõt.”
We’ll see about that.
I quite covet the hotel and department store too.
***
Afterward, I met Kangseong Group people one after another.
And naturally, they showed no interest in me.
Not from any group, nor connected to politics, so it was natural.
Unlike before with Spectrum as background, now I really have nothing.
Actually good.
Unlike the IT company Spectrum, Ribbon Corporation is logistics and distribution.
We’ll properly clash with Kangseong Group someday, so no good in drawing attention now.
“Long time no see.”
“Director Han Daehyuk came too.”
“It’s a family event.”
At least Han Daehyuk showed brief interest in me.
“There was a commotion when signing the contract a while ago.”
“An employee was pulling power plays.”
“There won’t be such things ahead. I can’t stand incompetent employees.”
Section Chief Hwang Hyejin seems to have been fired, not suspended.
Right, how can you arbitrarily handle something the director was directly involved in.
To Han Daehyuk who gave good news, I gave one more good news.
“Thank you. Anyway, iron ore production increased more, so no noise when supplying.”
“Manager Lee Seokjae has a working head, so no such thing. Then rest comfortably.”
Conversation with Han Daehyuk ended, now it feels I’ve done my share.
What remains is mixing with those trying to make connections with Kangseong Group somehow.
“Wait a bit more. The big one is still left.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Since the employer doesn’t want it, I decided to wait a bit more as said.
And that bit more was really a bit more.
“Haha, I thought some lady was here, but it’s Yeri.”
“Grandfather.”
An old man in a wheelchair pushed by a doctor approached.
Just by complexion, this old man on the verge of death held the decision-making power over everything in Kangseong Group—Han Kangseong.
Han Yeri immediately knelt to match eye level with Han Kangseong.
“How’s your body?”
“What, I might not open my eyes tomorrow, cough. Cough.”
“Grandfather.”
“It’s fine, whew. All.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to rest in the hospital room?”
“If I did, our family becoming a mess would spread, how could that be.”
Han Yeri could only smile bitterly at that.
Han Kangseong lightly tapped Han Yeri’s cheek and looked at me.
“But who’s this tall young man.”
“He’s my acquaintance.”
“Kang Jisung. I run a small company.”
“Small company…..”
Han Kangseong stared at me and smiled.
“You caught a good man.”
“Grandfather, it’s not that kind of relationship.”
“If not, make it so. Among the guys I’ve seen, he has the best eyes.”
Being said that directly by the chairman of Korea’s top group didn’t feel bad.
“Keep him by your side and run the hotel and department store, it’ll go well.”
“Grandfather, actually I….”
“Shh! Do as told! Khoff.”
At Han Kangseong’s shout, Han Yeri shut her mouth without a word.
This is trouble.
If I stay like this, I’ll really be branded as an assistant by Han Yeri’s side.
But that can’t be.
“Sorry, but sir. It seems difficult for me to have that kind of relationship with Miss Han Yeri.”
“My granddaughter doesn’t appeal to you?”
“How could that be. Miss Han Yeri has no shortcomings.”
“Then?”
The old man looked at me with very intrigued eyes.
Where does such energy come from in a dying old man, really.
Yes.
If my silence makes energy surge that much, I can make it surge more.
“Kangseong Hotel, Shinse-sang Department Store are insufficient. No.”
I boldly declared to the representative of the business world’s number one.
“Even if you give me the entire Kangseong Group, it’s not enough for me.”
This much is nothing.