Not long after Park Jin-hyuk got into the car headed for Seongbuk-dong, Kim Jin-woo could no longer contain his curiosity and asked about the situation from earlier.
“Did you know you would receive a call from Seongbuk-dong?”
“Did I know? Rather than knowing, I would say I made it so they would have to contact me.”
“You made them contact you?”
Kim Jin-woo tilted his head. He did not understand how Jin-hyuk had prompted the call when he had not reached out to Seongbuk-dong separately. Park Jin-hyuk toyed with his index and middle fingers using his thumb as he spoke.
“Otherwise, why would I have made them talk about me on the broadcast? The more the story spreads, the less beneficial it is for me.”
“Then, did you make them talk on the air specifically to get the people in Seongbuk-dong to look for you, Executive Director?”
“Yes. If not for that, I had no reason to do such a thing.”
Only then did Kim Jin-woo realize why the story had been brought up so blatantly on the broadcast. However, he still could not understand the reason for making Seongbuk-dong reach out. Seeing Kim Jin-woo’s face still full of doubt, Park Jin-hyuk explained slowly.
“As you know, Secretary Kim, I am someone who has already decided to resolve Dongjung Industry’s difficulties. But what would happen if I stepped forward and said, ‘I will solve your problems’? The other party wouldn’t feel grateful for the resolution. They would simply think I helped because they are great, and that the problem was solved because of their own merit.”
“Surely Chairman Lee wouldn’t do that? And isn’t he your maternal grandfather? You speak as if you are trying to work with a stranger.”
“Do you think business is any different just because it’s family? If I provide favors because I think of them as family, do you think they will think of me the same way? Not a chance. Keep in mind that the saying ‘family is worse than strangers’ didn’t come from nowhere.”
Park Jin-hyuk spoke coldly, even though he was talking about his own maternal grandfather. Dongjung Industry had never done anything special for him, but they had never harmed him either. Kim Jin-woo thought that perhaps this opportunity could be used to build a solid relationship with his maternal family, but Park Jin-hyuk did not seem to think that way at all. Looking at him, Kim Jin-woo once again felt how cold of a person he could be.
“Besides, there is something I must get my hands on right now. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”
“No. I am well aware.”
“Right. To get my hands on it, I have to strike a deal with Dongjung Industry. But I cannot move first. Only by making the other party move can I obtain a satisfactory result from a position of advantage. It’s the same whether it’s my maternal family or a total stranger.”
Park Jin-hyuk showed a satisfied smile.
While Kim Jin-woo and Park Jin-hyuk were talking, the car drove through the dark night road as the sun set and arrived in front of the Seongbuk-dong residence. Park Jin-hyuk stared at the gate of the house, where darkness had settled, before opening the door and stepping out. When he pressed the bell, the butler of the house opened the door almost immediately, as if he had been waiting, and greeted him.
“Young Master. The Chairman is waiting for you.”
The butler who came out to meet him bowed and guided him inside. The wide yard of the Seongbuk-dong house created a bright atmosphere with lights despite the darkness. The stone steps and the old pine trees, which looked as if they had guarded the yard for more than a year or two, seemed to greet him warmly.
As the butler opened the door to the house and stepped aside, Park Jin-hyuk walked in. Unlike the main house in Hannam-dong, the staff did not line up to welcome him, but most of them stopped what they were doing and bowed to the eldest grandson of Dongjung Industry.
“Oh, my sweet boy. You’re here? Was the trip tiring?”
Park Jin-hyuk knew that his maternal grandmother was well aware his trip was nothing more than crossing the Han River, but she welcomed him happily, taking his hand in both of hers and stroking it.
“Have you been healthy? I’m sorry I haven’t visited often.”
“No, no. A working man should be that busy. It wouldn’t do for you to just play around at home, would it?”
The grandmother looked slightly behind her after speaking. There stood Kim Hyun-wook, the son of Lee Sun-myung, the president of Dongjung Industry and Park Jin-hyuk’s cousin. Even though he knew those words were directed at him, he did not show it and approached to greet Park Jin-hyuk.
“Brother. It’s been a long time.”
“Yes. It has.”
As if there was nothing between them that could be called a friendship, Kim Hyun-wook stepped back as if he had fulfilled his duty. Park Jin-hyuk gave a simple greeting to his grandmother, who looked at him with disapproval, then turned and went further inside. At that sight, Park Jin-hyuk’s grandmother clicked her tongue softly. Seeing Lee Sun-myung being dominated by Lee Jong-moo in the past and looking at Kim Hyun-wook now, Park Jin-hyuk could roughly grasp their positions in this house.
“It seems Aunt isn’t home today either.”
“That child probably isn’t in her right mind to come home right now. For now, let’s head in.”
Holding his hand, his grandmother led him inside. Upon arriving at the dining table, the first thing that caught his eye was a spread so lavish it looked like the table legs might buckle. After seating Park Jin-hyuk, his grandmother began placing side dishes on his rice bowl even before he could pick up his spoon.
“I heard you visit Hannam-dong often lately?”
“Yes. I’m trying to stop by at least twice a week.”
“That’s right. Visit often. After all, isn’t that your home? And the Lady of Onsan acts that way for a reason, so try to understand… My poor child. To have to be so cautious even when going to your own home, this grandmother’s heart feels like it’s breaking.”
She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes welling up. Just then, Lee Jong-moo approached the dining area, speaking loudly.
“Is there a funeral? Why are you crying in the middle of a meal?”
“You just come and eat quietly. Our boy came home, and you didn’t show your face until now. Why are you only now sauntering out?”
“Where is the family rule that says a grandfather should come out to greet his grandson?”
“Is Jin-hyuk here just because he missed his grandparents? You called him because you were desperate, so why are you bringing up family rules?”
When the grandmother shouted back without backing down, Lee Jong-moo sat in his chair without saying another word.
“I’m sorry. I should have greeted you first since I arrived…”
“It’s fine. As your grandmother said, I called you because I was in a bind, so don’t worry about it.”
Lee Jong-moo did not hide that there was a reason for calling Park Jin-hyuk. Seeing him admit it so readily, Park Jin-hyuk gave a faint smile that others couldn’t see.
‘It seems he’s in quite a hurry.’
Just as Park Jin-hyuk thought, Lee Jong-moo looked like he wanted to bring up the topic immediately while eating. However, his grandmother stayed close to Park Jin-hyuk’s side, serving him food and talking about other things, preventing him from properly starting the main conversation. He opened his mouth several times to speak, but each time, she cut him off.
“Jin-hyuk.”
“Here, try this. Eat this first, and have a taste of that too.”
“So…”
“Eat the seasoned vegetables as well. Don’t just eat the meat; eat a variety of things.”
Lee Jong-moo glared sideways at his wife, who kept interrupting him. Finally unable to stand it, he placed his spoon down on the table with a loud clatter.
“Good grief. Why do you keep cutting me off when I’m trying to speak?”
“Let the child eat in peace. What is so urgent that you have to bring up work at the dinner table?”
“Ugh. You don’t even know…”
“What do I not know? Do you think I know nothing just because I stay at home? Do you really think I don’t know what you and Sun-myung are worrying about right now?”
Lee Jong-moo seemed lost for words at his wife’s remark and quietly closed his eyes. After a moment of composing himself, he stood up.
“Why are you getting up before finishing your meal?”
“Would I have an appetite after you act like that? Once you’re done eating, come to my study.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Lee Jong-moo looked down at his wife, but she only focused on Park Jin-hyuk, not giving her husband a single glance whether he stayed or left. Once Lee Jong-moo was gone, the grandmother stroked Park Jin-hyuk’s back.
“Please understand him. It seems the company is in a bit of trouble lately.”
Park Jin-hyuk looked at the profile of his grandmother, who had a bitter expression. Whenever he met her, she had always acted as if outside affairs were the responsibility of her husband or children, never mentioning them in front of him. She was someone who never allowed anyone to talk about work at the dining table, so if she was speaking like this, the trouble at Dongjung Industry must be even greater than he felt.
“Don’t worry.”
Park Jin-hyuk reassured her with those short words. To her, those words felt more significant than any long explanation. Her eyes welled up again.
“Thank you.”
The two did not discuss anything related to the company further. However, with the words ‘don’t worry’ and ‘thank you,’ they had shared enough of a conversation. For the rest of the meal, his grandmother asked mundane questions as usual, and Park Jin-hyuk responded warmly to her as he finished his meal.
***
When Park Jin-hyuk arrived at the study after eating, Lee Jong-moo was sitting on the sofa looking anxious. He watched Park Jin-hyuk enter and did not hide his nervousness, speaking before Park Jin-hyuk could even sit down properly.
“I need you to help me.”
“What are you referring to? Is there something I can help you with, Chairman?”
Park Jin-hyuk sat on the sofa and feigned ignorance. Despite Jin-hyuk’s attitude, Lee Jong-moo decided to make a blunt request rather than engage in a psychological battle, focused on resolving the reality right in front of him.
“I need funds right now. I’ve learned that you can mobilize nearly 1 trillion in cash. Lend that to me for a while.”
It had barely been 1 week since the rumors started floating around the bottom of the market. And it had only been a few hours since the news was put on the broadcast to reach people’s ears directly. Yet, in that short time, Lee Jong-moo had finished his calculations and was asking Park Jin-hyuk for a favor. Considering that they were grandfather and grandson, and that there had been no transactions or help between them until now, Lee Jong-moo’s request seemed desperate enough to feel strange.
“I have heard the rumors as well.”
“Yes. Since you’ve heard, I won’t go into detail. I won’t give you some absurd story about paying it back within 1 year. Instead, if you want, I will match whatever conditions you desire, using whatever means necessary.”
“Please say that again.”
Park Jin-hyuk shook his head at Lee Jong-moo’s words. He turned his body toward Lee Jong-moo as if asking him to make the request again.
Lee Jong-moo stopped speaking for a moment and stared at Park Jin-hyuk. He seemed to be trying to read from his expression what words he was expecting. However, he could read nothing from Park Jin-hyuk’s expressionless face.
“Then you tell me. What is it that you want?”
“No. That’s not it.”
Park Jin-hyuk shook his head vigorously as if frustrated.
“What do you mean ‘that’s not it’?”
“Chairman, have you never made a request before? Telling me to name what I want… If I asked for Dongjung Industry, were you planning to give it to me?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“That’s why I’m frustrated. You must have a limit in mind, don’t you? A card you can play in exchange for me granting the favor. You have to show that first for me to decide whether to help or not. So, make a proposal again.”
Park Jin-hyuk was acting slyly, relishing the feeling of holding the handle of the sword in front of Lee Jong-moo.
In fact, Dongjung Industry was not a company that would collapse or be ruined just because of the 1 trillion they needed. However, the situation had become so tangled that the 1 trillion had become an urgent necessity.
Due to the Paris Flu, the global economy had frozen in both the consumption market and the industrial market for some time. Because people avoided contact, the market economy itself stopped moving, and the construction industry, which is closely related to market sensitivity, was hit particularly hard. Furthermore, as the consumption market cooled, oil prices plummeted. The Middle East was tightening spending to overcome the current situation, stopping projects under development or those planned for development. Because of this attitude from Middle Eastern countries, companies like Dongjung Industry, which had put great effort into entering the Middle East, found themselves in a difficult position.
To unravel this series of tangled threads, the Ramchattan project was absolutely necessary for Dongjung Industry. And Park Jin-hyuk, knowing this fact, also knew very well that Dongjung had no choice but him.
**[The funds currently circulating in the market have dried up. There is no place that can pull 1 trillion in cash in a short period of time.]**
At Hyun Yi-soo’s words, Park Jin-hyuk had come to this meeting with confidence.
“Chairman. It seems things are very difficult, so I will speak first.”
As if he had been waiting for Park Jin-hyuk’s words, Lee Jong-moo perked up his ears and listened intently.
“The money I will receive from selling Novo to DS Pharmaceutical… I am willing to invest that money in Dongjung Industry. But as you know, I have no intention of just handing over this money and taking interest like a bank.”
“Then what do you want?”
“The DS shares.”
“What did you say you want?”
“Acquire the DS shares under the name of Dongjung Industry and hand them over to me. I will replace the 1 trillion debt by receiving the DS stock.”
“Do you know what you’re saying right now?”
Lee Jong-moo tried his best to maintain a calm expression, but perhaps because he had heard something completely unexpected, his face changed rapidly several times in an instant.