5:30 AM.
I, Lim Hyunjun, naturally opened my eyes even before the alarm went off.
It was a morning no different from usual.
Raising my body, I imdiately changed into workout clothes after just a quick wash.
After finishing light stretching in a corner of the bedroom, I quietly ca downstairs.
The living room was still quiet.
I opened the front door and stepped out.
Just because today was a special day didn't an anything was going to change.
Rather, it was my way to maintain the usual rhythm at tis like this.
Because it was an early hour, the air was cold and my ears were nipped.
Still, I started jogging while slowly warming up my body.
The course of running to the park near the house was very familiar now.
As my footsteps began to find a rhythm, my head gradually cleared.
Nothing like tension could be felt from .
Rather, I looked more peaceful than usual.
While I was in the middle of exercising, another preparation was in full swing inside the house.
As soon as she woke up, Kang Ji-yeon went up to her son's room and brought out the custom suit she had set out in advance.
She personally took out the iron and smoothed out the wrinkled areas.
“Since it’s an important day, it should be neat if possible.”
She muttered quietly while moving the iron here and there.
From the ends of the sleeves to the shoulder lines and the back panel.
She continued ironing with care as if not wanting to miss even a single small wrinkle.
Only after finishing all the work did she hang the completed suit on a hanger and quietly hang it in front of my room.
She touched the suit one last ti with her hand so that no wrinkles would form until her son returned.
Returning after finishing about an hour of running, I took off my sweat-soaked workout clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Fatigue completely vanished as I showered with warm water.
Only after neatly finishing shaving in front of the mirror did I head downstairs.
The house was full of delicious slls from the morning.
Seeing the food set on the table, it was much more full of sincerity than usual.
“Mom, why did you prepare so much in the morning?”
I swallowed my saliva as I sat in my seat.
Kang Ji-yeon replied while adjusting the position of a water cup for no reason.
“Since it’s an important day, you should eat well before going. Your stomach must be full to endure the day well.”
On the opposite side of the table, Lim Do-kyung was already keeping his spot.
He was soone who usually unfolded a newspaper and read every morning, but today he kept it folded and quietly picked up his utensils.
I examined the expressions of the two people.
They were full of tension.
I ate my al calmly as usual.
Then I said quietly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll do well and co back.”
“Of course, our son will do well. Mom believes in you.”
“Ahem.”
It beca quiet again.
After smiling softly, I finished the rest of the al heartily.
After taking a final sip of water, I rose from my seat.
“I enjoyed the al.”
Returning to my room, I looked at the suit hanging in front of the closet.
Seeing its crisp state, I could feel my mother's ticulous touch.
I put on the shirt and fastened the buttons one by one.
I also tied the necktie with the one prepared in advance.
Finally, I put on the jacket and stood in front of the full-length mirror.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I gave a small nod.
Now all preparations are finished.
When I, dressed neatly in a suit, ca down the stairs, my parents were already waiting in front of the entrance.
Kang Ji-yeon approached her son and ticulously rearranged the neatness of the necktie again.
While brushing off even invisible dust sitting on the jacket's shoulder, she opened her mouth cautiously.
“Hyunjun, greet the elders politely… and you must think carefully every ti you say a word before speaking.”
Worry was buried in her voice.
But at the sa ti, she couldn't hide her pride either.
My mother's complex heart was revealed exactly in my gaze.
My father also conveyed his heart through actions instead of words.
Lightly patting my shoulder a couple of tis, he said briefly.
“Go and do well. You’ll be fine.”
It was my father's characteristic blunt but warm encouragent.
I smiled brightly while looking at the two people.
And I bowed my head deeply to greet them.
“I’m going now.”
My appearance as I opened the front door and stepped out was very bold.
When I ca outside, a black sedan was waiting for quietly.
After greeting the driver, I opened the back door and got into the car.
Inside, Chairman Lim Man-seok, who was waiting, welcod .
“Has my boy arrived?”
“Grandfather, did you sleep well?”
“Yes, yes. I slept soundly. Did my boy sleep well too?”
“I slept well too.”
The two of us continued a friendly conversation.
Then, Chairman Lim Man-seok closely examined his grandson's appearance.
Seeing the calm expression as usual and the unwavering gaze, he couldn't find even a speck of tension.
He felt satisfied internally and turned his gaze out the car window.
He quietly closed his eyes while looking at the alleyway slowly moving away.
Today was not a simple eting.
It was the day Lim Hyunjun, the grandson of Chairman Lim Man-seok, was formally taking his first step onto the giant stage called the business world.
The car sped toward the city center quietly.
The place we finally arrived at was the private entrance of the reception wing behind the main building of Cheongwadae.
The car glided slowly inside.
Security personnel moved in an orderly fashion.
They checked the vehicle number, cross-referenced the passenger list, and scanned the surroundings with keen eyes.
They reported continuously while holding walkie-talkies, and their gestures exuded an atmosphere like trained soldiers.
Once the identification process ended, the Chairman's private entrance line opened imdiately.
A passage laid with a red carpet appeared like magic.
The protocol team lined up on both sides bowed their heads deeply.
The driver also seed tense as he caught his breath and carefully opened the car door.
His hand trembled minutely.
It was enough to feel how great the dignity of this place was.
Chairman Lim Man-seok got out of the car first.
Despite being nearly eighty years old, his shoulders were still upright.
The charisma of having dominated the business world for decades was embedded in his gait.
He looked neat with his gray hair perfectly combed back.
Following behind him, a young man with a sowhat young-looking impression dressed in a neat suit erged from the back seat.
Although at an early age of eighteen, a depth different from his peers could be felt in my gaze.
I was like soone who already knew the weight of the world.
I slowly looked around the surroundings while touching the necktie slightly with a familiar movent.
The deep interior of Cheongwadae was a first for .
Nevertheless, no tension could be found in my expression.
At least a leisureliness like that of a curious observer was felt.
As the Taegeukgi fluttered once in the wind, the sound of bodyguards moving in the distance was heard.
Other than that, it was a place where solemn silence flowed.
Chairman Lim Man-seok laughed briefly while looking at his grandson.
In that smile, pride and worry were mixed at the sa ti.
The deep wrinkles around his mouth were telling of his complex state of mind.
“I have only been to this kind of place a few tis myself. You must be the only person at your age to have co here.”
In those words, various emotions were mixed.
Pride and a bit of concern.
Because he was soone who knew the weight of the family carried through three generations better than anyone, he was worried if his grandson was entering this heavy world too early.
I bowed my head politely while reading my grandfather's complex state of mind.
My voice was calm, but contained a firm will.
“Since I’ve been invited, I should live up to that value, shouldn't I?”
It was an unexpected answer.
The Chairman nodded his head slowly.
His worry did not disappear, but at least he could confirm that I understood this situation properly.
The two of us headed to the reception room in the main building of Cheongwadae, following the staff mber who was guiding us.
While walking through the hallway, I was busy observing the surroundings while unconsciously slowing my footsteps.
Official portraits of successive presidents were hung on both sides of the hallway, and under each portrait, phrases containing their national managent philosophies were engraved in gold leaf.
The marble floor was polished like a mirror, so the chandeliers on the ceiling were reflected as they were.
Only the sound of the guiding staff mber's footsteps echoed quietly.
We finally arrived in front of the reception room.
Stopping for a mont in front of the massive door, the guiding staff mber spoke while bowing his waist.
“I will escort Chairman Lim Man-seok and Representative Lim Hyunjun inside.”
When the door opened, an elegant interior revealed itself.
Major figures from all walks of life had already arrived, and the interior was full of a heavy and serious atmosphere.
No matter where I turned my head, heads of large corporations who I might have seen at least once on television were gathered in one place.
I quietly scanned the interior.
The pillars, which modernly reinterpreted the architectural style of Joseon dynasty palaces, evoked a sense of grandeur and sophistication at the sa ti.
Dancheong was newly drawn on the ceiling with a modern sense.
Subtle lighting wrapped the entire interior with dignity.
Chairman Lim Man-seok called quietly.
“Hyunjun, look well at those people visible over there. The people in this place today are all people who can sway the future of this country.”
I nodded and looked at the figures in the interior once again.
They were conversing quietly in their respective spots, but I could tell how much impact each and every word of theirs could cause.
It was not just a eting place.
This was a point where power and influence intersected, and a secret stage where the future of the nation was decided.
And today, a young individual nad Lim Hyunjun had taken his first step on that stage.
I took a deep breath.
A long oval-shaped eting table was visible in the center.
Naplates of the participants were placed on the table made of high-quality solid wood.
I and Chairman Lim Man-seok walked to our respective spots.
Near the head of the table, Chairman Nam Kun-ho of Daehan Group was already sitting.
Even at over seventy years old, his gaze was still sharp.
His short-cropped white hair and the suit he was dressed in suited him very well.
A gold-colored pin sparkled on his necktie.
He checked the watch on his wrist occasionally.
Next to him, Chairman Lee Jin-cheol of Hanmyeong Group took his seat.
He was a few years older than Nam Kun-ho.
His face was also full of deep wrinkles.
Probably because of business difficulties that had continued for the past few years.
And major nas representing shipbuilding, energy, finance, and each industry were sitting side by side.
My seat was at the very end.
And Chairman Lim Man-seok's seat was right next to the head of the table.
I sat in the seat where the naplate was written.
Among the people with graying hair, my appearance felt exceptionally young.
No one ntioned it openly, but curious gazes were directed at .
I was waiting while enjoying those gazes when the reception room door opened.
The Minister of Industry and the Presidential Chief of Staff entered side by side.
Along with the appearance of the two, the atmosphere in the room stiffened in an instant.
The Minister of Industry was a figure in his late fifties, wearing a gray suit and gold-rimd glasses.
His impression looked fastidious thanks to his sowhat thin physique.
Compared to him, the Presidential Chief of Staff looked a bit younger.
The authority as a power player of Cheongwadae was evident in his expression.
He scanned the participants once with a sharp gaze and identified what kind of expression each was making.
As the two of us took our spots near the head of the table, the murmuring sound in the room completely disappeared.
Every participant straightened their posture and looked forward.
The voice of the Presidential Chief of Staff echoed in the room.
“I ask everyone to settle into their seats.”
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