A turbulent year had passed, and a new year began.
And as the new year started, soone ca from Japan.
The man who visited Pyeongchang-dong with the Japanese ambassador was completely unexpected.
Before the ambassador could even introduce him, I reached out my hand to the man who had co along.
“I’m Kim Muhyuk. Nice to et you.”
“Pleasure to et you. I am Koizumi Junichiro.”
Koizumi Junichiro had co to Korea in person.
To Koreans, he was still unfamiliar, but in Japan he was a heavyweight politician of the Liberal Democratic Party with considerable influence.
Even with power, no one had expected that he would beco the next Pri Minister. Not in Japan, nor in other countries.
And Koizumi Junichiro was also a man who walked a political line opposite to that of the current Pri Minister.
“Please, have a seat first.”
I led Koizumi and the Japanese ambassador into the study.
After showing them their seats, I naturally sat in the seat of honor.
At that, the ambassador glanced nervously at Koizumi, lips twitching as though he wanted to say sothing.
But Koizumi restrained him, sitting down as if nothing were amiss, wearing a broad smile.
“I’ve heard much about you.”
“Is that so?”
“I never imagined there would be an individual daring enough to challenge Japan itself. When I heard the details, I was both dumbfounded and impressed. On top of that, the fact that you are Korean as well.”
While flattering , Koizumi steered the conversation toward a tone that made it easier for him to speak.
He bore all the marks of a man seasoned in Japanese politics, but to my eyes, he looked like soone trying too hard to protect his pride.
“Of course, I knew about Dreamhigh. No one in Japan has °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° forgotten the incident from a few years ago when Wall Street moved and shook the Japanese economy. But that you were behind it all—I only learned that this ti.”
Manager Ma entered the study with a staff mber carrying drinks. His eyes were full of wariness.
As the drinks were set down and they moved to leave, I spoke to Manager Ma.
“Call President Han Kyungyeong to the study.”
Manager Ma bowed and left. I crossed my legs and gave a soft smile.
The fact that he made it so obvious that he disliked the idea of a Korean moving Dreamhigh to strike Japan was irritating.
“Does it matter that I’m Korean? Isn’t this the age of globalization?”
“That is true, but...”
“Perhaps your pride was hurt because a Korean attacked Japan? So you protested so strongly to our governnt? Did you think that would scare into backing down? If I were the sort to stop at that, I never would have started in the first place.”
Not only the Japanese ambassador, but even the Japanese Pri Minister had reportedly called President Kim Hakgwon personally.
Kim Hakgwon had passed it off, saying there was no legal ground to restrain , but relations between Japan and Korea were worsening day by day.
“From our perspective, we had to use every asure available to us. That isn’t wrong, is it? Just as Mr. Kim Muhyuk used every tool at his disposal, we acted the sa way.”
Koizumi spoke unfazed, despite my provocation.
But the ambassador beside him was not the sa.
“Perhaps the ambassador thinks differently.”
Since Koizumi had taken no hit, I turned my aim toward the ambassador.
Koizumi, too, shifted his gaze toward the man.
Suddenly the focus on him made the ambassador falter, but he quickly composed himself and said,
“No, that is not the case.”
Catching Koizumi’s face, the ambassador hastily bowed his head. The air in the study grew icy.
Just then, the door opened and Han Kyungyeong walked in.
Startled by the awkward atmosphere, he hesitated, then slowly ca over to my side.
“You called?”
“Yeah, sit down. I thought you should hear this too.”
At my words, Koizumi and Han Kyungyeong sat facing each other.
“You know the Japanese ambassador, right?”
“Yes. I t him once before.”
“The man beside him is soone who ca from Japan this ti.”
After the introduction, Han Kyungyeong rose again and extended his hand to Koizumi.
“Hello, I am Han Kyungyeong.”
“Pleasure to et you. I am Koizumi Junichiro.”
Koizumi also stood and clasped his hand.
After their handshake, they both sat down.
Thanks to the brief greeting, the cold atmosphere eased slightly.
“I’ve heard much about Mr. Han Kyungyeong.”
“Thank you.”
“How did you manage to achieve such success in Arica with an Asian body?”
“That question sounds odd. I am an Arican. Not Asian. And you, Koizumi, are also Asian—why do you insist on emphasizing it?”
Han Kyungyeong’s reply carried dignity. He had changed a great deal.
“Ah... that wasn’t my intention. If I gave the wrong impression, I apologize.”
Of course it was his intention. The rhetoric of lowering others and elevating oneself was a politician’s passive skill.
But Han Kyungyeong, having dealt with giants in Arica, no longer shrank before anyone.
“Let’s stop this here. Koizumi, tell why you’ve co.”
My words made clear we should drop the aningless contest of pride and get to the point.
“You didn’t co all this way for idle chatter. You didn’t just send the ambassador—you ca yourself. That ans you have business. Speak.”
“Before that, may I ask one question?”
Koizumi looked straight into my eyes. I gave a slight nod.
“This is a problem that could have been solved through dialogue. Did you really have to resort to such extre asures?”
“Extre?”
“Yes. I heard you even mobilized the Russian military. I don’t know how you did it, but that was a dangerous move that could have sparked a major conflict.”
Like the Aricans, the Japanese too seed to believe I had moved the Russian army.
I hadn’t expected Russia to deploy troops either. That happened solely because Japan had trampled on Russia’s pride, and Putin had responded.
I had told the U.S. it wasn’t , but I had no reason to correct Japan.
“I was that angry. Think about it the other way. If the Japanese ambassador had been attacked in Korea, what would you have done?”
“That is completely different. Comparing an ambassador representing Japan to a re investor is absurd.”
“No. Eva is a far more precious talent. After she was attacked, Japan pressured the U.S. and Korean governnts to hush it up quietly. Do you call that proper conduct?”
Koizumi started to say sothing, but I cut him off.
“I assu you don’t know all the details. I gave the Japanese governnt a chance. I warned them. But it was this ambassador—no, to be precise, it was the Pri Minister—who refused. Isn’t that so, Ambassador?”
The ambassador could not hide his dismay as the arrow turned to him.
“Am I wrong? I clearly told you before: convey my ssage to the Japanese governnt. Hand over the people involved. If that is too difficult, at least provide the information. But the Japanese governnt refused.”
Through the ambassador and other channels, I had passed my will to them.
But they ignored it, even adding pressure.
So I showed them my resolve. They had not imagined I would actually accept astronomical losses to attack.
“I believe I’ve answered your question enough. Now tell why you ca. I don’t want to waste ti with pointless chatter.”
“I see. I truly had no idea such things had happened.”
The Pri Minister’s sche was plain to see.
Recently, the “Kato Rebellion” had erupted in Japan. A group of non-mainstream LDP mbers had tried to support an opposition motion to dismiss the Pri Minister.
The rebellion failed, and Kato’s political career ended with it.
And Koizumi had risen to beco head of that faction.
‘Sending him to negotiate with without any knowledge ans they intend to dump all responsibility on him no matter what result cos.’
Japanese politics was their concern. I only needed the results I wanted.
“Now tell what you’ve brought. Japan’s position.”
Would it be a declaration of surrender? Or a threat?
I was curious what choice Japan had made.
“We will give you the information you want. Who attacked Representative Eva, and who was involved. But we cannot hand over our nationals.”
For a mont I was at a loss for words at his brazen tone.
“You cannot hand them over? Surely that’s not the end of what you have to say.”
“...”
Was that really it?
The look on Koizumi’s flustered face told it was.
“Listen. Did you co here to joke with , or to provoke further?”
“Did you truly think we would hand over our nationals to you? We will punish them ourselves. Please stop here. This is the greatest concession we can make.”
The way he spoke, as if bestowing a favor, was so absurd that I could not even get angry.
The money I had lost in this operation was astronomical. And yet he wanted to end it with just a few scraps of information?
Turning my head, I saw the sa expression on Han Kyungyeong’s face as on mine.
“If that’s all, then go back.”
“Mr. Kim Muhyuk. For the Japanese governnt to concede this much is unprecedented. We have never done this even for the Korean governnt. Let’s end it here.”
I doubted Koizumi would beco Pri Minister.
The current Pri Minister clearly intended to use this incident to wipe out all his rivals.
Seeing Koizumi, so confident yet ignorant of his own fate, I shook my head.
“You still don’t seem to understand the situation. Do you know how much money I put into this? If I planned to stop with just this, I never would have started.”
“That is why I’m telling you to stop. In the end, you’ll lose more than us. Why keep going when both sides suffer? Let’s finish it here.”
“Turning a blind eye to the bomb right in front of you out of pride—that is the classic Japanese way.”
“What did you say?”
If the country I had attacked this ti were Korea instead of Japan, they would not have held out even this long.
Only because Japan’s economy was strong—second only to Arica—could they endure at all.
I didn’t know whether they relied on that strength or clung to pride.
But I felt certain of one thing: they were a people without answers.
“If you want to surrender, then bring a surrender docunt. Otherwise, I won’t stop. Even if I lose every last cent. Either I lose all my wealth, or Japan’s economy collapses beyond recovery. One of the two.”
“Mr. Kim Muhyuk.”
“If you have nothing more to say, then leave.”
Despite my sharp tone, Koizumi only stared at with a stiff face.
But the ambassador fidgeted, panic written all over him, glancing between us.
“President Kim Muhyuk, if Congressman Koizumi leaves like this, it truly is the end. There will be no more room for negotiation.”
The ambassador tried to diate sohow, but I did not reply.
“Should I take this as aning you truly intend to go to the end? No matter how much money you have, Mr. Kim Muhyuk, we still have ans left.”
“That will be dealt with when the ti cos.”
I answered firmly, and Koizumi locked eyes with for a long while.
Finally, he let out a deep sigh and shook his head before speaking.
“Mr. Kim Muhyuk. Dismiss everyone else. Let’s speak alone, just the two of us. Is that acceptable?”
“Congressman.”
The ambassador called to him, but Koizumi kept his eyes on , ignoring the man.
“Fine. Brother, take the ambassador outside for a while.”
At my instruction, Han Kyungyeong nodded and rose.
“Ambassador, please step out as well.”
“I was ordered from the mainland to be present at every negotiation. I cannot.”
At those words, Koizumi glared at him with eyes full of contempt.
“Do you think I don’t know you’re the Pri Minister’s personal watchdog? I know very well you were sent to monitor .”
“Congressman...”
“Leave. I’ll handle the negotiations, and I’ll take responsibility. ...Just as the Pri Minister wishes.”
Watching Koizumi spit the words at the ambassador, I admired him inwardly.
So he knew. He had seen through the Pri Minister’s black sche.
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