As the strangers suddenly barged in, Manager Ma blocked them and asked,
“Who are you?”
One man stepped forward, as if to press back.
“Blue House Security Service.”
“And?”
At Manager Ma’s stiff reply, the man’s face showed surprise.
People usually bowed their heads at the ntion of the Blue House Security Service. This must have been his first ti seeing such a reaction.
“I said, Blue House Security Service.”
“And so? This room was assigned to my boss.”
“...This guy’s got guts.”
“And you’re being rude.”
While the two glared at each other in a silent contest, I studied the man’s face.
But I had never seen him before.
This must be Heo Jaebeom, the newly appointed Chief of Security.
I sat silently, listening to their exchange.
“That’s enough.”
An all-too-familiar voice ca from behind.
At President Kim Hakgwon’s single word, the n standing on either side stepped aside.
“Your na was Ma Seokdae, right? The Blue House works this way. Please understand. Would it be alright if we check for wiretaps or anything else in here?”
Manager Ma turned to . I rose from my seat and nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Manager Ma stepped aside, and the Blue House guards entered.
They searched the room thoroughly. Soon they confird nothing was there and left.
The man who had argued with Manager Ma reported to the President.
“Nothing here.”
President Kim Hakgwon nodded.
“I’ll go in alone.”
“Mr. President.”
“It’s fine. Block everyone else ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) outside.”
Kim Hakgwon patted the man’s shoulder with a smile.
The man reluctantly stepped back. Compared to the previous Security Chief, his authority seed weaker.
Kim Hakgwon entered the room and spoke to .
“I’d like to talk one-on-one.”
There was no reason to refuse. I gave Manager Ma a slight nod.
“Then I’ll wait outside.”
Bowing not to the President but to , Manager Ma left and closed the door.
“It’s been a while, President Kim Hakgwon.”
“Indeed, President. It’s been a long ti.”
I bowed lightly. Perhaps noticing my expression wasn’t bright, Kim Hakgwon spoke first.
“Chief Heo’s clumsy at his job. Please be understanding. He doesn’t know you well.”
The fewer who knew , the better. I always minimized information leaks. So it was only natural he didn’t know .
But the arrogance he showed just for being from the Blue House left a sour taste.
“I understand well enough, though I can’t say I liked it.”
“Hoho, yes. Let’s leave it at mutual understanding.”
Kim Hakgwon gave a genial smile.
“But are you planning to keep standing?”
Smiling, he sat first. I took a seat across from him.
For a while, silence filled the room. When he showed no sign of speaking, I opened first.
“I didn’t expect you to co in person.”
“With Chairman Song gone, I had to.”
“Public opinion won’t be kind. You aren’t exactly known for being pro-chaebol.”
“If I cared about politics, I couldn’t have co. I ca as a matter of human duty.”
Though he brushed it off lightly, I could tell this visit had taken no small resolve.
“...”
“My term has less than two years left. La-duck symptoms are creeping in. But thanks to you, maintaining good relations with the Centrist Party, state affairs are running without trouble.”
In a five-year presidential term, power weakens rapidly after the first year.
Yet compared to past presidents, Kim Hakgwon was carrying the governnt smoothly.
“Compared to your predecessor, it’s as if you have no la-duck at all. You overca the financial crisis well, and though not resolved fully, inter-Korean relations have seen a thaw.”
Indeed, thanks to his achievents, President Kim Hakgwon’s la-duck was minimal.
Normally, in the latter half of a term, the ruling party holds more sway than the president. But with the opposition holding a majority, the ruling party’s strength was naturally limited.
On top of that, factional strife within the Progressive Party was fierce, splitting over the nomination for the next president.
“Politics has never gone as planned. Let it flow as it will. And the next president won’t co from the Progressive Party anyway.”
Polls showed Centrist Party leader Yoon Changho far in the lead. His strength lay in not leaning left or right, but holding center firmly.
After a while of political talk, Kim Hakgwon dropped his smile and lowered his voice.
“There’s been contact from the North. They’re sending a mourning delegation. Have you heard anything about Pyongyang?”
“Is that true?”
“It ca through the ergency hotline.”
“Unexpected.”
The North had cut ties not only with the South, but also with China and Russia, focusing inward.
That their first reergence would be sending a mourning delegation to Chairman Song Youngjoo’s funeral—who would’ve thought.
“I was surprised too.”
“Who will lead the delegation?”
With all information from Pyongyang sealed, the identity of the leader was crucial.
It was the best chance to grasp a glimpse of the power map there.
But Kim Hakgwon shook his head.
“Not even the NIS, not even the U.S. knew of him. Na’s Bae Hoon. No details on age.”
“Bae Hoon?”
Even in the future I rembered, that na had never appeared.
Could this be soone who rose after the coup by Russian students in Pyongyang?
“And the others in the delegation—every one of them is unknown. Do you know anything?”
He looked at expectantly, but I too had never heard the na. I shook my head.
“First I’ve heard it. All our links with Pyongyang were cut. And with Wen Jiabao ousted, even our Chinese connection is gone.”
“So you don’t know either.”
Clicking his tongue in disappointnt, he quickly schooled his expression.
“When will the delegation arrive?”
“They’ll co by land, the sa route Chairman Song once took North. They’re due in Seoul at 8 tonight. The condolences will be offered early tomorrow morning.”
The funeral hall would need to be shut to others at that ti.
“We’ll have to control access to the hall.”
“No choice. The secretary is arranging it with the family. But really, there’s no option. The North also stressed this is not a party-level visit but a civilian one, perhaps to lessen the political burden.”
“Makes sense. Still, Bae Hoon... I’m curious. Any plan for them to visit the Blue House?”
Kim Hakgwon nodded.
“They said they’re bringing a personal letter from Kim Jongil. At last, a line to him is restored. Chairman Song left us with one final gift.”
“Let’s hope it leads to sothing good.”
“Before I leave office, I want to break ground in Kaesong.”
“I believe you will.”
With that, Kim Hakgwon stood first.
“I must be off. I have another schedule.”
I rose with him. Before leaving, he dropped a subtle line.
“President Kim, co here again tomorrow. No one in Seoul can talk with the North better than you.”
He was asking to draw out information from them.
Since I needed intel on the North, it wasn’t a bad offer.
“I’ll speak with them if I et them. I’m curious about Vice Director Jang Songthaek’s situation too.”
“He hasn’t been seen in months. Must’ve been purged.”
“Hm...”
“In Pyongyang, who would dare oppose Kim Jongil? Even family.”
After the coup, Kim Jongil made constant public appearances to show he was still standing.
But Jang Songthaek, once known as his number two, had disappeared without a trace.
He wasn’t alone. Many high-ranking figures in Pyongyang had vanished.
“I’ll really go now. If I linger, people will talk. I’ll summon you to the Blue House soon.”
As I moved to follow, Kim Hakgwon stopped .
“Understood. Then I’ll see you at the Blue House.”
“Good.”
He turned and left. Before the door closed, Manager Ma entered.
“Check how close Chairman Ha Myeonghun is.”
“Yes, Boss.”
While he called, I sat and dug through mories of my previous life.
But no matter how hard I thought, the na didn’t exist.
“Bae Hoon... How much has the power structure shifted that such an unknown erges?”
While I was deep in thought, Manager Ma finished his call.
“He’ll be here in thirty minutes.”
“Good. Wait outside. Bring Chairman Ha to when he arrives.”
“Yes, Boss.”
After he left, I again sank into thought. My mind chased one thread after another, endlessly.
When Ha Myeonghun arrived after paying respects, his face was heavy with sorrow.
Entering with Manager Ma, he bowed his head.
“It’s been a long ti, President.”
Whether it was age softening him, or the weight of becoming Chairman of Taesan Finance after my grandfather’s passing, his face now carried emotion.
It suited him better than before.
“Welco. Please, sit.”
Ha Myeonghun and Manager Ma sat.
“You were in the U.S.?”
“Yes, for the matter of establishing a branch on Wall Street. The local corporation is set, and once we’ve dispatched staff and hired there, operations will begin.”
Taesan Finance was establishing itself in the financial sector even faster than I expected. Proof of it was branches across the globe.
“Already a branch in the U.S.? It hasn’t been long since Hong Kong.”
“No matter how strong we are in Korea, there are limits. As you said, to make Taesan Finance one of the world’s leading firms, we must move fast.”
“You’re doing well.”
He was showing his capability fully.
Already number one among dostic banks, with its insurance, securities, and card companies ranking top as well.
“As much as you trust , I’ll grow Taesan Finance properly.”
“I trust you, of course. Still, with Chairman Song’s passing...”
“...An era has truly ended.”
I nodded. I could now read the longing in his words.
We reminisced about old tis with my grandfather and Chairman Song, sharing mories to honor him.
As the conversation wound down, Ha Myeonghun brought up sothing unexpected.
“President, have you t with the Myeongdong bosses lately?”
“No. Why ask about them?”
I had handed each of them their own lending firms and paid no attention since.
“There’s a strange rumor going around in Myeongdong.”
“A rumor?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
Lowering his voice, he said,
“They say there’s a loan shark approaching those who can’t get loans even from lending companies.”
“...Soone running moneylending in Myeongdong without my permission?”
Who the hell had the guts to try such a stunt? My brow furrowed naturally.
“I think it’s one of the Myeongdong bosses.”
If he was telling this, he must have been certain.
“Manager Ma, did you know?”
“I did not.”
“Right. I did leave Myeongdong affairs to them. Check the truth of this rumor.”
My voice was icy as I ordered.
If true—and if one of the Myeongdong bosses was behind it—I had no intention of forgiving it.
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