There was a flicker of curiosity in Daigo Tadashige’s eyes as he studied .
I didn’t show it outwardly either, but I was watching him just as intently.
‘He looks like I could snap his neck at any mont...’
Daigo Tadashige looked frail enough to need a cane to walk.
His fra was small, his face wrinkled with age.
But his eyes—his eyes were alive.
“Why so cautious?”
Sensing my wariness, Daigo Tadashige spoke first.
“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I wasn’t? If soone I’m eting for the first ti knows both and Han Kyungyeong perfectly, anyone would be suspicious.”
I glanced around casually and continued,
“Besides, the mont you ca in, everyone else in this restaurant disappeared. Am I supposed to think that’s a coincidence?”
When Han Kyungyeong left, the people inside the restaurant had quietly left as well, one by one.
This was no coincidence.
Either his influence was greater than I expected, or this entire place had been filled with his people from the start—one of the two.
“Haha, no need to be so sharp. I just happened to have a brief connection with Chairman Cheon Taesan, so I wanted to see his successor with my own eyes.”
At the sudden ntion of that na, my body froze before I realized it.
He t my grandfather?
“You knew my grandfather?”
“I t him several tis in his youth. Alongside Kodama Yoshio. May I speak comfortably? Given my connection to your grandfather.”
“······As you wish.”
Speaking informally ant he saw as a junior, but that didn’t matter right now.
This was a rare chance to learn more about my grandfather.
To anyone else it might seem aningless, but to , it mattered.
“Let’s talk over so tea, shall we?”
Daigo Tadashige raised his hand.
“Bring two cups of hot tea.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Chairman. So he wasn’t even trying to hide it, despite knowing I had no fondness for Daedonghoe.
“Now, where was I?”
“You said you had a brief connection with my grandfather.”
“Ah, yes. I first t Chairman Cheon Taesan in Korea. It must have been around 1963 or 1964...”
Daigo Tadashige paused, recalling the past.
“Ah, yes. That’s right. When I visited Korea with Kodama Yoshio. I was still young back then.”
I pretended not to know the na and asked,
“Kodama Yoshio? Who’s that?”
“You don’t know of him?”
“Should I? Never heard the na.”
He frowned, clearly displeased, and I had to suppress a smirk.
Before I’d even learned what Daedonghoe was, I had never heard of any of their nas.
It was ridiculous to assu I’d know so Japanese man who’d died decades ago.
Arrogant to the core. Maybe he was a revered figure to them, but to , they were just the kind I despised.
“It doesn’t matter if others don’t know, but you should. Most of your family’s wealth ca from the funds that man invested in your grandfather. So yes—you should know him.”
“······.”
What the hell was that supposed to an? My expression stiffened involuntarily.
Daigo Tadashige pressed the advantage, his tone sharpening.
“Do you really believe your grandfather conquered Korea’s loan market with his bare hands?”
“I was told he started from nothing. After Japan’s defeat, when Japanese fled and abandoned their assets, he bought up forr Japanese-owned houses to raise capital.”
“Haha, co now. Where do you think the money to buy so many properties ca from? Not one or two, but dozens—hundreds of them.”
It took an imnse amount of money to seize the loan market.
My grandfather had never revealed where his starting capital ca from.
Could this man’s story be true? I said nothing and simply listened.
“It was Kodama Yoshio who lent him the money. Chairman Cheon used that as seed capital and built his fortune. The old man never expected it—he just lent it out because he admired a passionate young Korean. Then he forgot about it, or so he said.”
A man who seed to be Daigo’s secretary brought in two cups of tea and a small pot.
After neatly pouring the tea, he bowed and left.
Daigo lifted his cup and continued.
“When I visited Korea again with him, your grandfather was already a major figure in the loan market. That’s when I t him—during Japan and Korea’s normalization talks.”
My grandfather had never once ntioned this.
Not in my previous life, not in this one.
“I see. I had no idea.”
“Back then, Chairman Seo of Ilseong, Chairman Song of Daehyun, and Chairman Cheon of Myeongdong... they all got along well. They helped each other—and worked closely with Japan too.”
“······What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I’m wondering—why have you made Japan your enemy? And Ilseong Group as well? That’s what I ca to find out.”
So he hadn’t co because of my eting with Koizumi.
Feigning ignorance, I asked,
“And why should I tell you that?”
“Humor an old man’s curiosity, and I’ll give you a gift. How about it? Will you tell ?”
A gift, huh. I wondered what kind of card he ant to play.
Since he wasn’t soone who spoke idly, I replied evenly,
“Have you heard of a group called Cheongpunghoe?”
Daigo Tadashige nodded slightly.
Of course he had. They were the descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators, after all.
“I clashed with them. I’m sure you already know that much. Anyway, after that conflict, I destroyed them. But behind them were the Japanese yakuza. So I fought them too.”
Daigo sighed softly, intrigued.
He was telling to continue, so I did.
“They attacked my people first. So I retaliated. They provoked , and I simply repaid them. Ilseong was the sa. Nothing personal.”
I summarized what he likely already knew. He just wanted to hear it from directly.
“Haha! Rightly so. When you’re struck, you strike back. That’s the samurai spirit, isn’t it? I like that.”
Of course. He laughed loudly, satisfied. Samurai spirit, my ass.
“Good. You’re exactly as I imagined.”
“······.”
After laughing for a while, he spoke again with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Interesting. To think soone like you was born in Korea. If you’d been born in Japan, I’d have made you my successor.”
He downed his cold tea in a single gulp and slamd the cup onto the table.
At the sa ti, his smile vanished.
“But that’s enough. You should stop here. Reckless gas are for the young. I can’t let you run wild forever.”
The cold voice and the chill in his eyes—
No wonder they called him the shadow ruler of Japan.
If a voice could kill, it would feel like this.
“And if I don’t stop? That sounded like a threat.”
If I backed down here, there’d be no path forward. My reply ca just as cold.
“I’ve never once retreated. If blood must be spilled, I’m ready for that. So don’t waste your ti trying to scare .”
Daigo glared at with killing intent, but I didn’t flinch.
I simply t his gaze, steady, and lifted the cup to my lips.
The cold tea moistened my dry mouth.
“I have no intention of striking first unless provoked. Even now, we’re not joining the hedge funds attacking Japan, are we?”
“······.”
“I’m too busy to care about sothing this small. Japan isn’t worth my effort. Maybe others think differently, but to , that’s how it is.”
I finished speaking and took another sip of tea. A faint smile played on my lips.
While I drank, Daigo Tadashige said nothing. He just ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) glared silently.
“Bold one, aren’t you. To say such things in front of . Even your grandfather never spoke that way to my face. Then again, his end wasn’t so pleasant either.”
The ntion of my grandfather’s death ignited fury deep within .
He was saying it just to provoke . I kept calm and warned,
“Watch your words.”
“Haha, you really have no fear. Do you even know who I am?”
“How should I?”
“······Enough. I only ca to reminisce about old tis. Let’s stop here.”
Surprisingly, he was the one to back down first.
If I kept pushing now, I’d only lose face. So I yielded a step as well.
“If I acted rudely, I apologize.”
He waved dismissively.
“No, no. I provoked you first. Please forgive an old man. Seems age has made too competitive for my own good. I misjudged you—so consider it a fair hit.”
“······.”
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Even with his tone softened, he couldn’t quite hide his irritation—whether from my words about Japan or not getting the reaction he wanted.
“Oh, right. I owe you a gift.”
“A gift? That’s not necessary.”
“A promise is a promise. It’s nothing grand—you might not even like it. Leave Korea for a while. That’s the only way you’ll stay alive. Don’t take this advice lightly. Now then, farewell.”
Without waiting for a reply, Daigo turned and left.
I stood, watching until he was out of sight, then sat back down.
“Phew...”
Loosening my tie, I let out a deep sigh.
I took a few slow breaths to calm the murderous intent still pulsing through my chest.
Manager Ma brought a glass of cold water and set it before .
Only after downing it in one gulp did I feel my heartbeat settle.
“What did you think of him?”
Since I’d dismissed the bodyguards, Manager Ma hadn’t heard the conversation.
Trying to lighten the mood, I asked for his impression.
“I can’t say for sure. He’s... hard to read.”
I nodded slightly. I’d t him myself and couldn’t read him either.
“He told to leave Korea for a while. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought he was spouting nonsense...”
Did he really have that deep a connection with my grandfather? Otherwise, why bother giving a warning?
The unexpected eting left my head tangled with thoughts.
At the sa ti, it reaffird one thing:
I could never coexist with Daigo Tadashige—or Daedonghoe.
By afternoon, Han Kyungyeong and I arrived at the Yokohama International Stadium for the World Cup final.
Plenty of Koreans had co to cheer as well. We passed through them and entered the stadium.
We made our way to the VIP section on the upper level.
It was already packed. Even Brazil’s president and other dignitaries were present.
I spotted Koizumi talking animatedly with the Brazilian president. Our eyes t for a brief mont.
I gave a small nod; he returned it.
Looking around, I noticed Song Chanhyuk and Roman talking in the distance.
I approached and greeted them.
“Assemblyman Song.”
They both turned toward .
“President Kim, long ti no see.”
Song Chanhyuk greeted warmly—completely different from before.
After we exchanged greetings, Roman smiled.
“Charlie, good to see you.”
“Yeah. You too, Roman.”
We chatted lightly as the closing ceremony began.
Once it ended, the players started entering the field.
Brazil’s dream team—Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho—and Korea’s national team, rewriting history.
And then, in the middle of Japan—
the Korean national anthem began to echo.
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