The woman who opened the Daeseon Hall door recognized and brightened imdiately.
“It’s been a while.”
“President Kim! Long ti no see. I think the last ti was at Chairman Cheon’s funeral.”
Yeonhong, the third owner of Daeseon Hall, had known my grandfather as well.
Perhaps that was why her face showed such genuine warmth. I replied with a gentle smile.
“I’ve had a lot on my plate lately. Business still rough? I told you to take a break already.”
“Hoho, I’m still in my pri. And you know this isn’t about money.”
Yeonhong naturally greeted Chief Ma as well.
“Seokdae, long ti no see.”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s been a while.”
“There you go again—didn’t I tell you to just call noona?”
She sounded like she was scolding him, but there was a smile at the corner of her lips.
“I’m too old to call anyone that now.”
At Ma’s blunt reply, Yeonhong sighed.
“Ah... You were boring since you were little, still the sa now. President Kim, you must have it hard with him.”
“I’m fine. I actually find it easier that way.”
Yeonhong was also from the sa orphanage as Chief Ma. Her connection with my grandfather had begun back then.
“Co along. Myeonghun oppa is waiting for you.”
I followed Yeonhong into the main building. Inside, Ha Myeonghun was already there, waiting for .
“Sir. You’re here.”
When I stepped in, Ha Myeonghun rose from his seat and bowed deeply.
“Chairman, I told you there’s no need to be so formal.”
“This is how I’m comfortable. I’m sorry if it bothers you.”
Ha Myeonghun hadn’t changed a bit over ti. Maybe Chief Ma’s dry personality ca from him.
After brief greetings, I took the upper seat. Ha and Yeonhong sat to my left, Chief Ma to my right.
Even though Yeonhong’s feelings were obvious, Ha pretended not to notice.
“Are you two never getting married?”
“...”
“I’d like to see Chairman Ha and Sister Yeonhong live happily together. My grandfather would’ve wanted that too.”
Yeonhong’s face turned crimson. Ha glanced at her and replied quietly,
“Thank you for your concern. We’ll talk about it among ourselves.”
I didn’t press any further after his curt answer and simply nodded.
Enough small talk. Ti for business.
“Chairman, tomorrow Eva will move about twenty billion won from a secret account into Taesan Bank. It’ll arrive laundered, so handle it carefully. Please prepare old bills. I’ll send Chief Ma and staff after banking hours.”
“Understood. I’ll instruct the bank president personally.”
It was the presidential election season.
An election was a war over campaign funds.
The official election budget was capped by law—but it was never enough.
So every election season, conglorates were bled dry.
But calling it extortion was misleading—it was more like those conglorates were lending the money.
And presidents elected with those loans spent their terms paying the debt back, trapped in a vicious cycle.
“Two hundred billion won won’t be enough. That’s just to cover imdiate needs. We’ll probably need as much again. But if you think of it as the cost of making Yoon Changho president, it’s cheap.”
“Yes, we’ll assist however we can.”
“Oh, and President Yoon will soon apply for a loan from Taesan Bank—for campaign funds. It’ll be a formal election loan, so make sure it passes the review without issue.”
“Yes, I’ll handle that personally.”
We continued talking—instructions, economy, politics—until our tea had gone cold.
By the ti I stood, the evening had long deepened.
“It’s already this late. I should be going.”
When I rose, everyone else stood as well. Yeonhong asked with a faint smile,
“President, are you leaving already?”
“I’ve said what I needed to. If I stay longer, I’ll just be in the way of you two.”
“Hoho, you’re too thoughtful. Thank you, truly.”
She smiled softly, then lowered her voice as if rembering sothing.
“Oh, right. Your friend is here—in the annex.”
“A friend? I don’t think any of my friends would co sowhere like this...”
I tilted my head in puzzlent. Yeonhong blinked.
“President Lee Myungsoo didn’t tell you? I thought you ca knowing that.”
“Oh, Myungsoo. Who’s he with?”
“Speaker Yoo Nakhyun. They’re together. Seems they had an appointnt.”
So that’s why Myungsoo was here—to discuss the party rger.
“Speaker Yoo’s a regular here, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he’s been coming for years.”
“Well, since I’m already here, I might as well say hello.”
Yeonhong hesitated. She hadn’t ant to betray a guest’s privacy.
“I’ll make sure it doesn’t cause you any trouble.”
“All right. I’ll guide you.”
“You two stay here. I’ll be back soon—have so tea while you wait.”
I stopped Chief Ma and Ha Myeonghun from following and went with Yeonhong toward the annex.
“That way.”
“From here, I’ll take care of it. You can go back to the main building and enjoy the evening with them.”
“Yes, sir. If you need anything, just ring the bell. I’ll co myself.”
After she bowed and left, I slid the door open.
The air inside was heavy.
Speaker Yoo was standing, and Myungsoo’s face was stiff.
Both turned toward at once.
I greeted casually.
“Speaker Yoo Nakhyun, I’m Kim Muhyuk.”
“...”
Silence fell. Myungsoo’s eyes were filled with panic.
Out of sight from Yoo, his lips silently mouthed, What are you doing here?
“You invited him?”
Frowning, Yoo glared down at Myungsoo.
Before Myungsoo could answer, Yoo spoke again,
“Show so respect, Chancellor Lee. You called here in secret and bring soone else along? What is this?”
“Speaker, Myungsoo didn’t know. It was my idea, so please calm down. Let’s sit and talk.”
I sat next to Myungsoo first, and Yoo reluctantly sat down again.
“With political giants in one room, even the air feels heavy.”
I cracked a joke to ease the tension, pouring new drinks into fresh cups.
“Looks like Myungsoo caused trouble again. He’s not much of a talker—gets misunderstood often. Please be generous, Speaker.”
Yoo exhaled through his nose, clearly displeased. I smiled calmly.
“I can guess what you were discussing. But tell —why did President Yoon send Lee Myungsoo to et you instead of coming himself? Doesn’t that make this mood unnecessary?”
“...What are you implying?”
“If President Yoon and forr President Kim Mansam reach a deal, will there be any share left for you, Speaker?”
Yoo’s brow twitched. Then, like the old fox he was, he smoothed his expression.
“The forr president has already left the party.”
“And does leaving the party an he lost influence? He’s a forr president. Most sitting lawmakers entered politics under his wing. If he tells you to rge, can you say no?”
I placed three empty cups before , then opened a new bottle—not the one I’d been drinking.
“President Yoon was looking for Kim Mansam. But Myungsoo ca to you—to secure your stake. From the Centrist Party’s perspective, the Conservative Party is expendable. Yet they still want to bring you in. Why?”
I poured the liquor, sliding one glass toward Yoo and another to Myungsoo.
“New wine belongs in new wineskins.”
I said calmly and raised my glass.
“Political realignnt is inevitable. No one can stop it. The Conservatives are already crumbling—from Cheongpunghoe’s collapse to this latest military clique scandal. rging with the Centrist Party is their only lifeline. This is your last chance, Speaker.”
I downed my drink and continued.
“Ti matters. Once Yoon Changho becos president, there’ll be neither reason nor justification for a rger. Right now, your value is at its peak—you know that as well as I do.”
If the Conservatives failed to field a candidate—or if their candidate perford poorly—
then they’d be worthless rchandise.
They had to sell themselves now, while the wrapping still looked good.
I set my empty glass down with a soft click.
“Frankly, I don’t understand Myungsoo’s move. Why seek you out when there was an easier path? If we followed President Yoon’s plan, this would’ve been much simpler.”
Yoo’s expression hardened. He took it as an insult.
“You an to say you weren’t the one pulling the strings?”
“Haha, why would I? Even if I could, do you think I’d waste my ti giving orders to approach you, Speaker?”
“You... Kim Muhyuk, are you—”
I smirked. His delusion was almost pitiful.
A dog from an old noble house still thought he was royalty because people in Yeouido called him ‘Speaker.’
“Speaker Yoo, don’t misunderstand. It’s not that the rger can’t happen without you. Myungsoo is rely trying to take care of you as a senior.”
I glanced at Myungsoo, who sighed softly—but still finished his drink.
“Don’t get stubborn. Negotiate wisely. Myungsoo will treat you with due respect.”
Truth be told, even I didn’t know why Myungsoo chose this man.
I’d only told him to rge the two parties, not how.
And yet he’d gone and tried to coax this relic—this has-been who should’ve retired long ago.
“If you refuse Myungsoo’s goodwill, you won’t get another chance. Once we move forward, you’ll be excluded completely. The rger will happen regardless—because I’ll make it happen.”
“How arrogant. You think Choi Sunman will stay quiet? Even with his network crippled, he’s not soone you can dismiss.”
“See? You don’t even know what’s really going on.”
I turned to Myungsoo.
“Why pick Speaker Yoo as your partner? He doesn’t even grasp the situation.”
Myungsoo shrugged.
“He was my senior in school. And though he’s Conservative, his politics aren’t too far from ours. That’s all.”
“Still, why him?”
“I planned to propose the party leadership to him after the rger. But he wouldn’t even hear out, so... I’ll look for soone else. He’s not the only elder left.”
Even with Yoo sitting right there, we spoke freely.
“You were going to offer him the leadership? Why?”
“President Yoon said once he becos president, he’ll step down as party leader. I thought about recomnding one of his aides, but that felt too biased. The Speaker here seed like a good balance.”
For a mont, I was genuinely surprised. Was this really the sa Myungsoo I knew? When did he grow this much?
“Wait—did you just say you were going to offer the party leadership?”
Yoo suddenly jumped into the conversation, eyes wide. Myungsoo looked puzzled.
“Yes. But you didn’t even want to talk, so I couldn’t bring it up...”
“My word! That’s the first thing you should’ve said!”
“You stood up before I could. How was I supposed to say anything?”
Myungsoo sounded genuinely aggrieved. Yoo thumped his chest.
Well, well, I thought, watching him with quiet amusent.
The way Myungsoo lured him into his rhythm—impressive.
“No, no. We should’ve talked ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) it through. You need to lay the bait before you start the negotiation. You’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Yoo was desperate to seize back control.
“No need. You were too rigid, so I’ll find soone else. Doesn’t really have to be you, after all.”
It was transparent, but both of them—true to their politician natures—kept up the tug-of-war.
I just sat back and watched them spar, leisurely sipping my drink.
User Comments
0 comments from readers