"Oppa!"
Song Hyeonji ran toward , calling out from afar.
Even in the middle of bustling Myeongdong, she didn’t care at all.
"Am I late? I don’t think so—I ca right on ti."
"You’re not late. I just ca early."
Because of her studying for the college entrance exam and my own hectic schedule, we hadn’t been able to et properly for a while.
But now that the exam was over, she’d basically threatened into making ti for Christmas Eve. So I didn’t schedule anything else today.
"You got your score report, right?"
"Oppa, do you really have to bring that up on a day like this? You’re such an old man."
"Ha ha."
I tried to laugh it off awkwardly, but Song Hyeonji seized the mont and kept firing.
"I told you before, but you overthink things too much. Stop acting like you’re so old guy."
Well, I actually was older.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Myeongdong beca packed with couples and families.
"I know a really good place! Do you like Thai food?"
"Whatever... Just pick what you want to eat."
"Let’s go!"
Song Hyeonji casually linked arms with and started walking, pulling along.
"This place is seriously good. Have you ever been to Thailand?"
"Hmm... Once or twice?"
"Was it nice? I haven’t been abroad even once. But you go to the U.S. all the ti."
"Once you’re in college next year, let’s go together. Is there sowhere you want to visit?"
"Really? Will Grandpa even allow it?"
Even while waiting for our food after ordering, the conversation didn’t stop.
"Which university are you thinking of going to?"
"I don’t think I’ll make it into Korea National... Grandpa says if I’m not going there, I should study abroad."
"Chairman Song said that?"
Chairman Song was the kind of man who didn’t send his kids overseas to study.
He’d let them graduate from any university in Seoul and then throw them right into the field.
Maybe it was because he believed that real experience ca from working, not school.
Though tis had changed and now the third generation were all studying abroad, it usually happened after graduating from university in Korea.
"But I want to experience college life in Korea."
"You’ll get into Korea National. Don’t worry."
"Yeah, yeah. ‘Studying was always easy for !’"
"..."
Why did I say that.
Not long after, the food Hyeonji had ordered arrived.
"Oppa, try it. It’s really good."
Her eyes were still fixed on the food as she spoke and started eating with her chopsticks.
"You’re not eating?"
When she noticed I was just watching her eat, she finally looked at .
"I will. You eat a lot too."
"Okay."
After finishing our al, we went to a nearby café. On Christmas Eve, it was almost impossible to find an empty seat in Myeongdong, but thankfully one opened up.
"Let’s get a parfait!"
I nodded at Hyeonji’s suggestion.
"I’m twenty now."
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah. Now I can do what I want."
A small laugh escaped .
"Why are you laughing?"
"No... You sound like you’re expecting college life to be like a drama."
"Huh?"
"Hate to break it to you, but it’s not like that. Studying, and more studying! It’s just an extension of high school."
"Please don’t say that."
"At least in my experience, that’s what it’s like."
"That’s just you being boring. There’s mixers, group trips, rock cafes, clubs... So much to enjoy. How can you only study?"
"Most students live like that. Though I guess you won’t have to worry as much."
"What does that even an? Don’t talk like an old man."
Hyeonji pouted her lips.
"Wait... are you planning to go on mixers?"
I asked without thinking—it bothered .
Hyeonji grinned playfully.
"Why, what? You never give a clear answer. Don’t like it?"
"..."
"See? Can’t even say anything."
Maybe I was keeping my distance because of the scars from my past life.
"It does bother ."
"What the heck. Have you even dated before?"
She was teasing , but she looked oddly pleased.
"Anyway, I’m against mixers."
"You’re ridiculous. At least be clear! You’re no fun."
Though she said that, her face was glowing with a smile, already used to my tone.
"It’s ti to head ho now, right? You're staying at Chairman Song’s tonight, right?"
"Yeah. Until the end of the year."
"I’ll take you there."
The café that was so noisy when we first ca in had now quieted down quite a bit.
When I got up, Hyeonji packed her bag and stood up too.
Outside, though it was late, Myeongdong still felt lively. As we stepped out onto the main road, Chief Ma, who had been standing by nearby, pulled the car up for us.
"This was fun. When I’m with you, I don’t have to watch my back. That’s what I like."
Even though she grew up with her maternal family, a chaebol heiress’s life was anything but free.
After saying that, Hyeonji closed her eyes and leaned on my shoulder. She dozed off for a bit.
I didn’t want to wake her, so I just kept staring out the window.
Or rather, at her reflection in the window.
Without realizing it, a smile crept onto my face.
When we arrived in front of Chairman Song’s ho, snow had begun to fall.
It was a white Christmas.
"Hyeonji, ti to wake up. We’re here."
"Mmm..."
She rubbed her eyes and sat up.
I chuckled.
"Sorry, I dozed off."
"You must’ve been tired."
"I got to chat and laugh a lot today for the first ti in a while."
She stretched, wide awake now, and opened the car door in one motion.
"It’s snowing!"
She stepped out into the falling snow, gazing up at the sky.
I got out as well.
"It’s cold. Go inside now."
While looking at the sky, Hyeonji shot a glare.
"Oppa, are you emotionally dead? It’s not just snow. It’s a white Christmas!"
"Snow’s just snow. What else would it be."
"You’ve got no feelings. None. Ugh..."
Hyeonji stared at .
"What? Do I have sothing on my face?"
"No, you’re good-looking, but... your face is clearly in your twenties, and yet you talk like so middle-aged man. It’s kind of surreal."
"Hahaha."
Her expression was so serious, I couldn’t help laughing.
And then it happened.
She stepped forward suddenly, rose up on tiptoe, and kissed lightly on the lips.
"That’s all for today! Bye, oppa!"
Then she scampered into the house.
I touched my lips as I watched her disappear inside.
I was flustered... but also happy.
It was the first emotion I’d truly felt since returning.
And it wasn’t a bad feeling at all.
* * *
1996 had passed, and ti kept moving.
People were in shock from the sudden disbandnt of Seo Taiji and Boys at the start of the year.
In April, the ruling party suffered a crushing defeat in the general elections. The president started scrambling to shore up his base.
A weakened presidency ant the Cheongpunghoe now had more space to exert political influence again.
anwhile, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party regained power, signaling a shift toward conservatism. That ant more funds would flow into Cheongpunghoe.
Though noisy, the effort to unify all the gangs in Seoul under Park Dongsu eventually succeeded—through my financial support and relentless suppression of opposition, everything ca together as one.
A complete unification of Seoul’s underworld, sothing no one had ever achieved before.
Park Dongsu beca Chairman, and the elders were seated as board mbers, giving the group the appearance of a proper company.
"Chairman Park."
"Ha ha. Chiara."
"Are you feeling good?"
"Wouldn’t you? No one else pulled this off."
It was true. Korea’s underworld had always been a constant power struggle.
Even gangsters protected by politicians never managed to unify all of Seoul.
But tis had changed.
Loyalty? Romance? All crap.
In the end, it was money.
You could tell just by looking at how much I invested in this plan.
"What about the regional gangs?"
"Need to start wrapping them up gently. They either join us or get cleaned up."
"It’d be best to bring them in if possible."
"I’d like that too. But it’s easier said than done."
"Use the board mbers wisely."
Park Dongsu gave a small nod.
"What about the Chinese and Southeast Asian groups?"
"Not much activity. They don’t clash with us much. They control the drug trade. At the last general assembly, a lot of them were grumbling."
Drugs could never truly be eradicated.
"For now, just keep them appeased."
"Got it."
I didn’t need to co forward directly. Controlling the underworld through Park Dongsu was the best strategy.
"Let pour you a drink. Congratulations, truly."
"Thanks. It’s all thanks to you. No—because you built this foundation for ."
"You’re exaggerating. Focus on construction and security services. Avoid violence as much as possible. There’s plenty to earn just from construction."
No redevelopnt ever happened without hired security.
Even major corporations had to use such companies to get the job done.
"So, tell . What do you want to do next?"
He handed the glass after taking a sip.
"The Yakuza are going to enter Korea. I’m guessing they’ll co through Busan, but we’ll need ti to confirm."
"Hmm... There are plenty of guys in Busan with ties to the Yakuza."
"So will likely join forces. Keep a close eye on Busan at all tis."
"Understood."
No matter how tightly you locked it down, dissenters would always erge.
So would fall for money, so to violence, and so out of discontent toward Dongsu.
"Your next task is to align all gangs nationwide on our side. Use money, force, whatever it takes. That cos first."
"Got it."
He sipped his drink, lost in thought.
‘Cheongpunghoe is too quiet...’
They’d lost all their watchdogs in {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Gangnam. Yet they hadn’t lifted a finger while Dongsu unified the underworld.
‘I guess it’s not a bad thing.’
I decided to take it as a positive.
Our drinking session continued deep into the night.
Seeing this major pillar of power solidifying as planned put in a good mood.
* * *
"Grandfather, it’s Muhyuk."
"Co in."
As I entered the study, Grandfather turned from where he’d been looking out the window.
Outside, autumn had deepened, and the foliage burned red and orange.
Over the past year, his face had noticeably aged.
"Shall I call in Manager Ha too?"
Though he looked puzzled, Grandfather nodded and summoned Ha Myeonghun.
"I’d like to convert all your liquid assets into dollars."
I had already recovered all the corporate bonds. By my calculations, Grandfather had about 3 trillion won in cash, not counting the stocks, real estate, and other assets already in my control.
"Hmm..."
People knowledgeable in finance were already wary of short-term foreign debt risk.
And thanks to my repeated urging, Grandfather had picked up on it faster than others.
"Next year, the dollar exchange rate will rise, and it’ll beco harder to obtain dollars. I believe now is the ti to stop lending money and begin converting everything to USD."
"Myeonghun, what do you think?"
"There’s logic in the young master’s reasoning. But converting all of the Chairman’s cash holdings into dollars won’t be easy."
"I’m aware. But if we start now, we can make the transition slowly."
By next year, with the governnt focused on defending the won, it would beco even harder. The sooner we started, the smoother it would go.
"A ti will co when dollars equal power. Please trust one more ti, Grandfather."
Just like in his pri during the 1970s, the day would co when conglorate chairn ca crawling to Pyeongchang-dong begging to borrow money again.
Not in won—but in dollars.
< That’s all for today! > End.
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