Chapter 74

#74 <Hong Ki-jun (3)>

As Yoo Jun-sik hurriedly cleaned up the mess from the double-decker car, a calm voice reached his ears. It was the straightforward response of a Korean who upholds the Three Bonds and Five Relationships.

“Yes.”

Hong Ki-jun’s reaction was in stark contrast to the shock felt by Yoo Jun-sik, the second son. While anyone familiar with the Sein Group would be appalled, Hong Ki-jun remained as composed as a student who had been marked absent.

‘Haah. So this is what they call a sense of deprivation.’

Yoo Jun-sik’s head was spinning as if he had been hit on the back of the head. He had expected that his brother-in-law, being Yoo Se-ra’s husband, would be given a position, but to hand over the chemical division already? Even though Sein Chemical was struggling with losses every year, it was a company symbolic of the Sein Group. Just like Daesung Group’s Daesung Industries and Sooyoung Group’s Sooyoung Distribution, Sein Chemical was a cornerstone. The difference was that while the founding companies of Daesung and Sooyoung had fallen to the status of hole-in-the-wall shops, Sein Chemical still held its ground in scale compared to other subsidiaries.

Handing over the crown jewel, the first company founded by the founder?

Yoo Jun-sik immediately understood Yoo Myung-sun’s intention.

‘Succession has been decided.’

Even setting aside the unconventional nature of the decision, it was too early. Hong Ki-jun was only thirty-nine. Yoo Jun-sik, at forty-one, was still considered young and was only serving as the vice president of the heavy industry division.

Yoo Jun-sik bit his lip until it bled.

It hadn’t even been five years since he heard that his brother-in-law, who had been working at Daesung Electronics, suddenly resigned and went to see his father.

He was already dissatisfied with the hotel being handed over to his younger sister Yoo Se-ra, but now even major subsidiaries were being handed over to his brother-in-law, not even his own daughter.

“Ahem-.”

Perhaps enjoying the silence dominated by shock, Yoo Myung-sun leaned back on the sofa with a light cough, as if giving enough time for thought. A satisfied smile, tinged with pleasure, appeared on the old man’s lips. To Yoo Jun-sik, it was an infuriating smile.

“Jun-sik, you know what Hong has done, don’t you?”

“Yes, well…”

How could he not know about his brother-in-law, who had been making headlines every day? If he said he didn’t know, he would be kicked out immediately, just like his brother.

But still, a son-in-law is not family, right?

“Father, Sein is our Yoo family-.”

“Yes. The Yoo family built it. But it will be Hong who makes it even more glorious.”

Damn it. Already flustered and at a loss for words, Yoo Jun-sik felt like crying tears of blood when his father cut him off.

“And don’t forget. Se-ra is also a Yoo. She’s my child, no one else.”

That was the final blow.

His father had never discriminated between sons and daughters since they were young. He didn’t push for strategic marriages like other shallow chaebol families and didn’t interfere with his children’s relationships. Yoo Myung-sun was a chaebol who had walked a different path early on, like a lotus flower.

“After running him ragged, I realized how capable he is and what a precious person he is. What Hong has achieved in three years surpasses Sein’s achievements over thirty years. I can trust him with this. And with that level of skill, he should be able to get Sein Chemical, which is drowning in losses, back on track.”

This is nonsense. With core technologies stolen and product development failures, the subsidiary’s fate is nothing but liquidation. Yet, he’s being asked to turn the company around. This could only be explained as an acknowledgment of the status Chemical holds.

‘This is nothing short of groveling.’

It’s like kneeling before his son-in-law, begging him to save the struggling chemical division. Knowing how much his father respected and missed his grandfather, the founder, Yoo Jun-sik read between the lines accurately. And he clearly understood his own position.

So, he firmly decided on his course of action.

He bowed respectfully to his brother-in-law.

“Well, I’ll be in your care, brother-in-law.”

“Please help me a lot, brother.”

Hong Ki-jun didn’t seem wary. Only then did Yoo Jun-sik cautiously exhale the air trapped in his lungs.

He had always been confident that he could surpass his incompetent brother. So, he had even considered joining hands with his less capable brother to keep his brother-in-law in check. But now, it seemed that to survive, he needed to cut ties rather than join hands.

‘He wouldn’t hand over the company to someone with a different surname, would he?’ That thought had made him overly complacent. Looking at other chaebols, there was no owner who would do such a thing, so it was natural to think that way. But he had forgotten that his father was someone who thought differently.

Yoo Jun-sik swallowed his bitterness as he imagined tomorrow’s newspaper headlines.

「Sein Group’s Successor: Yoo Myung-sun’s Son-in-law Hong Ki-jun Appointed as President of Sein Electronics in a Groundbreaking Move.」

Something like that, right?

Yoo Myung-sun subtly took Hong Ki-jun’s hand.

As if to say not to worry, Hong Ki-jun firmly met his father-in-law’s gaze.

Seeing that, Yoo Jun-sik once again tasted bitterness.

He had lived without want since he was young. No, he had grown up wealthier than anyone. What belonged to his father would eventually belong to him and his brother Yoo Mun-sik. He thought the company would be the same. But as the company grew and established itself as a group, the line of sight became blurred.

His father, Chairman Yoo Myung-sun, sent his younger sister Yoo Se-ra abroad and then brought her into the company’s management. And because she did well, he handed over the department store and hotel businesses to her.

But what?

‘A son-in-law.’

It’s all over.

He soothed his parched lips with the cooled double-decker tea.

His father, Chairman Yoo Myung-sun, interrupted Yoo Jun-sik’s thoughts.

“Jun-sik.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Soon, the machinery and distribution divisions will also bear the Sein name.”

Meaning the group would expand and restructure.

Yoo Jun-sik narrowed his eyes and began to think. There would be more to eat in the future. If he tried to stuff more into his mouth while it was already full, he might end up spitting out what he already had.

“If you’re given management, then manage. Don’t mess around. You should also go to the machinery division and become president, right?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Father.”

“Will you come for Chuseok?”

“Of course, Father.”

“Good. You can go now. Today, I’m playing Go with Hong.”

*

Yoo Jun-sik brushed off his chest and left Chairman Yoo Myung-sun’s house.

One might think he was being neglected as a son, but as a father who cherished his family, it was obvious that Yoo Myung-sun would take care of Yoo Mun-sik in ways seen and unseen. It just meant that his position in the company had been taken away. It was just a way to scare him into doing his job properly in front of his siblings. His father’s temperament, which he had seen since childhood, was uniquely eccentric.

‘He only keeps those who prove themselves around him.’

Sein Machinery…

What should I do?

Yoo Jun-sik stopped in the garden and turned his head toward the reception room. His brother-in-law sitting there seemed all the more impressive. There are people whose mere presence makes you shrink. His grandfather was like that, and so was his father.

And…

‘Hong Ki-jun.’

Judging by his usual behavior, he was just a saintly figure. Like a cat purring in Yoo Se-ra’s arms. But now, he had become a tiger ready to devour the group.

Yoo Jun-sik nodded.

Even without outstanding skills, there’s a reason I’ve survived this long.

Instinct and tact.

Not provoking the tiger and not doing anything to get on its bad side.

Pride?

Look at all the mouths to feed. Look at all the things I want.

‘He must mean for me to go to the machinery division and help my brother-in-law.’

Yoo Jun-sik decided to discuss the business direction of Sein Machinery with his brother-in-law.

When you think about it, he was just telling me to manage it that way going forward, so I was overthinking it.

***

As the sun set, a purple cloak began to drape over the fields. Han Yu-young, who spent most of her day in the kitchen, watched the changing scenery in real-time, her eyes filled with the wonder of a child.

From the kitchen, where she spent most of her day, she could see the stream in front of the house and the road. While preparing dinner, Han Yu-young made a surprised sound.

“Oppa, look over there.”

“Why? Are geese flying by?”

Son Kwang-yeon’s gaze followed his wife’s finger. Like a gentlemanly Seoul man, he subtly touched his wife’s waist.

A line of cars moving in formation came into view. They were all black sedans.

“Could they be the people who came to see the land?”

“Really? I’ve been seeing them almost every day lately.”

It’s a neighborhood where cars don’t pass by often. Seeing several cars racing in unison was naturally unfamiliar. And it had been happening for several days.

Son Kwang-yeon scratched his beard. He seemed to think it was nothing.

“Ah, they must be going back since it’s sunset.”

“Really?”

To Han Yu-young, it was a strange sight. Even though the countryside is vast, cars that were never seen before were racing every day at the same time. There’s no company nearby.

“It’s like office workers commuting.”

As she said that, Han Yu-young shook off her unease.

At that moment, Jin Hyuk was pacing the rooftop with Yoo Jin in his arms.

After school, visiting the flower garden with his younger sister was part of his daily routine.

“Yoo Jin, look at all those cars.”

“Wow, so many cars, right?”

Yoo Jin wiggled her buttocks while being held by her brother. Jin Hyuk, worried his sister might fall, tightened his grip, and his brow furrowed.

“Yeah…”

There are too many. It’s suspicious how they all leave at once.

Since he was at school during the day, he had no way of knowing what these people were doing. His mother also said she didn’t know. He just thought they were people who came to see the land.

According to his mother, they appear almost every day. He couldn’t tell if they were the same cars, but what land are they looking at every day? Are they addicted to some kind of land drug?

‘Four cars.’

Something’s definitely suspicious.

They were too far to see the license plates, but they were the same model.

They seemed to park in hidden places here and there so as not to obstruct the passage of tractors or farm equipment. Jin Hyuk didn’t see any cars on his running route.

‘Should I run by the stream tomorrow?’

He couldn’t ignore the ominous feeling. Usually, ominous feelings turn out to be true, don’t they? If something were to happen to his family, he wouldn’t be able to bear the regret. So, he decided to investigate.

‘If they’re those kinds of people, then it’s their mistake for catching my eye.’

Since his parents were going on a trip, there couldn’t be a better time.

He must have frowned without realizing it.

Yoo Jin stroked her brother’s cheek.

“Smile. Oppa, smile.”

“Nehehehe-, okay. Like this? Like this? Nehehe-.”

Jin Hyuk, who usually finds it awkward to smile, turns into a fool grinning from ear to ear when he sees his sister.

Perhaps because he was moving unfamiliar muscles, his cheeks twitched grotesquely.

“Neh, ehehe-.”

“Nehehe-.”

“Ehehe-.”

The brother and sister, nine years apart, laughed like fools for a while before coming down from the rooftop.

“Dad, there are too many strange cars in the neighborhood lately.”

“Leave them be. The land scouts will stop eventually. It’s not a recent thing, I heard. Come on, let’s play a game of Go!”

“……”

As if worries were someone else’s business, his dad naturally took out the Go board.

The term “land scouts” probably isn’t the right word to use here, but when Dad says it, it sounds oddly convincing.

By the way, this dad is also suspicious.

‘He seems to know something. Doesn’t this dad have too many secrets?’

Jin Hyuk narrowed his eyes.

Although his dad is usually cheerful, he acts particularly exaggerated when he has something he can’t talk about.

‘That makes me even more curious. I’ll have to quietly find out.’

It’s time to stop just going with the flow.

I plan to look into anything even slightly suspicious.

I even started having the audacious thought of uncovering Dad’s secrets.

“Jin Hyuk, Mom told Mi-kyung’s family-. Ah, I’m so sorry about this.”

“It’s okay. Think of it as a honeymoon and enjoy your trip.”

Jin Hyuk gave a wide smile to his mom, who was rubbing her hands together like flies, genuinely sorry. He likes his mom the most, who is the most deep-hearted but can’t hide her emotions.

As I said before, I wanted to give Mom a vacation too.

“It’ll be fun staying with the baby.”

“Will it be fun? Thump thump-.”

Yoo Jin seemed to share her brother’s thoughts.

She swung her arms above her head and ran around the living room. Her hopping resembled a wallaby.

“Eengkeumeengkeum! Eengkeumeengkeum!”

What does that mean? Well, judging by her actions, it seemed to mean she was excited. The corners of the parents’ and brother’s mouths lifted as they watched the baby.