[218] Front wave 2
“Do you consider it?”
“yes.”
“It’s a bit shabby to say that it’s a regular restaurant for Lee In-ja of the Sunyang Group.”
“It’s just the appearance.”
The place I ran after receiving a call from Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-seok was a narrow alley in Seocho-dong.
The stairs going down to the basement, where only one signboard reading < 象 > hung, was also narrow.
“The interior is not very large, but the interior is usually not high-end. Besides, the price of alcohol is expensive enough to hit the back of most room salons.”
Being overpriced is a good way to keep anyone out.
“It is a person who spends a lot of money to meet quietly. Good job.”
Yunseok Kim bowed his head and turned around. I didn’t say that I would wait until it was finished like before.
The eyes of several Sunyang Security employees who glared at him fiercely would sting.
When I go down the stairs and open the door, a young man in a vest and bow tie bends down and rolls his eyes.
It must be because he’s a young guy who doesn’t fit in here.
“Chief Lee Hak-jae, are you inside?”
The young man’s expression brightens.
“Ah, you’re a couple. come this way I will see you.”
Following the employee and looking around the room, what Kim Yun-seok said was true.
It was decorated in gold all over as if people without money should not set foot in it.
Manager Lee Hak-jae was sitting at the bar.
Across the bar, a middle-aged woman who must have been a great beauty when she was young was talking to him with a smile.
Come to think of it, there were no young women here. Only a few normal middle-aged women are shown so that they can only drink and not be distracted.
I approached Chief Lee Hak-jae and quietly called him.
“Chief.”
“huh? uh? Do-joon!”
He was so surprised that he dropped the glass he was bringing to his mouth. He bowed his head towards him.
“how are you?”
“How is this… ah… Yunseok Kim told me.”
“yes.”
“Sit down for now. Ah, it looks like I have a lot to say, so shall we move to a more comfortable seat?”
Lee Hak-jae, who was about to take the stand chair, winked at the middle-aged woman and stood up.
A moment ago, the young fellow rushed over and led us to a small room on the other side with a curtain instead of a door.
When the table was set again, Manager Lee Hak-jae raised a bottle of alcohol.
“Would you like a drink?”
I quietly raised my glass.
He said while drinking.
“Seeing you do something you shouldn’t do… Did something serious happen?”
“I was serious from the moment I took over the financial affiliate.”
“Eomsal is… that’s enough. I heard you left most of it to the executives?”
“yes.”
“You decide all the big things?”
“Not really. I only get reports on changes or big issues every day.”
Lee Hak-jae showed a strange smile, filled his glass with alcohol, and raised his glass.
I quickly raised my glass and bumped it slightly.
“So, what is the business that came so suddenly?”
“What do you think?”
Lee Hak-jae, who put down his glass, frowned slightly.
“Anyway, you show off your cheeky side sometimes. That’s not good.”
“Aren’t you a lot more polite than my cousins though?”
“Your cousin’s stupid, but he’s not even rude.”
In an instant, the two of us met eyes and burst into laughter at the same time.
“Tell me what?”
I swallowed and said quietly.
“I risked my rudeness to ask you to be on my side.”
“Your side?”
“yes.”
The word side gets more complicated as you get older.
The same side of childhood means a friend in an equal relationship.
But as we grow older, even enemies can become allies for the common good. Even if they are on the same side, most of them are not equal, but superior and subordinate.
Some are called secretaries, some are employees, and even bodyguards are on the same side.
Lee Hak-jae’s crooked corners of the mouth tell the story. He misunderstood me. Misunderstandings will all be cleared up after this drinking party, so there was no need to elaborate.
“The strongest person in Korea is on your side, what do you regret? Have you become greedy now?”
“Since I came out of my grandfather’s arms, he is no longer on my side. It’s about the supporters in the cheering seats.”
“no. The president can jump back into the playground at any time. This is not a stakes issue. Even if he has no stock, everyone will line up behind the chairman. All of Sunyang’s executives are on the chairman’s side.”
“Isn’t that what the manager wants?”
“what?!”
Did you stab it right?
The much redder face is not necessarily because of alcohol.
“Grandpa will continue to watch over you. Even if the ship called Sunyang sank, he would not come out.”
“How are you so sure?”
“Looking at the Chunyang Card incident, I was convinced. Vice-Chairman Dong-gi Jin, the second eldest father,’s share has been drastically reduced. The picture of the grandfather leading the group with the two brothers balancing has been shattered. Still, you didn’t say anything. Besides…”
He quenched his throat with a sip of alcohol.
“The Chunyang Card went into someone else’s hands. Oh, of course, you didn’t deserve the credit card business, but aren’t you the kind of person who absolutely can’t stand Sunyang’s name falling? Even so, he did it as if he were blaspheming someone else’s house. You have solidified your retirement.”
Lee Hak-jae, who had regained his composure, just listened to my words. But his expression gradually changed. Contrary to what I thought…
the faint smile doesn’t disappear.
“It goes the way the president wants, so it’s okay. Do you think he will just watch the results go against your will?”
“One of the affiliates was blown away, and the second son’s 7% stake was blown into thin air… That was the result the grandfather wanted?”
“of course. How proud he must be that the credit card company and shares have flowed to his grandson, whom he cherishes the most. I didn’t help in the slightest, but the youngest grandson hit the wolf-like uncle with his own power. Maybe you danced?”
The expression I wanted to see from Chief Lee Hak-jae must have appeared on my face.
What is this person talking about? Could it be that you know everything?
I was so shocked that I couldn’t even say a word and just blinked my eyes.
“What are you so surprised about? Did you think I wouldn’t know? Oh, you must have thought that no one knew except the president. An unknown person who gets his hands on the Sunyang Group little by little behind the black curtain. did you want something like this Isn’t that a bit childish? haha.”
It’s already past the time to pretend not to pretend. This person knows my relationship with Miracle.
“When did you know?”
When I calmed down and asked, Chief Lee Hak-jae waved his hand.
“Your question is wrong. It doesn’t matter when you found out, right?”
changed the question
“How much do you know?”
“The largest shareholder of Miracle Investment in New York… no, the only shareholder, and most of the investment in this company is your money. Miracle Korea is a subsidiary of Miracle New York, so this must be your company too, right? Then HW Group, Sunyang Motor Company, and Sunyang Card are yours, and Miracle’s controlling stake in Sunyang Group is also yours. Let’s see… 33%, right?”
I know everything except the overseas investment and my property.
“The second largest shareholder of the Sunyang Group, HW Group’s head, a huge amount of money held by an overseas investor. It’s kind of funny that you rush to me and ask me to help you and be on my side. yes?”
You can’t fathom this person’s heart.
Fortunately, however, chief Lee Hak-jae was a bit drunk. If he had been sober, he would not have told me that he knew everything about me.
I’ll have to dig into Lee’s inner thoughts a little more.
“It must have taken quite a while to check the American Miracle.”
“okay. I mobilized all my connections.”
I filled his empty glass.
“You must have been very surprised.”
“whopping. Wasn’t it achieved without the president’s help? Just like the name of the company, it’s phenomenal. It’s like a miracle.”
Lee Hak-jae emptied a glass and held it out.
“Based on your abilities, it doesn’t seem like it will take long to take over the Sunyang Group. What do you miss?”
“Because Sunyang is Cheolongseong.”
Lee Hak-jae shook his head.
“Not really. Jin Young-ki in particular is not trustworthy. There will be a big accident sooner or later.”
“What if I don’t get into an accident? As long as the two uncles are careful as if they are walking on thin ice, it is a fortress. There is no room to squeeze in.”
As soon as I finished my words, Lee Hak-jae’s voice rose.
“Why are you obsessed with Sunyang Group? If it’s my ability, I’d rather do my best in the HW group. After 10 years and 20 years, won’t it become a group comparable to Sunyang? No, even now, with your stake in Sunyang, you can separate dozens of affiliates and attach them to HW. Then you will be in the top 3 in the financial world at once. The 20th chaebol head. We are rewriting history.”
That’s not wrong. It is possible even now.
But isn’t he reincarnated to play ranking games?
“Chief.”
“okay. say it.”
“Not all companies become like purebreds just because they grow in size. Look at Woosung Group. It was once a conglomerate that ranked first in the business world, but now only traces remain.”
“It is wrong to compare you with Woosung, who only inflated his size through accounting fraud or debt. I don’t know, but HW will be more sound than Sunyang? At least you won’t be stealing company money.”
“No matter how solidly HW is raised, it cannot catch up with the cruiser.”
“why?”
“Because there is no history.”
“history?”
“yes. Sunyang’s history of over 50 years The people recorded in the history book. That’s what Sunyang is. These are things that money can never buy.”
Lee Hak-jae stared at my face while fiddling with his glass.
“My greed is as good as the president. You mean you have no intention of writing history?”
“yes. It’s safest to just take that history with you.”
“I don’t see it as impossible. You will succeed.”
“It has already been blocked.”
Lee Hak-jae’s eyebrows twitched.
“Stuck? what?”
“The two uncles are trying to rebalance the controlling stake. The holding companies will also change and the ratio will be adjusted. It’s the work of making Miracle’s shares into toilet paper. They also demanded voting rights from me. I mean, don’t object.”
“it’s crazy!”
As soon as the word readjustment came out, I screamed.
“The controlling stake is only 5% of the total stake in Sunyang Group affiliates. You dominate the group with only 5%. If even one trivial thing goes wrong, the circular shareholding structure collapses. The owner of Sunyang will change at once.”
“It is said to proceed carefully and slowly.”
Quick-witted Lee Hak-jae understood my meaning at once.
“If the president dies, will you re-create the game?”
“yes.”
“Do whatever you want. The Sunyang Group without the chairman is out of my interest. Whether you tear it up or eat it, it’s the children’s heart.”
“Are you thinking of retiring?”
“then? Working with bastards who are wary of me? The vice-presidents also have babies raised by them. Oh, maybe the stake rebalancing is a way to kick me out. If you take the board I made as it is, you will have to look at me. Heh heh true.”
“Even if my grandfather passes away, I will take care of you as I do now.”
“Is that what you said on your side? decline I have no intention of growing old, acting as a secretary for someone my son’s age.”
Feeling uncomfortable, I raised my glass and emptied it all at once.
“Are you a secretary? It doesn’t even matter. I was referring to the owner of the chairman’s office of the former Sunyang Group.”
Lee Hak-jae gripped the glass tightly to hide his trembling fingertips.
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