The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 144

Decision Time (2)

December 31st.

On this day, with only one day left in 1984.

Chairman Jung Woo-sun called his two sons to his study, not the Daewoon Group Chairman’s office.

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young stood before their father with tense faces.

“You called for us?”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun silently signaled them to sit. Only after his two sons were seated did he open his mouth.

“The year is almost over.”

Jung Min-seok was the first to respond to Chairman Jung Woo-sun’s words.

“It has been an eventful year.”

As his words ended, Jung Min-young spoke this time.

“I worked hard this year, but I didn’t achieve much. I will do better next year.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun closed his eyes slightly as if fatigue had washed over him.

“It was a year with many things happening. Haa….”

He sighed and paused for a moment.

10 seconds? 20 seconds?

Or maybe a little longer?

Chairman Jung Woo-sun broke the silence and began to speak again.

“As you both know, Hyun-woo has achieved great success in the United States this year.”

Jung Min-seok had reported directly to Chairman Jung Woo-sun, so he calmly responded.

“It was truly unexpected.”

Jung Min-young wore a slightly surprised expression, but he did not deny Chairman Jung Woo-sun’s words.

“I’ve heard rumors among the international students that Hyun-woo has been successful. So, the rumors were true.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun slowly nodded his head.

“So, both of you have heard the story in some way.”

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young tensed up.

‘Does starting with Hyun-woo’s story mean that Hyun-woo is jumping into the heir competition?’

‘If Hyun-woo directly enters the heir competition, the two of us may not be a match for him.’

What Jung Hyun-woo had achieved so far was an accomplishment that was difficult for the two of them, and indeed anyone in Korea, to match.

Jung Min-seok couldn’t bear it and asked.

“Father, did Hyun-woo come to Korea and say something?”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun took off his glasses and answered.

“He said he wants to stay in the United States for the time being.”

Jung Min-seok breathed a sigh of relief inside after hearing his answer.

‘Hoo……. Hyun-woo has chosen America after all.’

Now, if he could just defeat Jung Min-young, the position of Daewoon Group Chairman would be his.

“Hyun-woo has succeeded in the United States, so he will want to stay there.”

Jung Min-seok thought that as long as Jung Hyun-woo was in the United States, there would be no problem in praising him as much as he wanted.

Chairman Jung Woo-sun narrowed his brow and raised his voice at the end of his sentence.

“The problem isn’t Hyun-woo, it’s you two.”

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young straightened their postures.

“We’re sorry.”

“We will do better.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun sighed briefly and then said.

“Next year, you two will each become the president of Daewoon Construction and the vice president of Daewoon Trading.”

Jung Min-seok smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘With the real estate market recovering now, achieving good results is easier than eating a piece of cake.’

He thought he could easily surpass Jung Min-young.

“I will work hard.”

“I will try to meet your expectations.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun looked at the two of them alternately.

“I didn’t call you here to listen to lip service.”

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young paused at his words.

‘Is the main point coming out now?’

‘I might be able to hear my father’s true thoughts.’

The two opened their ears, and Chairman Jung Woo-sun lowered his voice.

“Originally, I thought Min-hyuk would succeed me.”

Jung Min-hyuk was Jung Hyun-woo’s father and their older brother.

“But he left before me. In my place.”

Jung Min-hyuk was attacked at an event he attended on behalf of Chairman Jung Woo-sun.

“It was an unfortunate accident.”

“It’s not your fault, Father.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun hardened his voice.

“What’s important now is not Min-hyuk’s death. It’s who will succeed me.”

Finally, the main point came out.

Who would succeed Chairman Jung Woo-sun?

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young, which of the two would become the chairman of Daewoon Group?

“I don’t think it’s an easy decision to make.”

Was it because he thought he had the advantage?

Jung Min-seok took a step back.

Chairman Jung Woo-sun shook his head from side to side.

“No, we have to decide now.”

He thought he could no longer postpone the decision of who would be the successor.

“If we were to follow the eldest son succession, Min-seok would have to succeed me. But our Daewoon Group is not a kingdom. You can’t sit in the chairman’s seat just because you’re older.”

Jung Min-seok nodded as if it were obvious.

“I think what’s important is not age, but ability.”

Jung Min-young also lowered himself in the same way.

“If there isn’t a big difference in ability, I think it’s right for my older brother to succeed Father.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun hardened his face and said.

“The one of you two who shows a more outstanding performance in the next year will succeed me.”

Just one year.

Jung Min-seok almost wanted to burst out laughing.

‘There’s no reason for me, the president of Daewoon Construction, to lose to Min-young.’

He was confident that he would win this competition no matter what.

“I will do my best.”

Jung Min-young thought that as the youngest, he had no choice but to be prepared for an unfavorable situation.

‘It’s fortunate that I, the youngest, was even given a chance.’

He could have been excluded from the heir competition because he had a different mother from his two older brothers.

But as Jung Min-hyuk suffered an unfortunate accident, he was also given a chance.

“I’m lacking, but I will work hard.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun looked at his two sons and sighed deeply.

“I wish I could watch for three or five years, but I don’t have much time left.”

Jung Min-young asked with a worried face.

“Do you perhaps have an illness…….”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun raised his right hand and shook it.

“If I had a terminal illness, I wouldn’t be able to guarantee even a year. I haven’t had any strength in my body since last year. At most, it’ll be next year.”

He wanted to retire at the end of next year.

“Father.”

“You can do more.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun knew the true feelings of his two sons better than anyone else.

He said in a firm voice.

“One year. The one who produces results within one year will sit in the Daewoon Group Chairman’s seat.”

Jung Min-seok and Jung Min-young bowed their heads at the same time.

“I understand.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun sent the two away and then sighed deeply.

“Hoo……. I hope they don’t both go astray.”

If both of them showed a bad performance, he would have to find a third successor. He just hoped that wouldn’t happen.

* * *

December 31st also arrived in the United States.

Jung Hyun-woo took a break on this day.

Sarah sat next to him and asked.

“Not pizza and cola again, are we?”

Watching TV to celebrate the end of the year was not her taste. But last year was so busy that the two had no choice but to rest with the TV.

Jung Hyun-woo asked her without turning his head.

“Are you thinking of going to a club or something?”

Sarah shrugged her shoulders at his question.

“Even if a club is too much, wouldn’t a pub be okay?”

Jung Hyun-woo raised his eyebrows and asked.

“A pub?”

“A rooftop bar.”

“Were there rooftops in Boston?”

It wasn’t easy to find a rooftop in Boston, unlike New York.

“There are many around the baseball stadium.”

Jung Hyun-woo exclaimed briefly at her answer.

“Ah! If it’s around the baseball stadium, that’s possible.”

There were many rooftops around Fenway Park for people who wanted to enjoy baseball and beer together.

“But are they open today?”

“They’re open because it’s today.”

Jung Hyun-woo asked cautiously.

“Won’t it be cold?”

“Charlie, do you not want to go out?”

“No. It’s not that. I’m just saying it’s better to dress warmly.”

Sarah checked the dark circles under Jung Hyun-woo’s eyes and sighed deeply.

“Hoo……. Let’s just have pizza and cola again today.”

“Sarah?”

“You went to a banquet yesterday, too.”

Upon returning to Korea, Jung Hyun-woo attended a year-end party attended by politicians.

‘Charlie flew for dozens of hours over two days, so his fatigue can’t have recovered just by resting for half a day.’

Sarah thought she had made an unreasonable request.

‘I was short-sighted.’

What Jung Hyun-woo needed was rest. But he forced a smile.

“Sarah, I’m okay. I can go to Fenway Park.”

Sarah touched under his eyes with her finger and said.

“You have terrible dark circles. What’s okay about that? Let’s rest today.”

Jung Hyun-woo closed his eyes and accepted her words.

“Actually, I’m terribly tired.”

“Should we just sleep?”

“No. We still have to eat pizza.”

Sarah chuckled at his answer.

“Yeah, we have to eat pizza.”

Just as she was about to order pizza.

Ring. Ring.

The phone rang loudly.

“Is it the company?”

There were employees on duty at the New York branch and the data center in case of an emergency.

“Hello?”

The voice that came from the receiver was that of a middle-aged man.

“Could you put me through to Mr. Jung?”

“Who is this?”

“It’s the State Department.”

The U.S. State Department.

Sarah covered one side of the receiver and called Jung Hyun-woo.

“Charlie, it’s for you.”

Jung Hyun-woo got up from the sofa and narrowed his brow.

“Is there a problem with the server?”

“No.”

“Then is it the data center?”

Sarah answered his question.

“The State Department.”

In an instant, Jung Hyun-woo’s half-closed eyes widened.

“What did you say?”

“The State Department has something to say to Charlie.”

December 31st evening.

Jung Hyun-woo received a call he really didn’t expect.

10 minutes later.

Jung Hyun-woo hung up the phone and sighed deeply.

“Haa…….”

Sarah asked with a worried face.

“What’s wrong?”

“They say I have to go to Japan?”

“Japan?”

It was an incomprehensible statement.

“President Reagan is leaving for Japan as soon as the new year begins, they say.”

“Are you saying Charlie is going to Japan with President Reagan?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“One of the business leaders going to Japan with the President recommended me.”

“On December 31st?”

“They said he recommended me during a dinner with the President today.”

The person who made the recommendation on the evening of December 31st, and the President who immediately put his name on the list after receiving the recommendation, could be said to be strange.

“So you said you’d go?”

“I had no choice but to say I’d go.”

Cold War era.

Even the free democratic country of the United States had authoritarianism widely spread throughout society.

Rejecting the President’s recommendation was not an easy thing to do, even for someone other than Jung Hyun-woo.

“It’s too sudden.”

Sarah thought he could have refused. But Jung Hyun-woo shook his head.

“It is, but it’s also a good opportunity.”

“A good opportunity?”

“It’s an opportunity to talk to people around the President.”

Sarah raised her eyebrows at Jung Hyun-woo’s answer.

“Not the President, but the people around him?”

Jung Hyun-woo said with a weak smile.

“The President has to talk to the Japanese Prime Minister, not us.”

He was coldly assessing the situation.

“So you’re saying you’re going to Japan to talk to the President’s aides?”

“The President’s aides are the power brokers of the White House.”

Those who are responsible for the work under the President.

The real power of the White House was in their hands.

‘There’s no harm in forming ties with those people.’

Sarah stroked her chin with her right hand.

“That’s true, but…….”

Jung Hyun-woo tilted his head and asked.

“What are you so worried about?”

“Charlie’s body.”

“Huh?”

Sarah poked Jung Hyun-woo’s chest and said.

“Coming back from Korea yesterday and going to Japan again after resting for a day, it’s too much.”

“Pilots fly even harder than me.”

“Those people are pilots.”

Jung Hyun-woo twirled his right hand and said.

“Sarah, let’s order pizza.”

“Let’s worry about tomorrow tomorrow?”

“It’s already been decided, so what’s the point of worrying? I’m going to drink and sleep happily.”

Sarah sighed briefly at his answer.

“Hoo……. Okay. I’ll order right away.”

She turned the phone dial to order pizza.

‘I can’t do Charlie’s work for him, can I?’

What she could do and what he could do were clearly different.

* * *

January 1, 1985.

Jung Hyun-woo was scratching his head and packing his luggage.

Knock. Knock.

Sarah’s knock was heard.

“Come in…….”

Before the answer that she could come in could even come out, Sarah burst into the room, opening the door wide.

“Charlie!”

Jung Hyun-woo turned his head and shrugged his shoulders.

“Sarah, if you were going to open it like that, why did you knock?”

“To protect at least some privacy?”

Jung Hyun-woo narrowed his eyes at her words.

“Sarah, privacy? Don’t think strange things.”

“I didn’t think strange things.”

“You did.”

“What’s with not even a magazine coming out of Charlie’s room?”

Jung Hyun-woo turned his gaze back to his bag and said.

“The magazines are at the company.”

“Charlie is interested in women after all.”

“…….”

The reason Jung Hyun-woo was packing his luggage was to catch a flight this evening.

“Oh, right. You got a call.”

“From the State Department?”

“That’s right.”

“Didn’t they say the flight was at 7 p.m.?”

Sarah nodded and replied.

“That’s right, it’s 7 p.m. They said you can take the 7 p.m. flight to LA.”

Jung Hyun-woo stopped both hands and asked.

“Not Tokyo, but LA?”

“They said there will be a meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone in LA tomorrow?”

Jung Hyun-woo raised his eyebrows and asked.

“Does the meeting place change that easily?”

At his question, Sarah raised her right hand.

“It seems the State Department employee who called yesterday was mistaken about the meeting place.”

“That’s a serious mistake, then.”

LA and Tokyo were incredibly far apart.

If he had mistakenly taken a flight to Tokyo, it would have been irreversible.

‘I don’t know what they were thinking, confusing Tokyo with LA.’

Sarah said in a soft voice.

“It’s a relief it’s LA.”

LA was less than half the distance of Tokyo.

“It’s still not close, though.”

The best thing would have been for Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone to fly to Washington.

“While you’re in LA…….”

“You’re saying I should meet Mr. Bernard or something?” [Luke Bernard was the CEO of Commodore, a computer company].

“No, I’m saying you should say hello to my sister.”

San Francisco and LA were close, but it wasn’t like a few subway stops.

“Laura, is she at Stanford on January 1st, too?”

“She sometimes takes vacations, but she said she’ll be at school this year.”

Laura had changed her field of study to computer languages and was working day and night on her research.

“Okay. Then I’ll meet Laura, too.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“I won’t overdo it. I’m just going to work hard.”

Sarah grabbed his wrist and said.

“Charlie.”

“Sarah?”

“You have to be confident in front of everyone.”

Sarah was worried that he might be intimidated in front of the politicians.

“Don’t worry. All men are created equal.”

She chuckled at his calm voice.

“I was worried for nothing.”

“That’s called a groundless fear.”

Sarah said, holding his wrist.

“Have a good trip.”

Jung Hyun-woo straightened his posture and accepted her words.

“I’ll be back.”

He was twenty years old in Korean age this year. He was no longer a boy.