The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 202

202. Tokyo Agreement (6)

Thwack!

With a dull thud, President Morishita of Morishita Bank collapsed to the floor.

And the one who struck him down was Chairman Kajima Jiro of the Kajima Group.

“I-I’m sorry.”

For President Morishita, it was a complete shock. However, Chairman Kajima Jiro was still seething with rage, even after knocking him down, and he breathed heavily.

“Get up!”

A conglomerate chairman assaulting the president of an affiliate company.

In the 2020s, such an act could easily lead to a scandal and even a trial.

However, such common sense didn’t apply to Chairman Kajima Jiro, a veteran of World War II.

“I am still the Chairman of the Kajima Group, Kajima Jiro! It doesn’t belong to my sons yet!”

President Morishita realized that the reason for his rage was related to the succession battle within the Kajima Group.

‘It seems like something else has happened somewhere,’ he thought.

He could only bow his head repeatedly.

“Tell me! Do you think it’s right to ruin the company for the sake of my sons?”

Chairman Kajima Jiro believed that President Morishita’s rejection of Kajima Construction’s loan request was influenced by the ongoing succession battle.

“Nothing is more important than the company.”

The older generation in Japan hadn’t completely shed the vestiges of the militaristic era.

The entity to which they had to pledge allegiance had simply shifted from the nation to the company.

“Morishita!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Go to Kajima Construction right now and apologize!”

President Morishita raised his head, surprised.

“To Kajima Construction?”

Chairman Kajima Jiro narrowed his brow and snapped.

“Why? Is that too much to ask?”

At that moment, a recent incident flashed through President Morishita’s mind.

“If it’s about the loan requested last week… I didn’t approve it because the deal seemed suspicious.”

Chairman Kajima Jiro tilted his head, confused.

“Suspicious?”

President Morishita remained kneeling as he explained.

“Charlie Jung, the representative of Victoria Corporation, personally visited and we had a meeting, but no media outlet reported that Charlie Jung came from the United States.”

Chairman Kajima Jiro questioned him again.

“Is he such a big shot that his arrival needs to be in our newspaper?”

“I heard that he is one of the richest men in the United States, with personal assets of over $20 billion. If such a wealthy man entered the country for investment…”

Chairman Kajima Jiro stroked his chin, considering this.

“Hmm. If such a wealthy man came to Japan, reporters should have been following him from the airport. But since there isn’t a single article, you thought he was a fake.”

“That’s right.”

Chairman Kajima Jiro picked up the phone and barked an order.

“Go back and wait. I’ll check the truth of this.”

President Morishita rose from his seat and replied.

“Understood.”

After he left, Chairman Kajima Jiro made a call.

* * *

Kajima Construction’s conference room.

“A 3.8% interest rate is a very favorable condition. But is it really possible?”

At Jung Hyun-woo’s question, President Mori of Kajima Construction puffed out his chest with confidence.

“I wouldn’t have offered it if it weren’t possible.”

The 3.8% interest rate hadn’t been officially approved by Kajima Bank at all.

However, he was confident that as long as he secured the $15 billion investment, he could easily persuade the bank to agree.

‘What the Chairman values most is results.’

$15 billion in investment – that was a significant result.

If this project became his achievement, he could rise beyond Kajima Construction to the upper echelons of the entire Kajima Group.

“I trust only President Mori.”

President Mori sensed that Jung Hyun-woo was almost completely convinced.

‘Now that I’ve addressed the weakest point, the financial conditions, there won’t be any problems in other areas.’

He was confident in securing the investment agreement.

“Kajima Construction is the best in Japanese real estate development.”

*Our company is the best.*

Jung Hyun-woo wasn’t someone who would be easily swayed by such commonplace flattery.

“Shall we delve a little deeper into the details?”

*I want to talk a little more in-depth.*

President Mori inwardly clicked his tongue at his suggestion.

‘Tsk, delve a little deeper, huh? Is he asking for a further reduction in the interest rate? Or maybe he wants us to shoulder some of the investment risk.’

He nodded and responded with a professional smile.

“Please, tell me. I’m all ears.”

Jung Hyun-woo said in a measured tone.

“A $15 billion urban regeneration project. This isn’t something that’s possible with just money.”

President Mori seized on his words.

“Of course. It’s an impossible task without excellent technology and skilled manpower.”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head slightly.

“That’s not what I mean. The urban regeneration project we want to undertake requires the explicit permission of the Japanese government.”

President Mori groaned softly at Jung Hyun-woo’s words.

“Ummm, you’re talking about cooperation from the government and the city.”

“If they don’t cooperate, this project cannot proceed. And before we even approach them, we must also have public opinion on our side.”

Jung Hyun-woo’s point was sharp and insightful.

“You’re even thinking about managing public opinion.”

“Ultimately, it is public opinion that influences the government and local authorities.”

In a democratic society, the most important thing is the will of the people.

In other words, public opinion.

Policies or regimes that ignored public opinion might survive for a while, but they couldn’t last long.

“You want our Kajima Group to take charge of shaping public opinion in favor of the project.”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled faintly.

“That’s right. After all, we don’t have deep roots in Japan.”

President Mori put his hands together and nodded slowly.

“Understood. I will try to persuade the newspapers and broadcasting companies to support the project.”

Jung Hyun-woo wasn’t entirely satisfied with his vague answer. So he subtly raised the inflection at the end of his next sentence, pressing for a firmer commitment.

“President Mori, you have to give me a definite answer.”

At that moment, President Mori’s temple twitched slightly.

‘Kh, he wants a clear guarantee? That’s a considerable demand.’

He narrowed his brow slightly and said, choosing his words carefully.

“It’s a $15 billion project. Kajima Construction, no, the entire Kajima Group will do its utmost to ensure its success. So please don’t worry.”

Only after hearing his unequivocal answer did Jung Hyun-woo’s face brighten.

“Good. Then we will take care of managing the American media.”

President Mori tilted his head, curious.

“Are you even concerned about the American media?”

“It’s a matter of a considerable amount of dollars flowing out to Japan. The American side cannot help but be concerned.”

Jung Hyun-woo pretended to be mindful of the U.S. government’s perspective, but in reality, his deal aligned perfectly with what the U.S. government wanted.

‘If we sell dollars and buy yen, the value of the yen will increase even more.’

The U.S. government had orchestrated the Plaza Accord [an agreement in 1985 to depreciate the U.S. dollar relative to the Japanese yen and German Deutsche Mark] to raise the value of the yen.

“You had such considerations in mind.”

President Mori couldn’t help but admire Jung Hyun-woo as he spoke.

‘Is he really the same age as my son?’

Not only his son.

The young people of Jung Hyun-woo’s age were typically just freshmen who had just entered college.

Jung Hyun-woo was completely different from his peers. He spoke and acted with the confidence and strategic thinking of a seasoned CEO.

“You can discuss the project details further with John, the fund’s CEO.”

Jung Hyun-woo passed the baton to John Peer.

“I’m John Peer. I’m the CEO of Victoria Fund.”

As John Peer introduced himself, Executive Director Kato whispered to President Mori.

“He is a former executive of JP Morgan.”

A CEO from JP Morgan.

He was an opponent that could never be underestimated.

President Mori bowed slightly and greeted him respectfully.

“I look forward to working with you.”

As John Peer’s introduction ended, Jung Hyun-woo stood up. As he stood up, President Mori raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Are you leaving already?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“I just wanted to have a preliminary discussion before officially signing the agreement.”

It wasn’t an official meeting.

John Peer added an explanation to Jung Hyun-woo’s words.

“Official meetings and conferences will be arranged with media coverage.”

President Mori nodded as he listened to his explanation.

“You mean today is an informal meeting.”

John Peer smiled knowingly.

“The CEO is someone who receives attention from the media even in the United States. If such a person visited without a single reporter present, it would be considered an unofficial visit in itself.”

President Mori couldn’t help but admit that he lacked sufficient information about Jung Hyun-woo.

‘I was too casual in my approach.’

Instead of delegating the work to Executive Director Kato, he should have taken the lead and personally managed the project from the start.

“Sarah, let’s go.”

At Jung Hyun-woo’s words, Sarah also stood up from her seat.

“See you next time.”

President Mori blinked in surprise as he looked at the blonde beauty.

‘Is she a secretary?’

As he was mentally categorizing Sarah as a secretary, Executive Director Kato once again leaned in and whispered an important piece of information.

“Miss Hilton is the heiress of the Hilton family [referring to the family that founded the Hilton Hotels chain].”

The daughter of the Hilton family.

‘If she’s the daughter of the Hilton family…….’

She was definitely not someone who could be easily dismissed or taken lightly.

‘Am I being outmaneuvered?’

He, like President Morishita, suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty and doubt. However, John Peer’s words quickly pulled him back to the present.

“Now, let’s discuss the detailed terms of the investment agreement.”

President Mori nodded and said.

“Understood.”

After the two of them left, John Peer and Yuu Tanaka began discussing the specifics of the investment agreement with the executives of Kajima Construction.

* * *

Sarah followed Jung Hyun-woo and asked curiously.

“Why did you leave the meeting so abruptly?”

At her question, Jung Hyun-woo answered without slowing his pace.

“I have to give John some room to operate and show his capabilities.”

“Ah, so Mr. Peer is actually the CEO.”

“I was too involved in the negotiations this time.”

“Then why didn’t you leave it to Mr. Peer from the beginning?”

Jung Hyun-woo answered as he pressed the elevator button.

“I wanted to personally assess what kind of company Kajima Construction is and what kind of person the president is.”

“Was it not enough to simply observe from the sidelines?”

Sarah believed that she could have gained a good understanding of Kajima Construction just by sitting quietly next to John Peer.

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head.

“You have to engage in conversation to truly understand.”

He believed he had chosen the right partner for this project.

‘The company is large and well-established, and the management team is proactive and determined.’

What he appreciated most was their ability to quickly address and compensate for their shortcomings.

‘They managed to lower the initial interest rate to 3.8%.’

Ding.

The elevator arrived on the first floor with a pleasant chime. The elevator doors slid open.

Swish.

At that very moment, Jung Hyun-woo’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Hmm!”

The person outside the elevator also exclaimed in surprise.

“You are?”

The person waiting for the elevator on the first floor was none other than President Jung Min-seok of Daewoon Construction and his entourage.

“Charlie, what’s wrong?”

Jung Hyun-woo hurriedly stepped out of the elevator at Sarah’s concerned question.

“I just ran into someone I know.”

Instead of entering the elevator, Jung Min-seok focused his gaze on Jung Hyun-woo.

“Hyun-woo, is that you?”

Jung Hyun-woo bowed his head slightly and greeted him respectfully.

“Hello, Great Uncle.”

Jung Min-seok’s gaze shifted to the blonde beauty standing next to Jung Hyun-woo.

‘Is that woman the daughter of the Hilton family?’

He immediately surmised that the Hilton family was providing significant backing for Jung Hyun-woo’s ventures.

‘She’s even more beautiful in person than I heard in the rumors.’

Sarah Hilton’s striking beauty was a rare sight in Korea.

“What brings you here to Japan?”

“I had a meeting.”

“Meeting?”

“I’m considering expanding my business into Japan.”

Jung Min-seok narrowed his brow, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

“Are you saying that the United States alone is not enough for you?”

“The world is a vast place with many opportunities.”

He had been hearing about Jung Hyun-woo’s impressive achievements from Jung Hye-sook from time to time.

“Are you returning to Korea tomorrow?”

Korea’s Lunar New Year was approaching on January 1st. The Daewoon Group family traditionally celebrated January 1st as the New Year.

“I’m not sure yet.”

Seoul and Tokyo were only a short two-hour flight away.

If he was willing, there was no reason why he couldn’t make a quick trip back.

However, Jung Hyun-woo shook his head.

“I have work to do in Tokyo.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ll see you next time, Great Uncle.”

Jung Hyun-woo bowed politely and stepped back.

Jung Min-seok muttered under his breath as he watched Jung Hyun-woo walk away.

“Yes, it seems like it would be better for you to stay abroad.”

If Jung Hyun-woo returned to Korea and became actively involved in the Daewoon Group, the carefully planned succession structure could be disrupted once again.

This was a scenario he definitely wanted to avoid.

‘I can manage Min-young, but Hyun-woo is a much more unpredictable and annoying factor.’

Jung Hyun-woo’s meteoric rise to success was still unbelievable to him. He secretly hoped that Jung Hyun-woo would continue to thrive in the United States and remain far away from the Daewoon Group’s internal power struggles.

In front of the main gate of Kajima Construction headquarters.

Jung Hyun-woo, after exiting the building, leaned forward slightly and sighed deeply.

“Hoo……. That was an unexpected surprise.”

Sarah knew that Jung Hyun-woo’s family situation was complicated and fraught with tension.

“Is he an enemy?”

Jung Hyun-woo turned his head to Sarah and answered honestly.

“I can’t definitively say that he’s not an enemy.”

If there was anyone among the Daewoon Group family who wanted to exclude him from the inner circle, it was most likely Jung Min-seok.

“He’s a bad person. I’ll go back and punish him for you!”

“Sarah.”

“I know. I was just kidding.”

Jung Hyun-woo straightened his posture and said with a hint of resignation.

“He’s still my great uncle, a member of my family.”

“Is he a potential successor to the family leadership?”

“He’s currently competing with my little uncle for the succession.”

Sarah mentally pieced together the complex family dynamics and nodded slowly.

“Ah, I see. It’s a power struggle within the family.”

Jung Hyun-woo bit his lower lip slightly, a sign of his inner turmoil.

“I really didn’t expect to run into him here in Tokyo.”

Sarah raised the inflection at the end of her sentence, seeking confirmation.

“The other person was probably just as surprised as you were, right?”

Jung Min-seok also had no idea that Jung Hyun-woo would be at the Kajima Construction headquarters, discussing a major business deal.

“Since someone who is supposed to be focused on the United States is suddenly in Japan, he can’t help but be taken aback.”

Sarah nodded slightly and said.

“I see. But by the way, what were you talking about earlier? It didn’t seem like you were exchanging harsh words or threats.”

Since Jung Hyun-woo and Jung Min-seok had been speaking in Korean, she couldn’t understand the content of their conversation.

“He asked if I was returning to Korea tomorrow for the New Year celebrations.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Korea also celebrates the Lunar New Year on January 1st.”

Sarah asked carefully, sensing a delicate situation.

“If it’s tomorrow, don’t you have any special schedule or family obligations?”

Considering the relatively short distance between Seoul and Tokyo, he could easily have made a quick trip back to Korea.

“No. I’m not going back. I already told him that.”

“You mentioned that both of your parents are deceased, right?”

“Even if I go back to the family, there’s no one who’s genuinely affectionate or welcoming.”

At that moment, a shadow of sadness fell over Sarah’s face.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Jung Hyun-woo waved his right hand dismissively and said.

“No, it’s not something Sarah should be sorry about. It’s just that my family situation isn’t ideal.”

Sarah brightened her face and said, trying to lift his spirits.

“Okay. Then let’s have some fun tomorrow and make it a memorable day.”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head slightly, as if he couldn’t help but be amused by her efforts.

“There won’t be many restaurants or stores open tomorrow because it’s a public holiday.”

Sarah sighed briefly, her enthusiasm momentarily dampened.

“Ha……. That’s right. I forgot about that.”

In the United States, it was a common tradition to spend January 1st with family, celebrating the New Year together.

“Well, the hotel will still be open, so shall we just have a relaxing staycation and enjoy the hotel amenities?”

Sarah nodded enthusiastically and replied.

“Yes, let’s have a staycation! That sounds like a great idea!”

Jung Hyun-woo noticed that she was trying her best to be cheerful and supportive, despite the circumstances.

‘If it weren’t for me, Sarah would probably be spending time with her own family in Texas, celebrating the New Year.’

Since establishing Victoria Corporation, Sarah had never returned to Texas on January 1st to be with her family.