Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 72

72. 22nd. Give and Take (2)

After handling the affairs involving the three companies, I returned to New York and started working in a small room next to Claire’s office. I had to be more careful now because of the personnel dispatched from Hae Dong Merchant Bank, even more so than before my business trip.

In that room, I reviewed all the company’s agendas, including film investments, and made decisions with Claire and the executives. Today, after signing an investment contract with Paramount Pictures representatives in the adjacent conference room, we were exchanging pleasantries.

“Thank you, Miss Lawrence. You’ve made a truly significant decision.”

“A movie starring Tom Cruise is definitely worth investing in. I heard he’s also participating in the production?”

“Yes, he’s showing great enthusiasm as it’s his first time in a spy action film. You can definitely look forward to it, haha.”

The movie we contracted was ‘Mission: Impossible.’

We secured not only the Korean distribution rights but also the right to invest up to 50 percent of the production costs if sequels are made, so we’ve created a reliable cash cow.

There are plenty of series-potential movies to come: X-Men, Harry Potter, Spider-Man, Fast & Furious, Pirates of the Caribbean, Daniel Craig’s 007 reboot, Toy Story, Despicable Me, Deadpool… all investment opportunities that would help resolve my family’s domestic inheritance issues.

The representative, seeing the corners of my mouth lift involuntarily, laughed heartily and asked,

“I heard rumors that you also invested in ‘The Rock.’ Is that true?”

“Yes, I invested 30 million dollars.”

The representative’s eyes widened at my nonchalant reply.

“T-Thirty million dollars?”

“With Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery as the two leads, it’s a guaranteed box office hit. The contract with them is under the same conditions.”

The contract I presented was the standard contract for future deals. There’s nothing that draws excessive attention like cherry-picking.

The representative stared at me with wide eyes and then laughed heartily.

“Amazing. You’re enjoying adventures just like your previous investments, haha.”

“It’s an adventure to find treasure.”

Claire and I laughed at the representative’s astonishment and continued talking for about ten more minutes before seeing them off. If the two movies become hits next summer, the investment will return many times over, which was a delightful thought.

“Whew, all the schedules for today are finished. Shall we go to the department store?”

“Shall we? Tom gave me some advice, so I should go.”

[I hope Jonny’s life becomes more abundant in the future. So…]

Aside from the wink that gave me goosebumps at the reception, Tom Ford seriously recommended department store shopping.

‘Even just looking at things without buying them improves your taste…’

So, these days, I’ve become accustomed to occasionally strolling through department stores. After leaving the office with Claire and getting into the car, I took out the documents I had brought in my bag.

“If we have 15.1 percent, then the total is 30.2 percent.”

“I guess so? Triumph is also buying as much as we are.”

I whistled lightly at Claire’s answer. If we surpassed 30 percent by mid-August, it seemed like we would be able to gather all the North Limited shares by June of next year.

“And this is the UN Development Aid project details.”

“Thank you, Claire.”

I received the documents from Claire and quickly scanned them. One thing stood out.

‘Panama Copper Mine…’

After confirming it was on the list, I put the documents in my bag and chatted with Claire about fashion trends.

About thirty minutes later, the car stopped, and Claire and I looked around the store with Park Tae-jin, who had arrived in advance and was waiting.

“Gong Seong-pil isn’t tailing us, is he?”

Park Tae-jin was moving separately from me now. I had no choice but to be separated from my soulmate because Gong Seong-pil might stab me in the back. Damn it.

“No, Young Master. There’s no tail.”

It seems he’s on edge since there hasn’t been any tailing for several months now. Well, he’s made millions of dollars selling information about the group’s internal affairs to me, so how could he not be nervous? But I can’t let my guard down.

We were looking around the store and went to the home goods section. If there were any useful items, I would inform the New York branch of Hae Dong Corporation and pass them on to the department store business division.

While looking at the high-end tableware to sell to the wealthy, I tilted my head at the noticeable mid-to-low-priced tableware. Those are the kind of things you’d sell at a discount store…

At that moment, something I had forgotten came to mind.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], what’s the date today?”

“It’s August 1st. August 2nd in Korea.”

Nodding, I became curious. I had succeeded in department store consulting, so my grandfather might contact me to draw the extension of that line…

As I was tilting my head, I heard the phone ring. I quickly took out my cell phone from my pocket and pressed the call button.

“Yes, John Davidson…”

[It’s your grandpa. You’re working hard outside in this heat.]

A smile spread across my face at the sound of my grandfather’s voice, which I hadn’t heard in days.

He always calls at 7 PM New York time, and he’s never been late. There’s no one like my grandfather in the world.

“It’s nothing, Grandpa. I’m doing it for myself and for the good of the family.”

[Our eldest grandson is working hard, so Grandpa feels reassured. But… this grandpa has some homework for you, haha.]

After a brief conversation, I hung up the phone and said to Claire,

“I have to go back to Korea because of Grandpa’s homework. Is that okay?”

Even though I had mostly wrapped up the major tasks in the United States, I was still worried, so I asked cautiously, but Claire smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry, Jonny. I’ll do well according to the plan while you’re gone. Have a good trip, heehee.”

Seeing Claire’s smile, I felt relieved. I should leave the American affairs to Claire, solve the homework that my grandfather gave me, and resolve the issue of traveling back and forth between Korea and the United States.

***

After returning to Korea, I rested at my Itaewon home for about a day, then went to Samcheong-dong with Park Tae-jin and bowed deeply.

“I’m back, Grandpa.”

“You’ve worked hard to come here in this heat. Sit down and have a sip.”

Grandfather, wearing ramie fabric summer clothes, folded the folding fan he was holding and pointed to the sofa. We sat on the sofa and drank misugaru (Korean grain powder drink).

“You have a gift for Grandpa?”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

I opened the bag I had placed next to the sofa and put the bundle of documents on Grandfather’s desk.

“What did you prepare so much of, you rascal?”

“It’s the Hollywood movie distribution rights contract and the North Limited share purchase status data, Grandpa.”

Grandfather nodded with a satisfied smile, but he held up the movie distribution rights contract as if to show us.

“The Chungmuro [Korean Hollywood] guys will be properly stimulated when they see these movies, euhehe.”

Grandfather couldn’t stop smiling, as if he could see the family’s hobby and business prospering.

“That’s right, Grandpa. I think that if we later get involved in production and systematically divide the work like Hollywood, we can make a lot of good movies.”

“Okay. I’ll pass it on to CEO Bae and CEO Tae through Chief Ko.”

Grandfather, with a pleasant smile, put down the bowl with a cheerful sound after drinking the misugaru.

“Anyway… how long are you going to go back and forth across the Pacific?”

“Yes?”

I asked, blinking, but the smile had already disappeared from Grandfather’s face.

“I heard from Kim Dong-seok. That guy Gong Seong-pil was digging into your past?”

Oh, damn it. I was trying to quietly tie it up!

Kim Dong-seok must have confessed because he couldn’t overcome the fact that I was Grandfather’s grandson. Grandfather opened his mouth to me, whose face had hardened in an instant.

“Don’t be upset. Even if you’re just an employee, you’re still my son, so how worried would that friend be? That friend told CEO Bae and Chief Ko to kill him several times.”

Listening to Grandfather, it seemed that the branch manager was quite anxious. How could he not be when the eldest grandson of the company owner was being followed by another group?

“I’m sorry, Grandpa.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. In the future, try to face most things yourself. To become a great person, nothing is useless, so you have to face a lot and become stronger.”

It was a grandfather-like request. The more you get hit, the more your resistance increases, and you have to run until your lungs burst to increase your lung capacity. It was a process that I had to go through to protect the Samcheong-dong study following in my grandfather’s footsteps.

“I understand, Grandpa. I will keep that in mind.”

“Okay. A member of this family should have that much spirit.”

Grandfather laughed heartily, put the documents I gave him in the drawer, and took out another document.

“Let’s stop talking about the past and talk about the future. Take this.”

I got up from the sofa, took the document that Grandfather handed me, and returned to my seat. The cover contained the ‘Hae Dong Mart Eunpyeong Branch Opening Plan.’

“I reviewed the homework you submitted early last year and handed it over to CEO Tae. The discount store business team is preparing as you suggested, so fill in anything you missed.”

It was as expected. Hae Dong Mart Eunpyeong, which had been preparing since the beginning of last year, was finally about to open.

“I understand, Grandpa. I will do my best.”

“I told CEO Tae not to be merciful and to push you hard. You have to be alert, euhehe.”

You don’t have to tell me that, Grandpa. I’ll do my best in this project so I can reduce the number of times I have to stamp my passport.

***

That way, Park Tae-jin and I left Samcheong-dong and went to the new Yeongdeungpo headquarters of Hae Dong Corporation’s logistics and distribution division.

“CEO, Park Tae-jin, Deputy Manager, and Lee Seong-min, Employee, have entered.”

[Tell them to come in.]

“Yes, CEO. Let’s go in.”

After hearing the voice from the intercom in front of the office, we entered the room and bowed to Tae Jae-ho, who was sitting at his desk.

“Hello, CEO.”

“Welcome. Sit down.”

Tae Jae-ho reached out and pointed to the sofa, inviting us to sit down. At the same time, he took out a container filled with light green water from the refrigerator, filled three glass cups, and brought them over on a tray himself.

“It’s green tea brewed from the Chairman’s tea garden. The aroma is good, and it’s cool and excellent. Have some.”

“Thank you, CEO.”

Tae Jae-ho took a refreshing sip of the cold green tea and then began to speak.

“Working in the United States, working here… you must be busy.”

“It’s nothing, CEO. I’m doing what I like.”

“You’re energetic because you’re young. Your father worked hard without showing any signs of difficulty. And the results were good.”

Starting with this, Tae Jae-ho told us stories about the youth of his father, Lee Myung-jin, Ko Seung-joo, Seon Hae-cheol, and Park Tae-jin.

“…The owners of that house you guys went to are from Jeolla-do [region in Korea], so the food is very neat. The kimchi is also clean, and the stew with that kimchi is refreshing. The Chairman, my brother, me, and CEO Jo…”

I never thought that the Baekban [Korean set meal] restaurant that the three of them had gone to before was a regular restaurant for Grandfather and the three elder CEOs. Those who have money and status that others envy still occasionally sit in front of the tin table and drink soju [Korean distilled beverage] with Baekban as a snack.

Tae Jae-ho, who had been preaching about the Baekban restaurant for a long time, smiled awkwardly.

“This is a problem because when you get old, your tongue gets longer.”

“It’s nothing, CEO. It was a pleasant story.”

“I’m grateful if you think so, haha.”

Tae Jae-ho took a sip of the remaining green tea in the glass and opened his mouth.

“I heard from the Chairman. You’re joining Hae Dong Mart?”

“Yes. He told me to work hard.”

“Our kids don’t know that you built the framework for Hae Dong Mart. I’ve just told them that it’s all the Chairman’s instructions, hehe.”

He chuckled and got up from his seat and brought a file.

“What is that?”

“It’s a list of the discount store business team members. It also includes their career history and personnel evaluations, so take a look.”

It was a good tip. It would narrow the distance with the team members. I opened the list, and as soon as I saw the history of the person on the first page, my curiosity was piqued.

“Team Leader Na Chang-seok is unique?”

Na Chang-seok was a commercial high school graduate when he joined the company. Although commercial high schools at that time were comparable to business colleges, the company paid for his tuition after he joined the company, so he graduated from night school, and he even received the title of director at the age of forty-one.

“He joined the department store’s accounting department, but he’s not a friend who’s buried in numbers. He’s good at his job, but the purchasing department and the sales department have all benefited from listening to him.”

“That’s unexpected.”

Ordinary salaried workers tend to become extras who are only buried in their roles until they leave the stage called the company.

However, from the moment that extra thinks and acts from the perspective of the cameraman, screenwriter, director, and actor, they can move up to supporting roles, leading supporting roles, and even leading roles. In that respect, Na Chang-seok was a person who showed the potential to become a leading role rather than a college graduate.

I nodded, making eye contact with Tae Jae-ho, and looked at the list again.

Na Chang-seok was Na Chang-seok, but the other team members were also outstanding talents. They were the working-level staff who successfully led the store opening negotiations with overseas luxury brands when Hae Dong Department Store’s main branch opened. But… there was another person who stood out.

“Manager Yoo Hyun-jung, what kind of person is she? She’s a manager in her fifth year of joining the company…”

I asked Tae Jae-ho, wondering how capable she must be to become a manager in just five years, even though she came from an ordinary university, and Tae Jae-ho told me the reason.

“That friend took a leave of absence from university and worked as a cashier at our department store’s main branch for two years. When she submitted her application, she sent in the improvements she had organized while working. She was also very articulate during the interview.”

“Ah…”

A low exclamation came out on its own. There was someone who had already used the application method that would come out much later than 10 years. She was much better than the empty-headed people who only lengthened their bag straps.

“That’s amazing. What about her work skills?”

“Good. She has good interpersonal skills, provides good service training, and even drives a forklift herself at the logistics center to find items. She also did a good job of directing promotional sales of holiday season gift sets and dividing tasks.”

There was no need to hear more. Her knowledge and actions, and her ability to teach that knowledge and actions to others and use people, made her a sufficient talent.

“I see.”

“The college graduate recruitment system has changed since we hired that friend. We’ve also been covering up all the schools and only looking at friends who can learn and do well, haha.”

It was a new story to me. In my past life, which was at odds with my grandfather, I only focused all my attention on the Shinseong Group, but I never thought that the Hae Dong Group would have such an advanced system.

Tae Jae-ho carefully asked me, who bit my lip slightly in shame for the past.

“Is it going to be difficult?”

“A little. I’m worried about how to lead the company when I inherit it later, haha.”

Tae Jae-ho, who was looking at my face with a worried look, laughed heartily at my awkward smile.

“You’re the same. If you keep pushing like you are now, no one in the group will ignore you. Worry about it later and just work hard now.”

“Thank you, CEO.”

Tae Jae-ho’s encouragement made me feel comfortable. Rather than dwelling on the miserable past life, I should focus on the present as Tae Jae-ho said.

***

A few days after the meeting with Tae Jae-ho.

I went to a cafe in Misari with Jang Ha-yeon. Both my right hand, which was holding the steering wheel, and Jang Ha-yeon’s left hand, which was sitting in the passenger seat, were wearing Bulgari bangle bracelets.

“It’s been a while?”

“Right? I was in the United States all summer.”

As always, we sat in our usual seats and drank iced coffee. Jang Ha-yeon, who had been sucking on the iced coffee with a straw, put down the cup.

“This time, are you here for good?”

“Huh?”

“No, I was just wondering… Hae Dong Mart is a domestic business.”

Seeing Jang Ha-yeon fidgeting with her hands on the table with her head down, I was glad I had made up my mind to come.

I put my hand on Jang Ha-yeon’s hand. She looked at me with moist eyes as she looked at our hands clasped together.

“I’m a guy who was arrested by you, noona [older sister/female friend]. How can I run away after stealing your heart? Just wait a little longer.”

I was also pricked in the heart as I stared intently at her. I hated the reality that I had to push away the woman in front of me who was trying to get closer to me.

She nodded, looking into my eyes.

“I’ll propose before I turn thirty-one. If not, I’ll drag you to the community center.”

I looked at her with slightly widened eyes at Jang Ha-yeon’s firm voice.

“Community center?”

“I’m going to register our marriage first. So you can’t run away.”

“Noona?”

“So. Propose before that. Got it?”

I was going to do that without saying it. Jang Ha-yeon and I will have our wedding march before she turns thirty.

“Okay. I’ll do it very nicely.”

“Then that’s it, heehee.”

I smiled back at Jang Ha-yeon, who smiled, and fell into thought while drinking coffee. Should I ask Tom Ford to tailor the tuxedo and wedding dress I’ll wear when I propose?