Committee Head Hyeong-sik U couldn't hide the apology on his face.

"I'm so sorry. I never once imagined it would come to Ilhyeon taking responsibility for the whole of it."

"It's fine. These things happen."

Seong-ho said it was fine, but Hyeong-sik U's apologies didn't stop.

"That the top hundred companies would behave this way… If anything, I'd been worried that too many would come rushing forward offering to contribute. That not one of them would put up so much as a single won is something I truly never anticipated."

"Aren't all merchants like that? And besides, the men who've come here as their companies' representatives have no decision-making power of their own, so of course they read the room. My situation is different from theirs."

Once the committee had been formed, the first thing Hyeong-sik U had done was request financial contributions from the companies.

The sum to be raised was 50 billion won in total, with 10 billion to be gathered as a first tranche.

Since a contribution was a species of donation, with no guaranteed return, he had coaxed the companies with the argument that a successful World Cup would improve the Republic of Korea's standing, and that this in turn would follow through into corporate profit.

But no one came readily forward offering to hand over money they would never see again.

"Even so, I never thought DN and Mirae would be reading the room as well."

Head Hyeong-sik U shot a sidelong glare at the DN and Mirae representatives seated before him.

Mirae's Myeong-cheol Park and DN's Gu-taek Song couldn't meet his gaze directly, and dropped their heads.

Seong-ho looked at Hyeong-sik U glaring at the two of them and spoke with a smile.

"Don't be too hard on them. What fault could the two of them possibly have? Neither can do a thing unless the men above them grant permission."

At Seong-ho's words in their defense, Myeong-cheol Park and Gu-taek Song lifted their heads slightly and shot him looks of gratitude.

Seong-ho signaled with his eyes that it was all right, and turned to…