The story of Sang-jong Lee, President of Ilhyeon Construction, had set the whole Republic of Korea talking; as time passed, it began to thin out.

The Ilhyeon Windows share price had been cut to a tenth of its peak, but thanks to the effort made at group level to steady it, it was finding its footing again.

One after another, those who had taken part in the manipulation of Ilhyeon Windows stock were arrested; and as it became known that the ringleader was somebody other than President Sang-jong Lee, the public's anger toward the Ilhyeon Group died down.

On top of that came Chairman Tak-hyeon Lee's decision to take moral responsibility and return Ilhyeon Construction to society, and the anger that had been aimed at Ilhyeon gathered wholly and solely onto Sang-jong Lee.

And with this further wrongdoing of his, people took him for a scoundrel without equal under heaven, a prodigal, a problem child.

"Giving money to the Shinpyeong Party wasn't something I did just for my own good!"

Sang-jong Lee poured it out at Seong-ho Kim, seated across from him, like a man hard done by.

Seong-ho Kim answered as though he understood it all.

"I know it, and the Chairman knows it."

"Then why am I still being left in here?"

Sang-jong Lee shouted, half out of his chair.

Seong-ho Kim gave him a look of sympathy and said,

"The Chairman said that since you had undertaken to shoulder it, you should have shouldered it properly."

"Shouldered it properly, he said?"

"You, Brother…"

Seong-ho Kim glanced toward the door, wary of anyone coming in while they spoke, and lowered his voice.

"If you meant to take responsibility, you should have taken it outright. Why bring up the eldest brother and the Chairman as well, and make a business of it that brought a search and seizure down on us?"

"No, but it's the truth. Isn't it?"

"Even if it is the truth."

Seong-ho Kim said it like a man at the end of his patience.

At that, Sang-jong Lee brought out his excuse, still the injured party.