“I knew Father was cold, but he’s harsher than I thought.”

When Jeong-eun Lee spoke while picking up a piece of fruit, Suk-ja Chu, who’d been nudging the fruit toward her, shook her head.

“Cold? If anything, there’s something rather lacking about it.”

“Lacking? Mom. Stepping down from Head is enough — what’s lacking about it?”

“In the end, didn’t he go to president of Ilhyeon Securities? Ilhyeon Securities is a major front-line affiliate within the group — if you’re going to punish someone, you ought to do it properly.”

“Our mom knows the one but not the two.”

Jeong-eun picked up a piece of fruit, put it in her mouth, and spoke as she chewed.

“Mom. It’s because Dad sent Kim to Ilhyeon Securities that I said he’s cold. Not just for taking him down from Restructuring Head.”

“You’re saying it’s cold because he sent him to Ilhyeon Securities?”

Jeong-eun tapped the plate with her fork and said,

“Do you even know what state Ilhyeon Securities is in right now?”

“Are you saying there’s some problem with Ilhyeon Securities?”

“Listen well.”

Jeong-eun set the fork down on the plate and said,

“Do you think people have money in their pockets right now? You know too, Mom, that everyone’s run off their feet just trying to get by. Frankly, people’s pockets are so dry that if they’ve got anything invested, they have to pull it out and spend it right away. If the stock market were even any good, maybe — but watch the news. Our country’s stocks have hit rock bottom again, and everyone’s going on about whether it’s all going under or not.”

Jeong-eun shook her head and leaned back into the sofa.

And, looking at Suk-ja, who was still sitting in the same posture, she gave a wry smile and said,

“He sent him to a place brimming with filthy water like that, so that’s why I’m saying he’s cold. Now do you understand why I said such a thing?”

If it was as Jeong-eun said, then Tak-hyeon’s decision was, if anything, tightening a noose around Seong-ho’s neck.

“If it’s as you say, then it’s rather a good thing. But your brother…”

Suk-ja started to speak, then faltered.

At that, Jeong-eun, who’d been leaning against the sofa, brightened her eyes and sat up.

“Brother? Which brother? What about a brother?”

“Never mind.”

“No. Why stop in the middle of talking? Which brother is trying to do what?”

When Suk-ja wouldn’t speak, Jeong-eun, apparently growing more suspicious, moved over beside Suk-ja and pestered her to keep talking.

But Suk-ja only kept her mouth firmly shut.

Then, as if bothered, she shook off Jeong-eun’s clinging hand and said,

“You go to the company quickly too. Your brothers and younger sibling all went to their companies, so why are you the only one lingering here like this? Off you go, now.”

Jeong-eun, rising from her seat, looked at Suk-ja driving her out as if she found it strange, then said with a suspicious expression,

“Kim probably rode off in eldest brother’s car, right? I see.”

“What do you mean, you see?”

Suk-ja turned her head and looked up at Jeong-eun.

Jeong-eun, made certain by Suk-ja’s reaction, said,

“I just mean I see.”

“So what is it you see?”

“You didn’t tell me either, Mom — so is there any reason I should tell you?”

Jeong-eun gave a small laugh and turned around.

And as she left the living room, she said in a loud voice,

“Dad, I’m off. Sister-in-law. Thanks for the meal.”

Jeong-eun, with no intention of going to greet anyone in person, shouted into the air and left the house.

Min-yeong Oh came out from the kitchen and looked around, but Jeong-eun was already out of sight.

“That girl, that girl… when is she going to grow up.”

At the sight of Jeong-eun — married and even a mother, yet looking the most immature of the five children — Suk-ja clicked her tongue, looked down at the remaining fruit, and let out a sigh.

“Is the eldest really trying to take Kim and make use of him?”

No matter how she thought about it, Suk-ja got the sense that something about Mun-jong’s plan was off.

But Mun-jong was already, in the car, having the very conversation Suk-ja was worried about with Seong-ho.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Mun-jong put on the most gracious expression he could manage toward Seong-ho, seated beside him, and said,

“I’ll watch your back, so nothing much will come of it.”

“That you think of me this way — I’m always simply grateful.”

Seong-ho bowed his head in greeting toward Mun-jong.

But in the eyes of Seong-ho, hidden by his lowered head, a fire of vengeance burned full.

Seong-ho hurriedly erased the fury held in his eyes and lifted his head.

And, feigning ignorance, he offered his words.

“The Chairman must be very angry. You know it too, don’t you, Brother? That being told to go to Ilhyeon Securities is the same as being told to die.”

“I know. I know it all.”

Mun-jong took Seong-ho’s hand.

And he offered words to put Seong-ho at ease.

“Who wouldn’t know the situation, with securities firms all toppling over? These days even banks are merging, aren’t they? Even so, don’t you worry. Aren’t I here? Even if Ilhyeon Securities closes its doors, I’ll pull you along, so there’s no need to be too anxious.”

“Is that really so?”

“Yes.”

Mun-jong patted Seong-ho’s hand and straightened his posture.

“As it happens, I’d originally meant to propose, once you got back from America, that you step down from Restructuring Head and support me in earnest.”

“Support you?”

“Yes.”

Seong-ho gazed intently at Mun-jong.

So if the electronics show had ended ordinarily, you meant to drag me down after all.

What Mun-jong was thinking was plain to Seong-ho.

And so Mun-jong’s present words sounded all the more detestable.

“I know you support me, but I wanted you to support me more firmly than that.”

When Seong-ho put on a startled expression, Mun-jong smiled lightly and said,

“So I meant to appoint you as chief secretary directly under the Vice-Chairman.”

“Chief secretary directly under the Vice-Chairman…”

Without needing to ask anyone, it was a preposterous proposal.

He takes me for a fool.

Because otherwise, there was no way he’d so brazenly say he’d meant to make such a preposterous proposal.

But whatever it is, it’s going according to my plan.

Seong-ho, having confirmed that moving ahead of Mun-jong had been a brilliant choice, smiled awkwardly and said,

“But right now…”

“I know.”

Mun-jong smacked his lips in regret and said,

“I can’t very well appoint you as Vice-Chairman’s chief secretary right this moment.”

It was impossible, since Tak-hyeon had already issued the appointment as president of Ilhyeon Securities.

Mun-jong once more expressed his regret and took Seong-ho’s hand again.

“Even if it feels unfair, just bear it a little. I’ll get you out of there soon.”

Mun-jong spoke as if tossing a lifeline to a Seong-ho who’d fallen into hell.

Listening to Mun-jong’s words, Seong-ho let out a snort inwardly.

The place I’ve fallen into isn’t hell — it’s a field of flowers.

But the only one who knew that fact was Seong-ho alone.

And so Seong-ho and Mun-jong, having arrived at the company, dispersed to their respective offices.

When Seong-ho arrived at the Restructuring Headquarters, he saw familiar faces.

“What brings you here today?”

Deputy Head Gyeong-deuk Lee, his dress shirt sleeves rolled up, approached Seong-ho, and,

“Aren’t you resting today?”

Byeong-ju Jeong, a necktie stuffed into his dress shirt pocket, approached Seong-ho next.

And lastly, Byeong-jin Jo approached and said,

“Isn’t today the day you eat at Pyeongchang-dong?”

Seong-ho looked around at the other staff who’d come out to the headquarters and were organizing his things, besides those three, and said,

“And what brings all of you here today?”

“When you’re leaving your post, Head, we’ve got to pack up your things.”

When Byeong-jin spoke as if it were obvious, the other staff nodded too and added a word or two each.

“They say there are separate staff to organize the belongings, but wouldn’t it be better for us to do it? Those people might damage something while organizing.”

“We figured it’d feel like we were committing a sin, letting other people’s hands organize your belongings, Head — so we decided to organize your things all together.”

“Head. This is a place you built and cultivated, and to us, you are forever our Head.”

Hearing the staff’s words, Seong-ho felt an emotion he couldn’t put into words surge up within his chest.

It was an emotion he hadn’t felt in his former life.

Because, busy cutting down the work spread before his eyes, he hadn’t had this kind of close exchange with the staff.

But now was different.

“Head. Didn’t you leave last time too and then come back? You’ll surely become so again this time.”

“That’s right. The Restructuring Headquarters without you, Head, is the same as a steamed bun with no filling, so you absolutely must come back.”

“Ah, why don’t we all just move over to Ilhyeon Securities?”

“That’s a good method too.”

“Then, will the Chairman let the Restructuring Headquarters belong to Ilhyeon Securities?”

Seong-ho smiled at the sight of the Restructuring Headquarters staff saying they’d follow him.

And, going to stand beside Deputy Head Gyeong-deuk Lee, he looked around at the headquarters staff and said,

“From now on, the headquarters will be led by the Deputy Head here.”

“Am I taking it on temporarily?”

Gyeong-deuk had already been given advance word by Seong-ho.

But he’d thought of it as, at most, temporarily taking it on for a while to carry things forward.

Seong-ho’s account, however, differed from Gyeong-deuk’s thinking.

“Not temporarily — you’ll be formally seated in the Head’s chair. And in recognition of your achievements up to now, you’ll be joining the new president group as well.”

“I… a p-president?”

Gyeong-deuk’s lips began to tremble.

At hearing news he hadn’t expected, his lips trembled without his realizing.

“I got firm confirmation from the Chairman at Pyeongchang-dong today. From now on, the Restructuring Headquarters will be led by President Gyeong-deuk Lee.”

Gyeong-deuk’s head bowed of its own accord, without his realizing.

And from within his chest, heartfelt words leapt up through his throat and showed themselves outside his mouth.

“Thank you. Truly, all of this is thanks to you, Head. I’ll do well from now on. Thank you.”

The headquarters staff present understood why Gyeong-deuk was behaving this way.

Because the fact that Gyeong-deuk was the person who’d received the most benefit from being with Seong-ho was something everyone acknowledged.

On top of that, the Head’s seat was the core of cores within the group.

The Restructuring Headquarters’ power was so mighty that not only ordinary affiliates but even the flagship affiliates had to follow its directives.

So the Head’s seat of the Restructuring Headquarters was regarded as above the level of a decent affiliate’s president.

Some went so far as to say it was on par with the Vice-Chairman, or perhaps held even greater power than that.

Given that the mere fact of Seong-ho sitting in the Head’s seat was enough for talk of him being Ilhyeon Group’s number two, there was no need to explain what kind of place the Head’s seat of the Restructuring Headquarters was.

So if Seong-ho left, everyone had expected some other person would come down as Head.

Because it was such a large and important seat, they’d expected Chairman Tak-hyeon Lee would slot in one of his own close confidants.

They’d thought perhaps one of the sons would move over as Head, or that the son-in-law Yeong-su Cha would inherit Seong-ho’s seat and take control of the Restructuring Headquarters.

But unexpectedly, Deputy Head Gyeong-deuk Lee had been appointed as the next Head.

Gyeong-deuk looked at Seong-ho with eyes that seemed about to shed tears any moment and said,

“That I, who was no more than a director, could rise all the way to the president’s seat is all thanks to you, Head. And to take on the Head of the Restructuring Headquarters, of all places… I know full well that you exerted your influence, Head.”

“Ha-ha-ha. Not at all. It’s because you’ve done everything well, Deputy Head.”

“No.”

Gyeong-deuk hurriedly shook his head and said,

“…Even if I were the Chairman, I wouldn’t have seated myself in the Head’s chair.”

At Gyeong-deuk’s words, everyone nodded.

Because it was the same for the headquarters staff listening.

Gyeong-deuk took Seong-ho’s hand and spoke in a voice welling up from the heart,

“So my coming to sit in this seat is all thanks to you, Head.”

“Just the words are thanks enough.”

Seong-ho patted Gyeong-deuk’s hand and turned around.

And, taking Gyeong-deuk’s hand and lifting it up, he said to the gathered headquarters staff,

“From now on, our headquarters will be led by Head Gyeong-deuk Lee here. So I hope you’ll all support Head Lee here well, just as you supported me.”

Gyeong-deuk reddened at the rims of his eyes and offered Seong-ho thanks over and over.

Seong-ho watched Gyeong-deuk and only smiled silently.

And so Seong-ho, even as he left the Restructuring Headquarters, would not lose his influence.

If anything, he’d built a foothold from which he could exert influence over the Restructuring Headquarters no different from when he’d controlled it himself.

(End of Chapter 168)