Tak-hyeon looked at Seong-ho, standing across the desk from him, and asked.

"How far along is it?"

"Nothing has progressed yet."

"Nothing at all has progressed?"

It was Tak-hyeon, the one who'd asked the question, who wore the more startled expression — more startled than Seong-ho, who'd given the answer.

"Are you seriously telling me that's your answer?"

"I'm only telling you exactly how things stand."

Do-beom Hwang, standing by the door, looked equally stunned at Seong-ho's answer.

Rather than apologizing, Seong-ho was saying nothing had progressed with a face that seemed to think this was only natural — and while Do-beom was weighing whether he needed to step in now and speak up for Seong-ho, Tak-hyeon asked, sounding utterly at a loss.

"Do you not want to do this, by any chance?"

"How could I not want to, when this is such a great opportunity for me?"

"Then do you have some other idea in mind?"

"Yes, there's something I've been thinking through separately. But before that, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Tak-hyeon lifted the corner of his mouth and raised his chin.

"Fine. Go ahead. Let's hear just what it is you need to ask me before you'll even tell me your own thinking."

"Chairman. Who do you have in mind as the next chairman?"

"What?"

Tak-hyeon's face, which had been smiling as he said "let's hear it," hardened in an instant.

Do-beom, listening to the exchange from the doorway, came rushing over with a startled expression.

"Hey. Representative Kim. What are you saying right now! Next chairman?!"

Seong-ho looked at the startled Do-beom rushing toward him and said, "I need to know the Chairman's true intentions before I can move."

Seong-ho, asserting that his question hadn't been out of line, turned to Tak-hyeon and asked again.

"You need to tell me who you have in mind, Chairman, for this work to proceed smoothly."

"...Ha ha ha!"

Tak-hyeon burst out laughing and, pointing a finger at Seong-ho, said to Do-beom, "See that? Didn't I tell you? I said this one was out of his mind."

"Chairman.…