After four days of steady rise, the mood on the trading floor was very different from the week before.

"Sajang-nim Kim. Make some money?"

"Ugh. If you can't make money in a market like this, you should go die."

A man in his fifties with a cigarette in his teeth offered a cigarette to the man who'd spoken to him.

"Ah — semiconductors were hot today. I wanted to grab Ilhyeon Electronics — pity I didn't."

"If you're regretting it, come in. The theme isn't dead. And semiconductor parts is just starting. You'll get better returns than on Ilhyeon Electronics."

"Ilhyeon Electronics has a ceiling on how far it can rise, but the parts stocks under it don't. Hitting the daily upper limit is nothing."

Smoking, Sajang-nim Kim and Sajang-nim Park kept talking.

"But why is Ilhyeon Electric falling? Have you heard anything?"

"Ilhyeon Electric?"

Sajang-nim Park tilted his head.

"Hmm? I haven't heard anything either."

"If semiconductors rise and parts stocks rise, Ilhyeon Electric should rise too, no? Ilhyeon Electric and Ilhyeon Electronics are practically one body."

"That's true. They're all under the Ilhyeon name."

Sajang-nim Park agreed. And then, as if he couldn't make sense of it either, voiced his own confusion.

"Even leaving aside whether it's caught up in the theme — this good mood should carry it. Instead it's walking backward alone. Look."

Sajang-nim Park pointed at the now-still quote board and said —

"Down 7 percent by itself. In a session where being up 7 percent still wouldn't feel like enough…"

"Don't you know why?"

Just then, Assistant Manager Choi from Ilhyeon Securities cut in.

"Manager Choi. What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be doing the close?"

"Aigo — I did the close ages ago. This is my fifth year on the job. I'm not some fresh-faced kid anymore."

"Aigo. Is that so? Must be nice not being fresh-faced."

"If you finished the close, sit down. Here, a cigarette."

Sajang-nim Kim slid over to make room and offered Assistant Manager Choi a cigarette. Choi took it with both hands and put…