Chapter 14
***
The chairman asked as if he just now remembered.
"Do-geon, Dongjin told me...... I'll tell you...... You can also issue a CB. The right holder will be decided by Dongjin and------."
"You mean call options?"
Do-geon immediately understood what Mr. Han meant. Repurchase rights, like call options, were one of the ways private equity was used to reduce inheritance taxes. By connecting this to an overseas private equity fund where he was a board member, he was saying that he would take advantage of the call option loophole. After doing some quick math, Do-geon spoke up.
"So the percentage of contracts issued is ------."
He didn't finish his sentence because of the woman standing like a ghost behind him. Chairman Han didn't seem to think much of it, but Do-geon was uncomfortable. After all, it was an internal company matter. She was an outsider, who knew what she was thinking or planning.
"I'll talk to my big brother about it ------ later, but I'll get it."
"If you go through with it anytime soon, ------ I'll take care of you a little more."
Do-geon smirked.
"Like what, an inheritance, since you've already made up your mind."
"An easy-to-dispose-of rag-------"
"No thanks, I've got plenty of money."
Do-geon joked back. He didn't want to leave the slightest room for inheritance disputes. Not that he had much of a heart for inheritances.
"People are naturally greedy, ------ which is all well and good, Do-geon, but your lack of greed is a disadvantage."
"Why not, I have it, I just don't want any more than I need."
Throughout the conversation, Do-geon had to fight to keep his nerves from slipping backwards. Every so often, her pale face flashed across his vision when he made the appropriate eye contact, but she didn't seem interested in him at all. She didn't even try to engage him in conversation.
She even seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. Do-geon’s pride was needlessly stroked, and he didn't even make eye contact with her the entire time.
"Well, then, until Do-seok gets married, you're going to continue to------ kuluk, kuluk, kuluk."
"Oh, Mr. Chairman, are you cold, shall we go inside?"
Jae-yeon, who had been keeping her mouth close as if it were an inorganic substance the entire time, quickly responded to the sound of Chairman Han coughing.
"Kuluk, that's right, go inside------ the robe, go inside------ kulukkuluk."
"Yeah, let's go inside, shall I read you a newspaper or something?"
Jae-yeon said fondly and turned the wheelchair around, their figures slowly moving away. Do-geon watched in disbelief, and then let out a bark of laughter.
"Ha."
He had the face of a thousand gods. His eyes were ugly with laughter.
"That's how she got two men in this house..................."
He muttered and started walking away. His hands loosened his tie somewhat frustratedly. But it still felt tight around his neck.
Just then, his phone beeped with an incoming message, and he pulled it out impatiently. He unlocked it and the text of the message popped up.
"Yeah, I'm free, so where should I meet you?"
*****
The sound of soft classical music mixed with the chatter of people talking. The atmosphere was calm and formal for a high-end restaurant, but there was something about it that struck a nerve.
Checking his wristwatch out of habit, Do-geon turned his head toward the window. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the night view of downtown Seoul.
Colorful lights cluttered the view. Do-geon focused his attention on the darkness between building after building, consciously pushing the noise out of his ears, but the clutter didn't go away.
He was a naturally sensitive child.
His parents worried that he might have autistic tendencies. They took him to a psychiatrist, who told them that it was a neurotic symptom that could be seen in highly intelligent children. Of course, that was when he was younger. As he grew taller and stronger, he became fairly well socialized. Despite his obsessive-compulsive tendencies, he was a perfect performer in every way and had achieved a decent life.
But in moments like these, he would realize that the essence of his life was still tied to those days.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of high heels nearby. Do-geon turned his head to the front. A woman with wavy hair, stiletto heels and strong lines was walking toward him.
Her eyes widened slightly as she made eye contact with him. Recognizing her, he stood up.
"Miss Josein?"
It was his match, the second daughter of Joo Ji-hyun, the candidate for the Supreme Court, whom his aunt had arranged.
"Yes. You must be Mr. Han Do-geon, right? I'm sorry, I got stuck in traffic............"
She apologized for being seven minutes late. It wasn't a bad first impression. Of course, there were many humans who didn't even do this.
Do-geon laughed softly and pulled out her chair.
"It's okay. I'm just off work on Friday."
"Oh, thank you."
Josein stole a quick glance at Do-geon as he slid back into his seat, looking a little reminded.
He scanned her quickly. At twenty-eight, Josein had a face that could easily be considered beautiful. Her well-cared-for hair and skin played a part in that.
She seemed a bit naive, though, having studied music all her life. She didn't hide her emotions well. It wasn't really a disadvantage. It wasn't like she was going to be his business partner.
Josein shyly made eye contact with him and opened her mouth.
"I'm surprised you're so much bigger than you look in the pictures."
"Is that so?"
"Actually, before we met, I did a little research on you, Mr. Do-geon, and found a few posts on the community."
"Community?"
Do-geon tilted his head as if he'd never heard of it before. Josein smiled broadly and explained.
"Yeah, Daejin Group 3 visuals, or something like that................... Don't worry, it's just a bunch of envious people saying you have an interesting life."
"Oh, that wrote that? I didn't know that."
Do-geon didn't know what else to say, so he just laughed. As if on cue, the waiter arrived with the menus, and they ordered their meals and resumed their conversation.
"To be honest, I hadn't heard much about you, Mr. Do-geon, but with a name like yours, it's hard not to get the word out around here."
"I've hardly been in Korea since I was an adult, so you wouldn't know."
"Are you an American citizen?"
"No, I don't have any long-term plans to stay outside the US. I'll get one if I need it in the future. I understand you're a dual citizen."
"Yes, I was born in the U.S. and went to college here."
"I'd like to hear more about your story, Miss Josein, and your life in the US."
With that question, the person on the other end of the line became excited and proceeded to tell him her life story.
Josein was a cellist who majored in cello at Berklee College of Music. She was the first Asian to win first place in an international competition and was about to start her doctoral program at the Juilliard School in New York.
"I learned to drive in the U.S. I don't like to take public transportation because it's dirty, but I would like to drive,
but I don't want to have a driver until I meet a friend......”
As a testament to her easy life, Josein’s face showed that she has been well-fed and loved. There's also a certain naivety and honesty that came from someone who has rarely experienced malice in her life.
"New York is a romantic city, but I can't walk the streets because of the homeless. I hate them, they're dirty and smelly......... and I'm a bit of a cleanliness freak."
"Well, I'm sure they didn't choose to be homeless either, though I'm sure it's not aesthetically pleasing."
Do-geon retorted with a dismissive tone. Then, realizing she might sound a bit immature, Josein quickly changed the subject.
"Well, yeah, that's true. Oh, by the way, I heard that your grandfather is unwell, and that's why you came to Korea....................."
"Yes. He's a little better now, but he's very old, so we're all preparing ourselves."
"Were you close to your grandfather?"
"Well, we were close. He cared a lot about me, but I haven't seen him much since I moved to the U.S. He was as strict with others as he was with me, and I've noticed that he's gotten a lot weaker since I haven't seen him in a long time."
"Oh, my father is also very strict. When I was younger, I was once scolded to tears by my aunt, who was taking care of us, for complaining about a side dish."
Josein turned the tables and talked about what a well-educated, conceptual woman she was. Do-geon listened to her with a gentle demeanor the entire time.
The meal went well. They ordered tea and continued their conversation there without moving.
****
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