TOIGC 08

Chapter 8 …

You Are My Private Property (1)

He had a balding head with hair clinging only to the sides, topped off with spiral-patterned glasses so thick they rendered his eyes practically invisible. Looking at him straight on, the swirling, whirlpool-like curves dominating the lenses made for a striking first impression.

“Grandpa!”

Spotting his savior, Lee Wonhee shouted for his grandfather and dashed straight into his open arms, breaking into a theatrical sob.

“Waaaaah! Grandpa, Grandpa!” “There, there, my precious boy. Grandpa’s right here.”

Lifting Wonhee up with ease despite his thin frame—one that showed visible wrinkles and sharp angles on his arms rather than rounded curves—Lee Gicheol, president of Cheil Textiles, clicked his tongue in disapproval at his daughter-in-law.

“How hard did you hit him to make the boy cry like this? DIL, I think you’re being far too strict with his upbringing.”

Despite her frustration at her father-in-law’s scolding, Jeong Okju didn’t dare raise her voice. She voiced her opinion as gently and carefully as she could.

“Father, I understand where you’re coming from… but shouldn’t a child be disciplined when he does something wrong…?”

Between the patriarchal culture of the 1970s and Lee Gicheol’s complete control over the family fortune, Okju couldn’t risk getting on his bad side. She pushed back only as much as she safely could.

“It’s not that I don’t understand your intentions, but it’s not as if the child committed a crime. What’s the big deal about breaking a single pencil sharpener?” “…”

When Okju simply bowed her head and remained silent, Lee Gicheol’s eyes narrowed.

“DIL, do you have a problem with what I’m saying?” “O-Oh, no! Not at all! I was just keeping quiet because I thought you were completely right.” “Indeed. You shouldn’t crush a child’s spirit while raising him. So leave it at that.” “Yes, I understand.”

Out of Gicheol’s line of sight, Wonhee was already throwing a bratty little tantrum, tilting his head slightly at Okju while sticking his tongue out repeatedly.

Sigh.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Okju excused herself under the pretext of brewing a cup of coffee.

“So, how did that pencil sharpener break anyway?”

Settling his grandson onto his lap, Gicheol kicked off the conversation to bond with the boy.

“What’s wrong? Did something upset you?”

Noticing his grandson’s face crumple into a scowl, Gicheol narrowed his eyes, wondering if the boy had crossed paths with some bullies.

“Yes!” “And what went and ruined my precious grandson’s mood?” “Grandpa! There’s this really obnoxious kid in my class!” “An obnoxious kid?” “Yes!” “How was he obnoxious?” “He keeps stopping the other kids from carrying my bag, and he stops them from doing my cleaning duty too! He just keeps interfering with everything I do!” “To my grandson?”

Adjusting the sides of his glasses with his thumb and index finger, Gicheol squinted through his thick lenses.

“He hands out pastries to the whole class, so the kids like him without even knowing what he’s really like. I hate him so much!” “Buying popularity by throwing bread around… Such a young kid is already rotten to the core.”

Though Wonhee felt a faint pang of shame inside, he left out his own wrongdoing entirely, spending the next few minutes smearing Yoongi’s name.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll look into it. My grandson isn’t going to go to school with his head hung low.” “Grandpa, you’re the best!”

As Wonhee beamed and threw his arms around him, Gicheol broke into a wide grin, thoroughly enjoying his grandson’s affection.

And there was one more person—or rather, one spirit—who was smiling. Choi Deokbae floated nearby, chuckling as if he found the entire scene deeply entertaining.

<Ahhh, I a been has how it long memorial offering? proper received since>

With a look of pure bliss, Choi Deokbae unwrapped a cream bread and stuffed it into his mouth.

“About seven years?” <Over Honestly, I’m a because but count don’t full hundred if meat. no of ones. scrap sincerity, single spreads temple terrible the there they vegetarian. wasn’t were years you> “Geez, you’re pretty picky for a ghost.” <Hey, I do don’t ghost ghosts have human… kid… mean, rights? think you> “Do you?” <…Anyway, you have no idea how delicious this is. Every time I watched Mukbangs on YouTube, I wanted to kill those YouTubers. I had no idea what it tasted like, but they kept saying it was delicious.> “Did you really never get a memorial offering after you died?” <That’s Catholicism Catholicism, I I’m My What a allow allowed ancestor damn deep didn’t done even fell from get going have if into is it it, later, me mean, more much off pisses should single so son start!! telling that the they thing. to were what worship! you.>

Yoongi chuckled as he listened to Deokbae’s rant.

<Raising Catholic Grim I Reaper, almost and barely completely dodging during fate for got him is kids killed managed only persecutions, really the to to… twist useless. while>

Deokbae caught himself, freezing mid-sentence with an “oops” look on his face.

“There’s a Grim Reaper too?” <No, it’s nothing.> “Come on, if you tell me, I might set up a different memorial spread for you.”

Shoving the rest of the cream bread into his mouth, Deokbae unwrapped a new pastry, radiating a sharp vibe that signaled there was zero room for negotiation.

“I could somehow prepare some meat for you…” “Fine.”

With Deokbae shutting it down so decisively, Yoongi had no choice but to drop it.

“By the way, you said your son converted to Catholicism, but my family doesn’t follow any religion right now. It’s not like we hold ancestor rituals either.” <That’s I I’m If could enjoyed even for have it madder! meals… my ritual some son, weren’t why>

Having devoured three pastries in seconds and chugged a glass of milk, Deokbae patted his stomach and let out a loud burp.

<It brat. doesn’t smell, you> “It’s just a physiological reaction.”

Glaring at him, Deokbae suddenly clapped his hands together as if remembering something.

<Right! Earlier, I Lee Wonhee and by dropped grandfather. he his house, kid’s on snitching that to was you> “Snitching?” <Yeah, Are He a account and by completely do gave going just nothing? of really sit snitching. to twisted you you.>

Hearing that, Yoongi moved the plate and cup over to his desk, clearing away the “physical shell.” Even if a ghost ate the bread, it didn’t mean the actual pastry disappeared in reality.

“Let him.”

When Yoongi showed an unbothered attitude, Deokbae looked puzzled. Yoongi simply smiled.

“Have you ever seen a male lion make a fuss just because a hyena is being annoying?”

If there was one area of competition among teachers in 1970s schools, it was the battle for the “wealthy students.” Having a rich kid in one’s class was directly tied to a teacher’s financial survival.

After various deductions, a typical teacher’s monthly salary was around 34,000 won—roughly equivalent to 350,000 won in modern terms. Under those conditions, refusing bribe envelopes was practically a declaration to starve. Because of that, the faculty room saw a constant stream of parent visits during this era.

If you didn’t offer a bribe, your child would get beaten by the teacher. It was an era where poor children grew up harboring deep resentment toward educators while taking severe beatings, while rich children received money-fueled affection and grew up saying, “All the teachers I had were pretty nice though?”

In that sense, parent visits were a fairly common sight in the faculty room at Jeongwon Elementary. Though a visit like today’s was exceedingly rare.

“Ahem! I am Lee Wonhee’s grandfather.”

At Lee Gicheol’s declaration, Park Sunja bowed low, speaking in a servile tone.

“I am his homeroom teacher, Park Sunja. I had no idea someone as distinguished as you would visit such a humble place in person, so I couldn’t prepare a proper reception. I am truly sorry.”

It was just a plain cup of coffee. Since Gicheol hadn’t come to be catered to in the first place, he didn’t express any discomfort over the modest treat.

“I didn’t come to the faculty room expecting VIP treatment, so don’t mind it. Anyway, I hear my Wonhee has been having a tough time at school lately?”

Gicheol slyly mixed formal and casual speech, but Sunja showed no sign of offense. Whether by age or social standing, Gicheol was far above her. Though not a massive conglomerate, Cheil Textiles was a well-known enterprise in the local region.

“I am so sorry. I will pay closer attention to him.”

Though her mouth uttered apologies, Sunja’s brain was calculating rapidly. In an era where you couldn’t survive without being ruthless, her internal abacus moved at lightning speed.

Does President Lee not know that Samwoo Trading’s young master attends this school? Then again, that makes sense. A family of that stature wouldn’t normally send their grandson to a public school like this.

Even after realizing Gicheol was out of the loop, Sunja saw no reason to enlighten him. There was zero profit in it for her.

“Indeed, paying a bit more attention works out better for both of us.”

Gicheol pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to Sunja. It was noticeably—unmistakably—thicker than the one Okju had handed over at the start of the term.

This should satisfy her, right?

Just as Gicheol expected, Sunja feigned utter shock and put up a theatrical show of refusing it.

“Oh my… I couldn’t possibly accept this…” “Take it. Good things are good for everyone. A teacher needs money to educate children properly, doesn’t she?” “Th-Then, I will accept it with gratitude…” “Good. Then I can head back with peace of mind, yes?” “Of course! Please don’t worry about a thing.”

Flashing a sweet smile, Sunja escorted Gicheol all the way past the school gates before whipping out her mental abacus once again.

The calculation took less than three seconds.

Even if I combine both of his envelopes, the one from Samwoo’s young mistress is vastly heavier.

Sunja moved into action without delay.

“So, you’re our Yoongi’s homeroom teacher?”

Looking at Choi Gihyeon sitting in the seat of honor in the living room, Sunja instinctively trembled before managing to regain her composure with a nod.

“Yes, that is correct, Chairman.” “What ‘Chairman’? We don’t work for the same company, so feel free to address me comfortably.” “S-Should I call you Grandfather then?” “That works. Anyway, what brings you here?”

It was a natural down-talk, but the gap between Choi Gihyeon and Park Sunja was so vast that she felt no sense of awkwardness whatsoever.

I definitely made the right choice.

Taking a deep breath, Sunja began laying out her calculated pitch.

“Yoongi is currently the top student in my class.” “Well, of course he is.”

Gicheol’s casual, matter-of-fact response overflowed with absolute faith in his grandson.

“However, did you happen to know that another student has recently been trying to challenge Yoongi?” “A challenge? To Yoongi? Who?”

At Gihyeon’s swift follow-up, Sunja answered just as quickly.

“It’s the grandson of Cheil Textiles’ president.” “Cheil Textiles? Their grandson is the same age?” “Yes. Today, his grandfather visited me personally, asking for special favors regarding his grandson. But honestly, Yoongi is a far more important student to me…”

Though Sunja trailed off, her intended message came through loud and clear:

I am standing firmly in Yoongi’s camp.

Choi Gihyeon was far too sharp to miss it, so he cut straight to the chase.

“So, how much did that fellow give you?”

If this were a party worth “negotiating” with, he would have talked in circles to gain leverage. But since the person before him wasn’t worth negotiating with, he threw a direct pitch.

“Um… well… he gave me this…”

Sunja pulled out the envelope she had received from Lee Gicheol earlier and carefully set it down. It was an envelope stuffed with 5,000-won bills rather than 10,000-won notes.

The moment he saw it, Choi Gihyeon summoned his secretary waiting on standby in the residence.

“Hey, Secretary Kim!” “Yes, Chairman.”

After signaling Kim to lean down and whispering something in his ear, Secretary Kim listened, disappeared for a moment, and promptly returned.

“Here you are.”

At Secretary Kim’s words, Sunja accepted three fat envelopes with trembling hands. Not only were they stuffed exclusively with 10,000-won bills, but each envelope was twice as thick—and there were three of them.

Even though she had anticipated a reward, receiving treatment that blew past her expectations made her physically shake.

“Th-This is far too much…” “Is it not enough?”

Seeing Gihyeon’s eyebrows knit together, Sunja hurriedly clutched the money envelopes to her chest and shook her head furiously.

“N-No! Absolutely not!”

Seeing her response, Gihyeon nodded, easing the tense atmosphere slightly.

“That aside, I already knew you’d be coming today because my grandson mentioned it.”