TOIGC 13

Chapter 13 …

Wait, an Elementary School President? (2)

“Sounds good!”

Choi Gihyeon was caught off guard by how fast the answer came back.

‘So he really just wanted to be like me?’

As Samwoo Group expanded, Choi Gihyeon had felt a profound sense of loneliness watching his children become brazenly snobbish. Sure, there were exceptions like his eldest son, Choi Cheolho, and his daughter-in-law, Park Yeonji, but he knew the rest of his kids were constantly involved in behind-the-scenes power struggles. So when Yoongi made the bold request to take Jeil Textiles today, Choi Gihyeon had naturally wondered, given how sharp the boy was, ‘Has he already been corrupted?’ Yet looking at Yoongi’s reaction, there wasn’t a trace of disappointment—he looked genuinely thrilled.

‘If Cheolho or his wife had put Yoongi up to this, there’s no way he’d react like that…’

Some of his other children had already asked for massive financial backing, claiming they wanted to start businesses in their own names, or demanded to be fast-tracked into key corporate positions. Naturally, he had shut them down without hesitation.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such genuine drive.’

A smile spread across Choi Gihyeon’s face.

“Having zero connection to Samwoo Group means you won’t get a single shred of support from Samwoo. You’re still fine with that?” “I’m fine with it! I want to build things on my own, just like you did, Grandfather. Though, considering how much you’ve already given me, it’s hard to truly compare.”

Before he knew it, Yoongi was pulled up onto Choi Gihyeon’s lap.

“Fair enough. If that’s really what you want, I’ll help you. Starting a business isn’t actually that hard. Unlike my day, there are legal papers to file now, but even a minor can legally become a company president.” “Right, but like you said earlier, Grandfather, a minor can’t build trust with people, so the business will easily go under, right?” “Indeed, that’s the real problem. Who would trust a minor?”

Going deeper into the topic would mean bringing up entertainment culture and corporate drinking etiquette, but Choi Gihyeon didn’t bother going that far. What he had already said was plenty.

“What I’ll do for you is help submit the incorporation papers and assign you a subordinate who can teach you what running a company actually entails. You can learn the ropes of business operations from him. Teachers wouldn’t be able to teach you that kind of practical work anyway.”

“Thank you, Grandfather! So is it okay for me to use my allowance for that now?” “Wasn’t your allowance given to you to spend as you please in the first place?” “I just didn’t want it to look like I was squandering the money you worked so hard to earn.”

Hearing those heart-warming words from his grandson, Choi Gihyeon pulled Yoongi into a hug and patted his back.

‘Very few people appreciate how hard I worked to earn this money, but coming from you, it makes me happier than anything.’

Inside Choi Gihyeon’s heart, which had grown increasingly cold lately, a warm candle flickered to life for the first time in a long while.

“Hello, Young Master. My name is Ryu Geuntae. Starting today, I will be assisting you with your business.”

He was a sharply dressed man in his mid-30s, wearing a tailored suit. With slicked-back hair styled in a neat 2-to-8 side part, he was the picture-perfect corporate professional.

“Hello. I’ll be in your care from today on.”

After exchanging greetings in the bedroom, Yoongi asked the first thing he was curious about.

“Mister, what kind of work did you originally do at my grandfather’s company?” “I was in the Chairman’s secretarial office.” “Is there more than one secretary?”

While such a direct question might seem unusual coming from a kid to an adult, Yoongi was visibly just a third-grade elementary student, so Ryu Geuntae answered with a friendly smile.

“Yes. Since secretaries must assist the Chairman around the clock, a single person cannot handle it properly. Therefore, we work in shifts to maintain constant standby availability. Furthermore, for someone of the Chairman’s stature, there are countless incoming inquiries, requiring a minimum on-site staff of two or more at all times.” “How many secretaries does my grandfather have?” “I apologize, but even for you, Young Master, I cannot disclose that. It is a trade secret.” “Understood.”

As Yoongi nodded, a flicker of intrigue passed through Ryu Geuntae’s eyes. Normally, when young children ask questions and don’t get an answer, they throw a tantrum. Yet seeing him accept the explanation the moment he heard the words ‘trade secret’ made Ryu Geuntae realize once again why the Chairman kept a close eye on this boy.

“Mister, aren’t you upset about being assigned to my side instead of staying in the secretarial office?”

It was an extremely bold question. However, Ryu Geuntae remained entirely unfazed, his professional smile never wavering.

“As long as the Chairman has assigned me this task, I will assist you to the best of my ability. To me, you are no different from a young chairman.”

Listening to Ryu Geuntae’s answer, Yoongi became convinced that the man was exceptionally competent. Yoongi knew better than anyone how difficult it was for an adult to maintain such a composed, polite, and strictly businesslike demeanor in front of a child without dropping character.

‘Just look at my homeroom teacher, for starters.’

Park Sunja, who turned endlessly servile in front of him, and other adults who occasionally forgot their place and acted disrespectfully. Even in his adult life before his suicide, he had seen plenty of people who couldn’t hide their emotions in their speech. Yet the man before him, Ryu Geuntae, showed no sign of resentment despite having every reason to feel ‘demoted.’ Honestly, Yoongi felt drawn to him.

<He’s Chemical. Chief He Samwoo Staff actually at competent. eventually of rises to very> ‘Samwoo Chemical? That means…’ <The company ends grandfather’s running. son third up your> ‘Ah!’

His grandfather’s third son, Choi Cheolgyu. Currently a assistant manager at Samwoo Chemical, he would later become the company’s chairman.

‘My third uncle takes this man as his chief of staff?’

Yoongi cut the thought short before the scene could fully take shape in his mind.

‘I want to take him for myself.’

Having resolved never to let Samwoo Group fall apart, his appetite for talented individuals had grown just as strong. So now that he had met Ryu Geuntae, Yoongi was determined not to let him slip away.

“Mister, I prefer someone who gives me the raw facts so I can avoid the worst-case scenario over someone who sugarcoats things out of concern for me. Which type are you?” “Whichever type you require—that is the duty of a secretary.” “Then let me ask you something. I told my grandfather that I want to start a business, but right now, I don’t have the knowledge or the know-how.” “I am listening.” “However, I want to establish the fact that I’ve started a business. In other words, I want to be able to make my move whenever I’m ready. In a case like this, what would be the best approach?” “In that case, I believe it would be best to incorporate in an industry that requires minimal operational work, and then pivot to your desired field whenever you’re ready.” “Is that possible?” “Yes. The business landscape is surprisingly flexible. Though, of course, that also means competition is fierce.”

Yoongi realized once again just how little he actually knew about this world.

“Mister.” “Yes.” “As you can see, I really don’t know a thing.”

Rather than answering directly, Ryu Geuntae simply listened attentively, avoiding a rushed response. He wasn’t ignoring the comment, but rather steering clear of risky statements. That demeanor only boosted Yoongi’s trust in him even further.

“Starting today, could you teach me about business management from 9 PM to 11 PM every night?” “Isn’t that a bit late? You might get too tired, Young Master. Besides, the material will be quite difficult.” “I’d like to figure that out as I learn. Is it like math, where I need to master prior stages first?”

Ryu Geuntae shook his head.

“No. Economics might be a different story, but management is largely about logical comprehension. Shall we begin tonight, then?” “If possible, yes. In return, as long as I don’t have any specific requests, feel free to use the rest of your time however you like. It’s totally fine if you want to rest at home.” “Understood. In that case, I will head to the bookstore first to find a book suited for you.” “I’ll give you the money later.” “No need to worry about the money. Books aren’t that expensive.”

Yoongi shook his head.

“No. Spending my own money will make me work harder, and spending my money means you won’t hesitate to pick the absolute best book available.”

Hearing that reply, a subtle smile touched the secretary’s lips.

“Understood.”

The moment 9 PM hit, discussions about complex management theories began flowing from Yoongi’s bedroom. Naturally, Choi Cheolho and Park Yeonji listened in from outside the door, but Choi Cheolho soon shook his head with a chuckle.

“Whew, I can’t make head or tail of any of that.” “Yoongi’s focus puts my mind at ease.” “Man, a kid his age should be playing a little more.” “You’re secretly loving this, aren’t you?”

At Park Yeonji’s sweet smile, Choi Cheolho grinned sheepishly, wrapped his arms around her, and headed into the main bedroom.

Break time at school is notoriously loud, even at a science high school. So what was it like at an elementary school? Even amidst a chaotic racket that resembled a bustling open market, Yoongi was fully absorbed in reading the introductory textbook Ryu Geuntae had handed him yesterday.

“Yoongi, what are you reading?”

Jinsu moved over to Yoongi’s desk, squinted at the cover, and frowned.

“Introduction… to Management…? Woof-woof…? Is this a book about dogs?”

Jinsu leaned over Yoongi’s shoulder, looking at the wiggly black lines squiggling across the white paper with a puzzled expression.

“Wait, why aren’t there any dogs in here?” “Hey, you dummy! That’s a book about business management!”

Coming from a wealthy family, Wonhee at least recognized the word ‘management.’

“Then what’s an introduction?” “Th-that’s… anyway, it’s just something like that!” “What, you don’t know either!” “I do too!” “Then explain it!” “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t get it.” “Hmph, you don’t even know.”

It was one thing if the noise was coming from afar, but having it right next to him made it tough to focus, so Yoongi offered a brief explanation.

“An introduction is a book that summarizes the key concepts of a subject.” “Summarizes?”

At Jinsu’s follow-up question, Yoongi just let out a quiet “Hmm…” and turned his eyes back to the book.

“Wonhee, what does summarize mean?” “I told you, you wouldn’t understand even if I said it.” “You don’t know either!”

In the end, Yoongi had no choice but to push his concentration to the absolute limit to keep reading.

[Two hours a day is a decent chunk of time, but if you wish to learn more, Young Master, you’ll need to carve out separate study hours on your own.]

Yoongi had started reading following Ryu Geuntae’s advice, but his daily schedule was so packed it could genuinely be described as intense. Once school ended, he studied at Wonhee’s house, then spent a brief moment practicing the violin for leisure and potential networking down the road. From 7 PM to 8 PM, he worked out. At 8 PM, he returned home for a quick dinner with his parents, after which he studied until midnight before heading to bed. And now, tutoring with Ryu Geuntae from 9 PM to 11 PM was squeezed right into that routine. Because he had to absorb Ryu Geuntae’s lessons while maintaining his baseline study load, he couldn’t afford to waste a single fragment of spare time—and as a result, Yoongi’s focus kept sharpening day after day.

“You’ve been working hard on your own, I see.”

Ryu Geuntae nodded, noticing the slight wear along the edges of the introductory textbook.

“Let’s begin.”

At Yoongi’s tone, which signaled that small talk wasn’t necessary, Ryu Geuntae gave his absolute all to teach him. Two months passed like that. After spending over 100 cumulative hours observing Ryu Geuntae, Yoongi finally felt confident enough to entrust him with real responsibility.

“Mister. Are you my grandfather’s secretary, or are you my secretary?” “As long as the Chairman’s order remains in effect, I am your secretary, Young Master.” “Then can you fulfill a request for me?” “As long as it is a work-related instruction, I can carry out anything.” “In that case, please use my assets to buy up as much land in Cheonggyecheon as possible.”