TOIGC 37

Chapter 37 …

The Unfaithful Tax (2)

He didn’t waste words, standing firm and unyielding.

It was precisely this attitude that won JSD over completely.

‘If this kid were just ten years older, I’d try to recruit him into the military. What a waste—such an absolute waste.’

Oblivious to JSD’s inner thoughts, Yoongi simply picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating.

<Don’t help him out? should think you>

Hearing Choi Deokbae’s voice, Yoongi looked away from his book with a bewildered expression, glancing toward the desk. Yoongi was currently lying on his bed, holding a high school mathematics textbook.

“Help with what?”

<Well, Are are aren’t coming exams fend fine for him himself? just leaving really soon, student’s they? to up with you your>

“Is there some way you can help?”

Deokbae’s chest puffed up with pride.

<Of For I and are at could course drafting… faculty instance, into is! office peek questions slip teachers test the there what>

“Not interested.”

As Yoongi reached back out for his textbook, Deokbae hastily chimed in.

<Hey, I I’m If a and because blood, for grab guaranteed, hey! hey, how into is just know much offering only perfect plan. poured practically questions right? score sweat, tears test the this you’ve you,>

Lying flat on his back with his eyes glued to page 140, Yoongi replied in a bored tone.

“I said I don’t need it.”

Caught off guard by Yoongi’s indifference, Deokbae’s voice dripped with disappointment.

<Hey, Even I I’m Why a back can day? do examinations honors if in is like memory memory? my not old, out passed photocopier. questions spit state the think those to top top-notch. trust with you>

“I told you, I don’t need it. Have you forgotten about Won-hee?”

<Oh Won-hee any come for guarantee is kid? on, that there this what will work worked>

“Won-hee studied under me, and then he started tutoring Jin-su. And what are Jin-su’s grades like right now?”

Yoongi had studied alongside Won-hee for quite some time. At Yoongi’s request, Won-hee had taken on the task of tutoring Jin-su.

[I’m planning to go to a regular middle school for now, but I want to attend Gyeonggi High School for high school. So I’d really appreciate it if you both stayed focused on your studies. I want to stay friends with you guys for the rest of my life.]

Knowing that Yoongi—the most popular boy in school—held them in such high regard sent Won-hee and Jin-su’s motivation through the roof. Thanks to his long study sessions with Yoongi, Won-hee easily possessed the academic chops to enter Gyeonggi High School without breaking a sweat, while Jin-su was hovering just around the cutoff line, though Yoongi figured he could squeak in if he kept pushing. That is, assuming their current work ethic held up.

<You an are impossible kid know really talk that? to to, you>

The reason Deokbae was so worked up came down to a simple craving for something he wanted to eat. Though he muttered inwardly about what an oblivious little brat Yoongi was, Yoongi wasn’t lacking in social awareness at all. He was simply feigning ignorance.

‘It’s a waste to blow a chance like that just to cheat.’

While Deokbae usually helped out, he was prone to whims and sometimes acted out. That meant he needed to be kept on a tight leash. Yoongi understood this better than anyone from past experience, and right now was definitely not the time to give in to Deokbae’s demands.

“I trust Jae-jun.”

Yoongi meant it, too. True to his word, Jae-jun was burning the midnight oil, studying diligently on his own.

‘I can’t bear the thought of being separated from Hyung.’

Jae-jun hunched over his desk, reading his textbooks back-to-back and plowing through problem sets. Having a tissue permanently stuffed up one nostril because of a recent nosebleed made him one of the few kids his age already intimately familiar with physical burnout.

‘I have to satisfy my dad. I have to. That’s the only way I can keep seeing Yoongi Hyung.’

The past three months had been the happiest period of Jae-jun’s life. Whenever his father used to come home from work, it felt like walking into a war zone, and the terrifying scoldings that followed always left him feeling like he might wet his pants.

Ever since Yoongi Hyung entered the picture, everything changed. His father actually smiled and played catch with him. He stopped nagging during dinner and casually asked how things were going at school. This warm, gentle side of his father was something he had never experienced before, and he refused to lose it.

‘If I get separated from Hyung, Dad’s going to turn right back into his old self.’

Though driven partly by fear, this thought served as a powerful motivator for Jae-jun. Ideally, JSD changing on his own would have been the best outcome, but this served as a solid alternative. And as far as alternatives went, its effectiveness was off the charts. As long as the connection to Yoongi remained intact, Jae-jun would push himself to the limit.

From Yoongi’s perspective, it was the optimal arrangement.

“A kid who wouldn’t listen no matter how much I nagged him has really turned into a fine young man.”

Hearing JSD’s remark from the living room couch, Park Gyeong-ja smiled warmly.

“See? I always told you. You can’t just raise kids with an iron fist.”

JSD looked slightly sheepish.

“Fair enough, but your parenting style was completely different from the tutor’s approach, wasn’t it? You can’t raise them by being purely soft, nor can you raise them by being purely harsh.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s great to see Jae-jun working this hard, and even better that Jaeseok is following his example.”

“Exactly. The kids haven’t been fighting at home lately, and parenting has gotten so much easier.”

Smiling, Park Gyeong-ja cautiously broached a new topic.

“By the way, dear?”

“Hmm?”

“Well… what are you planning to do if Jae-jun’s grades don’t turn out so great this semester?”

Without answering, JSD pulled out a second cigarette and lit it.

“I took a look at Jae-jun’s textbooks earlier, and they’re practically worn to shreds. The boy is putting his heart and soul into studying. Shouldn’t we keep Tutor Yoongi around based on that effort alone? Besides, like you said, if we want to secure that connection with Brigadier General Colson…”

“A deal is a deal.”

Faced with his wife’s firm look, Park Gyeong-ja clamped her mouth shut, left with no choice but to pray that her son pulled off a stellar report card.

The day of the closing ceremony.

It was the magical day every student dreamed of. And alongside that dream came its seasonal demon: the report card. As the teacher called out names one by one to collect their grades, students walked up to the podium looking like they were marching to the gallows.

“Aw man, my mom’s going to kill me!”

A boy sitting in the middle of the first row buried his face in his arms and slumped over his desk, echoed soon after by a similar groan from the back of the third row.

While most kids sat around dreading the reckoning waiting for them at home, Jae-jun stood frozen with sweaty palms, waiting for his name to be called.

“Jang Jae-jun.”

The moment the teacher called his name, Jae-jun scraped his chair back, stood up with rigid posture, and marched stiffly toward the podium.

“What’s with the stiff face? You can afford to have some confidence, you know.”

Even though the teacher handed over the report card with an encouraging smile, Jae-jun didn’t dare look at it right away. He held it face-down as he shuffled back to his seat.

With trembling fingers, he finally flipped the paper over…

“Whoa…!!”

His class rank stared back at him from the page.

It was a 3.

In Jae-jun’s school, where both raw scores and grade tiers coexisted, the report card explicitly listed class standing. He had placed third in the entire class.

“Jae-jun, is a little decorum too much to ask for?”

At the teacher’s mild, teasing reprimand, Jae-jun snapped back to reality and bowed his head.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“As long as you know. Oh Myeong-ja.”

Hearing the teacher move on to the next name, Jae-jun couldn’t tear his eyes away from the paper.

Third place, third place, third place, third place…

A sudden wave of anxiety washed over him.

Is third place actually good enough? What if Dad isn’t satisfied?

As a spiral of self-doubt and fear took hold, Jae-jun’s expression darkened rapidly. The moment he opened the front door at home and saw his father sitting in the living room in full military uniform, the overwhelming stress caused him to pass out cold.

“Jae-jun!”

Panicking, Park Gyeong-ja sprinted over and scooped her son into her arms. Startled as well, JSD immediately called for his driver and rushed the boy to the hospital.

“He simply fainted from exhaustion. Has he been under any extreme physical stress lately?”

At the doctor’s words, Park Gyeong-ja let out a relieved sigh.

“The boy has been studying extremely hard for school lately. That must be why.”

The doctor nodded with a kindly smile.

“Hahaha, what a blessed reason to faint! Showing this kind of drive at such a young age—you have a truly remarkable son. Still, pushing past his physical limits isn’t healthy, so make sure to give him plenty of rest. He’s still just a child, after all.”

“Yes, I will. By the way, when will he wake up?”

“About two hours. Don’t worry.”

As the doctor stepped out, Park Gyeong-ja let out another deep sigh and turned to her husband.

“You should head back to the base for now. You only dropped by the house briefly anyway.”

“I suppose I should. Call me immediately if anything happens with Jae-jun.”

“Yes, I will.”

Just as JSD turned to leave, his gaze caught the school bag sitting beside Jae-jun’s hospital bed.

“Dear, what is it?”

“Nothing. Since I’m already here, I figured I might as well check.”

Park Gyeong-ja almost pointed out that their son was currently unconscious in a hospital bed, but figuring her husband wouldn’t be cruel enough to chew the boy out over grades right now, she kept quiet and watched him.

“Ah, here it is.”

He pulled the report card straight out of the bag. JSD stood in silence for a long moment after scanning the results, saying absolutely nothing.

“Well? Is the grade bad?”

Anxious, Park Gyeong-ja stood up to check the paper herself, staring at her husband in confusion.

“Isn’t third place a great result? It looks amazing to me…”

Faced with his wife’s nervous prodding, JSD replied with feigned nonchalance.

“Well… I suppose we won’t need to cancel the tutoring. I’m heading back to the base.”

Without waiting for his wife’s reply, JSD strode out of the hospital room, a subtle, triumphant smile blooming across his face.

Third place…

It was a smile born of dual reliefs: the joy of his son landing third in his class, and the security of knowing his connection to Yoongi remained unbreakable.

I knew building that pipeline to Brigadier General Colson would take time, but this speeds things up.

If Jae-jun had bombed his exams, JSD had genuinely intended to cut the tutoring loose. He was strict about his children’s education, after all. But abandoning the tutoring would have meant tossing away his ticket to General Colson, so seeing such stellar marks felt like a gift from the heavens.

At the very least, the tutor’s youngest uncle needs to enlist in a unit under my direct command. That way, it won’t feel forced when I eventually set up the meeting.

Back at the office, JSD promptly picked up the phone and dialed Choi Cheol-kyu.

“Thank you so much for having us, Colonel.”

It was their first couples’ dinner in three months. This time, instead of JSD’s home, they met at an upscale restaurant reserved by JSD himself.

“I apologize for not reaching out more often. I’ve been swamped with affairs of state.”

Cheol-kyu smiled and nodded graciously. He understood the transactional nature of the influence game better than anyone, and he knew better than to rock the boat when things were running smoothly.

“I trust the tutoring yielded good results? My son mentioned that Jae-jun has been working himself to the bone lately, but…”

JSD flashed a broad smile and addressed Cheol-kyu directly.

“Have you given any thought to which military unit your younger brother wants to join?”

Bingo.

Though Cheol-kyu instantly recognized that the grand puzzle was complete, he kept his expression carefully measured, letting a wave of polite celebration wash over his face.

“Congratulations. You must have one less thing to worry about now.”

JSD chuckled warmly in response.

“Worry? Nonsense. It’s entirely thanks to the exceptional talent of our young tutor.”

Hearing JSD speak of Yoongi as an “exceptional tutor” with such genuine respect revealed just how deeply he valued the boy—and how grateful he was to Cheol-kyu for introducing them.

“It’s nothing extravagant, but please pass this along to In-gi later. Thanks to In-gi, ‘our Jae-jun’ managed to pull off such fantastic grades.”

JSD slid a box across the table—roughly the width of an apple box, but notably flatter, and carrying a distinct, heavy heft. It was definitely not “nothing extravagant.”

“Thank you. In-gi is going to be thrilled.”

“I hope it meets with his approval… Anyway, is there a specific unit you had in mind for your youngest brother? If at all possible, I’ll pull whatever strings are necessary.”

Cheol-kyu put on a thoughtful expression, pretending to deliberate.

“Well… I served as a general administrative soldier myself, so to be honest, I’m not entirely sure which posting would suit him best. Administrative roles seemed cushy from the outside, but doing paperwork at the company level turned out to be grueling. Battalion-level admin work looked a bit more manageable, though…”

“Battalion admin isn’t a bad gig.”

“Then would a battalion administrative post be ideal?”

JSD shook his head.

“It’s passable, at best. If you’re aiming for administrative work, positions higher up at the regiment or division level offer much better conditions.”

“Ah, so you’d recommend a division-level post?”

Again, JSD shook his head.

“That’s still just the standard baseline. You went out of your way to pull off a miracle like this; you shouldn’t settle for something so mediocre. Whose brother are we talking about here?”

“I’m all ears. What kind of posting do you have in mind?”

Delighted by Cheol-kyu’s eager anticipation, JSD let out a hearty laugh.

“Hoho, your devotion to your brother is truly admirable. Whenever people ask for favors like this, the requested assignment is usually standard—typically an orderly.”

“An orderly?”

“Yes. Think of it as a personal secretary of sorts. You’re familiar with battalion commander CP orderlies, aren’t you?”

“Ah, a CP orderly! So you mean placing him as an orderly under a battalion commander you know…?”

JSD shook his head once more.

Every time JSD shook his head, Cheol-kyu smiled inwardly. The fact that JSD was taking such meticulous care to handpick the right posting proved just how thoroughly satisfied he was with the outcome.

“If I may be so bold, how about we do this instead?”

“I’m entirely in your hands, Colonel. I’m sure whatever you propose will be well thought out.”

Encouraged by Cheol-kyu’s cooperative stance, JSD began pitching his master plan as if it were a casual suggestion.

“I’m currently living in a private residence, but I’ll be moving into official military quarters soon. What do you say to having your youngest brother serve as my official orderly?”

“An orderly… forgive me, I’m not entirely well-versed in military assignments.”

“It’s a soldier who essentially acts as a household assistant.”

Noticing a flicker of hesitation cross Cheol-kyu’s face, JSD quickly waved his hands in reassurance.

“No, no. I don’t mean treating your youngest brother like a domestic maid. I simply want his official military assignment classified that way.”

“Classified that way?”

“Yes. Officially, quarters orderlies have separate barracks nearby, but I’ll carve out a proper room inside the house for him. During his service, he can treat my home like his own boarding house and do whatever he pleases. If he wants to attend vocational classes, my driver will take him. If he wants to study at home, he can study.”

“Oh…”

Seeing Cheol-kyu’s visibly impressed reaction, JSD let out an internal sigh of relief. It was a brilliantly calculated hostage situation. If he could keep Cheol-kyu’s youngest brother stationed right under his roof for nearly three years, the chances of forging a personal connection with General Colson during that window skyrocketed.

‘The tutor dotes on this uncle, and this uncle dotes on his youngest brother. If I play my cards right, the tutor might even visit the quarters to check on him—maybe even bringing his grandfather along to ask for special overnight passes.’

Even if Yoongi didn’t make that exact move, treating the young uncle like royalty would buy immense goodwill. Three years was more than enough time to lay down solid roots.

“What do you think? I don’t have the authority to grant him a full military exemption, but wouldn’t you say this is the absolute best I can offer?”

Slowly, Cheol-kyu stood up from his seat.

A flicker of annoyance crossed JSD’s brow. He thought he had rolled out the absolute red carpet—offering the highest level of hospitality from his position—only for the man to stand up unceremoniously.

However, that mild irritation vanished in less than three seconds.

“Thank you. Truly.”

Cheol-kyu bowed deeply at a sharp 90-degree angle.

“Whoa, now, hold on, there’s no need to go this far…”

“No, Colonel. I honestly had no idea you would go out of your way to look after my youngest brother like this. I know for a fact that both my brother and Yoongi will be beyond thrilled. Thank you so much.”

Only after straightening up did Cheol-kyu let a look of profound gratitude settle across his face. Feeling a sudden pang of embarrassment, JSD flushed slightly.

“You’re thanking me far too much… Anyway, I’ll make sure he’s well taken care of. Let’s keep up the good work.”

“Yes. I’ll make sure to tell Yoongi to keep up the exceptional work as well.”

With that final remark—which neatly wiped away any lingering doubts—JSD beamed, patting himself on the back for forging such a solid alliance with Cheol-kyu.

‘If I want to keep the tutor firmly on my side, I need to maintain a steady, close relationship with this man.’

Yet JSD remained completely oblivious to the truth: that the man sitting across from him wasn’t the real mastermind, and that eleven-year-old Yoongi was the true, underage power broker pulling all the strings—a “shadow ruler” operating in plain sight.

Inside the living room of JSD’s residence.

Before the tutoring session began, JSD, Yoongi, and Park Gyeong-ja sat around sharing a cup of tea.

“I’m planning to move into the official military quarters early next year. I hope this won’t cause any inconvenience or disruption to your tutoring schedule…”

At JSD’s cautious inquiry, Yoongi shook his head.

“Not at all. However, I did hear that entering and leaving the military compound requires security clearances and passes. Would I run into any trouble getting through? I’m not very familiar with military protocols.”

“You don’t need to worry about that whatsoever. I’ll handle all of it personally.”

Yoongi had initially debated having Jae-jun commute to his own house for lessons. However, after weighing his options, he realized that gaining unrestricted access to military installations served his long-term interests much better.

‘If JSD eventually becomes the crown prince of the New Military Faction, having direct access to network with other high-ranking generals will be invaluable.’

Completely unaware of these complex calculations, JSD looked visibly relieved and slid a business card across the table.

“Your grandfather is a remarkably accomplished man, so you likely won’t ever need it, but if you run into any trouble outside or if anyone ever tries to give you a hard time, just flash this card.”

The warm, protective tone made the card’s purpose crystal clear.

“Considering you wouldn’t just hand this out to anyone, I imagine it carries quite a bit of weight.”

Amused by such sharp deductive reasoning from a child, JSD smiled.

“Flip it over.”

When Yoongi turned the card around, he found JSD’s official military seal stamped on the back.

“This is…”

“If you run into someone who sees that stamp and still refuses to back down, they’re either a senior officer far outranking me—or an absolute idiot who doesn’t know how the world works.”

Understanding the unspoken warning to handle such situations with care, Yoongi bowed his head slightly and slipped the card into his wallet—a high-end luxury designer wallet smuggled straight from America via US military customs channels. Even with his limited eye for luxury goods, JSD could tell at a glance that it was hideously expensive.

‘As expected, trying to form a bond with this kid requires raw power, not money. No matter how high-ranking his grandfather is in the US military, having a direct line of influence within the South Korean armed forces makes all the difference.’

Having indirectly confirmed both General Colson’s backing and Samwoo Group’s financial muscle, JSD kept his inner thoughts hidden and steered the conversation back to lighthearted topics.

The year was 1979.

Choi Chul-jae, Choi Gi-hyeon’s fifth son and Yoongi’s youngest uncle, enlisted in the military in June. Following his basic training, he settled smoothly into JSD’s official quarters. Though he technically shared the same compound, his treatment was lightyears ahead of an ordinary driver’s—all thanks to his nephew, Yoongi, who had dropped by his room to check on him.

“How are you finding military life so far?”

At Yoongi’s question, Choi Chul-jae flashed a cheerful, crooked grin, giving a slight nod.

“This is all thanks to you. Seriously, thank you… When my older brother told me to enlist early, I went along with it, but honestly, I was terrified. When I got here and the Colonel personally explained how I ended up with this assignment, I was genuinely moved.”

Neither Yoongi nor Cheol-kyu had given Chul-jae any heads-up beforehand. Stunned by his sudden stroke of good fortune, Chul-jae had bowed toward the direction of his nephew and brother’s home the moment JSD explained the arrangement, eagerly awaiting the day his nephew came over for tutoring.

“You should thank my second uncle rather than me. He talked my ear off about making sure his youngest brother had an easy time in the service.”

“Of course I’m grateful to him too. Anyway, I didn’t even get college ROTC deferments, so I was bracing myself for a brutal active-duty stint. I never dreamed things would turn out like this. Plus, the Colonel told me that as long as I get the Madam’s approval during the day, I can keep practicing my music, and he even offered to send me to a private academy if I wanted. Honestly, it still feels like I’m dreaming.”

Chul-jae had originally dropped out of college to pursue music, spending his early twenties floating around the local arts scene. While his sociable personality helped him rack up acquaintances, his musical talent was sorely lacking. After grinding it out for five grueling years, he would eventually return to university and carve out a respectable career as a mid-level executive at Samwoo Group—though he ultimately missed out on the chairmanship when a corporate rival muscled him out with the backing of legacy shareholders.

That was the pre-regress timeline Choi Deokbae had once described. In this new timeline, however, Chul-jae had barely survived six months in the music scene before his third older brother shoved him into an army recruiter’s office. Seeing that his family promised total support for his musical ambitions post-enlistment, he figured he had nothing to lose by going.

As it turned out, he wasn’t just avoiding a loss—he had struck gold.

“I’m really glad to hear you’re satisfied. My second uncle and I were a bit nervous, wondering if you’d be mad at us for meddling…”

Chul-jae waved his hands frantically at Yoongi’s words.

“No way! Absolutely not! I’m beyond satisfied. If you’ve got any more surprises like this up your sleeve, I’m more than ready for them—bring ’em on!”

Seeing Chul-jae’s reaction, Yoongi smiled and lowered his voice slightly.

“In that case… do you mind if I ask a tiny favor of you in return?”

“A favor? Of course, name it.”

Chul-jae lowered his voice as well, nodding eagerly. It was textbook conditioning. If Yoongi had tried extracting favors upfront in exchange for an easy military posting, he never would have elicited such an unconditionally eager response. But by feeding Chul-jae the honeyed end of the stick first, Yoongi had successfully cultivated total compliance.

‘Instead of promising rewards down the road, you hand them the candy right now.’

True to Yoongi’s psychological read, Chul-jae operated on the baseline assumption that maintaining a cozy relationship with his nephew would keep the gravy train rolling, leaving him primed and waiting for Yoongi’s next instruction.

“Would you mind pretending that you have a close, personal rapport with my maternal grandfather?”