TOIGC 69

Chapter 69 …

The Mat of the Bubble (1)

“Sob, sob, sob…”

Feigning a dramatic bout of crying, Cho Chung-woo suddenly brightened up as if a brilliant idea had just struck him.

“Oh, by the way, I don’t know a lick of Japanese. So…”

Yoongi cut him off.

“It’s fine.” “……Huh?” “What’s a little language barrier in this day and age? Don’t worry about it. Since Japan trades extensively with Europe and America, there are plenty of English-translated books on the Japanese economy out there. Secretary Ryu went through quite a bit of trouble tracking them all down.” “Gah!”

Though Cho Chung-woo let out an open shriek of despair, Yoongi couldn’t bring himself to dislike the guy. When someone was genuinely good at their job, even their whiniest habits somehow felt endearing. Of course, Ryu Geun-tae would likely never find anything endearing about Cho Chung-woo, past or present.

“Well then, I’m counting on you. Another bonus is coming your way for this.” “At least there’s a bonus, I suppose… How much time are you giving me?” “Four weeks.” “……Please, have mercy.” “Five weeks.” “I’m begging you…” “Should I slash the bonus instead?” “N-no, I’m good!”

Since the reading load was relatively lighter this time around, Cho Chung-woo hoisted another single volume and trudged out of Yoongi’s house. True to form, another massive shipment of books soon departed from Yoongi’s residence straight toward Cho Chung-woo’s apartment.

[Yoongi, sweetie, it’s your third aunt. Work your uncle to the bone for me, would you? Your aunt wants to reap the benefits too, so help me score one of those luxury bags your third uncle keeps talking about!]

That was the earful Yoongi had received when his third aunt called him up recently. With even his third aunt putting on the full-court press, Yoongi was more than happy to throw open the floodgates. Thanks to that timely auxiliary support, Choi Yoon-ja managed to secure an Hermès handbag directly from Yoongi, becoming the envy of her entire apartment complex’s women’s association for weeks.

On top of that, it yielded an unexpected side effect: a surge in people asking where on earth they could buy such a thing.

[I heard a massive department store is opening up around here soon, and you can buy them right there. Hasn’t anyone else heard? YK Department Store, the huge shopping complex in Cheonggyecheon.]

The word-of-mouth speed of 1980s women’s association members rivaled the charging cavalry of the Mongol Empire. Anticipation and excitement surrounding the grand opening of YK Department Store began spreading far and wide at a breakneck pace.

“Uuuugh…”

At 6:00 AM, Yoongi lay flat on his back across the bed, then began rolling to the left and rolling to the right. His face was etched with deep anxiety.

<Why Meryl? Thinking Want about face? fetch go jujubes? long me some the to>

The moment those words dropped, Yoongi spun around, planted himself in front of the jujube tray, and performed two full ceremonial bows.

<N-no, stop!>

Choi Deok-bae tried desperately to grab onto the wall, but ultimately dragged down by the sheer mystical pull of the ancestral rite, he was forced to swallow a jujube whole, instantly springing tears to his eyes.

<Damn I I’m a actually become earth… every exists face god, going if it… jujube of off single the to where wipe world>

“Pull that stunt again, and next time I’m just giving you dried jujubes straight out of the bag.” <Hey a crossing dried is jujubes line… now,> “Then read the room and keep your jokes appropriate.” <Sigh… I Meryl about cared didn’t just much. realize that you>

Teasing Yoongi himself was fair game, but Yoongi turned fiercely sensitive the moment anyone crossed or joked about the people he genuinely valued. His parents sat firmly at the highest tier of sensitivity, followed by his grandfather, with Meryl recently hovering somewhere dangerously close to that upper echelon. Right up there alongside Ryu Geun-tae and Choi Chul-gyu? Choi Deok-bae had initially written her off as just a run-of-the-mill girlfriend, but given Yoongi’s core nature of never forgetting a favor, the kindness Meryl had shown him in Europe was something he would carry with him for life.

“Consider yourself warned from here on out.” <Jeez… ‘Ah, But I’d If What, against and anyway, around back basic bed body doing eager early? enlist figure, forth got hitting in just kid’s like military puberty.’ rolling rubbing sheets, that? the thrashing to training? were what’s you you’re your> “Are you out of your mind? I still occasionally have nightmares about the army as it is.” <You about dream it? still> “Yeah. It’s the inescapable curse of every Korean man. You can never truly escape the military.” <Hmm, I Imo Incident. can during empathize felt finally how rose soldiers suppose the they those up when with> “If you want an apt analogy, it’s like failing to hold ancestral rites for your grandfather for years, and when you finally do, you just stack a single pathetic jujube on the tray.” <Whoa, Min Queen a bastard. clear. crystal total was> “King Gojong wasn’t much better, though.”

Nodding in agreement, Choi Deok-bae picked up the conversation again.

<Anyway, Dreading It’s Japan? actually anything. bothering leaked like not or radiation’s the to trip upcoming what’s yet you? your>

Yoongi shook his head.

“That’s not it. It’s just that the Japanese economy is in an absolute golden age right now. Considering the future revenue YK Department Store will pull in and Microsoft’s upcoming stock listing, I feel like I could rake in an absolute fortune right before the bubble bursts.” <You’ve about before got happens, know. left nine that years you> “From what I vaguely recall, the economy completely collapsed in the early nineties, so I figure cashing out and clearing out everything by late 1989 should do the trick.” <That’s So a bet. got issue? plan—what’s safest the you’ve> “Growing corn on land meant for American oil fields is manageable thanks to my maternal grandfather and mother, and domestic business in Korea is something I can handle by pounding the pavement myself. But Japan is a different beast. Down the line, I need to funnel financial assets into Japan, buy up land, and reap the capital gains, but I need someone trustworthy on the ground to handle that on my behalf.” <In anyone don’t enough for have job. short, the trust you> “Exactly. Sending Secretary Ryu or my uncle over to Japan is way too much of a waste.” <What Cho Chung-woo about kid? that> “Are you serious right now?” <Naturally, I’m joking.>

Yoongi briefly contemplated reaching for the jujubes again, but deciding that might be crossing a bridge too far, he settled for a long, heavy sigh.

“Anyway, I’m at a loss.” <Hmm, a advice? of piece want> “Advice?” <Yeah, advice.> “Let’s hear it.”

Asking with the desperation of a drowning man grasping at straws, Yoongi received an offhand reply as if the solution should have been obvious all along.

<I Besides, If Superman, Your a actual and at back but came dad’s deep does down, ever family, for from grandfathers, he heavily him in is it kid kids know lean least leave loud, means naturally never off on once. out parents parents. parents? personality probably see tail that the their them time time. to total voice want where wishes won’t working you you’d you’re your>

Hearing Choi Deok-bae’s words hit Yoongi like a sledgehammer to the head, expanding his perspective of the world all over again. Without wasting a second, Yoongi headed straight for Samwoo Heavy Industries. Thrilled beyond belief to receive his son’s very first unprompted, voluntary visit to the corporate office, Choi Ho sprinted out in straw shoes to the office where Yoongi was waiting.

“My boy! What brings you all the way out here?”

Though he was in his late forties, Choi Ho’s physique remained heavily carved out of rock-solid, bronze muscle. The core aides standing in suits right beside Choi Ho were built the exact same way. Even though they were wearing formal business suits, the sheer mass of their bulging muscles made it look like the fabric was about to rip at the seams. And there were a solid five of them. They couldn’t all be bodyguards—surely at least one of them doubled as a secretary.

“I missed my dad, so I came to visit.” “Look at this kid, skipping school and everything.” “I’m out here doing things way bigger than school, so it’s fine, right?” “Yeah, it’s fine! What’s school anyway? Back when I was your age, I used to lug multiple sacks of rice around on a bicycle!”

After roughly ruffling his son’s hair, Choi Ho began introducing the men standing by his side.

“These four here are my personal bodyguards. You probably haven’t met them before.”

The four bodyguards struck individual flexing poses, looking straight out of a bodybuilding stage as they greeted Yoongi.

“”””Pleased to meet ya, Yoongi!!!!””””

Despite meeting them for the first time, their greeting was so packed with raw, familial warmth that Yoongi blinked in amusement and asked his father:

“You guys must be exceptionally close, huh?” “You bet! These guys have been guarding my back for over twenty years now. You can think of them just like your uncles, so lock their faces in your memory and shake them down for some fish-shaped pastries later.”

At Choi Ho’s words, a man with a distinct mole beside his nose chimed in with a mock complaint.

“Aw come on, boss, we’re already on a lean budget here, you’re gonna make us starve?” “You punk! If you buy my son a pastry, I’ll buy you a whole fish!” “Forget the fish, a nice spicy fish stew is more my speed.” <Oho, is so? that> “Hey Yoongi, should this uncle buy you some pastries?”

The sheer, unfiltered jollity of the atmosphere broke Yoongi into a grin, and soon everyone in the room was laughing right along with him.

“Oh, and this guy here is my chief secretary.”

A man in his late forties boasting an even more absurd musculature than the four bodyguards flashed a row of startlingly white teeth entirely unbefitting his age, extending a hand roughly the size of a cast-iron skillet.

“Good to see you. I’m Cha Bum-jin—your dad’s friend, chief secretary, and head of security all rolled into one.” “Nice to meet you!”

As Yoongi shook his hand with a bright greeting, Cha Bum-jin applied a bit of pressure to his grip, then blinked in slight surprise.

“Well, look at that. Your boy’s grip strength is no joke! How about you let me train him under my wing?” “Are you out of your mind? He’s destined to be an executive, not a bodyguard.” “Tsk, what a waste. Such a waste.” “You guys really must go way back, huh?”

At his son’s question, Choi Ho nodded.

“Every single one of these guys sweated and bled alongside me back when we were grinding away under my old man. Heck, back in the day, they used to call us the ‘Bicycle Kings of Jongno’!”

At Choi Ho’s proud declaration, the men all laughed, flexing their thick, rock-solid thighs as if to prove the point.

He really is living his best management life, isn’t he?

Confirming just how genuinely happy his father was brought an unforced smile to Yoongi’s face. Catching his son’s expression, Choi Ho chuckled along before clearing his throat.

“Anyway, you didn’t just drop by for a sightseeing tour, did you? You must have come to ask your old man for a favor.”

Rather than disappointment, Choi Ho’s eyes were practically brimming with eager anticipation.

“Hehehe…”

Seeing his son scratching the back of his head, Choi Ho grabbed Yoongi—who was by no means short—lifted him effortlessly like a mannequin, and plopped him down onto the visitors’ couch in the president’s office.

“Alright, son! Spat it out! What does Dad need to help you with?” “Um… can I really just say it straight?”

Though he knew he was close with his father, Yoongi wanted to run one last sanity check just in case.

“Of course you can! These guys’ mouths are locked tighter than a vault. If they were the kind of rats to sell me out, they would’ve done it decades ago. I’ve had countless massive buyout offers with fat paychecks thrown their way, and not a single one of them budged.”

Watching the five ‘uncles’ standing behind his father nod in unison with eyes closed, broadcasting a collective ‘Damn right!’ expression, Yoongi let out a soft chuckle before finally diving into the main point.

“It’s nothing huge, but I’m thinking of expanding some business over into Japan soon.” “Japan? Come to think of it, their economy’s booming right about now, isn’t it?” “That’s right. Though even in a boom, it’s mostly established players reaping the rewards rather than fresh entrants.” “You understand what that implies, right?”

At Choi Ho’s prompt, Cha Bum-jin nodded.

“Obviously. That’s why you made me study up on it.” “Good. Go on, son, keep talking.”

Encouraged by his father, Yoongi continued.

“It’ll be tough for me to break in directly right away, but I’m heading over to Japan soon for an Hermès modeling gig. While I’m there, I want to get a lay of the land and set up an overseas corporate entity as a stepping stone, but I need someone trustworthy on the ground to help out. I figured Dad might know the right person to recommend…”

Excited beyond measure, Choi Ho leapt straight to his feet.

“So you’re asking me for a favor? Not your grandfather, and not your maternal grandfather, but straight to me?”

Yoongi nodded, offering another bashful, self-conscious smile. Choi Ho immediately whipped his head around to stare at Cha Bum-jin.

“Hey! It’s your time to shine!” “Are you insane? If I go, who’s gonna run things around here?” “Ah, true!”

Even as Yoongi realized why his grandfather had struggled to view his father as a viable successor, seeing his father’s bright, bubbly energy confirmed that it wasn’t a bad thing at all.

“Since I can’t leave, let’s send this guy instead.”

Cha Bum-jin pointed a finger straight at the oldest-looking man among the bodyguards.