TOIGC 74

Chapter 74 …

Five Birds with One Stone (4)

Wrapping up the brief phone call, Yoongi looked over at Seo Jong-hoon, who wore a look of utter bewilderment.

“It sounded like JSD was mentioned just now… do you happen to have some sort of connection with JSD?” “Ah, well, I actually serve as the private tutor for JSD’s household. The sessions have dropped off significantly compared to how often I used to go, but I still drop by from time to time.”

Since JSD’s sons were comfortably sitting at the top of their class in the first and second ranks, Yoongi had scaled down the frequency of his visits. Of course, that reduction came with the strict understanding that his irregular tutoring would continue, and the moment their grades slipped, they would immediately revert to a regular schedule.

“Good grief… I’ve never heard a single word about something like that…” “My father likes to keep things lively, but he’s not someone who runs his mouth about important matters.”

At Yoongi’s smiling response, Seo Jong-hoon nodded, wearing an expression that said he completely agreed.

“Fair enough. But what were you actually talking about on the phone? It didn’t sound like you were just chatting casually with JSD himself…” “Judging by what you heard me say, you can probably guess—it was my second uncle. My second uncle happens to be close with JSD. So JSD reached out because word about what went down in Japan somehow made it all the way to him.” “I had a sneaking suspicion, but I didn’t realize Watanabe’s family wielded that kind of heavy pull…”

Up until the 1980s, private civilian exchanges between South Korea and Japan were practically nonexistent, but the story was entirely different when it came to the upper echelons of power. It was an era where holding influence in Japan allowed you to project power into Korea, and vice versa. While the latter was generally more dominant than the former, JSD—the crown prince of the new military regime—held enough weight to casually brush off most levels of Japanese political leverage.

“It sounds like they checked in, but if anything, JSD’s camp actually felt apologetic toward us. My uncle passed along the message that JSD intends to remain strictly neutral on the matter, but if any physical threats or safety issues arise, I should let him know immediately.” “So, basically, they’re on our side.” “Pretty much.”

Yoongi didn’t bother offering any extra explanation. The underlying reason JSD was offering active protection was obvious: the U.S. military was already backing him. With the U.S. armed forces actively stepping in to shield him, JSD didn’t need to lift a finger. Yet, simply making those diplomatic gestures allowed JSD to save plenty of face in front of Yoongi. Of course, explaining all of that out loud would have felt petty and diluted the emotional weight of having a powerhouse like JSD as an indirect ally, so Yoongi kept his mouth shut.

“By the way, Yoongi. Is it really okay for you to be telling me all this? Aside from Guster, nobody else on our side seems to know any of this…”

True to Seo Jong-hoon’s observation, neither Ryu Geun-tae nor Choi Chul-gyu had accompanied them to Japan, and since Cho Jung-woo wasn’t an inner-circle confidant, there was plenty he remained completely in the dark about regarding Yoongi’s secrets. Yet Yoongi had laid out these top-tier classified details right in front of Seo Jong-hoon, leaving him feeling a mix of heavy curiosity and a lingering, foundational sense of unease.

“Because I needed to show you just how deeply I trust you, Uncle.” “Huh?”

Seo Jong-hoon fired back immediately with a puzzled look.

“I plan to make you the vanguard of my business operations in Japan. But what happens if the vanguard is bogged down by doubt? Can you really fight with peace of mind?” “Well…” “If the vanguard starts harboring doubts, the rest of the soldiers naturally won’t be able to fight properly either. Thoughts like ‘When is the reinforcement coming?’, ‘Will the rear guard arrive on time?’, or ‘Are supply lines actually secured?’ will fill their heads. And how do you think a battle turns out when it’s fought like that?”

Yoongi mimicked slicing his own throat with the side of his hand.

“Total annihilation. In that sense, I needed to instill absolute confidence in you.” “So that’s why you showed me all of that.”

In fact, even Cho Jung-woo had been excluded from the trip to the ryokan. Only Seo Jong-hoon had been brought along. Because of that, Seo Jong-hoon had witnessed firsthand the dozens of armed U.S. soldiers who had swarmed in to protect Yoongi, and he had indirectly verified the pipeline connecting them straight to JSD.

“Damn… now that I think about it, you really do have the competence to back up the trust you ask for, don’t you?”

Watching Seo Jong-hoon shake his head in sheer disbelief, Yoongi smiled.

“And you asked me a question earlier, didn’t you? Whether I went too far with Watanabe.” “Ah, right. That had me a bit worried, but seeing the kind of pull you actually wield, I guess it’s not really something worth stressing over.”

Seo Jong-hoon’s expression now carried a steady sense of calm anchored by deep trust.

“Exactly. But keep in mind, I orchestrated that escalation on purpose.” “To crush him even harder later down the line?” “That’s part of it, but the main goal was to widen the net of targets we need to clear out.” “Widen the targets we need to clear out…?”

Seo Jong-hoon looked completely lost, having no clue what Yoongi was getting at.

“Right. From Watanabe’s perspective, you look like my close confidant. However, Watanabe won’t dare touch you. He saw with his own eyes how easily a squad of Yakuza can be turned into a sieve if they try to cross paths with you.” “That’s true. Come to think of it, it would have been a disaster if we hadn’t shown him those U.S. soldiers… In Japan, unlike Korean street gangsters, the Yakuza actually hold terrifyingly deep institutional power. Back in Korea right now, JD uses the Samchung Re-education Camp to round up every single mobster who refuses to fall in line with the police and prosecutors. But Japan doesn’t have anything like that…”

The Samchung Re-education Camp. While outwardly promoted as a program for social rehabilitation, it was a notorious facility designed to transition organized crime from private ownership to state control by wiping out independent mobs so that state-sanctioned syndicates backed by police and prosecutors could fill the void. Sure, crime rates on paper in South Korea dropped through that brutal process, but in Japan, the Yakuza wielded enough systemic influence to sway the entire state machinery, making Seo Jong-hoon’s anxiety entirely justified.

“You’re feeling a lot more confident thanks to the U.S. military, aren’t you? Since I also have leverage over U.S. Forces Japan, I can arrange for American soldiers to periodically visit your home if needed.” “Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind that. I saw the U.S. military up close, but my family hasn’t yet.”

Yoongi nodded.

“I’ll make sure that happens. Anyway, while the Yakuza won’t dare lay a finger on you or your family, someone with Watanabe’s level of influence might still try to mess with your ‘business’.” “Ah…!”

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Seo Jong-hoon’s head as he let out a realization-filled exclamation.

“For the next few years, Uncle, you’re going to act like you’re trying to build a business empire in Japan. When you do, opposition and interference are bound to roll in.” “Right, obviously.” “Whenever that happens, keep a detailed record of everyone who tries to throw roadblocks in your path. Later on, when I make my full-scale corporate push into Japan, I’m going to team up with their worst enemies.”

While the primary motive for expanding into Japan was to capitalize on land value appreciation during the peak of the economic bubble, carving out clear distinctions between future allies and enemies was essential for long-term global business. Of course, explaining that entire grand strategy to Seo Jong-hoon right now was premature, so Yoongi left it unsaid.

“Man… you are genuinely incredible!”

Though his jaw hung wide open at the sheer scale of the ambition, Seo Jong-hoon’s face radiated uncontainable excitement and awe.

“Think you can handle the assignment?” “I have to, don’t I? I came to Japan with the promise of doing just that.” “If you pull off this assignment successfully…” “If I pull it off?” “I’ll make sure you secure enough generational wealth to keep your family living in luxury for three generations.”

It was still a concept too vast for Seo Jong-hoon to fully process in reality. Yet, financial metrics aside, Seo Jong-hoon felt an unshakeable conviction that betting the rest of his life on a kid named Choi Yoongi was worth every bit of the risk.

“I honestly thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head when my daughter first brought home a suitor to announce they were getting married. I kept thinking, ‘Where on earth did she drag home a man older than her own father?'”

At the hearty laugh of Seo Jong-hoon’s father-in-law, Maekawa, Yoongi chuckled as well.

“So I yelled, ‘Where did you pick up an old fogey like this to marry?!’, and right then and there, this kid pulls out his family register certificate and hands it straight to me.” “Not even an ID card, but the official family register?” “Right off the bat! So I looked through it while I was still fuming, and seeing his actual birth date threw me for a complete loop. No matter how many times I looked at him, his face screamed late forties or fifties, but the paperwork said late twenties.” “You must have been completely shell-shocked.”

As Yoongi chuckled and played along, Maekawa grew even more animated, continuing his story.

“Beyond shocked! But the real kicker happened right after that.” “What was it?”

Yoongi asked, pouring Maekawa another glass of sake.

“I asked him, ‘Hey, why did you even bring a register certificate? If you were going to bring it days later I’d understand, but why carry it around in your pocket?’ And you know what this punk told me?” “What did he say?” “He said, ‘I figured you’d misunderstand, so I prepared it in advance.’ Hahahaha!”

As Maekawa burst into laughter, tears welling in the corners of his eyes, Seo Jong-hoon sat quietly nearby with a wry, helpless smile. Sitting right beside Seo Jong-hoon was a Japanese woman with soft, rounded, adorable facial features whom Yoongi estimated to be in her mid-twenties.

From the outside looking in, they really do look more like father and daughter than husband and wife.

Of course, Yoongi wasn’t foolish enough to speak that thought out loud.

“Anyway, Satoshi-kun, I hear you’re planning to start a business here in Japan?”

Since Seo Jong-hoon used the pen name Satoshi, derived from the last kanji character of his legal given name (Hoon, meaning to teach or instruct), his father-in-law addressed him by that name.

“Yes. Yoongi’s father is a fairly prominent businessman back in Korea and we share a close relationship; he wanted to run a small corporate branch here in Japan. Through that process, I ended up stepping in as the corporate representative.” “Well, look at that—my son-in-law’s connections run deeper than I thought. Do you think you’ll be able to plant your feet firmly on Japanese soil right away?”

Maekawa eagerly poured himself another drink, and Seo Jong-hoon clinked his cup against his father-in-law’s with a grin.

“I suppose I’m blessed with good people. But because of that, I’m going to need a bit of your help, Father.” “My help? With what?” “For starters, the location of our corporate office doesn’t matter too much right now, but since we’re still debating what exact line of business to launch, I was told we need to scout potential land parcels across the wider Tokyo region. Besides, when Yoongi’s father heard about my situation, he specifically mentioned he’d love to handle all future real estate transactions through you.” “Through me?” “Yes. Most of it will likely be focused around the capital area including Tokyo, but tracking down prime real estate plots out there is going to be quite a project. Of course, he promised a very generous commission fee for your trouble.” “Well, if that’s the case, I have zero reason to turn it down. Did a son-in-law just walk into my house, or did a walking nugget of solid gold?”

Watching Maekawa break into a wide grin, Yoongi concluded that the vital bridgehead for their expansion into Japan had been successfully established.

Up until the 1970s, everyday life for ordinary citizens in South Korea was painfully devoid of leisure. President P’s suppression of popular culture had reached a truly murderous level. Long hair, mini-skirts, nocturnal curfews, and color televisions—things taken utterly for granted today—were blanketed under rigid bans. However, following the emergence of the illegitimate new military regime, JD rolled out the 3S policy to pacify public sentiment, leading to the relaxation of many of those restrictions.

Of course, not all regulations were lifted overnight, and since the 3S policy wouldn’t fully kick into gear until 1982, the autumn of 1981 was still an era lingering under the heavy shadow of P’s past residue.

“Hey, punk. Who gave you permission to bring this kind of trash into school?”

A student discipline officer slapped a rolled-up magazine sharply against the head of a classmate widely known around the room as the local “black-market merchant.”

“It’s this guy again, huh?”

Noticing the contraband inspection happening near the podium, the homeroom teacher walked over and plucked the magazine straight from the discipline monitor’s hands.

“Damn brat. This is a Japanese magazine, of all things? Hey, who authorized you to look at foreign publications?” “Uhm, well, a classmate asked me to source it for them…” “What? Who? Which little bastard asked you to track down magazines featuring those damn Japs?”

Following the monitor’s lead, the teacher gave the merchant a sharp rap on the head with the rolled magazine, curious about what kind of content it contained, and flipped the pages open to skim through them rapidly.

“Doesn’t look all that different from domestic magazines… wait?”

The teacher’s gaze flicked back and forth between the open magazine pages and Yoongi, who was sitting quietly in the back row.