The two men seemed taken aback by the boss's reaction and turned their heads to look at him.
Ignoring those men, the boss stood up and bowed to Manager Ha.
“Hello, Manager Ha.”
“Do you know me?”
“How many people in Myeongdong don’t know Manager Ha? I greeted you once before. But, why are you here...”
The boss, who had been looking at me and Manager Ha, wore an expression of disbelief.
Manager Ha ignored him and approached me, handing over a heavy briefcase.
“Young Master, I’ve brought it.”
Young Master.
The word from Manager Ha’s mouth drained the color from the boss’s face.
He couldn’t even make an excuse, just rolling his eyes and trying to read my expression.
“By the way, the atmosphere seemed odd when I came in. What happened?”
Manager Ha asked casually, his face expressionless. The boss looked pitiful.
“Well, nothing much. When I came to pay off a debt, they were just sitting there, pretending to be polite.”
“Hmm...”
The boss, who had been watching for a reaction, asked Manager Ha tentatively.
“Th-That... Could this person be... perhaps the grandson of Chairman Cheon...”
His face was pleading for a negative answer, but Manager Ha nodded silently.
The boss silently pulled out his hair.
But Manager Ha didn’t care at all.
“Who’s Jeonju? I didn’t even know such a place existed.”
“...I, I work under Chairman Seok.”
“Chairman Seok?”
Manager Ha tilted his head, and the boss quickly added.
“Chairman Seok Gang-ho.”
“Seok Gang-ho, Seok Gang-ho... Ah, Seok Gang-ho.”
“Yes!”
“When did Seok become a chairman?”
“...”
The boss’s expression was comically horrified.
“Do you know him?”
In response to my question, Manager Ha explained as if it were no big deal.
“Yes. He started as a day laborer and eventually set up a proper loan shark office.”
“Ah.”
“He’s not someone you need to worry about, Young Master. But, what’s the 15 million won for?”
“Ah, I have some business with Han Kyung-yeong. He owes these people money, so I’m paying it off and taking over the debt.”
At the mention of his name, Han Kyung-yeong, who had been pressed against the wall and watching the situation, jumped in surprise.
It seemed even Manager Ha was intimidating.
I chuckled and sat back down.
“Got the money? Bring the documents, quickly.”
The boss just watched Manager Ha.
But when Manager Ha stood silently behind me, the boss reluctantly went to the cabinet and brought out Han Kyung-yeong’s loan documents.
Without even looking at the loan documents on the table, I tore them up right there.
“So, Han Kyung-yeong’s debt is settled now?”
The boss, who had been staring at the shredded documents, hurriedly answered my question.
“Yes? Ah! Yes, yes. Of course.”
Manager Ha opened the briefcase he had brought.
Inside were neatly stacked bundles of cash, each 1 million won.
I took out three bundles and placed them on the table.
“This is the principal.”
I took out another twelve bundles and placed them next to the first.
“This is the interest.”
“Yes, it’s 15 million won. Thank you.”
As the boss reached for the money on the table, I stopped him. He looked at me with confusion.
“Hold on, there’s still something to settle, right?”
“Yes?”
I smiled brightly at him and picked up the bundles of cash.
“Let’s start by deducting 3 million won for each insult you threw at me. Crazy bastard, son of a bitch, this guy. That’s 9 million won, right?”
I put nine bundles back into the briefcase.
Ignoring the boss’s trembling gaze following the money, I continued.
“5 million won for Manager Ha’s travel expenses.”
I put five more bundles back into the briefcase.
“1 million won left, right?”
He looked back and forth between me, Manager Ha, and the remaining bundle of cash.
“This is for the cost of finding the hidden Han Kyung-yeong. It’s just right.”
I put the last bundle back into the briefcase.
“Done with the calculation?”
“W-What are you talking about?”
He tried to argue, his voice stuttering.
If you can’t even understand the situation, how can you run a business?
I laughed at him and closed the briefcase.
“Don’t you understand Korean?”
“H-How can anyone in this world do such a thing?”
“Are you running a legal business?”
“That’s not the point... Since you tore up the documents, you should give the money. Even if you are Chairman Cheon’s grandson, you can’t do this.”
“I already gave you the money. 15 million won.”
“No...”
“Then is my calculation wrong? Tell me where.”
“...”
He glanced at Manager Ha and then closed his mouth.
If you can’t even argue, why are you making noise?
“Mr. Boss, whose name you don’t even know. The problem isn’t the money, but your life. Aren’t you worried about what’s happened?”
He closed his mouth, seemingly realizing the reality of the situation as the bundles of cash disappeared before his eyes.
“Starting tomorrow, if I see you in Myeongdong, it won’t end with just words. Remember, in Myeongdong, money is king. I warned you.”
I handed the briefcase to Manager Ha, who was standing behind me.
He seemed pleased with what I had done, a small smile on his lips.
I stretched and stood up.
“If I see you again, you know what will happen. Take care.”
As I turned to leave, the boss knelt on the floor.
“P-Please, just once, forgive me.”
“Forgive? For what? What did you do wrong?”
“I did everything wrong. Please forgive me.”
It seemed he didn’t want to retire.
“Fine. We’re not close, so it’s not like I’m forgiving you. Let’s go, Manager Ha. And Han Kyung-yeong, don’t just stand there, come with us.”
Han Kyung-yeong slowly moved away from the wall and walked toward me.
He alternated his gaze between the kneeling loan shark and me before rushing out.
“Ah, right.”
I stopped and the boss, still on the floor, looked at me in confusion.
I took out 30,000 won from my wallet and threw it on the floor.
“Calculations need to be precise. Can a loan shark just deduct interest as a service?”
Outside, Manager Ha was waiting in front of the building.
“Manager Ha, I’m sorry for the trouble.”
He shook his head, smiling slightly as if amused.
“Ha ha, no problem. Thanks to you, I had some fun.”
“I’m going to talk to Han Kyung-yeong and then go home. You can go ahead.”
“Yes, see you later.”
Han Kyung-yeong looked bewildered.
“Let’s have a drink first.”
“Yes? Yes.”
It seemed he was also afraid of me.
I sighed and glanced at Han Kyung-yeong, who was following me closely.
* * *
After parting ways with Muhyuk, Manager Ha returned to the loan shark office.
As Manager Ha entered, the boss, who had been smoking, quickly extinguished his cigarette and stood up.
To his surprise, the boss spoke first.
“Manager Ha. How can something like this happen?”
“Hey.”
Manager Ha’s cold voice.
The boss, who had been speaking confidently, immediately shut up.
“Clear out and leave Myeongdong immediately. If you don’t, I’ll make sure Seok Gang-ho, the chairman or whatever, disappears from Myeongdong. Do you understand?”
“...”
“Answer.”
“...Yes, I understand.”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll send someone here. If you’re still around, it’ll get interesting.”
With that, Manager Ha left the office.
The office was silent for a while after Manager Ha left.
The boss, who had been staring at the shredded loan documents on the floor, picked up the phone and started calling someone.
Manager Ha headed straight for Chairman Cheon’s house.
“Ha ha ha. Really, Muhyuk did that?”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Chairman Cheon’s smile didn’t fade as he listened to the story about Kim Muhyuk.
“That kid, he really is just like me. Don’t you think so, Myeong-hoon?”
“Yes, he’s very much like you, Chairman.”
“Tsk. My sons... Misuk gave me a big gift, a big gift.”
He added, wagging his tongue at the Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han brothers.
“So, what did you do with those guys?”
“I told them to leave Myeongdong by today. If they don’t, I’ll make sure Seok Gang-ho, the boss, disappears from Myeongdong.”
“Seok Gang-ho is a boss now?”
“Yes.”
“Ha~ Time flies.”
“They call him Chairman among themselves.”
“What? Ha ha ha.”
Chairman Cheon’s amused expression turned cold.
“Tell Seok Gang-ho to leave Myeongdong too. Whether he knows or not doesn’t matter. I need to show that anyone who disobeys or makes a mistake in Myeongdong can’t live here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Manager Ha bowed and left.
Alone, Chairman Cheon’s wrinkled face was full of smiles.
* * *
Han Kyung-yeong and I entered a nearby street stall and sat down, ordering a simple dish and a bottle of soju.
“...Who exactly are you?”
Han Kyung-yeong spoke first.
“Hmm... I’m helping my grandfather for now. My main job is being a student at Korea University.”
“...Don’t joke with me.”
“What’s the point of joking with you, Han Kyung-yeong? I’m really a college student.”
I showed him my student ID.
After examining it for a while, Han Kyung-yeong sighed deeply.
“Ha~ Really. What...”
The ajumma brought the dish and a bottle of soju.
I opened the bottle and poured a glass for him.
“I don’t lie. I’m helping you settle your debt because I have something I want to do with you. Have a drink.”
He seemed anxious and immediately drank the soju, slamming the glass down.
“What do you want to do?”
“Just trade stocks.”
“Ha... You want me to trade stocks after I ran away from debt and invested in stocks? Do you expect me to believe that?”
“Hmm... Do you ever think this?”
“What?”
“If I had more money, if I had the funds, I could take down all the manipulators and everything...”
He flinched, as if the words stung.
“I’ll lend you the funds, and you show me your skills. That’s my condition. However, when I tell you to put money in or take it out, you must follow my advice, not yours. That’s all.”
“...”
I poured another glass of soju for the conflicted Han Kyung-yeong.
I poured one for myself as well and raised my glass.
“Drink this, and we’ll work together.”
“Damn, I don’t know.”
He closed his eyes tightly and clinked glasses with me.
As he stared at the now empty glass, he suddenly asked.
“Let me ask you one thing. What makes you trust me enough to lend me money? When did you see me?”
I didn’t answer, just smiled.
You said it in your autobiography.
If someone in Korea had given me a chance...
I wouldn’t have come back to Korea as a hunting dog for foreign capital...
I’ll give you a chance.
But I’m not a good person.
You have to become my hunting dog.
That day, Han Kyung-yeong and I had a long conversation.
We eventually agreed to be more casual with each other.
The next day.
I handed him a securities account with 100 million won and said.
“Use that to do whatever you want. You can lose it all. Just try it once, trusting yourself.”
“...”
“I’m serious. Go wild in the stock market.”
I showed him my trust.
Now it was Han Kyung-yeong’s turn.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
May 1993.
A loud voice echoed in Chairman Cheon’s study.
“What? What happened to Su-han?”
“...He was arrested by the prosecution.”
“No, how could he... without telling me anything...”
“It seems he was caught while working with Representative Kim.”
“Is it... the slot machine and gangster thing?”
“Yes.”
Frowning and rubbing his forehead, Chairman Cheon spoke.
“Where? The Blue House? The President?”
“It doesn’t seem so. We tried to pressure the Blue House, the Chief of the Presidential Security Service, the Chief Prosecutor, and even politicians, but they turned it into a media scandal.”
“Ha... The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office?”
“He’s a prosecutor from the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutor’s Office, Strong Division. It seems the case got big while tracking the slot machine gangsters, and he’s ignoring orders from his superiors.”
The Seok Su-han slot machine case, involving 6th Republic power brokers, members of parliament, organized crime, and loan sharks, had erupted.
It was exactly what Kim Muhyuk had been waiting for.