Chapter 7
Luxury Life (3)
“Team Leader Park.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you really prepared to see this through?”
Team Leader Park Jaewoo wanted to kill himself for letting that intern talk him into this.
He had only wanted to throw his weight around a little, but he never imagined things would escalate this quickly and this far.
The assistant manager from the Parts Team immediately ran off and reported everything to his team leader and department manager.
The manager then reported it straight to the executive director in charge of the division.
The executive director promptly called Kim Jaehyun, head of the Support Division, subtly pressuring him.
“Come on, let’s cooperate better. What’s the Support Division for if not supporting the Sales Division?”
Having suddenly been hit from out of nowhere, Executive Director Kim immediately summoned the department manager.
Unfortunately, the manager was on a business trip, so the responsible team leader came instead and explained everything.
Seeing Executive Director Kim glaring at him made Park’s knees weak.
But he was already riding the tiger.
If he backed down now, the Sales Division would treat him like a pushover forever.
There was no choice but to go all the way to the cliff’s edge.
“Yes. No matter how many outsourced suppliers the Sales Division manages, we’ll deal with them directly. Honestly, it’s not even that difficult. I don’t know why the Sales Division acts as if compiling inventory reports is some impossible task, but we can handle it.”
“Of course you can. But that’s not what I asked.”
“Huh?”
“Are you really planning to fight the Sales Division head-on? If things escalate, this could reach the president’s office. No, maybe even the chairman’s office. Once you bite down on that, you have to dance with it. You confident?”
“Huh?”
Park didn’t understand what Kim was talking about.
Why were the president and chairman suddenly entering the picture?
Watching Park stand there with wide eyes repeatedly saying, “Huh? Huh?”, Executive Director Kim let out a deep sigh.
“Hey! You really don’t understand what kind of game board you’re standing on, do you?”
“Huh?”
There it was again.
“Huh?”
“You idiot! You’re a team leader and you just charged ahead without even knowing what this was about?”
Kim finally exploded.
Before lighting a fuse, shouldn’t you at least know whether it’s attached to a lantern or a bomb?
And this fool couldn’t even tell the difference.
“Was this your idea? Did you just get frustrated because Sales wasn’t cooperating?”
“Well... the intern suggested we try it...”
“What? The intern?”
“I-I’m sorry, sir.”
“Are you telling me a team leader caused all this because he listened to an intern? Are you out of your mind?”
Then Kim remembered another extremely important fact.
“Hey. That intern... does he happen to have some connection to the chairman?”
“Y-Yes.”
The last thread of Kim’s patience snapped.
“Get out! You bastard! Go drown yourself in a puddle!”
Park barely dodged the pen Kim threw at him and fled the office.
***
Grinding his teeth, Park returned to the department.
But the intern he had planned to devour alive was nowhere to be seen.
“Where did that bastard go?”
Intimidated by the furious look on his face, Assistant Manager Jo answered in a tiny voice.
“He said he had a headache and went to the hospital...”
“He really does whatever the hell he wants. Crazy bastard.”
After collapsing into his chair and fuming for a while, Park gradually calmed down.
Then again, what fault did the crazy intern have?
The real idiot was himself for listening to a crazy person.
At this point, he could only pray that this incident wouldn’t affect his promotion prospects.
***
Chairman Kang emptied the bag he had brought back onto the bed in his tiny officetel.
Before looking at the cash, checks, and gold bars, he checked what he had taken from the safe.
Passbooks, seals, and bank cards from the nation’s five major banks.
None were under borrowed names.
All were in Chairman Kang Yongho’s real name.
Each account contained exactly ten billion won.
Not fixed deposits.
Ordinary checking accounts.
He couldn’t remember exactly when he created them, but it hadn’t been more than ten years.
He had originally intended to hand them out to his grandchildren when they got married.
Who would have thought he’d end up using them himself?
The problem was how to withdraw the money.
Because of Korea’s real-name financial system, there was no way for someone in Hwang Junhyun’s body to access it directly.
Transferring funds would require a digital certificate or something similar, making that difficult too.
Wait.
Who has my certificate now?
Nobody knew these accounts existed.
If he died, would someone eventually take the money?
Surely nobody in the company had the guts to swallow five hundred billion won.
Right?
“Damn it. Do I really have to go to a bank and withdraw money with these cards myself?”
Going to the teller was impossible.
That left ATMs.
But ATMs didn’t exactly contain tens of billions of won.
There was only one way to find out.
He opened a small pouch.
Inside were his registered seal, a key card for a personal bank vault, and another card he hadn’t used in a long time.
More than anything else, that card delighted him.
“Ha! So this is where I left it. Heh.”
***
The Ocean Hotel
CLUB PRESIDENTIAL SUITE
Room No. 2401
It was a hotel room key card.
The most secret and comfortable place in the world.
Chairman Kang’s private sanctuary.
Ten years ago, Choi sung Construction had built the Ocean Hotel.
Though it was a five-star hotel, it wasn’t part of a global chain and didn’t belong to a major conglomerate.
The hotel’s shareholders were simply a wealthy individual and his family.
During construction, Chairman Kang had made a very private arrangement with the owner.
One of the hotel’s three highest-grade suites would remain his forever.
Naturally, the permanent accommodation fee had been deducted from the construction costs.
Chairman Kang used the room whenever he sought discreet pleasures or needed to disappear during scandals.
Occasionally, he had even directed confidential projects from this suite while housing key staff there.
Technically, it had been used for business.
He had originally planned to use the money he brought to find a new place to stay.
Now there was no need.
He could simply stay here.
The hotel never paid attention to who entered or left the room.
After packing his belongings again and grabbing Hwang Junhyun’s laptop, he stood up.
Today was moving day.
**
“Only six million won?”
After several attempts, Chairman Kang finally figured out how to use an ATM.
The problem was the daily withdrawal limit.
Only six million won.
Even if he visited all five banks, that was only thirty million won per day.
To withdraw all the money in those accounts, he would have to visit five banks every single day for five years.
“God damn it. Why is it so difficult to withdraw my own money?”
Chairman Kang felt bitter.
He had been reduced to someone earning thirty million won a day.
Arriving at the hotel and stepping into the suite on the twenty-fourth floor immediately improved his mood.
An eighty-pyeong suite with a separate living room, reception room, and bedroom.
Though it hadn’t been used in months, everything remained spotless.
A panoramic view overlooking Gangnam Boulevard.
A whirlpool bathtub where he could soak while enjoying the view.
Only now did he feel like he was living like a human being again.
Still, something felt off.
The shabby suit, wrinkled shirt, and uncomfortable shoes he was wearing.
He needed new clothes.
And new shoes.
First, he filled the bathtub and changed into a bathrobe.
Then the doorbell rang.
Opening the door, he found a hotel employee carrying a fruit platter and tea set, accompanied by what appeared to be the room manager.
“Thank you for visiting us again, sir.”
Normally, they would never appear unless called.
But seeing a young man using the suite had clearly made them curious.
Had it been a young woman, they probably wouldn’t have bothered.
“Leave it and go. I’m about to shower.”
“Yes, sir. Then...”
The employee moved suspiciously slowly.
He was buying time for the manager.
“We heard the news... Is the chairman alright?”
If even this hotel knew, then the entire business world probably knew by now.
“It was only a minor accident. He’s fine.”
The manager still looked suspicious.
Time to reassure him.
“Because of the accident, the chairman is in a bad mood and is proceeding with some delayed business. Secretly. Without the group knowing. I’ll be staying in this room for several months. Is there a problem?”
“N-No, sir. We only wished to confirm how best to serve you. My apologies if we caused any discomfort.”
“Not at all. Just pay extra attention to security. Especially during cleaning.”
“Of course. We’ll assign a careful and discreet maid.”
The hotel needed to trust him.
They needed to believe he was exactly the kind of guest entitled to stay in a suite like this.
Chairman Kang pulled out two bundles of fifty-thousand-won notes and handed them to the manager.
Money was the best guarantee.
“Since I can’t hand out tips every day, make sure nobody calls me a cheap guest.”
“Oh, sir, really... that isn’t necessary...”
His mouth protested.
His hands moved much faster.
“And prepare tea every morning. I’ll need to go to Choi sung Group headquarters.”
“What time?”
“I need to arrive by nine. Work out the details yourself. And schedule the wake-up call accordingly. Oh, and make sure the car isn’t too flashy.”
“We’ll make all necessary arrangements. As always, we’ll do our utmost to ensure your comfort.”
After bowing repeatedly, the manager finally left.
Chairman Kang sank into the warm water of the bathtub.
When he arrived in Myeong-dong, Chairman Kang searched his memory.
“It should be around here... Did they move?”
They hadn’t.
Places built on tradition never moved.
Jung’s Tailor & Shoes
The first time he visited this shop was on the day of his high school entrance ceremony, holding his father’s hand.
After having his first suit made there, he wore their bespoke suits for the rest of his life.
Once he became chairman, he never visited in person.
Their tailors came directly to the company to take measurements.
Then again, most of their clients were wealthy enough to have house calls.
For a time, he wore luxury brands like Canali, Zegna, and Ravazzolo.
But none could compare to this hidden gem.
Besides, luxury brands had become too common.
He couldn’t stand wearing the same thing as every nouveau riche amateur.
“How may we help you?”
Not “Welcome.”
Given Chairman Kang’s current appearance, that was understandable.
This was a place where a single suit cost well over ten million won.
And he was wearing an off-the-rack suit.
Still, in places like this, confidence mattered.
Not everyone could fake confidence.
True confidence came from familiarity.
“I didn’t have time to make a reservation. But I’m the kind of customer who belongs here, so let me cut in line.”
Chairman Kang reached into his bag and pulled out a one-kilogram gold bar.
“With this, I want two suits, five shirts, one coat, and two pairs of shoes. Rush order.”
The gold bar was worth nearly one hundred million won.
Most customers here paid with corporate cards.
But this was untraceable gold.
No matter how much a business boasted of tradition and honor, nobody rejected tax-free gold.
What honor or tradition could possibly defeat taxes?
He received first-class treatment.
Measurements were taken.
Even molds of his feet were made.
“When everything’s finished, deliver it here.”
After giving them the hotel address, he asked the craftsmen standing respectfully before him,
“Do you happen to have anything I can wear immediately? Shoes too. I somehow ended up dressed like this, and it’s terribly uncomfortable.”
“Please wait a moment. We’ll find something that fits perfectly.”
After changing into the clothes they brought, he looked like an entirely different person.
Youth really was wonderful.
The same luxury clothing looked completely different on a younger body.
Now he finally understood what people meant by polishing someone up until they shined.