Chapter45: < New Wine in New Bottles (1) >
Yeon-hee, who had raised her voice without realizing it, looked around before lowering it again.
“No, but how can you find out about his woman problems? That’s a bit...”
“Is it difficult?”
“For woman problems, you’d have to check his call logs, and look into any real estate or bank accounts under borrowed names. How can you find all that? The audit department won’t be able to make a move...”
Hearing Yeon-hee’s words, he realized she was thinking of it in a different way.
“The woman problems I’m talking about aren’t just about mistresses for whom he’d buy a house and a car, like you’re thinking.”
“Then what?”
“If you look at Executive Director Yang’s eyes, the pupils are hazy, the eyelids are thick, and the entire eye is dark. In Face Reading, these are called pig’s eyes, or *jeoan* (猪眼), and people with them are often coarse and violent.”
“What? He doesn’t seem that way...”
“That’s why people with those eyes usually don’t rise to such a high position. If they can’t control their rough and vicious nature, they’d never make it that far.”
“So?”
“Another characteristic of *jeoan* is a strong carnal desire. If he lived in abundance from birth, he would never have lacked for women, and he likely soothed his coarse nature by channeling it into lust.”
“Ah~ so you’re saying he probably has a lot of women?”
“It’s not just that he probably has many... He might still be using his power to satisfy his lust even now.”
Yeon-hee thought for a moment after hearing Yeonghun’s words, then her eyes widened in shock.
She understood what he was implying.
“Then what should I do?”
“What do you mean, what should you do? I’d need to see his four pillars of destiny to be certain, but judging by the lust in his eyes when he looked at you earlier, I think I’m probably right. You’ll have to figure out a way. Whether you tail him or investigate him secretly.”
“There was lust in his eyes when he looked at me? Really?”
“You’re less perceptive than you look. Are we going to keep standing here?”
“Ah, sorry. I was spacing out... There’s a place that makes an amazing anchovy noodle soup. How about it?”
“Just noodles is a bit...”
“Their king-sized dumplings are to die for, too.”
“Let’s go.”
*
Executive Director Yang Cheol-gi and Managing Director Cha Ji-yeol entered a Japanese restaurant in the Gwancheol-dong foodie alley, a short distance from the company.
It wasn’t an incredibly luxurious place, but it had private rooms suitable for confidential conversations, and the food wasn’t bad.
“You’re here.”
The man who had arrived first and was waiting for them appeared to be around Managing Director Cha’s age.
He was Do Han-su, the head of the Corporate Loan Review Department at Shinyoung Bank.
“The one who called the meeting is late. I feel quite shameless.”
“What’s the meaning of late or early over a few minutes? Please, have a seat.”
Shortly after Executive Director Yang and Managing Director Cha sat down, three bowls of raw fish over rice were brought in.
As Department Head Do Han-su slowly mixed his bowl with a heavy expression, Managing Director Cha spoke up.
“Hyunjin Corporation still isn’t rated very highly by Shinyoung Bank, so I don’t know how to thank you for processing such a large loan of 500 billion won.”
Department Head Do Han-su placed his mixing spoon on the table and spoke bluntly.
“Thank me?”
“Of course.”
“Then why did you ask to meet me?”
“Well, that’s...”
“Weren’t you going to ask how the 500 billion won loan was processed? I have eyes and ears, too. Don’t waste my precious time beating around the bush. Let’s just speak frankly.”
Faced with this, Managing Director Cha had no choice but to back down awkwardly.
Executive Director Yang stepped in.
“Alright. First, I’ll ask the most important question. Is it really coming through?”
Department Head Do Han-su took a sip of water with a displeased look before answering.
“It’s going out.”
“All 500 billion?”
“Every last won is going out.”
“Who intervened?”
“The order came from above. I don’t know exactly who was involved.”
“Above? Which ‘above’ are you referring to?”
“As I said, I don’t know who was involved.”
It was unclear whether he truly didn’t know or just didn’t want to say, but from Executive Director Yang’s perspective, finding out who had orchestrated this loan seemed difficult.
“Was it political influence? You can at least tell me that much, can’t you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Hmm... Well, you don’t seem to know anything.”
“What would someone like me, who just does as he’s told, know? That’s why I told you when you asked to meet that I probably wouldn’t be of much help.”
“Then do you know this? Is Hyesung Enterprises part of the 500 billion won loan deal?”
This time, Department Head Do Han-su looked at Executive Director Yang with an expression of wonder.
“Your company is run in an interesting way. To think you’d proceed with the acquisition of Hyesung Enterprises while keeping your own people completely in the dark.”
Executive Director Yang Cheol-gi was so flabbergasted and humiliated that he wanted to storm out of the room that very instant.
He felt like an idiot. How could he, the head of the Corporate Management Support Division, be asked by an employee of the lead manager for the sale if he was unaware of his own company’s acquisition of a firm under workout, even after it had been confirmed? How could he live with the shame?
“This is so embarrassing I can hardly show my face.”
Sensing the anger in Executive Director Yang’s voice, Department Head Do gave him the answer he wanted.
“No, it’s true. It’s been decided that Hyunjin Corporation will acquire Hyesung Enterprises in exchange for the 500 billion won loan. The acquisition price is 250 billion won. From the 500 billion won loan, an initial payment of 100 billion will be deducted and deposited, and the remaining 150 billion is to be repaid in installments of 50 billion a year for three years.”
Executive Director Yang and Managing Director Cha were reeling.
It was baffling enough that the amount had dropped by 100 billion, from 350 billion to 250 billion, but to structure it so that the actual acquisition cost was effectively capped at 100 billion through installment payments was unbelievable.
“Is that really true? Why...?”
At the question of why they would agree to such a deal, Department Head Do Han-su’s face contorted in displeasure as well.
“I’m the one who’s most curious about that. When I heard about it, I couldn’t focus on work all day. I want to grab whatever idiot... no, whatever person ordered this deal by the collar and demand to know why.”
“Ha... 100 billion plus 50 billion in installments...”
“I believe I’ve told you everything I can.”
“Thank you. You must be hungry, please eat.”
The three of them finished their meal in an awkward atmosphere and parted ways.
As Executive Director Yang and Managing Director Cha left with dark expressions, Department Head Do Han-su made a phone call.
“Yes, Executive Director. We just parted ways. They haven’t figured it out yet, but I think they will soon. Yes. Understood.”
After hanging up, Department Head Do walked away briskly.
*
“Hmm... I can’t even guess. Are you really sure about the birth date?”
At Yeonghun’s frustrated tone, Yeon-hee raised her voice, looking wronged.
“It’s correct. I told you I checked it several times!”
Yeonghun kept staring at the Hyesung Enterprises report, but he had no more ability than anyone else to discern the value of its assets.
So what could he possibly figure out by staring at it all day?
He had to admit that if it were something he could figure out, the experts would have discovered it long ago.
“Agh, I don’t know.”
Finally, Yeonghun threw the report aside and leaned back hard in his chair.
Just then, Kim Min-hee approached.
“Supervisor, today’s 4 o’clock lecture is booked in the 14th-floor conference room. And starting tomorrow, you can use the study cafe located five minutes from Exit 6 of Euljiro-ipgu Station. It’s been reserved for a month, so you don’t need to pay separately. If there are any drinks or snacks you’d like, just let them know and have them.”
“You’re doing this on purpose so company people won’t see, right?”
“That’s right. It could cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”
Her choice of words and her perceptiveness were clearly above average.
“Is there anything else I should know?”
“Not at the moment. I’ll let you know immediately if there’s anything to report.”
“Thank you.”
Min-hee gave a gentle smile, bowed her head, and walked away.
Seeing this, Yeon-hee pouted and grumbled.
“I mean, he’s her junior by a long shot, but she’s all ‘Supervisor~ Supervisor~’ Doesn’t that piss her off?”
“It seems like she’s being considerate of me, but she definitely has a personality that knows when to bow down. In a way, she probably sees it as the best strategy for survival, so the fact that I’m her junior isn’t that important. More importantly, you’re not jealous, are you?”
Yeon-hee’s eyes went wide.
“Me? Why? Why would I be? Over what?”
“I don’t know... you just seem to be overreacting.”
“Hah~ It’s not that. I just don’t like the type who goes around flaunting themselves. It’s not because it’s you, Yeonghun. It’s just my preference, you could say.”
“Is that so? Your taste is the opposite of mine.”
Yeon-hee’s head snapped around.
“Oh, oh-ho... Ah~ so you like that type?”
“Yes, I like people who flaunt it a lot, so I have something to pick up after them.”
“Well, good luck with that, then...”
The daggers in her eyes made it clear she was seriously sulking.
Just as he was about to stop teasing her, a text message arrived on his phone.
[If you’re not busy, want to have a drink with me tonight?]
As Yeonghun looked at his phone, Yeon-hee asked.
“What... is Min-hee asking to meet up outside?”
“Stop sulking. Executive Director Lee Hyeong-jun wants to see me.”
“Why him? Wasn’t that all over?”
“I doubt he wants to renegotiate the numbers... I’ll have to meet him to find out.”
“I’m curious. Can’t I come too?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I might be fine with it, but Executive Director Lee Hyeong-jun might not be. It could be a story he doesn’t want you to hear.”
“Ah... I’m so curious.”
“By the way, what did you decide to do about Executive Director Yang?”
“After hearing what you said, I thought about it long and hard. And it occurred to me that tailing him might not be very meaningful. If Executive Director Yang is the type of person you described, wouldn’t he have done something at the company by now? That’s what I thought.”
“And so?”
“I suggested we hold a training session.”
“Huh? A training session?”
*
After the uncomfortable lunch, Executive Director Yang Cheol-gi was agonizing over how to overcome the situation.
First, he had to report to President Im Ji-eun that the decision had been made to acquire Hyesung Corporation for one hundred billion won plus installment payments. He could vividly picture how President Im would react to the news.
Being called a fool or an idiot was something he could endure, but if this story reached the Chairman's ears, it was obvious he'd have a hard time keeping his position, even if Hyunjin Corporation eventually fell into President Im's hands.
He had to come up with a countermeasure, whether it was blocking the loan or finding a way to drop another bombshell on Hyesung Corporation to burden the company.
Since Department Head Do had mentioned a superior he didn't know well, the possibility was high that the owner had given the order directly. If so, he concluded that it must have eventually reached the hands of Executive Director Lee Hyeong-jun.
He had to meet with Executive Director Lee Hyeong-jun again.
A suffocating feeling tightened its grip on his chest, as if his blood were drying up and every nerve was standing on end.
“Hey, bring me some cold water.”
Executive Director Yang barked into the intercom like a king, as he always did.
A moment later, however, his favored female secretary cautiously opened the door, brought in the cold water, and said,
“All female employees have been asked to gather in the main conference room, so I’ll be back shortly.”
“What? Why?”
“They’re holding an emergency sexual harassment prevention training...”
“What nonsense is this? How annoying. Wait.”
A surge of irritation washed over Executive Director Yang.
Sexual harassment prevention training, of all things.
“Should I just tell them I can’t make it?”
Executive Director Yang’s hand, which had been about to use the intercom to find and scold the person in charge of the training, froze mid-air.
Perhaps...
Executive Director Yang put down the receiver he had picked up and said,
“Go on.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And... you won’t say anything foolish, will you?”
The secretary standing before Executive Director Yang trembled like a bird caught in the rain and nodded.
Watching her, Executive Director Yang dismissed the fleeting worry that had crossed his mind.
< New Wine in a New Wineskin (1) > End
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