Chapter 20: Are You… Really Here Just to Eat?
Vroom!
A black Volkswagen roared like an angry bull as it sped down the road.
“Damn it! I’m late, I’m late. How much did this meal cost? Why did there have to be a pop quiz at that exact moment?”
I admit it. I underestimated this.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think a meal with a major corporate chairman would cost a whopping 100 million won.
“I’m crazy, I’m crazy.”
Even if I had plenty of money now, it was clearly a crazy move.
If it weren’t for that golden light temptation, I would never have done something so insane.
“Will they at least give me a donation receipt?”
I practically flew to Baekje Hotel, rushing into the elevator to get to the restaurant I had been directed to.
“There’s no way he would have left after just three minutes of being late, right?”
The thought of wasting a precious 100 million won had my anxiety skyrocketing.
Ding
The elevator, which felt particularly slow today, finally stopped, and as soon as the doors opened, I shot out like a bullet and ran into the restaurant.
It was obvious that the place crowded with men in suits was where I needed to go.
“If I had time, I would have changed into something more formal…”
I cringed at my overly casual outfit but decided to just go for it, opening the sliding door and stepping inside.
“Huff, huff. I’m sorry I’m late. Ah, my professor suddenly gave us a pop quiz, so…”
I even feigned being out of breath to emphasize that I had really rushed over.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan and his entourage stared at me with bewildered expressions.
I felt the need to convey my desperate situation to them.
“If I missed this pop quiz, I might really have to retake the course…”
As the atmosphere was getting more awkward, I had no choice but to lower my head.
“Regardless of the reason, I apologize for being late.”
Even if it was only three minutes, it was late.
Especially when dealing with someone much older.
A well-dressed man in a neat suit looked at me and asked,
“Are you by any chance the winning bidder, Mr. Song Dae-woon?”
“Yes, I am Song Dae-woon.”
Suddenly, a thunderous laughter burst out like a thunderclap and tiger, making me flinch.
“Hahahahahaha! What a funny guy. You’re late for a 100 million won meal because of a pop quiz?”
“I sincerely apologize for that. As I mentioned, the risk of retaking the course was too great…”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan looked at me as if I were an exotic animal he had never seen before.
“Kkkkkk. I don’t remember the last time I laughed like this. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You must be exhausted running here. Why don’t you take a seat?”
“Thank you. Maybe it’s from running so much, or maybe it’s because I’m in front of the chairman, but my legs are trembling.”
My legs were genuinely trembling, so I sat down without hesitation opposite Chairman Lee Seung-hwan.
“I often see you on the news, Chairman-nim, so I’m familiar with you, but I must be a stranger to you. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Song Dae-woon.”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan stared at me silently, so I smiled and met his gaze.
A suffocating silence fell over the VIP room.
Then, with a mischievous smile, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, asked me,
“Are you really a college student?”
“Yes! I transferred to the Business Administration Department at Hanyeong University this year. I’m a freshman college student.”
A deep sense of pride welled up inside me.
Hadn’t I studied until my nose bled to get into this university for this very moment?
To proudly state my university’s name to anyone who asked.
“But why would a college student want to have a meal with me? And spending a considerable amount of money, 100 million won, no less?”
“I just wanted to meet you. Do you know how popular you are among college students? You’re approachable, you have a sense of loyalty, and you take good care of your employees. You’re the ultimate model. Didn’t you know that?”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan often heard such comments from journalists, but hearing it from an actual college student made him inexplicably happy.
“Ahem… Well, a man born with two balls should naturally be loyal, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I think so too. A man should never do anything dishonorable.”
“Chuckle chuckle. That’s absolutely right. You must be hungry, so let’s start eating.”
At Chief Secretary Lee Bong-gu’s signal, the servers began bringing in the dishes.
The spacious table was quickly filled with neatly arranged dishes.
I began devouring the dishes without hesitation, but within the bounds of decency.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan watched me with an amused expression.
“Aren’t you eating, Chairman-nim? This grilled golden tilefish is really delicious.”
“Are you… really here just to eat?”
“Wasn’t it a dining auction? Of course, we should eat first.”
I could sense the incredulous look he was giving me, but I ignored it and turned back to my plate.
‘This is a meal worth 100 million won! I should stuff myself even if it means I’m bursting.’
Still, I did not want to appear too gluttonous, so I occasionally engaged in conversation with Chairman Lee Seung-hwan.
Of course, my chopsticks never stopped moving.
As my stomach started to fill, the speed of my chopstick movements gradually slowed down.
“I see you’re finally full now.”
“I guess I had a light breakfast this morning. I apologize if I was impolite.”
“Hahaha. No, not at all. Just watching you eat so heartily makes me feel full too.”
“I’ve been told many times about my hearty appetite since I was young. Hahaha.”
Seeing me scratch my head sheepishly, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan asked casually.
“But aren’t you afraid of me or find me intimidating?”
“Chairman-nim? Oh no, not at all. You have such a kind and gentle demeanor.”
I had spent years living with sailors who had a rough and intimidating reputation that could make even criminals back off.
To my eyes, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan looked just like a kind-hearted old grandpa from the neighborhood.
Of course, the golden light that had created an inner sense of familiarity also played a part.
“That’s quite unusual. Most people find me quite intimidating.”
“Oh, that must be the people who are easily intimidated. Is there anything to be afraid of?”
For a moment, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan’s expression turned blank, and then he burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! That’s right. It’s only the easily intimidated ones who feel that way. Those with nothing to be ashamed of themselves are confident wherever they go. I’ve learned something from you today. So, how about a drink? As a token of my appreciation, let me buy you a drink.”
“Uh, Chairman-nim…”
Chief Secretary Lee Bong-gu, who was standing nearby, couldn’t hide his surprise.
It had been over three years since Chairman Lee Seung-hwan had quit drinking.
The fact that he was laughing more than usual today was already a surprise, but the fact that he was even suggesting drinking again was something he couldn’t hide his surprise about.
“A drink… Will you cover my cab fare?”
“Cab fare? Of course. If you’re willing to be an old man’s drinking buddy, I can’t not cover your cab fare.”
“Alright then! Let’s have a drink.”
Soon, a waiter placed a bottle of liquor on the table that looked like it belonged in a Goryeo celadon collection.
“It’s a famous traditional liquor, crafted with great care by a renowned master. It has quite a unique flavor.”
Receiving the drink poured by Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, I filled his glass in return.
“Hmm… it’s definitely different.”
Though the alcohol content was high, it went down smoothly, with the distinctive scent of herbal medicine and a fragrant floral aroma lingering in my mouth.
Was it perhaps the magic of sharing a drink?
As we exchanged glasses, the atmosphere gradually became much more relaxed than before.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way. With so much karma accumulated, I’ve naturally made many enemies. As a result, I stopped trusting people at some point. To be honest, I looked into your background without your permission… I apologize for that.”
I nodded nonchalantly, as I had somewhat anticipated this.
“Someone of your position would naturally do so, it’s understandable. Next time, you can just ask me directly.”
“That’s manly of you. So, speaking of which… I’ve heard that you have been working on an ocean fishing ship until recently. Is that correct?”
I nodded confidently.
“That’s right. It was a decision I made to take responsibility for my past mistakes.”
“To take responsibility for your mistakes… That’s quite rare these days.”
“It’s only natural. I made the mess, so I should be the one to clean it up. Who else would do it? Anyway, I seem to have been talking about myself too much. Do you have anything to worry about these days, Chairman-nim?”
“What? Worry about something? Hahaha, you are truly amusing. You always exceed my expectations.”
Who would dare ask the head of a Korean conglomerate what their worries are?
“Yes, I do. I have some worries.”
“What are those?”
“Actually, our Buksan group is secretly preparing a new food business that will be responsible for our future.”
“Uh, Chairman-nim…”
Chief Secretary Lee Bong-gu looked bewildered, but Chairman Lee Seung-hwan raised his hand to indicate it was fine.
“I am convinced that this new business will become a key industry leading the future. But the people I put in charge don’t seem to have the same passion as I do. Of course, they do their tasks flawlessly without complaint, but there’s nothing beyond that, and it makes me a bit frustrated.”
As Chairman Lee Seung-hwan revealed his true feelings, Secretary Lee Bong-gu’s eyebrows twitched.
After a moment of contemplation, I decided to share an episode I had experienced from my time on the ocean fishing ship.
“I’m not sure if this is relevant, but let me tell you a story. Once, while I was catching tuna, our ship broke down and we had to go to a nearby land to have it repaired.”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan’s intense eyes focused on me at the unexpected mention of a ship.
“Somehow, I ended up having a chat… or rather, a conversation with the owner of the ship repair company. And he told me something interesting. He said that if you want to build a magnificent ship, you should never just tell your workers to gather wood or give them vague orders.”
“Ho… And then?”
A look of intrigue appeared on Chairman Lee Seung-hwan’s wrinkled face.
“Instead, he said you have to instill in them a longing for the vast ocean. That’s all you need to do.”
“A longing for the ocean, you say…”
For a moment, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan’s aged face went blank as he stared at me silently.
Then, suddenly.
“Hahaha! I’ve been a fool. I guess I’m getting old. To think I had forgotten the most important thing.”
Like an enlightened monk from Dono (頓悟), a brilliant light shone in Chairman Lee’s eyes, and the worry that had clouded his face disappeared.
“It was a humble story. If I overstepped my bounds…”
“No, not at all. It was a truly fitting piece of advice that pierced my heart. Thank you. I feel as if I’ve had an awakening (開眼).”
“I’m glad it was helpful.”
“This is quite the reversal. I should have been the one paying for a meal with you to make it worthwhile. This way, it makes me lose face. Hmmm…”
“I enjoyed this meal just as much.”
“Come now, tell me, don’t be modest. Tell me what you need. I’ll grant you one request, within reason.”
“Hoe, Chairman-nim!”
Chief Secretary Lee Bong-gu looked at Chairman Lee Seung-hwan with wide eyes.
The range of requests that someone of Chairman Lee’s stature could fulfill far exceeded what an average person could imagine.
Chief Secretary Lee Bong-gu, who knew better than anyone the weight of such a statement, couldn’t hide his surprise.
If the offer were misused, it could have serious repercussions.
“Perfect timing! I happen to have one request.”
“And what might that be? Speak up.”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan’s sharp eyes seemed to test me as he watched. I confidently made my request.
“Then, if I may be so bold… could you please let me record a short interview for me?”
“What?”
Chairman Lee’s face contorted in an odd expression.
“It’s for a really, really important assignment. Just one quick interview, please. It’ll be really short. Okay?”
Caught off guard, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan nodded absentmindedly.
Without wasting a moment, I set up my phone on the tripod I’d prepared beforehand and gently pressed the video recording button.
“Hello, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan. I heard that there’s a welfare benefit program at Buksan Group where single employees are given premium memberships to a matchmaking app. What was the intention behind this benefit?”
The faces of Chairman Lee Seung-hwan and his entourage twisted into strange expressions, and an awkward silence fell over the room.
