I can’t believe Henry has feelings for Hyun-joo noona!
Thinking about it, it’s not that strange. Hyun-joo noona is just as attractive as Ellie.
But why did I automatically assume it was Ellie?
Could it be that racial bias played a role, thinking he’d naturally like a white person (even though Ellie is mixed)?
“Did you desperately learn Korean because of Hyun-joo noona?”
“Yes.”
Thanks to that, Henry’s Korean skills have improved dramatically. He already has a knack for languages, being able to speak multiple ones.
It’s amazing how powerful love can be.
“There’s a bit of an age gap, though.”
Henry is three years older than me, meaning there’s a seven-year difference with Hyun-joo noona.
At my comment, Henry shook his head firmly.
“That isn’t important.”
“That’s true.”
What does age matter in love? What matters is the heart. In this day and age, a seven-year gap is nothing.
I imagined Henry and Hyun-joo noona together. Surprisingly, they seem like a great match.
The grandson of the Golden Gate CEO and the head of the Korean branch. If they become a couple, would we have a historic couple in the finance world?
Anyway, I’m relieved he doesn’t like Ellie.
…Or at least that’s what I thought, until Henry said.
“Please help me.”
“Excuse me?”
For a moment, I nearly asked, “Why me?”
“The only person I can ask is Jin-hoo.”
“……”
Well, this isn’t exactly America, so who should I ask for help?
Henry’s expression was too earnest to pretend otherwise.
Suddenly, I recalled James C. Goldman’s request to take care of his grandson. That grandfather must be of an age to meet his grand-daughter-in-law.
But even if he asks for help, what am I supposed to do?
Just then, my phone rang.
“Hold on a second.”
[Why haven’t you contacted me? Are you in trouble? Should I call the police?]
“Never mind that, just come over.”
[Just wait. I’ll come to rescue you.]
Taek-gyu quickly entered and sat next to me, warningly saying,
“I’m speaking on behalf of my friend here, so let’s put it nicely: keep your hands off Ellie.”
“……That’s not it.”
What nonsense is this guy spouting as soon as he sits down?
As I was about to explain the situation, Henry looked flustered.
I reassured him.
“It’s okay. This friend keeps secrets well. Besides, if you need help, wouldn’t it be better to ask your biological brother?”
Seemingly agreeing with my suggestion, Henry nodded, and I began explaining to Taek-gyu.
At that, he suddenly exclaimed in shock,
“What? You like our noona?”
“Shhh! Keep it down.”
Is it necessary to advertise this all over town?
Then, he spoke in an excessively quiet voice.
“Blonde beauties will be lining up, so why specifically our noona?”
Henry is the perfect groom in every way: looks, education, and family background. It wouldn’t be surprising if he were linked to Hollywood actresses or Victoria’s Secret models.
Even in the office, there are more than a few female employees who like Henry. He would likely take first place in a popularity vote.
“Come to think of it, you liked our noona too.”
“…….”
Is it really necessary to bring that up now? Why dig up something from middle school?
Henry nodded as if he understood.
“That’s quite natural. I would feel the same way.”
I quickly changed the subject.
“What does Hyun-joo like?”
“Work.”
“Right. That’s the problem.”
If being a workaholic is a disease, then Hyun-joo is severely ill.
Henry asked, “When did she become that way?”
“Since she joined Golden Gate. When our noona was in college, she used to date quite a bit.”
As he said, the reason Hyun-joo stopped dating is entirely because of Golden Gate. With no time to sleep, when could she possibly have time for a relationship?
Henry’s expression grew somber. It might have been easier if she were seeing someone else, but the issue is work, not a person.
What do we do about this?
Taek-gyu confidently said, “I’ll do my best to help, so just trust me.”
At that, Henry looked relieved.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’m quite knowledgeable about relationships.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing him happy, it seems unnecessary to mention that he’s never dated and learned about love through games.
I filled his glass.
“Let’s just drink tonight.”
Henry typically has strong self-control and never drinks to the point of getting drunk. But perhaps because he revealed his hidden feelings, he drank so fast it was almost scary.
“Take it slow.”
“I’m fine.”
“……”
We’re the ones who aren’t fine.
Without me even asking, he started rambling about how beautiful Hyun-joo is and how much he loves her.
All sorts of flowery language in English flowed out. At this rate, he might start reciting “Annabel Lee.”
He was so smitten that Taek-gyu, unable to take it anymore, said quietly, “Isn’t noona’s looks not that impressive?”
“Hmm.”
What can you do if that’s how he feels?
Henry, laughing and crying alone, eventually collapsed, burying his head on the table.
We helped the completely exhausted Henry back to his hotel room. Seeing him lying on the bed drunk made me feel sorry for him.
What is love, anyway?
***
The aftermath of the savings bank crisis continued to unfold.
The businesses that the closed savings banks had invested in came to a standstill. This included several substantial project financing and redevelopment initiatives.
Concerns were raised that the instability in the savings banks could worsen the construction industry.
As public opinion swayed, political circles were also in turmoil.
Though the in-laws’ wrongdoing cannot be solely attributed to the president, there is no excuse for failing to notice accounting fraud despite a thorough four-month audit and field investigation of savings banks conducted last year.
Key figures associated with Park Si-hyeong, such as the Financial Supervisory Service head, the Board of Audit and Inspection chair, and the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation head, were all dismissed in succession. The government stated it would conduct joint investigations into banks, savings banks, securities firms, and insurance companies as soon as the agencies were reorganized, but this felt like a classic case of closing the barn door after the horse had bolted.
Trust in government announcements had eroded significantly.
Park Si-hyeong had maintained control over the Korean Conservative Party using the power of nominations. However, with this crisis, his faction weakened, leading to intensified competition for party leadership. Naturally, the connection between the party and the government began to dissolve.
Park Si-hyeong was elected on the promise of revitalizing the economy.
Throughout his tenure, he implemented business-friendly policies, cultivating an image as the “economic president.” Regardless of the reality, the public firmly believed in the president’s assurances of prosperity for all.
Yet, this incident shattered that trust.
Many deposited their money based on the government’s reassurances and waited for the president’s assurances that there were no issues. What was the outcome?
Individuals suffered losses ranging from millions to hundreds of millions of won. Over one trillion won of ordinary people’s money disappeared, but avenues for compensation seemed bleak.
Those with wealth and power were the first to escape the sinking ship, while the detained executives offered only excuses, refusing to take responsibility.
No one was willing to accept accountability.
Angry victims protested daily at the Korean Conservative Party headquarters, the National Assembly, and Gwanghwamun, demanding solutions.
In response, conservative groups like the Parents’ Association conducted counter-protests, shouting, “Who told you to use savings banks?” “It was a mistake to use savings banks just because they offered higher interest rates,” “Why are you begging the government for money?” and “We love you, Mr. President!”
***
As I was waiting for my order from the Chinese restaurant, Taek-gyu, who was watching TV, asked in disbelief, “Why are the Parents’ Union over there doing that? Are they getting paid or something?”
“I heard they’re giving out 20,000 won each.”
“Where is that money even coming from? Just protesting doesn’t make money magically appear.”
Even if they aren’t being paid, protests require funds. However, since Park Si-hyeong took power, the Parents’ Union has boasted an endless supply of funding, traveling across the country to hold protests.
According to them, they operate by collecting small amounts of money donated by elderly people selling recyclables. But considering the scale of their protests, they always charter buses and provide packed lunches, moving in an organized and agile manner.
Naturally, it raises suspicions that some financial support is coming from somewhere.
Sang-yeop, a senior, commented, “I’m glad they’re no longer showing up in front of the company. I used to get so annoyed every time I saw them.”
“That’s one relief, but….”
Still, it doesn’t look good for them to be acting like that in front of the victims. If it was their own money that had disappeared, wouldn’t they be the first to lose their minds?
“Do you think Park Si-hyeong will just stay quiet?”
“He’s probably grinding his teeth in frustration.”
Right now, he might be too busy handling the fallout, but who knows what tricks he may pull later?
Just as the food arrived, I called Henry to the CEO’s office. He looked pale, as if he had been drinking, and his beard wasn’t properly trimmed.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” he replied.
Despite his words, it seemed he was still feeling queasy. He even showed up late today.
Henry cautiously asked, “Did I make any mistakes yesterday?”
If I told him about his embarrassing behavior, he might not be able to hold his head up for a while, so I reassured him that nothing significant happened.
Henry let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m glad. It’s my first time drinking like that.”
Love is really complicated.
Taek-gyu pushed the bowl of spicy noodle soup toward me.
“I ordered seafood jjampong, so let’s eat this and recover.”
I wonder if Americans can really recover with jjampong? Isn’t it too spicy and could cause an upset stomach?
As I tore open the plastic wrap, the news reported the Ho-seong Savings Bank was raided. In front of the closed main branch, victims were still unable to leave.
Taek-gyu clicked his tongue and asked, “Is there really no way for those people to get compensated?”
“Probably not.”
Park Si-hyeong shifted the responsibility to the National Assembly, asking them to come up with a solution. There were talks about creating a special law centered on the Korean Banking Association to provide relief, but fairness issues made it impossible.
“There were even discussions about raising the deposit insurance limit to 100 million won, but it’s not likely. Even if it happens, it won’t apply retroactively.”
Senior Sangyeop added, “In the case of subordinated bonds, since there was mis-selling, they could win a lawsuit. But the problem is the entity that should pay is bankrupt.”
There seemed to be no solution.
Some employees knelt before the victims and apologized tearfully. I remembered hearing about an employee who couldn’t bear the guilt and committed suicide. Meanwhile, those higher up were only thinking of ways to escape responsibility.
“Why don’t we make some donations? Thanks to the success of Last Fantasy M, we have some surplus,” Taek-gyu suggested.
His words made me pause for a moment.
The President and National Assembly members only understand the value of their own money; they don’t realize the value of others’ money. If we take the initiative to donate, won’t they have no choice but to contribute as well?
If they hold out and don’t donate, they’ll face criticism for that too.
I nodded.
“That’s an excellent idea.”
***
[OTK Company Donates 10 Billion to Victims of Savings Bank Scandal!]
(Excerpt) Jung Gi-hong, the PR team leader at OTK Company, stated that although the amount is small, he decided to donate in the hope of providing some comfort to the victims.
He also expressed a desire for political figures, including the President and members of the National Assembly, to unite and join the cause if they empathize with the victims’ pain.
Once the article was published, public reactions were explosive:
– “Wow! OMG!”
– “What are the lawmakers doing?”
– “Come on, open your wallets as one!”
– “Return the money you illegally withdrew, you jerks.”
– “I’m really curious how much the President will donate.”
Faced with public outcry, the Korean government felt compelled to act. However, they opted to raise funds anonymously, only disclosing the total amount, which drew further criticism.
The Blue House also started a fundraising effort, with President Park Si-hyeong donating 30 million won.
– “Haha, 30 million won? Are you kidding?”
– “Mr. President, I’m genuinely impressed by your scale!”
– “Your in-laws swindled over 3 trillion, and you only donated 30 million?”
– “Last year, your assets were registered at 10.9 billion.”
– “What’s so much about that?”
– “You were a businessman before entering politics, right? You even led Eunsung Heavy Industries.”
– “You really have no conscience.”
– “If you don’t want to donate, just say it. Don’t waste money and eat criticism.”
– “Please don’t be too hard on him. Given his personality, he probably shed tears over that 30 million.”
– “He probably wanted to take out Kang Jin-hoo, who donated first.”
– “He must be very meticulous, fearing he won’t be called the economic president.”
– “It seems PAS (political advisory services) business is doing well these days, but honestly, 30 million is a bit much…”
– So, whose is PAS?
Criticism surged even to the Cheong Wa Dae bulletin board.
President Park Si-hyeong hurriedly announced that he would donate an additional 20 million won, bringing the total to 50 million won, but it rather backfired.
Perhaps due to this fallout, the president’s approval rating dropped an additional 3 percent in the opinion polls, falling to 24 percent.
Go go