Hyunjoo and Ellie were staying at a hotel near Detroit City Hall.
As soon as our private plane landed, a limousine was ready at the airport, and we headed straight to the hotel. We could meet the two of them in the hotel lobby.
Ellie greeted us with open arms. “It’s been a while for both of you.”
It felt like it had been a really long time since I last saw them. Thinking about it, it has been quite a while.
I greeted them happily, asking, “How have you both been?”
Ellie frowned and said, “I haven’t been doing well because Jessica kept giving me work to do. I thought I could rest a bit coming to the U.S.”
Hyunjoo seemed exhausted. Although she always appeared that way, today it seemed particularly severe.
“You look tired, are you okay?” I asked.
Hyunjoo let out a sigh and said, “I would have been fine if you two hadn’t been so busy.”
Due to the chaotic situation with the Korean branch, she had to fly to the U.S. for investment and negotiation issues. It seems like she hardly had time to rest or do anything else.
Scratching my head, I apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect things to escalate like this.”
I had planned for a gradual progression, but somehow things had turned out differently.
Ellie asked, “Who is this gentleman?”
Standing behind us was Henry, blushing for some reason and remaining silent.
Had the beer he drank on the plane not worn off yet?
I introduced him instead, “This is Henry Goldman, the grandson of James C. Goldman, CEO of Golden Gate.”
Upon hearing my words, Ellie was surprised, and Hyunjoo also had a slightly astonished expression.
“Nice to meet you for the first time. I’m Ellie Kim, working at the Korea branch. This is Jessica Oh, the manager of the Korea branch.”
Henry lowered his head in surprise.
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you. I’m Henry.”
Without even meeting Ellie’s gaze, Henry blushed suspiciously.
Could it be possible…?
Taek-gyu whispered to me in a low voice, “Looks like he has a crush on Ellie.”
I could see it too.
Taek-gyu nudged my side with his elbow. “You need to relax a bit.”
“Why me?”
Hyun-joo Noona said, “Since the greetings seem to be over quickly, both of you follow me to the room.”
We entered the hotel room.
Until a moment ago, the room was filled with cigarette smoke as if someone had been smoking.
I said to Ellie, “We’re not sharing the same room, right? Secondhand smoke isn’t good for health.”
“I do have a separate room, but besides sleeping hours, we’re together all the time anyway. What if my skin gets affected?”
Taek-gyu said, “As someone who has suffered from secondhand smoke since middle school, I realized there’s only one way to prevent it.”
“What is it?”
“Smoking together. If you smoke directly, you can avoid secondhand smoke.”
“This is nonsense.”
Hyun-joo took a drag of her cigarette, and we immediately began the meeting.
“How did the negotiations go?”
“The negotiations with the Michigan State government are almost finalized. We secured the main office and factory site, and the infrastructure will be managed by the state. We have also agreed to receive tax benefits and various forms of support.”
“What about FCA?”
“Their representatives are expected to come over tomorrow. It seems they want to streamline unprofitable brands and factories during this opportunity.”
“They probably wouldn’t want to let go of successful brands.”
“Anyway, acquiring Chrysler will help us fall in line. If we also acquire an electric car company, it would be a perfect match. Any suitable companies in mind?”
“The bigger issue is the U.S. presidential election. Everyone’s attention is focused on that globally, right?”
“The U.S. accounts for about 20% of the global GDP, but its influence is several times more. With its overwhelming military power and the dollar as the reserve currency, many countries are influenced by U.S. policies and interest rates.”
“That’s why all countries have to keep an eye on the U.S. election.”
“What’s the sentiment in Korea?”
“Absolutely against Ronald.”
“Does that mean it’s absolutely impossible or they absolutely hope it doesn’t happen?”
“Both.”
“… It seems he is quite unpopular. Well, he did make quite a few controversial remarks about Korea too.”
“Other countries are in a similar situation. There are hardly any countries hoping for Ronald except maybe Israel, because of his anti-Muslim stance.”
“If everyone else supports Diane, and we stand by Ronald, it might cause more trouble if he actually becomes president, even more than during Brexit.”
“Hyunjoo’s expression showed clear distress.”
“Why support Ronald of all people? It’s better to support Diane.”
“That’s what I wanted to do, but they weren’t receptive over there. If Diane had become the candidate, would the situation have improved from now?”
“Due to Ronald’s enthusiastic promotion, OTK Company is also receiving attention. Ronald constantly shared his achievements on social media regarding the progress of investments. Thanks to this, it became known worldwide that OTK Company owns CarOS and is investing in the automotive industry. Should I be thankful for the publicity provided?”
“Let’s think positively. If things go well, you could carry the President of the United States on your back, right?”
In Korea, the business sector and the political sector are almost one and the same. Therefore, if I have decided to fight against Eunsung Corporation, joining hands with the political sector seems inevitable if I want to avoid being left behind. Having someone on my side is necessary. If that someone is the US President, it would be more than ideal.”
“That’s talking about when things go well.”
“It will go well. Trust me,” Jin-hoo reassured.
Hyun-joo nodded. “I know. There must be a good reason for what you are doing, Jin-hoo.”
After Brexit, there is a sense of increased trust.
Ellie also chimed in. “I believe in Jin-hoo too.”
“Thank you,” Jin-hoo replied.
Hyun-joo extinguished her cigarette and clapped her hands. “Let’s start working now.”
Negotiations with the government for support, acquisition talks with the FCA Group, relocating CarOS headquarters, and more—work was indeed piling up.
In this chaotic situation, an unexpected person came looking for me.
***
I headed to the hotel meeting room with Ellie. There, a bald man in a suit and glasses was already there. He seemed a bit nervous, perhaps due to his pale skin and prominent forehead.
“Nice to meet you. I am the CEO of OTK Company. This is Ellie, our lawyer.”
“Nice to meet you.”
A brief look of surprise flickered across his face.
It must be fascinating to hear that a young Asian man in his twenties is the CEO of a mysterious investment company like OTK Company.
Since he didn’t ask if it was true, it seems like he already had some information about me.
“I’m Joel.”
He is the chief strategist of Diane’s election campaign, responsible for everything from campaign slogans to TV ads and rally schedules.
Despite being busy, he came to see me. Or is it because he’s so busy that he came to see me?
After exchanging greetings, we sat down.
“I requested a meeting with you before, and now we finally meet.”
Joel smiled wryly at my words.
“I also regret that. It would have been better if we had met earlier.”
“What can I do for you?”
He answered my question directly.
“We would like your help.”
I somewhat expected this request when he asked to meet.
“What does that mean?”
“Your candidate also views OTK Company’s investment positively. However, they have expressed concerns about the rush. They are aware that the agreement with the current government has not been signed yet. What do you think about delaying the signing?”
“Are you asking me to break a promise?”
Joel shook his head in response.
“Just a temporary delay.”
Ronald is actively promoting OTK Company’s investment as his achievement. If we show disinterest or intend to withdraw our investment in such a situation, it would greatly impact him.
Regardless of which side you stand on, investing in the American auto industry is certainly helpful.
Yet you make such a request. Is this what they call politics?
“What will I gain by doing this?”
“As you know, most governors in the Rust Belt are Democrats. Candidate Diane plans to loosen regulations on autonomous driving, legalize driverless vehicles, and provide subsidies for autonomous cars to advance the American auto industry.”
Are you planning to amend the law in favor of CarOS?
I tapped the table with my finger.
Seeing me ponder, Joel spoke softly.
“You must understand that losing a few states in the Rust Belt won’t harm the overall trend. I believe you will make the right choice.”
The election is fast approaching.
While Ronald is gaining ground for a turnaround, the advantage is still with Diane.
According to polls, she leads not only in popularity but also in electoral votes.
Experts predict that Diane will easily secure between 310 and 340 electoral votes and win the presidency.
Joel looked confident.
Is he so sure that his proposal will be accepted?
Even if I continue to support her, there is no guarantee that Ronald will win. However, if I withdraw my support, Diane’s victory is certain.
“I have one question.”
“What is it?”
“Was it really necessary for you to come to me?”
“For a complete victory.”
“…Are you not willing to allow any variables?”
The thought that my choices could change the President of the United States feels strange.
Nevertheless, the answer has already been decided.
“I will decline.”
Unexpectedly, Joel’s expression froze stiff at the unexpected answer.
“You will regret this.”
Playing hardball?
I chuckled softly.
“Trust is the lifeblood of business. You can lose money and earn it back, but once you lose trust, it’s over. I believe Candidate Diane will understand.”
If she doesn’t, there’s not much we can do.
Joel rose from his seat without saying another word. Are things now completely severed with Diane’s camp? It leaves a bitter taste. I didn’t intend to make enemies.
Ellie asked me,
“Why did you refuse?”
I replied as if it were obvious,
“You can’t believe politicians’ words.”
Will Diane’s statements about becoming president actually come to fruition?
Major car companies like GM and Ford, along with top IT firms, are backing Diane’s election campaign. Even if they oppose, could they still push through legislation beneficial for us?
Above all, since Diane didn’t promise this directly and it’s not written in any document, there’s no way to hold her accountable later.
“What about Ronald?”
It’s another question whether he’s not a politician.
“Ronald has spearheaded investments in the automotive industry and publicly pledged to support it to the fullest if he becomes president.”
From the outset of revitalizing US manufacturing, there’s no reason for him to mistreat us.
“And being a businessman himself, he’d likely strive to keep his promises whenever possible.”
At least more trustworthy than a politician.
“That’s all talking about when Ronald becomes president. If Diane becomes president, it might be challenging to continue doing business in the US.”
“Ronald will be elected.”
Ellie looked puzzled.
She must be wondering why I’m so confident.
“Rather than that, I should give Ronald a call and express my concerns.”
Of course, it is likely that the fact that I contacted a key figure in Diane’s election campaign would have also reached Ronald’s side.
I should reassure him so that unnecessary doubts do not arise. Let’s sign the agreement with the government right away.
“What if Ronald becomes president but fails to get re-elected?”
I chuckled and said,
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
Four years later, OTK Company will have grown enough that we won’t have to worry about the political climate in the United States.
