Chapter 116: Misunderstanding
TL: Aniea
“Kim Eun-ha ssi.”
“Yes?”
“What kind of person is the Chairman?”
“Chairman Kim Seok-ho? Hm. Well, pretty much as the public knows. A miser, a penny pincher, a sociopath, a human with neither blood nor tears, and so on.”
In response to my question, Kim Eun-ha rattled off some outrageous remarks with a calm expression and tone, as if reading a book. What would she do if someone overheard that?
Even though she could’ve simply called him ‘grandfather,’ she deliberately said ‘Chairman Kim Seok-ho.’ It seemed like their relationship wasn’t all that great.
“...That’s quite a harsh evaluation.”
“It’s an objective one. Or maybe I should say it’s extremely watered down? But why are you asking this all of a sudden? Could it be....”
“No, there’s no special reason. It’s just that he’s been quieter than I expected.”
Pfft-
At my words, Kim Eun-ha burst into laughter as if she found it amusing. Then she waved her hand in the air dismissively and spoke as if it were absurd.
“What, did you expect the Chairman to ask for a private meeting like in a drama? Like, ‘Break up with my granddaughter,’ while handing over an envelope full of money?”
“That would’ve been a relief. I was thinking more like getting drenched with water at best, or vanishing without a trace at worst.”
“That’s not entirely impossible.”
“...Hey.”
Kim Eun-ha acknowledged it so nonchalantly.
I glared at her with half-lidded eyes, and she continued speaking with a faint chuckle.
“What’s with the surprise? Still, don’t worry. If they wanted to get rid of you that way, they would’ve done it a long time ago.”
“That’s a very comforting thing to say.”
“It’s a plain fact. And now that you’re becoming famous, dealing with you like that would cost too much money.”
“...So it’s a matter of cost.”
“A very important matter. Especially for merchants like us.”
Kim Eun-ha said frightening things so casually. After moistening her throat with the tea on the table, she spoke again.
“There’s no need to be so scared. Me, Team Leader Kang, we’re all doing our best to ensure your safety and that of the people around you.”
“I’m always grateful for that.”
In fact, Kim Eun-ha had significantly increased the size of the security team, taking care not just of me but even of my family.
Unless someone was seriously trying to ram into us with a broken-steering 8-ton truck, we were actually safer than the average person from most threats.
“But even I’m a bit puzzled.”
After placing the teacup down without a sound, Kim Eun-ha muttered with a rather serious face. When I looked at her quietly, she added an explanation.
“Even the things I’ve already mentioned make him quite an eccentric, but if that was all there was to him, Mirae Group couldn’t have grown to become Korea’s number one group.”
“Well, of course.”
Miser, penny pincher, these words were just ways of mocking Chairman Kim Seok-ho.
Looking at his past actions carefully, he wasn’t exactly the type to regret spending money.
That made sense, considering one of Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s many nicknames was ‘The God of Investment.’
True to his nickname, he often made bold investments that defied common sense. Most of them turned out to be massive successes.
‘...It just means he doesn’t spend money needlessly.’
He thoroughly eliminates anything that doesn’t benefit the company. Even donations are likely done under strict calculations, whether for tax or image.
With that level of skill, he was able to build one of Korea’s leading conglomerates from scratch.
“The Chairman is even more of a perfectionist than I am. He’s meticulously thorough, to the point of obsession, and wants everything to fit together like clockwork.”
“You’re saying it’s that extreme?”
“Yes. He wouldn’t have made a name for himself as a watchmaker in his younger days for nothing.”
“A watchmaker? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Oh, I guess you might not know.”
As if remembering something she had forgotten, Kim Eun-ha opened her eyes wide and spoke.
“For some reason, there’s almost no record left now, but it’s something that most people who know do know. About the origin of Mirae Group.”
“The origin of Mirae Group.... Wasn’t it that the Chairman established ties with American soldiers after the war and began importing salt?”
“That’s what most people believe.”
Hooh-
I also looked up some information on Mirae Group and the people around them when I signed the contract with Kim Eun-ha, but I swear this was the first I’d ever heard of it.
Intrigued, I adjusted my posture. Kim Eun-ha shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“I don’t know the details either, but apparently the watch is what got the Chairman acquainted with the U.S. military. They say he personally repaired a broken watch for a U.S. general.”
“He was that skilled a craftsman?”
“I was curious once and looked it up myself, and it turns out he really was a top-tier member formally registered with the British Horological Institute.”
“You’re talking about BHI?”
“Oh, you know about it?”
“Only the name.”
Before I met Kim Eun-ha, I’d looked into watches for use in a play.
Of course, I couldn’t get a luxury watch worthy of [Park Do-Hyun], the character at the time.
But back when I was working hard to get even a decent knockoff, I remembered hearing about the British Horological Institute.
“BHI is an organization established in 1858. It’s also responsible for issuing the UK’s national horology certification. Just getting a basic membership certificate makes you a recognized craftsman worldwide.”
“I heard they also have different grades inside.”
“That’s right. [Horology Theory], [Horology Systematics], and finally, the [Practical Test]. The grade depends on how well you pass those three.”
If you combine all three subjects:
A score above 40 is a simple pass.
A score above 60 is an honorable pass.
A score above 80 is called ‘Divine Level.’
Chairman Kim Seok-ho supposedly scored over 80. As I kept listening, I realized this certification was far more impressive than I had thought.
Even now, in his old age, if he wanted to, he could land a job at any watch company with just a single line on his resume: “BHI Certified.”
“For such a master to end up....”
“He’s the ‘painful finger,’ you could say.”
Kim Eun-ha, unlike before, now wore a slightly awkward expression as she continued.
Apparently, Kim Seok-ho once had a grand dream of creating his own watch brand.
He worked hard to gather money for that dream and earned all sorts of certifications to prove his skill.
But compared to countries like Switzerland or other European powerhouses, the so-called homes of watchmaking, Korea’s image, still scarred by war, was just too poor.
“In the end, the company he ambitiously launched went bankrupt. After that, the Chairman completely gave up the watch business, and the rest is what I told you earlier.”
“Hm. So that’s the backstory.”
After hearing the full explanation, I nodded. I could now vaguely picture Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s personality in my mind.
Watches are all about precision.
Without exaggeration, there are gears used inside that are smaller than a single grain of rice.
These parts have to mesh with a tolerance of less than 0.001mm to be considered a precise timepiece.
It’s a job that requires incredibly fine skills and focus, and among such professionals, Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s meticulousness must be at a level where compromise is impossible.
“Now that I’ve heard this, it makes me even more curious.”
From Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s point of view, there’s probably no variable bigger than me. And yet, the fact that he hasn’t taken any action so far is strange.
‘A few things come to mind....’
The first possibility is that I’m not as big a variable as I think I am. That no matter what I do, he believes it won’t affect him at all.
‘...That seems unlikely.’
It’s not that I’m overestimating myself. Objectively speaking, I’ve already become a major variable within Mirae Group.
Whether I join another faction.
Or expand my own influence.
Or break off due to an arranged marriage.
Whichever it is, the one who currently plays the biggest role in the ongoing successor race is Kim Eun-ha. She’s like a kind of joker card.
‘And I’m Eun-ha ssi’s boyfriend.’
Whether it’s true or not doesn’t even matter. The sheer presence of someone named ‘Kang Woo-ju’ already introduces a huge variable.
Just looking at Park Ji-hoon, the heir of the Daehan Group, or Baek Do-young, who’s desperate to be incorporated into Mirae Group, restlessly fidgeting says it all.
‘The second possibility is…’
It would be if Chairman Kim Seok-ho had completely excluded Kim Eun-ha. If he didn’t consider her a member of Mirae Group at all, then maybe he wasn’t interested.
But that doesn’t make sense either, her presence is far too significant to ignore.
Based on what I’ve understood of Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s personality, he’d have crushed her before she could grow any bigger.
‘The last one… No, that just makes no sense.’
I quickly erased the final possibility that came to mind. No matter how I looked at it, it was just too unlikely.
Chairman Kim Seok-ho supporting our relationship? That lacks any and all plausibility.
Maybe if this were some crazy drama and my parents were secretly the hidden children of a famous chaebol family or something.
‘…That’s impossible.’
Both of them were born into ordinary families. My grandparents did pass away a bit early, but I met them several times when I was young.
Even my relatives are all ordinary people, so at the very least, there were definitely no hidden secrets in our bloodline.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“I was wondering if I’m really the kind of man worthy of being with you, Eun-ha ssi.”
“…There you go again. Saying weird things.”
Haa-
Kim Eun-ha sighed, clearly wanting me to hear it. Then she got straight to the point.
“Like I said earlier, I don’t know the exact reason either. But one thing’s for sure, it’s not because the Chairman likes you.”
“You’re very firm on that.”
“Isn’t that what you were thinking too?”
“Nope.”
It was the perfect answer.
But for some reason, I didn’t want to admit it so easily.
I pouted like a sulking kid, and Kim Eun-ha smirked as if I was pathetic. She must’ve seen right through my thoughts.
“Now that I think about it, why did you choose me, Eun-ha ssi?”
“…I explained everything when we signed the contract.”
“You said I was the right person. I didn’t question it too deeply at the time because I was in a rush, but thinking about it now, there had to be much better candidates than me, right?”
“.......”
Since the contract required some level of acting skill, I could understand her choosing an ‘actor.’
And I also get that she needed someone desperate enough to bet their entire life, and willing to sign a confidentiality agreement.
‘But was I really the only one?’
To be blunt, there had to be plenty of people who would’ve volunteered to play the boyfriend role, even knowing her circumstances.
Among them, surely there were a few who could at least meet Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s standards.
And yet, Kim Eun-ha specifically chose me. Why?
“Because I was absolutely sure I wouldn’t fall in love.”
“What?”
“You clearly said that. At the time, I thought it made perfect sense. I didn’t have any ideal merits compared to you, after all.”
“You’re saying that’s no longer the case?”
“…Well, not necessarily. I just mean, you’re someone who always makes the most rational and logical decisions. So I thought maybe there was another reason you chose me.”
“…And if there is?”
“Wait, really? That was the reason?”
“It’s hypothetical. Hypothetical.”
Zap-!!
Kim Eun-ha furrowed her brows and glared at me. It was the sharpest look I’d received from her recently, so I gave up and spilled my thoughts.
“Then here’s another hypothesis. What if the Chairman is watching me for the same reason?”
“……!?”
Kim Eun-ha’s eyes widened, and she stared at me with a dazed expression. Her unusually strong reaction even surprised me.
…Wait, hold on. Don’t tell me.
Am I not actually my mom and dad’s real son? Now that I think about it, I never did have any resemblance to that rude girl, Kang Byul.
“.......”
“.......”
The longer Kim Eun-ha stayed silent,
the deeper the misunderstanding grew between us.
*****
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