Chapter 122: I Will Become the Real Thing
TL: Aniea
The place I arrived at, following Butler Kim, was the residence where Chairman Kim Seok-ho usually stayed.
Apparently, he handled most of his business from home. It seemed that even the chairman of a major corporation leading South Korea could not escape the toll of aging.
“You may go inside.”
Am I really going in alone?
Those words rose all the way to the tip of my tongue, but since this was a scenario I had somewhat expected during the trip here, I managed to hold them back.
Sss-hoo-
A door as grand as a palace. Standing before it, I took a deep breath to calm my tense body.
Knock knock-
Chairman Kim had probably already been informed of my arrival. Still, just in case, I knocked first.
“Come in.”
A deep voice echoed from within. At that, I turned my head slightly and looked to the side.
Receiving my gaze, Butler Kim nodded as if to say it was okay, giving me the signal, and I strengthened the grip on the doorknob in my hand.
“...Excuse me.”
As soon as I opened the door and stepped inside, the first thing that greeted me was a massive study.
Not only did it contain famous Korean books, but there were also a significant number of books in their original English editions.
Most of them were hardcovers, bound in elegant formats, which perhaps contributed to the overall vintage atmosphere.
It looked just like the study of a chaebol from a novel or drama. Thanks to that, I forgot the purpose of my visit for a moment and blanked out.
“Don’t just stand there looking dazed-come in!”
“Ah, yes!”
Only upon hearing Kim Seok-ho’s scolding did I finally snap out of it. His tone had gone up, but strangely, it felt softer than before, was that just my imagination?
I gave a small shake of my head to brush off the silly thought, then hurried to close the door behind me.
When I turned my head again in the direction of the voice, a familiar yet unfamiliar face welcomed me.
Strong eyes.
Broad shoulders.
A perfectly straight posture.
‘That man is....’
He was none other than Kim Seok-ho, the founder of Mirae Group and Kim Eun-ha’s grandfather.
His sharp gaze was so intense that I nearly flinched involuntarily.
But just as I had in front of Butler Kim, I recalled the confident demeanor of [Kang Joo-heon], a role I had once played, and barely managed to hold my posture.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Chairman.”
I bowed just enough, not too much and not too little.
I had thought of various titles, great-grandfather, grandfather, elder, but in the end, ‘Chairman’ seemed the most appropriate, so I used that.
“That’s enough. Sit down.”
Apparently, it was the right choice. Chairman Kim Seok-ho didn’t say anything more and offered me a seat.
Though I had bowed my head and couldn’t see his expression, I had a feeling I made a decent first impression.
‘That doesn’t mean I can relax.’
Of course, I didn’t let any of these thoughts show outwardly. Maintaining a composed expression, I took the seat he had offered.
Chairman Kim Seok-ho was sitting at the head seat. He could easily observe my face from his position, but for me to see his expression, I would have to turn my body.
‘...Just as expected.’
Instead of avoiding his gaze, I confidently turned and met his eyes.
From his perspective, I figured this would be far better than seeing someone intimidated or hesitant.
“.......”
“.......”
Chairman Kim Seok-ho stared at me in silence for a while, and I refrained from speaking hastily, recalling the advice Butler Kim had given me.
How much time passed like that? Gradually, the intensity in Kim Seok-ho’s gaze began to soften.
“...Your eyes aren’t bad.”
“Thank you.”
“Is that part of your acting too?”
“If I were to answer simply with a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ then yes. I prepared a demeanor I thought you would appreciate, Chairman.”
Hmm-
As I delivered my response without hesitation, Kim Seok-ho stroked his chin as if pondering something.
“And if I were to look at it beyond that?”
“Then I’d say this is still one of the sides of me. Just like anyone else, I wear the appropriate mask depending on the situation.”
“So you expected this question too.”
“Yes, I did.”
I nodded obediently, acknowledging his words. Chairman Kim Seok-ho was a veteran among veterans, having gone through all kinds of trials and hardships.
A clumsy lie wouldn’t work on someone like him, so it was better to be honest and push forward.
“...Interesting.”
With that as his opening, Kim Seok-ho took a pack of cigarettes from his inner pocket. He then skillfully shook one out and placed it between his lips.
Already aware that he was a well-known heavy smoker, I quickly took a lighter from my pocket.
Flick-!
Then I slightly lifted myself and leaned toward Chairman Kim Seok-ho to offer the flame.
“......?”
At the completely natural gesture, Chairman Kim Seok-ho, who had been reaching for his own lighter, awkwardly pulled his hand back.
Perhaps it felt strange to refuse a flame already brought right in front of him, so he reluctantly lit his cigarette and spoke.
“Do you smoke?”
“I quit.”
“Why?”
“There’s someone around me who doesn’t like the smell.”
“.......”
Until not long ago, I smoked too. It started in the military to get along with seniors and juniors, and that habit carried over into civilian life.
Though the price of cigarettes was a burden, I couldn’t afford to smoke much. Still, it was cheaper compared to other hobbies.
After finishing a late-night shift as a designated driver, I would smoke a cigarette to soothe my loneliness.
‘But after meeting Eun-ha ssi, I quit completely.’
Of course, I never smoked in front of her. However, she had a strange ability to detect the smell even if I had smoked the day before.
She never directly scolded me for it, but the way she very subtly wrinkled her nose always stuck with me, so I took the initiative to quit.
-Woo-ju ssi, did you quit smoking by any chance?
-Huh? How did you know?
-Just a feeling… But why so suddenly? I heard you’d been smoking for quite a while. Can someone really quit overnight?
-It’s bad for my voice. I wasn’t a heavy smoker anyway. I still think about it sometimes, but I’m managing with gum and other substitutes.
-Hm. I see.
Though I wasn’t completely honest with her at the time, just seeing Kim Eun-ha smile without hiding it was enough for me.
After that, she subtly started giving me nicotine gum and such, without making a big deal out of it.
On the other hand, Chairman Kim Seok-ho didn’t seem pleased with my answer and scoffed lightly.
“A petty reason.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. There’s no one more foolish than someone who gets swayed so easily by others. What is there to fear about smoking a cigarette?”
“I’m afraid of being hated by that person.”
If I were to displease Kim Eun-ha, all the things I’d said in jest before might actually come true.
No matter how curious I was, I had no desire to be sunk to the bottom of the Pacific and see whether Atlantis existed with my own eyes.
“Your parents?”
“Of course, they weren’t fond of it either.”
“Then who on earth...”
Flinch-
Chairman Kim Seok-ho suddenly seemed to recall something and cut himself off. Then, with half-lidded eyes, he looked at me and asked again.
“...Don’t tell me?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Ha! You’re saying you quit smoking because of my granddaughter? You brat. Are you seriously expecting me to believe that? How dare you try to flatter me with honeyed words!”
Chairman Kim Seok-ho frowned openly in displeasure, but since I had nothing to be ashamed of, I calmly continued.
“Who would dare to lie in front of you? Even if you don’t believe me, Chairman, it doesn’t change the truth.”
“You’ve misunderstood something.”
Ssshhh-
Suddenly, Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s gaze turned cold. Unlike before, when he seemed to be testing me, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
Szzzzk-
At some point, the cigarette had burned almost to the filter. Crushing it into the ashtray, Chairman Kim Seok-ho spoke.
“The truth doesn’t matter. It can change however I see fit. Whether you become the fake or the real thing, that’s entirely up to me.”
“.......”
He made it clear to the world that his words were no joke, and the aura he exuded was overwhelming.
In truth, Chairman Kim Seok-ho held enough power to easily overturn truth into lies, or vice versa.
It wasn’t just about having money. Even just listing the occupations of his sons-in-law made it clear that his statement wasn’t an exaggeration.
“You’re absolutely right, Chairman.”
I didn’t bother to deny that fact. No matter how famous I had become, compared to a chaebol cartel backed by the nation itself, I was nothing more than a firefly. However-
“There are some things in this world that can’t be bought, even with billions. Like this watch you gifted me, Chairman.”
“.......”
I rolled up my sleeve, revealing the wristwatch on my left hand. Seeing this, Chairman Kim Seok-ho remained silent, as if to say, Go on.
“I remember the workshop where I received this watch. The place was filled with countless watches of every kind and style.”
“.......”
“But out of all those watches, not a single one was broken. Every one of them was accurate to the current time, without even a one-second discrepancy.”
Tick tick tick-
The sound of the second hand ticking without a single error. That alone conveyed an intense obsession with watches, and even now, when I close my eyes, the memory of that moment returns vividly.
“However, there was one thing I found curious.”
“Curious?”
“I only realized it recently, but at that time, not only were the watches made by you on display, Chairman, but there were also products from various other brands.”
Like the Patek Philippe I was currently wearing. Back then, I hadn’t even known the names of those high-end brands that were on display.
“I don’t believe you purchased those watches merely for collection or display purposes. And it’s unlikely you received gifts from that many brands either.”
“...And?”
“Suddenly, it occurred to me. Maybe you disassembled and reassembled every one of those products. Studying them, to perfect your own timepiece.”
I glanced at the worn-out watch on Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s wrist.
In response, he shot me a sharp gaze, as though trying to read my intentions, but unfortunately for him, he couldn’t pierce through my poker face.
“...Keep talking.”
“I’m an actor. Not without talent, but compared to those considered geniuses, I’m just an average person.”
Seo Jun-woo, who had walked a smooth path since his child actor days. Kang Han-na, who rose to stardom in an instant.
Compared to their extraordinary talents, I felt like a firefly before the sun. The talent I was born with was nothing more than ordinary.
“Still, I don’t think I’m inferior to them now. I may have my shortcomings, but I also believe there are clear strengths I possess.”
“.......”
Things were different now.
In the past, there were days when I was unbearably lonely, consumed with envy toward Seo Jun-woo, who, despite being the same age as me, lived a completely different life.
That’s why, just like Kang Han-na once did, I worked tirelessly to catch up to Seo Jun-woo.
More precisely, I mimicked and adopted the speech and behavior of famous actors to make them my own.
Just like how Chairman Kim Seok-ho disassembled and studied all kinds of branded watches to refine his own craft.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“From now on, I will become the ‘real thing.’”
“Hmph. And you think that’s possible for someone like you? To be blunt, among the candidates to be Eun-ha’s fiancé, there’s the grandson of the Daehan Group’s chairman, and the son of a bank president who holds vast liquid assets. Whoever is chosen, it’ll be of great benefit to Mirae Group.”
“It’s quite the opposite.”
“What?”
Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s brow furrowed. Seeing that, I began to unload the information I had stored tightly in my head.
“Park Ji-hoon, the Daehan Group chairman’s grandson, supported cannabis businesses to help secure victory in Germany’s general election. If news of this reaches Korea, where the country is already in an uproar over drug issues, the damage would be considerable.”
“He didn’t personally use drugs, and besides, it’s not even illegal in that country. What’s the problem?”
“Because, as you said, the truth doesn’t matter.”
I returned the very words he had said to me, and once again, his brow twitched.
Just dropping the bait to the right media outlet would be enough to throw the entire country into chaos.
The public wouldn’t care about the details of what’s right or wrong, they just need a target to unleash their anger on.
They’d swarm in like wild dogs before verifying a single fact. And by the time the truth came to light, Park Ji-hoon would already be torn to pieces.
If he were engaged to Kim Eun-ha at that point, the backlash would naturally extend to Mirae Group. Chairman Kim Seok-ho wasn’t someone who would fail to see that.
“As for JP Bank, which you mentioned, Chairman, there are widespread rumors that they’ve fallen out of favor with the Chinese government. They apparently tried to move their assets overseas, didn’t they?”
“You think I would bring it up without knowing that much? Even with all that considered, they are still more appealing prospects than you.”
“No, they’re not.”
I shook my head firmly. As Chairman Kim Seok-ho looked at me with a questioning gaze, I deliberately raised the corners of my mouth.
The very same expression [Kang Joo-heon] once directed at his grandfather, the chairman of the group, in a drama.
Cold yet flawless.
A smile full of conviction.
*****
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