บท 634: Chapter 634: Even A Decayed Fish Catches a Turtledove
Once the seventy-year celebration was over, most of the guests returned home, leaving only those who had decided to stay at the hotel.
Grandma chose to spend the night in the hotel suite today.
After confirming Grandma was asleep, I returned to my room.
Inside, Myeong-su, Hyeon-seong, and friends were already enjoying a raucous drinking party.
"Is Grandma asleep?"
"Yeah. I just checked on her."
As I stepped inside, Myeong-su asked, while Hyeon-seong silently filled a glass and handed it to me.
I chuckled softly, moving over to Hyeon-seong to take the glass.
"Grandma looked really happy today. I should have my father's sixtieth birthday celebration here too."
Hyeon-seong's comment reminded me of his father, who had waved his hands in denial when I had suggested it earlier.
"You really scared him when you said that earlier, didn't you?"
"He says that, but deep down, he must've been envious."
Hyeon-seong added that elders take pride when their successful children throw big parties or send them abroad.
That wasn't wrong. Grandma had had a bright smile all day.
"What about your sister-in-law?"
"She's probably putting the kids to bed."
"Don't you want to help her?"
Hyeon-seong chuckled and held out a drink to me. I reached for it and lightly clinked my glass against his.
"I got her permission. She said I could hang out with you guys tonight. It's a rare occasion."
"That's kind, but… I feel sorry for your sister-in-law."
"Originally, my parents were supposed to help, but with me here, I couldn't just send her home alone. So, I told her to stay and enjoy with us. We can visit my parents' house tomorrow and stay a couple of days."
Seems like he wants to stay longer now that he's here. I nodded slowly, turning my glass thoughtfully.
Myeong-su, Hyeon-seong, Yoon Jae-ha, Oh Hyeon-woo, and Han Min-kyung. It had been a while since everyone gathered in one place, and I couldn't help but grin.
"It's really been a while since we all gathered like this."
Excluding me, since I often traveled abroad, the friends who used to meet frequently were now too busy, making it harder to gather.
At my words, Oh Hyeon-woo laughed and replied.
"True. Now that everyone is settled down, it's tough for us to meet up like we used to. I've been missing our university days lately."
Yoon Jae-ha picked up where Oh Hyeon-woo left off.
"Exactly! Whenever I suggest a reunion, someone can't make it. And when we postpone, another can't attend. It's crazy."
Everyone gathered here has been busy building their careers in their respective fields.
So naturally, meetings with friends likely fell down their priority list.
Of course, just because we don't meet often doesn't mean our relationships have strained.
It just feels a bit disappointing. Still, I was grateful that we could all come together for such an important occasion.
I slyly redirected my gaze to Yoon Jae-ha, who was staring at me intently.
"Jae-ha, it's really been a long time since we last met. How's work treating you?"
"Oh, you know, it's the same old grind. Just too much work to handle."
Yoon Jae-ha sighed deeply, and I chuckled softly at his plight.
Working at one of the best law firms in Korea. Or rather, technically he was undergoing training as a successor, as his father was teaching him the ropes from the ground up.
Though he complains about his workload, it's clear that Yoon Jae-ha has a spot waiting for him at the country's top law firm.
Big corporations and politicians, plus multinational companies come line up bringing money to seek his counsel.
Yun & Jang is a major law firm that, even if Yoon Jae-ha were lacking in ability, could be managed successfully due to its robust systems.
However, the Yoon Jae-ha I knew was far from incompetent; he was rather exceptional.
He may have been tasked with growing the company, but he wouldn't bring it to ruin.
"You'll be just fine, I know it."
"Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence."
After hearing a bit more of his complaints, I finally felt free to relax.
This time, I asked Oh Hyeon-woo, who was casually shaking his glass.
"How's the mood at the Prosecutors' Office? It must be chaotic lately with all these politicians involved, huh?"
The corruption cases involving candidates who defected from the Moderate Party for the upcoming general elections were under investigation, with Oh Hyeon-woo at the helm.
As he was pouring me another drink, Oh Hyeon-woo furrowed his brow at my question. With quite a bit of buildup, he downed the drink in one go, slamming the glass back down with a hard thud.
Then, making an exasperated face, he began to vent.
"Don't get me started. You know, I've felt this way for a while now, but investigating politicians is like chewing on shit. They just want special treatment. Even the slightest hint of pressure, and they cry 'political repression' or some nonsense. It's ridiculous! Plus, there's so much pressure from above, it's unbelievable!"
"They're putting pressure from above? Isn't everything already sorted out?"
"The director and chief prosecutor approved it, but you know the prosecution isn't only driven by orders. They've been in power for decades, making our country tick, and there are plenty of interests involved which complicate things."
"Hmmm…"
I took a sip of whiskey and slowly spun the glass. I needed a moment to gather my thoughts.
'I expected as much… It's going to be difficult to handle things swiftly due to these tangled ties.'
The Conservative Party had a long history.
The name of the party had changed repeatedly, but the substance remained the same, continuing its existence for more than half a century.
Of course, it was a party that had collapsed entirely due to those intoxicated by past glories conspiring with Japan to execute coups.
Yet, due to its long history, quite a few influential people were still around.
The people Oh Hyeon-woo was referring to were likely those powerful figures.
"Are you having a hard time?"
"Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd just give them special treatment and make them all shut up and burn it down!"
Oh Hyeon-woo shook his fists and gritted his teeth. He talks tough, even though he's never thrown a punch.
"Are you going to go into the interrogation room yourself?"
"No. Technically, it should be me since I'm the ranking officer. But it felt too annoying. So I introduced myself at first and deliberately let some junior prosecutors handle it. I'll just keep an eye on things from the outside. You know how it is, right? Junior prosecutors are the most reckless and fearless. They really stick to procedure."
This is hilarious. I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Picturing those clueless junior prosecutors, cooped up with their noses in their books, blindly following orders, which would undoubtedly confuse the parliamentarians, made me laugh uncontrollably.
Sure, they'll eventually get swept up in cases and the world and become cynical, but for now, they're full of passion and will follow the law to the letter.
"The parliament members must be quite annoyed."
"They are. They get irritated when I come in and just ask questions while they're glued to their laptops. They even whine to me when I come around to visit. It's downright frustrating!"
"Hah, you must have a real hard time."
"But are you really going to follow through? You told me to push for the maximum sentence. I'm fine with that, but I think there will be quite a backlash from the political world."
Oh Hyeon-woo glanced at me expectantly. As I filled his glass with ice, I started to speak.
"Well, I'm meeting with Representative Han Ji-ho tomorrow, so let's make a decision afterward. Whether to let them all go or spare a few."
"That's a relief. There are a few representatives I'm worried about letting go. If we're going to save anyone, let's at least keep those people."
"Are there people you feel uneasy about?"
Oh Hyeon-woo nodded like it was obvious.
"Are there only one or two politicians who were former prosecutors? There are connections, including my direct seniors. Didn't you just tell me to let go without considering who they are?"
"Really?"
I hadn't expected there would be politicians involved who used to be prosecutors.
I had given instructions to Manager Ma to pass all corruption documents related to these people over to Goryeo Daily, and hadn't paid much attention to the matter afterward.
Of course, I knew the names of people involved in this incident, but didn't show much interest in their personal backgrounds.
"Then it's understandable that you're feeling pressured."
Connections between schools and relationships cannot be dismissed in Korean society.
Should Oh Hyeon-woo ignore these ties and impose heavy sentences on them, he would inevitably face similar treatment later on.
Given that he was heavily influenced by his grandfather, who was part of the legal cartel, he couldn't afford to overlook these connections.
Though he was no one to care about such matters, it wouldn't be a lie to say it would weigh on his conscience.
"So, who do we need to let go?"
"Kim Han-cheol, Lee Seong-min, and Hong Seok-hyun."
"They're all the ones elected this year."
"Exactly! It's worse. They survived as independents, not even losing votes, but now we need to deal with them."
When counting the newly elected, these are all veteran politicians, each with over three terms under their belts.
They held enough value that we could consider bringing them into our fold.
"Alright. Let's see what Representative Han Ji-ho proposes. If the negotiations break down, we'll proceed as planned."
"Then there's no helping it. Sure, let's do that."
We continued to discuss various topics thereafter.
Oh Hyeon-woo and Myeong-su had a lot to say, especially since they often found themselves entangled with my affairs.
As the drinking session deepened and everyone had pleasantly enough buzz going, I brought up one last topic before we wrapped up.
"I'm planning to establish a new corporation. I'd like all of you to join on the name as well."
All my friends turned to me, having been deep in conversation. Hyeon-seong was the first to ask since he had always been keen on this kind of stuff.
"New corporation?"
"Yes. It'll be a special purpose company overseeing the reconstruction project in Iraq. We'll form it as a limited liability company to avoid external audits, so it shouldn't be a huge problem. There will be dividends every year…"
I elaborated on the details of the new corporation.
When I finished, the most shocked person among my friends was Myeong-su.
"You're telling me you snagged the housing and transportation rights for the reconstruction project in Iraq?"
To those unaware, it may not seem significant, but those familiar with international politics would see the big picture differently.
When I nodded, Myeong-su immediately burst out with a curse.
"What the hell! How did you manage that? Is it even possible?"
"It just sort of happened. I received more than I had initially been promised. Even so, there's nothing bad for me in accepting it. It should significantly benefit the domestic economy as well. After all, construction is at its peak in the Middle East."
Nothing boosts the domestic economy quite like construction.
Whenever a downturn occurs, the government typically implements infrastructure construction projects as an economic stimulus.
During the Middle Eastern boom of the 70s and 80s, our construction companies ventured into that region, earning vast sums of foreign currency.
This success led to significant growth in our economy.
The Iraq reconstruction project is dubbed the second Middle Eastern boom for its massive scale.
That I had secured a substantial share in such a venture symbolized that Korean construction companies would play a crucial role in the Iraq reconstruction endeavor.
"Jungwoo Construction, Daehyeon Construction, and Pungsan Construction will take part first, and I'll think about the rest slowly."
"Wow, we can't let this be made public, right? The approval ratings would go through the roof!"
Myeong-su habitually makes outrageous remarks even when he's usually sharp.
"Speak sense. If we leak the terms of the confidential agreement, do you really think the U.S. will stay silent? The report from the Korean government will declare: This is the fact. They'll say that the rights for all contracts concerning the Iraq reconstruction project have already been distributed, so don't even think about it. If the project collapses, it will cause chaos; there's no benefit to rush into it. Just let me set everything up. I'll manage it all properly."
At my reprimand, Myeong-su pouted and nodded in agreement.
Making the Iraq reconstruction project the President's achievement was effortless.
The President merely needs to demonstrate efforts by visiting the U.S. or sending a special envoy for the Iraq reconstruction project.
If domestic construction firms land contracts, it'll all reflect positively on the President's reputation.
Thus, there was no need to rush and release articles that could cause future issues.
"Anyway, I can't give out too much equity, so it will be about 3% per person."
Since the total equity for the five of us sums to 15%, I will hold 51%, and Han Gyeong-yeong will get 10%.
Finally, including the 5% promised to Obama, 81% will already have designated owners.
"Hyeon-seong and Jae-ha should submit their own names, while the rest can be proxies. It doesn't matter if it's family; just make sure to use someone trustworthy."
At that moment, Hyeon-seong cautiously asked.
"Is it okay if I put it under someone else's name besides mine?"
"Why? You're not in any danger, are you?"
"No, it's because I was thinking of putting it under my daughter's name…"
He trailed off, likely sensing the absurdity of his own statement.
Wait, did he just say he wants to use the name of a child who hasn't even turned two? He's already turning into a doting father.
I couldn't help but chuckle, looking over at Hyeon-seong.
"That's fine, but keep in mind there'll be a gift tax issue. To receive equity, you'll need to contribute the same amount in investment… Manager Ma will handle the paperwork. But if you're putting it under your daughter's name, you'll have to pay that tax yourself. Are you okay with that?"
"Of course. I'd prefer to hand it over smoothly."
"Then let's do that. We'll discuss it separately later, Hyeon-seong."
"Thanks!"
Seeing Hyeon-seong nod, I turned my attention toward Jae-ha.
"Jae-ha, you're fine with this, right?"
"Yeah, I'm not a government employee, so I don't have anything to worry about."
If Hyeon-seong steps out, the only one left to directly participate in this under my name is Yoon Jae-ha.
Of course, with Oh Hyeon-woo serving as a current prosecutor and Han Min-kyung as a sitting judge, it would be far too risky for Myeong-su, a politician, as well.
"Then try to find a proxy as soon as possible and let me know."
All the friends nodded. It had always weighed on my heart that I never did anything for them, always calling them friends.
It felt like a burden had finally lifted. I smiled softly while raising my glass.
"Alright, let's raise a toast one last time before we wrap up. Thank you all for celebrating Grandma's seventieth birthday today!"
Everyone clinked their glasses together, laughter ringing out as a cheerful sound filled the room.
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