Chaebol

Jo Soo-deok meticulously examined the painting before his eyes.

He couldn't tell who the artist was.

It seemed to be a portrait commissioned by a noble.

'Judging by the Renaissance style… it must be at least 400 years old.'

Indeed, there were cracks characteristic of old oil paintings everywhere.

Oil paintings need retouching for restoration at least once every hundred years.

But this painting seemed to have long passed that period.

'To feel this kind of aura from a cracked oil painting?'

It certainly wasn't an ordinary piece.

'No, I can't waste time like this.'

Snapping back to reality, Jo Soo-deok quickly resumed his search for Dürer's work.

After about ten minutes of thoroughly searching the storage.

"…Ah!"

He found Dürer's drawing in a desk drawer.

'Yes, this is it.'

With a sigh of relief, Jo Soo-deok thought of Park Ji-hoon.

That's enough for today.

'Let's review it first.'

Jo Soo-deok hurriedly left the storage.

***

Hannam-dong, Seoul.

Jo Soo-deok's call came around 1 PM.

I had prepared a separate clock set to Boston time.

It was past 11 PM over there.

(I confirmed Dürer's drawing and found another quite remarkable work by an unknown artist. It was truly impressive.)

A new artwork.

It wouldn't be human not to get excited at this point!

However.

'Calm down.'

Even if the Mona Lisa were there, it would be useless if the owner didn't want to sell it.

What I needed now was information about the painting's owner.

(The architect. He's definitely crazy about baseball. To what extent, you ask…)

Was he reading from his notebook?

Jo Soo-deok spoke for about ten minutes without hesitation.

What stuck in my memory the most was the small catcher's mitt.

And another notable detail was the thick college notebooks crammed on the bookshelf.

"You think he was recording the game?"

(Yes, definitely. There seemed to be at least twenty such notebooks.)

That level of obsession was almost fanatical.

"What about the storage?"

(If his baseball gear was like a cherished child, the paintings in the storage were treated like pigeons scavenging through garbage. That's exactly how it felt.)

I pondered quietly while holding the receiver.

Piecing together fragmentary information into a coherent story.

That was the work I had done my entire life.

'If he had collected the artworks himself… he wouldn't have left them piled up in the storage like that.'

In other words, it was likely he received them from someone else.

'Hmm.'

If they were so neglected, it would be better to throw them away.

But since he hadn't easily decided to do so?

'It's also possible they're keepsakes.'

I must have been lost in thought for at least five minutes.

Surprisingly.

"...."

Jo Soo-deok hadn't said a single word.

He didn't ask what was wrong or why I wasn't speaking.

He simply held the receiver, waiting.

Was he waiting for my judgment?

I couldn't know his true feelings, but he didn't treat me like an 11-year-old kid.

Yes, that much was clear.

After thinking for another ten minutes.

"Professor, I'll come to Boston."

(What?)

"I said, I'll come to Boston."

(Right now?)

"No. Not immediately. I have a few things to prepare."

(Ah.)

"In the meantime, I need to ask you for something."

I briefly conveyed some instructions.

Tasks that required a lot of legwork.

Jo Soo-deok didn't ask why.

So I jokingly said.

"Are you not asking because it's the graduate students who will be doing the work anyway?"

(That's part of it.)

"What's the honest answer?"

(Why would I question the representative's orders? If I was going to do that, I shouldn't have come this far in the first place.)

Complete trust.

I had never heard such words in my previous life.

It was a moment that made me keenly feel that I was living my second life.

"I'll join you soon."

('Join'… that's quite an old-fashioned term, isn't it?)

Ahem.

"I've been talking to my grandfather… I guess I'm starting to imitate him."

After hurriedly ending the call.

I went to find the driver who helped with my commute.

"Are you very busy?"

"No, not at all."

"Then, could you help me?"

"Of course. Just say the word."

I added a brief explanation, just as I did with Jo Soo-deok.

The driver smiled and said.

"Oh, I can solve that with a single phone call. I'll head to Gwangju right away."

"Please gather as much data as possible."

"Of course. I'll scrape up everything I can find."

Whew.

The major preparations were done.

All that was left was to get permission to go to the US.

'What was Vice President Park Jong-in's number?'

I quickly flipped through the notebook next to the phone.

***

Park Jong-in's nickname was 'the reclusive manager.'

He rarely engaged in external activities.

Even on days when there were executive meetings for the group, he often sent a representative.

Understandably so, whenever Vice President Park Jong-in appeared, the media and shareholders always asked the same question.

[How do you plan to develop Hyungang, founded by Chairman Park Yong-hak?]

[What is the vision for Hyungang's second generation?]

[What will be the main business of Hyungang to prepare for the 21st century?]

In summary, they demanded a plan to surpass his father's achievements.

Park Jong-in gradually chose seclusion.

He would not step forward until Hyungang's future strategy was completed.

The shareholders also welcomed this.

The previous chairman was still alive.

Everyone hoped the Park Yong-hak system would continue for a while.

Partly by choice and partly by necessity, Park Jong-in secluded himself in a separate residence, contemplating the vision for the next generation.

The answer he came up with was electronics.

He used every product released on the market.

For as short as a month.

For as long as a year.

He personally experienced the pros and cons of each company's products.

Not only that.

If there was a good product, he studied why it was good by disassembling the circuit board.

And if he still didn't understand something, he went to Hyungang's engineers for lectures.

After repeating this for five years.

He became convinced that the future of the country depended on semiconductors.

To grow Hyungang into a company competing with Sonos, they had to pour everything into semiconductors for the next 20 years.

The problem was money.

Investment funds large enough to shake the company's foundations.

What shareholder would agree to that?

But there was a way.

If the previous chairman himself declared the era of semiconductors?

Shareholders would begrudgingly follow.

But Chairman Park didn't allow it.

While he agreed on the coming era of semiconductors, he wanted his son to gain the shareholders' approval himself.

He believed it was the way to prove his capability.

Thus, Park Jong-in was tirelessly securing funds.

Maybe that's why.

Riiiiing!

When the office phone rang, Park Jong-in hurriedly reached for it.

His gloves were still smeared with oil from tinkering with machines, but he didn't care.

"This is Park Jong-in."

(Vice President, it's Executive Director Yoo Jae-uk.)

"How did it go?"

(We could secure only about half of the amount you mentioned through private loans.)

"...."

As expected.

"What about selling my shares?"

(With the news of a large-scale investment in semiconductors, the stock prices of all affiliates have plummeted. Selling them now would incur significant losses.)

"How much loss are we talking about?"

(At least a 40% loss on the normal valuation.)

"But we don't have any other options, do we? Isn't that right?"

(Vice President, I apologize for saying this.)

"...?"

(Perhaps you should explain the situation to the Chairman and ask for his help…)

"How many times have I said no?"

The usually calm Park Jong-in raised his voice.

(S-sorry.)

Executive Director Yoo quickly apologized.

"Please look into other methods. I'll be in my office, so contact me if you find a solution."

(Yes, understood.)

After ending the call.

As Park Jong-in was about to examine a circuit board to calm his frustration.

Riiiiing!

Did he forget something?

When he picked up the receiver.

(Dad, can I see you for a moment?)

A familiar voice came through.

It was his son, Park Ji-hoon.

***

I walked along the grassy path, lost in thought.

'Will this work?'

An 11-year-old asking to go to the US.

Even with a chaperone…

'It's a bit too much.'

Sigh.

Asking Grandfather would solve it quickly.

'But what would that make my parents look like?'

Even in urgent situations, there's a proper order.

A bottom-up reporting system!

Yes, being a military service veteran, huh.

Not just because I didn't want to create any unnecessary animosity… I had a favorable impression of Vice President Park Jong-in.

Because he made Hyungang a global company?

Well, that's not completely irrelevant.

But more precisely, it was due to a story I read in my past life.

In his mid-30s, when Park Jong-in was assigned to a food subsidiary.

While overseeing the development of a new menu.

He reportedly only consumed bread, water, vitamins, and minerals starting two weeks before signing any approval.

Making his palate sensitive, he only signed off after identifying all added ingredients in a blind test.

Why did he go to such lengths?

Later, Park Jong-in confessed.

'While it may be a brief assignment for me to be evaluated for my abilities, it is a lifelong workplace for the employees. I could never tolerate my mistake ruining their livelihood.'

When I first read the interview, I thought it was exaggerated.

But after meeting Park Jong-in!

'He's certainly not someone who would do any less… if not more.'

My admiration for Vice President Park Jong-in grew.

His uncompromising rigidity.

It's an attractive trait in a businessman.

But if it extends to me?

'I'd have a hard time going to the US, let alone staying out late.'

What could I do?

I had to try to persuade him.

With these and those thoughts filling my mind.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

A voice came from a corner of the garden.

Did I hear wrong?

Startled, I turned my head.

"...?"

There stood Chairman Park Yong-hak.

TL/n - 

You can read 

Chaebol (up to Chapter 45+)

I'm an Actor (up to Chapter 30+)

Perfect Hero (up to Chapter 35)

I was hoping you could support me on my Patreon at [email protected]/inkbound 

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You can read the Perfect Hero manhwa on Mangadex by the name "A Hero Who Does Everything Perfectly"