Chaebol

A week later.

Jo Soo-deok glanced around at the canvases filling the walls of his studio.

These were the paintings he'd been working on throughout the vacation.

Could there be more here than the works he'd reluctantly produced since becoming an art professor?

After all, Jo Soo-deok had been just scraping by, revising and reworking old paintings like juggling credit cards.

He believed there was no reason to create more art after the passing of Artist Kim Hwan-ki.

Surely, his sense of aesthetics had regressed over time.

His motivation had vanished, and naturally, his hand had grown dull and unskilled.

It was practically a death sentence for an artist.

"..."

Who would have thought his studio would one day be filled with new creations?

In the moments he held a brush, he was truly in a frenzy.

He had become so engrossed in the act of creation, it was as if this hidden passion had come out of nowhere.

If he exaggerated, he felt like he'd returned to his twenties.

There's a saying about choosing your friends wisely.

'Look at this—since I've started working with a teenage Boss… even I'm feeling younger!'

Hehehe.

With this amount of work, he could easily hold a solo exhibition by just selecting the best pieces.

In that case, perhaps it's time to repay the favor by helping out the Boss.

'Yes, once the semester starts, I'll be too busy to catch my breath, so I should take care of as much as I can while it's still vacation.'

Jo Soo-deok hurried to his office.

He immediately picked up the receiver.

Now, let's see, the publishing company…

As he dialed the number written on his notepad, a strong voice answered before the phone even rang twice.

"Team Leader Jung Jin-wook?"

(It feels strange being called that by you, Professor.)

"Now that you're a proper team leader, you deserve to be addressed as one."

Although it sounded like a compliment, it might not be the most pleasant thing to hear.

It also implied the unspoken pressure to live up to his salary now that he's a team leader.

As expected, there was a new resolve in Jung Jin-wook's voice.

"How's the contest going?"

(We've received all the submissions, and the judging is complete.)

"The judges?"

(The Boss handled it personally.)

Oh?

"Have you contacted the winners?"

(Yes, we've distributed the prize money and completed the agent contracts.)

"The Boss did that too?"

(Yes. He was so excited, he arrived 30 minutes before the scheduled time. You could see how pleased he was after finalizing the contract.)

Boss Park Ji-hoon isn't the type to easily show his emotions.

The fact that he expressed joy in front of his employees indicates just how much he liked the work.

"If the Boss holds it in such high regard, we should put it under special management."

(Special management?)

Jo Soo-deok tapped his finger on the desk.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

Before he reached ten taps, he began to speak.

"Print out the winning pieces and distribute them to major newspapers, leading magazines, and well-known literary journals. Since it's the Boss's pick, the work must be good, and we should expect a flood of requests."

(If there's a deluge of requests just after debuting… will the author be able to handle it?)

"There's no greater joy for a writer than being buried in their work, is there?"

(I suppose you're right.)

"Let's make sure they can write without worrying about money for a while. After two years of that, they'll have a collection of work, and we can publish a novel."

(Understood. I'll get on it.)

"By the way, what's the name of that young author?"

(He's a sophomore at Yonsei University, studying business administration. His name is Lim Young-ha.)

"Business administration…"

The third generation of Hyungang Group is immersed in art.

A business major is writing novels—how ironic.

'But what does it matter? Our Boss just needs to keep making money.'

"Team Leader Jung, make those calls, and report back once you've assessed the situation."

(Yes, Professor.)

After ending the call, Jo Soo-deok rummaged through the notepads on his desk.

'Now that the contest matter is settled, it's time to check on the art appraisal…'

There it is.

Harvard, MIT, and Stanford were all listed messily on the notepad.

All three schools had promised to respond immediately once the samples were sent.

Only Yale and Princeton remained.

Jo Soo-deok picked up the receiver again and dialed the assistant's office.

"Any messages?"

(Professor, I was just about to update you…)

"I told you to come to the studio if anything important came up."

(I knocked, but there was no response…)

"When I'm focused, I might not hear you, so just come in."

(I-I apologize.)

It's not as if the assistant had done anything wrong.

Jo Soo-deok softened his expression and asked,

"So, who got back to us?"

(Both Yale and Princeton replied. They said they could start data analysis as soon as they receive the materials.)

"Okay!"

With this, they've secured commitments from all five universities Martin requested.

Now, only our internal appraisal remains.

"Thank you, Assistant Kim."

After hanging up, Jo Soo-deok immediately grabbed his coat.

***

Martin's studio.

When Jo Soo-deok swung open the door, the appraisal team looked back at him with utterly exhausted faces.

As if they didn't even have the strength to stand.

Gulp.

Martin merely swallowed his dry throat.

"It's finished?"

Nods all around.

"The result?"

Instead of answering, Martin gestured to the printer.

An eager Jo Soo-deok quickly rushed over to grab the printout.

Naturally, every line was in English.

A chart comparing A and B.

It was filled with estimated dates, paint composition, and key information.

The analysis filled a sheet at least a meter long.

'So, what's the conclusion?'

Instinctively, Jo Soo-deok scanned the far right side.

He figured the results would be noted there.

And sure enough!

<99.99% match.>

"Oooooooh!"

But his fiery elation was short-lived.

His legs gave out beneath him, leaving him weak.

No wonder the appraisal team seemed so drained… Is this how they felt?

Is it because the amount at stake is so immense?

The joy is fleeting, replaced by a chilling sense of fear.

'So, this is really a Da Vinci?'

Cautiously, Jo Soo-deok redirected himself toward the painting.

It still held an overwhelming aura.

While it instantly captivated the viewer, its essence was too deep to fully grasp, projecting a solid, impenetrable presence.

When he first encountered this piece in Boston… he instinctively knew it was the work of a master.

But to think it was an authentic original!

A chill ran down his spine.

South Korea, is the first Asian country to own a da Vinci masterpiece!

His trip to America with Boss Park Ji-hoon would become the stuff of legend!

'I can't afford to be idle. First, I need to report this!'

With burning determination, Jo Soo-deok forced his heavy steps forward.

***

That night, Hannam-dong.

I headed to my grandfather's study after being summoned.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

The shelves resembled a library.

A desk that stretched as far as the eye could see.

It was the same room as always, yet something felt subtly different today.

A sense of excited anticipation?

It felt as if sharp expectations were in the air.

But my grandfather's expression remained unchanged.

"Have you been briefed?"

"Yes, Grandfather."

"I reckon the preparations for the solo exhibition are complete since Jo Soo-deok called personally."

I responded with a slight smile.

"I've heard as well. They say there's a 99.99% match. I contacted a craftsman in Japan right away. He said it will take at least two years to restore it perfectly, so we can announce it to the world then."

My grandfather is a cautious man.

For someone like him to contact a restorer even before the American universities' verification is complete?

'It means something's up.'

Sensing my curiosity, Grandfather slowly spoke.

"They say it's machine-generated data, so unless it was deliberately tampered with, there's no room for error."

Indeed, Martin wouldn't bother tampering with the data when the verification results would come in just a week.

"Still, just in case, I've instructed our engineers to ensure that no one has tampered with the data. With billions on the line, we can't leave it to one person's integrity, can we?"

I had been wondering why he was moving ahead of schedule.

Turns out he had already taken precautions.

"What were the results?"

"The data is clean. If we go by the numbers alone, the two paintings are like siblings born of the same mother."

At this point, the appraisal was as good as done.

It's akin to having a 99.99% paternity test result.

Sure, childhood photos, the clothes worn, shared memories—all those things matter.

But nothing in this world can refute a single piece of paper proving that the DNA structures match 99.99%.

"Congratulations, Grandfather."

"The congratulations should go to you. The remaining balance is 150 billion won."

"Oh, so it is."

"It'll be settled by the end of this week. Is that alright?"

I couldn't answer my grandfather's question immediately.

It still didn't feel real.

Above all, it was the unusually tense atmosphere that held me back.

The thrill of confirming da Vinci's work as genuine?

'No.'

That alone didn't seem to explain it.

It was a hunch, and hard to prove, but…

'The main issue hasn't come up yet.'

As if a breeze slipped through a crack, a chill settled in the study.

"What stock do you want it in?"

"Stock?"

"Surely you weren't planning on taking 150 billion won in cash."

At that moment, I clearly saw my grandfather's eyes change.

Like a lion spotting its prey.

Not in a hurry at all, a predator steadily closing in with confident steps.

"Ji-hoon."

Just the sound of my name being called made me feel like a lone baby gazelle abandoned in the savannah.

"I'll need to sell some shares to raise that kind of money. How much do you think the price will drop if I unload that amount all at once?"

So, he wants me to take it in shares to avoid any losses.

"Since we've invested in semiconductors, should I pay you with electronics stock?"

"..."

"But if I hand over that much of my stake, you'll practically own the semiconductor division, won't you?"

Gulp.

"You can't just leave your company in someone else's hands."

"Someone else? My father…"

"What guarantees that your father will always be dedicated solely to semiconductors? With you as the major shareholder, wouldn't it be natural for him to hold on to it until you're of age?"

"What… what are you saying?"

In response to my question, my grandfather lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile.

"Our clever boy couldn't possibly be asking because he doesn't understand. Why? Don't you like your grandfather's proposal?"

"..."

"You've already made 230 billion won this year alone. Now that you've proven you can earn that much, you're not going to say you can't manage it, are you?"

So that's what the nagging feeling was.

The plan was to handle the remaining payment in shares, making me the major shareholder, and then pushing the management rights onto me!

Damn it.

'Is there no way around this?'

I racked my brain, thinking, and thinking again.

But.

His eyes felt as if they could see right through my thoughts, making my body freeze up more and more.

"In this day and age, there's no rule that says only the eldest son takes over the company."

"..."

"You do know your father is the youngest of his three brothers?"

Every word sounded like a lion's growl.

A predator gazing down at its prey, a baby gazelle, with no way to escape.

"There's a fate that comes with inheriting my blood."

With those words, my grandfather grinned brightly.