Golden Spoon Investor

As the wall clock on one side of the room pointed to the end of the workday, the section chief, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, closed the document he had been reviewing and spoke.

"Alright, everyone, start wrapping up and head home."

At that, Bae Myung-wook, an auditor sitting to the left, stretched his arms high above his head and let out a deep yawn, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"Ughhh."

"Jeez, that was loud."

Moon Chang-seok, sitting beside him, remarked disapprovingly. Bae Myung-wook massaged his stiff shoulders and grumbled.

"Ugh, I feel like I'm dying. I've been sitting for so long, I might even get a heat rash on my butt."

"Quit exaggerating. A heat rash? In the middle of winter?"

"It's just a figure of speech."

Bae Myung-wook grinned and made a drinking gesture with one hand.

"Anyway, tomorrow's a holiday. How about some soju with grilled cartilage?"

"Sounds good."

Then, turning his head, he called out to the section chief, who was taking his coat from the hanger.

"Chief! We're going out for a drink. You'll join us, right?"

"Well, I don't really have anything to do at home, so why not?"

"Miss Kwon, you're coming too, right?"

Kwon Sook-hee, who had a bob haircut, politely declined.

"Sorry, I already have plans this time. Count me out."

Bae Myung-wook smirked mischievously.

"Oh, could it be... a date?"

"Oh, come on. Of course not."

"Yeah, right. I don't buy it!"

At that moment, Moon Chang-seok nudged Bae Myung-wook with his elbow and gestured toward Choi Bok-rak, who was sitting alone on the other side of the room.

Choi Bok-rak, who had been disciplined and removed from his regular duties due to a job solicitation scandal, was now stuck doing menial tasks like organizing documents.

Normally, the disciplinary committee should have reached a decision on his case by now, but with the audit director stepping down to run in the upcoming general election, the matter had been put on hold for the time being.

"Hmm..."

Bae Myung-wook looked at Moon Chang-seok with a reluctant expression.

His eyes seemed to ask, "Are we really bringing Chief Choi along?" In response, Moon Chang-seok simply shrugged as if to say, "What choice do we have?"

'Ugh… this is going to kill the mood.'

Scratching the back of his head, Bae Myung-wook reluctantly spoke up, carefully choosing his words.

"Uh… Chief Choi. We're all heading to the cartilage place for a drink. Would you like to join us?"

Choi Bok-rak looked up at Bae Myung-wook, who stood there awkwardly.

Even though he had been invited, Choi wasn't oblivious enough to miss the fact that no one actually wanted him to come. Keeping his tone dry, he declined.

"Thanks, but I have other plans."

"Ah, I see. Alright then."

Bae Myung-wook's face instantly brightened as he hurriedly responded, almost as if afraid Choi might change his mind.

The others also seemed visibly relieved. Noticing this, Choi lowered his head again, hiding the bitter expression on his face.

He had never been the type to be particularly close with his colleagues, earning himself the nickname "Lone Wolf."

But ever since the job solicitation scandal, his coworkers had practically ostracized him, deliberately avoiding him at every turn. His superiors, despite being aware of it, not only allowed the situation to continue but subtly encouraged it.

Because of that, every day for the past few months had felt like hell.

Still, Choi Bok-rak endured it out of sheer stubbornness.

But that, too, would come to an end next week when the new audit director arrived.

"Alright, see you tomorrow!"

Leaving Choi behind, Bae Myung-wook exited the office with the others. As they walked down the hallway, he quickly caught up to the section chief and whispered closely behind him.

"I heard a rumor that the disciplinary committee has decided to fire Chief Choi. Is it true?"

The section chief glanced back briefly before replying with a blank expression.

"I'll probably have to clear out my desk sometime next week."

"So the rumors were true, then."

Hearing this, Moon Chang-seok, who had been listening, joined the conversation.

"I know he messed up, but isn't outright dismissal a bit too harsh for something like this?"

Bae Myung-wook nodded in agreement.

A pay cut or a suspension seemed like a more appropriate punishment, but outright termination felt excessive.

"There must be a reason for their decision. In any case, until the formal announcement is made, just pretend you don't know anything."

"Understood."

With all the employees gone, Choi Bok-rak sat alone in the now-empty office.

He lifted his head and glanced at the darkened window before shifting his gaze to the wall clock.

It had just passed 8:00 PM.

Rising from his chair, he scanned the empty office before walking toward a steel, four-tier filing cabinet against the wall.

His eyes quickly moved over the neatly arranged drawers until they stopped at one labeled with the letter "O."

Gripping the handle, he pulled it open.

"...."

Choi Bok-rak swallowed dryly and glanced around the room once more before quickly scanning the labels on the tightly packed paper file boxes.

His eyes stopped when he found the one labeled [Yuchang Information & Communications].

Without hesitation, he pulled it out.

Placing the heavy file box on a nearby desk, he opened it to reveal stacks of neatly organized document folders.

These were the very documents that Yuchang Information & Communications had submitted to the audit office in preparation for its stock market listing.

Choi flipped through them swiftly, his face tense.

"Good… Everything I need is here."

Setting aside a few select folders, he walked toward the copier in the corner of the office.

It was still powered on.

He carefully separated the pages from the folder and began feeding them into the machine one by one.

Whirrrr.

The machine hummed to life, a bright light flashing through the small gap in the lid.

Confirming that the copy had come out properly, Choi quickly placed the next sheet on the glass, closed the lid, and pressed the button again.

The copier sounded unusually loud that night.

Licking his dry lips, Choi repeatedly glanced around the office, checking to make sure no one was passing by.

With an anxious expression, he continued copying documents, alone in the empty office.

* * *

The next day

In a private room of an upscale Korean restaurant in Gangnam, Seok-won sat alone.

Some time passed before a waitress knocked lightly outside and slid the door open.

"Your guest has arrived."

Looking up, Seok-won saw Choi Bok-rak step inside. He looked slightly haggard, as if he had been under a great deal of stress.

"It's been a while."

Seok-won stood up and offered his hand with a friendly smile.

Choi grasped it and spoke.

"I heard you recently became the president of Daeheung Venture Capital. Congratulations, though I'm a bit late."

"Thank you."

Seok-won smiled warmly and gestured for Choi to sit.

"Shall we have a seat and talk?"

"Of course."

With a wide wooden dining table between them, the two men sat on cushioned floor chairs.

"Shall I bring out your meal now?"

"Please do."

"Understood. Please wait just a moment."

The waitress stood up and stepped outside.

Once the door closed, Choi Bok-rak, his face tense, reached into his bag and pulled out a thick envelope, placing it in front of Seok-won.

"These are the accounting documents for Yuchang Information & Communications that you asked for."

Seok-won opened the envelope and skimmed through the papers inside. His eyes gleamed.

It seemed to be exactly what he had been expecting. A satisfied smile formed on his lips as he nodded approvingly.

He then slid the documents back into the envelope and set it beside him.

"You've brought exactly what I needed."

Leaning forward slightly, Choi Bok-rak asked in a cautious yet eager tone,

"Will this really be enough to bring down Director Bae?"

He had initially hoped Seok-won would help him receive a lighter punishment, but instead, he learned that Director Bae, under orders from Woo Ho-geun, the eldest son of the Donghae Group, had orchestrated his severe disciplinary action behind the scenes.

That betrayal had left Choi boiling with resentment.

Seok-won leaned back against his cushioned chair, his tone calm yet firm.

"Not only will he be dismissed from his position, but he'll also face legal consequences. He'll be spending quite some time in prison."

Choi's stiff expression eased slightly, and he muttered,

"I really hope so."

His hands trembled faintly—perhaps from the emotions surging within him.

Just then, the sliding door opened, and the waitress entered, carefully placing white porcelain bowls in front of them.

"This is tarakjuk, made with chestnuts."

A warm, nutty aroma drifted up from the creamy, milk-colored porridge.

Seok-won took a spoonful, savoring the smooth, rich taste before gesturing for Choi to try some.

"It's mild and creamy, quite delicious. Go ahead, have some."

Choi picked up his spoon and took a bite.

A short while later, after the bowls were cleared, the appetizers arrived—royal-style fish sashimi (gungjung eochae) and pan-fried beef slices (arong-satae yukjeon).

Tasting a bit of each, Seok-won wiped his mouth with a napkin before gazing directly at Choi with a serious expression.

"I heard the disciplinary committee has officially confirmed your dismissal. What do you plan to do next?"

Choi sighed bitterly.

"I don't have any concrete plans yet. I think I'll take some time to rest and figure things out slowly."

Even if he succeeded in taking revenge on Director Bae, it wouldn't change his ruined career or undo the decision that had already been made.

Seok-won's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Then why not spend some time abroad for a while?"

"What?"

Choi Bok-rak, caught completely off guard, lifted his head with a puzzled expression.

"You could take about two years to clear your mind—perhaps attend a training program at a university in Japan or the U.S."

"...!"

"By then, the matter with Director Bae Sang-yoon will have been resolved."

Choi remained silent for a moment, staring directly at Seok-won before speaking in a slightly subdued tone.

"If this is about the Boseong Telecom incident making things uncomfortable between us, I swear I'll take it to my grave. You don't have to worry."

"Oh dear, I think you've misunderstood something."

But Choi's expression remained stiff as he continued to study Seok-won.

Seok-won met his gaze with an easy smile, his demeanor unshaken.

"If I were really concerned about that, I would've taken a much more... decisive approach."

Choi swallowed dryly, his throat tightening.

Seok-won hadn't outright threatened him, nor had he deliberately tried to intimidate him. Yet, the calm way he spoke, with that composed smile, sent an even deeper chill down Choi's spine.

"The reason I'm suggesting you go abroad is simple: it's difficult to jump into something new right away. Take some time to reset, then return when the timing is better. Of course, I'll cover all the necessary expenses."

"...Is that really all there is to it?"

"Of course."

Seeing that Choi was still hesitant, Seok-won took a sip of tea before setting the cup down.

"In two years, people will have forgotten about the controversy, and the atmosphere in Korea will be quite different. That would be a good time to start fresh."

"I don't know... This is all so sudden. To be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed."

Seok-won leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

"Are you interested in politics?"

"..."

"If you are, I can arrange for you to wear a silver badge."

Choi's eyes widened in shock.

"Are you saying... you'll make me a National Assembly member?"

Seok-won didn't answer. He simply nodded.

In Korea, district-elected lawmakers were often referred to as "gold badge" holders, while those who entered the National Assembly through party nominations, without going through direct elections, were mockingly called "silver badge" holders.

Seok-won's words meant he was offering Choi a path into politics—through a party nomination, guaranteeing him a seat in the National Assembly.

"You've worked too hard to build your career and ambitions just to let it all crumble now."

Choi's throat felt dry. He grabbed his teacup and downed its contents in one gulp before looking up.

"Can you really make me a National Assembly member?"

Seok-won flashed a confident smile.

"If it were impossible, I wouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

Choi nodded silently, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before carefully asking,

"Why are you giving me this opportunity?"

His voice carried a complex mix of doubt and anticipation.

"I don't just use people and discard them. And once you're in the National Assembly, you'll be useful to me as well."

Had Seok-won framed this as an act of pure generosity, Choi might have been more suspicious. But knowing there was a purpose behind it actually reassured him.

At the same time, something inside him reignited—the fire of ambition that had been all but extinguished.

His once lifeless gaze now gleamed with newfound energy as he bowed his head slightly and said,

"I know this is shameless of me, but please help me one more time. I'll do whatever you ask."

Seok-won, watching him, smiled with quiet satisfaction.