Real Man

Chapter 510:

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook, who had his hand on the glass, spoke with a calm smile.

“I was surprised for a different reason when we did the Apple product review. I couldn’t sleep because I was so nervous after seeing the unbelievable results.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“I think it was since then. I didn’t care about your age or rank. I just wanted to work with you.”

“I feel the same way.”

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook quietly emptied his glass after hearing Yoo-hyun’s sincere answer.

Clack.

He put down the glass and revealed his true feelings that he had hidden for a long time.

“I was worried in a way. I wondered if it was right to use such a good person for my own greed.”

“I know. You would say that. I always felt like I was taking from you.”

“Don’t say that.”

Yoo-hyun answered playfully, but he seemed to understand Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s feelings.

The feeling of not being able to repay what he received, that feeling was the same as the guilt that Yoo-hyun had felt towards Vice President Shin Kyung-wook until recently.

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook, who forced a smile, recalled a scene from a happy memory.

“Do you remember what we said at the Yeontae-ri fishing spot?”

“Of course. I remember.”

“You said that. You said you weren’t working for me. I was honestly happy then.”

“Why is that?”

When Yoo-hyun asked, Vice President Shin Kyung-wook smiled faintly.

“It felt like I threw away my guilt. Funny, right?”

“Not at all.”

Pop.

Yoo-hyun opened a new bottle of liquor and filled Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s glass.

Even while pouring the liquor, he confessed something that might sound childish.

“It was the same when you went to the Group Strategy Office. I thought I could ease my burden by doing that.”

“Thanks to you, I moved smoothly.”

“That’s right. It was a ridiculous strategy, looking back.”

“No. It was a good idea.”

Yoo-hyun tried to lighten the mood while also observing Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s expression carefully.

He looked heavy, as if he was burdened by a lot.

Not only because of Yoo-hyun, but also because of all the situations that were pressing him.

It was unfortunate, but he had to endure.

Once he raised the flag, he had to go forward until he planted it on the top, even if the storm hit him.

That was the leader’s position.

“…”

After a brief silence.

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook, who had been fiddling with his glass, lifted his head.

The traces of his worries were clearly visible in his deep eyes.

He met Yoo-hyun’s eyes and uttered an unexpected word.

“To be honest, I regret it.”

“What do you regret?”

“I regret leaving you there. And I regret ignoring you. And I regret making this occasion too late.”

Was it the alcohol that made him emotional?

Yoo-hyun spoke to Vice President Shin Kyung-wook as if to comfort him.

“Why do you regret it? It was my choice.”

“You always say that. Why do you sacrifice yourself for what?”

“Didn’t I tell you? To make a company where my colleagues can work in a good environment and show their abilities.”

Yoo-hyun spat out the words that had supported him until now, and Vice President Shin Kyung-wook asked sharply.

“Are your colleagues in your current situation?”

“Yes. Aren’t they all doing their roles diligently?”

“Colleagues, huh? The ones who are afraid of the Group Strategy Office and can’t even contact you.”

Yoo-hyun answered calmly to Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s sarcastic words.

“We just have to endure and hold on for a little longer.”

“How long is a little? A week? A month? Or a year?”

“I plan to pull it off as soon as possible.”

“It will be delayed if there are more variables. Are you going to fight alone in isolation until then?”

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s words hit his heart.

But Yoo-hyun was not shaken yet.

“If everyone can smile by doing that, I’m willing to do that.”

“Why don’t you smile now? Why do you have to fight?”

Reality was different from the fairy tale scenery where everyone could laugh.

Yoo-hyun gave the answer that he had learned through his long years of experience.

“Because I can’t get it without fighting.”

“Isn’t there a way to do it without fighting?”

“Director Shin Kyung-soo is not someone who will stay still. He will surely try to take everything away.”

“Then why don’t you let Kyung-soo become the president?”

“Are you serious?”

Yoo-hyun’s expression became serious at the absurdly naive answer.

That was something that could never happen.

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook looked at Yoo-hyun’s eyes and conveyed his will.

“I don’t want to become the president by sacrificing many people. That’s not right, and it’s not what I want.”

“If you step back, more people will be sacrificed.”

“People can change. Kyung-soo might make the choice you want.”

“He’s not the kind of person who would do that, that’s why I’m telling you.”

Yoo-hyun spoke strongly, and Vice President Shin Kyung-wook’s face changed.

“A manager, do you know Kyung-soo better than me?”

“…”

He couldn’t answer that.

It wasn’t because it was a secret that he knew Shin Kyung-soo well.

It was because he knew why Vice President Shin Kyung-wook was saying this.

Yoo-hyun didn’t answer, but instead filled his empty glass with liquor.

Vice President Shin Kyung-wook, who received the glass, sounded a bit softer.

“I really hope you do what you want. If it’s something like that, I really want to help you with all my strength. Whatever it is.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Anything else to say?”

“As I said before, be careful in the office, especially in the executive room.”

Yoo-hyun repeated what he had said earlier, and Vice President Shin Kyung-wook chuckled.

“You’re still worried about others in this situation.”

“It’s important.”

“Okay. I’ll check it out. Come on, have a drink. This is the last one.”

“You drank a lot, Vice President Shin.”

Shin Kyung-wook, the vice president, smiled at the sly answer.

“Are you disappointed that you couldn’t drink more of the expensive liquor?”

“Of course not. I’m a soju person.”

“Me too. Expensive liquor makes me talk too seriously.”

“Then let’s have a light drink next time.”

“Let’s do that.”

With a smile, the short drinking session ended.

The next day after meeting Yoo-hyun, Vice President Shin started the work of identifying the spy in the innovation strategy department.

He had been sure that there was a spy since the rumors of the discord between him and Yoo-hyun spread to the group strategy department.

A few days later, Vice President Shin reported the progress and a brief plan for the future to Yoo-hyun through a newly opened phone.

Yoo-hyun’s voice rang in the earphone connected to his new phone.

-I’m thinking of hiring a personal security company as you said.

“That’s a good idea. It’s better to be prepared in advance.”

-Oh, and I saw the article about the Spanish royal family. As you said, there will be a banquet.

“Aren’t you sorry that you can’t attend?”

-Of course not. It would be a torture for both of us if I went.

Vice President Shin frowned at Yoo-hyun’s unexpected question.

Yoo-hyun checked that there was no one around and answered leisurely.

“I’m not very happy either, but I’ll go and come back well.”

-All right. Don’t push yourself too hard.

“Of course. I’m the person who values my safety more than anything.”

-Haha. I wish you were.

Yoo-hyun exchanged a few light words with him and hung up the phone.

Yoo-hyun, who took off one earphone, looked at the monitor in his office.

There was an article that Vice President Shin had mentioned.

Maria Carlos was famous for her actress-like appearance, excellent academic background, and easygoing personality since she was young.

Now that she was older, she became more known in the country for her unusual career of establishing her business position firmly.

Since she was the one who said it, the article received a lot of attention.

Click.

Yoo-hyun clicked the mouse button and looked at the comments.

-Did the royal family ever have a sisterhood with a company?

-No, they didn’t. And technically, it’s a royal family. It has nothing to do with ordinary employees.

-But what did they do to make the royal family cling to them? The article says it’s all because of Hansung’s technology.

-Yeah, what’s the point of being close to the royal family?

-Rich people like honor and stuff. You can tell they look classy.

-Well, they do look different from Ilsung. The difference between a nouveau riche and a chaebol?

-Ilsung is not a nouveau riche. They are bigger, you bastard ㅋㅋㅋ

There were a lot of negative and useless comments, but that was not important.

The important thing was the fact that the news of the sisterhood between Hansung and the Spanish royal family had spread.

Thanks to that, Hong Jin-hee’s nose was as high as the sky, according to the rumor.

She acted all haughty on the outside, but she was carefully looking for something to brag about. It was very funny.

“How childish.”

Yoo-hyun chuckled.

Ding.

His phone rang and he received a message from an unsaved sender.

-Come to the lobby of Hansung Tower at 10 a.m. on the 12th. The banquet venue is the annex of Hansung Hotel. Kim Jin-sol, manager.

It was a text from the personnel support staff who would guide Yoo-hyun at the banquet.

Yoo-hyun paid attention to the date rather than the content.

The 12th was two days before the banquet.

Putting Yoo-hyun in at this point meant that they were not making him do the groundwork, but just giving him a token role.

It meant that the director and the manager could not fully control Il Jun-il, the head of the department.

But the situation itself was not bad.

At least he could check what they were preparing.

There was nothing to do there.

‘Well, it’s better this way.’

Yoo-hyun put down his phone.

Ring ring ring.

The phone bell rang in the earphone plugged in one ear.

Yoo-hyun checked the name through the small LCD attached to the earphone and answered the phone.

Park Young-hoon’s voice came through the earphone without any preamble.

-What is this money?

“What money? It’s the bonus I got.”

-No, if you had a bonus account, you would have used it all, why did you put half of it back?

Park Young-hoon, who was puzzled, told him the facts.

“What are you talking about? That’s new money.”

-Huh? 50 million won?

“I’ll get more. The amount will be a bit more than that.”

He had already received the bonus from Vice President Yoon Ju-tak, but that was not the end.

There was a high possibility of getting an additional bonus after the banquet, as Il Jun-il, the manager, said.

When Yoo-hyun said as he expected, Park Young-hoon was surprised.

-Crazy. Are you a director or something? Why do you get so much?

“It’s good for the customer to get a lot. It’s good. I was going to ask you how to manage the funds anyway.”

-Why? You didn’t care at all.

“I have something to care about. I have some thoughts.”

-Then I’ll follow you. Tell me. You have a good sense.

Yoo-hyun told him his thoughts to Park Young-hoon, who flattered him.

“First of all, the money in the safe assets…”

Most of Yoo-hyun’s assets were managed by Park Young-hoon.

The income from the salary account and the t-shirt royalty were added, and the size was quite large.

Yoo-hyun had the idea of inflating this money in a short period of time with a fairly aggressive plan.

Park Young-hoon, who was listening, asked for confirmation.

-You know that the stock market is fluctuating because of the European crisis, right?

“I know. But according to your report, it will recover.”

-That’s because I guessed it right by repeating history.

“I think so too. It won’t go bankrupt.”

-So you’re betting on the rise in this situation?

“Exactly, I’m betting on the US stock market boom.”

It was a time when the fear was rising due to the cracks in the eurozone.

Everyone was worried about the crisis at the time of the subprime.

But there was something fundamentally different.

This was not a crisis in the United States.

The United States, which would soon seize the oil economy with shale oil, would prosper with the fourth industrial revolution.

This was a fact that could be known without bringing in the past experience, by judging the current situation coldly.

Of course, there were hardly any people who could do that.