Chapter 159: Memories Fading Away

December.

All eyes were on the brink of the 20th century.

The millennium bug and apocalyptic theories dominated not just the internet but mainstream media headlines.

It was a time of chaos.

Yet, in contrast to this panic, stock prices for IT firms like the American Nasdaq and Korea’s KOSDAQ were skyrocketing.

It was a crucial time for investors, but I had stepped away from all of it for a while.

“Grandfather.”

With Grandfather’s health deteriorating day by day, it was becoming common for him to forget even the simplest things.

Sitting beside him as he slept, I held his frail, weight-loss-etched hand.

Though he didn’t reply, I found myself gazing at his face for a long moment before stepping out of the bedroom.

“Chief, Manager.”

Chief Ha and Manager Ma entered through the study door.

Since Grandfather could no longer leave his bedroom, I had primarily taken care of things here.

I had sought permission from Grandfather to manage affairs in the study when he had his moments of clarity.

“What about the gardener?”

“Handled it well.”

It was confirmed that the long-time gardener had received money using a false name from Cheon Su-man.

He claimed he could not refuse Cheon Su-man’s requests, which he’d known since childhood, but in truth, it was all for money from Il-sung..

There was no reason to forgive him.

After Cheon Su-man was exiled to Australia, his siblings, Cheon Ji-won and Cheon Ji-su, came by for the fiirst time.

They seemed to have realized Grandfather’s health was precarious.

It was no longer possible to hide Grandfather’s condition.

“Cheon Su-man is coming to Korea?”

Chief Ha answered in my stead.

“Yes… It’s the Chairman’s directive.”

With declining strength, perhaps his veins felt more prominent, as Grandfather began calling for Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han whenever he was confused.

And during moments of brief clarity, he asked me for a favor.

He wanted to see his son before he passed.

It was a request I couldn’t refuse.

“Chief, keep an eye on Cheon Su-man’s movements. Manager Ma seems too busy with other matters. Even if Cheon Su-man returns next week, I have no intention of letting him enter our home. Please ensure that too.”

“I understand.”

Even if Cheon Su-man returned to Korea, his actions would be limited, yet the law could be a damnably tricky affair.

No matter how much I could maneuver the court cartel, I couldn’t completely disregard something that came through legal channels.

For now, stalling for time was the best I could do.

“As soon as we learn about Grandfather’s condition, we’ll undoubtedly apply for guardianship. Il-sung will assist afterwaard.”

Il-sung had scholars even iin the courts.

Most of the high-ranking officials remained under Oh Jeong-seok’s influence, but among the judges who rendered verdicts on-site, there were quite a number of Il-sung scholars..

I had planned to meet with Representative Yoon of Yun & Jang today to decide how to proceed.

“Tomorrow, let’s take Grandfather to the hospital and don’t allow visitors except for Cheon Su-man’s family and Ji-young. Chief, stay there to ensure no one gets close.”

I had sensed limits to taking care of Grandfather at home.

Having already forgotten how to chew, Grandfather managed only light porridge for every meal, and while the doctors made rounds to supervise his care, even that had become unmanageable.

“Chief, prepare to take him to the hospital. Manager, please make arrangements for your outing.”

“Yes, Boss.”

I leaned against the chair in the study where Grandfather often sat, lost in thought.

‘How ruthless I became depends on Cheon Su-man’s choices. Please, if you’re human, do what a son should before the end.’

I wouldn’t go so far as to think I must kill Cheon Su-man.

Perhaps time had passed, or maybe I had gained some leeway.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t predict how Cheon Su-man would react.

“Boss. We’re ready.”

As I calmed myself, Manager Ma knocked and spoke.

I collected my emotions and stood up; it was time to prepare meticulously.

“Father, it’s been a while.”

“Welcome.”

Arriving at the Yun & Jang representative office, I was warmly greeted by Representative Yoon Hyung-min.

“How is Chairman Cheon?”

“That’s exactly why I wanted to meet you. His health has significantly declined.”

“Oh… How bad is it?”

“His memory is failing. Symptoms started showing some months ago, and now it has worsened to the point where he struggles to eat. We plan to admit him to the hospital tomorrow.”

“… It seems quite serious.”

A moment of silence followed.

This time, I broke the silence.

“Cheon Su-man will soon return to Korea. I intend to ensure that Grandfather remains by his side until the end.”

“Yes, that’s the right approach.”

I suspected that the rapid decline in Grandfather’s health was largely due to emotional scars.

This was a much harsher illness than last time.

The difference was that Cheon Su-man’s siblings weren’t by Grandfather’s side now.

“I thought I’d stop by because I believe there’s a high probability we will apply for guardianship as soon as we confirm Grandfather’s condition.”

Yoon Hyung-min nodded expressionlessly.

In a firm defending the wealthy like Yun & Jang, such incidents were common; it was not surprising.

“If the Chairman’s memory is faltering, Cheon Su-man will have no other choice. Especially if his in-laws are Il-sung. I hear you hold a substantial share in Il-seong Group.””

“Yes.”

“To Chairman Seo, you must feel like a thorn in his side. He’s got to work on succession, and your shares complicate things. You could challenge him at any moment.”

Yoon Hyung-min quickly grasped the crucial point with minimal hint.

“Guardianship, huh…”

Muttering to himself, Yoon Hyung-min sighed deeply and continued.

“Even if you apply for guardianship first, they will challenge you. No matter how much influence Chief Justice Oh Jeong-seok has, he can’t arbitrarily change the law.”

“I understand.”

“The best option is to combine my influence with Chief Justice Oh Jeong-seok’s to buy time.”

Yoon Hyung-min shrugged his shoulders and added.

“First, go ahead and apply for guardianship. Then, get Chief Justice Oh Jeong-seok to expedite the ruling, and if they challenge you, we’ll buy time through legal arguments.”

I nodded slowly.

My plan was no different from his.

“However, even that has its limits. First, we must block the media as much as possible. Il-sung will interfere, so you can’t completely stop the press alone.”

“I can ensure that Goryeo Daily is blocked.”

“Right, Goryeo Daily has the most significant influence, so getting that done will be a good start.”

Yoon Hyung-min clicked his tongue with narrowed brows.

“People love sensational news. Creating a rallying point among folks is what we, like-minded, enjoy. It’s beneficial when public interest is piqued, but it can be harmful too. We need to manipulate the public opinion carefully to increase our winning chances.”

He was right.

If news surfaced about the wealth disputes among relatives of the Myeong-dong loan shark king, it would spread like gossip among the people.

“What about the will?”

“Grandfather has a dedicated lawyer. He’s been with us for a long time, so there shouldn’t be any problems. Before losing mental clarity, he had already recorded his will, but I don’t know its contents.”

After leaving everything to me, Grandfather quietly called his lawyer to draft the will.

I could have learned its contents if I wanted, but I didn’t want to pry into something he hadn’t freely shared.

Yoon Hyung-min nodded as if relieved.

“There shouldn’t be a problem with the will. As soon as he checks into the hospital tomorrow, we need to apply for guardianship. Prepare the diagnosis statement and hand it to me; I’ll take care of the rest.”

“I don’t feel great about having to go through all this.”

“There’s no other way. Be resolute. I don’t know how things are abroad, but domestically, it’s somewhat different. You could lose everything you possess in the blink of an eye.”

Honestly, I didn’t believe Cheon Su-man would be a significant threat to me.

Just a pesky fly?

But it was a different story if it was Il-seong Group..

If they supported Cheon Su-man, I was prepared to engage in full-frontal combat with Il-sung..

If I could bring down Il-seong Group, there’d no longer be anyone to monitor me in Korea.

“No one can escape the passage of time. Oh Jeong-seok has also noticeably weakened.”

“Yes. I saw him not long ago. After all, he is quite old.”

“One generation fades away like this. I find myself in the middle of this generational shift. Soon, your generation will emerge.”

Yoon Hyung-min wore a bitter expression.

To comfort him, I said a few words.

“Father, you’re still doing quite well.”

“I will age one day too.”

Noticing it was a pointless conversation, he changed the subject.

“There’s not much time left until the general election.”

Yoon Chang-ho had established a new party under the name of the moderate party.

Thanks to about 30 current legislators from the Progressive Party and Conservative Party joining, he immediately acquired the status of a negotiating group.

Currently, the Progressive Party ranks first in support rates, followed by the moderate party, and then the Conservative Party.

However, the differences weren’t significant, and the competition became fiercer.

It was soon time for each party to start screening candidates for the legislative districts.

“Do you think President Yoon will do well? Or should I say Chairman Yoon now?”

“Yes, he’s got a keen political sense. He’s received recommendations for talented individuals. Each party is also planning to recruit competitive individuals who were dropped from the lists.”

Thanks to introductions from Yoon Hyung-min and Oh Jeong-seok, I could attract some reputable talents.

Since I had been consistently mentioning the moderate party in the media, if there were no unexpected variables, it seemed likely to secure about 50 to 80 seats.

“For now, we have no choice but to have faith. You’ll need Father’s support as well.”

“Understood.”

I didn’t consider this approach dirty.

It isn’t realistic to expect elections to run cleanly.

Mutual lawsuits and hauling in thugs were common occurrences.

“Right now, the issue with Grandfather is more urgent. I can only hope Cheon Su-man acts reasonably…”

I trailed off as Yoon Hyung-min didn’t respond.

Neither of us spoke, but we both had a foreboding feeling.

Upon returning home, I lay in my room and called my grandmother.

“Granny, are you okay?”

“Don’t worry about me; take care of your grandfather. I’m fine.”

“Even so… ”

She seemed to have sensed my concern, urging me to focus on Grandfather’s well-being.

“If you feel unwell, make sure to let me know.”

I repeated the concern several times before hanging up.

The next day.

Chief Ha brought Grandfather to Korea University Hospital.

By the afternoon, when I visited, Grandfather lay sleeping in his hospital bed.

I spoke with the hospital director, who had a grim expression.

“How’s his condition?”

“Unfortunately… Nothing has changed.”

“He’s getting less time of lucidity.”

“His condition has significantly advanced. Only deterioration lies ahead. I’m so sorry.”

“How much longer can he survive?”

“We can manage life extension somehow, but it’s uncertain if that would actually aid the Chairman. That’s if he’s the Chairman I know.”

The words came from someone who had been Grandfather’s personal doctor for a long time.

Though he had since become the hospital director, he remained one of the few who knew Grandfather well.

“Even if we force a life extension, he would be in a non-eating state. Ultimately, nutrition will need to be absorbed differently. But that route would leave him emaciated…”

“Understood. I’ll monitor for now.”

“Yes.”

It was difficult to maintain my composure; I covered my face with my hands.

While I sighed, the hospital director patiently awaited my response.

“… Cheon Su-man will arrive in Korea soon. When he does, he’ll likely ask various questions.”

“What should I respond?”

“Tell him it’s a maximum of one year.”

He wore an expression of mild perplexity.

I knew it was futile, but I decided to give it one last chance for Grandfather’s sake.

“I want to see how he behaves.”

“Understood.”

Several more days passed, until eventually that day arrived.

Cheon Su-man stepped foot on Korean soil once more.