Chapter 109: Betting My Life on My Grandson… Is That What You Want?
by xennovel“You’re going to bet your life on my grandson…? Is that what you want?”
“It’s not that I intend to entrust my life to Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun. It’s that I want to be with him, by his side, as close as possible.”
“Why?”
“Yes?”
“What is it? What’s the reason you’d risk your one and only life to be with our Do-jun?”
Sparks flew in Chairman Jin’s glaring eyes.
Kim Yoon-suk flinched at the oppressive force.
He even wondered if he’d made a mistake. This was Chairman Jin’s most beloved grandson. Had the Chairman misunderstood him as someone trying to leech off his grandson for saving his life?
“I want to stand at the forefront as well.”
“What?”
“I’ve always had to remain in the shadows, unnoticed. I’m ashamed of that role. Earlier, you asked me what I wanted. Now, I’ll tell you clearly. I want to be able to think of myself without shame and stand proudly at the front.”
“A fool who doesn’t know his place! How dare you!”
Chairman Jin’s anger seeped out from between his clenched teeth.
Kim Yoon-suk had never dreamed this kind of reaction would come.
He’d expected to hear words like, patting his shoulder, telling him to take good care of his grandson… Instead, he’d only ignited Chairman Jin’s fury. It felt like all his chances had flown away.
“A guy like you will only hold our Do-jun back. A man with no business acumen, thinking of sticking to our grandson like a leech and sucking his blood just because he threw his body in the way once?”
“Ch-Chairman. I’ve never thought that way for even a moment. If a situation arises where I might hinder Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun, I’m even prepared to break my own leg and step down. Please, believe me.”
If not for the casts preventing his movement, he would have knelt down.
He felt wronged, having to declare his resolve while wrapped in bandages and lying down.
“Enough noise. At this moment, you’ve kicked away even your third chance with your own hands. A guy like you is always like this. A foolish fellow who can’t even distinguish between shit and bean paste.”
Chairman Jin abruptly stood up and, with no outlet for his rage, kicked the innocent chair.
“What’s given, I won’t take back. Once your mangy body can walk, I’ll chase you away immediately. If you ever loiter around Do-jun again, I’ll take your worthless life.”
He didn’t forget to shout a warning that bordered on a threat.
“Ch-Chairman.”
Kim Yoon-suk wanted to grab Chairman Jin’s leg as he left the hospital room and show his sincerity, but he couldn’t move, so all he could do was watch his retreating figure.
* * *
“You told me not to go in and out of the hospital yesterday. If you’re calling about the seasoned chicken, absolutely not.”
His grandfather had been calling since morning, urging him to come quickly.
– Quiet down. Just come quickly when I tell you to. Why so many words?
A booming voice that didn’t sound like someone who’d just had surgery echoed from the receiver.
He quickly rushed to the hospital, where his grandfather with a stern expression was waiting.
“Do-jun.”
“Yes.”
“There’s a guy who wants to become your dog. Do you know about him?”
He was taken aback by the sudden question, but he knew who he was talking about.
“Are you referring to Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk?”
“Yes. That guy.”
“You met him yesterday.”
“He refused even a large sum of money and said he wanted to stand by your side. Did you perhaps permit this?”
Had he made a mistake?
Was his grandfather displeased that he, a mere youngster, was already gathering people around him?
“I decided to give him a chance with conditions.”
He didn’t know what words had passed between the two, but it was too late to play dumb.
“Conditions?”
“Yes. Even if he messes up my work, I’ve decided to forgive him three times.”
“And if it’s more than three times?”
“I’ll have to cast him aside. He saved my life, so I’m giving him three chances. Isn’t that enough to repay the debt?”
“Hmm….”
After a moment of silence, his grandfather started speaking about something completely unexpected.
“What do you think is the virtue of a dog?”
“A dog?”
“Yes. The dog that people like.”
“Isn’t it loyalty to its owner? There’s also the saying ‘loyal dog’. We don’t attach the word ‘loyalty’ to anything else but dogs.”
“Wrong.”
Wrong? If loyalty wasn’t a dog’s virtue, then what was? No matter how much he wracked his brain, nothing but loyalty came to mind.
“Loyalty comes with conditions. And that condition is righteousness. Loyalty is guiding the owner in the right direction. That’s why they don’t hesitate to give their owner criticism. Blocking the owner when they’re going down the wrong path is also loyalty, and changing their direction is also loyalty.”
“Isn’t following even when they’re wrong also loyalty? There’s also the term ‘blind loyalty’.”
“That’s a sycophant.”
Difficult. A dog’s virtue that isn’t loyalty… Surely it’s not love?
“A dog’s virtue is devotion.”
Ah…!
Giving one’s all, body and soul, not even shying away from sacrifice. The difference from loyalty is that it has no conditions.
“Do you think that guy will be devoted to you?”
“So far, yes.”
When he answered confidently, his grandfather showed a slight sneer.
“The reason?”
“He didn’t hide his sincerity.”
No long explanation was needed. Wasn’t his grandfather someone who could see through most things with just one or two key words?
“But that guy has already made a mistake.”
“With you, Grandfather?”
His grandfather nodded.
“He told me he wanted to serve you. When a dog chooses its owner, does it ask permission from someone else? That guy was mindful that I’m above you.”
It was insignificant, if you considered it insignificant. He was his grandfather and the chairman of the group, so wasn’t it natural for him to say that?
This level of meticulousness, not even tolerating such minor things, felt extreme, but he reconsidered.
He wasn’t just hiring an employee. This was someone who would become his right-hand man. Shouldn’t they be perfect in every way?
“Are there other mistakes he made?”
“A guy who wants to be a dog said he wanted to become a proud person. Does a dog have self-esteem? Even if the owner beats it, isn’t a dog an animal that wags its tail as soon as you offer a hand?”
That was the second mistake.
He could guess what he’d said this time. He must have said he wanted to stand by his side.
“Is there a third time as well?”
His grandfather made a dumbfounded expression.
“You still want to give him a chance?”
“I made a promise. I don’t want to be someone who throws away a promise made to a subordinate like it’s nothing.”
If a subordinate’s virtue is devotion, then a superior’s virtue is trust.
He couldn’t become someone like Jin Young-ki or Jin Young-jun, could he?
“That guy is severely lacking.”
“He’s only lacking in training, I don’t think he’s a lacking person.”
“Soonyang is already full of talented individuals who lack nothing. You can just pick from them.”
“There’s no connection. If I guarantee their success, I can make them my people anytime. Isn’t that all there is to it?”
Seeing his stubbornness, his grandfather got off the bed.
“Follow me. I’ll show you that guy making a third mistake in an instant.”
His grandfather, striding towards Kim Yoon-suk’s hospital room, was full of certainty.
“Watch closely. See who he fears more and whose mood he’s trying to gauge.”
He understood what his grandfather was trying to confirm.
If Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk had decided to become his person, he shouldn’t be looking at his grandfather.
As his grandfather said, if he was a devoted dog, his gaze should only be directed at his owner.
But was that an easy thing to do?
After all, this was the Chairman of Soonyang Group. His current employer and someone much older than him. It was natural for him to look at him more and be mindful of his mood.
He felt a little nervous in front of the hospital room.
Was his judgment of people still lacking? Or were his standards for choosing people different from his grandfather’s?
His grandfather opened the door with a bang.
Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk, who had been leaning against the bed, was startled by their sudden appearance.
He focused only on his eyes and mouth.
Who were those eyes looking at, and who would he open his mouth to?
Unable to stand up, he couldn’t bow, and unable to move his neck, he couldn’t lower his head.
He was only greeting them with his eyes.
And then he opened his mouth.
“Chief of Staff. I’m sorry.”
His grandfather’s eyebrows twitched at the first words he uttered.
“It seems my connection with the Chief of Staff ends here. I was too lacking and only brought disappointment.”
Glancing at his grandfather, he seemed surprised.
He must have expected him to say ‘Chairman, Chairman’ and make excuses to clear up any misunderstanding, but he was unexpectedly drawing a clear line.
“I don’t know what happened, but you give up quickly.”
“I didn’t know my place. I’ve only realized it now. I coincidentally used my body to save the Chief of Staff, but I also had the greed to gain something bigger from it. I won’t deny it.”
“Who doesn’t have greed? When an opportunity comes, you seize it, and you use the seized opportunity to fulfill your desires.”
“I lack ability, and my skills are at rock bottom. It seems only my greed was ahead of me.”
Only then did Kim Yoon-suk turn his gaze to his grandfather.
“Chairman, you made me realize my place. I’m grateful for that.”
How would his grandfather receive Kim Yoon-suk’s attitude?
He decided to watch with his hands behind his back to see what kind of conversation the two would have.
“Do-jun.”
“Yes.”
“You go out for a bit.”
What was this about?
Not only him, but Kim Yoon-suk’s eyes also widened.
“I have something important to discuss with this guy. Go on!”
* * *
“Is that your honest feeling?”
Chairman Jin asked as soon as his grandson left the hospital room.
“You risked your life, and all you got was an apartment and relief from worrying about your children’s education. Aren’t you resentful?”
“I intend to be satisfied with having had a short but glorious dream.”
Kim Yoon-suk looked straight at Chairman Jin and answered calmly.
Chairman Jin began to stare intently into his eyes, checking if there was even a sliver of selfish ambition.
“Alright. Since you’re giving up so readily, you do have a commendable aspect. I’ll give you enough money so you won’t have any issues eating and living comfortably. You won’t have to worry about your livelihood.”
“No, thank you. I’m still young. I can’t spend my life doing nothing with the money you would give me, Chairman.”
“Don’t try to act cool. Just take the money and live comfortably. It’s a chance to get a free ride in life.”
Kim Yoon-suk even showed a slight smile at Chairman Jin’s words.
“That was my dream. How wonderful would it be to live life for free? But seeing Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun made me realize how foolish and dim-witted I am.”
“Why Do-jun?”
“My department is the Strategic Planning Office. I vaguely hear about how Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun’s cousins live. Money that never runs out no matter how much they spend, credit cards with no spending limit. Anyone would see it as a glamorous and enviable life.”
“And?”
“Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun is also a third-generation chaebol, but I’ve never seen him waste a single day, not even a single hour. He goes to Yeouido for work by 7 AM. He roughly eats his meals at ordinary restaurants near the office and returns to the office. I don’t know what he does though.”
Kim Yoon-suk spoke of the much younger Jin Do-jun as if describing a respected superior.
“If you gave me a large sum of money, Chairman, I don’t have the confidence to live like Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun. I would splurge and waste my life. I don’t want to live like that.”
Saying he wanted to stand by Jin Do-jun’s side, to be with him, was another way of expressing his desire to live life fiercely.