Chapter 56: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer (2)

Chairman Yu Seongpil, the founder of Daeha Group, has two heirs.

His eldest son, Yu Jinseok, and his second son, Yu Jinha.

Among them, the second son, Yu Jinha, is intelligent.

Specifically, how intelligent? He’s about as intelligent as I was in my previous life.

To be honest. He’s a little, just a tiny bit better than I was in my previous life.

Anyway.

This is common knowledge to the people of the Daeha family, or rather, to anyone interested in Daeha Group.

Unlike Yu Jinseok’s brief prime, of which only a few anecdotes from his childhood remain, Yu Jinha had already published several papers worthy of academic recognition during his university years.

There’s one problem: Yu Jinha’s major isn’t in the sciences or engineering, not even in economics or business, but in philosophy, a completely humanities-oriented field.

…How can someone major in philosophy?

Perhaps if he had gone to engineering or natural sciences instead of the humanities, Daeha Group in my past life wouldn’t have lost its position as the number one in the business world. Because philosophy is usually for people who are very intelligent but lack practical sense.

Anyway, Yu Jinha’s brilliant talent was entirely consumed in understanding the principles of the world and social structures, and he overlooked a significant flaw regarding the group’s future.

Just as Karl Marx, sponging off his wealthy friend, pondered the end of capitalism, Yu Jinha also led the cutting-edge semiconductor industry based on his ignorance of engineering and science.

This is usually how the humanities screw up the world.

Furthermore, Karl Marx was, after all, a great thinker and, above all, had good friends, but Yu Jinha had no genius engineer friends (he has a genius engineer niece), and his qualities as a manager were not exactly great.

That means it’s even more screwed up.

For instance, in my past life, when I was deeply immersed in internet culture… Yu Jinha was being heavily criticized as the bean counter who ruined Daeha Group. Daeha Group’s stock price was also hitting new lows every day.

The joke that Chairman Yu Seongpil’s only mistake was not forcing his second son into engineering school was impressive. Come to think of it, it was a quip from someone who lost 300 million in the stock market community, so it might not have been a joke after all.

Well, I don’t know about the rest. Unfortunately, Yu Jinha had a longer lifespan than I did.

However, when you lose something, you gain something.

Yu Jinha, who was a sensitive literary youth, evolved into a hyper-psychopathic, cold-blooded opportunist after receiving the triple baptism of an authoritarian regime, chaebol family traditions, and studying abroad.

“Oh, Hayeon. How’s business going these days? I heard you’re also doing department store business besides the securities firm.”

Yes, Yu Jinha was brazen enough to bring up business with an elementary schooler. He even occasionally throws genuine jabs at me, so Yu Jinha’s shamelessness was like this.

Why is he doing this to me?

“Hehehe, I’m still in elementary school, you know.”

-Slightly.

I tried to pass by naturally, but Yu Jinha’s position was exquisite, so I was blocked due to the difference in physique.

Damn it, if it weren’t for the Hanbok skirt…

“No, if you were just an elementary schooler, I wouldn’t have brought it up. Our Hayeon, aren’t you the prodigy of the Daeha family? Haha.”

Yu Jinseok, true to his mediocrity, seems to think I’m just a kid, but Yu Jinha seems to have judged that I’m hiding something, just like him.

Tsk.

Even though it’s true that I’m plotting, this is a bit inconvenient. I hope it hasn’t been leaked?

The biggest problem is that I don’t know how much Yu Jinha knows and how much he doesn’t. And Yu Jinha is also actively utilizing this ambiguity of his.

“The department store is just a hobby. Games, too. Lately, I’ve been focusing on Daeha Securities, but it’s not easy.”

The first two are basically hobbies.

But will Yu Jinha think so too?

‘Originally, clever people think more deeply.’

It’s a relief that Yu Jinha’s attention is mostly focused on Yu Jinseok and Chairman Yu Seongpil, but if he had focused only on me, I would have been exposed long ago.

Of course, this applies to Yu Jinseok and Yu Seongpil as well. Anyway, it’s not for nothing that I’m playing the mastermind.

The most important thing here is not hiding my work itself, but preventing Yu Jinha’s attention from being drawn to me.

I played the role of a moderately ordinary and moderately extraordinary child.

“The Japanese bubble has burst recently, you know? I think this is a pretty good opportunity. I took out all the real estate I had put in there in advance…, I think there will be a long-term recession, so there seem to be many opportunities to make money.”

I looked at Yu Jinha with innocent eyes, and he smiled gently and replied.

“Oh, I see. If Japan enters a long-term recession…, my father will be pleased.”

“Ah! That, because of semiconductors, right? If Japanese companies lose their competitiveness, Daeha Electronics will get ahead.”

“That’s right. Haha, it’s good that you have shares in Daeha Electronics. The value will rise a lot.”

“Hehe, I was lucky.”

I showed off as much as I could and appealed to Yu Jinha that I was harmless, but he was unwavering.

No, it would be more accurate to say that he maintained a fog-like demeanor.

He’s not kidding around, slowly building up his plans while behaving in a way that won’t get him caught by anyone. If I hadn’t known Yu Jinha from my past life, I wouldn’t have been able to find anything to criticize in his words and actions.

“…Let’s walk a bit. The Chairman will be waiting.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

-Trot.

Yu Jinha and I walked slowly into the mansion, having a conversation that could be interpreted in several ways.

“Are you making any friends these days? Haha, I guess your school life isn’t very interesting because there aren’t many friends who match your level?”

‘Does he know up to Mai Ryeon? If I lie here, I’ll increase his vigilance, and how much should I tell him?’

I gave an answer that mixed truth and lies appropriately.

“Umm…, that’s true. But I did see one good friend. Of course, she’s still not as good as me… But she’s quite smart, so I like her.”

“Huh, that’s surprising. I didn’t think there was a friend who could catch your eye.”

“Oh, I’m a little embarrassed if you praise me like that, Uncle.”

-Trot.

“Come to think of it, I don’t see the secretary who’s always sticking by your side.”

“Ah, Sihyeon is probably in the secretary’s office right now. She said she was meeting the chief of staff after a long time.”

“Hmm. I heard that Chief Hakcheol brought her? I don’t know if she’ll be able to meet him because the secretary’s office is very busy these days.”

“Really? I think they’ll be a little busy these days because of politics… Maybe they’re making a slush fund?”

-Trot.

“Ahaha, that’s a secret. But it’ll be okay soon. Because Father will be back soon.”

Yu Jinha stopped for a moment in front of the mansion and smiled at me.

“Don’t you need more secretaries? You seem busy these days.”

The sunlight formed a backlight behind him. I looked at Yu Jinha’s invisible face and slowly shook my head.

“I’m fine for now. First of all, Sihyeon alone can handle most things, and most importantly, I’ve picked a few people from Daeha Securities to use. I don’t have the nerve to use more people from my grandfather’s busy secretary’s office, even if I wanted to.”

Picking out the moles was also a big job.

I smiled slightly and said to Yu Jinha.

“Well, it’s definitely inconvenient on days like today, though. If there’s anyone good, please recommend them to me later. My secretary is getting a little old these days, so I need to take care of her stamina.”

“Yes, originally, if a superior pushes a subordinate like that, it’s easy for them to have bad intentions. I’m glad you know that well.”

That’s true.

Originally, it’s the principle to have several executive secretaries work in three shifts or to change them frequently once every one or two years. No, principle or not, if you don’t, the secretaries’ bodies will be worn out due to exhaustion.

I only used Lee Sihyeon alone at first, but later I added another secretary and used them in two shifts. That would have been impossible if Lee Sihyeon wasn’t a strong person.

Yu Jinha still kindly offered me a bomb.

“I know someone. Do you remember the person named Han Sanghyun I mentioned last time? He was also the chairman’s secretary, so he’ll be fine. He’s a friend’s son, so he’s trustworthy.”

No, if he’s trustworthy from your point of view, he’s not trustworthy to me, you know?

I sighed deeply inwardly.

I can’t say I won’t accept this.

It can’t be helped. I was going to do it a little later, but the time has come to implement that project.

***

After the surgery, Chairman Yu Seongpil looked quite haggard.

“Phew…, you’re here. Hayeon.”

My grandfather’s doctor allowed only a private meeting, saying that having many people gather would be cumbersome and have a bad effect on the patient.

Naturally, in terms of seniority, I was the last.

I approached my grandfather, who seemed tired from meeting many people.

“Yes, I’m here, Grandfather.”

His wrinkled hands now seemed to show that he was old, and my heart ached slightly.

‘…I have this kind of sensitivity left in me.’

“My lungs, cough. Phew.. It’s hard to breathe.”

Frowning, my grandfather looked at me for a moment and then blurted out.

“Are you happy making a lot of money?”

I tilted my head.

“…Yes?”

“The fund. In America, I heard you made a huge amount of money.”

I glanced around. Of course, there was a bodyguard.

“….”

Hmm.

Who is it?

There are a lot of candidates.