Chapter 1040: Civil War (6)

The idea of splitting HK Inc. in half must have come as such a shock that former chief of secretary Gong Gi-Seok stood there for a long while with his mouth hanging open.

Gulp.

After staring blankly for several moments, former Gong Gi-Seok swallowed hard before asking, "Mr. Jung. Wasn't destroying HK Entertainment enough? Why are you trying to split the entire group apart?"

I answered, "I just came back from meeting Hong Myung-Soo. He asked me to make him the president of HK Inc."

"What the... Mr. Chairman is already over seventy this year. He can't even wait a few more years?"

"Apparently not."

"Sigh. Why is everyone in that family the same..."

"Exactly. Now that the eldest son, President Hong Myung-Soo, has revealed his ambitions, he'll probably become a runaway locomotive. And President Hong Jin-Gyu will never be able to defeat his older brother."

Gong Gi-Seok nodded. "I think you're right."

"So unless someone helps President Hong Jin-Gyu, HK Inc. will eventually fall under Hong Myung-Soo's control. If that happens, both you and I will find ourselves in serious trouble. That's why I intend to split HK Inc. in half."

Gong Gi-Seok looked at me, clearly unable to understand. "I can see why it'd be a problem for you. But... why would I be in trouble?"

"If President Hong Jin-Gyu gets cornered, he'll dump the blame on someone else. And neither you nor I are part of the royal family, are we?"

To chaebol families, only the members of their own bloodline truly mattered. Which meant that if things went wrong, they wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice Gong Gi-Seok.

"Sigh... So we're trapped either way."

"That's right."

Gong Gi-Seok let out a deep sigh. "I understand. Still, let me ask you one more thing. Why did you choose me?"

I smiled faintly before answering, "Because I figured a man who repays the kindness his older sisters showed him by taking responsibility for supporting both of them and all four of their children is someone worth trusting."

Gong Gi-Seok's parents had both passed away from chronic illnesses while he was still in high school. His two much older sisters had worked to support the family, putting the brilliant Gong Gi-Seok through one of the country's most prestigious universities and even paying for him to study abroad.

Unfortunately, neither sister had been lucky in marriage. Both of their husbands became addicted to gambling, leaving them no choice but to divorce. Their ex-husbands disappeared after leaving behind nothing but debt, and naturally, both sisters received custody of their children.

Unable to find jobs that would let them care for such young children, the sisters struggled to make ends meet. So Gong Gi-Seok stepped in, raising his two sisters and four nieces and nephews as though they were his own children—just as his sisters had once sacrificed everything for him.

The reason I knew all of this was because I had crossed paths with Gong Gi-Seok before.

A talented cook, Gong Gi-Seok founded a restaurant business called KK Pocha after being forced out of HK Chemical. He turned KK Pocha into a successful nationwide franchise, and when he hired Ju Yung-In for its television commercials, that was when I first met him. He was a capable businessman who had started with just fifty million won in capital and built the company into one generating fifty billion won in annual revenue.

"And I also know you're not actually planning to change jobs. You're preparing to start your own business. I know both of your sisters are working as part-time employees at your pocha[1], and that the three of you stay up late every night developing new menu items together."

"W-What... How do you know that...?"

"If I'm going to work with someone, I need to know who they are. So keep helping President Hong Jin-Gyu. On the day HK Inc. is split in half, whatever it is you want, I'll make it happen."

Gong Gi-Seok stared at me for a long moment before slowly shaking his head. "...You're the truly frightening one here."

"So? Will you cancel your resignation?"

Gong Gi-Seok officially declared his allegiance. "No. If I'm going to change jobs anyway, I'd rather work for the most frightening person I know. I'll hand in my resignation immediately and join Hoop Entertainment."

"Not Hoop Entertainment. You'll be joining HAN Entertainment."

"I suppose that's your company under a borrowed name, Mr. Jung. Understood. I'll go there."

With Gong Gi-Seok joining them to temper the impulsive nature of the second son, Hong Jin-Gyu, they would no longer collapse so easily under Hong Myung-Soo's attacks.

That meant one thing: The balance of power between the HK brothers had been restored. In other words, instead of HK Inc. being swallowed whole by one man, it had become far more likely to be split in half.

"Then let's eat first and talk afterward. I'll treat you to celebrate both your resignation and your new job. Is there anything you'd like?"

Gong Gi-Seok leaned back against the headrest. "I think the shock got to me. I'm craving a hot bowl of gukbap."

"Let's go. I know a good place."

I gave him a warm smile and turned the car toward a fifty-year-old sundae gukbap[2] restaurant behind Gangnam Station.

***

The current time was 5:00 p.m. I entered the living room of Hong Jin-Gyu's home in Seongbuk-dong with Gong Gi-Seok, who had resigned immediately.

Hong Jin-Gyu stared at Gong Gi-Seok in surprise. "Chief Gong. I heard you resigned today. Why are you here with Chief Jung?"

I answered in his place. "From now on, Chief Gong will take instructions from me and assist you in my place. You can think of him as a dispatched employee."

I explained that now that HK Entertainment had been destroyed, I intended to leave the task of splitting HK Inc. in half to Gong Gi-Seok and return to my original work.

At that moment, Secretary Chief Oh Sun-Hee showed clear signs of wariness. "I'm against it. You're sending him in as the president's closest aide? Information we don't want exposed could end up leaking outside."

That was when Gong Gi-Seok began pressing Oh Sun-Hee, his former hoobae. "Oh Sun-Hee. Don't you understand what it means now that the eldest son, President Hong Myung-Soo, has declared he's going after the succession? It means he'll use any means necessary to crush everyone on this side from now on. And you think you can withstand that alone? Stop kidding yourself."

"What did you say? Sunbae, are you done talking?"

Hong Jin-Gyu raised a hand to stop the argument. "Whoa, whoa. Both of you calm down. If we're going up against that bastard Hong Myung-Soo, we need every hand we can get. Chief Oh, respect Chief Gong's opinion for the time being. He's no longer one of my people, but do it out of respect for my alliance with Chief Jung. And Chief Gong, recognize Chief Oh as my chief of secretary, not as your hoobae."

Gong Gi-Seok erased the sharp look from his face. "Understood. However, if I believe something is wrong, I'll say so without hesitation. I didn't come here to play house."

"Of course."

"And please open a new office for me. I'll build a team there and handle the response."

"I'll prepare an office for you at one of our logistics affiliates in the building next to HK Chemical. Report there."

"Yes, sir."

Once the rough chain of command had been established, I turned to Oh Sun-Hee. "How much of HK Distribution's shares have you secured?"

Oh Sun-Hee replied with a sour expression. "We finished acquiring 22.9%. It took longer because we had to secure them under borrowed names, and foreign investors started piling in quickly."

"That was close, but it should be enough to secure the position of largest shareholder."

"Yes."

Hong Jin-Gyu asked curiously, "Then what do we do now?"

"Now that President Hong Myung-Soo knows about our alliance, he'll launch a counterattack soon. Within a week, take control of the HK Department Store after HK Distribution."

"So it's time to draw the sword."

"Yes. This is only the beginning."

Oh Sun-Hee cut in. "All the shares are currently registered under foreign investors' names. If we consolidate them and take control within a week, Mr. Hong will be arrested immediately! You should at least understand what you're talking about before saying something like that."

Gong Gi-Seok sharply pointed out the answer in my place. "Transfer the funds to Mr. Hong's companies under borrowed names in Hong Kong and Singapore, then consolidate the shares into three separate entities and acquire them. After that, those companies can appoint Mr. Hong as their representative director. It's simple, isn't it?"

"That..."

"Chief Oh. Before saying something can't be done, let's think first. All right?"

Oh Sun-Hee backed down under Gong Gi-Seok's criticism.

"Hahaha. That's our Chief Gong. You haven't lost your touch," said Hong Jin-Gyu with a laugh.

Hong Jin-Gyu clearly favored Gong Gi-Seok over Oh Sun-Hee, who had only insisted that things couldn't be done.

I took the opportunity to signal Gong Gi-Seok with my eyes to mention what I had told him. If we wanted to split HK Inc. in half, Gong Gi-Seok needed to earn a little more of Hong Jin-Gyu's trust.

Gong Gi-Seok caught on and continued, "And from what I know, President Hong Myung-Soo's taste in women is a little... unusual."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I don't know which celebrities are involved yet, but if we put together a list of celebrities who fit his preferences, we may be able to identify them."

"I'll give you all the support you need, Chief Gong!"

Just as I had expected, Hong Jin-Gyu began looking at Gong Gi-Seok with intense trust once again.

I spoke to the visibly excited Hong Jin-Gyu. "Then I'll see you again after you've finished acquiring the HK Department Store. Until then, Chief Gong will relay my wishes to you."

Hong Jin-Gyu chuckled. "Thanks, Chief Jung. Once I become the president, I'll make sure to repay you properly for this!"

"I'll look forward to it."

'Yes. You would repay me...by splitting HK Inc. in half.'

***

As soon as I sat down in the master bedroom of the old house in Myeong-dong with Chairman Choi Eun-Tae, Bank President Choi Yung-Ho, Victoria, and Lee Doo-Oh, I asked how many shares of HK Distribution they had secured.

Victoria held up a V sign with her fingers. "We've secured 30% of HK Distribution!"

She said they had managed to collect even more than expected because Noh Hyun-Hee's white knights had panicked and dumped their shares.

"President Hong Jin-Gyu said he had gathered around 22%. Compared to that, we're overwhelmingly in first place."

"Yes. And we've spread the purchases across about thirty foreign companies, so we can consolidate them at any time and become the largest shareholder. Just give the word."

"Good work. For now, keep our strength hidden and let Hong Jin-Gyu's side believe they're the largest shareholder. At least until HK Inc. is split in half."

"What? It's going to be split in half?"

I smiled at Victoria, who clearly didn't understand, then addressed everyone. "Today, Hong Myung-Soo, the eldest son of HK, came to see me. He said he wanted to push his father out, take the presidency for himself, and join hands with me."

Everyone clicked their tongues at his shameless behavior toward his own father.

"So I plan to strengthen Hong Jin-Gyu to even out the balance between the brothers, then push their family feud even further."

Choi Eun-Tae nodded with a meaningful expression. "Good thinking. Shaking the entire twelfth-largest business group in the country would be no easy task. Once you split it in half, though, you could deal it a truly devastating blow."

"Yes, Mr. Chairman. And once HK Inc. is divided in half, I plan to use Victoria's shares to separate HK Distribution and HK Department Store from Hong Jin-Gyu again."

At the idea of splitting HK Inc. into three parts, Choi Eun-Tae burst into hearty laughter. "If this goes well, HK Inc. might fall out of the top fifty companies, never mind the top ten."

I nodded, openly admitting that was exactly what I intended. "Then I'd like you to help with the finishing touches, sir."

"I was planning to. Before long, the administration will launch a full-scale tax audit and prosecutorial investigation into HK Inc., and politicians will rise up like a swarm of bees. I'll keep those bastards in check."

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

"Not at all. You started with HK Entertainment and created a crack this large. That's the only reason I'm able to help now. You've done well, Yoon-Ho."

Choi Eun-Tae looked at me proudly, saying it was entirely thanks to me that we had managed to shake such a massive conglomerate ranked twelfth in the business world. The others began praising me as well, saying I had worked hard through the war with HK Entertainment.

"Yoon-Ho oppa. You did well."

"Hyung. Good work."

At that moment, my heart began beating strangely. I could finally feel that my long and painful connection with HK, which had tormented me for so many years, was finally nearing its end.

***

Over the past week, news involving HK Inc. had filled the portal headlines.

[HK Entertainment's Director Hong Ah-Yoon Arrested at Airport While Attempting to Leave for Russia!]

[HK Inc. Hit with a Surprise Tax Audit!]

[War of Succession Erupts Within HK Inc.!]

[HK Inc. Corruption Exposed Day After Day!]

[HK Chemica's President Hong Jin-Gyu Appointed Representative Director of HK Distribution. Expected to Take Over HK Department Store Soon]

[Prosecutors Expected to Summon Noh Hyun-Hee, Matriarch of HK Inc..]

[Chairman Hong Moon-Gyu, the Tyrant of the Business World, Collapses from High Blood Pressure and Is Rushed to Seoul General University Hospital]

[President of Construction Company H. Secret Nights with Actress A.]

Gong Gi-Seok compensated for the weaknesses of the second son, Hong Jin-Gyu, while targeting the eldest son Hong Myung-Soo's vulnerabilities with surgical precision. Thanks to that, the balance of power between them began tipping toward the younger brother, Hong Jin-Gyu.

Victoria and Choi Eun-Tae also supported Hong Jin-Gyu by purchasing shares in HK Inc. through the stock market, and signs that the group would split in half began to emerge. Articles were now describing the struggle between HK Inc.'s heirs as a war of succession.

On top of that, Choi Eun-Tae blocked pressure from National Assembly members, allowing the sweeping investigation into HK Inc. to proceed without interference. As a result, HK Inc. no longer had the capacity to worry about anything outside its own walls for the time being.

Thanks to that, I was finally able to let out a relieved breath and put down my phone.

Tap.

As I set it on the table, a steaming bowl of bean sprout gukbap[3] greeted me.

I picked up my spoon and called out to Jung In-Ji, who had prepared breakfast. "Thank you for the meal!"

Miso, Yoo-Jin, and Haru raised their spoons with me. "Thank you for the meal!"

Only then did I feel that our peaceful daily life had finally returned.

***

After breakfast, I drove Haru and Miso to school.

Miso sat in the back seat, smiling brightly as she asked, "Uncle Yoon-Ho... I'm going to the theater greeting the day after tomorrow..."

She was asking whether I could go with her to the opening-day stage greeting for Missing - The Lost Ones this Thursday. I had been busy for days, so Miso fidgeted with her fingers while watching my reaction.

"I know. I'm going with you, Miso."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Yay! I'm going to brag to my friends."

"Hm?"

"The kids in my class said they're going while holding hands with their moms and dads too."

Since the movie was rated for viewers twelve and older, children could watch it if accompanied by a guardian. Apparently, Miso had agreed to see it with her friends and their parents. Since it was based on a true story from twenty years ago, the parents planned to take the children for educational purposes and teach them to be cautious about kidnapping.

Miso grinned at Haru beside her. "You're coming too, Haru oppa, right?"

Haru nodded. "Yeah. Of course."

"Yes! Now I have something else to brag about."

Miso clenched both fists above her head and wiggled in a little dance. Her face was filled with a bright smile under the morning sunlight.

I chuckled and spoke to Haru as well. "And Haru, don't forget that you're meeting Writer Jung from Happy & Happy tomorrow."

"Yes. I was already told that everyone had to gather tomorrow to go over our schedules."

"Good."

"By the way, hyung... what's going to happen to the celebrities from HK Entertainment now?"

Haru carefully asked because the HK Entertainment celebrities at his filming site had been worried.

"Don't worry. They'll find new agencies soon. Hoop Entertainment is planning to recruit a few of them too."

Haru looked somewhat relieved. "Oh, I see."

"Why? Is there someone you'd recommend we recruit?"

"N-No."

Haru hurriedly shook his head. However, he wasn't the type to act strangely for no reason. I would have to look into it later.

By then, we reached the entrance to Miso's school.

***

After dropping the kids off, I arrived in Apgujeong, where the company was located. As I turned into the alley in front of the building, I spotted five Merciless Springer vans parked at the entrance—the kind reserved only for top celebrities.

"Who could that be?"

Tilting my head in confusion, I drove down into the underground parking garage.

The moment I parked and entered the office, Lee Yung-Jin shoved me from behind. "Mr. Jung! I think you need to get to the meeting room right away."

"Why?"

"President Pi Sang-Deuk brought five S-class celebrities with him. And So Yi-Yung and Min Gyu-Ri are among them."

"What?"

President Pi Sang-Deuk had once headed First Entertainment, the company where President Kang Gam-Chan had worked before founding Hoop Entertainment.

Ten years ago, First Entertainment had been the industry's undisputed leader, but it collapsed after expanding too aggressively. Its president, Pi Sang-Deuk, had been a ruthless man who treated Kang Gam-Chan the same way Kim Dong-Soo had treated me.

The fact that So Yi-Yung and Min Gyu-Ri were here was surprising enough, but hearing that Pi Sang-Deuk himself had come made me sprint up the stairs toward the meeting room.

***

The moment I threw the door to the Sixth-floor meeting room open, I saw Kang Gam-Chan, Director Kang Ji-Yung, and Finance Director Jung Soo-Hyuk seated on the right.

Across from them sat Pi Sang-Deuk of HK Entertainment, So Yi-Yung, Min Gyu-Ri, and the remaining S-class celebrities: Ahn Yoo-Ra, Han Myung-Hyuk, and Tae Kyung-Hwan.

These were five S-class stars every entertainment company wanted. As far as I was concerned, though, they were people who treated their talent agents like servants. I wanted nothing to do with them.

'Why are they all here?'

Just as I wondered that, Pi Sang-Deuk spotted me and waved. "Well, well. The man who brought down HK Entertainment has finally arrived. I'm Pi Sang-Deuk."

Sixty-five-year-old Pi Sang-Deuk greeted me with far more energy than I had expected. Just a few days ago, when he had delivered his public apology on television, he looked like he was on death's door.

"What brings you here?" I asked.

"Oh, the kids and I are transferring to Hoop Entertainment. So we'll be working together from now on."

His sudden announcement caught me completely off guard, and I turned to Kang Gam-Chan. "Mr. Kang? What's going on here?"

Kang Gam-Chan answered, "He's acting on his own. Don't pay him any mind."

'I thought as much...'

At that moment, Kang Gam-Chan glared at Pi Sang-Deuk. "Sunbae. No matter how I look at it, I can't accept either you or the celebrities sitting here."

Pi Sang-Deuk answered bluntly, "If you're going to act like this, you know I'll have no choice but to expose what happened when you were a first-year talent agent."

"So you're really threatening me over that?"

"I am. So let's keep this pleasant. Take me and my people in and I'll keep what happened back then buried forever, just like I have until now. You know I can keep my mouth shut."

It was then that Kang Gam-Chan replied without a trace of hesitation. "If you want to expose it, go ahead."

"Hey, think carefully. Once the public finds out that the great Kang Gam-Chan did something like that, Hoop Entertainment will be buried under criticism too. It'll hurt the stock price, and a lot of people will end up paying the price. You're still fine with that?"

"There are too many people whose livelihoods depend on Hoop Entertainment's stock. Of course I'm not fine with it."

"Then why are you making this choice?"

Kang Gam-Chan spoke as though he had already made up his mind. "Because as of this moment... I'm stepping down as the president."

"What?"

As Pi Sang-Deuk froze in shock, Kang Gam-Chan turned to me and gave an order. "Chief Jung. You, Ji-Yung, and Soo-Hyuk will decide together who the next president should be. But if it were up to me, I'd want you to take the position."

'What in the world had happened during Kang Gam-Chan's first year as a talent agent that a little blackmail was enough to make him willingly resign as president?'

1. Pocha—Shortened form of pojangmacha ☜

2. Sundae gukbap ☜

3. Bean sprout gukbap. Similar concept as sundae gukbap since both are rice covered in broth/soup, except this is bean sprout~ ☜