You're Going to Keep Talking Down to Me “Did you all check the ledgers? Get the bundles of bankbooks and the documents out. Hurry up and get ready.” “Yes, Boss!” At Twin Blades' urging, the office staff answered energetically. Twin Blades muttered to himself as he exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke. “Hoo… Why did it have to start with me? Damn it.”
As Manager Ha and I stepped into the office, the secretary who had been sitting stood up.
“Hello, Manager Ha.”
“Miss Seong, it's been a while.”
“Yes, you may go inside.”
“Alright, see you later.”
Inside the boss's office, five or six men were standing, and Twin Blades was sitting in the chair in the middle. When he saw Manager Ha and me, he shot up from his seat and approached us.
“Aigoo! Manager Ha, it's been a long time.”
Manager Ha simply nodded without a word. Only then did Twin Blades, Kim Ho-sik, look over at me.
“This must be the Chairman's grandson? Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Ho-sik. I heard you started university this year? And at Seoul University's law department, no less! I went to Yeonseong University myself, so if you have any questions about college life, feel free to ask anytime. I'll tell you all about it as your senior.”
He spoke to me informally from the start, as if trying to assert his dominance. The smile vanished from Manager Ha's face. But Manager Ha didn't say or do anything in particular.
This was because of a request I had made before coming up.
“Manager Ha. No matter what happens, please don't interfere. I'll handle it myself.”
“Will you be alright? He's not an easy man to deal with. He graduated from a prestigious university, entered this line of work, and rose to that position in just a few years.”
“Even so, he's just one of the Chairman's limbs. If I can't handle people like him, how will I deal with the chairmen of major corporations?”
Manager Ha groaned quietly.
“I'm asking you.”
“…I understand. However, if there's any threat to your safety, I will interfere unconditionally.”
“Yes, I won't stop you from doing that.”
It was an obvious ploy. Unflustered, I raised the corners of my mouth and faced him.
“Hahaha. So you're my senior. It's a pleasure. Please, have a seat, Senior Kim Ho-sik?”
“Right, right, come on in, junior. Sit.”
Twin Blades plunked himself down in the seat of honor. And the brutes standing guard behind him.
‘So this bastard has been like this since back then?’
I sat down, a smile on my face. Manager Ha did not sit, but stood behind me.
“Is Manager Ha going to keep standing?”
Twin Blades asked. But Manager Ha ignored his words and remained standing. Feeling awkward, Kim Ho-sik picked up the phone.
“Miss Seong, bring some coffee in here. Yeah. Just bring two cups.”
Seeing Twin Blades put the phone down, I spoke immediately.
“Well then, could I see the ledgers first?”
“Junior, starting already? Why not take it slow?”
“I'm not used to this yet, so it might take a while. I'd like to start quickly. Could I have the ledgers, please?”
Kim Ho-sik gestured with his eyes to one of the brutes standing behind him. The brute brought the ledger over and held it out to me.
“Thanks.”
I took the ledger and leisurely opened it. The door opened, and the secretary came in with coffee. The secretary placed a cup of coffee in front of me, another in front of Boss Kim, and then left.
“Junior, drink your coffee while you do it. Not like there's much to see.”
“Yes.”
I answered, but continued to examine the ledger.
‘The ledger looks perfectly fine… but this bastard isn't the type to be this clean. Hmm…’
I scanned it meticulously, but on paper, there seemed to be no problems at all. I put down the ledger and smiled.
“As expected of a senior, you've kept things neat and tidy. Now, could I have the Chairman's bankbooks?”
Twin Blades once again nodded to the brutes, and one of them approached me with a bundle of bankbooks. A total of twelve bankbooks. I looked at Manager Ha, and he nodded.
“Twelve, that's correct. I'll be taking these now. It's the Chairman's order.”
“What?”
Twin Blades' eyes widened.
“The Chairman has ordered me to collect all the shell accounts that the bosses are managing. Is there a problem?”
“The Chairman said that?”
“Yes.”
Twin Blades' expression changed at the news that the bankbooks were being collected. He was trying his best to compose his face, but his eyes were darting back and forth.
‘Looks like this bastard has touched the anonymous accounts.’
Restless, Twin Blades challenged me.
“Hey, junior. I know, but still, how can you just collect them so suddenly like this? Is this really the Chairman's order?”
“Yes. Why would I lie to you, senior? Especially a lie that would be found out over time.”
“Hmm…”
“Or is there some problem that prevents you from turning over the bankbooks? If there is, please tell me now.”
At that, Twin Blades jumped up and said.
“What? Hey, there's nothing like that! What do you take me for! I'm just surprised because it's so sudden.”
Seeing Twin Blades waving his hands and laughing, I laughed along with him.
“Then that's a relief.”
“Of course. Of course.”
I handed the bankbooks in my hand to Manager Ha and spoke.
“Manager Ha. I'd like to have a word with Boss Kim alone…. Those men standing behind him are a bit distracting. Could you get rid of them?”
“Yes.”
Manager Ha looked at the brutes standing behind Twin Blades.
“The Young Master says he has something to discuss with Boss Kim, so everyone except Boss Kim, get out.”
But the brutes didn't budge at Manager Ha's words. Manager Ha's brow furrowed. As his expression changed, Twin Blades quickly shouted at the brutes.
“Hey! You guys, get out.”
“Yes, Boss.”
He must have seen it somewhere. Sitting there, pretending to be a gangster. After the pigs left, only three people remained in the quieted office.
“Manager Ha. Could you also wait outside for a moment?”
“What?”
“I'd like to talk to him alone.”
“Hmm…”
“Please.”
“I understand. I will wait in front of the door.”
“Yes.”
Manager Ha bowed and went outside. After the door closed, I wiped the smile from my face and looked at Twin Blades. But Twin Blades just snorted.
“Hey~ junior? What do you want to talk about alone that you're creating such an atmosphere? Trying to scare your senior? Hahaha.”
I leaned towards Kim Ho-sik and whispered in a low voice.
“Hey, Kim Ho-sik. If you're a servant, act like one. Do you have to taste it to know if it's shit or bean paste? Can't you read the room?”
Kim Ho-sik yelled at my words.
“What did you say! You bastard?”
I pressed down on Kim Ho-sik's shoulder as he tried to get up.
“Hey, Twin Blades. Stop acting tough and listen carefully. I know all about your little games. Well, you have to make a living too, so I can turn a blind eye to that extent. But you shouldn't have touched the Chairman's accounts.”
“…What?”
“The Chairman's shell accounts. The ones even Manager Ha doesn't know about. Why didn't you bring those?”
“…”
“Why? Did you think I wouldn't know?”
“Did the Chairman tell you?”
“Figure that out on your own. Bring those too. Now.”
“…Give me some time.”
I took my hand off his shoulder and said.
“Still can't read the room? Bring the bankbooks right now. If you don't bring them in ten minutes, I'm reporting to the Chairman.”
Grandfather's four secret shell accounts. Each bankbook contained 100 billion won. Chairman Cheon had entrusted a total of 400 billion won in shell accounts to the Myeon District bosses, without even his limb, Manager Ha, knowing.
I only learned this fact after the real-name financial system was implemented. Because they were anonymous accounts under the names of non-existent people, the 400 billion won inside had vanished completely.
“…Just give me a month. I'm asking you.”
“Asking me?”
“Please give me one month, Young Master.”
“Have it ready in half a month. Without a single won missing.”
“…Yes.”
I patted Kim Ho-sik's shoulder and said.
“Senior, don't overdo it. The Chairman knows but pretends not to. You worked hard to get to your position, do you really want to go back to the bottom of Myeon District? You're different from the other bosses, you even went to college. Let's make a wise decision.”
Twin Blades' expression soured, but the words coming from his mouth were polite.
“Yes, Young Master. I will be careful from now on.”
“It's the same for the other bosses and my maternal uncles. If I hear any strange rumors, things will get really complicated. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
I put a smile back on my face.
“Senior, the ledger has no issues. The shell accounts also seem fine. I'll come for the rest in half a month.”
“I understand, Young Master.”
“And let's stop imitating gangsters. Why are you trying to act like a mob boss with brutes like those? You should hire some proper people.”
With those last words, I stood up from my seat.
“The reason I came to see you first, Boss Kim, is because I thought you were worth going with. You went to a prestigious university and you have a good head on your shoulders, so you know what I mean, right?”
“…”
Twin Blades couldn't do anything as I walked towards the door. When I opened the door, Manager Ha was waiting.
“I heard a loud voice…”
“There was no problem. We had a good talk. Let's head back for now.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
On the way out of the office. The brutes standing in a line were making menacing faces, as if they had been ordered in advance to intimidate me.
Hahaha. How cute.
I laughed inwardly as I passed them. Returning home, I reported to my grandfather.
“I've checked the ledger and received the shell accounts. A total of twelve, correct?”
“Yes, were there any problems?”
“He was someone I could talk to.”
“Ho ho. You could talk to him?”
“Yes, the handover went without any trouble. I also arranged to receive separate reports every half a month.”
“Is that so? It couldn't have been easy. You did well.”
“Thank you.”
“You have school tomorrow, so go on up and rest.”
“Yes, I'll go up now. Rest well, Chairman.”
Back in my room on the second floor, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
‘Alright, I've got a handle on Twin Blades' weakness… I wonder if the others have touched the accounts too? That would make things easier…. First, I need to collect the bankbooks and persuade Grandfather to move the money somewhere else before the real-name financial system is announced. But how should I convince him?’
I drifted off to sleep while deep in thought.
Meanwhile, in the study, Chairman Cheon and Manager Ha were talking.
“Are you sure it ended with just a conversation?”
“When I was there, Boss Kim spoke informally to the Young Master, treating him like a subordinate.”
“What?”
Manager Ha reported in detail what he had seen.
“Is that so? And then?”
“He said he wanted to talk to him alone, so I went outside with Boss Kim's subordinates. I don't know exactly what was said inside. Boss Kim did shout, but it was only for a moment. They talked for about ten minutes before he came out.”
Chairman Cheon, seemingly lost in thought, tapped his fingers on the desk. The sound that had been filling the large study for a while suddenly stopped.
“I see. Who's next?”
“We plan to visit Boss No next week.”
“I wonder if he can handle that Viper bastard too? Very well. You may leave and rest.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
After Manager Ha left, Chairman Cheon picked up the phone and made a call. —Yes, this is Kim Ho-sik.
“Yes, it's me.” —Yes, Chairman.
“How was he, Mu-hyeok?” —…
“Why no answer? I asked how he was.” —He's a tiger cub.
He resembles you, Chairman, more than the two bosses.
“Hoh, so that's how you see it?” —Yes.
“What did the two of you talk about?”
When there was no answer from the other end of the line, Chairman Cheon asked again.
“You keep making me ask twice. I asked what you talked about.” —…
He brought up the bankbooks you secretly entrusted to me. Chairman Cheon's eyes flew open.
“What? How did he know about that?” —What?
Didn't you tell him, Chairman?
“…Never mind that. And so?” —I promised to give them to him in half a month.
“Hmm, I see.” —Should I hand them over?
“Yes, hand them over.” —Yes, Chairman.
After a moment of silence, Chairman Cheon spoke again.
“Ho-sik.” —Yes?
“I hear you spoke informally to my grandson?”
Silence fell. —…
I apologize.
“Ho-sik, you know that just because you're well-off now doesn't mean we can sit at the same table, right? Don't forget who it was that helped you get to where you are.” —I apologize, Chairman.
“Don't let it happen again.”
With those last words, Chairman Cheon hung up the phone.
“Look at this kid. How did he know about that and demand he hand it over? Something even my own sons and Myeong-hun don't know…”
A smile spread across Chairman Cheon's face as he leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.