Siblings Working in Business (202)
Honestly, Chang-seok had been worried about the suffocating silence during the drive to the restaurant.
But — although he hated to admit it — he felt a strange sense of kinship with CEO Uh.
That was, until they arrived at the restaurant, started eating, and the conversation, fueled by alcohol, turned to their philosophies on raising children.
Sharing expensive, high-proof Andong soju at a barbecue restaurant led to some deep conversations.
‘I didn’t expect the alcohol to be this effective…’
Chang-seok had deliberately encouraged the drinking to gather information.
Thanks to that, CEO Uh, slightly tipsy, started opening up about his personal life.
“So, Aeseul…”
“Aeseul is my deceased sister’s daughter.”
“Ah…”
“Before my sister passed away, I wasn’t in this position. I was… lower in the ranks.”
Uh Seok-bae began his story, explaining that he hadn’t originally been the CEO.
He was more like an enforcer, carrying out orders.
“I apologize for asking, but if she’s your sister, how is her last name…?”
While taking the mother’s surname wasn’t unusual nowadays, it was practically impossible back then without a special reason.
CEO Uh chuckled at CEO Park’s genuinely curious question and continued,
“Aeseul’s father… was a foreigner.”
“Ah.”
“A scoundrel who abandoned my sister after she got pregnant.”
“…Ah.”
“But… Aeseul, that little thing, was so lovely…”
Clearly drunk, Uh Seok-bae seemed to be reminiscing, a wistful look in his eyes.
“It was when Aeseul learned to read Korean, a little older…”
“Yes…”
‘I’m not that interested,’ Chang-seok thought, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
“She told me she wanted to be a singer.”
“I-I see.”
“My sister, upon hearing Aeseul’s dream, decided to pave the way for her and changed the company name from ‘The Lucky One’ to ‘DI Music.’ She wanted to expand into the music industry.”
Cough.
‘Ch-changed the company name?’
He almost choked on the strong Andong soju, tears and snot threatening to erupt from every orifice.
He was shocked because changing a company name required a substantial amount of capital.
‘I wanted to name my company something cool like ‘Necessary,’ but I ended up with NRY because of money…’
Changing a company name or logo required an even greater investment as time went on.
You had to replace everything.
‘And he changed the entire company name just because of a little girl’s dream…?’
It wasn’t a decision you could make lightly.
CEO Uh paused.
“Well, there were some risky moments during that process, but thanks to ‘someone,’ we were able to overcome them smoothly.”
Just then…
The nostalgic look in CEO Uh’s eyes vanished, replaced by a knowing glint.
Chang-seok’s muscles tensed, a sudden chill running down his spine.
He looked up, and CEO Uh was staring intently at him.
‘Ah.’
Chang-seok realized what time CEO Uh was referring to.
The time he extracted Toxin.
CEO Uh was talking about the time the former CEO was pulling his shady deals.
Changing a company name legally required a thorough review of various aspects.
‘What if that was the time they were cleaning up the traces of the name change?’
It was like messing up a spot the former CEO had painstakingly cleaned up with his underhanded dealings.
If they had proceeded with the legal name change process, DI Music could have faced a major crisis due to the unexpected loophole.
Chang-seok looked at the swirling soju in his elegant ceramic cup.
He was finally starting to understand DI Music’s absurd offer.
“You knew.”
“Of course.”
“Eun-ji’s songs were just an excuse.”
“This offer is partly to repay you for that time, but it started with Aeseul’s interest. And as it turns out, you were involved…”
CEO Uh smiled faintly, his tone implying that Chang-seok already knew.
Was this a gesture of gratitude for the unintentional help he provided back then?
Or was it a ‘warning’ to accept the offer and stay quiet?
Red flags went up in Chang-seok’s mind.
It was an instinctive warning, stronger than curiosity, telling him to back away.
Knock, knock.
Just then…
A staff member’s knock broke the silence.
“Excuse me.”
The restaurant Chang-seok chose today was a high-end establishment where the staff grilled the premium cuts of meat for you.
So far, they had grilled and eaten tenderloin, striploin, and other common cuts.
It was now time for the staff to grill the special cuts.
Chang-seok felt like heaven had sent him this timely interruption.
He needed to end this conversation here, as the topic CEO Uh brought up was sensitive.
“This is outside skirt and oyster blade.”
The staff member placed the marbled beef, its surface glistening with a delicious red hue, on the grill using wooden tongs.
Sizzle.
The mouthwatering sound filled the air as the lightly seared beef was placed before Chang-seok and CEO Uh.
“…”
CEO Uh, after pausing his story…
…savored the beef, his expression unreadable.
The meal continued in silence, punctuated by the clinking of soju glasses.
“My sister…”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, as Chang-seok expected, the topic returned to CEO Uh’s family history.
“Not long after that incident, her health deteriorated due to a chronic illness.”
“Oh dear.”
“It was right before the company name was changed to DI Music. My sister trusted me, and as the successor to the CEO position, I had responsibilities.”
The company, the organization…
And his sister’s beloved daughter.
“I felt obligated to give Aeseul everything my sister wanted to give her.”
“Everything…”
CEO Uh savored the next cut of beef, downed the remaining soju in his glass, and continued,
“I thought it was my responsibility, my way of repaying my sister for entrusting everything to me.”
“…”
“I wanted to raise Aeseul without her ever knowing hardship.”
Raise her without knowing hardship…
Chang-seok, who had been quietly listening, tilted his head.
It was a utopian ideal, almost excessive.
‘It would be nice to grow up knowing only happiness, without hardship.’
But was a life without hardship truly a good thing?
Chang-seok thought of Eun-ho and Eun-ji.
The two kids who were like dirty, wary stray cats.
When he asked them what they wished for, having gone through so much hardship since they were young, they had only one request.
A safe, secure meal.
Just as there was light because of darkness, knowing hardship made you appreciate happiness.
“I don’t agree with that.”
“…?”
“Sometimes, there are things you can only learn by overcoming hardships yourself, not by having everything handed to you.”
CEO Uh slowly tilted his head at CEO Park’s words.
“To overcome hardships, you have to make mistakes and experience failure, but I disagree.”
This time, it was Chang-seok who tilted his head, unable to understand.
“It’s foolish to admit mistakes when you have money and power.”
Chang-seok frowned.
“I don’t think so.”
“With enough money and power, you can cover up any mistake without anyone knowing.”
“There are things in this world that can’t be fixed with money or power.”
“If it can’t be solved, it’s because you lack money or power. If I raise her with enough of both, there will be no problems.”
Ah, so this was it.
Chang-seok finally understood the strange disconnect he felt with CEO Uh.
It was their ideology.
A single misstep, a single mistake, could cause everything to crumble.
Especially for celebrities, whose images were constantly scrutinized and dissected in front of the cameras.
“What if something happens that even you can’t handle?”
Unable to completely hide his frustration, Chang-seok’s tone sharpened slightly.
CEO Uh, seemingly unconcerned, calmly replied to his question,
“Then I’ll handle it with my life. That’s why my sister left me in this position.”
Chang-seok’s blood boiled.
Was it the alcohol?
He almost blurted out, “Are you crazy?”, but he clenched his jaw and held back the curse.
He let out a frustrated sigh and spoke, trying to calm himself down,
“I don’t know what your deceased sister would have thought, so I’m hesitant to comment. But I can tell that you’re not a good role model for Aeseul.”
Oops.
He thought he had controlled himself well, but his true feelings slipped out.
CEO Uh’s brow furrowed in displeasure.
Having said that much, Chang-seok abandoned all pretense of politeness and continued coldly,
“You might not know… no, you probably already know.”
“…”
“I also raised Eun-ho and Eun-ji.”
CEO Uh nodded, as if he already knew about Eun-ho and Eun-ji’s past.
“This is just my opinion, but your parenting style, from my perspective, is no different from neglect.”
“…Haha.”
CEO Uh’s eyes narrowed dangerously, as if challenging him to say more.
But Chang-seok met his gaze, his own eyes just as sharp.
“Humans are social creatures, and as a parent, it’s your duty to teach your child how to socialize.”
“…Socialize?”
“You have to teach them basic manners and how to communicate properly. If Aeseul grows up the way you’re raising her, she might not know hardship, but she will never grow into a well-adjusted person.”
Chang-seok continued with a stern expression,
“Because Aeseul has never known hardship, because she’s been sheltered, she’ll be hurt even more deeply. And if that happens, the one most responsible for her pain, for her downfall, will be you.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Right. Like you just said, you’ll protect her with your life. But what will happen to Aeseul if you’re gone?”
“That’s…”
“Just as you’re willing to give your life for your sister, for Aeseul, what if she finds someone she wants to devote herself to?”
“…”
Chang-seok didn’t know about what happened between Eun-ho and Aeseul before the regression.
But as someone who understood Eun-ho and Eun-ji, it wasn’t a difficult prediction.