"Oh, Hyun Kang. I can clean it."
The housekeeper who was collecting the laundry opened her eyes wide when she saw the room that was cleaned so cleanly. How old am I to ask someone else to wash my underwear? If I include my past life, I am already in my fifties. But the housekeeper still looked apologetic. Kang Hyun was proud, but on the other hand, she must have felt uncomfortable.
"Ma'am, you know that I run a laundry at my house, right? If I don't clean and do laundry, my body aches a little. So please don't feel too sorry."
At Kang Hyun's words, the housekeeper's eyes became moist. The housekeeper had been working as a housekeeper for her grandfather for many years. Of course, she had known her mother for a long time. The housekeeper quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and quickly smiled.
"Student Kang-Hyeon, if there's anything you want to eat, just tell the lady at any time."
The mother treated him kindly, as if he were her own son.
"Student Kang Hyeon, eat breakfast."
Whenever I looked at the table full of spicy food at every meal, I thought of my past life. When I was attending the Judicial Research and Training Institute, I would occasionally go to the provinces, and whenever I did, my mother would prepare food that would break my legs. However, I always ate the food half-heartedly and ignored her sincerity. I thought I was such a bastard.
My grandfather secretly lifted the meat dish in front of him and moved it in front of me.
"Eat lots."
My grandfather said a few words and then continued eating.
It was near the end of the meal. The lady brought out a tray with a cup of coffee and a cup of orange juice. The morning paper for my grandfather was a must, of course.
"Hyun-ah, we're going out to eat dinner tonight, so you know that."
I raised my head at my grandfather's sudden words.
If it were just an ordinary meal out, you wouldn't have said anything special.
no way.
'Today is that day.'
A banquet where the three generations of the conglomerate are invited.
A gathering that was only known as a secret story of the chaebol families. It was a gathering of all the chaebol groups in South Korea without exception. Except for the founders, they were all clearly established as successors to the companies. The people who would dominate South Korea in the future were gathered. Having seen the chaebol families up close in the past, I wasn't particularly excited, but I was curious. What would the banquet that was only told in legends be like?
"Hyun-ah, get ready because you're going to the office with Grandpa today."
"yes?"
I swallowed what sounded like orange juice and asked again.
"Yonsuk, why are you so surprised? Didn't you say that Hyun-i said earlier? That chemistry would become the material for the future chemical industry. If I had known you were so interested in chemistry, I would have taken you on a tour of the company a long time ago."
My grandfather looked at me with a smile. Sweat beads formed on his back as if worms were crawling. I guess my expression of my thoughts based on the liberal arts courses I took in college when I was interested in chemistry was particularly appealing to my grandfather.
* * *
Dongju (Dongju)
Dongju Chemical's factory site was not lacking compared to affiliates of conglomerates. It was not for nothing that it was at the forefront of the chemical industry in Korea. In addition, my grandfather organized a field trip program for middle and high school students as part of his social contribution activities, and thanks to this, talented people gathered at Dongju. Since he had been doing this kind of activity since the 80s, it could only be described as great.
"Mr. Chairman, are you here?"
My uncle and uncle hurried out to greet my grandfather. The executives followed behind. My uncles glared at me when they saw me with my grandfather. However, they quickly tried to control their expressions, fearing that my grandfather would catch them. However, I didn't miss that moment. I didn't know that my young nephew would feel so threatened, you morons.
"Hyun-ah, do you know what kind of factories will be built there?"
Where my grandfather pointed with his fingertips, civil engineering work was in full swing. They were cutting down the hill, leveling the ground, and leveling the land. I had researched Dongju Chemical in my past life. I wanted to find out how the company had been run and why it had been absorbed by foreign capital less than five years after my grandfather passed away. Maybe by now.
'This must be a factory that makes circuit materials, photosensitive agents, and polarizing plates.'
My grandfather foresaw the future and pushed ahead with the creation of a factory for electronic parts and materials. Of course, it was an excellent choice when considering the future. However, I heard that my uncles, who were full of greed and ignorance, sold those factories after my grandfather passed away. They gave up on their research because they didn't make any immediate profits. Are there any other fools like them?
"Hmm. The future industry?"
I didn't go into detail. It didn't make sense for my young grandson to know about display materials, and there was no need to raise his grandfather's expectations for no reason.
"Yes, that's right. Starting from there, Dongju will spread his new wings."
My grandfather seemed quite satisfied with that answer. But the more he said that, the more the uncles standing behind him frowned.
"Genetics. What do you think the future holds for the chemical industry?"
The uncle opened his eyes wide at the sudden call from his grandfather. It seemed that he had not expected that he would be asked a question. The executives who had been following him stopped walking and pricked up their ears.
"I think we should focus on high value-added industries, just like other industries. I think the construction of a display material factory promoted by the chairman is excellent."
"High added value. What do you think is needed to derive high added value from chemistry?"
The questions continued one after another, as if solving a riddle. My uncle's face was covered in cold sweat. Whenever I met my father, who was scary even in private, in a public setting, I would feel dizzy like a little child.
"Ah, I think we will have to select a lot of talented people."
Grandfather's expression became unpleasant. Even my uncle seemed to be getting nervous. The executives were also swallowing their saliva.
'Tsk.'
I clicked my tongue inwardly. What on earth did he learn in college that he could give such a one-dimensional answer to his grandfather's question? Even though it was the 90s when old-fashioned management was rampant, it was strange for someone who had risen to the position of executive director to act so foolishly.
At that moment, my grandfather looked at me with a strange look. It was as if he was asking me, Kang-Hyeon, if you knew the answer. I coughed and avoided his gaze.
It's not that I don't know the answer.
'Chemicals have different cash cows than other industries.'
The chemical industry is different from the electronics and automobile industries in the first place. Unlike existing industries that release new products and build new factory conveyors every time, the chemical industry continues to build the foundation of future industries based on basic materials. In short, it is much more necessary to cultivate existing talent than to create new talent.
How do you know so much?
It was because of the secrets I had seen in the legal team while taking care of the last Jeil Group. Later, Jeil Group naturally got involved in chemical technology, and at the time, the scout war to bring in chemical engineers from competing groups was no joke. Have you ever heard of a battlefield without gunfire? I was right in the middle of it.
My grandfather glanced at my great uncle and then walked away. My great uncle had a look of frustration on his face, and my little uncle looked relieved that no questions were asked of him. But.
'I think I've seen it somewhere.'
There is one executive standing behind my uncle who looks particularly familiar.
* * *
"Hyun-ah, what do you think of Grandpa's room?"
My grandfather personally guided me to the chairman's office. It was so simple that it was clearly different from the chairman's offices of other companies. It wasn't that it was small. There were books on the bookshelf that had been washed away, an old desk, and a sofa that clearly showed the traces of time. My grandfather's personality was clearly evident.
On the old desk were framed photos of family members. In particular, a photo of my mother as a child holding a violin caught my eye.
'As expected, Grandpa misses Mother.'
It was when I was looking around the chairman's office carefully.
"Hyun-ah, what do you think about management?"
My grandfather looked at me and asked with a serious face. This, this, this feels strange. I could feel that my grandfather was thinking a lot because of my uncle's previous unfavorable answer.
What should I answer?
"Isn't it about making sure everyone eats well and lives well?"
It was a simple answer, but in a way, it was also the most appropriate answer a 14-year-old boy could give. I didn't have much ambition for business. I had already spent my past life full of vanity, so I didn't want to live a life obsessed with materialism and power again.
"grandfather."
Still, if I could change the past, there's only one thing I'd want to change.
"You said to Grandpa Yuha last time. It's worse to have too much than not enough. I think that's true."
My uncle and uncle were people who were more than qualified to be executive directors. For the sake of Dongju Chemical's future, it was right to leave the management to professional managers. My grandfather looked at me with a strange gaze.
"I really wish our Hyun-i was older."
There was a genuine sense of regret in Grandfather's voice.
Then something caught my eye.
"Grandpa, is that a turntable?"
An LP turntable used in the past. It has become a thing of the past due to the spread of cassette tapes and CDs. Although it was decades ago, there are still not many places that use turntables. You might find one at a live cafe in Misari.
"Hyun-i knows about turntables. There are a lot of LPs here."
My grandfather opened the drawer next to the turntable. It was full of LPs, each neatly organized without a speck of dust.
"My grandfather enjoys listening to music here."
I never imagined that my grandfather would have such a hobby. As Kang Hyun stared at the LPs, his grandfather picked up an LP from the list. It was a plain blue album cover with no words on it. While wondering what song it was, his grandfather carefully placed the LP on the turntable.
Bam.
There was a brief silence as the tone arm of the turntable touched the LP record. My eyes were momentarily drawn to the analog appearance, and then I came to my senses as the melody flowed out. The calm melody of the violin and the sound of the piano keys.
"Beethoven Violin Sonata Spring 1st Movement."
In a way, this violin piece is a perfect expression of the personality of Beethoven, the master of music. The refreshing and sweet melody tickles the ear and the violin melody and piano accompaniment are in harmony. They speed up and slow down as if they were running a three-legged race, and the tempo is the same. It's like watching forsythia bloom and flower seeds scatter in the light spring breeze.
However.
'You're not an expert.'
The piano keys were following the violin. A subtle difference. Every time the violin's melody slows down and the beat is off, the piano fills in the gap like a ghost. This is a phenomenon that occurs when there is a significant difference in skill. However, to the average person, it is difficult to tell the difference between the spring of an average violinist and the skill.
As soon as the performance was over.
My grandfather looked at me with a curious expression. He seemed very surprised that I knew the title of the piece. It was a famous violin sonata, but it was hard for a 14-year-old who was not familiar with classical music to know the title of the piece. I wondered if he knew who played this piece.
"This performance."
Gulp.
"Did your mother do it?"
Grandfather's eyes grew as big as lanterns.