The awkward silence was broken by Jin Yeong-jun.
"Oh, by the way, what about Sang jun? I heard he's doing well with his music studies in the United States."
"He's passionate about his studies, so I'm sure he's doing fine. But what about you, Yeong-jun?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have sothing to say to ? If you do, please say it. It's uncomfortable when you keep things to yourself for no reason."
Acting a bit tipsy from the alcohol, he asked boldly.
"Yeah? Haha. You really have a way of reading people." After a hesitant laugh, he lowered his voice and subtly continued. "Do you ever consider working with ?"
"With you, hyung?"
As expected, it was just as I had anticipated. He was trying to persuade to beco his subordinate.
"Yeah. After seeing what you do, it's hard to find soone as capable as you."
"What am I capable of?"
"What?"
Jin Yeong-jun's eyes flickered. He must have been taken aback since I hadn't shown my abilities yet, but he had praised without basis.
When the company employees heard him say, "There's no one like you," they would be overjoyed and thrilled. Did he think the sa about , even though I hadn't experienced it yet?
"Well, does it have to be sothing specific? It's more about a feeling. The people working under have good educational backgrounds and qualifications. But although I can't pinpoint it exactly, there's sothing missing."
"I feel the sa way. It's hard to find soone you truly like. They may seem great on the surface, but when you peel back the layers, there's always sothing lacking." I modestly humbled myself.
"This kid. You don't want to work with , huh?" He spoke with a mixture of laughter, but his eyes were serious. He stared at fiercely.
"It's not that I don't want to work with you. It's just that I feel uncomfortable working with people. I prefer working alone. Studying alone, working alone."
"So, you're gaining experience at an investnt firm for that reason?"
"Yes, that's how investnt works, you know? Analyzing data, gathering information, and making decisions alone. It's not about coordinating with others. It seems to suit my aptitude."
"Hmm... investnt."
I showed no interest in the group. How would he react? He's not naive enough to take my words at face value. He'll probably test a few more tis.
"Well, now that I think about it, I'm even more tempted."
"Huh? Why?"
"I have a weakness for that kind of thing. Planning, analysis. I find it easy to manage people, but I'm weak with numbers."
Was he serious? If he's bad with numbers and can't plan or analyze, what good is he for the job? Managing people is easy? As the heir to the chairman, anyone would listen and follow him. He's just talking nonsense!
I concealed my smirk and put on a smile.
"Hehe. Why is that? In our country, we gather all the smart people and run things."
"No, that's not it! There are plenty of problems under the surface."
Seeing Jin Yeong-jun's serious expression, I decided to throw the first bait. If he bites this one, I'll present the real deal.
"Yeong-jun."
"Yeah."
"If, and this is a big if."
"Go on."
Jin Yeong-jun's eyes began to sparkle.
"If I decide that I'm not cut out for investnt, I'll have to do sothing else... In the end, there's only the group business, right?"
"That's true."
"What exactly does it an when you say you want to work together, hyung?"
"You'll beco the director like Lee Hak-jae under ."
"Does that an overseeing the entire group?"
"Yes, exactly. In fact, you'll have more authority than Director Lee Hak-jae's. That director is just an ordinary employee. But you're part of the owner's family and my younger brother. Don't you think the heads of subsidiary companies might feel jealous or resentful? Don't you agree?"
Lee Hak-jae constantly clashes with key executives of subsidiary companies. Many of them are older than Lee Hak-jae's director and have had a connection with the chairman much earlier.
They take pride in being the ones who helped build the group.
Since Lee Hak-jae, who joined later, constantly nitpicks about everything, they have an uneasy relationship.
"When our third generation takes over the group, you will truly be a significant figure. You were the grandson our founding grandfather cherished. Who would hold a grudge against you? Don't you think?"
"Well..."
As if pondering with his glass, Jin Yeong-jun seed to have grown more interested and started speaking more persuasively.
"I'll hold the fort and focus all my energy on you. Honestly, when it cos to investnt, it's ultimately just playing with money, isn't it? Wouldn't it be more fun to grow a global conglorate like Sunyang Group? The scale is different."
"Well, even if I do that, I'm not just going to be an ordinary employee, right?"
"What? What do you an?"
"Even if you say that we share the sa blood, what does it an if I don't have a single share of Sunyang Group stock?"
Upon ntioning the group's shares, he suddenly fell silent. It's a sensitive topic, and speaking about it casually is difficult.
After all, isn't securing the shares the key to determining the successor of Sunyang Group?
"Hyung, I learn about investnt. I'm not so real estate speculator; I'm solely focused on investing in corporate stocks...learning this job, I understand the importance of shares first. Stocks are a symbol of ownership and the owner's identification."
Jin Yeong-jun seed to be thinking about his response, and he still hadn't spoken.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You ntioned the fact earlier, right? That we're family. Didn't you?"
"Yeah? Oh, no. Of course, we're family."
"So, does that an since we're cousins, you won't share the group's shares?" I set my glass down with a frustrated look. "What's this? You suggest we work together, and in the end, your plan is to make just another employee?"
"Hey! Why are you talking like that, you brat!"
"That's how it is, right? Even if we're family, what's the difference between and an ordinary employee?"
"Do you see as so lowlife? Huh?" Suddenly raising his voice, it was clear that he had thought of a response. "Listen here. I don't have a single share of stocks like you do right now. I can't say anything without the financial power. What we're talking about here is about the distant future. It will take at least 10 years, if not 15, for our grandfather to pass the group's leadership to our father, and then for to inherit it. How can I guarantee what will happen 15 years from now? Isn't that right?"
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