Having frequented this house for a dozen years, I had never been allowed to enter his study (and the bedrooms). Even though the conference room was on the tenth floor of Sunyang HQ, all the important decisions were made in his study where only his family mbers, now including , and his board mbers were allowed to enter.
I stepped into the study and glanced around.
It looked nothing short of the conference room: a large desk for the grandfather and tables for a dozen.
The grandfathers children and his board mbers already were seated.
Predictable.
If they were gathered together, they would have a eting, to discuss current issues.
My father was replaced with Young-jun. He was seated among them, which startled .
I was well aware that my father was treated as if he was disowned.
But Young-jun was only 20 years old, who was planning to go abroad to study.
He was too young for this.
Does this an the grandfather has already appointed his successor?
Is it already too late?
When I was lost in this thought, lowering my head, everyone in the study thought I was alard.
Hey, Do-jun. Lift your head. Boys fight, that way they grow up as n, Young-jun said, chuckling.
He seed to be trying to look like a grown-up.
Be quiet! Or I will get you out of here, his father said. Young-jun scratched his head.
The grandfather led inside by the hand.
Do-jun, he said.
Yes, grandfather,
Sit kneeling until I tell you to stand up, that is your punishnt,
Punishnt? Or training?
It was punishnt for 10-year-old Do-jun while business administration training for Yun Hyun-woo.
I sat kneeling right next to him and opened my ears, so as not to miss a single word.
So, now, tell , he resud the eting.
I assu that the la duck president would use force against the protesters, a voice said.
Force?
He would use troops to disperse the protesters,
What? Troops?
What do troops have to do with Sunyang?
Hundreds of protesters are taking place all over the country. If the president used troops, it could be thousands, said the other.
Force would not suppress the protesters but add oil to the fire,
With a loud, echoing thud, the grandfather slamd his palm down on the desk.
So what the hell are you suggesting? Turn against the president that may give up his office? he yelled.
They clamped their mouths shut.
Cant waste any more ti. You tell, vice-chairman, whose side should we be on?
The vice-chairman, Young-ki could not easily answer.
Young-ki and his son, they had frad and killed .
Which would not happen to again but might happen to anyone.
I wondered what Young-ki would say.
Even though the protesters have marched for the past 7 years, the president would not give up his office, he said.
Second son, Dong-ki and third Sang-ki, without a hesitation, agreed.
So board mbers chid in with Young-ki.
Sothing was odd.
Three days later the president would make a statent: the June 29 Declaration.
The Blue House must have drawn up an outline by now.
It didnt make any sense that Sunyang had not grasped the situation yet as it should have.
Leaving doubt behind, I bent my ear toward them.
But topics of conversation and questions to ask during the eting were not relevant to managent plans for Sunyang.
This was not what I had expected.
Sohow, absurd.
The grandfather closed the eting by saying,
Keep monitoring the situation!
After everyone slipped out of the study.
Stand up, he said, in a gently voice.
Then I rose to my numb feet.
He sat down on his lap and looked at steadily.
How co, he said.
I gave him a curious look.
You didnt frown or squirm during the long eting but sat rapt,
I didnt realize my legs had gone numb, and lost track of the ti.
Youve changed so much since I last saw you, he said.
He must have been taken aback at how my attitude had done a one-eighty degree turn.
Have I? I asked, with an ingenuous look.
Yeah, I can barely recognize you,
I needed to co up with a decent answer.
I cant stand anymore,
What? he asked.
I cant stand how other family mbers treat my parents anymore,
Damn, why no tears!
He held tight silently anyway as if he knew what I was saying.
I wanted to nail him down.
Grandfather?
Yeah, whats up?
Make the three your friends,
What do you an?
The eting. And the next president,
If you make the president and the other two who may be the next president your friends, you will not have to decide whose side you are on
It was apparently hard work speaking innocently; from a 10-year-olds point of view.
His soft eyes dilated as if thinking to himself how could a 10-year-old think of such a thing?
You cant?
Why not? The more friends you have the better, he said, then let out a soft laugh.
If I hinted at the upcoming June 29 Declaration, he would be much more taken aback.
I should srize him, I told myself.
Why dont you play outside? Grandfathers got work to do, he said.
I went out the door and closed it behind .
The grandfather had so hard thinking, then picked up the phone and dialed a number.
Give 50 (million won) to YS and DJ,
Both of two, sir?
Right, and dont forget to give them empty complints,
After setting the phone down, he curved his mouth.
Very clever thinking indeed, he told himself.
He summoned the eldest grandson Young-jun. He wanted to test him.
Young-jun did hotfoot it over to the grandfather, with a nervous look.
Tell your thoughts, he continued, What should we do, in this turbulent period?
After a little pause,
If the president used troops, the protesters would disperse and the turbulent period would subside, Young-jun answered.
So, we should be on the side of the president, right?
Uhm Young-jun could feel a cold sweat running down.
The grandfather smiled as if implying he would leave the decision to Young-jun, which however was not true.
He was tut-tutting inwardly.
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