#150. Up, up. 3
Woojin brought the cell phone to his ear.
It was a call to Cha Joo-hyuk at SH Strategy.
– Yes. Just a moment.
Was it difficult for Cha Joo-hyuk to receive calls from Woo-jin?
He whispered like that and then spoke again.
– Yes, go ahead.
“I’m sorry to call you when you seem busy.”
– Oh, no. Go ahead.
“I want to know the status of SH Construction’s shares.”
– Ah, first of all, the shares held by Mulsan… …
“I want to know about the account in someone else’s name, not just the visible shares.”
– Since it is unconfirmed… …
“These days, even while I’m sleeping, money is accumulating like flarania, and I have nowhere to spend it… … ”
– Let's find out! Let's take a look!
“Have you eaten?”
“It seems like you like budaejjigae. I heard there’s a really good place in Pyeongtaek.”
Although Cha Joo-hyuk was not visible to Woo-jin, he looked around nervously.
I felt like he was watching me, wondering how I knew that he liked budaejjigae.
In this way, Woojin's observation skills were causing him many misunderstandings.
“Then, please contact me.”
– Come in.
Meanwhile, Chairman Lee's surprised look on Hye-rim Lee's face was changing to one of pride.
“Is that enough?”
“Yes. 7% stake in SH Construction, 280 billion won.”
“Oh my! So you’ve gained a lot by bringing the GH Construction site to our SH Construction?”
Lee Hye-rim nodded calmly.
As expected, he was a grandfather who could see through the big picture in an instant.
But there was a little more I gained from other places as well.
The chairman continued speaking.
“It’s good that you created a cause with your own strength.
However, in order to receive the priority right of friendly shares of the paid-in capital increase from Halaebi, you must meet the requirements of a major shareholder… … “
The chairman stopped talking and looked at Lee Hye-rim.
Chairman Lee Jeong-moon was regularly briefed by SH Strategy on whether someone was becoming a major shareholder of a subsidiary of Shinwha Group.
Lee Hye-rim's name was not among them.
She opened her mouth somewhat quietly.
“If I qualify, will you give it to me right away?”
The chairman spoke coolly as if telling me to try it.
"good night."
“I need to make a phone call.”
Hye-rim Lee, who had made a phone call to someone, immediately began speaking as soon as the person on the other end answered the phone.
“It's me.”
– Yes, go ahead.
He was the representative of the private equity fund created by Lee Hye-rim.
“Please buy only 2% of SH Construction stocks in my name.”
– Then, I have to settle three-fifths of the accounts in other people's names. Should I proceed as is?
Three fifths.
Chairman Lee was watching Hye-rim Lee talking on the phone right in front of him, but he couldn't tell.
"yes."
– We will process it promptly and contact you.
After finishing the call, Lee Hye-rim spoke politely to Chairman Lee, who was staring at her.
“Grandpa, I will soon become the largest shareholder of SH Construction, owning 4% of the company.”
Now, all that was needed was to first secure the priority rights of major shareholders through a paid-in capital increase.
Lee Hye-rim met all the requirements that Chairman Lee had mentioned.
“I think I was seven years old… … I received a watch as a gift from my grandfather, and it’s been a long time since then. Thank you for giving me a present like this.”
“Hahaha! This old man is like a person without any sense of shame, breaking his promise and tying me up so tightly that I can’t run away!”
The expression on the face of Chairman Lee, who had been laughing heartily as if he was having so much fun, became calm.
“Okay. I’ll tell you this, no one should get involved.
But, you know.
Before that, I should let the family know that I will be holding a paid capital increase event.
You should sit there too.”
It was to see if Lee Hye-rim could withstand the pressures of that position.
“Yes, thank you.”
The chairman took a sip of tea and then began to speak.
“And that guy Shin Woojin. Bring him often.”
I thought we could be best friends when we need to cool off and be alone.
The image of the guy playing Go with his eyes closed still lingered in my mind.
“Yes. I think he would like it if I asked him to play a game of Go.”
The chairman nodded with a smile.
There is enough money to rot away.
Even if he bet money and lost, it was nothing to the chairman.
To this chairman, Shin Woo-jin was like a game.
“Okay, go and do your work.”
“Then I will get up and try.”
Hye-rim Lee bowed her head in greeting, then went out and got into the passenger seat of the car Woo-jin was riding in.
Hye-rim Lee brushed back her long hair and let out a deep breath that had been tense.
Then he smiled brightly and looked at Woojin.
“I guess Grandpa likes you.”
“Did the conversation go well?”
Because Lee Hye-ram's expression said it all.
She said in a playful voice, deviating from Woojin's argument.
“Should I say the story went well? Hmm… … .
“Grandpa told me to raise you, Woojin, and then eat you?”
Lee Hye-rim said so
“Oh my… … ”
At that moment, Woojin looked surprised.
It was because it had been a really long time since I had heard an unconscious sound.
It was a sound that only I could hear, as if someone was whispering in my ear.
'Krrrrrr'
The low growl of a beast.
It was like a warning roar, ready to rush in and prove that he was not livestock.
As Woojin smiled faintly, the unconscious existence disappeared cleanly.
It was confirmed that it had not disappeared yet, and it was said that control was possible to suppress it in an instant like this.
Woojin muttered to himself as if to soothe his subconscious.
'It's natural.'
Is this what it feels like to say goodbye to an old friend you have grown attached to?
'Still, I'll call you sometime.'
But more than that.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I was thinking about something important.”
“Are you offended by what Grandpa said?
“I never thought of that. I never even imagined it.”
When Hye-rim Lee thought she had said something unnecessary, Woo-jin opened his mouth.
“By the way, did you know we didn’t eat lunch?”
"uh?"
“At times like this, you need to eat something filling, so I’m seriously considering the menu.
“I thought you’d ask me if I had eaten, but you seem so uninterested.”
Lee Hye-rim ended up laughing, brushing her hair back.
In front of the chairman of Shinwha Group, he plays baduk with his eyes closed as if he doesn't know anything about tension, and he says he has no affection for him because he doesn't give him food.
“Hye-rim, do you want to go eat some hot and filling noodles? I heard there’s a place that a lot of reporters go to.”
"call."
As Lee Hye-rim put on her seatbelt, the car started to slide.
The luxurious imported sedan that started from the residence of Shinwha Group Chairman Lee Jung-moon sped off to the noodle restaurant.
Woojin's thoughts were spinning faster than the speed at which the tires were rolling, calculating how he should get involved with Shinwha Group from this point on.
———————————————–
The next day.
Woojin was going to his cousin Mansu's store, or rather, the headquarters of Brain Food, which had now moved.
It was to discuss the merger with J&R Future.
Now, we have 27 branches and are reviewing 17 more.
The headquarters is on the 5th floor of a 7-story building.
On the 5th floor, a green signboard was hung that said “Brain Food,” and on the d floor, a small sprout was used as a focal point.
Woojin, who was looking up at the building from outside, soon started moving.
No, he just spoke to the two women who had passed him by a little while ago.
"hey!"
Two women turned to Woojin.
They looked like college students in their early twenties, and after quickly scanning Woojin's face and body, they answered without hesitation.
"yes?"
"yes?"
Woojin approached them and opened his mouth.
“Excuse me… … ”
They looked at each other as if they had been caught.
And I prepared to unlock the pattern of the phone I was holding at any time.
Woojin continued speaking.
“Is it true that K University’s cafeteria is tastier than S University’s?”
Their eyes blinked.
"yes?"
“You said earlier that the cafeteria at K University is tastier than that at S University. I was curious to know if that’s true.”
“Ah… … Yes… … I tried it. K University’s was tastier.”
“Thank you for the valuable information.”
Woojin slightly bowed his head, turned around, and started walking away.
"what."
“Is this a new method of getting numbers? Do you trust faces?”
“Should I just pretend to respond and go ask?”
“Hey. You have a boyfriend!”
While they were talking, Woojin disappeared.
Woojin visited Brain Food's headquarters and saw the employees.
The number of employees, including Mansu's cousin and Mansu, is eleven.
At that moment, an employee passing by with documents asked Woojin.
“How did you come here?”
“Woojin!”
Mansu, who was wearing a tie, approached me as if he had teleported.
“Hey! Why is it so hard to look at your face?
“I think this is your first time since you were discharged from the military? Are you very busy these days?”
“I have some places to go. Where is President Kim?”
He was talking about his cousin Mansu.
“I went out to analyze the market because there was someone who wanted to open a store.”
Woojin nodded his head slowly.
I could have sent my staff, but he is a hard worker regardless of his position.
“Brain Food has some good news for you.”
“Huh? What’s the news? Let’s sit down and talk instead of standing.”
The employees chatted quietly as they watched Woojin and Mansu walk to the break room.
“Is that person Woojin?”
“You were the same age as the director?”
“I thought you said you were a friend. But you’re really handsome.”
Mansu and his cousin always used to say, “Because of Woojin” or “Because of Woojin,” so the employees were also well aware of Woojin’s existence.
Woojin, who entered the conference room like that, was receiving a fatigue recovery drug from Mansu.
Woojin spoke up.
“Brain Food, let’s merge with another company.”
Mansu tilted his head at the unexpected words.
"merger?"
“It’s a company that Hye-rim created called J&R Future.
I don’t know if you know, but this is the company that is given first priority for the Yongsan New Town development project.”
“Hye-rim created a company? J&R Future?”
“Yeah. If we merge with J&R Future, Brain Food will have a strong backing.
To put it simply, it means that Shinwha Group can look after you.”
Of course, as Brain Food grows larger, it will try to shake things around with sweet whispers in an attempt to get you to eat it.
But Woojin had no intention of leaving it like that.
One of the simplest ways to remain unshaken was to not accept the money they gave you without thinking.
A very simple and straightforward idea.
However, Woojin wanted to approach it microscopically and make Brain Food more solid within it.
“Are you saying that our Brain Food can be directly connected to Shinwha Group?”
Woojin nodded.
"huh."
“Woojin, can you wake up for a moment?”
“Get up?”
"wait for a sec."
As soon as Woojin woke up, Mansu shouted.
“Hey! Why are you doing this to me! Huh? Why on earth are you doing this to me!”
Then he hugged Woojin tightly.
“Why are you being so nice to us! Hey!”
Mansu felt like he just wanted to run around.
Woojin pushed away Mansu, who was hugging him, and grabbed his shoulders with both hands.
Woojin's expression was serious as he slowly shook his head.
“Mansu, that’s not important.”
“Huh? Is there anything else?”
Mansu's eyes were burning brightly.
According to Woojin, he was ready to laugh and do some tumbling on the thorny path despite the hardships and adversities.
“What? Just tell me. I’ll change my body… … ”
“Mansu.”
Mansu's face also became serious, following Woojin's.
“Uh. Tell me.”
“They say that K University’s cafeteria is tastier than our school’s.”
“… … ”
It was a silence that came in an instant.
Mansu's eyes were wide open just like before, but his mouth didn't open as if it had been glued on.
