READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 9 - Not Even the Russian President Was Feared (1)
Chapter 9: Not Even the Russian President Was Feared (1)
**Sakhalin Park.**
**Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.**
Why didn’t he back down?
Kim Ji-seop began to vaguely understand this on the very day he had dinner at a Michelin 3-star restaurant.
It wasn’t because he could read Vice Chairman Park’s true intentions.
Even if Ji-seop didn’t have the ability to read other people’s minds, he could have figured this out on his own.
*“There! There! You see that person standing next to Chairman Joo? That’s me! Haha, I was so young back then!”*
During the special documentary on the KH Group, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju did not stop talking for even a moment.
Ji-seop wasn’t joking when he started feeling as if blood was streaming out of his ears.
‘……Huh?’
However, during the entire 1-hour and 40-minute run time, there was exactly one moment when Vice Chairman Park had fallen silent.
*“A goal? Hmm, a goal….”*
It was during an interview with the young Joo Tae-san, the late founder of the KH Group.
Chairman Joo Tae-san, appearing in an unmistakably 90s style outfit.
When asked by a reporter about the company’s future goals, he suddenly put his arm around another man standing beside him.
And then he said:
*“When we started this company, we had a goal in mind.”*
Ignoring half of his friend’s startled reaction, the young Chairman Joo Tae-san continued speaking.
*“No matter how long it takes, let’s build a company that ranks among the top ten in Korea!”*
*“Let’s get into the top ten of the business rankings, and let’s be invited to one of those presidential dinners with the top conglomerate leaders at the Blue House!”*
Chairman Joo Tae-san laughed heartily, saying that he had heard the Blue House’s food was delicious.
The interview ended with Chairman Joo Tae-san energetically cheering, and his friend reluctantly raising a fist beside him.
Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju watched this scene with an expression that was difficult to put into words.
“…….”
Although Ji-seop was sitting right next to him and observing his expression, he didn’t feel anything particular at that moment.
Perhaps it was because he didn’t have a friend like Chairman Joo Tae-san, or maybe he just thought it was pathetic for an old man to be so sentimental.
Even though KH Group didn’t make it into the top ten, it was still a well-known company. What more could he want?
However, after ten days passed, Ji-seop began to develop a bit of affection for the man.
Or maybe it was because he appreciated the extra income from his personal lessons and his role as a substitute player in amateur baseball.
**On the day of the KH Group’s internal baseball tournament.**
After finishing his final early morning training, Ji-seop clenched his fist at ‘Sakhalin Park.’
“Vice Chairman, hit a home run today!”
And then he added:
“Shouldn’t you achieve the goal of getting KH Group into the top ten in the business rankings before stepping down?”
It was a message of sincere support from Ji-seop, but the reaction from Vice Chairman Park was lukewarm.
“You fool, Qingdao! Do you think getting into the top ten of Korea’s business rankings is as easy as naming a dog?!”
Damn, that old man.
It’s really hard to get on his good side.
* * *
After finishing his final early morning training, Ji-seop was handed a uniform to wear for the day’s tournament by Secretary Yang.
“This is…”
A uniform wrapped in transparent plastic.
For some reason, it looked familiar.
“Is this the KH Cannons uniform?”
When Ji-seop mentioned the name of KH Group’s professional baseball team, Secretary Yang slowly nodded.
“That’s right. After all, this is the KH Group’s internal baseball tournament.”
Pointing to the uniform, Secretary Yang continued.
“Except for the absence of a number and name, it’s identical to the ones worn by the professional players.”
He added that every employee received one of these uniforms upon joining the company.
When the KH Cannons were at their peak, all employees used to wear this uniform and participate in group cheering, Secretary Yang explained.
“Go ahead and change. The Vice Chairman is also changing into his uniform.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Ji-seop took the uniform from Secretary Yang and went into the changing room.
He removed the training suit that he had worn so many times it felt like a second skin, and tried on the exact same uniform worn by the professional players.
‘Haha, this feels… strange….’
Standing in front of the mirror wearing the KH Cannons uniform, a bitter smile slowly spread across Ji-seop’s face.
This felt surreal.
During his active playing days, no matter how hard he tried, he never managed to get his hands on a player’s uniform from a KBO team.
Who would have thought that just three months after his retirement, he would unexpectedly get one like this.
‘Life is something, isn’t it….’
It felt a little funny,
And a little sad.
As Ji-seop stood in front of the mirror, letting out a hollow laugh, someone suddenly slapped him on the back.
“Looks like a guy who used to play baseball needs to be dressed in a uniform, huh?”
When Ji-seop turned his head, there stood Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, ‘Sakhalin Park.’
“When you were wearing that worn-out tracksuit, it didn’t stand out… Haha, but when you’re dressed in the professional team’s uniform, you look really impressive!”
It was an unexpected compliment.
Not used to such praise, Ji-seop tried to play it off with another remark.
“Did something good happen? Why the sudden compliment?”
“Ah, you rascal, can’t you just accept a compliment? You’re so suspicious….”
Sakhalin Park grumbled.
But it seemed something good had indeed happened to him.
“There’s this guy, Choi Jong-gyu. He’s four years my junior, and he’s the head of the Strategic Planning Division at the group…”
Vice Chairman Park continued speaking while fiddling with his new baseball cap.
“I just got off the phone with him, and he said he plans to wear the uniform and play in today’s game.”
“Wearing the uniform means?”
“That’s right.”
Vice Chairman Park gave a satisfied smile.
“It means he’s decided to join me.”
* * *
That day, the KH Group’s internal baseball tournament was held at the KH Cannons Field, located in Yeongsan City, Gyeonggi Province.
During the two-hour drive to the location, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju’s face was constantly lit up with a smile.
“Haha, is that true? You’re really going to play in the game?”
After the KH Group’s head of Strategic Planning got in touch, other executives started calling Vice Chairman Park one after another, as if they had made a pact.
Every time he took a call, the wrinkles on Vice Chairman Park’s face seemed to smooth out, so there was no need to ask what the calls were about.
“Haha, well, of course….”
Vice Chairman Park patted his knee.
“Yes, of course, their feelings are no different from mine. We’ve shared so much over the years….”
Park Hong-ju, with a pleased expression, gazed out the car window.
After a while, as he continued murmuring to himself, ‘Yes, yes,’ he turned to Ji-seop.
“Hey, Qingdao.”
“Yes, Vice Chairman.”
“If I had known this would happen, I should have taken lessons with those guys too.”
Vice Chairman Park chuckled.
“They might not be into exercise, but… if they had taken lessons from you, they might have performed well in today’s game. Don’t you think?”
“Uh, yeah, maybe….”
At that moment, Ji-seop felt a slight sense of discomfort.
Earlier, he had received an unexpected compliment on how good he looked in the uniform, and now Vice Chairman Park was praising his lessons.
Whether it was a joke or sincere didn’t really matter.
‘The old man, who was always sharp as a razor….’
Since his conversation with the head of the Strategic Planning Division, he seemed to have softened somewhat.
‘Didn’t they say Yeongsan City was the hometown of the late Chairman Joo Tae-san?’
Then, it might also be the hometown of Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.
After all, Chairman Joo Tae-san and Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju were friends who met during their days at Yeongsan High School.
So, was it because he was returning to his hometown after a long time?
Or was it because of the memories of Chairman Joo Tae-san that still lingered in their hometown?
Or had he been touched by the warm words from his long-time colleagues?
‘Gosh, why does that old man keep doing things that make people nervous….’
What should he call this?
The feeling that things weren’t going to go smoothly.
It didn’t take long for Ji-seop’s uneasy premonition to come true.
“Welcome, Vice Chairman!”
After a two-hour journey, they arrived at the ‘decisive location,’ KH Cannons Field.
When news spread that the number two of the group had arrived, KH Group employees, wearing gold badges, rushed out to greet him.
“Vice Chairman, you must have had a hard time traveling so far.”
“What do you mean hard? Manager Lee, you must have had a tough time preparing for such a big event.”
“You’re too kind. Please, this way. I’ll guide you.”
“Hmm, yes! Let’s go!”
Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju was all smiles as he followed the headquarters staff, striding confidently.
“This way, please.”
However, the moment he stepped into the ‘VIP Room’ prepared in the skybox on the 5th floor of the KH Cannons Field—
“…….”
Ji-seop witnessed the legend of a giant, who had once negotiated with the Russian president, shrink into a mere old man in his seventies.
Everyone,
All of the KH Group executives,
Were sitting there in black suits.
The only one wearing a uniform,
Was Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.
* * *
“…….”
Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju was silent.
He looked like a pitcher who had just given up a walk-off home run and collapsed on the mound.
Vice Chairman Park carefully examined the executives of the group, sitting comfortably in their plush executive chairs.
Truthfully, Ji-seop had no way of knowing who was who.
The ones who dropped their heads under Vice Chairman Park’s gaze seemed to be the ones with a bit of conscience, while the ones who shamelessly raised their heads and exchanged nods appeared to be the ones lacking even that much.
“Vice Chairman, this, this is… well, what happened was….”
One of the executives stood up and tried to offer some kind of excuse, but Vice Chairman Park quietly shook his head.
“Enough, enough. Director Choi must have thought long and hard about this decision… There’s no need to tarnish its significance in this way.”
*Pat, pat.*
After tapping the man’s shoulder, Vice Chairman Park turned to look at Ji-seop and Secretary Yang.
“Let’s leave. If we stay any longer, it’ll just make the atmosphere here worse.”
“Yes, sir, Vice Chairman.”
Secretary Yang followed him with a grim expression, and Ji-seop, too, sighed quietly as he prepared to leave.
Right at that moment,
“Is everyone here?”
A voice came from the direction of the skybox door.