Chu Min-jeong lowered her head.
She was terrified that if she made the wrong impression on Chairman Kim Tae-jung, she might be forced to leave Taewoo Group.
"Haha, you're misunderstanding me. I'm not uncomfortable at all. In fact, I'm fully supportive. I called you here to tell you that I'll handle the media, so feel free to meet and enjoy your dates without any worries."
"It's not a date… It's an idea meeting."
"Of course, an idea meeting. So don't worry and continue meeting with Min-jae. If even his grandfather gives his blessing, who could say otherwise?"
"..."
Chu Min-jeong couldn't make sense of the situation.
She had expected something more dramatic, like in the TV dramas—perhaps Chairman Kim would throw water in her face or slide an envelope of money across the table.
But reality was unfolding in the complete opposite direction.
"I've raised that boy for over 20 years, and he's never caused any trouble. He was so disinterested in women that I even worried he might never get involved in any kind of scandal. This is the first time he's ever been in a dating rumor."
"I should have been more careful. I'm sorry."
"Haha, there's nothing to apologize for. In fact, I'm grateful."
Chairman Kim Tae-jung smiled warmly.
Even when he first heard about the dating rumor, he had taken it positively.
But now, after meeting Chu Min-jeong in person, he found himself even more fond of her.
The very instinct that had helped him build Taewoo Group into Korea's top conglomerate was now telling him that Chu Min-jeong was someone worth keeping around.
"Chairman, I think you're misunderstanding. There's really nothing between us."
"When you see someone often, a boss can turn into an 'oppa,' and before you know it, 'oppa' becomes 'honey.' That's how the world works, isn't it?"
"We're really not like that!"
"Haha, alright, alright. Just eat your food."
Chairman Kim Tae-jung placed a piece of fish onto Chu Min-jeong's spoon.
She was at a complete loss for how to react to his overwhelming kindness.
"...But we're not like that. And I don't even deserve to be by Vice Chairman Kim Min-jae's side."
"What kind of qualifications do you think people need to be together?"
"But I thought people from wealthy families were supposed to marry within their own ranks."
"The fact that you're asking that question means you don't entirely dislike the idea, does it? Haha. And as far as I'm concerned, as long as Min-jae likes someone, that's enough for me."
For the first time in a long while, Chairman Kim Tae-jung broke into a radiant smile.
Even brighter than the day Taewoo Group became Korea's number one conglomerate.
*
The next day.
I was sipping my morning coffee, waiting for the planning director's report.
For some reason, Chu Min-jeong hadn't requested an idea meeting yesterday, saying she had an appointment.
Thanks to that, I had gotten a full night's rest and felt lighter than usual.
Ah, so this is what morning sunlight is supposed to feel like.
It had been a while since I'd appreciated the morning sun.
Lately, it had felt like nothing more than an annoying disruption to my sleep.
As I basked in the sunlight, there was a knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The planning director must be here earlier than usual today.
"Good morning."
"Oh, good morning."
"Grandpa? No—Chairman?! When did you return to Korea?"
"Is it strange for me to be in Korea? Maybe I should head back to Vietnam."
"No, not at all! I'm just really happy to see you."
"Hmm. I plan to oversee company operations for a while. Would that be a problem?"
"Are you serious?! That would be amazing for me!"
It was like rain in a drought.
I was already stretched thin, with more work than I could handle.
But if Grandpa returned to fill the chairman's seat, my workload would decrease significantly.
So, with sincere gratitude, I eagerly massaged his shoulders.
"Your massage skills are improving remarkably."
"Thank you. But does this mean you've wrapped up your business in Vietnam?"
"The employees were handling everything anyway. I was just offering a few words of advice here and there. Things will run smoothly even without me."
"If you'd like, I can go to Vietnam and finish things up for you."
"Trying to run away, are you? Do you really want to work an old man like me to the bone? I should be resting in my coffin by now!"
"They say time flies twice as fast after retirement. I just want to see my healthy grandpa around for as long as possible."
"You rascal! I'll take care of the minor tasks, so you just focus on doing what you really want."
I bowed my head and sincerely thanked him.
I wasn't sure what had prompted Grandpa's sudden change of heart, but I was beyond grateful.
"Well then, I'll be heading out for a bit."
"Are you going to Taewoo IT? You can even finish your day there or stay overnight if necessary. Take your time."
"No, I should have dinner with you. I'll be home in time for dinner."
"What do you take me for? A man with nothing to do? I have my own plans, so eat out tonight."
Grandpa was acting particularly strange today.
Telling me to eat dinner outside?
I had no idea what he was up to, but I wasn't going to question it. Instead, I simply accepted my good fortune and headed out.
"Take me to the training center."
My destination was an area filled with gyms.
The training centers were run by Captain Kang's employees, and his office was nestled among them.
"You're here early."
"I couldn't possibly keep our biggest client at the Foreign Exchange Bank waiting, could I?"
Dimon was already there, waiting for me.
As the owner of the Foreign Exchange Bank, he was dressed sharply in a well-fitted suit.
"Is the bank running smoothly?"
"We've already turned a profit. Thanks to Taewoo Group's extensive transactions with us, other companies are also resuming business with us just because we are Taewoo Group's primary bank. In particular, many of Taewoo Group's partner companies have been reaching out."
Is this really Dimon?
Unlike his usual self, he was speaking in a rather humble tone.
"The value of the Foreign Exchange Bank must have increased significantly."
"It has risen to at least four times the acquisition price. If we were to sell it now, we could easily make a profit of over 4 trillion won."
"So, are you planning to sell it?"
"Of course not. I'm just starting to have fun. Why would I hand that over to someone else?"
The history of the Foreign Exchange Bank had changed.
Lone Star had once acquired the bank and later sold it, making a profit of over 4 trillion won.
But Dimon had no intention of selling it.
"Then where do you plan to have fun next?"
"America, of course. If we want to dominate the world's banking industry, we have to enter the U.S. market."
"The U.S. is indeed the land of opportunity. But with low interest rates, it won't be easy to turn a profit. You're not thinking of jumping into real estate loans, are you?"
"Of course not. You already predicted that the real estate market would form a bubble, so I wouldn't knowingly jump into a death trap."
At that moment, the U.S. real estate market was experiencing a massive boom.
Thanks to low interest rates, money was flooding into real estate, and property prices were rising by the day.
"So how do you plan to make money? You could still jump into real estate for now, as long as you get out before the bubble bursts."
"I'm not interested in holding a ticking time bomb just to make quick cash. Instead, I plan to establish a foothold in Silicon Valley. After real estate, the next big flow of money is going into startups."
Silicon Valley had suffered a collapse due to the dot-com bubble.
However, some companies had survived, and talented individuals were still flocking to the region.
"Money is indeed flowing into Silicon Valley, but it won't be that profitable."
"I understand that startups don't rely on bank loans since they invest their funding directly into infrastructure."
Banks ultimately made money by lending it.
But since funded startups had little need for loans, they weren't ideal clients from a banking perspective.
"Then why do you want to expand into Silicon Valley?"
"To stockpile ammunition. As you mentioned, if the U.S. real estate market crashes, the one holding the most ammunition will reap the greatest benefits."
"And where do you plan to fire that ammunition?"
"I'll spend the next five years stockpiling ammunition and then pour it all into the real estate bubble."
"You'll have to stay in a crouched position for quite a while."
Five years was by no means a short time.
But Dimon was smiling—because he knew exactly what he would gain at the end of his patience.
"I can wait ten years if I have to. As long as I can look down on him from above."
"And you will."
The him Dimon was referring to was Whale.
The number one figure at CITI Group. Once his mentor, but also the man who had discarded him when he was no longer useful.
"That's why I need to go to Silicon Valley myself."
"You plan to meet with company executives in person. I'll help you out a little. Being the primary bank for SAVE Investments and Apple should catch their interest, don't you think?"
"Thank you. I've been wanting to ask for your help but couldn't bring myself to say it."
"I made you a promise, didn't I? This much is the least I can do."
Dimon was someone who would do well on his own.
Left alone, he would still manage to siphon Silicon Valley's wealth into his hands.
But if I gave him just a bit of support?
He would have more than enough ammunition before the subprime mortgage crisis exploded.
"By the way, are you keeping the same bank name? If you're expanding into Silicon Valley, don't you think it should change?"
"I considered naming it Silicon Valley Bank, but unfortunately, that name is already taken. So, I decided to go with Fintech Bank instead."
"Because of all the IT companies in Silicon Valley?"
"A name should be simple and easy to remember. It may sound a bit childish, but it's the best choice for breaking into the market."
Fintech Bank.
Right now, it might seem like an unimpressive name.
But in five years, it would shake up the American financial industry.
After wrapping up my meeting with Dimon, I headed to Taewoo IT to wait for Chu Min-jeong.
Since we hadn't held an idea meeting yesterday, she was bound to have a lot of new ideas piled up.
"You're here early. Have you been waiting long?"
"I just arrived. Where should we hold the idea meeting? Since the reporters are all over us, we can't do it at a public place like a café anymore. But we also can't keep working in a cramped car. Should we go to a hotel? Taewoo Group has executive-only rooms for situations like this."
"I'll follow your lead, Vice Chairman."
Chu Min-jeong's face suddenly turned red.
Was it because I mentioned a hotel?
To avoid any misunderstanding, I quickly added an explanation.
"The room is set up just like an office, so it's a good place for meetings."
"O-Okay, let's go there."
She kept her head lowered.
Once she saw the long-term rental room in person, I figured any misunderstanding would clear up.
"What do you think? It's almost identical to an office, right? The planning team usually uses this room in urgent situations."
"You're right. Then, I'll show you a few ideas I came up with."
…What was that?
She seemed disappointed about something.
Women's hearts really are impossible to understand.