Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Chapter 55: < Protect – Episode 54 – Kim Na Hee [2] >

Kim Na Hee lit her cigarette.

“Phew. Do you want one?”

“No.”

“I’m trying my best to quit, but it’s not easy.”

If a person over consumes chocolate, it would be harmful, but for cigarettes, it would become harmful no matter how much a person consumes.

“Everyone else is trying to save money. Why are you going around throwing away cash? Invest in me instead.”

“It’s not like you can take your money to your afterlife. Just manage what you have well.”

“The more money you have, the better.”

“I’m not sure about that. Having a lot is just bothersome.”

“Money is bothersome? You better not go into business.”

“That’s why I’m not.”

Ahn Soo Ho gave a thumbs up to Oh Joo Kyung who somehow found him here as if he wasn’t surprised.

“Why are you doing this? It doesn’t seem like that Seol Hyun is controlling you…why are you causing such a disturbance?”

“Why? Hm.”

“I know you. You’re not the type to do such a thing without a reason.”

Kim Dae Chan met Ahn Soo Ho for the first time 3 years ago, and it hadn’t been that long with Kim Na Hee either. However, he knew of her name and face for as long as he knew Kim Dae San.

Jung Mi Ja.

That woman who was known as the queen grandmother was now known as a talented shaman. It wasn’t logical to depend on a shaman to make big business decisions, but in the past, that was how it was. These days, people could now rely on science, but 30 to 40 years ago, if a person had cancer, that person would die. Until the middle of the century, superstitions couldn’t be denied.

“Granny, you told me I’d become a really bad person when I grew up. Well, you’re right. I’m a bad person.”

He didn’t go around killing everyone, but he did get rid of quite a few competitors and threats. Those who were saved by him called him a guardian angel, but he had just as many enemies as allies.

“One thing’s for sure. I can’t become a great and respected businessman.”

Everything Ahn Soo Ho did had something to do with business, but he was far from an average businessman.

“But then one day, a business model built after me suddenly came into this world! Isn’t that funny? My name was being used for absurd and shameless acts all over the world.”

“Impersonation?”

“Maybe.”

“But what does that have to do with spending a lot of money?”

“Don’t you ever wonder if money and reputation are proportional?”

Wealth became a way of measuring a person’s worth. How should people with money be treated? The biggest counterforce of democracy was rich people with capital power. The vested rights that people talked about belonged to people who had power.

“At one point, my wealth was around 110 billion dollars.”

“Wow!”

Kim Na Hee exclaimed in an innocent way.

Who would believe that he made that kind of money from scratch before he hit forty? That was a lot of money for even Bill Gates, who had succeeded in life. However, he took over Empire Konzern and spent 60 billion dollars, and depending on the assembly hearing results, it was highly going to be disintegrated.

How much would he be able to walk away with?

He pretty much threw 60 billion dollars in the air. On top of that, the remaining 50 billion dollars were routed to Korea through the black market and used to prevent the Korean stock market from crashing due to multiple scandals. External forces managed to shake up Korea and Daesan Group, but it didn’t do anything to the stock market.

She then tilted her head.

“At one point? That’s past tense.”

“That’s right. I’m poor now.”

Even if a person could pull off a one-man business, if a person was registered, that person had to follow a procedure. Someone couldn’t just spend it whenever he or she wanted. The key to the business model centered on Ahn Soo Ho ultimately depended on whether he was alive and well. Since the money that was laundered could be easily traced, it had to be used carefully.

To be honest, Ahn Soo Ho’s situation was no different from being bankrupt. Hosoo Entertainment, which invested in national debt, marketable securities, and real estate, was on strong level ground. What was for certain was that he had no intention of misusing it for himself.

“You’re…crazy.”

That was an obvious reaction from Kim Na Hee.

“People might turn on you if they find out you have no cash. I might distance you first.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Don’t take it as a joke and listen to me!”

She got angry at his neglectful attitude.

“Who else knows?”

“People will find out eventually.”

Kim Dae San knew how to look into the far future while Kim Na Hee had a way of reading the current trends. The advertising world, which was show business, was a battlefield. She dreamed of luxury goods and fashion, so she went to Milan, and she witnessed the cruel struggle that hid behind the glamorous shows.

Moreover, it was difficult to conduct business in Italy without getting involved with mafias. Kim Na Hee, who looked around Paris, London, and New York couldn’t help but be shocked. There was nothing sacred about it. It was only full of greed.

“Do you think you can come down from the throne easily?”

“I know there are a ton of people who want to kill me. But I’ve had enough of arbitration. Rather than the step-mother who’s doing the beating, people hate the person who’s talking her out of it more. So when people find out I’m poor, they’ll get lost.”

For someone who was holding their breath, chaos was another opportunity.

“What if they do? Then what are you going to do then?”

“I’m going to go on a vacation.”

“Ha.”

Kim Na Hee laughed at the absurdity. After being speechless and clicking her tongue, Ahn Soo Ho remembered why he was here.

“Didn’t you call me over for a reason?”

“Yeah. But not anymore.”

“So you don’t have to talk to me about anything anymore?”

“If you’re losing your power in the mercenary and criminal world, you’re just a bodyguard.”

“Ouch, that hurts. But if you need something, I can do it.”

Kim Na Hee sighed deeply.

“Forget it.”

“Okay, then.”

After contemplating whether to say it or not, she shut her mouth. It was snobbish, but also the right thing to do. After parting with Kim Na Hee, Ahn Soo Ho went to pick up Lee So Hye from school. After sending a text, he sat at a park bench with Oh Joo Kyung.

“Did you satisfy your curiosity?”

Ahn Soo Ho knew Oh Joo Kyung talked to Daniel.

“The company will lose a hundred million dollars a year.”

“Why?”

“Because the capital needs to be used. I have my reasons, but it’s hard to explain. We have to be at a deficit for around ten years.”

“Okay.”

He thought she would oppose, but she just went along with it.

“I’m going to reform the board of directors this year. I’m going to back out and let the board of directors do the work. You go after your dreams. But first, you have to prove your abilities.”

“Will you give me full authority for the pep rally?”

“I like your motivation. Okay.”

Oh Joo Kyung’s plan wasn’t original. She was just going to go to Boracay and conduct the pep rally from beginning to finish. They could use a professional camera director, or a celebrity could film it themselves.

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“They’ll hate it.”

“They’re all professionals. Since it won’t be for the whole day, they should put up with it.”

“Okay. Try it.”

Ahn Soo Ho got up from the bench while waving his hand.

He saw Lee So Hye waving from across the street. Oh Joo Kyung took the guards and disappeared. Did the school uniform look good on her because she was young? Just like how adults had their outlooks in life, so did the students in middle and high school. Adults clicked their tongues at kids getting bullied, but it was a fierce war. It might be a problem to be overly lenient to an underage person.

“Why is it so hard to see you these days, Soo Ho?”

“Sorry.”

“Are you dating? If you are, introduce me.”

“Why?”

“Because Mom has pretty high standards.”

They went to a nearby ice cream parlor.

‘I always liked vanilla best…’

It seemed as though that kids these days were obsessed with 31 different flavors. It was the end of the world. A lot of people got milk and dairy products confused, but just like everything else, too much was bad for one’s health. Especially with ice cream, if someone consumed it without restraint then they could highly likely develop obesity and diabetes. The poor countries starve to death, and the rich countries die from an illness.

“How’s school? If it’s hard, get a tutor.”

“That’s a waste of money. I placed tenth place in the whole school for midterms!”

“Isn’t that too high? You should aim for around thirtieth place.”

“I heard you were good in school too.”

“Who said that?”

“Mr. Do said you’re a genius.”

Do Kyung Ho was in charge of managing the buildings owned by Hosoo Entertainment. It was typical to outsource that job, but he purposely formed another department in order to establish a deficit in their income. Mobs were organizations too. Kyung Ho conducted all of his duties well, his past experiences was helping him quite a bit.

“Is the cooking department competitive?”

“They’re all the same. Oh, can I work at Daesan Hotel during winter vacation?”

“Isn’t that against school rules? Don’t get caught and make me have to meet with your principal.”

“It doesn’t matter as long as the place doesn’t sell alcohol. There are times when the school recommends it too. Usually for those with bad grades though.”

Just like getting into university, getting an out-of-high school job was also of interest, and depending on how it was packaged, it was also an exemplary case of whole-rounded education.

“Oh yeah! Is this article true?”

Lee So Hye showed him an article about Hosoo Entertainment and the pep rally abroad. The promotions department was working hard too. With the current state of affairs, they could be sold, so they changed it to a volunteer retreat and workshop.

They did whatever they could to make it into an impressive story.

“You’re good. That’s right.”

“Lucky! You get to go on a vacation abroad.”

“I’ll send you on a vacation around the world once you graduate.”

“Really? Okay. But I’m scared to go alone…”

“You can go with Mom or with a friend.”

“Yes! You promised!”

He wanted to warn her that it was hard leaving home, but there was no way she would hear him out as a girl who dreams of meeting her love on a romantic vacation. Lee So Hye, who even finished Ahn Soo Ho’s ice cream, wanted more, so she ordered an ice cream cake.

“Let’s stop by the store, Soo Ho.”

The biggest grocery store near Cheongdam-dong was in Yeoksam-dong. When someone was going to a supermarket, it was only right to drop by at all the sample stalls. What did they have today? It was mini pork cutlets. He couldn’t turn down his sister’s gaze after trying the deliciously crispy cutlet and ended up buying five packs.

“Pork belly! Let’s buy pork belly too!”

Lee So Hye became a food monster and swept up the whole supermarket. If she could eat so much while being so skinny, she must have been working really hard behind closed doors. Or maybe she was just born that way. She had the taste buds of a kid in elementary school. That was probably why she liked pork more than beef. She was too young to appreciate the taste and scent of a medium rare steak.

“Do you talk to Jung Hoon?”

“Not really.”

Lee So Hye and Lee Jung Hoon had a lukewarm relationship. She would probably deny it, but she had hidden rage against him. One would think siblings understood and forgave each other, but that wasn’t always the case. The feeling of disappointment was stronger between family.

“Don’t hate him too much. He’s a poor kid.”

“Why do you feel sorry for him?”

“I have my reasons.”

Ahn Soo Ho let out a bitter laugh. Lee Jung Hoon was an outcast in the company. Why did they did that to him? That was because a request from the former president of Shinhwa Entertainment was misinterpreted. Rumors about a complicated family life involving a brother from another father were going around. It was to the point where popcorn was very much needed to watch the drama.

The phone inside his jacket vibrated. Ahn Soo Ho excused himself, checked the caller, tilted his head, and answered it.

“Henry?”

“The First Order has been ceased, Soo Ho. Over half of the managers refused to pay the deposit and cut off contact.”

“What about the wanted men?”

“It won’t be renewed anymore. The board…disappeared. You know the reason, right?”

People found out about Ahn Soo Ho’s bankruptcy.

“Throw Empire to the American assembly and the White House.”

“You’re just going to throw away 60 billion dollars?”

“They all like free stuff, don’t they?”

Empire Konzern was the perfect feed for hyenas who were desperate for money.

“If you want to come down from the throne, I wouldn’t stop you…but there will be a storm.”

“Do you want my position, Henry?”

“No!”

“I’ve watched you from close, Soo Ho. I don’t have the kind of skills and connections that you have, and they’re not things humans should do.”

If it wasn’t Ahn Soo Ho, it wouldn’t have been difficult to endure 1 year, let alone 10 years. Not everyone could become arbitrators.

“I wanted to ask you to wrap it up for me…but I can’t do that. I’ll have to offer a reward from my personal account.”

“Do you have money left?”

“I have enough for that.”

The punishment for the double contract had to be given. Whether he came down from the throne or not, reputation lasts forever.

“Then I’d better finish my final job as the inspector.”

Since the board was gone, Henry no longer had anything to do.

“The retirement grace period is one year.”

“That’s long.”

“I didn’t make that rule. Don’t get mad at me.”

“That’s true. Sorry.”

“Wizard’s code name will be discarded from this point forward. Do you consent?”

“Yeah.”

He answered in a bittersweet voice.

He had become a real unemployed man.

< Protect – Episode 54 – Kim Na Hee [2] > The end.

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