Chapter 100.2: Who would be quicker? (1)

Kang Chan completely dried his hair, placed the towel in the laundry room, then returned to his room. Soon after, his phone rang. Yoo Hye-Sook was calling him.

Is something going on?

“Hello?”

- Channy! I heard your school received an acceptance letter from the national university in France!

“How did you find out?”

- You knew about it? The principal called us himself and said that we raised you well! I’m feeling so emotional—I’m proud and thankful for you at the same time.

Yoo Hye-Sook couldn’t keep talking anymore, perhaps because she had burst into tears.

What should he say at times like this?

At that moment, from the phone, Kang Chan heard Kang Dae-Kyung asking, “Who are you on the phone with, and why are you crying?”

After some time…

- Is that you, Channy?

“Yes, father. Is mother crying?”

- She is, but she’s just overwhelmed with emotions, so don’t worry about it. I heard that you got an acceptance letter. Congratulations.

Kang Chan couldn’t think of what to say in response this time as well.

- I think I’m going to have to comfort your mom a bit, so I’ll call you later.

“Alright.”

Could she really be happy enough for her to sob despite already knowing for certain that this was going to happen?

Kang Chan felt an ominous feeling that he would have no choice but to attend the back-to-school ceremony, so he sat at his desk, frowning.

There were only a few days left now, so Kang Chan picked up the phone and dialed Smithen’s number.

- Hello? This is Smithen.

Smithen answered in Korean.

“Smithen, let me know immediately if you ever find out Yang Jin-Woo is going to visit a woman’s house—regardless of whose house it is—starting next week.”

- Next week?

Kang Chan deliberately spoke in French, but Smithen still answered in Korean.

“That’s not it. I’m just telling you to tell me as soon as you confirm the day that has the highest possibility of Yang Jin-Woo going over to visit a woman—regardless of when he’s visiting them—starting next week.”

- Alright.

Kang Chan was sure that this fucker was with a woman. The fact he was acting respectable gave him away.

It would be good if Kang Chan first killed Yang Jin-Woo, that son of a bitch…

Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—.?

His phone rang again.

- Channy!

“Are you okay, Mother?”

- Of course. I just got emotional when I suddenly remembered what you told me while hugging me when you were six, and it also reminded me of the past. We decided to buy dinner for the employees of your dad’s company and the employees of this foundation—do you want to come over?

What a horrible suggestion!

“I’m going to meet Mr. Seok Kang-Ho for dinner.”

- Ah! That’s right! I need to thank that teacher as well. Will you tell him that I’m really thankful and that I’ll visit him one day?”

“I will.”

Kang Chan didn’t plan on doing it.

After he hung up the phone call with Yoo Hye-Sook, Kang Chan looked at his phone with a cold expression.

How could Cho Il-Kwon order people to kill a woman like her?

***

After Kang Chan had baekban at Misari with Seok Kang-Ho, they headed to the cafe.

They ordered and drank coffee, then smoked.

“What do you think about buying something like this?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.

“What do you mean?”

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“Captain, you’re financially stable, right? Wouldn’t it be nice if you buy something like this and turn it into a cafe that only allows people we know inside? You can even create a workout facility in the backyard over there. That will give us a comfortable place to talk in, and we won’t have to be considerate of other people when we smoke there.”

For the first time, Kang Chan looked around the back part of the cafe. He couldn’t blame Seok Kang-Ho for suggesting that.

“We can divide it in half and make this part a personal area for you, and that part the exercise area,” Seok Kang-Ho suggested.

“How much does something like this cost?”

“I’ll look into it. It’ll be great if you create a personal area in a place like this since you’re not going to attend school.”

Kang Chan nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

“Alright.”

Kang Chan took a sip of his coffee, then said, “I’m thinking of monitoring Yang Jin-Woo until this week. If needed, I’ll probably twist his neck next week. Let’s do that together.”

“Okay! I couldn’t eat properly because that son of a bitch was bothering me anyway. That's a good idea.”

That wasn’t something a guy that ate two bowls of rice for dinner should say, but Kang Chan pretended not to notice and just moved on.

“I already called Smithen. We’re going to go to Yang Jin-Woo immediately as soon as we get his schedule. Keep that in mind.”

“Phuhuhu,” Seok Kang-Ho laughed as his eyes glinted instead of answering.

“I feel as if my body loosened up after the operation in Mongolia. I feel it especially when I run and work out. Oh! The kids are also becoming awfully good, perhaps because they’re kids—especially Ho-Jun, and, uh, Eun-Sil! Those two have talent.”

“Forget about it.”

Even if they had improved, with their current abilities, their necks would be immediately twisted if they got into a proper fight now.

***

Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook returned home at around 9 pm.

“Channy!”

Kang Chan hugged Yoo Hye-Sook and stroked her back while smiling softly.

“You’re like a daughter being hugged by her dad,” Kang Dae-Kyung joked.

“Honey!” Even as Yoo Hye-Sook got angry at Kang Dae-Kyung’s joke, she was smiling.

After the two got changed, they sat in the living room with Kang Chan.

“Eat some fruits.”

Kang Chan was full, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t eat a few slices of oriental melon, so he picked up the fork.

“Right! Have you heard the news about the Eurasian rail?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked Kang Chan.

“Yes.”

“It’s such a shame. If we just kept the stocks from Gong Te that you had, it would have immediately become twenty-four billion won.”

“Twenty-four billion won? Would its value really increase that much?” Kang Chan asked.

How did he calculate that to end up with that result?

“It’s possible. Stocks can immediately double in value, after all. Moreover, Russia and France are key members of the rail, so the stocks of France’s Gong Te have likely increased even more. If six billion won doubles in value, then it’ll become twelve billion won, and if it doubles in value again, then it’ll become twenty-four billion won. It probably wouldn’t even take a week for all that to happen.”

Now that Kang Dae-Kyung explained it, it certainly seemed possible.

If that were the case, if Kang Chan bought twenty billion won in stocks, it’ll become forty billion won, and then eighty billion won? Kang Chan had said that he was going to buy thirty billion won in futures, so would that become sixty billion won, then sequentially become one hundred and twenty billion won?

If he combined the two of them…

Kang Chan shook his head with a brief exhale.

“It seems we lost out because I wanted to create a Foundation,” Yoo Hye-Sook said, looking sorry as she gazed at Kang Chan. Even so, Kang Chan could never tell them that he invested fifty billion won.

“Please don’t say that. If we put it that way, then it’ll be on our minds whenever we help, regardless of the amount of money. Let’s not calculate things like that and just help those in difficult situations whenever we financially can. I’m not jealous one bit about the stocks’ price increase,” Kang Chan replied.

He secretly felt a prick of conscience, but he wouldn’t have been that jealous even if he didn’t invest fifty billion won. Seok Kang-Ho and Smithen still had their stocks, though, which Kang Chan thought was a relief.

***

[The ‘Unicorn’ project includes South Korea.]

[It will be announced sometime next week in South Korea.]

[A major event that marks a milestone in South Korean history.]

On Thursday morning, breaking news was shown at the bottom of every news channel, almost as if the world had turned upside down. There were even news flashes continuously being reported.

Kang Chan didn’t expect Kang Dae-Kyung would stand up in disbelief at what was happening when he turned on the TV for a bit after breakfast.

“Honey, aren’t you going to work?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked.

“I should. It’s already amazing that the Eurasian rail is being connected to South Korea, but to think the announcement is going to be done here as well. It’s really amazing how the current government made that happen without even making a rumor.”

“Honey!”

“Yes, yes! Okay. I should go.”

Kang Dae-Kyung stood up looking disappointed, then headed to the entrance with Yoo Hye-Sook.

“Drive safely,” Kang Chan said.

“Thank you, Channy.”

When the two went to work, Kang Chan sat in front of the TV for a moment.

It honestly hadn’t hit Kang Chan yet, but it at least felt as if something big had happened as he watched the news talk about it.

The news also talked about stock prices and mentioned that the price of real estate was going to surge and what the GNP and GDP per capita would be once the rail is connected. Moreover, they kept reporting that inquiries about investments from foreign companies coming into the country were flooding in already.

Did people have to be that excited about something that hadn’t even been announced yet?

The public probably would never even know about the agents who died in Mongolia, unable to even leave their names behind in history. They probably wouldn’t even be able to imagine the agents’ pain when they were tied up and a long awl was stabbed into their fingers because they wouldn’t reveal their identity or the organization they belonged to.

Would the public even know how dirty people acted to stop this from happening?

Kang Chan turned off the TV and went to his desk.

1. oriental melon is a group of yellow Cucumis melo cultivars that are cultivated in East Asia

2. GNP refers to Gross National Product

3. GDP refers to Gross Domestic Product