Max-Level Son of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 32
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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32. Something Like Magic
Why does our Father look so cool just standing there?
I really don’t know whose Father he is, but he’s truly handsome.
He looks like he’s straight out of a photo shoot.
Without realizing it, I stared at him blankly.
“Hey, Little Kid. Let’s unwrap the Presents togeth… mmph!”
The one who covered Uncle Cheol-gu’s mouth was the quick-witted Security Guard, self-proclaimed number two, Security Team Leader Yoo Jong-tae who considers himself my subordinate.
Yoo Jong-tae signaled to the Taeseong Group Security Guards with his eyes.
“Guys, let’s remove this clueless bear.”
“Yes sir!”
“Mmph mmph mmph!”
Even though seven Taeseong Group Security Guards attached themselves to him, Uncle Cheol-gu stood firm with his muscles.
When the Security Guards looked at Uncle Cheol-gu with exasperated eyes, Yoo Jong-tae glared.
“This is the first meeting between Father and son. Where do you think you’re butting in?”
“Mmph? Mmm mmph…”
Uncle Cheol-gu instantly became docile.
And so Uncle Cheol-gu was dragged away.
I quickly ran over and stood next to Father.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m thinking that you must be disappointed.”
“…?”
Father stopped mid-sentence and pressed his lips tightly together.
Instead, he gently stroked my head.
“Because Father came empty-handed.”
Empty-handed.
It was a word with many implied meanings.
I deliberately pretended not to understand and turned my head.
Toward the fancy Gift Boxes that Grandfather had brought in abundance.
The ones that Director Go had carried in like a mountain and piled up under the Christmas Tree.
“Ah, it’s okay. I don’t need anything like this. Father is the present.”
I meant it sincerely.
Father smiled brightly and rummaged through his Bag.
“Instead, I thought I’d give you this.”
I was curious.
But then Father suddenly lifted me up and put me on his shoulders.
It was a piggyback ride.
“Wow!”
My eye level changed instantly.
The gorgeous Crystal Chandelier sparkled as if I could reach out and touch it.
I was so excited that I smiled brightly.
Father stretched out his other arm.
Click!
Whirr.
It was an Instant Camera.
What people commonly call a Polaroid Camera.
In this era, it probably hadn’t been officially imported to Korea yet.
“Wait just a moment. Something magical is about to happen.”
Father waved the Polaroid Photo back and forth.
As time passed little by little, the faces gradually became clearer.
“Ahh…!”
Father and I were smiling brightly with the Christmas Tree in the background.
As if to prove we were truly father and son.
We had exactly the same expression.
“It’s really like magic.”
“Right?”
Taking a photo together with Father like this.
Father, for me, that itself is a miracle and magic.
Though you probably don’t know it.
* * *
Wookwang Construction President’s Office.
The Wookwang Construction President couldn’t contain his anger.
It was because of the barrage of complaint calls that came flooding in as soon as he arrived at work.
“Assemblyman Kim, please calm down first and tell me step by step. Let me verify the facts first… Assemblyman Kim? Hello?”
The call had already been hung up.
“How many calls is this now!”
Bang!
The Wookwang Construction President slammed down the telephone so roughly it seemed like he might break it.
“Why are assemblymen saying from the crack of dawn that they’re in trouble for taking bribes! These damn brats!”
Rage boiled up from his stomach.
“When I offered them money, they came running barefoot and bowed and scraped like they’d give me their liver and gall bladder! Now they’re wiping their mouths clean like they never saw me and interrogating me? These ungrateful brats!”
Ring ring. Ring ring!
“Pull out that damn phone line right now!”
“Yes sir.”
Finally, the president’s office became somewhat quiet.
But the Wookwang Construction President’s insides were already twisted beyond repair.
“Unless these brats all ate rat poison at the same time and went crazy, there’s no way they’d all act like this together.”
There are unspoken rules about bribes.
Those who take them must keep their mouths shut and earn their money.
Running to the money source foaming at the mouth before even earning their keep was clearly ignoring the rules.
‘Politicians are all seasoned players. They wouldn’t be going crazy like this because they don’t know the rules.’
Knock knock knock. Burst!
“President, the Vice President is urgently requesting a phone connection right now. He said it’s a big problem!”
“Why is even the Vice President making such a fuss today?”
“The Vice President went to Taeseong Hotel to sign a technical agreement with Japanese officials. For him to urgently request a call like this, it must be…”
“Could there be a problem during the technical agreement process?”
The Wookwang Construction President’s complexion changed.
Taeseong might be different.
Woo-gwang was evaluated as being several steps behind Taeseong in construction, especially civil engineering technology.
That’s why they had put so much time and effort into introducing Japanese technology.
“If we can’t obtain Japan’s underground facility civil engineering methods, we won’t even be able to start the Subway Line 2 construction and will have to withdraw!”
Where exactly did the problem start?
Clearly the negotiations with the Japanese side had been proceeding smoothly.
They had been smiling at each other and promising a future together.
“Secretary Choi, connect the phone line right now!”
“I just finished connecting the phone line…!”
Ring ring!
“Is this the Vice President?”
-President, we’re in big trouble! Yoshimoto from the Japan Transportation Bureau and even the Japan Rapid Transit Corporation president – they’re all saying they’re going back to Japan!
“What?”
Just yesterday the atmosphere had been so harmonious and good.
-They’re scheduled to leave the country in three hours! We’re even having physical fights trying to stop them from getting in a taxi!
The Wookwang Construction President shot up from his seat.
“Stop them somehow! Hold onto them so they can’t get to the airport! Tear up their airplane tickets! Take away their passports first!”
It might become a major diplomatic discourtesy, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
First hold them back, then slowly resolve it through dialogue.
Rudeness was a problem that could be smoothed over with generous sincerity.
“Use any means necessary to hold out until I get there!”
The Wookwang Construction President threw down the telephone and rushed out.
Secretary Choi ran after him.
As soon as the Wookwang Construction President got in the car, he shouted angrily.
“To Taeseong Hotel! Full speed! Step on the accelerator! As hard as you can!”
* * *
Father brought a small wooden clip and tried to hang the photo on the tree.
Perfectly at eye level so I could see it well.
Father knelt on one knee and looked for the right spot, then suddenly chuckled.
“How strange. Why are all the gold balls hanging only at the bottom of the tree······.”
“Oh, that’s my preference.”
I smiled brightly.
“I like big chunks of gold, you see.”
“Very innovative and artistic tree. Well done.”
Father gently stroked my head.
Our first father-son photo was hung perfectly at my eye level.
We looked happy in the photo.
“Jeong-hyeok, thank you for protecting Mother while Father was away.”
Father gently patted my shoulder.
“From now on, Father will protect our Jeong-hyeok and Mother.”
It felt good to look at him, and it felt good even with my eyes closed.
Slowly.
I gathered courage and took Father’s hand.
“Thank you, Father.”
I gripped Father’s hand tightly.
“For choosing Mother and me.”
Over Father’s shoulder, I could see the large glass window in the living room.
Heavy snow was still falling steadily from the sky.
It must have been gently settling like cotton candy on the snowman family too.
“I was truly happy.”
I felt strength enter Father’s hand.
Firm, like someone determined never to let go of this small hand.
Father held my hand like that.
“I’m sorry about earlier. Were you very scared?”
“No.”
I grinned.
“You were cool. Really!”
“You were even cooler than me.”
Father also grinned.
“The way you stood up to Grandfather to keep Mother from crying, that was really brave. You must have been very scared.”
Why does my chest feel ticklish?
“Looking at it closely, you’re better than me. Thank you. For comforting Grandfather’s heart too.”
My ears seemed to get hot for some reason, so I quickly looked away.
The photo of Father and me hanging on the Christmas tree caught my eye.
Oh right!
“Dad, wait a minute!”
I left Father behind and ran off quickly.
It was to bring Mother over.
Burst!
“Mother!”
“Yes?”
“Father brought something really amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it! So hurry!”
To me, having lived in the 21st century, it wasn’t anything special, but it would be different for Mother.
“What on earth is going on? Oh my!”
Click!
Whirr.
It was Father’s handiwork, who had somehow followed us to the doorway.
Mother’s eyes widened at the surprise attack.
“What was that just now? A camera?”
“Something like that.”
Father waved the Polaroid Photo back and forth again.
The face gradually became clearer bit by bit.
Mother in the photo had a surprised expression, but she was still as pretty as an angel.
“Pretty.”
I agreed with Father’s words.
“Really pretty!”
Mother’s face instantly turned bright red.
She put both hands to her cheeks, feeling embarrassed.
But the Polaroid Photo seemed fascinating to her, as her eyes remained fixed on the photo.
“How does the photo come out right away like this? Even when you go to the Photo Studio for developing, it takes quite a while.”
Mother’s eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly.
“It’s really like magic.”
“Right? Really amazing, isn’t it? Father said it’s my present!”
I smiled brightly.
Father’s expression also softened.
“Even taking care of Mother. You’re so kind.”
It was sweet like cotton Candy and dreamy like a dream.
This moment truly felt like magic to me.
Please let this time last forever.
I wished and wished again in my heart.
“Let’s take a photo in front of the Christmas Tree! I’m going to hang our family photo there!”
“Huh? Okay, Cha Jeong-hyeok. Just slow down a little.”
“Hurry! Quickly!”
I took Mother’s hand and came down to the Living Room, standing in front of the Christmas Tree.
The quick-witted Security Guard who had suddenly appeared, self-proclaimed number two, Yoo Jong-tae, the Security Team leader who claimed to be my subordinate, raised his hand.
“I’ll be the photographer today!”
Father obediently handed the instant camera to Yoo Jong-tae.
Receiving the camera, Yoo Jong-tae began demanding specific poses as if he were a professional photographer.
“Mother and Father, get closer together! More affectionately! Put your hand on his shoulder! Mother, lean completely into Father’s shoulder! So much that your body is completely buried! Okay!”
As expected. This is why he’s such a quick-witted guy.
Click! Whirr.
“Father, please hold our little Young Master tighter! Mother, you need to snuggle into Father’s embrace! Wrap your arms around his waist so tight it crushes him! Okay!”
Click! Whirr.
The Christmas Tree seemed to become richer with our family’s laughter.
* * *
The car carrying Chairman Cha smoothly entered Taeseong Hotel.
Director Go, who was gripping the steering wheel, frowned.
“What a strange fight.”
Several people were tangled up with each other in front of the Taeseong Hotel main gate.
Furious Japanese people were shouting curses in Japanese at the top of their lungs, while suited people grabbed onto their trouser legs and wouldn’t let go.
One guy was even lying spread-eagle in the road in front of a taxi.
“What is all this commotion about?”
Chairman Cha rolled down the window.
“What the hell are the Taeseong Hotel security guards doing! There’s such a huge commotion happening right in front of the main gate, and they’re just standing by doing nothing!”
“Chairman, you’ve arrived?”
The Taeseong Hotel manager came running over looking disheveled.
His usually neat hair had become a mess, and his clothes that were always crisply pressed with sharp creases were now wrinkled and torn.
It seemed he had gone through quite an ordeal trying to break up this fight.
“Director Go, you handle this commotion!”
“Yes, understood.”
Director Go got out of the car.
The 2-meter tall muscular giant strode over and shouted loudly.
“Everyone stop fighting immediately and step back!”
His tone was quite polite, but his actions were not.
Standing firm like a minister with a steel pipe in hand, his presence was overwhelming.
“If you ignore this warning, I won’t take responsibility if you get hurt!”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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