The Baby Seizes Fortune - Chapter 7

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 7

* * *

-The liquidity pressure on Dongnam Bank is growing due to the aftermath of the IMF foreign exchange crisis.

The announcer on the fat brown tube television opened his mouth with a dark expression.

-The government has announced that it is reviewing emergency financial support, but customers’ anxiety does not seem to subside easily. Reporter Kim Se-hun, what is the situation on the scene?

Immediately, the reporter’s coverage footage appeared, showing people crowding in front of the bank to withdraw money and protesting.

-Yes, I am now in front of the main branch of Dongnam Bank in Jongno-gu. Since this morning, customers requesting deposit withdrawals and consultations have been coming one after another, forming much longer waiting lines than usual.

Customers holding bankbooks in their hands appeared in interviews with worried faces.

Knowing what would happen in the future, I let out a small sigh with a sad heart.

Soon, the next report that followed was discussing the causes of the foreign exchange crisis.

-Controversy continues over the causes of the recent economic crisis. Experts pointed out that excessive consumption and preference for foreign products, among other national luxury trends, are worsening the situation. Coverage continues.

“That’s ridiculous!”

I walked step by step toward the television and pressed the button with angry hands to turn off the power.

Anyway, blaming the people is wrong, you bad guys!

I turned my gaze to look at the snowy scenery outside the window.

“Ah… what are you talking about right now?”

Junho’s face, who was taking a phone call in the distance, was considerably hardened, unlike usual.

“…How could such a thing happen… Sigh, I understand. Let’s talk next time.”

After hanging up the phone, he stood there blankly, then slowly moved and sat in front of me.

And he opened his mouth with shaking eyes.

“Chaea… do you remember Father’s friend we met at the coffee shop last time? The one with yellow hair.”

I turned around to look at Junho.

“Yes, I remember. The ugly and nasty man.”

I couldn’t forget that man who only bragged about himself and was rude.

Junho said with a face that had received a tremendous shock.

“He ran away in the night, leaving only debts behind.”

My fingertips flinched.

“Running away in the night means… he’s fleeing. And he fled with other people’s money.”

Even though I had anticipated this would happen, I opened my eyes wide as if surprised.

“Then he’s a bad man!”

Junho let out deep sighs and nodded his head.

“It seems so. That irresponsible bastard. There are many friends who trusted him and co-signed guarantees because his business was going well.”

Junho’s brown eyes looking at me somehow seemed complicated.

I looked at him with somewhat tense eyes.

‘It’s not that, right?’

When I was at home, I monitored him like an iron wall and would fake illness and cry if I saw any strange signs, but it was possible that he might have stopped by while Junho was working without me and taken the guarantee documents.

Junho looked at me with unreadable eyes, then put both hands under my armpits and lifted me up.

“If it weren’t for you, Chaea… Father would have been in big trouble.”

Only after hearing his relieved voice by my ear did I feel at ease.

Both Junho’s shoulders holding me and his voice were trembling to a degree that couldn’t be ignored.

“If you hadn’t cried saying you were sick that day, I would have definitely co-signed the guarantee.”

I couldn’t hide my heartache at seeing Junho relieved like someone who had returned from the threshold of hell.

“If that had happened… sigh…”

We would both end up on the streets.

Junho looked at my face in his arms and said.

“Chaea, you saved Father.”

Meeting Junho’s eyes, I smiled brightly.

And I reached out my hand to touch his soft face.

Warm body temperature was transmitted.

“Father.”

I looked into his eyes with clear eyes.

“Chaea is glad that Father…”

With the body of a four-year-old baby, I couldn’t stop the flow of history.

There was no way to warn people of danger either.

I knew that our country would suffer historical pain, and that greater difficulties would come with ruthless financial measures, but there was nothing I could do.

“I’m really glad that Father is okay.”

But Gu Jun-ho, this kind and handsome man who worked himself to the bone to raise me after I became an orphan.

I felt infinite relief in the fact that I had protected him, even if it meant crying at the top of my lungs and faking illness.

“Chaea… huhuhu…”

Junho hugged me even tighter.

Ugh, I can’t breathe!

* * *

“Do you know what ‘learning from others’ mistakes’ means?”

In the elegant traditional Korean house Dongcheongje, Kang Un-san, chairman of Tomorrow Finance, asked a boy of about five years old who was sitting politely in front of him drinking tea.

With fine skin and cool, deep eyes, it was a handsome face that anyone could see had noble bearing.

“It means to cultivate oneself by taking lessons even from others’ trivial actions and words.”

A clear and distinct voice flowed out, unsuited to his young body. He showed an attitude and intelligent wit that could not be found in children of this age.

Chairman Kang Un-san nodded his head as if satisfied and picked up his teacup.

“The country will be in difficulty for a while. The time will come to pay the price for the complacency and laxity so far, so don’t avert your gaze and look straight at it.”

The child slowly raised his jet-black eyes to meet Chairman Kang Un-san’s gaze.

Unlike other financial institutions that were going bankrupt one by one due to serious liquidity problems, Tomorrow Finance was scheduled to avoid this storm thanks to Chairman Kang Un-san’s thorough and timely risk management.

“Because it’s the company that you, Huijae, will have to lead someday.”

Huijae, who had been looking at his grandfather, slowly nodded his head.

At his grandson’s dignified appearance, a wrinkled smile appeared on Un-san’s lips.

Huijae was by far the smartest and most brilliant child among his grandchildren. However, he had lost both parents at once in a plane crash that summer.

Chairman Kang was concerned that Huijae, who was shocked by losing his parents, might be hurt again by unnecessary attention, so he held a simple funeral and requested that the media not highlight the family tragedy in their reports.

But since that day, shadows that had never been seen before settled on Huijae’s face like scars.

Because he was a calm and smart child, he seemed to have overcome his grief unusually quickly for his age, but Un-san could clearly feel that many things had changed within the child.

And that scar would remain attached to that child’s back for life.

‘I hope this child will meet a sun-like benefactor someday.’

Un-san slowly swallowed his tea.

‘So that even that scar can be erased white.’

The faces of his dead son and daughter-in-law came to mind, making it feel particularly bitter.

“But the price…”

Suddenly Huijae opened his mouth.

He asked with a sharp gaze full of curiosity.

“Who pays the price for being complacent and lax?”

Un-san’s pupils shook.

He kept his mouth shut for a long time looking at Huijae, then poured tea into the empty teacup with a sigh.

* * *

Snore, snore, I stared intently at Junho’s handsome face as he slept.

“Chaea, you saved Father.”

His tearful eyes and grateful voice came to mind, bringing a smile to my lips.

I raised my hand to pat Junho’s broad chest.

Though he was so deeply asleep that he didn’t even feel the slightest movement.

I newly realized how overwhelming and proud it was to be able to help family, to be able to save someone precious.

At the same time, there were several scenes that came to mind.

They were scenes from my life before I became ‘Chaea’.

That day’s events that had always been placed on my shoulders. Those moments I had left behind and departed from in my life.

* * *

It was when I was a freshman in high school, returning home after school.

Older Sister had gone on a retreat, and my parents would be coming home late as usual.

I had been solving problems from an advanced math workbook that I was studying at the academy for a couple of hours and was dozing off when the ringing phone woke me up.

I clearly remember the emotions of that moment when I was confused about whether it was a dream or reality.

The cold chills flowing from my neck down my spine were even more vivid.

-*Sob, sob*, Older Sister… she’s dead…

What I heard was Mother’s sobbing voice. Even then, I couldn’t understand the situation at all.

How could that be possible?

Just before going on the retreat, Older Sister had been excitedly preparing for the talent show.

Unlike me with my introverted personality, Older Sister liked being in the spotlight and was good at both dancing and singing.

“Mother? What do you mean…?”

But the call was cut off abruptly without an answer, and only then did I snap to my senses.

Looking at my phone, I saw several messages had come in.

I hurriedly went to the living room and turned on the television. A news screen with the subtitle [Breaking News] was displayed.

-A massive fire at the Large Resort where students on a retreat were staying has resulted in large-scale casualties. So far, 57 deaths, 44 missing persons, and 120 injured have been confirmed. Reporter Kim Ju-eun, please tell us about the current situation.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————