Side Story 1.12

The hotel banquet hall, where the GK Group ESG Management Declaration Ceremony was being held, was abuzz with fervent activity at the press section set up in one corner of the vast space. The sound of keyboards clicking away incessantly filled the air as reporters raced to compose and publish their articles in real-time.

The eyes of countless people—politicians, business figures, government officials, and journalists—who packed the banquet hall were all focused solely on the man standing on the stage. As Kwon Taegyeom concluded his keynote speech, camera flashes erupted in unison, illuminating him.

With not a single strand of hair out of place, neatly slicked back, and dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, the youthful face of GK Group exuded charm. His calm yet commanding gaze fixed unwaveringly on the audience, a scene worthy of gracing the headlines.

Before him, the Ministers of Trade, Industry, and Energy, as well as the Minister of Environment, had taken turns shaking hands with him on stage. It was rare for two ministers representing government departments to gather at a corporate event. Cameras from various media outlets quickly followed Taegyeom’s every move, ensuring no significant moment was missed.

Once marred by scandals involving the personal misconduct of its corporate leader and allegations of various unsavory crimes, GK Group had successfully transitioned leadership to the next generation, maintaining its formidable presence. While wary of unnecessary media exposure, Taegyeom skillfully leveraged the media’s attention to win public favor. As a result, GK’s plummeting stock prices began to climb upward once more.

With Chairman Kwon still confined to the VIP ward, the position of the corporate leader was effectively vacant. A task force-style crisis management team oversaw the group’s operations. Officially, Taegyeom’s title was the head of this Business Support Office.

Some skeptics occasionally voiced concerns that the group was merely using professional managers as puppets to deflect negative public opinion. However, even those critics could not deny Taegyeom’s managerial prowess, which had stabilized the group’s precarious fortunes.

In an era flooded with information, a company’s survival depended acutely on the media and public perception. Yoo Jinwoo, who was not even part of the Communications Team, would periodically clip articles about Taegyeom and send them to him for personal satisfaction. Sometimes, he referred to Taegyeom with the bizarre nickname, “The Pretentious Prince of GK.”

Taegyeom himself was indifferent to such antics, but Jinwoo seemed to enjoy using the nickname at every opportunity, finding it amusing. Only when Taegyeom buried him under a mountain of work did Jinwoo finally quiet down.

After stepping down from the stage, Taegyeom briefly exchanged handshakes and greetings with a few people who approached him before leaving the banquet hall. Though the event had just begun, the remaining proceedings were left to the Sustainable Management Office.

His schedule was packed to the minute. Without delay, he moved to a meeting room within the hotel. During a brief interlude, he reviewed the second-quarter business plans and issued directives. His final task of the day was a conference call regarding issues at a new factory under construction in Slovakia.

While reviewing response plans, he ate a sandwich brought by his secretary for dinner. Unless there was an important dinner event, he often settled for simple meals like this, frequently eaten on the go in the car.

Leeseo often complained that while he was overly concerned about her meals, he was too indifferent to what he ate himself. To him, even her affectionate nagging was irresistibly endearing.

By the time the conference call ended, it was well past 8 p.m. As Taegyeom exited the meeting room, his steps carried an unusual urgency. Pressing the elevator button, he retrieved his phone from his suit pocket and called his wife.

– Hello.

Her gentle and kind voice over the phone made the corners of his mouth curl up involuntarily.

“What are you doing?”

– I was waiting for your call. I figured you’d be done by now…

She had been waiting for his call. Taegyeom let out a stunned chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief.

Was she trying to drive him mad by being so unbearably adorable? Contrary to her appearance, Leeseo could be a cruel woman.

A rare, relaxed smile appeared on his usually stoic face. But as the elevator doors opened, and he saw a familiar face beaming at him from inside, his expression subtly twisted.

Despite the obvious frown directed at him, the man in the elevator grinned even wider and gestured as if to embrace him.

“Sorry, I’ll call you back.” 

Taegyeom said, hanging up. Before he could even lower his phone, the man lunged forward, wrapping him in a bear hug as if they were long-lost family members.

Jinwoo, who enthusiastically patted Taegyeom on the back, exclaimed, 

“I was worried we might miss each other. How have you been? Still as handsome as ever, I see.”

“Was your arrival today?” 

Taegyeom asked indifferently.

With the annual shareholders’ meeting scheduled in a few days, Jinwoo, the CEO of SH Holdings—now merged with GK Group—was naturally on the attendee list. However, his arrival date was of little concern to Taegyeom.

Jinwoo, annoyed by Taegyeom’s indifferent response, let out a huff. 

“You ungrateful bastard. Your one and only friend, your blood brother, comes back to Korea after ages, and all you can say is, ‘Was your arrival today?’ Do you have any idea how much I’ve been slaving away in the U.S. because of you?”

Jinwoo’s days were so hectic that he often had to settle for soggy Chinese fried noodles and cold orange chicken for meals. He punched Taegyeom lightly on the chest, venting his frustration.

“Ugh.” 

But it was Jinwoo who winced in pain. Taegyeom, unfazed, didn’t even flinch, which only made Jinwoo more annoyed. Clutching his aching fist, Jinwoo groaned. His chest felt so solid that punching a stone wall might have been less painful. Taegyeom let out a small, mocking laugh, as if Jinwoo were pathetic.

“You bastard. What do you have in your chest? Are you even human?”

“That punch wouldn’t even kill a fly. Have you stopped working out?”

“The only place I go besides the office is the gym. I even had the New York branch gym remodeled to perfection. There’s a saying among the employees: ‘If you can’t find Director Yoo, check the gym.’ I’ve been living a pure and disciplined life there, and you dare insult me?”

“Is there a religion that accepts scoundrels like you as saints?”

“You little—don’t use that word in front of me. It reminds me of—”

Jinwoo’s face crumpled. The cheerful grin vanished, replaced by a bitter expression. It seemed like a bad memory had resurfaced. Once, while heavily drunk, Jinwoo had called Korea to ramble about being rejected by a woman he had confessed his feelings to. Even now, he seemed unable to let go of that regret.

Without a word, Jinwoo slumped his shoulders and canceled the elevator button Taegyeom had pressed. Instead, he selected the top floor. The hotel’s top floor housed only a VIP lounge and a bar. It was an unspoken invitation to share a drink and catch up.

Taegyeom glanced at his watch and said, 

“You must be tired from the flight. You should rest.”

He was already returning home later than usual. If Jinwoo kept him here, there was no telling when he’d be able to leave. Sensing Taegyeom’s reluctance, Jinwoo preemptively countered.

“Do you think I rushed over here just to see your pretty face? I have updates on the corporate tax increase from a government insider.”

At Jinwoo’s words, Taegyeom’s gaze sharpened. The United States was undergoing rapid policy changes under its newly inaugurated president last year.

Tax policy changes, in particular, were critical to multinational corporations like GK, as they could determine the company’s very survival. Although Taegyeom had been receiving regular updates, the information changed frequently, sometimes even daily.

Recently, they had succeeded in removing some unreasonable provisions by working closely with government officials. However, signals suggested that the pending bill could pass within the year, heightening tensions between multinational corporations and the government.

Though he wanted to avoid traveling to the U.S. due to his pregnant wife, the situation was unpredictable. His piercing gaze fixed on Jinwoo.

Like a leopard lounging indifferently but suddenly alert to prey, Taegyeom’s demeanor shifted. Jinwoo swallowed hard, feeling uneasy under his friend’s intense stare. Taegyeom spoke decisively.

“Let’s go up.”