Vol. 1 - Ch. 2 - The Chaebol is a Little Stingy
From Descent to Ascendancy: The CEO Who Does His Job Too WellThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Jae-Yoon rubbed his eyes.
A hidden older brother? Or perhaps a younger one?
If there was a secret about his birth, they would not just be brothers, they would definitely be twins. They looked that much alike. Human cloning was out of the question, of course. Jae-Yoon’s family wasn’t well-off enough to have such a complicated story, and there was no one who knew him better than himself.
Despite their contrasting attire and hairstyles, one thing was certain: they looked exactly alike.
Swallowing his dry saliva, Jae-Yoon looked the two men up and down again. The men stared back at Jae-Yoon with extremely nonchalant expressions. For a moment, those expressions were so calm, it sent chills down his spine.
“Mr. Lee Jae-Yoon?”
“...”
“This is a situation that is shocking enough. Let’s go this way for now. It would be inconvenient if someone saw us.”
Jae-Yoon, who usually did not show much change in his emotions, found it difficult to keep his composure at this moment. More importantly, these people seemed to already know everything about him.
“Did you wait for me on purpose?”
“To be precise, we wanted to meet you. If it’s okay with you, we’d like a moment of your time.”
Jae-Yoon raised his right hand instead of answering.
Even in broad daylight, he was not so easygoing or foolish as to follow a man who looked like a guardian statue and another man who looked exactly like him.
“I know you’re surprised. First of all, I’m this kind of person…”
[ It’s Group Secretary’s Office, Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong ]
Jae-Yoon smirked upon seeing the business card. Anyone could get hundreds of those printed for just 10,000 won.
Sensing Jae-Yoon’s skepticism, the man beside him stepped forward. Surprisingly, the two men were even similar in height.
“I’m Team Leader Min Ho-Jun of It’s Home Shopping Planning Strategy Team.”
“Ah, so you’re the team leader that Mr. Na was waiting for...?”
Their voices were eerily similar, too. It was said that if the facial bone structure were similar, the voice tended to be that as well. It was true. Only then did Jae-Yoon roughly understand the situation.
Manager Na had been waiting for Team Leader Min Ho-Jun, not Jae-Yoon, but because they looked so similar, even Manager Na made a mistake. That explained the comments about the clothes.
“I’m sure we shocked you by showing up out of the blue.”
“Rather than being shocked about showing up out of the blue…”
The two men’s eyes met in the air. At that moment, Jae-Yoon confirmed that Min Ho-Jun’s expression flinched slightly. No matter having advance notice, facing this reality would still be quite shocking.
“I was surprised at first too. And...I was so happy.”
“You’re happy? That there’s someone who looks exactly like you? Wow, you’re a weirdo. How am I supposed to accept this situation? You guys aren’t stalkers, right? What exactly do you want?”
“It’s not about wanting something. It’s about making a deal.”
“A deal? You’re going to turn the broadcast that’s scheduled for tomorrow upside down just like that? Spare me. Anyway, I’ve got nothing to do, so I’ll get going. It was nice to meet you, in a weird way, though. It was new and strange.”
Jae-Yoon tried to calm his trembling heart as he walked towards the old Avante.
They say that if you see your doppelganger, you will die. Is it in Germany or England where they say that? Some people say it’s a hallucination. Either way, this situation is far from normal. Am I seeing things because I’m tired?
“Turning down the opportunity to become a chaebol. If you leave like this, you might regret it.”
Jae-Yoon stopped walking when he heard the businesslike voice of the man who looked like a guardian statue, Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong.
Regret? There has to be something worth regretting first. They’re just spinning their own tale. And what? A chaebol? This isn’t a drama or a novel. I Opened my Eyes, and now I’m a Third-generation Chaebol. The title of a web novel I read recently comes easily to mind, confirming I’m definitely not in my right mind now.
“Regret is for those with the luxury to afford it. People like me don’t have the time for regrets. Even if I go back, I’d make the same choices because it was the best decision at the time. And people don’t change. They repeat the same mistakes. Always.”
“How philosophical.”
“Yeah; I went to Hansae Uni…”
“And dropped out of the philosophy department, right? After completing the first semester of your sophomore year, you went to the military.”
“...”
“Lee Jae-Yoon, 29 years old. You joined OhGa Kitchen after you came back from the military. You didn’t go back to school and stayed there. Thanks to that, the company grew rapidly. But, what are we going to do about this? Suddenly, the president’s idiot son shows up and threatens your position.”
The man was not only dredging up Jae-Yoon’s past without asking, but also bringing up his distant school days that even he could not remember.
“You’ve done your homework about my background. Is this the class of a chaebol? Next, you’ll be telling me the name of the friend I kissed at a kindergarten birthday party.”
“There’s nothing we can’t find out.”
“Taking a joke seriously, are you? Look, I don’t know if you’re a chaebol or a scammer, but it’s not like I wanted to look like you. What do you want from me? Drag me off for plastic surgery?”
“I told you, to make a deal.”
“A deal…”
Let’s think calmly. I don’t know what it is. No idea at all; but these people are in a hurry right now. So they must have come all the way here to investigate. He’s pretending to be calm, but he definitely looks like he wants to say something right now.
Jae-Yoon was curious. After talking for a while, it was clear that they were not treating him with hostility. Rather, they kept fidgeting as if ants were in their pants. He thought it would be fun to see how things would turn out, so he decided to play along a little. Listening would not cost him anything.
“The story better be worth my while.”
“Of course.”
“I don’t have time to go far… Let’s see…” Jae-Yoon pointed to the black sedan the man was standing in front of. “That’ll do. The tint is dark enough that no one will see us.”
As Jae-Yoon strode towards the car, the two men wore stunned expressions. Nevertheless, they did not seem to dislike his bold demeanor. In fact, they were pleased. It was exactly the attitude they had hoped for. Slightly cocky, but capable of wrapping things up perfectly.
The attitude necessary for the third-generation chaebol CEO of It’s Home Shopping.
What they wanted was… The novel _Prince and the Pauper._The movie _The Face Reader._Somewhere in between.
“Please, come this way.”
Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong got into the driver’s seat, and Jae-Yoon and Min Ho-Jun sat side by side in the back seat. Then, Section Chief Lee spoke in his characteristically cool tone, “How is it?”
“The mood and everything is great. The beige seats are nice to look at too. It’s more luxurious than I thought it would be.”
“No. How does it feel to see someone who looks exactly like you? Also, does Mr. Lee think you and Team Leader Min look alike?”
Jae-Yoon let out a small laugh.
What’s there to say? Were they asking because they really did not know?
“Anyone with eyes would feel that way. Let’s see, the skin tone is a little different. I’ve been working outdoors a lot, so I’ve tanned a lot. Team Leader Min here doesn’t seem to synthesize vitamin D, so his face is a little pale.”
Jae-Yoon blankly stared at Min Ho-Jun sitting next to him. While they did resemble each other, someone with a keen eye might notice the differences. Wearing a SPA brand hoodie and baggy jeans, he looked like he was living in a different dimension from this man in a Versace suit and Tod’s shoes.
“Styling isn’t hard.”
“Right. It just costs a lot.”
“Mr. Lee can easily afford such styling if you accept the deal we’re proposing.”
“So, what, I become Mr. Min Ho-Jun here? And hey, Mr. Jun, don’t you have a mouth to speak for yourself? Is the director here your spokesperson? It’s your business, so you should be the one talking. Is this how all chaebols are? Having others do everything for them. Even go to the bathroom for them? Wow. Must be nice being a chaebol.”
Min Ho-Jun, who had been staring blankly ahead, turned his head abruptly and looked at Jae-Yoon.
My face is going to rip apart. What is he staring at so intently like that?
“Do chaebols look nice to you?”
“Isn’t it better than a team leader of a small and medium-sized company who’s struggling to make ends meet?”
“Then, just do it.”
“Yeah, sure. Just like that. What should I do? Start by writing ‘I am a chaebol now’ on my forehead today?”
“You’re more aggressive than I thought.”
“Yes, or I wouldn’t have survived.”
Min Ho-Jun fiddled with his silk handkerchief. On the wrist holding the handkerchief, a Rolex decorated with diamonds exuded its presence.
It’s strange. I thought he wasn’t interested in luxury goods. Seeing the watch on Min Ho-Jun’s wrist, my heart feels like someone is jumping rope in my chest. Why do I like watches so much? Brand name suits do look pretty good. And why does that shoe seem so glittery? Maybe it isn’t that I lack interest, but lack the means.
Min Ho-Jun noticed Jae-Yoon’s expression, took off his watch, and handed it to him.
“…?”
“It’s a gift.”
Is this guy crazy? Gift, my foot. It’s not like beggars do good deeds.“Ahem.” Jae-Yoon cleared his throat once and replied calmly, “Where can you find someone who gives away what they’re wearing as a gift? You say you’re a chaebol, but you’re a little stingy.”
“You, I like you. Even more than I expected.”
“Complimenting a dark-skinned guy? Your choice of words is a bit…”
The soft and gentle tone of voice, which seemed to be neither male nor female, made him feel strangely nervous.
As a chaebol, he should square his shoulders, saying, “I’m a chaebol. I have everything,” and act a little more dignified.
Jae-Yoon was a little bewildered by the fact that he was so different from the chaebols he had seen in creative works.
What was it? The dark expression on his face, as if he was carrying all the worries of the world on his shoulders, and the restless movements of his body, as if he was about to run away to somewhere at any moment. Surely, there must be a backstory of his.
“I’m here as the pitcher tasked with handling the defeat.”
“I don’t understand. Please speak to me in my language. Plainly.”
“I’m not cut out to be a CEO. I don’t want to be one. But...with a little help from you, Mr. Lee Jae-Yoon, it might not be impossible.”
Help with what?
Jae-Yoon looked at Min Ho-Jun intently. No matter how much he observed, it felt surreal. He could not get used to it. This was not even a mirror. They had no common ground besides their faces… No, wait a minute. Their faces were exactly the same. So much so that even the employees who worked with them would not be able to tell the difference. That meant…
“Don’t tell me the deal you’re talking about is a modern version of The Prince and the Pauper or something.”
“The Prince and the Pauper is a bit of a stretch. The chaebol and the commoner, wouldn’t that be appropriate?”
“So, you want me to pretend to be Min Ho-Jun now? Wow. Jackpot. That’s what this is.”
Suddenly, Min Ho-Jun smiled.
What’s with that? Smiling makes him look even creepier.
A smile appeared on his dry face, which had been expressionless, and Jae-Yoon felt a chill run down his spine.
“Exactly. I have a good eye for people. Just as I thought.”
“Is there anything else I can think of in this situation? Min Ho-Jun and I, the only thing we have in common is that we look exactly alike. That’s all.”
“Now we’re talking. What do you think? Isn’t it really appealing to become the third-generation chaebol, Min Ho-Jun, overnight?"
Appealing, my ass. I dropped out of college and I’m working for a shitty company, but I’ve never once lamented or been pessimistic about my situation. I’m proud to say that I’ve lived my life diligently. Is this a provocation? Or just the ramblings of an ignorant third-generation chaebol? I can’t just accept this offer. I didn’t even think about it. What’s more, I might feel a sense of defeat, as if my life was being completely denied.
Jae-Yoon shook his head. The proposition was nonsensical. Who in their right mind would ask someone to take their place just because they looked alike?
“That’s your idea. You know you just said something very rude, right? Just because I live without anything doesn’t mean I don’t have any pride.”
“I never expected you to accept immediately.”
Min Ho-Jun was rather pleased. If Jae-Yoon had accepted the story of the third-generation chaebol with his eyes wide open and without looking back, Ho-Jun would have been disappointed. That would have been too boring. Only by stepping up like this could one truly take on the role of CEO of It’s Home Shopping.
“I was just talking to you because I was curious, but you’re only talking about a pie in the sky. It was nice to meet you today. I really hope you find someone who will do your puppet work.”
“Won’t you even hear the terms?”
“I’ve lived my life with a sense of pride. It’s not bad to live as Jae-Yoon. I don’t know how great a person Min Ho-Jun is.”
Jae-Yoon yanked hard on the rear door handle.
There was a part of him that was curious. If it involved playing the role of a third-generation chaebol CEO, the compensation would not be meager. They’d surely try hard to keep his mouth shut. On paper, he might be the weaker party, but in reality, it was a chance to boss around a third-generation chaebol.
Various thoughts crossed his mind, but he shook his head.
It’s just a shell, anyway.
Even in a small and medium-sized company the size of a nostril, he was treated like disposable trash because he was not Mr. Oh, let alone how he would be treated in such a chaebol family. It would not be any less harsh.
Jae-Yoon got out of the car with a bitter smile, but at Min Ho-Jun’s last words, his heart sank.
“I heard your mother is in a nursing home on Ganghwa Island.”
Min Ho-Jun’s voice was still dry, even though he knew that was Jae-Yoon’s weak spot.