Chapter 7.1

Chapter 7.1

Seomyeon Food’s CEO Kim Minseok always enjoyed eating pork soup with rice whenever he came to Busan on business. After having it with some of the directors and drinks, he checked the time and belatedly excused himself.

“Going to buy something tasty for your wife again?”

Mr. Im, his Executive Assistant who had accompanied him to Busan, followed closely behind as he left earlier than expected.

Kim Minseok gave a shy smile.

“They say there’s a popular bakery in Busan these days.”

“Just a moment, I’ll find out for you right away.”

Mr. Im had served him for a long time, like his own hands and feet, so there was no way he wouldn’t know his boss’s romantic tendencies. After receiving information from a younger secretary, Mr. Im quickly found the destination and pulled the car close.

“They say their yellow cheese bread and strawberry cream red bean bread are famous here.”

“Really?”

“Yes, your wife doesn’t really like sweet things, so while the strawberry cream red bean bread might be a bit much, I think the yellow cheese one will suit her taste.”

“No, she’s been saying she craves sweets for a few days now, probably because she’s stressed out by Hajun these days.”

“Then it might be good to get a variety of them packaged.”

“I suppose so, yes?”

He had intended to do so from the start, but Kim Minseok ruffled his hair out of unnecessary awkwardness before stepping up to the counter.

“Please pack everything from here to here.”

The hand that offered his card and his gaze toward the staff were extremely polite.

Hajun hadn’t inherited his father’s neat, gentlemanly demeanor, but his dark eyebrows, prominent nose, and outstanding looks, the kind that probably made many women cry in his younger days, might all have come from CEO Kim Minseok.

In fact, his wife, Professor Jung, had fallen for Kim Minseok at first sight, but realizing he was younger than her, she had tried to give up on meeting him.

It was Minseok who relentlessly pursued Professor Jung, who at the time knew nothing but her studies. He appealed to her with the charm of a younger man, urging her to accept him.

It was a legendary match. The marriage of Kim Minseok, the most handsome man in Seomyeon Group who had received several acting offers, and the genius girl was the talk of many that year.

He handed half of the pastries to his wife’s share and the other half to Mr. Im.

“Thank you every time, CEO.”

“Don’t mention it. Shall we get going now?”

He got into the car to head to the airport, leaning back deeply against the seatback as he checked the time again. He typed out a text to his wife, apologizing for being late and letting her know he was leaving now.

Not long after, a call came in from Executive Director Park. He took off his jacket, neatly placed it beside him, and answered the phone.

During his years as a company owner, Kim Minseok had never looked down on anyone.

He always spoke politely, even to Executive Director Park, whom he treated like his own limbs.

“How is Hajun doing?”

His first words were his son’s name, and his brow furrowed naturally. He still worried about Hajun like a child left by the water, always anxious whether he was pulling his weight at Ihan.

Seomyeon Group was a sibling company to Ihan, with various business interests intertwined.

CEO Kim Minseok had played a significant role in Hajun not joining Seomyeon Group but rather HAN Automobile, an affiliate of Ihan Group.

It was as if he had banished Hajun to Ihan instead of calling him to Seomyeon, where he was.

Kim Yunhee, the eldest daughter of Ihan’s founding chairman, had served as an advisor to Seomyeon Group for a long time before her passing, and the company was then passed on to CEO Kim Minseok’s older sister, Kim Yunhye.

His first and second sons had died tragically at a young age, leaving only him and his sister.

When the company was split, his father had given the majority of the group’s shares to Kim Yunhye and only the current Seomyeon Food shares to his youngest son.

Seomyeon had an unusually high number of female executives, and perhaps because of this, there were many factions that viewed Kim Minseok’s son, Hajun, with suspicion.

The problem was that his young son rejected the life of a chaebol owner, which he himself had accepted as fate, and simply wanted to live an ordinary life.

Two years ago, CEO Kim Minseok personally called Kim Seojun, the head of Ihan.

Chairman Kim’s drive, which allowed him to take control of the company to a frightening degree, had much to teach, even though he was much younger.

He was so outstanding in every aspect that one could say he was born with it.

CEO Kim Minseok hoped that Hajun, who would eventually lead Seomyeon Group, would learn more by being at Ihan.

Although he had a reputation for being cold, there was an expectation that as a warm cousin to Hajun, he would ensure Hajun received proper business training.

To do so, it was necessary to make a strong impression on the Seomyeon directors this time.

Executive Director Park’s voice pierced his ears.