The Chairman Who Wants to Play and Eat

Episode 16. Isn’t this going too far?

I made a decision.

I decided not to solve it.

‘If you solve it, it’s all correct. So if you don’t solve it, it’s all wrong.’

Could it be any clearer?

To be more precise, I decided not to solve all the questions, but to submit the multiple-choice questions blank.

I decided to solve the descriptive questions.

Not solving everything might seem like a deviation or rebellion.

That would be a bit problematic.

I need to solve some of it.

That way, it looks natural.

‘As expected, I am a genius.’

Finally, I felt at ease.

I just need to barely avoid failing.

My eyes landed on the first question of the descriptive section.

[Question 1]

— A and B have been friends for 20 years and are close enough to share their resident registration numbers. ······ B trusted these bank documents and established a debt relationship of 2 million won with C, a friend of A. Discuss whether this contract can be canceled due to a mistake in motivation. (20 points)

[Answer]

I picked up my pencil.

‘If I write something down, surely I won’t get a perfect score.’

— Considering the recent trends in case law ······.’

Before I knew it,

The gray subjective answer sheet in front of me began to fill up with my handwriting.

A week later,

“Dean! Dean!”

Amidst the grading after the exam, there was an unexpected commotion in the dean’s office of the law school at Korea University.

It was because of Professor Min Do-kyun, who was in charge of the first-year civil law class.

He suddenly barged into the dean’s office.

He ran in as if his feet were on fire and insisted on meeting the dean.

A meeting was arranged.

The dean looked visibly uncomfortable.

“Hmm hmm. Come. What brings you here so early in the morning?”

His tone suggested that he might get angry if it wasn’t something important. It was because his peaceful morning had been disturbed.

“Well, that is…”

Professor Min stammered.

“What is that in your hand?”

“Oh, this. I was going to tell you about it. It’s because of this.”

“Because of this or that, I’m asking you. What is it?”

The dean spoke irritably. Professor Min didn’t even notice.

“Dean, please take a look.”

He held out a crumpled answer sheet that he had run here with, right in front of the dean’s eyes. The name of the author caught the dean’s eyes, which were deeply furrowed.

“Hyun Sang-yoon?”

It was a familiar name.

“That’s right.”

“This guy. Isn’t he the son of the Seonghyeon family who entered the law school?”

“Yes, Dean. But the answer sheet…”

“What about the answer sheet? Did something happen? Did he try to bribe you to raise his grades because they were strange?”

Finally, Professor Min succeeded in catching the dean’s interest.

“It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“This answer sheet… This answer sheet…”

“Speak properly. I’m dying of frustration here.”

Then Professor Min began to speak slowly, as if he were dreaming.

“This guy didn’t answer any of the multiple-choice questions, only the subjective ones. They are short but to the point. Each answer is a gem. To exaggerate a bit, it’s at the level of an undergraduate thesis.”

*

In the chairman’s office,

“What? The president of Korea University? He wants to meet me?”

Chairman Hyun Byung-gun shouted loudly upon hearing the news. It hadn’t been long since the results of the midterm exams for the first-year law students at Korea University had come out.

“Yes, Chairman.”

Chief Joo Yong-hoon bowed his head.

“But who is the president of Korea University?”

“This is Dr. Cheon Jong-tae. He is a strong candidate to become the Minister of Education in the next cabinet reshuffle.”

“Is that so?”

It wasn’t because he wanted to know the name.

That wasn’t important.

Why would such a person suddenly appear? That was the question. Chief Joo, who had guessed the question, calmly continued his answer.

“He said he has something important to discuss regarding Young Master Sang-yoon.”

Finally, a smile appeared on Chairman Hyun’s face.

“Then it must be good news.”

It was an unconditional belief.

“He only said he would tell you in person. But I heard that Young Master Sang-yoon recently finished his midterm exams, so it must be about that.”

“It’s like a parent-teacher meeting. Haha.”

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean, what should we do?”

The answer was already decided.

“Chief Joo, clear the schedule and arrange a proper dinner. Prepare a gift that he would like. He is a teacher, after all. Oh, and call the Vice Chairman too. He may be my grandson, but he is also his son.”

It was a tone full of affection.

It was clear that he was determined to hear the praise for his grandson with his own ears.

“I will do that.”

Chief Joo, who could easily guess his feelings, also smiled.

“More importantly, Chief Joo.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“About Sang-yoon going to America. Is everything going well?”

“According to the recent report from Seonghyun Electronics, A&TT Group has agreed to grant Seonghyun temporary researcher status, and also…”

His next report continued at length.

Chairman Hyun’s face looked relaxed as he listened. It was as if he was listening to beautiful classical music.

He always demanded short and concise reports, but this time was different. He wanted to hear the praise for his grandson at length.

“Good, good.”

It was a typical day in the Chairman’s office.

*

The midterm exam results were out.

It was the score I wanted.

‘I got a score that was neither good nor bad, just average.’

It was a natural result since I didn’t solve any of the multiple-choice questions.

If you only look at the subjective questions, I got a perfect score.

It was an uncomfortable situation, but there was no other way. Manipulating the subjective scores is not an easy task.

I also heard news from my family.

Because of that incident, the president of Korea University even visited my grandfather, Chairman Hyun, and had an interview with him.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the details of their conversation.

I don’t need to hear it.

It must have been something like this:

‘Your son seems to be struggling to adapt to the law school classes because he entered with a lower score. He didn’t solve any of the multiple-choice questions. It’s a lamentable situation.’

‘I’m sorry for the trouble my incompetent grandson has caused you, Mr. President. If you could just let him graduate, I’ll make sure he quits the company and runs a small shop to make a living.’

It’s obvious.

No, even if it’s not obvious, it has to be obvious.

That’s how I survive.

“Young master!”

I was lost in thought with a book in front of me. Deputy Lee Beom-seok interrupted my concentration.

“Why?”

“The exams are over, so why are you studying so hard?”

“Oh, this?”

It was a new book I started reading yesterday.

‘Advanced Spanish’, a Spanish textbook.

“Aren’t you going to the United States by next year at the latest? The sooner you start studying a language, the better, so I need to prepare in advance.”

The most commonly used language in the United States is English.

Not Spanish.

That’s common sense.

So why am I suddenly learning Spanish instead of English?

There’s a reason for everything.

First of all, I don’t need to study English because I’m already at a native level.

That’s the first reason.

The second reason was to show that I was doing utterly useless studies.

So, I thought, I would give the impression that my judgment was clouded, but at least I would avoid suspicion about my minimum qualifications by maintaining a diligent attitude of self-improvement.

‘That kid is incompetent, but he is diligent. He deserves a building.’

This was exactly the kind of evaluation I was aiming for.

It was a perfect calculation.

I thought it was a perfect calculation, but,

“As expected of you, young master.”

Assistant Lee’s reaction was strange.

It was the opposite. He looked pleased.

“The Bell Research Institute we are going to is in New Jersey, where there are few Spanish speakers, but in Southern California, the center of the advanced electronics industry, there are quite a few.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“By the way, it’s impressive that you’re already at an advanced level. If you don’t mind, shall I connect you with the Spanish-speaking representative of the overseas sales department? As you know, there are many people in our company who are fluent in Spanish.”

This person,

is going a step further.

Come to think of it, I had underestimated his loyalty, which had been accelerating for the past few months.

He would praise me even if I made a mess.

It seems that my plan to lower my evaluation through him is impossible.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I need to find another way.

I need to find my allies.

It was then.

Ring, ring.

The phone rang. It was the house phone that rarely rang. As soon as it rang, I guessed. It was a call from the chairman.

“I will step back.”

Assistant Lee tactfully withdrew.

It was a relief.

I couldn’t keep my head straight because of the constant flattery, but the chairman’s call saved me.

It must be a call to scold me after hearing from the president.

I picked up the receiver with a happy heart.

– Young master Sang-yoon, this is Chief Joo Yong-hoon. I will connect you to the chairman right away.

“Yes.”

My heart pounded.

– “Is it Sang-yoon?”

Soon, my grandfather’s loud voice echoed in my eardrums.

It wasn’t a particularly angry voice.

I must never be deceived.

Chairman Hyun, my grandfather, speaks in a calmer and lower voice the angrier he gets.

“Yes, Chairman.”

I answered meekly.

– “Yes, I received news from President Chun of Korea University. He said he was very disappointed that you took the exam that way.”

As expected!

How long has it been since I last heard the word ‘disappointed’?

I almost shed tears of pride.

Finally, my plan worked.

“I’m sorry, Chairman.”

I composed my voice and sincerely apologized.

– “How could you do this to your grandfather?”

“Even if I had a hundred mouths, I have nothing to say. It seems I’ve been sitting in an undeserved position all this time…”

– “Silence!”

Chairman Hyun shouted without even listening.

– “President Chun said that the subjective answers you submitted were too excellent to be considered those of a first-year student.”

Huh?

– “I thought you were devoted to the company all this time. But when did you find the time to put so much effort into studying law? It’s good to study as a student, but isn’t this too much?”

Wait a minute?

Something seems off?

“What… what do you mean…”

The comfort I felt until a moment ago suddenly tightened into tension.

– “Are you not interested in the semiconductor project?”

“No, I’m not.”

– “Did you do it just to please me?”

“Absolutely not, Chairman.”

– Are you planning to enter the legal profession later? Were you planning to leave this old man to handle the company alone and become the Prosecutor General or Chief Justice? Is that it?

“······How could that be?”

The answer to the last question came out late.

It was because he really had no such thoughts.

‘I have no intention of going into the legal profession, not just the company, Grandfather.’

He almost blurted it out.

He quickly composed himself.

“Absolutely not.”

This misunderstanding needs to be resolved quickly before it deepens.

– Of course, I appreciate your intention. It must have been to save this old man’s face. Isn’t that right? You deliberately solved only the subjective questions to draw attention. President Chun said so. He said it seemed like you did it on purpose to give up the academic scholarship. He said that’s the only way he could think after seeing your answers.

Grandfather seemed to have a lot more to say.

– It’s good to have talent.

······What?

He asked only in his mind.

– But because of that, you don’t know how embarrassed I was. I don’t know how many times I emphasized to President Chun that you have no intention of becoming a lawyer. He was so happy to have a promising junior that this old man almost died of anger.

It’s a misunderstanding,

I’m telling you it’s a misunderstanding!

However, it seems difficult to clear this deeply rooted misunderstanding in a short time.

Meanwhile, Grandfather’s words continued.

– Absolutely not. You must stay in Seonghyeon no matter what. If you don’t want to see this old man die of anger······.

“Please don’t say such things.”

– If you don’t want to hear such words, don’t do it! Do you understand what I mean?

There was no choice.

“I will keep it in mind, Grandfather.”

– That’s right, you must keep it in mind. Hmm.

Finally, his voice changed to a satisfied tone. The nagging continued endlessly.

‘He said he was busy, but he doesn’t seem busy at all.’

He grumbled inwardly.

Anyway, this is a big problem.

The exam I tried to mess up was instead grabbing me by the collar and dragging me towards success. Now, there was no way out.