Chapter 1005. Crank Up 10

“I’m not sure if the food is to your taste.”

The chairman’s housekeeper brought some tea and fruits. Maru looked at the red-colored tea in front of him before speaking,

“I haven’t had food this good in a while.”

“It was worth putting in the effort. I wouldn’t have had any face if the food was bad when I invited over a guest. You should eat those fruits too. And you too, Giwoo.”

Maru picked up the thin fruit fork. Lotus patterns were painted on the end, and in the middle was something like a diamond. It was probably not just something ‘like’ a diamond; it was likely a real one. The chairman despised counterfeits. He even said it in their conversation. Maru picked up a slice of sliced strawberry and put it in his mouth. It was the sweetest one he had in a while.

“So, you have known my son since high school?” the chairman asked.

Maru could see Giwoo’s hand flinch in front of him. He was probably walking on needles right now. After all, the chairman must be a literal ‘god’ to him.

“I didn’t know him that well back then, but I could tell that he was a good person from his first impression. His acting skills were exceptional, and he was kind to those around him. The staff back then really liked him.”

He couldn’t just say ‘your grandson is an unrecyclable piece of human trash.’ If it was a month ago, he would have said it. He wouldn’t have said it outright but indirectly so that the smart chairman would understand him. The reason he said something that wasn’t even in his heart was because the masked man’s last stance lingered in front of his eyes. The fact that he was already onboard the plane should mean that he was approaching his death. It was inevitable, and overcoming it in a frontal clash would be difficult as well. The only thing he could do was to be careful so that such a time would come as late as possible, such as by abiding by traffic laws, not going to dangerous places, and not making enemies. The best he could do right now was to repeat the extremely natural and simple things. He realized just how trifling human efforts were in front of a god.

Giwoo’s hand started moving again. He slowly put a piece of fruit in his mouth and started chewing. Maru could feel the chairman’s eyes looking at Giwoo. While he described Giwoo as a lacking grandson throughout their entire meal, they were blood kin after all. There was no finger that did not hurt when bitten, so the chairman must mean well for Giwoo. In that sense, this occasion clearly meant one thing. Maru didn’t know why, but the chairman truly looked at him with goodwill.

“I didn’t raise him up to be someone who causes shame wherever he goes.”

“You’re really strict with Giwoo, chairman. You must cherish him a lot.”

The chairman just laughed without a word in response. Maru could not tell how this conversation would sound to Giwoo. It might sound like he was making a fool out of him or that Han Maru must have finally admitted his loss and was being obedient. Maru wanted him to think the latter. He wanted this guy to cool down his meager vendetta and jealousy after seeing him act docile. Maru had a look at his expression while drinking tea. He couldn’t see any fluctuations at all. It was probably his will to not show an embarrassing side in front of his grandfather.

“You know, I believe that good friends are made through effort and that you two can become friends. Of course, you might have things you don’t like about each other. However, as you probably know, the world is mostly filled with those you don’t like. In fact, it will be incredibly hard to find anyone you get along with. You try matching with them. A good friend is someone you get to know in that process.”

“I’ll bear that in my mind, sir.”

The chairman left first, saying that the two of them should have a talk. The man called secretary Kim walked to the chairman and transmitted something to him before the two of them left the 2nd floor. The only ones left were himself and Giwoo.

“You actually came here because you were told to. I’m not sure if you are unafraid or reckless to achieve success or what,” Giwoo said while rummaging through the fruits with his fork.

He loosened his straightened shoulders and placed his arms on the table. It was as if he was demonstrating who was the owner of this house.

“Let’s get along. The chairman said it too.”

Maru put some mango in his mouth. It was so good that he didn’t want to leave any behind.

“Quite good tolerance you have there. I’m surprised you can eat in a place like this.”

“What’s there to be nervous about?”

“Well, I guess you never were the type to get nervous. Should I pack the rest of the fruit for you? You should take some to Gaeul at home. These are quite expensive you know?”

“I’ll just have them here. I have money to buy fruits.”

He emptied the plate clean with a slice of kiwi as the last. Maru put down the fork and looked at Giwoo.

“I’m sorry if I displeased you by coming here. I couldn’t reject the chairman’s invitation.”

Giwoo’s lips twitched. His eyes moved busily as though to observe the state of his enemy. Maru pulled over the plate he had pushed to the side and started eating the fruit on it.

“Grandfather sure is amazing. That high and mighty Han Maru is acting so docile. I never imagined this.”

“Just as he said, it’s all in the past, and what’s important is the future. Of course, we might not be able to live as close friends because it’s not what you want. But from today onwards, we will not be uncomfortable with each other.”

“And who says that? I want to be uncomfortable with you until the end.”

The fluorescent lights above the table were reflected off his eyes. He seemed agitated. Was he trying to suppress Maru now that he had the upper hand? They say a rabbit is King on a mountain without a tiger. Maru looked at the stairs. It was much better when the chairman was here. It was exhausting to quarrel with someone he couldn’t get through to.

“It must not be that fun to talk to a wall that doesn’t respond.”

“So you’re going to ignore me completely?”

“If you do something that will make me ignore you, then yes. But I will do my best to get along with you. It might be hard right now since there’s a bad bone between us, but time will probably help with that.”

“It disappoints me if that’s how you act. You stabbed my back and have been laughing at me with that bitch Han Gaeul all this time. You can’t be telling me this.”

“So what is it that you want then?”

“What do I want? Can you even listen to what I want?”

“If it’s possible.”

“Han Gaeul.”

Giwoo placed a strawberry on the tip of his tongue and put it in his mouth. Maru looked at his jaws moving up and down.

“Give me Han Gaeul, and I’ll get along with you.”

* * *

“That young man should be Giwoo’s only complex. Are you sure you want to leave them like that?”

Hearing secretary Kim’s words, the chairman raised his head to look at the ceiling. Two young men were facing off right now above the ceiling. Just as secretary Kim said, Maru was Giwoo’s shame. It didn’t need an in-depth investigation to find out that Maru did not fall for Giwoo’s antics. Giwoo probably despised Han Maru to the bone.

“Secretary Kim.”

“Yes, chairman.”

“You know the bowls we use at our house, right? The ones with blue orchid patterns on them.”

“They are the bowls you cherish the most, chairman.”

“The creator of that is a master craftsman in northern Chungcheong-do. When I first saw the bowls, I liked them so much that I went to find him. He was an interesting man. His words were quite vulgar too. I watched as the bowls were created. I could truly tell that it was a process that involved the soul.”

The chairman stroked the teacup with the pear extract in it. The teacup was also made by that master craftsman.

“That man asked me if I knew the secret to making good bowls. I said I didn’t. Then he showed me a bowl that he just made. It looked fine at a first glance, but he soon said that there was a trace of an air bubble at the bottom and threw it on the ground. Then, he said that to create good quality bowls, you just have to break the bad quality ones. If you keep breaking them, the only ones left are the good ones.”

The chairman recalled what happened back then and slapped the table.

“It was so clear to me. I could just apply that to people. You can’t use a bowl once it’s broken, but people can be broken multiple times. Those that can break again and again are bound to revive as a great man.”

“He might not last.”

The chairman nodded. That was plausible. Every human possessed the desire to improve themselves, but not many were able to fulfill that. The only ones who know the joy of enduring the pain of breaking would grab the opportunity to climb.

“What do you think, secretary Kim?”

“I only wish that Giwoo will live a life without trouble.”

“It’ll probably turn out like that. Even in my eyes, my grandson does not have what it takes to accept being broken. Still, though, you want to leave one last hope. If he could accept his faults and endure, then who knows? He is a man with my blood after all.”

The chairman looked at the ceiling again.

“So I’ll ask you to work a little hard for me. If you truly think that something urgent is about to happen, put the company name first above all else. You know what I mean, right?”

“Do you not mind even if something happens to Giwoo?”

The chairman pushed his chair back with his leg.

“He has to take care of himself. If he cannot take care of what he has caused, then he should receive a fitting punishment.”

Secretary Kim replied yes in a small voice. The chairman closed his eyes. How would Giwoo treat Maru, who was practically his shame? His attitude would set the future course of action.

“I really wish I could swap them out instead. If I could, I would’ve been less worried.”

The chairman waved at secretary Kim to leave. Secretary Kim quietly closed the door.

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