“That much is nothing to me. For a precious Name Partner, it’s an amount I can give out as much as needed. So please don’t feel burdened over a few clothes.”
The face saying those words was simply calm. A few clothes? There were easily over dozens of them, weren’t there? But since he couldn’t return or refund them, after hesitating, he just gave his thanks.
“Thank you. I’ll wear them well…….”
Just how tremendous a fortune did he possess—he was speaking like a king bestowing privy purse funds. Yeonrok felt somewhat distanced. At the same time, on the other hand, the ease he carried seemed admirable. The person for whom an expenditure exceeding 100 million was nothing at all confessed while draping the restaurant’s lights over his head like a halo.
“Actually, I find Yeonrok-ssi the most difficult.”
“Pardon?”
Yeonrok asked back in bewilderment. If one were to pick the lowest-ranking person among the Name Partners, wouldn’t it obviously be himself? Unlike even the ill-mannered Choi Hwan or Moon Gyeonwoo, he was confident he could act warmly.
“What about me?”
While they were conversing, the next dish came out. This time it was horse mackerel sashimi, said to be seasonal fish, and it melted smoothly the moment he put it in his mouth. Wanting to pile up a whole plate full and eat it, Yeonrok unconsciously smacked his lips. Then Yeom Cheonho swapped his untouched plate with the empty one, telling him to eat more. Yeonrok was deeply moved.
“For Hwan-ssi, I can invest in the work he’s currently filming, and for Gyeonwoo-ssi, in his ongoing research. But what Yeonrok-ssi wants doesn’t seem to be that kind of thing.”
Thinking that one could also say “having no background or decent job” this way, Yeonrok fiddled with his chopsticks. For no reason he rubbed his thighs, then kneaded the back of his neck and spoke awkwardly.
“No. I was also grateful that you paid off my loan.”
“But aren’t you feeling an even greater sense of debt?”
Of course, that was also true. When Yeonrok heard that Yeom Cheonho had paid off all his loans, the emotion he felt was bewilderment. He was grateful, but on the other hand, it was burdensome. He still wanted to pay it back if he could. Seeing him spend money like water today made him wonder if it would even be meaningful.
“But recently, hearing Yeonrok-ssi’s stories, I was pleased that we seem to have quite a few compatible aspects.”
Since Yeom Cheonho spoke in a pleasant tone, Yeonrok was bewildered again. He had no idea in what way they seemed compatible. He ended up saying the same thing as before.
“What about me……?”
“Should I call it an attitude of pursuing capital?”
What? Me?
“The point is that you calculate the other party’s psychological aspects and financial power, then set and present your own labor value highly.”
Yeom Cheonho leaned his upper body slightly forward and raised the corners of his mouth. His eyes were sparkling secretly, and it didn’t seem to be just because of the lighting. Wait, but…… was he talking about receiving high errand fees from Choi Hwan right now? If that was it, rather than pursuing capital, he just wanted to mess with Choi Hwan a bit.
“Moreover, you bought gold with that money. That’s a good judgment. It’s a symbol of wealth that’s accepted anywhere and a safe asset whose value won’t plummet in the future.”
Yeonrok recalled the answer that came back when he jokingly told Kim Jeongseong that since he had no place to spend cash right now and it just kept piling up, he might need to buy a safe. As expected of that employee serving that boss, it was similar to what Yeom Cheonho had just said.
‘If you’re going to store it in a safe, I recommend gold. It’ll be fine even if a fire breaks out at home, there’s no particular chance of its value dropping in the future, and it’s also good as a safe asset.’
Highly enticed by the words that it would be fine even if a fire broke out, Yeonrok asked him to buy some gold. After briefly looking at the shiny gold, about the size of his pinky finger’s first joint, with curiosity, he carefully placed it in a corner of the small safe Kim Jeongseong had installed. It meant he didn’t particularly buy the gold because he liked it.
However, since it seemed he’d gained Yeom Cheonho’s favor thanks to it, Yeonrok could neither deny nor affirm it and only smiled awkwardly.
Quietly observing Yeom Cheonho eating the food that came out as the next course, he looked quite pleased. In fact, he’d looked quite cheerful since earlier. While eating the kelp beef tartare roll that melted smoothly in his mouth, Yeonrok asked.
“But you seem to be in a particularly good mood today.”
“Does it show that much? I invested in a certain business last time and it’s yielding profits far beyond expectations. I’m currently checking if there might be any special reason for it.”
Yeonrok nodded. I see. Of course one would be in a good mood if they made a lot of money. But……. Yeonrok gradually felt like he was beginning to understand what kind of person Yeom Cheonho was.
“You must have been lucky!”
“That’s right. I was lucky. It’s a result I can only describe that way. Thanks to it, the company building remodeling I was planning has become possible.”
To remodel such a building wouldn’t cost just a little, so it seemed he really had made quite a lot. Yeonrok chimed in agreement and said.
“Even though you already have a lot of money, are you that happy?”
“Of course! Because the more money, the better.”
Yeom Cheonho’s eyes rounded. Showing flawless perfect dining manners, he cut into the sea bream that the chef had procured from dawn and carefully grilled before adding sauce. After savoring the expensive wine that came across the water from abroad, he flashed a watch on his wrist whose price was beyond estimation and laughed.
“Isn’t there almost nothing in this world that money can’t solve?”
“That’s true…….”
“Ah, of course. Money alone doesn’t solve everything. So if you add just one more thing to it, it becomes perfect.”
“What would that one thing be……?”
Even though the other person was still very kind and gentle, Yeonrok asked cautiously, somehow feeling pressured.
“People.”
The capitalist who seemed the wealthiest among those Yeonrok had actually met said cheerfully. When he changed his posture, the restaurant’s lighting he’d been wearing like a halo cast shadows on his handsome face. Strangely, for a moment Yeom Cheonho looked sinister.
“Money and people. With just these two, there’s nothing you can’t do in this whole wide world. Houses, cars, watches, clothes, shoes, people, time……. And even the gold that Yeonrok-ssi likes.”
Of course it would be nice to have, but I don’t blindly love gold that much…….
“That’s why Yeonrok-ssi is important to me. Because you’re a precious person as my Name Partner. Thanks to you, haven’t I become healthy like this? Health is also a value that money alone cannot solve. So enjoy all of this. Yeonrok-ssi has the right to do so.”
Becoming a Name Manifestor was like a double-edged sword. Without a partner, one might die, but conversely, if the partner just stayed by one’s side, the incidence of all kinds of diseases decreased while average lifespan increased meaningfully. It was a statistically proven fact. That was what Yeom Cheonho was talking about.
Yeonrok just kept nodding his head infinitely and agreed with Yeom Cheonho’s words. He only thought that the other person was like the incarnation of capitalism and that the food was delicious. And on the other hand, while he was enjoying himself like this, he was uncomfortable as if sitting on a bed of thorns, worried about his ex-girlfriend who would be waiting outside…….
Contrary to Yeonrok’s heart wanting to go home quickly, the meal took as long as two whole hours amidst endlessly emerging new menu items. When they came out after filling their stomachs, Min Soyul greeted them with a smiling face. Her face, whose thoughts were unknowable, was unfamiliar perhaps because it had been a while, so Yeonrok stared at Min Soyul blankly for a moment.
“Did you both have a good meal?”
“The conversation with Yeonrok-ssi was enjoyable, so the meal took longer than expected. Now that I think about it, Secretary Min, did you say you have a daughter? About how old is she this year?”
Yeonrok’s movement, still wiggling the hand caught by Yeom Cheonho because he was embarrassed, faltered.
“She just turned one, President.”
“Oh my, the child is at an age when she’s looking for her parents the most, but it’s gotten too late at night. Please go home for today. Quickly.”
Saying that, Yeom Cheonho gave her a check as taxi fare. Min Soyul hesitated, then gratefully took the check and disappeared with quick steps, saying she’d leave work first. While walking to the car holding Yeom Cheonho’s hand, Yeonrok unconsciously murmured.
“She still looks quite young, but she already has a child.”
“That’s right. She married another employee last year. I remember them being a well-matched couple in many ways.”
I see. A well-matched couple in many ways. Even though he could clearly assert that he had no feelings for her anymore, somehow he felt strangely lonely.
On the way back, Yeom Cheonho drove. Yeonrok also had a license, but the car was too expensive, so he didn’t dare have the courage to drive. Thinking about his unlucky day today, he would definitely scratch it somewhere on the way home. Yeom Cheonho would probably say it was okay, but if that happened, Yeonrok’s heart would definitely be hurt.
Having returned home that way, Yeonrok went up to the rooftop instead of washing up. A text message had come from an unfamiliar number.
