For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Dongju
A leading company in South Korea’s chemical industry.
The company originated from a rice mill established in Seoul by Yu Dong-ryul, who was born as the only son of a wealthy family in Chungbuk during the Japanese colonial period. The current Dongju Chemical began when he acquired an abandoned Japanese factory after the Korean War and turned it into a soap factory.
Grandfather Yu Dong-ryul was a patriarchal man. Women, even if they were his children, could not participate in business, and at family gatherings, daughters-in-law always had to prepare food with the housekeepers. His strong Confucian ideology was evident in how he separated dining tables between adults and children.
At Kang Hyun’s table, all the cousins were eating carefully, like mice tiptoeing around a cat. This was partly due to grandfather, but also because of Kang Hyun’s earlier behavior. As proof, Jin-seok couldn’t even look Kang Hyun in the face properly.
“Sir, this is the marinated crab made by your youngest daughter. Please try some.”
It was the housekeeper who had worked at grandfather’s house for many years. She had transferred the marinated crab I brought into an elegant dish, and the uncles’ and aunt’s expressions changed instantly. Grandfather stared at the crab for a long while before taking some.
“The seasoning is well-balanced.”
Just a brief comment.
Yet discomfort flashed across the uncles’ and aunt’s faces. I struggled to suppress a smirk. These people were all anxiously worried about losing their rice bowls.
‘Tsk.’
After grandfather passed away.
These fools couldn’t even manage their own wealth and went completely bankrupt.
Dongju Chemical, which grandfather had built over decades, would be absorbed by foreign capital within ten years, splitting into pieces. After that, I never heard news of the uncles. The last I heard of the eldest uncle was that he was in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province?
“Father, perhaps it’s time you rest at home and watch your grandchildren grow?”
The eldest uncle carefully broached the subject. Grandfather had held onto management rights even past seventy. Grandfather put down his chopsticks with a clatter and looked back and forth between the eldest and second uncles. A suffocating tension descended under his tiger-like gaze.
“Beom-jin, Beom-kyung.”
Grandfather quietly called the names of the eldest and second uncles. The uncles, well past forty, straightened their backs like students receiving discipline. Even the aunt and her husband showed tense expressions.
“Recite the manufacturing process of Donghwa Detergent.”
It was a laundry detergent released by Dongju Chemical. The uncles couldn’t readily answer. Donghwa Detergent was a liquid detergent, not powder. This was when most people used laundry soap or powder detergent. Liquid detergent was less popular due to weaker cleaning power and higher price. But grandfather predicted liquid detergent would surpass powder detergent in the future.
“Executive directors who don’t even know what their company makes want me to step down?”
“Father, that’s not what we…”
“Enough!”
The aunt hiccupped in surprise at the thunderous command.
Grandfather looked between the uncles and spoke.
“If you can’t handle things properly, I’ll put Dongju Chemical in the hands of professional managers. I can’t entrust the company I’ve built my whole life to ignorant fools. You should always work with the mindset of being salaried employees.”
The uncles’ faces turned red in an instant. Though clearly indignant, they tried to hide their expressions by lowering their heads. I was inwardly surprised. I never imagined grandfather would take such a hard line.
‘And yet they still run the company into the ground later?’
The saying that people can’t be reformed really fit. Despite grandfather breaking down his pride to reprimand them like this, the uncles would become the very ones to ruin Dongju Chemical later. The aunt would add fuel to the fire.
Dongju Chemical.
I swallowed a bitter smile as I heard the company name that had grown dim even in memory.
* * *
Spio spio mem-mem─!
The cicada’s cry rings clearly even in this wealthy neighborhood. Sunlight filtering through the window warmly brightened the morning. This was the first time I’d slept in a bed since returning to the past. They said this was mother’s old room. The spotless, well-organized space without a speck of dust reflected grandfather’s heart waiting for mother’s return.
“Hyun, what do you want to do from now on?”
Grandfather asked me at breakfast. Unlike last night’s bustle, only grandfather and I were at the table. I couldn’t easily answer his question. If I wanted, I could not only re-enter Korea University’s law school but also pass the bar exam on my first try. I had lived decades as a legal professional in my past life. Though I wasn’t exactly a righteous legal professional defending justice.
“I want to make my parents happy.”
At this unexpected answer, a strange look crossed grandfather’s eyes.
“You’re a filial son. Are you saying you’ll earn a lot of money?”
Money…
Using just my existing knowledge, I was confident I could become rich. But I didn’t want to live a life obsessed with money. My past life was spent chasing material desires and power. When stripped of vanity, nothing remained. Moreover, father and mother weren’t people bound by money.
“Literally, I want to live a happy life. Having lots of money doesn’t necessarily mean happiness.”
At Kang Hyun’s firm voice, grandfather nodded repeatedly. The grandson he saw years ago had changed too drastically. Though he thought the boy had matured after ranking first in his class, everything was different – his manner of speaking, behavior, and even his eyes.
Just then, the housekeeper brought in the morning newspaper. Grandfather had a habit of drinking coffee while reading the morning paper as breakfast was ending.
“Kang Hyun, would you like orange juice?”
The housekeeper asked, probably considering my age. I nodded with thanks.
The front page of the morning paper prominently featured Jeil Electronics President Son Il-sun. Prime Minister Ko Jin-woo stood beside him. This would later be called the Jeil Republic. Even decades in the past, their influence was tremendous.
“So our country really will join the OECD.”
Grandfather muttered while reading the newspaper. We would join the OECD alright. But the glory of joining the ranks of developed economies would last only a few months. Our country lacked the strength to defend against foreign exchange speculation. Knowing the future, grandfather’s exclamation didn’t sound so pleasant.
“Hyun, let’s have lunch with grandfather’s friend today. He’s been insisting on showing off his granddaughter.”
“Yes, grandfather.”
In the past, I’d never been alone with grandfather like this. This life was the first time I’d even stayed overnight at his house. In my previous life, I had utterly despised grandfather for not helping our family and the relatives who looked down on us.
“Mother surprisingly had a girlish side.”
The wallpaper was pink. The bedspread had flowing lace. Mother had lived in a wealthy household until her mid-twenties. It’s hard to imagine how she could now live washing other people’s clothes. That must be how much she loved father.
Knock knock.
The door slowly opened with a knock.
“Kang Hyun, here’s a snack.”
The housekeeper brought in white milk and biscuits on a tray.
“Ma’am, do you know who grandfather’s friend is?”
I asked while taking a biscuit.
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
The housekeeper also seemed unsure about grandfather’s friend.
Thud.
Even after the housekeeper left, I spent a long time looking around mother’s room. Her old belongings and clothes were still neatly organized. My heart ached feeling grandfather’s tender feelings.
“Huh?”
There was something eye-catching under the desk. Specifically, a case.
Reaching out to pull it out.
“It’s a violin case?”
An old violin case. But even that didn’t have a speck of dust, suggesting someone regularly cleaned it.
“So mother played the violin.”
Is that why she was so happy when I learned the violin?
I carefully opened the violin case.
The bow, violin, and hygrometer were neatly arranged.
Thump thump thump.
My heart raced seeing the violin.
Just like when I heard Beethoven’s symphony.
As I was staring at the violin for a while.
“Kang Hyun, the master is looking for you.”
The housekeeper’s voice from beyond the door broke my reverie. I carefully closed the violin case and put it back in its original place.
We drove for quite a while in a luxury sedan rarely seen in the 90s. I had also changed into new clothes provided by the housekeeper. Though young, I looked formal, dressed like in a suit. Grandfather wore a pleased smile.
“Driver Kim. I bragged to my friend about my grandson ranking first in his class. Do you know what that old fool said to me?”
The driver smiled and answered briefly.
“Well, he started bragging that his granddaughter also ranked first. As we talked, we ended up arguing about whose grandchild was more brilliant. Today’s the day for the showdown. Haha.”
What?
That’s what today’s meeting was about?
Grandfather looked at me with a doting smile. I reflexively smiled back. This side of grandfather was new to me.
The driver skillfully navigated without being told the destination. Clearly not his first time there. But why did it feel…
‘Somehow familiar?’
These were Seoul’s roads from decades ago. Though much was different, we were traveling on familiar roads.
No way?
It couldn’t be. A hypothesis formed in my mind, but I quickly shook it off.
But as the car entered streets lined with luxury Western-style houses, my suspicion grew into certainty.
‘How could…’
A massive Western-style house appeared through the car window. Though tall red walls hid the interior, just the property size dwarfed even the surrounding luxury mansions.
“We’ve arrived, Chairman.”
I had been here in my past life.
Though the mansion would later fall into disuse, at this time, that person must still be living here.
Gulp.
No way.
Grandfather’s friend is…
‘Chairman Wang of Jeil Group!’
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