#48

Hurrying to recover from my slip of the tongue, I let out a sigh of relief, but then Yoo Euiseo muttered in a small voice.

“Then we really could have been senior and junior at the same school. That would have been nice…… What a shame……”

“Indeed. That would have been really nice.”

Yoo Euiseo seemed genuinely regretful that we didn’t get to be senior and junior at the same university. Seeing his sullen expression, I patted his shoulder and continued speaking.

“So, President Lee Yongjun is pulling this childish stunt because he knows you don’t like appearing on quiz shows?”

“Yes……”

I mean, when I heard it was pressure, I thought he was plotting something big. I didn’t expect it to be just forcing him onto a program he dislikes. Well, I suppose it’s his way of expressing his displeasure at an appropriate level while also putting psychological pressure on Yoo Euiseo……

“Secretary Sung.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of it right away.”

Unfortunately for him, such petty tricks only work on the weak.

“Handle it quietly, but make sure a small rumor spreads within the industry. Of course, make it clear who started the trouble first.”

“Understood.”

“And as for President Lee Yongjun……”

I trailed off as I suddenly became aware of the gazes fixed on me. Looking around, I saw four young people staring at me with eyes full of curiosity. With an easy smile, I spoke.

“A little warning should be good. Just like what he did to Euiseo-ssi.”

If someone shows hostility, it’s only polite to return it in kind. No more, no less—just exactly what was given. At my words, Yoo Euiseo looked bewildered.

“A warning?”

“Yes. Something like, ‘Cut the nonsense and know your place.’ ……Just a little taste, to start?”

Speaking with a playful lilt, I lifted one corner of my mouth slightly. Watching me, Nam Yisol let out a small gasp of admiration.

“Wow, sir. You really looked like a president just now……”

I’m already a president, so what does it mean to ‘really look like’ one? As I pondered the meaning of this comment, Nam Yisol quickly added.

“Oh! Don’t get me wrong! I meant it was cool. You’re usually so kind and gentle, and you never get angry, but today, you felt like one of those charismatic second-generation chaebols in movies.”

“A charismatic second-generation chaebol? What does that even mean?”

“Uh…… Someone skilled in schemes, maybe? Super stylish and all that?”

What even is that? I let out a soft chuckle at Nam Yisol’s words.

I could roughly guess what kind of image Nam Yisol had of a second-generation chaebol—probably the cold and intelligent ones from movies and dramas.

“It’s just so surprising to see a different side of you. Normally, you always think of others first and are considerate, so I never imagined you giving warnings to people.”

Nam Yisol furrowed his brows deeply as if he was trying hard to picture it. Still smiling, I reached out my hand toward his scrunched-up forehead. Extending my index finger, I gently pressed and smoothed out the wrinkles between his brows.

Nam Yisol’s eyes grew wide in surprise at the unexpected touch. Satisfied that his frown was gone, I withdrew my hand.

“If you can’t imagine it, there’s no need to force yourself. After all, you’ll never have to see that side of me.”

My firm assurance, filled with the conviction that there would be no exceptions, caused a flicker of surprise in the kids’ eyes. They hadn’t expected to hear such words from me. With a faint hint of playfulness, I ruffled their hair one by one. Finally, I lightly pressed down on Yoo Euiseo’s head and spoke.

“Euiseo-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll take care of this matter, so don’t worry too much. And if President Lee Yongjun gets frustrated and calls you again after his plans fail, don’t hesitate to tell me, Secretary Sung, or Manager Ahn. If changing your number isn’t a problem, that might be a good option too. But no pressure—just do whatever you feel is best.”

“……Alright. Thank you, sir.”

As Yoo Euiseo bowed his head slightly and nodded, I tousled his hair before gently smoothing it back down.

“It’s okay. Don’t look so down. This isn’t your fault. And as the president, it’s my responsibility to handle situations like this, so please don’t feel too guilty about it.”

“……Yes. Thank you so much.”

Seeing Yoo Euiseo looking a bit more at ease, I smiled gently and withdrew my hand. Then, looking at the others, I spoke in a lighthearted tone.

“The same goes for the rest of you. If President Lee Yongjun contacts you with nonsense, tell me immediately. I’ll handle it. And whatever ridiculous things he says, don’t let them get to you. As long as I’m here, none of it will ever become reality.”

“Isn’t that a bit too overconfident?”

“I can’t help it. That’s just the truth. What can someone like President Lee Yongjun really do to me? In a capitalist society, money is power, and realistically speaking, I’m much wealthier than he is. And you all have a president with that wealth backing you.”

With a bright, smiling face, I delivered those sharp words, causing Lee Daon’s expression to turn peculiar. Looking as if he had been hit with a shocking revelation, he stared at me blankly before murmuring,

“……Sometimes, I just can’t figure out what kind of person you really are. One moment, you’re so generous that I wonder if you’ll be okay living like such a pushover, and the next, you’re the most ruthless person out there. Which one is the real you?”

“Well…… I’d say both are my true self.”

“But……”

“Do you really need to overthink it? I just act accordingly, depending on the person and situation. Just like everyone else does.”

After all, is there really such a thing as a universally kind or a universally cruel personality? Even the kindest person will have people they dislike, and even the worst person might have someone they want to be kind to.

“And honestly, isn’t it frustrating to be nice to someone who treats you poorly? If they did this because they thought I was easy to push around, just thinking about it pisses me off.”

With that, I playfully winked. Seeing this, Lee Daon’s lips twitched slightly as if suppressing a smile. I reached out and ruffled his hair.

“……Don’t.”

Lee Daon grumbled at his now-messy hair, but his voice was softer than usual. Just like with Yoo Euiseo, I used my fingers to gently smooth out his hair before withdrawing my hand.

“Well, it looks like I have some work to do now. You all should take it easy on practice and get home early.”

“Yes, understood!”

“And don’t tell anyone except Hosu-ssi and Manager Ahn about today’s conversation.”

“Yes! We won’t say a word!”

Satisfied with Nam Yisol’s bright and clear response, I smiled warmly and left the practice room. Secretary Sung Yoojung silently followed behind me.

“Secretary Sung.”

After walking for a while, we arrived at the elevator. I called out to him in a quiet voice.

“So, who is it? The person who put strange ideas into President Lee Yongjun’s head.”

At my question, Secretary Sung Yoojung’s shoulders flinched slightly. He turned his gaze toward me.

“You already knew? That there was something I hadn’t told you?”

“I’m not naive enough to think that coward would act on his own judgment to mess with me. There must be someone who encouraged him. And that person would need to be powerful enough for him to trust. Since my ever-loyal Secretary Sung hesitated to speak in front of the kids, it must be someone connected to them—either one of them or someone with close ties to all of them. Am I right?”

“Yes. You’re spot on.”

Just then, the elevator arrived. I stepped inside and turned around to see Secretary Sung Yoojung watching me with a satisfied expression.

“You look like you really want to give me a gold star or something.”