CH38

Like a guardian totem standing at the village entrance, Chairman Park glared at the painting with terrifying eyes.

What if the figure in the portrait were alive?

What would it feel like to meet Chairman Park's gaze directly?

Would it feel like being completely exposed, with everything about oneself laid bare?

As that thought crossed my mind,

"…!"

The hair on the back of my hand stood on end.

That was exactly how I had felt earlier.

I was so unnerved that I even imagined that those eyes might have been peering into my past life.

'Does that even make sense?'

Even though my mind dismissed it as nonsense,

When faced with the giant's gaze, all sorts of implausible possibilities lined up in my head.

While I was lost in these thoughts,

"…"

Chairman Park's eyes remained fixed solely on the artwork.

As time passed, Jo Soo-deok discreetly ushered the students out.

A little later,

It was just the three of us left in the studio—Jo Soo deok, Chairman Park, and me.

Jo Soo-deok approached me with a questioning look.

'Director, what's going on?'

'I don't know either.'

While we exchanged these brief thoughts,

"…"

Chairman Park continued to stare at the painting.

How much time had passed?

Just as it seemed that Chairman Park might be sucked into the painting, he slowly turned his head toward me.

Being someone with a discerning eye for art,

I wondered what kind of impression he would share.

As I quietly listened,

"Ji-hoon, step outside for a moment."

Chairman Park said something completely unexpected.

***

With the painting between them, Jo Soo-deok and Chairman Park faced each other.

The unusually long table,

Made the distance between them seem quite substantial.

Gulp.

Jo Soo-deok cautiously swallowed dryly.

He worried that even the sound of swallowing might irritate Chairman Park…

He knew it was a needless worry, but still,

Jo Soo-deok was on edge, focusing all his nerves on even the smallest of actions.

It was proof of just how tense he was.

In contrast, Park Yong-hak observed Jo Soo-deok with a look of complete normalcy.

Isn't it said that one's gaze holds power?

When their eyes met, Jo Soo-deok instinctively lowered his gaze, pretending to look at his shoes.

'Ah, since he's been standing for a while, should I offer him a seat?'

While Jo Soo-deok was briefly pondering,

"That suit looks nice."

Chairman Park broke the silence first.

"Ah, this? The young master gifted it to me. He has such a good eye…"

"I've heard a lot about you through my grandson."

"Please, lower your speech, Chairman."

If Chairman Park spoke formally, it would only make everyone around him uncomfortable.

Perhaps he was used to such reactions.

Chairman Park slowly changed his tone.

"I always meant to ask you something when we met."

"Please, go ahead."

"When you said you'd help an eleven-year-old kid, I honestly had my doubts."

"I would have thought the same…"

"I wondered if you were trying to curry favor with Hyungang, or if you had political ambitions."

"…."

"But after quietly observing, you seem to be more serious than I expected."

Jo Soo-deok quickly bowed his head in thanks.

"But that doesn't mean all my doubts are cleared up."

"…Pardon?"

"What reason does someone like you, who's seen and experienced it all, have for following an eleven-year-old boy?"

It was an unexpected question.

Jo Soo-deok hesitated to speak.

But what else could he do?

He would just have to answer as best as he could.

"As you said, I initially wanted to connect with Hyungang. Indeed, that's how it started. Even now, I have similar thoughts. I've even asked him to hang my artwork first when the gallery opens."

Chairman Park patiently waited for him to continue.

Thanks to that, Jo Soo-deok felt reassured enough to keep speaking.

"But then, my feelings started to change. As I continued to meet with the young master, a strange thought crossed my mind. I think I became fascinated with him from that point on…"

"A strange thought?"

"Ah, I should have explained that earlier. This is such a personal story… I'm worried you won't relate. Hmm, should I say a rival? I've had a long-standing object of admiration."

"Are you talking about artist Kim Hwan-ki?"

Jo Soo-deok was startled, but he didn't show it.

"Yes, that's right. He was my lifelong goal. After Kim Hwan-ki left this world, I lived like a drifting buoy in the open sea. It was the price I paid for using art as a tool for competition. And then I met the young master."

Perhaps realizing the real story was about to begin,

Park Yong-hak straightened his posture.

"There's no need to talk about the young master's brilliance, but the specialness I felt was probably different. In his eyes, I saw an entire universe. I've only had this experience twice in my life."

The first, of course, must have been when he encountered Kim Hwan-ki's work.

"Maybe that's why. I had this absurd thought."

"Absurd?"

"Yes. If I tell you this… you'll probably think I'm crazy. But… I suddenly wondered if Kim Hwan-ki had reappeared in front of me in the form of the young master."

"…"

"I know. It's just a baseless, vague feeling. But once that idea crossed my mind, I became rapidly captivated by the young master. To an uncontrollable degree."

Jo Soo-deok cautiously watched Chairman Park's reaction.

Even if it was just a fantasy, he had said something utterly wild about the man's precious grandson.

But thankfully, Chairman Park showed no particular reaction.

"Looking back now… I think I felt the same way about the young master as I did about Kim Hwan-ki. The thrill of encountering immense talent—perhaps that's the best way to describe it."

With that, Jo Soo-deok's answer came to an end.

He had managed to unravel the tangled emotions fairly well, hadn't he?

Just as Jo Soo-deok was internally assessing his performance,

"It doesn't seem like a lie."

"Thank you…"

"But there's still something I don't understand."

"Excuse me?"

"You may have a personal fondness for him because he reminds you of Kim Hwan-ki, and that's fine; it's your prerogative, so I won't question that."

"…?"

"But if your superior is doing something extraordinarily special, and repeatedly so, shouldn't you seriously question where that ability comes from?"

Chairman Park's voice grew sharper.

"If you believe Kim Hwan-ki has returned, does that make it acceptable for an eleven-year-old boy to find artwork worth hundreds of billions, just like that? Or if he decides to buy a prime piece of land, should you just nod your head?"

"Th-that's because the young master has inherited your bloodline…"

"So what? If he's inherited my blood, does that mean it's natural for him to live life so easily?"

His words struck like a hammer to the head.

Jo Soo-deok felt like his mind was going blank, as if it were being bleached white.

Still, this was a moment where he had to force out some words.

"The young master… is remarkable beyond words. I was very surprised myself when he acquired Dürer's work. Truly. But…"

"…"

"I didn't try to figure out where that specialness came from. It's like how, even if I serve you, Chairman, I don't question where your insight comes from."

"I'm in my seventies, but he's only eleven."

"W-well, even if the young master were seventy, his abilities wouldn't lose their luster. If his talent is only highlighted by his age… that just means he's achieved advanced learning."

In the art world, the term 'young genius' is commonly used.

Usually, people focus on the youth part, but the real emphasis should be on 'genius.'

"True excellence in talent makes you forget about age. Picasso was like that. From the moment he was born until the day he closed his eyes, he was never anything less than a genius. For such a man, age is irrelevant. There's not even enough time to focus on his talent."

"Are you comparing Ji-hoon to Picasso?"

"I just wanted to emphasize that age is only a secondary factor."

"You sound like a zealot."

Jo Soo-deok quietly lowered his head at Chairman Park's words.

"Let's say, as you claim, that my grandson has incredible talent."

"…?"

"If he's fully qualified to lead Hyungang but keeps slacking off, what will you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"If Picasso refused to pick up a brush and just kept running away, what would you do?"

"Well…"

"If you can clearly see that he's destined to become the world's greatest painter, are you just going to let him live as he pleases?"

What does it feel like to have a tiger growling right in front of you?

Jo Soo-deok, bowing halfway, lowered his head even more as he responded.

"My… My opinion is not important. The judgment and decision are entirely up to the young master. So unless the young master says otherwise, I won't think, move, or…"

"What if I order you to?"

"…!"

"If I command you to sit him down at the desk because I need to make use of him, what will you do then?"

"…"

"Wouldn't it be a good thing to put a brush in those little hands, for Picasso's sake?"

Do they say that even if you enter a tiger's den, you'll survive if you stay alert?

Did that person actually go into one before saying that?

Jo Soo-deok struggled to keep his trembling legs steady.

"Th-the young master's future is entirely up to him. Even if your words are the right direction… I don't think I could intervene…"

"What if I say there will be serious consequences if you don't follow my orders?"

"Consequences?"

"Isn't it too much to expect to live peacefully after offending me?"

"Ah, I hadn't thought that far… Hmm, if living peacefully isn't an option… then if you could just tell me how far I have to fall to satisfy you… I'd need to prepare myself…"

"I'm Ji-hoon's grandfather. Do you think I'd eat him alive?"

"No, of course not. Absolutely not. I'm sure you'd raise him with great care. But…"

"…?"

"Communicating your precious intentions clearly to the young master… and guiding him gently… I think that might be a better approach… in my humble opinion…"

"You think he'd listen?"

"Of course, it won't be easy, but having secret discussions behind his back… and devising strategies… could hurt the young master, who is still growing…"

"Didn't you say age doesn't matter in front of talent?"

"Oh, yes, yes. I'll correct myself. These kinds of secret discussions… could harm not only someone who's still growing but… well, adults too…"

Was it just his imagination?

Chairman Park's sharp gaze seemed to soften slightly.

It was like the harsh winter ending and new shoots beginning to sprout.

What is this?

Is his anger… subsiding?

Then, a question that had been buried suddenly surfaced.

Why… would the great Chairman Park Yong-hak do this?

'Why is he holding onto me and having this lengthy conversation?'

There was only one plausible answer.

'Could it be that he's testing me? Was he personally testing whether I'm fit to support his beloved grandson? Yes, that must be it. What other reason could there be?'

As if to confirm Jo Soo-deok's thoughts,

Siiiiiik.

Chairman Park unfolded a closed fan wide and smiled broadly.

The hostile expression from before was completely gone.

Chairman Park, now seemingly a different person, patted Jo Soo-deok on the shoulder.

"Always behave as you did today."

"…"

"Speak up even against my words if it's for Ji-hoon."

"…"

"And refuse my orders if necessary, for his sake."

"…"

"Can you do that?"

Was the shock too great?

As if he were possessed, Jo Soo-deok could only nod in agreement.