CH133

"Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule."

At a private room in Tokyo, an upscale Japanese restaurant in Gangbuk, Seok-won sat across from Choi Bok-rak, the Section Chief of the Securities Supervisory Service's Investigation Department 1.

Choi, a man of medium height with a lean frame and gold-rimmed glasses, eyed Seok-won with a hint of suspicion.

"How do you know Professor Woo?"

Seok-won responded with a relaxed smile, his tone smooth and unhurried.

"I had the chance to meet Professor Woo while studying at Harvard. He attended a conference there. When I learned you were one of his students, I asked him to arrange this meeting."

"A coincidence, huh."

Choi was not naive enough to take that at face value.

"If it caused any inconvenience, I apologize."

"No need."

Choi's voice was dry and curt.

Despite the clear tension in the air, Seok-won leisurely wiped his hands with the warm towel provided, his demeanor unfazed.

"I hear they got fresh bluefin tuna today. Would you like some?"

"Before that, why don't you tell me why you wanted to meet?"

"I thought it'd be better to discuss things after a good meal."

"I'd rather hear it first. To be honest, this isn't exactly a comfortable meeting for me."

Choi didn't bother hiding his discomfort, his face impassive.

Far from being offended, Seok-won found himself amused.

'Just like his nickname "Dogged Choi," prickly as expected.'

The nickname stemmed from Choi's relentless approach to investigations, always digging until someone was held accountable. But within the Securities Supervisory Service—dominated by graduates from prestigious Seoul universities—it was also a slight, mocking the outsider who had graduated from an obscure provincial school.

"If that's how you prefer it, very well."

Seok-won gave a subtle nod, and the waitress standing by the door immediately caught on.

"Call me when you're ready to order."

With the soft click of the door closing, the two men were left alone in the room.

Seok-won lifted the porcelain sake bottle with a pleasant smile.

"But surely, a drink is alright?"

Without a word, Choi picked up his glass.

After pouring for Choi, Seok-won handed over the sake bottle, and Choi filled his glass in return.

They clinked their glasses lightly and downed the drinks in one go.

"The reason I asked to meet today is that I have a favor to ask."

"I figured."

As Seok-won poured another round, Choi's expression hardened as if he'd expected this all along. He set his glass down with a sharp clink.

"That's enough. Out of respect for Professor Woo, I'll pretend I never heard any of this."

As Choi Bok-rak began to rise from his seat, Seok-won spoke calmly.

"You really are as impatient as they say."

"What did you just say?"

Choi's brows furrowed in irritation, but Seok-won remained unfazed, motioning for him to sit back down with a relaxed wave of his hand.

"I'm not here to make some desperate plea. You can relax."

Choi scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Funny, I could've sworn you said you had a favor to ask. Maybe I misheard?"

Seok-won sipped his drink leisurely, unfazed by Choi's sharp glare.

"Let's call it a proposal, not a favor."

"I don't have time to play word games with you."

Choi snapped, his patience thinning. Seok-won's smile vanished, his expression turning cold.

"Neither do I. You're free to walk out that door, but I guarantee you'll regret it."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

They locked eyes in a silent battle of wills, until finally, Choi dropped back into his seat with a frustrated sigh.

"Fine. Let's hear this proposal of yours."

Without a word, Seok-won picked up a thick envelope that had been resting beside him and placed it on the table.

"This contains evidence on a group manipulating the stock price of a particular company for profit."

"!"

Choi, who had been leaning back with arms crossed and a skeptical look, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Most of it is circumstantial," Seok-won continued smoothly, "but even a quick glance will make it clear that price manipulation is happening."

He took another sip of his drink, calm and collected.

"Start an investigation, dig just a little, and you'll find more than enough solid evidence to prove criminal activity. It won't be difficult."

Then, as if to punctuate his point, Seok-won lifted his brow slightly in Choi's direction.

"Cracking down on stock manipulation is one of the key responsibilities of the Securities Supervisory Service. Hardly something you could call a favor, right?"

"…If that's the case, why not just submit this through official channels? Why all the cloak-and-dagger?"

Choi's eyes were still filled with suspicion, and he made no move to touch the envelope.

"Because I want the investigation to happen on my timeline."

The moment those words left Seok-won's mouth, Choi's expression tightened. Just as he suspected—there was an ulterior motive.

Choi had no interest in getting tangled up in something messy, and he was about to dismiss the whole thing when Seok-won's next words made him pause.

"I heard you were passed over for promotion again in the recent reshuffle."

"!"

"And if I'm not mistaken, one of the people who did get promoted is a junior with fewer years than you. That must've stung."

Seok-won shrugged nonchalantly as he observed Choi Bok-rak's hardened expression.

"Performance is important, sure, but connections and networks play a huge role in promotions too. It's really a shame."

His words struck a nerve, pinpointing the exact frustration Choi harbored—being overlooked for promotions despite his stellar performance, simply because he lacked prestigious academic credentials or influential connections.

"You're familiar with Vice Minister Choi Jin-woo at the Ministry of Science and Technology, I assume."

Unlike Choi Bok-rak, Choi Jin-woo was a Seoul National University alumnus and a former Vice Minister of Finance, a highly regarded elite bureaucrat with solid backing from the Blue House. He was even being considered as a potential candidate for Minister of Finance or Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. There was no way Choi Bok-rak wouldn't know of him.

"Funny, you even share the same last name."

"…"

Seok-won's voice softened, laced with subtle persuasion.

"If someone like Vice Minister Choi had your back, you wouldn't have to deal with the kind of discrimination and setbacks you've been facing in your career."

At that, a flicker of hesitation crossed Choi Bok-rak's face.

"If you're interested, I could help you forge a good connection with him."

Choi, who had been clenching his jaw tightly, finally let his gaze drift toward the envelope on the table.

"So, you want me to handle this your way in exchange?"

"Business is all about give and take, after all."

Choi's eyes wavered noticeably, though he still seemed torn.

"This isn't illegal. All I'm asking is for the Securities Supervisory Service to do its job. The only thing I'm suggesting is adjusting the timing of the investigation."

Seok-won's smooth, coaxing tone made Choi recall the frustrations of being sidelined due to his lack of elite connections.

It wasn't like he was being asked to cover up a crime—on the contrary, he was being asked to expose one. There was really no reason to refuse.

"What's the name of the company involved in the stock manipulation?"

Seeing that Choi had made up his mind, Seok-won allowed a subtle smile to curl at the corner of his lips.

"Boseong Telecom."

***

The next day, the trading floor of Daehung Securities' headquarters in Yeouido was buzzing with activity. The phones rang nonstop, and traders barked out orders, filling the fifth-floor Trading Center with a chaotic energy.

Amidst the commotion, Assistant Manager Jung Hwan-yeop sat slumped over his desk, clutching his pounding head and queasy stomach. He was paying the price for the team dinner that had stretched into the early hours of the morning.

"Ughhh…"

Lifting his gaunt face, Jung desperately grabbed his mug, hoping the coffee would clear his head.

"Ugh!"

But the moment the bitter liquid hit his tongue, his nausea intensified, and he collapsed back onto his desk, groaning.

"I'm gonna die…"

Just then, Team Leader Choi Ho-geun returned from stepping out briefly and clicked his tongue at the sight of Jung groaning like a zombie.

"Still like that, huh?"

"My stomach's killing me. Please, have mercy…"

"That's what you get for chugging so many bomb shots. You were the one going wild last night."

Jung, his shoulders sagging and face pale as death, mumbled weakly.

"I'm already regretting it… no need to rub it in…"

"Ugh."

Choi Ho-geun couldn't stand seeing Jung Hwan-yeop, who was usually so energetic and full of life, now looking so miserable.

Despite wanting to scold him further, a little sympathy crept in, and he softened his tone.

"If you're feeling that bad, just go to the bathroom and throw up. Maybe you'll feel better."

"I've already thrown up four times. Now, it's just water coming out," Jung Hwan-yeop groaned, looking pitiful.

"Damn it. After eating all that expensive beef and drinking so much liquor, I feel like I'm going to die."

"Well, judging by how you're still conscious, I don't think you're at death's door yet."

"Is that what you say after seeing my face?"

Jung Hwan-yeop whined and made a face, trying to look even more pathetic, but Choi Ho-geun smacked him hard on the back.

"Ugh! You idiot! I told you to drink moderately!"

"Ugh!" Jung groaned in pain.

"Everyone else is fine, and here you are in this state. Honestly, I'm aging because of you!" Choi Ho-geun grumbled, rummaging through a plastic bag, finally pulling out a brown drink bottle and placing it on the desk with a thud.

"Found this. Drink it and get your act together!"

"Ooh." Jung Hwan-yeop lifted the hangover cure with both hands, treating it like a sacred relic, and exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm, "Ah! Team Leader, you're the best!"

"Gross. Get away from me!" Choi Ho-geun pushed him away, then handed out a drink to Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun as well.

"Here, everyone drink up."

"Thanks, Team Leader. My stomach's been bothering me too."

"Same here. Thanks, Team Leader." Both Yoo Seok-hyun and Hong Jae-hee nodded in appreciation.

Choi Ho-geun sat down at his desk and glanced around at his team. Everyone looked pale and sluggish. Of course, Jung Hwan-yeop was in the worst condition, but Yoo Seok-hyun and Hong Jae-hee weren't much better.

"How about we go get some bean sprout soup for lunch to help with the hangover? What do you think?"

Jung Hwan-yeop swiveled in his chair and asked with a sly grin.

"Are you treating, Team Leader?"

"Hey!" Choi Ho-geun made a deep frown and pointed a finger at him.

"Haven't you heard the saying that people who chase freebies end up bald?"

"Don't worry. At least I've inherited a full head of hair, unlike some people." Jung Hwan-yeop smugly ran his hand through his hair.

Seeing him retort without backing down, Choi Ho-geun sighed in exasperation and muttered as if defeated.

"Alright! I'll buy it. I'll buy it!"

"Hehe, you know the best place for bean sprout soup is Jeonjujip, behind ST Securities, right?"

"Fine, fine. Just do whatever you want, you brat."

Even in the midst of teasing, Choi Ho-geun couldn't help but grind his teeth at how quickly Jung Hwan-yeop found a good place to eat.

"Ahem. Now, should we get some work done?"

Jung Hwan-yeop, sensing that further teasing would earn him something thrown at him, quickly spun his chair around and buried his face in his desk.

Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun, unable to hold back their laughter, quietly stifled giggles as they watched the two banter.

"You two really..."

Shaking his head, Choi Ho-geun was sipping his hangover drink when Yoo Seok-hyun, casually glancing at the monitor, suddenly froze.

"Ah!"

Quickly setting his drink down, Yoo Seok-hyun's eyes widened as he stared at the stock chart on the screen.

"Team Leader, come look at this!"

"What's going on?"

"There's a massive drop in Cheonho Steel's stock price!"

Choi Ho-geun immediately shot up from his chair.

"Is that really happening?"

"Yes!"

Yoo Seok-hyun confirmed as Choi Ho-geun rushed over to his desk.

Jung Hwan-yeop, who had been slouching, snapped back to attention and stood by their side.

The stock chart clearly showed Cheonho Steel's price dropping, which had been on a steady rise only moments ago.

Cheonho Steel: ↓ 310,000

.

.

.

.

Cheonho Steel: ↓ 299,950

"It's real!"

"Why is there so much selling pressure? What's going on?"

Yoo Seok-hyun asked, visibly alarmed, but Choi Ho-geun remained focused and turned his head, speaking in a low voice.

"Check the other stocks!"

"Yes!"

Jung Hwan-yeop quickly returned to his station and started typing, checking the index and major stocks' prices.

"Other stocks are stable, no major changes."

He reported, eyes glued to the screen.

Choi Ho-geun let out a low groan.

"This looks like a profit-taking sell-off starting."

If it weren't for that, there was no reason for the sudden surge in selling and the sharp decline in stock price without any apparent bad news.

Jung Hwan-yeop, seemingly having the same thought, nodded and added, "Well, with the stock price rising so much, it was about time for people to cash out."

"That's true, but to suddenly dump everything without any warning? This doesn't feel right."

Yoo Seok-hyun, still in disbelief, couldn't hide his shock. Cheonho Steel's stock had surged over tenfold, and it had seemed like it would keep rising endlessly.

"Stocks are like that," Jung Hwan-yeop shrugged, but then he glanced at Choi Ho-geun, a thought crossing his mind.

"But to sell everything off and have a crash like this just one day after, it's surprising. Are you sure you don't have some kind of special insight, Team Leader?"

Jung Hwan-yeop, still in awe of the perfect timing, couldn't help but marvel at how precisely the sell-off had been timed.

"Now that you mention it, it really is incredible," Yoo Seok-hyun and Hong Jae-hee both exclaimed in awe.

Choi Ho-geun, watching the sell-off accelerate and the Cheonho Steel stock plummet, couldn't hide his surprise either.

He'd sold his shares at just the right time. If he had kept holding out of greed, thinking the price would keep going up, he shuddered to think of what might have happened.