Chapter 1 …

“YBC News, this is Park Seonghun reporting. I am currently standing in the lobby of Seonjin Group headquarters, where the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting is taking place.”

Camera flashes erupted without pause.

The lobby of Seonjin Group headquarters was weighed down by a heavy atmosphere.

Standing before the cameras, the reporter began speaking in a calm voice.

“Today’s meeting has a single agenda item: the motion to dismiss Chairman Kang Seonwoo. Even now, well past the scheduled closing time, the doors of the conference hall remain tightly shut.”

The reporter paused briefly before continuing with his prepared statement.

“The reason the business world is focused on this location is clear. It is because of Chairman Kang Seonwoo’s fifteen-year history of defending management control. He is a man who never once surrendered control of the company despite the relentless assaults of the broader Seonjin family.”

Archival footage and captions appeared across the bottom of the screen.

“In particular, in 2028, when Seonjin Heavy Industries attempted to absorb Seonjin Group—the origin of the entire conglomerate—through its superior financial power, Chairman Kang turned the tide by bringing overseas funds to his side. Then, in 2030, when Seonjin Motors pressured the company under the pretext of converting it into a holding company structure, he managed to retain his position by winning overwhelming support from minority shareholders.”

That was how Kang Seonwoo had protected Seonjin, defying everyone’s expectations.

“Having overcome numerous crises like these, he earned a reputation as a genius of defense. However, experts believe that this time, defense will be impossible.”

The camera shifted toward a line of lawyers representing Seonjin Motors standing in one corner of the lobby.

“Chairman Kang Jinho of Seonjin Motors has purchased the entirety of Seonjin Group bonds currently circulating on the market, worth one trillion won. Furthermore, he has taken the hardline position that there will be no extension of the maturity dates unless the management team is replaced.”

Adjusting his glasses, the reporter continued.

“Seonjin Group’s cash flow has deteriorated to the worst level in its history. The reason is simple—they have poured enormous amounts of surplus cash into a prolonged battle over management rights.”

The reporter tightened his grip on the microphone as he moved toward his conclusion.

“In the end, even the friendly shareholders who had supported Chairman Kang until now are being forced to turn their backs in order to prevent the company from going bankrupt. Fifteen years of war. Whether its conclusion will be recorded as the defeat of the genius of defense, or whether another dramatic reversal awaits, remains to be seen.”

At that moment—

The atmosphere inside the lobby suddenly changed amidst a growing murmur of voices.

The doors of the conference hall, which had remained firmly shut, were opening.

“Ah, one moment. The conference hall doors have opened. It appears the voting results are out!”

“Wow, you’re seriously impossible to get rid of. Every time I think you’re dead, you crawl back out. Every time I think I’ve stomped you to death, you start twitching again.”

I raised my head and looked at my cousin and the chairman of Seonjin Motors, Kang Jinho.

His face was soaked in the satisfaction of victory.

Just looking at it made my stomach churn.

“I honestly thought I’d never get to put the title of Chairman of Seonjin Group next to my name until I was lying in a coffin like my father. All because of you, Kang Seonwoo.”

Seonjin.

The great name founded by my grandfather, a name that had controlled South Korea for eighty years.

But through the second and third generations, that name had been torn apart piece by piece.

“To be honest, I never understood why my father was so obsessed with that empty shell of a headquarters building. I kept wondering why he was throwing so much money at that mountain of debt.”

“……”

“But once I got the automobile division, I finally understood. I’m the most successful person in the Kang family, yet some mutt that rolled in from who-knows-where keeps acting like the legitimate heir. It’s irritating, isn’t it?”

Kang Jinho looked down at me as if I were an insect.

“So I thought long and hard about what I was missing. Then it hit me. The title of Chairman of Seonjin Group—the one that bastard Kang Seonwoo is holding. That was it. That’s why the old man was so obsessed with that meaningless title.”

“For someone so obsessed with it, the old man wasn’t very capable.”

Bang!

Kang Jinho kicked the table away in irritation.

The heavy table slid across the room, but I didn’t even blink.

“You bastard. You lost, and instead of getting on your knees and begging, you still don’t understand the situation?”

“Maybe that’s why you weren’t very capable either, Kang Jinho. You spent an entire trillion won just to swallow this Seonjin Group, which only owns a few resorts.”

“Typical loser talk.”

From the moment my mother became chairwoman until I inherited the position and endured all those years, what we did was not management.

All we ever thought about was how to efficiently block the next attack.

We never expanded the business.

We only reinforced the crumbling walls one layer at a time.

That was the Seonjin we protected.

And now it was truly over.

“If it were me, I could have destroyed Seonjin Group with a quarter of the money you spent. The weakest point wasn’t headquarters—it was the trading company. You should have cut off the cash flow.”

My words hit a nerve.

Kang Jinho clenched his teeth and raised his hand as if he were about to strike me.

But after trembling for a moment, he lowered it.

“Fine. Keep barking. No matter how much you struggle, I’m the owner of Seonjin now.”

“That was always your problem.”

“What?”

“You always got scared when it was time to land a decisive blow. Your father, Kang Taeyong, was the same. Maybe Grandfather knew. Maybe he understood that the name Seonjin was wasted on cowards like—”

Smack!

Before I could finish, a heavy impact slammed into my jaw.

The metallic taste of blood instantly filled my mouth.

“You little shit! I let you off easy, and now you won’t stop running your mouth!”

“That hurt. If you’d come at me like this from the start, I probably wouldn’t have beaten you.”

I wiped the blood from my lips with the back of my hand.

Breathing heavily, Kang Jinho collapsed onto the sofa opposite me and pulled out a cigarette.

“…You’re one stubborn bastard. I guess that mouth of yours is how you kept charming white knights into saving you all these years.”

Through the cloud of smoke, I could see the contempt in his eyes.

“You stubborn bastard. No matter how many times I crush you, you keep growing back like a weed. Just like your mother… Anyway, hand over Seonjin Group. You know it’s over now, don’t you?”

I knew.

Better than anyone.

Three hundred billion won worth of bonds would mature tomorrow.

Until now, I had stopped disaster by grinding my soul into dust.

But Kang Jinho had bought up every bond held by the banks and wrapped the noose around my neck.

There was nowhere left to turn.

“I have one condition.”

“Jesus, your tongue is still wagging. What condition? The company will be in my hands in a day or two anyway. Don’t drag things out with some pathetic rehabilitation filing. Just hand it over.”

“Leave Seona’s resort alone. You have no use for it anyway.”

I had to protect my younger sister.

“Oh wow, you really take care of your little sister.”

Kang Jinho tossed his cigarette onto the floor and crushed it beneath his shoe.

“Well, that old resort would be a headache to manage anyway. But I don’t want to leave it to your family. Why should I?”

“Then I’ll see you in court tomorrow. I’ll file for rehabilitation and take this to the end. If I start playing with the media, things are going to get pretty noisy for you before your inauguration.”

“Hah. Is that a threat?”

Kang Jinho narrowed his eyes.

After calculating something in his head, he curled his lips into a smile.

“Fine. I’ll give that rotten resort to Seona.”

“……”

“But on one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Remove the Seonjin name.”

My heart dropped.

“What?”

“Take the name Seonjin off the resort sign. Do that, and I’ll leave it alone.”

To protect the name Seonjin, I had given up everything.

Love.

Friends.

A normal life.

I never wanted more things to protect.

The only thing I had to protect was Seonjin.

And now, in order to save the last family member I had left, the condition being demanded of me was Seonjin itself.

“It’s embarrassing, you know. How am I supposed to look at some collapsing little shop still carrying the Seonjin name?”

Kang Jinho chuckled.

“You’re actually thinking about it? Then let’s just go to court.”

“…I’ll do it.”

The answer came more easily than I expected.

I could no longer protect Seonjin.

The only thing left that I could protect was my sister.

“Bastard. Then answer properly.”

“If I remove the Seonjin name, you’ll leave it alone?”

“Yeah. As long as it doesn’t get in my way. If I take that dying resort, all I’ll get is complaints from the board.”

Kang Jinho walked over to the table he had kicked earlier and picked up a document.

Then he tossed it toward me.

“Sign it. Add the condition about not touching Seonjin Resort at the bottom.”

The document stated that Seonjin Motors would assume all debts in exchange for acquiring Seonjin Group.

I stared blankly at the paper for a long time.

It felt like a report card evaluating my entire life.

“Hurry up. We don’t have all day.”

Urged on by Kang Jinho, I let out a long sigh and pulled out my fountain pen.

As soon as I finished signing, he snatched the document away.

“You disgusting bastard. Now all those people calling you a genius of management defense will finally shut up. Let’s never meet again. Wipe the blood off your nose while you’re at it. You got beaten up by your older cousin for running your mouth.”

With a nasty grin, Kang Jinho left the room.

Left alone in the empty office, I leaned deeply into the back of my chair.

The fifteen-year war was over.

More than defeat, overwhelming exhaustion washed over me first.

“…Ha.”

Just as I was about to let out a deep sigh—

BEEEEEEP—

A sharp ringing suddenly pierced my ears.

At the same time, dizziness struck as if the world were spinning around me.

An unbearable pain followed, as though someone had grabbed my heart and was squeezing it.

“Urgh…”

My stomach churned.

My vision rapidly blurred.

I tried to raise a hand to my head, but my arm would not obey.

Warm liquid continued pouring from my nose.

My body lost balance and toppled sideways.

Thud!

My cheek struck the cold marble floor.

I have to… get up…

But my body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton.

It was absurd.

I had spent fifteen years fighting like a dog with nothing but a shield, determined to protect the name Seonjin.

And I had failed.

I was a fool.

I thought that if I could just keep protecting it, I would eventually win.

But I was wrong.

I should have sunk my teeth into their throats.

The light bulb hanging on the wall flickered like a dying flame.

The shrinking light…

That was the last thing I saw.

“……”

A sound echoed through the darkness.

It was vague and muffled, like a voice heard from deep underwater.

“…Mr. Seonwoo? Kang Seonwoo?”

Someone was calling my name.

I forced my heavy eyelids open.

“Ugh…”

The instant I opened my eyes, a splitting headache surged through my skull.

My temples throbbed violently.

It was the same pain I had felt just before collapsing.

Did I survive?

I had been certain I was dead.

It seemed I had somehow survived and been taken to a hospital.

My blurry vision gradually sharpened.

A white ceiling.

And a man in a white coat examining me from up close.

Shining a penlight into my pupils, he asked in a dry voice,

“Are you conscious?”

“Where am I?”

“This is Seonjin Hospital.”

Just as I thought, Thank goodness, I survived—

“Kang Seonwoo collapsed while in mourning and was brought to this room—”

“What? In mourning?”

The doctor had just said something that made no sense.

In mourning?

Who was dead?

“Overwork. I understand how difficult it is as the chief mourner, but you still need rest. When the heart suffers, the body collapses first.”

“Wait. What do you mean, in mourning? Who died? And why am I the chief mourner?”

I was pressing the doctor for answers when—

Click.

The hospital room door opened.

Someone with a familiar face walked in.

“Seonwoo, are you feeling alright?”

“Mo… Mom?”

It was my mother.

But not the mother I remembered.

The mother in my memory was an elderly woman with snow-white hair and deep wrinkles around her eyes after years of vicious management disputes.

But the woman standing before me now—

Black… hair?

Jet-black hair.

A face filled with worry, yet still vibrant with life.

It was exactly how she had looked thirty years ago.

“Yes, it’s Mom. Are you feeling better? After losing your father, I thought I was going to lose you too.”

“…Father?”

My father had died thirty years ago.

So what did she mean by losing me after Father?

Only then did I properly notice what she was wearing.

A plain black mourning garment.

Pinned to her chest was a ribbon marking her as a chief mourner.

喪中 (In Mourning).

The doctor’s earlier words echoed through my mind like a piercing ringing sound.

The chief mourner was me—Kang Seonwoo—during my father’s funeral.

My trembling hand rose to touch my face.

The face that should have been bruised and battered by Kang Jinho was perfectly fine.

No bandages.

No stitches.

Instead, my fingertips brushed against the rough texture of a hemp mourning hood.

No way.

My heart began pounding wildly.

I quickly turned my head toward the wall.

A white wall.

And in the center of it hung an electronic clock.

The date displayed on the clock entered my vision.

[August 6, 2003]

My breath caught in my throat.

It was the exact day.

The day thirty years ago when my father died and I was attending his funeral.